The Doctrine of Justification, Title page – Dedication
A TREATISE TENDING TO CLEARE THE DOCTRINE OF IVSTIFICATION.
Written by Io. FORBES, Paſtour of the Engliſh Church at MIDDELBVRGH, for the inſtruction of his flocke: And now publiſhed by ſome of them for the good of others.
Bleſſed is he to whom the Lord imputeth not ſinne, Pſal. 32. 2.
This is the name that they shall call him, The Lord our righteouſnes, Ier. 33. 6.
For God was in Christ reconciling the world to himſelfe, not imputing to them their ſinnes, 2. Cor. 5. 19.
For he made him who knew no ſinne to be ſinne for vsus: that we might be made the righteouſnes of God in him, 2. Cor. 5. 21.
AT MIDDELBVRGH, Printed by Richard Schilders, 1616.
To his welbeloved in the Lord, the faithfull of the English Church in MIDDELBVRGH, whoſe love to the trueth hath entertained his Miniſterie amongſt them, The Author wiſheth grace to diſcerne, and in humilitie to embrace and cōſtantlie to hold the truth in faith and love vntounto eternall life.
THE love of you, dearely beloved, whom I have and yet do ſerve in the Lord, ſtirred by the earneſt and forward deſire of ſome of you, hath mooved me to alter my former determination, of abſtayning from all writing, eſpecially during the preſent eſtate of Gods Church, more waſted and whithered, then watered, and builded in grace, by ſuperfluitie of writing: I ever was loth to put my hande to the penne, and raſhlie to adventure the declaring of my minde, in ſo deepe myſteries: ſeeing ſo many, by their inconſiderate forwardnes in writing, doe darken the trueth, more then cleere it, and doe breed contention, rather, then godly edifying. The ſight of whoſe weaknes, ioyned with the conſcience of myne owne inabilitie, as being in iudgement farre inferior, ſo alſo in vttering by word, and expreſſing in writt, the conceptions of my minde, fa…re leſſe prompt and able, then many who have ſo ſtumbled: hath made me afraide, to medle in ſuch ſort, with the ſacred truth of God. Moreover, in this contending age, I ſee and perceyve, that anſwering of errours, doth more kindle then quench the fire of endleſſe ſtrife: preſumption of knowledge, deceyving the mindes of manie: and true humilitie, ſo neceſſarie a vertue, for learning the myſteries of God, ſo farre remoued from men, even otherwayes of excellent giftes, that the moſt part, ſtriving in preiudged humor, more for victorie, then truth: it is hard to finde, almoſt one, who in this heate of contention, doth not in ſomething, more or leſſe marre the ſoundnes of Gods truth. So dangerous a thing it is to do any thing, in contentious manner, and through vaine glorie, and not in that meeknes of minde, whereby every man eſteemeth others better then him ſelfe. Philip. 2. 3.and therefore wiſely doth the Apoſtle forbid oppoſitions of ſcience, falſly ſo called, in the handling of Gods truth:1. Tim. 6. 20. 2. as a thing which maketh both them which profeſſe it, to erre concerning the faith: and alſo turnes others away from the truth: and commandeth the ſervant of the Lord,2 Tim 2. 24. 25. not to ſtrive, but being gentle toward all men, to inſtruct thē with meeknes: and willeth thoſe that are ſtrong in the faith, to receive vntounto them, the weake in faith: but not vntounto cōtroverſies of diſputations,Rom. 14. 1. becauſe that doth greatly harme ſuch as are weake: who thereby are caſt in a greater doubtfulnes and vncertaintie of the maine foū dations. For as a ſhip before one faire wind, is carried forward in hir courſe, & ſaffely brought to the havē: which by contrary blaſtes, is not onelyonly hindred, but greatly endangered, if not drowned: even ſo the faith of the Saints, which is to be promoved by the onelyonly ſimple and ſound breath of Gods mouth,1. Cor. 1. 10 in his faithfull ſervants, all both minding & ſpeaking one thing,Phil. 2. 2. muſt needes bee marveylouſly hindred in many,Rom. 15. 6. and in many quite deſtroyed by theſe ſo many contrarie doctrines, blowing every one againſt another, and caſting the faith of the children of God, vponupon ſo many daungerous Rockes: and toſſing it with ſo manie windes and waves, that it is no marvayle, to ſee ſo many, make wofull ſhipwrackes. It were more to the honour of God, and profit of the Saints, if the Builders were more carefull of keeping vnitie in the truth, in following the true paterne of holſome wordes, in faith and love,2. Tim. 1. 13. which cannot bee condemned: then curious in ſhewing their knowledge.Tit. 2. 8. And that all Paſtours, did labour, after th'example of that Prince of Paſtours, to lead his people by the ſtill waters: rather then by the turbulent ſtreames of their fighting opinions, and by ſtrange language, to divert the children of God, from the waters of Shiloa, that runnes ſoftlie: which only are able to refreſh the Cittie of God. In ſo doinge, they ſhould not have ſinned, in quenching ſo many ſmoking flaxes, and breaking ſo many bruſed reedes. I ſpeake not againſt the faithfull labours of Chriſtes witneſſes: cōtending with courage againſt the errors of the common adverſarie, either within or without the houſe of GOD: and oppoſing them ſelves, both in plaine ſimplicitie of trueth, and moderate helpe of arte, to everie corrupt doctrine. But my ſpeach is againſt our owne inteſtine debates, ariſing not ſo much vponupon any ſubſtantiall contrarietie, as to much curioſitie of judgement, whereas in one and the ſame pointe, they holding the ſubſtance, doe contende for the ſhadowe. as is too manifeſt in this ſame pointe, whereof I am by your Chriſtian importunitie, forced to write touchinge the Iuſtification of a ſinner before God. Wherein even they who doe holde Chriſt, to bee our righteouſneſſe, according to the word: doe yet notwithſtanding greatly perturbe the peace of the Church, and deſtroye the faith of many: and give matter of offence to all, in ſtriving for the difference, which is in the meaſure, rather thē in the matter of their faith. They that ſee more deepely, by importune and vntimely forwardnes, renting ſuch as are yet old bottells, with their new wine: and they who are not come ſo farre in knowledge, in vnadviſed temeritie, iudging and condempning that, whereto as yet they themſelves have not attained. Both fayling in the duetie of love: the one not contenting to have their faith with them ſelves, vntill without hurte and offence of others, they may imparte it to their edification, and not to their deſtruction: the other ſorte, not having learned in ſobrietie, to be wiſe according to the meaſure of their owne faith, doe not admitt what more the Lord reveyleth to others. as though the meaſure of their faith and knowledge, ſhould bee the rule and limittes of the ſpirit, to binde the whole Church, and every man therein. And this woefull ſeed of contradiction (while men are too much addicted to the vaine deceyte of their owne reaſon) hath now at laſt, not onelyonly troubled the faith of the weake ones, but hath begunne, to caſt darknes vponupon the mindes, of ſome of the ſtrongeſt ſorte. while they evaniſh in their owne reaſonings about the trueth of God reveyled in the Goſpell: as did the Gentiles, in that trueth which God made manifeſt vntounto them in the creatures.Rom. …. 2…. Theſe have bene the cauſes of my vnwillingnes, to give any thing in write, and that now, being overcome by your requeſt, I doe follow a plaine maner of declaration of my minde, without contention with anie, or direct diſputing againſt anie: as being reſolved, to have no parte, in the noyſome wrangling, of this contentious age. But as one deſirous to walke honeſtlie, in all things: I endevour, to keepe mee within the meaſure of my owne faith: and to benefitt the Church of God, with that which he hath given me: not hindring, nor envying that others, who have receyved more, do more good in our common Lords worke. Of whom (as hee who is onelyonly able to give it) I moſt humbly crave the gratious direction of his ſpirit, in this and all my labours: with his bleſsing therevpon, to your comfort, and theirs who ſhall have the vſe thereof. His grace be with you. Middelburgh, 20. Iuly, 1615.
Yours in the Lord Jo. Forbes.