The Doctrine of Justification, Treatise · Chapter 1 – Chapter 2
CHAPTER I.
THE Evangeliſt Luke, willing to make Theophilus, to acknowledge the certaintie of thoſe things, whereof he had bene inſtructed: did ſearch out perfectly all thinges, from the beginning: and then did write vntounto him, frō point to point. According to whoſe example, (for giuing the more full aſſurāce to mindes deſirous of knowledge) it ſhall not be amiſſe, being to treat of the true nature of the Iuſtification of a ſinner, that we firſt beginning at the very foundation, do ſhortlie ſpeak of thoſe points, vponupon the knowledge whereof, chieflie dependeth the light and evidence of this matter.
Amongſt divers others: there are foure principall groundes. vponupon the ſound knowledge▪ whereof, it evidently appeareth, that the right conception, of the true nature of Gods ſaving benefits in Chriſt, doeth chieflie depend.
The firſt is, The ſound knowledge of Gods Decree or Predeſtination.
The ſecond is, The knowledge of Chriſt, as Mediator betwixt God and vsus.
The third is, The right order of the benefits imparted vntounto vsus.
The last is, The ſound knowledge of the ſpeciall difference and diſtinction, of thoſe benefites amongſt them ſelves.
Theſe foure points hauehave ſuch affinitie one with another: and the knowledge of each one ſo depēdeth vpō another, that hardlie can any one of them be ſoundly knowne, without the ſound knowledge of the reſt. For error in one, doth bring commonly, if not continually, errour in all. Which is manifeſt, if we lay before our eyes, the different opinions of men, touching this point, which we hauehave in hande: in the which we ſhall evidentlie perceyve, that as many mayne differences as are amongeſt them, concerning the iuſtification of a ſinner: ſo many different iudgements have they, touching Gods Decree, Chriſtes merite, the order of Gods diſpenſation, and nature of the benefites diſpenſed. For according to our miſtaking, or confounding, or wrong placing of any of thoſe reſpectivelie, wee doe miſtake, confound and order amiſſe, the benefites of God: in our conceyving, ſpeaking, or writing of them. Wherefore it is more then evident, that it is dangerous to erre in any of theſe foure: and therefore before we come to the particular conſideration of the benefite of our iuſtification, I doe eſteeme it firſt neceſſarie, that for the clearing of the true nature thereof, wee lay ſome ſolide goundes in our myndes, concerning the knowledge of theſe foure pointes: ſo farre as in generall, is requiſite to preſerue vsus from errour in the particular conſideration of any one bleſſing beſtowed vponupon vsus in CHRIST.
CHAPTER II.
FIRST then touching Gods Decree, the true nature thereof cannot rightly be knowne, except beſides other thinges therein to be conſidered, we ſpecially vnderſtand: Firſt, what is the ſubſtāce of it: And ſecondly, what is the chief ground and cauſe of it. Which two things doe principally teach vsus how to make a right reference of all Gods benefits vntounto it, and of it vntounto them. and therefore they are chieflie to be marked of vsus. The matter or ſubſtance of Gods Decree, is two maner of wayes conſidered in the Scriptures: Firſt more properly: which maner in ſhew ſeemeth more ſtrict, and yet doth imply the largeſt ſenſe. Secondly, in a more improper manner according to the conſequent fruites and effects following neceſſarily vponupon the proper ſubſtance and nature of Gods Decree, whereby it is moſt properlie deſcribed: which proper deſcription is chieflie to be perceyued in thoſe places of ſcripture, where the ſpirit of God purpoſelie ſets it downe, in the owne proper nature: expreſly diſtinguiſhing it both from Gods purpoſe or foreknowledge going in order before it, and from Gods election and remanent bleſſings in the execution thereof following in order after it.
Of theſe places there bee two principally to bee marked, which being compared togither, do make vp the full and ſound nature and deſcription of the Decree of God in ſo farre as it is reſtrayned to the veſſels of honor, in which reſpect we ſpeake of it in this treatiſe. The one place is in the firſt chap. to the Epheſ. verſ. 5. The other is in the 8. chap. to the Rom. ver. 29. In the firſt it is thus deſcribed, He hath predeſtinated vsus vntounto adoption through Ieſus Christ in him ſelfe, according to the good pleaſure of his owne will vntounto the prayſe of the glorie of his grace. And this is the moſt proper and moſt perfect definition of Gods Decree, from the next and moſt proper bleſſing vntounto which we are predeſtinate, and wherevpon al the reſt (from which the Decree of God in other places is more improperly defined) do conſequently depend as neceſſarie effects and adherents thereof. And this appeareth to bee manifeſt by the other place, where it is thus deſcribed: Thoſe whom hee knew before, he alſo praedestinated to be made like to the Image of his Sonne. Which place compared with the former, doth ſhew evidentlie, that in the former deſcription, conteyned in the firſt chap. to the Ephe. all bleſſings wherein ſtādeth our cōformitie to the Image of Chriſt, are ſuch neceſſarie conſequences of adoption and inſeparable adherents thereof: that to be predeſtinate to adoption includeth them all. And for this cauſe is it that ſometimes the Decree of God is deſcribed from them, as namely from eternall life, Act. 13. ver. 48. As many as were ordayned vntounto eternall life, beleeved. And from ſalvation, as 1. Theſſ. 5. 9. God hath not appointed vsus vntounto wrath, but to the obtayning of ſalvation through our Lord Ieſus Christ, &c. And theſe we call more improper deſcriptions of Gods Decree, becauſe they are taken from the fruites and effectes, or inſeparable conſequences of that bleſſing wherevnto wee are ſaide moſt properly to be predeſtinate, which is adoption, whereby Gods Decree is moſt properly deſcribed, becauſe in Gods diſpenſation to vsward it preſupponeth no preceeding benefite, whereof it ſhould be the effect, but is the next ende wherevnto God doth ordayne vsus: and ſo the firſt bleſſing of God, which he doth beſtow vponupon vsus in Chriſt: comprehending in it by neceſſarie conſequence all the reſt: as inſeparable fruites and effectes thereof: and therefore is it that in that other place, in the 8. to the Rom. Gods Decree is deſcribed from the making of vsus cōforme to the Image of his Sonne: which alwayes preſupponeth the making of vsus ſonnes, in his ſonne, to goe before it.