The Mystery of Redemption, Chapter 2
CHAP. II. The manner and order of Iuſtification, where alſo is handled of vocation.
NOw in this Iuſtification of Man, wherby he is pronounced righteous, by the righteouſnes of another, to wit, of Chriſt, God proceedeth in this maner and order.
2 Firſt, there is an Effectuall Vocation, or Calling, wherby God offereth Chriſt & his righteouſnes, and the ſinner apprehendeth him being offered by faith.
Effectuall Calling what it is.3 Effectuall Vocation, or Calling, is that whereby God calleth out of darkeneſſe into light, from the power of Satan vntounto God in Chriſt Ieſus, thoſe whō he elected of his meere grace, by the promulgation of the couenant of grace, or preaching of the Goſpell.
4 The Called alſo, by the ſame grace of God, anſwere and beleeue in him through Ieſus Chriſt. This anſwere is of Faith, which indeed is the condition of the promiſe in the Couenant of grace.
Effectuall Calling hath two parts. 1 Outward calling.5 Wherefore our Effectuall calling conſiſteth of two parts. 1. The Outward calling of ſuch as be elect by the publication of the Couenant vnderunder the condition of faith, and that of Gods meere grace.2. Inward faith. 2. Inward Faith wrought in them by ye ſame grace, which is nothing elſe but the fulfilling of the condition.
Note wel.6 The former grace may bee termed the Grace of vocation, and is common to all that are called, Elect and Reprobate.
7 The latter grace may be called, the Grace of faith, appertaining only to the Elect.
A two-fold application in effectuall calling.8 So then in Effectuall Calling there is a two-fold application: the one of GOD, offering Chriſt & his righteouſnes: the other of a ſinner, apprehending Chriſt being offered by faith, and applying him vntounto himſelfe.
9 If it bee demaunded,Queſtion. Whether the will of man in his calling or conuerſion be meerely paſsiue, or actiue alſo?
Anſwere. How the will of manſtandeth in his conuerſion.10 I anſwere: In reſpect of the grace of God which preuēteth man, the will (ſeeing it is not yet begun to bee regenerate) is meerely Paſſiue: as may be proued.
11 I. Becauſe al Mans ſtrength & abilitie concerning ſpirituall and heauenly things is altogether exſtinct, ſo as he can neither prepare himſelfe to grace, nor receiue it being offered, nor turne vntounto God, nor will, deſire or follow after that which is good & acceptable vntounto to God. Rom. 9.21.
12 II. Becauſe we are all dead in ſinne (Epheſ. 2.1. C…loſſ. 3.12.) but a dead man is only paſſiue in reſpect of his quickening.
13 III. Becauſe the will is not only dead, but alſo ſtubborne of it ſelfe, and cannot chuſe but reſiſt, being not moued and kindled by God. Act. 9.1.2. &c.
14 But In reſpect of the Time in which the conuerſion is wrought,Note. the will is not like a ſtocke, but whileſt it is healed and cured by God, it is Actiue, that is, it is not idle and void of all ſenſe and motion, but followeth the holy Ghoſt who draweth it.
15 For in the very act of Conuerſion or Calling God cauſeth vsus by grace to wil, he moueth and inclineth our wills, but yet ſo as the whole efficacy of the action dependeth vponupon Gods ſpirit (Philip. 2.13.) It is God who worketh in vsus both the will and the deed: where Will is not vnderſtood of the ſubſtance of the will, but of a new qualitie.
Iuſtification followeth effectuall calling.16 After this effectuall Calling followeth Iuſtification, whereby God imputeth that righteouſnes of Chriſt, being apprehended by faith in Vocation, vntounto the ſinner, as if it were his owne proper righteouſnes. Or, whereby hee pronounceth him iuſt in that righteouſnes of Chriſt, and the ſinner receiueth it being imputed vntounto him by God.
A two-fold Application in Iuſtificatiō.17 In Iuſtification likewiſe there is a two-fold application; the firſt is the Imputation of GOD; the ſecond is the ſinners apprehenſion and application by faith, of that other righteouſnes being imputed by God vntounto him.
18 Theſe two applications which are in Iuſtification, doe differ from thoſe two which were in effectuall Calling or Vocation.
19 For in Vocation, the application of God is called Oblation, or ſimplie Calling: In Iuſtification it is termed Imputation.
20 II. In Vocation the application of Man is called, Apprehenſion of offered righteouſneſſe by faith; or, Faith in the offered righteouſnes: In Iuſtification, it is termed Faith in imputed righteouſnes.
A two-fold office of faith.21 Hence wee muſt obſerue a twofold office of Faith: One in Effectuall Calling, when it receiueth Chriſt with his righteouſnes being offered: the Other in Iuſtification, when it receiueth Chriſt and his righteouſnes being imputed vntounto him.
22 Wee muſt alſo note, that whē it is ſaid, Man is iuſtified by faith, that Faith is meant which went before in Effectual calling;Note. namely which apprehendeth Chriſt and his righteouſnes being offered.
23 As for that Faith in Iuſtification, which apprehendeth the imputed righteouſnes of Chriſt, by it wee are rather ſaid to bee ſaued, thē iuſtified. (Eph. 2.8.) By grace you are ſaued through faith. Eternall ſaluation followeth Iuſtification.
24 If it be demaunded. Whether when the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt is apprehended by faith in Effectuall Calling, Queſtion.a man may be ſaid to be iuſtified by that righteouſnes?
25 I anſwere.Anſwere. Not ſo: For Iuſtification is the pronunciation of a Sentence: In Vocation there is no Sentēce pronounced; wherefore a man cannot be iuſtified by ſole Vocation.
26 Againe,Queſtion. if any will aske: Whether ſeeing the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt is by faith in him that is called, a man may not be denominated righteous by that righteouſnes?
27 I anſwere.Anſwere. I will not plainly deny this after a ſort: namely, that he is righteous by faith; but that he may bee termed and called righteous, I would not ſo affirme: ſeeing the Iudge hath not yet pronounced ſentence vponupon him; to wit, that Sentence that is of a certaine new grace.
28 For it is not but by grace that ſuch as are iuſt by faith in effectual calling, God pronounceth them ſo to be, and imputeth the righteouſnes of another vntounto them, as if it were their owne.
29 And thus much for the order whereby God proceedeth in the Iuſtification of a ſinner.
THE SINNERS REſignation of himſelfe into the hands of his Redeemer.
O Lord God, which art the higheſt and the loweſt, the fartheſt off and the neereſt to, the longeſt angrie and the ſooneſt pleaſed: wherefore ſhould I bee affraid to ſpeake vntounto thee? Thou haſt made all things for mee, and me for thy ſelfe. Thou haſt giuen me al things, that I ſhould giuegive my ſelfe wholy vntounto thee; But I hauehave taken the commoditie of all thy benefits, and yet I neuer gaue thee the glory and tribute, which of duty I was bound to giuegive thee. Thy creatures were alwaies obedient at my commaundement, becauſe thou haddeſt giuen them ſo in charge; and I alwaies attēded to offend thee, for whoſe ſake each thing was readie to do me ſeruice. Thou haſt giuen me health, but ſin and rebellion was the fruit thereof. Thou haſt giuen me ſtrength, but I hauehave employed it in the ſeruice of thine enemie. Notwithſtanding all which, thou haſt ſtill ſought by all meanes to draw mee vntounto thee. Thou haſt looked and tarried for my conuerſion, and I hauehave abuſed thy patience. Thou haſt called mee, and I hauehave ſtopped my eares at thy calling. Thou haſt giuē mee a long time to repent, and I hauehave conſumed it in vanity & farther trāſgreſſion. Thou haſt ſtricken me, and I hauehave not felt it. Thou haſt corrected me, and I would not receaue thy correctiō. Yea the more I hauehave been chaſtiſed & cheriſhed by thee, the more hath mine heart bin hardened, ſhewing my ſelfe vnthankful for the one, and rebellious towards the other. Yet for all this, O moſt merciful and louing Father, ſithence thou haſt hitherto been ſo gracious vntounto me, and baſt commāded me that I ſhould neuer deſpaire, nor miſtruſt thy goodneſſe: I therfore referre my ſelf wholy to thy mercy, & doe beſeech thee to graunt mee grace to amend my life, that from this time forwards I may euer pleaſe thee, and ſerue thee in ſuch ſort, that I neuer ſeparate my ſelfe from thee any more, but may cō tinually remaine in thy grace & fauour world without end. O ſweete Sauiour, diddeſt not thou ſay, Draw neere vntounto me, & I will draw neere vntounto you? I challenge my Lord. Beare witneſſe with me, ô yee heauen and earth, and all yee bleſſed Angels, & thou holy of Holies, the holy Ghoſt, beare witneſſe with me in this houre, that I giuegive my ſelf wholy vntounto my Redeemer. Take me ſweet IESVS vntounto thee, and giuegive me not ouer vntounto my ſelfe againe. I am thine, not mine, temper mee as thou wouldeſt hauehave me. I am thy Image, I will bee like thee. Oh, that my waies were ſo directed, that I might keep thy ſtatutes! what pleaſure is it for mee, to walke in darkeneſſe? Trie mee O Lord, and ſearch my heart, if there be any way of rebellion in me; and leade me home, and I wil follow my Lord whither ſoeuer goeth.