The Mystery of Redemption, Chapter 5 – Chapter 6
CHAP. V. Of the Formall Cauſe of Iuſtification.
The Formall cauſe of Iuſtificatiō Actiuely taken.THe FORMAL cauſe of Iuſtification Actiuely taken, is the gracious Imputation of Chriſts Righteouſnes, wherby the merits and obediēce of Chriſt are applied vntounto vsus, by force of that neere Cō munion of Chriſt with vsus and ours with him.
2 So that the Forme of Iuſtification doth altogether conſiſt in Relation: where in that Vnion which ariſeth betweene both termes, is indeede the forme, and conſiſteth rather in emanation than in heſion.
3 This Righteouſnes is ours by Right of Donation and acceptation of Chriſts merits and obedience,Note. ſeeing imputed Righteouſnes is of Grace not of Nature, a Communicatiō of a benefit not real and habituall Poſſeſsion; & Imputation not a patible Qualitie inherent in vsus.
Of Imputation.4 In this Imputation wee muſt conſider two things: 1. The Truth of it in it ſelfe. 2. The Manner of the truth of it in vsus.
5 Of the Truth of it in it ſelfe there are two termes: 1. Righteouſneſſe. 2. Imputation thereof. Betweene theſe two conſiſts a Relation: for neither hath Chriſt his perfect Righteouſneſſe for any other end, but to impute it; neither doth hee impute anie thing, but his Righteouſnes; neither is that Righteouſneſſe otherwiſe ours, but by imputation.
6 The Manner of the truth of it in vsus, in Scriptures is circumſcribed by a two-fold reaſon. The firſt teacheth vsus that we are Righteous, not in our ſelues, or by our own righteouſnes, but by the Righteouſnes of Chriſt, which is made ours by Right of Donation, (2. Cor. 5.21) We are made the righteouſnes of God in him. The ſecond teacheth vsus that we hauehave Righteouſnes, as Chriſt hath our Sins.
As Chriſt hath our Sinnes: ſo we hauehave his Righteouſnes.7 Chriſt hath our Sinnes, not ſubiectiuely inherent in himſelfe, but by imputation: ſo we hauehave Chriſts Righteouſneſſe, not ſubiectiuely inherent in our ſelues, but by imputation.
8 Hereupon the Apoſtle maketh that Oppoſition (2. Cor. 5.21.) between Chriſt, whom God made Sinne for vsus; and vsus, who are made the Righteouſneſſe of God in him.
9 According vntounto this Forme, the Iuſtification of all men is one and the ſame, & equall vntounto all men; for one man cannot bee more iuſtified than another. Albeit in diuers mē, according vntounto the meaſure of the apprehenſion of their Faith, the manner of it may well be ſaid to be diuers.
The forme of Iuſtificatiō Paſſiuely taken.10 The Forme of Iuſtification Paſſiuely vnderſtood in regarde of vsus, is the Application of Faith: whereupon we are ſaid to bee iuſtified through Faith, of Faith, and by Faith: whereof we hauehave ſpoken in the Inſtrumentall Cauſe.
11 After the Formall, followeth the Finall cauſe of Iuſtification.
A THANKESGIVING for our Iuſtification intermixt with Confeſſion and Prayer.
O Eternall GOD, in Chriſt Ieſus moſt gracious and mercifull, I thy poore ſeruant doe yeeld moſt poſſible and harty thankes vntounto thy diuine Maieſtie, for all thy bleſſings and mercies beſtowed vpō me, both ſpirituall and temporall; eſpecially for the ſingular benefit of my Iuſtificatiō, and the admirable gift of eternall Saluation, purchaſed by the righteouſneſſe and deareſt life of thy beloued Son. My lot is fallen in a pleaſant place; I am in honor, and vnderſtand it not. Hath eueryevery one found ſuch fauour in thy ſight? or haſt not thou paſſed ouer others, and choſen me? ô Lord, why ſhouldeſt thou beſtow thy health and wealth, thy reſt and liberty vpō me, more then other? I can giuegive no reaſon for it, but that thou art mercifull. And if thou ſhouldeſt draw all backe againe, I hauehave nothing to ſay, but that thou art iuſt. Hath not thy Ioſeph deſerued libertie? Hath not thy Dauid deſerued reſt? Hath not thy Lazarus deſerued food? or hath not thy Iob deſerued health, more then I hauehave? Iob is ſicke, Lazarus pines without, Dauid is troubled on his bed, Ioſeph grones in the priſon: I hauehave their portion, & they do ſtand at reward. Why art thou ſo wel, my ſoul? Mercy, merciemercy. Why art thou ſo ill, my ſoule? ô MercieMercy. For notwithſtanding all theſe gracious and excellent benefits, yet hauehave I hitherto led my life ſo coldly in my profeſſion, & wrought ſo contrarie vntounto my vocation, in neglecting & deſpiſing thy ſacred Commandemēts, that I hauehave more then prouoked thee, to extend thy furious wrath againſt mee, to encounter & recompence my leude deſert with the ſharpenes of thy reuenging furie. But when I thinke vponupon thy Son, all my feare is turned into ioy, becauſe his righteouſnes for me, is more then my wickednes againſt my ſelfe. O ſettle my faith in thy Beloued, & it ſufficeth for all my iniquitie, neceſſitie and infirmitie. Hee hath tolde vsus, O Lord, and we beleeue it to bee true, that if wee aske thee any thing in his name, thou wilt graunt it vntounto vsus; now therfore in his name do I moſt earneſtly craue at thy hands, that thou wilt ſettle mee in a conſtant forme of obedience, that I may euer ſerue thee from this houre, with thoſe duties which the world, the fleſh & the diuel would hauehave mee deferre vntill the point of death. Good Father, grant that I may louelove righteouſnes and pietie, with as great good will, as euer I loued wickednes anvanity; and that I may go before other in thākfulnes towards thee, as farre as thou goeſt in mercy towards me before them. O teach me to ſeek thee in al things, and all things in thee; euen for thy name ſake, for thy promiſe ſake, for thy Sons ſake, our Lord and Sauiour Chriſt Ieſus. Amen.
CHAP. VI. Of the Finall Cauſe of Iuſtification.
The Finall cauſe of Iuſtification Actiuely taken.THe FINAL Cauſe of Iuſtification Actiuely taken, is the Glorie of God, in the admirable temperature of his Iuſtice and MercieMercy: Epheſ. 1.6. Rom. 3.26.
2 Of his Iustice: Becauſe he would his Son ſhould make full ſatiſfaction.
3 Of his MercieMercy: Becauſe he would impute his Sonnes ſatisfaction vntounto vsus.
The Finall cauſe Paſſiuely takē.4 The Finall Cauſe of Iuſtification Paſſiuelie taken, is that we might hauehave peace of Conſcience (Rom. 5.1.) eternall life (Tit 3.7.) and bee euerlaſtingly glorified, Rom. 8.30. Rom. 6.22.
5 Hitherto of the Cauſes of Iuſtification. Now of the Parts therof.
A PRAYER FOR eternall life.
OMnipotent and eternall God, Father of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, wee miſerable and wretched Sinners, do wāder in this earth, as pilgrimes and ſtrangers, readie to depart hence eueryevery houre. We ſee daily with what violence and rage Death ſtriketh and choaketh now one, now another for their grieuous ſins. But I giuegive thee moſt heartie thanks, O Lord, for thy infinite merciemercy towards me, that thou haſt not ſuffered me to be oppreſſed with palpable ignorance and heatheniſh blindnes, to periſh and die like other men: but haſt graciouſly enlightened me with the pure light of thy Grace, and ſhewed vntounto me the Cauſe of all calamities and of death, and manifeſted alſo the heauenly and ineſtimable comfort of eternal life, which doth wonderfullie recreate and cheere my heart. And whereas we feele, not without great grief with what crueltie and furie the wicked fiends, burning in hatred againſt thee, doe in theſe laſt dregs of the world oppugne mankind, and raiſe vp ſundrie deteſtable ſcandals and other damnable enormities amongſt vsus; we being full of idleneſſe, of ſloth and weakenes, altogether corrupted & defiled with carnall cō cupiſcence, vnable to make reſiſtance: ô hauehave merciemercy vponupon me, according vntounto thy great merciemercy. Touch, moue and purifie my heart, that louing and fearing thee, I may ſeriouſlie and truly bewaile my great and ſo often iterated ſinnes; that I may ſtedfaſtly beleeue thy holy word, and leade the reſidue of my life in holines and righteouſneſſe before thee. And ſeeing the greateſt part of mankinde, beeing drowned in Sodomiticall pleaſures, and drunken with Epicurean ſecuritie, doe not thinke or care for thee, not make any reckoning of eternall life; O Father giuegive me, and all the reſt of thy children, a deuoute & humble heart deſirous of eternall life and happineſſe. Guide vsus by thy holie Spirit, that we may oftētimes meditate and ſpeake of thoſe euerlaſting & celeſtiall ioyes, that thereby we may daily comfort our owne hearts, and ſo reioyce, that like couragious Souldiers, wee may ſtedfaſtly beleeue in Chriſt, and cheerefully march after him through croſſes, tribulations, daungers and death it ſelfe, vntill wee ſafely ariue at thy heauenly palace, to bee partakers of that eternall glorie and magnificēce which thou haſt prepared for vsus, and euermore to praiſe thee, O omnipotent and immortall God, for thy infinite goodnes & merciemercy, who with the Son and Holy Ghoſt liueſt and raigneſt, one God, for euer and euer.Amen.