An Exposition of Romans 3:28, Title page – Dedication
AN EXPOSITION OF THE 28. VERSE OF THE THIRD CHAPTER OF THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS. Wherein is manifeſtly proued the Doctrine of IVSTIFICATION by FAITH, and by Faith onelyonly.
By FRANCIS BVNNY, one of the Prebendaries of the Cathedrall Church of DVRHAM.
Habac. 2.4.
The iuſt ſhall liue by his Faith.
LONDON Printed by William Stansby, for Henry Fetherſtone. 1616.
TO THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER IN GOD, MY VERY GOOD LORD, WILLIAM, LORD BISHOP of DVRHAM, F. B. wiſheth moſt happy increaſe of all graces in this life, and endleſſe happineſſe in the life to come.
HOw bad a gueſt ſinne is, and how vnworthy to be intertayned in the houſe of our hearts, there is no man but will readily confeſſe, if he conſider, firſt, how diligent it is to ſolicit and allure to euill, alwayes prouoking and intiſing to offend; and when it hath preuailed, how clamorous it is and ready to accuſe vsus, neuer ſuffering vsus to hauehave true peace and quietneſſe, vntill by ſome meanes or other, we finde our ſelues reconciled to him againſt whom we hauehave offended. Neither by any other way can this atonement with God be wrought, ſo that our conſciences may without feare ſtand before God,Rom. 3.25. but by him only whom God hath ſet forth to be a reconciliation through faith in his bloud. He is called Ieſus, Matt. 1.21.becauſe he ſaueth his people from their ſins. And,Rom. 5.1. we hauehave peace with God through Ieſus Chriſt our Lord. Now this peace with God, which Chriſt by his death hath wrought, paying for a ranſome thereof, his precious bloud, is made to dwell in our hearts, by an aſſured faith, and ſtedfaſt apprehenſion of the mercies of God in Chriſt.
But the light of comfort which this moſt ſweet doctrine ſhould make to ſhine to ſuch, as feeling the burden of their ſinne, grone to bee eaſed of the ſame, is ſo dimmed and darkened by the clouds of Merits, and ſuch Satisfactions as men hauehave deuiſed to blinde the eyes of the ſimple withall, that hardly they can finde that true conſolation. I therefore in two Sermons, preached at Durham, indeuoured according to my ſmall talent, to ſcatter thoſe miſts, and to make the Sunne of truth to ſhine to all ſuch, as wilfully doe not winke against the ſame. Wherein how little ſoeuer I hauehave performed, my indeuour was to take away ſome ſtumbling blocks (whereby the vnlearned hauehave beene ſomewhat hindered) that the truth might hauehave free paſſage. This ſhort Treatiſe hath long lyen hidden in corners, almoſt quite forgotten, at the leaſt without any purpoſe that I had to publiſh the ſame, vntill a right Worſhipfull friend thinking better thereof, then it was my part to doe, ſhewed himſelfe very forward to furder the publiſhing of it. Seeing therefore it muſt come to light, I humbly intreat your Lordſhip, that it may goe forth vnderunder the ſhaddow of your protection, who hauehave most right thereto, not only in reſpect of your Honours diuers fauours ſhewed to my ſelfe, but becauſe the Sermons were (long ſince) preached in your Cathedrall Church, perchance alſo in your owne hearing, at the leaſt by one deuoted to your Lordſhip, who will pray the Father of all graces to inrich your Honour with his heauenly bleſsings, to the comfort of Gods Church, while here you liue, and in the end to your endleſſe and vnſpeakable ioy, in a better life.
Your Honours in all duety at commandement, FRA. BVNNY.