The Christian Warfare Part 1, Book 2 · Chapter 15
CHAP. XV. That all who are redeemed are alſo ſanctified.
§. Sect. 1 ANd thus I hauehave taken away the ground of Sathans firſt temptations,Sathans temptation to perſwade men to all licentiouſneſſe. whereby hee mooueth carnall men ſecurely to continue in their ſinnes, becauſe Chriſt hath redeemed and will ſaue the wicked as well as the godly, by prouing that Chriſt hath redeemed the faithfull onelyonly.
The ſecond temptation which he vſeth to the ſame purpoſe, he thus frameth; Chriſt hath redeemed all, at leaſt who beleeue in him, be their ſinnes neuer ſo many and grieuous: and therefore thou maiſt continue in thy ſinnes with pleaſure and delight, and ſatisfie the luſts of thine owne fleſh; only beleeue and thou ſhalt be ſaued, for Chriſt requireth no other condition. Neither is there any other end of Chriſts comming, but that he ſhould by his ſuffring take away thy ſinnes; and therefore why ſhouldeſt thou vexe and torment thy ſelfe, in embracing bitter mortification and newneſſe of life, and in ſhunning thy ſweete and pleaſing ſinnes, ſeeing Chriſt redeemeth the greateſt ſinners as well as the leaſt?
The anſwere. To this we are to anſwere, that there are no ſins ſo innumerable in multitude, and ſo hainous in their qualitie and nature, which will exclude vsus from the benefit of our redemption wrought by Chriſt, ſo we applie his death and merits vntounto vsus, by a true and liuely faith: but yet notwithſtanding, this can be no encouragement for any to continue in their ſinnes; for firſt, we are to know, that none hauehave part in this redēption wrought by Chriſt, but thoſe onelyonly who are made partakers thereof by a true and liuely faith; which is neuer ſeparated from the fruites thereof, true repentance and holineſſe of life; neither is it poſſible that any ſhould bee aſſured of Gods louelove, but this aſſurance will make them to louelove God againe, and this louelove will worke in their hearts a zeale of his glorie, and a care to glorifie his name, by cauſing the light of their godly liues to ſhine before men; it is not poſſible that any who truly beleeue that that they are redeemed with the precious bloud of Chriſt, ſhould not highly eſteeme and bee exceedingly thankfull to Chriſt for this ineſtimable benefit, which none can doe who tread the bloud of Chriſt vnderunder their feete, and voluntarily caſt themſelues into the bondage of ſinne, out of which we are redeemed with ſo precious a price, and ſo ſcorne this benefit and deſpite our Sauiour who hath beſtowed it; it cannot bee that any ſhould bee ſo fooliſh as to ſell their ſoules vntounto ſinne for eueryevery vaine pleaſure and trifling commoditie, if they bee aſſured that Chriſt redeemed them with the price of his precious bloud, which was of more value than many worlds; and therefore whoſoeuer make no conſcience of ſinne hauehave no true faith, and conſequently the worke of our redemption wrought by Chriſt, doth not appertaine vntounto them.
§. Sect. 2 Secondly,That whom Chriſt redeemeth thoſe he ſanctifieth. whomſoeuer Chriſt redeemeth with his bloud, thoſe hee ſanctifieth with his ſpirit; and in whomſoeuer his death is effectuall for the taking away of the guilt and puniſhment of ſinne, in them it is effectuall for the mortifying of their corruptions and the ſinne it ſelfe; for, being the members of Chriſt,Rom. 6.5.6. we are grafted with him into the ſimilitude of his death and reſurrection, and our old man is crucified with him, that the body of ſinne might be deſtroyed, that hencefoorth we ſhould not ſerue ſin, as it is Rom. 6.5.6. And as our Sauiour Chriſt is our wiſedom, righteouſneſſe and redemption, ſo hee is our ſanctification alſo, 1. Cor. 1.30.as it is 1. Cor. 1.30. So that whomſoeuer he redeemeth and iuſtifieth, thoſe alſo he ſanctifieth, as it may further appeare by many & euident teſtimonies. Tit. 2.14. he is ſaid to hauehave giuen himſelfe for vsus, that he might redeeme vsus from all iniquitie, Tit. 2.14.and purge vsus to be a peculiar people vntounto himſelfe zealous of good workes. Luk. 1.74.75. the Lord bindeth it with an oath,Luk. 1.74.75. that whomſoeuer hee redeemeth out of the hands of their ſpirituall enemies, they ſhall worſhip him in holineſſe and righteouſneſſe all the daies of their life. 1. Pet. 2.24. the Apoſtle ſaith,1. Pet. 2.24. that our Sauiour bare our ſinnes in his bodie on the tree, that we being deliuered from ſinne ſhould liue in righteouſneſſe. Rom. 6.18.And Paul ſheweth Rom. 6.18. that as ſoone as we are freed from the bondage of ſinne, we are made the ſernants of righteouſneſſe. So Heb. 9.14. it is ſaid,Heb. 9.14. that the bloud of Christ doth purge our conſciences from dead workes, that we may ſerue the liuing God; neither are we onelyonly iuſtified, but alſo ſanctified by the offring of the bodie of Chriſt once made,Heb. 10.10.14▪ as it is chap. 10. ver. 10.14. and as hee is appointed of God to be a prince and Sauiour to giuegive remiſſion of ſinnes, ſo alſo to giuegive repentance, as appeareth Act. 5.31. So the Apoſtle ſaith,Act. 5.31. that Chriſt gaue himſelfe for his Church, not that it might continue ſtill in pollution and the filthineſſe of ſinne,Eph. 5.25.26. but that he might ſanctifie it and cleanſe it by the waſhing of water through the word, Eph. 5.25.26. If therefore wee walke in the light as hee is in the light, then his bloud purgeth vsus from all our ſinnes, 1. Ioh. 1.7.1. Ioh. 1.7. If we are ſprinkled in our hearts from an euill conſcience, then we may draw neere with a true heart in aſſurance of faith,Heb. 10.22. Heb. 10.22. But if wee continue in our ſinnes without repentance, and commit them with delight and greedineſſe, then let vsus brag as much as we will that wee are redeemed by Chriſt, yet wee are ſtill in the bondage of the diuell;1. Ioh. 3.8. for Chriſt appeared not onelyonly to free vsus out of his captiuitie, but alſo that he might looſe the workes of the diuell, as appeareth 1. Ioh. 3.8. He hath redeemed vsus out of the thraldome of Sathan, that wee might become his owne ſeruants, whom he wil rule and gouerne by his word and ſpirit; and therfore if we hauehave not this ſpirit to leade vsus,Rom. 8.9. we are none of his, as it is Rom. 8.9. if we wil not ſubmit our ſelues to the ſcepter of his word, we are none of his ſubiects, but continue ſtill the ſeruants of ſinne and Sathan. Seeing then it is manifeſt by Gods word, that whoſoeuer are redeemed are alſo ſanctified, and whomſoeuer Chriſt hath waſhed with his bloud, from the guilt and puniſhment of ſinne, he doth alſo purge and cleanſe them by vertue of the ſame bloud, from the ſinnes and corruptions themſelues; and ſeeing he hath redeemed vsus out of the hands of our ſpirituall enemies, to the end we ſhould become his ſeruants, worſhipping him in holineſſe and righteouſneſſe all the daies of our life: let vsus neuer bee perſwaded by Sathans temptations, fooliſhly to imagine that wee may the more ſecurely liue in our ſinnes, becauſe Chriſt Ieſus hath paid a ſufficient price of our redemption: for, firſt, what horrible ingratitude is this vntounto God, to take occaſion by this ineſtimable benefit the more to offend him? what a blaſphemous imagination is this againſt Ieſus Chriſt, to thinke that he came into the world, to be a bolſter whereupon we may more ſecurely ſleepe in ſinne; and that he ſhed his precious bloud to purchaſe libertie for vsus, that we may liue in all wickednes; that hee reconciled vsus vntounto his father by his death that wee might the more freely offend him; that hee hath redeemed vsus out of the bondage of Sathan, that wee may more diligently ſerue him; that hee hath with his bloud waſhed vsus from the filth of ſin, that we may more ſecurely wallow in this ſtinking puddle againe? for, what were this but to make Chriſt another Siſiphus, who aſſoone as he hath ended his labor is new to begin again? what is it but eueryevery day to crucifie the Lord of life afreſh, and to tread his precious bloud vnderunder our feet as an vnholy thing? what is it but to contemne and baſely to eſteeme of, the ineſtimable price of our redemption, if wee will not ſticke to ſell againe our ſoules vntounto ſin, for eueryevery beaſtly pleaſure and baſe commoditie, which Chriſt hath purchaſed at ſo high a rate? Secondly as hereby we ſhall ſhew horrible ingratitude againſt God & our Sauiour Chriſt, ſo alſo ſhall we be moſt iniurious to our own ſoules, ſeeing we can neuer attaine vntounto any true aſſurance of our redemption, till we finde our ſelues freed in ſome meaſure from the power of ſin, & ſanctified by Gods ſpirit, for the Lord who is truth it ſelf hath ſaid it, & if this be not enough he hath ſolemnly ſworne it, yt all thoſe whō he hath redeemed out of the hands of their ſpirituall enemies, ſhall worſhip and ſerue him in holines and righteouſnes all the daies of their life; and therefore as well may God ſpeake, nay ſweare an vntruth, as thoſe may be redeemed who liue in their ſinnes, deſtitute of all holines towards God, and righteouſnes towards their neighbour.
§ Sect. 3 Thirdly,A twofold end of our redemption, Gods glory and our happineſſe. we are to conſider that the Lord hath redeemed vsus to a twofold end: the firſt and principall is his owne glorie, the ſecond which is ſubordinate vntounto the other, is our ſaluation and euerlaſting happines: both which concurre in all thoſe, to whom the redemption of Chriſt is made effectuall. Now God is not glorified by redeeming ſuch as continue in their rebellion towards him, and will not by any meanes leaue the ſeruice of ſin and Sathan, but rather in ſhewing his iuſtice and power, in puniſhing their ſinnes which they commit with greedines: but he is glorified when hee mercifully deliuereth repentant ſinners, out of the bondage of ſinne and Sathan, who are wearie of their captiuitie, and deſire nothing more then freedome, that they may in the reſt of their liues ſerue him their redeemer in the duties of holines and righteouſnes. And therefore they who liue in their ſinnes without repentance, continuing ſtill traytors to God & ſeruants of Sathan, can hauehave no aſſurance of their redemption; for the Lord hath therefore bought vsus,1. Cor. 6.20. with a price that we ſhould glorifie him both in our bodies and ſoules: and therfore thoſe who in ſted of letting their lights of holines and righteouſnes ſhine cleerly before men, yt their heauenly father may be glorified, doe nothing els but diſhonor him by their ſins and wicked conuerſation, ſhew plainely that the redemption wrought by Chriſt doth not as yet appertaine vntounto them.
§. Sect. 4 Fourthly,Three degrees of our redemption which alwaies concurre. we are to know that the worke of our redemption wrought by Chriſt, conſiſteth of three parts or degrees; for firſt Chriſt redeemed vsus by paying the price of our redemption, and thus he is ſaid in the Scriptures to hauehave redeemed vsus with his blood. Secondly, he redeemeth vsus when as he applieth this benefit of our redemption vntounto vsus in particular, and doth thereby free and deliuer vsus from the diuell ſin and death, ſo as we are no longer in their bondage ſubiect to their power and gouernment, although we be continually aſſaulted and often foyled by them; thirdly, he redeemeth vsus when as he perfectly freeth vsus, not onelyonly from the power and gouernment, but alſo from the aſſaults and moleſtations of all our ſpirituall enemies, and giueth vsus eternall peace in his kingdome. The firſt was wrought immediatly by himſelfe, when as he paied a ſufficient price for our redemption, and thereby fully ſatiſfied his fathers iuſtice; the ſecond he worketh by his owne ſpirit, whereby he doth diſpell out of our minds and hearts the darke miſts of ignorance and infidelitie, and by the glorious light thereof doth illuminate our vnderſtandings, with the beames of true knowledge and a liuely faith, ſo that we know acknowledge and beleeue that Chriſt is our ſauiour and redeemer, and are aſſured that he hath freed vsus from the bondage of our ſpirituall enemies: after which aſſurance hee begetteth in vsus an earneſt deſire, of beeing more and more freed from them actually, and an holy indeauour of withſtanding all their aſſaults and temptations, whereby they labour againe to bring vsus into their captiuitie, and withall enableth vsus with ſome meaſure of ſtrength, to withſtand and ouercome them; and reneweth and confirmeth this ſtrength receiued, when in the conflict of temptation we are weakned, and hauehave receiued the foyle, that we may riſe vp againe and afreſh maintaine the fight. Laſtly, our Sauiour Chriſt redeemeth vsus, when as he perfectly freeth and deliuereth vsus from our ſpirituall enemies at his ſecond comming, when as we ſhall not onelyonly not be ouercome nor foyled of them, but alſo not ſo much as once aſſaulted. And of this redemption our Sauiour ſpeaketh Luk. 21.28.Luk. 21.28. When (ſaith he) theſe things begin to come to paſſe, then looke vp & lift vp your heads; for your redemption draweth neere. And theſe are the three degrees of our redemptiō, which alwaies follow one another, for, for whomſoeuer Chriſt hath giuen himſelfe as the price of their redemption, to thoſe alſo hee giueth his holy ſpirit, which doth illuminate the eyes of their vnderſtanding blinded with ignorance, and ſanctifieth their will and affections, working in them a deſire and holy indeauour of ſeruing the Lord in holines and righteouſnes, and of withſtanding the temptations of the fleſh, the world and the diuell. And whomſoeuer he thus redeemeth out of the power and gouernment of their ſpirituall enemies, thoſe he will perfectly redeeme and deliuer from all their malicious attempts, and giuegive them the eternall peace of his kingdome. But thoſe who hauehave not their part in the ſecond degree, that is, thoſe who continue in their blind ignorance, and in the naturall pollution of their will and affections, willingly ſubiecting themſelues to the ſeruice of ſinne and Sathan, and ſtubbornly withdrawing their ſtiffe neckes out of the yoke of holy obedience vntounto Gods commaundements; they can neuer hauehave any aſſurance that Chriſt hath redeemed them by paying the price of his blood, nor will deliuer them at his ſecond comming out of the bondage of Sathan, in which they hauehave liued all their life time, with pleaſure and delight; for, whomſoeuer hee ranſometh with the price of his blood, thoſe he freeth out of the gouernment of their ſpirituall enemies, ſinne, death, and the diuell; and therefore they that ſtill liue in ſinne, as our Sauiour ſaith Ioh. 8.34,Ioh. 8.34. 1. Ioh. 3.8. Rom. 6.16. yea the ſeruants of Sathan alſo, as the Apoſtle teacheth, 1. Ioh. 3.8. For their ſeruants we are to whom we obey, whether it be of ſinne vntounto death, or of obedience vntounto righteouſnes, as it is Rom. 6.16: and thoſe who ſtill remaine in the ſeruice and ſlauerie of ſinne and ſathan, hauehave no part in the firſt redemption, wrought by the ſhedding of his blood, nor ſhall hauehave any part in the laſt redemption, at his ſecond comming to iudgement.
§. Sect. 5 Laſtly,That Chriſt hath redeemed the whole man. we are to know that Chriſt hath redeemed the whole man, body, and ſoule, and hath freed and deliuered eueryevery part and facultie of them, out of the bondage of our ſpirituall enemies, that all and eueryevery of them may performe ſeruice vntounto God. For example, our vnderſtandings were captiued in the darke priſon of ignorance and blindnes, and appeareth Epheſ. 4.17.18: but our Sauiour Chriſt redeemed vsus,Eph. 4.17.18. and hath diſpelled theſe miſts of darkenes with the preaching of the Goſpell, which like a glorious ſunſhine hath appeared vntounto vsus, and by the operation of his holy ſpirit, he hath cauſed the ſcales of ignorance to fall from the eyes of our vnderſtanding, ſo that we can ſee the miſterie of our redemption, and worke of our ſaluation wrought by him,Luk. 1.77.78. as it is Luk. 1.77.78.79. Our wils which were ſo inthralled that wee could not ſo much as deſire any thing pleaſing and acceptable vntounto God,Phil. 2.13. hath our Sauiour redeemed and freed out of this ſpirituall bondage, and by the good motions of his holy ſpirit doth ſo rule and incline them, that to will is preſent with vsus, and we are delighted in the law of God concerning the innerman; as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh of himſelfe Rom. 7.18.22.Rom. 7.18.22. And though the law of our members and corruptions of the fleſh, doe rebell againſt the law of our minde, leading vsus captiue to the law of ſinne, yet doe we abhorre this ſinne, and earneſtly deſire to be freed from it, and to ſerue the Lord in holines and righteouſnes, indeauoring and ſtriuing to mortifie the fleſh and the corruptions thereof, and to riſe againe to newnes of life. Our affections alſo were wholy corrupted and diſordered, ſo that we hated God, and loued the world, feared man, and not the Lord, truſted vponupon the inferior meanes, neuer regarding the fountaine of all goodnes; in a word wee were giuen ouer to our owne harts luſts,Rom. 1.24.26. and vntounto vile affections, as it is Rom. 1.24.26: but by the redemption wrought by Chriſt becomming his, and being quickned and ſtrengthened by his holy ſpirit, wee hauehave crucified the fleſh with the affections and luſts thereof,Gal. 5.24. as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh, Gal. 5.24. Laſtly, the members of our bodie were ſeruants to vncleanes and iniquitie, to commit iniquitie, Rom. 6.19.Rom. 6.19. our eyes full of adulterie, our tongues forges of lies, our feete ſwift to ſhed blood: but our Sauiour Chriſt redeeming vsus hath deliuered our bodies alſo from the thraldome of ſinne and Sathan, ſo as though ſinne dwell, yet it ſhall no longer raigne in our mortall bodies,Rom. 6.12. that we ſhould obey the luſts thereof, as appeareth Rom. 6.12. In a word, both body and ſoule were in miſerable captiuitie to our ſpirituall enemies: but our Sauiour hath bought vsus with a price, 1. Cor. 6.20.to the end we may glorifie God in our bodies and in our ſpirits, for they are Gods, as it is 1. Cor 6.20. And hath redeemed vsus not with corruptible things, as ſiluer and gold, from our vaine couerſation, 1. Pet. 1.18.19.but with his owne moſt precious blood, as Peter teacheth vsus 1. Pet. 1.18.19.
If therefore we are redeemed by Chriſt, then our blind vnderſtandings are inlightened by the preaching of the Goſpell, and we freed from our former ignorance: our willes which were rebellious are inclined to obedience, ſo as we earneſtly deſire to leaue our ſinnes, and to ſerue the Lord in the duties of ſanctification, and hauehave an endeauor of mortifying our ſins, and riſing againe to newnes of life; our affections alſo are purged from their corruptions, ſo that we louelove, feare, truſt in, hope, and expect all good from him, who is the fountaine of all goodnes; our bodies which were giuen as ſeruants vntounto ſinne, are now become the ſeruants of righteouſnes vntounto holines; Rom. 6.29. verſ. 22.In a word both in bodie and ſoule we are freed from ſinne, and made ſeruants vntounto God. But if our vnderſtandings are ſtill blinde and ignorant, our willes backward to imbrace any goodnes, and moſt prone vntounto all euill, our affections as corrupt as euer they were, and our bodies the readie inſtruments to act all ſinne and wickednes, then hauehave we as yet no fruite of the redemption wrought by Chriſt, for it is not a titularie but a powerfull redemption, which indeed and truth deliuereth vsus, euen in this life, from our ſpirituall enemies: ſo that though they may aſſault, and grieuouſly vexe vsus, yet they ſhall neuer gouerne and raigne ouer vsus; and therefore whoſoeuer feele not the redemption wrought by Chriſt, powerfull in this life to free them in ſome meaſure, from the rule and iuriſdiction of ſinne, Sathan, the world and the fleſh, ſhall neuer finde it fruitfull and effectuall to free and deliuer them, from condemnation hell and deſtruction in the life to come.