A Treatise of Christian Religion, Chapter 33
CHAP. 33.
Of the excellency of Chriſts Kingdome in ſpeciall.
It conſiſteth
Firſt, in
Wiſedome.
Righteouſneſſe, or Iuſtification, parts
Forgiueneſſe of ſinnes.
Imputation of righteouſneſſe.
Secondly, in
Sanctification, parts,
Mortification.
Viuification.
Redemption.
1. COR. 1. 30. But of him are ye in Chriſt Ieſus, who of God is made vntounto vsus wiſedome, and righteouſneſſe, and ſanctification, and redemption.
Q. VVHerein more ſpecially doth the excellencie of Christs Kingdome conſiſt?
A. In certaine ſpeciall treaſures, brought vntounto vsus by his Propheticall and Prieſtly office, and made effectuall vntounto vsus by his Kingly office.
Q. What are thoſe treaſures?
A. They are certaine ſpeciall fruits mentioned by the Apoſtle, 1. Cor. 1. 30.
Q. What is the firſt, he here nameth within vsus?
A. That he is made vntounto vsus Wiſedome.
Q. Is this neceſſarie to our ſaluation?
A. Yea: for hauing abſolutely loſt all godly and ſauing Prou. 30. 2. 3.wiſedome, wherein we were firſt created, it is to be repaired againe, ere we can be partakers of life eternall.
Q. VVhy? hauehave we not wiſedome enough of our owne, by nature, to bring vsus to eternall life?
A. No verily: for although wee hauehave wiſedome naturally engrafted in vsus, to prouide (in ſome meaſure for this preſent life, and ſufficient to bring vsus to condemnation in the life to come; yet wee hauehave not one graine of ſauing wiſedome, to inable or direct vsus ſo much, as to make vsus ſtep one foot forward to life eternall.
Q. VVhere is this wiſedome to be found?2. Tim. 3. 15. Pſal. 19. 7.
A. In the Word of God.
Q. How come we to it?
A. By Chriſt: for God dwelleth in Light which 1. Tim. 6. 16. John 1. 18.no man hath approched vntounto; only the Sonne, which was in the boſome of his Father, hee hath reuealed him.
Q. VVhat is the ſecond fruit the Apoſtle nameth?
A. That Chriſt is made vntounto vsus, Righteouſneſſe.
Q. VVhat is meant here by Righteouſneſſe?
A. Our Iuſtification before God: whereby we are deliuered from the guilt and puniſhment of all ſinne, and are accounted righteous, euen by the righteouſneſſe of our Sauiour Chriſt imputed vntounto vsus, by meanes whereof we are reſtored to a better righteouſneſſe, then that which we loſt in Adam?
Q. This doctrine, that a man ſhould be made righteous by the righteouſneſſe of another; is it not as abſurd, as if a man ſhould bee ſaid to be fed with the meate another eateth? or to be warmed with the clothes another weareth? or bee in life and health, with the life and health of another?
A. No doubtleſſe: for if the ſinne of Adam, (being a man onelyonly) were of force to condemne vsus, becauſe wee were in his loynes; why ſhould it ſeeme ſtrange, that the righteouſneſſe of our Sauiour Chriſt, both God, and man, ſhould bee auaileable to iuſtifie Rom. 5. 12. 19.others?
Q. But how can the righteouſneſſe of one, iuſtifie ſo manie?
A. The manhood being ioyned to the Godhead, and ſubſiſting therein, maketh the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt of infinite merit.
Q. How doe you proue this righteouſneſſe heere, to bee meant of the righteouſneſſe which is in Chriſt?
A. Becauſe hee ſpeaketh afterward of Sanctification, which is the righteouſneſſe that is within vsus.
Q. What are the parts of Iuſtification?
A. Two: the not reckoning or forgiueneſſe of Rom. 4. 6. 7. 8. Philip. 3. 9. Rom. 5. 19. 2. Cor. 5. 21. Zach. 3. 4. 1. Ioh. 1. 7.our ſinnes; and the imputation of Chriſts righteouſneſſe: both which are merited by his Prieſthood.
Q. How did he merit the forgiueneſſe of our ſinnes?
A. By his ſufferings, in abaſing himſelfe to ſuffer death, euen the death of the Croſſe.
Q. If Chriſt hauehave merited the forgiueneſſe of our ſins; how commeth it then, that the godly are yet in this world afflicted for them; and that for the moſt part, more then the vngodly?
A. The affliction of the godly is not the puniſhment, 1. Cor. 11. 32. Prou. 1. 32.that in iuſtice is due to ſinne; but a fatherly correction & chaſtiſement in the world, that they ſhould not periſh with the world; whereas the wicked, the longer they are ſpared, and the leſſe they are puniſhed in this life, their danger is the greater: for God reſerueth their puniſhment to the life to come.
Q. What gather you of this?
A. That we ſhould not grudge at the proſperity of Ioh. 12. 3. Iob. 21. 30.the wicked, when we are in trouble: for as ſheepe and kine vſe to be put in fat paſtures, to be prepared to the ſhambles: ſo they, the more they receiue in this life, the nearer and the heauier is their deſtruction in the life which is to come.
Q. Hauing our ſinnes forgiuen by the merit of his ſufferings: what neceſsity is there that his righteouſneſſe ſhould be imputed?
A. Very great: for except that wee bee alſo made righteous, we cannot enter into the kingdome of heauen, and enioy the bleſſed preſence of God: a bankerupt aſſoone as his debt is paid, is not by and by fit to bee made the Burgeſſe of a City, without goods; neither is a beggerly priſoner, aſſoone as hee is at liberty, Gen. 41. 14.fit to ſerue the Prince, vnleſſe he be new apparelled.
Q. How did Christ merit our righteouſneſſe?
A. By his fulfilling the Law, in that he walked in al the Commandements, and failed in no duties, either in the worſhip and ſeruice of God, or towards men; whereby wee are made fully and wholly righteous in the ſight of God.
Q. Hitherto of the two firſt fruites, what are the two other?
A. Sanctification, and redemption.
Q. What is Sanctification?
A. It is a freedome from the tyrannie of ſinne, into Rom. 6. 14. Pſalm. 19. 14.the liberty of righteouſneſſe, begun here, and encreaſed daily, vntil it be fully perfected in the life to come.
Q. What differences are there betweene Righteouſneſſe imputed, and ſanctification?
A. Diuers: as firſt, Sanctification is in vsus, Righteouſneſſe 1. Theſſ. 4. 3. 4. Rom. 5. 14. 17. 2. Cor. 5. 21. Rom. 3. 21. 22. Reuel. 22. 11.imputed is inherent onelyonly in our Sauiour Chriſt. Secondly, the imputed righteouſneſſe encreaſeth not; Sanctification doth (as it were) grow in vsus by degrees. Laſtly, the righteouſneſſe of our Sauiour Chriſt is the root or cauſe, Sanctification the effect.Rom. 8. 30.
Q. Doe Righteouſneſſe and Sanctification goe together?
A. Yes, in time they goe together: for ſo ſoone as Iohn 15. 2. Jam. 2. 18.a man is made partaker of Chriſts Righteouſneſſe, hee is made holy in ſome meaſure; although in nature the imputed righteouſneſſe goeth before, as the cauſe before the effect.
Q. Is there any ſuch Sanctification or holineſſe of life in vsus, as deſerueth to be accepted of God; and rewarded by him?
A. None; becauſe corruption cleaueth to the beſt of our good workes.
Q. But when our Sanctification (here begun) ſhall bee perfected in the world to come; ſhall we not then bee iuſtified by an inherent righteouſneſſe?
A. No, but by the imputed righteouſneſſe of our Sauiour Chriſt: which being once giuen vsus, is neuer taken from vsus, although faith (whereby we apprehend this) faileth, and falleth away.…. Cor. 13. 13.
Q. How is the pollution aforeſaid, conueied into the good workes which God worketh in vsus?
A. There is (beſide the worke of his owne hand, through the operation of his holy ſpirit), a pollution in vsus, and an infection of ours, which commeth from Eſay▪ 64. 6.the ſinne that dwelleth in vsus: as cleare water put into an vncleane veſſell, running thorow a filthie channell, receiueth ſome euill quality thereof.
Q. Wherein doe our good workes faile of Gods Iuſtice?
A. Partly in the inſtrumentall cauſes, from which they proceed: and partly in the finall cauſe, or end, whereunto they aime.
Q. What are the inſtrumentall cauſes hindering the perfection of our workes?
A. Firſt, the defect of our vnderſtanding, in that the worke is not done with knowledge abſolute and throughly perfect. Secondly, the feebleneſſe of our memorie, that doth not ſo fully retaine that which the vnderſtanding conceiueth. Thirdly, the peruerſneſſe of our willes and affections, which come ſhort of their dutie. Laſt of all, the weakeneſſe and dulneſſe of our bodies, which are not ſo apt and nimble, for the execution of good things, as is required.
Q. Expreſſe this by a ſimilitude.
A. We are in the Inſtrumentall cauſes like to a common labourer, which being hired by the day, worketh with one hand, whereas both are required; or worketh a piece of the day, being hired for the whole.
Q. What is the finall end wherein good workes faile?
A. In that we hauehave not a direct eye to Gods glory, or the good of our neighbour, as is required; but looke indirectly at thoſe duties which are enioyned to vsus: like to ſuch Artificers, as preferre their owne credit in their skill, before their maſters profit.
Q. If then it bee ſo that ſinne cleaueth to our beſt workes, are not our good workes ſinnes, and are not all ſinnes equall?
A. Bee it farre from vsus to thinke either the one, or the other. OnelyOnly the imperfection and defect in the worke is ſinfull, and not the worke it ſelfe: and in bad and euill actions, (as hath been ſhewed already), ſome are leſſe ſinfull then other.
Q. How is this pollution taken away?
A. By the interceſſion of our Sauiour Chriſt, Exod. 28. 36. 37. 38. 1. Pet. 2. 5.through which our good workes are of account before God.
Q. VVhat doctrine is here to be gathered?
A. A doctrine of great comfort to the children of God, ſeruing to ſtirre them vp to abound in good workes, ſeeing (notwithſtanding their defects) they are acceptable to God in Chriſt Ieſus: for where men know any thing to bee delightſome to their Prince, they will (with all endeauour) ſtriue for it: how much more ought we to bee pricked forward to the ſeruice Mat. 12. 20.of God, who quencheth not the ſmoaking flaxe, nor breaketh the bruiſed reed; yea who forgetteth not a Mat. 10. 42.cup of cold water giuen in faith, and for his ſake?
Q. VVhat other reaſons are there to ſtirre vsus vp to good workes?
A. Wee ought to remember Gods benefits beſtowed vponupon all his children: as our Election, Creation, Pſal. 103. 2. & 105. 44. 45.Redemption, Calling, Iuſtification, Sanctification, continuall Preſeruation: and then particularly ſuch bleſſings as God hah ſeuerally beſtowed vponupon eueryevery one of vsus.
Q. Are not the iudgements of God alſo to be thought vponupon, for furtherance to this dutie?
A. Yes verily, to make vsus feare to offend in our Gen. 18. 17. 18. Jer. 3. 8.waies.
Q. Remaineth there yet any more?
A. Good companie, which (with Dauid) we muſt Pſal. 119. 63 79 Prou. 13. 20.cleaue vntounto; not the nobleſt, or of greateſt account, but the godlieſt: for if we will auoid any kind of ſinne, we muſt auoid all company that delight therin; which is no leſſe dangerous, then good cōpany is profitable.
Q. What gather you of this?
A. That whoſoeuer maketh no choyce of his companie▪ maketh but ſmall conſcience of ſinne: as thoſe that dare keep companie familiarly with Papiſts, thinking that they may keepe their conſcience to themſelues.
Q. What are the parts of ſanctification?
A. Two: Mortification, and Viuification, or a riſing to righteouſneſſe.
Q. What is Mortification?
A. Mortification is a continuall dying vntounto ſinne, Rom. 6. 3. 6. Gal. 5. 24,or a daily ſlaying, killing, or deadning of ſinne; proceeding from the vertue of Chriſt his death and buriall.
Q. What is the ſinne that muſt be mortified?
A. Firſt, our naturall corruption, or the old man, called Originall ſinne, viz. that naturall readineſſe and proneſſe that is in vsus, to all that is euill; and that frowardneſſe and backwardneſſe to that which is good: called alſo fleſh, or the body of ſinne. Secondly, the fruits thereof, which are called the members of that body.Coloſſ. 3. 5.
Q. What is ſinne compared vntounto in this regard?
A. VntoUnto baſe ragges, and filthie ſtained clothes, Eſay 64. 6. Coloſſ. 3. 5. Zach. 3. 3.which we cannot endure to looke on, and which we vſe to caſt off, and fling from vsus with hatred.
Q. What is Viuification, or quickening, or riſing to righteouſneſſe?
A. It is a riſing to newneſſe of life, proceeding from Rom. 6. 4. 5.the power of Chriſt his reſurrection.
Q. So much of Sanctification: what is Redemption?
A. A deliuerance from all the enemies of our faluation; which happie eſtate ſhall bee fully accompliſhed at the laſt day.