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Chapter 88

How it is to be understood that Christ is our justice; lest otherwise we should fall into some error, by conceaning, that just persons have not a distinct justice, from that, whereby jesus Christ is inst.

SO much1 is the cockle which our enemy hath sowed in their hearts, who will believe him; that he induceth them, to draw perverse opinions, out of the words of holy Scripture, which speak of this most sweet mystery, of Jesus Christ our Lord; and of the benefits, which we possess by him, and in him. Whereof I thought it fit to advertise thee, that so thou mightest be free from danger. Do not thou conceive, that because Christ is called our justice; or because it is said, That2 we are made acceptable to God, in him, or in fine, by such other words as these; that therefore I say, they who are in the state of grace, have not a justice in them which is theirs; whereby they become just & acceptable to God; and which is distinct, from that, whereby Jesus Christ our Lord, is just. For to believe otherwise, were to embrace a very grievous error; which3 proceedeth from the want of knowing the love, which Jesus Christ doth bear, to such, as are in the state of grace. Whom his bowels of mercy, and love, would not permit; that, whyleft himself was just, and full of all good things, he should say to such as he justified, Content yourselves with this, that I abound with these good things, and esteem them for your own as they are in me; although in yourselves, you remain unjust, impure, and naked.

There4 is no head, which would hold such language as this, to his living members nor one Spouse to another, if he should dear love her; and much less, will that celestial Spouse say so; who is given for a pattern to the Spouses of this world; that after his resemblance, they may treat and love their fellow-spouses. You men, saith5 S. Paul, love your wines as Christ loved his Church, who gave himself over for it, to sanctify it and to cleanse it, by Baptism, and by the word of life. If then he sanctify, and wash, and cleanse it; and that with his own blood (which is the thing, that giveth power to the Sacraments, to cleanse souls, by that grace of his, which they impart,) how can that soul, remain unjust, and filthy, which is washed, and cleansed, by a thing of so extreme efficacy. Now this cleanness, God did promise, that he would give, in the time of his Messiah, when he said, I will pour forth clean water upon you, and you shall be cleansed from all your filth. And our Lord, in the last supper, did testify; That eleven of his disciples were clean; and not after an ordinary manner, but that they were wholly clean. For the venial faults which are caused in the soul by some inordinate affections (which stick like dust unto our feet) are removed by help of the Sacraments; and their good disposition that receive them (as corporal feet) are washed by material water; as our Lord then did use it; washing both without, and within, and leaving them clean, from all sin, according to this testimony of6 S. John, The blood of Jesus Christ doth cleanse us from all sin.

This blood was called by the Prophet7 Micheas (long before it was shed) the sea, wherein all our sins are drowned. And he said, God will shoot off all our sins, into the bottom of the sea. Now if these, and many other places of Scripture, do give testimony, that a man is pardoned, and cleansed from all sin; who is there, that will presume to say, That a man doth never come to be cleansed from it. For to say, that sin remaineth in a man, which really, and truly shallbe sinne; and that yet, for the love of Jesus Christ our Lord, the pain which is due to that sin, should be released to him; is no8 such discourse, as will serve, either towards the verifying of the Scriptures, or for the doing of Jesus Christ sufficient honour. For since the pain which is due to sin, is a less evil to any man, than the guilt of the same sin, & the injustice, and deformity which is caused thereby; it cannot be said, That Christ doth save his people from their sins, if by his merit he only obtain, that they may not be imputed to them, for their punishment; unless first he take the guilt away; by the gift of his grace; nor yet that he obtaineth purity, and piety for men, that so detesting sin, they may keep the law of God. And if the doctrine of the holy Scripture be well observed, it willbe found, that when the pardon of ●inne is granted, there is given with all, a newness of life; and a clean hart, as if it were newly created, as David did desire, according to that which it was9 prophesied that it should be, I will give you a new hart, and I will place a new spirit, in the midst of you. And I will take away from you that hart of stone; and I will give you a hart of flesh; and I will place my spirit in the midst of you; and I will make, that you shall walk in my commandments, and that you shall keep and work my judgements.

This doth God promise, to such as formerly he had told, that he would cleanse them, from all their filth. And afterward he saith, I I will save you from them all. To10 give us clearly thereby to understand, That the saving us from our sins, is not only to free us from the pain; but to impart an inward cleanness; and such a hart, and such a grace, and such a spirit, as may have power, to enable us, to keep the commandments of God. S. John11 affirmeth, that our Lord saith; I stand at the gate, and I knock; if any man open to me, I will enter into him; and I will sup with him, and he with me Isay12 inviteth such as are hungry, in the behalf of God, that they will eat, and such as are thirsty, that they will drink. Our Lord saith by the mouth of13 S. Paul, Get you out from the midst of the wicked, and do not so much as touch any thing that is unclean; and I will receive you, & I wil●e a Father to you, and you shallbe my Sons, & my daughters. By which places, and many others, it doth evidently appear, that the benefits which are imparted to us, by justification, are more, and better, than Gods not imputing to us that punishment, which is due to sin. Since withal, he giveth us his grace, and cleanness of hart, and virtues; and infuseth the spirit of our Lord, whereby we may keep his law; and so, that (under the title of being his children, and of exercising ourselves in good works,) we may eternally enjoy him. And because Christ did purchase these blessings for us, together with the pardon of the pain; he may well be proclaimed, with a full mouth, to be the Saviour of us, from our sin; and14 that much more, for the former respect, then for the later. Because, in virtue of that former, he freeth us from the guilt, and bringeth us to a detestation of sin; and obtaineth for us a kind of participation of God, at the present; and a good title, for our eternally possessing him in heaven. Whereby, he delivereth us from a greater mischief, and obtaineth blessings for us of greater weight, then would have been, if he had but freed us only, from any payn● whatsoever.

Footnotes

  1. I beseech the Protestát reader upon my knees that he will read this following discourse, without passion. ↩

  2. Ephes. 2. ↩

  3. The erroneous opinion of impu●tiue justice, doth extremely derogate, from the great, and tender love of God to man, in Christ our Lord. ↩

  4. Think seriouly of this point. ↩

  5. Ephes. 5. ↩

  6. ●. Io●●. 1. ↩

  7. Mich. 7. ↩

  8. I beseech our Lord that the truth of this discourse, may sin he as deeply into thy hart, as there is cause. ↩

  9. Isa. 50. ●ge●h. 11. ↩

  10. Be attentive. ↩

  11. Apec. 3. ↩

  12. Isa. 55. ↩

    1. Cor. 6.
    ↩

  14. We are infinitely more bound to God, for freeing our souls from sin, then if he had only forg●uen us the punishment thereof. ↩

Chapter 90 of 115