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Chapter 90

That the granting, that there is perfect cleanness from sin, in such as are just, by the merits of Christ jesus, doth not only not diminish his honour, but much more declare it.

LET no1 man fear, to attribute the height of spiritual honour, and the abundance of spiritual riches, and perfect cleanness from sin, to them, whom the heavenly Father doth justify, by the merits of Jesus Christ our Lord. Let no man think, that the qualifying of such persons so, doth put the honour of the same Lord, to any prejudice. For since all that which they have, descendeth upon them by his means, not only doth not their being so full of dignity dishonour him; but it doth publish, & magnify his honour. Since it is evident, that how much more just, and more beautiful they are, of so much more value do the merits of him, plainly appear to be, who purchased so great a blessing for them, which of themselves, they neither had, nor could procure. The Scripture saith, That2 where the manger is full the strength of the Ox is made apparent; & the reason is, because by his labour, he filled the same full of meat. And S. Paul3 saith, to some whom he had helped forward, by his doctrine, and by his labours, That they were his honour, & his crown, in the sight of our Lord. And then, how much more, will they be the crown of our Lord Jesus himself? They, who by him are drawn to the honour, of being his sons; and to be full of treasures, and blessings; which honour is so much the more, as those blessings are the greater.

Our4 Lord, is not like some persons, who are in pain, or, at least, not greatly pleased with the honour, or virtue of their servants, as conceiving that it doth obscure their own; or like certain vain women, who fly from being attended by fair servants, lest so the flower of their own beauty should be blasted. But make thou no doubt; but that Jesus Christ our Lord, hath a certain kind of Charity, which exceedeth all humane conceit, as S. Paul saith; in5 esteeming our good, as his own; and to the end that we might be made rich in graces, he left his most worthy life, upon the Cross. The natural son he is of God, and we are sons adopted through him; and he being the only son, did exalt us to the title of brother hood; giving us his God, for our God; and his Father., for our Father, as himself said. I6 ascend to my Father, and to your Father; to my God, and to your God. And so, as7 S. John saith, (speaking of the same Lord) we saw the glory of him, as the glory, of the only begotten son. And he saith also of him, That he is full of grace, & truth. Therefore the honour, and spiritual riches, of these adopted sons, must be such, as becometh the sons of a Father, who is God. And if grace, and truth, were made by Jesus Christ, as S. John8 saith, it was not made, that it might remain alone in him; but that it might be derived down upon us; and that we might take some part of his fullness; and this, in such abundance, that S. Paul9 calleth it a gift, which as now we are, cannot be related by us. And to the end that we may know, the riches of that inheritance, which in his company we may hope to enjoy; the same S. Paul10 beseecheth God, To give him the spirit of wisdom, and of revelation; because that blessing, is greater, than our reason, is able to reach unto.

Glory, and grace, and thankes, be to thee O Lord for ever; who so hast honoured, and enriched us with present gifts; and hast comforted us, with the hope, of being the heirs of God, together with thyself; and who didst carry so great love to us, as that it wrought better with thee, than it did with11 job; That thou mightst not eate thy bit of bread alone, but that the orphan also, might take part thereof. And as in thee, there was the love of a Father, and that no barren love, but fruitful of many blessings; so thou O Lord, being pleased to make us thy companions herein, didst pray12 the Father, in this manner; That13 the love, wherewith thou hast loved me, may be in them; and with this love, those other blessings, whereof, one, did (both for himself, and for those others, who were to enjoy them) speak after this manner, Rejoicing, I will rejoice in our Lord; and my soul shall joy in God. For he hath clad me with the robes of salvation, and he hath hemmed me in with a garment of justice; as the man who is a spouse, is honoured by wearing of a crown; and as the spouse, who is a woman, may be adorned, with curious, and rich dress.

Which14 Confession, with such others as are made in the holy Scripture, of those benefits, which come to us, by Jesus Christ, doth certainly, ascribe more honour to him, then, That neither the virtue of his blood; nor of his grace; nor the use of his Sacraments; nor the infusion of the holy Ghost; nor the incorporating a man to Christ himself; are sufficient to deliver him from sin; but only, that he may not be condemned for it. What15 is this but to think wickedly of God the Father? Who (promising together with his only son) to send an entiere remedy against sin; and, that sin, in his time, was to be brought to an end) doth not yet perform what he promised, Since, although his Son be come, yet sin remaineth even in very them, who participate with the same Son of his. How then can that word be accomplshed, which saith, I16 will pour clean waters upon you; and you shallbe cleansed, from all your filth; if yet indeed, they cleanse me not; but that they cast a clean mantle over me, by saying, That the justice, and purity of Jesus Christ our Lord, is imputed to me, as mine own. Now this is rather, to cover my uncleanness, then to take it away. And he that affirmeth this untruth, doth consequently deny, Jesus Christ our Lord17 to be the messias, who was promised in the law; and he must therefore expect an other, who may deliver him, not only from the condemnation due to sin, but from the sin also itself. Since it is clear, that he who should deliver us from both, were to be a better Saviour, than he that were to do it but from one. To these huge and headlong precipices, doth the blindness of pride conduct such persons, as are governed by it.

Footnotes

  1. A wise & comfortable, and well grounded discourse. ↩

  2. Th●en. 14. ↩

    1. Thes. 2.
    ↩

  4. Our adversarves make him such a one; when they conceive that he alloweth not that the Saints should be honoured by our invocations whilst yet themselves do give the same honour to sinful men. ↩

  5. In inf●●itev●n chating of God. ↩

  6. joan. ●0. ↩

  7. joan. ●. ↩

  8. joan. 1. ↩

    1. Cor. 9
    ↩

  10. Ephes. ↩

  11. job. 41. ↩

  12. joan. 17. ↩

  13. If this be well penetrated, enough is said in few words. ↩

  14. Read here the true state of this question, between Catholics and Protestants. ↩

  15. An opinion most injurious to Almighty God. ↩

  16. Ezech. 36. ↩

  17. An opinion most dishonourable to christ our Lord; for it alloweth him, to be but a Saviour by halves. ↩

Chapter 92 of 115