A09376:598
A cloud of faithful witnesses, leading to the heavenly Canaan, or, A commentary upon…A cloud of faithfull witnesses, leading to the heauenly Canaan, or, A commentarie vpon…
A cloud of faithful witnesses, leading to the heavenly Canaan, or, A commentary upon the 11 chapter to the Hebrews preached in Cambridge by that godly, and judicious divine, M. William Perkins ; long expected and desired, and therefore published at the request of his executors, by Will. Crashawe and Tho. Pierson, preachers of Gods Word, who heard him preach it, and wrote it from his mouth.A cloud of faithfull witnesses, leading to the heauenly Canaan, or, A commentarie vpon the 11 chapter to the Hebrewes preached in Cambridge by that godly, and iudicious divine, M. William Perkins ; long expected and desired, and therefore published at the request of his executours, by Will. Crashawe and Tho. Pierson, preachers of Gods Word, who heard him preach it, and wrote it from his mouth.
London: printed by Humphrey Lownes for Leo. Greene, 1607London: printed by Humfrey Lownes for Leo. Greene, 1607
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Secondly they object. If this be so, then God justifieth wicked men; but God will not do so: it is against the nature of his holiness and Justice. And again, he that justifieth the wicked, is abominable to God, Prou. 17.15. therefore God will not do so himself.
Secondly they obiect. If this be so, then God iustifieth wicked men; but God will not doe so: it is against the nature of his holinesse and Iustice. And againe, hee that iustifieth the wicked, is abhominable to God, Prou. 17.15. therefore God will not doe so himselfe.
We answer: The ground is good, but the collection is untrue. God will not justify a wicked man, that is true: but that therefore a man cannot be justified by Christs righteousness, is false. For, God doth not justify him that lieth rotting in his former sins, and weltering in his old corruption; but him that believeth in Christ, and repenteth of his sins. And that man in his faith is justified, and in his repentance sanctified, and so he is made a new man: yea, as S. Paul saith, He that is in Christ is a new creature: 2. Corinth. 5.17. For, as it is in the first conversion, God turneth nor saveth no man against his will; but first makes him willing by his own work alone, and then converteth and saveth him with his own free will, working together with Gods grace. So is it in the work of Justification; God justifieth no wicked man: but makes him first just and righteous in and by Christ, and then accounts him so. But then (will some say) the sinner hath no righteousness, but that of Christs; and that is in Christ, and not in himself: therefore he hath none in his own person; how then can he be any thing, but a wicked man still? I answer; that is not true that is first affirmed. The believing sinner hath more righteousness then that that is in Christ. That which justifieth him, is in Christs person: But the sinner, when he is justified, is also sanctified, by the mighty work of Gods grace; and so he is made a holy man, and doth good and holy works, because he is in Christ, though his sanctification be imperfect. To this end, saith S. Peter,