Answ. It is true, Christ is our righteousness, but what is that to us except we have something to put it on?1 except we be united to Christ what good have we by Christ, if Christ be not ours? if there be not a spiritual marriage, what benefit have we by him, if we have not him to pay our debt, for his riches to be ours, and our debt to be his, there must be a union first. Now this union is wrought by the Spirit, it is begun in effectual calling, from this union there comes to be a change, his righteousness is mine, as if I had obeyed, and done it by my self, and my ⟨p. 104⟩debts, and sins are his, this is by the Spirit, because the union between Christ and me is by the Spirit: for whatsoever Christ hath done; it is nothing to me till there be a Union, and then freedom is by the Spirit likewise, because the Spirit of God works faith in me, not only to unite and knit me to Christ,2 but faith to persuade me, that Christ is mine, and that all his is mine, and that my debts are his; this supernatural hand of faith the Spirit works, to lay hold upon Christ, and then to persuade me; for the Spirit is a lightsome thing, and together with the graces it ⟨p. 105⟩tells me the graces it works: As reason, besides reason, it tells me that I use reason when I do, it hath a reflex act, so the Spirit of Christ, it hath a reflex act upon it self, for being above reason, it doth not only lay hold upon Christ, it doth not only do the work, but it tells me that I do so when I do; therefore it not only tells me that Christ is mine, when I believe, but it assures me that I do believe, it carries a light of its own; I know the light by the light, and reason by reason, and faith by faith, together with the reflex act joining with it; so that the ⟨p. 106⟩reflect act joining with it, so that the Spirit is the cause of liberty in justification in that respect, as it is a means of union, whereupon there is a passage of all that is Christs to be mine, and mine to be Christs: and likewise it assures me that I do believe, when I do believe without error, for the Spirit is given me to know the things that I have by Christ, not only to know the privileges by Christ, but the graces of Christ.
Answ. It is true, Christ is our righteousnesse, but what is that to us except wee have something to put it on?1 except we be united to Christ what good have wee by Christ, if Christ bee not ours? if there be not a spirituall marriage, what benefit have we by him, if we have not him to pay our debt, for his riches to bee ours, and our debt to bee his, there must be a union first. Now this union is wrought by the Spirit, it is begun in effectuall calling, from this union there comes to bee a change, his righteousnesse is mine, as if I had obeyed, and done it by my selfe, and my ⟨p. 104⟩debts, and sinnes are his, this is by the Spirit, because the union betweene Christ and mee is by the Spirit: for whatsoever Christ hath done; it is nothing to me till there be a Vnion, and then freedome is by the Spirit likewise, because the Spirit of God workes faith in me, not onely to unite and knit me to Christ,2 but faith to perswade me, that Christ is mine, and that all his is mine, and that my debts are his; this supernaturall hand of faith the Spirit workes, to lay hold upon Christ, and then to perswade me; for the Spirit is a lightsome thing, and together with the graces it ⟨p. 105⟩tells mee the graces it workes: As reason, besides reason, it tells me that I use reason when I doe, it hath a reflex act, so the Spirit of Christ, it hath a reflex act upon it selfe, for being above reason, it doth not onely lay hold upon Christ, it doth not onely doe the worke, but it tels me that I doe so when I doe; therefore it not onely tells me that Christ is mine, when I beleeve, but it assures mee that I doe beleeve, it carries a light of its owne; I know the light by the light, and reason by reason, and faith by faith, together with the reflex act joyning with it; so that the ⟨p. 106⟩reflect act joyning with it, so that the Spirit is the cause of liberty in justification in that respect, as it is a meanes of union, whereupon there is a passage of all that is Christs to be mine, and mine to be Christs: and likewise it assures me that I doe beleeve, when I doe beleeve without errour, for the Spirit is given me to know the things that I have by Christ, not onely to know the priviledges by Christ, but the graces of Christ.
- 1No benefit by Christ without union.
- 2Double work of faith.Double worke of faith.
