What says the Apostle in Rom. 4.5. Answ. He justifies the ungodly, not in their sins, but from their sins, through Christ. 'Tis not in Gods love, as in our love: you love, because the thing loved is lovely: but Gods love, does make lovely: your love finds lovely: and Gods love makes lovely. You love a person because of some beauty: but Gods love does make beautiful. You love a person because of some good you do find before you love: but Gods love brings the goodness with it, Gods love makes the person good that he does love. His love is the original & root of all our obedience, and sanctification. Though the Root lies under ground, all the branches are beholding to it: and the fruit have their sap, and life from it. So though Gods reconciling love lies under ground, and ye see it not, yet 'tis the Root of all your obedience, of all your sanctification. Ye may observe therefore, that in the Epistle to the Romans, to the Galatians, to the Hebrews; when the Apostle would stir up the Romans, Galatians, Hebrews to holiness of life: that he lays his Exhortation upon the Doctrine of free-grace, ⟨p. 229⟩love, justification by faith alone, and the fullness of Christs satisfaction for poor unworthy sinners. In the book of the Romans, he begins to state the Doctrine of free justification of sinners: and remission by Christ alone. In the book of the Galatians, he begins with free-remission of sins, and justification by faith alone: So in the book of the Hebrews: But the end and conclusion of all these Epistles to the Romans, Galatians, Hebrews, is, Obedience, Repentance, and holiness of life. As if this were the great Root that all our obedience did grow upon, even free remission of sins, and Justification by faith alone. And if justification do go before our sanctification, then of Necessity there must be an approaching of the Kingdom of Heaven to us, before we do come to it.
What saies the Apostle in Rom. 4.5. Answ. He justifies the ungodly, not in their sins, but from their sins, through Christ. 'Tis not in Gods love, as in our love: you love, because the thing loved is lovely: but Gods love, does make lovely: your love finds lovely: and Gods love makes lovely. You love a person because of some beauty: but Gods love does make beautiful. You love a person because of some good you do find before you love: but Gods love brings the goodness with it, Gods love makes the person good that he does love. His love is the original & root of all our obedience, and sanctification. Though the Root lies under ground, all the branches are beholding to it: and the fruit have their sap, and life from it. So though Gods reconciling love lies under ground, and ye see it not, yet 'tis the Root of all your obedience, of all your sanctification. Ye may observe therefore, that in the Epistle to the Romans, to the Galatians, to the Hebrews; when the Apostle would stir up the Romans, Galatians, Hebrews to holiness of life: that he laies his Exhortation upon the Doctrine of freegrace, ⟨p. 229⟩love, justification by faith alone, and the sulness of Christs satisfaction for poor unworthy sinners. In the book of the Romans, he begins to state the Doctrine of free justification of sinners: and remission by Christ alone. In the book of the Galatians, he begins with free-remission of sins, and justification by faith alone: So in the book of the Hebrews: But the end and conclusion of all these Epistles to the Romans, Galatians, Hebrewes, is, Obedience, Repentance, and holiness of life. As if this were the great Root that all our obedience did grow upon, even free remission of sins, and Justification by faith alone. And if justificiation do go before our sanctification, then of Necessity there must be an approaching of the Kingdom of Heaven to us, before we do come to it.
