158 An Expofation upon S I L. An acquitting or abfolving of (inners from all their faults, both A- dams and their owne; and pronouncing them juft from God, adjudging them worthy of dernall life through Chrift: whole fulfilling of the Law in his obe- dience and death, not onely maketh hitnfelfe juft, but cauleth all) all his members to be abfolved from all.finnes, and to be pronounced jutt, fo Toone as they are converted and doe beleeve. Tr M. What doth follow hereof? S i L. Thus much ; that fithence the juftice of Chrifl freeth us from Adams offence,and all our finites added to that ; and moreover maketh us jufl before God when we be (inners ; fo as we stand before the tribunali feat of God, not onely without all manner of finne, but decked with abfolute righteoufnes, ac- cording to our cave and degree which we had by creation ; therefore it is true that the grace of God hath abounded above the fault of 4dam. Tfm. But feeing Adam by his offence corrupted us all, and fpoyled both us and himfelfe of perfell innocency, and moreover that all other finrzes come in by him and bit one fence, it fbould appeare that the good which Cbriff bath brougbt,doth not exceed the hurt we take_ from Adam, but that they are equal!; at the leap, as much guilt and hurt byt be one, as benefit by the other. S r r.. It is rrue,that we have loft a perfe& righteoufneffe in Adam, but yet (the perfon of Chrift confidered) we have a more excellent righteoufies from him,which bringeth us to a bief- fed life in heaven. Secondly, it is alto true, that all other finnes do come from originallfinhe, yet they are not of ne- ceffity knit unto it: for then all men ( hould have the felfe -fame finnes, every one should do fuch fin nes as others doe. Abell fhould have done murther as Cain, lacob fhould have been prophane as E- faa, Poer fhould haue been a Traitor likeludao, &c. which is not fo: There- fore other finnes of our Iife, though they fpricg from the root of birth - finne, yet our felves are to be blamed for them, as being done by our owne eleftion and content. Now Iefus Chrift our redee- Chap. 5, merabfolveth and freeth us, not onely from that one finne of Adams, but from innumurable heapes brought in upon that by our owne deliberation and counfe]l, and fo excelleth it very farre : for to take away many finnes is more then to bring in one offence ;and a righ- teoufneffe which confifis of many good aas as Chtifls doth, is more excellent then one finfull a &, filch as Adams tranfgreffion was. T i at. Tut all are made fsnners,and con - demned by Adams offence: to are not all juffi- fiedandfavedby Chrif : therefore Adams finne exceeds the grace ofCbrift. S i L.The power and force cfCbrifts righteoufneffe above Adams offence, re- fpe&s not number ofperfons, but wor- thineffe and number ofeffells,which are more and alto more worthy, from the righteoufneffe and grace of Chrifl. For firfla it blotteth out Adams finne, and all others as touching guilt. Secondly, it breaketh the firength and rage of bonne. Thirdly, it reformetb the heart to new obedience, and giveth intereû to perfeft glory. T t M. But far the number, may it net be true!), Paid in fore fnfe, that as many be faved by Chriff,as perijhed by Adam ? S i L. It fhould feeme that it may in this fenfe: onely Infants which dye in their infancy doe perifh by origin all fin, and not all they,, but fuch onely as are not ele &: foch as be men and perifh, do pedal for their impenitency and conti- miyéman- nuance in a&uall finnes, and not onely dio redo for their birth- finne. Whereas all that mendiofaf be faved, whether infants or nlen,are fa- licitcfn- ved by the grace of Ghrift only. Adde roue, hereunto that touching fuck as doe pe- rifh, Chrift was fiticient to fave them, (as molt Divines affirme) but becaufe God will not fave all,therefore hisgrace bath no effe& in them; for beeing not ordained to life,neither are they ordai- ned to faith, whereby the righteoufneffe of Chrift is laid hold on : yet they wor- thily perifh for their finnes which they willingly doe. 0 Ifrael,tby delineators u of thy felfe. ,T i M. What is the infirublion from all this?' S IL.
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