A treatise tending to cleare the doctrine of iustification. Written by Io. Forbes, pastour of the English Church at Middelburgh, for the instruction of his flocke: and now published by some of them for the good of others

CHAPTER XXXIIII.

THE next pointe that we have to speake of, is touchinge the finall cause of iustification, in the which wee purpose to be short, seeing it is not a matter controverted: but yet it serveth to cleare the trueth of that going before, concerninge the ordet of Gods benefites. It is receyved vniversallie of all, that the finall cause of righteousnes, is life: for there is no way to attayne vnto life, but by righteousnes: and for this cause iu∣stification is called, The iustification of life, Rom. chap. 5. vets. 18. and for the same cause it is saide, That they who receyve that aboun∣dance of grace, and of the gift of that righteovsnes, shall reigne in life, Rom. chap. 5. ver. 17. therefore is salvation called the end of our faith, Pet. 1. Epist. cha. 1. ver. 9. Carrying about with you, the end of your faith, even the salvation of your soules. And this is according to the plaine speech of God, Ezek. chap. 18. If a man be iust, he shall surely live saith the Lord: but the soule that sinneth, shall die. And againe in the same chapter, ver. 20. The righteousnes of the righteous shalbe vpon him: and the wickednes of the wicked, shalbe vpon him selfe. And againe, In his righte∣ousnes that he hath done, he shall live.

By these testimonies it is plaine, that the end of righteous∣nes is life: according to the saying of the Prophet Haba. The iust shaell live by faith, in the 2. chapter, ver. 4. and therefore eternal life is called the hope of righteousnes, Gall. chapt. 5. ver. 5. For wee

through the spirit, waite for the hope of righteousnes through faith.

And in this same sense is the saying of the Apostle to bee ta∣ken, Rom. chap. 8. ver. 23. VVee doe sigh in our selves, wayting for our a∣doption, even the redemption of our bodyes. as may easilie bee percey∣ved by the wordes following, wherein hee giveth the reason of this our waytinge, when hee sayeth, for by hope wee are saved, &c. where our Adoption is put for our salvation, or glorificati∣on, or redemption, in that sense wherein redemption is taken, 1. Corinth. chap. 1. ver. 30. and this is needfull to bee marked, to let vs see how diversly Adoption is taken in the holy scriptures of God.

And that wee may see the trueth of that which wee have saide before concerning the difference betwixt beeing a sonne by faith, and by prerogative: for as sayeth Iohn 1. Epist. chap. 3. ver. 2. we are now the sonnes of God: but it is not made manifest yet what wee shall bee. where he plainly distinguisheth, betwixt beeing a sonne, and being a glorified sonne: for by faith wee are the sonnes of God, Gall. chap. 3. ver, 26. and yet by faith wee are not the glori∣fied sonnes of God: but yet still wayte for our Adoption, that is our glorification.

And this diverse sense of Adoption, is evidently cleered by the diverse sense of redemption, wherein it is taken in the Rom. chap. 8, ver. 23. and Heb. chap. 9. ver. 15. For Rom. chap. 8. it is taken in one sense with Adoption, that is, for the glorification of our bodyes: But in the 9. chap. to the Heb. it is taken for iu∣stification: which place also confirmeth, eternall life to bee the end of our iustification, whyle it is sayde, that Christ is the Media∣tor of the New Testament for this cause, that through death, which was for the redemption of the transgressions that were in the former testament, they which were called might receyve the promise of eternall inheritance. And this same is made manifest by the Apostles order set downe Rom. chap. 8. where hee sayeth, whom he iustifieth, them also hee glo∣rifieth. For as calling is the fruite of predestination: and iustifi∣cation, the fruit of calling, so glorification is the fruite of iusti∣fication.