Iewell in his hand knoweth that he hath it For if a man that beleeueth an other man on his word doth know that he beleeueth him how much more shall hee whose heart is inspired with true Fayth by the worke of the holy Ghost to beleeue the Gospell know that hee beleeueth it If a man might not know whether hee hath this true Fayth or noe how is it that the Apostle perswadeth vs thus Prooue your selues whether yee be in the Fayth 2. Cor. 13.5 thereby insinuating that it is to be discerned prooued and knowne whether we do beleeue So that as hee that vnderstandeth knoweth that he vnderstandeth So he that beleeueth knoweth that hee beleeueth Wherfore Saint Paul thus speaketh of himselfe I know whom I haue beleeued 2. Tim. 1.12 A poynt which Saint Iohn thus concludeth 1 Ioh. 3.24 saying 1. Ioh. 3.24 Hereby wee know that he abideth in vs euen by that spirit which he hath giuen vs. Augustine is plentifull in this cause I will charge you August lib. de Trinit 13. c. 1. Quisque vidit fidem esse in corde suo si credat si non videt cam deesse Euery one perceiueth that hee hath fayth in his heart if he beleeueth If not he findeth that he is without it Epist 112. Againe where he sayeth Credens videt propriam suam fidem per quam respondet se credere sine dubitatione The beleeuer feeleth his owne Faith by which he beleeueth without doubtinges Lib. 8. de Triâ—it c. 8. In an other place thus Qui diligit Fratrem suum magisscit dilectionem per quam diligit quam Fratrem quem diligit Hee that looueth his Brother knoweth the loue wherewith he loueth him better then he knoweth his Brother whom hee loueth This and such like effects of Gods Predestination are not simply effects but such effects thereof as they also may be saide to be Seales of it For God to vsward is like to the Sunne The Sunne when it shineth on vs and in a manner looketh vs on the face printeth in such sort the Image of his light in our eyes as wee also are made partakers of the same light and are enabled to looke vpon the Sunne the light thereof For the beames of the Sunne striking vpon vs haue a repercussion and reflexe towards the Sunne So the Lord the Sonne of Righteousnesse looketh vpon vs and knoweth vs to be his And then the Elect being made partakers of his Light and Knowledge hee maketh vs likewise to know him Heereto serue these words of our Sauiour J know my sheepe Iohn 10.14 Inferring therevpon in the next place And J am knowne of mine So the first is the cause of the latter and the latter alwayes followeth the former as if he should haue sayd While I acknowledge them for mine I make them to haue my light knowledge to acknowledge mee their Shephearde Both these are put togeather by Saint Paul Gal. 49. where hee sayth Seeing yee know God or rather are knowne of God Where hee teacheth that therefore because God knew the Galathians who first acknowledged them for his hee consequently imparted this his owne Wisedome to them and brought them to that passe to acknowledge the true God to be their God The like may be sayd of the Loue of God wherewith he loued vs in Christ to eternall life before the groundworke of the World was laide God in louing vs hath left an impression and obsignation of his loue in our heartes by which wee returne and retorte this loue and loue him againe and as it were by the reflexion of these Sun-beames striking into our heartes are prouoked to loue him For Gods loue towardes vs beeing by nature eternall bringeth foorth at his full appoynted time a certaine loue in vs seruing to the eternitie of his glorie 1 Ioh. 4.19 Hence it is that Saint John sayth Not that we loued him but that he first loued vs. As if hee should thus say By setting the Seale of his Loue vpon our heartes hee effecteth thus much that wee in the rereward should loue him as a Father Wherefore by the soliditie of that loue by which wee haue a feeling that wee loue God wee are made to know how large the dimensions of that loue of God are by which from all eternitie in Christ hee hath embraced vs. Now what is this loue else but Predestination So our Election by which we are put apart in Christ from the residue of the World setteth a kind of Image of God himselfe vpon vs that is it begetteth an other Election by which wee renounce all other Gods and know no other else but the true God to be adored and worshipped and not onely as wee gather the cause from the effect but as wee draw a Picture from the president and as from the forme of the Seale in the Waxe we easily conceiue what is the Image of the Seale it selfe And thus much of this first Seale which respecteth God in these wordes The Lord knoweth who are his The other Seale followeth which concerneth our selues in the sequell thus Let euery one that calleth vpon the Name of the Lord depart from iniquitie To Fayth the proper indument of the Elect a speciall Seale of Election Good workes an other Seale thereof is immediatly adioyned Good workes can neuer be sundred from Fayth as Scriptures and Fathers teach and our Church beleeue The Apostle speaking of such who making great wordes of Christ Tit. 1.16 but denie him in their workes sayth They prefesse they know God but by workes they denie him and are abominable and disobedient and to euery good worke reprobate Where to denie God is to denie the Fayth In an other place hee sayth 1. Tim. 5.5 if there be any that prouideth not for his owne and namely for them of his household he hath denied the Fayth Now hee that denieth the Fayth can not haue Fayth Also Saint Iohn sayth Hee that sayth 1. Ioh. 2.4 I know him and keepeth not his commaundementes is a lyar Where hee concludeth that to be a lying and a false Fayth which hath not ioynt commerce with the performaunce of his preceptes but a counterfait Fayth is no Fayth at all Therefore they goe both hand in hand togither Fayth Good workes and will not part company Iam. 2. Fayth without Good workes is dead It is Saint Iames his theoreme and case diuinitie But dead Fayth is no more Fayth then a dead Man is a Man The Fathers with one consent teach the same Orig. in Ezech. Hom. 9. Origen sayeth Male credit quicunque peccat Hee that is a sinner is but a simple beleeuer In epist ad Rom. l. â— c. 10. In his Scholie vpon the Romans hee prooueth the same thus Omnis qui credit in eum non erubescit erubescit autem omnis qui peccat ergo qui adhuc ruboreÌ„ peccati incurrit credere non videtur Euery one that
strengthneth me The grace that God giueth all such as feare him according to that the royall Prophet sayeth He shall make them strong Psal 103.5 and lusty like an Eagle This grace is ours in a double respect 1. Of the promise of God in Jeremie J will put my feare in their heartes that they shall neuer depart from mee Luk. 22.32 2. Of the Prayer of Christ J haue prayed for thee that thy sayth should not fuile thee Hetherto maketh this sweete speech of Augustine De corrept et gratia cap. 2. Ipse cos facit in bono perseuerare quj facit bonos He that maketh men good maketh men to continue good and hee alloweth not that loue that may be lost wherfore hee sayeth Charitas quae deserj potest nunquam vera fuit That Charitie that may be casseered is but counterfaite 4 An other Obiection is from the examples of such as haue departed from the Fayth Ephes 1.4 1. Thes 1.4 1. Pet. 1.1 as the Ephesians Thessalonians and dispearsed Iewes styled in holy Writinges The elect and chosen whereas many of them did afterward forsake their first Loue and gaue vp their Fayth as it were in the plaine field Heereto we answere that there are two sortes of Iudgementes touching mans estate this way 1. The one is called Iudicium Certuudinis the Iudgement of Certaintie by which an vndoubted doome may be deliuered of any mans Election But that is Gods royaltie peculiar to himselfe sette downe in his sacred and secret booke of counsailes man is not to meddle with it no further then God hath reuealed to one man an othermans estate 2. The other is termed Judicium Charitatis The Iudgement of Charitie whereby wee proceede by the Lawe of Loue esteeming of such as liue in the Church and outwardly beare loue to the word of truth to be in the Calender of the Chosen vntill wee haue a better Schoolemaister then Nature to informe vs the contrarie Now in respect these Ephesians Thessalonians and Iewes did beare these outward markes the Apostle maketh the best construction of their doinges as Charitie would haue him 2. Againe they may be deemed to be thus denominated a maiorj parte of the greatest part according to the common course of speach wherby we call it an Heape of Corne which standeth most vpon the Corne though much confounded with colder and with chaffe 5 An other Obiection Reuel 3.11 is this admonition Saint John giueth Hold that which thou hast that no man take thy Crowne whereby is meant as some would haue it The Crowne of heauenly glory Whereto they inferre this Prouiso of the Apostle 1. Cor. 10.12 Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed least he fall We answere that the Crowne there mentioned is the Crowne of the Ministrie which without losse to our election may be lost and can not be rightly taken for the Crowne of heauenly glorie And what if it could we should graunt so much there would be nothing gotten by it For it is to be conceiued that one of these two wayes it is to be lost 1. Either in respect of our selues 2. Or of God 1. In respect of our selues wee easily yeelde it that wee may soone loose this Crowne from our heads For we are fickle and feeble nothing else but a compound of corruption Now Death and not the Diademe of Glorie is the debt that is due to Sinne. 2. But in respect of God who hath chosen vs and of Christ in whom wee are chosen this Crowne can neuer be taken away from vs in asmuch as the giftes and vocation of God Rom. 11.29 are without reuersion Wherefore in both these respectes wee haue warning in the Scriptures to looke to our standing and to tread sure least wee fall And are taught herewithall that the Elect stand sure in the Sanctuarie of the Lord they are vnder the safe protection of Christ and so can not perish 6 The last Obiection I will deale with is from such places of Scripture as speake of Blotting out of the Booke of life As that peece of Imprecation of Dauids against his Enimies Psal 69.29 Let them be wiped out of the Booke of the Liuing and not be written among the Righteous As that asseueration of the Spirit in the Apocalips Reuel 3.5 He that ouercommeth I will not put out his name out of the Booke of Life Exod. 32.32 Rom. 9.3 As those passionate wishes of Moses Paul to be put out of the writinges of the house of Israel for the saluation of the people of God committed to their charge All which places conclude nothing lesse then that they make shew of at the first sight being not throughly vnderstood Dauids enemies had neuer any name in Gods booke but only in the courtious opinion of the Church And therefore it can not properly be sayd of them that they were spunged out But in Scripture phrase they are taken so to be when their hypocrisie is discouered and they are manifested what they are So Augustine expoundeth those wordes of the Psalme Let them be wiped out of the Booke of the Liuing that is Scriptjnon esse cognoscantur tam ab ipsis quam ab alijs Let it appeare both to themselues and others that they are not written downe They seeme to be written sayth the same Father Secundum praesentem Iustitiam et temporariam fidem as they carry credite in the World for their good carriage of themselues in their outward actions and for their temporarie profession Concerning Moses his wish some thereby would meane the Booke of this present life as if Moses should desire to dye for his People As if he should haue saide Eyther saue them or slay mee But this meaning is too light to suite with the grauitie of this his petition For many Captaines and Valiaunts haue been founde that haue been prodigall of their owne for the safeguard of their Souldiers liues And it is the commaundement the Godly stande charged with to giue their liues for their Brethren Wherein Moses had had his matches euen among the Heathens such as were Philenj that were brethren Decius Curtius Theseus and such like that made no spare of the effusion of their blood for the benefite of their Countrie Wherefore some giue these wordes to the Booke of the Couenant as if he should haue sayd Blot my Name out of thy Church-booke and let it no more be in the number of those to whom thou hast made thy Promises of eternall life Not that Moses desired directly to be damned for the peoples deliueraunce but onely to be excommunicate from the Church that is heere on earth which is somewhat more then to die But some of better iudgement then the the former are of the minde that Moses looked higher then so namely to the Booke of eternall life as if he should thus say Rather then thy whole people should perish let my name no more stand in thy Predestinatiō-booke
Psal 45.7 and Mediator with the holy Ghost aboue his fellowes according to that which Christ saith of himselfe Him hath God the Father sealed Ioh. 6.27 So also the rest of his Children he hath sealed doth dayly seale with Markes and Characters of their certaine Election to deuide them from the outcastes of this present euill world 2. Cor. 1.21 As where he sayth who hath sealed vs and giuen vs the earnest of the spirit And in the latter to the Ephesians thus Ephes 1.13 After that yee beleeued ye were sealed with the holy spirit of promise Ephes 4.30 And in the same Epistle thus Grieus not the holy Spirit of God by whom yee are sealed vnto the day of Redemption These Seales are the Meanes to serue the end sette downe by God Predestination is not onely of the Ende but also of the Meanes that make to that end Now all of them aswell the Ende as the meanes are the Effectes thereof Wherefore rightly sayth Augustine Praedestinatio est praeparatio beneficiorum Dej quibus certissimè liberantur quicunque liberantur Predestination is a preparatiue of the graces of God by which they are most assuredly saued who are to be saued These Meanes in some are more impotent in some more eminent in some more in some lesse Some haue but a litle Oyle in their Cruise In some their cuppe doe ouerflowe Those meanes are our Vocation Iustification Sanctification Repentaunce new Obedience without which there is no entraunce to the Throne of Grace But by these Groomes wee may be brought into the Kinges Chamber Heere the two principall Seales and Meanes are set out vnto vs as Fayth and New obedience the naturall Branch that sprouteth from that roote Fayth hath the preheminence insinuated in this Prescience and foreknowledge of God in these words The Lord knoweth who are his The other is more open in the wordes following Let all that call vpon the name of the Lord depart from iniquitie It is Fayth that in a quicke apprehension swalloweth downe this Proposition The Lord knoweth who are his Knoweth that is Loueth those that are his and so inferreth this Assumpt therevpon and so loueth mee that am one of his This Attribute of Knowledge ascribed to God is of two sortes 1. Absoluta Absolute so stiled of the Schoole-men inasmuch as all thinges simply and absolutely from all eternitie are knowne vnto God Of this the spirit speaketh thus Heb. 4.13 Neither is there any creature which is not manifest in his sight But all thinges are naked and open vnto his eyes And to this appertaineth this sentence of Psalmodie Psal 94.11 The Lord knoweth the thoughtes of men that they are but vaine 2. The other is Specialis of more speciall propertie as by which he not onely knoweth the Elect as he doth all other things but also knoweth them for his owne deuideth them from others alloweth and loueth them aboue all others For this word Knoweth when it is giuen to God speaking of the creature very often in Scripture-language beareth such a meaning as where Dauid sayth The Lord knoweth the way of the righteous Psal 1.6 but the way of the vngodly shall perish As where Christ sayth to the prating professors Math. 7.23 I know you not depart from mee yee workers of iniquitie As where Paul sayth God hath not cast away his people Rom. 11.2 which hee knew before So doth Thomas take this word in his Scholie vpon the 8. Chapter to the Romans Quos praesciuit scientia approbationis hos et praedestinauit Those whom he foreknew in his knowledge of approbation them also he predestinated And the same Schoole man is in the minde that Gods effectuall will of conferring grace is included in this his knowledge of approbation Thus Hugo de Sancto victore in his notes vpon the Epistle to the Romanes And Ioachim vpon the Reuelation doe vnderstand this worde Augustine August do perseuer Sanct. lib. 2. c. 18. sometimes doth not doubt to take the Knowledge of God for Gods Predestination and to confounde them togeather grounding his Iudgement vpon the Apostles assertion God hath not cast away his People which he knew before And such are by his reckning Filij in praescientia Aug. de corrept et gra c. 9. Sonnes in Gods foreknowledge Qui in memoriali patris sui inconcussa stabilitate conscripti sunt Who are written downe in Gods rowles of remembrances not to be raced out So Cyrill singeth vs the same songe Cyrill expos in Ioh. 7. c. 6. where he sayth Christ knoweth his Sheepe electing and foreseeing them vnto eternall life as the Apostle telleth vs God hath not cast away his people which hee knew before for as the Lord such as he reprobateth is sayd not to know as where he sayth to the foolish Maydes that had not Oyle for their Lightes I know you not so such as hee predestinateth and preordinateth vnto life hee is rightly sayd to know them Now this is the true Fayth which ought to be in vs to be throughly perswaded that wee are in the rancke and classie of Gods children adopted in Christ Iesu and so to be in the fatherly fauour of God and that so our saluation is sealed vp in a Bagge Without this Fayth we cannot be grafted into Christ But this Fayth sufficeth vs though not perfect so it be true though but small as a Graine of Musterd-seed tender like a new borne Babe In the Babe there can not be the action of Fayth which is the knowledge of Christ and confidence in him yet is the Spirit and virtue thereof in it which in time will shew it selfe And this the Scriptures would haue vs beleeue Heb. 11.6 in all such places as shew vs that wee are saued by Fayth and that without Fayth it is impossible that we should please God yet withall the perfecter our Fayth is the greater is the power of it and therefore we must endeauour all we may to encrease our Fayth And albeit wee receiue in this life not the Tithe but the first Fruites of Gods Spirit Rom. 8.23 2. Cor. 1.22 and but the earnest thereof the first Fruites being but a Sheafe in comparison of the whole Cornelande and the Earnest being as it were but a Pennie for the payment of Poundes yet this Sheafe this Pennie serueth the turne to incorporate vs into Christ As the eye of an Israelite seruing him but to looke vp to the Brasen Serpent auayled to cure the sting of the fierie Serpent Iohn 3. so the pur-blind eye of our Fayth if it can but turne vp the Ball towardes Christ lifted vp vnto the Crosse it will be enough to cure the deadly wound the old Serpent hath giuen vs. The Palsie shaking hand of a poore Lazar may serue to receiue the deuotion of a Passenger as well as the best though the other can hold it fastest Though the Bonie partes in mans body be the strongest
of the world being considered in his workes to the intent that they should be without excuse Because that when they knew God they glorified him not as God neyther were thankfull Now God can not otherwise be glorified but by our cōformitie to the Law by our departure frō iniquitie by our duties of pietie and integritie No other end hee proposeth to himselfe in his afflicted punishments that so they might consider his anger towards sinne to be shie thereof and shunne it He hath determined the Diuels and the Reprobates to damnation to no other ende then to warne the Elect not to sinne and if they sin to saue themselues by repentance and by perfourmance of future obedience The patience of God is to the same purpose His sufferance Rom. 2.4 is only a summons to our conuersion to which end saith the Apostle Despicest thou the riches of his bountifulnes and patience and long sufferance not knowing that the bountifulnesse of God leadeth thee to repentance The common and ordinarie benefites of God redound vnto the wicked The Cloudes droppe downe Fatnesse vppon their Cloddes they haue the gracious dew of his blessing though none of his inheritance That his practise might be president and Patterne to vs of pietie and perfection as he intimateth in the conclusion thereof in this sentence of monition Bee yee also perfect as your heauenly Father is perfect 2 All the Workes of our Redemption are of reference vnto this Our departure from Iniquitie For all the Promises of the Gospell in Christ are to dispell Despaire that we should not as absorpt of Desperation plunge our selues through our sinnes into the pitte of Perdition but contrariwise vnder hope of Grace should repent vs of our Trespasses and depart from our Iniquities Christ the Argument of the Gospell conformed himselfe to the rites of the Law could defie euery aduersarie that could accuse him of Sinne was obedient to his Father to the death that his example should be our imitation according to this his direction in such causes I haue giuen you an exsample that as I haue done so should yee doe Hee that saith hee is in him must walke as hee hath walked Hee cured the Sicke raised the Dead filled the Hungrie with good thinges as for other ends so namely and mainely for this one ende that while they recounted how Sinne brought these euils into the World they should shake off these euils and forsake their sinnes the Caution giuen by Christ to the Palsey-man Now thou art whole sinne no more least a greater euill come vnto thee Hee remitted sinnes that wee should committe no more sinnes wherefore hee sayeth to the adultresse in the Ghospell Jf no man condemne thee J doe not condemne thee Goe in peace The same matter of meditatiō ariseth vnto vs out of the circumstances of his passion Hee did beare the Crosse and suffered the shame for vs to deliuer vs determined to eternall death and to leaue vs an example that it seeme not grieuous vnto vs to suffer all manner of euill vniustly for his sake This vse Saint Peter giueth vs of Christe Passion for vs 1. Pet 4.1 Forasmuch as Christ hat suffered for vs in the flesh arme your selues likewise with the same minde which is that hee the hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sinne that he hence forward should liue not after the lustes of men but after the will of God That is in a word as it is else where deliuered That wee should crucifie the flesh with the lustes thereof He prayed for his Enimies to teach vs to forbeare vengeaunce to beare wronges with patience Hee dieth not onely to saue our Soules from death but also to the end that wee should die to our sinnes The application that Paul maketh of that Article of the Fayth He is buried Rom. 6. that wee also should burie our sinnes and roule a great Stone ouer the Graue of them that they neuer rise againe The inference Rom. 6.4 the same Apostle maketh in the same place Wee are buried then with him by baptisme into his death that like as Christ was raysed vp from the dead to the glory of the Father so wee also should walke in newnesse of life Hee dispatcheth his Apostles into the wide perambulation of the world with this legatiue Commisson to preach the Gospell and Remission of sinnes and to this speciall end that wee should make an end of sin as in the clause of that commission is not obscurely intimated where these wordes are added Teaching them to obserue such thinges as J haue commaunded you Hee ascended vp to Heauen not onely to appeare for vs in the presence of God but also to raise vp our Soules from the nethermost Pitte to the vppermost Heauens that wee might learne in liew of this benefite to lead an heauenly life It is the warning that Paul giueth vs out of the sayd Learning Coloss 3.1.2 If yee be then risen with Christ seeke those thinges that are aboue and not those thinges that are on the earth This was Paules course of conuersation Our conuersation is in Heauen Finally foretelling the finall Iudgement hee inserteth this speciall end hereof to giue to euery one according to his workes Wherefore it standeth vs in hand as much as our Soules Bodies are worth to looke to our wayes and to follow our iniquities no more 3 Lastly the workes of our communicate Redemption implye the same condition The Apostle shutteth them all vp in foure wordes 1. Rom. 8. Predestination 2. Vocation 3. Justification 4. Glorification 1. The intention of our Election heedeth this condition as where Paul teacheth it saying Ephes 1.4 Hee hath chosen vs in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in loue Of our Vocation wee may say the like For God hath not created vs to vncleannesse but vnto holinesse Wee haue Fayth giuen vs to obey his Call First that thereby we might pertake of the righteousnesse of Christ imputed to vs. 2. Next that wee might obserue the Law and that the righteousnesse of the Law might be fulfilled in vs. Rom. 6.19 Hence commeth in this Interrogation of the Apostle Doe wee make the Law of none effect through Fayth God forbid yea wee establish the Law Hee Iustifieth vs in pardoning our sinnes that we should be no more factiue instrumentes to sinne 1. Cor. 6. but that we should Giue vp our members as seruantes vnto righteousnesse in holinesse he instilleth his holy Spirit into vs that being made the Members of Christ and the Temples of the holy Ghost wee should take heed how hereafter we pollute and defile our bodyes with iniquities It is the quicke expostulation and question of the blessed Apostle 1. Cor. 15. Know yee not that your bodyes are the Temples of the holy Ghost Hee that shall pollute the Temple of God him shall God destroy All the Religion that we haue in the Church as Preaching Sacraments Prayers Discipline driue at this end to die to sinne to liue to God To conclude our Glorification includeth concludeth the same consideration Then shall God be all in all because then there shall be no more sinne to striue against God Wherefore bend wee and band wee all our Sinnewes and Sides against the sides of Sinne that wee may liue in his feare and die in his fauour and enioy that Place which the Father of old hath prepared Christ of late hath purchased and to which wee are sealed by the Spirit of sanctification To these three Persons and one God be praise and glorie now and euer Amen FINIS