works thereof comprehended in these thrée propositions All both Iewes and gentiles are vnder sinne that is are iustly condemned for sinne All haue sinned and are iustly depriued of the glory of god that is of euerlasting life All the world is subiect to the iudgement of god And herein is the praise of his iustice in that we deserue it as also the praise of his mercy in that fréely in Christ he forgiueth vs so great damnation So that here it resteth that there is but one way of But one way of saluation saluation to wit Iesus Christ and his righteousnesse apprehended by faith For the gospell of Christ is the power of god vnto saluation to euery one that beléeueth to the Iewe first and also to the Grecian Vnto which faith although VVorkes that works are necessarily adioyned and are as the light which is séen togither with the flame yet they auaile not vnto iustification but rather signifie that a man is inwardly iustified before god Therefore although faith be not without workes yet faith alone without workes doth Faith onely iustifieth iustifie The lawe manifesteth sinne and death which was before the lawe it causeth wrath and dooth not reconcile vs vnto God but the true reconciliation and purification The righteousnesse of God commeth only from the righteousnesse which is of God And séeing righteousnesse is not sound by the law it is necessary and behoouefull that we looke for righteousnesse elsewhere And because man could not accomplish any righteousnesse therefore least hée should vtterly perish God exhibiteth a way which he promised of olde whereby he should be iustified and saued before him Christ is our righteousnes without the lawe The matter and grounde of this righteousnesse is Christ apprehended through faith who is offered vnto all because all haue sinned Which righteousnesse is fréely giuen without any merit of ours for wée are iustified freely by his grace through the God the au thour of this righteousnesse redemption that is in Christ Iesus The authour of this righteousnesse and iustification is God for hée so loued the world that hée gaue his only begotten sonne to bee offered vp for our sinnes and to make full satisfaction that whosoeuer beléeueth in him should not perish but haue life euerlasting Whom GOD set foorth to bee a reconciliation through faith in his blood Righteousnes in the death and resurrection of christ The materiall cause is the death and resurrection of Christ for hée was deliuered to death for our sinnes and is risen againe for our iustification The cause formall or instrumentall is faith whereby as it were with an hande wée apprehende the righteousnesse of GOD. For with the heart man beléeueth vnto saluation and to righteousnesse Christ is our reconciliation through faith while wée laie holde of the promises The end of this righteousne what of Gods mercy in him The finall cause is the glorie and praise of the goodnesse of God in that being enemies hée reconcileth vs vnto him Wherefore we are not saued by workes or partly by faith and partly by woorkes but all our reioycing is excluded by the VVe are iustified not by workes but by faith lawe of faith And our iustification dependeth onely vpon GOD that his glorie might be established for the promise of God is through faith and not by the lawe For as the lawe is the cause of wrath so is faith the appeasing of our consciences whereby we vnderstand that we are iustified And if any man make the lawe his grounde and his rocke hée is fallen from grace for they are vtterly abolished from Christ whosoeuer are iustified by the lawe So that they that put their confidence in the workes of the lawe Christ shall profit them nothing By whome onely wee obtaine to bee called the sonnes of god and the heires of the kingdome of heauen by whome we are deliuered and redéemed from the lawe that wee might receiue the adoption of sonnes For GOD hath giuen the spirit into our hearts that we may cry Abba father Which spirit we receiue by faith and not by the workes of the lawe for they that are vnder the lawe are vnder the curse and vnder moste dreadfull feare And the generall proposition of the Apostle is that no man is iustified by the lawe for the lawe is not of faith but the iust shall liue by faith For by faith wée are the séede posteritie and children of Abraham and heires by promise and fellowe heires with Christ of his euerlasting kingdome By the lawe and the couenant there is a difference betwixt the Iewes and the Gentiles but by by faith there is neither Iewe nor Grecian there is neither bonde nor frée there is neither male nor female For all are one in Christ Iesus Therefore by faith is iustification whereby the scriptures foresawe that the gentiles should bee saued and that the lawe could giue no life and that by the lawe there was no righteousnesse because the scripture hath concluded all vnder sin that the promise by the faith of Iesus Christ shuld be giuen to them that beléeue Therefore it is by faith that it might come by grace that the promise might be sure vnto all both them of the lawe and to them of the seede of Abraham Wherefore séeing the righteousnesse of man by nature is nothing else but wickednesse and hipocrisie backsâ—iding by excuse boasting by vaine knowledge without practise and that the lawe cannot be fulfilled because the corruption of man is quite contrary vnto it and abhorreth the lawe and that we are all vnder sinne and so by the lawe vnder damnation in that it letteth vs to vnderstand the hugenesse of our sinne and the curse and punishment due thereunto euery mouth is stopped and all the world subiect vnto the iudgement of god and to that damnation which the law of god and the corruption of our nature requireth And that the Apostle might bring vs to the perswasion of the iustice of faith which is the pathway and the highway vnto saluation he saith that we know that whatsoeuer the law saith it saith it to them which are vnder the lawe So that there is but one way of saluation euen the righteousnesse of god There are three braunches of the righteousnesse of God by saith Remission of sinnes by faith whereof are thrée especiall braunches Remission of sinnes Imputation of Christ his righteousnesse Sanctification newnesse and holinesse of life Remission and forgiuenesse of sinnes is giuen to the church and faithfull of god in that of his frée mercy and goodnesse their sinnes are blotted out and the account made voyd that they shall not be called vnto iudgement neither shall any punishment be exacted at their hands Whereby all satisfaction falleth to the ground in that of his frée mercy and goodnesse the Lord putteth away the remembrance and punishment of our sinnes forgiueth al our infirmities redéemeth our life from the graue and crowneth vs with
without spot that he might vndertake that punishment that was due vnto our sins and endue vs with his righteousnes So that now we are iust and righteous in him not that we can satisfie the iudgement of God by our owne workes but that we are accounted iust and righteous through Christ who is ours through faith Who is made vnto vs wisdome and righteousnesse satisfaction and redemption that he that reioyceth might only reioyce in the Lord for whose sake we are fréely accounted both iust innocent before god in whom are seene the glorious treasures of God that wée might bée inriched by him For if wée looke for saluation wée are taught by the very name of Iesus that it is in him if wée séeke for any other gifte of the spirit they are to bée found in his annointing if wée séeke for strength it is in his dominion if we séeke for cléerenesse it is in his conception if we séeke for tender kindnesse it sheweth it selfe in his birth whereby he was made in all things like vnto vs that he might learne to sorrowe with vs. If we séeke for redemption it is in his passion if we séeke for absolution it is in his condmnation if wée séeke for release of the curse it is in his crosse if we séeke for satisfaction it is in his sacrifice if wee séeke for clensing it is in his blood if wée séeke for reconciliation it is in his going downe into hell if we séeke for mortification of the flesh it is in his buriall if wée séeke for newnesse of life it is in his resurrection if for immortalitie it is in his victory ouer death if we seeke for the inheritaunce of the kingdome of heauen it is in his entraunce into heauen if wée séeke for defence for assurednesse for plentie and stoare of all good thinges it is in his kingdome And therefore this is the diademe and bewtifull crowne that is sette vpon our heads the fine linnen and the silke and the broidered worke wherewith wée are couered these are the ornaments wherewith wée are decked the bracelets on our hands and the chaine that is put about our neckes this is the frontlet on our face the earings in our eares this is the garment of siluer and gold wherewith wée are cloathed this is the fine flower the hony and the oyle whereby we become so bewtiffull Euen the remssion of our sinnes and the imputation of Christ his righteousnesse who hath put away our transgressions like a cloud and our sinnes like a mist and filled our harts with ioy and gladnesse that in a sure confidence we may break out and say Nowe there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Iesus Reioice therefore O ye heauens at the goodnes and mercie of the Lord for he only hath done it shout ye lower partes of the earth brast foorth into praises yee mountaines 3. Sanctification The lawe is fulfilled of the regenerate by reason of Christ O forrest and euerie trée threin The third braunch is sanctification and holinesse of life whereby as before being vnregenerate we hated the lawe and the lawe was vnto vs the cause of death nowe being reconciled to God of our owne accord respecting our former rebellion we are readie and obedient to doe the will of God yea and all our delight is therein so nowe vnto vs it ceaseth to bee a curse and condemnation for the lawe of God is writte in our harts whereby we vnderstand the will of God and are stirred vp to the obedience thereof So then through faith the lawe is not made of none effect but it doeth rather establish the lawe For without Christ the lawe is not fulfilled yea it setteth our concupiscence on fire and maketh vs subiect vnto condemnation but in Christ we find the exact righteousnesse of the lawe for he is the end of the lawe to eucrie one that beleeueth by whom also we are sanctified and our hearts framed to the obedience of the lawe which though it be vnperfect yet doth it aime at perfection And this obedience procéedeth from faith which through the merit of Christ obtaineth the holie spirit which spirit doth make vs newe harts doth exhilarat vs doth incite and inflame our harts to doe the lawe willinglie Nowe the lawe in the regenerate that is in those whose sinnes are forgiuen vnto whom the righteousuesse of Christ is imputed who are sanctified bringeth foorth good frutes Therefore euill actions procéede not from the lawe and from The workes of the regenerate no cause of iustification the regenerate but from sinne and our corrupt nature Neither let vs thinke so highly of these frutes as though from thence our iustification were deriued For though we hate sinne in other men and especially in our selues although we delight in all things which are agréeable to the A true doctrine of good workes will of god although all our actions and conuersation do expresse the same yet are they but signes and tokens of our loue to God and arguments to vs of our election and frutefull examples to drawe others to that excellent knowledge which is in Christ The lawe in the regenerate a mind rightly formed and ruled perswaded on thing but corruption also which hath her seate in the regenerate an other thing for it striueth against the spirit and the lawe of the In the regenerate is a fight betwixt the flesh and the spirit An especiall comfort in this fight is that we are vnder grace mind so that they cannot either liue as wel as they would or be so voide of sinne as they could wish Neuerthelesse this is their comfort that they are not vnder the lawe but vnder grace whereby enioying the fauour mercie fréegoodwill and beneuolence of God towarde vs in Christ the reliques of sinne are not imputed vnto vs but we are reputed and accounted before God as men fullie and perfectly iust He hath giuen vs his spirit the fulnes whereof we do not enioy because in this life there will alwaies remaine in vs remnants of sinne which fight against the spirit Which conflict the Apostle plainly setteth forth before our eies hauing sufficient experience thereof in himself For the mind of a regenerate man is spirituall but he himself is carnall sold vnder sinne and that which he hateth that doth he in his flesh there is no good thing To wil is present but he findeth no means to perform that which is good yea euil togither continually is present with him and though his inner man delight in the lawe of God yet doeth he sée an other lawe in his members rebelling against the lawe of his minde and leading him captiue vnto the lawe of sinne which is in his members And that euen the godly might know that they are laden The profit of this fight with infirmities therefore is this sting left in their flesh that they might alwaies haue recourse vnto the Lord who is able to beate downe
God hath raised vs vp togither and made vs sit togither in the heauenly places in Christ Iesus Philip. 1. 23. For I am greatly in doubt on both sides destring to be loosed and to be with Christ which is best of all Luke 23. 43. Iesus said to the théefe that repented Verily I say vnto thée To day shalt thou be with me in Paradice And chapter 16. 22. And it was so that the begger died and was carried by the Angels into Abrahams bosome Wisâ— 3. 1. But the soules of the righteous are in the hands of God and no torment shall touch them Eccle. 12. 7. And dust return to the earth as it was and the spirit returne to God that gaue it Then shall they enioy fully that vnspeakeable comfort prepared Rom. 8. 18. For I account that the affictions of this present time are not worthie of the glory which shall be shewed vnto vs. Mat. 25. 34. Then shall the king say to them on his right hand Come ye blessed of my father inherit ye the kingdome prepared for you from the foundations of the world 1. Cor. 15. 42. 43. 53. The bodie is sowne in corruption and is raised in corruption It is sowne in dishonour and is raised in glory it is sowne in weakenesse and is raised in power For this corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortall must put on immortalitie 1. Cor. 2. 9. The things which eye hath not séene neither eare hath heard neither came into mans heart are which God hath prepared for them that loue him By whose vertue and spirit they haue proceeded and gone forward from faith to faith as shall manifestly appeare by the whole course of their life and good workes Rom. 1. 17. The righteousnesse of God is reuealed from faith to faith â—â— 2. Reâ— 1. 2â—1 2. Grace and peace be multiplied to you by the knowledge of God of Iesns our Lord. According as his godly power hath giuen vnto vs all things that pertaine vnto life and godlinesse through the knowkledge of him that hath called vs vnto glory and vertue Whereby most great and precious promises are giuen vnto vs that by them ye should be partakers of the godly nature in that ye flie the corruption which is in the world through lust Therefore giue euen all diligence thereunto Ioine moreoner vertue with your faith and with vertue knowledge and with knowledge temperaunce and with temperaunce patience and with patience godlinesse and with godlinesse brotherly kindenesse and with brotherly kindnesse loue For if these things be among you and abound they wil make you that ye neither shal be idle nor vnfruitfull in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ For he that hath not these things is blinde and cannot sée farre off and hath forgotten that hee was purged froÌ„m his olde sinnes Wherefore brethren giue rather diligence to make your calling and election sure For if ye do these things ye shall neuer fall For by these meanes an entering shall be ministred vnto you aboundantly into the cuerlasting kingdom of out Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ Whereas altogither contrary the Reprobate conceiued borne and brought vp in sin death and the wrath of God when they depart out of this world they fall into another gulfe of destruction and their soules are plunged in that endlesse paine vntill the day come that their bodies and solues being ioined again they shall enter into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the diuel and his angels 〈◊〉 Psal 5 â—â—â—5 Behold I was borne in iniquitle and in sinne hath my mother conceaued me Ephe. 2. 3. And were by nature the children of wrath as well as others Rom. 7. 14. sold vnder sinne Rom. 5. 14. Wherefore as by one man sinne entred into the world and death by sinne and so death went ouer all men forasmuch as all men haue sinned Dani. 12. 2. And many of them that sléepe in the dust of the earth shall awake some to euerlasting life and some to shame and perpetuall contempt Iohn 5. 28 29. Maruell not at this for the houre shall come in the which all that are in the graues shall heare his voyce And they shall come forth that haue done good vnto the resurrection of life but they that haue done cuill to the resurrection of condemnation Luke 16. 22. 23. 24. The rich man also died and was buried and being in hell torments he lift vp his yes and sawe Abraham a farre off and Lazarus in his hosome Then he cried and said Father Abraham haue merry on me and send Lazarus that he may dippe the tippe of his singer in water and coole my tongue for I am tormented in this flame But Abraham said Sonne remember that thou in thy life time receiuedst thy pleasures and likewise Lazarus paines now therefore is he comforted and thou art tormented Mat. 25. 41. Then shall he say to them on the left hand Depart from me ye cursed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the diuel and his angels The seuenth Chapter After what sort this doctrine may be preached with most profit SInte wee haue nowe declared the effect of this doctrine VVhat discretion the matter requireth it remaineth also that wee shewe what order we thinke best to be obseruâ—â— in preaching and applying the same to euery particular man Whereas many find this matter so sharp and strange that they flie from it as from a dangerous rocke it is partly to be attributed to the malice and arrogancy of men And partly to the rashnesse and lacke of discretion of them that teach it and thirdly it is to be imputed to their ignoraunce which cannot orderly apply the same to themselues which faithfully and truly hath bin taught of others Concerning them which sinne of malice it onely appertaineth to GOD to amend them Which surely he hath done alwaies in his reason and likewise will do from time to time to whom he hath appointed to shewe mercy But for others which remainâ— obstinate in their sinne and wickednesse there is no cause why we should be moued either for their number or authority to dissemble Gods truth And as touching the second sorte I haue thought these things principally to be obserued in preaching this misterie First as in all other things so chiefly in this matter of predestination they ought to take diligent héede that in stéede of Gods pure and simple truth they bring not soorth vaine and curious speculations or dreames Which thing they cannot choose but do which goe about to compasse and accord these secret iudgments of God with mans wisdome so do not onely put difference betwirt predstinatioÌ„ and the purpose of god which thing they must néedes do but seperate the one froÌ„ the other For they either imagine a certaine naked and idle permition or else make a double purpose and counsell in God From the which errors they must néeds fall into many and greate absurdities For sometimes they are constrained to diuide
their adoption by the parable of an earnest pennie and by the parable of a seale In making of a bargaine when part of the price is paide and laid downe in earnest then assurance is made that all the rest yâ— remaines behind shal be wel truly paid And as when an indenture or lease is made for the peaceable possession of any lands tenements for the terme of a mans life or for long time the seale of the landlord is put too to make the matter most certain sure so when the childe of god hath receiued thus much from the holy ghest as to be persuaded that he is adopted and chosen in Christ he may be in good hope and is alreadie put in good assurance fully to eâ—ioâ— eternall life in the kingdome of heauen So familiar is God with vs as to bring vs to be perswaded of his good will by such meanes as are most vsuall with vs. For what is more vsuall with vs then either the order of an earnest penny or a seale to put vs out of all doubt and to warrant that thing which we haue vndertaken Therfore the Apostle in an other place doth giue vs great comfort shewing forth the determinate purpose of god coÌ„cerning this matter God saith he sent forth his son and made him subiâ—â— vnto the curse of the laâ—â— that by vndergoing the penaltie punishment which that curse and wrath of God did import he might redéeme them which were vnder the condemnation of the lawe vnder the bondage of sin and â—athan hell that being released and deliuered they might receiue the adoption of sonnes Wherfore saith he and the most chéerfully thou art no more a seruant but a sonne Now if thou be a sonne thou art also the heire of God through Christ This assurance of gods holy spirit is then most effectual wheÌ„ it shall yéeld vs greatest comfort and that is at the time of our departure out of this world and in the houre of death When all worldly comforts shal vanish theÌ„ shal this come in place gods blessings in this world shall shall then take their leaue wealth and possessions wife and children friendes and acquaintance and we shall goe naked out as we came naked in only this glorious apparel and this heauenlie raiment shal remaine that we are the adopted children of God that being along time strangers and pilgrims here on earth we shall nowe come to our home and to our inheritance reserued in heauen for vs. Here also shall the greatnes and the swéetnesse of the comfort appeare that when the diuell shal be most busie with vs to lay our sinnes to our charge and when death shall approach and the time of our passage drawe neare and when he shall vse all meanes possible to put vs beside the assured hope of our adoption then shall the comfort of Gods good spirit so strengthen our harts and consciences against the assaults of the diuel that he shal go away vanquished and we imboldned TheÌ„ shal our minds be lifted vp with cheerfulnesse knowing that our redemption shall fully be accomplished and our adoption sealed and perfectlie confirmed vnto vs. Contrariwise the wicked at the houre of death How Adoption respecteth the wicked which in their life time haue flattered themselues with the hope of their adoption shall then féele no certeintie neither anie comfort of the holy Ghost but in stéed of comfort they shall féele the horrible and dreadfull accusations of the diuel then to take place be of force against them The wicked and reprobate cannot haue the testimony and witnesse of gods good spirit to assure them that they are the children of God although for a time their vaâ—ne imaginations may deceiue themselues as also the diuel imitating the spirit of god doth vsually perswade carnal men and hipocrites that they are adopted and that they shal be saued But this perswasion of the diuel is but an illution and their deceiued hearts are not established by the assurance of Gods spirit which filleth the heart with ioy Whereas their hearts are full of doubtfulnesse full of distrust full of dispaire It may be they may beléeue for a time but as for that stâ—dfast and induring faith whereby they may trulie say that God is their father this is onlie in the elect children of God and those that are adopted Whose perfect regeneration it pleaseth God to begin in this world by sowing in their harts the immortall séed of life whereby he doth so certainly seale vnto them the grace of his adoption that it shall continue firme vnto the end In the meane time the faithfull are admonished carefullie and humblie to examine themselues least in stéede of a true faith concerning their adoption a carnall kinde of securitie créepe into their minds and growe vpon them and compasse them about euen as the Iuie doth the Oake The wicked haue neuer the féeling of gods grace but after a confused sort taking hold as it were rather of a shadow then of a bodie Because the spirit of God doth truly and properly seale the forgiuenesse of their sinnes onelie in the hearts of the godlie and the elect that they may apply the same by an especiall gift of faith vnto their comfort Confusedly I say the vngodlie receiue the grace of God not that they are partakers togither with the children of God of regeneration but because they séeme to haue a ground of faith after a common sort which is hid with a vaile and couering of hipocrisie Yet notwithstanding it may not be denied that God doth lighten their mindes so farre as they may ackowledge his grace and goodnesse toward them but this common sence and féeling of his grace is so distinguished from that comfortable assurance of gods spirit which is in the elect that the wicked come neuer to that sounde comfort and ioy which adoption bringeth with it For God dooth not so farre shewe himselfe fauourable vnto them as to take them into his guarde and kéeping as though they were quite deliuered from the punishment of their sinnes and from the feare of eternall death and damnation but only for the present time God doth giue them a taste of his mercie Neither is it amisse that God doth lighten the mindes of the wicked with some féeling of his gracious fauour the which anon withereth and vanisheth away through the hardnesse of their hearts through their vnstedfast mindes and through their owne vnthankfulnesse and backsliding wherby they make themselues more culpable and the more inexcusable all which is wonderfully brought to passe by the manifold wisedome of God That spirit of ours which the Apostle talketh off is a renued heart and a sanctified minde that fully and perfectly receiueth the benefit of adoption and vnto which spirit of ours gods spirite doth also beare witnesse that out of all doubt we are the adopted children of god The vngodly they haue but as it were a glimse but vnto the godly
not imagine that there are more gods then one because God said Let vs make but rather the authoritie of the Trinitie is proued vnto vs that though there be thrée persons in the Godhead yet there is but one God For as God the father createth so is God the sonne the wisedome of all the creation and from God the holy Ghost procéedeth the vertue and power of all things The excellent qualities of the soule and wherein the image of God consisteth is especially to be séene in these two points namely Holinesse and Holinesse and Righteousnesse Righteousnesse yet furthermore they had Frée-will and by their creation were immortall and frée from death and last of all God gaue vnto them this great priviledge as to haue the soueraigntie the rule and gouernment ouer all his creatures By which we plainly vnderstand that our first parents in their time were frée from all sinne which time is called their time of innocency In respect whereof Salomon searching the nature of man and comparing the time of his iniquitie to the time of his innocency doth thus pronounce of him Onely loe this haue I found that God hath made man righteous but they haue sought many inuentions and are gone astray through their owne foolishnesse and so are the cause of their owne destruction and are fallen away from the image of God which hee had planted in them The image of God consisteth in the depth of wisedome in the vnmeasurablenesse of power in the infinitnesse of his goodnesse and mercy being perfect holy perfect righteous doing all things according to the pleasure of his own will in whom onely dwelleth life and immortalitie The most of which qualities if not all man at the first was indued withall which were and are in God in the highest degrée but to man they were giuen onely in a measure and in a farre inferiour degrée and that with a condition if so be hee did continue in the obedience of gods commaundements This image of God in our first parents is nothing else but the natural conformitie and disposition of the soule and of all the functions powers and operations thereof vnto the lawe of god whereby fréely and voluntarily it inclineth vnto true and perfect holinesse and righteousnesse that according to that rule he might serue god his Creator all the dayes of his life For as god is a spirit so will he be worshipped in spirit and truth and in sinceriie of heart and minde hating all manner of counterfait and false worship wherunto the nature of man is now too much inclined and had rather worship any thing then god himselfe Also his dealing to his neighbour should bee inst and vpright but such are vanished out of the world and now there is nothing but subtiltie and craft and wrongfull dealing and all iniury and oppressien practised good hearbes are plucked vp and nothing is now to be séene but wéedes The holinesse that god requireth of vs and according to the which our mindes and hearts were first framed is the holy obedience and true worship of god ioyned with a sincere loue of god procéeding from an effectuall faith in the knowledge of God his word and his works In stéed wherof now ratgneth idolatry the loue of the world and worldly lustes the ignorance of God his word is more rife then the knowledge of the same and none more accepted then they that most despise it The righteousnesse also which God nowe requireth and wherwith we are inabled is such a louely respect and friendly regard of our neighbours that we haue care of them as of our selues and wish no otherwise vnto them then to our selues and doo vnto them as we would other should do vnto vs and that not outwardly for a fashion but inwardly and from the heart not in a word onely but in déed yea in our thought secrets This holinesse and righteousnesse was once planted but neuer came to perfect growth the good corne is choked vp and as we say il wéeds grow apace The dayes of this present euill worlde are such that now the age wherein we liue may well be termed an iron age and worse if worse may be in respect of the first age and the beginning of the worlde which time was a golden and precious time when the hearts and mindes of men were as fine and pure as golde or if there bee any thing that may bee saide to be more pure Now is there a vaile cast ouer our mindes and consciences our faces are couered as it were with visors and a thicke skinne is growne ouer the heart all shame is banished and a holie minde and a true and sound heart is either very rare or no where to be founde Which in the beginning was not so So that now we had néede daily to haue these wordes often repeated vnto vs. Lord who shall dwell in thy tabernacle Who shall rest in thine holy mountaine and bee receiued into heauen when this life is ended None but suche as walke vprightly and woorke righteousnesse and that speake the truth from their heart Who doo not abuse their tongue in slaundering nor doo any euill to their neighbours nor receiué and beléeue a false report against them In whose eyes a vile and wicked person is contemned and who maketh much of them that feare the Lord who performeth his oath and chaungeth not his mind although it be to his owne hinderance Who giue not their money to vsury séeking thereby the vndooing and vtter impouerishing of their neighbors who take no rewarde against the innocent or stande against them and doo them harme And they that doo these things and whatsoeuer else may stand with an vpright conscience in the feare of God they shall neuer bee mooued that is they shall not be cast from Gods presence as they shall bee that doo the contrary but their part shall bee in the kingdome of heauen and their soules onely shall rest among the blessed soules Let vs looke into our first creation and let that be our example and our patterne and let that be the high way for vs to walke in In the soule of man there are two especiall parts first his vnderstanding and reason secondly his will and desire and all the motions affections and inclinations that procéede from the same His vnderstanding by his creation was furnished with all knowledge méete and conuenient for him so that hée néeded not any to teach him but God had endued him with that knowledge which might haue well directed him chiefly in those things that pertaine to the worship and seruice of God to his owne saluation and the benefite of his neighbour And not only his vnderstanding and reason was fraught with all knowledge but his will also and his desire was most readie to performe the worship of God his will and desire was most readie to the obedience of Gods commandements Then by his vnderstanding hee was able to discerne the trueth perfectly
the loathsome end of the Emperour Arnolphus whose flesh and entrailes were eaten vp of lice and nothing left vneaten saue onlie his griftles and his bones although the phisitians did their best who can doe nothing when God saith nay and hindereth their working by not giuing effect to the same A king deuoured of rattes and an Emperour of lice mightie rulers and great gouernours and yet had no power ouer such weake creatures God did not vouchsafe them to end there liues by sickenesse or sword or famine or pestilence but that they might be more odious and detestable and of infamous memory to the world and all succéeding ages it was Gods wil that thus they should be deuoured and that their sin should not be vnpunished and that mightie men should be plagued by Gods hand who otherwise séeme to be lawlesse That Emperours and Kings Nobles and Magistrates and all the great ones of the world may not think that they shall escape scotfrée but as they are mightie so are their mightier then they Thus according to that small skill that it hath pleased God to graunt me I haue brieflly discoursed of those principall matters comprehended in the image of God in man being created in righteousnesse and holinesse hauing Fréewill at the first and furthermore crowned with immortalitie and fréedome from death and lastly the priuiledge soueraigntie and gouernment ouer all Gods creatures then being graunted vnto him of God And this is that happie estate wherein man was created and whiche for a time he did enioy but he did not long continus therein Who through his owne fault and disobedience fell away from so great giftes and graces and blessings God graunt that both our hearts and mindes may be so framed from day to day to the image of God in holinesse and righteousnesse and all good and vertuous quallities that God may bee glorified in vs and by vs and that our Frée will workes which are nothing else but inclinations to sinne may from time to time be redressed vntil that sinne and the corruption thereof which lieth hid in our hearts may at the last be rooted out that so we may be partakers of that immortalitie and fréedom from death which by reason of sin we haue lost and are now for the same cause hindered from Finally that we may obtaine that priuiledge rule and gouernment not ouer beastes which is but for a time but ouer our beastly affections and sinfull desires which are rise in vs and now preuaile and haue the vpper hand that they may be cut off for euer and that we may neuer displease God And that at length we may come to that place where we may continue alwaies in giuing thankes vnto him and setting foorth his praises where we may enioy the presence of God with the full fruition of all happinesse and where we shall sée and behold him as he is face to face To God the father God the sonne and God the holy Ghost c. Deo gratia solique gloria Of Iustification The knowledge of our miserie A comfort in our downfall The ftaie the happie estate and the life of a regenerate man taken out of the Epistle of Saint Paule to the Romanes THe righteousnesse of man is as a defiled polluted and menstruous cloth whereby we become hatefull vnto Our mindes are corrupt by Idolatry God For when we should glorifie God in his creatures perceiuing in them his eternall goodnesse wisedome and power yet we turne the truth of God into a lie worshipping the creature in steade of the Creator which is blessed for euer Then also are we vnrighteous and most wicked in our liues For there is none of vs that Our liues shamefull by our wicked behauiour vnderstandeth and séeketh after God yea willingly from whence floweth all wickednesse wee forget God none that dooth good contemning God and admiring our selues béeing puft vp with vaine cogitations farre from the obedience of God Our féete are swift to shead blood and our throate is an open sepulchre we are deceitfull and our tongues are filled therewith wee are giuen to all crueltie and oppression destruction and calamitie are in our waies and the way of peace haue we not knowne the feare of God is not before our eyes Yea wée doo not only commit those thinges our selues which we knowe are woorthie death and are condemned by the lawe of GOD but also fauoure them that doo them And this is the state of man being left vnto himselfe in which estate euen the regenerate should be inwrapped if god All subiect to condemnation and so vnder the mercy of God did not correct ther wickednes So that by nature being without Christ we are shut from the kingdome of God as obstinate stubburne and rebellious persons a people that cannot repent but goe on still in our wickednesse and are aliaunts and straungers from the common-weale of Israel and depriued of the blessings of God and are all as condemned personnes vnlesse it please God to drawe vs vnto him and for our stonie heart to giue vs a fleshly heart that may resolue it self into teares and vnlesse it please God to forgiue vs our sinnes and to renue our corrupt hearts Most true therefore is that generall proposition of S. Paule For there is no difference for all haue sinned and are depriued of the glory of god euen of eternall life and happinesse whereat all of vs doe aime Now séeing the heart of man is deceitfull and who can knowe it Séeing there lurketh many starting holes therein and that the braunches are indued with the selfe-same sappe that commeth Although we be not iust by nature yet we would seeme to be iust by condemning other from the roote I meane séeing we are readie to excuse our selues in our owne wickednesse by accusing of others as did our forefather and our first roote Adam and that the nature of man is to cleare himselfe and to hide his sinnes from god being giuen to all hipocrisie and that he is ready to iustifie himselfe by condemning other albeit he commit not hainous sinnes such as are mentioned Those that might otherwise thinke themselues iust being compared to the lawe are wicked in the latter end of the first chapter nor giue consent vnto them yea although he shewe himselfe a professed enemie to those vices yet because he is not altogither frée from them or at leastwise tainted with some of them if he consider his estate he cannot shewe any defence for himselfe So that by his fained and hipocriticall kind of righteousnesse first he is in excusable secondlie he incurreth the iudgement of God which is according to truth against them which commit such things thirdly he despiseth the riches of his bountfulnesse patience and long suffering not knowing that the bountifulnesse of God leadeth him to repentaunce The effect of which his hipocrisie is this that after his hardnesse and heart that cannot repent hée heapeth vp as a treasure vnto
himselfe wrath against the day of wrath and of the declaration of the iust iudgement of GOD. An other sort there is that willingly plucke their neckes out of the choller and would be spectators and beholders of other mens misery by reason of sinne and transgression There is no man iust by excuse thinking themselues without spot and blamelesse standing vppon this guarde that they neuer knew the law of Moses the seruaunt of GOD whereby they might direct their liues according to the will of GOD. Nothing regarding the firmament the heauens and all other creatures whereby they are incited to acknowledge the eternall power and wisedome of God and to glorifie him in them and to giue him thankes for so great benefites which he hath ordeined for the vse of man But more blockish are they which boast and vaunt of the The righteousnesse of man standeth not in the knowledge of the lawe knowledge of the lawe of God as did the Iewes who put all their safetie in this that Abraham was their father that the oracles of God were committed to them that the couenaunt was propper vnto them that the temple of God was amongst them that they were the people of God and the beloued of the Lord and yet for all this labour not to liue in the obedience of the lawe For the Lorde chose them as a peculiar people that they might serue him in all holinesse and righteousnesse which thing they altogither neglected thinking that God had chosen them for their worthinesse Wherefore the foolish All excuse takeÌ„ away from them heart of man which is full of darkenesse cannot deuice any way how to be righteous but his deuices and his righteousnesse is foolishnesse before God and altogither condemned of the spirituall man For if hec thinke to bee iust by condemning other breaking out into these words with the Pharisée O God I thanke thée that I am not as other men extorcioners vniust adulterers or euen as this publican he Hipocrite pronounceth the sentence of iudgement against himself in that comparing his life to the law he is most culpable and faultie But rather let vs vnderstand and learne what the meaning of this is Euerie man that exalteth himselfe shal be brought lowe and he that humbleth himselfe shal be exalted If he would start aside because he knoweth not Gentile the lawe and so imagine himselfe to be frée his conscience is a thousand witnesses and the light of nature and reason commaunding and highlie commending those things which are good hating forbidding and punishing those things which are wicked and euil sheweth him how to liue in the seruice and feare of God For in that by nature saith the Apostle of all they doe the things contained in the lawe they hauing not the lawe are a lawe vnto themselues and they that haue sinned without the lawe shall perish without the lawe The effect of which knowledge of God by the light of nature and reason being written in their hearts and consciences shall ridde them from all excuse and be most effectuall yea horrible in that dreadfull day of doome when God shall iudge the secrets of men by Iesus Chist the bookes that is their consciences being then laid open Lastly if only the knowledge of the lawe Iewe. could preuaile that therby we might be iustified and counted righteous we had wherein we might reioyce But séeing not the hearers but the doers of the law are iustified before God and that God requireth a circumcised hart and is uot satisfied with vaine shewes and ceremonies it followeth that they are not iust which onlie know the lawe and yâ—the circumcision of the hart I mean the inward righteousnes consisteth in the spirit not in the letter Wherefore they that sinne in the law that is hauing knowledge of the lawe shal be iudged by the lawe This then is the full summe of the matter that both Iewes and Gentiles are vnder sinne that is are iustly condemned for sinnes and are subiect to the curse which is due vnto sinne For as with righteousnesse there is absolution so with sinne there is condemnation So that it is not in man to ridde himselfe from the curse of the lawe by any deuised righteousnesse Hitherto the drift of the Apostle hath beene to shewe howe that mans righteousnesse is farre from the obedience of the lawe and that righteousnesse which God requireth at our handes And endeuouring to giue a more cleare light to the righteousnesse of God hée plucketh away the visor of their faigned righteousnesse and discouereth their faces yea he setteth before vs and launceth out the venome and corruption of our heart comparing our righteousnesse or rather our excessiue wickednesse with the rule of the lawe which by a fit exaggeration he sheweth vs as plaine as if blacke and white were laid togither darkenesse and light were weighed in a ballaunce Such is therefore the righteousnesse of man that The righteousnesse of man compared to the lawe howe faultie it is wée thinke our selues iust without the knowledge of the lawe without the effectuall working thereof and before we examine our selues our liues and sinnes thereby Sinne is not imputed while there is no lawe and no man is punished as guiltie and faultie For where no lawe is there is no transgression and contrariwise by the lawe is the knowledge of sinne And sinne that it might appeare sinne worketh death in vs by that which is good that sinne might be out of measure sinfull by the commandement Moreouer the lawe entered thereupon By the lawe is the knowledge of sin that sinne might abounde both that which is originall and that which daily carrieth the sway in our actions The vse of this manifestation is referred to The vse of the lawe is two sold two pointes The first is that men might be so much the more guiltie Secondly the benefit of god in Christ Iesus should bee so much the more glorious The second VVhat the lawe is in it self and what to vs. The lawe is spirituall generall poynt in this comparison is what the lawe is in it selfe and also hauing respect vnto vs. In it selfe it is holy and the commaundement holy iust and good it is spirituall and requireth of vs an beauenly purenesse yea the heart and inwarde affection because God iudgeth the secret motions of the same and a chéerfulnesse and a willingnesse in the outwarde déede So that nothing is more contrary to the lawe then hypocrisie lying and deceit Nowe then as the lawe is spirituall so wée VVe are carnall are carnall solde vnder sinne and being in the flesh the affections of sinne which are by the lawe haue force in our members to bring foorth frute vnto death Yea the whole naturall man is bondslaue to the lawe of the fleshe and of sinne whiche possesseth the vnregenerate and wholly raigneth in them For they neither will nor doo good so that although the lawe of nature and
mercy and compassion yea he onely forgiueth because he onely is offended I euen I saith he am he that putteth away thine iniquities for mine owne sake and will not remember thy sinnes Yea though they were as redde as scarlet and as a menstruous cloth as the starres of the skie and as the sande of the sea-shore which is innumerable Euen originall sinne which Originall sin is the roote of all mischief within togither with al the branches thereof the lusts of the heart the euill motions of the minde the consent of reason the déed performed He forgiueth all our negligence in not kéeping his commandemeÌ„ts and our transgression and rebellion against them he hath deliuered vs from the guilt and from the punishment and hath fréely inriched vs with life eternall by the merites and intercessions of Christ Iesus our mediatour who is our redemption and sanctification and satisfaction that we might bee deliuered from condemnation for there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus whom God hath set forth to be a reconciliation through faith in his blood to declare his righteousnesse by the forgiuenesse of sinnes that are passed This is that righteousnesse of God through the faith of Iesus euen the remission of sins wherunto all the prophets witnesse The Apostle speaketh by way of proclamation Be it knowne vnto you therefore men and bretheren that through this man is preached vnto you the forgiuenes of sins and from all things from which ye cannot be iustified by the lawe of Moses by him euery one that beléeueth is iustified By way of consolation and comfort for they are glad tidings Litle children I write vnto you because your sinnes are forginen you for his name sake By way of doctrine And ye knowe that he was made manifest that he might take away our sinnes In whome we haue redemption through his blood that is the forgiuenesse of sinnes Neuerthelesse though we be fréed from the punishment yet are we subiect Affliction and correction to the correction which it pleaseth god to lay vpon vs either for the triall of our faith and patience or to bring vs to humilitie or for some other occasion which he in his wisdome best knoweth The second branch of the righteousnesse of God by faith 2. Imputation of Christ his righteousnes is the Imputation of Christ his righteousnes wherby we are iustified stand as righteous before the iudgement seat of God not being cloathed with our merits but being inriched with his mercy In coÌ„sideratioÌ„ of which righteousnes we are to cite to summoÌ„ our selues before the tribunall seat of Gods iudgement where we shal vnderstand what is that righteousnes which is required at out our haÌ„ds eueÌ„ a most perfect and absolute obedience of the lawe which reqireth VVhat is the true righteousnesse Man is altogither sinne the heart and a most heauenly purenesse And séeing that man is full of corruption and wickednesse and from the sole of the foote vnto the head there is nothing in him but wounds and swellings and sores and that the head is sicke and the whole heart is heauy contrariwise Christ being man and taking our sinfull flesh vpon him yet being without sinne is in most glorious sort apparelled with righteousnesse yea euen the hemme of his vesture lacketh not vertue being so gloriously arraied in a vesture of broydered gold and néedle worke as the Prophet speaketh from Christ haue we all our clearnesse and puritie all our attire wherein we shine as Angels of light by whom all righteousnesse is deriued vnto vs which the prophet in the person of Iehoshua liuely Zacharâ—ah 3. 3. expresseth Now Iehoshua was clothed with filthy garmeÌ„ts and stood before the Angel and he spake vnto those yâ— stood by him saying Take away the filthie garments from him And vnto him he said Beholde I haue caused thine iniquitie to depart from thee I will cloath thee with change of raiment And I said let them set a faire diademe vppon his head so they set a faire diademe vppon his head and cloathed him with garments and the Angel of the Lord stood by What may be the filthie garments Euen the vncleannesse of our wickednes the impurity of our thoughts our abhominable and daily weltring in our sinnes and vntill they are taken away howe ougly and contemptible are we in the sight of God Which place of the Prophet though some interpret it of Christ in that he was cloathed in our flesh and bare our sinnes yet in respect of vs it may haue this sence and meaning For what are wée else before it please god to take mercy vpon vs He it is that cleanseth vs from our sinnes for his name sake he it is that sawe vs when when we were polluted in our bloode and then he said we should liue euen when we were polluted in our blood he said Thou shalt liue Behold I haue caused thine iniquitie to depart away from thée and I will cloath thée with change of raiment For hee What the rich garment is wherewith the polluted sinner is aâ—â—aied was made sinne for vs that knewe no sinne that wée should be made the righteousnesse of God in him Yea where sinne abounded there grace abounded much more that as sinne had raigned vnto death so might grace also raigne by righteousnesse to eternall life through Iesus Christ our Lorde Which righteousnesse of God by the faith of Iesus Christ is imputed vnto all and vpon all that beléeue By this imputation we are cloathed with the righteousnesse of Christ through whome we behold the face of God to be vnto vs most chéerefull by whome we haue an enteraunce vnto the father by whose puritie and holinesse all our spottes are couered Without which imputation all our workes are vnrighteous for by the righteousnesse of faith are all our workes made perfect and being ingraffed into Christ and made partakeres of his righteousnesse our The effect of this righteousnesse workes are accounted before God as iust and righteous in whome all our imperfections are blotted out and those workes which are done of faith are accepted through the imputation of Christ his righteousnes For as in vs there is nothing but sinne so in Christ is all our sufficiency vpon whom as vpon the sacrifice was cast that curse of man that his condemnation might be our absolution and our happinesse his righteousnesse according to that of the prophet Dauid who knew it by his owne experience to be most true that the man is blessed vnto whome God imputeth righteousnesse without workes Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiuen and whose sinnes are couered Blessed is the man vnto whom the Lord imputeth not sin that the lord might only be iust and a iustifier of him that is of the faith of Iesus Who tooke vpon him our person was accused for vs and iudged as a sinner not for his owne but for the faults and transgressions of other being himselfe pure and
voice and let Israel goe I knowe not the Lord neither wil I let Israel go Iohn 6. 64. There are some of you that beléeue not For Iesus knew from the beginning which they were that beléeued not Ioh. 10. 26. But ye belieue not For ye are not of my shéep as I said My shéep heare my voice and I know them and and they follow me Ioh. 12. 36. While ye haue light beléeue in the light that ye may be the children of the light These things spake Iesus and departed and hid himselfe from them And though he had done so many miracles before them yet they beléeued not in him That the saying of Esay the Prophet might be fulfilled that he said Lord who beléeued our report and to whom is the arme of the Lord reuealed Therfore could they not beléeue because that the Prophet saith againe He hath blinded their eyes and hardned their heart that they should not sée with their eyes nor vnderstand with their heart and should be conuerted and I should heale them 1. Pet. 2. 6. Wherefore it is conteined in the scripture Behold I put in Sion a chiefe corner stone elect and precious and he that beléeueth therin shall not be ashamed Vnto you therfore which beléeue it is precious but vnto them which be disobeient the stone which the builders disalowed the same is made the head of the corner And a stone to stumble at a rock of offence euē to thē which stūble at the word being disobedient vnto the which thing they were euen ordained 2. Thess 2. 10. 11. They that wil not beléeue God shall send them strong delusions that they should beléeue lies and so be damned Rom. 11. 20. The Apostle speaking of the Iewes and the Gentiles saith of the Iewes That through their vnbeliefe they were broken off and that the Gentiles stand by faith 2. Cor. 4. 3. 4. If your gospel be then hid it is hid to them that are lost In whom the God of this world hath blinded the mindes of infidels that the light of the glorious gospel of Christ which is the image of God should not shine vnto them The third Chapter How God putteth in execution his eternall counsaile as well toward the elect as the reprobate THe Lord God that he might put in execution his eternall counsaile to his glory prepared a way according to his infinit wisedome indifferent both to those that hée would choose and those also which he would refuse For when he determined to shewe his infinit mercy in the saluation of the elect and also his iust iudgement in the condemnation of the reprobate it was necessary that he should shut vp both vnder disobedience and sinne to shew his mercy to all those that beléeue that is to say to the elect because faith is a gift of God which properly belongeth to the elect and contrariwise to haue iust cause to condemne them to whom it is not giuen to beléeue nor to know gods misteries Therefore god did this in such sort and with such wisdome that the whole fault of the reprobates damnation lieth in themselues and on the other side all the glorie and praise of the elects saluation belongeth wholly to his only mercy For he did not create man a sinner for then hée The creation of man should haue béene with reuerent feare be it spoken the author of sinne which afterwards he could not iustly haue punished but rather he made him after his owne image to wit in innocency puritie and holinesse Who notwithstanding without constraint of any neither yet forced by any necessity of concupisence as touching his will which Mans fall as yet was not made seruant to sinne willingly and of his owne accord rebelled against God binding by his meanes the whole nature of man to sinne so consequently to the Adam fell not by chaunce death of body soule Yet we must confesse that this fall came not by chaunce or fortune séeing his prouidence doth stretch foorth it selfe euen to the smallest things Neither can we say that any thing doth happen that God knoweth not or careth not for except we would fall into the opinion of the Epicures from the which God preserue vs neither yet by any bare or idle permission or sufferaunce which is seperate from his will sure determination For séeing he hath appointed the end it is necessary also that he should appoint the causes which leade vs to the same ende Vnlesse we affirme with the wicked Manichées that this end happeneth at all aduentures or by meanes of causes ordained by some other God Furthermore we cannot thinke that any thing happeneth contrary to gods wil except we deny Enchiri ad Laurent Cap. 99. blasphemously that he is omnipotent and almightie As Saint Augustine noteth plainly in his booke De correptione gratia Cap. 104. We conclude therefore that this fall of Adam did so procéede of the motion of his will that notwithstanding it happened not without the will of god whō it pleaseth by a maruellous and incomprehensible meane that the thing which he doth not allowe forasmuch as it is sinne should not happen without his will And this is done as we said before that he might shewe the riches of his glory towards the vessels of his mercy And his wrath and power vpon those vessels which he hath made to set foorth his glory by their shame and confusion For the finall end of Gods counsaile is neither the saluation of the elect nor The finall end of Gods counsell is neither saluation nor damnation but Gods glory the damnation of the reprobate but the setting foorth of his owne glory in sauing the one by his mecy and condemning the other by his iust iudgement Thē to auoid all these blasphemies vnto the which the infirmity of our wittes doth draw vs let vs confesse that the corrupion of the principall worke that God hath made which is man is not happened by chaunce nor without the will of him who according to his incomprehensible wisdome doth make gouerne all things to his glory Albeit we must confesse in despite of mans iudgement which was limitted in the beginning within a certaine compasse after was miserably corrupted that the whole fault of his damnation lieth in man Forasmuch as betwixt the secret and incomprehensible The whole fault of mans perdition is in himselfe and not of God will of God and the corruption of mans nature which is the very first occasion of the reprobates damnation the will of the first mā was a meane which being created good hath willingly corrupted it selfe thereby opened the doore to the iust iudgement of god to cōdemne all those to whom it doth not please him to shew mercy And if they would yet obiect cauil saying y◠they cannot resist the will of God let vs suffer thē to their owne destruction to plead against him who will be able inough to defend his iustice against their
execute his election VVHen God determined with himself the things before The foundation of that election which is manifest vnto vs. meÌ„tioned he by a more manifest order of causes which notwithstanding was eternal as all things are present to him disposed orderly all the degrées whereby he wold bring his elect vnto his kingdom Forasmuch therfore as he is merciful yet could not forget his iustice before al other things it was necessary that a mediator shuld be appointed by whoÌ„ maÌ„ might be perfectly restored and that this shuld be done by the mercy grace which doth appear in the saluation of his elect But maÌ„ being so weak that he cannot abide the waight of gods wrath doth so much flatter himselfe in his most miserable blindnesse that he cannot perceiue it because he is wholly in bondage to sin so that the lawe of god is to him as death so farre is he vnable of himselfe to recouer his liberty or to satisfie the lawe of God in the very least â—ote God therefore the most mercifull father of the elect moderating in such sort his iustice with his infinit Iesus Christ our mediator mercy appointed his onely sonne who was the very same substance and God eternall with him that at the time determined he should by the power of the holy ghost be made very man to the end that both the natures being ioyned in Iesus Christ alone first all the corruption of man should Iustification and santification in christ be fully healed in one man who should also accomplish all iustice and moreouer should be able inough to sustaine the iudgement of God and be a Priest sufficient and worthy of himself to appease the wrath of God his father in dying as iust and innocent for them that were vniust sinners couering our disobedience purging all our sinnes which were laid vpon him And finally with one onely offering and sacrifice of himself should sanctifie al the elect mortifieng and burying sin in them by the partaking of his death and buriall quickening them into newnesse of life by his resurrection so that they should finde more in him then they had lost in Adam And to the intent this remedy should not be found ordained in vaine the Lord god determined to giue his son with al things appertaining vnto saluation to theÌ„ whoÌ„ he had determined in himself to choose on the other side to giue theÌ„ vnto his son that they being in him he in theÌ„ might be coÌ„summate made perfect in one by these degrées that follow according as it pleased him to bring foorth euery one of his elect into this world For first when it pleaseth him to disclose that secret which he had purposed froÌ„ before al beginning at such time as meÌ„ least looke for it As meÌ„ are blinded and yet think they sée most cleare when as in very déede death and damnation hangeth ouer their heads hée commeth suddenly setteth before their eies the great danger Externall vâ—caâ—ionâ— wherein they are and that they might be touched more sharply and liuely he addeth to the witnesse of their owne conscience being as it were a sléepe and dead the preaching of his lawe examples of his iudgements to strike them The lawe with the horrour of their sinnes Not that they should remain in that feare but rather that beholding the great danger thereof should flie to that onely mediator Iesus Christ In whom after the sharpe preaching of the lawe he setteth The Gospell foorth the swéete grace of the Gospell but yet with this condition that they beléeue in him who onely can deliuer them from condemnation and giue them right and title to the heauenly inheritance Yet all these things were but vaine if he should only set before mens eyes these secrets by the externall preaching of his word written and published in the Church of God which notwithstanding is the ordinary meanes whereby Iesus Christ is communicate vnto vs. Therefore as touching his elect vnto the externall The inward calling preaching of his word he ioyneth the inward working of his holy spirit the which doth not restore as the Papists VVhat Free-will is after the fall of Adam imagine the remnants or residue of Fréewill For what power soeuer of Fréewill remaineth in vs serueth to no other vse but willingly to sin to flie from God to hate him and so not to heare him nor to beléeue in him neither yet to acknowledge his gift no not so much as to thinke a good thought and finally to be children of wrath malediction But contrariwise changeth their hard hearts of stone into soft hearts of flesh draweth them teacheth them lighteneth their eyes and openeth their sence their heart their eares and vnderstanding First to make theÌ„ to know as we haue said before their own misery and next to plaÌ„t in them the gift of faith wherby they may perform the condition which is ioyned Faith hath two parts Faith which doth apprehend iustificaon by Christ and sanctification to the preaching of the gospel And that standeth on two points the one wherby we know Christ in generall beléeuing the story of Christ and the prophecies which are writ of him the which part of faith as we shal declare in due place is sometimes giuen to the reprobate The other which is proper and only belonging to the elect consisteth in applying Christ who is vniuersally and indifferently preached to all men to our selues as ours And that euery man make himselfe sure of his election which hath bene hid before al time in Gods secret and afterwards reuealed vnto vs partly by inward testimony of our conscience through the holy Ghost ioyned to the externall preaching of Gods word and partly also by the vertue and power of the same spirit who deliuering the elect from the seruitude of sinne perswadeth and conducteth them to will and worke the things which pleased God These then be the degrées whereby it pleased God to create and forme by his especiall grace that precious and peculiar gift of faith in his elect to the intent that they may imbrace their saluation in Iesus Christ But because this faith in vs is yet weake and only begunne to the end that we may not only perseuer in it but also proffit which thing is most necessary for all men to do first according to the time that our adoption is reuealed vnto vs this Baptisme faith is sealed in our hearts by the sacrament of Baptisme and afterward euery day more and more is confirmed and sealed in vs by the sacrament of the Lords supper Of the The Lords supper which two Sacraments the principall end is that they bée sure and effectuall signes pledges of the communion of the faithfull with Christ who is their wisdome iustice sanctification and redemption For this occasion it is so oftentimes mentioned by Saint Paul that we being iustified by faith haue peace with
Forasmuch as that which may be knowne of God is manifest in them For God hath shewed it vnto them For the inuisible things of him that is his eternall power and godhead are séene by creation of the world being considered in his workes to the intent that they should be without excuse Acts. 14. 16. 17. God in times past suffered all the gentiles to walke in their owne waies Neuerthelesse he left not himselfe without a witnesse in that he did good and gaue vs raine from heauen and frutefull seasons filling our hearts with foode and gladnesse And Chap. 17. 27. That they should séeke the Lord if so be they might haue groped after him Through there owne default Ro. 1. 21. Because that when they knewe God they glorified him not as God neither were thankfull but became vaine in theire imaginations and their foolish heart was full of darkenesse Iohn 15. 22. If I had not come and spoken vnto them they should not haue had sinne but nowe haue they no cloake for there sinne verse 24. If I had not done workes among them which none other man did they had not had sinne that is they had not bene so greatly in fault Ro. 2. 12. For as many as haue sinned without the law that is without the knowledge of the written lawe shall perish also without the lawe their conscience being a lawe vnto them Iohn 3. 19. And this is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men loued darknes rather then light because there déeds were euill And surely that which they can attaine vnto in knowing God by their light or rather naturall darkenesse albeit they neuer failed in the way but so cōtinued yet were it in no wise sufficient vnto saluation For it is necessary for vs that shall be saued that we know God not onely as God but as our father in Christ Iohn 17. 3. And this is life eternall that they know thée to be the onely very God and whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ And chapter 3. 26. He that beléeueth in the sonne hath euerlasting life and he that obeieth not the sonne shall not sée life but the wrath of GOD abideth on him The which misterie flesh and blood doth not reueale but the sonne himselfe to them whom his father hath giuen him Matt. 11. 27. All things are giuen to me of my father and no man knoweth the same but the father neither knoweth any man the father but the sonne and he to whom the sonne wll reueale him Mat. 16. 16. 17. Simon Peter answered and said Thou art that Christ the sonne of the liuing God And Iesus said vnto him Blessed art thou Simon the sonne of Ionas For flesh and blood hath not reuealed it to thée but my father which is in heauen Iohn 1. 10. He was in the world and the world knew him not But as many as receiued him to them he gaue power to be the sonnes of God euen of thē that beléeue in his name Which are borne not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God And chap. 3. 5. 6. Iesus answered Nicodemus verily verily I say vnto thee except that a man be borne of water and of the spirit he cannot enter into the kingdome of God That which is borne of the flesh is flesh and that that is borne of the spirit is spirit Secondly they are called by the preaching of the Gospell but because they are not of the number of the elect being called they heare not Luke 12. 47. That seruant which knewe his masters will and prepared not himselfe neither did according to his will shall be beate wiih many stripes Matt. 22. 14. For many are called but few are chosen Luke 13. 34. O Ierusalem Ierusalem which killest the Prophets and stonest them that are sent to thée howe often would I haue gathered thy children togither as the henne gathereth her brood vnder her wings and ye would not Chap. 19. 44. They shall make thée euen with the ground because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation Iere. 7. 27. Therefore shalt thou speake all these wordes vnto them but they will not heare thée Thou shalt also cry vnto them but they will not aunswere thée Pro. 1. 24. 26. 28. 26. Because when I called yée refused I will laugh at your destruction and mocke when your feare commeth They shall call vppon mée but I will not answere they shall séeke mée earely but they shall not finde mée Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the feare of the Lord. And forasmuche as they are not able to receiue the spirit of truth Iohn 14. 16. 17. And I will pray the father and he shall giue you an other comforter that hée may abide with you for euer Euen the spirit of truth whom the world cannot receiue because it seeth him not neither knoweth it him but yée knowe him for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you Chap. 12. 39. 40. Therefore could they not beléeue because that Esaias saieth againe hée hath blinded their eyes and hardned their heart that they should not sée with their eyes nor vnderstand with their heart and should be conuerted and I should heale them 2. Thess 3. 2. All men haue not faith Mat. 13. 9. 11. He that hath eares to heare let him heare To you it is giuen to knowe the secrets of the kingdome of heauen but to them it is not giuen 1. Cor. 2. 14. The naturall man perceiueth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishnesse vnto him neither can he know thē because they are spiritually discerned The word of life is folly vnto them and an offence 1. Cor. 1. 18. The preaching of the crosse is to them that perish foolishnesse but vnto vs that are saued it is the power of God Verse 23. 24. We preach Christ crucified vnto the Iewes euen a stumbling blocke and vnto the Grecians foolishnesse But vnto them which are called both of Iewes and Grecians we preach Christ the power of God and the wisedome of God And finally the sauour of death vnto death to their destruction 2. Cor. 2. 16. To the one wee are the sauour of death vnto death and to the other the sauour of life vnto life Thirdly their hearts are opened but they beleeue generally Iam. 2. 19. Thou beléeuest that there is one God thou doest well the diuels beléeue it and tremble Fourthly they are most miserable of all who climbe a degree higher that their fall may be the more greeuous For they are raised by some gift of grace and yet fall away Heb. 6 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. For it is impossible that they which were once lightened and haue tasted of the heauenly gift and were made partakers of the holy Ghost and haue tasted of the good word of God and of the power of the world to come if they fall away should be renued againe by repentaunce séeing they crucifie
from the secrete and malicious conspiracies treasons and trecheries of vnnaturall subiects and from the sauage cruelties of forraine foes doo giue sufficient cause not only to vs but euen to the enemie also to say That there is no God that can deliuer after this sorte but onely the Almightie that hath established her All these benefites O Lorde wée confesse doo procéede from thy goodnesse and from thy mercy toward vs. To thée belongeth praise and honour and power but to vs shame and confusion Yet grant vnto vs good Lord that we may both receiue these thy benifits thankfully and that we may performe our duties accordingly Increase her daies continue her gouernment defend her from her enemies keepe her in thy feare and after this life grant her all happinesse euen to rule and raigne with thée for euer among the blessed soules Grant also to vs that we may haue the benifit of thy truth and Gospell long among vs and that thy blessings of peace and prosperitie may be séene in this land So shall we be bound more and more to praise and magnifie thy name for thy great and infinit goodnesse towards vs For her Maiesrie and for vs thy seruants and her faithful subiects thus we conclude our praiers O Lord blesse and kéep vs O Lord make thy face to shine vpon vs and be mercifull vnto vs O Lord lift thou vp thy countenance vpon vs and giue vs thy peace All which benifits and blessings we begge of thée O heauenly Father for Iesus Christ his sake in that forme of prater which he himselfe hath taught vs saying Our Father c. A secret Meditation to God before the deliuery of the word LEt the words of my mouth O Lord and the meditation of my heart be alwaies acceptable in thy sight Set thou a watch before my mouth and so kéepe the doore of my lippes that speaking before this congregation assembled here in thy holy name I may specially intreat of those things which tend to thy glory the good of thy Church the discharge of my dutie the comfort of the afflicted conscience the euerthrow of sinne and the aduauncement of vertue through Iesus Christ our Lord. So be it I. D. A publque forme of Praier O Most mightie God most gracious and mercifull father we stand before thy maiestie defiled with the filthinesse of many and most gréeuous sinnes whereof we confesse we are not able to answere thée one of a thousand if thou O Lord shouldst enter into iudgement with vs. For in sinne were we conceaued and borne and therefore are guiltie of originall corruption and in sinne haue we liued and continued and therefore stand guiltie of actuall transgression which hath broken foorth vppon vs in thought word and déede from time to time continually euen vnto this present Wherefore we humbly craue thy mercy and the grace of forgiuenesse in Iesus Christ for therein we confesse standeth the only hope of our comfort and welfare And forasmuch as it hath pleased thée to giue thine owne sonne to be a flaine sacrifice for our sinnes and to offer the grace of reconciliation by the preaching of the Gospell to all them that repent and beléeue the same good Lord we beséech thée vouchsafe to make vs of that blessed number worke true repentance in our hearts increase our faith and giue vs grare to bring foorth the frutes thereof that so it may appeare that we haue not receiued thy holy grace in vaine And for this purpose good Lord we beséech thee blesse the Ministery of thy word at this present gius me grace to speak it as it ought to be spoken sincerely and boldly giue grace to this people to he are it attentiuely and reuerently giue grace to vs all to beléeue it stedfastly to follow it obediently and constantly to continue euen to the end That seruing thée faithfully in this life we may liue and raigne with thée for euer in the life to come through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen The Praier which M. Deering vsed before his Lectures O Lord God which hast left vnto vs thy holy word to be a lanterne vnto our féete and a light vnto our steppes giue vnto vs all thy holy spirite that out of the same word we may learne what is thy eternall will and frame our liues in all obedience to the same to thy honour and glorie and increase of our faith through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen An excellent speech of M. Deering a little before his death whereby thou maist clearly see and learne that there is a sweete peace in death to all such as painfully serue the Lord in life For he being raised vp in bedde and his friend requesting him to speake the Sunne shone on his face and thereby tooke occasion thus to say THere is but one Sunne that giueth light to the world there is but one righteousnesse there is but one communion of Saints If I were the excellentest creature in the world If I were as righteous as Abraham Isaac and Saâ—ob for they were excellent men in the world yet we must all confesse that we are great sinners and that there â—â—â—o saluation but in the righteousnesse of Iesus Christ And we haue all néed of the grace of God And for my part as concerning death I féele such ioy of spirit that if I should haue the sentence of life on the one side and the sentence of death on the other side I had rather choose a thousand times séeing God hath appointed the seperation the sentence of death then the sentence of life Soli Deo laus gloria gratia IN euery Sermon for the most part these points are to be vsed The declaration of the order of the text by opening the circumstances The diuision The doctrine The confutation The vse and application Exhortation or reprehension or both The Conclusion wherin the chéefest matters must be remembred and briefly collected that the auditorie may the better kéepe and carry away those things which are necessary and for their vse All which although I haue not vsed I haue left the matter to the discretion of them that shall haue knowledge better to handle their matters then I haue handled mine Let thy text be applied to thy auditorie and haue care to vtter those thinges that are most waightie to be touched and of thy auditorie to be remembred Be circumspect wise and discréete Endeuour to be briefe and pithie There is an other Methode as profitable which Maister Vdall vseth in his Commentary vpon the Lamentations of Ieremy Consisting on these thrée points the Doctrine Reason Vse Some only learne for knowledge sake but that is curiositie And some for praise great paines do take but that is foolish vanitie Some learne for gaine but lightly those do leaue the text and vse the gloze But learning ioynd with vertues lore doth leade to Christianitie The glory of God and people taught the way is to eternitie To the Right Worshipfull and one
yea though we had knowne Christ after the flesh yet now henceforth know we him no more Our Sauiour Christ when he departed from his Apostles and was taken away by death he tooke his leaue of them but not his last farwell After a while ye shall not see mee and yet after a while ye shall see mee Did not the holy Martyr S. Stephen sée Iesus standing at the right hand of God And shall not the time come that all the godly shal sit with him in the kingdome of heauen A friend being departed farre out of sight and abiding in a straunge land our heart and delight being setled vpō him how earnest is our desire to sée him and to talke with him and to be in his presence yea if we can heare but any talke or tidings of him or receiue any token from him how greatly doth it reioyce vs And all is because of the doubt and feare that holdeth our mindes that we shall sée him no more But if our friend being desirous of our welfare and for the bettering of our estate do send vs word what a fruitfull soile he dwelleth in and howe he can prouide vs if wee will come vnto him a place to dwell in so that it shall be to our great contentment and good liking not only the ioy of our friendes presence will moue our hearts but also the bettering of our estate shall cause vs to vndertake a long iourney and that without wearisomenesse and fainting And when we méet what kissing what ioy what imbracing Ye shall see mee a while saith Christ and after a while ye shall not see mee for I go to the father Therefore he put forth this parable A certaine noble man went into a farre country to receiue for himselfe a kingdome and so to come againe bringing rewards with him For them who by continuance in wel-doing haue fought for glory and honor and immortalitie and eternall life Wherefore went Christ to his father but to drawe vs vnto his father that where the head is there might the members be and where he is there might we be also He went to receiue for himselfe a kingdome but when he was gone did he forget vs after the maner of the world Out of sight out of mind No he is most careful for vs. And although a mother may forget her child yet will he not forget vs whom he hath written in the palme of his hand and whome he remembreth and beholdeth as the signet on his right hand Ioh. 14. 2. In my fathers house are many dwelling places if it were not so I would haue told you I go to prepare a place for you also as well as for my selfe And though I goe to prepare a place for you I will come againe and receiue you vnto my selfe that where I am there may ye be also Now though he be absent from vs yet he remembreth vs and sendeth vs many tokens of his loue to put vs in minde that wee shall come to his sight to our great comfort Which tokens are his gifts and graces benefits and blessings daily poured vpon vs. But of all tokens this is the surest that he hath sent his holy spirite into our hearts to witnesse vnto our spirtite that we are his children and shall also in time to come be heires of the kingdome Whome although we doe not presently sée yet are we in good hope that we shall sée and in the meane time we must with patience abide for it They shall sée him which put him to death and pierced Mat. 23. 39. him through but it shal be litle to their comfort But when we shall sée him then shall our sorrow be turned into ioy then shall we be caught vp into the clouds to méet the Lord in the aire and so shall we be euer with the Lord. Wherfore comfort your selues saith the Apostle one another with these words And though as yet we cannot sée Christ yet the time shall come that we shall sée him face to face In whose presence is the fulnesse of ioy and at whose right hand are pleasures for euermore The next place of proofe is in these words And your Your harts shall reioyce hearts shall reioyce With how great ioy it is may be perceiued by these words of the wise man Eccle. 25. 14 The greatest heauinesse is the heauinesse of the heart Giue me any plague saue the plague of the heart For griefe and sorrow and taking thought doth make them pine away which be yong lustie and strong and by the course of nature are like to liue many yeares The reason is because that the heart thereby doth diminish and weare away by little and little vntill the vitall spirits be spent which haue all their comfort and strength from the heart Your hearts which haue béene cast downe with sorrow shal be raised vp againe with ioy euen at the sight of my presence In the sadde and sorrowfull winter all thinges decay and come to nothing but when the ioyfull countenance of the sunne at the spring time appeareth then euery thing that lay dead and buried péereth out of the ground and taketh heart and groweth to strength and commeth to perfection So in the sorrowfull dayes of this worlde the godly are abased but in the ioyful time of deliuerance when Christ their onely comforter shall appeare in glory then shall their dead heartes receiue life and comfort and ioy In respect whereof Christ comforted his disciples saying Let not your heart be troubled Confirming them by thrée reasons The first from his loue and the certaintie of his promises Ye beléeue in God beléeue also in me which am readie not onely to promise but also to performe what euer shall bee for your good In the worlde yee shall haue trouble and affliction in mée ye shall haue peace be of good comfort and let not your heart be dismaied I haue ouercome the world The second reason is drawen from the friendly care that hée had to prouide for his Disciples and for all the godly In my fathers house are manie dwellinges places and I goe to prepare a place for you euen for euerie one of you And if it had not béen so yée shoulde haue knowne it long ere this The third reason séemeth most forcible because of the perfourmaunce and present and full possession of his promises When I haue prepared then will I come againe and establishe euerie one of you in his euerlasting habitation and receiue you vnto my selfe that where I am there may ye be also All which reasons are set downe in the fourtéenth chapter of Saint Iohn and the thrée first verses What can keepe the heart more from comforte and reioysing then a troubled minde and an vnquiet conscience the which among all the miseries and afflictions of this worlde the godly are frée from Which comfort of heart Christ perfourmeth vnto them Iohn 14. 27. Peace I leaue with you my peace I giue vnto you not
as the worlde giueth giue I vnto you Therfore let not your heart be troubled nor feare The worlde can giue but outward comforts if it shewe neuer so much fauour but as for the inward comfort of the minde and conscience it cannot reach thereinto it is past the power thereof and must let that alone to the working of an other And if it were not for the heauenly comfort the heart of the godly would soone fall away And vnlesse our Sauior Christ had perceiued such weaknesse and such doubtfulnesse in the féeble and vnconstant nature of man hee would not haue vttered these words to make their comfort stedfast and sure in him Ye haue heard saith he how I said vnto you I goe away and will come vnto you If ye loued me ye would verily teioyce because I said I goe vnto the father for my father is greater then I. As if hee had saide If ye loued mee throughly and my loue were stedfast in you your hearts would reioyce and no troubles should mooue you and no discomfortes should perswade you to the contrary This haue I spoken vnto you before it come that when it is come to passe ye might beléeue and your hearts then might abound with ioy For surely those things which I haue promised shall come to passe and therefore doubt nothing and let your hearts be confirmed and setled in ioy Ouer and besides I will send the comforter vnto you my holy spirit the comforter of the elect and chosen which shall not suffer your hearts to faile but stil shal raise them vp in comfort in their greatest griefes and sorrowes What cause therefore haue the godly séeing these great comforts as mightie proppes may staie them from falling though in the sight of the world there be great cause of sorrow but séeing they are we aned from the world and are not of the world what cause haue they I say to cast downe their hearts with sorrow and penâ—â—uenesse Wherefore let the counsell of the wise man take place with them Giue not ouer thy minde to heaninesse The ioy of the heart is the life of man and a mans gladnesse is the prolonging of his daies Griefe and sorrow shorten the time and bring age before the time Wherefore comfort thy heart and driue sorrow farre from thée For sorrow hath slaine many and there is no profit therin Sorrow did slaie the hearts of the Canaanites because God had weakened their hearts According to the confession of Rahab of whom we reade Iosh 2. when she talked with the spies I know saith she that the Lord hath giuen you the land and that the feare of you is fallen vpon vs and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you And when we heard of you our hearts did faint and there remained no more courage in any of vs all This is one of Gods great punishments toward them that do not liue in his feare and obedience that he wil giue them a trembling heart and a sorrowful mind Le. 26. 36. to throw them out of their possessions and to make them haue no ioy of their goods Which we may partly see in the example of churlish Nabal denying to giue comfort to them that were greatly distressed Who when his wife had told him what heauie things were toward him his hart died within him and he was like a stone For the Lord smote Nabal with that sorrowe that hee died Samu. 25. 38. But séeing in all wel-doing God doeth comfort our hearts why should we be enemies to our selues and to our owne welfare With the Apostles imprisoned let vs sing Psalmes to testifie the ioy of our hart to Godward Speaking vnto our selues in Psalmes and himnes and spirituall songes singing and making melodie to the Lord in our hearts And séeing all our hope is or ought to bee in God who is our only treasure why should not our hearts be there also Saying with the blessed virgine My soule doth magnify the Lord and my spirit hath reioyced in God my Sauiour Who although he be absent from vs yet hath he promised to come againe and to sée vs and to comfort our hearts and to make them reioyce So that when your redemption shall drawe nigh then lift vp your heads and when your ioy shall approach let your hearts also be lifted vp with excellent comfort Considering what hath béene fortold long agone by the Prophet Esay 65. 13. 14. Concerning the sorrow of the wicked and the ioy of the Godly Thus saith the Lord God Behold my seruants shall eate and yee shal be hungry Behold my seruants shall drinke and yee shal be thirsâ—ie Behold my seruants shall reioyce and yee shal be ashamed Behold my seruants shall sing for ioy of heart and yee shall cry for sorrow of heart and shall houle for vexation of mind Foure times Behold for the certaintie thereof and in token of admiration as also to establish the hearts of the godly with ioy As for all worldly ioy which doth not agrée with God and godlinesse let vs vtterly abandon it and banish it farre from vs neither let our hearts in any sort delight therein Because they be meanes to drawe vs from God All these will I giue thée if thou wilt fall downe and worship me Wherefore if thou mightst be set vpon the highest mountaine there to beholde the ioy of earthly maiestie if thou mightst be possessed and inthroned in the glory thereof yet farre is it that thy heart should be setled in any certain comfort Take hold of that comfort and ioy which Christ thy sauiour and redéemer hath promised which though thou canst not sée as yet in due time thou shalt be partaker therof Let thy heart therefore rest vpon this and despise the other for the one shall vanish the other shall neuer decaâ—e Which is very well confirmed by the last place of proofe in the application Your ioy shall no man take from you I will see you againe your harts shall reioyce and your Your ioy shall no man take away from you ioy shall no man take from you Which toy is so much the more estéemed because it is no common ioy no worldly ioy where sorrow and trouble may follow as a chaunge For worldly ioyes are often taken away and haue diuers ellipses alterations and chaunges Soone come and soone gone soone ripe and soone rotten Moses could not sée that goodly mountaine and Lebanon which if he had séene the sorrow and trouble of the back-sliding people would haue danted his ioy Besides his longing would soone haue bene satisfied and there is a kinde of glut in worldly ioyes But although he could not sée that goodly mountaine of Lebanon yet he was brought into the highest mountaine farre more goodly beautifull and pleasant then all the mountaines of the world being full of oliue braunches for Noahs doues Where such ioyes are setled and are hereafter to be séene which suffer no chaunge no alteration no
looking for of iudgement Vppon this gift of faith and perseuerance the godly doubt not to call vpon God in all afflictions Rom. 8 38. 39. For I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor any creature shall be able to seperate mée from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. 2. Cor. 1. 21. 22. It is God which stablisheth vs with you in Christ and hath annointed vs who hath also sealed vs and hath giuen the earnest of the spirit in our hearts Iom 1. 6. 7. 8. 9. He that wauereth is like a waue of the sea tost of the winde and carried away Neither let that man thinke that he shall receiue any thing of the Lord. A wauering minded man is vnstable in all his waies Hebr. 4. 16. Let vs therefore go boldly vnto the throne of grace that we may receiue mercy and find grace to help in time of néed Hehr. 10. 21. 22. Séeing we haue a high Priest which is ouer the house of God let vs drawe neare with a true heart in assurance of faith sprinckeled in our hearts from an euill conscience and washed in our bedies with pure water 1. Iohn 4. 17. Herein is the loue perfect in vs that we should haue boldnesse in the day of iudgement by reason of this perseuerance wherewith he hath inabled vs. Yet the godly may swarue and fall as did Moses Aaron Dauid Peter but at length by Gods grace they returne againe 1. Iohn 3. 9. Whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not finally For his séed remaineth in him neither can he sin because he is borne of God Through the power of his word and the operation of his holy spirit 2. Pet. 1. 10. Wherfore brethren giue diligence to make your calling and election sure For if ye do these things ye shall neuer fall No man is made righreous but hee that is made holie and framed to good workes Ephe. 2. 10. For we are his workemanship created in Christ Iesus to good workes which God hath ordained that we should walke in them Ephe. 1. 4. He hath chosen vs in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy without blame before him in loue The way whereby God by his mercy doth prepare his elect to his kingdome is by the mediation of our sauiour Christ while they stedfastly beleeue not onely that he is their perfect sacrifice but their aduocate and intercessor to God for them Heb. 9. 13. 14. 15. 16. For if the blood of Bulls Goates and the ashes of an heifer sprinckling them that are vncleane sanctifieth as touching the purifieng of the flesh How much more shall the blood of Christ which through the eternall spirit offered himselfe without spot to God purge your conscience from dead workes to serue the liuing God And for this cause is he the mediatour of the newe Testament that through death which was for the redemption of the transgressions that were in the former Testament they which were called might receiue the promise of eternall inheritance 1. Tim. 2. 5. For there is one God and one Mediator betwéene God and man which is the man Christ Iesus As concerning infants which die assoone as they are borne who are elected and chosen vnto life by Gods secret purpose the way is more speedie For they are presently in the hands of God Because he accepteth the children of the faithfull Gene. 17. 7. Moreouer I will establish my couenant betwene me and thée and thy seede after thée in their generations for an euerlasting couenant to be god vnto thée and to thy seede after thée Exo. 20. 6. Shewing mercy vnto thousands to them that loue me and kéepe my commandements 1. Cor. 7. 14. For the vnbeléeuing husband is sanctified by the wife and the vnbeléeuing wife is sanctified by the husband else were your children vncleane but nowe are they holy Chap. 5. After what sort almightie God doth execute and effectually declare his counsaile touching Reprobation BY these things whereof we haue spoken it may easily The old Adam is the foundation of the reprobation which mans iudgement can attaine vnto appeare howe God maketh them to goe to their owne place whom he created to that end that he might be glorified in their iust condemnation For as Christ the second heauenly Adam is the foundation very substance and effect of the elects saluation so also the first earthly Adam because he fell is the first author of the hate and so consequently of the damnation of the reproued For whē god moued with these causes which he onely knoweth had determined to create thē to this end to shewe foorth in them his iust wrath power he did likewise orderly dispose the causes and meanes whereby it might come to passe that the whole cause of their damnation might be of themselues as hath bin declared before in the third chapter Whē man then The iudgement of God towards infants that are reprobate was fallen willingly into that misrable estate whereof we haue spoken in the chapter before God who hateth iustly the Reprobate because they are corrupt in part of thē he doth execute his iust wrath assoone as they are borne and towards the rest that be of age whō he reserueth to a more sharpe iudgement he obserueth two waies cleane contrary one to the other For as concerning some he sheweth How Reprobaton is first manifested No calling to the Cospell them not so much fauour as once to heare of Iesus Christ in whome onely is saluation but suffereth them to walke in their owne waies and runne headlong to their perdition And as for the testimonies that God hath left to thē of his diuinitie serue them to no other vse but to make thē without all excuse yet through their owne default séeing their ignoraunce and lacke of capacitie is the iust punishment of the corruption wherein they are borne And surely as touching that they can attaine vnto in knowing God by their light or rather naturall darkenesse albeit they neuer failed in the way but so continued yet were it not in any wise sufficient for their saluation For it is necessary for vs that shall be saued that we know God not onely as God but as our father in Christ The which misterie flesh and bloud doth not reueale but the sonne himselfe to them whome his father hath giuen him As An vnprofitable calling or of none effect concerning others their fall is more terrible For he causeth them to heare by preaching the outward worde of the gospell but because they are not of the number of the elect being called they are not And forasmuch as they are not able to receiue the spirit of truth therefore they cannot beléeue because it is not giuen vnto them Wherefore when they are called to the feast thy refuse to come so that the worde of life is folly vnto them and an offence finally the sauour of death to their destruction There
are yet others whose hearts God openeth to receiue and beléeue the things that they heare but this is with that generall faith whereby the diuels beléeue and tremble To conclude they which are most miserable of all those clime a degrée higher that their fall might bée more gréeuous For they are raised so high by some gift of grace that they are a litle moued with some tast of the heauenly gift so that for the time they séeme to haue receiued the séede and to be planted in the church of God and also shewe the way of saluation to others But this is plaine that the spirit of adoption which we haue said to be onely proper vnto theÌ„ which are neuer cast forth but are written in the secret of Gods people is neuer communicate vnto theÌ„ For if they were of the elect they should remain stil with the elect All these therfore because of necessitie yet willingly as they which are vnder the slauery of sinne return to their vomit fall away from faith are plucked vp by the rootes to be cast into the fire I meane they are forsaken of God who according to his will the which no man can resist as also because of their corruption and wickednesse hardeneth them maketh their heart fat stoppeth their ears and blindeth them And to bring this to passe he vseth partly their owne vile concupiscences to the which he hath giuen them vp to be ruled and led by and partly the spirit of lyes who kéepeth theÌ„ wrapt in his snares by reason of their corruption from the which as one out of a fountaine issueth a continual flowing riuer of infidelitie ignorance and iniquitie Whereby it followeth that hauing as it were made shipwracke of their faith can by no meanes escape the day which is appointed for their destruction that God may be glorified in their iust condemnation The chief matters with places of scripture for proofe Concerning the reprobation of the wicked whome God maketh to goe to their owne place and hath created them vnto that end that he might be glorified in their iust condemnation Acts. 1. 25. That one of thse two may take the roome of ministration and Apostleship from which Iudas hath gone astray to goe to his owne place Rom. 19. 22. What and if God would to shew his wrath and to make his power knowen suffer with long patience the vessels of wrath prepared to destruction Mat. 25. 41. Then shall he say vnto them on the left hand depart from me yée cursed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the diuell and his Angels As Christ the heauenly Adam is the foundation of our saluation so the first earthly Adam by disobedience is the first authour of hate and so consequently of the damnation of the reprobate Rom. 5. 18. Likewise then as by the offence of one the fault came on all men to condemnation so by the iustifieng of one the benefit abounded toward all men to the iustification of life 1. Cor. 15. 22. For as in Adam all die euen so in Christ shall all be made aliue In part of the reprobate doth God execute his iust wrath so soone as they are borne Exod. 20. 5. A iealous God visiting the iniquitie of the fathers vpon the children to the third and fourth generation of them that hate me Ephe. 2. 3. We were by nature the children of wrath as well as others Rom. 5. 14. Death raigned from Adam to Moses euen ouer them also that sinned not after the like maner of the transgression of Adam Meaning children which haue not as yet actually offended who are born and conceaued in sin Concerning them that are of age hee reserueth a more sharpe iudgement For to some he sheweth not so much fauour as once to heare of Christ by whom is saluation Mat. 1. 21. And he shall bring foorth a sonne and thou shalt call his name Iesus for he shall saue his people from their sinnes Acts. 4. 10. 12. Be it knowne vnto you all and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Iesus Christ of Nazaret this man standeth here before you whole Neither is thore saluation in any other For among men there is giuen none other name vnder heauen whereby we must be saued Acts. 13. 26. Ye men and brethren children of the generation of Abraham and whosoeuer among you feareth God to you is the word of this saluation sent But suffereth them to walke in their owne waies Acts. 14. 16. Who in times past suffred all the Gentiles to walke in their owne waies Acts. 17. 30. And the time of this ignorance god regarded not but now he admonisheth all men euery where to repent Acts. 1. 24. Wherefore also god gaue them vp to their hearts lusts vnto vncleannesse to defile their owne bodies betwéene themselues Ephe. 1. 12. Ye were at that time without Christ and were aliants from the common-weale of Israel and were straungers from the couenant of promise and had no hope and were without god in the world And runne headlong vnto their owne perdition Ephe. 4. 17. Walke not as other gentiles walke in vanitie ff of their minde Hauing their cogitation darkened and being straungers from the life of god through the ignorance that is in them because of the hardnesse of their heart Who being past féeling haue giuen themselues vnto wantonnesse to worke all vncleannesse euen with gréednesse 1. Pet. 4. 3. 4. 5. For it is sufficient for vs that wee haue spent the time past of the life after the lust of the gentiles walking in wantonnesse lusts drunkennesse in gluttony and in abhominable idolatries wherein it féemeth to them straunge that ye runne not with them vnto the same excesse of riot therefore speake they euil of you Which shall giue accounts to him that is ready to iudge both the quicke and the dead Ro. 1. 28. For as they regarded not to know God euen so God deliuered them vp vnto a reprobate minde to do those things which are not conuenient being full of all vnrighteousnesse fornication wickednesse coue tousnesse maliciousnesse full of enuy of murther of debate of deceit taking all things in the euill part Whisperers backbiters haters of God dooers of wrong proud boasters inuentors of euill things Disobedient to parents without vnderstanding Couenant-breakers without naturall affection such as can neuer be appeased mercilesse Which men though they know the lawe of God being written in their consciences which the Philosophers call the lawe of nature the lawiers the lawe of nations howe that they which commit suche things are worthie of death yet not only do the same but also fauour them that do them And as for the testimonies that God hath leâ—t â—â— them of his dignitie they serue to no other vse but to make them without all excuse And yet through their own default seeing their ignorance and lacke of capacitie is the iust punishment of that corruption wherein they are borne Rom. 1. 19. 20.