borne of God and knoweth God Fourthly All that is borne of God ouercommeth this world that is saith M. Beza whatsoeuer striueth against the commandements of God Wherefore if a man vanquish the vanities the vaine alluâ—ements and allurâ—ing enchanâ—ments and wicked obstacles of the world and keepe a constant course in pittie he is vndoubtedly the true childe of God and a verie Saint Fiftly He that is begotten of GOD keepeth himselfe and that wicked one toucheth him not When a man then doth keep continuall watch and ward ouer his heart and is circumspect in his walking begiâ—ds himselfe with the armour of God and is fearefull to offend him he doth giue an vndoubted testimonie of sauing grace within him Sixtly when a man will rather forsake the world then God hee doth plainely shew that hee is not of the world but belongs to God and to his kingdome Seuenthly to grieue for sin because it offends God and hurts his owne soule is a notable signe of a mortified heart Eightly a sanctified man doth manifest the grace of his heart by sanctifying the name of God and by conuersing with sanctified men as also by seeking the sanctification of others For bonum est sui diffusiuum a good man doth loue to communicate his goodnes and not to keepe it lockt vp in his owne breast Ninthly it is an infallible signe of holinesse when a man doth more and more â—ontend against his owne vnholinesse and labours continually to draw nearer and nearer vnto God by holynesse Lastly to feele our inward corruptions a desiâ—e to beâ—â—bâ—◠〈◊〉 â—hem an auoiding of the occasions oâ— sinne and an anger against ourselues for our sinning doe euidently shew that the Spirit of God hath taken possession of our hearts and hath begun to worke a most happy change wâ—thin vs. Where these graces are there iâ— also the God of grace the Spirit of grace a man of grace a true dying vnto sin and a liuing vnto God sinne is dismounted the sinner is renewed for Gods image is restored CHAP. 7. Three things vvherein Iustification and Sanctification agree Seuen points in vvhich they dissagree BY this which hath beene said we may easily see wherein Iustification sanctification concord and differ They agree first in their efficient cause for God is the author of them both through the merit of Christ Secondly they haue one instrumeÌ„tall cause vvhich is faithâ— of the former by receiuing it and of the latter by effecting it Thirdly they agree in their scope and end For they both 〈◊〉 tend to one end 〈◊〉 iustification as the cause and sanctification as the way Now as they doe accord in some things so they discord againe in other their difference may appeare in these things ensuing First in that iustification is out of a man sanctification is within him Secondly iustification absolueth a sinner and makes him stand righteous at the barre of Gods iudgement sanctification cannot do this Thirdly iustification brings peace of conscience so doth not sanctification but followeth that peace Hac ille Fourthly iustification consists in the imputation of righteousnes sanctification in the infusion of righteousnes Fiftly iustification is acted at once sanctification is done by degrees holinesse is not made vp at once like a pellet in a mould but successiuelie at leisure Wee are neither perfect men nor perfect new men in our full dimensions so soone as we are borne Our perfection in this life consisteth rather in the pardon of sin then in the perfection of sanctity But iustification in this life is perfect Sixtly they differ in respect of the maner in which they are wrought For iustification is wrought by the right of donation but sanctification is by the way of alteration Lastly they differ in regard of durance For Iustification shall haue an end with this life but sanctification shall continue for euer And thus much for Sanctification the first part of our Glorification CHAP. VIII What Eternall life is The causes of it Three effects of it Who shall liue this life where and when Seuen properties of it Two signes thereof are expressed and the tractate is concluded THE second part oâ— degree of Glorification actiuely taken is the collation of eternall happines in the world to come This happinesse is that glorious estate of Gods saints which is prepared for them in the heauens and it is called Eternall life Eternall life as Vrsinus doth describe it is the eternall being of a Regenerate and glorified man vvhich being is to haue the image of God restored according to which man vvas at the first created that is to bee indued vvith perfect righteousnesse wisdome and felicitie or vvith the true knovvledge and loue of God â—â—â—ed vvith eternall ioy Or mâ—re â—â—â—fly It is a perfect conformitie of man with God consisting in â—â—e true and perfect knowledge and loue of God and in the glorie of both soule and bodie The primarie efficient cause of this glorious condition is God of hiâ— â—â—â—re fauour without any merit of ours For as Christ teacheth it is our Fathers good pleasure to giue vs the kingdome We are saued saith Pâ—â—â—â— by grace not according to the vvorkes of righteousnesse vvhich vve had done but according to his mercie he saued vs. The meritoriâ—us Efficient of our life and happinesse is Christ alone without any personall desert of ours Therefore he is called the Life And the Apostle doth expresse it notably when he saith that the Wages of sinne is death but euerlasting life is the gracious gift Charisma of God through Iesus Christ our Lord. Bernard saith No man can deserue eternall life by his merits Eternall life saith Haymo is paied to none of debt but is giuen of free mercie When aâ— saith Anselme the Apostle might haue said euerlasting life is the vvages he chose to say but euerlasting life is the gift of God that vve might hereby perceiue that God doth bring vs to eternall life not for our merits but for his ovvne mercie We must therefore ascribe all to the mercie of God and to the merit of our Sauiour Let vs not saith Gregorie trust in our vveepings nor in our vvorks but in the allegation or intercession and pleading of our Aduocate And again Not relying vpon my merits I doe beseech thee to saue me but presuming vpon thy sole mercie I hope to obtaine that which I do not by my merits And albeit eternall life be called a Revvard yet it is not of merit but of mercie not causallie as procured by them but consequentlie following theÌ„ as a recompence of our labours Let this saith Caluin be grounded in our heart that the kingdome of heauen is not a stipend of seruants but an inheritance of sonnes which they onelie shal obtain which are adopted of God to be sons for no other cause then for this adoption which depends only of the mercie of God
represent the whole realme in the Parliament euen so did Adam represent the person of his whole posteritie Whatsoeuer he receiued of God he receiued it for himselfe and for all his progeny and what he lost he likewise lost for himselfe and for them all as wee see a man by high treason doth taint his blood and disgrace his posteritie Iustine saith By sinning Adam made his posteritie obnoxious vnto death made them vniuerso All guiltie of his first offence The Lord saith Gregorie did so make Adam as that he might procreate children without sinne if hee continued in the obedience of his Creator but because the soule of man refused to obey her Lord the procreation of children is in sinne Wee see now that Creation is a meane of the execution of Gods election For a man must first be before he can be saued Yet it is no speciall or peculiar meanes For all that are created shall not be saued some shall be damned All men saith Prosper are of God created but of this vniuersalitie or companie some are to bee damned with the Diuell others shall raigne with Christ The Permission of the fall is that whereby God suffred Adam and his sonnes to reuolt fall into sinne and did not hinder the fall which he could haue done if it had so pleased him But hee would not hinder it because such was his pleasure for certaine causes best knowne vnto himselfe In the meane let no man thinke that God was iniurious For 1. he was not indebted to vs to confirme vs by his grace to keepe vs from declining 2. this fall was by God permitted for the greater benefit of all his Elect. For their glory procured by Christ which had neuer been if man had neuer fallen doth farre surpasse the glorie which was giuen them in their creation Great are the euils saith Gregorie which wee suffer by reason of that first offence but what faithfull man would not indure greater rather then want so great a Redeemer Thirdly though God not bound to let did permit this fall yet it is not to be ascribed vnto him as to the cause thereof For hee did not incline his heart to sinne hee did not infuse the least corruption into his soule neither did hee with-draw any grace before inspired into him but hee fell by his free-will through his owne default at the perswasion and suggestion of the Diuell Tertullian saith truely As God brought man into the state of life so man brought himselfe into the state of death The beginning and root of sinne is in our selues saith Basil It cannot be saith Austen that hee which raiseth vs from sinne should make vs fall into sinne Thou art not a God saith Dauid that loueth wickednes neither shal euil dwel with thee Man therefore as Fulgentius saith hath the cause of his iniquitie in his owne proper will not froÌ„ Gods predestination If any man decline from iustice and pietie he runnes head-long of his owne will hee is drawne by his owne concupiscence he is beguiled through his perswasion Nihil iâ—i Pater the father hath no oare in this boat the Sonne is no agent of this sinne the holy Ghost is no worker of this wickednesse And though we should say that God willed that reuolt yet we must know that God did not will it positiue so as to produce effect or giue being to it but negatiuè desereâ—do because his will was to leaue Adam to himselfe and not to preserue him from reuolting that he might bee prooued by temptation and that it might appeare what the creature is able to doe when the Creator shall with-draw the staffe of his grace and cease to support Therefore we conclude with Clemens That the fault of mans chusing of that which was forbidden is not to be transferred or ascribed vnto God Thus we see the second meanes of the Execution of Election Which is a very necessary meane For if a man had not fallen then had there been no place for vocation iustification by Christ and sanctification by the Spirit But though this meane is necessarie yet it is not appropriated to Election because then all that fell should be restored But as Ambrose saith Liberatur parâ— hominum parte pereunte as some are deliuered so some are destroyed The wicked saith Iob are kept vnto the day of destruction The righteous onely shall be saued CHAP. IIII. What effectuall Calling is the parts causes effects subiects place time maner properties and signes of it are declared THvs much concerning the common meanes seruing for the execution of Gods Election The speciall are these three Effectuall Vocaâ—ion Iustification and Glorification that is as Trelcarius saith The gracious beginning proceeding and the glorious accomplishing and consummation of the blessings of God For the first Effectuall vocation or calling is an action of God translating men from the kingdom of darkenesse to his owne Kingdome And it is two-foldeâ— Extraordinary and Ordinary Extraordinary vocation is an immediate and speciall worke of the Spirit whereby without outward meanes hee smiteth the heart and inwardly speaketh to the soule and by the infusion of grace doth make the heart to answere his call and drawe neere vnto him This calling without the ministerie of the word is very rare and vnusuall But the Lord that is aboue meanes is not tyed to meanes but can worke without meanes when it pleaseth his Maiestie so to doe Effectuall vocation which is ordinary is that Whereby God calleth out of darkenesse into his marueilous light from the power of Sathan vnto God those whom he knew from eternitie and predestinated vnto life of his meere fauour by the promulgation of the couenant of grace or preaching of the Gospell Or It is when grace is not onely offered but giuen also by God through the effectuall working of his Spirit in our heartes which is the beginning of grace in vs hee himselfe laying the first foundation of it by giuing power to receiue the word to mingle it with faith and to bring foorth the fruites of new obedience This ordinary effectuall calling hath two parts Inuitement and Admission Inuitement is when God offers remission of sinnes and life euerlasting to them that beleeue Outwardly by the preaching of the Gospell Inwardly by the inspiration of heauenly desires Admission is when men are entred into the kingdome of grace and it is either outward or inward Outward admission is made in Baptisme Inward admission is when men are taken out of old Adam and by faith ingraffed in to Christ For by this insition into Christ men are made reall members of Gods kingdome Haec ille For the better conceiuing and vnderstanding of this Calling these points ensuing are worthy our consideration The efficient cause of effectuall Calling is Almightie God By him we are called vnto the fellowship of his Sonne He hath called vs vvith an holy calling
sins and Gods accepting of vs as righteous men Remission of sins is a gracious act of God whereby for the merit and satisfaction of Christ he doth perfectly forgiue both the fault and punishment Therefore Paul saith that by him wee haue redemption through hiâ— blood euen the forgiuenes of sinnes according to his rich grace and that there is no condemnation to theÌ„ that are in Christ Iesus who hath by himself purged our sins and by whom the Father hath reconâ—iled vâ— vnto himselfe Now it were absurd to thinke that the punishment is retâ—ined when the sin is remitted For if the proper cause bee defaced then the effect thereof must needs be also abolished If the bodie bee remoued the shadow thereof remaines not So if sin bee pardoned the punishment is remitted As for the crosses which the faithfull suffer they are to bee reputed curses or penalties of vengeance inflicted of God as of an ireful direful Iudge but they are to be esteemed onely as tryals or as punishmeÌ„t of castigatioÌ„ imposed of god as a louing father desiring the welfare weldoing of his childreÌ„ As many as I loue saith the Lord I rebuke chasten He scourgeth euerie sonne vvhich he receiueth If therefore ye be vvithout correction whereof all are partakers then are ye bastards and not sonnes Novv no chastening for the present seemeth to bee 〈◊〉 but grieuous yet afterward it bringeth the 〈◊〉 fruit of righteousnes vnto theÌ„ which are thereby exercised The Lord tries vs by afflictions as gold is tried in the furnace with fire He keeps vs by the crosse within our limits as water is held in with bankes And with the thorny hedge of troubles vexations hee keepes vs within our owne walkes and pastures being by nature giuen to break out and stray Therefore Dauid saith Before I was afflicted I went astray but now I keepe thy word it is good for mee that I haue beene afflicted that I may learne thy statutes Blessed is the man whom thou chastisest For it is certaine God scoureth away the infirmities of his Saincts by many afflictions It is the Lord which sendeth crosses to his children to saue theÌ„ that they freese not with the wicked world in their dregs For this end saith Cyprian the Lord rebuketh that hee might amend vs to this end he mends that he might saue vs. Augustine saith that sorrowes before pardon of sins are the punishments of sinners but after pardon they are the trials and exercises of iust men And so for death it selfe the sting and strength thereof which is sin is abolished by the death of Christ vpon the crosse therefore is to bee reputed but as a triall or chastisement whereby the Lord doth teach vs humilitie and the flight of sinne and doth exercise and proue our faith fortitude and patience And though in respect of sinne it be the entrance of Hell yet through the death of Christ it is become the gate of heauen and as Cyprian speaketh Ianua vitae the dore of life It doth as it were conuey vs out of the wildernes into Canaan out of a troublesome Sea into a quiet hauen and out of earth into heauen from woe to weale and from men to God yea it becomes the death of sinne that first gaue life to it We conclude therefore this truth with Vrsinus saying God doth not hate vs neither hath he a will to punish vs for those sins for which Christ hath sufficiently satisfied in whom also we haue remission of those sins of omission and all other our sins so that by his onely merit we are reputed righteous before God The second part of Iustification is Gods gracious acceptation wherby he doth for the merit of Christs actiue obedience by faith receiued of vs account vs iust and pure and honours vs with the crowne of life And in this respect we may truely be sayed to be iust perfect and holie men because we stand clothed with the most perfect righteousnes of Christ which is reputed ours in which appearing before our heauenly father wee doe receiue a blessing as Iacob did of Isaack hauing on his elder brothers garmeÌ„ts Neither must it seeme strange vnto vs that we should be accepted righteous for the righteousnes of an other For albeit this righteousnesse be Christs primarily and by way of inherence yet it is ours by Gods donation and by the application of faith As the paiment of our debt is another mans so farre forth as it is discharged by him but it is our payment as it is imputed to vs. Aquinas saith well The head and the member is as one mysticall person and therefore the satisfaction of Christ pertaineth to all the faithfull as to his members The forme or formall cause of Iustification is not faith loue nor any other vertue neither is it an infused quality or habituall sanctity inherent in vs. For this were to confound iustification and sanctification which are very different acts as wee shall hereafter shew But the righteousnesse of Christ imputed considered as it is imputed of God is the forme of iustification Or the proper and onely true forme of iustification is the free imputation of the righteousnes of Christ by which the merit and obedience of Christ are applied to vs by vertue of that neare communion whereby he is in vs and we in him Now God is said to impute the righteousnes of Christ vnto a man when hee doth adiudge decree and giue it to him and account and reckon it as his owne and for the merit and worthines of it doth pardon acquite him and repute him righteous O sweete exchange saith Iustin Martyr O vnsearchable vvorkemanship O benefits surpassing all expectation that the iniquity of manie should be couered in one iust person and that the iustice of one should make manie that are vniust to be reputed iust If one saith Bernard did die for all then all died to wit that the satisfaction of one might be imputed vnto all as that one bare the sins of all Now Christ bare our sins and was made sin for vs not as if our sins had beene infused into him and had beene inherent and inhabitants in him but because they were imputed to him and reputed his as if they had beene committed by him he supplying our place as our Surety and Mediator euen so his righteousnes is made ours not as though it were infused or translated into vs as a thing inherent and inhabiting in vs but because it is reputed ours and imputed freely to vs as if wee our selues had wrought it in our owne persons And of this opinion was S. Augustine We are the righteousnes of God in him as he is sin in vs to vvit by imputation With whom consenteth Vrsinus the imputation of the righteousnes of Christ is not the transfusion of righteousnes or of qualities into vs but the absolution from sins in the iudgement
THE HIGH-VVAY To Heauen OR The doctrine of Election effectuall Vocation Iustification Sanctification and eternall Life Grounded vpon the holy Scriptures Confirmed by the testimonies of sundry iudicious and great Diuines Ancient and Moderne Compiled by THOMAS TVKE LONDON Printed by NICHOLAS OKES dwelling neere Holborne bridge 1609. TO THE WORshipfull Maister IOHN Leuesen Esquire SIR many and great are the Priuiledges of the Faithful and farre more excellent then any which either are or can be granted by any mortall Monarch whatsoeuer For first they were elected of almightie God freely from all eternity to be partakers of his grace in this world and to be inuested with immortall glory in the world to come Secondly when they had reuolted from God and were become the vassals of the Diuel dead in sinnes and the children of wrath God in 〈…〉 recall and gather them and redeemed them from their seruitude with the bloud of his owne and only sonne Christ Iesus who was made sinne for vs that wee might be made the righteousnes of God in him assuming our iniquitie to himselfe and imputing his righteousnesse vnto vs. Magnum autem est quod peccata remissa sunt sed maius est quòd per sanguinem Dominicum remissa sunt Now it is much that we should be redeemed by God who were Runna gates from God but that we should be redeemed by the bloud of God by the bloud of the sonne of God who was perfect God perfect man of the same substance honor and antâ—quitie with the Father this commends the wonderfull loue of God vnto vs and is a fauour that all the world besides doth want Thirdly God doth refine and reuiue them breathing into them the breath of life the spirit of sanctification who doth reforme purge and alter them ruinating the cursed workes of the Diuell and repairing rectifying and adorning them by grace with goodnes Fourthly God doth when hee pleaseth bath them in the waters of sorrow and try them in the furnace of affliction to correct and clense them that his graces in them may appeare more fresh and shining as flowers doe in a shower or as the Moone doth in the night Finally the Lord will one day translate them out of the wide and wast Wildernes of this wicked and wofull World and will safely bring them into celestiall Canaan where they shall liue for euer with him in ful freedome from all euill and in perpetuall fruition of all felecity so that as nothing shal be found in Hell which shal be desired so nothing shal be desired in Heauen which shall not be found Ibi laetitia sine tristitia locus sine dolore vitasine labore lux sine tenebris ibi iuuentus semper vigescit nunquam senescit ibi dolor nunqum sentitur nec gemitus vnquam auditur ibi tristitia nunquam videtur sed aeternum gaudium possidetur ibi est summa certa tranquillitas tranquilla faelicitas foelix aeternitas aeterna beatitas beata Trinitas There shal be mirth without mourning a life without labor day without darknes eternall happines happy eternity Ibi nec malitia nec militia ibi nec poena nec poenitenria ibi nec peccatum nec perditio There is neither sinne nor sorow neither penalty nor penitency neither foe nor fighting neither corruption nor contention amity and no enmity faith and no fraud godlines and no guile loue without lust â— wisedome without wilines simplicity without simulation perpetuall solace and solacious perpetuity prosperous security and secure prosperity Ibi nil intus quod sastiolatur nil foris quod appetatur ibi rex veritas lex charitas possessio aeternitas There we shall neither lothe nor long for The King is veriâ—y the law charity the possession eternity yea the fruition of the eternall God who will be Mel in ore melos in aure iâ—bilus in corde All in all to them that loue him These things you may take a further view of if you please by perusing this little â—ractate which I dedicate to you as a testimony of my desire of your proficience in holy learning And thus hoping of your kind acceptance thereof I commend it to you and both it and you to the Lord desiring him to honor you with his grace 〈◊〉 you may so know him in your youth as that you may be knowen of him in your age and that seruing him like a faithfull Souldier against sinne and all sinnefull vanities in the Church militant you may raigne also like a noble Victor with him in the Church Triumphant February 16. 1608. Your Worships in the Lord to be commanded THOMAS TVKE 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eduardi Smithi ad Lectorem Laesciuae faâ—iem Veneris laudare vetustas Respersam naeuo garrula saepè solet Exhibet iste liber veneres naeuo sine castas Es laetam quicquid sternat ad astra Viam Eiusdem ad Momum Nigro si tibi mos bene facta notare lapillo Hâ—â— omnis maculis pagina sparsa foret Vanae at sicarpas tantummodo somnia Mome Crede tuss maculis non locus vllus erit Eiusdem ad Auctorem Ergò age pensentur tibi tot mercede labores A Eternà dignam saecula nostra negant Exhibe tende docâ— condigna salubria Verae Christo â—uibus cunctos carminâ— voce stylo The names of such as are alledged in this booke beside the Scriptures A AMbrose Angelome Anselme Aquinas Aristotle Augustine B Bede Beza Bellarmine Bernard Bradford Buâ—anuâ— Basill C Caluin Cicero Chrysostome Clemens Alex Cameracensis Cyprian Cyrill D Danaeus F Fox Fulgentius G Greenham Gregorie H Hugo Haimo Hâ—ome I Innocentius Isidore Isychius Iustine K Kâ—â—ke maâ— L Lactaâ—tiuâ— Luthâ—r M P. Martyr O Origen P Perâ—iuâ— Pâ—â—lpâ—t Piscator Polanus Primasius Prâ—â—pâ—r R Radulphus Roffensis Rogers Remiâ—iâ—s Roilâ—â—â— S Sedulins Sturmius T Tertullian Theodulus Trelâ—atius Tyndall V Vrsinus VV Willet OF GODS ETERnall Election CHAP. I. The word Election hath fiue significations Three reasons to proâ—ue that there is an Election to life Two reasons prouing the necessary vse of this Doctrine Foure reasons to shew that Ministers should teach it Three duties to bee done concerning the handling of it ALL men are by a certaine instinct of nature desirous of knowledge and account ignorance euill and vnseemely like a defectiue body or a light-lesse house For knowledge is the eye of the minde the light of the soule the ornament of grace and nature and such riches as will swimme with the master when he suffers shipwracke and sees his whole estate to sinke before his eyes Now the more excellent and commodious a thing is the more worthy it is of our knowledge Therefore it is discommendable and vncomely for any man to bee ignorant of himselfe and of the causes the meanes and maner of his eternall saluation and redemption from horrible and intolerable miserie To
some of them were before their calling notorious sinners committing â—orrible and transcendent enormities â—et now since their calling they were rashed and sanctified and so become new men And as concerning the Thessalonians he saith that the Gospel was not to them in word onely but also in power and much assurance and that they became followers of him and of the Lord and receiued the word in much affliction with ioy of the holy Ghost and turned to God from Idoles to serue the liuing and true God and increased in faith and mutuall loue and were patient faithfull in al their persecutions afflictions So then if with the Romanes we performe heartie obedience to the word if with those Corinthes we be rich in spirituall graces and haue purged our heartes by true repentance from our former iniquities if we be mortified and renewed if like those good ThessaloniaÌ„s we receiue and beleeue the Gospell if we follow the Lord his faithfull embassadours if we entertâ—ine the word with ioyfulnesse notwithstanding all afflictions if we turne to God from all our owne Gods our owne delights and vanities to which wee had wedded our heartes if our faith increase and our loue abound and if we haue patience and faith as they had in all our crosses and afflictions then may we assure ourselues that wee are effectually called as they were Finally Peter exhorting vs to giue diligence to make calling sure addeth that if we doe these things wee shall neuer fall Now what these things are hee sheweth to wit that they would ioint vertue with their faith and with vertue knowledge with it temperance and with temperance patience with patience godlines with it brotherly kindnes and with brotherly kindnes loue If therfore these graces shine within vs and bee fast rooted in our hearts and vnited in our liues we may assure our soules of our effectuall calling if we do these things we shall neuer fall and if we shall neuer fall then may wee safely conclude that God hath effectually called vs to light and glorie And thus much concerning effectu-vocation which is the first meane whereby God executeth his eternall Election CHAP. 5. What Iustification is All the causes of it Fiue effects of it The subiects and time of it Fiue properties thereof Foure tokens of it THE second is Iustification For those whom hee calleth effectually in time hee also iustifieth actually in time To iustifie is to repute or account one iust Pro. 17.15 He which iustifieth the wicked that is he which reputeth and iudgeth him to be iust is an abomination to the Lord. Luke 16.15 You iustifie your selues before men that is You would be esteemed iust To be iustified is to be cleared or to bee reputed iudged and pronounced iust To be iustified then before God is to be reputed and esteemed righteous in his sight Iustification therefore in his proper significatioÌ„ is an Acceptance wherby God esteemeth vs as righteous being receiued into fauour Or Iustification is a iudiciall and gracious worke of God by which hee iudgeth the Elect being in themselues obnoxious to the accusation and curse of the Law to be iust by faith for Christ through the imputation of his iustice and that vnto the praise of his glorious grace and to their owne saluation The principall efficient of Iustification is God the Father in the Sonne by the holy Spirit For who can forgiue sinnes but God alone It is God that iustifies I saith the Lord euen I am hee that putteth away thine iniquities It 〈◊〉 meet that he should be our pardoner who was our Creator and that he should bee the giuer of grace who was to all the author of nature It is his office to absolue the guiltie by whose iustice hee was made guiltie It beloÌ„gs to him to pronounce a man to be iust whose will is the rule of iustice it is his prerogatiue to giue sentence of life and death because he is by nature right and office the highest Iudge The instrument whereby the benefit of Iustification is offered and proclaimed is the Gospel which therefore is called the word of life the word of saluation the word and ministerie of Reconciliation The outward instruments whereby our iustification is sealed and confirmed to vs are the two Sacramentes and thereupon Circumcision is called the Seale of the righteousnesse of faith The inward Sealer of our iustification is the Holy Ghost who testifieth and sealeth it to our consciences so as that we may perswade our hearts of it The Ministers and liuely instruments for the proclaiming testifying and pronouncing our iustification to vs are the Messengers and Prophets of the Lord according to that of Christ whose sinnes ye remit they shall be remitted to them and whose ye retaine they shall be retained The onely internall instrument whereby we apprehend and receiue the grace of iustification offered vnto vs by God is a true sauing faith Iustifying faith is a gift whereby wee apprehend Christ and his benefits Or it is a worke of Gods Spirit in the heart whereby we receiue and lay hold on Christs obedience for the pardon of our sinnes with God and his accepting of vs as righteous in his â—ight The authour of faith is God For vnto vs It is giuen to beleeue This is the worke of God saith Christ that yee beleeue in him whom hee hath sent Faith both begun and finished is the gift of God as Austen truly teacheth The proper forme and life of faith is not charitie which is a distinct gift of God and a fruite of vnfeigned Faith but the Apprehension and Application of Christ and his benefites vnto our selues particularly The proper obiect of a sauing faith is Iesus Christ God-man and Mediator betwixt God and man Remigius saith My whole faith is in Christ by him alone I beleeue that I am iustified and saued And Beda saith The scope of my faith is Christ the end or marke of my faith whereat it aymeth is the Sonne of God Now to be iustified by faith is to be iustified of God for the righteousnesse of Christ apprehended by faith or as Caluin speaketh he shall be iustified by faith who being excluded from the righteousnesse of works apprehendeth the righteousnesse of Christ by faith wherewith he being inuested doth appeare in the sight of God as righteous and â—ot a sinner So that faith doth iustifie in respect of her obiect onely and not as any meritorious or proper efficient of iustification Euen as the hand that receiueth the treasure which is giuen doth not make the receiuer rich but the treasure it selfe so neither the worke or action of faith doth iustifie vs but Christ himselfe whom we doe apprehend And this faith be it weake or strong is yet able to receiue the righteousnesse of Christ euen as a palsie or shaking hand may receiue a iewel of a king as
truely though not so firmely as the hand that is whole and sound And further this sauing faith is the onely hand whereby wee doe receiue Christ and his merites No man is iustified by the workes of the Law but by the faith of Iesus Christ Basil saith This is to glorie in the Lord when a man doth not boast of his ovvne righteousnesse but doth acknowledge that hee is destitute of true righteousnes that he is iustified by faith alone in Christ Chrisostom saith Without faith no man hath obtained life but I am able to shew that a faithfull man both liued and obtained the kingdom of heauen without workes For the thiefe did onely beleeue and was iustified It was well said by Roffensis Fides faeta bonis operibus iustificat ante partum Faith being bigge with good works doth iustifie a man before it bring them forth For as S. Augustine saith Good works doe not goe before him that is to be iustified but follow him that iâ— already iustified And though good workes must neuer bee seuered from faith in the person iustified yet they must be sundred in the act of iustification Though the eie bee not alone yet it sees alone and though the head consult inuent alone yet it is not alone but ioyned to the body so though faith be not alone in the faithfull man yet it alone doth iustifie And thus wee see how to esteeme of faith the Sacraments and the Ministers of God alwaies remembring to ascribe our iustification vnto God Father Sonne and Holy Ghost as the proper and principall efficient thereof as the Scriptures teach vs and confessing with Primasius that God doth iustifie the wicked per solam fidem by faith alone and not by workes The internall impulsiue cause of Iustification which mooueth God to iustifie vs is his grace and meere beneuolence and not our works past present or to come how glorious so euer Paul saith we are iustified freely by his grace And Augustine saith that it is the ineffable grace â—f God that hee which is guilty should be iustified Because all men are shut vp vnder sinne the saluation of man as Anselme saith doth not now consist in the merits of men but in the mercie of God Yea Bellarmine himselfe ingeniously confesseth that by reason of the vncertenty of our owne righteousnesse and the danger of vaine glory Iutissimum est it is the safest course to repose our fiduciam Whole confidence in solu Deâ— misericordia in the Sole mercie and goodnesse of God Now then we must not imagine that this grace of God is procured by our workes but that it doth proceed freely from the Lord. No merit of man saith Anselme doth goe before the grace of God Thou hast done no good saith Augustine and yet remission of sinnes is giuen thee Let thy works be marked and they are found euill If God should reward those workes according to their due he should condemne them But God doth not giue thee the punishment that is due but giues thee grace which is not due And againe he saith The grace without which neither Infants nor men of yeares can be saued is not payed by deserts but giuen without desert and thereupon is called grace The externall impulsiue cause or meritorious efficient of our iustification is not our owne workes virtues or obedience First because they bee the Lords due by vertue of many bonds When we haue done all that is biddeÌ„ vs we haue done but our due no more then wee were bound to due Now shall wee thinke that the discharging of one duetie can satisfie Gods iustice for the omission of many dueties and the commission of many faults Secondly all our righteousnesse is as a stained cloth Gregorie saith All mâ—ns righteousnâ—s iâ— found to be vnrighteousnes â—f God strictly iudge it Our very iustice being brought to the rule of Gods iustice is iniustice that stinketh in the sâ—uerity of the Iudge which shineth in the estimation of the Worker And albeit our good works are perfit in respect of the Spirit from whom thee first flow yet are they polluted when they passe from vs because they ruÌ„ through our corrupted hearts and wils as faire water which runnes through a dirty channell Shall wee now say that our perfect righteousnesse can merit any thing of that righteous Iudge before whose iustice nothing polluted can stand vncondemned Wo vnto the laudable life of men sath Aâ—gustine if God should examine it and lay aside his mercie Thirdly our best actions are not answerable to the benefits of iustification But in reason hee which meanes to merit any thing must bring that which is equal to that which hee seekes to merit fourthly he that wil merit of another must not thinke to merit of him vnâ—esse he bring some thing of his owne to merit with and not that which is his of whom hee doth intend to merit But all our vertues our Faith and good workes are Gods so farre as they bee good and not ours For what haue we which wee haue not receiued Without me saith Christ Ye can dâ—e nothing Of our selues we are not able to thinke one good thought When we eâ—ther beleeue or worke though that faith be ours and albeit the workes â—e ours yet when we haue them we haue them not of our selues but they are giuâ—n of God Whatsoeuer saith Augustine Cornelius wrought well Totum Dâ—o dandam est it must all be ascribed vnto God lest any maÌ„ happily should exalt himself Therfore it is absurde to think we merit any thing by good deedes Fiftly good workes in nature follow Iuâ—tification Augustine saith Iustification goes before the doers of the law Mâ—â— being iustified by beleeuing begin afâ—erwards to liue righteously And Saint Paul saith that God doth iustifie the Vngodly By which then it is plainâ— that no man is iustified for his works Finally wee haue the sentence of the Scriptures with vs and the iudgement of the auncient Church Wee haue beleeued in Iesus Christ saith Paul that we might be iustified by the faith of Christ and not by the workes of the lame because that by the workes of the law no flesh shall be iustified God both saued vs not according to the workes of righteousnesse which we haue done but according to his mercie Ambrose saith Let no man glorie in works because no man is iustified by his works Augustine faith The vngodly is iustified by faith without the merits of good workes Primasius saith It is Gods purpose to iustifie the wicked by faith alone without the workes of the law or any other merits of ours whatsoeuer Hâ—miniâ— iustitia indulgentia Deâ— Gods pardon saith Bernard is mans righteousnesse My merit saith hee is Gods mercie Wee conclude therefore saying with Ambroâ—e Wee are not iustified by works but by faith because fleshly 〈◊〉 is an impedimeÌ„t to
in regard of efficiencie for those onely which are predestinated but for all men in respect of sufficiencie In like manner Aquinas the merit of Christ was alike to all in regard of sufficiencie but not as concerning efficacie Howsoeuer his blood and merits were in themselues sufficient for the iustification and saluatition of all men yet they did not effectually procure them for all but onely for the Elect to whom they were ordained and intended and of whom alone they can bee rightly receiued and embraced Now those that are iustified must be considered in a double condition One according to nature the other according to supernaturall grace According to nature they are sinners for he iustifieth the vngodly Rom. 4.5 and therefore obnoxious to the accusation and malediction of the Law for cursed is euery man that continueth not in al things which are witten in the Law to doe them But according to supernaturall grace they are beleeuers or ingrafted into Christ by faith For the righteousnesse of God is made manifest by the faith of Iesus Christ Vnto all and vpon all that beleeue And 〈◊〉 much for the persons whom God doth iustifie The time of Iustification is in this life with some sooner and with others later but with none at all after this life is ended Vrsâ—inus saith well Remission of sins is giuen to all the Elect and to them alone Yet all the Elect haue not alwaies remission of sinnes but all Beleeuers haue it alwaies because they onely haue remission of sins who beleeue that they haue it But this the Elect do and alwaies beleeue but then first when they are conuerted and indued with faith Yet in respect of the fore-determined purpose of God they haue alwaies remission of sins And aâ—beit sanctification doe often by some fruits thereof appeare before iustification yet this in nature is before the other Wee see the light vsually before the Sunne in the morning and the brooke doth often offer itself vnto our eies before the spring The Properties of Iustification are fiue First it is most excellent and that in respect of the Iustifier which is God 〈◊〉 respect also of the meritorious efficient thereof which is Christ and in regard of those admirable effects which it doth proâ—uâ—e one amongst the rest is this which I adde vnto the former whereof wee haue already spoken to wit that it giues a man the right vse of the good creatures of God which he hath created to be receiued with thanksgiuing of them that beleeue â—or vnto the pure which men are when they be purged by faith in the bloud of Christ â—l things are pure but vnto the that are defiled as euery one is vntill God doe iustifie him and are vnbeleeuing is nothing pure but euen their mindes and consciences are defiled The Reprobates therefore and Vnbeleeuers abuse the giftes of God rather then vse them Therefore as Danaeus speaketh God doth fatten them in this world as Hâ—gs for the slaughter On the contrary those that are now iustified by faith in Christ doe vse them lawfully For they are fed of God as his house-hold seruants They are not theeues and Vsurpers of them as the wicked are but they hold them as lawfull heires and owners of the world 〈◊〉 Secondly Iustification is a most free act performed freely by God without coaction or the least inducement by any dignitie present or foreseen to be in vs hereafter For being absolute Lord of all hee may shew mercie on whom he lists We are by nature all the children of wrath and the viâ—â—als of the deuill destitute of all true grace and subiect to the curse and therefore it is a wonder that wee are not all consumed We must needs then confess that the free grace of God in Christ hath made the difference Chrysostom according to the Scripture truely saith that God of his grace alone doth iustifie our kinde and not through our good deeds labours nor recompence And Theodulus saith Christ is the Author of righteousnesse to them that beleeue in him euen vnto them that had done nothing righteouslie Here then by the way wee may remember that our Iuctification is free in regard of vs that did not deserue it and free also in respect of God who did freely deuise dispose the means therof and freely workes faith within vs by which wee doe apply it to vs. But it is not free but iustly performed in regard of Christ who by his all-sufficient merits did deserue it and by desert acquire it Thirdly Iustification is one absolute entire and indiuiduall act It is once onely acted essentially and directly in this life although it it bee diuers times renewed and applied a fresh to wit when the person iustified doth fall into sin and repent Now though Iustification bee a most perfect and plenary worke of God yet we come to the full perswasion of it but by degrees and though God at once forgiue a man his sinnes by an absolute act which admits neither increase nor decrease yet that man receiues his pardon by such a faith or such a perswasion of faith as is not alwaies one but sometimes stronger sometmies also weaker ebbing and flowing like the salt waters sometimes appearing and some times hidden like the sun with a thicke mist or duskie cloud Fourthly Iustification is an immutable inuiolable and irreuocable aâ—â— of God Peccata semel remissa nunquam redeuÌ„t sins being once remitted are neuer after called into question And he that is once of God for Christ reputed righteous shall be reputed righteous foreuer If it sho d be otherwise it were either long of God or of our selues but not of God who is on changeling I am the Lord I charge not nor of our selues for we are kept by the power of God through faith vnto saluation and so gouerned by his spirit as that we neither doe sinne nor can sinne with full consent of will and without the reluctation and conflict of the spirit The Godly and vngodly doe oftentimes commit the same offence if we respect the act but it is not the same if we consider their maner of acting it The godly sinne against their conscience but not against their full conscience But the vngodly sinne against their 〈◊〉 â—â—conscience and that â—ully And therefore albeit a man that is iustified fall into some grieuous sin as Dauid did yet grace is not vtterly put out neither hath he lost the benefit of his iustification thogh for a time he feele it not Now this property of immutabiliâ—ty is very rare and excellent by much to be preferred to all earthly things For Riches remaine not alwayâ— nor the the crowne from generation to generation Fauour iâ— deceiptfull and beautie iâ— vanitie The fashion of this world passeth away And what 〈◊〉 life It is euen a vapor that appeareth for a little 〈◊〉 and afterwardâ— vanishâ—th away
For all flesh is grasse and all the glorie of man is as the flower of grasse The grasse withereth and the flower faâ—leth away but the iustification of a sinner remaineth for euer It is enacted and enrolled in heauen it shall not bee repealed and oblâ—terâ—ted vpon the earth Fiftly Iustification may be perceiued knowne and that three waies First by the suggestion of Gods spirit Secondly by faith which is a certaine assurance or perswasion of the loue af God in Christ Now a man may assure himselfe of faith â—f theâ—â— two things be in him First if he loue God for God himselfe and his neighbour truely as himselfe For loâ—e accompanies faith as the light doth the sunne Indeed it proceedes fâ—om faith and as Grâ—gorâ—â— saith Quantum 〈◊〉 taâ—tuâ—◠〈◊〉 As is our faith 〈…〉 our loue Secondly a man may assure himselfe of Iustifying faith if he doe striue against his doubtings and with an honest heart doe will to beleeue and vnfeignedly desire to be reconciled vnto God and do with aâ—l constantly vse the good meanes that God hath ordeined to beget and encrease faith For God acceptâ— the wil to beleeue for faith it selfe and the will to repent for repentance The reason hereof iâ— plaine Euerie supernaturall act presupposeth a supernaturall povver or gift and therefore the vvill to beleeue and repent presupposeth the povver and gift of faith and repentance in the heart Thirdly a man may come to bee assured of his Iustification by certaine vnfallible tokens and 〈◊〉 of it some whereof I will here set down The first is a ioy most vnspeakable and glorious wherewith our hearts must needs be rauished when we see â—ur selues by the righteousnesse of Christ of the free grace of God redeemed from death deliuered from hell and freed fâ—om the fearefâ—ll condemnation of the wicked The second is the peace of conscience While sin and the guilt of sin remained there was no peace nor quietnes to be found but feare within terrours without and troubles on euerie side But when our sins are once nayled to the crosse of Christ and forgiuen vs then the windes are layed the waues are setled the sea is calmed the soule is quieted and imparked within the pales of peace Thirdly that no man may thinke fleshly sottishnes and the stupour of the spirit to be found securitie true tranquillity being indeed but like a caâ—me beâ—ore some violent no oâ—â—â—agious tempâ—st wee may know that our peace is good and that 〈…〉 fâ—â—â—â—on is past with God â—f w◠〈◊〉 a promptitude and 〈…〉 to dâ—e that which is good 〈…〉 a man doth finde 〈…〉 for the forgiuenes of siâ—nes 〈◊〉 loue of God constraineth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—â—y which hee conceiueth 〈…〉 him and putteth life into hâ—m for 〈◊〉 peâ—â—oâ—mance of those things whicâ— are pleasing vnto God His vnderstanding is inlightned his iudgement is refoâ—â—ed his affections are bâ—â—â—râ—d his ioies are in heauen his desire are to Christ-ward his walke is tâ— Canaan his course to Ierusalem 〈◊〉 his anger is consumed vpon his ownâ— corruption For we must know 〈◊〉 when God doth in pâ—te riâ—hteousneâ— vnto a man to preuent his dâ—mâ—â—tioâ— by sin then hee doth also infâ—se righteousnes into him to â—inder the â—â—â—â—nation of sin Therefore Paul ioyneâ— both together when hee saith that Christ is made vnto vs righteousness◠〈…〉 and redemption and when hee tâ—ls his Corinths that they are vâ—â—sh 〈…〉 and iustified So then he that ciâ—cumciseth the fore skin of his heart by true repentance he that waâ—â—eth against all his lusts truely stâ—â—â—h to serue the Lord in all his pâ—ecâ—pâ—s he may know for certainâ— that God haâ—h cut the cords of his sinnes and hath cast them all behindâ— him But â—â—â—â—e are manie circumcised to 〈◊〉 not to the Lord they are the cirâ—uâ—â—â—sion of the King and of the Queene they leaue maâ—y grosse sins pâ—â—â—shable by imprisonment but for others as great but not pâ—nal they passe ouer These men must know what so long as they addict themselues to their knowne enormities without repentance they are out of the kingdome of Christ are not clothed with the robes of his righteousnes but coâ—â—red with the rotten rags of their owne wickednes For those that are in Christ vvalke not after the flesh but after the Spirit They thâ—t aâ—e â—is haue crucified the flesh vvâ—th the affections the lusts But to liue in sin is to take sin downe from the crosse and to put life and spirit into it Finally as S. Iohn teacheth we know that we are translated from death to life which is in our iustification because vve loue the Brethren For it is impossible for him rightly to loue a righteous man in Christ who is not as yet himselfe made righteous by Christ But when a man is once â—â—sâ—ified by God he will then begin to loue a iust man for God Loue loâ—es his like One iust man will loue another Martin Luther faith that a man may try and know whether hâ— be incorporated into Christ or not by this that as hee feeleth his heart cheered and sweetned by the feeling of Gods promises and fauour written in his hart so such a man as no man is but he that is iustified haâ—h forthwith regard of his Neighbour and helpeth him as his Brother careth for him lendeth him giueth him comforteth counâ—elleth him yea and briefly hee is greeued if there bee none towards whom he may be seâ—uiceâ—ble hee is patient tractabâ—e and truly friendeth all men he doth not esteeme the teÌ„porall pleasure and pride of this life he iudgeth no man hee defameth no man he interpreteth all things to the best part Finally when as he seeth not the matter go well with his neighbour as that he fainteth in faith waxeth cold in loue he prayeth for him he reproueth him according to his calling hee is sorely greeued if any man commit any thing against God or his Neighbour And all this proceedeth from the roote and iuice of Gods grace for that the bountifulnes loue and goodnes of Christ hath sprinckled and replenished his heart with sweetenes and loue that it is a pleasure and ioy for him to do good to his Neighbour and is greeued for his sins as Samuel for Saul By these and such like workes of grace a man may come to a certaine knowledge of his Iustification Which how well worthy it is of our knowledge they can best tell which feele the comfort of it most And let no maÌ„ thinke it impâ—ssible to bee discerned by man because it is performed by God without man For though it be acted by God in heauen yet it produceth many notable graces in man vpon the earth by which it may be perceiued as a vine by her grapes or as a lamp by her light Neither let vs be induced to thinke that iustification is a changeable or reuokable act of God and that a iustified man may fall from grace and
Lord thus doth thaâ— we might exercise and take notice oâ— our spirituall wisedome and Christian fortitude and magnanimity in defeating the wiles of sin and the plots of the Diuell and in contending like couragious Kings against all our spirituall aduersaries and finally in disdaining to giue place to the flesh that abominable and filthy wretch Fifthly the Lord doth hereby demonstrate his liberty and absolute authoritie ouer vs that he is not bound vnto vs by any bond of duetie to perfit his graces in vs in this life For then it should be iniustice in him not to do it But God is righteous in all his waies and holy in all his vvorkes and can not offer the least iniustice Sixthly God thus doth to manifest his mercie to vs to teach vs thankfulnesse to him who pardoneth our weake obedience and accepteth of our poore holinesse imperfect perfection There are with God two courts of Iustice The first is the Kings bench where there is strict iustice the other is the Chancerie where there is a mitigation of that strict course of Iustice In the first Court there is none found iust in the second court of acceptation some are accepted for iust men In this Court God accepteth our vnperfit holines our poore indeauours our weake resolutions our imperfect desires motions and meditations if they be faithfull and entire and directed to the right ends and for his Christ doth pardon all their defects Which argueth mercie on his part claimeth gratitude on ours Lastly the Lord thus doth to demonstrate his prouidence and power in protecting and conseruing vs against so many puislant pernicious enemies as we are begirt with notwithstanding our great vnworthines weaknesses and imperfections And so much for the seuenth property of Sanctification Eightly this worke of the Spirit is neuer cleane extinguished The gifts of God are without repentance The graces of God are not in his children as morning mists but as well builded tovvers to continue all assaults As he hath beguÌ„ the worke of sanctification so he will make an end of it For what should hinder His good will is constant his might is ouer all Sin Sathan and all the enemies of our soules whatsoeuer are with him as chaffe before a whirlewinde or as flax before a flame of fire His eie is waking and allseing his wisedome is infinite his essence euery where and his mercie endureth for euer What then can what shall hinder his worke He hath ioyned vs to Christ who shall disioyne vs He hath wedded vs vnto himseâ—fe what can diuorce vs He is with vs who can be against vs Christ is our King and we are his subiects we neede not therefore doubt of his fauour and protection He is our Architect hee hath built vs vpon a rocke and hath said that hell gates shall not preuaile against vs. Wee are the Temples of Gods spirit who is no idle nor regard lesse Inhabitant Our holinesse I confesse may suffer an eclipse and be diminished but it shall neuer be fully wasted and abolished For God will confirme vs by his grace He saith Augustine who makes men good doth make men to perseuere in good And therefore out state by Christ is surer then our condition was in Adam For though he was made perfectly good yet he had not the grace of perseuerance in that good But to vs it is giuen to perseuere Beleeuers are of the bone flesh of Christ novv there is no part of the bone and flesh of Christ that dieth They that are sanctified are reserued vnto Christ and therefore they shall not fall away from Christ They beleeue in Christ but faith as Chrisostome saith is petra fixa infracta a rock fixed and inuiolable It will shine like a starre in the night of aduersitie and sauours most like Camomell when it is troden vppon Hope is the anchor of the soule it wil endure both windes and waues And loue is strong as death Charitie saith Austen vvhich may be left vvas neuer true Whosoeuer is borne of GOD sinneth not neither can he sin because he is borne of God If a sanctified man cannot sin with a full swinge of the will and if hee cannot liue long in sin without repentance then assured he cannot fall from grace and perish It is our Fathers good pleasure to giue vs the kingdome of heauen and therefore we shall not misse it It remaineth theÌ„ as an vndoubted trueth that the work of sanctification shall neuer be demolished and that a sanctified man shall neuer perish Master Bradford saith well Our blindnes and corrupt affections doe often shadovv the sight of Gods seede in Gods children as thogh they were plain Reprobates Whereof it commeth that they praying according to their sense but not according to the truth desire of God to giue them againe his Spirit as though they had lost it and he had taken it away which thing God neuer doth indeede although he make vs to thinke so for a time And so much for this eight property Ninthly sanctification may be discerned The childe of God may be sure of his new birth The Apostle saith know ye not that ye are the Temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you know ye not that your bodie is the Temple of the Holy Ghost that is in you know ye not your owne selues how that Iesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobates It is possible then that these may be knowne Know for a certaine saith Master Bradford that as the Diuel goeth about nothing so much as to bring you in doubt whether you be Gods child so vvhatsoeuer shâ—ll moue you to admit that dubitation bee assured the same to come of the Diuell This assurance of our Sanctifiâ—ation may be obtained not onely by the inward suggestion of the holy Ghost assuring our spirits of the same but also by certaine vndoubted testimonies and tokens of it some whereof will here annex First He that committeth sin is of the Diuel but vvhosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not Wherefore if we doe not commit sin with full consent of will if when we doe sin we doe not continue in it but recouer our selues by true repentance as Peter did then may we know that we are not the Diuels slaue but Gods childe Secondly vvhosoeuer beleeueth that Iesus is that Christ is borne of God It is then a certaine token of a mans regeneration to beleeue distinctly that Iesus the sonne of Marie is that anointeâ— king priest and prophet which God hath raised vp for the saluation of hiâ— soule and of the rest of Gods Elect. Thirdly Euerie one vvhich â—ouetâ— him vvhich did beget loueth him also vvhich is bâ—gotten of him Whosoeuer therefore doth truely loue the childe of God for his fathers sake doth loue God himselfe And euerie one that loueth is
a man hee doth so worke vpon him that hee shall willingly yeeld how vnwillingly so euer his will be by nature On vvhom God shevveth mercie saith that learned Father he doth so call him as hee knovveth conuenient for him that hee may not reiect him vvhich calleth to him The same may be said concerning sanctificatioÌ„ Fourthly our Regeneration is but once begun howsoeuer our holinesse sometimes increaseth and sometimes decreaseth The Scripture speaketh but of one new birth As there is saith Austen one fleshlie generation neither can there be made a returne into the vvombe so is there one spirituall regeneration Semel enim nascimur semel quoque renascimur We are once borne and we are once born anew We are but once brought forth by our naturall mother once begotten by our naturall father so wee are but once begotten of our heaueÌ„ly father and but once brought foorth and borne of our spirituall mother which is the Church Fiftly Sanctification is an infallible argument of eternall saluation Grace is the testification of glorie and glory is the promised compensation of grace Godlinesse hath the promise of this life and of that vvhich is to come When vve haue receiued mortification and sanctification is hansels of Gods mercies theÌ„ may vvee hope for heauen for they that haue receiued grace shall also receiue glorie And as we haue behaued our selues in the kingdom of grace in this world so it shal be done vnto vs in the kingdom of glorie in the world to come Holinesse is a signe of honor and the more we haue of holinesse the more wee shall haue of honour Sixtly sanctificatioÌ„ is a very excellent commodious worke of God First because it is wrought by his own finger by his own hand engrauen vpon the tables of our harts Secondly that it is a Reformation and change according to the vvhole law of God and containes in it the seeds of all good duties Thirdly because without it our life is most vile and despicable wholly corrupt and sinfull For as Augustine saith hovv can hee liue iustly that is not iustified Hovv can he liue holily vvho is not sanctified Or hovv can hee liue at all who is not raised vp to life Seauently Sanctification is in this life imperfect Sinne is not all at once consumed but the scum thereof is almost continually boiling and walloping in vs foming out much filthy froth and stinking sauours If vve say saith Iohn that vve haue no sinne vvee deceiue our selues and trueth is not in vs. There is none so holie saith Gregorie vvhich hath not in him some corruption which hee may lament No man saith Lactantius can be vvithout sinne so long as he is burthened with the garment of his flesh Death must end the conflict betwixt the flesh and the spirit So long as we liue sinne will not die Iâ—ie will liue till the Oke bee hewen downe Before there be an vniuersal clensing there must bee a dissolution of nature The body must first rot before grace shall raigne without disturbance It is true indeed that the corruption of our nature is abolished in Baptisme in respect of guilt and condemnation but not in regard of existence Concupiscence saith Ambrose is taken avvay in Baptisme Non vt non sit sed ne obsit Not as touching the being of it but in that it shall bee no impediment of saluation to them that are baptised with water and the holy Ghost For it is to such no Prince but a Rebell only it neither shall damne them nor dominere within them But as a Serpent cut in diuerse peeces hath but certaine reliques of poison and remnants of fiercenes in the maimed members mangled parts thereof and is not able to exercise the like violence to a man as when it was whole and perfitlie membred so howsoeuer sâ—me relicks of sinnes remaine in our old but in our martired Adam yet it hath no such force or fiercenesse to preuaile against vs at vvhen it vvas in perfit age beeing then like to a mightie Monarch rather then to a poore prisoner And although those that are regenerated may bee termed iust and perfit yet it is onely in comparison of the wicked who are in bondage vnder sinne respect of Imputatiue righteousnesse and for that they are perfect because like Infants they haue all the parts of a Christian and not the perfection of those parts All the seeds of sauing graces are sowen in their harts but they haue not the â—ull groath of them in this life No man is so vvashed but he may haue dusty feete trauelling after his washing And as Ansâ—lme speaketh The bodie of sin is destroyed not that in bred conâ—upiscence should be on the suddaine consumed and quite extirped iâ— the very flesh that liueth but that it may be no let to him that is dead in whom it was vvhen he vvas aliue It is destroied not from hauing a beeing vvhiles vve are aliue but that vve should not be compeld to serue it Sin shall be but it shall not be to raigne but rather that the regenerate man may vex and afflict it like a most odious enemy and cut off as it were the hands and the feet thereof as Adonibezeks were by the Israelites till at length it be cleane defaced The trueth of that which hath beene spoken will euidently bee seene by this comparison Take a vessell full of vvater let a portion be taken out and an equall portion of hot vvater be put in it becomes luke-vvarme all of it partly hot and partly cold euen so euerie man is a vessel of vvater filled vvith corruption to the briâ—â— if a part of his corruption be taken avvay and a proportionall part of holinesse put instead of it the vvhole man becomes partly holie partly vnholie And albeit holinesse and sin be contrary yet may they be both in one subiect as light and darknes in the aire at the twilight beeing there remisâ—y neither of them predominant or absolute victour but remaining in continuall combat Now the reasons why the Lord doth not finish mans sanctification in this life may be these First that we might seeke after perfection more earnestly and couet it more ardently Secondly that despising this world we might the more affect our heauenly life as knowing that our perfect sanctification shall not bee wrought till wee come into heauen Thirdly that we might be humbled and exercised in faith patience prayers and skirmiâ—hing with the flesh might not wax proud with a conceipt of perfectioÌ„ but daily pray Enter not into iudgement vvith thy seruant O Lord Forgiue vs our trespasses Caluin saith that our reparation is not finished all at once but that God doth abolish the corruption of the flesh by degrees iâ— his elect That they may exercise themselues in repentance all their life and know that of this vvarfare there is no end but iâ— death Fourthly the