not let our Peace while wee know that all things shall worke to our good that we shall be more then conquerers that God will not leaue vs nor forsake vs. Fourthly and lastly our Peace considered as abouesaid doth flow from the gift of the spirit which teacheth vs in some manner to know these things which are next aboue named we haue not receiued the spirit of the world but the spirit of God which teacheth vs to know the things bestowed vpon vs Nihil noÌ„ precognitum afficit voluntatem for nothing can worke vpon the affections as to make vs feare ioy further then it is knowne and wee see that a condemned prisoner though that his pardon be sealed yet is no lesse subiect to feare then before till the matter commeth to his eare and hee be infallibly certified of it Thus much for the grounds which are in some measure wheresoeuer true Peace is in any degree The more full Peace commeth from a further worke of Gods grace in vs which represseth or vanquisheth for a time all perturbations which spirituall wickednesses vnbeleefe vnholinesse in generall want of godly contentation defects in our conditions might occasion For looke as vnto bright cleere light more is required then that the Sunne should be present inlightening the ayre to wit that it should be in that strength present as to waste and disperse all darkesome clouds so heere to this full peace it is necessary that all perturbations should be more fully remooued Thus much for the opening this benefit Vse 1 Now the vse of this is first to stirre vs vp to seek after the true Peace Peace is a sweet thing so sweet that many a man doth so loue it that he will suffer much wrong rather then to giue any way to disquiet What were all the riches of this kingdome what were al the contentments of our priuate state vnto vs if we wanted this Peace If we could not eat our meate but with danger of hauing our throats cut before we should rise were the case thus would we not flie from our natiue Countries and seeke vs habitations where wee might liue peaceably That which a wound is in the flesh that which a sicke distemper is in our body that is disquiet and trouble in the minde Wherfore let vs flye by faith to the Prince of Peace Christ Iesus Vse 2 2 Wee must stirre vp our selues to be thankfull for this so excellent a benefit Should God suffer the Deuill to trouble vs with the guilt of sinne should he let the power of it rage vsurp so in vs as to inforce vs to cry ô miserable that we are should the Lord suffer the Diuell to haue such power as to tempt vs with blasphemous suggestions with prouocations to selfe-murder should hee let such discontented frets dwell in our mindes which did wast our liuers and make vs pine away with the anguish of them euen in this it were our duties to be thankefull how much more when we walke all the day long with inward tranquillity Wouâ—â— not any thinke himselfe faulty that should not thanke God for this temporall peace of our Kingdome that we heare not the drumme the trumpet the clattering of armour but that thou hast part in this peace which maketh thee free from feare of death hell the world all wickednesses which maketh thee sleepe secure wheresoeuer the winde lye for none can blow but to bring thee in profit if thou knowest this peace how much more art thou bound to break forth into the praise of thy most mercifull God Doct. 5 Obserue further from this he first nameth Grace then Peace as springing from the former Obserue hence that all true Peace is that which is bred in vs from the knowledge of Gods loue towards vs. Would we know true Peace if we finde that Gods loue doth cause in vs this Grace heere spoken of we may be sure our peace is sound To open this you must know that Gods grace or loue doth proue it selfe in common to all or more specially to some and may be called a common or a speciall Grace Now the Peace which is grounded vpon conceit of a common goodnes of God towards vs is not sound Peace for euen the beasts enioy common fauour from their Creator God saueth man and beast hee openeth his hand and filleth them his mercy is ouer all his workes this more common or vniuersall mercy as I may call it But here ariseth a necessary question viz. How I may discerne Gods speciall grace from this more common Ans First this speciall grace springeth from another fountaine common Grace commeth hence God is a faithfull Creator patient and kind toward the vnkindest vessels of wrath Hence it is that he doth them good that his goodnes may not want a witnesse in their owne conscience Acts 14.17 but this speciall Grace commeth from hence that hee is reconciled to vs in his Sonne Grace truth through Christ Iesus he hath made vs beloued in his well-beloued Iohn 1. Ephes 1.7 Secondly hence commeth a difference in the benefits for that common fauour giueth benefits to the preseruation of this naturall life but this loue in Christ giueth supernaturall benefits of repentance faith hope inward change of heart and affections Hence followeth a third difference for common Grace is acknowledged sometimes while the benefits of this life are afforded men but they neyther feele nor confesse Grace when these are bereaued but this spirituall Grace which commeth from Christ and standeth chiefly in supernaturall gifts this is felt often most abundantly in afflictions Rom. 5. Afflictions breed patience patience experience experience hope the loue of God being shed into the heart for as the darknesse of the night hindereth not the bright-shine of the starre no more doth the darkenesse of afflictions obscure the bright-shine of this Grace toward vs. Yea wee shall finde this in experience if before our troubles we doe not ouertly skinne our soares sparing our selues in our sinnes partly by not prouoking our selues to due repentance partly by not seeking to get the roots of rebellion throughly mortified partly by not endeuouring to weane our selues from all inordinate earthly delight in the creature for our superficiall sleighting in matter of repentance our boysterous proud impatience not well subdued our vnweanednes to some thing or other these 3. doe make an Ecclipse of the light of Gods countenance when now we are afflicted This by the way A fourth difference in these graces may be taken from the effect of them in the hart for the grace a carnall naturall man feeleth neuer maketh his heart flie vp from all earthly things and reioyce in God whom he seeth fauourable but euen as a harlot her loue is more to rings bracelets or gold sent her then it is to the senders so the world an adulteresse her affections are altogether on the creatures and good benefits giuen them nothing in comparison vpon God himselfe But the true
is but possible in his sight Obiect 4 I answere It is as much absurdity as to set downe the end with my selfe before I consider the meane which leadeth vnto it or to appoint the end why he maketh his creature before he goe about to make Obiect 5 The second part of the fift argument is denyed that which is free in the first rise is free though it be now necessarily performed God giueth a true perseuering beleeuer life and that necessarily for he cannot deny himselfe and yet he doth it freely in regard he passed his promise freely Obiect 6 The first part is false viz. That he who cannot execute worse on the creature then annihilation cannot so dispose of it that worse will at length befall the creature then annihilation For Gods making the creature doth giue him right not onely to annihilate it but to vse it to the vtmost that lawfully may be to his glory Now to passe by a creature in regard of grace no waies due to it and to decree the glory of his iustice in the iust deserued punishment of it hath no appearance of iniustice Obiect 7 The former proposition is not true It is inough if by Gods decree of permitting sinne they may become sinfull which is the truth For God did by his decree of permission shut vp all in sinne that he might haue mercy vpon all Obiect 8 The assumption is denied The effect was alike by creation but the loue borne to some in regard of life eternall was not yeelded to othersome the euent doth tell it a loud for why on the like fall and misery of all doth he shew such riches of grace to some aboue other some Certainely because before the fall he had loued them to life Hence it is that all the grace shewed after sin is but an Epiphony of that loue which God did beare before the fall Obiect 9 To the last I deny that Gods decree of permitting sinne doth take away liberty in sinning While Gods decree did not take away his iudgement but that he did worke by counsell and thinke the thing such as hee might doe or not doe while hee sinned with this iudgement he sinned freely though neuer so necessarily If Gods decree to permit a sin doth not bring on of necessitie the being of that sin then if God permit or deliuer a sinner to sin no sin follow But this latter is most absurd for God might haue his action made frustrate and when God giueth a man paenaly vp to sinne it should be in the creatures power whether Gods iudgement should be executed on him yea or no. Thus hauing discussed this question we passe on to the last circumstance The next end of our election Vse 1 The Vse of this Doctrine is first to indeare this loue of God to vs We see in humane loues if one haue of 20. 30. of 40. yeares borne vs good will this circumstance of antiquity doth make it more respected of vs. How should we account of this loue which before all worlds the Lord did beare vs accordingly as he hath manifested the same in vs who beleeue Vse 2 This doth giue vs to consider how constant the Lords loue is As we find it in time so he did intend it towards vs from all eternity Thus he goeth on not onely within himselfe but towards vs without any alteration or shadow of change and thus he will doe for whom he once loueth vnto life he doth loue him euer as Christ speaketh We doe feele changes but looke as the Skie is variable the Sunne in it selfe being no whit changed thus the effects of God in vs varie though himselfe in his affection if I may so speake is immutable toward vs. Vse 3 Lastly We may hence gather the freedome of Gods loue choosing vs to life things which are not cannot haue vertue of causing this or that When we were not ne yet had done any thing before all worlds we were chosen by him ergo Saint Paul Rom. 9. saith God chose Iacob before he was or had done any thing that the election might be according to free purpose and Saint Paul 2 Tim. 1. saith that we are saued not by workes but according to grace giuen vs before all worlds whereas merit of works and grace giuen vs before all worlds are opposed If any say that Paul excludeth works then present when God electeth it nothing hindereth but that he might from eternity fore-see workes whereon before all worlds he came to elect This is but an old Pelagian euasion for Paul speaketh against all workes which stand not with free grace in electing Now workes meritorious fore-seene are as opposite to grace as workes meritorious really existing If I doe any thing for reward which I see will befall me it is as â—arre from being done freely as if it were done on reward before-hand receiued Againe he cannot choose on workes fore-seene because he cannot see any to come which he doth not first predestinate that they should be Now then for him to choose on fore-seene workes is to say that God first predestinateth and causeth such whom he wil choose to haue such and such works that after he may choose them which is to turne the Cart before the Horse This francke loue of his can neuer be enough extolled If a man of eminencie choose to him for wife some woman who hath neither dowrie nor friends ne yet hath beauty or breeding extraordinary the part is maruailous in our eyes But well may we wonder at this fact of God who when we were not ne yet had any thing which might commend vs did freely set his liking on vs and loue vs to life But of this more in the next Doctrine Now we come to the last point to be obserued in this Verse to what God hath chosen vs That we should be holy and spotlesse before him in loue This end is al one with that otherwhere named viz. Saluation Who hath chosen you from the beginning to Saluation through faith and sanctification that is to be entred by beliefe and the first beginning of it the sanctification of the spirit And heere three things are to be marked 1. The state of perfection which agreeth to the life whereto we are chosen that wee may be holy and without spot 2. The circumstance of person in whose presence we shal liue this life before him 3. The life it selfe which is as it were the subiect of this perfection in Loue. A little to insist in the explication of this clause because it conteineth more then is commonly marked Holinesse is put sometime for all or any sanctifying graces of Gods spirit which make vs holy 1 Thes 4.7 2 Cor. 7.1 Sometime it is put more particularly eyther to note a vertue which inclineth vs to doe in such manner as beseemeth both the presence of God and our selues who are Saints by profession or a state of purity and perfection to which we come in vertue and this life
two things be remembred First that when the words of knowledge doe together by connotation imply affection much more doe the words of beleefe and Ergo where I finde to beleeue that Christ is the Sonne of God I must conceiue this beleefe to containe confidence in the Sonne Secondly to remember that when faith of any temporary promise is said to be accounted for righteousnesse it is because it doth in beleeuing the thing temporall apprehend him in whom all the promises are yea and Amen who is at least the remoued obiect of a iustifying faith in euery thing it apprehendeth Thus Abraham beleeuing the promise of seede of Isaac did apprehend that blessed seede which had from the beginning beene promised and saw his day which the Apostle doth testifie Gal. 3. Neither did he looke at the power of God but to sustaine his beleefe of a seede before promised against the temptations wherewith God did exercise him that we haue a particular word and in effect to beleeue on Christ vnto forgiuenesse of our sinnes I haue shewed aboue Vse Wherefore let vs rest on Christ alone as our rocke flye to him as our true sanctuary This Papists come to in death renouncing any confidence in their fooleries this themselues giue testimony vnto that it is the surest and he is not wise who will not take the safest way for his soules saluation Doct. 3 The third Doctrine is that faith and loue are neuer disioyned but goe each in hand one with the other From what time we beleeue men will doe any great good things for vs we feele a loue arise toward them so from what time by faith wee apprehend loue in God toward vs through Christ we feele loue reflecting from vs toward him according to that we loue him because we haue knowne and beleeued his loue to vs First faith must bring the holy fire of Gods loue into our frozen hearts or they will neuer be warmed with feruent loue to God againe The sinfull soule doth see Gods loue forgiuing it many sinnes then it loueth much againe In nature we see nothing can moue in desire to this or that till first it hath apprehended it louely So our affections cannot in loue and desire moue to and vnite themselues with God till by faith wee doe discerne him as reconciled to vs so becomming an amiable obiect for vs sinners to imbrace till that faith discerneth this nothing but wrath like a consuming fire abideth ouer vs. Hence it is that Saint Paul 1 Tim. maketh loue to flow from faith vnfained and Gal. 5. he saith that faith worketh by loue not as fire maketh hot by heate which is a formall property inherent in it but as the soule doth this or that by the hand which is an externe instrument conioyned vnto it for loue is not any essentiall cause which doth giue being to faith but it is a grace without the being of faith though ioyned vnto by which as an instrument faith worketh Vse 1 The Vse of this Doctrine is to show how vniustly they slander vs as teaching a faith alone without other graces when we hold according to the Scipture that there can be no true faith without loue nor loue without true faith for the first is but a dead carkase this latter is but blinde deuotion neither is pleasing to God Indeede we teach that faith iustifieth vs alone without other graces not in regard of their presence but in regard of their co-working with faith to this effect of our iustification It is one thing to say the eye is in the head without other senses and another thing to say the eye doth see alone no other sense seeing with it Vse 2 This must make vs trie the truth of our faith for if our hearts haue not been kindled with loue to God they neuer truely beleeued his loue in Christ We may easilier carry coales in our bosome without burning then by faith apprehend truely this loue of our God without finding our hearts burne in loue to him answerably Vse 3 We see that loue is an effect following faith euen loue to God himselfe They make the tree to beare the roote who will haue loue giue being to faith but this is but a consequent of Lombards errour who did hold loue to be no other thing then the holy Ghost himselfe Doct. 4 Obserue lastly who are the persons on whom the loue of true beleeuers is set viz. the Saints yea all Saints True Christian loue next to God and our owne soules maketh vs affect those who are sanctified who expresse the vertues in their life of our heauenly Father by whom we are called from darkenesse to light Hence it is that the Saints the houshold of faith the brethren are commended as persons whom we must affect and doe good to before all other Thus our God loueth Psalme 147.10 not the strength of horse nor legs of man but those that feare him are his delight Thus Christ loued Who is my father and mother c. hee that heareth and obeyeth Thus Paul and Dauid loued We loue none according to the flesh all my delight is in the Saints in them who excell in vertue Euery creature loueth and liketh to be with those who are vnited with it in communication of the same nature So sanctified Christians cannot but loue and like to be most with them who haue receiued the like diuine nature in which themselues are partaker yea it loueth all Saints not such who haue other parts pleasing and contentfull but it loueth euery one in whom it can see the image of God shining for it cannot be but that loue which truely loueth one person as he is holy shou d loue euery one so far forth as he is holy yea though we are to esteeme and inwardly affect men as we see them holy we are not bound to shew them the outward effects of our loue answerably The neerer persons are tyed to vs in naturall and ciuill bonds the more must our prouidence be for them and loue shewed them in outward things vnlesse their foolish lewdnesse dispriuiledge them this way for then the prouerbe taketh place A wise seruant may be preferred before a foolish childe Vse 1 This then doth reproue many who indeede hate and would show it were it pollicie those who endeauour to liue holily traduce the name of Saints nickname them as Puritans such who cannot be themselues but when they are in company with Swearers Gamsters good fellowes such who will seeme to relish some odde persons who are indeede truely holy but others in whom holinesse is apparant they cannot endure it is to be feared they loue those whom they doe not because they see holinesse but for some by respects which within themselues they haue conceiued Some who are all for a sound iust dealing well natured man though he be neuer such a stranger from matter of religion Yea I would many of the Lords children through selfe-loue did not loue too well
A COMMENTARIE VPON THE FIRST Chapter of the Epistle of Saint PAVL written to the EPHESIANS WHEREIN BESIDES the Text fruitfully explained some principall Controuersies about Predestination are handled and diuers Arguments of Arminius are examined By Mr PAVL BAYNE sometime Preacher of Gods Word at Saint ANDREVVES in CAMBRIDGE PHIL. 2.13.14 Worke out your owne saluation with feare and trembling For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to doe of his good pleasure LONDON Printed by THOMAS SNODHAM for ROBERT MILBOVRNE and are to be sold in Pauls Church-yard at the Signe of the Beare 1618. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL Sir HENRY YELVERTON Knight His Maiesties Atturney Generall all happinesse of this life and the next MOst respected Sir I need not certifie you bow singular is commendation of greatnesse it is to haue goodnesse linked with it whether it be that goodnes which is conuersant in doing kinde offices to the liuing or to the dead Nay surely that good which is stretched forth to the liuing in some regards is the inferiour of the two as which may eyther in heart or deed be recompenced but that which is performed toward the deceased can not at all by him that is not be known much lesse can it be any way requited Onely it remaines as an high commendation to the liuing that they still exercise acts of Loue and goodnesse toward such as are departed this present life This I speake Right worshipfull Sir to prouoke you at this time to vouchsafe the gracious aspect of your countenance and your worthy Patronage to this ensuing Commentary of a godly learned man now at rest in the Lord. He was once of the same Colledge where your Worship began to lay the foundation of your owne studies and was not vnknown to your selfe In which regards I haue made the bolder with you in becomming an humble and earnest suiter that you would be pleased of your goodnes to suffer this Orphane-Treatise to repose it selfe vnder your wings whereof if it shall please you Worthy Sir as your many and great affaires will permit to reade some passage or place I doubt not but you shall meet with matters which at once may both profit and delight you The Author whilest hee liued had an indisposition and antipathy to the Presse but since his death diuers learned men haue pressed mee not to conceale some writings of his which came to my hands yea they haue challenged mee as indebted to the Church and common good touching the publication of this part especially Accept therefore I pray you Right Worshipfull Sir my tendred duty of Dedicating this worke to your name which if it shall please you to doe I shall rest exceedingly bounden to pray for the continuance and increase of all prosperity to you from the God who is neuer wanting to honour those who honour him Your Worships ready bounden to all good seruices E. C. To the Reader NOtwithstanding the worlds complaint of the surfeit of Bookes hasty wits being ouer-forward to vent their vnripe and mishapen conceits yet in all ages there hath been and will be necessary vses of holy Treatises applyable to the varietie of occasions of the time because men of weaker conceits cannot so easily of themselues discerne how one truth is inferred from another and proued by another especially when truth is controuerted by men of more subtile and stronger wits Whereupon as Gods truth hath in all ages beene opposed in some branches of it so the diuine prouidence that watcheth ouer the Church raised vp some to sence the Truth and make vp the breach Men gifted proportionably to the time and as well furnisht to fight Gods battels as Sathans champions haue beene to stand for him neither haue any points of Scripture beene more exactly discussed then those that haue beene most sharpely oppugned opposition whetting both mens wits and industry and in seuerall ages men haue beene seuerally exercised The ancientest of the fathers had to deale with them without the Pagans and especially with proud Heretickes that made their owne conceits the measure of holy truth beleeuing no more then they could comprehend in the articts of the Trinity and natures of Christ whence they bent their forces that way and for other matter wrote more securely Not long after the enemies of grace and flatterers of nature stirred vp Saint Augustine to challenge the doctrine of Gods predestination and grace out of their hands which he did with great successe as fitted with grace learning and wit for such a conflict and no Scriptures are more faithfully handled by him then those that were wrested by his opposites and such as made for the strengthning of his owne cause In other writings hee tooke more liberty His Schollers prosper Fulgentius and others interessed themselues in the same quarrell In processe of time men desirous of quiet and tyred with controuersies began to lay aside the study of Scriptures and hearken after an easier way of ending strife by the determination of one man the Bishop of Rome whom virtually they made the whole Church so the people were shut vp vnder ignorance and implicite faith which pleased them well as easing them of labour of search as vpon the same irkesomenesse of trouble in the Easterne parts they yeelded to the confusion and abomination of Mahometisme And least Schollers should haue nothing to doe they were set to tye and vntie Schoole-knots and spinne questions out of their owne braine in which brabbles they were so taken vp that they sleightly looked to other matters as for questions of weight they were schooled to resolue all into the decisiue sentence of the sea Apostolicke the authoritie of which they bent their wits to aduance yet then Wisedome found children to iustifie her for Scriptures that made for authority of Princes and against vsurpation of Popes were well cleared by Occam Marsilius Patauinus and others as those of predestination and grace by Ariminensis Bradwardine and their followers against Pelagianisme then much preuailing At length the Apostasie of Popery spread so far that God in pitty to his poore Church raised vp men of inuincible courage vnwearied paines and great skill in Tongues and Arts to free Religion so deepely inthralled from whence it is that we haue so many iudicious Tractates and Commentaries in this latter age And yet will there be necessary vse of further search into the Scriptures as new heresies arise or old are reuiued and further strengthned The conuiction of which is then best when their crookednesse is brought to the streight rule of Scriptures to be discouered Besides new expositions of Scriptures will be vsefull in respect of new temptations corruptions in life and cases of conscience in which the minde will not receiue any satisfying resolution but from explication and application of Scriptures Moreouer it is not vnprofitable that there should be diuers Treatises of the same portion of Scriptures because the same truth may be better conueyed to the conceits of
to whom God reuealeth it as none but the Son knoweth the Father such to whom the Son reuealeth it 2. God onely knoweth his celectiuely taken that is the whole vniuersity of his chosen no meere man nor creature doth in this sense know who are Gods Obie Could we know that we haue true faith holines we might know our Election but wee cannot for many who haue them not thinke they haue them many who haue them in some sort fall from them many who haue them so as they shall not faile yet may misse in iudging of their estates as Peter If all should forsake thee c. To this I answere First though a man dreame he eate or be in this or that condition and be deceiued yet a man who is that or that waking doth know it and is not deluded So here though the dreaming man who is a sleepe in sinne may mocke himselfe the man who is awake and walketh with God is not mistaken To the second I answere Many who haue temporary graces fall from them but this letteth not but a man who hath that grace which maketh the heart honest may know that his grace shall abide and is such as shall be accompanied with perseuerance Because some thinke counterfeit money good siluer it followeth not but that we may know that which is good from that which is otherwise Finally though a true sanctified man may be deceiued in iudging of his measure of loue or strength it followeth not that therefore hee cannot iudge at all truely of his estate I may be deceiued in iudging how wise I am how strong but not in iudging that I liue haue sense moue so it was with Peter But this is by the way Vse 1 The Vse of this Doctrine is to let vs see that we may come to know our Election If we finde that our hearts haue that faith on Christ by which they are purified he who may know he hath that faith which is the faith of the elect he may know he is elected also Wherefore let vs striue to make our election sure We will diue into the affections of men we cannot be at rest till wee know how they are minded toward vs. What beseemeth a childe more then to labour that he may know his fathers goodnesse to him We should seeke to God to witnesse to vs by his spirit this grace to make vs vnderstand it through the word we should trie our faith and sanctification this is the counterpane written out by the originall copie that will of God within himselfe choosing vs to holinesse The want of this paines maketh some that they come to call in question Gods loue election yea whether euer they had grace yea or no. Should any corporation choose vs to any place of dignity profit we would quickly learne it and if wee had but an inckling wee would not rest till we had found the whole matter I would faithfull soules were as wise in this matter Vse 2 They are hence rebuked who thinke that those that are elect cannot be knowne that it is presumption to goe so farre But shall wee giue thankes as Paul doth for that we doe not know besides are we bid to beleeue the Gospell a part whereof this is we must not be proudly arrogant to thinke wee can search these things to the full for to see things vnuisible and search things vnsearchable are a like vnpossible We must not therefore be arrogant aboue that is written nor yet vnthankefully negligent so farre as to neglect that which is written for our instruction In him Doct. 3 Obserue in what order we are chosen This grace of election beginneth first with Christ our head and descendeth to vs in him it noteth the order in which we are elected not the cause of election wee must not thinke that wee are first elected and that Christ then by occasion of our fall is elected no he is the first begotten amongst all his brethren hauing the praeeminence He was sealed and set a part to be the Prince of our saluation to the glory of grace before for nature that we were elected Hee was fore-knowne before the foundation of the world 1 Pet. 1. The wise prouidence of God doth dispose euery thing so much more principally and timely by how much it is more excellent Hence it is that it doth not thinke of electing predestinating vs who are as a body and come by occasion to thinke on him who is the head afterward 2. We are predestinated to be made like vnto him Now that master picture and first patterne is before that which is drawne by it and done after Christ was the chiefe patterne of the election of grace And looke as it were an vnnaturall thing for the feete to come forth of the wombe before the head So for vs to come forth of this wombe before our head to me seemeth very preposterous yet I say though he is first chosen to that glory which became him as a head he is not the cause why we are chosen Euen as the first Adam is not the cause why God did loue one so that I should be a man and haue this naturall life and being though in and through him I come to haue this being So Christ is not the cause why God would haue me rather then others haue this being and life aboue nature though I attaine to and receiue this being in him for his sake and through him The loue of God as immediately commeth from himselfe to me as to Christ this loue whereby he would haue me to receiue supernaturall life and blessednesse with himselfe But here two weighty Obiections are to be answered for hence two erroneous conclusions are inferred in this wise Obiect 1 The first proueth that we as elected are now considered as fallen into sinne Those who are chosen in him whose promise and exhibition commeth in after sinne they are considered as now in sinne before they are chosen But we are chosen in him c. Rep. The first part is not true as which presupposeth that things are in Gods intention in the same order in which we see them in execution Things in their materiall existing haue one order in their intending another I want a house to dwell in I must hire or build one I cannot get any let to me say I well then I intend to build me a dwelling house I cannot without workemen I intend in the third place to hire Carpenters and Masons but because my workemen can doe nothing without matter hence I decree to prepare stone wood Now in executing I first set stone and wood the matter then I hire workemen then I rayse the frame then I enter and dwell in it In order of materiall existing Christ is reuealed promised exhibited after sinne but he was intended before sinne the Apostle reckoned the order in which things exist 1 Cor. 3.22.23 the world you the Elect Christ God but he giueth vs to vnderstand the
order of intention first God intendeth his owne glory then Christ then the Church then the World He who is elected and fore-knowne to be a Lambe taking away sinne a mediator redeeming from sinne and death he is elected himselfe after sinne foreseene and by consequent all in him But Christ is so foreknowne and elected Ergo. I should deny the first part of this reason for I see not why God should not choose predestinate him who should saue his chosen from sinne before he decreed or ordered that they should fall into sinne It is no ill prouidence to prepare my salue before I will let my childe out himselfe But some may say If God doe first appoint Christ to redeeme from sinne then hee must procure the being of sinne and so be the author of sinne Beside that this were nothing but to breake ones head that I may after heale it To this I say that it is good that sinne should be as Austin saith and that which is good so farre as it is good God may effectually procure it Praecipiendo mouendo non quiescendo consentiendo Hee is said to be the author of those things which he commandeth and worketh mouing the heart by habits which himselfe infuseth Ergo cannot be said to be the author of sinne If a man make a gash to prooue the excellency of some healing balme I see not why God may not prepare and giue way to the sinfull fall of his creature especially seeing hee knoweth how to mend better then his first making To the second part of the reason might be answered that Christ was not primarily and immediately chosen and predestinated a Lambe a Mediator of redemption but a Head and Prince of saluation who should saue all to the glory of Grace Now being chosen to this end hee is by force of this hee is chosen vpon sinne falling forth to be a sacrifice a Lambe taking away sinne for hee who is chosen to the end is chosen to the Meanes The second thing hence inferred is that foresight of Faith and perseuerance in it as a necessary condition before we can be elected Such who are chosen in Christ such are now fore-seene beleeuers when they are chosen for none are in Christ but such as beleeue But wee are chosen in him c. The first part of this reason is denied with the proofe of it There is a double being in any thing Virtuali continentia Actuali in existentia the one in vertue the other in actuall existing In the roote of corne there is blade eare in vertue but in haruest time the eare and blade are as it were actually hauing their existence in with the root So we are two waies in Christ First in vertue inasmuch as by force of Gods Election wee shall in time haue life and being from him Secondly when now by faith we come actually to exist in and with him who is the roote of vs. Now the first being in Christ requireth not faith but the second the first being heere to be vnderstood To the second part wee deny that this or any text saith we are chosen being now by faith in Christ for this sense maketh in Christ to belong to the obiect of relation whereas the scope of this place doth necessarily make it belong to the act of electing in this manner as for example He hath chosen vs in him viz. Iesus Christ my selfe with you Thus we might heere take occasion to discusse these two great questions 1. Whether man as now fallen be the subiect of election 2. Whether Election is of such who are in Gods foresight faithfull But I will handle the first in the next Doctrine the latter in the last conclusion or doctrine of this verse From this then that wee are beloued in Christ as our head wee may gather our happinesse O how firme is that coniunction which is begun in such a head who is God with God blessed for euer If Kings beare good will to some family if his loue begin in some chiefe one who is with him at Court as his speciall fauourite it is so much the firmer to all the rest of them Thus here how firme sure is his loue to vs whom he hath loued to life in Christ our Head and eldest brother who is his naturall Sonne from whom it is impossible that his loue should euer start and when it is sure to the head can the body be forsaken Doct. Before the foundation of the world Obserue what ancient loue the Lord hath born vs in Christ it is not of yesterday but before all worlds that his loue rested on vs electing vs to saluation such as should stand with the praise of his glory 2 Tim. 1.9 There is mention of Grace giuen vs before all worlds Ioh. 17.24 Make it manifest that thou louest them as thou louedst mee before the foundation of the world I haue loued thee with an euerlasting loue saith the Prophet Earthly men will purchase to themselues and heyres when it is but a possibility whether they shall haue heyre of their body yea or no. Againe they will shew their care of posterity while yet they are vnborne by making sure intayles But our Father of all the Fatherhood in heauen and earth doth when wee were but possible creatures before him loue vs to this end of supernaturall blessednesse for by this phrase I take not onely eternity but the degree of order in eternity is noted that for order before the being of the world was willed by him hee did shew vs this grace of choosing vs to life Heere therefore is fit place to consider of that question Whether God foreseeth man as fallen before he elect him The question I should answer negatiuely but in determining of it we wil consider 1. The arguments which affirm it 2. The reasons which deny 3. Wee will shew what we take to be the trueth in this matter answering the arguments which are here propounded to the contrary 1 First then the execution is vrged to prooue our Election after sinne Those whom God now fallen into sinne iustifieth saueth and condemneth those now being in sinne he chose to saue and decreed to condemne But God saueth and condemneth men now fallen into sinne Ergo. 2 Those who are chosen out of mercy and reprobated out of Iustice they are now foreseene in misery by sinne But our Election is out of mercy and reprobation is out of Iustice Ergo. 3 Those which are not or haue not any way being they cannot be elected or reiected But before Decree of Creation men are not Ergo. The first part is plaine that which hath no being can haue no affections that cannot be thus or thus which is not at all 4 That which maketh God first decree mans reiection to the glory of his Iustice before his being or corruption is considered that is absurd But this Doctrine of choosing and reprobating before mans fall doth so Ergo. 5 That which maketh God
of loue which here is begun in vs thus when Christ saith Blessed are the poore in heart hee doth not so much note any singular vertue as a state to which some heere come aboue othersome in vertue and thus I thinke it is taken heere both because these words doe signifie a state of Christian perfection and because here is Loue expressed as the subiect the life in which wee shall attaine this perfection For that second circumstance those words before him doe note sometime this presence of God which wee haue heere in state of Grace by sight Luke 1. But heere it doth directly signifie that presence which wee shall haue of God when now we are brought to state of perfection when we shall walk by sight and see him as he is Lastly when hee saith in Loue hee noteth that supernaturall life in which wee shall be brought to this perfection as if hee should haue spoken more largely Who hath chosen vs as who should haue that supernaturall being and life of Loue yea that wee should grow to such a state in it that we should be pure or holy without the least spot and that in his glorious presence whom we shall then see as he is Three things then heere offer themselues to obseruation Obs 1 1. That God hath of Grace chosen vs to that supernaturall life of loue which is to be perfected in the heauens Obs 2 2. That he hath not onely of grace chosen vs to this life but to the perfection of it Obs 3 3. That hee hath of grace taken vs to haue this perfection of life to his owne glorious presence To handle them briefly in order 1. First for the former S. Peter saith the faithfull was chosen of God to the sanctification of the spirit that is in effect to be made partakers of a Diuine nature and when we are said chosen to saluation or glory This is chiefly perfection of Loue which doth make the soule glorious euen as whitenesse maketh the wall white thus God hath loued vs that wee should not onely haue such a life of God giuen vs in the first Adam as was due to our nature and created together with it but such a life as is both for kinde and degree aboue all that nature created did know the root whereof is that second Adam Christ Iesus Looke as all of vs who haue this naturall life and being which now as men and women all of vs haue we were loued of God so farre as to receiue it in Adam and be brought to it through him and looke as all that shall be borne to the end of the world and be in time men and women were loued of God and chosen as it were that they should in their times haue the nature of man so heere wee who now haue this life of God liue and all that euer shall haue the holy life which the spirit of God worketh in the hearts of beleeuers wee and they were from eternity chosen that in time wee should haue it deriued and propagated through Christ Now this is to be marked that beeing chosen to haue this holy loue the Diuine nature wee are chosen to faith also for looke as all who are loued to the receiuing of this naturall and bodily being and life are together chosen to this that they shall be borne of Adam and haue a naturall natiuity from him so all who are chosen to haue the being of holinesse and loue are together taken to this that they shall haue a supernaturall natiuity from Christ that is they shall be brought to beleeue He that beleeueth is borne of God 1 Iohn 5.1 Vse 1 Let vs then first recount his wonderfull loue to vs whom his spirit hath in any measure sanctified and made vs to partake in that Diuine nature which commeth from Christ wee deeme it his fauour and worthily that hee hath made vs Men and Women not Toades or Creatures of such vile being but how much more are wee bound to him that hee hath made vs Christian men and not left vs to such a state in which men shall come to worse passe then if they had neuer beene Because God doth not rayse all who are dead nor giue all sight who are blinde therefore wee thinke them to haue found great fauour whom God did choose to this that he would restore their sight though they were borne blinde and raise them to life though they were dead But what loue hath he shewed vs in chusing vs whom hee would make light when now we were darknesse make to liue when now we had beene dead in sinnes trespasses for this wee haue to thanke his gracious pleasure For as his will is the chiefe cause why one is poore another rich one in excellent state another in vile condition so heere why one is left in that miserable estate into which sinne hath brought vs others deliuered from it Vse 2 Secondly wee see heere how they take this Doctrine who thinke it maketh men licentious and giueth them leaue to liue as they list for all that are chosen of God are chosen of him to this that they should be holy in loue and therefore such as resolue to goe on in vnrighteousnesse they may feare least the sentence be thundered out against them Depart from me ye workers of iniquity I neuer knew you Nay there is no more effectuall argument perswading Christians to sanctification then this of our election Now as the Elect of God put on meekenesse Colos 3. If wee heare that we are chosen to any place or condition on earth which is beneficiall this that wee are chosen to it maketh vs ready and stirreth vs vp to get possessed of it Vse 3 Thirdly we see here that God doth not choose because of faith and holinesse and perseuerance foreseene seeing hee chooseth vs to these things these things follow by force of his election and therefore cannot be the cause of that which is before them for euery cause must needs be before that it causeth Now heere is fit place to consider of that question Quest Whether God in foresight of beleefe and perseuerance in faith and holinesse doe choose vs to saluation I will discusse the question after the former manner in which I will propose diuers Articles First then the Arguments affirming which I haue obserued are these 1. They who are chosen in Christ are chosen on Faith foreseene But all the Elect are chosen in Christ Ergo. 2. Such whom God doth adopt and saue such he decreed to adopt and saue He adopteth and saueth beleeuers c. 3. On what condition God offereth life vpon that condition foreseene hee chooseth to life But he offereth life vpon belieuing 4. If God choose not all on condition they will belieue then some are bound to belieue a lye for they are bound to beleeue that God will saue them But we are not bound to belieue a lye c. 5. If God chose some to saluation before faith and perseuerance
foreseene then hee loueth some to saluation whom his wrath followeth to death at the same present But Gods anger to death and loue to saluation cannot take place at once Ergo. 6. If God cannot choose any in particular before some generall conception that such and such who belieue shall be chosen then he chooseth not but on faith foreseene But God cannot c. For we prooue in our vnderstandings that we doe things in particular according to generall conceptions within our minde 7. That which maketh God choose persons to life which are not eligible is not to be admitted But an absolute election without any foresight of Faith doth so 8. The Scriptures say wee are predestinated and elected according to foreknowledge Flye lusts of youth c. The reasons for the denying part are many To leaue such named before which are common to this question also 1. This electing on faith fore-seene maketh God goe out of himselfe looking to this or that in the creature vpon which his will may be determined to elect Now this is against the all-sufficiency of God for as if he should get knowledge from things as we doe it were an imperfection in his knowledge so in his will if he must be beholding to something in vs before it can be determined Besides it maketh God intrinsecally changed now in suspence touching that wherein after on some sight hee commeth to be fully determined I will choose this man if so be he will beleeue I will vpon fore-sight of my condition absolutely choose him 2. That election of persons which hath annexed to it a decree preparing faith and iustification for the persons that are elected that is of men vnbelieuing Those who being elected are predestinated to haue faith wrought in them those are considered without faith as now they are elected Rom. 8.39 These foure and fiue Verses of this Chapter 3. If God decree to elect none till he doth see them beleeuing with perseuerance then he doth decree to giue faith and perseuerance before hee doth decree to take or ordaine to life But this is absurd for God should decree to that by which as a meane he commeth to elect before he should decree to elect Let the Arminians tell vs what is Gods end in decreeing to giue this man faith and perseuerance if not that he may choose him to life If hee haue this end in decreeing to giue faith he must needes intend the election of this person before he decree to worke in him effectually faith with perseuerance Beside the Scripture saith so many as were ordained to life beleeued 4. That which maketh God choose vs when we haue chosen him and loue vs when haue loued him first is contrary to Scripture But if God choose vs when now wee haue held the faith and loue of him to the last moment he doth choose vs after we haue chosen him 5. Christ saith we heare or beleeue because we are sheepe This saith we are sheepe or elect and ordained to life because we beleeue 6. From this verse That to which any action tendeth as an effect that is after the action it selfe But this eternall election tendeth to this that wee should be pure in loue 7. That which standeth not with the freedome of Gods will yea of his meere will within himselfe that is not to be indured in election But a condition qualifying the person maketh Gods election not meerely from his will 8. Had faith sanctification workes beene the condition on which we were elected it is like Saint Paul would haue thought on them Rom. 9.11 But he findeth no such consideration in which reason might stay it selfe but exclaimeth O the depth c. Deut. 7.7 9. That which Israels election doth typifie is not an election on fore-sight or any worthinesse But ours is typified by it ergo 10. That which Austin retracted as comming neere Pelagianisme is not like to be orthodoxe This he did so First The latter arguments perswade me fully that God doth not elect vpon any thing fore-seene in vs He decreeth on this condition though he seeth that neither they can doe it of themselues neither is he minded to worke it in them if the first then God were not omnipotent if the latter he should decree foolishly vpon that he saw impossible if the second it is all one with an absolute will which should moue him to this action of electing of vs God cannot haue such a conditionall decree I will elect all if they will beleeue For he must either thinke they can doe this without him and then he were not an omnipotent or that he would giue them effectually to beleeue then it is all one with an absolute will as for example I will elect to life such as shall beleeue I will giue these beleefe with perseuerance and will choose them to life hauing thus beleeued this is all one with this decree we maintaine I choose these to life and decree to giue them faith and perseuerance by which they shall be brought to life they are alike vpon the matter absolute Onely the former maketh God to decree the giuing of faith that he may decree election This latter maketh God decree the giuing faith onely for obtaining saluation to which we are elected Secondly I say he that can make vs fit to any end he chooseth vs may choose vs to that end before he order his meanes to bring vs thereunto Arminius will first haue him make vs fit and then decree to choose vs to life which is to set the Cart before the Horse to predestinate meanes before the end be agreed on to set predestination before fore-knowledge and election Thirdly This proposition God hath chosen vs to life beleeuing and perseuering This is true in this sense we are chosen to life to which he wil bring vs through beleeuing But if it be referred to the action of choosing in this sense God doth choose vs when now he doth see vs beleeuing that we should haue life it is not true nor agreeing to those Scriptures God hath chosen vs to saluation through sanctification and beleefe God hath ordained vs to obtaine life through Iesus Christ These three Conclusions praemised We will answer those Arguments propounded for the contrary and so proceede For the first see that which is before answered on these words in Christ viz. That God chose vs being in Christ vertually not actually Answered 2 To the second If each part be rightly taken all may be granted and our cause nothing hurt Those persons whom God saueth and adopteth thus and thus qualified in time those he did decree when they were made such by force of his predestination to adopt and saue This conclusion is true God did decree to saue certaine persons by working in them effectually faith and perseuerance But Arminius by decree vnderstandeth the decree of election to life as it is distinguished against predestination which is the decree of meanes whereby the chosen of
God shall infallably be brought to life Now the first part of the reason thus limited is false Such whom God saueth such he doth foresee them in his Decree of electing them to saluation for this taketh away all predestination of meanes seruing to bring the Elect to life and presupposeth falsly that God cannot choose any to life whom he doth not finde or foresee as actually fitted then when he doth choose them whereas he may choose though neuer so vnfit for the end if hauing chosen vs he can make vs fit for our vnfitnesse for the present to the end doth not make vs vnfit for Gods election as for example I may choose a pen to write which neuer so faulty for the present and vnfit to write with while I know I can mend it and make it fit for this purpose I answere thirdly Euen of the decree of Election this is true if rightly taken viz. Such whom God saueth in time such he elected to saluation such now when he was in electing them this is false Such he elected to wit becomming such through his election this is true The first presupposeth in Gods fore-knowledge an antecedency of faith before the act of electing The latter a concomitancie of faith in the person chosen to saluation and that by force of Gods electing For election doth choose men as well to meanes as to the end and these decrees though diuersly named and in our conceits different yet they are one thing in God Answered 3 To the third I answere That the first part is false for it presupposeth that whatsoeuer is a cause or an antecedent to life must be an antecedent going before election to life It is not necessary that all which is required to life should be required to election vnto life Say I haue twenty pounds a yeere which I may giue to any I shall choose and that my will is none shall haue my Land but he shall pay forty shillings a yeere to the vse of certaine poore whom I shall designe hauing many good friends I choose one amongst them all who shall haue my Land paying to such poore I name forty shillings a yeere In this example his paying forty shillings yeerely is a condition on which he hath the Land not any condition mouing me to choose him before others to haue my Land So God chooseth such to saluation vpon condition they beleeue this condition belongeth not to the action of God choosing but to the terminus to life to which wee are chosen Would they proue that God doth choose to life on faith they should reason thus Vpon what condition God offereth life vpon that he chooseth But on condition of our faith he offereth to choose vs with this eternall election Ergo. But we see the second part of this reason would be euidently false for in what Gospell is it written beleeue and thou shalt be elected Lastly I answere that we cannot gather the decree of God within himselfe by promise or threatning for then wee might truely gather that God had decreed the eternall death of all man-kinde but on sinning in the forbidden tree he did threaten ergo he did decree Arminius distinction of peremptory decree and not peremptory would not helpe any thing indeede this presupposeth that the signifying will of God may not any whit differ from his secret will which he keepeth within himselfe which is a most palpable false-hood Answered 4 Such who are bound to beleeue their saluation when the decree of God is not that they should be saued such are bound to beleeue a lye I deny the consequence for the truth of my faith dependeth not on a conformity with Gods secret will within himselfe but with that which he hath reuealed vnto me While I beleeue according to that he reuealeth I cannot beleeue a lye though the thing I beleeue agree not with that which God within himselfe hath purposed To illustrate the answere Abraham did verily beleeue that he was to offer vp his Sonne without any exception for he did sustaine his faith in thinking that God could raise him from the dead not thinking God would repeale his command yet Abraham beleeued not a lye because he beleeued according to that which was reuealed vnto him But then you will say God may bid vs beleeue this or that as if it were his will when hee knoweth it not to be his will within himselfe Doubtlesse he may to proue vs as he did Abraham whether wee will addresse our selues conscionably to obey him or carelesly out of wilfulnesse disobey his commandements As the goodnesse of the creature is not in doing what God within his secret will hath appointed so the truth of the creature standeth not alwaies in beleeuing what hee within himselfe hath determined To the second part I answere that God doth not binde any directly and immediately to beleeue saluation but in a certaine order in which they cannot but beleeue them truely for hee bindeth men first to beleeue on Christ vnto saluation and then being now in Christ to beleeue that he loued them gaue himselfe for them did elect them will saue them and none can truely beleeue on Christ to saluation but infallibly beleeueth all these other Answered 5 I deny that Gods loue to life and wrath executing death may not stand together to loue so as actually by his influence to execute life cannot stand with wrath executing death to kill and quicken actually God cannot at once but to loue to life so as to choose some persons to be brought to life through certaine meanes this standeth well with wrath to death for the present and God would neuer haue giuen nor called Christ to suffer death for vs now in sinne and death had he not thus loued vs. Looke as God may bodily inflict death on him whom he so farre loueth that he meaneth to giue him life by raising him from the dead by his almighty power so is it here He may yeelde him dead to his iustice whom he so loueth to life that hee will by meanes predestinated bring them from death to life Answered 6 The consequence of the first proposition is denied If he must haue some generall before hee choose particular persons Then he hath thus I will choose these if they beleeue it is inough that we conceiue some such generall as this I will choose whom I will choose We deny the assumption with the reason of it Let them tell we when God raised Lazarus or chose Lazarus whom he would raise from the dead such a blinde man whom he would restore to light such a piece of earth which he would make into the body of Adam what generall rules he did these by rules which presuppose that things or persons thus and thus qualified should be thus and thus vsed The reason is denyed For to measure God by our scantling is foolish to imagine as it were created generall verities in his vnderstanding like as it is in our selues is fitter
for doting anthropomorphits then graue Diuines Beside that man doth many things to some particular persons for which he hath no generall rule but that he may doe as he will Ratio obligans Ratio prepondarans Ratio concommitans where there is no reason which doth obliege him and sway him to the contrary Answered 7 The second proposition of this seuenth reason is denied for as I shewed before any person is eligible to life though he were neuer so vnfit presently and immediately for the state he is in to receiue life if so be that God can by iust meanes prepare and make fit to life Answered 8 That foreknowledge Paul and Peter speake of cannot be the foreknowing of Faith and sanctification in certaine persoâ—â— for then what need is there that those who are foreknowne should be predestinated to be called iustified and sanctified and if Peters foreknowledge were a foresight of faith and holinesse what need we to be chosen to holinesse For that place in Timothy If ye flye the lusts of youth ye shall be vessels of gold and siluer Besides there is no necessity to conster that whole passage of election thogh it be so vsually taken the faith of some hath been subuerted but the ground-worke or foundation of sauing faith Grace abideth sure and God doth know them in whom it is and they may know themselues by their care to depart from iniquity But why doth not God worke this well-grounded grace in all It is fit there should some not all be precious and golden vessels hauing that precious faith to wit which cannot be subuerted and those precious graces of the sanctifying spirit How may one know that he is one of these and not a vessell of Alchimie or baser matter Whosoeuer doth purge himselfe he shall be a vessell of gold he shall haue in him that foundation of God that is that sure grounded faith and grace which shall not be subuerted But this by the way Now to proceede Doct. Now we come to the second doctrine viz. That God hath chosen vs who belieue not onely to haue this life of grace I meane of loue and holines but to haue them in perfection Thus the text saith he hath chosen vs that we should come to such a state in this life of loue wherin we shal be perfect pure without any spot in it Heere wee haue life but all is in part We know in part we loue in part wee are holy in part this state is a state of child-hood or imperfection But in the other life that which is in part shall be done away We shall know as wee are knowen we shall loue with all our hearts and strength we shall be perfectly holy without defect or spot because God hath chosen vs not onely to life but to a state of perfection in this life spirituall Looke as God hath loued plants birds beastes men not onely thus farre that they should haue a being but that they should grow vp and attaine to a perfect state in this life and being to which he hath chosen vs. Vse 1 Let vs then considering this be stirred vp to thinke of the Lords exceeding loue We see men though they are lame know painefull liues in some measure more tollerable yet they thinke life a benefit counting it a mercy to liue though for manner lesse comfortable So heere had God taken vs to haue such a life of Grace as here we leade it had beene mercy though we know sicknesse and lamenesse with it but to choose vs to come vnto such a state wherein we shall be pure without any spot or defect not onely to ordaine vs to finde life but life in abundance in Christ this is the riches of his mercy Vse 2 This serueth to strengthen our Faith in apprehending attaining our perfect redemption from the relickes of sinne and death when we find that we cannot get ground of corruption as we would what must we doe speake to God say Lord if the attaining perfect holinesse did lye vpon my hand I know there were no hope I finde these workes of the Deuill too strong for mee but thou hast chosen me euen to this that I should be without spot Lord execute thy owne pleasure more and more purge mee and sanctifie mee and in thy time possesse mee of that state to which thou hast chosen me Euen in earthly Princes their choyce is operatiue If the King choose one Chamberlain or Treasurer his choyse maketh him that to which hee is chosen Wherefore let no good soule who striueth against any imperfections be dismayed Looke as surely as thou hast receiued this perfection of thy humane nature thou I say whom God did choose not only to be born but to liue to full manhood so surely shal all of you who haue true faith and loue attaine to the perfection of this Diuine nature for God hath chosen you to be holy and without spot in it And howbeit men are heere taken away in their spirituall being as in their naturall some so soone as they are borne of God as the Theefe on the Crosse was no sooner conuerted then translated some in youth some in the aged progresse of sanctification yet shall not this hinder for he who is no sooner begotten to God then he is hence remooued euen he shall in that day wherein all of vs shall grow to a perfect man in Christ attaine this state of perfection as that naturall creature which is carried out from birth to buriall shall at last day be raised vp not in fancy which entreth as a present penalty of sinne but in the full stature which beseemeth such a nature Doct. The third thing followeth viz. that God hath taken vs of grace to this that wee shall liue in his glorious presence had hee giuen vs a perfect life without showing vs himselfe as it were face to face it had beene much fauour but to choose vs to this most neere communion with him is the height of his grace and our happinesse There is a being before God in state of grace such as now wee haue Thus Noah thus Abraham Hezekiah Zachary Elizabeth are said to haue walked before the Lord and it is no small priuiledge that wee may conuerse in his presence after any manner but all wee see of him here is but as it were the reflection of him in a glasse there is another being before him when we shall be now with him in the place of his glorious presence when we shall walke by sight when wee shall see him as hee is when wee shall follow the Lambe and see God with that blessed vision euen face to face as it were and this is it which is our chiefe blessednesse euen to be with him and see him Glorious 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in whose presence is the saciety of euerlasting delights That perfection of quality and action which we shall attaine is a great blessednes as great as can be inherent in our
persons for what can be greater then to know God as wee are knowne to loue him with the whole heart to praise him most constantly and ioyfully but all this is nothing so good to vs as to haue our God before vs and taste the ioy of his presence All our walking in light tendeth to this that wee may haue communion with him Looke as a wife who found sometime much difficulty in pleasing her husband and doing things to his mind she taketh great pleasure when she can now with ease fit euery thing to his mind Obiectiua beatitudo but nothing so much pleasure in this as in her husband himselfe And looke as there is no louing wife which taketh halfe the pleasure in her bridall apparell that she doth in her husband himselfe so it is heere I dare say all that glory in which wee shall be in that day clothed vpon shall be as nothing to vs in comparison of that blessed obiect of God whom then we shall see as hee is If in this life God is so good to his children that they can wish themselues a curse for his sake what will hee then be when we see him in glory Vse 1 The vse is to stirre vs vp euen to desire with Paul to be dissolued and to be with Christ We are chosen to this manner of presence and for that presence which then we shall haue when we come to state of perfection in loue is no other we are chosen to it ergo let vs aspire after it If a louing wiues husband be absent in some farre country though shee haue by messengers and by letters some communion with him yet this will not satisfie there is a great desire to see him to be each in the embrace of other so it should be with vs this letter of his word this recourse of his messengers should rather excite desires fully to enioy our God then occasion vs to rest contented in this present condition I remember Absolon when hee was now recalled from exile but not admitted to see his fathers face at Court hee was so impatient that his exile seemed almost as easie as such a condition Thus it is with vs from what time God hath brought vs to beliefe wee are called backe againe from our exile spirituall to the Church or City of our God But alas we are not yet admitted into the Court into the glorious presence of our great God Let vs ergo if we be risen with Christ groane after this prerogatiue to which God hath chosen vs and take no delight to dwell heere further then the seruing God in his Saints doth sweeten our abode This sheweth vs the Lords exceeding grace If the King should pardon a Traytor and giue him competency of liuing in the remotest parts of his Kingdome with prohibition once to passe the bounds of them it were Prince-like fauour but to enrich him with possessions and take him to Court yea to reckon him in middest of his dearest fauourites what clemencie and bounty were in such a fact Such is this dealing of God towards vs. Who hath predestinated In describing which these things are to be obserued as they lie in the Text. 1. The benefit it selfe Who hath predestinated 2. The persons who are predestinated 3. The thing to which hee hath predestinated vs to adoption amplified from the cause of it through Christ 4. The manner which is propounded in this word within himselfe expounded i.e. according to the good pleasure of his will 5. The end to the praise of his glorious grace which grace is described from the effect of it in vs which is amplified from the manner of working q. d. out of which his grace hee hath made vs accepted or done vs fauour in and through his beloued Three things for better vnderstanding are to be insisted on because they are not of so vulgar explication 1. With what this word is to be continued 2. What it is to predestinate 3. What is meant by Adoption To the first Rep. some referre it to in Loue in the fourth verse in this manner who hath predestinated vs in loue but that he should absurdly repeate the cause of predestination which hee expresseth after to haue been his gracious pleasure it is fitlier set as in equall pareill to that in the third verse Who hath blessed vs who hath predestinated vs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Some imagine it ioyned within him after this manner who hath chosen vs to adoption hauing predestinated vs in him before worlds that we should be holie before him But I haue shewed aboue that in him must needs be referred to the benefit of election or the Apostle should not conclude pertinently that God in Christ hath blessed vs with euery blessing Beside that this sense confoundeth the sentence to decline the force of the argument aboue mentioned To the second I answer that God doth condescend so farre to our capacitie as to teach vs his one onely action by which he loueth vs effectually to life by two which in vs are diuerse because one infinite action of God doth eminently note that those two are in vs though they are distinct and diuerse as the first act of election laid downe Gods choosing vs or louing vs to an end so this doth signifie the ordaining of vs to the same end by such a course of meanes as shall effectually work therevnto Thus it is with vs when we will doe any thing we doe appoint by what meanes we will doe that we are agreed on When one is agreed to bring vp his Sonne at a Trade then afterward hee determineth to choose some Trade forth to seeke him a Master to binde him Apprentise and let him serue his time and get his Freedome in it Thus when God hath set his loue vpon vs to bring vs to life he doth next determine by such an order of meanes as counsell suggesteth or presenteth within him to bring vs to this end which is to predestinate for to predestinate is to decree the attaining of some end by such like meanes as counsell shall prompe vs with Predestination may be defined to be an act of counsell shewing meanes effectually bringing about some end as now it is accepted of the will it differs therefore from election First election is in the will this is in the vnderstanding Acts 4.28 Those things which thy counsell hath predestinated Secondly Election is onely of the end this is of meanes also Thirdly that is seated in the will onely this primarily in the vnderstanding in the will by participation in so much as the will doth accept for should Gods wisedome shew meanes which would effectually worke any thing if his will should not accept of them he could not be said to predestinate any thing by them This predestination is two-fold according to his ends The first is an act of counsell shewing or preparing meanes whereby his grace in some shall be glorious and of this onely here he
stirre vs vp that wee may indeauour to know the properties of God and view as we may the reflection which wee haue in his word and workes of so infinite glory How dull of heart are we that wee no more seeke to haue the eyes of our mindes wiped that we may get some glympse of it We will runne after glorious sights on earth and are much affected with them to see the glory of Kings especially when their royall estates haue annexed princelike wisedome it maketh that befall men which did once happen to the Queene of Sheba There is no spirit remaining in them they are ouercome with it But how would this delight vs did we in any measure discerne it What shall be our glory in heauen our blessednesse but to enioy the continuall view of this glory this most blessed vision By meditation and contemplation to fixe the eye of our soules on this glory will transforme vs into the likenesse of it All the glory of this world is but like the shine of rotten wood which seemeth bright for the night season but is nothing as we see by day but rottennesse it selfe Wherefore let it not bewitch vs but let vs all seeke to God to take away the vaile off our hearts to the end that we may yet as in a mirrour or glasse get some sight of this most rich glory Rom. 9. This grace of his which hath beene alwaies towards vs. Obserue fourthly Wherewith he hath made vs accepted That is with which grace electing and predestinating vs that it might be glorified of vs he hath now in his time done vs fauour or made vs accepted in his Christ Doct. Obserue then what grace it is which in time doth worke all good things for vs euen the same grace which before all time did purpose them to vs Gods louing vs to life doth not beginne when now we are brought home by conuersion to beleeue on him but when we were his enemies he did so loue vs that he gaue his Sonne all to death for vs Ioh. 3. Rom. 5. And when he calleth vs in time he doth it out of that grace which was giuen to vs in Christ our head before all worlds For this cause the Scripture doth not say that God beginneth to loue vs to life when we beleeue but that he giueth vs life eternall executing that to which he had loued vs neither doth the Scripture say that in Christ now sent to worke our redemption loue in God is first conceiued but that it is manifested when that sauing grace appeared Tit. 3. when the philanthropie or loue of mankinde appeared Tit. 3.5 So God doth call vs according to grace giuen vs before worlds but now made manifest 2 Tim. 1. 1 Tim. 1. yea life and immortality are said to be brought to light as things which had beene ouershadowed by the Gospell Now looke as if the Sunne hauing her light long eclypsed should after breake out it were no new light but an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or new getting vp of the old light which for a time was eclypsed So it is with this sunne of Gods eternall grace the interposition of sinne through the vertue of iustice did for a time keepe from vs all the gracious influence of it till at length in Christ remouing that which hindred it breaketh out piercing our hearts with the beames of it and working in vs many reall effects which it could not put forth till iustice were satisfied Euen as God knew how to loue Christ his Sonne to that glorious life to which he had chosen and yet execute the cursed death on him as our surety so he could loue vs with his eternall loue vnto that life to which he had chosen vs and yet execute on vs the cursed death when we had offended Vse 1 This first serueth to excite in vs godly ioy in vs I say who see this light risen ouer vs this loue shining vpon vs in Christ which was sometime so ouercast by sinne and death that no glimpse of it might be discerned If this bodily sunne had his light but two or three daies eclypsed O how sweet and amiable would it seeme to vs when getting the victory it should shine in manner accustomed But shall it not affect that the grace of God quite hid from vs while wee were the children of wrath lay in all kinde of darkenesse that this grace so hidden should like a spring sunne returne to vs and refresh vs Vse 2 Againe we see them confuted who will not yeelde that God loueth any sinner vnto life till he doth see his faith and repentance But the loue which destinateth to bring one to life may stand with wrath executing death and why doth hee worke in sinners repentance faith sanctification which are the meanes tending vnto life if hee may not purpose the end vnto them What shall hinder him from louing them thus farre as to purpose to them that he can iustly execute Doct. Obserue Lastly in and through whom the grace of God doth bring vs to receiue fauour and grace euen in and through his beloued The Law came by Moses but grace and truth through Iesus Christ The Angels did sing at his birth glory to God peace on earth good will to men In him God was reconciling the world God did giue this testimony of him This is my beloued in whom I am well pleased For Christ hath performed such an obedience at the commandement of grace as doth yeeld such satisfaction to Iustice that grace may iustly giue vs euery good thing yea such an obedience as doth procure from grace euery good thing for vs for Grace and Iustice kisse each other in Christ Grace freely bestowing all her gifts vnto her glory and that without any wrong nay with full contentment of reuenging iustice See the first to the Coloss what is written on those words Who hath translated vs into the kingdome of his beloued Sonne In whom wee haue redemption through his bloud euen c. verse 7 Thus wee come from that gratifying mother child-bearing grace from all eternity in God himselfe to that grace which is freely giuen to vs and hath his reall effect in vs And this is handled first in regard of the Iew who had receiued it Paul with the rest belieuing Secondly in regard of the Gentiles and in particular these Ephesians The grace toward Paul with the rest of those who were first called to faith hath two maine branches First the grace of redemption or iustification Secondly the grace of glorification beginning verse 11. reaching to the 13. Now in handling this first benefit first in this verse he doth propound in the former part of the verse expound it in the latter Secondly hee doth set downe the benefit of vocation effectuall which did goe before it and make way to it verse 8. Thirdly the meanes of their vocation vers 9.10 In his propounding the benefit first wee must marke in whom wee come to haue it
please them Now followeth the ground of all these benefits in time hauing beene predestinate Which is described from the purpose going before hauing beene predestinate according to his purpose Which purpose is argued from the author of it who is not named but described In the description three things are to be noted First his action or working who worketh Secondly the obiect all things Thirdly the manner after the counsell of his will To speake a word of Predestination according to purpose which is heere made the ground of all the former and so to come to this description in which we must dwell with more diligent consideration for the vnfolding of it For Predestination see aboue But it may be asked what is this purpose according to which we are said heere to be predestinate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wee read of some purposed and ordained to the obtaining of life Acts 13.1 1 Thes 5. Now Gods purpose and ordinance touching the end doth seeme to follow vpon Gods election for when we haue a will to do any thing there followeth vpon this in the minde a setled purpose to effect it so when God hath loued some to life there commeth to be as it were in God a setled purpose of bringing some to life which once setled all things come to be predestinated for performance of it and Rom. 9. this may be grounded when he saith that the purpose of God which is according to election might be sure Wherefore I deeme foreknowledge by which God now about to choose knoweth whom he will choose election by which he setteth his loue to life on some before othersome purpose setled of bringing some to life before othersome these belong all to the same benefit viz. Election Foreknowledge as that which goeth before for God doth not blindly choose he knoweth not whom purpose following it as a shadow doth the body and therefore where the one is named the other by discourse are to be vnderstood Hee hath purposed vs to attaine life through Christ he hath chosen vs to attaine life as Rom. 8. Those whom he did foreknow himselfe to choose and purpose vnto life those hee predestinated And thus you see why it is said predestinate according to purpose But note heere by what method the Apostle doth gather themselues to haue beene predestinated euen a posteriori from this that they were now called iustified that they had receiued an inheritance by faith he gathereth that they had beene predestinate Obserue then Doct. What is the way to find our selues to haue been predestinate before all worlds euen to finde that we are called iustified sanctified We must go vp by these stayres or wee cannot come to the height of Gods counsell Looke as by the counterpane of a Lease or Will we know what is in the originall will which it may be is kept a hundred miles from vs so by these things written in our harts in Gods time we may know and reade what things it pleased him from euerlasting to purpose towards vs But in this point we haue before beene large To come to the description of the author of this purpose according to which wee were predestinate the parts to be marked in it haue bin mentioned Let vs first then consider of the meaning of the words Secondly of the scope for which they are brought in Thirdly of the doctrines to be marked in them First this word worketh doth signifie such a working which hath efficacie to the bringing forth the being of that which it worketh All things Noteth out whatsoeuer things are whether good or euill Counsell Noteth sometime the facultie of wisdome which giueth aduise touching things to be done and meanes of doing them And thus according as the nature of the thing hath it selfe to him who giueth aduise is sometime present and ready sometime needing deliberation but deliberation so farre as it is grounded in imperfection of knowledge and argueth doubtfulnesse cannot be ascribed but onely so farre as it signifieth the maturity and ripenesse of counsell Secondly counsell signifieth not the faculty but the effect wise aduise giuen in any case from that facultie of wisedome which giueth counsell Thus we vnderstand when we say What counsell did such a one giue you Now thus it is here taken for that wise order of things and meanes which Gods wisedome suggested Lastly it is to be considered why it is called counsell of his will First because it is propounded to his will secondly it is accepted of by his will The meaning is we obtaine all these blessings before named hauing beene predestinated according to that gracious purpose of God towards vs whose working bringeth about all things according to that wise order which his counsell did propound and his will for the liberty of it did freely accept Now the scope of this description tendeth hither to proue that we attaine the benefits before named hauing beene predestinated by Gods counsell for predestination is an act of Gods counsell as I haue said before therunto he proueth this particular by this generall He who worketh all things after the counsell of his will hee doth worke these benefits in vs his counsell hauing predestinated vs to them But God worketh all things c. These are friuolous exceptions that God speaketh onely of the things before which he doth out of his gracious pleasure for this were an impertinent superfluitie to say that God had wrought vs these benefits when his counsell had predestinated vs who doth worke these benefits according to his counsell He hath wrought them in vs according to his counsell who doth worke them according to his counsell Secondly what so euer things are according to Gods counsell those he is said to worke for these last words may as well determine the subiect as show the manner of his working Thirdly what reason is it to say hee worketh these things after counsell as if all the workes of God were not alike after counsell Lastly to say he speaketh of things he doth out of gracious pleasure is in their sense who except friuolous for he saith not the counsell of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beside that the Scripture doth attribute those things which as iudgements God doth execute in reprobates to Gods 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 meere free pleasure Mat. 11.25 13.11 Thou hast hidden these things from the wise euen so because it pleaseth thee Now to come to the Doctrines Doct. 1 First we see that euery thing which commeth about is Gods effectuall working Of him by him and for him are all things Rom 11. vlt. 1 Cor. 8.6 Things are of two sorts good or euill good things are naturall or supernaturall such as are wrought in Christ Now all these the Lords efficacie is in making them yea of nothing Though man must haue some matter to worke on God can giue being and call the things that are not making them stand out as if they were Secondly
my iudgement briefly concerning it viz. Whether wee may in ordinary course be infallibly perswaded touching our saluation The truth is Christians may come to it That which is sufficient y confirmed on Gods part to Christians and that whose confirmation may be sufficiently receiued on Christians part concerning that they may infallibly be assured but God hath sufficiently confirmed it as is plaine by his Word seales oath pledge c. and what God offereth or confirmeth so we by faith may receiue it for faith doth inable vs suffi iently to belieue that God reuealeth to vs Now his wil to saue vs by all the former is particularly reuealed as wee shall show further hereafter That which maketh vs vnable to haue sound ioy hearty thankefulnesse courage to proceed in a godly course that is contrary to the truth But to take away this certaine perswasion of our inheritance doth this How can I ioy in a thing which I know not whether I shall haue it or no I meane with sound and full reioycing How can I be thankefull for that which I know not whether euer I shall get it or no How can a man haue heart to proceed while he cannot know whether he is in a course right or wrong and cannot tell whether all hee doth will come to any thing yea or no To explane the truth more fully I wil open these foure points 1. What this certainety is 2. On what grounds it riseth 3. In what state the faithfull attaine it 4. That the sence of it may alter euen in those who haue attained it 1. This certainty is no other thing then the testimony of a renewed conscience which doth witnesse through the spirit that wee are in state of grace and that we shall be brought by God to life euerlasting I call it a testimony of the conscience for the conscience doth not onely show vs what we are to doe what state we should seeke to get into but it doth witnes giue iudgement about that we haue done and the state we stand in be it good or euill The conscience accuseth of sinne and witnesseth to a man that hee is in the state of damnation it doth witnesse to a man that hee is in state subiect to Gods temporary displeasure and so likewise that a man is in such state as that God will shew him fauour for the present and bring him to see his promised saluation That it is a testimony of our spirit that is our conscience renewed it is plaine Rom. 8.16 That our spirit doth witnesse it through the spirit witnessing our state vnto it is plaine in that place also The spirit of God doth witnesse with our spirit and Rom 9.2 My conscience beareth me record through the spirit for the conscience doth but speake it as an eccho that it testifieth to vs both our present estate of Grace and our inheritance with Christ it is euident there also Nay when the conscience through the ministry of the Law doth testifie to a man his state in sinne and vnder the curse it is through the spirit of bondage that it doth so testifie this being the office of Gods spirit to teach vs to know the things bestowed on vs 1 Cor. 2.12 to worke in vs not faith onely but spirituall discerning of those things which are wrought in vs and looke toward vs belieuing The conscience doth testifie this partly through faith belieuing it partly through discerning the faith loue obedience which are by Gods spirit brought forth in vs 1 Iohn 4. â—6 Wee haue knowne and beleeued the loue the Father beareth vs. I know whom I haue trusted and that hee is able to keepe my saluation committed to him vnto that day 2. Tim. 1.9 Faith may receiue what the Word doth testifie but there is a word testifying thus much that my particular person beholding the Sonne and belieuing on him shall haue eternall life and be raised vp at the last day Ioh 6. â—0 that there is no condemnation to me being in Christ that he who hath begun his good worke is faithfull is constant and will finish it also that Christ is made of God not onely an author but a finisher of my faith not only a iustifier of me but a perfect redeemer that I being iustified and called shall also be glorified Neyther could Iohn with the faithfull belieue Gods loue toward them in particular if some word did not show it Neyther will the Papists say that all of them were priuiledged with singular reuelation For though no word expresly say thou Thomas belieuing shalt be saued yet that word which saith euery one belieuing shall be raised vp that word saith I beleeuing shall be raised vp Otherwise wee might aske what word saith thou Thomas shall not kill steale c. if the generall did not sufficiently containe euery particular person But it will be said How doe you know that you truly belieue To which I answer comming to that second ground by a gift of distinction or vnderstanding wee know these things wrought in vs by God and by discerning these things wee are assured touching that full saluation promised to vs. First that wee may know them then that these knowne doe further assure vs Paul did know on whom hee had belieued How could we say euery one we belieue if we might not know it Can we speak that truly wherof we can haue no certainty Thirdly when I see one or trust to any promising me this or that I know I see him and trust to him rest on him for that he hath promised Shall I by faith see Christ the Sonne and rest on him and yet know no such thing Wee may know wee haue some kinde of faith but not that wee haue the true liuely faith Ans S. Paul bids vs to try and proue our selues whether wee haue not that faith by which Christ dwelleth in our hearts which is the faith of such as are accepted with God 2 Cor. 13.5.6 Now to bid mee make search and examination for that which cannot be found out were ridiculous Our loue to God and our brethren by which we know our selues translated from death to life wee may know also St. Iohn maketh it a signe of our being translated Ergo it may be knowne Signes manifesting other things must themselues be more manifest Secondly hee that may know hee hath true faith may know a priori that hee hath loue also for loue is in true faith as the fruit in the root from which it springeth We loue God when now wee haue found that hee loueth vs first Now by faith we perceiue God to beare vs loue be reconciled for God doth offer his loue to mee belieuing Againe if I loue men I know my loue to them yea and in what degree I beare them loue Shal I loue God to the denying of my earthly profit yea my life often and not be able to know that I loue him Were this true when Christ asked Peter Louest thou
me he should haue answered Lord thou knowest wee cannot tell truely whether wee loue thee Againe St. Iohn saith By this wee know that we loue him if wee keepe his commandements If any say we know that we haue a naturall loue but wee are not sure that wee haue this Christian loue Againe many Christians thinke they haue true loue yea Peter himselfe was deceiued in his loue Ans The loue of a meere natural man to God is as like Christian loue as an apple is like an oyster and therefore we passe by it Christians are eyther enlightened onely and not sanctified or sanctified also with their enlightning The former may thinke themselues to haue loue not hauing it but because a man dreaming or running vpon some mistake may be deceiued shall this preiudice but that a man waking may iudge truly of this or that which is before him A man that hath no charity thinketh himselfe to haue it therefore one that hath it may not iudge infallibly that he hath it Now for those that haue it as Peter they may be deceiued not in iudging simply of the thing but of the measure of that which is circumstantiall in their spirituall life not in that which is substantiall Peter was not deceiued in thinking that hee had faith and loue but in presuming aboue his measure Thirdly wee may know our workes which are fruites growing from the tree of grace in our harts S. Iohn maketh them signes which doe euidently declare loue ergo they are manifest Hee who knoweth when he doth sinne swerue from obeying God hee may know how farre hee obeyeth God they who doe spiritually obey God eyther they know it or their consciences are not priuy to that they doe cannot beare witnesse and iudge of that they doe but this is false Pauls conscience did testifie to him that hee did walke in simplicity according to the Grace of God True it is that for the outside the works of vnsanctified men are like to the workes of the sanctified but they are without the life and spirit which is in the worke of a true beleeuer to which he is no lesse priuy then to the externall worke which commeth from him To conclude they who haue the testimony of a good conscience may know that they obey God sincerely But Christians may haue the testimony of good consciences Beside that the spirit doth teach our consciences to beare witnesse of the griefe and ioy we haue and so by consequent of all wee doe according to good Now the conscience as through faith so discerning these things doth testifie to vs from these our saluation which he hath promised and God will not forget to finish what hee beginneth Should a King promise to erect some Colledge and giue liberall maintenance to Students in it wee are certaine by a humane faith that hee will doe such a thing though it be not begun but when now the foundations were in laying then we should not onely belieue his purpose but in part know it by that we saw executed and by that we saw in execution wee would assure our selues the thing should be finished But heere it will be obiected that though knowing these things wee might come to see our selues in present state of grace yet we cannot be sure of our saluation vnlesse wee could know that our faith loue and obedience should perseuere to the end To this I answer that the Scripture could not say that he that belieueth hath an euerlasting life that there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ did it not take our faith and the fruites of it to be such from which wee should neuer fall through the power of God and this the conscience commeth to know by faith in God conceiued through such promises as these I will make you walke in my commandements I will put my feare in you that you shall not depart I haue begun my worke and I will perfect it in you I am author and finisher of thy faith it is my will thou shouldest haue eternall life and be raised vp at the last day Now though the conscience doth testifie this our present being in fauour and our future saluation yet it doth not this in euery state of a belieuer For first there is a state in which faith is a smoaking weeke desiring that it could belieue rather then getting vp to feele it selfe belieue Againe though faith be not troubled but doth quietly stay on Christ and taste God good in letting them finde peace with him yet such is the infancy of spirituall vnderstanding in Christians now first conuerted that they doe not returne into themselues and iudge of that they doe and of the great consequence which followeth from that which they doe Hence it is that they will tell you they finde God good to them and goe on cheerefully in duties for the present but they come not to behold the stability of their saluation for time to come There is a state in which faith is exercised with temptation from vnbeliefe or otherwise by which opposition the soule is kept from attaining this certainty being encountred with doubtful appearances which it cannot wel answer cleare for the present There is a state wherein faith is now grown vp either hath out-wrestled or otherwise is exempted from knowing such temptation and the faithfull in this state doe perswade themselues that Gods mercy and truth and power shall carry them through vnto saluation Looke in 1 Pet. 5. v. 11. The God of Grace who hath through Christ called you vnto eternall glory when you haue a little suffered he perfect you stablish you strengthen you ground you sure Lastly when now our consciences are come to testifie through faith and experience this happy estate we are subiect by neglecting meanes by falling into some more grieuous sinne by secret desertions ere-while to lose for a time this comfortable perswasion the spirit not speaking in vs by his light as heretofore and our consciences and faith so hurt and wounded that the actions of them are troubled depraued as we see the like befall the naturall reason and senses Wee see through melancholy what reason commeth to imagine how the eye thinkes it sees things yellow and redde when they are nothing so the taste things bitter when they are sweet so the sight of faith and conscience when nothing but sinne guilt wrath angry desertion ouer-lay it it seemeth to see euery thing for the time of like colour to those things wherewith it is possessed These things I thought good to set downe that we might conceiue the nature of this point more fully One thing is to be answered which seemeth to me of greatest moment namely that this doctrine doth leaue no place for feare but breedeth presumption but this is vtterly denied for the grace and mercy of God belieued breedeth loue of God and consequently true feare which is opposed to senselesse stupidity and carnall presumption though it casteth out feare
persons who can humour them and finde the length of their foote better then such who show more conscience of obeying God Vse 2 Let vs not be in the number of these If thou hast any loue to God loue his children thou doest see like him How canst thou take pleasure and out of thy voluntary conuerse with them who are not sanctified Were the Wife that lyeth in thy bosome without that bodily life thou liuest couldst thou take pleasure to conuerse by her and canst thou hauing the life of God delight thy selfe in such who are dead in their sinnes and trespasses VERSE 16 I cease not to giue thankes for you making mention of you in my prayers Now he comes vnto the fact which standeth of thankesgiuing and prayer his prayer being first generally mentioned then more particularly declared to the end Doct. 1 In this 16. verse marke three things 1. That on heare-say of their faith and loue he is thankefull to God 2. That he doth pray for them 3. The manner that he doth it without ceasing Obserue from the first the graces of God in others must moue Christians especially Ministers to be thankfull to God Paul doth it euery where looke the beginnings of his Epistles yea Christians did no lesse for Paul Gal. 1. vlt. they did glorifie God in him The nature of enuie maketh a man like those who haue sore eyes they are grieued at the spirituall good of others as the soare eye is to see this corporall light An example we haue of it in Cain to Abel but loue doth congratulate reioyceth with thankfulnesse to see truth of knowledge of grace of holy practise 1 Cor. 13. Besides the third commandement doth binde vs to giue honour to God by praising him for these his workes of grace in others If a Schoole-Master bring a rude vntoward Boy to behauiour and forwardnesse in learning we much commend him that he hath wrought so farre on so vndisposed a subiect But how much more is hee to be magnified who doth worke such alterations in sinners dead in their sinnes and trespasses Secondly the nature of ioy is to inlarge the the heart to thankfulnesse Now true Christians especially Ministers can see nothing which doth more glad them then men walking as the truth is in Christ 3. Iohn verse 4. I haue no ioy like to this when I see my children walke in the truth Vse 1 Wherefore let vs all labour to finde this in our selues that wee are thankefully affected to God in the comming on of other it is an euidence of true grace in our hearts Euery thing reioyceth to see the encrease of those who are like to it selfe especially Ministers must praise God in the towardnesse of those who belong to them What naturall Parent can see the outward prosperitie of his children but that he is delighted in it and thankfull to the authors of it Vse 2 Secondly seeing that this is the effect the grace of others hath in the godly what may wee thinke of them who are vexed to see the comming on of others to a godly course yea who will not sticke to curse them by whom they were seduced to this Puritan strictnesse surely that seede of the old serpent is strong in them which doth make them so full of enmity against those in whose hearts the seed of Grace is now sowne through Gods mercy Vse 3 This sheweth Christians what they are to doe Would they haue their Ministers made glad and their hearts inlarged to thankesgiuing Let them shew forth the power of Grace in their conuersation If you stand stedfast saith Paul 1 Thes 3.8 wheras if they lie in grieuous state it doth so grieue their Ministers that nothing can refresh them but their amendment by whom they are grieued 2 Cor. 2. Natural parents are so affected that while their children stand well with them they thinke there is no crosse but if a crosse befall them heere they can finde no content for the time in any thing beside Doct. 2 Obserue secondly that Christians are to helpe each other with prayer especially Ministers their conuerted people God requireth it of all Christians and doth ergo make promises that our prayers shall be auaileable as well for others as for our selues Iam. 5. But Ministers by office are Gods remembrancers must offer incense as well as teach Deut. 33. which our Sauiour likewise did before his offering vp himselfe Iohn 17. The bounty of God doth encourage vs vnto it who hath said that they who haue any thing in truth shall haue more it is but as a pledge of his further grace to be bestowed Againe the Deuill is busie seeking to bring them backe who now are taken from vnder his power we see by wofull experience how many are turned backe from good beginnings we haue need therefore to support them and when Ministers should haue parent-like affections how can they but seeke their good How many wishes will naturall Parents haue about their natural children Wherefore let vs all seeke to God each for other What will we doe for him whom we will not lend a word to for his good Especially let vs Ministers say as Samuel 1 Sam. 10. God forbid I should cease to pray for you and so sinne against God Doct. 3 The last thing is that hee prayed vncessantly whence obserue That we must with perseuerance follow God in those things we pray for This our Sauiour teacheth by those two parables Luk. 11. of him that went to borrow three loaues and Luk. 10. of the widdow following the vnrighteous Iudge There are many conditions in prayer in regard of the persons to whom we pray persons and things for which we pray persons who pray finally in regard of the prayer it selfe as that it should be humble feruent and continuall God doth preuent vs with some things he doth giue vs speedily othersome but there are others againe for which he wil haue vs follow him with continuance before he beâ—oâ—â— them for should we still no sooner aske then receiue Prayer were rather a matter of experience then of faith he doth ergo see it fit thus to exercise our sanctity faith patience thus to trie whether our request come from vnsetled humour or from pouerty of spirit and thirsting desire Thus he doth prepare vs to receiue the things we aske in greater measure for the wider the soule is inlarged in desire the more abundantly God meaneth to fill it in his time Againe by this meane hee doth make vs possesse his blessings with more delight and carefulnesse then otherwise wee would not to mention that wee in our first seeking things are vnfit often to receiue them But heare two questions shall be briefly answered First whether it be sinne alwaies to cease from asking this or that Secondly whether all ceasing to goe on in Prayer doth make our former Prayer fruitlesse To the first I answere not all ceasing but ceasing out of vnbeliefe or impenitencie is sinfull first when
death being such contraries as haue no third thing betweene them which doth partake in them both the one may be changed into the other without any thing preparatory All things which God doth prepare to the receiuing of Grace and comming to him they make not of themselues any thing to the introducing of Grace further then God intendeth this effect by them Feare of hell conscience of sinne neuer such afflictions morall parts and all gifts which may be without sanctifying Grace and true beliefe many haue all these who yet neuer turne vnfeignedly to God When the sicknesse is now growne greater in quantity this absolutely taken maketh the patient further of health But the Physitian may intend this because he doth see his medicine will the better worke on it and educe it when it is growne to such ripenesse If a man fall out of a dead Palsie into a light Phrensie phrensie of it selfe is no paration to health but to the physitian who can worke on him more fitly in this taking then in the other it may be a preparatiue to health Thus to be like an aguish man on his good dayes or like to some madde men in the time of their intermissions is in it selfe as farre from state of health as otherwise but yet the Physitian may vse such a state as a way to health choosing rather to deale with him in this taking then in the fitte Thus it is not the height of sinne it is not feare of hell though contrary to the Apoplexie of deep security it is not a morall course which commeth not from true sanctification that of themselues can make neerer the state of grace but only in regard of God who doth intend to turne them hereunto Thus if God stirre vp a man to liue according to the light of nature virtuously it may be in regard of Gods intention a preparing him to receiue further Grace of effectuall vocation but all a man can doe from naturall strength of it selfe profiteth nothing Fourthly that where effectuall raising vp the hart to faith beginneth there Gods preparatiue workes take an end for as that which prepares the ground for seed now ceaseth when the seed is to be sowne so all these things which as they are preparations doe nothing but fit the soyle of the heart for Gods effectuall calling to be giuen they haue their end when this immortall seed commeth to be sowne in vs beside that a man is no sooner called then hee receiueth a spirit of faith by which hee is as by a new heauenly forme in some manner quickned Fiftly The Papists doctrine is heere very defectiue and false in part Defectiue for they speake nothing of preparatory courses by which God doth bring vs to come vnto him by faith but of such like operations by which God prepareth vs and we prepare our selues to be iustified Now we prepare our selues to iustification when the spirit doth without any habit of Grace lift vs vp to supernaturall acts of beliefe hope in God loue sorrow for sinne and feare of hell in which many things are erroneous as first that they make vs lifted vp to acts of this nature without habits which is to make a blinde man see without giuing his eye new sight to make vs bring good fruits while yet we are not made good trees to make vs be iustified by our faith come into grace by our faith stand in grace by another The schoole not vnderstanding the doctrine of preparation consider of it philosophically as a thing betweene Nature and Grace Now betweene the things we worke out of naturall strength and those we do meritoriously from Grace now infused into vs and inherent in vs they deuise a third kinde of workes which neyther come from any power of ours meerely nor yet from any supernaturall Grace inherent in vs and these are workes done by eternall ayde of the spirit whereas all the Scripture make that faith which is required to iustification to be the same with that which worketh by loue to be a faith fully formed comming from a spirit of faith that is an habituall guilt wrought by the spirit to be a faith belieuing on God which the best pillars of popish learning confesse to be an act of formed faith Beside they erre when they make feare of hell a thing immediately disposing to iustification when the work of this is to mooue vs to seeke out of our selues after some word of faith and this is cast forth proportionably as faith and loue enters It may prepare to our conuersion not to our iustification immediately Againe when they make loue actuall to goe before iustification whereas loue doth follow For we loue because we haue found loue first now no loue is felt from God till remission of sin and acceptance to life in some measure are felt perceiued should God lift vs vp to loue him before his iustification he should by making vs loue him prepare vs to be loued of him Shee loueth much because much is forgiuen her In a word setting aside the act of a true faith comming from an inward gift of the spirit inclining the heart to belieue there is no other thing preparing to iustification immediately where this is there together in time iustification is receiued there the spirit of loue and hope are not wanting Hee who belieueth is passed from death to life Neuerthelesse wee doe long after not feele our selues iustified nor perceiue Grace to dwell in vs so fully and manifestly as wee desire Hence it is that sometimes wee are in feare sometime belieue hope sometime we are in repentant sorrow and by these wee are led both to the manifest perceiuing of that which is wrought in vs and to the more full measure of Peace and Grace which we much desire The second question then In what order Gods power doth bring vs to belieue is thus answered That most commonly hee doth in some kinde change vs and make vs more fit that so his word may be reuealed in vs which accompanied with his mighty power doth bring forth that supernaturall habit of faith by which he doth incline vs to moue vnto him Now for the third thing Whether this help doth leaue the will at liberty actually to resist it yea or no the answere is it doth not That which the omnipotency of God is put forth to worke in the creature that the creature cannot resist But God putteth forth his omnipotency and by the effectuall working of it he may bring vs to beleeue The first part is not denied The second is here plainly set downe viz. That God doth bring vs to beliefe by the effectuall working of no lesse power then that which raised Christ from the dead That which maketh Gods aide and Grace put vnder the power of man and not mans will to be vnder it that is a Pelagian heresie But to say that notwithstanding Gods helping Grace man may resist is to put Grace in mans power not to put
dominion toward his Church which is his Queeâ—e and spouse is more amiably tempered and neerly affected then is his gouernment ouer any other This will appeare by considering how much neerer and communicatiue he is to vs then to Angels creatures otherw se most excellent First looke as the naturall head and members are of the selfe-same speciall kinde for nature the head standeth of skinne flesh bones and so doe the members also thus it is that Christ is one with vs in regard he hath taken the selfe-same nature with vs standing as well of that which is outward and sensitiue as of that which is inward intellectuall In this he commeth neerer vs then Angels he tooke not the nature of Angels but the seede of Abraham Hebr. 2. Secondly Christ doth by his sufferings procure for vs all blessings spirituall and temporall maketh a purchase of them with his bloud Now he in his death respected not Angels in like kind that looke as Kings prouide many things for their Queenes which they doe not for other subiects so doth Christ for vs. Thirdly hee doth vnite vs to himselfe more neerely then Angels they are vnited to him by knowledge and loue such as doe come from the power of that vnderstanding and loue which they haue of their owne from the first creation but we are vnited heere by knowledge of faith and loue heereafter by glorious light loue such as Christ himselfe by his spirit begetteth in vs as the members of the body are vnited with nerues and sinnewes such bands as take their beginning from the head Fourthly hee doth communicate with vs that whole life of grace and glory which wee haue and shall receiue as the naturall members haue no sense or motion which floweth not into them from the head But the Angels haue a blessed life for the substance not comming to them by Christ considered as a mediator euen that blessed life in which first they were created that which commeth to them is onely an augmentation of happinesse their illumination and their ioy being in many regards much increased they who learne by that they obserue in the Church falling out what doe they heare thinke we by inioying the presence of God-man now ascended and glorified and they who ioy in heauen at the conuersion of one sinner how many waies by Christ is their ioy inlarged Fiftly hee doth not direct them as he doth vs hee doth gouerne and direct them as a King doth voluntary ready subiects by an externall signification of his will onely but he doth direct and moue vs outwardly by signifying his will inwardly by sending his spirit which might mooue vs with efficacy to that hee showeth as a naturall head doth the members of it Sixtly and lastly he doth not confirme them as he confirmeth vs for he hath neither gotten by his death for them this grace of perseuerance to the end neyther doth hee shadow them and follow them with ayds outward and inward as hee doth vs left our faith should be preuailed against they haue beene no doubt confirmed from the beginning both by force of their election preuenting them with actuall grace which made them with effect execute what euer thing it was in which it pleased God to proue their obedience if they haue any confirmation from Christ their King it is such an one as doth make them strong to subdue euill Angels or any opposing them in businesses in which their ministery by Christ is imployed such an one may be gathered Dan. 10.13 Vse 1 First then seeing Christ is giuen vs as a head so neerely and communicatiuely ioyned vnto vs let vs abhorre that sacriledgious vsurpation which the Pope committeth while hee challengeth vs to be head of the Church That which the scripture doth attribute as proper to Christ is not to be giuen to any other But they distinguish that the Scripture maketh Christ the principall and inuisible head but this hinders not why there should not be a visible secondary ministeriall head Ans There needeth not a ministeriall head to supply Christs bodily absence For as Kings are in body present at Court onely and yet well enough gouerne their bodies politicke So Christ in regard of his bodily presence in heauen can well enough rule that part of his body in earth without the supply of a visible head Were the Pope a ministeriall head hee might doe that which the principall whose roome he supplieth as Viceroyes do that in the kingdomes ouer which they are set which the Kings might do in their owne persons whose roomes they supply But the Pope cannot doe any inward thing which the head of the Church is to perform 3. Were there a ministeriall head there should be a Lord-like power ouer part of the Church out of Christs person in some other creature then should there be more Lords then one contrary to that in 1 Cor. 12.5 There are diuisions of ministeries but one Lord. Looke as great Lords in earth haue in their houses ministeries of more lesse honor from the steward to the skullerie but no Lord-like or Master-like power in any beside themselues so is in Christ and his Church which is the house of God wherin he is the Lord Apostles others hauing more or lesse honourable seruices but no master-like power ouer the meanest of their fellow-seruants Vse 2 Wee see hence the great grace of Christ who doth so neerely vnite himselfe with vs. Kings in earth the neerer they come to any Subiect the more they show their loue but this is the greatest grace they can show when they make themselues to become one with any of their subiects Thus Christ could not shew vs greater grace then to make vs one with himselfe as a coniugall head ruling ouer vs. We see hence that wee may assure our selues we shall lacke nothing who haue Christ become a head to vs in so neere and communicatiue sort as this is There are some officiall parts in the body which haue that they haue not for themselues onely but for the whole body Thus the Stomacke hath meates the Liuer blood such is the Head Now it were an vnnaturall part for these to keepe that they haue to themselues as for the Liuer to keepe in al the bloud and not impart it by veines to the rest of the body so Christ who can doe nothing which doth not beseeme him he hauing for all of vs the fulnesse of grace and glory according to that Psal 16.2 My good is for the Saints he cannot but be most ready to communicate with vs euery thing that is good onely let vs renew our faith and repentance that so we stop not the passage of this spirit from him our head If the naturall head of the naturall body be neuer so full of spirits if the vessels which conueigh it be once obstructed as in the Palsey the body then is without sense and motion Wee may apply it to our selues c. Obserue secondly that he saith
iudgement then shall we haue that life now hidden manifested in vs. Vse 1 The Vse of this is first to let vs see to whom we are to giue the praise of all we haue receiued euen to Christ the head of vs Wee haue receiued our spirituall being from him Vse 2 Againe we must labor to get more neere communion with Christ seeing hee is the fountaine whether should we haue recourse but to him the more we could approach to the Sunne the more should we be inlightned with the light of it Want of Vnion and Communion with this fountaine maketh the Grace in temporizers come to nothing as waters doe which haue no running spring to feede them Who hath elected vs verse 4 Now he doth prosecute the Doctrine of Gods benefits which were summarily propounded and proueth that he spake by particular enumeration first of benefits before all times which we haue so in Christ that wee haue them through him Secondly of those benefits which we haue so in Christ that we haue them also for his sake through him as he speaketh in the 7. verse changing his phrase in whom we haue redemption through his bloud The former are two 1. Election in this verse 2. Predestination in the 5. and 6. verses In this verse wee are to marke these things 1. The spirituall blessing as hee hath elected 2. The persons heere said to be elected vs 3. The person in whom in him 4. The time 5. The end First to open the meaning of them and then to come to the instruction to be deduced First for Election it is put sometime for that election which is made in temporary execution of Gods purpose whether it be a separating of men to the state of Grace which maketh them as the chosen first fruits of the creature thus it is taken Iohn 15.19 The world hateth you because I haue chosen you out of the world thus 1 Pet. 1. ver 2 to the elect of the dispersion seemeth to be vnderstood or a separating of them to any office or dignity as Saul yea Iudas might in this sense be said chosen But heere hee speaketh of that choyse which God made with himselfe from all eternity as is manifest Secondly By the persons vs he meaneth himselfe with those Ephesians which hee had called Saints and beleeuers ver 1. In him Is diuersly construed first in him that is in God the Sonne not considered as God-man Head and Mediator of the Church but as second Person God with the Father Thus all things are said created in or by Christ not that he is considered as Man-God in this worke but because Christ God-Man as the Sonne of God God with the Father and Spirit as that person by whom all things are created But ver 3. it is plaine he doth consider Christ as wee are blessed in him in regard of both natures euen as he hath God for his God by couenant In him who hath God for his God and Father we are blessed Some make this in Christ not to be referred to that action of election but to the end in this sense He hath chosen vs in Christ that we should be holy that is hee hath chosen vs that wee should be holy in Christ but besides the harshnes it is impertinent though a truth for his scope is to proue not that in Christ we are made holy but that we haue this blessing of election in Christ Some take in Christ as if it belonged to the persons elected in this sense as he hath chosen vs now by faith in Christ to that fore-sight of his which beholdeth all things as present which are to come but this is beside the scope of this Scripture which intendeth not to lay downe our vnion with Christ by faith but Gods electing Christ Ergo in him must needs belong to the action of Electing not that obiect about which it is exercised In him Therefore noteth Christ God-man as the head and first Elect after whom and in whom all of vs his body for order of Nature are elected so that this phrase noteth the order in which wee come to be elected not the cause of election For the time there are 3. 2 Thess 1.13 2 Tim. 1. phrases which seeme to note the same thing 1. From the beginning 2. Before worlds 3. Before the foundation of the world These all may note that eternall loue of God toward vs there vnderstand nothing but eternity but because within eternity God doth foresee the things which are done in time and therefore though hee chose from eternity nothing hindereth as some thinke but that hee might foresee some thing whereupon to choose therefore this phrase may be extended not onely to respect the actuall creation but the Decree it selfe of the worlds being to this sense that hee chose his in order of nature before by his Decree hee laid the foundation of the world The end is all one with saluation elsewhere named for loue made perfect is the formall blessednesse we looke for in heauen it is nothing else but the supernaturall being and life of a Christian which is begun in Grace perfected in glory The summe of these words more amply is this Blessed be he who hath blessed vs in Christ with euery spirituall blessing As for example First he hath with himself set his liking on vs chosen vs before others vs I say who now belieue on Christ and are sanctified by his spirit this his Election beginning first at Christ our Head and so descending downeward on vs his members in him and this his Grace was toward vs before there was any word yea for order of nature before his decree did â—ay the foundation of the world that to which he hath elected being no lesse then saluation that glorious life of loue which begun heere shall one day bee made spotles and perfect before him Now to come to the Doctrine hence to be deduced Doct. 1 First We see what is a blessing worthy all thankfulnesse euen this of our election I praise God alwaies who hath elected you from the beginning This is the roote out of which all these blessings grow which in time we partake euen as the body and bowes branches of the tree issue from the root and are corne vp by the same Ergo this is in nature and in S. Pauls reckoning before predestination it selfe For as first I agree vpon this end I will help a sicke man to recouer his health before I determine to send for any Physitian so here God doth first by election choose to the end and agree on that in order of nature before hee predestinate meanes by which he will most certainely bring to this end For the better vnderstanding of this benefit two things shal be briefly opened 1. What it is 2. Why God the Father is here said onely to elect For the first the common matter which doth concur to the being of this benefit is loue a loue which God hath to vs
to bring vs to that life which is aboue nature therefore sometime Gods choosing is expressed by louing I haue loued Iacob and hated Esau that is not yeelded Esau that measure of loue which the Hebrewes called hating But there is a further thing in Election which doth difference it from loue and that is a respect which is in this loue whereby it is caried to some Actio collatiua vt intrinserae formalitatis reiectionem cennotans before other some it so loueth some that it reiecteth other some from hauing part in it Deut. 7.7 I haue loued thee and chosen thee Should God haue loued euery reasonable creature to life there had beene loue to all but election of none he who taketh all maketh no choise of any therefore God maketh it a different thing I haue loued thee and chosen thee Some make this all one with that fore-knowledge mentioned Rom. 8.29 and it cannot be denied Rom. 8.29 Expounded but knowledge is often put for loue and approbation and that God knoweth his Church and chosen far otherwise then other things euen as a man knoweth all his goods and substance but his wife and children after a speciall manner Neuerthelesse it may well note that knowledge which is in order to this action of Gods choosing whether going before it or comming after it If we haue chosen any to any thing we know whom we haue chosen and if we are about to choose any we know whom we are about to choose So God doth not onely know whom he hath chosen which knowledge to our manner of conceiuing doth follow the act of his will now being put forth but he doth know whom he is in choosing or about to choose and this doth goe before to our vnderstanding And this I thinke the meaning of fore-knowledge in that place Such whom he did fore-know to be the persons whom he would choose such hee did predestinate and thus that place 1 Pet. 1. ver 1. may be more fitly resolued where he saith the faithfull of the dispersion were chosen according to fore-knowlege Now God the Father is said to choose not that the Sonne and Spirit choose not also for if three of vs had but one will common to vs all one could not will any thing which the will of the other two should not also will because the Sonne sustaineth the person of one elected the Spirit is the witnesse sealing this grace to our hearts As the Father is often alone named in inuocation not that the other persons are not to be praied vnto but because the Sonne is considered as the mediator and the Spirit as the Schoole-master teaching vs what to pray as we ought therefore the Father onely is expressed Vse 1 Wherefore this benefit being matter of thanksgiuing let vs labour to acknowledge the goodnesse of God this way We will thanke men euen for the good meanings and purposes we perceiue them to haue toward vs though they haue done nothing by vs. When Dauid leaped reioycing in spirit before the Arke what was before him That God who had chosen him had reiected the house of Saul from ruling ouer his people How should we reioyce in spirit to thinke that God hath elected vs to an eternall kingdome from which many no way our inferiours are reiected If any show vs common countenance we doe not so much respect it but if they admit vs into such peculiar fauour as they will not communicate with any who are not their best beloued then wee doe highly esteeme it To be taken vnto this riches of grace this so restrained fauour in which the greatest part of man-ktnde haue no part how should it affect vs Doct. 2 The second Doctrine Who they are of whom we may say that they are elect euen such who haue true faith and holinesse As we may know Faith so we may know Election If we see in iudgement of charity that any hath a faith vnfained and true endeauour of holinesse we may in iudgement of charity say that such are elected Thus Saint Peter and Iohn may giue the name of Elect to the members of the visible Churches to whom they write If we know by experimentall certainty or by faith that any haue true beliefe and holinesse we doe in the same manner certainely know that we or they are elected Thus we may by Faith know that in euery true visible Church there are some elect of God because the word teacheth that where God giueth his word there are some Saints whom hee will gather and edifie some ground good where he sendeth his seedes-men Thus we may know certainely our selues elect because we may by certaine experience know our selues to haue Faith If I see one put into the office of the court of Wards or into the Treasurors Place or so I know that such a man was the man whom the king had chosen with himselfe to haue the place So when God now hath by faith and sanctification taken one out of this world we may know that he was chosen forth of the world vnto life things may be said to be when now their being is made manifest While a babe is in the womb we know not what is there conceiued but when we see a man-childe borne then we know that such an one was conceiued So when the babe is borne when the being of faith holinesse are apparant we may say that such a person before all worlds was conceiued in the womb of Gods secret Election We may know a will secret three waies 1. If a man will himselfe tell vs. 2. If he will write to vs. 3. If he doe this or that we know then by euent he had a will to such matters which now we see him execute So here God may speake by extraordinary reuelation which hath beene the priuiledge of some few 2. God may make his will knowne by the ordinary enlightning of his spirit which is that vnto the minde as a word is vnto the eare We haue receiued the spirit to teach vs to know these deepes of Gods gracious purpose towards vs 1 Cor. 2.12 by the letter of his word that golden chaine Rom. 8.29 If I be sanctified with the diuine nature in which glory is begunne I am iustified if iustified I haue beene called according to purpose if called I was predestinate if predestinate to meanes I was foreknowne as one whom God would choose to the end euen to glory 3 When I see my selfe set a part by God from the world the euent doth tell me God chose me from amongst others When I loue God come out of the world choosing him as my portion then I may know he hath loued me first and chosen me euen as I know a seale hath beene set there where I behold the print of it One may obiect that God onely knoweth who are his Ans God onely knoweth by himselfe who they are whom he approueth for his own but with this may stand the knowledge of such
iustification or glorification For the first it conteineth the dignity of being the sonnes of God 2. The inheritance of light or the diuine nature begun here to be perfected hereafter for the first see Iohn 1.22 1 Iohn 3.1 Hee giueth vs this dignity sheweth vs this loue that we should be called his children not that we are children as Adam was who because hee was produced in the similitude of God might be called a Sonne of God but sonnes through a mysticall coniunction with Iesus Christ that naturall Sonne of God Secondly we haue the inheritance of light or a diuine nature which standeth not in such a life of God as Adam had which was a knowledge of God onely as a Creator of all things and a righteousnesse and holinesse which were in order to God knowne onely as a creator not such a life as may fall away but a life which standeth in knowing as an Author in Christ of supernaturall grace such righteousnesse and holines as are in order to God as now made manifest in Christ Iesus such a life as shall neuer haue end according to that those who are borne of God cannot sinne for the seede of God abideth in them Thirdly all that glory wee looke for in Heauen is comprehended in this adoption Rom. 8. Wee expect our adoption euen the redemption of our bodies Now wee come to haue this executed on vs by faith on Christ for so many as beleeued to them it is giuen to be his children sonnes and daughters vpon our mariage with the naturall Sonne wee come in the place of sonnes and daughters also But for the order in which we receiue this dignity it is somewhat doubtfull whether when we are iustified or when we are glorified To which I answer briefly that it belongeth to our glorification and is to be recalled vnto that head for Redemption which is put for Forgiuenesse of sinne and iustification when it doth not note out our finall deliuerance this redemption is made to goe before it Gal. 4.5 That he might redeeme vs who were vnder the Law and that we might receiue Adoption Beside iustification doth nothing but sentence this of me that I am iust before God so as to receiue life from his grace Now to be iust is one thing to be reckoned a son another Againe this adoption is called by the name of a dignity or eminency 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yea glory it selfe is called by the name of Adoption Rom. 8. Wayting for our adoption euen the redemption of our bodies To omit that Rom. 9.4 those two words Adoption Glory may be put for one thing viz. Glorious adoption For the Arke is well comprehended in that head of seruice as a principall type belonging to the Law ceremoniall and looke as not onely actually to possesse the kingdome but to be heyre apparant of it is a great point of gâ—ory so the dignity of adoption adopting vs as sonnes and heyres apparant of the kingdome of heauen is a great part of glory as well as the inheritance it selfe There are but two things of moment which I know to be obiected Obiect 1 That which we haue immediately on belieuing that belongeth to our iustification but belieuing wee haue this priuiledge nothing comming betweene Iohn 1.12 Resp The second part of this reason is not true and the proofe is vnsufficient for though we be adopted beleeuing on Christ which the testimony voydeth yet it followeth not that we are immediately adopted nothing comming betweene our faith and adoption Wee are said to be saued by faith to haue eternall life belieuing yet betweene faith and life iustification must be conceiued so heere also Obiect 2 The second reason is that which giueth vs a title to life that must be a branch of our iustification to life But our adoption giueth vs title to life To the first part I answere with limitation thus That which giueth vs title to life Resp being it selfe no circumstance nor part of life now executed in vs But so adoption doth not which is the giuing of life in regard it maketh life now ours as an Orphans lands are his ours as who haue the right to it but are not yet actually possessed in it Should not the proposition be limited as I haue said it would proue that the giuing of the spirit belongeth to iustification for that doth giue me right to life as an earnest penny or part of paiment doth giue a man right to challenge the whole summe This benefit then is fitly couched vnder that last of our glorification Rom. 8. Whom he predestinated he called whom he called he iustified whom he iustified he glorified in this manner executing their glory First he giueth them of grace the dignity of sonne-ship and so a right to glory and after hee doth actually possesse them of it thus glorifying those whom out of grace he had iustified to the receiuing of life from him as a gift of his meere grace Vse 1 This then being that God did before all worlds dispose the meanes whereby we that are his should be brought to adoption how should wee admire this so great grace which we found in his eyes from all eternity Thou beleeuing soule who by faith art married to Christ Iesus thou who hast receiued the spirit which maketh thee call Abba Father the spirit of this Adoption what is this now wrought in time but that which God did preordaine before all time euen thy Adoption through Christ See then what loue the Father did beare thee that thou shouldest be made a Sonne admire it When Dauid was told of matching with Sauls daughter what said he seemeth it a small thing to be sonne in Law to a King And shall it seeme a small matter to vs that wee are now according as we were predestinated that we are sonnes in Law adopted heyres ioynt-heyres with Christ of the kingdome of glory Vse 2 We may see hence what duty wee owe to God we I say whom he hath now adopted for his children euen as of grace he did predestinate If I be a Lord where is my feare if a Father where is my honour Earthly Parents the greater things they meane to leaue their children the more they expect all obsequious and dutifull behauiour from them so doth God from vs the greater and more excellent condition he hath appointed vs vnto the more he doth challenge from vs all such care and duety as may declare vs not vnworthy so great fauour Doct. Secondly that we are predestinate to adoption Obserue that the life which God hath ordained by meanes prepared to bring vs is a life comming immediately from his grace that life which is a consequent of Adoption yea called adoption it selfe that which accompanieth sonneship is an inheritance that life cannot but come from the free grace of God our Father Adoption and sonnelike inheritance are not things purchased by contract of Iustice but are freely vouchsafed Behold what loue the Father hath
shewed vs that we should be called his children 1 Iohn 3.1 Ergo life is called a gift of Gods grace Rom. 6. vlt. And that which God will do about his children in the day of iudgment is called mercy 2 Tim. 1. The Lord shew Onesiphorus mercy in that day This is to be marked against the Papists the first force of their error in the matter of merit beginning here For they grant this proposition true They make grace belonging ad actionem dei predestinantis eligentis non ad terminum electionis that God doth out of his grace predestinate vs to life but this they will not admit that God doth predestinate vs to life which shall come immediately from this grace Now to conceiue thus of predestination is to take away all the grace of predestination For to choose one out of grace to haue this or that hee shall well pay for is grace not worth God haue mercy As they say this is grace when he might haue chosen others left vs he did take vs as who should haue life purchased from his Iustice I answer here is an action of liberty to take one before another but while this is it to which I am taken viz. to haue a penny-worth for my penny there is no grace at all shewed me For when actions are defined according to the obiect about which they are conuersant if the obiect of life haue not grace in it there can be no grace in electing to it Secondly predestination should be an intermedled action partly a preparation of things God would doe out of his grace as of calling the first iustification according to the Papists partly a preparation of things God would doe out of Iustice as of our glorification Thirdly this maketh all that God doth out of grace tend to this end that his iustice may be glorious in giuing life We read the contrary that iustice shutteth all vnder sinne that grace may be glorious in all this wee reade not and it were absurd to thinke it when all his iustice doth in reprobation tend to this end that the riches of his grace may be more displayed Fourthly the life to which wee are predestinated is here included in this word Adoption it is called a gift an inheritance it is heere said to be attained through Christ Rom. 5. v. vlt. As sinne reigneth to death so doth not the righteousnesse of Christ to life But grace by Christs righteousnesse reigneth vnto life the immediate cause ergo of life is Gods grace for the immediate cause of death is sinne The Papists make life from grace remote quoad radicem not preximè immediatè and God is said to haue made Christ euery thing to vs that our whole reioycing might be in God shewing vs grace through him not that we might be able to reioyce in our selues as now reinabled to deserue from iustice throgh him this then is to be held as a principle of great moment that the life to which we are chosen and predestinated is a life immediately flowing from the grace of God For this doth shew that the iustifying righteousnesse which God doth prepare for vs must be such that God may vpon it reckon vs iust from his meere grace to the receiuing of life from his grace But heere is no place to enter the doctrine of iustification and merit the which wee shall haue fit occasion to vnfold hereafter Now followeth the manner within himselfe that is according to the good pleasure of his will The first phrase I rather reade thus because in that wee are saide to be ordained to adoption through Christ it doth intimate that we are ordained to be children to him and because he would rather haue said Who hath predestinated vs to be Sonnes through Christ to himselfe then to adoption through Christ to himselfe but it skilleth not how we take it seeing the latter words doth sufficiently ground the instruction to be gathered Doct. Obserue that God out of his meere good will doth determine both the end and all the meanes by which hee will bring vs to the end If God doe choose and predestinate vs to life because that hee doth foresee that we will so vse his grace as to perseuer in beliefe by meanes of it then must hee call vs rather then others because he doth foresee that wee will vse his grace offered well and concur with it in manner forenamed For so farre as foreseene considerations moue mee to take any to the end of life so farre they moue to intend and execute the meanes which must bring to life But the Papists themselues in this are sound who hold that therefore God doth freely ordaine vs to the end and that he doth therefore freely call and iustifie vs hitherto they grant grace euen in the execution of Gods predestination and it may be proued by Scriptures For in calling two things may be marked 1. The sending his word 2. The working with it by his spirit now he doth both these out of his free pleasure For the word hee doth send it to those whom he doth see will lesse profit by it then others If the things done in thee had beene done in Tyrus and Sidon they would at least haue humbled themselues in Niniuie like repentance Ezech. 3. I send thee not to a people of a strange tongue they would heare thee but these will not heare thee Now he teacheth inwardly no lesse freely Luke 10.2 Father I confesse thou reuealest these things to babes and hidest them from wise ones euen according to thy good pleasure Therefore Paul saith 2 Tim. 2.9 Hee hath called vs with a holy calling according to his purpose and grace Now if God doe call vs to saluation without any thing fore-seene in vs it cannot be but that hee did ordaine vs to saluation without fore-seeing any thing which might moue him vnto it this is taught Rom. 9. that the purpose of God is according to election that is free depending on him onely who calleth vs to glory not on any thing in vs called The reason why God sheweth mercy or hardeneth that is denieth mercy is his meere will That as the Potter hath nothing but his pleasure mouing him to appoint or make of the same lumpe vessels to so diuers ends no more hath God And here it shall not be amisse to cleare that Scripture from some misconstructions which haue beene made obscuring the true meaning of it to some vnderstandings Rom. 9. Vers 11. cleared from false constructions Some make the purpose of God verse 11. to note out such a purpose by which God determineth to choose out to life such whom he doth fore-see will seeke it by constant faith in his promises reiecting others from life who seeke saluation by their owne righteousnesse in the workes of the Law This construction floweth from a former errour viz. that the Apostle in this passage of Scripture from the sixt verse downeward doth speake of the