shall see the good pleasures of the Lord in the land of the liuing and shall haue an house not made with handes but eternall in the heauens And what greater ioy can any man desire to enioy then to be assured that he is elected to eternal ioy Fourthly this assurance is the more excellent considering the woe of the Reprobates which want it and the wearisome sights and inexplicable terrors of such as are swallowed vp of dispaire Fiftly this priuiledge is the more to be accounted of because we may enioy it dayly through our life and for that the longer we be partakers of it the sweeter it is vnto vs. Lastly this assurance is an infallible argument of true faith by which wee come to Christ we approch to the Father and hasten to heauen For faith is an enemie to doubting and incredulitie and is an vndoubted certenty or perswasion Thus much concerning the subiects of Election It remaineth yet to speak of the properties and signes thereof and thence wee passe to the accomplishent of it The properties of it are especially three First it is most free without all obligation conpulsion externall instigation or preuision of future preparations merits faith For hath not the Potter libertie ouer his clay to make of the same lumpe one a vessell vnto honour and another a vessell to dishonour Who can compell the Almightie Or what is before his will Why did he make no more worldes then one Why did he make choise of the Israelites aboue all nations Why made he no more kindes of creatures or set no more Sunnes to shine in the heauens Who art thou that thou darest dispute with God The will of God saith Austen is the cause of all things that are And Hugo saith that of Gods will which is the cause of all things there is no cause Deus est liberrimum agens God is a most free Agent and doth whatsoeuer he will Therefore Aquinas saith well that the difference betwixt the saued and the damned proceedes from the principall intentions of the first Agent Secondly the decree of Election is from all eternitie not onely before we did beleeue but before wee were Gods Election and reprobation was past vpon Iacob and Esaâ— before they were borne and ere they had done good or euill And the Apostle teacheth that God did chuse vs before the foundation of the world Sedulius saith that God purposed with himselfe ante omnia mundi tempora before the beginning of the world to saue those that beleeue In like manner also S. Austen saith He fore-knew vs before he made vs and elected vs in his fore-knowledge Cum nâ—ndum fecisset when yet he had not made vs. And againe intra mundum facti sumus ante mundum electi sumus wee were made after the world but wee were elected before the world For as one saith well like as Dauid was annointed and appointed to be king long before he entred to his kingdome and as Moses was designed to be the deliuerer of Israel forty yeeres before he exercised his office so the Elect of God were long agoe ordained to saluation though the accomplishment thereof they must expect with patience Thirdly the election of God is constant perpetuall immutable and inuiolable For the principles and first grounds of things are stable and vnmoueable and that which is contingent mutable and vncertaine is therefore barred from being an originall or ground Now the decree of election is the foundation and scaturidge of saluation therefore it is certaine stedfast and vnchangeable Secondly God the author of Election is an immutable vnresistable and constant Agent or Architecht and doth seriously and effectually separate and elect some men vnto himselfe therfore his decree cannot but bee fulfilled Thirdly the Scripture is euident in auouching this truth My counsell saith the Lord shall stand The foundation of God saith Paul remaineth sure The decree of Election is called a foundation for two causes First because it is the beginning and well-spring of our saluation and of all the meanes tending to saluation Secondly it is so termed for the surenesse and firmnesse of it because the same is neuer shaken but remaines immutable For euery foundation hath this necessarie condition that it bee strong and steddy so as that the rest of the building may stay vpon it surely and not be remoued And such a firme foundation is Gods election For whosoeuer are elected shall still remaine elected and shall neuer bee reiected This is my fathers will saith Christ that of all which he hath giuen me I should loose nothing Those whom he loued euer hee loueth for euer Firmissime tene Hold saith S. Augustine most assuredly and nothing doubt at all Neque perire posse aliquem that neither any of those can perish whom God hath predestinated vnto the kingdome of heauen nor that any of those can by any meanes come whom he hath not predestinated vnto life Now if none of the Elect can perish then Gods election remaineth constant So much for the properties the Signes of Election are many First the loue of God is the ground of election And Gods loue is best knowne by his best gifts the best things hee reserueth for those whom he best loueth As Ioseph sent vnto Beniamin more messes of meate and gaue him richer giftes and more costly suites of apparell then to the rest of his brethren so the Lord bestoweth the best gifts vpon his owne children Now the graces of regeration the spirituall gifts of faith hope and loue are without all comparison the most principall Therefore he that hath faith hope and loue may assure himselfe of Gods loue and that hee is in electorum albo in the ranke and roll of Gods elect these being infallible tokens and vndoubted effects of Election and fore-runners of eternall life Secondly there is as one hath excellently deliuered a knowledge in God whereby he knowes who are his and this knowledge brings foorth an other knowledge in vs whereby wee know God for our God There is an election in God which works in the Elect another election wherby they chuse God for their God The loue whereby God loueth vs workes in vs another loue wherby we loue God Christ first apprehends vs this apprehension of his works in vs the appreheÌ„sion of faith wherby we lay hold vpon him Hoec ille If these things therefore be in vs we may conclude infallibly that we are the elect of God For they are the fruits of his loue the works of his spirit therfore irrefragable testimonies and tokens of Election The sun by his light shines vpon vs and by the same light we view and behold the sunne To conclude these also are sure signes of Election which I will set downe as I finde them in the workes of that zealous Preacher 1. A rebuking of sinne inwardly a pouertie of spirit from thence
For all flesh is grasse and all the glorie of man is as the flower of grasse The grasse withereth and the flower faâ—leth away but the iustification of a sinner remaineth for euer It is enacted and enrolled in heauen it shall not bee repealed and oblâ—terâ—ted vpon the earth Fiftly Iustification may be perceiued knowne and that three waies First by the suggestion of Gods spirit Secondly by faith which is a certaine assurance or perswasion of the loue af God in Christ Now a man may assure himselfe of faith â—f theâ—â— two things be in him First if he loue God for God himselfe and his neighbour truely as himselfe For loâ—e accompanies faith as the light doth the sunne Indeed it proceedes fâ—om faith and as Grâ—gorâ—â— saith Quantum 〈◊〉 taâ—tuâ—◠〈◊〉 As is our faith 〈…〉 our loue Secondly a man may assure himselfe of Iustifying faith if he doe striue against his doubtings and with an honest heart doe will to beleeue and vnfeignedly desire to be reconciled vnto God and do with aâ—l constantly vse the good meanes that God hath ordeined to beget and encrease faith For God acceptâ— the wil to beleeue for faith it selfe and the will to repent for repentance The reason hereof iâ— plaine Euerie supernaturall act presupposeth a supernaturall povver or gift and therefore the vvill to beleeue and repent presupposeth the povver and gift of faith and repentance in the heart Thirdly a man may come to bee assured of his Iustification by certaine vnfallible tokens and 〈◊〉 of it some whereof I will here set down The first is a ioy most vnspeakable and glorious wherewith our hearts must needs be rauished when we see â—ur selues by the righteousnesse of Christ of the free grace of God redeemed from death deliuered from hell and freed fâ—om the fearefâ—ll condemnation of the wicked The second is the peace of conscience While sin and the guilt of sin remained there was no peace nor quietnes to be found but feare within terrours without and troubles on euerie side But when our sins are once nayled to the crosse of Christ and forgiuen vs then the windes are layed the waues are setled the sea is calmed the soule is quieted and imparked within the pales of peace Thirdly that no man may thinke fleshly sottishnes and the stupour of the spirit to be found securitie true tranquillity being indeed but like a caâ—me beâ—ore some violent no oâ—â—â—agious tempâ—st wee may know that our peace is good and that 〈…〉 fâ—â—â—â—on is past with God â—f w◠〈◊〉 a promptitude and 〈…〉 to dâ—e that which is good 〈…〉 a man doth finde 〈…〉 for the forgiuenes of siâ—nes 〈◊〉 loue of God constraineth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—â—y which hee conceiueth 〈…〉 him and putteth life into hâ—m for 〈◊〉 peâ—â—oâ—mance of those things whicâ— are pleasing vnto God His vnderstanding is inlightned his iudgement is refoâ—â—ed his affections are bâ—â—â—râ—d his ioies are in heauen his desire are to Christ-ward his walke is tâ— Canaan his course to Ierusalem 〈◊〉 his anger is consumed vpon his ownâ— corruption For we must know 〈◊〉 when God doth in pâ—te riâ—hteousneâ— vnto a man to preuent his dâ—mâ—â—tioâ— by sin then hee doth also infâ—se righteousnes into him to â—inder the â—â—â—â—nation of sin Therefore Paul ioyneâ— both together when hee saith that Christ is made vnto vs righteousness◠〈…〉 and redemption and when hee tâ—ls his Corinths that they are vâ—â—sh 〈…〉 and iustified So then he that ciâ—cumciseth the fore skin of his heart by true repentance he that waâ—â—eth against all his lusts truely stâ—â—â—h to serue the Lord in all his pâ—ecâ—pâ—s he may know for certainâ— that God haâ—h cut the cords of his sinnes and hath cast them all behindâ— him But â—â—â—â—e are manie circumcised to 〈◊〉 not to the Lord they are the cirâ—uâ—â—â—sion of the King and of the Queene they leaue maâ—y grosse sins pâ—â—â—shable by imprisonment but for others as great but not pâ—nal they passe ouer These men must know what so long as they addict themselues to their knowne enormities without repentance they are out of the kingdome of Christ are not clothed with the robes of his righteousnes but coâ—â—red with the rotten rags of their owne wickednes For those that are in Christ vvalke not after the flesh but after the Spirit They thâ—t aâ—e â—is haue crucified the flesh vvâ—th the affections the lusts But to liue in sin is to take sin downe from the crosse and to put life and spirit into it Finally as S. Iohn teacheth we know that we are translated from death to life which is in our iustification because vve loue the Brethren For it is impossible for him rightly to loue a righteous man in Christ who is not as yet himselfe made righteous by Christ But when a man is once â—â—sâ—ified by God he will then begin to loue a iust man for God Loue loâ—es his like One iust man will loue another Martin Luther faith that a man may try and know whether hâ— be incorporated into Christ or not by this that as hee feeleth his heart cheered and sweetned by the feeling of Gods promises and fauour written in his hart so such a man as no man is but he that is iustified haâ—h forthwith regard of his Neighbour and helpeth him as his Brother careth for him lendeth him giueth him comforteth counâ—elleth him yea and briefly hee is greeued if there bee none towards whom he may be seâ—uiceâ—ble hee is patient tractabâ—e and truly friendeth all men he doth not esteeme the teÌ„porall pleasure and pride of this life he iudgeth no man hee defameth no man he interpreteth all things to the best part Finally when as he seeth not the matter go well with his neighbour as that he fainteth in faith waxeth cold in loue he prayeth for him he reproueth him according to his calling hee is sorely greeued if any man commit any thing against God or his Neighbour And all this proceedeth from the roote and iuice of Gods grace for that the bountifulnes loue and goodnes of Christ hath sprinckled and replenished his heart with sweetenes and loue that it is a pleasure and ioy for him to do good to his Neighbour and is greeued for his sins as Samuel for Saul By these and such like workes of grace a man may come to a certaine knowledge of his Iustification Which how well worthy it is of our knowledge they can best tell which feele the comfort of it most And let no maÌ„ thinke it impâ—ssible to bee discerned by man because it is performed by God without man For though it be acted by God in heauen yet it produceth many notable graces in man vpon the earth by which it may be perceiued as a vine by her grapes or as a lamp by her light Neither let vs be induced to thinke that iustification is a changeable or reuokable act of God and that a iustified man may fall from grace and
THE HIGH-VVAY To Heauen OR The doctrine of Election effectuall Vocation Iustification Sanctification and eternall Life Grounded vpon the holy Scriptures Confirmed by the testimonies of sundry iudicious and great Diuines Ancient and Moderne Compiled by THOMAS TVKE LONDON Printed by NICHOLAS OKES dwelling neere Holborne bridge 1609. TO THE WORshipfull Maister IOHN Leuesen Esquire SIR many and great are the Priuiledges of the Faithful and farre more excellent then any which either are or can be granted by any mortall Monarch whatsoeuer For first they were elected of almightie God freely from all eternity to be partakers of his grace in this world and to be inuested with immortall glory in the world to come Secondly when they had reuolted from God and were become the vassals of the Diuel dead in sinnes and the children of wrath God in 〈…〉 recall and gather them and redeemed them from their seruitude with the bloud of his owne and only sonne Christ Iesus who was made sinne for vs that wee might be made the righteousnes of God in him assuming our iniquitie to himselfe and imputing his righteousnesse vnto vs. Magnum autem est quod peccata remissa sunt sed maius est quòd per sanguinem Dominicum remissa sunt Now it is much that we should be redeemed by God who were Runna gates from God but that we should be redeemed by the bloud of God by the bloud of the sonne of God who was perfect God perfect man of the same substance honor and antâ—quitie with the Father this commends the wonderfull loue of God vnto vs and is a fauour that all the world besides doth want Thirdly God doth refine and reuiue them breathing into them the breath of life the spirit of sanctification who doth reforme purge and alter them ruinating the cursed workes of the Diuell and repairing rectifying and adorning them by grace with goodnes Fourthly God doth when hee pleaseth bath them in the waters of sorrow and try them in the furnace of affliction to correct and clense them that his graces in them may appeare more fresh and shining as flowers doe in a shower or as the Moone doth in the night Finally the Lord will one day translate them out of the wide and wast Wildernes of this wicked and wofull World and will safely bring them into celestiall Canaan where they shall liue for euer with him in ful freedome from all euill and in perpetuall fruition of all felecity so that as nothing shal be found in Hell which shal be desired so nothing shal be desired in Heauen which shall not be found Ibi laetitia sine tristitia locus sine dolore vitasine labore lux sine tenebris ibi iuuentus semper vigescit nunquam senescit ibi dolor nunqum sentitur nec gemitus vnquam auditur ibi tristitia nunquam videtur sed aeternum gaudium possidetur ibi est summa certa tranquillitas tranquilla faelicitas foelix aeternitas aeterna beatitas beata Trinitas There shal be mirth without mourning a life without labor day without darknes eternall happines happy eternity Ibi nec malitia nec militia ibi nec poena nec poenitenria ibi nec peccatum nec perditio There is neither sinne nor sorow neither penalty nor penitency neither foe nor fighting neither corruption nor contention amity and no enmity faith and no fraud godlines and no guile loue without lust â— wisedome without wilines simplicity without simulation perpetuall solace and solacious perpetuity prosperous security and secure prosperity Ibi nil intus quod sastiolatur nil foris quod appetatur ibi rex veritas lex charitas possessio aeternitas There we shall neither lothe nor long for The King is veriâ—y the law charity the possession eternity yea the fruition of the eternall God who will be Mel in ore melos in aure iâ—bilus in corde All in all to them that loue him These things you may take a further view of if you please by perusing this little â—ractate which I dedicate to you as a testimony of my desire of your proficience in holy learning And thus hoping of your kind acceptance thereof I commend it to you and both it and you to the Lord desiring him to honor you with his grace 〈◊〉 you may so know him in your youth as that you may be knowen of him in your age and that seruing him like a faithfull Souldier against sinne and all sinnefull vanities in the Church militant you may raigne also like a noble Victor with him in the Church Triumphant February 16. 1608. Your Worships in the Lord to be commanded THOMAS TVKE 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eduardi Smithi ad Lectorem Laesciuae faâ—iem Veneris laudare vetustas Respersam naeuo garrula saepè solet Exhibet iste liber veneres naeuo sine castas Es laetam quicquid sternat ad astra Viam Eiusdem ad Momum Nigro si tibi mos bene facta notare lapillo Hâ—â— omnis maculis pagina sparsa foret Vanae at sicarpas tantummodo somnia Mome Crede tuss maculis non locus vllus erit Eiusdem ad Auctorem Ergò age pensentur tibi tot mercede labores A Eternà dignam saecula nostra negant Exhibe tende docâ— condigna salubria Verae Christo â—uibus cunctos carminâ— voce stylo The names of such as are alledged in this booke beside the Scriptures A AMbrose Angelome Anselme Aquinas Aristotle Augustine B Bede Beza Bellarmine Bernard Bradford Buâ—anuâ— Basill C Caluin Cicero Chrysostome Clemens Alex Cameracensis Cyprian Cyrill D Danaeus F Fox Fulgentius G Greenham Gregorie H Hugo Haimo Hâ—ome I Innocentius Isidore Isychius Iustine K Kâ—â—ke maâ— L Lactaâ—tiuâ— Luthâ—r M P. Martyr O Origen P Perâ—iuâ— Pâ—â—lpâ—t Piscator Polanus Primasius Prâ—â—pâ—r R Radulphus Roffensis Rogers Remiâ—iâ—s Roilâ—â—â— S Sedulins Sturmius T Tertullian Theodulus Trelâ—atius Tyndall V Vrsinus VV Willet OF GODS ETERnall Election CHAP. I. The word Election hath fiue significations Three reasons to proâ—ue that there is an Election to life Two reasons prouing the necessary vse of this Doctrine Foure reasons to shew that Ministers should teach it Three duties to bee done concerning the handling of it ALL men are by a certaine instinct of nature desirous of knowledge and account ignorance euill and vnseemely like a defectiue body or a light-lesse house For knowledge is the eye of the minde the light of the soule the ornament of grace and nature and such riches as will swimme with the master when he suffers shipwracke and sees his whole estate to sinke before his eyes Now the more excellent and commodious a thing is the more worthy it is of our knowledge Therefore it is discommendable and vncomely for any man to bee ignorant of himselfe and of the causes the meanes and maner of his eternall saluation and redemption from horrible and intolerable miserie To
neither were all the seed of Abraham elected as was Abraham It is God who makes vs meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saintes and not any prerogatiue or dignitie in vs. We call Christ our Sauiour because he by his dignitie and merit hath deserued our saluation of God for vs euen so wee might be called our owne Electors if we did mooue God to elect vs by our dignities or prerogatiues Finally God respects not these things in sauing vs therefore neither in electing vs. For if they did mooue God to elect vs they should also perswade him to redeeme and saue vs which is against the Scripture in many places Finally the merit of Christ is not the efficient or impulsiue cause of election though it be of saluation For the efficient cause of election which is without beginning must also bee without beginning but the merit of Christ is not froÌ„ eternitie therfore it is not the efficient cause of eternall election Secondly if Christ himselfe as Mediator was elected froÌ„ all eternity then his merit is not the cause of electing but the former is true out of Peter the latter therefore is also true Thirdly the effect of eternall election is not the cause thereof but the merit of Christ is the effect of election For God did not elect vs because Christ was to die for vs but on the contrarie Christ did therefore die for vs because God had elected vs in him Therefore the merit of Christ is not the efficient cause of Gods election Wherefore we do conclude and with Caluin we doe auerre according to the truth Hoc consilium quoad Electos in gratuita eius misericordia fundatum esse that the foundation of Gods Election is laied in his free mercie He will haue mercie on whom he will and chuseth whom he pleaseth And so much for the efficient and impulsiue cause of election The materiall cause or matter of Election is threefold first in which that is in Christ the Mediatour secondly about which that is about certaine men thirdly of which it doth consist of which last wee now entreat and that is the counsell of God For election is nothing but the counsell of GOD for the separation of some men to eternall life The formall cause is the ordination assumption and separation of certaine men from all others to the fruition of present grace and future glory The ends of Election are three The former concernes God that doth elect the 2. latter concerne those that are elected The first is the glory of God and the celebration and declaration of his mercy Rom. 9.23 That hee might declare the riches of his glorie vpon the vessels of mercie which he hath prepared vnto glorie Eph. 1.6 He hath chosen vs to the praise of his glorious grace The glory of God is the supreme end of all things therefore of election And if we be commanded to make it the scope of all our actions wee need not doubt but that God doth aime at it in all his The second end of Election is that we should bee holy and blamelesse before God Augustine saith well He chose vs not because we were then holy neither yet because wee would hereafter prooue holy but he rather chose vs to this end that in the time of grace we might be holy through good works The third end is the saluation and glory of the Elect. Therefore they are sayd to be Ordained to eternall life and prepared vnto glorie and chosen vnto saluation We may not thinke that Election is the absolute wil of God without any end It were impietie to attribute such a will to God as hath no scope or end proposed to it For if nature doe nothing in vaine or to no end and purpose much lesse doth God The effects of Election are the meditation of Christ adoption vocation sauing faith iustification and glorification which comprehendeth two things first regeneration or sanctification in which is conteined perpetuall repentance that is auersion from all euill and conuersion vnto God loue righteousnesse the hatred of sinne the study of good workes calling vpon God true humilitie a desire to see Christ constancie in professing the true faith to the last gaspe For Gods Election is the roote of all the gifts of God in vs and the foundation of all his sauing benefits Secondly glorification comprehendeth in it the complement and fruition of all glory in the life to come that is of all holines and happinesse with the Lord foreuer The Subiect of Election is double The first is the subiect in whom we are elected This subiect is Christ Hee hath chosen vs in him saith Paul Now we are not elected in Christ as hee is God or the Word simply so considered For in this respect he is our Elector as he saith himselfe I know whom I haue chosen Neither are wee elected in him as a meere man For a meere man was not fit for vs to bee elected in But we are elected in him as he is God-man our Head and eternall Mediator in whom God hath placed all spirituall blessings which hee would communicate to vs in his good time And wee are elected in Christ because we were not capable in ourselues of so great excellencie He only as Polanus truely teacheth is the fit meane in whom we were elected considering that by election there is made an vnion and coniunction of vs with God the electour Caluin alleaging that speech of Paul He hath chosen vs in Christ saith that it is all one as if he had said that God because he found nothing worâ—hie of his election in all the seed of Adam did therefore turne his eies vnto his Christ that hee might elect members as it were out of his bodie whom hee would take vnto the fellowship of life It were therefore very absurd to dream of any election out of him hee being the foundation of the execution of Election in respect of the beginning meanes and end The other subiect is the Obiect of Election or the persons that are elected And these are not all the sonnes of Adam without exception of any For first hee that taketh all and refuseth none cannot properly be said to chuse For election supposeth a reiection He which makes a choice refuseth some Secondly whom God electeth hee doth also glorifie But all are not glorified therefore all are not elected Thirdly sauing faith is peculiar to the Elect and not common to all and is a true effect of Gods election Now many being destitute of true faith for euer it must needs bee that they are also out of Gods election Fourthly the Scripture shewes that some are elected and some refused Rom 11.7 The Elect haue obtained it but the rest are blinded God hath made the wicked for the day of euill Gregory saith well Deus miro modâ— God being the creator of all alike hath admirablie
and a mourning therefore 2. A being cast downe in our owne conceit and a meeknesse wrought therby to beare our punishment 3. An hungring after the righteousnesse which is in Christ and a prizing of it aboue all earthly things 4. A musing vpon and a desire to thinke and speake of heauenly things 5 A conflict of the flesh and spirit therein by practise the power of the spirit getting the vpper hand 6. A purpose vnfeined vpon strength receiued of vowing ones selfe wholly to the glory of God and good of our brethren 7 A resignation of our selues into Gods handes 8 An expecting of the dayly increase of our soules health and our bodyes resurrection 9. An acknowledgement of our offences with a true purpose to leaue them 10 The forgiuing of our enemies and a delight in Gods saints 11. A desire that after death the Church of God may florish and haue all peace 12. A spirit without guile that is an vnfeined purpose alwayes to doe well howsoeuer our infirmities put vs by it Now though a man shall not find all these things alwayes in him there is yet matter of true comfort if hee finde any It is sufficient to prooue it true fire and not painted if there bee smoke or heate onely though no flame If there be but breath it is ynough to shew life though the body stirre not and one Apple is sufficient to prooue the tree to liue so one good and constant motion or resolution of grace is sufficient to prooue a mans election vnto glory By this wee may know that wee belong to God if we finde any impression of the grace of God in vs. But if all these signes be wanting yet wee may not dispaire but commend our selues to the grace of God and vse the meanes of saluation For a man may be elected though for a time he liue vnconuerted and in his sinnes as wee see by the examples of Paul and of the thiefe vpon the Crosse Though this be true that Whosoeuer is conuerted is elected yet this is not true that Whosoeuer is not conuerted the same is not Elected Because the Elect may be for a time aliants from God vnregenerated as were the Ephesians Corinthians ColossiaÌ„s yea al meÌ„ are such by nature Hauing thus described Election I proceed to the accomplishment or execution of it CHAP. III. What the execution of Election is Foure Arguments to prooue the ordination of the meanes These meanes are common or speciall Of the former there be two And of the latter two THE Execution of Election is the dispoâ—â—tion vsing and application of all secondarie causes or means by which as by certaine degrees or steps God doth accomplish his decree and come to the end of it For wee must know that as God doth ordaine the end so he doth subordaine and apply the meanes which tend vnto the end This the Lord sheweth by that speech in Hoseah I wil heare the heauens and they shall heare the earth and the earth shall heare the corne â—he wine and the oyle and they shall heare Israel Euen so as God hath by his election appointed certaine persons to saluation he doth likewise appoint and apply the meanes and makes them walke in the way which leades to saluation The trueth of this assertion is euident by these 4. reasons following First none of the yeeres of vnderstanding were euer saued without the regeneration of the Spirit without faith in Christ without repentance towards God without loue to the Saintes and finall perseuerance for these things are euery where vrged in the Scriptures therefore the Elect were predestinated vnto these means by which they might come vnto eternall life which is their end Secondly God threatens eternall destruction to the wicked and vnbeleeuers but promiseth eternall happinesse to all penetent faithfull righteous and godly men which perseue in pietie vnto the end therefore bâ— these meanes of Predestination the Elect doe clime vp to heauen and attaine to life Thirdly the Apostle doth expresly place effectuall vocation and iustification betwixt predestination and glorification as the fore-runners and antecedents of it Fourthly the very word Predestination doth teach as much For predestination is not onely the preparation constitution and ordination of the end but of the meanes also which tend vnto the end Predestination saith Augustine is the preparation of the benefit of God by which those are most certainely deliuered who are deliuered And Aquinas saith that three things are of be considered in predestination the Destination of the counsell the execution of the same and the meanes causas medias of the execution These two principles are therefore to be remembred First that Whosoeuer are elected to eternall life as to the end the same are also elected and ordained to the meanes of that end Secondly that the First cause doth not abolish or take away the second Thus wee haue shewed that God doth execute his decree of Election by meanes and that the meanes and the end are inseparably conioyned These Meanes are of two sorts Some are such as serue for the execution of the decree both of Election and Reprobation indifferently Others serue onely for the Execution of Election by which the Elect are distinguished from the Reprobate Those common meanes are two the creation of man and the permission of his fall or his fall permitted The Creation of man is the forming of man according to the image of God but yet in a changeable condition Here we must remember these 2. things First that God created the substance of soule and body and that he gaue them certaine faculties powers and that withall there was placed in them true righteousnes knowledge holines without any prauitie disteÌ„per or iniquitie But yet as Cyrill truly speaketh Our father Adam was of a mutable disposition and had by nature habilitie to loue iustice and hate iniquitie and contrariwise to embrace iniquitie and to refuse iustice For God properly and by himselfe is constant and immutable and if any thing else continue constant it is through him who is bound to none but will doe whatsoeuer hee will A Gold-smith makes a costly Iewell beset with pearles and precious stones and voyd of all deformitie but yet so makes it that if it fall it may be crackt and broken so God made man most perfect and garnished his nature with excellent graces and gaue him power to continue in the same perfection if hee would yet did he not make him so vnchangeable but that hee might both fall and by falling breake and loose his excellencie as the euent declareth Secondly we must know that Adam was no priuate person but represented all mankinde And therefore we stood and fell with him For hee was the root and we are his branches he was the spring and we the streams he was as the head and wee are as the members As the King his Nobles Knights and Burgesses doe
further this knowledge my purpose is out of the Scriptures and by the helpe of sundry learned and orthodoxall Writers briefly to treat of Gods Election and the Execution of it and so we shal as in a Glasse behold what course the Lord hath in his wisedome taken to manifest his grace vnto vs and to make vs partakers of his glory Before I shew what election is I thinke it not amisâ—e 1. To shew the significations of the word because it is ambiguous 2. To proue that there is an Election 3. And that the doctrine thereof ought to bee learned 4. As also to shew that it ought to be preached to the people 5. and in what maner For the first this word Election or Chusing hath fiue significations First it signifies the chusing and assuming of a man to some worke or office So Saul was chosen to bee a King and Iudas to be an Apostle and of this Election is that speech of Christ to bee vnderstood Haue not I chosen you twelue and one of you is a Diuil Secondly it is taken for that Election whereby the Lorde doth make choise of a nation to bee his people vpon whom he will bestow his lawes and ordinances and more singular loue-tokens then vpon many other Thus the Israelites were Gods elect though amongst them were many reprobates For this election was temporall in part and but a Remnant in comparison were elected as touching that eternall decree of life Thirdly it signifieth the eternall decree of God for the separating and adopting of some men to euerlasting life Fourthly it sometimes signifies the execution of this decree or the separation of certaine men in time by effectuall vocation Fiftly it signifies in that speech of Paul The election hath obtained the Elect themselues as Circumcision is vsed sometimes for Circumcised Buâ— we here vse it in the third signification And so much for the word Now that there is such an Election it is euident by these reasons First by expresse testimonies of holy Scripture Many are called but few are chosen I know saith Christ whom I haue chosen So many as were ordained to eternall life beleeued Endeuour to make your election sure Hee is blinde that cannot see the shining of the Sunne at Noone Secondly the Scripture sheweth that there is a Reprobation therefore vnlesse wee shall say that all are reprobates we must needs grant an electioÌ„ Thirdly the Scripture setteth forth vnto vs the cause the perpetuitie the benefits and tokens of it which were to no purpose if there were no election at all Lastly we haue the consent of the Church in all ages It is saith Augustine horrible blasphemie to deny Predestination Hauing now prooued that there is an Election I come in the third place to prooue the necessitie of learning vnderstanding this doctrine which I will do with these two reasons The first is this That doctrine ought to bee learned which serues to declare Gods glorie But the doctrine of election doth manifest the glory of God For first it sheweth that we are elected to the honour of God and to the praise of his glorious grace Secondly it argues and illustrates his essentiall properties as his omnipotencie omniscience eternity mercy Thirdly this doctrine doth both demonstrate and defend the free grace of God against all contrariant heresies and errors and will arme vs against many impetuous enemies of the truth therefore it is a doctrine worthy to be learned Secondly that Doctrine is necessarily to bee learned which is profitable to vs in the course of Christianity but the doctrine of election will auaile vs much in the running of this race For first it releiues our faith against diffidence shewing that our saluation hangs not like a Meteour in the ayre but is firmely fixed vpon the loue of God in Christ Secondly it furthereth our Spirituall ioy in that it teacheth that the loue of God is Constant and his decree concerning our welfare is Eternall Thirdly it eclipseth the pride of the heart shewing that Gods dignation and not mans dignitie his fauour not mans faith his mercie and not mans merit is the fountaine and foundation of mans felicitie Fourthly it prouokes vs to true gratitude and the practise of all good works because it teacheth to ascribe our saluation wholly to the grace of God and not to our owne goodnesse as also that wee were elected to bee holy and not to follow the swinge of the flesh and to goe a whoring after our owne lusts Fiftly this doctrine ministers comfort to vs and helpes our pacience in aduersitie For it teacheth that wee are predestinated to weare the crowne of thornes with Christ as well as the crowne of glory and that as wee are couered with the grace of God as with a Canopy whiles wee liue in this world so wee shal be honoured with immortall glory in the world to come therefore this doctrine ought to be learned and remembred Fourthly it is fit for Ministers to acquaint their people with this doctrine The reasons are these First Christ and his Apostles and some of the olde Prophets haue commended this doctrine vnto the Church and did teach it the people But it were grieuous sacriledge to depriue the poore people of that which GOD doth vouchsafe them and transcendent impietie to denie the preaching of that in the Church which God doth teach in his word for the good of the Church For whatsoeuer is written in the word it is written for our learning that through the consolation of the Scripture we might haue hope Secondly the Gospell ought to be preached vnto all both learned and vnlearned but the doctrine of Election is a principall part of the Gospel yea the whole Gospell is inclosed within the â—osome of this doctrine if we respect both the decree it selfe and the execution and accomplishment of it together therefore it ought to bee promulged and made 〈…〉 vnto all Thirdly this doctrine is very vsefull and solatious and may be applyed to many notable purposes For it shewes vs the true causes of all our happinesse Secondly it confuteth the Pelagians who ascribe saluation to mens owne strength and merits and vtterly ouerturneth the opinion of Election for works or faith foreseen Thirdly it serues to correct the course of those that hinder their owne happinesse by their presumption diffidence incredulity prophanenesse sensuality and other irregular and irreligeous courses Fourthly it proues the deity of Christ For in that hee hath elected vs vnto life we conclude that he is very God Fiftly as it testifieth the loue of God vnto vs so likewise it serues to enflame vs with loue towards him For who would not loue him of whom hee is so loued and to whom hee is so much obliged And to omit many vses which might be made of this doctrine it shewes the great power and authoritie that God hath ouer
fore-elected some and forsaken others Now why God electeth not all Ne quaeramus scrupulosius si errare nolumus Aug. If we would not erre wee must not be too curious in enquiring Aquinas saith truely God hath no reason but his will why he should elect some to glory and cast away others Neither doth God offer the lest iniury though he doe not chuse all because he is not tyed to chuse any His Lordship is ouer all his authoritie is absolute he may doe with his owne what he will Who can hinder him Wee are all to him as clay in the hand of the Potter Hee will haue mercie on whom hee will and whom hee will hee hardeneth The rich man of a rout of beggars sets his loue on one and passeth by the rest without wronging any A man entertaines one into his house and passeth by many other without any iniury done vnto them and shall we thinke that God may not lawfully chuse or refuse whome he pleaseth God saith M. Green-ham is debtour to none and therefore sheweth mercie to whom he will Wee may assure our selues that his reasons are most iust though vnknowen to vs. For the depth of his counsels cannot be sounded Therefore Gregorie saith well Let no man desire to search out the cause why one is elected when another is repelled because his iudgements are vnsearcheable and his waies past finding out Seing then all men are not elect men let vs see who are the elect and what their number is For the first whosoeuer is or shall bee saued the same is vndoubtedly elected For both these propositions are infallibly true 1. Whosoeuer is elected shall be saued 2. And whosoeuer is or shall be saued is elected Now these are vndoubted Notes of saluation First to esteeme the word of GOD more then our appointed food Iob 23 12. And to couer to be fed with it that we may grow therby 1. Pet. 2.2 Secondly to be swift to heare slow to speake and slow to wrath laying apart all maliciousnesse and the excrements of sinne and receiuing with meekenesse the word that is grafted into vs that it may saue our soules Iam. 1.21 Thirdly to meditate in the word night and day and to alienate our selues from the counsels and wayes of the wicked Psal 1.1.2 Fourthly to walke vprightly before God and to be of a pure and sincere spirit For blessed are those that are vpright in their way Psal 119.1 And blessed are the pure in spirit for they shall see God And this sinceritie and puritie of heart may bee discerned by these two notes First when wee haue respect vnto all the commandements of God labouring to know them if wee doe not and if wee doe to doe after them according to the measure of grace wee haue receiued Secondly if we be desirous and labour to vse all and euery one of those meanes which God hath ordained in his word to bring vs vnto puritie of heart and if in doing these things we simply and singly seeke to approoue our selues vnto God without either looking for praise or profit rebuke or losse from men and when wee seeke not chiefly these outward things at Gods hands Greenham The second thing to bee considered is the number of the elect concerning which these 3 conclusions are worthy to be weighed First that the elect considered apart simply by themselues are exceeding many constituting the whole Church of God which is the mysticall body of Christ Many shall come saith Christ from the East and West and shall sit downe with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the kingdome of heauen Paul saith that by the obedience of Christ Many shall be mad righteous Iohn saith he saw an Innumerable Multitude of all nations and tongues which stood before the Lambe clothed with long white robes and palmes in their handes Augustine saith Electorum quidam quasi â—â—ndus est that there is as it were a certaine world of the Elect. And Ambrose saith that there is in the Elect 〈◊〉 fore-knowne Specialis quaedam vniuersitas à speciall kinde of vniuersalitie vt de toto mundo totus mundus That the whole World out of the whole world and all men from all men seeme to be taken vnto life So then we say that the number of Gods elect considered by themselues alone is great Secondly the Elect in comparison of the Reprobate and damned are but few For straite is the way of life and few there be that finde it And many saith Christ are called but fewe are chosen Christs Flocke is but a little flocke And Paul out of Esay saith that though the number of the children of Israel were at the sand of the sea as indeed they were yet shall but a remnant be saued Which point must bee well considered because some haue imagined that God hath elected all But if this were true then either all should be saued or else God is changeable and doth alter his purpose of himselfe or els is ouercome and drawne to change it by some other which things cannot but offend a iudicious and godly eare Thirdly the number of the Elect is certaine and defined God knowes them all and they can neither bee diminished nor increased It is truely said of Trelcatius Electorum reproborum numerus numeratus certus est quaâ—uis vterque nobis non certo compertus The number of the Elect is certaine both how manie they are and who they are although it bee not certainely knowen to vs. God knowes them and their number though man doe not This was also the iudgement of Augustine who speaketh thus These things I speake of them who are predestinated vnto the kingdom of God Quorum it a certus est numerus vt nec addatur eis quisquam nec minuatur ex eis Whose number is so certaine that neither any can be added to them nor taken from them Hauing now spoken of the persons that are elected it will not bee amisse briefly to set downe their prerogatiues which no reprobate can partake of First God knowes them and approues and loues them Now if the grace of earthly Princes be in so great request what price can be set of his loue who is the Prince of all Princes and the grand Commander of all the world Secondly a liuely and true sauing faith pertaines to them onely and therefore Paul calles it the faith of the elect the scripture saith that so many as were ordained to eternal life beleeued Caluin saith that faith is a singular pledge of Gods fatherly loue layed vp in store for those his sonnes whom he hath adopted And this gift is very excellent For by Faith we liue by Faith wee walke by Faith wee are iustified and our heartes purified by it wee vanquish the world and without it it is vnpossible to please God Thirdly effectuall vocation and conuersion vnto God belongs not to the Reprobate but to
some of them were before their calling notorious sinners committing â—orrible and transcendent enormities â—et now since their calling they were rashed and sanctified and so become new men And as concerning the Thessalonians he saith that the Gospel was not to them in word onely but also in power and much assurance and that they became followers of him and of the Lord and receiued the word in much affliction with ioy of the holy Ghost and turned to God from Idoles to serue the liuing and true God and increased in faith and mutuall loue and were patient faithfull in al their persecutions afflictions So then if with the Romanes we performe heartie obedience to the word if with those Corinthes we be rich in spirituall graces and haue purged our heartes by true repentance from our former iniquities if we be mortified and renewed if like those good ThessaloniaÌ„s we receiue and beleeue the Gospell if we follow the Lord his faithfull embassadours if we entertâ—ine the word with ioyfulnesse notwithstanding all afflictions if we turne to God from all our owne Gods our owne delights and vanities to which wee had wedded our heartes if our faith increase and our loue abound and if we haue patience and faith as they had in all our crosses and afflictions then may we assure ourselues that wee are effectually called as they were Finally Peter exhorting vs to giue diligence to make calling sure addeth that if we doe these things wee shall neuer fall Now what these things are hee sheweth to wit that they would ioint vertue with their faith and with vertue knowledge with it temperance and with temperance patience with patience godlines with it brotherly kindnes and with brotherly kindnes loue If therfore these graces shine within vs and bee fast rooted in our hearts and vnited in our liues we may assure our soules of our effectuall calling if we do these things we shall neuer fall and if we shall neuer fall then may wee safely conclude that God hath effectually called vs to light and glorie And thus much concerning effectu-vocation which is the first meane whereby God executeth his eternall Election CHAP. 5. What Iustification is All the causes of it Fiue effects of it The subiects and time of it Fiue properties thereof Foure tokens of it THE second is Iustification For those whom hee calleth effectually in time hee also iustifieth actually in time To iustifie is to repute or account one iust Pro. 17.15 He which iustifieth the wicked that is he which reputeth and iudgeth him to be iust is an abomination to the Lord. Luke 16.15 You iustifie your selues before men that is You would be esteemed iust To be iustified is to be cleared or to bee reputed iudged and pronounced iust To be iustified then before God is to be reputed and esteemed righteous in his sight Iustification therefore in his proper significatioÌ„ is an Acceptance wherby God esteemeth vs as righteous being receiued into fauour Or Iustification is a iudiciall and gracious worke of God by which hee iudgeth the Elect being in themselues obnoxious to the accusation and curse of the Law to be iust by faith for Christ through the imputation of his iustice and that vnto the praise of his glorious grace and to their owne saluation The principall efficient of Iustification is God the Father in the Sonne by the holy Spirit For who can forgiue sinnes but God alone It is God that iustifies I saith the Lord euen I am hee that putteth away thine iniquities It 〈◊〉 meet that he should be our pardoner who was our Creator and that he should bee the giuer of grace who was to all the author of nature It is his office to absolue the guiltie by whose iustice hee was made guiltie It beloÌ„gs to him to pronounce a man to be iust whose will is the rule of iustice it is his prerogatiue to giue sentence of life and death because he is by nature right and office the highest Iudge The instrument whereby the benefit of Iustification is offered and proclaimed is the Gospel which therefore is called the word of life the word of saluation the word and ministerie of Reconciliation The outward instruments whereby our iustification is sealed and confirmed to vs are the two Sacramentes and thereupon Circumcision is called the Seale of the righteousnesse of faith The inward Sealer of our iustification is the Holy Ghost who testifieth and sealeth it to our consciences so as that we may perswade our hearts of it The Ministers and liuely instruments for the proclaiming testifying and pronouncing our iustification to vs are the Messengers and Prophets of the Lord according to that of Christ whose sinnes ye remit they shall be remitted to them and whose ye retaine they shall be retained The onely internall instrument whereby we apprehend and receiue the grace of iustification offered vnto vs by God is a true sauing faith Iustifying faith is a gift whereby wee apprehend Christ and his benefits Or it is a worke of Gods Spirit in the heart whereby we receiue and lay hold on Christs obedience for the pardon of our sinnes with God and his accepting of vs as righteous in his â—ight The authour of faith is God For vnto vs It is giuen to beleeue This is the worke of God saith Christ that yee beleeue in him whom hee hath sent Faith both begun and finished is the gift of God as Austen truly teacheth The proper forme and life of faith is not charitie which is a distinct gift of God and a fruite of vnfeigned Faith but the Apprehension and Application of Christ and his benefites vnto our selues particularly The proper obiect of a sauing faith is Iesus Christ God-man and Mediator betwixt God and man Remigius saith My whole faith is in Christ by him alone I beleeue that I am iustified and saued And Beda saith The scope of my faith is Christ the end or marke of my faith whereat it aymeth is the Sonne of God Now to be iustified by faith is to be iustified of God for the righteousnesse of Christ apprehended by faith or as Caluin speaketh he shall be iustified by faith who being excluded from the righteousnesse of works apprehendeth the righteousnesse of Christ by faith wherewith he being inuested doth appeare in the sight of God as righteous and â—ot a sinner So that faith doth iustifie in respect of her obiect onely and not as any meritorious or proper efficient of iustification Euen as the hand that receiueth the treasure which is giuen doth not make the receiuer rich but the treasure it selfe so neither the worke or action of faith doth iustifie vs but Christ himselfe whom we doe apprehend And this faith be it weake or strong is yet able to receiue the righteousnesse of Christ euen as a palsie or shaking hand may receiue a iewel of a king as
sins and Gods accepting of vs as righteous men Remission of sins is a gracious act of God whereby for the merit and satisfaction of Christ he doth perfectly forgiue both the fault and punishment Therefore Paul saith that by him wee haue redemption through hiâ— blood euen the forgiuenes of sinnes according to his rich grace and that there is no condemnation to theÌ„ that are in Christ Iesus who hath by himself purged our sins and by whom the Father hath reconâ—iled vâ— vnto himselfe Now it were absurd to thinke that the punishment is retâ—ined when the sin is remitted For if the proper cause bee defaced then the effect thereof must needs be also abolished If the bodie bee remoued the shadow thereof remaines not So if sin bee pardoned the punishment is remitted As for the crosses which the faithfull suffer they are to bee reputed curses or penalties of vengeance inflicted of God as of an ireful direful Iudge but they are to be esteemed onely as tryals or as punishmeÌ„t of castigatioÌ„ imposed of god as a louing father desiring the welfare weldoing of his childreÌ„ As many as I loue saith the Lord I rebuke chasten He scourgeth euerie sonne vvhich he receiueth If therefore ye be vvithout correction whereof all are partakers then are ye bastards and not sonnes Novv no chastening for the present seemeth to bee 〈◊〉 but grieuous yet afterward it bringeth the 〈◊〉 fruit of righteousnes vnto theÌ„ which are thereby exercised The Lord tries vs by afflictions as gold is tried in the furnace with fire He keeps vs by the crosse within our limits as water is held in with bankes And with the thorny hedge of troubles vexations hee keepes vs within our owne walkes and pastures being by nature giuen to break out and stray Therefore Dauid saith Before I was afflicted I went astray but now I keepe thy word it is good for mee that I haue beene afflicted that I may learne thy statutes Blessed is the man whom thou chastisest For it is certaine God scoureth away the infirmities of his Saincts by many afflictions It is the Lord which sendeth crosses to his children to saue theÌ„ that they freese not with the wicked world in their dregs For this end saith Cyprian the Lord rebuketh that hee might amend vs to this end he mends that he might saue vs. Augustine saith that sorrowes before pardon of sins are the punishments of sinners but after pardon they are the trials and exercises of iust men And so for death it selfe the sting and strength thereof which is sin is abolished by the death of Christ vpon the crosse therefore is to bee reputed but as a triall or chastisement whereby the Lord doth teach vs humilitie and the flight of sinne and doth exercise and proue our faith fortitude and patience And though in respect of sinne it be the entrance of Hell yet through the death of Christ it is become the gate of heauen and as Cyprian speaketh Ianua vitae the dore of life It doth as it were conuey vs out of the wildernes into Canaan out of a troublesome Sea into a quiet hauen and out of earth into heauen from woe to weale and from men to God yea it becomes the death of sinne that first gaue life to it We conclude therefore this truth with Vrsinus saying God doth not hate vs neither hath he a will to punish vs for those sins for which Christ hath sufficiently satisfied in whom also we haue remission of those sins of omission and all other our sins so that by his onely merit we are reputed righteous before God The second part of Iustification is Gods gracious acceptation wherby he doth for the merit of Christs actiue obedience by faith receiued of vs account vs iust and pure and honours vs with the crowne of life And in this respect we may truely be sayed to be iust perfect and holie men because we stand clothed with the most perfect righteousnes of Christ which is reputed ours in which appearing before our heauenly father wee doe receiue a blessing as Iacob did of Isaack hauing on his elder brothers garmeÌ„ts Neither must it seeme strange vnto vs that we should be accepted righteous for the righteousnes of an other For albeit this righteousnesse be Christs primarily and by way of inherence yet it is ours by Gods donation and by the application of faith As the paiment of our debt is another mans so farre forth as it is discharged by him but it is our payment as it is imputed to vs. Aquinas saith well The head and the member is as one mysticall person and therefore the satisfaction of Christ pertaineth to all the faithfull as to his members The forme or formall cause of Iustification is not faith loue nor any other vertue neither is it an infused quality or habituall sanctity inherent in vs. For this were to confound iustification and sanctification which are very different acts as wee shall hereafter shew But the righteousnesse of Christ imputed considered as it is imputed of God is the forme of iustification Or the proper and onely true forme of iustification is the free imputation of the righteousnes of Christ by which the merit and obedience of Christ are applied to vs by vertue of that neare communion whereby he is in vs and we in him Now God is said to impute the righteousnes of Christ vnto a man when hee doth adiudge decree and giue it to him and account and reckon it as his owne and for the merit and worthines of it doth pardon acquite him and repute him righteous O sweete exchange saith Iustin Martyr O vnsearchable vvorkemanship O benefits surpassing all expectation that the iniquity of manie should be couered in one iust person and that the iustice of one should make manie that are vniust to be reputed iust If one saith Bernard did die for all then all died to wit that the satisfaction of one might be imputed vnto all as that one bare the sins of all Now Christ bare our sins and was made sin for vs not as if our sins had beene infused into him and had beene inherent and inhabitants in him but because they were imputed to him and reputed his as if they had beene committed by him he supplying our place as our Surety and Mediator euen so his righteousnes is made ours not as though it were infused or translated into vs as a thing inherent and inhabiting in vs but because it is reputed ours and imputed freely to vs as if wee our selues had wrought it in our owne persons And of this opinion was S. Augustine We are the righteousnes of God in him as he is sin in vs to vvit by imputation With whom consenteth Vrsinus the imputation of the righteousnes of Christ is not the transfusion of righteousnes or of qualities into vs but the absolution from sins in the iudgement
vs thâ—se things vve stand in need of Fourthly Iustification begets patience in afflictions and makes a man reioice in the middest of tribulations Being iustified by Faith wee haue peace to Godward Neither that only but also we reioice in tribulations knovving that tribulation produceth patience to wit through the perswasion of our reconciliation vnto God and our assurance that all things how bitter and grieuous soeuer doe worke for the best vnto them that loue God and are pleasing to him Lastly Glorification is an inseparable companion and a notable effect of Iustification Being freed from sinne and made seruants vnto God yee haue your fruit in holinesse and the end euerlasting life The obedience of Christ by grace imputed to vs and by Faith receiued of vs workes in vs a desire care and endeuour to obey God His death for which our sins are remitted works in vs another death whereby wee die to sinne And his glorious righteousnesse wherewith wee are inuested and made to bee reputed righteous doth merit for vs eternall life and glorie The subiect of Iustification or the persons that are iustified or to whom Iustification doth belong are the Elect of God the sheep of Christ euen all that are predestinated vnto life For therefore the Scriptures speak on this sort The Lord hath laied vpon him the iniquitie of vs all I laie dovvne my life for my sheepe Whom hee did predestinate hee hath also iustified Who spared not his owne Sonne but gaue him for vs all how shall he not vvith him giue vs all things also But for what vs saith Augustine Euen for them vvhich are fore-knowen praedestinated iustified and glorfiied Haimo saith Christ hath taken avvaie in the Elect not onely originall sinne but all actuall offences also and hath moreouer giuen the euerlasting life Radnulphus also saith that the blood of the High-priest Christ vvas the expiation of all Beleeuers I adde further that the Elect are the onely persons to whom this worthy worke of God belongs and none but they First the Scripture is euident By his knowledge shall my righteous seruant iustifie Manie He bare the sinne of manie His blood vvas shed for manie for the remission of sins Hee vvas once offered to take awaie the sinnes of manie The Scripture saith Manie and not All without the exception of any Thou shall call his Name Iesus for he shal same his people from their sinnes Now all are not his For his people are his sheep and his sheepe are the deuils Goaets all are not his sheepe Yee beleeue not saith Christ for yee are not of my sheepe Some men haue neuer faith therefore some are neuer iustified Secondly for whom Christ did not pray for them hee did not sacrifice because to intercede and to sacrifice are conioyned But Christ prayed onely for the Elect and for Beleeuers and in praying did offer himselfe to the Father I praie for them saith Christ I praie not for the world but for them which thou hast giueÌ„ me for they are thine And for their sakes I sanctifie my selfe I praie not for these alone but for them also which beleeue in me Origen saith accordingly Hom. 9. in Leuit. that Christ prayth Onelie for those which are the Lordes portion Augustine saith There is a world of the damned for this world Christ praieth not And there if a world of those that are to be saued for this world Christ praieth And likewise Cyrill The Lord Iesus putting a difference betwixt his and such as were not his for those onelie saith he I praie which keepe my word and haue taken my yoke For to whom he is a Mediatour and High-priest on them only he bestowes the benefit of Meditation Therefore the Elect and faithfull are only iustified redeemed by Christ Thirdly Christ gaue himselfe that he might sanctifie to himselfe a peculiar people that is a people selected out of others as a precious treasure and his owne proper goods Therefore it was not Christs intention to giue himselfe to be a ransome for all and euery one alike Lastly regeneration and life eternall belong not to all All men doe not die to sinne and liue to God and the kingdome of God shall be giuen to them for whom it is preprared Many shall be excluded Therefore all are not iustified For they that are iustified shal be also glorified Isychius saith that Christ who suffered for vs hath deliuered vs from sinne and from the bondage of it And Augustine more plainly Euerie one that is generated is damned and no man is deliuered but he that is regenerated And againe God gaue a great price bought those whom he doth reuiue It is manifest therefore that the Elect are onely partakers of the merits of Christ and iustified in the sight of God For whereas Christ is said to take awaie the sinnes of the world here the vvorld only that is the vniuersall coÌ„panie of the Elect which are taken from all degrees and callings in the world is to he vnderstood For there is as it were a little world of the Elect. Eusebius saith Christ hath suffered for the saluation of the vvorld of those that shal be saued And S. Augustine hauing made a distinction of Worlds saith that this vvorld which God doth reconcile vnto himselfe in Christ and which is saued by Christ and to which euerie sinne is remitted through Christ is elected ouâ— of the maligning damned and defiled world And though the Apostle say that hee gaue himselfe a ransome for all men yet we must in no wise therefore conclude that all are iustified without exception For the word All as Aristotle in his Politiques hath obserued signifieth either euerie one in particular and then it is takeÌ„ distributiuely or else Not each particular and then it is taken collectiuelie signifieth anie not ech many not al without exception of any Whereas then the Apostle saith that Christ gaue himselfe a ransome for All he meaneth al beleeuers of what condition or couÌ„trey soeuer Neither 〈◊〉 it any new thing that the word All should be taken in such a sense seeing the like examples may be found as in Luk. 11.42 Woe be to you Pharisies for you â—â—the mint rue and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all hearbes that is hearbs of euerie kinde So Christ is said to heale Euerie disease that is all kinds of diseases All Iudea is said to goe out to Iohn Baptist Multi Omnes in Paulo idem sunt Manie saith Sedulius and Al are the same with Paul It is true indeed I grant that the obedience of Christ being the obedience of God was in it self sufficient to haue procured the Iustification of all without exception but if wee respect either Gods decree or Christs intention it is appropriated to the Elect and belongs to none but them Innocentius saith His blood was shed
perish and that therefore there can bee no certaintie made of the continuance of it For nothing can separate vs from the loue of God wherewith hee loueth vs in Iesus Christ our Lord. Who hath redemed vs with his blood Hee saith Aug. who hath bought vs for so great a price will not that they should perish whom hee hath bought Master Tyndall saith thus Christ is thine and all his deeds are thy deeds Christ is in thee and thou in him neither canst thou be daÌ„ned except Christ be damned with thee Wee conclude therefore according to the trueth that as Iustification is irreuocable so it is discerneable Let him doubt sath M. Philpot of his faith that listeth God giue we alwaies grace to beleeue that I am sure of true faith and fauour in Christ And so much concerning iustification the second meane ordeined for the execution and demonstration of â—â—ds eternall Election â—rga Dei bonitas veniam noÌ„ dimidiabiâ— Aut nihil aut totum to lachrymaÌ„te dabis CHAP. VI. What sanctification is All the causes of it are expressed Four effects of it The subiects termes and time of it Nine properties thereof Ten tokens of it THE third thing wherein the Apostle placeth the execution of the decre of Election is Glorification Whom he hath foreknowne predestinated effectually called and iustified them â—e hath also glorified Glorification is the communication or free donation of true holinesse and happinesse to them that are elected called and iustified For glorie comprehendeth in it both holines happinesse Holines is one degree of happinesse and happines is the highest degree of holinesse No man is holy but the same is happy and no maÌ„ can be happy but he must bee holie Grace is the inchoation of glorie and glorie is the consummation of grace He that sits in the throne of grace is truely intituled to the crowne of glorie and it is one point of glorie to be a man of grace A gracious man may be rightly stiled a glorious man Glorification then comprehendeth in it two things Sanctification in this world and the collation of eternall happinesse in the world to come Of both these we will intreat in order Sanctification or Regeneration is a benefit of God whereby our corrupt nature is renewed to the image of god by the Holy Ghost Polan Part. The lib. 1. Or sanctification is an inward change of a man iustified wherby the image of God is restored in him Hippocrates saith of Phisick that it is an adiection and a subraction Adiection of things wanting and a Subtraction of things redounding in the bodies of men Euen so sanctification is a remouing of the corrupt humors of our soules and an adiection or infusion of spirituall graces which are wanting It was excellently said by one The wise men saith he which were expert in nature could say that in euerie generation there is a corruption And we see that the seede sowen is much changed before it grow vp and beare fruit Then needfull it is that in regeneration there be a corruption of sin so that as the seed in the ground so sinne in our mortall bodies may decay that the new man may be raised vp the Spirit of God taking possession of our soules Now this transformation of a man is very requisit to saluation For without holines no man shall see God If wee will not liue to God by grace vpon the earth wee shall not liue in glorie with him in the heauens If wee will not die to sin in this world wee shall not escape death the wages of sin in the world to come If we doe not liue to God in holinesse in this life wee shall not liue in happines with God in the life to come It is not onely necessary in him that is to be saued that sinne be abolished by remission but that it bee likewise mortified by regeneration Neither is it onely requisit that a man stand righteous by the imputation of righteousnesse but that a man also be righteous by the infusion of righteousnes Sanctification is not deriued to vs from our parents For parents must be considered two waies First as they are Man the children of Adam Secondly as they are holy men sonnes of the second Adam and thus they doe not beget their children though their holinesse bee a meanes to make them to be reputed holy with men and accounted the children of the Church But they produce their children as they are men and corrupted in their father Adam and so conuey nature corrupted in Adam to them although they be regenerated Take wheat make it as clean as you can sowe it and it will come vp not as it was sowen but in stalk blade and eare and it brings vp as much chaffe as euer it did though none vvere sowen with it Euen so parents though sanctified by grace do bring forth childreÌ„ that are vnholie But the fountaine and proper Efficient of our sanctification and holines is almightie God whose workemanship we are created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes and who in mercie hath translated vs out of the kingdome of darknes into the kingdome of his beloued sonne in whom he hath quickned vs through his loue and hath lifted him vp with his right hand to giue repentance vnto Israel And albeit our Sanctification be the worke of the whole Trinitie yet it is immediately performed by the holy ghost therefore by a peculiar epithet hee is called Holy and we are said to be borne of the Spirit who is also compared vnto seede and vnto fire and vvater Vnto seede because of his vertue as it vvere of seede the faithfull are renevved and created nevv men that beeing dead to sin they might liue vnto God Vnto fire first because he doth eat out the drosse of sin and consume our lusts and so refine vs secondly because he doth enlighteÌ„ our mindes and shine like a lamp shew vs the way wherein wee ought to walke and lastly because he doth set vs on heat and inflame vs vvith a zeale of Gods glorie vvith a care of our duetie and vvith a loue of all mankinde And vnto Water because he doth refresh vs extinguish our spiritual thrist and because he doth vvater vs being destitute of all the iuice of life and make vs fertill and finally because he doth wash avvay the filth of our hearts and is povvred out like vvater vpon Beleeuers In like maner also he is compared to the Northerne and Southerne windes to the Northerne because he doth pinch dry the luxurious humours of our hearts and coole the vnnaturall heate and swelling pride of our soules and kil those wormes of wickednes which ly as it were at the very roote of our hearts And to the Southerne because hee doth comfort vs with his warme blasts and moisten vs with his sweete showers and dissolue our frost bitten
in Christ The instrumental cause offeâ—ing and proclaiming saluation is the Gospel The instrument receiuing and applying it is faith The cause sealing it inwardly to our soules is the spirit of God The externall and instrumentall seales thereof are the two sacraments Thus we see the Efficients of our eternall life and are taught to say with Ber. that good workes are the waie to the kingdom but not the cause of reigning The matter whereof this life consisteth are those admirable good things which God hath prepared and which Christ hath purchased for the Elect Which for any wit of man to conceiue for any tongue to relate or for any pen to set downe is altogether impossible What tongue can tell saith Gregorie and what vnderstanding can comprehend how great the ioies may be of that celestiall citie It is not in man to vnderstand saith S. Basil For there shall be things which eie hath not scene nor care heard of neither hath it entred into the heart of man what things God haâ—h prepared for them that loue him Neuerthelesse we will set downe some of them as wee finde them reuealed and deliuered to vs. In that life theâ—e shall be no earthly or sinfull miserie There shall be no sinne at all no sicknesse no sorrowes no disease nor maladie on crosse no curse no vexation nor calamitie no defect nor deformitie no tumults nor troubles no paine nor penurie All teares shall be done away al euils remoued al sinne abolished all wants supplyed And againe in this life there shall be a perfect plenarie and perpetuall possession of all good things euen of GOD himselfe who is goodnesse it selfe and who will bee all in all vnto all his Elect There shal be perfection of knowledge no deâ—ect in loue happie in mortalitie certaine securitie constant amitie and secure tranquilitie The soule shal haue perfection of vertues the bodie shall be ful of beutie strength and agilitie the whole man shall inioy fellowship with God fellowship with the lamb fellowship with the Angels a happy societie a sweet communion All holinesse all happinesse all ioyes shall be inioyed To conclude wee shall raigne like kings with the king of kings for euer with fulnesse of grace in our hearts and a diaâ—em of glorie on our heades celebrating an euerlasting Sabboth and singing an Alleluâ—â—h to the Lord for euer The formâ— of this life is that vnspeakable splendor and that most excellent order and well ordered excellencie of that happie condition The endâ— of this life are first that God might manifest and ipso fâ—ctâ— fully ratifie his exceeding loue vnto vs. Secondly that we might inioy the full fruit of Christs death passion Thirdly that we may receiue the â—eward of our labours and know that it is not iâ—vaine to serue God And lastly that wee might acknowledge the wonderfull mercie of God vnto vs and celebrate his name for euer The effects of this life are these first by reason of it we are made like vnto the Angels Secondly wee are by it become to bee actually partakers of the dignitie of Christ Thirdly it can not but produce wonderfull gratitude in those which doe inioy it The Subiects or the persons that shall liue this life are the Elect and obedient children of God For the reprobate shall be tormented in endlesse easlesse and remediles tortures The place in which this life shall bee led is the Paradise of God the highest heauens The time is after this life for the soule immediately and for both soule and bodie after the day of iudgement The properties of this life are many First the saluation of them that beleeue is more sure thou the whole frame of heauen and earth because it is founded in the vocation of God which is without repentance in the counsell of separation and in the pleasure of God Secondly it is a most holy life For in it wee shall be compleat and without spot and wrinkle Thirdly it is a most delectable and sweet life For as Bernard truely speaketh VVhatsoeuer is amiable it shal be there and nothing shall be awaie which shall be desired Fourthly it is an all-sufficient life For it shall stand in need neither of meat drinke clothing sunne moone nor any other helpe of this life VVe shall be satisfied with God and hee shall content vs fully Fiftly this life iâ— vnconceiuable it cannot bee throughly discouered or described by any VVho saith Bernard can comprehend in this life how great the glorie of the Saints of God shall bee in the life euerlasting Sixtly this life is an euerliuing life it shall continue world without end As the terrors and the most terrible and horrid torments of the wicked shall continue alwayes so shall this solatious and sweet life of the godly Their death shall neuer see life and the life of these shal neuer see a death The death of those and the life of these are euerâ—liuing and neuer-dying Lastly this life may be discerned in this life of him that shall liue in it in the life to come VVe know saith Paul that if our earthlie house of this tabernacle be destroied we haue a building giuen of God in house not made with hands but eternall in the heauens These things saith Iohn I haue vvritten vnto you that ye may know that ye haue eternall life I am sure saith Iob that my redeemer liâ—â—th and hee shall stand the last on the earth and though after my skinne wormes destroy this bodie yâ—t shall I see God is my flâ—sh whom I my selfe shall see and 〈…〉 shall behold VVhen I awake saith Dauid I shall bee satisfied with thâ—â—e image that is when I rise from the dead as â—â—caâ—â— doth interpret it By thâ—s it appeaâ—eth that a maÌ„ may know his future happinesse The Sâ—â—â—â— of etâ—rnall life are two The first is true faith in Christ For whosoeuer beleeueth shall not perish but shall be saued The second are good workes performed with an vpright heart in conscience of Gods commandement and to an honest end The Psalmist asking who shall rest on Gods holy mountaine receiueth answere as by oracle from heaueÌ„ that he shal there rest that walketh vprightlâ— and worketh righteousnes and speaketh the truth from his heart Thus saith the Lord aske for the old way which is the good way and ye shall find rest â—â—r your soules Life saith Salomon is in â—he way of righteousâ—â—â— and in that path-way there is nâ— death And our Sauiour sheweth that those are the Blessed of his Father and shal inherit eternall happinessâ— who manifest their loue to his afâ—â—â—cted members by their workes of meâ—cie and he that receiueth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet shall receiue a Prophets reward and he that receiueth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receiue the reward