Predestination and Calling but this that predestination is a preparatine of that whereof the calling is the effect and the accomplishment and yet my meaning is not that this generation is made by the vertue of one simple worde vttered by the voyce of man which soundeth onely in the eares which God vseth as his meanes and instrument to call all men indifferently to him for many are called sayeth Christ but fewe are chosen and it were to set a mortall man to much on cockhorse to saye that his voyce giuen him from aboue Nowe as touching the way that our heauenly father taketh in framing a Christian man this it is he first determined in him self to make the world and all things to his glorie and men especially to shewe to one sorte of them which are predestinate to saluation his mercie and to the other sorte his iustice And to this effect he appoynted for an onely and sole Mediatour Iesus Christ his onely begotten Sonne of one selfe same substance with him selfe euen God euerlasting to the ende that by him being made man the two natures vnited and ioyned togither in one in him all corruption of mankinde might be purged and all righteousnes fully accomplished in him for all as one able ynough to susteyne the iudgement of God and woorthie ynough to appease his wrath by the offering vp of himselfe the iust dying for the vniust and to sanctifie all his elect abolishing theyr sinne in them by the communication of his death and quickening them by his resurrection To be short he determined with him selfe to giue them his sonne and in him what soeuer is requisite for their saluation as also to giue them to him and so to make them Christians by ingraffing them into Christ which euerlasting purpose and decree he resolued also to reueile vnto them when they should not thinke of it causing him selfe to be founde as the Prophete sayeth of them which inquired not after him at that time that they walke after the course and fashion of this worlde euen as Satan woulde haue them and proceedeth in it after this sort First to awake them out of the dead stepe of sinne wherinto they are fallen he pricketh them with the sharpenes of his Lawe and laying a nomber of examples of his Iustice before them driueth them into a feare not minding to beate them downe into desperation but to make them turne their faces towardes the Mediatour in whome they may finde some place of refuge And to this end he layeth before them in cōclusion his grace and fatherly goodnes by the preaching of his Gospel He teacheth them he maketh them apt to receyue instruction assureth them of their election summoneth them to his heauenly inheritance stretcheth out his hande vnto them to bring them thyther yea and draweth them vnto him fashioneth thē new eares lighteneth their eyes changeth theyr stonie heart into a fleshy heart openeth their vnderstanding reneweth their senses disposeth and maketh them fit to sauour and taste his worde which he soweth and causeth it to budde and bring foorth fruit in them maketh them fit for his election To be short when he hath once formed Christ in them he decketh and enricheth them with many gyftes and graces and whereas they were farre of from him he maketh them drawe neare to him of strangers he maketh them housebirds of wolues sheepe flocking togyther vnder the great pastour of soules of natural fleshly earthly and deuelish mē he maketh them heauenly spiritual angellike and diuine and by this meanes translateth them from the kingdome of darkenes into the kingdome of light transporteth them from death to life and bringeth them into his own housholde To be short hauing thus ingraffed them into the body of his Sonne he ioyneth and allieth him selfe to them he maketh him selfe one with them maketh them his children and heyres partakers of his immortalitie and glorie and all this he worketh by the inward vertue of his holy Ghost with an other maner of efficacie then by restoring the reliques of free will as some popish mates vse to speake seeing that all the remainder that man hath of this free will serueth to nothing els but to sinne willingly to flie from God to hate him and to haue no wil to heare him nor beleeue in him nor acknowledge any of his blessings and that more is to think vpon nothing but vpon sinne and not to haue so much as one good thought Which wonderfull order S. Bernard considering cryeth out and sayeth Beholde an high and marueilous counsell which hath bene published to vs God knoweth thē that are his and what he knewe he hath shewed to men he receyueth none to the knowledge of this mysterie and hidden thing but suche as he hath predestined And addeth moreouer The mercie of God from euerlasting to euerlasting on them that feare him from euerlasting because of his predestination to euerlasting because of the blessednes which they looke for the one hath no beginning the other hath no end S. Augustin also saith in lyke sort Is not this a kinde of schole far from the sense of the fleshe wherein the Father is the scholemaster that teacheth vs to come to him and the Sonne of God is the worde whereby he teacheth and whiche entreth by the eare euen to the heart where is also the Spirit of the Father and the Sonne who teacheth also iointly with them and not a part for the workes of the Trinitie are inseparable so that if we see nombers come to the Sonne it is by him that maketh many to beleue in Christ But where whē euery man hath heard bene taught by the Father we see it not because this grace is hidden secret heauenly wrought by the renewing of the holy Ghost powred out plentifully vpon thē And truely it is a marueylous generatiō which maketh man a new creature not that he receyueth an other soule or an other body in substance but in qualitie by repayring the Image of God in him by an inward renewing of the whole nature that was corrupted yea it is a worke which setteth out vnto vs no lesse vertue and power of God then that whereby Iesus Christ was raysed from the dead and placed at the right hand of God his Father To be short it is done by the word as by the ordinarie instrument whiche maketh vs partakers of Christ and frameth the Christian man so that vnlesse the doore of our hearing be opened by the preaching of the Gospell the worde can not enter into the heart and the preaching is wrought by the voyce of man assisted by the inward vertue of the holy Ghost which man must be sent by a special grace of God to declare vnto vs that this special grace is according to his electiō which is according to his euerlasting counsell determined according to the good pleasure of his will which onely is iust and reasonable And so consequently both the calling
accompanie her husband But with that this Gentleman la Place who neuer shewed any token of an heart cast downe began to take vp his wyfe reproue her shewing her that it is not the arme of man which we must haue recourse vnto but to GOD alone Afterward turning him selfe a side he espied a crosse of paper in his eldest sonnes cappe which he had of weakenes set there thinking to saue him selfe by that meanes whereupon he rebuked him sharpely commaunding him to take that marke of sedition out of his cappe and laying foorth before him that the true crosse whiche we must beare are tribulations and afflictions which GOD sendeth vs as moste certaine pledges and earnest pennyes of that ioye and euerlasting life which he hathe prepared for his children Then seeing him selfe earnestly pressed by the sayde Senescay to go to the King resoluing him felfe to dye the death whiche he sawe prepared for him tooke his cloke embraced his wyfe and desired her aboue all things to haue the honour feare of God before her eyes and so departed with a most cheerefull countenance Nowe when he was almost come to the streete called la Verrerie ouer agaynst the Cocke streete certaine murderers that waited for him with their daggers ready drawē aboue three houres slewe him lyke a silly lambe in the middest of ten or twelue of Senescays archers which guyded him and his house was sacked the space of fiue or sixe dayes togyther The bodie of this Gentleman la Place whose soule was receyued into heauen was carryed into a stable at the towne house where his face was couered with dong and the next day after in the morning was cast into the riuer Thus this great and excellent martyr of the Lord whylest he obeyed the Kings commandement in stede of Iustice whiche he sought found death by the way whiche was to him a beginning of the true lyfe and on the contrarie side both to them from whom so vniust agaynst all Gods lawe and mans lawe and so cruel and barbarous and more then brutishe commandementes proceeded and also to the executers of such iniquities cruelties barbarities and brutishnes a most certaine beginning and entrance to an horrible iudgement that hangeth ouer their heades ouer their posteritie though it seeme long before it come Of the excellencie of a Christian man and the way to knowe him MY intent and purpose being to intreat of the woorthines of a Christian man I meane not in any wyse to stande to discourse vpon the excellencie of mankind wherein we do all communicate and whereby the state of man surmounteth the condition of all other creatures a reason which moued the Philosophers to recommend vnto vs so diligently the knowledge of our selues according to the old prouerbe giuen by Oracle and framed by them to this purpose to cause vs not onely to keepe our selues within the boundes of modestie and humblenes and to teache vs the weakenes of our nature but also to leade vs to the consideration of our noblenes and dignitie beginning by the vewe of the building and workemanship of this world as of Heauen the Sunne the Moone and the Starres and so from them to other creatures and liuing things of diuers sortes setting out Man as the most excellent piece of worke of all and the chiefest wrought thing emongest all the creatures on whome it pleased God to bestow most plentifully and to enriche with that which Heauen and earth and all other his creatures had but small portions of who was therefore called a Little worlde and a miracle amongest all creatures considering the workemanship of his bodie the iointes the proportion the beautie and vse of it with his members his head aboue all his other partes his eyes looking vp to heauen to beholde from whence he came and againe the quickenes of his wit his discourses vpon the heauens and the earth and the secretes of nature his memorie whereby he comprehendeth so many things digesteth them compareth things passed with things to come Moreouer his reason which as they imagine is placed as Queene Mistresse in the wit in the highest seate of vnderstāding to gouerne the wil of man and to frame all his deliberations by the compasse of wisedome I meane not I saye in any wyse to intreate of this kinde of worthines but minding to passe further I purpose with my selfe to speake of an other kinde of excellencie which is propre and peculiar to a Christian man which farre surmounteth without all comparison in all kinde of prerogatiue and preeminence the former be it neuer so highly commended and set out by them which professed themselues wise men and were therefore reputed and taken for the wysest amongest other Which men notwithstanding or wyse Philosophers being carried away with an ouerweening and blynde loue of them selues ouershot them selues so farre as to saye that Man is able by reason of such powers as he hath in him and by his owne strength to discerne betweene good and euill and commaunde his lustes and that he hathe it in him to gouerne him selfe not onely for the framing of this earthly lyfe but also to leade him to Godwarde and to the attaynement of euerlasting blisse and ioye Moreouer that as touching Life he hath it by the gyfte of God but as for Liuing well he hath it of him selfe and the goodnes that is in man man getteth it of him selfe in so much as no wise and discrete man sayeth Cicero euer gaue God any thankes for it because saieth he we are commended for our vertue and we brag boast our selues of it which we could not do if it were the gift of God came not of our selues adding moreouer that the opinion of al the world is this that as for worldly commodities we haue to craue them a◠Gods hāds but as for wisedome euery man hath to seeke it within him selfe Mainteyning and publishing this false opinion that what soeuer we do by the cōduct and guyde of nature it can not be but well done and if man could followe that rightly which he hath in him of nature he could neuer doo amisse And many other suche foolish and vayne sayings which notwithstanding a thing more to be sorowed at they the make profession to be our instructors in holy writte do marueilously embrace who by suffering them selues to be caried away more then reason would they should by this kinde of heathenishe wisedome are fallen into the self same errour and haue ascribed to man I knowe not what kinde of integritie and vprightnes both in his reason and will in so much that euen they amongst them which thought to speake more soberly and modestly then the rest as Chrisostome and certeine other haue made such a parting of stakes betweene God man that while they confesse on the one side that we can do nothing without Gods helpe they mainteine on the other side that vnlesse we bring some thing of
purpose to make them fit and meete to be partakers of his inheritance And for a man to imagine any pretence for man in this case it were as muche as if he shoulde go about to make him his owne maker And if we doe wel to giue God al the prayse for the direction of this our corruptible life howe may we be so bolde to ascribe that vnto our selues which is without cōparison a thousand tymes better to wit the lyfe that perisheth not but remayneth for euer seeing it is a great deale easier to make vs men then by our owne industrie and vertue to be regenerate into a farre more excellent nature Whereupon S. Paul to take away all presumptuous opinion of mans brayne in this behalfe sayeth That it is neyther in the willer nor in the runner that is to say neyther in merite nor worthines nor industrie nor will nor helpe or any meanes that man can worke but in the onely goodnes of our Lord and Master who doeth all things according to the counsel of his good will not according to our workes but according to that purpose of his grace which was giuen vs by Iesus Christe before the worlde was And this ought of a trueth content vs and suffice vs for all reason that may be brought for to go about to searche out any other what were it els but to open a gappe for rashe and heady fellowes to demande in like sorte a reason of al his workes why he bestoweth his graces more vpon some thē vpon other as to beginne with the brute beastes why God made them not reasonable creatures and why he made not a woman a Man and why he made not the ignorant weake and poore man a wyse stronge and rich man and as touching the elect them selues why they are not the same that their head is why there is so great oddes betweene them why they are so vncleane and he very cleannes it selfe and so in summe why he bestoweth not his giftes as well vpon this man as vppon that man. And yet my meaning is not that God hath no reason for making such a difference betwene his creatures as he hath done but because that reason is hidden within his secret counsell I say it must suffise vs for good and all that his will was so and say with S. Augustin that faithfull ignorance is better then rashe knowledge yea that such ignorance is learned and the desire to knowe more is a kinde of madnes Therefore when we see that some haue this honour done them that they are made Christians as well as other though we see no euident cause why it should be so we must learne to stand in admiration of the deepenes and profoundenes of Gods iudgement whiche we may in no wyse dispute of and therefore euery one of vs hath to content him selfe to knowe that to be a Christian is the workemanship as S. Paul sayeth and creature of God created in Iesus Christ and that God hath blessed him with all spiritual blessings in heauēly things in him as he chose him in him before the foūdation of the worlde being predestined of God to adopt him to him selfe according to the good pleasure of his will to the prayse of his grace which he hath powred out moste plentifully vpon him in all wysedome and vnderstanding and to whom he hath giuen to knowe the secret of his will according to his euerlasting decree which he purposed in himself being moued thereunto by no other meanes then of him selfe So then to come to the regeneration of a Christian and to speake of the order that is holden therin First of al we may not dreame of any such generation as Pythagoras made who thought that as soone as that bodies were dead the soules went into other bodies neither may we dreame of any naturall generation or power of man whereby this man should be made after this sorte for this generation is not wrought by a corruptible vncleane seede as the first was whereof we are all partakers which can engender nothing but corruption nothing can be borne of fleshe but fleshe whose ende is death and destruction but by an other and second generatiō which is spiritual made of an holy vncorruptible seede whiche is the worde of God preached whereby thei that are appointed to saluation are called and begotten to him For in deede there is no other differēce betweene Predestination and Calling but this that predestination is a preparatiue of that whereof the calling is the effect and the accomplishment and yet my meaning is not that this generation is made by the vertue of one simple worde vttered by the voyce of man which soundeth onely in the eares which God vseth as his meanes and instrument to call all men indifferently to him for many are called sayeth Christ but fewe are chosen and it were to set a mortall man to much on cockhorse to saye that his voyce were so pearcing of it self as to work a regeneratiō in the soule of man but I say it is by an other inward calling of God by the meanes of the outward which is wrought by mā which inwarde calling maketh it selfe heard within by drawing the hart vnto it which receyueth the witnes of the euerlasting grace and without which the voice of man could be but a bare sounde that vanisheth away in the ayre and a literall preaching dead without any fruit the seede time being of litle valew vnlesse the increase be giuē by vertue of that life which is reserued onely for them whiche were appoynted vnto it from the beginning of the world according to the purpose of God and no purpose of theirs to whom onely it is giuen to knowe the secrets of the kingdome of heauen all other men being shut out and left to their owne nature whereby they are deafe and blinde cōceyued and borne such of the vncleane seede of their parentes hauing beside a darkened vnderstanding whiche can not cōprehende the mysteries of God for his worde is couered and hidden to them so that they can no more perceyue the glorious and bright shining light of it then blinde men cā the light of the Sunne for no man can come to Christe vnlesse he haue a speciall grace who thought that as soone as the bodies were dead the soules went into other bodies neither may we dreame of any naturall generation or power of man whereby this man should be made after this sorte for this generation is not wrought by a corruptible vncleane feede as the first was whereof we are all partakers which can engender nothing but corruption nothing can be borne of fleshe but fleshe whose ende is death and destruction but by an other and second generatiō which is spiritual made of an holy vncorruptible seede whiche is the worde of God preached whereby thei that are appointed to saluation are called and begotten to him For in deede there is no other differēce betweene
vertue of the ayre yet we knowe not the beginning and the cause of it Wel then if in this transitorie life which is gone in a moment we see a marueilous vertue whereby God worketh so mightely in it that it passeth the reache of our senses howe is it possible to fetch within the compasse of our vnderstanding this secret worke in the heauēly life whiche passeth the reache of nature as though we were not to beleue any more thē we are able to perceiue by the vewe of the eie But the chiefest point that is to be considered in the excellencie of this generation is this that euen as the word of God is an vncorruptible seed of life which bringeth forth fruite like to it selfe and suche a budde as neuer drieth vp euē so when the Christian mā is once made partaker of this light it cā neuer be so put forth and choked vp in him but there remaineth still some sparke alway in him such is the force of the worde when it is once kindled in the heart of man by the holy Ghost who beareth him witnes that he is the childe of God and causeth him to folowe his gouernement and conduct with a stedy heart and holdeth him in a stedy and continuall obedience of iustice And therefore GOD sayeth by his Prophet Ezechiel That hee giueth them that are his a newe heart and promiseth thē that they shal walke in his ordinances for his holy spirit pursueth his grace in them euen to the ende For though there be sometime some breaches cracks in their faith as we haue alteratiōs in vs by reason of our frailenes moued therūto such violence as Satan worketh against vs and though the brightnes of our faith be daseled with the thicke and obscure darkenes of tentation yet notwithstanding it ceaseth not to haue alwayes an eye to God and that more is though it so fal out as we know it befell to Dauid that the Christian man be for a season so dead on sleepe with suche a blockishnes of sume that there appeareth not any one sparke of the spirit in him as Dauid prayeth for this cause that it may be restored to him yet notwithstanding this seede whereby God regenerateth his elect as it is incorruptible dieth not though it be for a season as it were choked so that a man would thinke that all reuerence and feare of God were cleane put out Yet there is a cole vnder these asshes whiche kindleth and taketh fyre againe and this roote commeth to spurt forth when a man would haue thought it had bene cleane dead For the vertue and goodnes of God is such that it surmounteth our malice so that that man may be sure of his saluation whom God hath once touched with a liuely faith though it were but a very short whyle for he is constrained to say that that which he belieued is a trueth seeing it can not be by fleshe blood but by the light of God wherein there is neither lie nor deceit and so consequently that that hath bene once founde true shal be euer true For this is certaine that God who began this worke of regeneration will perfit it in the day of the Lorde and will not leaue the worke of his handes vnperfect for his gifts and callings are without repentance looke what he hath once giuen he neuer calleth it back being faithfull constant in his deedes and keepeth his trueth euerlastingly without any alteration or change for it is impossible his worde should faile and it can not be but Gods decree must remaine according to the election so that whomesoeuer he hath once knowen and appointed to saluatiō that man can neuer fall from his saluation The stedfastnes of his counsell is shewed to the heyres of promesse that it shall endure for euer by two thinges whiche can neuer be changed to witte his worde and his othe whereby he hath confirmed his promisses it is impossible he should lye in them To this purpose Iesus Christ sayeth that al that the father hath giuen him shall come to him and he wil not cast out one of them that shal come to him For this is the will of my father sayth hee that I leese not one of them whom my father hath giuen me but I will rayse them vp all in the latter day And againe My sheepe sayth he heare my voyce and followe me I knowe them and giue them euerlasting life and no man shall take them out of myne hande So then seeing he hath promised that that man which hath once taken liuely roote in him shall neuer be plucked vp all that are of the flocke of his sheepefolde are out of daunger to be euer cast away because the purpose of God which he hath decreed vpon them is stedfast and the sentence of peace is ratified to them and therefore hee taketh them apart and sayeth vnto them in this wyse feare not litle flock seeing it is giuen to you to know the mysterie of the kingdom of heauen for to whom soeuer the gift of beleuing is giuē to the same man is also giuē the gift of cōtinuance according to the vertue of the holy Ghost which is euerlasting wherby the Christian man is renued his force remaineth for euer for otherwise were it not continuing for euer the grace of God could not be alwayes sure and stable And on the other side it were to great doltishe blockishnes distrust to doubt whether the Sonne of God in his prayers for the Elect that their faithe might not fayle them were heard or no seeing he sanctified him self for them so that their hope which is as it were a sure anchre for the soule extendeth it selfe beyonde our death and though the infirmitie of the fleshe be great yet seeing their fast holde hangeth not vpon their owne vertue but vpon the vertue strength of God seeing their saluation is kept vnder his secret garde as vnder a seale and authēticall signet they are out of all danger written as it were inregistred by the Almightie and euerlasting God in the booke of life so that all their synnes are not able to stoppe the course of Gods election nor quenche or diminishe the lest wyse that may be the loue of God seeing that euen by our verie sinnes hee taketh occasion to shewe vs farre greater loue hee hym selfe beyng vnchangeable and his decrees euerlasting so that it is not in mans power to change his decree nor to make him goe awaye from that whiche he hath once determined And in deede it were no meete thing for his vnchangeable nature neither might it be truely sayde of hym that hee lighteneth men to blynde them or buyldeth to pull downe or planteth to roote vp Hereby now may euery man see that the spirit of God is the true marke of a Christian man whereby he is knowen from all other and is of greater accompt then all other not that Spirit whereby
Paul writing to the Thessalonians is so bolde as to assure them that their election is of God speaking as it were vpon a certaintie of knowledge grounded vpon notable signes and markes of the vertue of the holy Ghost which he sayeth he sawe in them by euident effectes of fayth the carefull and paynefull charitie towardes their neighbours the sure hope and stedfast continuance in wayting for the manifestation of Iesus Christe with pacience which surmounteth all wearines both of the length of time and of all afflictions of the world whatsoeuer The like he doeth particularly in Timothies respect to whome he writeth That he assureth him self that faith and true religion dwelleth in him iudging so of the certeintie of the cause which is hidden to all men by the apparant effects thereof euen as if it were visible And so we in like sorte by a charitable iudgement may iudge or at the least perswade our selues wel of our brethren in whom we perceyue like fruites and actions of the Spirit of God to take accompt them for Christians For as we iudge by the outward motions of the bodie that there is a soule in the bodie so may we perceyue by his workes whether the spirit of God be in man or no seeing that euen as the soule which liueth not idle within mans bodie sheweth it self by that vertue and vigour which it distributeth to the members and to eche part of the bodie euen so the Spirit of God that is in man is not idle but sheweth what power it is of in the man in whome it is and sheweth it selfe effectually by a conformitie with Christ who liueth in him and gyueth life to his members whiche he communicateth with them and powreth out vpō them by the vertue of his Spirit which is as you would say the general soule of al the childrē of God not respecting the substance but the grace so that euen as we thinke that the graffe is well ioyned to the substance of the tree which it is graffed into when we see it bring forth fruite out of the same tree by that strength which it receyueth of the same roote euen so we know that a man is truely ingraffed and made one body with Christ when through one selfe same force of the Spirit he bringeth forth fruit in Christ But as for the knowledge of a reprobate man it is a thing so secret and hidde to men that they can neuer iudge of it certeinly vnlesse they haue some extraordinarie reuelation for be it that we finde neuer so euil signes and tokens in any man what is he that can tell whether God haue reserued mercy for him in store or no vnto the latter ende of his lyfe though he haue spent it wholly in wickednesse Therefore seeing in deede it was not expedient nor mete for vs to haue knowledge to discerne the one from the other lest that thereby we shoulde become to colde in charitie towardes all as we owe to all as though all men were our brethren in Christ it is sufficient that this chaffe shall be separate from the corne at the latter day So then this onely remayneth that we knowe distinctly and particularly what the operations of the holy Ghost in man are because there is no other way to knowe a Christian man outwardly by but by them And seeing it is so as we haue saide that a Christiā man is a man made a new creature as touching his nature by a seconde byrth it is euident that that can not be done vnlesse the first nature dye and this man put of the fleshe that is to say his first nature which is corrupt euen that which we bring with vs from our mothers wombes which is called the old man For he can not in any wyse be capable of the kingdome of heauen vnlesse he be destroyed and brought to naught by the sworde of the Spirit to the ende that death may make a riddance of all the operacions of the fleshe which sinne woorketh in him For as long as we are Adams children and nothing els but men we are suche slaues to sinne that we can do nothing but sinne vntil we be made new men by the death of the first man and haue passed by meanes of the communication of the death of Christ to the participation of his life These two pointes to wit Mortification and Viuification whiche can not be separate the one from the other are out of doubt the chiefest operations of the holy Ghost in a Christian man so that euen as Christe dyed to destroy sinne passing by death to euerlasting lyfe in that fleshe which he toke of vs euē so this man is dead in him selfe and renued to a better life accompanied with meete conuenient workes for it and such as may witnes that he is a trewe member of Christ by casting downe of him selfe of his owne wisedome and reason and al his affections and passions which casting downe of him selfe proceedeth from a liuely tast and feeling of the goodnes of our heauenly Father whereby man is knowen to be Gods chylde and inheritour of al his blessings for this can not be but forthwith his vyle base carnal and earthely affections vanishe away and become dead in him by reason of the great light of fayth which darkeneth putteth out all the false light of our corrupt nature Wherefore a Christian man doeth then in deede shewe him selfe to be a right Christiā when the death of Christ which hath a certayne force in it to expell and cast out the wickednes of our fleshe and his resurrection whereby there is raysed vp in vs the state condition of a better nature shew their fruit in him as by Baptisme we are made partakers of this grace So that al knowledge of Iesus Christe that hath not this vertue to followe it is naked and bare and al baptisme without it vnprofitable and nothing worth for there commeth no man to Christ or is receyued into the grace of Christ but the efficacie of his death appeareth in him beareth about a shew and token of it in him by mortification of the flesh and quickening of the spirit as hauing passed out of this first nature into the nature of Christ by a spirituall renewing which sheweth it selfe by framing the course of our life anew wherein who so is formost sheweth that he hath profited most in the knowledge of God And we may not thinke that the benefit of the death and resurrection of Iesus Christ belongeth to any other saue onely to them which shew forth a new lyfe of a right affection of heart some sooner some later giue them selues to holynes and cleannes wherein standeth the band of the coniunction that is betwene God and vs and the certayne badge and marke of a Christian man wherby the children of God as S. John sayth are knowen from the children of the deuill For which cause Iesus Christ speaking of this sanctificatiō to
his Apostles as of a true marke wherby his are knowen sayed that it is the wedding garment whereby as by the bridegromes cloth liuerie those that are bidden to the mariage feast are knowē from other And the Apostle sayth to the same purpose that without this cleannes no man can see God nor be ioyned to him to cleaue fast to him And it is impossible for the spirit of adoption to be in one but the spirit of sanctificatiō must also nedes be in him for by it it is that the faithful are called Saincts as sanctified made holy of God consecrated set apart frō prophane common vse separated from al earthly filthines defyling of the flesh as the vessels garments temples swete sinelling sacrifices were which might not be applyed to any other vse but that that was holy and dedicate to the glorie of god For it is meete that they that are lightened with the doctrine of saluation should shewe them selues an other sort of men then they that walke after the vanitie of their owne braines being ouercouered with darknes because they neuer felt any light of trueth so that to finde an holy mā in deede which is the Christian man we neede not seeke him in an heremitage or desert or in some close place that is walled about separate from the conuersation and common life of men eyther in garments meate ceremonies or what other obseruation soeuer of corruptible things and other forme of holynes inuented by men with a kinde of wisedome in superstition and humblenes of spirit and contempt of the body vnder a cloke of fayned obedience pleasant in shew to mans reason but in the onely working of the holy Ghost which transformeth soules into that holynes which he hath him self and frameth them in such wyse to newe thoughts and affections that we may welsay they are other then they were before as wrought in his knowledge and to his image that made them Which thing appeareth not only within through an inward and spirituall feeling of a pure conscience cleansed from wicked affections assisted thereunto with a feare of God and faith and hope and patience and inuocation but also without through a cōtinual exercise of godlynes voyde of all superstition which might lessen or darken the glorie of God by giuing that to other which is propre to him as also by peace and ioy of cōscience meekenes goodnes vpright dealing iustice sobrenes temperancie other fruites of the Spirit contrarie to the fruites of the fleshe whiche are vncleannes filthines idolatrie sectes heresies dissolutenes enimities seditions outrages murders theftes other such like which are cōtrary to brotherly charitie which Iesus Christ telleth vs is an other marke tokē wherby they that are his are marked knowē to be his disciples not only by a cōmon loue towards al men as al men are one fleshe and al created and fashioned to the image of God but also by a special mutuall loue the one towards the other so much the more straight and precise by how much the image of God shineth more clearely in thē whom he hath before regenerate And therfore as by mortifying of him self the Christiā man forgetteth himself whatsoeuer is about him to liue in God referring the partes of his life to him as to their onely end without further searche of things that please him selfe but suche onely as please him and as he well lyketh of for the aduancement of his glorie and so by this way effect of mortification he casteth of al consideration of him self and layeth aside all fleshly affectiō to giue him self wholly to his neighbour and preferreth the profit of his neighbour before any respect of him self So that this loue is an other manner of loue thē that naturall loue which is common to all men which is nothing els to speake truely but a loue of our selues accordingly as euery man is inclined to haue a care of him selfe and so to seeke his owne profyte and gayne neither is there any more agreement betweene them then is betweene fyre and water for the loue of our selues keepeth all our senses so well occupied that this Christian and brotherly loue is wholly banished And therefore S. Iohn sayeth playnely That all they that haue a right feeling of it knowe that they are passed from death to life and they that haue no feeling of it remaine in death that is to say thei that are not regenerat And in deede the bond of perfection consisteth in loue for loue is the marke and end whereat the Lawe shooteth and wherin the end of sanctification standeth as whereby euery one of vs hath to witnes to the world what loue we beare to God whom we loue in our brethren Considering that this loue is so ioyned and coupled with the loue of God that it can in no wyse be separate from it because it procedeth from the loue of god as the effect from the cause and in this it is to be short wherein stādeth the right rule of life whereby the Christian man frameth all his actions and moderateth the right vse of the giftes of god And therefore whatsoeuer is not squared by it is false and all vertues be they neuer so excellent are without it nothing els but a wynde that puffeth men vp with pryde and vanitie and a vaine painting or vnprofitable sound that is to saye a thing of nothing and that more is a stinking and abominable thing before God. And therefore we must not thus thinke of a Christian man that he is a man withdrawen a side from all other men liuing in a solitarie place or so dedicate to a contemplatine life as they call it as that thereby he is distract from such actions of conuersatiō as are behoueable and necessarie for the interteinement of the societie of men Seing that men are borne one for an other to communicate one with an other for the maintenance of the societie of mankinde and not to bereue our neighbours of that duetie we owe them if we wil not be taken for theeues before god Considering that we were not placed here in this world to liue solitarily as wylde and brute beastes but to liue amongst companie and to make other men partakers of that which God hath bestowed vpō eche of vs and there is nothing wherein men are said to followe God so muche in as in employing them selues charitably one for another for the profit of one an other as in deede that vertue is the best of all that is profitable to the most Therefore the Christian is a man that hath dayly conuersatiō with other men that applieth him selfe indifferently to all conditions and trades of life whereunto he findeth him selfe rightly called and therein employeth him selfe faithfully to the profit of the societie of mankinde whether it be in respect of a priuate life and the dealinges thereunto belonging or in regarde of the