Yee are saith Peter a chosen generation that ye should shew foorth his vertues that hath called you And againe As hee which hath called you is holy that is God so Iude 1. But here we must beware that wee doe not separate the persons For it is a worke common to the Trinitie One saith well God the Father doth call vs in Christ by the Spirit for he is absolute Lord of all his Creatures and therefore he may call out of the kingdome of darkenesse into his owne kingdome whom he will His instruments are the Ministers of the word and therefore are called Conorkers Fathers Sauiours His ordinary outward meanes is the preaching of the Gospell Hee hath called you by our Gospell saith Paul The Law serues to prepare the heart for grace but it is the oyly drops of the Gospell that by the power of the Spirit doe soften the heart and make it supple and pliable it like Balme doeth reuiue and comfort the heart The Gospell is the power of God that is the instrument of Gods power to saluation to all that beleeue Afflictions also losses crosâ—es sicknesse good examples and the like are by Gods blessing good preparatiues of grace but the preaching of the Gospell is the proper instrument of the Spirit for the effecting of grace By it God speakes to the eare of the soule and by it as by a Pipe hee conueyes his graces into the cisterne of our hearts Now GOD when hee calles a man performes a double worke of grace First he doth illuminate vs by his holy Spirit infusing a new and heauenly light into our minde being so blind before as that it neither saw nor could see the things which doe belong to the spirit of God The naturall man saith Paul perceiueth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishnesse vnto him neither can he know them In like manner also in the will which is altogether peruerse and wholly fallen from God he worketh an vprightnesse and in all the affections a new holinesse Hence proceeds that new man which is created after God in righteousnesse and true holinesse Secondly he causeth vs being enlightned and thus changed to apprehend his mercy to desire and affect our amendement and to answere vnto his call like Dauid VVhen thou saidst Seeke yee my face mixe heart answered vnto thee O Lord I will seeke thy face When God had pierced Dauids eare with the augur of his Spirit he answered Lo I come The primary cause or the foundation of this vocation is the free grace of God For this Vocation is of gift and not of merit of Grace and not of Nature God calling whom he will and againe whom he will either not calling or not calling them effectually The Apostle saith that hee hath called vs with an holy calling not according to our works bâ—t according to his own purpose grace The meritorious cause of this effectuall Calling is the merits of Christ For Christ hath merited in our behalfe that the Holy Ghost should bee sent into vs to illuminate and adorne our hearts with his graces The matter whereof this Vocation doth consist is a speciall powerfull and inward worke of the Spirit The forme and as it were the life and soule thereof is the illumination and information of the mind and an efficatious bending conforming and working of the heart wil whereby it becomes obedient to the voice of God and returnes as it were an audible and liuely Eccho into his eare The end is double first the glory of God and the commendation of his mercie to whom we must ascribe both grace and nature and of whom we haue receiued our soules and bodies yea and the very soule of our soules which is his Spirit The second end of this vocation is our deliuerance and translation out of ignorance infidelitie sensualitie and rebellion vnto spirituall grace and glory For we are called out of darknesse into light that we might walke in light and no longer serue the Prince of darknesse We are called out of the world vnto God to the end that wee should relinquish the lusts of the world and serue God that walking vprightly before him in this world wee may reigne like Princes with him in the world to come The effects and fruites of this Calling are a reformed iudgement a fleshy heart a yeelding vnto the Lord a sâ—ight from the works of darknesse an attentiue and hungry eare a spirituall relishing and receiuing of the solacious and sweete promises of the Gospel When a skilfull Musitian hath once strung tuned and strucke his instrument it sends out many pleasant and sweet soundes so when the Lord hath once breathed his Spirit of life in at the nostrils of our soules when he hath once tuned the strings of our sinfull hearts and hath toucht them with the finger of his spirit he makes them send forth many delectable and harmonious sounds wherein he takes delight When Christ had cried to Lazarus being dead and said Lazarus Come foorth He forthwith reuiued and came foorth of the graue So when Peter had said to dead Tabitha Tabitha arise She opened her eies immediatly and sate vp Euen so when he shall vouchsafe to call a man with his powerfull voice and shal effectually speake vnto the heart and say Arise thou that sleepest in thy sinne come foorth of the graue of iniquitie stand vp and walke in the wayes of righteousnes his call is so mightie and his word so powerfull and vnuanquishable that the man to whom hee doth so speake must needs awake arise come foorth and walke The voice of the Lord saith Dauid is mightie the voice of the Lord breaketh the Cedars it deuideth the flames of fire it maketh the Wildernesse to tremble and discouereth the Forrests These are the effects of that voice In like maner the voice which God speaketh to the eare of the soule in his effectuall Vocation is so mightie and so glorious as that it rendeth the heart and makes it tremble it discouereth the soule and diuides in twaine and peirceth into the most secret places of it And looke as at the sound of the seauen Trumpets the wall of Iericho fell flat downe and as at that efficatious voyce of Christ saying I am he his enemies that came to apprehend him went away back-ward and fell to the ground euen so when Gods voice shall sound in a mans eare and when Christ shall speake effectually vnto the heart the walles of hell shall reele and totter the fortresses of iniquitie shall be ruinated the castles of sinne shall be cast downe our spirituall enemies shall bee driuen backeward the strong man Satan shall bee fettered and his cursed workes dissolued These are the admirable effects of this glorious voyce these are the worthy workes of Gods effectuall Calling We may therefore iustly say The voyce of the Lord is mightie The voyce
subiect in vvhich this sanctification is wrought is the vvhole man according to both soule and body yea and life also Yet here by this way we must obserue that sanctification doth not alter the veâ—y substance of a man but onely his corupt and sinfull qualities It rectifieth but abolisheth not affections It corrects and moderates mirth and sorow and such humane passions but takes them not quit away It tunes the iarring strings of a mans heart but it breakes them not in peeces Euen as the fall of man did not abolish a mans essence but corrupt his faculties euen so the raising vp and the renouation of a man doth not aâ—ter his very substance but doth onely change his corrupted qualities and powers Now the Sanctification of the soule consist first in the alteration of the minde whreby ignorance is by little and little abolished and the mind inlightened to know the true God and his mercie in Christ and to know a mans selfe and to see his secret corruptions againg the â—aw and to know how to behaue himselfe vnto God and man aâ— also to approoue the things of God and to minde and meditate on things spirituall and celestiall Secondly it consists in the renouation of the will Which is when God giues grace truely to will good as to beleeue fear and obey God But yet this will is weake and not without resistance and contention made by the flesh Thirdly it consistes in the sanctification of the memorie which is an openesse by grace to keepe good things specially the doctrine of saluation Fourthly it stands in the regeneration of the conscience as when it is fitted to giue true testimony to a mans heart of the remission of his sinnes and of his care to serue God Fiftly it consists in a spirituall transformation of the affections as loue ioy sadnes anger feare and such like whereby a man that is iustified doth so temper them by his reason refined and by the light of the Law with the helpe of Gods Spirite that they doe not breake out as in the wicked that giue the reignes to their lusts but may bee held in some good order howbeit in this life this is done with much strife reluctation and is rather affected then effected Sixtly it consists in the sanctificatioÌ„ of the appetite or desires by which a man iustified obtaineth conformitie with good reason and Gods law in the desiring of meat and in other things which appertaine to the appetite Or the sanctification of the appetite stands in the holy ordering of our desires in meat drinke apparell riches And in the practise of three main vertues sobrietie chastitie and contentation by which the appetite must be gouerned Sobrietie is a continence from superfluous meat and drinke and from a wilfull macerating and afflicting of the body Chastitie is a continencie from wandering lusts and from all impuritie both in wedlock and out of it Contentation is when a man is contented with his present estate whether rich or poore noble or inglorious Paul saith I haue learned in whatsoeuer state I am therewith to be content I can bee abashed and I can abound euery where in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungrie and to abound and to haue want Lastly the sactification of the soule consists in a Christian resolution and constant indeauour with al our forces to please God and to testifie our loue vnto him in the seruing of our neighbour and seeking our owne saluation and withall flatly denying of our selues Which is first when we hold God to be wiser then vve are that so wee should bee both directed and disposed of by him Secondly when vvee account him more carefull for vs then we our selues can be and so rest vvell satisfied vvith vvhat condition of life soeuer he sets vs in The Sanctification of the body is that wherby the members thereof are made fit instruments for the soule regenerated to worke the workes of God with it being become obedient to the minde illumined and the heart reformed through the worke of the Spirit who now hath made it the Temple of his holinesse whereas before it was a slaue to the flesh and a shop of iniquitie and vncleannesse The Sanctification of the life is a visible reformation of it when as it is dedicated to God and good duties those sinnes being abandoned which reigned in it in former times And so much for the Subiects of Sanctificationâ— where remember that this worke of the Spirit is wrought in the whole man and that it belongs onely to the faithfull and Elect of God Ciuill moralities outward formalities and such graces as doe onely bridle and represse sinne may befall the reprobate but Christian vertues and such graces as doe supplant and suppresse sinne in our soules such works of the Spirit as doe reuiue and restore Gods image are appropriated to beleeuers The time wherein Sanctification is wrought is in this life in some sooner in others later but in none after this life if wee respect the beginning of it and not the finishing For it is begunne euer before death and neuer after He that would be saued in the life to come must bee sanctified in this life None liue like victorious Princes in the Church triumphant but such as haue bene courageous soldiours in the Church militant The properties of Sanctification are many First it is a most gracious and free worke of the Lord without all obligation or merit of ours For the Spirit of God bloweth with his blasts of grace both when how and where he listeth And the Apostle teacheth vs that our quickning and saluation is through the great loue and grace of God It is not giuen vs saith Augustine for any merit to wit of ours that we are borne againe of vvater and of the Spirit but it is freelie giuen and if faith haue brought vs to the lauer of regeneration we must not therfore think that we gaue somthing before that sauing regeneration might be giueÌ„ as in the vvay of recoÌ„pence Secondly this new birth is so needfull as that without it we cannot bee saued The kingdome of grace is the suburbs of the kingdome of glorie he therefore that walkes not through the suburbs shall neuer enter into the Citie a man must be in the kingdom of grace or else he shall neuer be admitted into the kingdome of glorie no grace no glory no holinesse no happinesse no heauen no heauenly honour Except a man bee borne againe hee cannot see the kingdome of God neither in this world nor in the world to come There are saith Augustine certaine beginnings of faith like vnto conceptions but yet that a man may come to eternall life it is not onely needfull that he be conceiued but that he bee also borne Thirdly Sanctification is an vnresistable act of the Spirit For when the holy Ghost doth seriously intend to sanctifie
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
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
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
of the Lord is glorious and bringeth wonderfull things to passe The subiects of this effectuall vocation or the persons that are effectually called are not all of all sortes and fexes without exception of any but the Elect of God And therefore Paul saith that God hath called those whome he did fore-know and predestinate And Esay saith all thy children shall be taught of the Lord hee saith not All without exception but all the children of the church As many saith Luke as were ordained vnto eternall life beleeued that is were called vnto the faith Knowledge is not common to all It is not giuen to All to vnderstand the mysteries of the kingdome these things are hid from most of the wise of this world reuealed vnto babes Now if knowledge be giueÌ„ to some not to others then consequently faith For they which haue not known cannot beleeue And if all men do not beleeue then all men are not called For sauing faith is an indissoluble companion of effectuall vocation and by faith wee answere Gods heauenly Calling All that are effectually called are also iustified but we are iustified only by faith therefore iustifying faith may not bee seuered from those that are so called Now All men haue not faith therefore all men are not called Furthermore all that are called shall bee saued and shall perseuere vnto the ende in grace Therefore Augustine saith that to those that are predestinated to the kingdom of God as all that are effectually called are is giuen the gift of perseuerance and that the Church on earth looseth none but those that are wicked and admitteth none into heauen but such as are good Now all men doe not perseuere therefore all are not effectually called all are not glorified therefore all are not pertakers of this kinde of calling Finally God vouchsafes not an outward calling vnto all all men haue not heard of the Gospel and therefore it may seeme absurde that God should vouchsafe an inward calling vnto All seeing hee doth not vouchsafe an outward by the preaching of the Gospell Yea this were to make grace as large as nature or as Peter Mâ—rytâ— speaketh to turne grace into nature if we should say that God did effectually call all We conclude therefore that the Elect are the onely Subiectâ— of this vocation For as Haâ—â—o speaketh the Lord hath not drawen nor doth draw all men to himselfe but omnia electa all that are elect both of all kindes and countries And forsaking those as Beda writeth whom hee knoweth not for his owne he turnes himselfe to visite and illustrate their hearts whom hee hath predestinated to eternall life In like manner Cameracensis truely saith that he giues some gifts of speciall grace to one which he giues not to another as faith and the grace that makes a man gracious and such as are the effectes of Praedestination and such an one is effectuall Calling The subiect or place wherein this worke of the spirit is performed is the heart and minde For the Holy Ghost by this worke doth enlighteÌ„ the mind to see and incline and mollifie the heart to yeeld and to make answere to his call The Termini or things from which and vnto which we are called are darknesse and light vice and vertue prophannesse and holinesse For as Paul saith God hath not called vs vnto vncleannesse but vnto holines and hath deliuered vs out of the power of darknesse and translated vs into the kingdome of his deare Sonne And Peter likewise sheweth that this our calling is from darkenesse vnto light As by our outward calling wee are taught to relinquish the workes of darknesse and to follow vertue and godlines for this the Gospell teacheth euen so by our inward and operatiue calling we are by God instructed and caused to abandon sinne and to pull our neckes out of the Diuels yoke and to disclaime his wayes and on the contrarie to listen and yeeld to God and to subiect our selues vnto his will The things then from which God doth call vs are Sinne Sathan and the World For these are enemies to his glory these coniure against his kingdome these are enemies to our peace and welfare labour the downesull and destruction of our soules The state whereunto we are called is light God himselfe and that blessed condition of man in Christ For this condition is most excellent and happy replenished with much ioy many comforts and peace vnspeakeable Wee are called to holinesse and grace which are vndoubted forerunners of happinesse and glory We are called to God the father of lights the fountaine of felicitie the wel-spring of life the giuer of all grace in whose presence is the fulnesse of ioy and at whose right hand there are pleasures for euermore The time of this calling is either generall or particular The generall time is in this life before death For after death there is no calling neither outward nor inward God offers and confers his grace in this life onely this is the time of mercy after this life there is nothing but the expectation and possession either of happinesse or of misery without possibilitie of mutabilitie The particular time of any mans caling is not reuealed but layed vp in the secret counsell of God in whose hands times and seasons are Yet the extent of the time is large enough thogh stinted eueÌ„ the time of this life some the Sixt houre some at the Ninth and others at the Eleuenth Dauid Iohn Baptist and Timothie were called yong Onesimus the Ethiopian Eunuch and S. Augustine were men growne and the Thiefe was called vpon the Crosse ready to die Here further wee must vnderstand that when God did first beginne this worke of grace wee are no way A gents being dead in sinnes but meere Patients God himselfe being the onely Agent before he hath reuiued vs by his spirit When a man is dead chafe him and râ—bbe him put Aquavitae into him to warme him at the heart when this is done take him by the hand plucke him vp and bid him walke for all this be will not stir the least ioint neither can he All chafing and rubbing all speech and perswasion and all helpes in the world be in vaine vnlesse the soule bee restored to the bodie Euen so no perswasions offered to the minde nor good desires to the will are of any moment till the image of God standing in holinesse which is a conformitie to the will of God and the very soule of our soules begin to be restord First God must illuminate the minde with a new light and he must imprint in the will a new qualitie or inclination and in the heart new affections and hee must giue to the will the act of wel-willing and so a man being reuiued and the wil being acted and mooued by God who workes the will and the deed it also acteth and
work and with Primatius God doth iustifie the vngodly but not by works which â—e wanteth For if he should iustifie him according to workes he must be punished and not deliuered The externall moâ—â—er then and meritorious efficient of our Iustification is Christ by his obedience For God made him to be sinne for vs who knew no sinne that â—e should be made the rightousnesse of God in him Wee are iustified through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus whom God hath set foorth to bee a reconciliation through faith in his blood Augustine saith Christ alone hath 〈…〉 the punishment for vs without his 〈◊〉 demerits that we might obtaine grace by him without good merits Christ saith Basill is true righteousnesse vvho is made vnto vs of God righteousnesse vvisdom sanctification and redemption As the 〈◊〉 couered the dike and the Decalogue so he couereth 〈◊〉 sinne and hee hides our bodies and soules from the furious indignation and vengeance of God Now the obedience of Christ is two-fold actiue and passiue The former stands in his perfite fulfilling of the Law the latter is contained in his passion both in life and death By the passion of Christ our sinnes are remitted Therefore Peter saâ—th that he bare our sinnes vpon the Crosse And Iohn likewise saith that he washed vâ— from our sinnes in his blood And long before them the Prophet Esay saith that he was vvounded for our transgressions and by his stripes we are healed Remission of sins saith Chrysostome is on the blood of Christ His death saith Amâ—â—ose is the iustification of sinners By it gods iustice is fully satisfied his wrath is appealed and â—ll punishments temporall and eternall deserued by sin are quite remoued By his fulfilling of the Law we are reputed and esteemed righteous For Christ is the end of the Law for righteousnes vnto euerie one that beleeueth â—e was made vnto vs of God righteousnes By the obedience of this one maniâ— shall be made righteous Lord saith Bernard I will remember thy righteousnes onely for that is also mine For thou art made vnto me righteousnes of God Now this his righteousnesse is not ours but his originally is made ours by Gods tree imputation It is imputed to vs by God accounted ours Christ being our Suretie and standing in our stead and so appropriated to vs as if we had performed it in our owne persons Bernard saith that the righteousnesse of Christ is imputed to vs. And againe the iustice of another is assigned vnto man because he wanted his owne The satisfaction of one is imputed vnto all And no maÌ„ must thinke it strange that the obedience of Christ could satisfie for the disobedience of all the Elect make them to bee reputed righteous with God For in that it was the obedience of God that is of that holy man who was true God it was of endlesse merit of inualuable value with the Lord. The perfection and merit of this obedience comes from the dignity of his person that did obey And though iustification bee through Christ yet God may bee sayed to iustify freely because it comes freely to vs wee doe nothing for it and because also it was his free loue which moued him to send his sonne to suffer for our sins and to fulfil the Law fully for vs. Neither must any man imagine that Christ did not fulfill the Law for vs but for himselfe onely and consequently that his actiue obedience is not imputed to vs. For Christ is not onely our redemption but he is also the perfection of the Lawe for vs that beleeue in him Whereupon it is that Ambrose saith He hath the perfection of the Law who beleeueth in Christ Moreouer Whole Christ is giuen vnto vs with his benefits Otherwise if his Passiue obedience were onely imputed to vs it would follow that haâ—fe Christ were onely giuen vs Patientem non Agentem to wit as he is a Patient and not an Agent or dooer of those things which are pleasing to his Father and auferentem peccatâ— onely as he takes away sin and death and not affâ—rentem iustitiam bringing righteousnes But he was not borne for himselfe but for vs and was giuen vnto vs that hee might both doe for vs the things that were to be done and suffer the things which were to be suffered Againe Christ as man fulfilled the Lawe for himselfe that hee might be in both natures an holy high Priest so continue Neuerthelesse as Mediatour God and Man hee became subiect to the Law and in this regard he did not fulfill tâ—â— Lawe for himselfe neither was he bound so to doe Neither must this seeme strange to any that the Law should both exact obedience and the penalty too For howsoeuer in the state of innocency the Law threatned the penaltie and onely exacted obedience yet since the fall it doth both exact obedience the punishment The threatning of the Law exacts the punishment the precepts exact obedience And albeit Christ hath kept the Law fully for vs yet none must from thence conclude that therefore we are not bound to keepe the Law â—hat saith one which Christ did we are not bound to doe for the same end and in the same maner Now he fulfilled the law in way of redemption and satisfaction for vs and so doe not we fulfill the Law but onely in the way of thankefulnesse for our redemption And though we be bound to obey the Lawe yet wee must not thinke that God will reiect our obedience for the weakenes of it as hee would haue reiected Christs if his had beene imperfect For he was our Mediatour and therefore his obedience was of necessitie to be most perfect or else Gods iustice had not been satisfied and so we had perished and besides all our imperfections and defects whatsoeuer are couered with his perfection as with a vaile and so our weake obedience is accepted and not contemned Finally for our comfort we must know that if we respect the Trueth of that righteousnes which is imputed to vs weare accounted as truly righteous before God as Christ himselfe is but if we regard the quantity and subiect Christ is more iust theÌ„ we Because he is originally and actually righteous but we by imputation he is subiectiuely iust and by inherency but we by application relation in him and vnto him And yet we must not therefore thinke our selues to be redeemers For his obedience is imputed to vs onely for our owne redemption and not as it is the price of redemption for all the Elect. As for example Christs righteousnes is imputed to Peter not as it is the price of redemption for All but as it is the price of redemption for Peter And so much for the efficient causes of our Iustification The matter of iustification according as are the parts thereof is twofold Remission of
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
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