be obtayned for vs but by the obedience of Christ his death Therefore sinne which is set as a wall betweene God and vs must first bee taken away For as long as sinne remaineth and is imputed vnto a man there is such and so great disagreement betweene God and man as that he shutteth vp from man all entrance vnto his grace So that the forgivenesse of sinnes without which nothing can fall out happily for any mortall man as it is alwayes the first and greatest benefite of God towards vs as concerning Salvation so alwayes by right it taketh and challengeth vnto it selfe the first place for of it all other the gifts of God doe depend For God doth not lively and savingly doe good and shew favour vnto any but to those whose sinnes he hath first pardoned and forgiven So that when they by the Fatherly compassion of God are taken away and wiped out then the spirit of sanctification commeth in place by the vertue and operation whereof miserable sinners are renewed vnto the patterne and study of godlinesse Therefore God doth first reconcile men vnto himselfe by the free remission of their sinnes Then doth he regenerate them by his spirite into righteousnesse and newnesse of life and calleth them to himselfe and draweth them to Christ Saint Augustine having respect vnto this sayd rightly Regeneration beginneth from the remission of all our sinnes with which saying that holy man would teach vs that God then worketh by his grace in man vnto righteousnesse and eternall life and is then truly and lively perceyved when a mans sinnes are pardoned By this it cleerely appeareth that free remission of sinnes is the first benefite that commeth vnto man in this world tending vnto eternall life They therefore which begin from any other benefite of God which concerneth Salvation are like vnto foolish Phisitians which are carefull onely to curesome griefe and little or nothing desirous at all to know and take away the cause of the disease For that is the sound curing of any disease which beginneth at the cause taketh that away So likewise that is a true deliverance indeed whenas God by the free remission of sinnes sheweth him selfe a good and mercifull father Therefore this remission of sinnes in respect of God goeth before our Calling for God doth not reconcile man vnto himselfe nor take him vnto mercy by any other meanes but by the free remission of sinnes But in respect of vs our Calling goeth before it for by it we beginne to knowe and vnderstand that wee are iustified For when wee are called then is the gate vnto righteousnesse opened vnto vs then is declared what is given vnto vs and what we are to looke for then also doe wee beholde the milde and mercifull countenance of God as in a cleere and chrystall glasse But that Iustification may the more playnely bee vnderstood and the more familiarly conceyved these five thinges ought to be marked and considered First what that word to Iustifie doth signifie and whence it is taken Secondly what true Iustification is and what is the cause thereof Thirdly what manner of thing Iustification is and what proprieties it hath Fourthly what good commeth vnto vs by it and how it may be knowne Fiftly who are they that are iustified and doe obtayne free remission of theyr sinnes To Iustifie in the Hebrew phrase is to acquite one and to pronounce him iust This is a politicall word and a terme of law which is very often and much vsed in civill governement As if an innocent man should bee accused of others as guilty and should stand before the iudgement seat of a iust Iudge there when iudgement shall be given and sentence pronounced according to his innocency then is that man sayd to be iustified before that Iudge Then this word of Iustifying is translated from a politike and civill order vnto spirituall matters and so in the vsuall manner of the Scripture to Iustifie is to forgive and pardon a man his sinne But before this be more largely vnfolded two phrases or fourmes of speach in Divinity are to be explaned for the vnderstanding sake of the more simple sort namely what it is to be iustified by works and what it is to be iustified by faith He is sayd to be iustified by works in whose life and manners there is thought to be so great integrity and holynes as that it may deserve the prayse and testimony of righteousnes before God So in this our time there is found that wicked sect of the Papists which attributeth so great integrity vnto it selfe as that in the perfection thereof it may fully answere and satisfie the iust iudgement of God How true this is Rom. 10. the day of the last and great iudgement of Christ shall declare But they which so establish their owne righteousenes do fall from the truth of the Gospell and lose the mercy of God But he is sayd to be iustified by faith which layeth aside all thought of his owne merits and doth apprehend and apply vnto himselfe the righteousenes of Christ purchased by his death with which being invested and clothed he appeareth in the sight of God not as a sinner but as iust Therefore in this article of iustification wee must pray for true faith and hope from God that wee may be able to renounce our owne merits and worthines and rest our selves vpon the mercy of God onely otherwise we shall never have entrance vnto true righteousenes which is of worth before God for the grace of God only is abundantly sufficient vnto righteousenes as Saint Barnard elsewhere speaketh most wisely and godly when as he sayth It is sufficient for me vnto all righteousenes to have him mercifull vnto me against whom onely I have offended Therefore he is sayd to be iustified before God in the phrase of the Gospel which in his iudgement is thought righteous and is accepted and approved of him for his righteousenes and is no more accounted of him as a sinner but as a righteous man and by that name standeth before his iudgement seate with an vndaunted conscience and ioyfull countenance For a miserable sinner being excluded from his owne righteousnes doth by faith apprehend the righteousnes of Christ that is to say righteousnes purchased by his death whilest that he applyeth the obedience of his death vnto himselfe with which being clothed as with his owne obedience he appeareth now in the sight of God not as a sinner but as a righteous man and being endued with the obedience of Christ his death he is much more gratious in the sight of God then if he had never sinned and had righteousnes of his owne gotten by the iust and perfect works of the law Heere therefore to iustifie is not of vnrighteous to make a man righteous which can be righteous indeede and have no sinne in him but it is to account and repute him for a righteous man which wanteth righteousnes in himselfe to acquite him from
blasphemous Papists seeing in this poynt their wisedome is contrary to God are not to bee accounted wise men but sottes and fooles For it were better for them that they had no wisedome at all and that they were more blockish then fooles then thus to resist and rebell against the wisedom of God Therefore whatsoever they talke of concerning works fore-seene and our owne merits it is a meere and manifest illusion of the divell and a most certayne ship-wracke of their owne Salvation Moreover in this they greatly offend in that they are not afrayd to turne the great and excellent gifts of God to the dishonour of him and to the honour of the divell For they abuse their wisedome by which men do excell beastes against God and against their owne Salvation For to this ende God would have man to bee wise and indued with reason that by the worde of the Gospell hee might acknowledge God to be his Creator and Christ his Redeemer and that he might honor God and attayne Salvation by meditating vpon eternal life But they apply the strength of their wisedome to this namely to the invention and coyning of those things which are repugnant to the will of God so they of their owne accord and of set purpose doe convert those helpes which are good in themselves vnto hurtfull impediments Therefore this wisedome of the Papistes which is exercised about workes fore-seene and about merites is not onely carnall but also divelish because it is contrary to the will of God As farre as right differeth from wrong so much doe the Papists differ from God because all their wisedome doth make open warre against the wisedome of God whilest they set vp their works fore-seene against his grace For they strive earnestly for this to make the grace of God not altogether free but partly deserved and so doe derogate from the mercy of God But prayse and glory be to God because he hath prevented vs by his free goodnesse and aboundant grace and hath predestinated vs vnto eternall life freely and not for our workes or merites fore-seene And surely it is a grievous thing to heare that the Papistes are so fallen from the word of God and that they without the wisedome of God and Christ his spirite boast themselves to bee Christians For if they had the spirit of Christ and did submit themselves to the wisedome of God they would know as instructed by the word of God that we were freely elected by God from everlasting and that they should not thinke nor determine of Election otherwise then God hath revealed and prescribed in his word and beeing regenerate by the spirite of Christ they would have a care of Gods glory and not be the servants of Sathan But now their whole study and wisedome consists in this to iudge of what pleaseth them according to their owne iudgement and discretion And so indeed doe shew that they are altogether strangers from the spirite and Gospell of Christ and that they doe wholy detest it Farre therefore be from vs this studie and doctrine of the Papistes being as the shoppe and illusion of the divell yea let it be from a Christian heart farther then the heaven is distant from the earth Fourthly they offend against the trueth of God in that they affirme that workes fore-seene are the cause of our Salvation For God hath ordayned Iesus Christ from everlasting that hee should make satisfaction for our sinnes and redeeme vs from all iniquity fayth Peter 1. Pet. 1.20 Moreover the Sonne of God himselfe affirmeth often in the Evangelists Iohn 3.36 that all which beleeve in him have eternall Life Iohn 5.24 and shall not come into condemnation For hee is that Lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world Heb. 9.12 he suffered once for vs and by suffering purchased for vs eternall Redemption Therefore in the vertue of his Passion our whole Salvation and Life consisteth These and the like testimonies of Scripture doe ascribe Life eternall vnto the Sacrifice of Christ onely as to a meritorious cause For God is true and therefore will perfourme those things which hee hath promised faythfully and truely But hee hath promised in the Scripture in divers places that the onely Sacrifice of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the onely price of our Redemption from all our sinnes For by Isaiah he promiseth expressely that his Servant meaning Christ should by his knowledge iustifie many because hee hath vnder-gone and borne theyr iniquities Therefore howe much soever the Papistes doe attribute vnto workes fore-seene so much doe they necessarily detract from the merite of Christ because those workes fore-seene and these merites of Christ are such contraries as that one and the selfe same thing cannot bee attributed to them both But the Scripture of God which is the onely and most simple trueth doth every where ascribe the cause of our Election vnto Gods free Bounty and likewise ascribeth Redemption and Salvation that proceedeth and commeth thereof vnto the onely Merite of Christ Therefore it doth not onely leave no roome for theyr workes foreseene but doth also convince them of falshood and reiect and condemne them as manifest wrongs against Christ For whatsoever is not of Grace that is deadly and tendeth to damnation But these works fore-seene of the Papistes are not of Grace for they say that they are the vertues of humane nature therefore those workes fore-seene are deadly and tend to damnation Wherefore seeing they bring destruction with them these workes are wholy to be reiected on the contrary Christ his Merites seeing they bring Salvation with them are with heart and minde readily to be embraced But if the Papists did beleeve God when he promiseth and did rest themselves onely vpon his word of trueth they would let goe their workes fore-seene But seeing they do produce them they doe manifestly declare that they put more confidence in their workes then they doe in God or in his worde And so they offend against the trueth of God before which they preferre their owne workes and merites fore-seene and doe perversely accuse God of infidelity and falshood For if they did beleeve that God were faythfull and constant in perfourming of his promises they would never fly vnto workes fore-seene as to the helpers of his Grace Fiftly they doe offend against the Omnipotency of God because they presume and vndertake thinges that are farre above theyr strength and power For God is onely omnipotent and hee is the onely effecter and beginner of all power and strength in such sorte that no Creature can bee more powerfull nor able to doe or perfourme more then God hath given him ability and force to doe Wherefore every creature can bring to passe and perfourme so much as it is enabled by the strength that God worketh and preserveth in it But God giveth not infinit strength and omnipotency vnto any creature for so of a creature hee should make him God and
open vnder our eyes And therefore if any things though never so little should be exempt from the knowledge of God his wisedome and providence should not be infinite which ought to extend it selfe as well above all things as through all things and so God should not be God whose knowledge were straightened vnto a fewe things and particular and not enlarged vnto all things and vniversall Also here is further to be noted briefely and by the way that there are many more reprobated then elected This may first by most manifest testimonies of Scripture and then by dayly experience be truely verified and declared Christ himselfe playnely affirmeth and pronounceth in Saint Matthew that many are called Mat. 22.14 but few are chosen Luke 12.32 For this cause also in Saint Luke Christ calleth the number of the Elect a little flocke Also the Parable of the seede in Saint Matthew Mat. 13.4 doth in evident and expresse words explane and set forth this when as onely the fourth part of men are capable of the heavenly and spirituall seede and bring forth fruite And the rest eyther doe not receyve that spirituall seede Mat. 13.19 or else suffer it not to growe but set theyr studies and desires vpon things below which shall perish so that they neglect and and contemne the treasure of eternall Life By this Similitude Christ himselfe declareth who are elect and who reprobate the Elect are compared to the good and fruitfull ground and bring forth fruite eyther more or lesse according to the measure of the grace that is bestowed vpon them But the reprobate are compared eyther to barren and stony ground or to thornes which doe choke the heavenly seed by one meanes or an other and bring forth no fruite So that in Gods iust iudgement they are left in the corruption of nature and are not renewed therefore they are reprobates and shall be condemned And although that there are more reprobated then elected yet the number of the Elect is so great that it contayneth infinite millions of men so that with Moses they are compared vnto the starres of the skie and the sands of the Sea Agayne dayly experience teacheth vs that the number of the reprobate is greater then the number of the elect For how many and how great kingdomes and regions are there where the blessed Gospel of the Sonne of God was never preached nor heard of For none can attayne true Fayth and Salvation in Christ without the word of God preached or taught For faith sayth the Scripture Rom. 10.17 commeth of hearing and hearing by the word of God They therefore which neyther have not heare the word of God cannot attayne vnto fayth and so to Salvation And to dreame of some secret inspiration without the ministery of the worde is an hare-braind conceyt which needeth no confuting For although God bee not tyed vnto the outward word and that an extraordinary way may bring men vnto fayth yet he hath so tyed vs vnto the word that without it in this matter we cannot iudge any thing Therefore how many millions of men as well yong as old have departed out of this life before they have heard any thing at all concerning Christ and his Gospel Such ought rather to be left vnto the iudgement of God then to bee iudged by the censures of men For it is evident that Salvation commeth from nothing els but from fayth and faith proceedeth from nothing Tit. 1.1 Iohn 17.3 but from a true and sincere knowledge of God of Christ And this true knowledge of God and of Christ cannot bee had el ewhere but from the Gospel onely Therefore how can they obtayne fayth and Salvation which have neyther heard nor read the Gospel But seeing this kind of men is one of the foure secret mysteries of God which man ought not to search out and determine as Augustine elsewhere speaketh we must leave them to God and must hope that for his great Mercy sake if they bee not converted to day they may bee to morrow converted Concerning false christians which are mingled among the true ones as tares amongst the good corne I say nothing in this place That Similitude of the seede and of the Sower in Saynt Matthew doth playnely show Matt. 13.3.4 that there are many of them For we are taught by that Similitude that all are not true Christians before God which heare Gods word and professe themselves to be such for because that many bragge and boast of the shew and title of godlinesse whose heart notwithstanding is most farre from it Therefore our fayth will bee shaken and waver except wee remember that many of them are false brethren which speake and boast of the name of Christ Let not their falling away which surely will come overthrow our fayth and bring it to ruine As by the multitude of them that shall be damned the greatnesse of Gods wrath against them may be gathered so also by the scarcitie of those that shall be saved the aboundance of the Love of God towards them may be collected And men ought to examine by theyr fayth in what account they are with God CHAP. 22. ANd in as much as there are more condemned then saved it may from hence easily be gathered how great the wrath of God is against rebellious and vnrepentant persons which being oftentimes admonished by the word of God or endued with other good benefites or afflicted with such or such calamities yet repent not nor cease from sinne Agayne by how much the greater and more severe the wrath of God is against the rebellious stiffe-necked by so much the greater and more notable is his Love and Mercie towardes the penitent and such as cease from evill So that the fewer they are the dearer they are vnto God for rare thinges are vsually more fervently beloved and more carefully tendered This scarcity of the Elect and multitude of the reprobates ought to trouble no man nor weaken any mans fayth neyther is the grace and mercy of God for that to be thought straitned into a narrow roome and Christians ought not to despayre for this cause but to be in the better hope For where the Gospel of Christ is preached and taught and the holy Ghost made powerfull by it there God hath his Elect. Therefore all they which embrace the Gospel of Christ and by a true faith put theyr whole trust and confidence of the obtayning of Salvation in the sole mercy of God and in the onely Sacrifice of Christ and are not strangers from the holy Spirite but doe bewayle theyr sinne and have an hearty desire and care to profite in true faith and amendment of life they may surely perswade themselves that they are elected from everlasting and that they shall never perish For the Scripture doth every where reduce men vnto Christ and to true fayth in him that men might confirme themselves concerning their Election and pronouncerh such blessed And
and such like places of Scripture promise the grace of God and forgivenesse of sinnes Hebr. 8.12 not for a day or two onely but affirme that it shall alwayes bee of force and continue while life lasteth so that the forgivenesse of sinnes is dayly and continuall all our life long For a full and sufficient satisfaction hath beene made for them by Christ once for all For with one offering Hebr. 10.14 as the Apostle sayth hee consecrated for ever them which are sanctified Therefore seeing that Christ by his owne blood hath entred into the Holy place and hath obtained everlasting Redemption for vs and that our sinnes are taken away in his blood God cannot by right remember them any more For God is so iust as that hee will not have payment and satisfaction made for one thing twice But he is so well pleased with the satisfaction of Christ that he requireth no other satisfaction Isay 53.7 For the Lord hath layd vpon him the iniquity of vs all and Christ himselfe hath taken vpon him all the sincke of our iniquities that he might redeeme and free vs from eternall destruction This is our onely hope and comfort that Christ hath so once for all taken away all the sins of the world that not the least signe of them remayneth For this cause the Evangelist calleth Christ The Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world Surely Christ hath so satisfied for our sinnes by his death that not one of them remayneth for which satisfaction is not made fully and sufficiently So that by the benefite of Christ we are redeemed and iustified Rom. 5.1 and through him we have peace toward God This satisfaction of Christ whosoever doth with a true stedfast faith apprehend and apply vnto himselfe hath wherein hee may reioyce and be glad in himselfe and that much more then hee is wont to reioyce which hath runne so farre into other mens debt that hee hath nothing to pay who when he shall heare that an other hath payd it in his name and hath fully discharged the whole debt reioyceth heartily and is more glad in his mind then if he in his owne person had discharged the debt So also our conscience when it heareth that Christ hath satisfied for all our sinnes both great and small so that God will never call them to his remembrance doth much reioyce and conceaveth true peace within it selfe and relyeth most peaceably vpon that satisfaction of Christ and favour of God recovered agayne and is exceeding glad in it selfe that it hath and shall have everlasting reconciliation and peace with God By this we may playnely see how necessary the grace of God is to the remission of our sinnes Let every man therefore diligently weigh his owne misery for except a man doe well consider this hee can never vnderstand how much the remedy thereof is to bee desired Let every man therefore truely acknowledge that he is every way past recovery in himselfe that so he may be iustified by God onely and transported by Christ from destruction to Salvation And let no man repose himselfe or put any trust in his owne wisedome in this Article of Iustification For by how much the more a man leaneth vpon his owne wisedome and opinion by so much the more swift and grievous iudgement doth hee plucke vpon his head Furthermore let every man thinke that amongst all there is not one which standeth not in need of this inestimable benefite of God Psal 14 3. Rom. 3.23 All are gone out of the way and corrupted For the Prophets and Apostles whenas they thus speake doe vniversally accuse all of iniquitie and doe make every one guilty of iust condemnation and so doe frame theyr order of teaching from the generall vnto the particular that every man in particular may consider and weigh in his owne conscience whether it be so in him or no which is spoken generally of all For a man is little touched with a generall speech vnlesse hee vnderstand it particularly to appertaine vnto himselfe Therefore seeing all excuse is cutte off on every side let every man seriously acknowledge his owne sinnes and offences that so by Christ his Redeemer and Saviour he may be delivered from them Here is shewed what and how great good commeth vnto those that are iustified by this Iustification by Fayth Likewise vnto whom this Iustification doth properly appertayne CHAP. 28. NOw in a few wordes we must shew what and how great good things doe issue and are to be looked for from this free remission of sinnes And these benefites are especially foure and these the greatest of all benefites the first of which is everlasting reconciliation with God For when God doth forgive and pardon our sinnes freely he doth then receyve vs into favour and continue vs therein For whom he thus iustifieth those he embraceth and affecteth with the same love Iohn 17 23.26 wherewith he loveth his onely begotten Sonne For when he pardoneth vs our sinnes hee loveth vs as dearely as if we had never offended For the obedience of Christ is imputed and imparted vnto vs and for this imputation sake we are as deare and as acceptable to God as Christ himselfe is Secondly in this that God doth freely pardon vs all our sinnes he llikewise forgiveth all and every punishment which we have infinitely deserved and plucked vpon our selves by our sinnes For when the offence is taken away the punishment must needes bee taken away likewise for the offence is forgiven that the punishment might be taken away The third benefite is that our corrupt nature is reformed by the power of the holy Spirit and framed vnto the Image of God so that wee begin to love and worship God even in this life The fourth benefite which we receyve by Iustification is eternall Life and Salvation which God onely imparteth vnto those whom he hath iustified through the remission of sinnes and by his spirit made new creatures These are the foure great and excellent Benefites which follow vpon Iustification So that when our sinnes are abolished and blotted out the mercifull and fatherly countenance of God beginneth to shine vpon vs. Therefore this Iustification may bee discerned and knowne by that which followeth it as by the effects and benefites which proceed flow from thence Among those the feeling of the love of God toward vs and the calling vpon him doe chiefely excell For when hee iustifieth vs then doth hee manifest and shew his love toward vs. For although he loveth vs in Christ with an everlasting love yet doth hee then lively and manifestly shew and declare that his love toward vs when he forgiveth vs our sinnes and reformeth vs with his spirit Then doe we by certayne experience feele in our hearts the strength and most effectuall power of the love of God towards vs. Rom. 8.26 For the holy Spirit doth stirre vp and make in vs hearty prayers by which wee
sinceritie of life Chap. 39. Fol. 273. THE GOLDEN Chayne of Salvation Conteyning and opening all the causes thereof and orderly reckoning vp and displaying all Gods benefits that come vnto vs by the eternall election through CHRIST out of the words of S. Paule Rom. 8. verse 29. 30. For those whome GOD knew before c. The Proeme shewing wherein both the eternall happines and misery of man consisteth and so way is made vnto the present busines that is in hand CHAP. 1. AS there is nothing that can happen to a man more to be desired or more comfortable in this miserable life then for him well and plainly to know the true God and his due worship so can there nothing befall him more miserable or hurtfull then for him to be ignorant of the true God and his due worship And as nothing can more effectually reioyce the heart of man then a good hope and an vncorrupted conscience for in a good conscience God himselfe liveth and in it Christ dwelleth and worketh by his power vnto eternall life so also is there nothing that more disturbeth a man or more sharply tormenteth him then an evill and a desperate conscience for in it Sathan hath the chiefest place and in it ruleth and worketh powerfully vnto eternall destruction wherefore every man ought dayly through the course of his whole life earnestly to weigh with himselfe and alwayes with a deepe and serious cogitation to consider by what meanes he may be reconciled to God againe and so be freed from the slavery and tyranny of the Devill Which that he may attaine vnto he must labour and strive to come to the true way to know God and the proper causes of the attayning of salvation The former of which he shall find in Gods word alone and the latter in his goodnes only For looke what things soever God would have knowne of man heere concerning his good and acceptable will those things hath he most plentifully and lively expressed and manifested in his word conteyned in the bookes of the Prophets and Apostles And that in such sort as that God himselfe will precisely be acknowledged such a one and so be worshipped as he is revealed in his Gospell They therefore do attribute due honour and glory vnto God who do acknowledge him to be such a one and serve him in such manner onely as the holy Ghost hath set him forth in the holy Gospell of our Saviour But whosoever have a minde to worship and acknowledge God otherwise then he hath manifested himselfe in his word they do not only swarve from the right way to salvation but also seeke God without God and frame vnto themselves a vayne idoll in steed of the true and living God and enter into an intricate laborinth where out they shall never finde issue but eftsoones come to naught and vtterly perish in their errours Furthermore although God in his eternall essence and maiesty be infinite and conteyned in no one naturall place nor can be comprehended and perfectly knowne of any creature eyther caelestiall or terrestriall for betweene a thing infinite and a thing finite there is no proportion yet notwithstanding he hath so lively and manifestly declared and layd open his wonderfull goodnes towards man in his sonne and in his merites that no man except he be altogither an infidell and an alient from God can doubt of it For God hath sent his onely begotten Sonne our Lord Iesus Christ into this world Iohn 3.16 that in him he might give vnto vs true wisedome and righteousnes true holynes and redemption Whosoever therefore do truly acknowledge and freely confesse his Sonne to be their Redeemer and Saviour 1. Cor. 1.30 they do not onely see the secrets and as it were the open breast of God layd open vnto them but also shall have him their mercifull and loving Father who otherwise is a seveare and terrible Iudge and may be as sure and certayne of their salvation if they perswade themselves and beleeve that God is constant and true in his word of promise as if they did sensibly and fully enioy it alreadye For Christ by his bloud which was shead vpon the altare of the Crosse hath set them free from the power and slavery of the Divell and God hath taken them to favour agayne and by the power of his spirit hath renewed and reformed them and drawne them to Christ and planted them in him by a true and a lively faith And to conclude by his mighty power he doth shield and defend them against all the deceits and assaults of the Devill Whosoever therefore goe about to overthrow and destroy them must first overcome God himselfe and seeing that he can be vanquished of none therefore their salvation is so sure and firme as God in his heavenly Maiesty and mighty power is invincible Heere the summe of the whole worke with a briefe declaration and division of it is conteyned CHAP. 2. BVt that all the causes of Salvation may be layd open in order some place of Scripture must be chosen for declaring of them And although the causes of Salvation do offer themselves heere and there in many places both of the old and new Testament which do plainely and distinctly enough declare and substantially inforce all the parts of this happines yet amongst all others that place to the Romanes especially pleased me Ca. 8. v. 29. 30. and seemed fittest for this purpose For that place conteyneth and vnfoldeth whatsoever is necessary to the attayning of Salvation The words of that place are these there the Apostle amongst other things sayeth thus Those whome God knewe before he also did praedestinate that they should be like fashioned vnto the shape of his Sonne that he might be the first begotten amongst many brethren Moreover whome he did praedestinate them also he called and whome he called them also he iustifyed and whome he iustified them also he glorified There the Apostle especially handleth and discourseth of the calamities and sorrowes of the godly namely that they which are chosen of God from the beginning vnto the fellowship of Salvation are neither at all adventures nor by chance nor by any their owne losse afflicted with these or these evils and inconveniences but that by the eternall and vnchangeable will and providence of God and of his especiall goodnes they among all others are grieved and afflicted with these miseries for the children of God must heere vndergoe a long and grievous warrefare before they can come to the attayning of victory and triumph Therefore God bringeth them to the excellent and heavenly glory by an vneasy and an ignominious crosse So that the Apostle heere tearmeth this grievous crosse continuall persecutions all manner of reproaches and rebukes and all other iniuries and misfortunes by the name of the shape or image of Christ because the elect must indure them patiently as long as they live even as Christ hath indured them Therefore although it was the
Therefore nothing whether good or badde whether past or to come can escape this fore-knowledge of God And whereas I say that the fore-knowledge of God did from before the beginning fore-see and fore-know both things past and things present I would not have it so taken as if I thought that the distances and differences of times were to be attributed vnto him by time past and time to come but that all things which have beene created and made in heaven and in earth and which shall bee created and made vnto the end of the world are present before God and so present as that he seeth and beholdeth all and every of them not as by an imagination but truely and before his eyes indeede Things past therefore and things to come have alwayes beene in Gods sight as thinges present and so shall ever remaine So that all things whether things past or things to come are present to Gods fore-knowledge yea and so present as that neither things past are past nor things to come are to come vnto him So these differences of times have relation and ought to bee applyed vnto the creatures and not to God himselfe Wherefore whereas thinges past and things to come are attributed vnto Gods fore-knowledge it is not in the respect of God himselfe as if these or those spaces and distances of times fell out in him but it is in respect of the things themselves which cannot bee made knowne and applyed vnto the creatures without some certayne order and succession of times This is the first signification or acceptation of the fore-knowledge of God which as it foresaw and knew all things from before the beginning it is called the Wisedome of God and as it doth order and designe all things to their proper ende it is called his Providence So what thinges soever God hath foreseene from eternitie they are all certayne and cannot fall out nor be otherwise then hee hath most wisely ordeined Therefore as God in time beginneth to know nothing which hee fore-saw not for ever So also doth hee nothing in time which hee did not fore-see and decree that hee would doe from before beginnings For God doth nothing by a newe or sudden Will but doth and willeth all things by his constant and eternall Will And let this suffice to be spoken of the general fore-knowledge of God Now a few things remaine to be spoken of his particular fore-knowledge The particular Fore-knowledge of God is taken for the favourable affection of his everlasting Love by which he fore-knew his Elect from everlasting and separated them from the rest and loved them and that with a great and incredible Love For this word of seeing and knowing in the phrase and propriety of the Hebrew tongue doth oftentimes signifie the approbation of some thing and a ready and favorable affection and good liking towards it Of this Paul speaketh properly whenas he saith Those whom he knew before those also hath he predestinate This knowledge of the eternall Fore-knowledge of God is not onely very profitable for vs but also most necessary and comfortable that we may know that nothing can be hidde from or escape Gods eyes but that all and every thing even the greatest with the least and the least with the greatest as well internall as externall lie manifest and open in the sight of God These things ought to instruct vs in the feare of God and keepe vs in the same that wee should not thinke or doe any thing that might displease him or be contrary to his good liking And this feare of God being gathered from his fore-knowledge ought to bee vnto vs in stead of a Bridle by which wee should be bridled and withdrawne from all evill so that we shuld feare nothing more then to offend God by our wickednesse which is so terrible so iust and so severe a Revenger of evill For there is this relation betweene his anger and our sinnes that sinne can no sooner be committed of vs but we binde our selves as with an obligation or handwriting given vnto God vnto condigne punishment for the same Therefore if we shall be bold and hasty to commit sinne God also himselfe the iust Iudge and Avenger of all wickednesse is ready furnished and armed with his great and dreaded Power to punish vs so that it is as possible that God should cease to be God as that he should leave sinne vnpunished except it be redressed by true and hearty repentance and amendment of life Agayne the dayly remembrance of this fore-knowledge of God will be as it were a sharpe goade vnto vs that being awakened by it we may beseech Gods Maiestie with our fervent prayers that he would vouchsafe by the power of his spirite to turne our hearts and willes away from all evill and incline them to all goodnesse lest we follow the sway and course of our corrupt Nature running headlong into all kinde of wickednesse and lest that the abhominable workes and wicked deeds that we have committed and heaped vp together doe separate vs from God and thrust vs downe into everlasting paines and torments This Fore-knowledge therefore of God and the serious meditation thereof ought to be our best instructer to teach vs all humblenesse and lowlinesse of spirite especially then when wee fall into great and manifold sinnes which make vs odious and abhominable before God So this miserable condition of ours ought to excite vs dayly with severe and sharpe discipline on the one side to a true mislike and hatred of ourselves and on the other side to an earnest invocation of Gods divine power that for his great mercy sake he would graciously forgive and pardon vs all our sinnes through Christ which we alwayes have and doe commit against him and that hee would dayly more and more forme and fashion vs by his spirite vnto his owne Image that being so renewed we may truely acknowledge and from our hearts detest and abandon our horrible sinnes and every vncleanenesse that so at length wee may bee ashamed of our selves knowing that every least offence is such an vgly spot and detestable infection in the sight of God that he doth so much abhorre it with his whole Nature and Will and is so set against it that he neyther can nor will abyde or suffer the least remaynder thereof to stay amongst his Creatures They therefore that willingly and wittingly transgresse and sinne against the commandements of God they despise and dishonour God and serve the Divell as their Master and are become his living slaves and cursed habitations Looke how much therefore they despise God and fly from him so much doe they love Sathan and followe him and how much likewise they dishonour God and set him at naught by their vncleannesse so much doe they honour the Divell and increase his kingdome For God and the Divell are so contrary one to the other in their nature and will that there is a greater a more vehement contrarietie
holy although he willeth those things which the vngodly do because God willeth them with a farre other manner of counsell and end then the vngodly do will and do them So in the death of Christ the action of the wicked was so evill that in respect of them it could not be worse nor more vile for they slew the innocent and killed the Lord of glory and intended in that one consent and outrage of theirs to hinder the salvation of mankinde yet that very same action in respect of God was so good and holy that no other coulde bee better nor more holy because he by the death of his sonne would redeeme miserable sinners from eternall death and translate them into heavenly glory and eternall life Wherefore wicked and vniust men oftentimes vnwittingly and intending some other thing doe fulfill and performe the good and righteous will of God Yet notwithstanding afterward God iustly punisheth condemneth them because they pursue their owne wicked desires and vngodly enterprises and respect not nor regarde Gods will at all They preferre their owne perverse affections before God and before his will So the actions of Almighty God and of wicked men differ by their diverse purposes and are distinguished one from another in their diverse ends So also at this day God suffereth many sinnes to bee committed of wicked men throughout sundry Nations and in the greatest kingdomes where he doth not vouchsafe them his word nor reforme them by his spirite and doth not enlighten their mindes with the knowledge of himselfe nor governe and incline their willes and affections so that they may propose to themselves this principall end as their onely marke namely to endevour to execute Gods knowne will earnestly and continually and to frame and fashion themselves their life and their manners vnto it as vnto a continuall rule to walke by and to honor God by their obedience in eschewing of evill and dooing of good these things except God worke in them by his word and spirite whatsoever they intend or doe howsoever before men it may seeme good and iust yet all that in the sight of GOD is nothing else but vglie and execrable sinne For God doth not at all regard nor respect the outward workes except the integrity of the heart go with them and appeare in them therefore where that wanteth there sinnes are accounted for no sinnes and vertue with vices and one thing with an other are confounded and so there will be but little difference betweene honesty and dishonesty Heere the author returneth to his purpose and ioyneth the third degree of praedestination then the causes of praedestination are vnfoulded next the definition of it is given and lastly praedestination is distinguished from providence CHAP. 7. THese things it seemed good to touch by the way and lightly to handle concerning permission which is the second degree of predestination now we must come vnto the third degree of predestination Thirdly to predestinate heere is nothing els then to purpose to choose some and to adopt them for sonnes in Christ out of the vniversall company of wicked men For God by his mercifull foresight did ordayne and appoynt from amongst sinfull men and such as were past cure in respect of themselves to receive some vnto mercy without any merit of theirs to redeeme them through Christ and by him also to bring them vnto eternall life But heere more properly and peculiarly is meant the other acceptation of this word election as in the definition heereof a little before we have declared This word election is taken diversely in the scripture so that sometimes it hath reference vnto some office or duty and sometimes to life eternall After the former manner Saul and Iudas were elected the one of which was chosen to a Kingdome and the other to an Apostleship neyther of them to eternall life But seeing that no definition can rightly be made or vnderstoode vnlesse the causes of which it is compounded and made be well perceived and knowne therefore I thinke I shall not do amisse if first I lay open the causes of predestination before I set downe the definition of it As for the efficient and first moving cause of predestination there can no other be set downe and appoynted but onely the eternall and onely purpose and good pleasure of God For God onely is hee which by his most wise counsell and iudgement doth discerne betweene men and men and hath decreed from everlasting what shall become of every man God hath lively expressed and declared this in his word manifestly and playnely for men considered in themselves and by themselves are all alike corrupted so that some are no whit better then other some Therefore in the iudgement of man some cannot be preferd before others because there is one and the selfesame condicion of all But God the highest iudge of all hath elected some men to eternall life in Christ and hath in his iust iudgement appoynted others to everlasting destruction and whome he hath chosen vnto salvation those hath he chosen by his owne meere mercy and vndeserved grace hee regarded nothing that is without himselfe but whome he hath elected he did onely for himselfe and in himselfe and not for any other cause Moreover he could finde nothing in those whome he hath chosen that might be worthy of election because they were all defiled and strangers from God also he could foresee no good thing in them as proceeding from them for which they should be chosen If he foresaw any good thing in them himselfe wrought it wholy and altogether in them For there can be found no good thing in them nor elsewhere of which God is not the sole author and onely effector Therefore what good thing so ever is and abideth in them that God himselfe wholy beginneth and finisheth in them And he beginneth and finisheth nothing in them but he decreed from everlasting that he would begin it and finish it in them For if in time he should worke any thing in them how little soever which he decreed not before time then should there be found manifest change in God which should do some thing by a new will and not by his eternall will Those things which the Papists pratle of here concerning workes foreseene whose cause and beginning should be man are vayne and frivolous fictions which after in their places shall more largely be confuted and reiected seeing the efficient and first moving cause of election is onely and alone Gods mercy and goodnesse hee by his bountifull and more then fatherly good will hath from everlasting made and finished the whole decree of Election Ephes 2.5 moreover Election is altogether the free and vndeserved favour of God For all men by nature were wholy corrupt and the children of wrath therefore in them God could foresee nothing at all but extreame and most absolute wretchednes They also which take the name of election which is found in many places of the
hope well yea very well concerning the infinite and free goodnesse of God and to awayt the time of theyr vocation and calling and to attend vpon God for his workes both present and to come vntill hee reveale his iudgement and counsell by his calling of them especially seeing that hee calleth and saveth his children oftentimes in the latter time of theyr life and in the very agony of death at the last gaspe So that although at this day they neyther see nor feele in themselves any tokens of Gods love yet by Gods good gift they may see and feele them to morrow For although the Sunne shine not in the night time it doth not follow that it shall never shine nor shew it selfe more but after a while the Sonne will rise and disperse his light and his beames all about farre and wide So likewise although men be vnbeleeving to day yet to morrow they may obtayne fayth by the goodnesse of God Ezech. 36.26 and become sound beleevers God hath promised that he will give vs fayth Therefore we must pray vnto him and patiently awayt the time of the giving of fayth for he wil deny vs nothing beeing asked earnestly and heartily Therefore it becommethall men as long as they live here not to despayre but to have their hope in God theyr most mercifull Father for so great abundance of the grace of God is shedde abroad through Christ that it is not onely equall vnto sinne to doubt thereof but goeth beyond it infinitely Therefore by how much the more men are guilty of these or any other sinnes by so much the more is the grace of God made glorious in theyr Salvition and Redemption For these are the wordes of God which cannot lie nor deceyve which the Apostle pronounceth playnely from the mouth of God saying Where sinne aboundeth there grace doth much more abound Rom. 5.20 By these things thus spoken it is vndoubtedly true that the doctrine and preaching of Predestination is neyther the cause of desperation nor the occasion of a dissolute life but where that is not taught and diligently vrged amongst men there they runne out and let loose the raynes to all vncleanenesse and runne headlong into the lust of committing wickednesse so that not onely a window but even a great Gate is left wide open for them vnto all manner of iniquitie For where the doctrine of Predestination is not vrged and publikely preached vnto men there men cannot come vnto the sure and saving knowledge of theyr Salvation but being stil vncertayne and doubtfull of it Ephes 4.14 are carried about hither and thither and waver like a reede vntill at the last they fall out of this troublesome distrust and continuall feare and runne headlong into desperation and deepe pitte of darkenesse They therefore which suppose that the doctrine and preaching of Predestination is vnprofitable and do refuse it or do prohibite and suppresse it as dangerous do endevour vtterly to take away and overthrowe the whole ground worke of mans Salvation and doe imagine for mankinde nothing else but certayne downe-fall and everlasting destruction For they themselves shunne it as they would a rocke and shut vp the entrance into it from others and so do iniury vnto men and diminish Gods glory For the glory of God is there most diminished whereas men are seduced by false opinions so that they cannot come to the true knowledge of God and the proper cause of their owne Salvation but such doe leade men away from the true cause of theyr Salvation and bring them to a false and erroneous cause 2. Thes 2.13 For Salvation floweth and proceedeth from no cause else but even from the free mercy and favour of God Therefore the Scripture doth often reduce vs to Election as to the onely true originall of our Salvation shewing thereby that Salvation proceedeth not else-where but from the eternall Election and free mercy of God Farre therefore be from vs these fanaticall spirits which with a prowd looke and face of brasse doe reiect and spurne at this most wholesome doctrine of Predestination For of that which they thinke they know best they are most ignorant and when as in theyr owne carnall senses they would seeme most wise and most godly then are they of all other most vayne and most prophane But thou O man which art but a vayne and fading shadow why dost thou with thy impure lippes and malicious tongue reproch or vilifie the wholesome trueth of God and layest it open to the common contempt and scorne of the disordered common people Wilt thou bee wiser then God in that thou art not content with that means of attayning salvation which God from everlasting hath appoynted and ordayned before thou wert Wilt thou have God which created thee subiect vnto thee Wilt thou aske him the reasons of his counsell Acknowledge and bewayle thine owne wickednesse and vncleannesse and heartily detest and abhorre those workes fore-seene together with thine vntowardnesse and pollution and humbly fly vnto beseech the infinite free mercy of God that he taking pitie vpon thee would vouchsafe in and through his Sonne to receyve thee into his favour and to save thee otherwise thou and thy workes fore-seene which are odious vnto God must needes perish everlastingly What art thou that forbiddest that to be taught which God will have to be published and preached all about Thinkest thou that he is foolish or ill advised that hitherto he knoweth not what ought to be taught and what ought not to be taught that thou art become his master to prescribe a rule how to ordaine things what to teach as though hee knewe not what ought to bee done except thou shouldest instruct and teach him as if he were rude and vnskilfull Ought the Creator come to learne of thee being an vncleane creature what is meete to be preached abroad Tell me I pray thee where is thy face and conscience where is that feare and honour which the creature ought to give the Creator Surely it is not in thee for then thou wouldest submit thy selfe to God and to his wisedome with all humblenesse of minde and wouldest with due reverence give deserved thanks vnto him for this so merciful Decree of his But it is no marvell that thou iudgest so rashly and wickedly of Predestination and the doctrine thereof seeing that thou presumest to search and find out that Decree of God without the helpe of his word by thine owne madde and distracted speculations And therefore most fitly hath Austine spoken of thee Epist 105. and of such that are like thy selfe Let him that can search this deepe and hidden mystery and prie into this great depth but let him take heed hee fall not into it There the holy man speaketh of those which when they dispute or speake of Gods Predestination doe straggle beyond the compasse and bounds of Gods worde and follow theyr owne speculations and fantasies But thou if thou be wise
and is very profitable for the Elect and the godly For they being affrighted by the hurt and example of others are thereby more humbled in spirite and the more mooved and stirred vp to the better acknowledgement and more earnest desire of Gods grace and mercy Agayne that they may learne the more diligently and studiously to hate and eschew sinne which hath procured so great dammage and such fearefull condemnation vnto others and heartily to abhorre it And on the contrary that they may frame and apply theyr whole studies and endevours to this namely to the care of conforming themselves their life and manners according to the will of God in all things that there may bee betweene their God and them one and the same will and one and the same vnwillingnesse in all thinges as there is wont to be betweene mutual and faythfull friendes So that no evill can bee so great so noysome or hurtfull but God knoweth how to order and direct it vnto the edifying and Salvation of his chosen whereby every man may easily perceyve with what tender affection God loveth his Children when as out of deadly poyson he produceth instruction and wholesome medicine for them Let them therefore with fervent prayers give great thankes to God their so good and mercifull Father in that he hath vouchsafed to save them from eternall death and confusion and to elect them vnto everlasting Salvation and Glory before others whom they excelled neyther by nature nor byrth nor were in the least respect better then they From hence it clearely appeareth and is without all controversie true that the reprobates and such as shall be condemned have not onely any iust cause for which they should murmure agaynst God and frette at his so severe iudgement but farre contrariwise they are bound to prayse and thanke God for his benefites receyved partly because they were by him created men partly because hee hath forborne them here a long time Rom. 2.4 with much patience and long suffering and hath bestowed sundry and great benefites vpon them filling them and refreshing their hearts with meat and drinke Actes 14.17 partly because he hath beautified adorned many of them with notable and excellent giftes whilest he hath made some excellent in the knowledge of narurall things some he hath not debarred from the knowledge of his word but hath wrought in them a certayne consent vnto religion and begotten in them some shew of fayth as appeareth in Iudas the traytor and in Balaam and in many others of whom Christ speaketh in Saint Matthew Cap. 7.22 But when these doe wickedly abuse those benefites and spirituall giftes they do turne to them to their greater damnation Therefore by how much they have receyved from God the greater benefites and more excellent giftes by so much the more grievous iudgement and more bitter punishment doe they by their owne default deserve and plucke vpon their owne heads Further likewise the longer that their life lasteth here the greater curse is there prepared for them But in that hee forbore them here so long and bestowed on them so many good turnes it is his incredible goodnesse and admirable clemency And in condemning of them on the one side he sheweth his iustice and on the other side he setteth forth his power his iustice in that he hth condemned them for sinne which his holy Nature and Will cannot suffer vnpunished and his power in this that hee could impose and inflict vpon them everlasting punishment and most exquisite torments Lastly the reprobates while they are in this life doe hate God their Creator cast away and make no account of his worde and grace and doe deryde and mocke at the whole religion and worship of his divine Maiestie and so honour and love not God but the divell rather Agayne many times they doe most cruelly persecute the religious worshippers of God which professe and embrace his holy Gospell that so they might satisfie their hatred they beare agaynst God and doe molest and kill them with most exquisite torments So that they are the cause of many troubles vnto the godly in this life and incense and arme the hatred and power of the whole world against them all which thinges notwithstanding God for his vnspeakeable goodnesse and love sake towards the Elect doth so guide and direct that by them theyr fayth is the more edified and theyr Salvation furthered For all things both externall and internall must needes turne and worke together for the best to them which have the most mightie God for theyr Father For although that godly men be predestinated by God and elected vnto the heavenly Glory through Christ from everlasting yet they can come vnto that glory by no other way but by the bitter crosse and sundrie troubles and afflictions of this life 2. Tim. 3 2â— Psal 34.20 For although that GOD doe love them with his most tender love that surmounteth all things yet such a lotte and condition is assigned and appointed vnto them in this life that an heavie and a continuall crosse is ioyned as an vnseparable companion vnto that his more then fatherly love For God loveth his children not with a pleasing but with a severe love so that hee chasteneth them sharpely here for their great profit that they might be made partakers of his holinesse But this is their onely hope and most strong consolation that the fatherly will of God for the verifyng and performance of their Salvation is more strong then an vnbatterable wall of brasse This reprobation ought to be preached abroad as wel as Election because that this is a great part of the holy Scriptures which are to be propounded wholy and not piece meale Rom 9.18 So Saint Paul flatly and freely affirmeth that God hardeneth who he will So the same Paul affirmeth 2. Tim. 2.20 that in a great house there are some vessels for dishonour So the same Paul sayth that Pharaoh was raised vp and appoynted for this Rom. 9.21 that God might shew his power in him Rom. 9.12 So also he affirmeth that Esau was reprobated of God Rom. 9.11 before hee had done any evill So also Christ himselfe denyeth Iohn 10.26 that the vnbeleeving Iewes are any of his stocke Matth. 22.11 So likewise he affirmeth in Matthew that to them which are without it is not given to vnderstand the mysteries of the kingdome of heaven So also in the same Gospel of Saint Matthew Cap. 13.19 hee doth by sure signes and infallible tokens discerne and make a difference betweene the elect and the reprobates and there calleth the Elect the wheate of God and the reprobate the tares of the Divell These and the like sayings and testimonies of Scriptures doe teach vs that the doctrine of reprobation ought publikely to be propounded and preached and that for these causes First that the Elect might so much the more certainely and surely repose themselves in the free
CHAP. 23. FVrthermore that every man may the more safely exercise himselfe in this doctrine of Predestination and profite soundly in it these foure heads must alwayes be knowne and considered First that eternall and free Election in Christ be accounted to be the onely ground-worke of all Salvation and that so that not the least part of Salvation be sought elsewhere then from that one doctrine of Predestination which if it should be sought elsewhere the true naturall meaning of the Scripture in many places will not onely be missed and the conscience out of quiet and tormented being vexed as well with continuall feare as doubting but also Salvation it selfe will bee hazarded But seeing that I have spoken more fully of this matter in the Chapters fore-going and that this doctrine is confirmed by testimonies of Scripture I thinke there neede no more to be spoken of it in this place Secondly that concerning God he conceive nothing but a most sure and strong hope of his salvation and be most certainely perswaded in himselfe that he is one of the number of the elect and let no sinnes or continuall slippes weaken his faith or discourage his hope concerning his election For oftentimes many are of the number of the elect which live a very bad life and yet by the goodnes of God are brought to repentance through whose patience they are not taken out of this life in the very committing of their wickednes that it might be made knowne vnto them and their fellow heyres out of how great a mischiefe the grace of God can deliver them as Augustine speaketh Moreover Tom. 7. Colum. 170 Rom. 8. although the holy spirit do governe the children of God yet many times it suffereth them to fall into great sinnes that they might be more and more humbled and being so humbled they might repent the more hartily and have a fellow feeling of others that fall and yet afterwards he bringeth them againe into the right way to salvation by true repentance and if a man beleeve not that he is of the number of the elect he shall surely do great iniury against God as if he would mock any man or call any man vnto Christ in vayne Agayne although many more be ordeyned vnto destruction then to salvation yet that ought not to move or trouble any man because that the Scripture doth no where say that this or that man in particular is a reprobate therefore let not this or that man thinke himselfe of the number of the reprobates which if he shall do and beleeve that he is a reprobate he is iniurious against God and envious of his own salvation but let him much diligently betake himselfe vnto continuall prayer and give himselfe to the reading of the Gospell and exercise his faith in Christ by the study of holynes and say with the Apostle Luke 17.5 Lord increase my faith and then in the end he shall truly feele in his soule more and more that he is of the number of the elect Furthermore let no man presuppose that he is hated or detested of God by reason of any afflictions how great or how lasting soever they be For God is then most ready to bestow life everlasting when he sheweth himselfe to be contraryly minded as Augustine else-where well observeth So that whē he afflicteth Christians with these or those troubls he doth either chastice their sinnes or else they are exercised in a spirituall tryall and such are proposed vnto others as valiant and worthy captaynes eyther for their willing obedience or else for their invincible patience and strength and they being striken with these afflictions as with Gods rod are reduced vnto a more sober cariage and right-course of life So the fatherly love of God striveth with the perverse wickednes of man vntill at the last it softneth it and maketh it better And so S. Augustine rightly witnesseth elsewhere The common crosse and calamity of the godly is not a sentence to punish but an affliction to heale therefore he often punisheth his children to drive them to repentance and draw them to himselfe Hether apperteineth that of S. Austine which sayth elsewhere The afflictions that oppresse vs compell vs to go to God To this also belongeth that of the Prophet Amos Amos. 4.9 who sayth I have smitten you with blasting and mildew your great gardens and your Vineyards and your figge-trees and your olive-trees did the palmer-worme devoure yet have ye not returned vnto me sayth the Lord. By these things therefore it appeareth that God afflicteth his children that he might amend them and he amendeth them for this cause to save them Therefore let all the godly not onely submit both their hands but also their whole body and soule vnder his rod especially seeing that the afflictions that are sent vnto them are as Gods hammers by which as vpon an anvile they are fourmed and made fit for his kingdome and celestiall glory Seeing then that afflictions are as spirituall chariots to carry men into heaven they do minister much better matter to trust wel in God then any matter at all to despaire so that they are to be accounted the medicines of our sinnes and the remedies of our falls Againe out of them the godly learne that God doth not grant nor promise vnto his childrē a freedom from punishment but that he only promiseth them a fatherly moderation in their punishments that he will not execute vengeance on them in the highest degree So that betweene this great gentlenes of God which otherwise might be some alurement vnto sinne and his extreame rigor which would cast men hedlong into destruction this midle chasticement of his is put as wholesome temperature So also must we iudge of the inward temptations with which as often as God doth prick and vrge his children so often doth he try their faith prove their patience and stirre them vp vnto earnest prayer Therefore God will have his children to live heere vnder a continuall crosse both that being convicted of theyr owne infirmitie they might be humbled and that beeing humbled they might learne to seeke strength and helpe from God for if things went alwayes well with them according vnto theyr owne minde they woulde not acknowledge theyr owne weakenes nor thinke that they stand in neede of Gods helpe and also that the stubbornes of the flesh might dayly more and more bee subdued and brought vnder by the remedie of the crosse And lastly that they might be withdrawne from the desires of the world and the concupiscences of the flesh and be incited to the meditation and search of heavenly things knowing that their felicity consisteth not in the things of this world By this it may be playnely gathered that the afflictions of the godly are vnto them as it were spirituall provokements to call vpon God and most wholesome remedy and medicine for their sinnes In which respect those things which men thinke many times to be noysome evils
conteyned in the word of the Prophets and Apostles yet by reason of the blindnes of mans vnderstanding and the backwardnes and frowardnes of his will they are not sufficient to worke in vs a true knowledge of God and of Christ but that God must needes worke effectually in vs by his holy spirit that we may vnderstand them as wee ought to doe and soundly consent vnto them being so vnderstood Therefore there can come no greater benefite from heaven vnto man then the true knowledge of God and faith in Christ Heere for our better vnderstanding-sake wee must marke that God by his word doth lay open his will vnto all men in the whole Church but he revealeth it and maketh it knowne by his spirit vnto the elect onely and that not onely vnto all together in generall but to everyone by himselfe in particular This kinde of revealing is the proper worke of the Holy Ghost they therefore which stubbornely and of set purpose resist it do sinne against the Holy Ghost and shall be condemned without any hope of forgivenes as the scripture witnesseth Mat. â—2 31 And this effectuall vocation is manifested and revealed almost by the same meanes as election is revealed by But it appeareth by the outward preaching of the word of God by the inward instinct operation of the holy ghost In the outward preaching of the word God doth plentifully and playnely declare his will towards vs to wit that he wisheth well vnto vs in that he inviteth and calleth vs vnto himselfe which were wholy corrupted and altogether enemyes vnto him Heere therefore doth he indeed and by lively experience teach vs that he is more prompt and ready to defend and save vs then we can desire to be saved and defended by him whilest that of enemyes and foes he maketh vs his friends whilest that of vnwilling he maketh vs willing whilest that of infidels he maketh vs beleevers Doth he not thus offer salvation vnto vs of his owne accord Surely except God should call vs vnto him we should not onely never come vnto him but also we should remain sworne enemyes and adversaries to him and to our owne salvation But in the meane time by the inspiration of his spirit Ephes 1.9 1. Ioh. 5.20 he doth make fit and dispose our will to trust and beleeve in him For God doth not onely reveale vnto vs the misteryes of his hidden will but also giveth vs a minde that we may vnderstand and know those misteryes In this calling there is no violent motion to be dreamed of by which men are drawne against their will but it is a quiet and fatherly perswasion of the Holy Ghost by which of an vnbeleever Phili. 1.13 a man is made a beleever For first he doth cleere and illuminate our mind by his holy spirit that we may vnderstand Secondly he doth renew and change our will to affect that which is good and do that which is right So God by this effectuall calling doth beget faith in vs whereby we may apprehend the obedience and merit of Christ and apply it vnto our selves This incomprehensible goodnes and mercy of God toward vs is to be embraced beloved with our whole soule For when he draweth vs vnto Christ and calleth vs vnto himselfe then are we as it were created anew and do arise out of nothing because we have not the least sparkle of the least good thing in vs which may make vs worthy or fit for the kingdome of God So that faith and a spirituall life is wrought in vs from above altogether of nothing Faith followeth this calling which ariseth from the word of God being well vnderstood and the inward motion of the holy spirit Heere is to be noted that the word of God and the holy spirit ought to be ioyned together in this effectuall calling so that neither the word should be separated from the spirit nor the spirit from the word For those things which God hath ioyned together are by no meanes to be put asunder And that God hath ioyned togother the word and the spirit in the publike ministery of the Church it is manifestly cleered out of Esay Esa 59.21 where God speaketh thus This shall be my covenant with them sayth the Lord My spirit that is vpon thee and my words which I have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seede sayth the Lord even from henceforth for ever This is a most sweete promise that God by his ministery will alwayes even to the end of the world teach and gather together his Church with his word and spirit They which reiect this order which God hath established in his Church are but vayne boasters that they obey God so that they which seperate the spirit from the word and seeke for new revelations are mad and turne aside out of the right path of heavenly wisedome and wander altogether from the way of salvatio for the spirit separated from the word is not the spirit of God but of the Devill They therefore wliich brag of the name of the spirit despising and reiecting the word they are not the ministers of God but of the devill for whom also they gather together a Church but the spirit ioyned together with the word is the soule and life of it For the spirit doth quicken the word in the ministery of the Church maketh it frutefull and taketh wholsome roote in the hearts of men bringeth forth fruit Seeing therfore that this word of God is that only instrumeÌ„t by which the holy ghost sheweth forth his power to the saving of men his ministers therfore should with earnest vndaunted study give themselves vnto it that they may handle it rightly and deliver it vnto the people most diligeÌ„tly And that they may the more commodiously performe this they must duly consider daily practise these three things First that they keep that word of God pure vncorrupted not adding to it nor taking from it as do the Papists being lyers in adding and sacrilegious in taking from it Secondly that they vnderstand it rightly according to the will of God the analogy of Christian faith Thirdly that they interpret and apply it vnto those ends and vses for the which God hath ordeyned and appoynted it These three things except they shall dayly consider practise they shall not only beate the peoples eares with an empty sound without any edifying but also they shall set open a wide gap for Sathan himselfe for to sow errors by for he neglecteth not such an occasion offred but most carefully layeth hold vpon it wheresoever he may For the word of God being distracted drawne from the right and naturall meaning therof ceaseth to be the word of God and becommeth a snare to intrap deceive men But the whole fault shall fall vpon the Ministers which shall in no wise escape vengeance And where it is well
as it neither ariseth nor dependeth of any naturall causes so also can it not bee knowne by them Agayne the knowledge thereof is not to be sought in the secret hidden fore-knowledge of God but to bee found out by the latter namely by the effects and signes thereof For there is nothing more preposterous nothing more dangerous then omitting and neglecting the effects of Vocation to seeke for the certaynety thereof in the counsell of God And they which labour to do this enter into an endlesse Labyrinth out of which the light of mans reason can never ridde or deliver them Now the effects whereby every man may know his Calling are sundry and manifest First whosoever are called effectually vnto Christ Iohn 8 47. do desire earnestly to heare the word of God and to profile truely in it Secondly Gal. 4 6. the holy Ghost doth stirre vp in them a diligent worship of God and doth kindle and inflame theyr hearts with the desire of thinking and doing good workes Tit. 2.14 and doth beget in them a true hatred of evill as to detest avoyd sinne with all their strength They therefore which love God are called of him 1. Cor. 8.3 for no man can love him except first he be called and taught of him Thirdly God doth beget in his children an hatred of this world and a love of theyr heavenly Country which can be in none but in those that are called and regenerate So that faith and the fruites of fayth are the true and infallible effects and signes of a saving Calling all which as vnseparable companions and vndoubted witnesses doe follow an effectuall Calling by which is begotten in a man a lively and an effectuall feeling of the favour of God Whereas otherwise if a man were not called and regenerate his whole mind and will would be set vpon evill things he should feele no true taste of the grace of God and should be able to doe no good thing before God as furnished onely with humane strength They therefore which doe conceave in theyr minde any good thing and feele it in themselves all that hath his beginning from God that calleth them which worketh in them every good thing that maketh for the Salvation of their soules iustification before God For he onely enclineth the wils and the hearts of men to thinke and doe that which is good and iust They therefore which have an hearty desire to doe that which is good howsoever the worthinesse of their worke answere not their will yet neverthelesse they may know that they are called of God and that they have the holy spirite within them which worketh effectually vnto their Salvation For where hee stirreth vp that spirituall contention betweene vertue and vices there doth an effectuall calling manifest it selfe and declareth and sheweth the power that it hath because that striving betweene the spirit and the flesh can be in none but in those that are called and regenerate For sinne doth wholy possesse the vnregenerate men but it doth but onely hinder the regenerate and set vpon them with great and continuall bickerings They therefore which doe acknowledge and confesse themselves to be vnperfect they may certaynely resolve with themselves that they are called and renewed For this is as one sayth the perfection of Christians to acknowledge theyr owne imperfections But if men feele no such effectes at all or very small and slender effects yet from thence they ought to take no occasion to doubt of the mercy of God or of theyr calling For God doth not give all his gifts and benefites at the first and in one day but enlargeth and encreaseth them by degrees Rom. 1.17 and by little and little Agayne there are sundry and divers times of calling Matth. 20. vers 1. and so forward For some he calleth in theyr first age some in theyr middle age some in their old age some for his great mercy sake he draweth to himselfe in theyr last gaspe of life So that they which as this day feele not the effectes of theyr Vocation they may feele them to morrow or the day after But when God deferreth fayth and repentance even vnto the last pang of death then doth hee witnesse his singular love and mercy towardes miserable sinners For by such examples he comforteth them who have fallen into such or such sinnes and have remayned in them as it were ensnared and lulled a sleepe for a long time that they should not for those sinnes though growne old by long continuance be cast downe and despayre of obtayning mercy because that the incomprehensible grace of God doth remit all manner of sinnes vnto those which are penitent from the bottome of theyr hearts and because that the greatnesse and power of grace is of farre more force to save man then the strength and power of iniquitie is to condemne him as Barnard elsewhere speaketh Lastly we must thinke this that true conversion vnto God and repentance is never too late Whosoever therefore shall truely and heartily repent even at the panges and poynt of death for him is the grace of God prepared and hee may hope for certayne Salvation Agayne true and lively experience teacheth vs by the examples of those whom God calleth even in the last gaspe of life that Salvation and Life eternall is altogether free and every way an vndeserved benefite Therefore no man should despayre of the great Grace of God but all should be in very good hope of it as long as they live here in this world And these thinges bee spoken of Vocation Now it remayneth to speake of Iustification Here is intreated of free Iustification and shewed how it may bee knowne by Vocation or Calling also what it is for a man to be iustified after the phrase of the Gospel and lastly what are the speciall causes of Iustification CHAP. 26. IVstification is the fourth lincke in Pauls Chayne and this is set vnder Vocation or calling in a most convenient and methodicall order For after that God hath called a man vnto himselfe and hath wrought fayth in him by his spirite through the word straight wayes are shewed by the Apostle those benefites which fayth seeketh in God and receyveth of him Fayth therefore that ariseth from an effectuall calling hath respect vnto Iustification Moreover fayth doth not by the proper merite and worke thereof absolve and iustifie any man but it is sayd to iustifie a man because it beholdeth and apprehendeth the free mercy of God in his promises So that true fayth embracing the promises of God and applying them vnto it selfe is imputed by God vnto man for righteousnesse or that I may speake more properly the obedience of Christ his death is imputed to him for righteousnesse through fayth For our righteousnesse before God consisteth in the forgivenesse of our sinnes Rom. 4.6.7 as it appeareth by the wordes of Saint Paul vnto the Romanes But the remission of our sinnes could not
sayth expressely Cap. 2.13 that God pardoneth all our trespasses I have put away sayth God by Isayas all thy sinnes as a cloud and thine iniquities as a mist Isay 44.22 Againe in the same Prophet he speaketh thus I am he which putteth away thine iniquities Isay 43.25 and that for mine owne sake and will remember thy sinnes no more So also David teacheth vs Psal 103.12 that God removeth our sinnes as farre from vs as the East is from the West So also Michah teacheth vs Michah 7.19 that God will cast all our sinnes into the bottome of the sea and blot them quite out Likewise S. Iohn in the Revelation affirmeth Revel 1.5 that Christ hath loved vs and washed vs from our sinnes in his bloud The same Isayas likewise affirmeth Isay 1.18 saying though your sinnes were as Crimsin they shall be made white as snow though they were red as Scarlet they shall be as wooll So the holy Prophets and Apostles speake all as with one mouth and constantly affirme that not some of our sinnes onely are forgiven vs of God but that all our sinnes are pardoned vnto vs how great and fearefull how many and sundry soever they be But God doth not only wipe out those sinnes that are committed and past but doth also pardon the dayly slips of the penitent This let no man storme at as a paradox vnheard of For if God would punish the dayly falls of his children and take vengeance on them for theyr sinnes that are to come and yet pardon those that are past what would it profit I pray you So that the great and incredible goodnes and mercy of God doth extend and stretch it selfe as well to the pardoning of sinnes that are to come as to the remitting of those that are past otherwise the mercy of forgivenes of sinnes should be but halfe a mercy onely and not perfect and absolute None of vs ought to take vnto himselfe liberty to sinne from this fatherly compassion of God for this were to make a mocke of God and to tread his grace vnder foote and to shew that a man is a stranger from God and from his spirit For the least sinne cannot be committed of any man without manifest contempt of God But it should rather be an encouragement and provocation vnto vs to the more earnest study of godlynes for by how much the greater benefits God hath bestowed vpon vs by so much the greater obedience are we bound to yeeld him which we cannot performe without a studious care to avoyd evill and to do good They therefore which sinne rashly and securely do indeede shewe that they are prophane and have nothing to do with God Iude. 4. This the scripture delivereth playnely saying that they are appoynted of old vnto condemnation which from the grace of God take to themselves liberty to sinne securely and let loose the reynes to their owne lusts and obey them for they which so abuse the grace of God and his lenity in pardoning vnto wantonnes do not onely abrogate the kingdome of Christ and deny that there is a God but also do shew that they are wholy given over vnto Sathan as his very bondslaves But the godly which do feare and obey God as their father and Lord though there were no hell nor punishment to be feared yet they would vtterly abhorre to sinne and displease God Wherefore that infinite goodnes of God in forgiving sinne should be vnto no man an enticement to sinne but a teacher vnto every one to live holy and without blame For he which liveth wickedly loseth the price of his redemption and belongeth not vnto Christ as long as he sinneth securely and defileth and poluteth himselfe with abhomination But they which earnestly labour to order and frame themselves according to the rule of Gods law they do indeed and lively declare that they have the holy spirit and belong vnto Christ Moreover it ought to move nor trouble no man because that some of the promises of the forgivenes of sins before rehearsed are spoken without any generall note and seeme to be as it were particular So that we must know that notwithstanding they are indeed vniversall and generall for indefinite propositions are equall vnto generall propositions This the multitude of them doth argue and shew Or if a particular word or a word that signifieth but one thing be set downe Iohn 1.29 as The Sonne of God taketh away the sinne of the world then the generall word is signified which conteineth vnder it all and every particular kind And he that taketh away the generall thing it must needs be that he must take away also all and every particular kind thereof For sinne that is heere put in the singular number although it be referred by some vnto the common vice corruption of nature and that not amisse yet nothing hindreth but that it may be taken figuratively for every iniquity Synecdoche as if the Evangelist should have said whatsoever corruption or vnrighteousnes is amongst men by which God may be offended or alienated from mē all that is taken away and satisfied for everlastingly by the only sacrifice of Christ made once for all This benefite of Christ ought to be enlarged and applied as well vnto all actuall sinnes as vnto the originall sinne and corruption of nature that all occasion of cavilling should be shut vp from the Papists which in their Synagogues do babble and blatter that Christ hath satisfied only for originall sinnes not for actuall for which they impudently say that we ought to make satisfaction So that sinne in the singular number with the Evangelist is as an il-favoured head vnder which many vnseemely members are couched and it is as an vncleane fountaine out of which many vncleane chanels do spring flow and as an evill and corrupt tree out of which much evill and corrupt fruit do bud and grow all which and every of which the Lambe of God hath taken away with his pretious bloud In this free forgivenesse of sinnes the most excellent glory of the Mercy of God shineth brightly and triumpheth infinitely over the rest of the workes of God Therefore the Prophet sayth in expresse words Psal 145.9 God is loving vnto every one but his mercy is above all his workes For the Hebrew word which the Prophet vseth in the place rehearsed signifieth an inward Mercy such as remaineth in the very bowels which the Scripture is wont to vse when there is any speech of the Free-mercy of God and the receyving of a wretched sinner vnto grace Therefore the Prophet doth preferre the infinite mercy of God farre before all temporall benefites as if hee should have sayd The goodnesse of God is great in that he mercifully vpholdeth this world in that hee favourably provideth for all creatures and maintayneth and keepeth them in their estate but that goodnesse of God by which hee plucketh miserable man out of
condemnation or salvation according to theyr workes so that none shall then be saved except he be endued and clothed with good workes By all this it appeareth manifestly with what an vniust and vndeserved slander the Papists do accuse and backbite vs among the rude and ignorant common sort of men when with open and impudent mouth they cry out vpon vs that we despise and reiect good works when as they rather are they which do this for they reiect and despise those workes which are acceptable and well pleasing vnto God and out of theyr owne brayne do forge and invent workes of their owne by which they say they can prevent and deserve the grace of God With these fayned workes they vaunt themselves vnto the rude and simple that they can attayne vnto glory by them but seeing they have not true workes which proceede from the renewing of grace or at the least do not teach the right vse of true workes they lost theyr glory with God And heere an end of these things thus spoken briefely as by the way concerning good workes Now returne we vnto the further handling of regeneration Although the regeneration of the godly be vnperfect and but onely begun in this life yet it is so necessary vnto every Christian as that without it not one can be saved Secondly although it he vnperfect yet it is never at an end Lastly it is declared by the scripture vnto whom regeneration hapneth CHAP. 33. ALthough regeneration be vnperfect and be but onely begun in this life so that the godly can never in deed and in act perfourme so much as in will they are prest to do Heb. 12.14 yet neverthelesse it is so necessary vnto every one that without it no man can attayne vnto salvation For the generation of every one is condemned in Adam as in the common father of vs all for which cause as Augustine sayth Tom. 10. col 336. every one that is begotten is condemned except he be begotten againe Therefore the scripture sayth playnely and absolutely that no man can see the kingdome of God except he be borne againe Iohn 3.3 Heb. 12.14 their eyes onely shall see God which have bene renewed vnto his image For man in his nature is wholy corrupted and a stranger from God Ephes 4.18 and from the life of God and sinne doth wholy possesse him By this it is cleere enough Rom. 7.16 how necessary regeneration is and a new creature in Christ Iesus Moreover although regeneration in this life be very small and vnperfect continually yet by the holy spirit it is made so great in the elect as that the power of sinne is restrayned and weakened in them that it beareth not the whole sway nor raigneth and ruleth at large So that although the godly and the regenerate doe fall now and then into such or such sinnes Rom. 7.18 yet they never sinne with all their mind and with their whole will but do so resist the corruption of nature that they never fully approve and do that which it perswadeth and biddeth So that in them there is such reluctation and striving Rom. 7.25 that the refourmed will desireth one thing and the corruption of nature perswadeth another Thus they doe not that which they would but that which they hate that do they So with theyr minde they serve and obey the lawe of God but with their flesh the â—â—â—w of sinne so that in them there is in a divers respect both a will and no will There is a will as they are reformed and renewed by the heavenly grace There is no will in them as farre forth as they are not regenerate and obey the flesh In them the refourmed and renewed will fighteth and striveth with the vnregenerate part that at the length it becommeth conquerour and overcommer For the grace of regeneration that perswadeth and inviteth men vnto goodnes is more mighty then the corruption of nature that tempteth vnto evill And thus farre of the second poynt to be observed in this regeneration now the third remayneth briefely to be vnfolded and declared This regeneration and renewing of the corrupt nature is afforded vnto none but vnto the elect onely This the scripture in expresse words sayth and playnely proveth that they onely are enlightened and do come vnto faith which are ordeyned vnto eternall life Act. 15.48 for faith proceedeth and commeth from regeneration and both are conteyned vnder election Therefore none are regenerate but the elect and againe none are elected but they which shall be regenerate and endued with faith Heere therefore are convertible termes which are equall one to an other and may one be affirmed of the other Also Paul in this cheyne affirmeth playnely that the elect onely are glorified For so hee sayth whom hee predestinated those also hee called and whom hee called those also hee iustifyed and whom hee iustifyed those also hee glorifyed therefore this glorification happeneth vnto none but vnto those that are predestinated By this most heavenly gradation from the highest vnto the lowest it commeth to passe that the conclusion of the grace of God answereth and agreeth very fitly vnto the preface or beginning thereof Now they which are glorified are first regenerate vnto a sincere and holy life then they are renewed more fully and perfectly dayly by continuall proceeding toward the attaynement of everlasting life vntill that their glorification being fully ended and finished they be made happy both in body and soule together and translated into the heavenly rest So God doth prepare man and make him fit by regeneration for the heavenly inheritance which can neither perish nor be defiled 1. Pet. 1.4 nor fade away Therefore whom he adorneth in this world with his grace those also he crowneth in heaven with glory This regeneration howsoever in respect of man it be very weake yet in respect of the foundation and beginning thereof it is farre more firme then the frame of heaven for it hath the holy spirit the Almighty God for the effector and preserver thereof Hee therefore which will disanull and overthrow that must first vanquish God and thrust him from his throne for God doth not onely glorify his children but also doth preserve them in that glorification and other spirituall gifts vntill at the length he finally glorify and crowne them both in body and soule For after that true faith hath once begun to be in a man it can never fall quite away and wholy decay for it is grounded and propped vp by the power of God 1. Pet. 1.5 and in it it hath a most strong foundation Indeed it may be that the course and fervency of faith may be much interrupted and alayed by this or that fall but the roote of faith being fastned and planted in the heart of man by the holy spirit and the bud that springeth from thence can never be quite supplanted and cleane rooted out And if that faith once given
striveth vnto the obedience of Gods law with a carefull endeavour Therefore this wrestling betweene the flesh the spirit and the love of goodnes and hatred of evill are such works in a man as can be found in none but in the regenerate only for where there is no regeneration there can be no strife betweene the flesh and the spirit but men wallow nuzzle themselves in sin without feare But in a regenerate man there are contrary affections which alwayes fight one with an other They therefore which feele within themselves this conflict betweene the flesh the spirit and yet in the meane while doubt whether they be elected vnto salvation or no they do great iniury vnto God as if he did regenerate and call men vnto Christ in vayne and would not save them By this conflict the imperfection of the godly in this life may easily be perceived because that the corruption of nature is not fully and wholy vanquished and subdued in this world so that the godly should strive and contend manfully against it vntill by the holy spirit they have subdued it and so obtayne a ioyfull victory and rule over the stubbernes of the flesh Therefore Paul commaundeth Gal. 5.17 that the godly should not doe that which they would So in this life there is such a condition and conflict in the Saints that the flesh alwayes lusteth against the spirit Rom. 7.15 and the spirit against the flesh So that what they do they approve and allow not for that which they would they doe not but that which they hate that do they So Paul in his owne person as in the common example of all the godly doth teach vs that such is the infirmity of the best that they cannot do that good which they would but contrarywise that they doe that evill which they would not By this it is evident that the children of God are never such good proficients heere as that the perfection of their worke should be answerable vnto their will And so Paul sayth playnely and confesseth freely of himselfe That to will is alwayes present with me but I finde no meanes to do that which is good so the corruption of nature doth alwayes hinder the most godly in this life that they cannot perfectly serve and obey God Therefore let every Christian carefully examine himselfe whether he do acknowledge Christ for his redeemer and stedfastly beleeve in him or no if he shall find that he hath any whit of Christ within him so that for the love and feare of God he hateth evill loveth that which is good then surely he hath the beginning of life in himselfe Rom. 8.1 and neede to have no feare of condemnation at all They therefore which beleeve that they are elected do honour God by giving credit vnto his word Certainely we should by faith embrace the promise of God and not respect the frailty of man for they which by a true faith do beleeve that they shal be saved for Christ his sake his merit are the sonnes of Abraham shal be the heires of promise Gal. 3.29 Therfore by faith may every one be assured of his salvation So that this is a sure infallible conclusion I do beleeve truly and sincerely in Iesus Christ and do put the whole confidence of my salvation in him alone therefore I am elected and cannot be lost For true faith is a most certayne and vndoubted argument of salvation that is to say a most infallible and evident token which maketh an end of all wavering and doubting For the scripture sayth in playne and expresse words 2. Thes 3.2 Tit. 1.1 Act. 3.28 Rom. 5.1 14.17 that faith is not given vnto every one but is a gift peculiar vnto the elect only Now this faith is not idle but doth glad the conscience and bringeth peace vnto it This the scripture expresseth saying that God sheadeth abroade the feeling of his love into the hearts of the elect by the holy spirit by which they cry Abba father So Paul sayeth playnely that hee knoweth whom he hath beleeved on 2. Tim. 1.12 teaching every of the godly by his example that he may iudge and discerne of his owne faith Therefore whosoever beleeveth in his heart and desireth to go forward that is to make better proceedings in faith and in the workes thereof he may set it downe for a certayne truth that he is elected of God redeemed by Christ and regenerate by the Holy Ghost So God witnesseth and declareth in theyr consciences how he is affected toward every one so that where there is a quiet and peaceable conscience toward God there doth God set vp the throane of his fatherly and saving grace and ruleth and worketh by his holy Spirit vnto everlasting life Moreover although faith be an evident testimony of election yet the want of faith is no evident signe of reprobation Therefore this consequence is false and deceitfull I beleeve not therefore I am not elected but reprobated That is as vntrue as this The Sunne is not as yet risen therefore it will never rise for after a little while it may rise So also although this or that man beleeve not to day nor feeleth any effect of faith yet when the time shall come which God hath appoynted and set downe for his calling hee may have faith attaine vnto the true feeling therof Therfore we should hope very well in our good God evē vntil the last gaspe of life especially seeing he is endewed with so kind and mercifull a nature as that he is infinitely more desirous to save miserable sinners then they are to be saved of him Let every man therefore repent him and betake himselfe vnto a better way and through Christ he shall obtayne salvation For sinnes passed as Augustine sayth do not hurt a man if sinnes that are present do not delight him And he that is displeased with himselfe in his sinnes he is well pleasing vnto God in grace For the favour of God and a wicked life agree not together neyther can be in one man both together Therefore 2. Tim. 2.19 let every man that nameth Christ depart from iniquity for so hee shall indeede feele that hee is not of the number of the reprobates but of the elect So that whosoever loveth God truly 1. Cor. 8.3 and studieth and desireth to order his life according to his will let him know that he is truly elected and regenerate indeede For the vnregenerate men with their whole soule and will are at enimity with God Rom. 8.7 Col. 1.21 and are wholy caryed headlong into all wickednes and every kinde of sinne for theyr minde is alienated from that which is good and is wholy addicted and given vnto that which is evill These things being thus considered both in a generality and common view concerning the chayne of salvation is also being divided and vnfolded through the five linckes thereof as it were by