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
vnderstood rightly expounded it is the effectual wholesome instrumēt of the holy spirit to convert save mē So that the word of God his spirit is the singular and inestimable treasure and the excellent peculiar goods of the Church of which the Church according to that promise ought never to be deprived but to be alwayes begotten of it and to be continually directed and preserved by it Therefore the Holy Ghost is the begetting cause of faith he doth create and worke it in the hearts of the elect and by the dayly proceedings and increase thereof doth augment and preserve it vnto the end of their lives But the stedfast apprehension and applying of the promises of God and the merit of Christ is the expresse forme and lively image of faith in this consisteth the whole force and efficacy of faith Gal. 2.20 So S. Paule doth in expresse words set downe saying The sonne of God loved me and gave himselfe for me So true faith doth behold the generall promise of God and apprehendeth it and maketh particular application to it selfe certainely setting downe this that that promise of grace and salvation doth no lesse appertayne vnto it then vnto the rest of the beleevers For then the promise of God is effectuall in men and commeth to the proper end and issue of it selfe when it is apprehended by a true faith Againe the word publikely preached in the ministery of the Gospel is the instrumentall cause of faith and therefore that word is called by Paul the power of God vnto salvation Rom. 1.16 Rom. 10.17 vnto every one that beleeveth because that the holy ghost worketh by it in the hearts of the elect so that faith springeth from the preaching hearing of the Gospell Therefore whatsoever the elect do heare with their outward eares from the publike preaching of the word that doth the Holy Ghost make fruitefull and effectuall in their hearts Furthermore a stedfast confidence and a true hope in Christ a fervent love towards God also a sonne-like feare and reverence of God a sincere love of our neighbour and other honest and holy actions are such effects of the holy spirit which do accompany and attend vpon true faith as naturall and inseparable vertues So true fayth doth rest selfe vpon the fatherly love of God and doth heartily reverence and worship God as a good and loving Father and doth continually study how to please him and cleave vnto him and carefully avoydeth whatsoever may offend him and lastly doth steadfastly hope that it shall be partaker together with Christ of everlasting life and heavenly glory But the finall cause of fayth is 1. Pet. 1.9 the comprehending and conceyving of good thinges to witte life eternall and blessed immortalitie And if any shall here subtily obiect vnto a man and say that fayth is alwayes here lame and vnperfect and therefore cannot make a man perfect and happy For that which ought to save one must be every way perfect and absolute wee must answere him that fayth as farre forth as it abideth in the heart of man as in the subiect thereof is alwayes imperfect here and scarce deserveth the name of vertue But as it beholdeth and apprehendeth Christ so it is effectuall and maketh men of the sonnes of perdition the children of God then great power and saving actions are ascribed vnto it by the Scripture as that it iustifieth men that it quikneth them and saveth them So that fayth doth not save and make happy any man in regard of the subiect in which it remayneth but it is sayd to save and iustifie a man in regard of the obiect whither it tendeth and which it apprehendeth For Christ being layd hold on by fayth saveth a man whether that fayth be great or small And that Christ being apprehended with a little and slender fayth doth yet save and iustifie a man the examples of the holy Scripture declare manifestly enough For that Ruler in Iohn although he were endued with a very slender and weake fayth in Christ Iohn 4.49.53 yet for all that Christ reiecteth him not but iustified and saved both him and his sonne with all his houshold So likewise he in Marke Marke 9.24.25 although he was sayd to have a meane and a weake fayth yet Christ being layd hold on by it tooke pittie vpon him and healed his sonne that was possessed of the divell Here is notwithstanding diligently to be marked that in these manner of speeches wherein in the vertue of saving is attributed vnto fayth the power and force of the efficient cause is attributed vnto the instrument by which it worketh and is effectuall So that when iustification salvation is ascribed vnto faith as vnto the cause then the obiect of fayth is vnderstood For Christ cannot be apprehended but by sayth onely as by the instrument wherewith it is done Furthermore here is carefully to be considered that this saving Calling is produced and wrought more by the inward working of the spirite then by the outward preaching of the word For although God by his Ministers should speake and call vnto vs a thousand times by the voyce of his word in the Ministery yet vnlesse wee be drawne inwardly by the spirite of God we shall never come vnto him Many and most wonderfull examples of all ages have sufficiently declared this and do yet at this day declare it Whereby it may bee gathered that this Calling is placed in the good will and hand of God onely farre out of our owne reach For he alone can illuminate vs and convert and change vs into new creatures For in this calling the whole man is repugnant vnto God that calleth Iohn 6.44 Psal 51.12 Therefore Christ in S. Iohn vseth this word drawing David vseth this word creating speaking of the conversion of man Christ by the word drawing sheweth that this heavenly grace cannot bee conceyved of the naturall man but that there must be a new mind and a new vnderstanding to conceive it And David by the word creating would teach vs that the renewing and amendement of man is so difficult hard a worke that it can be wrought or brought to passe by no creature Bara This he sheweth by the Hebrew word Bara he created which properly signifieth hee made a thing of nothing which which was not before Secondly it signifieth to bring to passe some singular and wonderfull worke out of some matter already created which cannot possibly be imitated by any creature So that this regeneration of man is a certayne spirituall creation by which the regenerate are transported into a newe life and prepared for that heavenly glory which never shall have ende Here is refuted the errour of the Papists concerning the strength that is in man and shewed in what things an vnregenerate man hath free-will and in what not and how farre free-will stretcheth it selfe And the grosse ignorance or manifest impietie of the Papists is disclosed
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
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
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
Salvation is in the almighty hand of God and hath her abiding-place in his vnchangeable counsell and is reserved by God for man Therefore how can a faithfull man more certainely comfort and refresh himselfe then by this meanes namely by considering that God the only fountaine of all grace and mercy hath chosen him before he was and hath so loved him Rom. 8.32 Iohn 3.16 that he spared not to bestow his onely be gotten sonne for his life and salvation that he might deliver miserable and wretched man from all sinne and from the power of Sathan and bring him into life eternall Doth not God by this inestimable benefite shew that he loveth the salvation of mankinde better then his owne Sonne seeing that he had rather that his Sonne should suffer and dye then that man should be condemned and perish for ever How can a man more effectually and more strongly comfort himselfe then with this meditation that the Sonne of God would suffer and endure the paynes and torments of hell in soule as well as in body for the redemption of man Did not the sonne of God thereby shew that he accounted the salvation of mankinde more precious then his owne life whilest he had rather to dye for miserable man then that he should dye everlastingly How can a man more strongly rayse himselfe vp in hope then by this meanes that he is beloved of God with that love wherewith his onely begotten Sonne is beloved Iohn 17.23.26 and that the Sonne of God doth love and esteeme him no lesse then his owne members and his owne bowels How can a man more truly reioyce with true ioy Math. 25.40 then by this assured and infallible meditation that God by the merites of Christ is reconciled vnto him and made farre more gratious and mercifull vnto him then if he had never offended and sinned against God and that God doth more willingly and more lovingly bestowe salvation vpon man then man can desire it for this is the admirable goodnes of God that he vouchsafeth to convert his enemy vnto him and of rebellious to make him loyall By this meanes he playnely declareth that hee taketh more care for mans salvation then man doth for himselfe How can a man be better comforted then by this most certayne hope that his salvation is certayne and sure and that salvation can no more fall from him then he can fall from Christ Certaynely whome Christ hath redeemed with his bloud and whom God hath taken to mercy who shall hurt or condemne except first he make the death of Christ of none effect and first vanquish and overcome God himselfe but neyther the whole world nor the gates of hell shall never be able to doe this Therefore the salvation of the beleever is as firme and as sure as the omnipotent nature of God is eternall and invincible Lastly a faithfull man may worthily triumph with incredible ioy and gladnes that all his sinnes are forgiven and pardoned vnto him even for and by the onely sacrifice and merit of Christ so that not the least signe of them remayneth nor appeareth For Christ hath satisfyed for them by his death hee hath payd the vttermost farthing and by his bloud hath cancelled the hand-writing that was against vs beeing fastned to his Crosse Therefore seeing that Christ hath payd the whole price of our redemption and hath susteyned Gods anger against sinne and taken it away for ever I know not anything whereby a faithfull man may more confirme himselfe and adde more perfect peace and rest vnto his conscience then by this Seeing therefore that Gods iustice is satisfyed the everlasting throane of his mercy is so erected that it worketh effectually for the salvation of mankinde and doth mightily shew and declare the strength thereof against the power of Sathan and the rage of the whole world and that so that all the power of hell or any other dangers be they never so great shall in no wise be able to hinder or annihilate the salvation of man For God with his almighty hand doth so governe all things that they be not onely not hurtfull and noysome vnto man but on the contrary Rom. 8.28 shall tend to the good and salvation of him So that ranke and deadly poyson shall become wholesome phisick vnto him and the greatest dangers of this life shall become as spirituall Chariots to carry him into heaven For God is Almighty therefore it is easy for him to doe it hee is a mercifull and a most loving father therefore he will not thinke much to doe it So that everlasting felicity and incomparable glory shall ensue and follow after the miseries and the dangers which the godly do endure in this life Therefore the godly beleevers have wherewith to comfort themselves most certaynely and whereof to reioyce in that they are the sonnes of God Ephe. 2.19 and the brethren of Christ and heyres of the kingdome of heaven They have also cause to prayse and glorify God and his sonne Christ to prayse God I say for his so great love towards them in that by his eternall love he did chuse them vnto everlasting salvation and to prayse and glorify Christ for so great a benefit in that by his most pretious bloud he redeemed vs from the anger of God from eternall death and from the slavery of the Devill so that they shall be saved and redeemed for ever and so may as certaynely reioyce of their salvation and of eternall life as Christ himselfe who hath taken their burthen vpon him and payd theyr debt Farre therefore be from a Christian mans heart all troublesome doubts concerning his election and salvation because those doubts have a distrustfull nature and Sathan himselfe for theyr author which can do nothing else but lye and deceive Yea much rather let every Christian man with a stedfast faith beleeve that he is elected vnto salvation from everlasting and that he shall be blessed for ever in the world to come For that faith and perswasion hath God and his holy spirit for an author who can promise nothing but truth and will fulfill and perfourme their promises because they cannot lye For this is the highest step and the surest stay of a Christian mans faith to believe that God is mercifull vnto him and well pleased in his Sonne Christ This is a great glory vnto God then which man cannot give him a greater firmely to believe that he is elected by God through Christ vnto salvation This faith is the certayne salvation of Christians this hope is the highest glory of the elect and their everlasting triumph that they are elected of God and redeemed by Christ and so elected and redeemed as that they shall remayne so for ever in despight of the whole world and the kingdome of Sathan and that they neede no more to feare the danger of falling away and perishing then that God will cease to be God and Christ be of none effect Heere is
by sinne But here the Papistes doe shamefully erre and are grossely deceyved in that they measure the ability of man by the commandements of God For when God teacheth that which is right hee doth not regard what man can doe of himselfe but he sheweth and commandeth man that which hee is indebted and bound to doe So that man is not loosed and freed from this obligation because hee is not able to satisfie and pay it Therefore when as hee cannot performe that which the law of God exacteth of him he is convinced as guilty of his iniquity that hee may be constrayned to acknowledge his sinne lest he should lay the cause of his condemnation vpon some thing els So that as often as the law of God doth will and command man this or that it standeth not to skan how farre mans power is able to stretch but exacteth that simply of him which by right it may And when man cannot performe it hee is fast in bonds on every side so that he can neyther excuse his fault nor lay it elsewhere And so all cavilling and complayning are at an ende And although man bee not able to performe those things that are prescribed and commanded by the law yet notwithstanding hee cannot bee excused or defended as guiltlesse seeing this infirmitie and defect of strength came not nor proceeded from the Creation but from the fall and fault of our first Parents Therefore from this our frailty and weakenesse there is no excusing of our selfe to bee taken or pleaded but rather an accusation For the lawe in the commandements requireth that which was given vs in our first creation Therefore the Elect and godly do vnderstand by the commandement that they are not able to doe that which is prescribed in the lawe and therefore they flie vnto the mercy of God and helpe of the holy spirit pray that iust revenge be not inflicted vpon them but all excuse and defence is cut off from the reprobate Therefore that vnsavory inference and conclusion of the Papists ought to be hissed out by which they conclude thus God hath commanded it therefore man may performe it whenas God by that meanes sheweth man his iniquity frailty that acknowledging it he may fly vnto his grace for it is hee that worketh in man both to will and to doe Phil. â— 13 as Saint Paul teacheth the Philippians Let every man therefore sincerely and from his heart acknowledge that he is the servant of sinne that hee may be delivered and freed by the benefite of Christ no other freedome may bee found which mny prevayle with God As often therefore as wee finde the commandements of God in the Scripture which inioyne vs that which we cannot doe so often let vs remember that notable saying of S. Augustine Epistol 24. which sayth Give me O Lorde that which thou commandest and command what thou wilt otherwise if thou enioynest vs but the least thing we shall not be able to beare it Here the Papistes discover theyr grosse ignorance of the Scripture because they fayne any concurring of free-will with grace as if man in things spirituall pertayning vnto Salvation could of himselfe perfourme any thingâ— by which doctrine they labour to proove that man is not beholding to the grace of God for that good which he hath and is able to performe But the true Church of Christ doth most rightly beleeve and most soundly confesse that God causeth and worketh all that good in man which he hath and doth performe For the Scripture doth every where and manifestly attribute that wholy vnto God as when God sayth by the Prophet EZechiel I will give vnto you a new heart Chap. 36 26 11.19 and will put my spirite in the middest of you and will take away the stony heart out of your bodies and will give you an heart of flesh Here God ascribeth regeneration vnto himselfe because hee alone doth mollifie and change an hardened and stubburne heart Therefore this cannot bee translated vnto the abilitie in man but that something shall be detracted from the grace of God Therefore this ground and principle must firmely be holden and kept that there can no good thing come into our mindes which proceedeth not from God This whosoever doth from his heart beleeve and freely confesse holdeth the foundation of pietie vnshaken Li. 1. ca. 20. as Augustine saith in his booke of Free-will Therefore this whole division which they make betweene the grace of God and the abilitie of man ought to bee reiected as wicked and blasphemous for it hath no proofe out of the holy Scriptures Furthermore the Papists whenas they preferre theyr owne ability before the grace of God and make his promises of no effect by their preceptes do indeede sufficiently declare that they have more confidence in themselves then in God that promiseth Out of doubt being glutted with their owne righteousnesse they doe not hunger much after the righteousnesse of God But let the godly which love the righteousnesse of God and their owne Salvation know this that all the power of free-will such as the Papists dreame of is a vayne fantasie of mans brayne and a fayned and cursed fable which these idle bellies have invented for filthy lucre sake and doe force it vpon the ignorant common people and labour to perswade them thereof vnder the shew of holinesse But the word of God expressely and manifestly teacheth vs that the will of man of his owne power is not able to begin any inward obedience without the holy spirite much lesse to performe it For God is hee alone which worketh in man both to wil and to do Phil. 1.6 Iohn 15.5 The holy spirit is the onely teacher of all heavenly wisedom and hee is the onely author and finisher of all spirituall goodnesse and vertue hee onely worketh in vs all the knowledge and worship of God he worketh in vs faith and the feare of God hee sanctifieth vs and quickneth vs hee comforteth vs and saveth vs to him onely bee praise and glory for ever Certainely the wickednesse and corruption of mans nature is horrible in that it is so much voyd and empty of all goodnesse and so deprived and bereft of all power to will well or to doe good that not the least thought can proceed or be drawne out of it which may bee acceptable and well pleasing vnto God So that man in his owne nature is wholy turned away from God and from all goodnesse and by his owne power is not able to change or subdue this his rebellion whereby it commeth to passe that he sinneth of necessity and erreth continually vntill he bee renewed and amended by spirituall power from above From hence therefore it may most truely bee concluded that the saving knowledge of God and true fayth in Christ is a farre more high and heavenly wisedom then the vnderstanding of man by his owne ability can attayne vnto Moreover this Vocation which we speake of
the word he sheweth vs what things he wil have done or not done by vs and by his Spirite there is strength ministred vnto vs to performe them This regeneration is especially wrought continued in the mind will and heart of man So that God sheweth forth and declareth his goodnesse towards his children here three manner of wayes First hee doth enlighten and dispell the blindnes of the mind by the Sun-shine of his Spirit For whatsoever man savoureth of his owne selfe Rom. 8.6 7. is enmity against God bringeth death with it This blindnesse of mans mind is not simply the ignorance of God and of himselfe but it is a stubborne rebellion and prowd presumption against God So that by how much a man excelleth and is indued with the greater quicknes of nature by so much the more doth he resist and strive against God himselfe and his owne Salvation Because such an one feareth not to charge the wisedome of God with extreame folly For all men as long as they are not renewed with this new and heavenly light do thinke the holy mysteries of God to be foolishnesse So Paul whilst hee preached Christ crucified vnto the Grecians sayth 1. Cor. 1.23 that to them he preached foolishnes So that the enlightning of this rebellious and hurtfull blindnesse is a great and inestimable benefite of God After this inlightning followeth a right iudgement and opinion of God of his will and of his workes because that then men begin to know God rightly and to iudge of him accordingly when they be inlightened by the spirit of God Secondly it changeth and reformeth the will of man which is extreamely contrary vnto the law of God And of evill it maketh it good and of vnwilling and stubborne it maketh it ready and obedient Phil. 2.13 So the will of man doth then begin to be good when it is reformed and renewed by God Here also the infinite goodnesse of God sheweth it selfe whilest that it maketh man of an adversary and foe to become a friend and heyre of heavenly glory which otherwise in himselfe is so corrupted and depraved that hee hath mind to nothing but evill and hateth God extremely This will of man howsoever by nature it be so wicked and perverse as to resist and withstand God and his will yet no will can be so wicked and stubborne but God if he will can mollifie it and make it good as Augustine sayth well Now God will doe this in the Elect Ezech. 36.26 27. because that of his owne accord hee hath promised that he will doe it Thirdly it converteth and reneweth the stubborne vnapt and disobedient heart and so doth weaken and debilitate the strength of sinne in his children and doth create in them an earnest study and desire to live godly and maketh them altogether forward vnto all piety Lastly it stirreth vp in them good workes and endueth them with sincere and holy behaviour Phil. 2.13 So God worketh in them both to will that which is good and doe that which is right So that all power to live godly proceedeth and commeth not from theyr owne power but from God onely which worketh in them effectually by his Spirit For this spirituall renewing is called in many places of the Scripture by an excellencie The creation and worke of God because that it is his worke to illuminate the blind vnderstandings of men with the knowledge of himselfe and to change theyr crooked willes and hard heartes and to frame them vnto the obedience of his owne will For these are so hard and difficult workes that they can bee brought to passe and effected by none other but by God onely Therefore the Lord by EZechiel promiseth that he will cause that we shal walke in his commandements shewing that regeneration and power to doe well is a worke farre surmounting all creatures The vse of this doctrine is divers First that the grace of God by which onely the Elect are changed into new creatures may be maintayned agaynst that divellish invention of free will which the Papists dreame of But here the Papists offend grievously for looke how much they attribute vnto the power of man so much doe they detract from the grace of God and merit of Christ For the grace of God and the power of man are in this matter two contraries which cannot be maintayned of one and the selfe same subiect at one time Therefore Saynt Austine in one place sayth very well that that is not free which the grace of God hath not made free For the Scripture as we have sayd before doth not leave a man so much as a good thought which is the least part of a good worke 2. Cor. 3.5 For such is the blindnesse and frailty of mans wit that it is not onely vnable to conceyve and bring forth of it selfe any thing rightly or truely but also that it frameth and inventeth to it selfe many and most dangerous errors even from most true principles An evident example of this we may see in the free-will of the Papists But that most fond dreame of theyrs vanisheth like a vapour by this doctrine of regeneration and the spirit of God onely is prooved to bee the onely beginning and true cause of every good worke Agayne seeing God doth regenerate man and make him fit for good works that other fiction which the Papists have dreamed concerning workes fore-seene is overthrowne and beaten to pieces For seeing no man can doe good except by the grace of God hee be changed into a new creature it thence followeth that God could fore-see no other workes in man but such as hee himselfe should worke in him whence a man may easily gather which considereth the matter any thing at all that this opinion concerning workes fore-seene is a meere and forged fable Moreover the Papists and the more grosse sort of Vbiquitaries do in this place after their manner erre and invent a new fiction whenas they thinke that there is some secret and hidden power in tne water of Baptisme which is able to convert and renew a man And from thence they labour to inferre that they which are baptized are regenerate in the very act of Baptisme This vnsavory invention is the fosterer of noysome errours But the falshood thereof is found first in this that it evidently appeareth by the holy Scriptures that all are not regenerate which are baptized as we may see not onely in Simon Magus but also in many others eyther openly wicked or hypocrites vnder hand and secretly which although they have beene baptized and receyved Baptisme as a true marke of their regeneration yet theyr lives sufficiently declare that they were not regenerate For although that the Sacraments are meanes or instruments by which the holy Ghost is effectuall in the Ministery of the Church yet in his power and efficacy hee hath not tyed himselfe vnto them neyther doth hee so worke by them that that working should alwayes shew it selfe
morall workes which by their owne worth can make men gratious and acceptable vnto God before they have bin regenerate and grafted into Christ by faith And those merits they call merits ex congruo so called because that as they say by right and equity they deserve some reward which God by right is bound to repay them If this were true why then man belike should not be wholy infected and corrupted with originall sin But man as we have testimonyes in the holy scripture is wholy infected and corrupted with originall sinne Gen. 6.5 Psal 51.7 therefore that idle fiction of the Papists is nothing else but a meere invention of the Devill Surely those works which proceede from any man before his regeneration are every way foule and vgly sinnes to which by right and equity there is no reward else due but onely everlasting torment But it goeth very well and fayrely with vs if God doe not punish them in vs as they deserve Agayne all those workes of men although they seeme fayre and comely in the sight of man yet if they be skanned according to the rule of Gods lawe they will be found to be meere filth and vnsavoury pollution And that as the Starres which although they seeme most bright in the night time yet at the arising and presence of the Sunne they lose their brightnes so likewise those workes of men which in the common view seeme to be right and beautifull shall be manifest iniquity in the sight of God so lawdable sincerity heere shall be greater vncleanenes there and that which heere is approved as great glory shall there be reiected as extreame shame and reproach Farre therefore be from vs these faire-shewing and foule-meaning hipocrites which cover the corruption and wickednes that is wrapped vp in the heart of man with a vayne flourish and fayned maske and by their merits which are worse then extreame filthines doe labour to winne the favour of God and to make him beholding vnto them Surely it is without all doubt that they do provoke God more and more by these their workes seeing that they are execrable sinnes Agayne they doe plucke vpon their heads the more grievous iudgement and do aggravate theyr punishment in that they thinke that theyr workes which are nothing else but damnable sinnes extreamely contrary vnto the lawe and will of God are pleasing vnto God and worthy of his favour for by this meanes as much as in them lyeth they do as it were change God into a Devill and make him the patrone of sinnes to appoynt a reward for them therefore farre be from a Christian mans heart all those workes which are thus farre opposite vnto the will of God and condemned of him as meere offences Then after that God hath begun to renew men by the power of his spirit of evill they become good and that but in part onely for the corruption of nature is but onely restrayned and amended in some sort for as is aforesayd the elect are regenerate but imperfectly in this life therefore they are not wholy good and conformeable vnto the lawe of God wherefore theyr workes also can be good but in part onely and not perfect for there cannot be more in the effect then there is in the cause but whatsoever is in the effect that shall be in the cause much more therefore the workes of the godly are partly good and partly evill They are good as they proceede from the operation and motion of the holy spirit and are agreeable vnto the law of God And they are evill as they proceede from the flesh and vnregenerate part and do decline and stray from the rule and obedience of Gods law By this it manifestly appeareth that no worke of man is so prayse-worthy as Augustine sayth well which is not defiled and stayned with some blemish or other These works deserve nothing at all toward the attainement of salvation because they are imperfect and stray and swarve very farre from the law of God For the law requireth so great perfection as that it condemneth the least thought of the least sinne Agayne vnperfect works according vnto the Canonicall rule which the Lawyers so call are as if they were not done at all for such as the cause is such also must the effect needs be Seeing therefore that the cause is vnperfect the effect must needs follow vnperfect for it were extreame and ridiculous madnes to loke for a perfect and durable worke from an imperfect and transitory cause therefore these workes are proved and convinced to be vnperfect from their cause which is vnperfect so that if a man seeke for a reward by them he shall finde punishment as Saint Augustine saith for man in the least thing is not able to perfourme so much as the lawe requireth therefore he cannot be thought righteous and acquited before God and before his iust iudgement seate by the merit of his owne works Wo therefore vnto the life of men even the most commendable as the same Augustine sayth if it should be iudged according vnto the strict rigor of the lawe without the mercy of God Moreover seeing these good works proceed not from mans strength but do spring the power and grace of the holy spirit man cannot deserve or get any thing by them seeing they be not his owne but the works of God for man doth them not of himself but God doth worke them in him So that to do that which God commandeth to receive those things which he promiseth are both the gift of God and so man had no merits of his owne therefore the free works of God fall not within the compas of mans merit because those works are the effects of the holy ghost and not the deeds of mē proceeding from their own strēgth Therefore the Papists in as much as they hunt for salvation by these works are of all hunters the most vayne for their labours and endeavours are alwayes frustrate and without effect for they shall never attayne vnto that which they seeke for by them and they play the fooles more absurdly then if they should say they were able to strike fire out of the sea Certaynely in this their foole-hardy enterprise they do manifestly tempt God in that they go about to bring to passe things that are infinitely farre greater then their strength will suffer or permit Agayne in that they boast their owne deserts so confidently and boldly it is a manifest signe that they are not regenerate and that they know not themselves at all for by how much the more a man is regenerate by so much the more doth hee see and bewayle his owne sinnes and infirmityes and so findeth and perceiveth by experience that hee can do no good thing without the grace of God Therefore from his heart doth he humble himselfe before God and in the griefe of his heart with much lamenting doth he earnestly pray against those plagues which he hath deserved also he confesseth his