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
doe call vpon God Gal. 4.6 as our loving and mercifull Father without trembling So that fayth by which we relie vpon God and love which wee have towardes God and prayer by which wee call vpon him are three most certayne signes of our Iustification For these doe necessarily follow Iustification But of these more shall be spoken hereafter in Glorification Last of all this Iustification belongeth onely to the Elect and such as shal be saved This Paul plainly teacheth here whilest hee sayth that God calleth and iustifyeth those onely whom hee hath predestinate Here therefore Vocation and Iustification are set vnder Predestination as the effects vnder theyr cause So that Iustification doth not reach farther then Predestination For the effectes cannot bee larger and reach farther then theyr causes They therefore which thinke that Iustification belongeth vnto all in generall ought first to teach and proove by the word of God that Predestination or Election is common to every one Agayne Act. 13.48 Tit. 1. Iohn 10.26 the Scripture playnely teacheth vs that Iustification is given and belongeth onely vnto those that are appoynted before vnto Life eternall But this thing is so cleere and manifest that it needeth no long proofe Let these things therefore bee spoken here briefely concerning Iustification Here is declared by what remedy the corruption of our nature is amended and the Image of God restored in man and in what partes especially regeneration is wrought Likewise how grossely the Papists and the grosser sort of Vbiquitaries doe erre which thinke that there is an hidden power in the outward water of Baptisme which is able to convert a man in the very act of Baptizing CHAP. 29. NOw Glorification beeing the last Lincke of Pauls Chayne this followeth to be set vnder Iustification very fitly For so Paul teacheth that the gift of the holy Spirit and the renewing of our corrupt nature vnto the Image of God doth necessarily follow our free receyving into the favour of God and cannot bee separated from it Wherefore Glorification followeth Iustification in a most divine order because it is the finall cause of it For therefore is this or that man iustified that in the end he may be glorified Therefore after Paul had taught that sinnes are forgiven men by the onely free mercy of God now he proceedeth rightly to teach and declare how sinnes are abolished and purged and so sheweth how Glory and the Image of God is recovered in man This hee sheweth in the worde glorifying Therefore to glorifie is nothing els then to abolish the corrupt nature of man and so to reforme man vnto the Image of God and make him fit for eternall Glory So that regeneration from the effect and last end thereof is called by the name of Glorification in asmuch namely as the Elect by it are renewed vnto the Image of God and then translated into everlasting Glory For God wil have his Glory and holinesse to shine in the Elect here after a sort And fayth being in some sort inflamed by the holy Spirite in our calling and our will somewhat changed is here more inflamed and changed But this is perfourmed and brought to passe by no other meanes but onely by our regeneration For God doth not beginne and finish the worke of our regeneration in one day and at one instant but doth continue and perfect it by little and little Here therefore a few things ought to be spoken concerning Regeneration which that they may be handled and intreated of the better and more plainely with the greater fruite wee ought to consider these foure severall heads First what Regeneration is and by what meanes it commeth Secondly in what parts it consisteth and of what sort it is in this life Thirdly how necessary it is and for what thinges it is profitable Fourthly by what signes and tokens it may bee knowne Concerning the first thing Regeneration is not the abolishing of the former substance and the establishing agayne of a new neyther is it the changing of one substance into an other but it is the reforming of our corrupt nature and the repayring and restoring of the Image of God in man So that in this Regeneration there remayneth the same frame of the body and substance but the inward and wicked affections of the mind onely are amended and changed which seeing it is a spirituall change it is felt inwardly before it bee learned as Saint Cyprian speaketh elsewhere And it is nothing els but the amending and abolishing of the corrupt and wicked qualities that remayne in the substance of man Therefore whom God hath iustified those also hee doth regenerate and change vnto his most blessed glorie and purity of life that they may repent and be ashamed of theyr former life that so they may betake themselves vnto a better course For no man can have an earnest desire vnto the grace of God except first he know his sins and be displeased with himselfe in them So that a renewing is required For God will not have his Elect to abuse his gentlenesse and long suffering and therefore doth he renew and frame them to sincere manners and holy actions Therefore they which are effectually regenerated do begin to be displeased with themselves for their sins and to be grieved in their hearts that they have displeased God and with theyr whole heart doe detest all wicked deedes whatsoever so that hereafter they will not commit or doe them and so doe shew theyr thankefulnesse by eschewing of evill and doing of good and there is in them a turning away from Sathan and evill deedes and a turning vnto God and to good workes And although the regenerate doe fall often yet they doe not defend nor allow of theyr sinnes but desire dayly more and more to hate and eschew them So they which are converted begin to savour of better thinges and doe change theyr evill custome and kind of life and revoke theyr former course of living and so convert theyr actions and endevours from evill vnto good as from one contrary vnto an other They which are thus affected doe feele true ioy in theyr hearts in that they have God at one with them for theyr Mediatours sake from whence followeth an earnest desire to obey God in all his Commandements Let the regenerate therefore know that now the time is come wherein they ought to approve and fulfill those most wholesome precepts of divinity not so much by discoursing of them as by performing them constantly living godly because they can by no other way obtaine blessed immortality heavenly Glory but onely by true fayth and ready obedience vnto the commandements of God Therefore how much or little soever it be which the children of God have and savour of regeneration to it they ought to frame theyr manners sayth Augustine Tom. 7. colum 694. Now this renewing as is abovesayd in the Treatise of Vocation is begun and finished by the word and spirit of God By
to the law and Christian charity For the law commandeth and charity willeth that there be no hurt done to any man but good vnto all but there is no good but hurt done vnto them which are ordeyned vnto this miserable condition and cursed estate therefore it is repugnant to charity and contrary to the lawe I answere God is not bound nor subiect vnto the lawe so that he gave that commandement to men only and not to himselfe Agayne the iustice of God is altogether infinite whose greatnes the shallownes of mans capacity cannot conteyne nor search out therefore it is not to be measured by the law and rule of civile iustice For there is no consequence from an infinite thing vnto a finite thing because there is no proportion betweene them Therefore a man in this matter must renounce all naturall reason and submit himselfe wholy vnto the onely wise God knowing that the iustice of God cannot be examined or comprehended by the shallow conceit of man nor be measured according to the rule of civill iustice Therfore it were extreme madnes blasphemous impiety not to attribute more wisedome vprightnes vnto God then man can vnderstand or imagine Surely this were to erect and worship a vaine idoll in the steed of God or rather to deny God himselfe Moreover there are certaine particular works of God which are not to be reduced to the generall rule of equity as for example the fact of Abraham who in his obedience vnto God would have killed his sonne and have sacrificed him vnto God when as notwithstanding the law sayth Thou shalt not kill The holy man of God knew that God was not subiect to the law but that it was given vnto men onely so that he did not examine the speciall commaundement which he had received concerning the sacrificing of his Sonne according to the lawe but simply obeyed the commaundement of God and desired to execute it with a ready and good will By this example we are taught first that God sometimes doth decree somewhat in his secret will which he prescribeth not in his lawe Secondly that we must obey this his secret will when God commaundeth though the lawe after a sort commaund the contrary otherwise the will of God revealed in his word is the onely continuall rule of good life So there may be some worke which God doth not therefore will because it is iust but it is therefore iust because he willeth it and thinketh it good Furthermore although of two men of which neyther had done any thing he hath predestinated the one vnto life the other vnto death and that before the foundation of the world yet this predestination is no lesse iust then if both had bin created and committed many great offences But it apeareth manifestly that reprobation was decreed before all time and not ordeined in time both from the nature of God and also by the holy scripture From the nature of God it appeareth because God doth nothing with a new will but all things by his everlasting will whatsoever therefore God doth in time that did he determine to do before all time otherwise there should manifest change be found in him if he should do the least thing in time which he did not determine to do before time from everlasting By the scripture it is evident because that every where as well in the doctrine of reprobation as election it reduceth vs vnto the eternall counsell of God that men might certaynely be perswaded that nothing happeneth vnto them in this life which was not ordeyned and decreed for them by God from everlasting So that that happeneth to them in time which God hath fore-ordeyned before time Moreover although the reprobates be reiected from this mercy of salvation by the iust and eternall iudgement of God yet they are not condemned but for their owne sinnes and misdeeds by which they deserve and pull vpon their owne heads the iust wrath of God and eternall destruction Therefore although they are not reprobated reiected for any infidelity or wicked deeds foreseene but because God hath so willed it and decreed it iustly yet they shall not be condemned but for their owne vngodlines To conclude as there is no merit foregoing in election so also is there no desert foregoing in reprobation but both do proceede and flowe from the good pleasure of God Now heere remayneth to be shewed briefly for what causes the reprobates are subiect and liable vnto iust condemnation The first cause of their destruction is the corruption of their nature this is so great that it is fully sufficient for to condemne them iustly as we may see in the death and condemnation of infants and little children that are reprobated who although they be polluted with fewe or none actuall sinnes yet for the originall corruption of their nature they are thrust hedlong into everlasting destruction Therefore this corruption of nature is the first and meritorious cause of damnation Agayne God vouchsafeth not to bestow vpon them the mercy of regeneration but leaveth them by his iust iudgement in their former depravation of nature Neyther can God be accused or charged with iniury because he doth not reforme nor better them for God doth not owe them so much because he hath not promised it vnto them and therefore is not bound to perfourme it And as for the promises although by the publike ministery of the Church they be pronounced vnto all that heare in generall yet indeed and effectually they do properly pertayne and belong vnto the elect only for whatsoever God hath promised in the Gospell and in the matter of salvation they onely obteyne and enioy Agayne the promises do not declare what God hath decreed and determined concerning every one but do shew how he is affected towards them that beleeve therefore they belong to none but to the beleevers so that God oweth nothing to the reprobates but deserved wrath and iust indignation Therefore in that he doth not call them nor draw them to Christ nor iustify them in him nor create faith in them it is for this cause because he hath not chosen them so that when the cause is denyed them the effects must needs be denyed them also For to whomesoever he vouchsafeth not election he also denyeth those blessings and benefits which are the effects of election These being by the iust iudgement of God thus left to themselves are hardned daily more more so that they feare not to commit great detestable sinnes and iniquities neither stand in awe of Gods vengeance but nuzsle themselves in their sinnes with delight and love and commit sinnes willingly and that so proudly and securely as if God the avenger of wickednes did winke at them and would take no account of them for their lives passed These God doth not only reiect and repell from all saving grace and all the effects thereof but also in his iust iudgement doth deliver thē over being so reiected partly
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
iustification and salvation that without it God will not be mercifull and favourable no not to any one They therefore which do behold this victory of Christ with a true faith have wherewith they may fortifie themselves against the assaults of Sathan they have whereby they may set light by his sleights and subtilties they have wherein they may place their faith and hope in Christ alone and in his merit onely In this iustification howbeit we are iustified and acquitted of our sinnes by the onely merit of Christ yet there is no let but that the three holy and inseparable persons of the Trinity may have and execute their severall actions in it For the Father is therefore sayd to iustifie vs because that of his owne meere grace and free love 1. Pet. 1.20 Gal. 4.4 he hath from everlasting fore-appoynted his onely begotten Sonne to redeeme vs and sent him at the time appoynted The Sonne is therefore sayd to iustifie vs because that for his incomprehensible and vnspeakeable goodnes sake towards vs vouchsafing by the power of the holy ghost to take mans nature vpon him he was obediēt vnto his Father even vnto the death of the crosse Phil. 2. and so satisfied the iustice of God for vs and delivered vs from all the power of the Devill by making amends for our sinnes The Holy Ghost also is sayd to iustifie vs as farre forth as he doth beget in vs true and stedfast faith by which we may apprehend and apply vnto our selves the righteousenes that is purchased by the obedience of the death of Christ Therefore this free remission of sinnes is the onely very fourme of iustification by which iustification is that which it is and is distinguished from all other false and fained satisfactions and sacrifices of which sort the Papists doe invent many and offer them vnto God And the finall cause of iustification is the prayse and glory of Gods goodnes and the everlasting happines and excellent blessed estate of those which are thus iustified Now there was nothing else which moved God to iustifie vs but his owne love towards vs and the obedience of Christ and our misery But the instrumentall cause is a true and a lively faith laying hold on and applying to it selfe the obedience of Christ and righteousnes purchased thereby and relying with a good conscience vpon the sole mercy of God and the onely merit of Christ This iustification is then avayleable and acceptable vnto vs whenas every of vs doth stand as guilty before the heavenly iudge and being carefull of his acquitall doth of his owne accord humble and prostrate himselfe as vnworthy And this is profitably done when a man doth seriously weigh and consider with himselfe the perfection and severity of Gods iustice on the one side and the multitude and greatnes of his sinnes on the other side For by such a consideration hee is seriously humbled with the feeling of his misery and rightly prepared to desire and embrace the mercy of Christ So that by how much the more every of vs shall be severe in condemning himselfe by so much shall we finde God more mercifull and more easy to be intreated for then will a man be capable of the grace of God and benefite of Christ when hee shall knowe himselfe and his whole nature to bee full of vncleanenes and filthines and shall condemne it For he which iudgeth himselfe vnworthy of the grace of God as one sayth him doth God receyve into favour and maketh him worthy through Christ But they which swell and are filled with the opinion of their owne righteousnes and hunger not after the righteousnes of God they perish in their miseries and never come vnto true righteousenes Againe they which being hardned with the custome of sinning and drunken with the delight of their vices do extenuate their faults and securely despise the iudgement of God they shut vp from themselves the gate of mercy What manner of thing Iustification is where are set forth the three proprieties thereof namely that it is free perfect and everlasting and withall there is refuted the opinion of the Papists concerning the merit of works being contrary to the first propriety CHAP. 27. NOw we must lay open what manner of thing iustification is and the quality thereof consisteth especially in three things first that it is free for the remission of sinnes is not for any merits of man but it is a meere grace and an vndeserved mercy promised for Christ his sake alone For God findeth nothing in a man whom he iustifieth but an horrible sinke of sinne and extreame misery The scripture every where affirmeth that Christ only is the author of all grace and the whole hope of our salvation consisteth in the bloud of Christ alone Without the merit of Christ there can be no iustification for he alone hath deserved righteousenes for vs and having deserved it he giveth and imputeth it vnto vs. They therefore which desire to be righteous without the merit of Christ are altogether without God and prophane And they which dreame that they are iustified partly by grace and partly by merit are Pelagians or Papists the followers of their heresie but they which beleeve that they are iustified by the onely merit of Christ are true Christians These by beleeving and receiving the righteousnes of Christ purchased by his death as the righteousnes of an other are iustified indeede but they which by theyr workes and merits do affect theyr owne righteousnes shall never attayne vnto it The Papists therefore have forged a certaine kinde of merit which is weake of it selfe but when it is dipped in the bloud of Christ it is effectuall and forcible and so they say that a man is partly iustified by grace and partly by workes But this cannot be because that grace and merit are two manifest contraryes from which one and the selfe same thing cannot be brought forth For this is the nature and rule of contraryes that from contrary causes contrary effects proceede likewise Moreover wee are all debtors for wee are obliged and bound vnto God so that he may iustly challenge as his due whatsoever good thing can proceede or be perfourmed of vs. Now that which may be demaunded of vs as duty that can not merit But Christ sayth that what good thing soever we do or can do Luk. 17.10 all that how much soever it be is our duty wherefore there is no merit at all Agayne the cause of iustification to wit eternall election in Christ is free therefore likewise iustification it selfe must needes be free for there cannot be more in the effect then there is in the cause thereof Therefore the Papists whilest that they dreame of any merit in vs they do commit a manifest fallacy from that which is no cause as if it were a cause for they remove the merit of Christ which is the perfect and true cause of iustification and set in the roome thereof the merit
the onely strong anchor which fastneth and preserveth the ship of Christian fayth in the heavenly Sanctuary as in an haven most sure from all the dangers of stormes agaynst all the rage of hell and the turbulent motions of the world So that no floods nor no tempests can arise and swell so great as by which this anchor may be loosed and the ship broken and drowned Also this Chayne is as a strong engine to destroy all the loftinesse of men which doth arrogate any thing as proper vnto it selfe and it is as a sharpe sword to stabbe and quell theyr presumption and pride which doth extoll and lift vp it selfe more then it should Lastly it is as a long and golden line which stretcheth it selfe from one part of the heaven vnto an other that every of the Elect wheresoever may lay sure holde vpon it and very well apply it vnto themselves Therefore as is sayde before in a word or two he that desireth to profit in the knowledge of this Chayne and to confirme himselfe in it fruitfully must above all things take heede that he begin not at the highest cause of Predestination that lieth hidden in the counsell of God but that hee ascend by little and little as it were by degrees from the last effects thereof vnto the first cause so that he begin at regeneration from thence that hee goe to iustification from thence vnto true faith from that vnto vocation from this vnto eternall election from that let him passe and ascend vnto the gratious will of God that effecteth all these things There must hee settle and ground the anchor of his fayth But God beginneth a contrary way in descending vnto vs For hee beginneth at the first cause and proceedeth through meanes vnto the last effect vntill he bring and draw vs vnto himselfe Of the effects of reprobation which are contrary vnto the effects of Election Also what benefites of God the Elect and reprobates have common and what not And that the iudgement of God concerning both is stedfast and eternall CHAP. 38. NOw the effects of Election being set down and declared the effects of reprobation are briefely to be set forth For the effects of Election cannot rightly bee vnderstood vnlesse the opposite effects of reprobation be likewise weighed and considered that so one contrary may be more illustrated and made more playne by an other Now certaine effects are common vnto the reprobate with the Elect as namely Creation and other both many and great temporall blessings and helpes of this life as food and apparel and the rest of the blessings of this life which belong rather to the body then the soule But of those blessings that belong vnto Salvation the reason is farre otherwise they are in a continuall opposition and contrariety For the Elect are called vnto Christ by grace the reprobate are deprived of that grace whereas the Elect are inlightned conuerted vnto God there the reprobate are blinded and hardened whereas these hate sinne and depart from it there they give themselves over vnto it and continue in it where these are raysed vp vnto heavenly glory and are indued with everlasting life there they arise vnto iudgement and are cast into everlasting torment So that the reprobates remayne hardened in their sinnes and strangers from God Therefore by these notes and infallible tokens God doth poynt at as it were with his finger what manner of iudgement is prepared for them and doth distinguish them from his children whom hee hath begotten agayne This is in a generallitie true of all but it is a dangerous thing to conclude this of any one in particular For many of the Elect beeing oftentimes indued with fayth even in the agony of death are converted vnto Christ in the last gaspe of life Both these come to passe thus God so willing and disposing them hee bringeth some vnto repentance through his compassionate goodnesse and bringeth not others according to his iust iudgement that in the one we may perceive his vndeserved grace in the other his iust iudgement and theyr deserved punishment as Augustine sayth In Epist ad Sixtum This condition on both sides is stedfast For God is eternall so likewise the decrees of Election and reprobation are everlasting and vnchangeable therefore none of the Elect shall perish neyther shall any of the reprobates be saved Let no man hence take occasion to live licentiously because the condition of both is vnchangeable for that Predestination is a cause to every man why hee should stand fast Tom. 7.1244 but vnto none a cause why he should fall sayth Augustine These things come necessarily to passe on both sides God so disposing the matter and cannot happen otherwise because no other efficient cause can bee found in them but onely the free and righteous will of God For there is nothing without God which may moove him to this or that thing So that God willeth a thing and directeth it vnto the end because it so pleaseth and seemeth good vnto him So he alone and none other is the onely cause of his will for none can prescribe any thing vnto him because no man is superior or equal vnto him Therefore in as much as he saveth some by grace and condemneth others in iustice wee ought to seeke no other cause hereof but onely his determinate will and absolute good pleasure And that hee hath ordayned certayne vnto destruction it is as certayne as God himselfe is God For if he were willing simply and absolutely to save all and every one then surely he would give all men all things necessary vnto Salvation but he giveth not all men all thinges necessary vnto Salvation therefore hee will not save all and every one For he that denies a man the meanes to attayne vnto some end doth much more deny him the end it selfe For he that bestoweth not the lesser vpon a man how will hee bestow that which is greater A short conclusion of this worke shewing the chiefe vse thereof and exhorting every of the godly vnto thankefulnesse and sinceritie of life CHAP. 39. THe vse of this doctrine is very great and above all most wholesome First that all the prayse and glory of our Salvation should bee wholy attributed vnto God onely in that he of his mercifull goodnes hath vouchsafed to chuse vs miserable sinners vnto everlasting Salvation and to adopt vs for children through Iesus Christ when as hee had a thousand most iust occasions for which he might worthily condemne vs and whenas there was not one cause in vs wherefore hee should give vs no not the least droppe of cold water So that by choosing vs altogether most vnworthy hee hath made vs worthy through the worthinesse of his Sonne Therefore this free and everlasting Election hath the goodnesse of God and the merite of Christ and the worthinesse thereof for his sure foundation and ground For if the Sonne of God had not beene willing to suffer and satisfie for our sinnes and if God had not beene willing to impute this his satisfaction vnto vs for righteousnesse not one of vs had beene elected vnto Salvation but every one had beene condemned vnto everlasting death So that in this Election the great and incredible goodnesse of God and the most vehement and affectionate love of God towards vs doth appeare as in a most cleere mirror Secondly all that embrace the pure doctrine of the Gospell and doe by a true fayth beleeve in Christ and persevere in him have strong and excellent consolation from hence in that they are elected from everlasting vnto eternall Salvation without any merite eyther foregoing or following and that this blessed and saving Decree concerning our Salvation is vnchangeable and therefore that they can no more fayle and be prevented of Salvation and heavenly glory then God can be separated from his Godhead For as God is everlasting and vnchangeable by nature so also that his Decree and good pleasure concerning the Salvation of the Elect is everlasting and vnchangeable For the vnchangeablenesse sake of this Decree all and every of them which truely beleeve in Christ have most strong and certaine consolation with which they may comfort and refresh themselves in adversitie and other spirituall temptations Wherefore all idolatrie and superstition all hypocrisie and vnbeleefe all false doctrine and desperation being condemned and set aside let vs from the bottome of our heartes and inward affections give thanks vnto God and to his Sonne because that wee are freely elect by God from everlasting and fully redeemed by Christ from all evill and shall so remaine elected and redeemed for ever without any disturbance Let vs therefore all and every of vs with the whole affection of our minde heartily with one mind and one mouth beseech the most merciful Sonne of God our Redeemer that hee would purge vs from the filthinesse of our sinnes by the power of his spirite and renew and fashion vs dayly more and more vnto his owne Image that by living holy and without blame here we may walke faithfully and constantly in his holy commandements and in the true path of the Elect vntill we come vnto the price of our high Calling and to that heavenly Glory and blessed Life to come where abounding in great and vnspeakeable gladnesse no trouble or sorrow beeing mixed with it wee shall triumph with gladsome countenances and ioyfull hearts and possesse vnspeakeable ioyes world without end Amen * ⎠* To God the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost be given all praise and glorie for ever Amen
thee with knowledge and iudgement against the common Adversary as also very sweet and comfortable points to comfort thy conscience against those same strong temptations of Sathan concerning the assaults of diffidence or distrust On these two heads especially dependeth the matter and subiect of this booke which if it please thee to peruse thou shalt finde in it no doubt matter to thine edifying and contentment We have taken this paynes for the good and benefite of those which vnderstand it not in the tongue wherein it was written but for others it shall be best for them if they please to reade it in the Originall wherein it was written as wherein indeed it hath the best grace both by meanes of the elegant style and composition thereof as also because there are sundry termes and words of Arte which can hardly be familiarly expressed or resolved by our idiome or dialect This I say gentle Reader have we by the Lords assistance both attempted and atchieved in regard of the goodnesse of the Treatise and a good thing the more common and vniversall it is the more commendable and the better it is The same reasons which do vrge that the holy Scriptures should be written in a knowne tongue doe likewise proportionally enforce that divine and godly Treatises vpon severall passages and places of Scripture should be made familiar vnto the vnlearned and common people as whereby they may be the better enabled to vnderstand the Scriptures and so to be furthered in their Salvation So that if thou censure the translating of such Authours thou wilt very easily drawe vpon thee the blemish and suspition of Popery it selfe Thou must not thinke gentle Reader that the Lord would have it to be amongst vs now Gen. 11.7 as hee himselfe caused it to be amongst them which built the tower of Babel whose language was so confounded that they perceyved not one anothers speech but that God would have it so to be in his Church now as that every man should say Acts 2.11 Wee heard them speake in our owne language the wonderfull works of God But I trust I shall not neede to make excuse for this our small labour but rather presume of thy loving and friendly acceptance thereof whereof perswading my selfe I commend thee to the tuition of the almighty promising thee that if thou wilt by thy good endevours so breake the shell of an vnknowne tongue or language as that eyther my selfe or the Church may by thy good meanes come vnto the sweete kernell of any good Treatise I would give to God the glory and to thee thy due prayse And so I doubt not but that thou wilt walke according to that vpright rule set downe by our Saviour Christ Whatsoever yee would that men should doe vnto you even so doe you vnto them Mat. 2.12 for this is the Law and the Prophets Farewell The summarie Contents of this Golden Chayne WHerein consisteth mans eternall happinesse or everlasting woe Chap. 1. Fol. 1. The five linkes of this Chayne are 1. Gods foreknowledge 2. his predestination 3. his calling of men 4. his iustifying them 5. his glorifying them Chap. 2. Fol. 4. That God exerciseth those whom he calleth in continuall affliction thereby to conforme them to the image of his Sonne Chap. 3. Fol. 9. How many wayes the foreknowledge of God may be taken and the vse thereof Chap. 4. Fol. 12. Distinction betwixt predestination and foreknowledge and of how many degrees it consisteth Chap. 5. Fol. 18. Of Adams fall and Gods foreknowledge therein Chap. 6. Fol. 23. The causes of predestination the definition thereof and difference betwixt it and Gods providence Chap. 7. Fol. 34. The divers kinds of predestination and properties of election Chap. 8. Fol. 40. Election whereon dependeth salvation is the chiefe foundation of a Christians faith Chap. 9. Fol. 43. Of Gods wonderfull mercie mixed with his iustice Chap. 10 Fol. 49. Gods free mercie is the true cause of Election Chap. 11. Fol. 54. The Papists fiction of faith and good workes foreseene confuted Chap. 12. Fol. 63. The horrible offence of the Papists touching faith and good workes foreseene by vnanswerable arguments confuted Chap. 13. Fol. 71. The proprieties of Election The faith of the Elect vnmoveable Chap. 14. Fol. 84. The Consciences of the Elect are by this doctrine strengthened most stedfastly Chap. 15. Fol 94. The strong comforts of the Elect touching their salvation Chap. 16. Fol. 98. The doctrine of Election is most necessary to salvation Chap. 17. Fol. 103. God is debter to no man therefore hee may save or damne whom it pleaseth him Chap. 18. Fol. 119. The reprobate have not to blame God but their owne sinnes for their damnation Chap. 19. Fol. 126. The horrible damnation of the reprobate turneth to the good of the Elect. Chap. 20. Fol. 137. That the Elect cannot become reprobates nor the reprobates ever be elected Chap. 21. Fol. 142. In reprobation of the more parte Gods great iustice appeareth as in electing the fewer Gods infinite mercy And how men should examine themselves Chap. 22. Fol. 147. How many things necessary to be knowne in the doctrine of Election Chap. 23. Fol. 152. A passage from predestination vnto vocation as from the cause to the effect And how diversly vocation is vnderstood Chap. 24. fol. 159. The Papists confuted touching mans strength and how farre free will extendeth Chap 25. Fol. 171. Of free Iustification knowne by Vocation and what it is to be iustified after the phrase of the Gospel Chap 26. Fol. 182. What thing Iustification is with the three properties thereof Chapter 27. Fol. 191. What benefites come through Iustification by faith and to whom the same doe properly appertaine Chap. 28. Fol. 207. How to amend our corrupt nature and to restore the Image of God in man Chap. 29. Fol. 210. The obedience of the Godly though vnperfect is accepted of God The meaning and true vse of good workes Chap. 30. Fol. 223. Why God accepteth of the vnperfect workes of his Elect and calleth his owne free gift our reward Chap. 31. Fol. 233. The great commodities both publike and private comming by the studious care of good workes That the Protestants doe not reiect good workes Chap. 32. Fol. 244. Regeneration is begun in this life though vnperfectly and without it is no Salvation To whom it belongeth Chap. 33. Fol. 251. By what bands the Elect are vnited to God by what signes they are knowen and how assured of Salvation Chap. 34. Fol. 255. The effects and benefites of Predestination Chap. 35. Fol. 262. How the Linckes of this Chayne must be considered and how vnseparable they are Chap. 36. Fol. 265. The world shal fade away but the gifts of this Chayne are everlasting Chap. 37. Fol. 268. The effects of Election and of reprobation are contrary What benefites of God common to both and what not and Gods iudgement touching both vnchangeable Chap. 38. Fol. 270. The Conclusion exhorting to
Apostles purpose to exhort the godly to an invincible patience and an vndaunted perseverance that being susteyned with a certayne hope and constant assurance they should wayt for an happy issue out of all theyr miseries yet notwithstanding he layes open the true fountaynes and springs from whence salvation flowes and springs foorth and sets downe the fyrst causes from whence it is derived poynting at them as it were with his finger And surely in every word of that place there is not onely great importance and singular grace but also the words themselves are for the most part compleat and perfect oracles and conteyne in them whole sentences I have thought good therefore briefly to runne over and compendiously to expound them But before I set vpon the exposition of the words the order and course of the causes of Salvation must seriously be weighed and considered For the causes in regard of their coherence are raunged and displayed by Saint Paule by a most divine skill and a most exquisite and logicall methode For in the first place he setteth downe the foreknowledge of God as the first and soveraigne cause Then he proceedes vnto predestination as being next to that Next he turneth his course and manner of teaching to the effects of both these as to the subordinate and second causes For God by his foreknowledge foresawe all things from before all beginnings Nothing is exempt from this foreknowledge of God but all things and every one thing is contayned and comprehended in that After this hee descendeth from this generall and common fore-knowledge of God as from a large and vnlimited voyce vnto predestination as vnto a more speciall kinde included in this fore-knowledge and so hee proceedes from a generality vnto a more certayne and particular kind For the foreknowledge as in the larger signification it is taken for his providence is Gods eternall decree by which he determined to make the world and all that is therein and to make his glory manifest vnto reasonable creatures namely vnto men and Angels by the governement of the things which hee had made But predestination chiefely is referd and restreyned vnto mankinde which God by predestination hath divided into two kindes of men so that of his owne sole and vndeserved grace he hath chosen some from eternitie whom he would make his heyres in Christ and bring to everlasting salvation and hath appoynted other some vnto everlasting punishment and destruction to the which also he brings them by his iust iudgement from their owne deserts Then the Apostle proceedeth vnto the subordinate causes of salvation and sheweth by what meanes and degrees the elect on the one side come to eternall life and the reprobate on the other side are brought to eternall torments as hereafter in the declaration hereof shall clearely and plainely appeare Furthermore also I thinke this worthy the observing to shew in what order Saint Paule hath disposed and placed the causes of Salvation in respect of time And he hath digested them with such arte and method as that he hath divided them into three distinct differences of times For certayne of them do farre surpasse and exceede all transitory times as Gods foreknowledge and predestination these two causes of Salvation were from eternity appoynted of God without any beginning Certayne of them are made and remayne in time and in these succeeding ages as vocation and iustification the former of which is wrought by the outward preaching of Gods word and the inward working of the holy spirit in the heart and will of man and the latter is gotten and bestowed vpon man by the onely merites and power of Christ his passion So these two causes doe arise in this life and in our age Certayne of them are mixt so that partly they are wrought in this life partly in the time to come after this life as namely they which are begun heere and finished there as glorification and those things that depend thereof This glorification consisteth in the true image of God and the conforming of our will with his will And this image of God and fashioning of our will with his will ariseth and springeth from true and effectuall regeneration And regeneration beginneth in this life presently vpon our vocation and is increased and continued through the whole course of our life vntill at the last it be throughly consummated and finished in an other life Therfore these inferior second causes are as it wer certaine means interposd degrees by which the holy men of God by his eternall counsell are brought to the full possession and fruition of everlasting life and salvation as heereafter shall be shewed in the handling of them In the next place these causes do as aptly agree together betweene themselves in their order and placing as the links of any chayne so that no one of them can be moved out of his place but the whole rancke and order of them will be broken and fall to nothing The order therefore and placing of these causes is in the manner of a golden and princely Chayne whose linkes hang together so artificially and workemanlike that not one linke can be taken away without the breaking of the whole Chayne And this Chayne is nothing else but an excellent glasse of Gods goodnes and mercy for the holy Ghost hath made and linked together this Chayne of the best and chiefest of Gods benefits and it is the highest honour and incredible glory of Gods children with which they are beautified in this life and shall be crowned like Kings in that life eternall which is to come and shall shine more bright then the Sunne it selfe in his chiefest glory And to conclude this Chayne is as it were a golden and celestiall hooke wherewith the Sonne of God letting it downe from heaven draweth his elect from out this world as out of a raging and tempestuous sea and bringeth them into his heavenly and everlasting rest as into an harbor most safe from the danger of any storme and into a most pleasant place of refreshing and freedome from all miseries Lastly the Linkes of this Chayne are in number five in every of which what and howe great benefites of God are conteyned and included in the declaration hereof shall hereafter be shewed These thinges I thought good for certayne causes to set downe as some briefe and compendious Preface before I would handle the exposition of the words which now beeing finished I doe betake my selfe orderly to those thinges which as yet remayne to bee handled and discussed Now the holy Spirite vouchsafe to bee present with me by his holy inspiration and direction and to guide me that am to speake of such high and hidden Mysteries of Heavenly thinges and so inlighten and direct my vnderstanding by his bright-shining Light that those things which shall be spoken concerning the chiefest Articles of Christian Fayth and Principles of Religion may be so spoken of me that they may tende to the Honour and
scripture for a certaine singular excellency whereby a man may be worthy to be chosen so that he should be called elect which is excellent and singular they I say are the authors of fables and trifle with toyes seeing that every man is esteemed farre otherwise in this civile and earthly court then he is or iudged to be in the court of heaven Moreover no other cause of reprobation can be alleaged or produced out of the scriptures but the iust and vnchangeable will of God for as much as he in that his eternall and secret counsell hath of himselfe and by himselfe adiudged some men vnto eternall death destruction and that before they were and had done any evill For sinne can in no wise be the cause of reprobation For all have sinned and are alike polluted Ephes 2.3 and by nature the children of wrath so that all even every one should have perished if sinne had bin the cause of reprobation Sinne verily is the cause of those things that necessarily follow reprobation of which we shall speake more hereafter Although sinne that is committed of man be in it selfe a iust and efficient cause of damnation yet the cause of reprobation is not to be sought for in man but the first and chiefest cause thereof is even the free and righteous will of God But in as much as the reprobate are damned that they have deserved by their owne sinne this is the iust cause of damnation for if they had not sinned they should not have beene punished For God is every way so iust that he punisheth none except he be inthralled to sinne and most worthy of punishment And now seeing that it is proved by evident testimonies of the scripture that there is praedestination and that the doubtfulnes of the word and divers signification thereof is playnely discussed and that the causes thereof are produced and layd open it remayneth that wee should playnely define what this praedestination is which except it be done those things which follow to be handled cannot be conceaved and vnderstood Praedestination therefore is the eternall free iust and vnchangeable purpose of God by which of his mercy he hath determined to adopt some men for sonnes through Christ and hath appoynted them to eternall life and glory and hath not vouchsafed othersome that grace and favour but hath reiected them by his iust iudgement and appoynted them to eternall death This definition many places of the scripture do deliver and prove Rom. 9.13 Malac. 1.3 but chiefely the example of Iacob and Esau do wonderfully declare it These two although they were bretheren borne of the same parents although they were sinners both alike and by nature the children of wrath yet the wisedome of God did so discerne betweene them that by his free grace he loved and elected one of them and by his iust iudgement hated and reiected the other and that not according to the good or evill workes foreseene eyther of the one or of the other but according vnto his purpose he did choose Iacob Rom. 9.11 and hated Esau and that when as yet neyther of them were borne and had done neyther good nor evill The scriptures have set forth these two persons as it were two opposite and contrary arguments from which it inferreth two generall propositions namely that Almighty God from everlasting before all ages hath so discerned betweene men by his firme and vnchangeable wisedome that some without any merit of theirs should obtayne vndeserved grace and that some should have and vndergoe deserved iustice and due punishment This praedestination is distinguished from providence as a speciall thing from a generall or as a part from the whole seeing that predestination is not so common nor so large as providence For predestination hath his operation and working eyther in the saving or condemning of men although the created spirits namely the Angels may not vnfitly be referred herevnto But providence reacheth further spreading and extending it selfe vnto all the workes of God So that praedestination is as well the iust councell of God in forsaking the reprobate and casting him off into eternall punishment as the voluntary purpose of God in the salvation of the elect to be begun in this life and finished in the life to come Also providence is the eternall counsell of God and such an order and ratified governement in things that are created according to which all things are directed and do fall out to the glory of God and for the profit and salvation of the elect To this his governement even the temptations and sleights of Sathan are held in subiection which are so guided by the most wise God that they still turne to the good of his Saints although his devises are hurtfull in themselves yet God knoweth how to prevent them and to turne them to a contrary event Therefore although the endevours of Sathan are in their owne nature most pernitious yet by Gods direction they become wholesome vnto his children For God is such a workemaister as is able to alter and withdraw the effect from the cause so as the effect by an accident becommeth good and helpfull whose cause was most ill and hurtfull This providence of God although it reach vnto the creation of all things and to the ordering and governement of them yet it chiefely intendeth the counsels and actions of reasonable creatures and is so intentive about them that although they be very much confused and out of order yet it doth most wisely turne and bring them to those ends which from everlasting were foreordayned and appoynted for them So that all those things which God from everlasting by his vnsearchable wisedome did foresee and know before they were those things by his wonderfull and mervailous providence in the instant and moment of time appointed he doth create ordereth them being created maintaineth them being ordered governeth them being mayntayned and in governing them he doth so draw forth the course and line of his providence in this world that nothing can happen or be done in it then that which God from all eternity did fore-ordayne and appoynt All things do so depend and hang vpon this providence and power of God that without it not one action can be done nor one motion be produced in any creature For God is he by whose power and working is brought to passe all in all and that so as without this power and working of God neyther the godly can do that which is good nor the wicked commit that which is evill This providence of God is so ioyned and combined with his foreknowledge that the one of them seemeth as it were to shake hands with the other For what things soever God by this his vnsearchable foreknowledge did from all ages and from everlasting determine to doe those things being created in time he doth by his infinite providence bring vnto those appoynted ends even as he had decreed from everlasting What and how many are the
kindes of praedestination and by what proprieties election which is one of the kindes of praedestination is described which that they might more largely be explaned they are devided into certayne severall Chapters even as they seeme to have most affinity amongst themselves CHAP. 8. SEeing then that praedestination hath two kindes or parts which in their effect and ends do much differ the one from the other to which by reason of their divers obiects and contrary ends one and the selfe same thing can not be attributed nor given vnto them it is behoovefull therefore and necessitie doth require it also that for the more clearenesse and perspicuity sake every of them should be handled severally The order of teaching therefore requireth that in the first place we should speake of the Election and Salvation of the Godly and next of the reiection and destruction of the wicked Election is the eternall free and vnchangeable purpose and good pleasure of Gods Will whereby God hath decreed with himselfe to convert vnto Christ some separated from out of the whole company of Man-kind and in him to save them and through him to give them everlasting Life This Definition as well for the matter of it as the maner and ende we finde expressely set downe in Saint Paul to the Ephesians where the Apostle sayth Cap. 1. vers 4.5 He hath chosen vs in him namely in Christ before the foundations of the worlde that we should bee holy and without blame before him through love who hath predestinated vs into the adoption of children by Iesus Christ vnto himselfe according to the good pleasure of his Will Whereas hee sayth In him that is in Christ he hath chosen vs before the foundations of the world he expressely pointeth at this eternall Counsell for as much as God from all eternitie hath by his determinate Counsell fore-ordayned some men vnto Life eternall Whereas hee sayth In Christ hee sheweth the meanes whereby of vnworthy he made vs worthy to wit that Salvation wholy is gotten and bestowed vpon vs through Christ for he made satisfaction for our sinnes by the sacrifice of his Death and by the power of his Spirite turneth vnto himselfe vs that were gone astray and draweth vs vnto him and grafteth vs into himselfe by a true faith being grafted into him doth mercifully and mightily preserve vs in this life and doth dayly renew and fashion vs more and more according to the Image of God vntill at length wee having put off this flesh and layde aside all other infirmities hee may bring vs into eternall Life Therefore although God hath separated and chosen into the fellowship of Salvation men which in themselves were wholly defiled and most vnworthy from among others to whom in respect of themselves they were every way alike yet by electing them in Christ of most vnworthy hee hath made them most worthy through his worthinesse Whomsoever therefore God hath loved from everlasting those he determined to make deare vnto himselfe in Christ their Redeemer and Saviour As often therefore as in the Scripture there is mention made of the eternall love and election of God so often as concerning the causes of the execution of both there is vnderstood and presupposed Christ the Mediator as the onely ground and sure foundation of them both But that this Definition of Election may the more easily be conceyved and more playnely be vnderstood of every one the Proprieties thereof must orderly be set downe and layd open As for the Proprieties of Election although all of them are not contayned in this short abridgement of the Definition because vsually the Definitions of things are made of more generall words which vnder them contayne the more particular yet all of them are eyther contayned as vnderstood vnder these or doe necessarily follow them in the order of attayning of Salvation and do depend of them like as the Linkes of any Chayne are combined one within an other Here is a most strong Foundation layde for the Fayth of Gods Children for as much as Election and so consequently Salvation that dependeth of it can by no meanes be annihilated and perish because it is stayed grounded on the eternall good pleasure of God CHAP. 9. THe first Propriety therefore of Election is the eternal Decree which was beyond and before all ages in as much as God in his infinite goodnesse did thinke of the Salvation of Mankind before he had created any thing This circumstance of eternal time doth declare that God alone did of himselfe bring to passe the worke of our Salvation according vnto the good pleasure of his will This decree of Election he did only once make before all beginnings which alwayes after remayneth firme for ever and continueth vnchangeable throughout all succeeding ages It is not contrary to this Decree whereas the Prophets say that God yet chooseth Sion and Ierusalem For such an election is the manifestation the continuance and the applying of that heavenly eternal election For God in mans iudgement seemeth then to elect a man when he calleth him blesseth him and maketh him partaker of his Grace And of this Eternity there is often mention made in the holy Scripture that all merits and all other meanes whatsoever to which men are wont to bind attribute their salvation might be wiped out of the number of the causes of salvation that the goodnes of God alone might only be acknowledged honored for the sole cause of our salvation Ephes 1â— So Paul manifestly and in expresse words affirmeth that we were chosen in Christ before the foundations of the world were laid 2. Tim. 1.9 that God hath called vs with an holy calling not according to our works but according to his purpose grace which was given vs in Christ Iesus before the world began By these the like testimonies of scripture are taught that Gods Decree touching our Salvation is no new nor sudden thing but eternall and without any beginning And that God is the onely cause of our Salvation and that he had no regard of our merites or worthinesse because there were none at all for as yet wee our selves were not created As often as there is mention made in the Scriptures of the causes of Salvation wee are called vnto this eternall Election as to the fountayne of Salvation and that for sundry causes These are the especiall causes why God in the matter of our Salvation reduceth vs to his eternall Counsell First that we might know that there is no change in God for if after Sinne committed he had be thought himselfe of compassion towards vs and had taken no care for it before hee might surely seeme changeable as he that willed and appoynted one thing before sinne and another thing after sinne But seeing that God from everlasting hath decreed and ordained Salvation for vs long before sinne was committed hereby is prooved manifestly the setled vnchangeablenesse and continuall constancy of his
lifteth vp such as bee downe but hee which thinketh there is any goodnesse in himselfe striveth agaynst humblenesse of minde and is an enemy vnto the grace of God and is a secret adversary against God and prowdly set against his owne Salvation But Predestination bringeth down a man that it may lift him vp agayne by the grace of God For the least thought of the least goodnesse in man is repugnant against the grace of God Therefore this must first be taken away and driven out that the grace of God may take place Furthermore the Decree of Election is necessary for vs to know for this cause also because that it edifieth and buildeth vp our fayth strongly and surely and maketh vs most certayne that Salvation cannot fayle vs. For there is no better nor fitter meanes for the building vp of our fayth then free Election which doth consist in the eternall and vnchangeable Decree and good pleasure of God so that Salvation which dependeth thereupon cannot be intercepted or taken from vs by any creatures For therefore Salvation is certayne vnmooveable because it is grounded vpon the Counsell of God and is reserved and kept vntouched agaynst all the assaultes and subtilties of Sathan Heere therefore wee ought to know that Salvation proceedeth from two distinct causes First it floweth from the love of God as from an heavenly fountayne and then it is purchased by the blood and merites of Christ Christ ioyneth both these causes together saying God so loved the world Ioh. 3.16 that hee gave his onely begotten Sonne that all which beleeved in him should not perish but have everlasting life Vpon this therefore is our whole Salvation and the vnfallible hope and safety thereof settled and grounded in that God the most Mighty hath given vs vnto his Sonne as his owne proper goods and doth iustifie vs in him and doth not suffer vs beeing iustified Ioh. 10.29 to bee taken out of his hand Hence is the Salvation of the Faythfull stedfast and sure Therefore this doctrine of Election seeing it is the onely gate vnto righteousnes the onely way vnto God and the onely entrance into heaven it is not as some falsely thinke the occasion of desperation the breake-necke of Salvation and as it pleaseth some the deepe pit of perdition neyther is it a subtill and dangerous speculation as others report which tyreth mens minds without any fruite and beguileth and deceyveth them with vayne words but it is a sound and profitable doctrine which tendeth vnto godlinesse and to a serious feare of God and chiefely it is profitable to represse and keepe vnder the pride and arrogancy of man For what thing can more ravish vs with the love and admiration of Gods exceeding great goodnesse towardes vs then Gods free and more then fatherly Election in that of his aboundant grace and mercy he hath appoynted certayne Salvation for vs before we were and stayed not so long till wee came vnto him and desired Salvation of him Was it not a mercie above all mercies in that hee ordayned Salvation for vs which beleeve in Christ and embrace his Gospel before he had created vs Was not this also a singular and inestimable mercie above all mercies in that he hath elected vs in Christ and adopted vs for sonnes which were in our selves altogether wretched and vnworthy and deserved rather to be condemned then to bee saved was it not an honour above all honours in that of the children of wrath hee made vs the children of God and the brethren of Christ Is not this noblenesse above all nobility and dignity above all dignity to have God for our Father to have Christ for our brother and to heare his Church as our mother and to be a true and lively member thereof This doctrine of Election is not onely the chiefe part of the Gospel but also the foundation of the Gospel and the issue and chiefe poynt of our Salvation For Augustine of the Predestination of Saintes Cap. 15. doth expressely teach that Christ himselfe was predestinate that he should be our Head and Redeemer and we were predestinate that we should be his members So that seeing Christ is the chiefe and singular light of Predestination and the same is the Head and Foundation of the whole Gospel Therefore the whole Gospel doth flow and depend from nothing else but from Predestination together with Christ For the whole worke of the Gospel is in this one thing and there it is called Gospel that is ioyfull tidings because it witnesseth vnto men that theyr sinnes are forgiven and pardoned through the death of Christ without any respect had vnto theyr workes that so they might be freely iustified and absolved and delivered from theyr sinnes in the iudgement of God And this iustification proceedeth from Predestination as from the first fountayne of Salvation as Paul in this his chaine doth expressely teach saying that those onely are iustified which are predestinate before of God Therefore free iustification cannot bee helde and maintayned except free predestination be first granted and defended Wherefore seeing that Predestination is the cause and originall of iustification it is in no wise to be concealed or suppressed but ought publikely and openly to be published and preached freely without restraint throughout the whole worlde that this exceeding and infinite goodnesse of God towards men might be made manifest and knowne vnto them that they might learne to distrust themselves and to put their confidence in God that they might seeke for Salvation and finde it not in themselves nor by theyr owne merits but in God and from his goodnesse The Sonne of God himselfe and his holy Apostles and also the Prophets haue taught and stood vpon this doctrine publikely in the whole assembly of the Church The Scripture of both the Testaments is full of this mattter especially the Gospel of saint Iohn is as a cleare glasse wherein Predestination is represented and published abroad For there is no Chapter in that Booke where there is not mention of Predestination eyther in expresse words or in the sence and meaning of it And although there have beene alwayes some from the beginning of the Gospel which perswaded by the allurements and wisedome of the flesh have thought that the doctrine of Predestination should not be openly taught and published abroad because they feared that it would be the occasion and mistresse of desperation or of a dissolute life yet they are in no sort to be beleeved nor followed For the causes which they alledge although at the first sight they may seeme to have some colour or weight yet indeed they do but cast a miste before our eyes and are of no importance For the danger which they feare is vayne and almost none at all For Predestination is the true cause the absolute matter of our greatest hope and sweetest consolation 1. Pet. 1.20 in that God our heavenly Father from eternity hath ordayned his onely begotten Sonne
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
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
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
all sinne and guiltines not to punish him for his sinnes but to love him as deerely as if he had never offended and that for the death of Christ imputed and bestowed vpon him and whom God iustifieth he maketh equall to him which is iust and hath not sinned Therefore no man is iustified by any other meanes then by beleeving by apprehending the mercy of salvation by saith and by applying it vnto himselfe But they which desire to be iustified by workes shall never come vnto righteousnes for it is a thing by all meanes impossible for any man to merit eternall life as a reward So that man is then sayd to be iustified by faith before God when he hath obtayned remission of his sinne not for any worthines of his owne or for his owne merits but for Christ his sake his onely mediator such a one is wiped out of the number of sinners and is esteemed as righteous before God Therefore whomsoever God receiveth into favour for the merit of Christ him doth he account for a righteous man and pronounceth as righteous his sinne and guiltinesse being taken away By this iustification the godly doe attayne three great commodities and benefites First that Christ hath taken away the severe strictnes of the exact perfourmance of the lawe in the attayning of righteousnes Secondly because he hath taken away the curse due for the breach of the lawe Thirdly in that he hath brought vnto them a great and an everlasting freedome so that they neyther can nor ought to be condemned though they have not perfectly nor absolutely fulfilled the lawe By these things heere spoken it is easie to be gathered that iustification is no other thing but the free remission of sinnes for Christ his sake by this remission of sinnes we are cleansed from all our sinnes for this is our purity that our sinnes be not layd to our charge but pardoned freely The Scripture vseth this word clensing in this matter For Iohn sayth playnely 1. Iohn 1.7 that the bloud of Iesus Christ cleanseth vs from all sinne And agayne in the same place a little after he sayth that Christ is faithfull and iust to forgive vs our sinnes 1. Iohn 1.9 and cleanse vs from all iniquitie But lest the doubtfulnes of the word might deceive any man wee must declare the significations thereof First therefore and properly it appertayneth vnto things outward and vncleane which are sayd to be cleansed when the spottes and staynes are washed out and taken away Then by a most fitte resemblance this very same word is translated to inward and spirituall things and so sinnes and wicked actions are most aptly compared or resembled vnto spots and staines with which whosoever are defiled and polluted are filthy and nasty in the sight of God and also odious and abhominable as long as their sinnes are not forgiven them But they are then sayd to be clensed when they are forgiven and pardoned for then are they taken away and remayne nor appeere no more So that they are purged and clensed from their sinnes Psal 32.1 Rom. 4.7.8 2. Cor. 5.19 or said to be clensed from them whose sinnes are forgiven and covered and not imputed vnto them They therefore which beleeve in Christ are righteous before God not because they are without sinne but because their sinnes are forgiven them and not layed vnto their charge This therefore is the onely and chiefe felicity of man that his sinnes are freely and mercifully forgiven him so that God alloweth and accepteth them for righteous to whom he imputeth righteousenes pardoning their sinnes so on the contrary they are guilty and shall be condemned before God whose sinne and iniquity is not pardoned but imputed vnto them and to whomsoever he imputeth righteousenes their sinnes being rased out they reioyce not with fading ioy but are in full possession of the sound ioy of everlasting life and reioyce as if they were caryed into heaven already Now the cause of this iustification is the incredible mercy of God and the merit of Christ Christ ioyneth them both together in S. Iohn Iohn 3.16 saying God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Sonne that whosoever beleeveth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Therefore God of his infinite love towards vs gave vs his Sonne and the Sonne of his vnspeakeable goodnes towards vs set forth his owne body for the price of our redemption and by his pretious bloud satisfied for our sinnes and by satisfying pacified the wrath of God towards the elect and reconciled the elect vnto God Here the word satisfying taken according to divinity is added by a similitude for the better light and vnderstandings sake And the similitude is taken from creditors to whom debtors make no satisfaction but with ready money Now our sinnes whatsoever they are in the phrase of the Siriack toong are called our debts because they make vs debters vnto God for they which sinne owe a punishment vnto God But we as long as we sinne do not pay that which we owe vnto God but do much rather increase our debt and are more and more firmely bound vnto God as vnto our creditor And he that shall take our debts vpon himselfe and shall free vs from the bonds of sinne he is worthily sayd to have satisfied for our sinnes But Christ hath taken from vs the curse of the law sustained and pacified the wrath of God Heere hath he overcome sinne death and the devill together with his Angels who had vs in their power and were most cruell adversaryes of our salvation he overcame them I say and that by his death contrary vnto the custome of all other conquerours which are wont being alive and armed to assayle their adversaryes and to subdue and overcome them by fighting manfully Hebr. 2.14 but he overcame and subdued his enemyes by death and when as he seemed to be overcome and slayne of them then did he conquer them and obteyne the victory He payd our debts for vs which wee were not able to pay he tooke away the hand-writing which was against vs and accused vs of the debt Col. 2.14 and vrged vs to the payment therof and he cancelled it being fastned vnto his crosse Christ therefore overcame all the enemyes of our salvation and led them captive as a conquerour to disgrace them This victory of Christ is a monument of an everlasting satisfaction for vs and is as a pillar set vp in token of victory Therefore the crosse of Christ is as a triumphant chariot in which he doth openly declare himselfe to have subdued and overthrowne all our enemyes Seeing therefore that Christ alone dyed for our sinnes seeing that he alone hath redeemed vs with his bloud and hath made most full satisfaction for vs he is the onely meritorious cause of our salvation For the death of Christ by which he hath satisfyed for vs is so farreforth the onely meritorious cause of our
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
a reward vnto the works of the godly hee doth it not as if the works by theyr worth and dignity deserved any thing but as a good Father he applyeth himselfe to the affections desires of his childrē For he knoweth that men are thus affected that they will take paines for no man freely but that they looke for some reward from him for whom they labour and so that he might make his children diligent and obedient in his service he calleth his owne free gifts and vndeserved benefites bestowed vpon them by the name of a Reward Therefore God setteth the title of a Reward befor his benefites not to that ende to obscure the prayse of his bounty or any way to diminish it but to encourage his children and make them more willing and ready to the sincere study of obedience And so that hee might give them the more encouragement to live innocently he casteth that vpon their workes which is proper to his owne free goodnesse and mercy So that whatsoever God promiseth or performeth vnto the workes of the Sayntes he doth it not for the perfection and worthines of them but because he hath iustified them and perfumed them with the sweete savour of his grace For hee iustifieth theyr workes and cleaseth them from all the spots wherewith they are defiled and polluted So that he giveth a reward vnto them not as they are vnperfect in themselves and do savour of the flesh but because by his grace he doth account them iust and righteous By this it is more cleerely apparant then the light at mid-day that the reward which God promiseth vnto the workes of the godly is not to be referred vnto the merit of man but vnto the benefite of God Therefore whomsoever God pardoneth to those also doth he give and bestow the spirit of holinesse and righteousnesse by which they are cleansed and made studious of good workes Therefore for this cause are the godly and theyr workes wel-pleasing and acceptable vnto God because he doth behold and accept them and theyr works together with his owne gifts of the spirit Agayne hee doth appoynt sure and great rewards vnto his children that so hee might ease and asswage all the troubles all the iniuries and reproaches to which they especially are subiect and with which they are afflicted in this life as in a miserable and sorrowfull exile So that the promise of a reward doth contayne a great measure of the mercy of God and doth exclude all worthinesse of workes Otherwise if God would sift and examine the workes of his children as they are in themselves according vnto the rule of his law surely there could not be found among all mankind one worke though performed of the very best which might seeme worthy of the least reward Here therefore we must neyther dreame of any relation betweene the reward and the merit nor yet of any recompence that should be due vnto vs. Moreover if any mortall man could be found which had most perfectly fulfilled the law in every respect or could fulfill it yet could he deserve nothing for himselfe thereby nor iustly aske any reward at Gods hands for it Luk 17.10 because he hath performed that onely vnto him which by the right of creation he was bound to performe vnto him Wherefore although a man shall doe all thinges which are commanded him yet he is to be counted as an vnprofitable servant because hee hath done but that which he ought to doe cannot interest or intitle himself vnto any thing from God therby So that they are all to be condemned of intollerable pride and extreame arrogancie which say that they that they can deserve any thing at Gods hands for the worthinesse of theyr owne workes For God in this matter hath no respect of any merit and worthinesse of our owne but is altogether a free debter So that vnto the godly which stand faythfully and fight manfully vnder his banners God is made a debter not by receyving any thing of them whereby he should be bound vnto them but by promising them that which pleased him Thus the godly are they which say vnto God Thou art indebted vnto vs because thou hast promised and the wicked are they which say vnto God Thou art indebted vnto vs because we have given vnto thee as Augustine speaketh Serm. 16. col 336. Therefore all good works which the regenerate and the godly doe are not workes that deserve any thing but obedience which is due vnto God by the right of creation and redemption Agayne although the Scripture in some places doe seeme to ascribe salvation and life eternall vnto good workes this is not so to be taken as if they were the true and proper cause of Salvation but because they from whom such works doe proceed are iustified through the merit of Christ and regenerate by the holy Ghost and renewed vnto a diligent care of religion and to the bringing forth of good workes Secondly there is shewed from the effects of Iustification what are the parts and exercises of true and vnfayned religion So the Sonne of God in S. Matthew Cap. 25.35 ascribeth eternall life vnto good works not because those works do deserve life eternall but because they are certayne meanes by which God bringeth his children into the heavenly inheritance So Christ wil teach vs that this heavenly life salvation is appoynted and promised onely vnto them which with a ready and vndaunted spirit give themselves vnto good workes and strive dayly vnto the price of theyr high Calling Thus the Scripture setteth forth true faith by that which followeth namely by good workes and the fruite thereof and sheweth certayne tokens whereby men that are iustified and regenerate may bee discerned Hether appertayne all such like places of Scripture which seeme to attribute Salvation vnto the workes of men So fayth is not defyned by the causes from that which goeth before but is onely described by the effects from that which followeth after Let these thus suffice to be spoken of the second thing Now the third thing remayneth to be handled First here is to be noted that wee reiect not the good workes which God commandeth and the law setteth downe as certayne popish divines with theyr lying lips doe slaunder vs but we admit here a wise and necessary distinction because that they are not to be done to that purpose that by them the iustice of God might be satisfied and Salvation attayned For this were nothing els but to deny the merite of Christ to mocke God and leade men out of the true way to Salvation seeing there is none to be found that can performe perfect workes and agreeable vnto the Law of God So that concerning workes this is the controversie and manifest difference betweene vs and the Papists For they admit and defend workes to bee the causes of grace but wee embrace them as the effectes of grace And they have no ground for theyr opinion but onely