the tempter cast downe our leaues that declared vs to liue and yet shall the roote remaine a liue though it be not seene saith Theophilact Fowlly fell Dauid we all know and felt a feareful change in his hart when he cryed O Lord Let me feele y e comfort of thy Spirit againe yet finally forsakeÌ„ he neuer was nor cast away Notable is the storie of master Robert Glouer in the Acts and Monuments of our Church to show how shrodly a childe of God may be shaken humbled yet all well in time againe Master Glouer to my remembrance hauing receiued sentence to be burned for his faith was in the prison after so bereft of all swéet comfort and féeling of the Spirit in his soule and inwards that he séemed rather to himselfe as it were forsaken then otherwise of God and his grace Diuers godly brethren to whome he made great lamentation for this his dulnesse comforted him with gods promises assuring him in the truth therof y â— it would be otherwise with him in due tyme though thus it pleased God to humble him for a while happely as in déede it was y â— it might be more swéet when it come Say what they all could he receiued no tast of swéetnesse but remained still all dull and heauie dead in himselfe The tyme of his death came he thus voyde of comfort a dolefull and heauie case if we thinke of it The brethren applied him stil with their comfort bad him not feare for as sure as the Lord liued who neuer forsaketh his in their most néede the Spirit would come againe yet ere he died And because they were most sure of it grounding themselues vpon Gods promises which neuer faile therfore they intreated him that when it came he should giue them a signe or by some meanes or other make them acquainted with it both for their comfort present and instruction euer in the like triall He promised that he would and now sée the wonderfull worke of God being taken out of the prison and vpon his way to the place where he must dye sodainly in y â— way came such a streame of swéetnesse into his hart and such a power of the Spirit replenished his soule that he cryed with a loude voyce He is come he is come he is come To the vnspeakeable comfort of the godly brethren that had assured him thereof before the great wonder of them that knew not what be meant Neuer being so heauy in the tyme of his huÌ„bling as now he was ioyfull after this his lightning Tried therfore I say Gods children may be and séeme as forsaken but yet in the ende it is not so my text being true as God is true He that commeth to me I neuer cast away Stand we therefore in the truth of God with assured comfort of our happy end when once we find we are truely come to Jesus Christ by the Fathers giuing Eor whom the Lord loueth to the and he loueth Iesus Christ is yesterday to day the same for euer But O presumption presumption cry some y t neuer knew or else would not haue y t people of God to know what true pietie meaneth Papists I meane who in no case can abide this doctrine being a cutthrote to their purgatorie masses and satisfactorie works all flowing from a fearefull vncertaintie what shall become of vs deuised by theÌ„ to comfort this feareful thought with all Alas beloued is this presumption to giue credit to God when he promiseth yea againe and againe and twentie times promiseth Make the case your owne and suppose that your selues do promise a man either â—aiment or pleasure or some thing or other and the partie resteth vpon the truth of that word assuring himselfe it shal neuer faile but is as sealed with a thousand seales Doth this man offend in presuming or rather yeld you the credit y â— is due vnto you you meaning w t all truth the performance of your word So is this case yea so much better as God excéedeth man in truth of meaning and power to performe what he promiseth God saith I will not cast him away that commeth or I do neuer cast him away If I beléeue this â—o be true doe I presume or performe my dutie in giuing credit to the Lord Nay is not y â— doubting of it a feareful dishonoring of God and detracting from his truth Surely if a man should doubt one of your wordes you will make it and take it a wrong and shall it be no wrong to doubt of God Much more Therefore let these sinfull men delight in their owne discomfort the Lords disgrace till God open their eyes let you and me be of Austens iudgement in this matter Non est ista superbia elati sed câ—â—fessio non ingrati This is not any pride of one puffed vp but a confession of one that is not vnthankfull If any man thinke yet this doctrine of assuraÌ„ce will make men carelesse how they liue I haue answered before this obiection and showed that is neuer so in them that are truely religious and truely taught because they know God hath aswell apointed the way as the ende that is holy life aswell as saluation in heauen And Pietas quae finem nouit non est pietas Pietie that ceaseth was neuer pietie Lastly these words teach vs constancie in loue and affection one towards an other as our Lord and Sauiour is most constant towardes all â—â—at come to him We are to fickle and tickle many of vs to day takeing and to morow forsaking to day louing and to morow lothing without any cause in the world other then our owne naturall corruption soone hott soone colde Such is not our God Sauiour we héere sée who neuer reiecteth whome once he accepteth neuer casteth away who once commeth to him And what better paterne to frame our selues vnto then such an one Such was not Ruth who answered her mother in law that wold haue had her returne and sayd Intreat me not to leaue thee nor to depart from thee For whither thou goest I will go where thou dwellest I will dwell thy people shalbe my people and thy God my GOD. Where thou dyest I will dye and there will I be buryed The Lord do so to me more also if ought but death depart thee and me This was stedfastnesse worthie praise and an example for all to folow that in this behalfe wil be worthie of prayse Such againe was not Traian the Emperour of whome it is written that when Sura Licinius one whome he greatly trusted was accused to him that he was not faithfull but practised trechery against him Traian would not be induced to suspect his faith â—home long he had loued and duely tried but in stede of that frowne with the appurtenances which the accusers looked for went to Sura his house vnbidden tould him he would suppe with him called for Sura
the increase of true faith in them yet the wicked eate drink it vnworthely to their owne damnation and regard not as they ought the Lords bodie What should I saye Is not Christ himselfe our déere and blessed Sauiour good and full of life and saluation to all that beléeue Yet euen this Lambe of God sonne of the most high to these cursed castawaies is a stone to stumble at a rock of offence they being disobedient and euen ordeigned to this thing Finally in a word vnto them that are defiled and vnbeleeuing nothing is pure but euen their mindes and consciences are destled Contrarywise to the godly which are pure all things are pure and euen all things all things I say worke to y â— best to them that loue God Yea saith Austen Ipsa etiam peceata The very sinnes falls of the godly turne vnto their good some way or other though thereby they may not be imboldned to offend Therefore we sée how firme this decrée of God is the wicked cannot be saued turning all things to their wo and the elect cannot finally be cast away reaping through the assisting grace of Gods spirit good from all things that befall them For number and knowledge of God of these his elect and chosen the scripture againe is not silent but telleth vs thus much that the haires of our heads are nuÌ„bered Then certainly our persons God knoweth who be his Then certainly he knoweth the number and the number is certaine Our names are written in the booke of life Therefore we are knowne and the number is certaine He calleth his by their names therefore he knoweth them both who they are and how many With which proofes and many mo that might be named Saint Austen ioyneth when he saith Praedestinatorum ita certus est numerus vt eis nec addatur nec minuatur The number of the elect is so certaine that neither addition can be made vnto them nor diminution from them Lastly the word instructeth euen vs also to knowe and to beléeue this matter in perciculer of our selues For the Spirit shall rebuke the world of sinne saith Saint Ihon because it beléeueth not and what is it to beléeue but in my soule and conscience to be assured that Christ died not onely for others but euen for me and that by his death and passion as well I my selfe my poore body and soule shalbe saued as any others And what is this I pray you but to beléeue that amongst others with others as well as others God hath chosen you to be an heire of his Kingdome Want this faith in your selfe the place I aledged saith the spirit shall rebuke you and as many as want it for sinne because ye do not beléeue this Therefore we are all bound you sée euen by the will of God to beléeue our particuler election predestination he that doubteth or waueretd must be rebuked and is rebuked euen of Gods spirit for so doing Why againe should so much and so many things be spoken of the mercie goodnesse of God as is in y â— scripture but that you I and all flesh should catch hold of it and conclude out of y â— same that to vs particulerly such so euer God wilbe Looke we then at the light of y â— word of God both for election for y â— causes of the same for the firmenesse stabilitie of it for nuÌ„ber knowledge in God in our selues and sée whether these mad men that cannot away with this doctrine of Gods election do not oppose themselues directly plainely against the euidence of Gods holy sacred Scriptures striuing against the streame and kicking against the prick to their fearfull confusion if they leane not The third last thing which I said they oppose themselues against is the swéet vse of this holy doctrine which it yeldeth suÌ„dry waies to as many as rightly with vnderstanding meditate vpon it As first by confirming most strongly this féeble faith of ours against despayre when troubles crosses do euery way beset vs as it were ouerwhelme vs. For truely may it be saide of the afflictions often of the godly as one saide of an other matter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one labour begâ—◠〈◊〉 â—â—her one sorow foloweth an other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—iue godly in Christ 〈…〉 the troubles 〈…〉 But â—eare not litle flock saith our Sauiour Christ for it is your Fathers will to giue you a kingdom as if he should say whatsoeuer befalleth you bitter in this world dispaire not but comfort your selues and soules with this that you are of the flock that is elect chosen for a kingdome which your fathers will is w tout all faile to giue you Reioyce that your names are written in the booke of life that is stay your selues vpon your election euer feare not Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen it is God that iustifieth who shall condemne Who shall seperate vs from the loue of Christ shall tribulation or anguish or persecution or famine or nakednesse or perill or sword No I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angells nor Principalities nor powers nor things preseÌ„t nor things to come nor height nor depth nor ani other creature shalbe able to seperate vs from y â— loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Sed superatis omnibus pro cellis tandem in portu c. But all storms waues of wo being passed ouer well broken of at last in y â— quiet hauen of euerlasting comfort I shall haue my rest for euer euer In a word how can a man dispaire of Gods mercie in due time that findeth his election in the meane time Swéete therefore euer against finall feare is this doctrine Secondly it cooleth and quencheth the proud puffe of sinfull flesh telling vs that be we neuer so mightie neuer so Honorable and high by place and calling in the world yet we were made of the same masse and mould that the poorest man and most wretched caitife to see to in the world was we haue stode before the potter no better matter then he to receiue a choise to such vse and ende as might please him What difference is in vs if any be touching election it hath come by mercy and not from merit therefore no pride but thankes no disdaine of any but humilitie toward all and euer in our selues bewtifieth adorneth vs most He that gloryeth let him glorie in the Lord saith this doctrine of election For fauour in God is the fountaine of our grace whatsoeuer it is that we reioyse in Shall I hoyse sayle and looke bigge vpon others when onely by grace I am that I am It may not be Thirdly it â—â—réth our harts with a féeling of loue in God towards vs that is swéeter then hony or the
suffice for the first point The 2. part Venit ad me Commeth vnto me Venire ad christum est christum fide amplecti locum dare veritati To come vnto Christ is to embrace him by faith to giue place to the truth saith one Quod dedit mihi pater scilicet perpraedestinationem venit ad me s per fidem What the father hath giuen me to wit by predestination that commeth vnto me by faith saith an other as we hard before in the beginning Quid est qui ad me venerit nisiqui se mihi certa fide dederit What is this he that commeth vnto me but he that giueth himselfe vnto me by assured faith saith a third By all which and many mo that I could aledge we sée the sense is thus much as if our Sauiour should haue saide all that the father giueth me by his election to life those come vnto me by faith that is those lay hould of me and embrace me by true beléeuing in me testifie that fayth by fruits of the same dayly as God inableth Which euidently confirmeth that which I sayd before that the cause of election is in God not in man For here we sée beléeuing floweth from gods giuing and not gods giuing from our beléeuing Therefore is true faith called Electorum fides the faith of the elect because it is in none but in them springeth euer from this fountaine As many as were ordained to eternall life beleeued saith the Apostle Making ordayning first and beléeuing second The like doth that golden cheyne testifie in the eight to the Romans and many places mo Sée then beloued in these words giuen to vs by the Lord Jesus our Sauiour himselfe a sure token a true way to know whether we be the children of God or no and stand in a comfortable estate if God should call vs herehence Surely if we be come vnto Christ by a true faith working to holy life then are we sure by Christes owne words who is truth it selfe that we are giuen by the Father that is chosen and elected to eternall life and cannot perish And that the Lorde would haue vs marke this and make a tryall of our selues by it his very spech declareth For he could haue sayde as easily euery one that is elected is giuen vnto me as all y â— is giuen me commeth vnto me but that by the former no light had broken out to vs wheras by the later we haue a most plain signe Looke we then earnestly at this marke sée if we be commers commers a right vnto Christ For Iudas came and that with both lowly louely behauiour out ward but his drift was naught no lesse then treason In the 7. of Ihon some came to Christ but they came to intrap him In this present chap. they came to Christ that by slocks but it was for loâ—ues and not for loue as our sauiour telleth them The Capernaites also both came and saw as others dyd but they beléeued not Many amongst vs come to Church Sermons Lectures as others to the good comfort of men that sée no more then what is without but God knoweth secrets the ende of all mens comming Certaine it is that euerie comming proueth not a giuing of God therefore looke we about 〈◊〉 It is no smal dutie of a Christian man woman to be carefully harted and sharply sighted to sée into themselues how they walke liue and are like to dye when the trée falleth so shall lye till the iudging daye For the spirit often beateth vpon this as a néedefull thing Let vs search trye our wayes saith y â— Prophet Ieremy Proue your selues whether you be in the faith or no saith y â— Apostle with many such like Many haue thought too well of them selues and found it too late Here is a direction before our eyes If we be Gods we are elected so giuen to Christ as men that shall not perish but be saued in him by him eternally This election shall apeare to vs by comming to Christ For all that y â— Father giueth commeth to him sayth this text This comming to Christ is by faith What faith By a true liuely faith And how is that knowne Euer by fruits as fire by heat Here then is y â— point Our fruits show our faith our faith showes our comming to Christ and our comming to Christ in this sort showeth our election by God to eternall lyfe Fruits then are all which what they are this daye in many of vs that proâ—esse the gospell religiously as men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before the maiestie of God the burning brightnesse of his pearcing eyes let vs all consider in the secret soules and consciences of vs. May that fearefull strange and monstrous pryde in aparell that this daye apeareth and eateth vp this lande testifie vnto the soule of any man or woman delighted with it and in it that they are come to Christ did euer any in the world proue his election by this fruit we know â—o We thinke no euen as we sit now and yet we feare not Herod was royally robed and dreadfully perished The rich glutton with his costly purple fine linnen was a castaway And had not vanitie of aparell saith Gregory béene a gréeuous sinne Nunquam sermo dei tam vigilanter exprimiret quod diues qui torquebatur apud inferos bysso purpura indutus fuisset Neuer would the word of God so carefully note that this rich man tormented in hell was in his life time clothed with purple fine linen So saith he else where if pryde in aparell were not most sinnefull neuer would Christ so haue praised Ihons meannesse and plainnesse in aparell or the Apostle haue exhorted women to beware of brodered haire c. By the prophet Sophony the Lord saith He will visit all those that go in strange apparell meaning the courtiers as the marginall note saith which imitated other nations in their apparell If the Lord threaten punishment iudge in a féeling hart how he liketh it Saint Ierom noteth an example of his punishment in a noble woman in those daies who decking and painting vp a yong mayde that was her Neece with Jewells in her haire and such like trimings by and by had both her handes withered and shortly after dyed concluding vpon it Sic gemmas pretiosissima ornamenta Christus defendit So doth Christ defend pretious stones end gaye clothes God forbid all hands in these daies that are busied in such dressing of haire and hanging on of ornameÌ„ts aboue that which is fit should tast of such iudgemeÌ„t yet feare beloued and thinke of this example in the middest of your deckings For God may show his wrath if it please him in a moment Cypryan sayth profitably Tormenta paucorum exempla sunt omnium The punishment of one is an example for all And with the wise
making euen then and at the same houre the fingers of a mans hand write vpon the wall of the palace where the king sat that God had numbred his kingdom and finished it wayed him in the balance and found him to light diuided the kingdome and giuen it to the Medes and Persians euen then I say and at the same houre when he was drinking with his Princes wiues and concubines in the vessels of gold siluer which were taken from the house of God Hath God no mo hands in heauen nor earth at his commaundement to write wrath against such in our daies as itche to haue not onely the vessels of gold and siluer if any poore ones be but land and liuing stone tymber lead and iron and whatsoeuer remaineth at this day a comfort to poore students that haue spent their friends many a pound and an incouragemeÌ„t to learning that was euer yet accompted a blessing in a kingdome Beloued he hath hands thousands and ten thousands thousands if once he beginne And if lack of liuing make lacke of learning as all wise men know it will in time and lacke of learning cause Gods people to wander vpon the mountaines as sheepe without an able shepherd by a due consequence surely he y â— had an aking hart to sée such a sight in the gospell will as verely as he is God make their harts ake one day that are or shalbe sinnefull causers of the same If he smote with so dreadfull a iudgement Ananias and Saphyra his wife for withhoulding part of that church maintainance which by themselues was giuen will he indure for euer them y â— take what they neuer gaue No No and that shall they know when peraduenture it will be too late to be sory for it Did these men sée what my selfe haue seene and diuers yet liuing with me that can witnesse the same as well as I what twitching torments of a wounded conscience what hellish gripes of dispayring feare neuer to sée the face of God but to perish for euer with reprobates and castawaies some haue had for detayning or retayning but a small portion of such maintainance as now is thought the best cheat that can be caught happely it would nay assuredly it would except hell and death had already taken possession abate the lust and aswage the longing that they haue to deuoure the incouragemeÌ„ts of learning that yet remayne vnspoyled in this land But what they haue not séene in others they may féele in theÌ„ selues too soone and sharpe if nothing will perswade them Thou art dead O Shunamit that intreatedst thy husbaÌ„d to build for the prophet a chamber and to furnish it but thy memorie is blessed with God and man a witnesse shalt thou be in the day of iudgement against pullers downe of the houses built by men and women of deuotion and pietie for the prophets and children of the prophets to attayne to learning in till they wer able to serue abroad But I haue else where at large layd downe this fearefull sinne and therefore I will referre any thither that pleaseth to consider further of it Since then none of these fruits amongst vs this day do prooue vnto our consciences that we are come to Christ I trust you thinke adultery and whoredom swearing and forswearing drunkennes ryot oppression and crueltie fraud deceit in buying selling with such like can much lesse do it And these are the workes that most we show foorth How then doe we stand coÌ„cerning our election which is knowen by comming to Christ and our comming to Christ by faith faith by fruits Certainly as yet such men as these haue but colde comfort What then Shall we saye all such as are spotted with these vices are by and by reprobates God forbid For my text doth not say all that y t father giueth me is come vnto me but shall come vnto me to wit in time â—herfore what I haue 〈◊〉 without 〈…〉 vnto vs 〈◊〉 comfort 〈…〉 of the same as yet 〈◊〉 such 〈…〉 Which is cause inough to make vs looke about vs and beware For what true comfort may all the world yelde me if I finde no steps of my election to life in me Yet since y e text is as it is that they shall come not that they are come sée the swéetnesse of it and tast it and take it with you It showeth thus much to vs that there is yet mercie with God and tyme to amend Though hither to vpon such fruits as these neither you nor I nor any flesh liuing can ground any good estate like to insew vs in the world to come but euen the flat contrary yet we may come to day all in tyme by true repentance and showing foorth hereafter fruits of a true and liuing faith that faith shall show our comming to Christ and that comming the fathers giuing and so hereafter we haue comfort of that which as yet by y t true sequele of this text we haue not had A fit oportunitie were here theÌ„ to persuade amendment to all estates if the time were not too farre spent As yet turne and liue As yet turne and show that you were the Lords from euerlasting though straying starting aside for a time and not throughly called As yet brethren giue diligence to make your calling election sure by good fruits Euen such as the Apostle there nameth For if you doe these things saith he you shall neuer fall There being by this meanes an entrance ministred vnto you abundantly vnto the euerlasting kingdome of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ This is comfort that we may yet come let vs not neglect it So cease I further to mooue you in this matter hoping no man to day hearing Gods voyce will harden his hart and persuading himselfe either that he is come when in déede he is not or presuming that he may come when he will though he doe deferre it which in déede he cannot before euer he doe come perish be damned Lastly by this manner of spech shall come certainty of comming is noted first or last though no time limited A great coÌ„fort againe to fathers for their vnreformed children to Pastors for their vnreformed shéepe to all men for their vnruly friends whome they wish well vnto and yet cannot preuaile by perswasion withall Feare not if they be Gods first or last good couÌ„sel shall be folowed and they shall come as this scripture saith Til which time indure their delay with hope And though they offend greatly by prouoking God so long yet yéeld you God honor by beléeuing his word and expecting their calling according to the promise of the same in comfortable patience And let thus much suffice of this second part To wit the comming of such as are giuen The 3. part The intertainment that such as come to Christ shall finde w t him is layd downe in these words Non