elected vs as the Apostle teacheth for the commendation of his glorious grace but if election bee not of â—race then grace deserues not all the praise but we ourselues haue something whereof wee may glory Fiftly let vs consider the iudgement of antiquitie Augustine saith Aâ— he that is Christ 〈◊〉 predestinated to be our head so are weâ— to bee his 〈◊〉 hers Humana hic merita 〈…〉 Leâ— mens meritâ— hâ—â—e 〈◊〉 silent which perished in Adam 〈◊〉 And let the grace of God beâ—â—e the â—way and raigne And againe In one and the same cause one 〈◊〉 forsaken another is taken 〈◊〉 assumitur gratia prâ—stante non merito in mercie and not of merit And againe He hath elected none worthy but by electing him he hath made him worthy It is the grace of God whereby he hath elected me not because I am worthie but because it vouchsafed to make me Videte charissimi See my beloued how that hee doth not elect men good but maketh those to be good whom he hath elected And elsewhere he saith that God loued no other thing in Iacob then his owne free mercy He loued Iacob by his free mercie and hated Esau by his iust iudgement Hierome also speaking of Iacob and Esau saith that the election of the one and the reiection of the other doth not demonstate their merits but the will of the Elector and reiector and further also confesseth that it is in the power and will of God to elect or reiect a man without good or euill workes Angelome also saith that Christ hath predestinated some to eternal libertie quickning them by his gracious mercie Finally this trueth will appeare if wee shall remooue the false causes which might seeme to perswade God to chuse vs for his people First therefore we are not elected for foreseene 〈◊〉 as these arguments ensuing will sufficiently prooue vnto vs. First God is the primarie and principall authour of all his actions Now the supreame and first ground or author depends of no externall ground or beginner But God should depend of an externall ground if hee could not elect whom he would vnlesse faith did mooue him Secondly euery cause is before the effect now Faith is alter Election as the Holy Ghost sheweth when hee sayth So many as were ordained to eternall life beleeued It was well sayd of one Christ first apprehends vs and this apprehension of his workes in vs the apprehension of faith whereby we lay hold vppon him Faith is a meane which tends to the end wherunto the elect are ordained Wherefore seeing that Election must needs be before the end it must also bee before Faith which is a meane leading to the end Thirdly faith is not the cause of vocation and iustification moouing God to call and iustifie therfore it is no impulsiue cause of election For â—he cause of the cause is the cause of the thing caused If faith then were the cause of Election it should be also the cause of vocation which is an effect thereof But it is not so as the Apostle teacheth Tit. 5. â— Lastly the Scripture no where saith that we are elected for fore-seen faith What reason then haue wee to beleeue it Wee conclude therefore that wee are not elected for faith and with Iustine Martiâ— wee call those blest Qui sunt praesciti vt crederent Which are fore-knowne that they should beleeue And we say according to Augustine that those are elected Non qui eliguntur quia crediderunt sed quâ— eliguntur vt credant which are elected to beleeue not because they haue beleeued I haue obtained mercie saith Paul that I should bee faithfull Non quia fidelis â—ram not because I was faithfull as Augustine speaketh Secondly we are not elected for any fore-seene workes For first the Apostle excludes all workes from being the causes either of election or of reprobation Rom. 9.11 12. And teacheth that Election is not in him that runneth that is it is not to be attributed to his industrie or indeauours Secondly good workes can merite nothing of God because he is the author of them and they are due vnto him and are not equiualent and proportionable to his grace Thirdly we are elected that we should be holy and should doe good works therefore it were absurde to imagine that good workes did mooue God to elect vs. Hierome saith The Apostle saith not he hath elected vs Cum essemus sancti wheÌ„ we were holy sed vt essemus but that we should be holy And Augustine saith The election of grace doth not onely preuent or go before mens works but before faith whence all good works do flow Thirdly Election is not made for the wil of maÌ„ or for that maÌ„ would it For the Apostle painely professeth that it is not in him that willeth but in God which sheweth mercie By will is meant the cogitation desire or endeuour of our minde which the holy Ghost excludeth from Election Secondly the will of man is not eternall and therefore cannot be the cause of eternall election For the efficient cause must goe before the effect in time or at least in nature But the will of man is not in nature before Gods election much lesse then in time Lastly if we were elected for our owne will many grosse absurdities would ensue First the grace of God should bee subiect to mens wills as Prosper affirmeth that is the grace of Election should be inferiour to the will of man as the effect is to the cause the will of man should bee more excellent then the grace of God Secondly it were as Prosper saith to make the beginning of saluation to bee in him that is saued Thirdly it were in mans power to be either an elect or a reprobate if he would Fourthly all certaintie of Election would be taken away seeing the will of man is instable and vncertaine Fiftly election would be casuall as depending vppon the will of man which is mutable and so God should be made an Idol of Fortune that is he should chuse if man would and not chuse if man would not We conclude therefore that the will of man is not the efficient cause of Election Fourthly God doth not elect any man for his birth or beauty or for any prerogatiue or excellencie in his person For God is no accepter of persons and these things are not before Election but come after it Secondly that which Moses saith of the generall election of all the Isralites may bee as truely sayd of the speciall election of all true Isralites that God hath not chosen them for their multitude but of his own loue nor for any dignitie in them but of his owne meere mercie We see God respected not the eldership of Cain but choose Abell hee regarded not the riches of Nâ—bal the wisedome of Achitophel the beauty of Absolom the comlinesse of Saul the princely blood of Iezebel
represent the whole realme in the Parliament euen so did Adam represent the person of his whole posteritie Whatsoeuer he receiued of God he receiued it for himselfe and for all his progeny and what he lost he likewise lost for himselfe and for them all as wee see a man by high treason doth taint his blood and disgrace his posteritie Iustine saith By sinning Adam made his posteritie obnoxious vnto death made them vniuerso All guiltie of his first offence The Lord saith Gregorie did so make Adam as that he might procreate children without sinne if hee continued in the obedience of his Creator but because the soule of man refused to obey her Lord the procreation of children is in sinne Wee see now that Creation is a meane of the execution of Gods election For a man must first be before he can be saued Yet it is no speciall or peculiar meanes For all that are created shall not be saued some shall be damned All men saith Prosper are of God created but of this vniuersalitie or companie some are to bee damned with the Diuell others shall raigne with Christ The Permission of the fall is that whereby God suffred Adam and his sonnes to reuolt fall into sinne and did not hinder the fall which he could haue done if it had so pleased him But hee would not hinder it because such was his pleasure for certaine causes best knowne vnto himselfe In the meane let no man thinke that God was iniurious For 1. he was not indebted to vs to confirme vs by his grace to keepe vs from declining 2. this fall was by God permitted for the greater benefit of all his Elect. For their glory procured by Christ which had neuer been if man had neuer fallen doth farre surpasse the glorie which was giuen them in their creation Great are the euils saith Gregorie which wee suffer by reason of that first offence but what faithfull man would not indure greater rather then want so great a Redeemer Thirdly though God not bound to let did permit this fall yet it is not to be ascribed vnto him as to the cause thereof For hee did not incline his heart to sinne hee did not infuse the least corruption into his soule neither did hee with-draw any grace before inspired into him but hee fell by his free-will through his owne default at the perswasion and suggestion of the Diuell Tertullian saith truely As God brought man into the state of life so man brought himselfe into the state of death The beginning and root of sinne is in our selues saith Basil It cannot be saith Austen that hee which raiseth vs from sinne should make vs fall into sinne Thou art not a God saith Dauid that loueth wickednes neither shal euil dwel with thee Man therefore as Fulgentius saith hath the cause of his iniquitie in his owne proper will not froÌ„ Gods predestination If any man decline from iustice and pietie he runnes head-long of his owne will hee is drawne by his owne concupiscence he is beguiled through his perswasion Nihil iâ—i Pater the father hath no oare in this boat the Sonne is no agent of this sinne the holy Ghost is no worker of this wickednesse And though we should say that God willed that reuolt yet we must know that God did not will it positiue so as to produce effect or giue being to it but negatiuè desereâ—do because his will was to leaue Adam to himselfe and not to preserue him from reuolting that he might bee prooued by temptation and that it might appeare what the creature is able to doe when the Creator shall with-draw the staffe of his grace and cease to support Therefore we conclude with Clemens That the fault of mans chusing of that which was forbidden is not to be transferred or ascribed vnto God Thus we see the second meanes of the Execution of Election Which is a very necessary meane For if a man had not fallen then had there been no place for vocation iustification by Christ and sanctification by the Spirit But though this meane is necessarie yet it is not appropriated to Election because then all that fell should be restored But as Ambrose saith Liberatur parâ— hominum parte pereunte as some are deliuered so some are destroyed The wicked saith Iob are kept vnto the day of destruction The righteous onely shall be saued CHAP. IIII. What effectuall Calling is the parts causes effects subiects place time maner properties and signes of it are declared THvs much concerning the common meanes seruing for the execution of Gods Election The speciall are these three Effectuall Vocaâ—ion Iustification and Glorification that is as Trelcarius saith The gracious beginning proceeding and the glorious accomplishing and consummation of the blessings of God For the first Effectuall vocation or calling is an action of God translating men from the kingdom of darkenesse to his owne Kingdome And it is two-foldeâ— Extraordinary and Ordinary Extraordinary vocation is an immediate and speciall worke of the Spirit whereby without outward meanes hee smiteth the heart and inwardly speaketh to the soule and by the infusion of grace doth make the heart to answere his call and drawe neere vnto him This calling without the ministerie of the word is very rare and vnusuall But the Lord that is aboue meanes is not tyed to meanes but can worke without meanes when it pleaseth his Maiestie so to doe Effectuall vocation which is ordinary is that Whereby God calleth out of darkenesse into his marueilous light from the power of Sathan vnto God those whom he knew from eternitie and predestinated vnto life of his meere fauour by the promulgation of the couenant of grace or preaching of the Gospell Or It is when grace is not onely offered but giuen also by God through the effectuall working of his Spirit in our heartes which is the beginning of grace in vs hee himselfe laying the first foundation of it by giuing power to receiue the word to mingle it with faith and to bring foorth the fruites of new obedience This ordinary effectuall calling hath two parts Inuitement and Admission Inuitement is when God offers remission of sinnes and life euerlasting to them that beleeue Outwardly by the preaching of the Gospell Inwardly by the inspiration of heauenly desires Admission is when men are entred into the kingdome of grace and it is either outward or inward Outward admission is made in Baptisme Inward admission is when men are taken out of old Adam and by faith ingraffed in to Christ For by this insition into Christ men are made reall members of Gods kingdome Haec ille For the better conceiuing and vnderstanding of this Calling these points ensuing are worthy our consideration The efficient cause of effectuall Calling is Almightie God By him we are called vnto the fellowship of his Sonne He hath called vs vvith an holy calling
truely though not so firmely as the hand that is whole and sound And further this sauing faith is the onely hand whereby wee doe receiue Christ and his merites No man is iustified by the workes of the Law but by the faith of Iesus Christ Basil saith This is to glorie in the Lord when a man doth not boast of his ovvne righteousnesse but doth acknowledge that hee is destitute of true righteousnes that he is iustified by faith alone in Christ Chrisostom saith Without faith no man hath obtained life but I am able to shew that a faithfull man both liued and obtained the kingdom of heauen without workes For the thiefe did onely beleeue and was iustified It was well said by Roffensis Fides faeta bonis operibus iustificat ante partum Faith being bigge with good works doth iustifie a man before it bring them forth For as S. Augustine saith Good works doe not goe before him that is to be iustified but follow him that iâ— already iustified And though good workes must neuer bee seuered from faith in the person iustified yet they must be sundred in the act of iustification Though the eie bee not alone yet it sees alone and though the head consult inuent alone yet it is not alone but ioyned to the body so though faith be not alone in the faithfull man yet it alone doth iustifie And thus wee see how to esteeme of faith the Sacraments and the Ministers of God alwaies remembring to ascribe our iustification vnto God Father Sonne and Holy Ghost as the proper and principall efficient thereof as the Scriptures teach vs and confessing with Primasius that God doth iustifie the wicked per solam fidem by faith alone and not by workes The internall impulsiue cause of Iustification which mooueth God to iustifie vs is his grace and meere beneuolence and not our works past present or to come how glorious so euer Paul saith we are iustified freely by his grace And Augustine saith that it is the ineffable grace â—f God that hee which is guilty should be iustified Because all men are shut vp vnder sinne the saluation of man as Anselme saith doth not now consist in the merits of men but in the mercie of God Yea Bellarmine himselfe ingeniously confesseth that by reason of the vncertenty of our owne righteousnesse and the danger of vaine glory Iutissimum est it is the safest course to repose our fiduciam Whole confidence in solu Deâ— misericordia in the Sole mercie and goodnesse of God Now then we must not imagine that this grace of God is procured by our workes but that it doth proceed freely from the Lord. No merit of man saith Anselme doth goe before the grace of God Thou hast done no good saith Augustine and yet remission of sinnes is giuen thee Let thy works be marked and they are found euill If God should reward those workes according to their due he should condemne them But God doth not giue thee the punishment that is due but giues thee grace which is not due And againe he saith The grace without which neither Infants nor men of yeares can be saued is not payed by deserts but giuen without desert and thereupon is called grace The externall impulsiue cause or meritorious efficient of our iustification is not our owne workes virtues or obedience First because they bee the Lords due by vertue of many bonds When we haue done all that is biddeÌ„ vs we haue done but our due no more then wee were bound to due Now shall wee thinke that the discharging of one duetie can satisfie Gods iustice for the omission of many dueties and the commission of many faults Secondly all our righteousnesse is as a stained cloth Gregorie saith All mâ—ns righteousnâ—s iâ— found to be vnrighteousnes â—f God strictly iudge it Our very iustice being brought to the rule of Gods iustice is iniustice that stinketh in the sâ—uerity of the Iudge which shineth in the estimation of the Worker And albeit our good works are perfit in respect of the Spirit from whom thee first flow yet are they polluted when they passe from vs because they ruÌ„ through our corrupted hearts and wils as faire water which runnes through a dirty channell Shall wee now say that our perfect righteousnesse can merit any thing of that righteous Iudge before whose iustice nothing polluted can stand vncondemned Wo vnto the laudable life of men sath Aâ—gustine if God should examine it and lay aside his mercie Thirdly our best actions are not answerable to the benefits of iustification But in reason hee which meanes to merit any thing must bring that which is equal to that which hee seekes to merit fourthly he that wil merit of another must not thinke to merit of him vnâ—esse he bring some thing of his owne to merit with and not that which is his of whom hee doth intend to merit But all our vertues our Faith and good workes are Gods so farre as they bee good and not ours For what haue we which wee haue not receiued Without me saith Christ Ye can dâ—e nothing Of our selues we are not able to thinke one good thought When we eâ—ther beleeue or worke though that faith be ours and albeit the workes â—e ours yet when we haue them we haue them not of our selues but they are giuâ—n of God Whatsoeuer saith Augustine Cornelius wrought well Totum Dâ—o dandam est it must all be ascribed vnto God lest any maÌ„ happily should exalt himself Therfore it is absurde to think we merit any thing by good deedes Fiftly good workes in nature follow Iuâ—tification Augustine saith Iustification goes before the doers of the law Mâ—â— being iustified by beleeuing begin afâ—erwards to liue righteously And Saint Paul saith that God doth iustifie the Vngodly By which then it is plainâ— that no man is iustified for his works Finally wee haue the sentence of the Scriptures with vs and the iudgement of the auncient Church Wee haue beleeued in Iesus Christ saith Paul that we might be iustified by the faith of Christ and not by the workes of the lame because that by the workes of the law no flesh shall be iustified God both saued vs not according to the workes of righteousnesse which we haue done but according to his mercie Ambrose saith Let no man glorie in works because no man is iustified by his works Augustine faith The vngodly is iustified by faith without the merits of good workes Primasius saith It is Gods purpose to iustifie the wicked by faith alone without the workes of the law or any other merits of ours whatsoeuer Hâ—miniâ— iustitia indulgentia Deâ— Gods pardon saith Bernard is mans righteousnesse My merit saith hee is Gods mercie Wee conclude therefore saying with Ambroâ—e Wee are not iustified by works but by faith because fleshly 〈◊〉 is an impedimeÌ„t to
borne of God and knoweth God Fourthly All that is borne of God ouercommeth this world that is saith M. Beza whatsoeuer striueth against the commandements of God Wherefore if a man vanquish the vanities the vaine alluâ—ements and allurâ—ing enchanâ—ments and wicked obstacles of the world and keepe a constant course in pittie he is vndoubtedly the true childe of God and a verie Saint Fiftly He that is begotten of GOD keepeth himselfe and that wicked one toucheth him not When a man then doth keep continuall watch and ward ouer his heart and is circumspect in his walking begiâ—ds himselfe with the armour of God and is fearefull to offend him he doth giue an vndoubted testimonie of sauing grace within him Sixtly when a man will rather forsake the world then God hee doth plainely shew that hee is not of the world but belongs to God and to his kingdome Seuenthly to grieue for sin because it offends God and hurts his owne soule is a notable signe of a mortified heart Eightly a sanctified man doth manifest the grace of his heart by sanctifying the name of God and by conuersing with sanctified men as also by seeking the sanctification of others For bonum est sui diffusiuum a good man doth loue to communicate his goodnes and not to keepe it lockt vp in his owne breast Ninthly it is an infallible signe of holinesse when a man doth more and more â—ontend against his owne vnholinesse and labours continually to draw nearer and nearer vnto God by holynesse Lastly to feele our inward corruptions a desiâ—e to beâ—â—bâ—◠〈◊〉 â—hem an auoiding of the occasions oâ— sinne and an anger against ourselues for our sinning doe euidently shew that the Spirit of God hath taken possession of our hearts and hath begun to worke a most happy change wâ—thin vs. Where these graces are there iâ— also the God of grace the Spirit of grace a man of grace a true dying vnto sin and a liuing vnto God sinne is dismounted the sinner is renewed for Gods image is restored CHAP. 7. Three things vvherein Iustification and Sanctification agree Seuen points in vvhich they dissagree BY this which hath beene said we may easily see wherein Iustification sanctification concord and differ They agree first in their efficient cause for God is the author of them both through the merit of Christ Secondly they haue one instrumeÌ„tall cause vvhich is faithâ— of the former by receiuing it and of the latter by effecting it Thirdly they agree in their scope and end For they both 〈◊〉 tend to one end 〈◊〉 iustification as the cause and sanctification as the way Now as they doe accord in some things so they discord againe in other their difference may appeare in these things ensuing First in that iustification is out of a man sanctification is within him Secondly iustification absolueth a sinner and makes him stand righteous at the barre of Gods iudgement sanctification cannot do this Thirdly iustification brings peace of conscience so doth not sanctification but followeth that peace Hac ille Fourthly iustification consists in the imputation of righteousnes sanctification in the infusion of righteousnes Fiftly iustification is acted at once sanctification is done by degrees holinesse is not made vp at once like a pellet in a mould but successiuelie at leisure Wee are neither perfect men nor perfect new men in our full dimensions so soone as we are borne Our perfection in this life consisteth rather in the pardon of sin then in the perfection of sanctity But iustification in this life is perfect Sixtly they differ in respect of the maner in which they are wrought For iustification is wrought by the right of donation but sanctification is by the way of alteration Lastly they differ in regard of durance For Iustification shall haue an end with this life but sanctification shall continue for euer And thus much for Sanctification the first part of our Glorification CHAP. VIII What Eternall life is The causes of it Three effects of it Who shall liue this life where and when Seuen properties of it Two signes thereof are expressed and the tractate is concluded THE second part oâ— degree of Glorification actiuely taken is the collation of eternall happines in the world to come This happinesse is that glorious estate of Gods saints which is prepared for them in the heauens and it is called Eternall life Eternall life as Vrsinus doth describe it is the eternall being of a Regenerate and glorified man vvhich being is to haue the image of God restored according to which man vvas at the first created that is to bee indued vvith perfect righteousnesse wisdome and felicitie or vvith the true knovvledge and loue of God â—â—â—ed vvith eternall ioy Or mâ—re â—â—â—fly It is a perfect conformitie of man with God consisting in â—â—e true and perfect knowledge and loue of God and in the glorie of both soule and bodie The primarie efficient cause of this glorious condition is God of hiâ— â—â—â—re fauour without any merit of ours For as Christ teacheth it is our Fathers good pleasure to giue vs the kingdome We are saued saith Pâ—â—â—â— by grace not according to the vvorkes of righteousnesse vvhich vve had done but according to his mercie he saued vs. The meritoriâ—us Efficient of our life and happinesse is Christ alone without any personall desert of ours Therefore he is called the Life And the Apostle doth expresse it notably when he saith that the Wages of sinne is death but euerlasting life is the gracious gift Charisma of God through Iesus Christ our Lord. Bernard saith No man can deserue eternall life by his merits Eternall life saith Haymo is paied to none of debt but is giuen of free mercie When aâ— saith Anselme the Apostle might haue said euerlasting life is the vvages he chose to say but euerlasting life is the gift of God that vve might hereby perceiue that God doth bring vs to eternall life not for our merits but for his ovvne mercie We must therefore ascribe all to the mercie of God and to the merit of our Sauiour Let vs not saith Gregorie trust in our vveepings nor in our vvorks but in the allegation or intercession and pleading of our Aduocate And again Not relying vpon my merits I doe beseech thee to saue me but presuming vpon thy sole mercie I hope to obtaine that which I do not by my merits And albeit eternall life be called a Revvard yet it is not of merit but of mercie not causallie as procured by them but consequentlie following theÌ„ as a recompence of our labours Let this saith Caluin be grounded in our heart that the kingdome of heauen is not a stipend of seruants but an inheritance of sonnes which they onelie shal obtain which are adopted of God to be sons for no other cause then for this adoption which depends only of the mercie of God
work and with Primatius God doth iustifie the vngodly but not by works which â—e wanteth For if he should iustifie him according to workes he must be punished and not deliuered The externall moâ—â—er then and meritorious efficient of our Iustification is Christ by his obedience For God made him to be sinne for vs who knew no sinne that â—e should be made the rightousnesse of God in him Wee are iustified through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus whom God hath set foorth to bee a reconciliation through faith in his blood Augustine saith Christ alone hath 〈…〉 the punishment for vs without his 〈◊〉 demerits that we might obtaine grace by him without good merits Christ saith Basill is true righteousnesse vvho is made vnto vs of God righteousnesse vvisdom sanctification and redemption As the 〈◊〉 couered the dike and the Decalogue so he couereth 〈◊〉 sinne and hee hides our bodies and soules from the furious indignation and vengeance of God Now the obedience of Christ is two-fold actiue and passiue The former stands in his perfite fulfilling of the Law the latter is contained in his passion both in life and death By the passion of Christ our sinnes are remitted Therefore Peter saâ—th that he bare our sinnes vpon the Crosse And Iohn likewise saith that he washed vâ— from our sinnes in his blood And long before them the Prophet Esay saith that he was vvounded for our transgressions and by his stripes we are healed Remission of sins saith Chrysostome is on the blood of Christ His death saith Amâ—â—ose is the iustification of sinners By it gods iustice is fully satisfied his wrath is appealed and â—ll punishments temporall and eternall deserued by sin are quite remoued By his fulfilling of the Law we are reputed and esteemed righteous For Christ is the end of the Law for righteousnes vnto euerie one that beleeueth â—e was made vnto vs of God righteousnes By the obedience of this one maniâ— shall be made righteous Lord saith Bernard I will remember thy righteousnes onely for that is also mine For thou art made vnto me righteousnes of God Now this his righteousnesse is not ours but his originally is made ours by Gods tree imputation It is imputed to vs by God accounted ours Christ being our Suretie and standing in our stead and so appropriated to vs as if we had performed it in our owne persons Bernard saith that the righteousnesse of Christ is imputed to vs. And againe the iustice of another is assigned vnto man because he wanted his owne The satisfaction of one is imputed vnto all And no maÌ„ must thinke it strange that the obedience of Christ could satisfie for the disobedience of all the Elect make them to bee reputed righteous with God For in that it was the obedience of God that is of that holy man who was true God it was of endlesse merit of inualuable value with the Lord. The perfection and merit of this obedience comes from the dignity of his person that did obey And though iustification bee through Christ yet God may bee sayed to iustify freely because it comes freely to vs wee doe nothing for it and because also it was his free loue which moued him to send his sonne to suffer for our sins and to fulfil the Law fully for vs. Neither must any man imagine that Christ did not fulfill the Law for vs but for himselfe onely and consequently that his actiue obedience is not imputed to vs. For Christ is not onely our redemption but he is also the perfection of the Lawe for vs that beleeue in him Whereupon it is that Ambrose saith He hath the perfection of the Law who beleeueth in Christ Moreouer Whole Christ is giuen vnto vs with his benefits Otherwise if his Passiue obedience were onely imputed to vs it would follow that haâ—fe Christ were onely giuen vs Patientem non Agentem to wit as he is a Patient and not an Agent or dooer of those things which are pleasing to his Father and auferentem peccatâ— onely as he takes away sin and death and not affâ—rentem iustitiam bringing righteousnes But he was not borne for himselfe but for vs and was giuen vnto vs that hee might both doe for vs the things that were to be done and suffer the things which were to be suffered Againe Christ as man fulfilled the Lawe for himselfe that hee might be in both natures an holy high Priest so continue Neuerthelesse as Mediatour God and Man hee became subiect to the Law and in this regard he did not fulfill tâ—â— Lawe for himselfe neither was he bound so to doe Neither must this seeme strange to any that the Law should both exact obedience and the penalty too For howsoeuer in the state of innocency the Law threatned the penaltie and onely exacted obedience yet since the fall it doth both exact obedience the punishment The threatning of the Law exacts the punishment the precepts exact obedience And albeit Christ hath kept the Law fully for vs yet none must from thence conclude that therefore we are not bound to keepe the Law â—hat saith one which Christ did we are not bound to doe for the same end and in the same maner Now he fulfilled the law in way of redemption and satisfaction for vs and so doe not we fulfill the Law but onely in the way of thankefulnesse for our redemption And though we be bound to obey the Lawe yet wee must not thinke that God will reiect our obedience for the weakenes of it as hee would haue reiected Christs if his had beene imperfect For he was our Mediatour and therefore his obedience was of necessitie to be most perfect or else Gods iustice had not been satisfied and so we had perished and besides all our imperfections and defects whatsoeuer are couered with his perfection as with a vaile and so our weake obedience is accepted and not contemned Finally for our comfort we must know that if we respect the Trueth of that righteousnes which is imputed to vs weare accounted as truly righteous before God as Christ himselfe is but if we regard the quantity and subiect Christ is more iust theÌ„ we Because he is originally and actually righteous but we by imputation he is subiectiuely iust and by inherency but we by application relation in him and vnto him And yet we must not therefore thinke our selues to be redeemers For his obedience is imputed to vs onely for our owne redemption and not as it is the price of redemption for all the Elect. As for example Christs righteousnes is imputed to Peter not as it is the price of redemption for All but as it is the price of redemption for Peter And so much for the efficient causes of our Iustification The matter of iustification according as are the parts thereof is twofold Remission of
sins and Gods accepting of vs as righteous men Remission of sins is a gracious act of God whereby for the merit and satisfaction of Christ he doth perfectly forgiue both the fault and punishment Therefore Paul saith that by him wee haue redemption through hiâ— blood euen the forgiuenes of sinnes according to his rich grace and that there is no condemnation to theÌ„ that are in Christ Iesus who hath by himself purged our sins and by whom the Father hath reconâ—iled vâ— vnto himselfe Now it were absurd to thinke that the punishment is retâ—ined when the sin is remitted For if the proper cause bee defaced then the effect thereof must needs be also abolished If the bodie bee remoued the shadow thereof remaines not So if sin bee pardoned the punishment is remitted As for the crosses which the faithfull suffer they are to bee reputed curses or penalties of vengeance inflicted of God as of an ireful direful Iudge but they are to be esteemed onely as tryals or as punishmeÌ„t of castigatioÌ„ imposed of god as a louing father desiring the welfare weldoing of his childreÌ„ As many as I loue saith the Lord I rebuke chasten He scourgeth euerie sonne vvhich he receiueth If therefore ye be vvithout correction whereof all are partakers then are ye bastards and not sonnes Novv no chastening for the present seemeth to bee 〈◊〉 but grieuous yet afterward it bringeth the 〈◊〉 fruit of righteousnes vnto theÌ„ which are thereby exercised The Lord tries vs by afflictions as gold is tried in the furnace with fire He keeps vs by the crosse within our limits as water is held in with bankes And with the thorny hedge of troubles vexations hee keepes vs within our owne walkes and pastures being by nature giuen to break out and stray Therefore Dauid saith Before I was afflicted I went astray but now I keepe thy word it is good for mee that I haue beene afflicted that I may learne thy statutes Blessed is the man whom thou chastisest For it is certaine God scoureth away the infirmities of his Saincts by many afflictions It is the Lord which sendeth crosses to his children to saue theÌ„ that they freese not with the wicked world in their dregs For this end saith Cyprian the Lord rebuketh that hee might amend vs to this end he mends that he might saue vs. Augustine saith that sorrowes before pardon of sins are the punishments of sinners but after pardon they are the trials and exercises of iust men And so for death it selfe the sting and strength thereof which is sin is abolished by the death of Christ vpon the crosse therefore is to bee reputed but as a triall or chastisement whereby the Lord doth teach vs humilitie and the flight of sinne and doth exercise and proue our faith fortitude and patience And though in respect of sinne it be the entrance of Hell yet through the death of Christ it is become the gate of heauen and as Cyprian speaketh Ianua vitae the dore of life It doth as it were conuey vs out of the wildernes into Canaan out of a troublesome Sea into a quiet hauen and out of earth into heauen from woe to weale and from men to God yea it becomes the death of sinne that first gaue life to it We conclude therefore this truth with Vrsinus saying God doth not hate vs neither hath he a will to punish vs for those sins for which Christ hath sufficiently satisfied in whom also we haue remission of those sins of omission and all other our sins so that by his onely merit we are reputed righteous before God The second part of Iustification is Gods gracious acceptation wherby he doth for the merit of Christs actiue obedience by faith receiued of vs account vs iust and pure and honours vs with the crowne of life And in this respect we may truely be sayed to be iust perfect and holie men because we stand clothed with the most perfect righteousnes of Christ which is reputed ours in which appearing before our heauenly father wee doe receiue a blessing as Iacob did of Isaack hauing on his elder brothers garmeÌ„ts Neither must it seeme strange vnto vs that we should be accepted righteous for the righteousnes of an other For albeit this righteousnesse be Christs primarily and by way of inherence yet it is ours by Gods donation and by the application of faith As the paiment of our debt is another mans so farre forth as it is discharged by him but it is our payment as it is imputed to vs. Aquinas saith well The head and the member is as one mysticall person and therefore the satisfaction of Christ pertaineth to all the faithfull as to his members The forme or formall cause of Iustification is not faith loue nor any other vertue neither is it an infused quality or habituall sanctity inherent in vs. For this were to confound iustification and sanctification which are very different acts as wee shall hereafter shew But the righteousnesse of Christ imputed considered as it is imputed of God is the forme of iustification Or the proper and onely true forme of iustification is the free imputation of the righteousnes of Christ by which the merit and obedience of Christ are applied to vs by vertue of that neare communion whereby he is in vs and we in him Now God is said to impute the righteousnes of Christ vnto a man when hee doth adiudge decree and giue it to him and account and reckon it as his owne and for the merit and worthines of it doth pardon acquite him and repute him righteous O sweete exchange saith Iustin Martyr O vnsearchable vvorkemanship O benefits surpassing all expectation that the iniquity of manie should be couered in one iust person and that the iustice of one should make manie that are vniust to be reputed iust If one saith Bernard did die for all then all died to wit that the satisfaction of one might be imputed vnto all as that one bare the sins of all Now Christ bare our sins and was made sin for vs not as if our sins had beene infused into him and had beene inherent and inhabitants in him but because they were imputed to him and reputed his as if they had beene committed by him he supplying our place as our Surety and Mediator euen so his righteousnes is made ours not as though it were infused or translated into vs as a thing inherent and inhabiting in vs but because it is reputed ours and imputed freely to vs as if wee our selues had wrought it in our owne persons And of this opinion was S. Augustine We are the righteousnes of God in him as he is sin in vs to vvit by imputation With whom consenteth Vrsinus the imputation of the righteousnes of Christ is not the transfusion of righteousnes or of qualities into vs but the absolution from sins in the iudgement
men in making choise of whom hee list to bee his vessels of honour and temples for his Spirit to inhabit And finally it teacheth vs to loue our brethren who are elected by the same God and for the same ends that we our selues are Fourthly Ministers are by Pauls example bound to teach their people the whole counsell of God and to keepe backe nothing which is commodious therefore they must teach them this doctrine Lastly Ministers must not suppresse or keepe backe that which is reuealed but rather proclaime and diuulge it For things reuealed as this is belong to vs and to our children for euer as Moses writeth Yea they ought to do it the more diligently that they may preserue them froÌ„ those infectious errors which many turbulent and erroneous spirits doe publish to the world and stay them from abusing this so holy a doctrine as many doe to licentious luxurious liuing The iudgement of Caluin is worthy to bee embraced who saith We shall neuer be throughly perswaded that our saluation â—oth flow from the Fountaine of Gods free mercie vntill we bee acquainted with his eternall Election The Scripture is the Schoole of the holy Ghost wherein as nothing is omitted necessarie to be knowen so nothing is taught but that which is expedient for a man to know We must therefore beware that we do not keepe the faithfull from that which the Scripture deliuereth concerning Predestination leâ—t we seeme maliciously to defraud them of that which God doth affoord vnto them or reprooue his Spirit as if hee had reuealed things fit for some considerations to be concealed The fift and last thing to be considered is the maner of propounding and handling of this doctrine Here these duties must be obserued First that this doctrine bee deriued onely from the word of God and not fetcht from the forge of mans braine For the word is a sure Rule to direct our vnderstanding And it is the cheifest point of sobrietie to make GOD our Schoole-master when we learne and then to leaue learning when he leaues teaching When he leaues speaking then wee should leaue inquiring Hee which curiously pries into Gods secrets runnes himselfe into an inextricable labyrinth and findes not that wherewith his curiositie may be satisfied Secondly this doctrine ought to bee deliuered in conuenient and fit tearmes that the trueth thereof may be discerned and no point obscured and that the sublimitie and maiestie thereof be not eclipsed and debased Thirdly it is fit that before this doctrine be preached to the people the Minister do first acquaint them with more familiar points of Religion that his labours may be more prosperous and beneficiall These things haue beene deliuered by way of a Preface I will now speake of the decree of Election and of the Execution of it CHAP. 2. What Election is There bee two distinct acts thereof The causes of it Efficient Materiall and Formall Three ends thereof Sixe effects of it Two subiects of it Fifteen prerogatiues of the Elect. 〈◊〉 properties of Election Many signes thereof are set downe ELECTION to euerlasting life is the speciall decree of God touching the conferring of eternall saluation by Christ the Redeemer to certain men of meere mercie and good will Or The degree of Election is that whereby God hath appointed some vnto his glorious grace in the obtaining of their saluation and celestiall life by Christ. Or it is as Augustine teacheth the preparation of a free donation whereby God hath made vs vessels of mercie before the creation of the world vnto the adoption of the sonnes of God by Iesus Christ In the decree of Election there are two distinct preordinations or acts of the diuine counsell the former concerning the end the latter concerning the meanes tending vnto the end This the holy Ghost seemeth to haue taught most clearely Rom 9.11 where he saith That the purpose which is according to Election might remaine firme By which we see a distinction put betwixt the purpose of God his election And in Rom. 8.29 30. The decree is expresly distinguished from the execution of it which the Apostle placeth in vocation iustification and glorification The first act in the decree of Election is a part of the diuine purpose whereby God doth assume certaine men to be created passing by all other vnto his euerlasting loue and fauour and by assuming them doth make them vessels of mercy and honour The second act is the purpose of sauing or of conferring glorie whereby God doth ordaine and separate the same men being to fall in Adam vnto saluation and celestiall glory These two acts must not be seuered but distinguished The former is of men to be created and the latter is of men that are both created and corrupted By the former men are ordained vnto grace and by the latter the meanes are subordained whereby grace may be conferred and declared For this latter prepares a way for the complement and execution of the former The efficient cause of Election or the Electour is God Almightie Father Sonne and Holy Ghost For such workes as are wrought by God vpon the creature are common to the three persons the maner of working peculiar to each of them being reserued And the Scripture expresly sheweth that the Father the Sonne did elect vs Eph. 1.4 Iohn 15.16 For howsoeuer Christ himselfe is elected as hee is our Mediatour yet as hee is the eternall Word or Sonne of the Father he doth elect as well as the Father Now seeing the worke of election belong to them we may not exclude the holy Ghost who hath one common Godhead with them The cause which mooued God to elect those which are elected was his meere good will and nothing els as appeareth by these reasons First by the word of God Hee hath saith Paul predestinated vs according to the good pleasure of his will At this time also a reseruation is made according to the election of grace Secondly if Christ did not merite as he was a man to bee vnited to the person of the word and to bee borne wholy voyd of sin there is no cause for vs to thinke but that our election vnto life is of the free grace of God But Augustine doth confidently and most truely teach that the man-head of Christ was thus aduanced for no merit of worke thereof but freely had it Therefore it is absurde to thinke that we were not elected of Gods free grace Thirdly if the Patriarch Iacob was elected by grace then Election is of grace but the former is true as Paul doth witnesse Rom 9. â—1 Before the children were borne and when they had neither done good nor euil that the purpose of God might remaine according to election not by works but by him that calleth it was said vnto her the elder shall serue the yonger Therefore we also are elected of grace Fourthly God hath
neither were all the seed of Abraham elected as was Abraham It is God who makes vs meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saintes and not any prerogatiue or dignitie in vs. We call Christ our Sauiour because he by his dignitie and merit hath deserued our saluation of God for vs euen so wee might be called our owne Electors if we did mooue God to elect vs by our dignities or prerogatiues Finally God respects not these things in sauing vs therefore neither in electing vs. For if they did mooue God to elect vs they should also perswade him to redeeme and saue vs which is against the Scripture in many places Finally the merit of Christ is not the efficient or impulsiue cause of election though it be of saluation For the efficient cause of election which is without beginning must also bee without beginning but the merit of Christ is not froÌ„ eternitie therfore it is not the efficient cause of eternall election Secondly if Christ himselfe as Mediator was elected froÌ„ all eternity then his merit is not the cause of electing but the former is true out of Peter the latter therefore is also true Thirdly the effect of eternall election is not the cause thereof but the merit of Christ is the effect of election For God did not elect vs because Christ was to die for vs but on the contrarie Christ did therefore die for vs because God had elected vs in him Therefore the merit of Christ is not the efficient cause of Gods election Wherefore we do conclude and with Caluin we doe auerre according to the truth Hoc consilium quoad Electos in gratuita eius misericordia fundatum esse that the foundation of Gods Election is laied in his free mercie He will haue mercie on whom he will and chuseth whom he pleaseth And so much for the efficient and impulsiue cause of election The materiall cause or matter of Election is threefold first in which that is in Christ the Mediatour secondly about which that is about certaine men thirdly of which it doth consist of which last wee now entreat and that is the counsell of God For election is nothing but the counsell of GOD for the separation of some men to eternall life The formall cause is the ordination assumption and separation of certaine men from all others to the fruition of present grace and future glory The ends of Election are three The former concernes God that doth elect the 2. latter concerne those that are elected The first is the glory of God and the celebration and declaration of his mercy Rom. 9.23 That hee might declare the riches of his glorie vpon the vessels of mercie which he hath prepared vnto glorie Eph. 1.6 He hath chosen vs to the praise of his glorious grace The glory of God is the supreme end of all things therefore of election And if we be commanded to make it the scope of all our actions wee need not doubt but that God doth aime at it in all his The second end of Election is that we should bee holy and blamelesse before God Augustine saith well He chose vs not because we were then holy neither yet because wee would hereafter prooue holy but he rather chose vs to this end that in the time of grace we might be holy through good works The third end is the saluation and glory of the Elect. Therefore they are sayd to be Ordained to eternall life and prepared vnto glorie and chosen vnto saluation We may not thinke that Election is the absolute wil of God without any end It were impietie to attribute such a will to God as hath no scope or end proposed to it For if nature doe nothing in vaine or to no end and purpose much lesse doth God The effects of Election are the meditation of Christ adoption vocation sauing faith iustification and glorification which comprehendeth two things first regeneration or sanctification in which is conteined perpetuall repentance that is auersion from all euill and conuersion vnto God loue righteousnesse the hatred of sinne the study of good workes calling vpon God true humilitie a desire to see Christ constancie in professing the true faith to the last gaspe For Gods Election is the roote of all the gifts of God in vs and the foundation of all his sauing benefits Secondly glorification comprehendeth in it the complement and fruition of all glory in the life to come that is of all holines and happinesse with the Lord foreuer The Subiect of Election is double The first is the subiect in whom we are elected This subiect is Christ Hee hath chosen vs in him saith Paul Now we are not elected in Christ as hee is God or the Word simply so considered For in this respect he is our Elector as he saith himselfe I know whom I haue chosen Neither are wee elected in him as a meere man For a meere man was not fit for vs to bee elected in But we are elected in him as he is God-man our Head and eternall Mediator in whom God hath placed all spirituall blessings which hee would communicate to vs in his good time And wee are elected in Christ because we were not capable in ourselues of so great excellencie He only as Polanus truely teacheth is the fit meane in whom we were elected considering that by election there is made an vnion and coniunction of vs with God the electour Caluin alleaging that speech of Paul He hath chosen vs in Christ saith that it is all one as if he had said that God because he found nothing worâ—hie of his election in all the seed of Adam did therefore turne his eies vnto his Christ that hee might elect members as it were out of his bodie whom hee would take vnto the fellowship of life It were therefore very absurd to dream of any election out of him hee being the foundation of the execution of Election in respect of the beginning meanes and end The other subiect is the Obiect of Election or the persons that are elected And these are not all the sonnes of Adam without exception of any For first hee that taketh all and refuseth none cannot properly be said to chuse For election supposeth a reiection He which makes a choice refuseth some Secondly whom God electeth hee doth also glorifie But all are not glorified therefore all are not elected Thirdly sauing faith is peculiar to the Elect and not common to all and is a true effect of Gods election Now many being destitute of true faith for euer it must needs bee that they are also out of Gods election Fourthly the Scripture shewes that some are elected and some refused Rom 11.7 The Elect haue obtained it but the rest are blinded God hath made the wicked for the day of euill Gregory saith well Deus miro modâ— God being the creator of all alike hath admirablie
some of them were before their calling notorious sinners committing â—orrible and transcendent enormities â—et now since their calling they were rashed and sanctified and so become new men And as concerning the Thessalonians he saith that the Gospel was not to them in word onely but also in power and much assurance and that they became followers of him and of the Lord and receiued the word in much affliction with ioy of the holy Ghost and turned to God from Idoles to serue the liuing and true God and increased in faith and mutuall loue and were patient faithfull in al their persecutions afflictions So then if with the Romanes we performe heartie obedience to the word if with those Corinthes we be rich in spirituall graces and haue purged our heartes by true repentance from our former iniquities if we be mortified and renewed if like those good ThessaloniaÌ„s we receiue and beleeue the Gospell if we follow the Lord his faithfull embassadours if we entertâ—ine the word with ioyfulnesse notwithstanding all afflictions if we turne to God from all our owne Gods our owne delights and vanities to which wee had wedded our heartes if our faith increase and our loue abound and if we haue patience and faith as they had in all our crosses and afflictions then may we assure ourselues that wee are effectually called as they were Finally Peter exhorting vs to giue diligence to make calling sure addeth that if we doe these things wee shall neuer fall Now what these things are hee sheweth to wit that they would ioint vertue with their faith and with vertue knowledge with it temperance and with temperance patience with patience godlines with it brotherly kindnes and with brotherly kindnes loue If therfore these graces shine within vs and bee fast rooted in our hearts and vnited in our liues we may assure our soules of our effectuall calling if we do these things we shall neuer fall and if we shall neuer fall then may wee safely conclude that God hath effectually called vs to light and glorie And thus much concerning effectu-vocation which is the first meane whereby God executeth his eternall Election CHAP. 5. What Iustification is All the causes of it Fiue effects of it The subiects and time of it Fiue properties thereof Foure tokens of it THE second is Iustification For those whom hee calleth effectually in time hee also iustifieth actually in time To iustifie is to repute or account one iust Pro. 17.15 He which iustifieth the wicked that is he which reputeth and iudgeth him to be iust is an abomination to the Lord. Luke 16.15 You iustifie your selues before men that is You would be esteemed iust To be iustified is to be cleared or to bee reputed iudged and pronounced iust To be iustified then before God is to be reputed and esteemed righteous in his sight Iustification therefore in his proper significatioÌ„ is an Acceptance wherby God esteemeth vs as righteous being receiued into fauour Or Iustification is a iudiciall and gracious worke of God by which hee iudgeth the Elect being in themselues obnoxious to the accusation and curse of the Law to be iust by faith for Christ through the imputation of his iustice and that vnto the praise of his glorious grace and to their owne saluation The principall efficient of Iustification is God the Father in the Sonne by the holy Spirit For who can forgiue sinnes but God alone It is God that iustifies I saith the Lord euen I am hee that putteth away thine iniquities It 〈◊〉 meet that he should be our pardoner who was our Creator and that he should bee the giuer of grace who was to all the author of nature It is his office to absolue the guiltie by whose iustice hee was made guiltie It beloÌ„gs to him to pronounce a man to be iust whose will is the rule of iustice it is his prerogatiue to giue sentence of life and death because he is by nature right and office the highest Iudge The instrument whereby the benefit of Iustification is offered and proclaimed is the Gospel which therefore is called the word of life the word of saluation the word and ministerie of Reconciliation The outward instruments whereby our iustification is sealed and confirmed to vs are the two Sacramentes and thereupon Circumcision is called the Seale of the righteousnesse of faith The inward Sealer of our iustification is the Holy Ghost who testifieth and sealeth it to our consciences so as that we may perswade our hearts of it The Ministers and liuely instruments for the proclaiming testifying and pronouncing our iustification to vs are the Messengers and Prophets of the Lord according to that of Christ whose sinnes ye remit they shall be remitted to them and whose ye retaine they shall be retained The onely internall instrument whereby we apprehend and receiue the grace of iustification offered vnto vs by God is a true sauing faith Iustifying faith is a gift whereby wee apprehend Christ and his benefits Or it is a worke of Gods Spirit in the heart whereby we receiue and lay hold on Christs obedience for the pardon of our sinnes with God and his accepting of vs as righteous in his â—ight The authour of faith is God For vnto vs It is giuen to beleeue This is the worke of God saith Christ that yee beleeue in him whom hee hath sent Faith both begun and finished is the gift of God as Austen truly teacheth The proper forme and life of faith is not charitie which is a distinct gift of God and a fruite of vnfeigned Faith but the Apprehension and Application of Christ and his benefites vnto our selues particularly The proper obiect of a sauing faith is Iesus Christ God-man and Mediator betwixt God and man Remigius saith My whole faith is in Christ by him alone I beleeue that I am iustified and saued And Beda saith The scope of my faith is Christ the end or marke of my faith whereat it aymeth is the Sonne of God Now to be iustified by faith is to be iustified of God for the righteousnesse of Christ apprehended by faith or as Caluin speaketh he shall be iustified by faith who being excluded from the righteousnesse of works apprehendeth the righteousnesse of Christ by faith wherewith he being inuested doth appeare in the sight of God as righteous and â—ot a sinner So that faith doth iustifie in respect of her obiect onely and not as any meritorious or proper efficient of iustification Euen as the hand that receiueth the treasure which is giuen doth not make the receiuer rich but the treasure it selfe so neither the worke or action of faith doth iustifie vs but Christ himselfe whom we doe apprehend And this faith be it weake or strong is yet able to receiue the righteousnesse of Christ euen as a palsie or shaking hand may receiue a iewel of a king as