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
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
taught that the doctrine of election and the knowledge thereof is so necessary for Christians as that it ought to be propounded vnto them and insisted vpon by the publique ministery for without it they cannot have a true knowledge of the grace of God neyther can they be certayne of their salvation nor manfully resist the temptations of the devil They therefore which desire that this doctrine should be scilenced or suppressed they do take away the chiefest comfort from the Church of God and therein grievously offend CHAP. 17. NInthly this decree of election is necessary to be knowne for without the knowledge of it we can not have a true and saving knowledge of the grace of God neither can we determine or define of any thing certaynely or soundly concerning salvation nor resist the Devill and his temptations For as often as hee tempteth our faith and indeede he tempteth it very often so often ought wee to have recourse vnto election as vnto the onely strong foundation of our salvation and wee must most certaynely determine and set downe with our selves that wee are freely elected vnto salvation and that we cannot fall away which if wee do not wee cannot acknowledge GOD for our Father and CHRIST for our Redeemer nor hope and looke for eternall life by the grace of the one and merite of the other Whosoever therefore doth truly acknowledge and soundly beleeve that God is his Father and Christ his redeemer and doth place and ground all his faith and all his hope and confidence of salvation in him alone hee may knowe as verily that he is chosen of God as God both in his essence and nature and in his word and promise is true and faithfull For this sentence and promise of Christ is not onely true but also more stedfast then the frame of heaven Iohn 3.16 Whosoever beleeveth in me sayth Christ shall not perish but hath everlasting life This faith which doth acknowledge and lay hold vpon Christ is the first and chiefest effect and fruite of salvation Therefore Gods election and the knowledge thereof is the onely strong foundation on which a Christian and saving faith may safely leane and remayne constant against all the assaults and temptations of Sathan Wherefore seeing that election is as a strong and invincible fortresse against all the subtilties of Sathan against the assaults of the world and against all the doubts and waverings of the flesh the knowledge thereof is very necessary for vs. Agayne the doctrine of election is very necessary to be knowne of vs for this cause because it is one of the chiefest causes of our salvation This the scripture delivereth and expresseth playnely and expressely that wee are therefore called and drawne vnto Christ and vnto salvation because that we were first predestinate and elected For they onely and none other are called vnto Christ Act. 13.48 and indued with true faith through him which were fore-ordeyned vnto salvation Therefore hee which denyeth and reiecteth the doctrine of election hee denyeth and reiecteth the grace of God and can have no hope of his salvation But that wee may know and vnderstand the true cause of salvation there is nothing more necessary to bee knowne of vs then the decree of election For God hath ordayned and appoynted it from everlasting for the onely fountayne of salvation and hath revealed it and layd it open in his word They therefore which dreame that there is no Election they deny and reiect God and his grace because that without grace and mercy and that infinitely free God is not God Moreover this Decree is necessary for vs to know for this cause because it teacheth vs true and profitable humility And that it setteth out and declareth vnto vs on this manner in that Salvation cannot begotten and attayned at any hand by our owne workes and endevours because it is set out of the reach and power of all mortall men but much rather that wee are miserable and sinners and that so as that of our owne strength we are not able to bring no not the least thought tending vnto good which may bee acceptable or well pleasing vnto God Whatsoever therefore of our owne power wee shall vndertake or doe eyther by thought worde or deed we do offend in it and do draw vnto our selves deservedly iust and eternall damnation and have deserved it so often in the iust iudgement of God as we have conceyved any thing in thought or done any thing either in word or deed yea and more often For albeit that no evill works either outward or inward were committed of vs yet our corrupt and depraved nature doth convince vs all and find vs guilty of most iust damnation Therefore this our most miserable estate and most desperate condition doth make vs much ashamed and confounded and ought to humble and debase vs with much meekenesse For men are then wont to blush for shame and to be humbled when they are compelled to confesse acknowledge their own misdeeds they being many and great so that they cannot defend nor excuse them so they begin to be out of liking with thēselves distrust themselves are in despayre as concerning their own merits which despaire is profitable for them For as long as men be perswaded that they can doe any good whereby to attayne Salvation so long they remaine and abide stiffe in theyr owne conceit and doe not distrust themselves as indeed they should nor are not truely humbled before God as they ought to be For the flesh alwayes suggesteth to a man that there is some good thing in him which went before the grace of God for which he should bee elected and saved and so thinketh that the grace of God is dispensed and given according vnto mans desert and so presupposeth some naturall or morall good thing to be in him or else thinketh that hee can prevent the grace of God with some preparation or some good desires and by so thinking can never come to bee saved For God will save and blesse man with his grace not by the halfes but wholy that so all the glory and prayse may redound vnto God as vnto the onely author of Salvation For God doth not promise nor impart his grace vnto any but to such as are in despayre and out of hope in regard of themselves For man is then capable of the grace of God when as he thinketh himselfe not onely voyd and destitute of all goodnes but also replenished and over-whelmed with all vngodlinesse Wherefore if a man desire to be saved hee will suppose no good thing to be in himselfe as if he could doe any thing for his Salvation but being throughly humbled and deiected will flie onely to the incomprehensible goodnesse of God and will know that his whole Salvation dependeth vpon the wil and good pleasure of God This humiliation from the heart is the first step to Salvation Psal 145.14 for the Lord vpholdeth such as fall and
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
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
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
Will Therefore the everlasting good pleasure of God is the onely vnmooveable ground of our Salvation so that our Salvation is subiect and in danger to none of the devices of Sathan to no troubles of the world nor to no waverings of the flesh because it hath a most strong foundation vpon Gods everlasting Decree Secondly this circumstance of eternall time hath prevented the entrance of Sathans temptations For if God should have taken the first care of our Salvation after the Fall of man was committed and had not thought of it before then surely this Will of God might seeme to have a beginning And Sathan might thereby take occasion maliciously to alledge against God and to perswade vs that the Will of God concerning our Salvation is not certayne and constant because that as it had a beginning so it might likewise have an ende and wee being prone vnto all diffidence might quickly have thought it had beene so and by this meanes might have beene in doubt of our Salvation Therefore God by his provident goodnesse hath timely prevented these temptations and sleights of Sathan and hath found out an excellent remedy for our diffidence teaching vs that his Decree for our Salvation is no sudden thing nor limitted within the listes of momentany time but eternall and vnchangeable So our fayth is then builded and grounded vpon a strong and vnmooveable foundation when we heare and know that our Salvation was ordayned and appointed of God from everlasting Lastly this Note of eternall Time is profitable for this purpose namely to withdraw and reclaime vs as well from all regard or respect of our owne merits and worthinesse as also from the opinion of the intercession of other men for vs. For God did know that the divellish opinions of our owne satisfaction and merit would often times steale vpon vs so that wee should thinke that there is some goodnesse in vs by which we should be gratious and acceptable before God For man doth not willingly humble and cast himselfe downe thus farre as to attribute all the prayse of his Salvation vnto the Grace of God only These things and the like the holy Scripture doth prevent and dispell shewing that God hath elected vs from everlasting before we were and hath given vs Salvation in Christ and so doth condemne vs of foolishnes and vngodlinesse if wee now created would get or deserve our Salvation by any other meanes For such is the vntowardnesse and blindnesse of mans disposition because that wretched men are so bewitched of Sathan by sinne that when there is any speech of Salvation and everlasting Felicitie they would gladly beginne from themselves Hence they frame to themselves divers preparations by which they strive to prevent and deserve the favour of God But by what meanes I pray you can they deserve any thing which are not at all And what good works or merits of theirs could there be before the world was made and before their owne Creation Therefore the eternall Election of God doth every where throughout the whole Scripture proove that this Mercy is the free gift of GOD and that hee for his owne sake onely was mooved to elect vs. So that this eternall Election doth not onely set farre aside all respect of mans worthinesse but also throweth man downe even to Hell together with all his merites if hee should bee dealte withall according to his owne desertes and Gods iust iudgement Here therefore is set downe a continuall contrariety and opposition betweene mans merite and worthinesse and Gods eternall Election yea such and so great an opposition that the affirming of the one is the manifest deniall of the other Looke how much therefore the Scripture attributeth to Gods Election 2. Tim. 2.9 so much it detracteth from mans worthinesse For this cause the holy Scripture hath set that eternall Election and mans worthinesse as two things extreamely contrary one to an other teaching vs that a man may sooner and easier wring oyle out of a Flint stone or strike fire out of the middest of the Ocean then that God should finde any thing in mans Nature worthy of his Election They therefore which seeke for Salvation or the least parte thereof without the eternall Election of GOD they doe not onely seeke Life in death and Salvation in the middest of condemnation but also they seeke God without GOD and by such seeking shall finde nothing else but hell fire and eternall punishment because that one and the selfe same thing cannot proceede from divers causes For God onely is good and so good that hee can finde no good elsewhere at any time or in any place but onely in himselfe and contrariwise mans Nature is so wicked and depraved that out of it can proceede nothing but wicked deedes and vngodly practises But of this hereafter wee will speake more largely It is therefore the vndeserved and altogether the free goodnesse of God in that hee from everlasting ordained and appointed eternall Salvation for vs when wee were not as then created And therefore of so good and bountifull a God who would not hope well Moreover seeing God hath elected vs to Salvation and Life everlasting hence it manifestly appeareth that none could bee our Intercessour to God for vs. Because then there was no man beside God onely and alone which was the whole cause of our Election Hence likewise as out of a most cleare Glasse we may see what care God hath of our Salvation because that from everlasting he did so providently prevent and turne away all the hindrances of our Salvation So the incredible and more then fatherly goodnesse of God is chiefely made knowne in this namely that he was carefull for our Salvation before we were And let these thinges suffice to bee briefely compiled concerning the first Proprietie of Election The second Proprietie of Election is that Election is an high and hidden Decree not onely because God from all eternitie before the foundation of the world before any thing was created did fore-ordaine and appoynt it with himselfe but also in respect of those things which are contayned and ordayned in that eternall decree which are so deepe and hidden in the meaning and vnderstanding of them that they doe not onely farre out-strippe mans capacity but also doe as farre exceed the vnderstanding of the Angelles themselves as the highest Heaven is distant from the lowest earth For the manner of redeeming and saving of Mankinde is so deepe and secret that the very Angels themselves cannot surmise the least of it much lesse consider and determine of it For this cause it is often called in the Scripture the Mysterie that is hidden in God Ephes 3 9. Col. 1.26 because it is manifest and knowne vnto God onely and because no Creature can know it but by Revelation And so it is called by Paul to the Romans Cap. 16.25 the secret Mysterie that is vnknowne to the Creatures In this great and secret Consultation the Sonne
say he ordayned Christ from everlasting to bee the Mediator for the Salvation of the world that he might reconcile God vnto the worlde by the Sacrifice of his death Here beholde and admire the inestimable Mercie of God in that hee had rather his owne Sonne should die then that all Mankinde should perish Here agayne beholde and reverently embrace the incomprehensible goodnesse and mercy of the Sonne of God towardes wretched man in that hee accounted the Salvation of Mankinde more precious then his owne life Christ himselfe having respect to this sayth in Saint Iohn Iohn 3.16 So GOD loved the Worlde that he sent his onely begotten Sonne that by him hee might restore and bestow vpon Mankinde Life that was lost and Salvation that was past hope Therefore this provident Wisedome of God was wonderfully necessary for Mankinde and very profitable yea and in such sort that without it all Mankinde had perished So that the Wisedome of God is to be adored and reverenced of vs and ought continually to bee the onely rule and measure of our wisedome and that so as that all other wisedome without it should be base and of no value and be no more regarded then meere folly and foolishnesse it selfe And for as much as God of his infinite Wisedom found a meanes to deliver vs from such a bottomlesse depth of miserie hence should the Godly entertayne and conceyve great hope in all their adversities For seeing hee hath found out a most wise meanes and way out of so deepe and intricate a mischiefe out of which the wisedome of men nor Angelles could give no direction how to escape therefore surely hee can very easily deliver vs from any dangers of this life how great soever they bee for in his hand are many and incredible meanes of delivery So that where there is no counsell nor meanes of delivery with man there is there a certaine issue and ready way with God Therefore in these dangers which threaten assured death presently and savour of nothing else but of the open grave and vn-avoydable destruction in these GOD most wise hath many meanes of helpe and deliverance from them For it is an easie thing with him to make an issue where there is none sooner then in the twinkling of an eye if it bee his pleasure This then is our onely hope and strong consolation in our extreame temptations and troubles that wee have God for our Helper and Deliverer which in the middest of death can stretch forth his handes and restore vs to life and hath many more meanes to helpe vs then there are Creatures in the whole vniversall worlde And thus farre of the thirde Proprietie of Election The free and vndeserved Mercy of God is the true cause of Election and that is greater by many degrees then that the greatest Sinner can or ought rightly to doubt of it though never so little much lesse despaire of it CHAP. XI THe fourth Proprietie is that Gods Election is altogether a mercifull free and voluntary Decree that is to say that God had no other reason to induce him to choose miserable man but onely his owne meere mercie and favourable good-will as is aforesayde in the causes of Predestination This Mercy of God is not any affection in God which beginneth of a sudden sometimes and sometimes endeth of a sudden neyther is it any Passion which sometime increaseth and sometime decreaseth for if there were any such succeeding change in God God should in no wise be God but it is an eternal and a most ready good Will to do good vnto miserable men Therefore this eternal good Wil in God himselfe is the onely and sole cause why he elected miserable man to the attainement of Salvation Aske nowe what is the reason that he hath receyved this or that man into favour and hath pardoned his sinnes and remitted the punishment and there can no other cause bee rendred but even Gods vndeserved Mercy And hee is sayde to be mercifull to him whom he vouchsafeth his favour and grace such a favourable and gratious affection of his good Will to speake after the manner of men is called Mercy which in God is nothing else but an eternall and gratious purpose to have mercy on those on whom hee will have mercy that is to say to give them freedome from their misery This is alwayes one and the selfe same in God which never altereth but standeth and abideth continually in one state and degree For the names of these affections that are given vnto God from the Passions that are in man doe not set forth any Passion or Change in God but paynt out vnto vs his vnspeakeable liking or hatred of those thinges which then are in hand So this Mercy of God is no new or sudden motion and affection in God but his eternall and vnchangeable Proprietie which as it is once such it is alwayes without which God cannot be God As often therefore as any man thinketh of God let him remember his vnspeakeable goodnesse and readinesse to helpe which can in no meanes be separated nor dis-ioyned from God But many times those things that are proper vnto man are attributed vnto him because his Properties cannot be comprehended of man and therefore they are shadowed forth vnto man by the properties of man as it were through a Lattice and so are made knowne vnto him So God doth after a sort represent vnto vs as in a Glasse his spiritual and heavenly Mysteries and hidden Decrees by the speech or affections of man And thus God for his vnspeakeable Loves sake toward Mankinde doth not thinke much to descend from his greatnesse and from the Throane of his Maiestie and debase himselfe so lowe as to apply himselfe to the capacity of a rude and frayle man And from hence is seene better then in any Glasse how great care God taketh for the Salvation of Mankind This Mercie is that most speciall goodnesse of God which is not bounded and restrayned within the limites of this life but stretcheth and reacheth vnto all Eternity so that it bringeth with it everlasting Life and eternall Salvation and contayneth and includeth those onely which are elected from everlasting and those that shall be blessed for evermore This differeth very much from the generall Mercy of God by which hee cherisheth and maintayneth all living Creatures for it is one thing to have a care over all living Creatures to provide thinges necessary for them and mercifully to guide and governe them So that although God in his Fatherly care doth not forsake even the bruite beastes but careth for each of them yet more especially God declareth his goodnesse in Mankinde For he doth good not onely to the righteous and godly but also to the vniust and vnthankefull For hee maketh the Sunne to rise vpon the good and the badde Mat. 5.45 Luke 6.23 sayth Christ in Matthew and in Luke Such benefites of God are temporall and common to the Godly and to the
rageth and is angry against God and his wicked affections breake forth openly like vnto wilde and vntamed beasts and run out like wilde horses and the more severely that God forbiddeth any evill the more egerly doth miserable man rage and resist it so that a man may sooner wring oyle out of an hard stone then that a man not regenerate should do any good thing that should please God or be avayleable for his salvation Seeing then that man in his whole nature and will is a foe and an enemy to God I see not by what meanes he may deserve life at Gods hands Moreover seeing that man was drenched through sinne in so deepe a pit and bottomlesse gulfe of damnation that he could not vnderstand nor comprehend it therefore also he had perished for ever in it if God by his grace had not plucked him out of it and delivered him through Christ his only begotten Sonne For miserable man is so blinded through sinne that he cannot vnderstand his owne evill much lesse can he cure it Sinne therefore as an vnavoydable destruction lurketh in mans nature as in a deepe pit of hipocrisy and if God had not revealed it in his lawe and withall found a remedy for it in his Gospel man altogether ignorant of his mystery had runne headlong into eternall destruction Againe the least sinne that is in the nature of it is so vgly that it redoundeth to the dishonor of God and deserveth his fierce indignation the greatnes whereof no creature is able to suffer and overcome as a man may see in the Angels that fell and were condemned So that man had for ever perished in his misery if God by the death of his Sonne had not drawne him out of it This vntowardnes of mans nature and backwardnes to all good doth wonderfully set forth Gods mercy and proveth it to be free because God in choosing man being such as he is vnto life doth declare his free bounty and vndeserved mercy Vpon this mercy of God is grounded the hope and consolation of all the faithfull wherefore although they excell in no worthines nor have any merites which they may bring vnto God yet this one thing may be sufficient for them to come to all happines namely that God in his nature is good and mercifull and so far forth good and mercifull as that he would rather help and advance vnto happines miserable men such as were almost past help then those that were of great account and trusted in their owne strength They therefore which trust that God will be their Saviour even for his owne free goodnes sake it necessarily followeth that they have their faith grounded vpon and correspondent vnto the grace of the Gospell But they which trusting in their owne merits thinke that God will be their rewarder have their hope in no wise framed according to the tenor of the Gospell so that they waver in doubtfull and hurtfull perplexities till being at the length overcome they are at the last cast downe and swallowed vp of desperation This therefore is the mutuall and continuall relation betweene a Christian mans faith and Gods free bounty that an humble and prostrate sinner should by fayth lay hold on Gods mercy though he bring nothing else vnto God but a contrite and a broken heart Psa 51.17 for he exacteth this one thing and requireth nothing else Therefore out of this mercy of God miserable sinners may suck this most sweete comfort that by theyr humble and lowly confession and loathing of their sinnes they have Gods exceeding mercy prepared and exhibited vnto them as a certayne and present remedy for all theyr evils Also heere is a thing worthy to be noted that God who of his vndeserved favour did deliver miserable mankinde from so great a mischiefe doth teach and commaund vs by his example that to our power we should helpe those that are in misery Yea and the greater that their misery is the more should every of vs know that we are bound vnto God for to helpe them and if wee do not helpe them as much as we can when neede requireth by that wee shewe our selves to be enemyes and adversaryes to God For they which are wicked against God can not be good towards men And they do indeede declare that they are man-sleyers in the sight of God For if others should forsake them likewise and not helpe them they should decay and perish in their misery and so they are the occasion and cause of theyr death as farre-forth as in them lyeth and therefore are iudged and shall be condemned of God as manifest man-sleyers This the Scripture setteth downe in expresse words saying that iudgement mercilesse shall be to him that sheweth no mercy Heere the wicked and fond fiction of the Papists concerning faith and good works foreseene which they dreame to be the causes of election are confuted as false by playne testimonies of holy scripture CHAP. 12. NOw whatsoever the Papists doe talke of concerning fayth and godlinesse fore-seene is nothing else but a most vayne dreame and foolish fiction For in that they say that God from everlasting knew such or such that they would be good and that they would deserve election by their good workes it is to forge a weake and fond fable about which they may trifle at their pleasure and without feare For God is so the cause and beginning of all good that the least drop of goodnes cannot any where be found of which he is not the onely author and finisher The Papists in this doctrine are confuted by many places of holy scripture and are convinced of manifest vntruth For holynesse and a godly life are the fruites and effects of election For God did elect his from everlasting not because they would be good in themselves and worthy of their election but he elected them being evill that afterwards by his grace they might become good This the Scripture doth testifie in manifest and expresse words when it sayth that God hath chosen vs Ephes 1.4 that wee should be holy and without blame before him through love Heere we may cleerely see that God did not finde such as should be elected good but that being elected of him he maketh them good So that integrity of life and good workes do follow election as the true effects thereof and go not before it as the cause And if good workes should be the cause of election man should have chosen God and God should not have chosen man so salvation should be mans merit and not Gods gift and election should be not because God is mercifull but because man is good and iust Againe the Papists in setting vp workes foreseene as the cause of salvation deny God to be God and make his grace of no account For God alone is good Iam. 1.17 and the only fountaine of goodnes Therefore whosoever thinke that they have the very least good thing in them without God do deny him to be
the only author of all good and so deny him to be God For God cannot be God except he alone be set vp and acknowledged the onely fountayne of all goodnes For what manner of God should he be if not the only author and sole effecter of all goodnes But if the Papists should be vrged somewhat neerer and harder as namely out of what fountayne those works foreseene should slow and have their beginning if they answere from mans nature and free will they are farre deceived and are blinder then the very Moles For mans whole nature with all the parts thereof eyther of soule or body even vnto the least drop of his bloud is so corrupted and defiled with sinne that all his thoughts and whatsoever proceedeth from him any manner of way is only evill Gene. 6.5 and against God So that mans nature after his fall neyther will nor can do any thing else but strive and wrastle against God and that with a continuall and earnest desire This the holy scripture doth not only testify but also experience proveth to be so for men when they are left to themselves do not only not acknowledge their sinne but also thinke that there is nothing in them but that which is good and holy although they have nothing in them but that which is polluted and defiled with much vncleanenes And againe this corruption and vntowardnes of man hath taken so deepe roote in the nature of man as that it cannot be plucked vp by mans power therefore the amendement of mans nature doth farre exceede mans power For the restoring of Gods image is a farre greater and harder worke then the first creation of man And as no man could create himselfe so also could no man by his owne power amend his evill nature nor change his perverse will into good Therefore seeing man in his whole nature is depraved and that he cannot change nor amend his corrupted nature whatsoever the Papists do talke of workes foreseene is not so much theyr owne vayne fiction as the mischievous invention of the Divell Surely God from everlasting did foresee good works and knew them very well but yet no other but such as he himselfe determined to worke and bring forth in man By these good workes man can deserve nothing at Gods hands because they are his gifts and benefits God bestoweth life and salvation vpon man for his owne everlasting goodnes sake and not for any good deedes which he himselfe worketh in his children These good workes are the manifest effects and infallible testimonyes of his mercy By all this it appeareth that the Papists vnderstand nothing rightly nor soundly in the doctrine of Election for to vnderstand a thing rightly is to know it by the true and proper cause thereof But they know not Election by the true and proper cause thereof Therefore they vnderstand not Election at all or if they vnderstand it of meere malice they hide it and will not manifest it Wherefore the Papists do wander amisse beside their purpose and talke of a thing they know not much more ridiculously and foolishly then if a Shepheard or a Neate-heard should out of Astrology describe the rising and the setting of the Starres or out of Geometry measure out all the scituations and distances of places without the knowledge of eyther science Therefore the Papists when they refuse Gods free bounty as the first and proper cause of salvation and substitute faith fore-seene as a false and fayned cause thereof they runne into a grosse fallacy from that which is no cause as if it were a cause and so fall into a dangerous error And this fallacy is committed as often as for a true and naturall cause of some thing there is assumed that which is no cause of it as the Papists do heere in imagining and bringing forth good workes fore-seene as the cause of election whenas those good workes are not apt nor fit to bring forth salvation For those good workes which they dreame of neyther are nor can be produced or shewed in that sort as they do imagine Therefore they doe not onely bring a false cause but that which is no cause at all A false cause is that which is not fit to effect that for which it was purposed but is the cause of some other thing and so when in place and time convenient it is applyed vnto a thing that agreeth with the nature and quality thereof it may bring forth some-what But no cause is that which can bring forth nothing because it selfe is nothing For those good workes foreseene which the Papists so bragge of and build election vpon are not at all neyther indeede can be as is shewed before and to expect something from that which is nothing is extreame and ridiculous madnesse by which they mocke God and deceive men But seeing they fayne that to be the cause of salvation which is not at all nor can be they intangle themselves in a manifest contradiction and make themselves a laughing stock for very children But if GOD infinitely good and wise had not found out and shewed vs a better cause and way to salvation then the Papists have woe had it beene vnto mankinde Therefore farre be from vs that dreame of the Papists as the palpable invention of the Devill and most manifest breake-necke of mans Salvation because it derogateth from the grace of God and vndermineth and subverteth the Gospell for the foundation of it And let all the godly reverence and adore the mercy and goodnes of God which the scripture every where setteth downe for the onely and most true cause of salvation Also mans purpose when once it beginneth to bee good is holpen indeede by the grace of God But heere wee must diligently marke and observe that this purpose of man could not be good if the grace of God had not gone before and made it good Col. 1.21 2. Cor. 3.5 Gen. 6.5 Ephe. 1.18 Eze. 36.26 1. Ioh. 5.20 Luk. 24.45 For the whole nature and minde of man in himselfe and in his owne nature is onely bent vnto evill so that hee cannot have the least thought vnto any goodnes and so mans purpose is alwayes evill in it selfe but then it beginneth to bee good when God enlightneth his minde by the power of his spirit and changeth and renueth his will Furthermore it is GOD onely that of vnwilling maketh willing and of a stiffe-necked man maketh him more tractable and milde This hee teacheth by the Apostle to the Philippians Phili. 2.13 where he sayth it is God which worketh in you both the will and the deede even of his good pleasure Heere Paule sheweth that man by his owne power is not fit eyther to begin or finish any good worke but that all the power both of willing and doing good proceedeth from Gods onely free mercy because hee of an evill will maketh a good will and turneth and inclineth vnto good mans heart which is most proane vnto evill
Hence it is clearely proved that God could foresee no good thing in man but that which hee himselfe doth worke in him Therefore the Papists in this poynt doe betray theyr owne grosse ignorance or wicked malice in that they are not ashamed to affyrme and to defend that Gods fore-knowledge is contrary to his grace especially seeing that wee heare nothing throughout the whole Scripture in the doctrine of Election but onely Gods good purpose and meere mercy and concerning workes fore-seene and mans merites there is not a word spoken Therefore the Papists seeing that they wrest this word of fore-knowing from the true and naturall sence thereof into a strange and mischievous vnderstanding by a glosse of their owne interpretation and vnderstand not the propiety of the phrase they fall into an errour of ambiguity of wordes and through the likenesse of words bring in a fallacy and by theyr like kinde of speaking as with a cloake they hide the colour of their mistaking of the word and as much as they can suppresse and diminish the truth Out of this which is spoken may be gathered not darkly nor doubtfully but cleerely and plainely what is the disposition of the Devill and wicked men which because they are enimyes vnto God and do hate him they cease not to darken and obscure his glory wheresoever they may And in this respect they shew their malice two manner of wayes First in that they do most earnestly hate and detest that which most especially pleaseth God and is acceptable vnto him Secondly in that they only love and most desire those things which God hath in the greatest hatred and abomination So likewise the Papists in this matter are most against that which pleaseth God most and on the contrary side do most approve and desire that which God hateth For God is most delighted with this and this is his certaine will that the elect should attaine salvation by his only free mercy But the Papists pleasure is that the elect should be saved by their owne worthines and merits Againe God doth reiect and altogether exclude mans merits in the matter of salvation but the Papists like of them and make them the causes of election salvation So that betwixt God and the Papists there is a most manifest and vehement contrariety Therefore they are not lovers of God but his sworne enimies And that they are such they do sufficiently declare by this in that they make works foreseene the causes of salvation In which thing they commit two grievous offences namely first in that they set nothing by the first and true cause in respect of their owne merits and so erect an imaginary and false cause thereof Secondly in that they labour to withdraw mankind from God and having withdrawne thē from him as much as in them lieth sell them as bondslaves to the devill So that the Papists on the one side are cruell and iniurious against men and on the other side sacrilegious and blasphemous against God because they alwayes hinder his glory and derogate from his Maiesty as much as their ability can stretch vnto On the contrary S. Paul although before his conversion he was in the Iewish profession vnreproveable and after his conversion farre more holy then all the popelings yet he to the Philippians Phi. 3.6.8 not onely constantly and boldly excludeth all workes and merites as well going before as following after faith but also accounteth them for dung that in steed of them having gayned Christ of an vngodly and wretched man he might become iust and rich Heere also we must know that the Papists as they do forsake God and resist his grace so also they do not onely shut vp the dore of his mercy against themselves but even pluck on their owne necks an horrible curse and most certayne destruction For cursed is he sayth Ieremy Iere. 17.5 that trusteth in man Therefore this glosse of the Papists concerning good works fore-seene is to be reiected as wicked and blasphemous because it is not onely not found in all the holy Scriptures but also is most extreamely contrary vnto them For God in the electing of man had respect vnto himselfe and had no regard vnto works eyther past or to come which the Apostle to the Ephesians delivereth in expresse words Ephes 1.5 saying he hath predestinated vs whom he hath adopted through Iesus Christ in himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will In that he sayth in himselfe he teacheth that God in choosing vs saw nothing but himselfe which he made any account of Therefore Gods goodnes and love is the onely roote of our election Whereas he sayth according to the good pleasure of his will that is put downe for the better cleering and expressing of the truth and by that we are taught that Gods free goodnes could not but with great difficulty by perswasion have beene beaten into vs. And what I pray you could God foresee in vs in our election seeing that our whole being Act. 17.28 and what good thing so ever we have 1. Cor. 4.7 we have received it and inioy it by him onely Wherefore that the true cause of election may be held of vs we must in no wise frequent the schoole of the Papists but we must search and follow the holy Scripture which is the onely Schoolemaister and the most faithfull expositor of eternall salvation Sathan hath inspired and suggested into the Papists this opinion of workes foreseene that by it he might withdraw men from the true cause of their salvation and so cast them headlong into eternall destruction For Sathan well knew that mans whole salvation would fall to the ground except it were wholy fetched and derived from God Surely there cannot be given vnto mankinde a greater nor more pernicious hurt then this opinion is and there is no vice worse then this divelish pride which snatcheth from God his chiefest honour and stealeth away the prayse of his mercy Therefore this more then frantike opinion of faith foreseene is vtterly to be cast off and refused Heere is shewed by cleere and vnanswereable arguments how horribly and grievously the Papists do offend against Gods divine Maiesty by their pestilent opinion of faith or workes foreseene CHAP. 13. FOr the Papists in that divelish opinion do offend against God against his Maiesty many waies and do commit many sacrilegious offences First they do offend against the fatherly goodnes free mercy of God For Gods mercy is the onely fountayne of all goodnes in such sort that there is no good which may any where be found but it floweth and springeth of that fountayne Moreover God is so good and mercifull that he will be acknowledged and honoured for no other vertue nor property more then for his free goodnes and mercy Hence it commeth to passe that the holy scripture when it speaketh of Gods mercy doth heape and recken vp as it were in a catalogue many words signifying one and
be created of him vnto destruction By this most fit example we are taught that it is in the free choyse of God onely to make a difference betweene men and by his wisedome to ordeyne and appoynt what shall be done with every one So that God doth love and choose most freely whomesoever he loveth and chooseth as also he doth refuse and condemne most freely whomesoever he refuseth and condemneth For this is the force and liberty of predestination namely that God hath freewill to save and choose that man whom of his meere grace he chooseth and saveth so also that he hath free liberty to reiect and condemne whomesoever in his iust iudgement he will have refused and condemned So that this is the eternall and vnchangeable will of God of his vndeserved favour to choose and save some and in his iust iudgement to cast others off from all mercy and to condemne them This will of God in both these decrees is most absolute and simple which hath no other cause so that he saveth some because it is his pleasure and wil and he condemneth others because it is his pleasure likewise Therefore it is at Gods free choyce to shew or deny mercy to whomesoever he will It is in his power to have mercy on whom he will Rom. 9.18 and whom he will to harden And he taketh mercy of his owne great goodnes only and hardneth with no iniustice that he that is saved should not boast of his owne merits and he that is condemned should complayne of nothing but of his owne deserts In Euchiriad Laurentium ca. 99. as Augustine sayth So there is no cause above Gods will but that is in the highest degree that vnto vs it might be in steed of all causes So the will of God is the first and chiefest determiner of our election and of all other things Therefore the onely absolute will of God ought to suffice every one as the most weighty cause and the chiefest reason of every thing So that it is an execrable wickednes to aske the causes of the will of God seeing that is the first and the onely sufficient of all other causes which hath no other cause above it Lib. de pradestina sanc 1.9 wherefore Saint Augustine sayd most truly and most rightly Call not into question why God chooseth this man or reprobateth that man except thou wilt fall into errour for this will of God is sure and constant because hee hath created mankinde Rom. 9.22 partly to shew his free mercy and partly to declare his iustice for he were vnmercifull if he should condemne all and on the other side hee might seeme vnmindfull of his iustice if hee should save all Therefore God created men such that they might fall that by their fall he might shew what the benefit of his mercy and the iudgement of his iustice were able to do of which reade Augustine in his booke De correp grat And this ought not to trouble the godly because that all are not appoynted to salvation and but a few onely shall be saved for they know and beleeve having learned it by the word of God that all have fallen into most iust condemnation and why all men are not delivered from thence is not in mans power to determine and iudge but must be left wholely to the iudgement and wisedome of God Further it doth hence appeare that all are not elected because that the scripture affirmeth in many places that some onely are elected and the rest reiected Agayne the scripture sayth manifestly that he hath mercy on whom he will Rom. 9. â—8 and whom he will he hardeneth Agayne if all were elected the Gospell of the sonne of God should be preached every where throughout the whole earth and faith should be given at randam to all and every one Cap. 1.1 For Paule to Titus teacheth that faith is proper to the elect But the Gospell is not preached through all parts of the earth 2. Thes 3.2 and faith is not given to all men therefore all men are not appoynted vnto salvation And that faith is not given vnto all men it is evident Mat. 25.46 because many shall be condemned and go away into everlasting paine Agayne it may hence appeare that all are not elected and shall be saved because that election or choosing is of some and not of all for if all were received there were no election so that there are some elect and some reprobates But they which have a true and a lively faith in Iesus Christ our onely Saviour and do put their whole trust and confidence of salvation in him alone they are the very elect for to this end are they elected of God that by the power of the spirit they should beleeve in Christ and in him obteyne salvation And let such embrace with thankefull hearts the incomparable goodnes of God towards them and freely with their mouth make the same knowne vnto others praysing God And although God hath not ordeyned every one vnto salvation but hath appoynted some vnto eternall destruction yet there is no accepting of persons with him as if God did elect and save this or that man for any outward good things such as are riches honours noblenes of birth cuntry comely proportion beauty excellent knowledge and learning and other things of the like sort these things albeit among men they are in great estimation yet with God they are of no account For God respecteth and esteemeth the sincerity of the heart and the innocency of life although that as concerning the decree of election he respecteth not these neither but these outward good things howsoever they be most pretious and to be esteemed as the good gifts of God and his name ought to be praysed for them yet in the matter of election he setteth nothing by them for they are not of such worth as that any for them should be elected vnto eternall life If they were the cause of election it would manifestly follow that everlasting salvation might be attayned by the goods of nature or by the study and merits of man Wherefore they which heere make a question of the accepting of persons do neyther know themselves nor the iustice of God rightly as they ought to do and do grievously offend herein because that in this matter they stick not to liken and compare God with lying and deceiveable men who often times are blinded with the outward hew of things and are withdrawne from the right way so that they give their verdit and sentence in the behalfe of vniust causes Moreover they fall into a fallacy full of ignorance or else of wickednes for they foyst in fayned and imaginary causes in stead of true and necessary causes as if they should set mouse-doong to sale in stead of pepper For if those outward good things were the cause why these or these should be chosen then surely oftentimes the worst should be elected and the
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
vnto them are most profitable furtherances of their salvation Therefore the afflictions which are sent of God vnto his children are to be accounted and esteemed in steed of a great blessing because that in them Gods more then fatherly goodnes is seene because when his children refuse to come vnto him being called by the loving voyce of the Gospell then he ceaseth not to seeke them vp but draweth them vnto him with his rod as it were against their wills otherwise they would consume away and perish in their miseries From whence may be noted againe that our mercifull God is more desirous to save miserable sinners then they are to be saved by him otherwise he would not so carefully sometimes by this and sometimes by that meanes seeke their salvation So that when God doth visit his children with these or those afflictions he doth then give them an inward taste of his fatherly good will towards them and so chastiseth them with his left hand and refresheth and susteyneth them with his right hand Thus in their common miseries they have a lively sence and experience that God is mercifull vnto them Thirdly he that will soundly edify himselfe in this doctrine and well fortifie and strengthen himselfe on every side against all the assaults of Sathan he must conteyne himselfe within the compasse and bounds of the word of God that is and shall be a true rule for him to learne by and the vtmost limit of his proceeding But he that without the word will rush into the hidden secrets of so deepe a mistery his proceeding shall not onely be in darkenes out of the way but also shall be overcome of this so secret and hidden mistery every man must therefore deale wisely and warily in this matter for if a man with a foole-hardy enterprice should covet to climbe vp such an high and steepe hill he may quickly catch an hedlong fall backward Surely whosoever desire to pry into that secret decree without the light of Gods word they shall twinde themselves into an endlesse laborinth in which they shall ever erre and never finde issue out seeing that secret counsell of God doth infinitely farre exceede all the vnderstanding and capacity of the Angels for the Angels themselves as Peter witnesseth 1. Pet. 1.12 do desire to looke into the Gospell and if the Gospell be closed vp and hidden from the Angels which alwayes behold the face of God how much lesse are they able to search out or vnderstand that hidden decree of predestination which was decreed and ordeyned before they were created for he that is ignorant of the lesser cannot have notice knowledge of the greater Therefore the word of God is the onely way which can bring every man safely and readily vnto the finding out of those things which they may know and vnderstand in this mistery of predestination So that where God hath opened his sacred mouth to teach there let man also open his eares to learne and where he hath closed vp his holy mouth there must also all way and meanes of enquiry be stopped by man and where God ceaseth to teach there let not man be desirous to learne and know any more Therefore when God maketh 〈…〉 then let man also make an end of learning and so that hee may be safe from all errour and danger let him follow God going before him in his word and that shall be vnto him as a most cleere shining light to finde out those things which are to be knowne concerning predestination Fourthly and lastly to be assured of our election and salvation and to reape fruite thereby wee must not begin at the first cause namely the causes and first beginnings of election for all meanes of learning and knowledge that way is not onely debard and shut vp from vs on every side but even from the Angels themselves but wee must learne and come to the knowledge of the certainety of our salvation from the later as it were by the effects But of this heereafter shall be spoken more largely and playnely when all the linkes of this chayne are handled and what those effects of election are which may throughly confirme vs and make vs sure of our election and salvation as most true and infallible arguments wee shall heare heereafter more at large when wee have spoken of vocation iustification and glorification So hitherto wee have spoken of the foreknowledge of God and those things which pertayne vnto it likewise of predestination and those things which belong vnto it Now those things which remayne to be spoken follow orderly one by one in this chayne which we have in hand Heere is a passage made from the doctrine of predestination vnto vocation as from the cause to the effect and is shewed how the secret predestination of God is made knowne vnto the elect by vocation In vocation first the ambiguity of the word is expressed how many wayes it is taken and how it is divided Then is shewed by what meanes it is done CHAP. 24. NOw in Paules chayne vocation followeth and the Apostle proceedeth from the cause vnto the effects and sheweth how this secret predestination is revealed and applyed vnto men therefore vocation is the third linke of the chayne of salvation which is set next to predestination in an order most convenient for by this God doth give open testimony of his will and sheweth whom he did elect and meane to save before all ages Predestination indeed in a generality and vniversally doth pronounce that some men are elected from everlasting vnto salvation and that some are iustly appoynted from everlasting vnto destruction but vocation doth open and reveale this hidden decree of God vnto every of the elect they are enlightned and regenerate by the spirit of God and so it is manifested how that of vnworthy they are made worthy the remnant are forsaken iustly in their wickednes and ignorance that being vnregenerate they may perish and be damned But the Apostle sheweth that the grace of God is to be considered of the elect two manner of wayes Fiâ—…â—ee setteth forth the incomparable favour and 〈◊〉 of GOD towards them in the word 〈…〉 Secondly in this word vocation he comprehendeth and as it were poynteth at with his finger vnto the elect the great gifts and excellent benefits which slow from predestination as from a bottomlesse fountayne for God will make himselfe knowne and impart himselfe vnto the elect by his benefits in which his lively image and shape appeareth for God cannot be searched out and knowne of any man in his hidden essence nnd secret predestination Therefore the Apostle doth heere orderly declare and recken vp certayne meanes and severall wayes by which the elect are drawne vnto Christ and brought vnto life everlasting and so sheweth that our whole salvation and whatsoever is necessary and pertayneth vnto it doth depend and proceede from Gods eternall election Concerning vocation somethings must be spoken more at large for our better
vnderstood rightly expounded it is the effectual wholesome instrumēt of the holy spirit to convert save mē So that the word of God his spirit is the singular and inestimable treasure and the excellent peculiar goods of the Church of which the Church according to that promise ought never to be deprived but to be alwayes begotten of it and to be continually directed and preserved by it Therefore the Holy Ghost is the begetting cause of faith he doth create and worke it in the hearts of the elect and by the dayly proceedings and increase thereof doth augment and preserve it vnto the end of their lives But the stedfast apprehension and applying of the promises of God and the merit of Christ is the expresse forme and lively image of faith in this consisteth the whole force and efficacy of faith Gal. 2.20 So S. Paule doth in expresse words set downe saying The sonne of God loved me and gave himselfe for me So true faith doth behold the generall promise of God and apprehendeth it and maketh particular application to it selfe certainely setting downe this that that promise of grace and salvation doth no lesse appertayne vnto it then vnto the rest of the beleevers For then the promise of God is effectuall in men and commeth to the proper end and issue of it selfe when it is apprehended by a true faith Againe the word publikely preached in the ministery of the Gospel is the instrumentall cause of faith and therefore that word is called by Paul the power of God vnto salvation Rom. 1.16 Rom. 10.17 vnto every one that beleeveth because that the holy ghost worketh by it in the hearts of the elect so that faith springeth from the preaching hearing of the Gospell Therefore whatsoever the elect do heare with their outward eares from the publike preaching of the word that doth the Holy Ghost make fruitefull and effectuall in their hearts Furthermore a stedfast confidence and a true hope in Christ a fervent love towards God also a sonne-like feare and reverence of God a sincere love of our neighbour and other honest and holy actions are such effects of the holy spirit which do accompany and attend vpon true faith as naturall and inseparable vertues So true fayth doth rest selfe vpon the fatherly love of God and doth heartily reverence and worship God as a good and loving Father and doth continually study how to please him and cleave vnto him and carefully avoydeth whatsoever may offend him and lastly doth steadfastly hope that it shall be partaker together with Christ of everlasting life and heavenly glory But the finall cause of fayth is 1. Pet. 1.9 the comprehending and conceyving of good thinges to witte life eternall and blessed immortalitie And if any shall here subtily obiect vnto a man and say that fayth is alwayes here lame and vnperfect and therefore cannot make a man perfect and happy For that which ought to save one must be every way perfect and absolute wee must answere him that fayth as farre forth as it abideth in the heart of man as in the subiect thereof is alwayes imperfect here and scarce deserveth the name of vertue But as it beholdeth and apprehendeth Christ so it is effectuall and maketh men of the sonnes of perdition the children of God then great power and saving actions are ascribed vnto it by the Scripture as that it iustifieth men that it quikneth them and saveth them So that fayth doth not save and make happy any man in regard of the subiect in which it remayneth but it is sayd to save and iustifie a man in regard of the obiect whither it tendeth and which it apprehendeth For Christ being layd hold on by fayth saveth a man whether that fayth be great or small And that Christ being apprehended with a little and slender fayth doth yet save and iustifie a man the examples of the holy Scripture declare manifestly enough For that Ruler in Iohn although he were endued with a very slender and weake fayth in Christ Iohn 4.49.53 yet for all that Christ reiecteth him not but iustified and saved both him and his sonne with all his houshold So likewise he in Marke Marke 9.24.25 although he was sayd to have a meane and a weake fayth yet Christ being layd hold on by it tooke pittie vpon him and healed his sonne that was possessed of the divell Here is notwithstanding diligently to be marked that in these manner of speeches wherein in the vertue of saving is attributed vnto fayth the power and force of the efficient cause is attributed vnto the instrument by which it worketh and is effectuall So that when iustification salvation is ascribed vnto faith as vnto the cause then the obiect of fayth is vnderstood For Christ cannot be apprehended but by sayth onely as by the instrument wherewith it is done Furthermore here is carefully to be considered that this saving Calling is produced and wrought more by the inward working of the spirite then by the outward preaching of the word For although God by his Ministers should speake and call vnto vs a thousand times by the voyce of his word in the Ministery yet vnlesse wee be drawne inwardly by the spirite of God we shall never come vnto him Many and most wonderfull examples of all ages have sufficiently declared this and do yet at this day declare it Whereby it may bee gathered that this Calling is placed in the good will and hand of God onely farre out of our owne reach For he alone can illuminate vs and convert and change vs into new creatures For in this calling the whole man is repugnant vnto God that calleth Iohn 6.44 Psal 51.12 Therefore Christ in S. Iohn vseth this word drawing David vseth this word creating speaking of the conversion of man Christ by the word drawing sheweth that this heavenly grace cannot bee conceyved of the naturall man but that there must be a new mind and a new vnderstanding to conceive it And David by the word creating would teach vs that the renewing and amendement of man is so difficult hard a worke that it can be wrought or brought to passe by no creature Bara This he sheweth by the Hebrew word Bara he created which properly signifieth hee made a thing of nothing which which was not before Secondly it signifieth to bring to passe some singular and wonderfull worke out of some matter already created which cannot possibly be imitated by any creature So that this regeneration of man is a certayne spirituall creation by which the regenerate are transported into a newe life and prepared for that heavenly glory which never shall have ende Here is refuted the errour of the Papists concerning the strength that is in man and shewed in what things an vnregenerate man hath free-will and in what not and how farre free-will stretcheth it selfe And the grosse ignorance or manifest impietie of the Papists is disclosed
as it neither ariseth nor dependeth of any naturall causes so also can it not bee knowne by them Agayne the knowledge thereof is not to be sought in the secret hidden fore-knowledge of God but to bee found out by the latter namely by the effects and signes thereof For there is nothing more preposterous nothing more dangerous then omitting and neglecting the effects of Vocation to seeke for the certaynety thereof in the counsell of God And they which labour to do this enter into an endlesse Labyrinth out of which the light of mans reason can never ridde or deliver them Now the effects whereby every man may know his Calling are sundry and manifest First whosoever are called effectually vnto Christ Iohn 8 47. do desire earnestly to heare the word of God and to profile truely in it Secondly Gal. 4 6. the holy Ghost doth stirre vp in them a diligent worship of God and doth kindle and inflame theyr hearts with the desire of thinking and doing good workes Tit. 2.14 and doth beget in them a true hatred of evill as to detest avoyd sinne with all their strength They therefore which love God are called of him 1. Cor. 8.3 for no man can love him except first he be called and taught of him Thirdly God doth beget in his children an hatred of this world and a love of theyr heavenly Country which can be in none but in those that are called and regenerate So that faith and the fruites of fayth are the true and infallible effects and signes of a saving Calling all which as vnseparable companions and vndoubted witnesses doe follow an effectuall Calling by which is begotten in a man a lively and an effectuall feeling of the favour of God Whereas otherwise if a man were not called and regenerate his whole mind and will would be set vpon evill things he should feele no true taste of the grace of God and should be able to doe no good thing before God as furnished onely with humane strength They therefore which doe conceave in theyr minde any good thing and feele it in themselves all that hath his beginning from God that calleth them which worketh in them every good thing that maketh for the Salvation of their soules iustification before God For he onely enclineth the wils and the hearts of men to thinke and doe that which is good and iust They therefore which have an hearty desire to doe that which is good howsoever the worthinesse of their worke answere not their will yet neverthelesse they may know that they are called of God and that they have the holy spirite within them which worketh effectually vnto their Salvation For where hee stirreth vp that spirituall contention betweene vertue and vices there doth an effectuall calling manifest it selfe and declareth and sheweth the power that it hath because that striving betweene the spirit and the flesh can be in none but in those that are called and regenerate For sinne doth wholy possesse the vnregenerate men but it doth but onely hinder the regenerate and set vpon them with great and continuall bickerings They therefore which doe acknowledge and confesse themselves to be vnperfect they may certaynely resolve with themselves that they are called and renewed For this is as one sayth the perfection of Christians to acknowledge theyr owne imperfections But if men feele no such effectes at all or very small and slender effects yet from thence they ought to take no occasion to doubt of the mercy of God or of theyr calling For God doth not give all his gifts and benefites at the first and in one day but enlargeth and encreaseth them by degrees Rom. 1.17 and by little and little Agayne there are sundry and divers times of calling Matth. 20. vers 1. and so forward For some he calleth in theyr first age some in theyr middle age some in their old age some for his great mercy sake he draweth to himselfe in theyr last gaspe of life So that they which as this day feele not the effectes of theyr Vocation they may feele them to morrow or the day after But when God deferreth fayth and repentance even vnto the last pang of death then doth hee witnesse his singular love and mercy towardes miserable sinners For by such examples he comforteth them who have fallen into such or such sinnes and have remayned in them as it were ensnared and lulled a sleepe for a long time that they should not for those sinnes though growne old by long continuance be cast downe and despayre of obtayning mercy because that the incomprehensible grace of God doth remit all manner of sinnes vnto those which are penitent from the bottome of theyr hearts and because that the greatnesse and power of grace is of farre more force to save man then the strength and power of iniquitie is to condemne him as Barnard elsewhere speaketh Lastly we must thinke this that true conversion vnto God and repentance is never too late Whosoever therefore shall truely and heartily repent even at the panges and poynt of death for him is the grace of God prepared and hee may hope for certayne Salvation Agayne true and lively experience teacheth vs by the examples of those whom God calleth even in the last gaspe of life that Salvation and Life eternall is altogether free and every way an vndeserved benefite Therefore no man should despayre of the great Grace of God but all should be in very good hope of it as long as they live here in this world And these thinges bee spoken of Vocation Now it remayneth to speake of Iustification Here is intreated of free Iustification and shewed how it may bee knowne by Vocation or Calling also what it is for a man to be iustified after the phrase of the Gospel and lastly what are the speciall causes of Iustification CHAP. 26. IVstification is the fourth lincke in Pauls Chayne and this is set vnder Vocation or calling in a most convenient and methodicall order For after that God hath called a man vnto himselfe and hath wrought fayth in him by his spirite through the word straight wayes are shewed by the Apostle those benefites which fayth seeketh in God and receyveth of him Fayth therefore that ariseth from an effectuall calling hath respect vnto Iustification Moreover fayth doth not by the proper merite and worke thereof absolve and iustifie any man but it is sayd to iustifie a man because it beholdeth and apprehendeth the free mercy of God in his promises So that true fayth embracing the promises of God and applying them vnto it selfe is imputed by God vnto man for righteousnesse or that I may speake more properly the obedience of Christ his death is imputed to him for righteousnesse through fayth For our righteousnesse before God consisteth in the forgivenesse of our sinnes Rom. 4.6.7 as it appeareth by the wordes of Saint Paul vnto the Romanes But the remission of our sinnes could not
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
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
and exercise the strength thereof in the very act of administring them Agayne they doe offend and sinne exceedingly and out of measure agaynst the office of the holy Spirite and the blood of Christ For the holy Spirite is the onely efficient cause and principall worker of regeneration and the bloud of Christ is the meritorious cause thereof therefore they attribute that vnto the outward water of baptisme which is due only vnto the holy spirit the bloud of Christ so fall into a fallacy from that which is no cause as if it were a cause for they do cast that vnto the false and fayned cause which ought to be attributed vnto the true and proper cause and so as much as in them lyeth do overthrow and vndermine the principall heads of Christian religion And whereas they inferre that the purer and preciser sort of Divines do deny that Baptisme is the washing of the new birth Tit. 3.5 as Paul to Titus speaketh This is an vnsavory and a vile cavill for they doe not onely admit and like of those words of Paul in their true and naturall meaning but do receive them as a most sound confirmation and strengthening of our cause for Paul there playnely pronounceth that the power of the holy spirit doth effect and worke regeneration in vs. But our adversaryes do misvnderstand those words of Paul and do abuse them whilest they wrest them into an other sence as seducers vse to do and apply them amisse and so do fall into a fallacy of the ambiguity of a word whilest they interpret that ill which they apply worst of all Among true and sound Divines it is a thing firmely resolved and agreed vpon that the Sacraments do not bring grace but do for the strengthening of faith seale vp that which was bestowed before as we may see in Abraham Rom. 4.10 as in the common example and father of all them which beleeve Lastly they erre not a little by this their most vayne fiction whilest that they place the first beginning of salvation and the ground thereof in the water of baptisme for so they forge and frame the causes of salvation from the instruments that are vsed as meanes and from the manner of applying them but with deepe silence they do passe by and with wonderfull craft neglect the true and proper cause of salvation namely everlasting and free election and the onely merit of Christ that they might the more easily deceive and cast a mist before the eyes of the ignorant For there is no greater nor more plentifull occasion to beguile and deceive then where false and imaginary causes are supposed for true and proper causes Moreover this regeneration heere is alwayes defective and imperfect and a small beginning of a new life and a certayne onset vnto it This is prooved by manifest testimonyes of Scripture and also by dayly experience of the godly The testimonyes of Scripture say that we ought to be changed into the image of God from glory to glory 2. Cor. 3.18 Rom. 1.17 and to go forward dayly more and more from faith to faith Also that the children of God ought to walke in his commaundements Eze. 36.27 Tit. 2.14 and to keepe his statutes and to be zealous of good workes These and the like places of Scripture doe teach vs that the elect are not the first day polished vnto the highest perfection but that by little and little as it were by degrees they are brought from one vertue vnto an other vntill after this life they shall come vnto the highest perfection for they are not perfect which must be changed from one glory to another and goe forward from faith to faith Secondly they which walke in the commaundements of God are yet in the way and are not come vnto the end of theyr race therefore they are vnperfect For wayfaring men are often weeryed and now and then stumble and fall by reason of these or these lets and hindrances so also the regenerate men beeing as it were weeryed in the course and study of godlines doe slip often and fall into these and these sinnes Therefore the Apostle Saint Iohn sayeth playnely 1. Iohn 1.8 that they which say they have no sinnes deceive themselves and the truth is not in them Also the most holy Prophets do playnely and freely confesse of themselves that theyr best workes are poluted and stayned with many and great imperfections Esay 64. for in them alwayes the dregges of sinfull flesh remayne and abide and very often the sparkles of theyr lewde affections doe breake forth and shewe themselves but these hinder them not because they have a promise of a pardon These things the testimonies of Scripture teach vs that the children of God do onely obtayne some beginnings of a new life heere so that regeneration heere is maymed and vnperfect For the holy spirit doth so illuminate and renew the mindes of the elect 1. Cor. 13.9 that heere they doe know but in part and doth so change and refine their wills that they can will and do that which is good but in part as long as they live in this life So that whether a man respect the vnderstanding of the regenerate or whether a man consider theyr will hee shall easily finde that they are vnperfect for they which are renewed still day by day are not as yet wholy renewed but the children of God as long as they live heere are renewed day by day therefore they are not as yet perfect nor wholy renewed Besides these there are many other tokens whereof the scripture is very plentifull as which are wrought successively by the children of God eyther in reioycing at the benefites of God or sorrowing at theyr owne sinnes and surely these do bewray theyr imperfections So that infirmity alwayes abideth and dwelleth in them with which they must strive even vnto the death of the body with an entercourse of going backward and going forward as Augustine sayth in one place Secondly dayly experience it selfe doth convince and prove the imperfection of the godly For the most holy men of all ages have offended and sinned very often which they could not have done if they had not bin vnperfect for they which by regeneration are quite perfected are set out of all danger of sinning any more furthermore God hath no where promised that he will indue his children in this life with exquisite perfection therefore they cannot be made perfect heere for God doth not perfourme more in this worke of regeneration by the power of his spirit then he hath declared in the revealed word of promise and they themselves by their owne power cannot make themselves better and more holy then God will have them to be Also the most holy Apostles themselves say Iames. 3.2 that in many things they sinne all Iohn also in his Epistle pronounceth most plainely saying 1. Iohn 1.8 If we say that we have no sinne we deceive
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