holdeth on his iourney so in this life wee are pilgrims wee are trauailers and howsoeuer we do seek another countrie and striue to come vnto the Cittie of rest yet in this iournie wee wander often out of the way wee take many falles wee haue many impediments neither is it possible the light of our Faith should still hold out and neuer bee darkned in this pilgrimage till in the life to come we be made Citizens of that heauenly Ierusalem which is aboue Wee conclude then with the sweet and modest saying of good Saint Augustine Haec est perfectio Christianorum vt agnoscant se nunquam esse perfectos Herein stands the perfection of a Christian to acknowledge himselfe neuer to be perfect The Conclusion Now it remaineth as was promised in the beginning to shew the mutuali coherence of these words and to knit vp againe the Lincks of this Chaine together HEre in foure words are contayned the foure causes of our saluation In Predestination there is the efficient cause which is Gods loue In Calling there is the materiall cause which is Christs death opened in his word In Iustifying there is the formall cause aliuely faith in Glorifying there is the finall cause which is euerlasting life Thus in Predestination we behold God the Father chosing of his loue in Calling we heare God the Sonne teaching by his word in Iustifying wee feele the comfort of God the holy Ghost sealing by his spirit The fruite of all which of Gods loue chosing of Christs word Calling of God the holy Ghost comforting the effect of all these is our Glorifycation So that as we do see farre with our bodily eye yet reach farther with reason which is the eye of the mind but Faith which is the eye of the soule out-strippeth both So Calling enlightneth the mind with spirituall knowledge Iustifying goeth further and sealeth vp the heart with heauenly comfort Glorifying out-strippeth all and doth rauish the soule with immortalitie Euery one of vs after this life wee desire and hope to inioy eternall Glorie Behold Conceditur Ber◠in Predestinatione promittitur in vocatione ostenditur in Iustificatione percipitur in Glorificatione In Predestination there is the first grant In Calling it is directly promised in Iustifying it is plainely shewed in Glorifying there is liuerie and seisin the full possession of all In Predestination God bestoweth vpon vs his loue in Calling he graunteth the blessing of his word in Iustifying he yeelds the fruit of his spirit in Glorifying he doth wholy giue vnto vs himselfe Here are the sweet springs issuing out of Nilus the head whereof cannot be found here are the foure pleasant riuers which water Paradise which runne through the Soule with a Diuine vertue and comfortably coole all our spirituall heat Here is the holy and precious oyle powred vpon the head of Aaron the exceeding loue and fulnesse Ioh◠Of◠nes◠all of grace powred vpon our head Christ Iesus and running downe to the skirtes of his clothing to euery particular and penitent member of his Church Here wee may see the spirituall regeneration of the Soule shadowed out in the first creation of the World In Predestination there is the huge and vast deepe the darke forme whereof could not be discerned in Calling the separating of light from darknesse of knowledge from ignorance in the Soule in Iustifying the Sunne is created the 〈…〉 6 bright beames of his grace shine in our hearts in Glorifying we may behold the new Adam framed 〈…〉 6 after the Image of God and placed in the paradise of immortall ioy Obserue here if you please the kindnesse of alouing Father who hauing many sonnes beareth secret affection to some one there is Predestination this affection in his good time hee declareth by making his will knowne and his loue manifest there is Calling after this Calling he causeth him to take vp his inheritance in Court and giueth him earnest in token of assurance there is Iustifying lastly he enters into his fathers ioy and is made neire of all there is Glorifying Againe in Predestination the heauenly husband-man chooseth out a plot of ground at his owne pleasure in Calling hee soweth it with the seede of his word in Iustifying hee waters and cherisheth it with his spirit in Glorifying hee reapes and carrieth into the barne Lastly behold apparantly in Predestination 〈…〉 5.5 how Ioseph long before was sold into Egypt by the determinate Counsell of God by Calling how hee was loosed out of prison and deliuered from the bondage of sinne by Iustifying how his cause was made knowne and so acquitted innocent in Glorifying how hee was clothed in Purple placed in the Kings Chariot and made the chiefe of his Kingdome Now then as Saint Paul saith to the Romans What shall wee say to these things in like sort what shall we say to these so excellent so sweete so diuine misteries to these so comfortable testimonies of Gods loue to this Ladder of Iacobs whervpon none but Angels do ascend to this inward working of the Spirit which bloweth where it listeth to this Diuine and hidden purpose which can not be deceiued to this ineffable glorie of the Sonnes of God which they do expect and looke for what shall wee say more effectuall and more comfortable Can any thing bee set downe more plainely or knit vp more briefly can any demonstration be concluded more soundly Whom the Lord hath Predestinated before all time those doth hee Call in time whom he Calleth those hee doth Iustifie and whome he Iustifieth those doth he Glorifie Thus then may euery true Christian conclude for the comfort of his Soule and the assurance of his saluation for euer I am Iustified truely by aliuely and working Faith therefore I am Called I am Called effectually by his word therefore I am Predestinate I am Predestinate and chosen of his free loue from eternitie and therefore I shall bee Glorified vnto all eternitie againe Osetled comfort Osweete conceiued hope of ioy That ioy which strength of Hells ten thousand can neuer take away Wherefore should we feare whereof shall we be afraid No no force so mightie so puissant able to ouerthrow vs. No terror of sinne no plagues of death no rage of the world no power of the Diuell himselfe In all these we are more then conquerors For al things shall turne to the best to them that are setled in Gods feare That wicked and most dangerous conspiracy plotted against the Lords annointed whē it came to the very pinch when it was brought to the very height was not all turned topsie-turuie and vtterly disapointed This day wee do acknowledge it with thankefull remembrance this day wherein wee are all met together in a most happie and blessed peace this day doth plainely witnesse that hee had the deliuerance wee feele the comfort the Church hath an endlesse blessing and God hath his euerlasting praises O behold what it is to bee knit vnto God For whome he doth
other reason to be giuen no other answer to be made but that it is his good pleasure it is his will Misericordia eius causa Misericordiae God sheweth mercy to whom he wil shew mercy Româ— and he hath compassion vpon whom it pleaseth him to haue compassion There is power and free liberty in Exo. â— GOD to giue and bestowe his grace both to whom when and how much-soeuer it pleaseth him Huic fit misericordia tibi non fit iuiuria saith S. Augustine God chooseth one he refuseth another to him he sheweth mercy to thee hee doth no iniury Here then wee must rest here we must make Fat 〈…〉 nece 〈…〉 em 〈…〉 uide 〈…〉 ad sa 〈…〉 am sc 〈…〉 a full point It is Gods good pleasure it is his will And this one answer it is a barre for all deepe questions either of of Predestination Election Destinie or any such like Iris Gods good pleasure it is his will His will is the cause of all causes and 〈…〉 ad 〈…〉 fer 〈…〉 further we cannot go Whom this answer doth not content S. Gregory doth answer directly Qui in factis Dei rationem non videt infirmitatem suam considerans cur non videat rationem videt In Mag. â— the hidden works of God hee that seeth not a reason if he see his owne infirmity hee seeth a sufficient reason why he should not see Wee conclude then with good Saint Augustine in his 59. Epistle ad Paulinum occulta esse causa potest iniusta 〈…〉 m. esse non potest Why God hath made choise of some and not of others howsoeuer vnto vs the cause be hidden yet vndoubtedly it cannot bee vniust This Doctrine briefely set downe and thus plainely appearing that Predestination is the immutable purpose of God whereby hee hath made choyse of some and reiected others according to the pleasure of his owne will It seemeth at the first when men do commit sinne they cannot auoide it as if GOD had so ordained it Hee hath made choyse of some to life and others hee hath reiected therefore when they sinne and follow the course that leadeth vnto death they doe it of necessity 〈…〉 15. O God forbid there should bee vnrighteousnesse in God or iniquity in the Almighty For GOD hath commannded no man to doe vngodly nether hath he giuen any man licence to sinne Before wee resolue this doubt there ariseth a very notable and necessary question which in times past hath troubled many wits If God bee not the author of sinne if he bee not the cause of mans offending how came sinne first to be how came it in where was the first beginning of it The heathen Philosophers they roued at the matter a farre off The Epicures they said it came by chance Aristotle and his sect they said it was the error of nature Plato came a little nearer and he said it arose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of the nature of man Manicheus the hereticke to auoide the former opinions hee fained two Gods Duos affirmanit esse Deos alterum quidem Cleâ— lib. 3â— cogâ— bonum alterum verò malum One he auerred to be the author and first beginner of all good the other the first cause and author of all euill This opinion went currant a long time almost three hundred yeares as Nicephorus writeth and Nicâ— ecclâ— 6. â—â— the reason was because men neuer looking into the word of trueth by the light of nature they could neuer finde from whence sinne came That we may fully vnderstand this point very briefely we will set downe the lineall discent of sinne Sinne first ariseth from concupiscence Euery Iam. â— man is tempted when he is drawne away by his owne concupiscence and is iâ—ticed All sin all wickednes of this life whatsoeuer first ariseth from concupiscence from our owne wicked inclination From whence then comes concupiscence That Dauid Psal â— shewes ex immundo semine We are borne in iniquitiâ— and we are conceiued in sinne as the originall doth 〈…〉 â— signifie we are all warmed in vncleane bloud If we be all borne in sin and by nature corrupt wee must ascend higher to our first parents and know how they came first to sinne Adam and Eâ—e as appeareth in the 2. of Genes they first sinned by yeelding consent vnto the Deuill they tooke it from Sathan Heere then comes in the maine question how came the Deuill first to sinne The Deuill at first was created in porestate standi eadendi he had in his first creation a possibility to stand or fall power of continuance that hee had from God possibility of falling that he had from himselfe For it is a ground in diuinity Immutabiliter bonum esse Dei propriumest To bee immutablie good without any change or alteration it is onely proper vnto God therefore had hee possibility to stand or to fall S. Augustine also he rendreth another reason why the Deuill created an Angell of light had possibility of falling Because saith he at the first hee was created of nothing therefore he had in him possibility to retutne to nothing if so be he did not rely in the goodnesse of his creator if he did not subiect himselfe vnder the power of God To resolue then Sathan at the first was created an angell of light and had possibilitie to stand or fall but in the 14. of Isaiah and the 14. ver Whereas he saith there I wil a scend aboue the height of the cloudes I will be like the most high Then did Sathan choose rather to be an absolute nature in himselfe to shake of his alleageance and to abandon the goodnesse of God then relying still in God to be established by his power Our Sauiour Christ saith I saw Sathan fall as lightning from heauen And L 〈…〉 the lightning we know is not cast downe by any other but it falleth and breaketh out of it selfe alone The Diuell saith S. Peter was cast downe to 2. P 〈…〉 hell and deliuered vnto chaines of darkenes The reason is rendred in the 6. of Iude because when hee had possibilitie to stand or fall hee kept not his first estate Non perstitit in veritate Iohn the 8. 44. He â—boad not in the trueth So then to descend againe The Diuell he is Primitiuus peâ—cator hee was the first offender For he sinneth from the beginning 1. Io 〈…〉 From the deuill sinne was deriued vnto Adam from Adam to all his posterity borne of vncleane seede froÌ„ the corruption of vncleane birth it is secretly coÌ„ueighed to our inclination to concupissence Thus from the Diuell sinne first boyleth vp as out of a maine Sea from him when it comes to Adam it ariseth as out off a spring from this spring it is reserued in nature as in a Conduit from nature conuaâ—ed to concupiscence as hy a pipe from thence doth issue a streame of wickednesse to the Sea againe Now although it be thus
whom he Predestinated them also he Called AS from the maine Sea we do strike into some chanell or riuer So froÌ„ Predestination the great depth of Gods Councel the Apostle commeth vnto Calling For whereas it hath beene shewedin opening the first point that God of his free mercy did choose some to life and others hath left vnto Perdition In this case if God should neuer Call men if he should neuer offer them grace it might seeme preiudiciall to his mercy and though wee did sinne yet it might be thought our selues could not redresse it For this cause the Apostle commeth from Predestination to Calling that is from Gods determinate counsell to the meanes which hee hath appointed for our saluation This Calling is two-fold eyther outward or inward The outward and generall Calling is by the workes of God and by his word First by his workes This world it is an Vniuersity or a Colledge wherein there are two Lectures whereof euery man liuing must bee an hearer and a learner The first is the Philosophy lecture concerning Gods 〈…〉 workes in the heauens and all his creatures by the which we are taught and daylie Called to know God This is a plaine and easie Lecture written in great Capitall Letters that euery simple and ignorant man may read it running The other is the Diuinitie Lecture when we are exempted from the first and led on further to know God in his word Both these Lectures they are expressed together 〈…〉 in the 19. Psal From the 1. vers to the 7. is contayned the Philosophie Lecture The Heauens declare 〈…〉 9. 1. the glory of God and the Firmament sheweth his handie worke Day vnto day vttereth the same and Night vnto night teacheth knowledge there is no 〈…〉 speech â—or language where their voyce is not heard Their sound is gone forth through all the earth and their words vnto the ends of the world In them hath hee set a Tabernacle for the Sunne which commeth forth as a Bridegroome out of his Chamber and reioyceth like a mighty man to run his race His going out is from the end of the heauen and his compasse is vnto the ends of the same and none is hid from the heate thereof The Diuinity Lecture begins at the seauenth verse and continues to the 11. verse The law of the Lord is an vndefiled Law conuerting the soule the testimony of the Lord is sure and giueth wisedome to the simple The Statutes of the Lord are right and reioyce the heart The commaundement of the Lord is pure and giueth light vnto the eyes The feare of the Lord is cleane and endureth for euer The iudgements of the Lord are true and righteous altogether More to bee desired then gold yea then much fine gold sweeter also then hony and the honye combe Moreouer by them is thy seruant taught and in keeping of them there is great reward Touching the Philosophy Lecture that we are all first Called to know God by his workes it is most apparent For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est Diuinitatis symbolum the world is the glasse of Gods Diuinity The heathen I 〈…〉 De 〈…〉 riis Philosopher saith Deus tangitur in operibus God is euen touched in his workes He iumpeth with S. Paul Acts 17. 27. The heathen by groping Act. 〈…〉 might haue found him for doubtlesse he is not farre from euery one of vs. In the 143. Psalme and the 5. Psa 〈…〉 verse the holy Prophet saith thus I will muse vppon all thy workes and exercise my selfe in the workes of thy hands If a man will profiâ— by this philosophy lecture he must vse meditation For indeede if a man doe rightly consider of the Ebbing and Flowing of the Sea where of no reason can be rendred of the certaine course and change of the Moone with the secret influence of the same the nature of winde no man knowing whence it commeth nor whether it goeth the hugenesse of the sweeling Sea girt by Gods commaundement that it doth not ouerflow the banckes the raging 〈…〉 Thunder which makes al the beasts of the field to tremble the fearfull Lightning which in the twinckling of an eye passeth from East to West how all things keepe their appointed course wherin they were created As wee walke abroad in the fields if wee doe behold and view the glory of the Sunne and Moone the beauty of the Starres the sweet Dew distilling Showers greene Pastures 〈…〉 pleasant Meddowes cleare Springs thicke Woodes gushing Fountaines the wonderfull increase of Corne Cattle and such like Who is hee beholding these things and seriously meditating vpon this Philosophy lecture but hee must needes confesse that God doth Call him being so manifestly 〈…〉 taught to know him in his workes And as God is thus seene and taught vnto all the heathen people by his workes in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the frame and composition of this great world so likewise GOD doth Call vs by his workes in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the little World of man Homo est caeli simulachrum interpres naturae Man he is the picture of the Heauens and the interpreter of Nature Concerning God we acknowledge him to be a spirit concerning the World we haue found it to be a body in Man we haue an abridgement of both namely of God in regard of his spirit of the World in the composition of the body as though the Creator vpon purpose to set forth a mirror of his workes intended to bring into this one little compasse of man both the infinitenesse of his owne nature and the hugenesse of the whole world together As in the World so in the body of man there is a wonderfull mixture of the foure Elements The Heart placed in the midest as the Earth our centre the Liuer like the Sea from whence the liuely springs of bloud doe flow the Veines like riuers spredding themselues abroad vnto the vttermost members the Braine which giueth light and vnderstanding placed aloft like the Sunne the Senses set round about like starres for ornament the Countenance of man full of grace and Maiesty striking a terror into all Creatures Such and so wonderfull is God in his power that he is seene in the workemanship of the body But if man as it were out of himselfe could behold this body receiuing life and entring into the vse of all his motions Ioints mouing so actiuely Sinewes stirring so nimbly Senses vttering their force so sharpely The inward Powers so excellent the Spirit supernaturall Reason so Diuine the Minde Cogitation so quicke and infinite the Vnderstanding so Angel-like and the Soule aboue all Dei 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the ingrauen image of the immortall God If man could enter into himselfe and consider rightly of this he must needes bee driuen to confesse that God hath Called him by those workes which are most apparent in himselfe 〈…〉 Therefore as Saint Paul soundly reasoneth in the
watering for the Liuer is the spring of bloud that runneth into euery veine and therefore Salomon 〈…〉 12. 7 calleth the Liuer the golden well In the body there is a withering for Dauid complaineth in the Psalme 22. 15. verse My moysture is like the drought in Summer and my boanes are dryed vp like a pot-shard As in the earth and bodie of man so like wise in the soule there is a watering and a withering In the 4. of Saint Iohn and 14. verse there is mention of a well of liuing waters for the Soule The preaching of 〈…〉 3. 6. grace in Christ is called the watering of Apollo The Prophet Esay saith with ioy yee shall drawe 〈…〉 12. 3 waters out of the welles of Saluation Contrariwise where this grace doth not water there is withering Si spiritus irrigatio defuerit omnis 〈…〉 g. mag plantatio exarescit Euery planting that hath not the watering of Gods spirit it withereth and dries away therefore saith the Psalmist the 〈…〉 1. 3. godly they are like the tree planted by the riuers side there is watering but the vngodly are as a Garden that hath no water and as the Oaken leafe that Esay 〈…〉 fadeth there is withering The other Greeke verbe is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to harden There bee Phisieae and aethicae vicissitudines there is a naturall and a spirituall Philosophie In the naturall course of things there is a congealing and an hardening as of the yce and frost which Iob very fitly calleth the bands of Orion because by the cold Eastern Iob. 3◠31 and Northern windes the water becomes as a stoane and the clods are bound together Contrary to this Hardening there is a melting Hee Psal ◠18 sendeth out his word and melteth them As when the Frost doth giue and the showers fall which Iob calles in the same place The sweete influence of Pleiades Both in nature and in the soule also there is a Resoluing and a Hardening Deut. 32. verse 2. The word is called Dewe and there is a thaw or spirituall melting when the heauenly dewe doth cause the soule to giue and to resolue into teares of Repentance so in the 2. of Kings 22. 10. Iosias heart did melt when he heard the Lawe read When King Dauid had committed murther and adulterie very grieuous sinnes hee neuer be-thought himselfe of the matter but he began to congeale and to bee Hardened in his sinne But assoone as the Prophet Nathan had awaked him and his heart like Gedeons fleece had druncke vp the heauenly dewe then presently Dauid began to relent his soule melted with sorrow and as appeareth in the 51. Psalme hee resolued into teares of Repentance Hezechias when God had giuen vnto him a sodaine and triumphant victorie ouer the host of Zenacherib presently after in the pride of his heart hee forgat God and began to congeale in sinne but as soone as the word of the Lord came vnto him by the Prophet Esay then presently his heart melted the bloud of his soule flowed forth in his repentant teares as appeareth in the 38. of Esay hee turned his face vnto the wall and wept bitterly 〈…〉 38. 3. Nowe as there is a Meiting so also there is an Hardening in the soule and that is when the custome of sinne hath beaten such an hard tracke and so trampled the soule that the word of God the seede of life cannot enter This is expressed in the 13. of Saint Matthew by the parable of the seede which fell by the high way side where there was such an hard way such a beaten path made by the common entrance of sinne that the seede could take no roote but the diuell comes like an Harpie and deuoureth it before it can enter For example hereof we wil take Cain and King Pharao whom my Text concerneth Cain hauing slaine his brother Abell and committed horrible murther the word of the Lord came vnto him saying Where is thy brother Abell Did Cains heart relent did hee confesse and say I haue sinned or did hee resolue into teares with Dauid No such matter but first he answered with a foule word I cannot tell where hee is then hee despised the Lord to his face as if hee should say you may go looke him am I my brothers keeper marke but this answere of Caine and his cariage therein and you neede no other example of an heart that is Hardened neither affection in kinred could touch him nor shame of the world check him nor the bloud of his slaine brother mooue him nor the glorious presence of the Lord astonish him nor the guilt of his owne thoughts raise him nor at last the quickening word of God which is powerfull to raise the very dead Hara Iob. 15. none of these could any whit reuiue him Triplex circa praecordia ferrum as Iob saith of Leuiathan his heart was harder then the nether milstone Pharaoh when the word of God came vnto Pha 〈…〉 him by Moses and Aaron hee was so farre from yeelding that hee seemed presently as though hee would haue fought with God Who is the Lord I know no Lord neither will I let Israel go And whereas the word and miracles ioyned with that word were sufficient to conuince any liuing Pharaohs heart was so stonie that though by a strange Miracle all the water in the land were become bloud and did sauour most vnholsomely yet it is sayd Pharao went home 〈…〉 23 and all this could not enter into his heart it could not pierce him When the Prophet cryed to the Altar of Ieroboam O Altar Altar heare the word of the Lord the Altar heard and claue asunder But the word of God which in Ieremie 〈…〉 13. 23. 29. is called an Hammer because it bruseth the stonie hearts of men this Hammer with ten miracles gaue ten mighty stroakes at Pharaohs heart and yet it could neuer bruse it Thus wee may plainely see there is a watering by Grace and a melting by Gods word as appeareth by Dauid and Hezechiah who resolued into teares againe through want of Grace there is a withering and by custome of sinne there is an Hardening as in Caine and Pharaoh whose hearts the word of God could not pierce but the more they were beaten on the more hard and flintie they became God hardeneth not IT Remayneth on the second poynt to discusse whether this Hardening bee of GOD In opening whereof it is very strange to heare how vntruely how vncharitablie we are charged by our aduersaries not onely Campion and Bellarmine but especially in certaine Articles or Foreible reasons lately published wherein it is directly set downe that the protestants doe make God the author and onely cause of sinne that they deride Gods permission and plainely affirme God is worse Article ◠then the Denill and so are bound in conscience neuer to aske God forgiuenesse for their sinnes Oh fearefull blasphemie and wordes vnseemely