vnderstood rightly expounded it is the effectual wholesome instrumēt of the holy spirit to convert save mē So that the word of God his spirit is the singular and inestimable treasure and the excellent peculiar goods of the Church of which the Church according to that promise ought never to be deprived but to be alwayes begotten of it and to be continually directed and preserved by it Therefore the Holy Ghost is the begetting cause of faith he doth create and worke it in the hearts of the elect and by the dayly proceedings and increase thereof doth augment and preserve it vnto the end of their lives But the stedfast apprehension and applying of the promises of God and the merit of Christ is the expresse forme and lively image of faith in this consisteth the whole force and efficacy of faith Gal. 2.20 So S. Paule doth in expresse words set downe saying The sonne of God loved me and gave himselfe for me So true faith doth behold the generall promise of God and apprehendeth it and maketh particular application to it selfe certainely setting downe this that that promise of grace and salvation doth no lesse appertayne vnto it then vnto the rest of the beleevers For then the promise of God is effectuall in men and commeth to the proper end and issue of it selfe when it is apprehended by a true faith Againe the word publikely preached in the ministery of the Gospel is the instrumentall cause of faith and therefore that word is called by Paul the power of God vnto salvation Rom. 1.16 Rom. 10.17 vnto every one that beleeveth because that the holy ghost worketh by it in the hearts of the elect so that faith springeth from the preaching hearing of the Gospell Therefore whatsoever the elect do heare with their outward eares from the publike preaching of the word that doth the Holy Ghost make fruitefull and effectuall in their hearts Furthermore a stedfast confidence and a true hope in Christ a fervent love towards God also a sonne-like feare and reverence of God a sincere love of our neighbour and other honest and holy actions are such effects of the holy spirit which do accompany and attend vpon true faith as naturall and inseparable vertues So true fayth doth rest selfe vpon the fatherly love of God and doth heartily reverence and worship God as a good and loving Father and doth continually study how to please him and cleave vnto him and carefully avoydeth whatsoever may offend him and lastly doth steadfastly hope that it shall be partaker together with Christ of everlasting life and heavenly glory But the finall cause of fayth is 1. Pet. 1.9 the comprehending and conceyving of good thinges to witte life eternall and blessed immortalitie And if any shall here subtily obiect vnto a man and say that fayth is alwayes here lame and vnperfect and therefore cannot make a man perfect and happy For that which ought to save one must be every way perfect and absolute wee must answere him that fayth as farre forth as it abideth in the heart of man as in the subiect thereof is alwayes imperfect here and scarce deserveth the name of vertue But as it beholdeth and apprehendeth Christ so it is effectuall and maketh men of the sonnes of perdition the children of God then great power and saving actions are ascribed vnto it by the Scripture as that it iustifieth men that it quikneth them and saveth them So that fayth doth not save and make happy any man in regard of the subiect in which it remayneth but it is sayd to save and iustifie a man in regard of the obiect whither it tendeth and which it apprehendeth For Christ being layd hold on by fayth saveth a man whether that fayth be great or small And that Christ being apprehended with a little and slender fayth doth yet save and iustifie a man the examples of the holy Scripture declare manifestly enough For that Ruler in Iohn although he were endued with a very slender and weake fayth in Christ Iohn 4.49.53 yet for all that Christ reiecteth him not but iustified and saved both him and his sonne with all his houshold So likewise he in Marke Marke 9.24.25 although he was sayd to have a meane and a weake fayth yet Christ being layd hold on by it tooke pittie vpon him and healed his sonne that was possessed of the divell Here is notwithstanding diligently to be marked that in these manner of speeches wherein in the vertue of saving is attributed vnto fayth the power and force of the efficient cause is attributed vnto the instrument by which it worketh and is effectuall So that when iustification salvation is ascribed vnto faith as vnto the cause then the obiect of fayth is vnderstood For Christ cannot be apprehended but by sayth onely as by the instrument wherewith it is done Furthermore here is carefully to be considered that this saving Calling is produced and wrought more by the inward working of the spirite then by the outward preaching of the word For although God by his Ministers should speake and call vnto vs a thousand times by the voyce of his word in the Ministery yet vnlesse wee be drawne inwardly by the spirite of God we shall never come vnto him Many and most wonderfull examples of all ages have sufficiently declared this and do yet at this day declare it Whereby it may bee gathered that this Calling is placed in the good will and hand of God onely farre out of our owne reach For he alone can illuminate vs and convert and change vs into new creatures For in this calling the whole man is repugnant vnto God that calleth Iohn 6.44 Psal 51.12 Therefore Christ in S. Iohn vseth this word drawing David vseth this word creating speaking of the conversion of man Christ by the word drawing sheweth that this heavenly grace cannot bee conceyved of the naturall man but that there must be a new mind and a new vnderstanding to conceive it And David by the word creating would teach vs that the renewing and amendement of man is so difficult hard a worke that it can be wrought or brought to passe by no creature Bara This he sheweth by the Hebrew word Bara he created which properly signifieth hee made a thing of nothing which which was not before Secondly it signifieth to bring to passe some singular and wonderfull worke out of some matter already created which cannot possibly be imitated by any creature So that this regeneration of man is a certayne spirituall creation by which the regenerate are transported into a newe life and prepared for that heavenly glory which never shall have ende Here is refuted the errour of the Papists concerning the strength that is in man and shewed in what things an vnregenerate man hath free-will and in what not and how farre free-will stretcheth it selfe And the grosse ignorance or manifest impietie of the Papists is disclosed
iustification and salvation that without it God will not be mercifull and favourable no not to any one They therefore which do behold this victory of Christ with a true faith have wherewith they may fortifie themselves against the assaults of Sathan they have whereby they may set light by his sleights and subtilties they have wherein they may place their faith and hope in Christ alone and in his merit onely In this iustification howbeit we are iustified and acquitted of our sinnes by the onely merit of Christ yet there is no let but that the three holy and inseparable persons of the Trinity may have and execute their severall actions in it For the Father is therefore sayd to iustifie vs because that of his owne meere grace and free love 1. Pet. 1.20 Gal. 4.4 he hath from everlasting fore-appoynted his onely begotten Sonne to redeeme vs and sent him at the time appoynted The Sonne is therefore sayd to iustifie vs because that for his incomprehensible and vnspeakeable goodnes sake towards vs vouchsafing by the power of the holy ghost to take mans nature vpon him he was obediēt vnto his Father even vnto the death of the crosse Phil. 2. and so satisfied the iustice of God for vs and delivered vs from all the power of the Devill by making amends for our sinnes The Holy Ghost also is sayd to iustifie vs as farre forth as he doth beget in vs true and stedfast faith by which we may apprehend and apply vnto our selves the righteousenes that is purchased by the obedience of the death of Christ Therefore this free remission of sinnes is the onely very fourme of iustification by which iustification is that which it is and is distinguished from all other false and fained satisfactions and sacrifices of which sort the Papists doe invent many and offer them vnto God And the finall cause of iustification is the prayse and glory of Gods goodnes and the everlasting happines and excellent blessed estate of those which are thus iustified Now there was nothing else which moved God to iustifie vs but his owne love towards vs and the obedience of Christ and our misery But the instrumentall cause is a true and a lively faith laying hold on and applying to it selfe the obedience of Christ and righteousnes purchased thereby and relying with a good conscience vpon the sole mercy of God and the onely merit of Christ This iustification is then avayleable and acceptable vnto vs whenas every of vs doth stand as guilty before the heavenly iudge and being carefull of his acquitall doth of his owne accord humble and prostrate himselfe as vnworthy And this is profitably done when a man doth seriously weigh and consider with himselfe the perfection and severity of Gods iustice on the one side and the multitude and greatnes of his sinnes on the other side For by such a consideration hee is seriously humbled with the feeling of his misery and rightly prepared to desire and embrace the mercy of Christ So that by how much the more every of vs shall be severe in condemning himselfe by so much shall we finde God more mercifull and more easy to be intreated for then will a man be capable of the grace of God and benefite of Christ when hee shall knowe himselfe and his whole nature to bee full of vncleanenes and filthines and shall condemne it For he which iudgeth himselfe vnworthy of the grace of God as one sayth him doth God receyve into favour and maketh him worthy through Christ But they which swell and are filled with the opinion of their owne righteousnes and hunger not after the righteousnes of God they perish in their miseries and never come vnto true righteousenes Againe they which being hardned with the custome of sinning and drunken with the delight of their vices do extenuate their faults and securely despise the iudgement of God they shut vp from themselves the gate of mercy What manner of thing Iustification is where are set forth the three proprieties thereof namely that it is free perfect and everlasting and withall there is refuted the opinion of the Papists concerning the merit of works being contrary to the first propriety CHAP. 27. NOw we must lay open what manner of thing iustification is and the quality thereof consisteth especially in three things first that it is free for the remission of sinnes is not for any merits of man but it is a meere grace and an vndeserved mercy promised for Christ his sake alone For God findeth nothing in a man whom he iustifieth but an horrible sinke of sinne and extreame misery The scripture every where affirmeth that Christ only is the author of all grace and the whole hope of our salvation consisteth in the bloud of Christ alone Without the merit of Christ there can be no iustification for he alone hath deserved righteousenes for vs and having deserved it he giveth and imputeth it vnto vs. They therefore which desire to be righteous without the merit of Christ are altogether without God and prophane And they which dreame that they are iustified partly by grace and partly by merit are Pelagians or Papists the followers of their heresie but they which beleeve that they are iustified by the onely merit of Christ are true Christians These by beleeving and receiving the righteousnes of Christ purchased by his death as the righteousnes of an other are iustified indeede but they which by theyr workes and merits do affect theyr owne righteousnes shall never attayne vnto it The Papists therefore have forged a certaine kinde of merit which is weake of it selfe but when it is dipped in the bloud of Christ it is effectuall and forcible and so they say that a man is partly iustified by grace and partly by workes But this cannot be because that grace and merit are two manifest contraryes from which one and the selfe same thing cannot be brought forth For this is the nature and rule of contraryes that from contrary causes contrary effects proceede likewise Moreover wee are all debtors for wee are obliged and bound vnto God so that he may iustly challenge as his due whatsoever good thing can proceede or be perfourmed of vs. Now that which may be demaunded of vs as duty that can not merit But Christ sayth that what good thing soever we do or can do Luk. 17.10 all that how much soever it be is our duty wherefore there is no merit at all Agayne the cause of iustification to wit eternall election in Christ is free therefore likewise iustification it selfe must needes be free for there cannot be more in the effect then there is in the cause thereof Therefore the Papists whilest that they dreame of any merit in vs they do commit a manifest fallacy from that which is no cause as if it were a cause for they remove the merit of Christ which is the perfect and true cause of iustification and set in the roome thereof the merit
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
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
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
give his glory to another which by the Prophet Esaias he flatly denieth to doe saying Esay 48.11 I will not give my glory to another that is God will not cause that any Creature should have infinite strength or infinite wisedome For of ones selfe to perfourme and bring forth those workes which may merite Election and eternall life is not in the power of any creature For life eternall is a farre more excellent good and greater worke then mans strength is able to compasse That life is heavenly and infinite and therefore not to bee gotten or procured but by an heavenly and infinite power For as wee have sayde before there is no comparison nor proportion betweene an infinite good thing and a finite worke and merite Therefore when as the Papists brag that they are able to make themselves worthy of their elelection by their owne proper workes and merits they doe more foolishly and fottishly then if they should take in hand to build and set vp a new heaven and a newe earth with mallets and other tooles For albeit that this bee altogether impossible for them to doe yet that other is farre more hard and much more impossible For God the onely Almighty One was able to create the Heaven and the Earth and all that is contained in Heaven and in Earth by his word onely without any difficulty but he could not redeeme Mankinde from eternall damnation but by the precious blood of his Sonne So the Scripture calleth them that shall bee saved the Chosen in Christ namely in that hee hath redeemed them by his blood and restored Gods Image in them Wherefore seeing that Salvation could not bee recovered by any other meanes but by the most bitter death and passion of Christ hence it clearely followeth that there-obtayning of Salvation doth farre exceed the strength and power of any creature whatsoever Wherefore it is most false and wicked which the Papists dreame of that man is elected vnto Salvation for such or such good works foreseene Because those workes cannot pacifie the exceeding great wrath of God nor make satisfaction for the sinnes of man For as we have sayde before they are altogether repugnant and contrary vnto God therefore they doe not pacifie him but offend him and provoke him the more to anger Surely the whole masse of the worlde may farre more easily bee stayed vp with a staffe of reede then Salvation can bee gotten or obtayned by the power of man But that fiction concerning workes fore-seene should have the more likelyhood of trueth if they did bring forth such workes to deserve Salvation as were truely good but they can bring forth no such for as wee have sayde before man is wholly corrupt and wicked therefore there can bee expected from him nothing but corrupt and wicked deedes Lastly by theyr workes fore-seene they doe manifestly tempt God as if he were not able to save his Elect and bring them to happinesse by his meere grace being apprehended by fayth vnlesse they should put to theyr owne good workes as helpers and furtherers of his Grace And surely by offering theyr workes they shew that they are in doubt whether the Grace of God bee able and sufficient to save them and so denie God to be God For God cannot bee God vnlesse hee bee absolutely good and infinitely mercifull otherwise he should be imperfect and conditionally good such an one as the Papistes doe make him to bee with theyr good workes and merites fore-seene And a greater dishonour cannot redound vnto God then for a man to doubt of his infinite goodnesse and free mercy and God cannot be iniured more then if a man should preferre his owne workes fore-seene before the mercy of God as if by them God could bee mooved or turned this way or that way like man Certaynely whomsoever he hath not chosen for his owne mercy sake him wil he not chuse hereafter for any fore-seene good works of his owne For it is all alike to choose a man to Salvation for his owne workes as if God should cease to be God For if God should choose a man for his workes there would bee found manifest change in God and so God should cease to bee God but they which thinke themselves vnworthy of Election and yet doe truely and constantly beleeve that they are from everlasting elected vnto Salvation by the free mercy of God they give vnto God his deserved honour For a greater honour cannot be given vnto God then that hee is much more good and mercifull vnto vs in Christ then if wee had never sinned at all For hee that beleeveth in Christ and layeth hold on him by a true fayth hee hath the love of God and shall as truely and certaynely attayne life everlasting for his Passion sake as God in his Nature is everlasting and vnchangeable in his Will But the Papists which make their owne workes and merites the cause of theyr Election doe labour to abolish his mercy and to establish theyr owne integrity and righteousnesse as if God had chosen man not because he himselfe was God and mercifull but because man was thought acceptable and approoved of God for such or such good workes fore-seene when as the Gospel teacheth the cleane contrary Luke 18. that before Gods iudgement seate no workes nor merites of man may be suffered to approach but that a lowly and humble prayer powred out in the blood and merites of Christ shall bee heard and accepted Therefore the least imagination or establishment of mans merit is the manifest abolishing of the grace of God and the merits of Christ and a most certayne hazard and losse of eternall life By these things that are spoken it appeareth evidently enough that this fiction of workes fore-seene is as an il favoured head which hath many vnseemely members vnder it For where one absurdity is graunted a great many must needes followe after 2. Tim. 2.17 For errour is as a fretting canker For where the least chincke is opened to errour there the very greatest Monsters of errours throng in by troopes other most vngodly sins are heaped together vpon them So out of this false opinion as out of Pandoraes box there do flie horrible reproaches and blasphemies agaynst God For they which doe misvnderstand and falsely expound one place of Scripture it must needes follow that they mis-interpret and misvnderstand many places Because that all the Articles of Christian fayth are so artificially lincked together that one of them cannot be hurt but all the rest are wronged neyther can one bee taken out from amongst the rest but the whole rancke and order of all the rest will be broken and fall to nothing Certaynely the Papists being the subtile teachers and patrones of good workes fore seene doe openly declare that they neyther know the strength of sinne nor the vntowardnesse of our corrupted nature nor the iustice and wrath of God against sinne and so they are most ignorant of that which it
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
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
open vnder our eyes And therefore if any things though never so little should be exempt from the knowledge of God his wisedome and providence should not be infinite which ought to extend it selfe as well above all things as through all things and so God should not be God whose knowledge were straightened vnto a fewe things and particular and not enlarged vnto all things and vniversall Also here is further to be noted briefely and by the way that there are many more reprobated then elected This may first by most manifest testimonies of Scripture and then by dayly experience be truely verified and declared Christ himselfe playnely affirmeth and pronounceth in Saint Matthew that many are called Mat. 22.14 but few are chosen Luke 12.32 For this cause also in Saint Luke Christ calleth the number of the Elect a little flocke Also the Parable of the seede in Saint Matthew Mat. 13.4 doth in evident and expresse words explane and set forth this when as onely the fourth part of men are capable of the heavenly and spirituall seede and bring forth fruite And the rest eyther doe not receyve that spirituall seede Mat. 13.19 or else suffer it not to growe but set theyr studies and desires vpon things below which shall perish so that they neglect and and contemne the treasure of eternall Life By this Similitude Christ himselfe declareth who are elect and who reprobate the Elect are compared to the good and fruitfull ground and bring forth fruite eyther more or lesse according to the measure of the grace that is bestowed vpon them But the reprobate are compared eyther to barren and stony ground or to thornes which doe choke the heavenly seed by one meanes or an other and bring forth no fruite So that in Gods iust iudgement they are left in the corruption of nature and are not renewed therefore they are reprobates and shall be condemned And although that there are more reprobated then elected yet the number of the Elect is so great that it contayneth infinite millions of men so that with Moses they are compared vnto the starres of the skie and the sands of the Sea Agayne dayly experience teacheth vs that the number of the reprobate is greater then the number of the elect For how many and how great kingdomes and regions are there where the blessed Gospel of the Sonne of God was never preached nor heard of For none can attayne true Fayth and Salvation in Christ without the word of God preached or taught For faith sayth the Scripture Rom. 10.17 commeth of hearing and hearing by the word of God They therefore which neyther have not heare the word of God cannot attayne vnto fayth and so to Salvation And to dreame of some secret inspiration without the ministery of the worde is an hare-braind conceyt which needeth no confuting For although God bee not tyed vnto the outward word and that an extraordinary way may bring men vnto fayth yet he hath so tyed vs vnto the word that without it in this matter we cannot iudge any thing Therefore how many millions of men as well yong as old have departed out of this life before they have heard any thing at all concerning Christ and his Gospel Such ought rather to be left vnto the iudgement of God then to bee iudged by the censures of men For it is evident that Salvation commeth from nothing els but from fayth and faith proceedeth from nothing Tit. 1.1 Iohn 17.3 but from a true and sincere knowledge of God of Christ And this true knowledge of God and of Christ cannot bee had el ewhere but from the Gospel onely Therefore how can they obtayne fayth and Salvation which have neyther heard nor read the Gospel But seeing this kind of men is one of the foure secret mysteries of God which man ought not to search out and determine as Augustine elsewhere speaketh we must leave them to God and must hope that for his great Mercy sake if they bee not converted to day they may bee to morrow converted Concerning false christians which are mingled among the true ones as tares amongst the good corne I say nothing in this place That Similitude of the seede and of the Sower in Saynt Matthew doth playnely show Matt. 13.3.4 that there are many of them For we are taught by that Similitude that all are not true Christians before God which heare Gods word and professe themselves to be such for because that many bragge and boast of the shew and title of godlinesse whose heart notwithstanding is most farre from it Therefore our fayth will bee shaken and waver except wee remember that many of them are false brethren which speake and boast of the name of Christ Let not their falling away which surely will come overthrow our fayth and bring it to ruine As by the multitude of them that shall be damned the greatnesse of Gods wrath against them may be gathered so also by the scarcitie of those that shall be saved the aboundance of the Love of God towards them may be collected And men ought to examine by theyr fayth in what account they are with God CHAP. 22. ANd in as much as there are more condemned then saved it may from hence easily be gathered how great the wrath of God is against rebellious and vnrepentant persons which being oftentimes admonished by the word of God or endued with other good benefites or afflicted with such or such calamities yet repent not nor cease from sinne Agayne by how much the greater and more severe the wrath of God is against the rebellious stiffe-necked by so much the greater and more notable is his Love and Mercie towardes the penitent and such as cease from evill So that the fewer they are the dearer they are vnto God for rare thinges are vsually more fervently beloved and more carefully tendered This scarcity of the Elect and multitude of the reprobates ought to trouble no man nor weaken any mans fayth neyther is the grace and mercy of God for that to be thought straitned into a narrow roome and Christians ought not to despayre for this cause but to be in the better hope For where the Gospel of Christ is preached and taught and the holy Ghost made powerfull by it there God hath his Elect. Therefore all they which embrace the Gospel of Christ and by a true faith put theyr whole trust and confidence of the obtayning of Salvation in the sole mercy of God and in the onely Sacrifice of Christ and are not strangers from the holy Spirite but doe bewayle theyr sinne and have an hearty desire and care to profite in true faith and amendment of life they may surely perswade themselves that they are elected from everlasting and that they shall never perish For the Scripture doth every where reduce men vnto Christ and to true fayth in him that men might confirme themselves concerning their Election and pronouncerh such blessed And
Christ himselfe in Saynt Iohn sayth that God so loved the worlde that he gaue his onely begotten Sonne Chap. 3.16 that whosoever beleeveth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Christ here doth not restrayne fayth vnto those onely which were then present and beleeved in him but enlargeth it vnto all the Elect in generall which have beleeved in him from the beglnning of the worlde and shall beleeve in him vnto the ende of the worlde This hee evidently sheweth and expresseth by this word world by which he comprehendeth and poynteth out the Elect and chosen onely of all ages which have beene and which are now and ever shall be vnto the ende of the world dispersed through all the Coastes and Countries of the world And so Christ figuratively putteth the whole for the most chiefe and most excellent part But Christ therefore calleth his Elect the world because that in theyr nature they are corrupted and in theyr will strangers from God and in theyr desires and studies onely bent and fixed vnto thinges of the worlde and not to things that are above and spirituall And so Christ doth highly extolle and commend the love of God in loving them and doth condemne and throw downe to hell theyr workes and merites So that by the name of the worlde he doth signifie the Elect onely which alone he so loved that he gave his onely begotten Sonne for them but hee did not meane the reprobates by that name for hee vouchsafeth not them so much love as to give his Sonne for them for so they also should bee saved which cannot bee Indeed hee loveth them with a temporall love as to create them to preserve them and to enrich and endue them with many benefites which ende with this life But he loveth them not with his everlasting and free Election And Christ will have vs instructed here that the gift of heavenly vnderstanding and saving fayth is not onely a certayne and altogether an vnfallible token of the grace of God Act. 13.48 but also that it is not common to the reprobate but proper and peculiar vnto the Elect onely Therefore faith is called by S. Paul to Titus the fayth of the Elect. Tit. 1.1 Seeing therefore that fayth is given onely vnto the Elect and that the greater part of men refuse the pure doctrine of Christ and of fayth and lend theyr eares vnto fables the multitude of the reprobate ought not to make the fayth of the Elect vnconstant or wavering because that theyr incredulity and stubburnesse doth not derogate any thing from the doctrine of the Gospel and Christian faith Certainely it is no marvell that the whole world from the East vnto the West and through all other coasts thereof is so replenished and over-flowed with such grosse errours and so many corruptions and disorders and that the wholesome and blessed Gospel of the Sonne of God is of so many and such great ones despised scorned and hated seeing that faith is so rare a gift Cap. 2 3. for that as S. Paul sayth to the Thessalonians is not of all men Therefore although the multitude of the Infidels do goe about to put to the worse and to scatter this small company of the godly yet because this relyeth vpon the faithfulnesse and power of God it shal never be vanquished and that multitude shall never obtayne that which with great and continuall contention it coveteth to obtayne Forasmuch therefore as fayth of the Gospel and sure trust in Christ are two most true arguments and tokens of everlasting Election and Salvation let all Christians which professe the Gospel of God and doe beleeve in Christ beleeve and bee resolved of this as of a most sure and certayne thing that they are elected of theyr mercifull God from everlasting and let them vncessantly beseech God with fervent prayer that theyr fayth by dayly addition and encrease may be augmented and strengthened Phil. 1.6 For fayth and the encrease of it is promised of God and he will beginne and perfect both so that hee which beleeveth not to day or wavereth in doubt may beleeve to morrow and have a more settled hope For every one ought from the great goodnesse of God to conceyve and entertayne great hope also And let not a man doubt or distrust of free mercy and eternall election for these or these slippes or falles For the examples of all Ages and the lives of the most holy men doe openly enough declare that man as long as hee is in this transitorie life is frayle and subiect to falling but the grace of God standeth and remayneth sure and never fayleth So that he sustayneth those that fall Psal 145.14 and lifteth vp those that be downe But more signes whereby a man may more surely know and be perswaded that hee is elected shall be produced hereafter in the Tract of glorification and these things here spoken shall be then further enlarged THese things I thought good to speake of the Proprieties which are vnder the doctrine of Election and ought to bee considered with this minde and purpose that so great a thing in which the whole matter of Salvation consisteth might the more playnely and familiarly be conceyved and vnderstood in this particular distinction For in the generall handling of any thing there is indeede some light and knowledge but in the particular doctrine where the whole is divided into his partes and the partes are handled orderly one by one there appeareth and is conceyved much more light and perspicuity So that in these Proprieties a man may most safely build vp and soundly confirme his fayth and salvation as in the most infallible principles of Christian religion For these Proprieties are such both in effect and second act and also in their nature as in the first act Therefore each of them as causes have their vertue and effectes following them so that the effects with the Proprieties and the Proprieties with the effects have a continuall agreement and an vnseparable relation Such therefore as the Proprieties are in themselves such things likewise do they effect and bring forth in the elect So that as Election it selfe is eternall and free in like sort the gifts and graces which do spring redound vnto the Elect out of it as out of an heavenly Fountayne must needes be eternall also by which they are changed and refourmed vnto the Image of God from glory to glory vntill they come to life everlasting and into that blessed and heavenly world to come Here is taught what and how many things are necessarie for them to know which desire to be conversant in this doctrine of Election rightly and with sound profite to themselves Agayne although many more shall perish everlastingly then obtayne Salvation yet no Christian should for that distrust any thing of his Salvation because the Scriptures doe no where expressely affirme that this or that man in particular is of the number of the reprobate
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
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
our selves and the truth is not in vs. These testimonies of scripture teach vs that not one liveth heere which is not a sinner So S. Austine sayth in an other place most fitly to this purpose Wo vnto the life of men although most holy if it be examined iudged without Gods mercy But surely although regeneration be heere but onely begun and be vnperfect yet for all that it is not vnprofitable but is very commodious vnto the elect for from thence a most sure and evident token of their election and salvation is ministred vnto them But of this matter shall be spoken more largely and purposely in the end of this treatise Regeneration hath also this commodity which is very great for when men are regenerate they are not onely delivered from the most miserable slavery of sinne and tyrany of the Devill but also are made partakers of the life of God for then are they truly grafted into Christ and Christ is ioyned vnto them agayne so that they are made one with Christ by the spirit and Christ is made one with them Also Christ then liveth in them savingly and raigneth effectually so that he giveth and bestoweth vpon them life everlasting for whom he once hath begun to renew those he never forsaketh for he leaveth not this holy and chiefe worke of all his works as it were broken of Psa 138.8 but bringeth it vnto the end and accomplishment thereof Mala. 3.6 therefore it cannot be made voyd because God doth not change his nature nor disroabe himselfe of that goodnes wherewith he is endued In this goodnes of God the salvation of the godly is grounded and setled so that what the elect have once layd hold on by a stedfast faith that doth God never take from them for the gifts and calling of God are such as are without repentance for which cause Paul sayth playnely boldly Rom. 11.29 that God would performe that which he had begun in the Philippians Phil. 1.6 and bring it vnto the last end and perfection vntill at the last after their happy resurrection their vile bodies be fashioned vnto the glorious body of Christ So this regeneration is the neere fellowship and strong band of Christ and the regenerate And where this grace is effectuall there eternall salvation and life and happines everlasting followeth and ensueth for the old man with the concupiscences perisheth and is abolished 2. Cor. 4.16 but the new man is renued and fashioned vnto the image of God This grace therefore bringeth with it a double benefit for on the one side the strength and body of sinne is weakened and decayed and on the other side our lost righteousnes is repayred and the image of God restored so that we proceede from the abolishing and putting away of the one vnto the restoring of the other as from one contrary vnto an other Therefore regeneration is the onely remedy of the grace of God by which the corruption of nature is heere after a sort restrayned and amended which renewing of nature shall be wholy perfected in the world to come for then shall we necessarily love that which is good with a perfect liking and necessarily hate that which is evill with a perfect hatred Furthermore we must note heere and diligently observe that this power of renewing is in God by nature and is changed by no outward cause or mutable occasion whatsoever and therefore is as sure and certayne as God himselfe in his essence is everlasting for God is as constant in his promises as he is vnchangeable in his essence So that seeing he is alwayes the same and continually as good as his word and ever remayneth like himselfe therefore also doth he truly and indeed perfourme and fulfill those things which he hath promised in his word for the promise of God is sure because that grace whence it dependeth and springeth is sure and grace is onely of that which is both by word promised and indeed perfourmed freely and mercifully without any expectation of reward They therefore which doubt of the promise of God and the accomplishment thereof they do rather by deedes then words accuse and argue God of vnconstancy and falsehood therefore the distrust of the good and favourable will of God and of the perfourmance of things promised is without doubt a very great sinne for God by his almighty power doth begin continue and end this his worke of regeneration wherein it consisteth and is grounded therefore this worke can no more be broken off and fall to the ground then God can of any man be vanquished and overcome The workes and obedience of the godly howsoever they be imperfect and interlaced with divers blemishes yet God in that his fatherly goodnes loveth and accepteth them Then some things are propounded and dilated somewhat largely and plainely concerning the meaning and true vse of good works that the Papists errour might be the more evident in any mans sight CHAP. 30. FVrthermore seeing this regeneration is in this life maymed and imperfect hence it followeth necessarily and infallibly that all good works also which proceede out of it as streames out of a fountayne are maymed and imperfect for such as the cause is such an effect likewise vsually followeth Therefore seeing those workes are vnperfect they can deserve nothing as due debt for to the producing and effecting of any thing there is required necessarily sound and sufficient causes for maymed and mangled causes have never brought forth any thing for imperfect causes are esteemed as no causes And although the workes of the godly be interlaced and stayned with many blemishes and imperfections yet they are pleasing and acceptable vnto God because in them he acknowledgeth the image of his spirit which maketh the persons whence those works proceed acceptable vnto God and mixeth a good quality among their good workes in which being dipped as in an heavenly and spirituall perfume God doth approve and accept them God in his fatherly compassion doth pardon the staynes and defects of good workes so that the works when the corruption of them is abolished and wiped away are accounted iust and righteous and the satisfaction of Christ is imputed vnto them for righteousnes like as it is to the persons from whom they doe proceede therefore as he doth by his favour love and iustify his Saincts vnto death for the righteousnes of the most perfect man consisteth alwayes in faith and the dayly forgivenes of sinnes so also with the same favour doth he love and iustify their workes that is to say he blotteth out and wipeth away the faults which remayne in them in this life and imputeth righteousnes vnto them As therefore the Moone doth borrow and take her light of the Sunne so also faith iustifieth the works of the faithfull and maketh them have a good savour therefore faith getteth the reward and name of righteousnes both vnto the works and also vnto the persons So that although those works
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
theyr most vayne imaginations but wee for our opinion have the mouth of God himselfe and the whole Scripture as the onely most faythfull teacher Moreover wee separate good workes from iustifying and not from the party iustified but they place them as well in the act of iustifyng as in the person iustified We do this iustly because man can bee iustified by no other meanes nor acquited of his sins but by the onely Acts 4.12 free mercy of God and merit of Christ alone But the Papistes doe vniustly because all and each of those works which they bragge of and the Monckes dreame of are rather an hinderance then a furtherance vnto iustification Therefore those workes which follow a iustified man flow from true fayth are wholy to be embraced and done as farre as mans weakenesse can performe These workes are necessary vnto every Christian because they cannot be separated from true fayth For on whomsoever God doth bestow and inspire fayth by his spirite through the word him also doth hee renew and make willing and fitte for the performance of good workes so that workes doe follow fayth as the effects doe follow the cause And as effects cannot be separated from the cause so neyther can good workes from fayth Here by evident reasons is shewed how great both publike and private commodities doe flow from the studious care of good works And the vnsavory slaunders of the Papists which say that good workes are reiected by the Protestants are refuted CHAP. 32. ANd why these good works should be done the reasons which follow in order will declare Amongst these reasons some appertayne vnto God some vnto our selves some vnto our neighbour Therefore good works ought chiefely to be done for Gods cause for he commandeth that we should depart from evill and doe good Psal 37.29 So that first of all good works are to be done because God will have it so that in this life we should begin our new obedience that is due vnto him and finish it in the life to come We are not left vnto our owne selves to do what seemeth good in our owne eyes but it standeth vs vpon to do his will vnder whose iurisdiction we are Hence it is Ioh. 15.12 that Christ in S. Iohn sayth This is my commandement that yee love one another as I have loved you This therefore is the chiefest end to obey God and his commandements for God is glorified by a godly life and an holy conversation For he that liveth godly honoureth God because hee performeth obedience vnto him and expresseth and resembleth his image and giveth occasion that others may glorifie God also Mat. 5 16. On the contrary they which live a dissolute and an vngodly life do dishonour God for albeit they prayse him with theyr lippes and tongue yet by theyr wicked deeds and vngodly life they speake evill of him though they keepe silence and say not a word Secondly good workes are to bee done for the Gospels sake that it may be beautified and adorned with good manners and vertuous and honest actions Tit. 2.10 For a godly and blamelesse life is an honor and ornament vnto the Gospel So by godly endevours and holy workes it is brought to passe that the doctrine of the Gospel is approved and well spoken of among the adversaries For often it hapneth that they by this meanes are allured to the imbracing of the Gospel Further good works are to be done for the cause of our thankefulnesse for it is a iust and equall thing that we should love and prayse him by whom we are redeemed from the power of sinne and of the divell and of whom we have receyved and dayly do receyve so many benefites which cannot be done without a pure mind an holy life and chast body For an impure and wicked life is rather the dishonouring then praysing of God Agayne as we are iustified by fayth through the grace of God and merit of Christ and freely made heires of the heavenly kingdome so also by a carefull desire of good works we ought dayly and continually to shew manifest our selves to be thankfull vnto God for so great a benefit These are the reasons why good workes are to bee done for Gods sake Now the reasons follow why they are to be done for our owne sake First therefore we ought to do good workes because they are sure and vnfallible signes of our faith For as the tree cannot be knowne what manner of one it is but by the fruites thereof so also is faith knowne by a godly and holy life For although faith hath her secret abiding inwardly in the heart yet there it remayneth not idle but bringeth forth good workes outwardly and sheweth it selfe vnto men So that where honest actions and a godly conversation is and appeareth in the outward worke there must true faith needs be likewise for dissimulation hipocrisy doth not long deceive and keepe itselfe close Therefore in whose minde soever a sincere care and desire to do good dwelleth let him know that he hath true fayth For without fayth there raigneth in man no care nor desire but onely how to sinne On the contrary fayth is exercised and strengthened by good workes 2. Pet. 1.10 so that continually by dayly increase it is augmented and groweth greater Therefore Paul admonisheth Timothy 2. Tim. 1.6 to stirre vp the gift of God that is in him that it might encrease more and more and make larger proceedinges Also it is seemely for a man to adorne and garnish his life and calling with holy and religious manners Therefore the Scripture admonisheth and exhorteth Ephes 4 1. that every one should so walke as beseemeth the Calling wherewith he is called Likewise temporall punishments are often avoyded by good workes For where sinnes are committed and heaped vp with a strong hand there also the iudgements of God against them sleepeth not For that tree which bringeth forth no fruite is wont to be cutte downe Mat. 7.19 and cast into the fire by which saying wee are taught that punishment is an vnseparable companion of an vngodly life For the more securely that man sinneth the more severely God punisheth Lastly by the serious and sincere study of good works the goods both of the body and of the soule are augmented For the more earnestly that a man giveth himselfe vnto godlinesse and striveth vnto integritie the more is his corrupt and sinfull nature amended and hee the more renewed vnto the image of God For this cause the Prophets and Apostles doe so greatly exhort and vrge men vnto all godlinesse and innocency of life Likewise good workes are very profitable and much avayleable to the attaynement of prosperity in this life For God suffereth not that his children should languish and die beeing consumed with want Of which thing there are many testimonies of Scripture extant in divers places wherein hee promiseth many and sundry good turnes
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
But as for accidents which may bee increased or be diminished or bee separated from their subiect without the hurt thereof there are no such to bee found in God for whatsoever is in God it is essentiall and perpetuall in him So then his fatherly good will and compassion are two Proprieties in God which can no more be separated or set apart from him then his essence or nature can And so as God in his nature essence is everlasting vnchangeable so likewise his fatherly good will and mercy is vnchangeable everlasting Therefore eternall life salvation that is promised of God is so sure and certain as the nature of God is eternal vnchangeable So the fatherly goodnes mercy of God doth not depend of any external cause or occasion for so it should be in certain vnstable for when that cause or occasion is taken away or changed the goodnes mercy of God should be taken away or changed also but both these as well his favorable goodnesse as his enduring mercy do depend of his nature and essence and therefore are firme and vnchangeable and remayne for ever Therefore although wee as weake and frayle men doe sometimes fall this way or that way yet Gods affectionate good will towards vs and his mercifull compassion slideth not nor once moveth nor tottereth any maner of way but continueth and remaineth firme and vnshaken Moreover as the Will and Mercy of God is eternall and vnchangeable so also are his Decrees eternall and vnchangeable For God is an all knowing God because he most perfectly fore-sawe all thinges from everlasting before they were created or had any being Therefore nothing can happen or fall out now which may lie hid or secret from God So that his wisedome cannot bee deceyved nor beguiled With vs many things fall out of a sudden vnlooked for and past expectation which so trouble vs that wee are constrayned to change our counselles and to goe in hand with others But God doth fore-knowe all the events of thinges yea even of those thinges which in mans iudgement happen by chaunce and hath them in his owne hand and doth direct and bring them thither where to him seemeth best So that neyther things present nor thinges to come can bee exempt from his knowledge Agayne God is omnipotent which is able by his wisedome and mightie hand to bring those counselles to passe which hee hath fore-ordayned Therefore no hindrances can bee so great as to let and hinder the counselles of God from beeing brought to theyr appoynted ende Therefore whatsoever God did determine that hee would doe before time that doth hee now beginne and finish in time and that falleth out vnfallibly so as hee hath fore-ordayned and appoynted And that GOD changeth not his Counselles but fulfilleth them as hee hath appoynted the holy scripture expressely witnesseth saying The counsell of the Lord endureth for ever Psa 33.11 and the thought of his hart abideth from generation to generation Heere the Prophet first teacheth that God remayneth constant in his purpose and pursueth it vntill it be brought to the end and fulnesse thereof Secondly he teacheth that nothing commeth into his minde now but that which he thought of and determined before and that hee repenteth him not of any action as if he would have that vndone which he hath once done Seeing therefore that God changeth not his counsell and decree nor turneth this way or that way as men vse to do there is no danger that he will seeke new meanes of delay vndoe his promises or breake his word as repenting himselfe Mala. 3.6 Therefore by Malachy he doth manifestly witnesse that he is not changed And S. Iames affirmeth Iam. 1.17 that no variablenes can be found in him And so S. Paule to the Romanes sayth Rom. 11.29 that the gifts of God are such as are without repentance These testimonies of scripture and other like to these do averre and constantly conclude this one thing that God will in no wise change or frustrate the decree of our salvation but that he hath appoynted it firme and durable for ever so that the frame of heaven and the ground-worke of the whole world will rather be dissolved and subverted then that God will change or repeale his mercifull good will towards vs and free promise of our salvation for whatsoever hath once pleased God from everlasting that doth please him so that for ever hereafter it cannot displease him Seeing then that the will of God is the chiefest cause and originall of salvation whomesoever therefore he hath elected and appoynted vnto salvation their salvation is most certayne because it cannot possibly be but that they shall without doubt attayne vnto everlasting life and salvation because that the will of God being the first cause of their salvation is most omnipotent and most loving by which he hath not onely chosen them freely vnto salvation but also freely giveth and mercifully bestoweth vpon them all things which are necessary vnto salvation and whatsoever he doth freely give and bestow vpon them can be taken from them by none except God be first vanquished but God cannot be vanquished of any because he is omnipotent Therefore their salvation is most sure and certayne because it hath Ioh. 10.28 and alwayes shall have God for the protector and defender thereof This vnchangeablenes of Gods purpose the scripture calleth the foundation of God 2. Tim. 2.19 because it is firme and immutable and it is an elegant metaphor which doth expresse the sure and stable strength and everlasting continuance thereof that as a strong and well fortified foundation is not easily overthrowne nor weakened but continueth firme against all tempests force of windes and is not moved so likewise this decree of God is firme and constant and remayneth sure for evermore So that the salvation of the elect being grounded vpon that shal not be battered downe by the assaults of Sathan nor hindred by his temptations it shall not be inwrapped in the troubles nor indangered in the ruines of the whole world though that should perish and fall to nothing and lastly it cannot be shaken nor made frustrate by any infirmity or weakenes of the flesh so that the elect and such as believe being set past all danger of being cut off and perishing are so sure of their salvation by the help and power of God as if they inioyed it already indeede sensibly and in full possession So Iohn the Baptist sayth in Iohn the Evangelist Iohn 3.36 He that beleeveth in the Sonne hath everlasting life But temptations other troubles which happen vnto the godly in this life are either exercises and trials of their faith or their patience or they are like light skirmishes and bickerings by which the godly as it were by trayning are exercised and instructed in Christian warfare but they are not hurtfull encounters nor deadly battels in which they may be overcome and beaten
downe for that cause they are said to be called with an holy calling because that salvation vnto which they are called is inviolable and eternall And it is called an holy and inviolable calling 2. Tim. 1.9 because it dependeth vpon an vnchangeable and eternall decree Wherefore the salvation of the godly is so sure and certayne as that the overthrow and decay of it is no more to be feared then the change of an eternall decree Moreover although this decree of it selfe be most sure yet it is confirmed and sealed vnto vs in the bloud and merit of Christ like as the Patents of Princes sealed with their publike Seale are made authenticall and vnchangeable Therefore that GOD might confirme vs more throughly in the assurance and certaynety of his grace it pleased him to seale vnto vs the decree of our election in the bloud of his onely begotten Sonne and in it throughly settle and strengthen our faith So God made the foundation of our election so sure for ever that nothing eyther in heaven above or in earth beneath is so firme and sure as the foundation of our election and salvation For God doth as much esteeme this decree of our salvation and accounteth it as pretious as the most pretious bloud of his owne Sonne Therfore to change this decree were to deny Christ abolish his bloud which God will never do for he loveth accepteth Christ and his bloud as his owne selfe so that more easily may the frame of heaven and the whole foundation of the world be dissolved and overthrowne then that there should be even the least change or renewing of his decree And if that it should be changed the Sonne of God should have no Church and should have dyed and shed his bloud in vayne but he neyther dyed in vayne nor shed his bloud in vayne therefore he hath alwayes a Church and will have which he hath delivered and will save by his bloud and by his death Hence by a true and infallible consequent it is gathered and soundly concluded that the decree of our election and salvation is vnchangeable That God sometimes repealeth his sentence pronounced and doth not execute it doth not at all contrary this his vnchangeable counsell As often as this commeth to passe we must know that that sentence of God was not absolute and simple which draweth with it a sure and an infallible consequent but such a sentence which is denounced and yet repealed and not accomplished was pronounced with some certaine condition as Gods promises and his threatnings have their conditions annexed vnto them If God have promised thee life thou must presently thinke of true faith and sincere desire of obedience vnto him and thou must seeke for both these not in thy selfe but in God If he have denounced and threatned some curse vnto thee thinke with thy selfe to desist from those things which he reprehendeth and blameth in thee which if thou shalt do God knoweth how to reverse that sentence of threatning pronounced against thee And the absolute will of God was this namely to spare thee but with this condition if thou doest cease from the evill that thou wert threatned for And that condition is certayne although we heare it not mentioned in expresse words in the manner of the threatning yet it appeareth and may be gathered by the event and end of the matter So God spared the citizens of Ninivy for they hearing the fearefull sentence of their overthrow repented and renounced their former evill life So that God knoweth how to change his sentence when men depart from evill but God never knoweth how to change his counsell as S. Gregory sayth But the absolute and resolute counsell of God was that he would spare them therefore he would deterre them from their wicked wayes by this fearefull sentence and so call them to repentance so that this change ought nor to be referred vnto the councell of God as if that could be bowed and turned one way or an other but it must be applyed to the sence and capacity of men in which there ought to be a turning from evill vnto good Agayne although that hath not alwayes come to passe which God by his Prophet did foreshew should come to passe yet for all that no contradiction or contrary will ought to be supposed or fayned in God For the will of God is in it selfe one and the same for ever but yet the same is sometimes partly revealed and partly concealed So likewise that condition which was manifested by the event was not expressely set downe by God but he kept that close and concealed it that he might touch the Ninivites the more thoroughly and the sooner and more easily drive them from their sinne For by that fearefull edict he would humble them and being humbled he would spare them and so he applyed the doctrine vnto their capacity But because God is one and the selfesame and alwayes immutible therefore also his will is and ought to be accounted one and the selfesame firme and vnremoveable Also God knoweth how sometimes to execute most resolutely his sentence denounced against the wicked when as men leave no place for wholesome admonitions and are no more moved with threatnings and rebukes then stones or hard rockes and continue not only obstinately in their sinnes but also adde sinne vnto sinne and harden their hearts and nuzzell themselves in their sinnes freely without any feare as we may see in the men that lived before the floud and in many others as in a cleere glasse or mirrour Therefore wheresoever men shall shew themselves bold and hasty to commit sinne there God also is wont to shew himselfe a sharp and severe iudge and revenger of misdeedes in punishing their offences Surely if Gods wholesome admonitions doe light vpon men of pliable and repentant hearts they move them and make them better but if they light vpon men of reprobate sence and prophane mindes they do provoke them and make them worse So the holy and wholesome warnings of God are vnto them an occasion of greater sinne and doe turne vnto their destruction and more grievous punishment Heere the consciences of the elect are so strengthened in the most infallible stedfastnes of Gods promises that there is no matter of doubt left vnto them concerning Gods most loving affection towards them CHAP. 15. SEaventhly the decree of election is a true and faithfull decree For God is not onely true in his words and promises but even truth itselfe and that so that the least suspition or shaddow of falshood cannot be found in him Seeing therefore that he is true and constant in his purpose he therefore promiseth that which he determined to give and perfourme So that whatsoever he hath promised in matters touching salvation that will hee as truly without any fraude of deceit pay and perfourme as he himselfe is true and everlasting This the scripture expresseth by this most proper and significant word Emunah for that
by sinne But here the Papistes doe shamefully erre and are grossely deceyved in that they measure the ability of man by the commandements of God For when God teacheth that which is right hee doth not regard what man can doe of himselfe but he sheweth and commandeth man that which hee is indebted and bound to doe So that man is not loosed and freed from this obligation because hee is not able to satisfie and pay it Therefore when as hee cannot performe that which the law of God exacteth of him he is convinced as guilty of his iniquity that hee may be constrayned to acknowledge his sinne lest he should lay the cause of his condemnation vpon some thing els So that as often as the law of God doth will and command man this or that it standeth not to skan how farre mans power is able to stretch but exacteth that simply of him which by right it may And when man cannot performe it hee is fast in bonds on every side so that he can neyther excuse his fault nor lay it elsewhere And so all cavilling and complayning are at an ende And although man bee not able to performe those things that are prescribed and commanded by the law yet notwithstanding hee cannot bee excused or defended as guiltlesse seeing this infirmitie and defect of strength came not nor proceeded from the Creation but from the fall and fault of our first Parents Therefore from this our frailty and weakenesse there is no excusing of our selfe to bee taken or pleaded but rather an accusation For the lawe in the commandements requireth that which was given vs in our first creation Therefore the Elect and godly do vnderstand by the commandement that they are not able to doe that which is prescribed in the lawe and therefore they flie vnto the mercy of God and helpe of the holy spirit pray that iust revenge be not inflicted vpon them but all excuse and defence is cut off from the reprobate Therefore that vnsavory inference and conclusion of the Papists ought to be hissed out by which they conclude thus God hath commanded it therefore man may performe it whenas God by that meanes sheweth man his iniquity frailty that acknowledging it he may fly vnto his grace for it is hee that worketh in man both to will and to doe Phil. â— 13 as Saint Paul teacheth the Philippians Let every man therefore sincerely and from his heart acknowledge that he is the servant of sinne that hee may be delivered and freed by the benefite of Christ no other freedome may bee found which mny prevayle with God As often therefore as wee finde the commandements of God in the Scripture which inioyne vs that which we cannot doe so often let vs remember that notable saying of S. Augustine Epistol 24. which sayth Give me O Lorde that which thou commandest and command what thou wilt otherwise if thou enioynest vs but the least thing we shall not be able to beare it Here the Papistes discover theyr grosse ignorance of the Scripture because they fayne any concurring of free-will with grace as if man in things spirituall pertayning vnto Salvation could of himselfe perfourme any thingâ— by which doctrine they labour to proove that man is not beholding to the grace of God for that good which he hath and is able to performe But the true Church of Christ doth most rightly beleeve and most soundly confesse that God causeth and worketh all that good in man which he hath and doth performe For the Scripture doth every where and manifestly attribute that wholy vnto God as when God sayth by the Prophet EZechiel I will give vnto you a new heart Chap. 36 26 11.19 and will put my spirite in the middest of you and will take away the stony heart out of your bodies and will give you an heart of flesh Here God ascribeth regeneration vnto himselfe because hee alone doth mollifie and change an hardened and stubburne heart Therefore this cannot bee translated vnto the abilitie in man but that something shall be detracted from the grace of God Therefore this ground and principle must firmely be holden and kept that there can no good thing come into our mindes which proceedeth not from God This whosoever doth from his heart beleeve and freely confesse holdeth the foundation of pietie vnshaken Li. 1. ca. 20. as Augustine saith in his booke of Free-will Therefore this whole division which they make betweene the grace of God and the abilitie of man ought to bee reiected as wicked and blasphemous for it hath no proofe out of the holy Scriptures Furthermore the Papists whenas they preferre theyr owne ability before the grace of God and make his promises of no effect by their preceptes do indeede sufficiently declare that they have more confidence in themselves then in God that promiseth Out of doubt being glutted with their owne righteousnesse they doe not hunger much after the righteousnesse of God But let the godly which love the righteousnesse of God and their owne Salvation know this that all the power of free-will such as the Papists dreame of is a vayne fantasie of mans brayne and a fayned and cursed fable which these idle bellies have invented for filthy lucre sake and doe force it vpon the ignorant common people and labour to perswade them thereof vnder the shew of holinesse But the word of God expressely and manifestly teacheth vs that the will of man of his owne power is not able to begin any inward obedience without the holy spirite much lesse to performe it For God is hee alone which worketh in man both to wil and to do Phil. 1.6 Iohn 15.5 The holy spirit is the onely teacher of all heavenly wisedom and hee is the onely author and finisher of all spirituall goodnesse and vertue hee onely worketh in vs all the knowledge and worship of God he worketh in vs faith and the feare of God hee sanctifieth vs and quickneth vs hee comforteth vs and saveth vs to him onely bee praise and glory for ever Certainely the wickednesse and corruption of mans nature is horrible in that it is so much voyd and empty of all goodnesse and so deprived and bereft of all power to will well or to doe good that not the least thought can proceed or be drawne out of it which may bee acceptable and well pleasing vnto God So that man in his owne nature is wholy turned away from God and from all goodnesse and by his owne power is not able to change or subdue this his rebellion whereby it commeth to passe that he sinneth of necessity and erreth continually vntill he bee renewed and amended by spirituall power from above From hence therefore it may most truely bee concluded that the saving knowledge of God and true fayth in Christ is a farre more high and heavenly wisedom then the vnderstanding of man by his owne ability can attayne vnto Moreover this Vocation which we speake of
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