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cause_n	formal_a	justification_n	righteousness_n	6,175	5	8.2431	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A14923	The soules progresse to the celestiall Canaan, or heavenly Jerusalem By way of godly meditation, and holy contemplation: accompanied with divers learned exhortations, and pithy perswasions, tending to Christianity and humanity. Divided into two parts. The first part treateth of the divine essence, quality and nature of God, and his holy attributs: and of the creation, fall, state, death, and misery of an unregenerated man, both in this life and in the world to come: put for the whole scope of the Old Testament. The second part is put for the summe and compendium of the Gospell, and treateth of the Incarnation, Nativity, words, works, and sufferings of Christ, and of the happinesse and blessednesse of a godly man in his state of renovation, being reconciled to God in Christ. Collected out of the Scriptures, and out of the writings of the ancient fathers of the primitive Church, and other orthodoxall divines: by John Welles, of Beccles in the County of Suffolk.	Welles, John, of Beccles.	1639 (1639)	STC 25231; ESTC S119607	276,075	406

the holy Ghost which is in you whom yee have of God bought with the price of redemption therefore glorifie God in your body and in your spirits 1 Cor. 6.19.20 which are Gods Examine your selves prove your selves know you not your owneselves how that Jesus Christ is in you 2 Cor. 13.5 except yee be reprobates Thus wee may assure our selves of our sanctification by the undoubted testimony and inward suggestion of the holy Ghost assuring our spirits of the same and also by certaine undoubted testimonies and tokens of it 2 Joh. 3.8.9 if therefore wee doe not commit sin with full consent of will if wee doe not continue in sin to be led wholly by it but when wee doe sin Mark 14.72 to recover our selves as Peter did by true and hearty repentance then wee may know that wee are not in the slavery of the Divell Goade but the children of God for hee that believeth that Jesus is Christ and borne of God it is a certaine token of his regeneration 1 Joh. 5.1 hereby shall yee know the Spirit of God for every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh 1 Joh. 4.2 the Sonne of Mary and is the anoynted King Head Priest and Prophet of his people which God raised up for the salvation of the soules of the elect of God hee that striveth to keepe the Commandements of God overcome and vanquish the vanities the vaine allurements and alluring inchantments and obstacles of the world and keepe a constant course in piety he is undoubtedly the true child of God he that keepeth continuall watch and ward over his heart and is circumspect in his walking and fearefull to offend God and rather forsake the world then God he doth plainly shew that he is the childe of Grace and belongeth to God and his Kingdome and not to this world to grieve for sin because it offends God and hurts his owne soule is a notable signe of a mortified heart A sanctified man doth manifest the grace of his heart by sanctifying the name of God and by conversing with sanctified men as also by seeking the sanctification of others Note For a good man doth love to communicate his goodnesse and not to keepe it lockt up in his owne breast it is also a notable and infallible signe of holinesse when a man doth more and more contend against his owne sins and wickednesse and labour continually to draw neerer unto God by holinesse Lastly when we feele the inward corruptions of our hearts and a desire to be dis-burthened of them and avoyding of the actions of sin and an anger against our selves for sinning doe evidently shew that the Spirit of God hath taken possession of our hearts and hath begun to worke a most happy change within us Where these graces are there is also the God of grace the Spirit of grace a man of grace a true dying unto sin and a living unto God sin is dismounted the sinner is renewed for Gods Image is restored Hee that is thus truely sanctified is also glorified for glorification is the communication of true holinesse and happinesse to them that are elected called and justified For glory comprehendeth in it both holinesse and happinesse holinesse is one degree of happinesse and happinesse is the highest degree of holinesse no man is holy but the same is happy and no man can be happy but hee must be holy grace is the inchoation of glory and glory is the consummation of grace he that sits in the throne of grace is truely intituled to the crowne of glory and it is one point of glory to be a man of grace for a gracious man may rightly be stiled a glorious man Of Justification IUstification is a gracious forgiving of sins by the imputation of the righteousnesse of Christ Psal 32.1 2. and Gods gracious acceptation whereby he doth for the merit of Christs active obedience by faith received of us account us just and pure and honours us with the crowne of life and in this respect wee may be truely said to be just perfect and holy because wee stand clothed with the most perfect righteousnesse of Christ which is reputed ours in which appearing before our heavenly Father we doe receive a blessing as Jacob did of Jsaak Gen. 27.15.27 having on his elder brothers garments this may seeme strange unto us that wee should be accepted righteous for the righteousnesse of another for albeit this righteousnesse is Christs primarily and by way of inherence yet it is ours by Gods free donation and by the application of faith the head and the faithfull his members is all one mysticall body Rom. 4.2 and therefore the satisfaction of Christ pertaineth to all the faithfull as to his members the forme or formall cause of Justification is not faith love nor other vertue neither is it an infused quality or habituall sanctity inherent in us Phil. 3.9.10 but the righteousnesse of Christ considered as it is reputed of God is the forme of Justification or the proper and onely true forme of Justification is the free imputation of the righteousnesse of Christ by which the merits and obedience of Christ are applyed unto us by vertue of that neere communion whereby hee is in us and wee in him Now God is said to impute righteousnesse into a man when hee doth adjudge decree and give it to him and account and reckon it as his owne and for the merit and worthinesse thereof doth pardon acquit and repute him righteous Saint Paul expostulateth this doctrine with the Galatians whom he calleth foolish for doubting it Gal. 3.2 saying This onely would I learne of you receive yee the spirit by the workes of the Law or by hearing of faith preached Vers 3. Againe are yee so foolish that after yee have begunne in the Spirit yee would now be made perfect by the deeds of the flesh where he admireth their simplicity that seeke righteousnesse in the flesh but rather and onely by the meanes of faith in Jesus Christ because our justification is spirituall and not of the flesh and this doctrine he concludeth by an invincible argument Verse 26. saying that seeing yee are the sonnes of God by faith in Christ Jesus wee are therefore also justified and made the servants of God by faith For saith he we are all the sonnes of God by faith in Christ Jesus and if faith be able to make us sonnes it must be also able to make us servants for that which is able in the greater performance is able in the lesse O sweet exchange O unsearchable worke-manship O benefits surpassing all expectation 2. Cor. 5.21 that the iniquity of many should be covered in one just person now Christ beares our sins and was made sin for us which knew no sin not as if our sinnes had beene infused into him and had beene inherent and inhabitant in him but because they were imputed to him

Seeke the Lord while hee may be found and call upon him while he is nigh and let the ungodly man forsake his owne waies and the unrighteous his own imaginations and turne againe unto the Lord so shall he be mercifull unto him and to our God for he is very ready to forgive The Lord alloweth the righteous Psal 11.6 7. but the ungodly and him that delighteth in wickednesse doth his soule abhorre and upon the ungodly he shall raine snares fire and brimstone storme and tempest and this shall be their portion to drinke But if that people Jerem 18.8 against whom I have thus devised convert from their wickednesse I will repent of the plague that I devised to bring upon them For mercy and wrath is with him Eccles 16 11. hee is both mighty to forgive and to powre out displeasure like as his mercy is great even so is his punishment also and he judgeth a man according to his works Therefore feare the Lord 1 Sam. 12.24 25. and serve him in the truth and with all your hearts and consider what great things hee hath done for you but if yee doe wickedly then shall you perish O that men would therefore praise the Lord for his goodnesse Psal 107.31 43. and declare the wonders that he doth for the children of men who so is wise will ponder these things and they shall understand the loving kindnesse of the Lord. But who so despiseth wisedome and nurture Wisd 3.11 is unhappy and as for the hope of such it is but vaine their labours unfruitfull and their workes unprofitable Blessed be the Lord God of Israel Psal 106.46 from everlasting and world without end and let all the people say Amen THE SECOND PART OF THE SOVLES PROGRESSE Leading the way to the Celestiall CANAAN or Heavenly JERUSALEM A divine Direction in the way of Life Declaring the Order and Causes of mans happinesse attained by the imputation of the Righteousnesse of Jesus Christ our Salvation Of the New Covenant of the Gospell or the Covenant of Grace THe whole Scripture of the Bible is divided into two Testaments The Gospel the Old and the New which Bookes be of divers natures some Legall some Historicall some Sapientiall and some Propheticall The Old teacheth by Figures Shadowes and Ceremonies Exod. 20. that the Law was given terribly in lightning and thundring to induce the people thereby to the observance thereof by feare The New Testament all Mercy or the Covenant of Grace came in more gloriously with the gentle name of the Gospell and good tidings to induce the people to the observation thereof by love The Story of the Bible from the first beginning to the birth of our Saviour Jesus Christ doth for the most part declare the miserable condition of man-kind how hee hath falne from the innocency of his nature which God gave him in his first creation and how he hath continued in sin and the curse of God for sin having no power in himselfe to satisfie the justice of God How to use and apply the Scriptures or to reconcile himselfe to his favour therefore did God give the Law of the ten Commandements the particulars of his revealed Will both to provoke men to endeavour in the exercise of all godlinesse and also that by the knowledge of the Law men might know their owne defects of nature and the frailnesse thereof and by their humiliation might be prepared and made fit for the mercy of the Gospell for though Jesus Christ Gen. 3.15 12 3. Rom. 1.1 2 3 4 5. the substance of the Gospell was in the counsell of God from all beginnings determined to be the Redeemer of man-kinde being also promised to our first Parents and by whom all the faithfull before his incarnation had the pardon of their sins apprehending by faith the promise of his righteousnesse yet was not this grace declared unto them in such plaine and direct evidence as now it is to us in the preaching of the Gospell Hebr. 9. it being then delivered onely in Shadowes Ceremonies Prophesies and in the mysticall sense of Allegories so that few had capacity and grace rightly to understand them all which difficulties are now vanished in the preaching of the Gospell the Gospell presenting us in most familiar and easie demonstrations the Substance without the Shadowes and the Truth without the Figure withall giving directions and infallible rules not onely to know the meanes of our salvation but how to make it ours to apprehend and apply it to our owne particular comfort The great favour and liberty of the Gospel and this grace doth the Gospell give with such favour as that the necessary doctrines exceed not the understanding of men of meanest capacities but that all that will without respect or exception may reach their hands of faith to the crosse of Christ and freely apprehend the meanes of their salvation which is the Lord Jesus triumphing at the conquest of his death over sin hell and damnation This is a blessed alteration in the state of the world for in the time A happy alteration when the grace of the Gospell was hid in the clouds of the Ceremonies the observers of the ceremoniall Law did seldome understand the mysticall sense of the Ceremony which did alwaies allude to some particular grace in the Gospell Therefore The ceremonies of the Law did allude to the grace of the Gospel though God was pleased to accept of their carefull endeavours in the religious observing the Ceremony which indeed was but a Figure of the Truth included in the Ceremony yet they wanted a great part of that spirituall comfort which wee have in the observing the Covenant of grace the Gospell the grace of God appearing to them Tit. 2.11 c. as God himselfe did to the Israelites their fathers at the delivering of the Law in clouds in fire in smoke and thunders Exod. 19.16 but to us he doth appeare more familiarly by Jesus Christ his Sonne the most lively representment of himselfe assuming our nature and conversing with us did wound our sin and healed the wounds sin had made in our soules whose words taught salvation whose actions wrought it This is the difference betwixt the Law and the Gospel What the Law commandeth and what the Gospel the Law commandeth to doe and live if not to die the Gospell all mercy requireth to believe onely and live and this is a wonderfull degree of Gods favour that because wee are not able to keepe the covenants of the Law is pleased therefore to yeeld to our infirmities to alter our obligation and enter new covenant with us the covenant of grace The wonderfull love of God towards us whereby God doth indent with man and binds the justice of the Law in the bonds of his mercy promising salvation to all them that faithfully believe in the merits and mediation of his Sonne Jesus Christ Thus doth

Majesty and to take our nature into his divinity Hebr. 2.9 whereby he became subject to a temporall death and in that respect a little inferiour to the Angels his owne creatures Secondly The respect Christ had of sinfull man it was an act of wonderfull goodnesse and love because the end thereof had not respect to any meanes that might enlarge the honour and felicity of Christ himselfe in whom all true honour and happinesse consisteth in an infinite measure but had onely respect to poore and sinfull man that by this meanes he might repossesse the favour of God from which he cast himselfe by his owne disobedience and rebellion Object Now if it be demanded that seeing the nature of man is so poysoned with hereditary sin as that all the children of men have a naturall corruption derived on them the which like a generall leprosiie deformes the ancient beauty of our nature and presents us in ugly formes before the Majesty of God how then could Christ take such nature so deformed without imputation of sin and without fouling the exact holinesse and sincerity of his divine nature It is answered Answ 2 Cor. 5.21 that Christ tooke our nature nay all our nature upon him yet not those staines Christ tooke our nature but not the corruption of our nature nor that corruption wherewith sin had deformed our nature for though sin be derived naturally upon us yet is it not of the Essence of our nature but a defect of our nature and an accidentall deformity which happened to our nature since our first creation and not given to us when God first gave us our nature but after it was given and all those staines and deformities which are naturally bred in us in the wombe and at our conception were all voided and absent at the incarnation of our blessed Saviour the holy Ghost sanctifying and preparing the sacred Virgin Mat. 1.18 c. ordained for that holy office and purpose whereby she was only made able to derive her nature with her issue Immaculate without sin without spot without corruption but not without infirmity and this sacred deriving of a sanctified nature from the blessed Virgin is not to be considered as the act or power of the holy Virgin but of the holy Ghost who being God coequall with the Father and the Sonne The holy Ghost the principall mover in sanctifying the blessed Virgin was able to separate our nature from corruption and so to sanctifie the sacred Virgin that her nature might be derived as innocent and spotlesse as God had created it therefore it is necessary and infallibly true then that Christ tooke our whole nature ●pon him even our infirmities and avoided onely sin which accidentally did happen to our nature the which being not of our nature Ephes 5.30 but in our nature and there●●●e the holy Scripture saith that Christ Iesus was like 〈…〉 all things sinne onely excepted Secondly is to be considered what Christ did and suffered whilest he lived in our nature which was the time of his personall and visible conversing with men here on earth What Christ did suffer for us is comprehended in this that hee lived righteously in the duties of the Law and in exact obedience to the Commandements of God and this was necessary in the office of our redemption which Christ had undertaken to finish for us for it was not possible to make God the Covenant of grace Christ did satisfie our contempts before our contempts against the Law were satisfied which Christ by his active and passive righteousnesse did fulfill for us when he lived in a precise conformity to the Law of God by his passive righteousnesse when he suffered punishment for the sins of his people whereby the Law and the Justice of God had satisfaction for all our former contempts committed against the divine Majesty of God and his Lawes The Gospel is the onely true history of the life of Christ it shall not need to report the particulars what our Saviour Christ did and suffered in the time of his conversing with men on earth the Scriptures of the Gospel is best able to give satisfaction wherein is registred not all his life but so much as the wisedome of God hath thought convenient for a Christian knowledge wherein is evident The power and patience of Christ that Christ continually did both exercise his power and his patience his power was exercised in doing good his patience in suffering evill what he did it was for the redemption of man and what hee suffered was for the sin of man Christ both dyed and suffered that man might not suffer Thirdly it is to be considered what Christ did by suffering when he dyed in our nature What Christ did by suffering for us Christ when he dyed in our nature did by death overcome death and by suffering did an act of admirable power and infinite glory both his power and his glory were declared in the conquest he made of sin hell and death enemies to our nature and had wasted the sonnes of Adam but now themselves wasted and vanquished for ever by one sonne of Adam 1 Cor. 15.54 The Victory of Christ over sin hell and death death and hell are the servants of sin the originall or first cause thereof is sin whom sin marketh death destroyeth his body hell tormenteth his soule yet is sin death and hell swallowed up in victory by one Christ who in the forme of man offering up himselfe a sacrifice to God his Father hath reconciled God and man by his own righteousnesse God and man leading into perpetuall captivity the ancient enemies of our nature sin hel and death sealing the new covenant of grace with the crosse of his death whereby he hath opened the gates of heaven and removed all difficulties that might let and hinder us in our passage or progresse to everlasting happinesse This Doctrine whereby to know the sonne of God in his two natures his Divinity and Humanity united in one Christ is most necessary in the knowledge of every Christian it being the maine foundation of Christian religion The necessity of knowing Christ whereupon all piety and faith is grounded for he that understandeth not Christ in his natures and offices cannot apprehend and apply him for his salvation because his assuming our nature and the execution of his offices are the onely meanes of our salvation without which God would not be pleased neither could the Law be satisfied and therefore this generall knowledge doth generally belong to all men and that upon necessity Secondly seeing the Sonne of God was content for our sakes to undergoe so great a travell and for our sakes to unite our farre unequall and most unworthy nature to his divinity wee ought for his sake to refuse no travell that may advance his honour or expresse our thankefulnesse for his infinite favours done for us and by whose onely meanes our soules

our soule The second thing in the cure of our soules is the soveraigne matter by which the diseased soule is cured the most soveraigne balsome the sacred blood of the Lambe of God of the Sonne of God shed for the redemption of man-kind 1 Pet. 2.24 for so saith his holy Apostle Saint Peter who his owne selfe bare our sins in his body on the tree that we being delivered from sin should live in righteousnesse by whose stripes we were healed our sins are taken from us by his bearing them our wounds are cured by his wounds our eternall death prevented by his temporall death for but the Sonne of God No physicke but the blood of Christ can cure a wounded soule Christ Jesus there is no Empyricke no quintessence no physicke can cure a wounded soule so venomous is sin and so incurable are the wounds that sin hath made onely the blood of the holy Lambe is altogether able to deliver and heale them and that is both so certaine and present in vertuous operation as that one drop rightly applyed is able and sufficient to cure the wounds of a world of soules The last thing in the cure of our soule is the manner of applying this most soveraigne medicine The manner of applying Christ Hebr. 11.6 Christ Jesus and that is by a true and lively faith for without faith it is impossible to please God and without faith it is impossible to apprehend the Sonne of God neither let this seem strange to a Christian judgement that wee should be able by faith to apprehend Christ and to apply him to our repentant soules for hee himselfe hath taught us that whatsoever wee shall aske in prayer Matth. 21.22 if we believe wee shall have it whereby he maketh faith the covenant and condition of prayer and promiseth that such prayer that is directed to him by a living faith shall onely and alwaies prevaile No resistance against a true faith against which there is no resistance therefore to apprehend apply Christ to our wounded soules we must reach with our hands of faith to his Fathers bosome take him from the altar of his crosse and by faith apply his precious blood nay his bloody body to our wounded soules for he that doth it faithfully doth it effectually and shall doubtlesse find assurance in himselfe that the wounds of his soule are cured and that sin is for ever dis-inabled from hurting him that hath Christ fully applyed for where he is in mercy there is assurance and safety of divine protection and this is the order that all Christians should take in repentance and spirituall sorrow First to prepare their soules then to apply Jesus Christ their salvation Note in whom there is safety without whom none To declare the manner and the causes of godlesse sorrow and false repentance wee will avoid them for their number and variety let the true judge the false and let this true forme of repentance here prescribed teach the Christian Reader to avoid all dissimulation and hypocritical sorrow for sin Hypocriticall sorrow is in God hatred 2 Cor. 7.10 11. and remember that godly sorrow causeth repentance not to be repented of but worldly sorrow causeth death But gentle Reader let mee admonish thee that we despise not Christ because upon his crosse he hanged betweene two thieves neither that wee honour thieves Mat. 27.38 39. because they hanged upon the crosse with Christ for that which is but meere truth is no truth and the best vertue is ever placed betweene two extremes This Doctrine of Repentance and spirituall sorrow doth remember all men very needfull admonishments First seeing that sin is the cause for which we repent us and by whose poyson our soules are so grievously infected and so fouly deformed and wounded it ought to move all men to a loathing and detestation of sin by which we are grieved in our selves and brought in hatred and displeasure of Almighty God Note for if wee so carefully avoid all such annoyances as bring any little taste of griefe to our bodies in this temporall life wee ought much more to avoyd sin which causeth such extremity of griefe in our soules and doth both deprive us of Gods favour and bringeth an everlasting destruction upon us Secondly seeing there is no repentance profitable to salvation but that which is caused in us by the moving of Gods holy Spirit it behoveth all men to be serious in their repentance and not to content themselves with a slender examination of their sins and then returne againe to their former remissenesse and disobedience but to be heedfully carefull to repent them of all sinne and to be constant in that care without alteration without interruption and that our repentance respect rather a shame and griefe to have offended so gracious a God then any feare of temporall or eternall punishment Saul and Ahabs repentance lest as did Saul and Ahab by such false and feigned repentance they lose their soules Thirdly seeing the soule cannot be cured but by repentance neither can apply or apprehend Christ Jesus unlesse it be first prepared and made fit by the exercise of these duties and not to satisfie themselves with the exercise of one or two of them but to endevour them all because they are all necessary to repentance for as in the Commandements of the Law he that faileth in one breaketh all so in these duties of repentance he that neglecteth one The danger of presumption profiteth by none but annihilateth the purpose of his spirituall sorrow Let no man therefore flatter himselfe with this presumption that if hee hath beene an extortioner a thiefe or a godlesse person that his repentance will suffice though hee be sorry for his sins and acknowledge them to God though these be very needfull and necessary duties yet they are not all the duties of our soule in our preparation to repentance therefore if hee hath extorted Luk. 19.8 or as Zacheus did taken by forged cavillation from any man that is by indirect or dishonest course or meanes Verse 9. hee must repent as Zacheus did and make restitution as farre as he can otherwise salvation can never come to his house therefore as they are all necessary so are they all joyntly necessary every man being bound to all these as God and grace shall enable him Fourthly seeing Christ Jesus is that Physician and that onely salve which is able to cure a wounded soule and that without him there is no working no cause no meanes of spirituall deliverance from sinne We must sell all to purchase Christ and griefe of a wounded conscience Therefore it most neerely concerneth all men to endeavour all meanes to purchase this Christ their salvation and righteousnesse and to despise all things in respect of him their Saviour and the onely soveraigne salve to heale their wounded conscience And seeing wee have Jesus Christ proposed us to be our salvation The

greater and more excellent tha● either faith or hope because it is more necessary to the life of man and also in●iuturnity because it never dieth nor hath any end and so extendeth further Walker and keepeth a man from doing hurt unto his neighbour Charity seeketh not those things which are her owne because that shee loveth her neighbour and preferreth his good before her owne Charity is not provoked to anger Charity imagines no mischiefe Charity rejoyceth not in anothers iniquity but Charity condoles anothers griefe and maketh anothers misery to be her owne Charity suffers all things believes all things endures all things and hopes of good issue in all things Charity refuseth not to doe unto others as she desires that others should doe unto her for Charity is not partiall in her owne cause tongues shall cease prophesies shall cease Sciences shall be destroyed but Charity shall never cease but remaine for ever the perfection and fruition thereof shall be compleate in the life to come Thinke upon these things O devout soule Note to study and endevor godly charity the maine ground of Christian amity Whatsoever thy neighbour be Eph. 4.31 32. yet he is one for whom Christ dyed why dost thou then deny to shew thy charity unto thy neighbour whom God hath commanded thee to love Christ laid downe his life for him why shouldest thou then deny thy love unto him If thou truly lovest God thou must also love his Image Wee are all one spirituall body let us therefore have all one spirituall minde Why should those soules live at variance here upon earth which one day must live together in heaven Whilest our minds agree in Christ Eph. 4.5 6 7. let our wills also be conjoyned in one wee are all members of one body let us not live at variance but cherish one another that member of the body is dead which hath not a feeling sense of anothers griefe neither let him judge himselfe a member of Christs mysticall body who doth not grieve at the misery of another which suffereth we have all one Father that is God whom Christ hath taught us to call upon daily Matth. 6.9 saying Our Father and how shall hee acknowledge thee to be his Sonne Hatred stirreth up strifes but loue covereth a multitude of sinnes Matth. 6.14.15 Eccl. 28.1 c. unlesse thou againe owne his sonnes to be thy brethren love thy brethren which God hath commanded thee to love if he be worthy doe it because he is worthy if he be not worthy yet for his sake who hath commanded thee and whom thou oughtest to obey if thou lovest him that is thine enemy thou shewest thy selfe to be a friend to God and in his favour doe not marke what man doth against thee but what thou hast done against God whom by thy sinnes thou hast offended in a farre more grievous manner observe not the injuries offered thee by thine enemies but observe the infinite benefits God hath conferred upon thee in Christ Ephes 5.2 who commandeth thee to love thine enemies by the condition of our earthly nativity we are neighours and by the hope our celestiall inheritance wee are brethren Marke what Christ saith Matth. 5.44 Love your enemies blesse them that curse you doe good to them that hate you and pray for them that hurt and persecute you therefore let us love one another in a brotherly love Psal 133.1 kindle in us O God the fire of true love and charity by the operation of thy holy Spirit Of Gods eternall Election and Predestination OF the eternall decree of God concerning Predestination surely no man of Christian beliefe doth make doubt thereof The consideration whereof doth commend unto us Ephes 1.3 the wonderfull power and purpose of God wherein hee determined with himselfe upon our salvation before the world was made Esa 43.11.13 For what else is it to choose and elect men that be not but to fore-see and appoint unto them their salvation before they were borne and it is an incredible matter how great an assurance of salvation there riseth in the hearts of the faithfull to understand and believe Rom. 4.16 c. that God had a care of them before the world was made and that they were chosen by him unto salvation before they had being hereupon the faithfull Christian may gather confidently and most assuredly that God cannot forsake them after they be made and are existant whom he choose and appointed unto salvation before they were existant and before the world was made God elects the faithfull unto salvation before they had being No man will deny that God hath not liberty to doe with his owne what he listeth for seeing that hee is the Maker Creator preserver and conserver of all things and Lord of heaven and earth it followe●h Rom 9.18 Esay 45.8 9. that he hath power upon all things for he hath mercy on whom he will and whom he will he hardeneth when he made the world hee made it after his owne will when hee dissevered those things that he had made he disserved them as hee would the heavens from earth fire from water darknesse from light beasts from beasts plants from plants times from times seasons from seasons and man from man therefore we may assure our selves and stand in this that God hath power to determine at his owne will of the salvation of man either else wee must utterly deny him to be God and say that hee hath not power over all his creature O man Esay 43.13 Rom. 20.21 Reade the whole Chapter what art thou that thus disputest with God shall the worke say to the worke-man why hast thou made me on this fashion Hath not the Potter power over his clay even of one lumpe to make one vessell to honour and another to dishonour who is able to resist his will Joh. 36.23 albeit hee did know before what we should be yet for all that hee found nothing in us whereby hee should be moved to choose us wee are all by nature borne the children of wrath hee knew before wee should be such wherfore he had cause to refuse us rather then to choose us The free election of God is the efficient cause of our salvation the materiall cause is Christs obedience the formall cause is our effectuall calling and the finall cause is our sanctification neither can wee boast that hee chose us in respect of our godlinesse and justice that was to come for if there be any godlinesse and justice in us it is in us not as a cause but as the fruit of election and grace of God for as is said hee chose whom hee would of his free mercy not because they would be faithfull but because they should be faithfull and he gave them grace not because they were faithfull but to the intent and end they might be made faithfull wherefore it appeareth that the choyce or election of us

Justification to be in the workes of the Law and doth absolutely ascribe it to the power of faith in Christ and he giveth a reason of this doctrine for saith hee If righteousnesse be by the Law Gal. 2.21 then Christ dyed without cause So then the very cause why Christ died was that righteousnesse might be imputed and apprehended by faith to all them that believe seeing that by workes it is impossible and therefore saith the Prophet David Psal 32.1 Blessed is he whose unrighteousnesse is forgiven Verse 2. and whose sinnes are covered Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth no sinne so hee thinketh them most righteous that have their unrighteousnesse forgiven them and them most holy that have not their sins imputed unto them Rom. 4. The fourth to the Romanes the whole Chapter is an earnest and sufficient proofe of this argument and doctrine where the Apostle laboureth by direct evidence to satisfie all doubt as if hee had fore-knowne the stiffe and unreconcileable oppositions of these times against this doctrine of Justification in which Chapter he maketh Abraham his instance in whom there was as much cause of boasting and as much righteousnesse as in any other particular save Christ Jesus onely yet he there proveth that Abraham upon whom God had founded his peculiar people was not justified by the righteousnesse of his workes but that this faith was imputed unto him for righteousnesse and for proofe alleadgeth Scripture Gen. 15.6 And Abraham believed the Lord and hee accounted that to him for righteousnesse so that the matter of our justification is the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ onely and the meanes of apprehending it is onely by faith This doctrine howsoever it is made strong and unresistable by many testimonies of holy Scripture and though it be zealously maintained by men of great learning and religious judgement yet it hath endured violence and suffered disgrace both by ignorance and envie this age maintaining such oppositions of error as the ignorance of former times first occasioned therefor● at this day this argument of justification is one of the maine controversies of the world the one maintaine justification by faith onely the other by workes that defending truth this opposing it and though a faithfull man would be willing to quarrell in defence of faith Note Psal 91.4 faith being our shield of defence against all gaine-sayers sin and the dwell yet know not how to give addition of strength to them that have already exceedingly travelled in this manifest truth and whose faithfull paines have maintained this quarrell with valour and victory against all opposition neither is it in the purpose of this businesse to dispute questions of truth but to deliver truth as it is by admonitions and plaine teachings to men of simple easie understanding for whose Christian good these paines are principally taken whose simplicity might most easily be confounded in the intricate search of cunning arguments for these respects And because all contention and strife of words is in the hatred of my nature I will as I finde it written downe sparingly deliver my selfe in a large argument and strike onely one blow at the enemy of faith that I may bee knowne to be an enemy of that enemy and that by a familiar proofe I may instruct the knowledge of them that are lesse learned For they that deny justification by fayth and approve it by works would frame this argument from the testimony of Saint James Jam. 2.17 c. who speaking of a generall faith doth utterly disable it from the office of justification and therefore he saith that Faith without workes is dead in it selfe for as the body without the spirit is dead even so faith without workes is dead also Therefore say they that the Apostle concludeth that of workes a man is justified and not of faith onely To this is answered it is most true that fruitlesse faith is dead neyther can justifie and that good workes are the spirit and soule of a living faith for as the body without the soule is not a living man but a dead carcase so faith without workes is not living is not saving nay is not true faith but onely beares a generall name and with Saint Iames wee may conclude against all such faith But if there be a faith that hath a necessity depending of good workes as necessarily as the soule to the body and the fruit to the tree and that this faith declare it selfe to bee plentifull in good actions the fruits of a living faith we may then with Saint James conclude against them for hee doth not as they doe disinable all faith in the worke of justification but onely that faith which is dead Note and without workes So both opinions imply a necessity of workes the one as the cause of justification and the other as an effect in them justified It were easie to be large in numbring authorities and in reporting such distinctions and shifts as the deceived use in supporting their erroneous opinions they are but inventions therefore without respect wee will passe them over Note but advise the Christian Reader to beware of both extreames and modestly and moderately to understand the meanes of his justification that his zeale carry him to no extremity but to the vertuous meane onely and not to ascribe all to fayth and nought to workes but to give them both their necessary respects for as wee are not justified but by fayth so our fayth is not justified but by our workes for if our works be not faythfull our fayth working we are not justified neyther can be saved For when it is said that fayth onely justifieth it is meant and not denyed that charity is joyned with that fayth which justifieth being inseparably united unto it but that onely fayth and not charity is the meanes by which we embrace Jesus Christ our justification righteousnesse As for example the fire hath heate and light which qualities cannot bee severed in that subject Note yet the fire burneth by heate only and not by light now if they will reason say if the heate of the fire only burn Similitude then it burneth without the light of the fire but that it cannot do such is their reason against justification only because it cannot be separated from charity Likewise though the parts of mans body bee joyned together and one is not without another in a perfect body yet the eye onely sees and the eare onely heares and every part hath his distinct office and so hath faith and charity Thus may the seeming difference betweene Saint Paul and Saint Iames bee reconciled Heb. 11. but such fayth and workes as Saint Paul meaneth justifie us before God but such fayth and workes as Saint Iames meaneth justifie us before men but God doth justifie effectually fayth doth justifie apprehendingly and good workes doe justifie declaringly that is we doe declare our selves by our workes

both caused and continued in us by the secret power of God our selves being meerly passive and moved to divine exercise by the onely direction of the holy Ghost and therefore that we doe ascribe the honour of every good action to God by whom it is caused and utterly disgrace our selves in our owne estimation because Gods grace doth leade every man to every particular action of goodnesse Note Againe seeing that by faith in Christ God doth both cancell and abolish our sinnes and repute us righteous in his presence it doth remember all men the admirable degree of Gods favour and the powerfull operation of faith First Gods favour towards us hee being pleased to forgive us our sins and deserts of condemnation and to give and impute the most absolute righteousnesse of his deare Sonne Christ to all men upon this easie condition of faith that such who have a true faith to apprehend him shall be accepted in his favour as sonnes and shall appeare in the presence of God as equally righteous as if themselves had actually performed righteousnesse in their owne particular persons Secondly Heb. 11.1 c. wee are taught the powerfull operation of true faith that it is able to enter heaven and to apprehend and apply Christ and his righteousnesse to reconcile the favour of God unto us and to satisfie his displeasure to wash off the leprosie and spots of our sins and to put on us the garment of righteousnesse even Jesus Christ the Sonne of God by whom and through whom wee are justified in the fight of God and by whom also wee shall be saved Let us therefore carefully endeavour our selves in a constant exercise of all godly actions not that we repose our justification in the vertue or merit of our owne workes but that by the testimony of our good works we may approve our selves to be faithfull and that our faith is more than a common or a generall historicall faith even a living and a saving faith which is and must be the onely meanes of our apprehending Christ who is the all-sufficient and onely matter of our justification and let this be the onely glory and pride of our well-doing that this witnesse of workes shall gaine us the reputation of Gods servants and that Gods faithfull children here on earth shall esteeme and repute us to be of their fellow-brethren then which let us never desire a greater cause of boasting and this judgement of good men must needs rise from the testimony of good workes because there is an inevitable necessity of consequence and necessary dependence betweene faith and workes they being as inseparable as the heat from the fire and as necessarily depending as the body and the soule let this provoke us to a zealous forwardnesse of all godly actions because thereby we shall conclude the assurance of our justifying faith and thereby satisfie the desire of our owne soules and that doubt which otherwise might justly be had of us in the common opinion of men From this argument must needs follow this conclusion that seeing we have the fruits of faith Note good works therefore we have also the cause of workes true faith and that therefore this faith thus working is a tree of Gods owne planting this is that use this is that comfort and consolation which wee shall understand and find in the nature of our best deserving workes thus let us esteeme them and but thus let us therefore avoid and abolish that dangerous opinion of meriting by workes because it is farre better to want honour then to force it from God by violence nay let us rather disgrace our selves then to dis-inable our Saviour Jesus Christ for if righteousnesse be from our selves it is not onely from him and then would follow that absurd and blasphemous conclusion that he is not the onely Saviour neither hath perfected the worke of mans salvation let us therefore doe all the good we can Note but let us repute our deeds though never so good to be the effect and not the cause of goodnesse in us let us also confidently hold that nothing is able to merit salvation but onely the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ let us therefore utterly disclaime our selves and our owne power which is nothing but weaknesse and wholly ascribe all vertue and all power to our Saviour Christ for it is safer to give him honour then to take it from him and it will farre better become our Christian modesty to acknowledge our weakenesse and infirmities then proudly to boast and advance our selves above our deserts and worthinesse If therefore God by the moving of his holy Spirit doe incline our hearts unto godlinesse hee will also give us grace to continue in the same and give us a desire and power in godly exercise which when it makes us grow plentifull in the demonstration of holinesse let us ascribe the glory thereof unto God to whom it is due onely and onely acknowledge our selves to be that instrument whereby his holy hand of grace is pleased to work with to our salvation Of Faith FAith is the ground the foundation and the pillar of the truth 1 Tim. 3. and it is the constant assent of the heart unto those things which bee taught and promised by the word of God for to believe is to assent unto the same which we doe heare it is also a certaine and sure perswasion of the heart What it is to believe that there is a God whereby wee doe believe certaine things of God as that there is a God and that there is but one and none other besides him that hee is omnipotent the creator of heaven and earth that he is just doing good to the righteous and punishing the wicked that he is good gentle and mercifull to them that doe amend their sinfull life that he is true and keepeth promise that he is able to performe what hee hath promised that hee is everlasting and many other things that bee reported of him in holy Scriptures and to beleeve also of Christ that hee is the onely begotten Sonne of God the word of God made flesh true God and true man our onely Lord redeemer Saviour and Mediatour hee was crucified dead buried and rose againe taken up into Heaven touching his manhood and that he sitteth at the right hand of the father and that he shall come at the end of the world to judge the quicke and the dead and many other things set forth in the Evangelists and Apostles and to believe of the holy Spirit that he is of the same Godhead equall with the Father and the Sonne that he is of the light giver of the minds the comforter teacher reliever renewer sanctifier and governour of the elect of God this maketh a great matter to the salvation of man how it be grounded in their hearts Secondly To believe God that we doe believe God also that is to credit and to believe his word as the word of