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cause_n	free_a	grace_n	love_n	2,934	5	6.6495	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A10213	The treasure of trueth touching the grounde worke of man his saluation, and chiefest pointes of Christian religion: with a briefe summe of the comfortable doctrine of God his prouidence, comprised in .38. short aphorismes. VVritten in Latin by Theodore Beza, and nevvly turned into English by Iohn Stockvvood. VVhereunto are added, these godly treatises. One of the learned and godlie Father. Maister I. Foxe. In the which the chiefest poyntes of the doctrine of God his election, are so plainely set foorth, as the verie simplest may easily vnderstand it, and reape great profite thereby. The other of Maister Anthonie Gylbie, wherein the doctrine of God his election and reprobation, is both godly and learnedlie handeled. Seene and alovved, according to the order appoynted.; Summa totius Christianismi. English	Bèze, Théodore de, 1519-1605.; Stockwood, John, d. 1610.; Foxe, John, 1516-1587.; Gilby, Anthony, ca. 1510-1585. Briefe treatyse of election and reprobacion.	1576 (1576)	STC 2049; ESTC S113223	100,323	280

of reprobation or ofcasting in acte or deede * Cap. ● God his iudgemen● vpon lytle children The fyrst declaration of reprobation or ofcasting No vocation or calling vnto the gospell Some of the reprobates or of castes are neuer called vnto the gosell A calling not effectuall Sinne in the reprobates or ofcastes in necessary that is such as cā nor be auoyded but yet they sinne vvyllinglie and vvyttinglie Esai 6. 10. The verie reprobates or ofcastes sometimes doo seeme for a season to bee planted in the Church of God and do reach others the● vvaie to saluation Reade Mar 7. verse 21. 22. 23. The cause vvhy some of the reprobates or ofcastes vvhich seemed for a time to bee of the Church of God are fynallie destroied is their vvylling departure from that state vvhich before they vvere in vnto vvieked●es and sinne The means vvhich God vseth in ●●dening the ofcastes Prou. 26. ●● The full performing of the iudgementes of God. VVho are righteous * Hee ●eaneth Infants vvho although they die before they commit actuall sinne yet are they from their mothers vvom●e defiled vvith origi●al sin vvhich is inough to condempne them In the ch●●sen In th● ofcas●e● The glorie hath of God. M●st exceeding iust ●e●cifull Most ex●eeding iust The cause vvhy this most necessarie and comfortable doctrine of God his election seemeth to many to be so hard and straunge VVee must not feare to vtter God his trueth because ey●her of the number or authoritie of the obstinate and stubborne A choyce in matter and vvordes Curious and vaine questions in this doctrin especiallye to bee auoided Such mane● of speaches as are vnusuall in the scriptures ought as● muchas ma●e bee to be refrained from A choice in ●ersons Hovve vve● must goe forevvard The middle causes are not to bee vvithout great confideration ouerpassed Hovve this doctrine is to bee applyed Hovve the Ministers must deale vvith troubled conscience The doctrine of faith is vnp●ofitable if it be separated from ●lection peace of conscience dependeth vpon predestination ● Cor. 2. 14. Hovv a sure vvitnesse of our election maie bee had By vvhat ●okens true faith maie be knovvne The effectes of the holie ghost in the elect The efficacie or vertue of our calling is vnderstoode by faith and by our calling our predestinatiō or fore-ordaining There is certaine hope in the chosen of continuance and saluation The doctrin of predestination ouer throvveth vaine secu●itie or carelesnesse Onelie election mynistreth sur● comfort The doc●●rine of reprobation or ofcasting is not to be buried Reprobatiō or ofcasting vvarelie to bee considered Reprobatiō or ofcasting neyther can or ought to be particularlie applied not adding any condition A differēce betvveene election and reprobation VVe must labour to vvinne allmen Of the co●●sideration of reprob●tion or ofcasting h●militie is learned It causeth the goodnesse of ●od to bee the better vnderstood● of the chosen● The con●ideration of reprobation or ofcasting engendreth a godly carefulnesse in the chosen It strengthneth them against all offences * Efficacie or strenght Blasphemies that vve are most falsely charged vvithal the vvhiche notvvithstāding cannot any vvay be truly proued to grovve of our doctrine A n●cess●ry note to bee marked Calu. instit lib. 1. Cap. 18. Sec. 3. Difference betvveene predestination and Election Definition of predestination Election defined The partes of defi●●tion examined Mercy and grace Free mercy and grace The free mercy and grace of God in his ovvne vvyll Rom. 9. Ma●h 20 Luke 18 Luke 15 Ioh. 1. ●ods mercy in sau●ng the elect ouer in●ludeth the condicion of faith in ●n Ch●●st The free mercy and grace of God in his ovvne good vvyll through faith in christ his sonne o●r Lord. Faith is the onlie condition vvhereby Gods grace doth saue vs. Act. 16. Fayth only is the immediate cause of our iustifiyng The second consideration Grace Election Vocation Fayth Iustificatiō ●lo●ification Mans fr●● vvyll Blinde fortune Mans vvisedome Mans learnning Mans merites VVorkes of the lavv excluded from the causes of our saluation Papi●ts ●onfound the doctrine of election Election● That vocation he meaneth here vvhich is after purpose Vocation bringeth ●ayth Iustification by faith only The ●apist● falselie pretendeth that Actus credendi is in mannes povver Col. 1. lyn 4. Hovv faith ●nd el●ction are linked together in the act of iustifying The third considera●●n Election knovvn● to ●od ●●mply Election knovven to man by meanes Faith is th● meanes vvhereby vve be certified of our saluation De electione iudicandum est A posteriore● Election first knovvn to God and last opened to man. Euerie man to sta●e him selfe vpon Gods generall promise ●●vvhat faith is●● Diuerse kindes of faith Euery truth hath his faith But euerie truth iustifieth not no more doeth euerie faith● Faith the action ●● vv Christ the● obiect● of faith Faith and Christ are relatiues Christ vvith out faith saueth not Faith vvithout Christ● saueth no● ●●orace Election Vocation Christes death causes externe of our saluation ●aith onelie intern cause of mans saluation Faith is an action in man but not of man. Vertues and vvorkes of charitie though they bee good gifts of God in man yet they serue not to iustification Faith looketh his dignitie of his obiect Looking vp to the brasē Serpent and beleeuing vppon the bodie of Christ compared The errour of the Papistes periecting the minde of Gods Testament hovve and vvherein Imprinted at London for Thomas Woodcocke d●●●ling in Poules Church yarde at the sygne of the blacke Beare

of and thou standest by ●ayth be not hye minde● but feare 2. Cor. 4. 3. But if our gospell be hidden it is hyoden to them that perishe 4. In whome the God of this worlde hath blynded their myndes that is in the vnfaithfull least the light of the gospell of the glory of Christ which is the Image of God shoulde not shine vnto them Hebr. 12. 16. Let there be no fornicatour nor prophane or vncleane person as Esau which for one messe of meate solde his byrth right 17. For ye knowe howe that afterwarde also when he woulde haue obtained the blessing by the ryght of inherytaunce he was cast of for he founde no place of repentance although he sought that blessing with teares The seuenth Aphorisme SO when as the question of the sorting of the causes of saluatiō into degrees placing of thē as it were in a certaine new order in the saluation of the elect we do distinguish or make a differēce between the purpose of electing or chosing the whiche God hath decreed in him selfe and the election or chosing it selfe the which is ordained in Christ so that this purpose of God in the rule and order of causes goeth before this election and all other thinges which follow after Proues out of the word● of God. Rom. 8. 30. And whome he hath Predestinate or foreordained those also hath he called whome he hath called those also hath he iustified or made righteous And whome hée hath iustified or made righteous those also hath he gloryfied Ephe 1. 4. As he chose vs in him before the foundation of the worlde were layde c. 5. Who hath Predestinate or foreordained vs whome he woulde adopte or ●●ose for his sonnes through Christ vn●● him selfe according to the good plea●●re of his wyll The third Chap. ¶ Of the execution or fulfylling of the euerlasting counsaile in that which is common both to the elect or chosen and also to the reprobates or ofcastes The first Aphorism● THe Lorde to the ende he might execute or fulfyll that euerlasting counsayle vnto his glorie prepared him selfe away according vnto his infinite or endlesse wisedome which is common both to them which were to bee chosen and also to them which were to bee ofcastes For when as he had determined to shew forth a notable example of his mercie in the saluation of the chosen and also to make manifest his iust iudgement in condemning the ofcastes 1 It was of neces●itie that he shoulde shutte vp both of them vnder contumacie or disobedience and sinne that he might haue mercie on all the beleeuers 2 that is on the elect or chosen 3 for faith is a gifte of God peculiar or proper vnto the elect ● 4 and contra●y wise that he might finde matter of iust dampn●tion in those vnto whom it is geuen neither to beleeue neither yet to know the misteries or secretes of God. Proues out of the word of God. Rom. 11. 32. For God hath shut vp al vnder disobedience that he might haue mercy on all Gal 3 22. But the Scr●pture hath shut vp all things vnder sinne that the promise by the faith of Iesus Christ might be geuen to them that beléeue Act. 13 48 And the Gentiles hearing these things reioyced and glorified the word of the Lord and as many as were ordeyned vnto e●e●lasting life beléeued Eph. 2. 8. For ye are saued by grace through sayth and that not of your selues it is the gifte of God. 2. Thes. 3. 2. Fayth is not of all men or all men haue not fayth Tit 1. 1. According to the fayth of Gods elect or chosen and the knowledge of the tr●th which is according vnto Godlynes 2. Unto the hope of eternall lyfe the which God that can not lye hath promised before the world beganne Phil. 1. 29. For vnto you it is geue● in Christ his cause not onely● to beleeue in him but also to suffer for him Gal 3. 22. But the frute of the spirit is loue ioye peace long suffering gentlenesse goodnesse fayth c. Math. 13. 11. For vnto you it is not geuen to know the secréets of the kingdom of heauen but to them it is not geuen loh. 12. 37. And though he had done so many myracles before them yet they beleeued not in him 38. That the saying of Esay the prophet might be fulfilled which he spake Lord ●oho beleued our saying and vnto whom ●is the arme of the Lord opened 39. Therfore they could not beléeue becau● that Esay sayth againe 40. He hath blynded their eyes and hardened theyr hearts that they should not see with theyr eyes and vnderstand with theyr heart and should be conuerted and I should heale them The second Aphorisme THis therefore he did vvith such vvisdom that the whole faultes of the reprobates or ofcastes damnation resteth in themselues and that the vvhole praise of the saluation of the electe or chosen is vvholie to to be referred vnto his mercy for he dyd not create man in sinne for so vvhich God forbyd should he him selfe haue beene the Author of sinne and of his iustice he might not punishe it but rather hee made him after his owne Image that is in cleanesle and holynesse Proues out of the worde of God. Gen 1. 27. Therfore god created man after his owne image after the Image of god created he him male and female created he them Ephes. 4. 24. And put on that new man which after God is created in righteousnes and true holynes The thyrd Aphorisme HE afterwardes constrayned by none at all and driuen also by no necessity of concupiscence or luste● as concerning his vvyl for as yet it vvas not bond vnto finne of his owne accorde and freely rebelling against God bequeathed himself vnto sinne and vnto both deaths That is of bodie and soule Proues out of the worde of God. Gen 2. 17. In the daye that thou eatest of it dying thou shalt dye Ro. 7. 20. But yet if I doo that I would not then is it not I that doo it but sinne that dwelleth in mée Rom. 5. 12. Wherefore as by one man sinne entered into the worlde and death by the meanes of sinne and so death went ouer all men insomuch as all men haue sinned The fourth Aphorisme YEt vve must confesse that this fall of man happened not by chaunce vvhen as the prouidence of God is stretched forth euen vnto the verie smallest things neither can any thing be saide to come to passe God not knowing of it o● else altogeather vvynking at it for so thinking the vvhich God forbyd vvee must be of the opinion of the Epicures Proues out of the worde of God. Mat. 10. 29. Are not two sparowes sold for a farthing and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your father 50. But the verie heyres of your hea● are all numbred Prou. 16. 33. The lotte is cast into the lappe but the whole iudgement of it

whosoeuer wyll bee certayne of his election in God let him fyrste begynne with this fayth in Christ whiche if hee fynde in him to stande fyrme Hée maye bee sure and nothing doubte but that he is one of the number of Gods electe Secondlye the sayde fayth and nothing else is the onely condition and meanes wherevppon Gods mercy election vocation and all Gods promyses to saluation doo stay according to the wordes of S. Paul Si permanseritis in fide c. If ye abide in the fayth Colos 1. Thyrdly this faith also is the immediate and next cause of our iustifycation simply without any other condition annexed For as the mercy of God his grace election vocation and other precedent causes doo saue and iustify vs vppon conditon if wee beleeue in Christe so this fayth in Christ without condition is the ne●t● and immediate cause which by Gods premyse worketh our iustifycation According as it is wrytten Crede in dominum Iesum saluus eris t● do●us●tua Beleeue in the Lorde Iesus and thou shalt be saued thou and thy whole house Act. 16. And thus much touching the definitiō of election with the causes therof declared which you see now to bee no merytes nor workes of man whether they goe before or come after fayth but only y meere mercy of God through fayth for lyke as all they that bee borne of Adam doo tast of his malediction though they tasted not his Apple So all they that be borne of Christ which is by fayth take parte of the obedience of Christe Although they neuer dyd that obedience themselues which was in him Rom. 5. Nowe to the second consideration Let vs s●e lykewise howe and in what order this election of God procéedeth in chosing and electing them which bee ordayned to saluation which order is this In them that bée chosen to lyfe fyrst Gods m●rcye and frée grace bryngeth forth election Election worketh vocation or Gods holy calling Which vocation through hearing bryngeth knowledge and fayth of christ Fayth through promyse obtayneth iustification Iustification through hope wayteth for glorification Elec●tion is before vocation and ●ayth commeth in time Iustification and glorifycation is without end Election depending vpon Gods frée grace and wyl excludeth all mans wyll blynd fortune chaunce and all peraduentures vocation standing vpon Gods election excludeth all mans wisedome cunning learing intention power and presumption Fayth in Christ proceedyng by the gift of the holy ghost and freely iustifying man by Gods promise excludeth all other merites of men all condition of deseruing all workes of the lawe both Gods lawe and mans lawe with all other outward meanes what soeuer Iustification comming fréely by fayth standeth sure by promise without doub●●feare or wauering in this lyfe Glorifycation perteyning onely to th● lyfe to come by hope is looked for Grace and mercy preuenteth Election ordayneth Uocation prepareth and receaueth the word whereby commeth fayth Fayth iustifieth Iustifycation bryngeth glory Election is the immediate and next cause of vocation vocation which is the workyng of Gods spyrite by the worde is the immediate and next cause of fayth Fayth is the immediate and next cause of iustification and this order and connexion of causes is dylygenly to bee obserued because of the papists whiche haue miserably confounded conuerted this doctrine thus that almighty God so farreforth as hée foreséeth mans merites before to come so doth he dyspence his election Vt Dominus pro cuiusque meritis fore preuidet ita dispensat electionis gratiam And againe Nullis preccedentibus meritis dominum rependere electionis gra●iam futuris tamen concedere That is that the Lord recompēseth the grace of election not to any merites going before But yet graunteth the ●●●n to the merites which folowe after 〈◊〉 though wée had our election by our holynes that followeth after and not rather haue our holynes by Gods election going before But wée following the Scripture ●aye otherwyse that the cause onely of Gods election is his owne mercy and the cause onelye of our iustification is our fayth in Christe and nothing else As for example fyrst concerning election if the question bée asked Why was Abraham chosen and not Nachor Why was Iacob chosen and not Esau Why was Moyses elected and Pharao hardened Why Dauid accepted and Saule refused Why fewe bée chosen and the moste forsaken It cannot bée aunswered other wise but thus because it was so the good wyll of God. In lyke maner touching vocation and also fayth if the que●● be asked Why this vocation gi●● of fayth 〈◊〉 geuen to Cornelius the Gentile 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tertullius the Iew● Why 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the babes and litle ones of this wor●● of whom Christ sp●aketh I thanke 〈◊〉 Father which hast ●yd 〈◊〉 from the wise c. Math. 11. Why to the 〈◊〉 the simple abiectes and outcastes in this worlde of whome speaketh Saint Paule 1. Cor. 1. Ye sée your callyng my brethren howe not many of you c. Why to the sinners and not to the iust Why the beggers by the hye wayes were called and the bydden gestes excluded we can goe to no other cause but to Gods purpose and election and sa●e with Christ our Sauiour Quia pater sic complacitum est ante te Yea Father for so it séemed good in thy syght Luke 18. And so for iustification lyke wise if the question bee asked why the Publycan was iustyfied and not the Pharisce Luke 18. Why Marie the synner and not Symon the Léeper Luke 11. Why harlottes and Publicans goe before the Scribes and Pharysées in the kingdome Math. 21. Why the sonne of the frée woman was receyued and the bondwomans sonne being his elder reiected Gen. 21. Why Israel which so long sought for righteousnesse founde it not and the Gentyles which sought not for it founde it Rom. 9. We haue no other cause hereof to render but to staye with Saint Paule because they sought for it by workes of the lawe and not by fayth Which fayth as it commeth not by mannes wyll as the Papistes falsely pretendeth but onely by the election and frée gyft of God so it is onely the immediate cause wherevnto the promise of our saluation is annexed according as we reade And therefore of faith is the inheritaunce geuen As after grace that the promyse might stande sure to euery seede Rom. 4. Item in the same Chapter Fayth beleeuing in him which iustifyeth the wicked is imputed to ryghteousnesse And thus concerning the cause of ou● saluation ye sée howe fayth in Christ onely and immedyatlie without any condition doeth iustify vs being so lynked with Gods mercy ●nd election that whersoeuer election goeth before there fayth in Christ must néedes followe after And againe whosoeuer beleeueth in Christ Iesu through the vocation of God hee must needes bee partaker of Gods election Wherevnto resulteth now the third

God to lasciuiousnesse wantonnesse as holy Iude saythe yet knowe wée that wée are chosen by Iesus Christe that the glory of his grace hys fauour and mercy towards vs might be praysed For we are the electe and chosen kyndred and hys people by purchase that we shoulde shewe the vertue of him whiche hath called vs foorth of darknesse into this maruellous lyght This people ordayned to saluation only beleeueth Act. 13. For this Electe people onely was Christ sent into this world To them onely is the worde of saluation sent as Peter sayth To the Elect by the foreknowledge of God the Father 1. Pet. 1. Then to know what this election of God is and what in the Scriptures it doth signifye We describe and define election to bée the frée choyce of the good wyll of the almighty God appoynting and prescribing in the booke of lyfe before the begynning of the worlde whome he wyll haue to bée saued and coumpted amongest the iust Whome hée will haue holy and without faulte before him to be his children by adoption to set forth his glory This choyse his choosing this aforeappoynted purpose and ordinaunce of God is aboundauntlye set forthe in the first chapter to the Ephesians That this commeth of the free wil of God and his onely grace freely without our deseruing contrary to the vayne opinion of the Papists and Anabaptists ●he same chapter and the next chapter folowing dothe plainly testifie Ephe. 1. 2. And most euidently the Lord in his maiestie speaking to his seruant Moyses Exod. 33. declared all this to stande of his mercy saying I will haue mercy vpon whome it liketh me and I will shew mercy where it shall be my pleasure for so is the meaning of those wordes I wyll haue mercy vppon whome I will haue mercy Paul also declaring in this place the worke of God beetwixte these twoo children Iacob and ●sa● Romaines 9. saythe thus of this fr●● Election whē Rebeca was with child with one and the same father Isaack before ●he children were borne when they had neyther done good nor bad that the purpose of God whiche is by Election mighte stande it was sayde to hir not for the cause of workes but by the grace of the caller the elder shal serue the younger As it is written saythe hée Iacob I loued but Esau I hated Of the booke of lyfe Moyses speaketh Exod. 32. And Christ himselfe Luk 10. Saying to his Apostles Ioy you and be glad for your names are written in the booke of life in the heauens And in the. 69. Psalme it is spoken against the wicked Let them not be written amongst the Iust and put them forth of the booke of life And agaynst the false Prophet Ezechiel 13. Hée shall not bee in the counsaile of my people nor written in the booke of the house of Israell There be two finall causes also of this eternall purpose of the election the whiche Paule rehearseth in the first chapter to the Ephesians the one toucheth God the other perteyneth to man He hath El●cted vs bee fore the foundations of the worlde sayth the Apostle that wée mighte be holy without blame And this an●wereth the wicked which woulde abuse the mercies of God to their lust Againe it followeth He hath Predestinate vs that he myght choose vs to be his chyldren that his name may be praysed And this stoppeth the mouthes of all our aduersaryes that saye that this doctrine is not to the prayse of God so that they must cease to sclaunder this doctrine vnlesse they wyll hynder the glory of God and denye the open Scriptures Now it is to bée noted and marked dylligently that this worde election is taken after two sortes in the Scripture sometymes as it sygnifyeth absolutely the free choyse wyll and appoyntment of God without the respecte of the reuelation of the worde and message of saluation And thus speaketh the holy Apostle Saint Paul of Election saying of the carnall Iacob They were enimyes concerning the gospell for your cause but concerning the Election they are beloued for their parents For the gyftes of God and his calling are suche that he can not repent Euen as you once were mysbeléeuers from God but nowe haue attayned mercy by theyr mysbeléefe that they should attayne mercie also This Election expresseth absolutely the secret purpose of God without the respect of reuelation of the woorde or any of our workes following Under this first kinde of Election were those hundreth and twentye thousande whiche God dyd choose and kéepe vnto hymselfe in Niniuie amongst the Idolaters and the seuen thousande which God dyd leaue for himselfe in Israell in the third booke of Kings the. 19. chap. Yea those that yet are not are thus elect chosen and amongst al nations both Iewes in this long blindnes banishmente from their cuntrey amongst the Turkes in theyr Idolatrous wickednes yea amongst the Edomites the Sabees the Indians and Ethiopians And in the late blyndnesse of the Popishe church wherein wee togither wyth our fathers were altogether Idolatrous all Hypocrites and counterfaite Christians thys absolute Election whereby the mercyfull Lord God did reserue and kepe his chosen vnto hym in all places all ages all countreys without respect of personnes dyd most euydently appeare Howbeit this secreete of Election must onely ●ee lefte to the Maiestie of God where when howe and whome he thereby saueth and sheweth his mercy For to the blynde iudgement of man all these people rehearsed and suche lyke seemeth reiect reprobate and cast awaye as appeareth by Ionas condempning the Niniuites by Elias condempning the Israelites and a long whyle vntyll God had by myracle from Heauen delyuered hym from that errour vnto the chyefe Apostle Peter iudging all the Gentyles to bee a polluted people farre from the fauour of God. The seconde kynde of Election is set ●oorth and knowne euydent and open by the spirite of God working in the harts of the Elect and chosen by fayth and trust in God his promyses through Christ teaching vs that we are the chyldren of God chosen to him selfe by Iesus Christ from the begynning and therefore preparing vs to an holy and blamelesse lyfe to the lawde prayse of the grace of god The which Election besydes the dayly e●perience of our consciences maye bee approued by the testymonies of these Scryptures compared together Esa. 59. Rom 8. Ephesi 1. Colos. 3. and a verie bryefe and perfecte description of thys Election 2. Thes. 2. in these wordes Wée ought to thanke God that he hath chosen you from the begynning by the sanctifying of the spyrite and the beleefe of the trueth to the which he hath called you by our Gospell to attayne the glorye of our Lorde Iesus christ By this gratious election was Iacob dearelye beloued in his Mothers wombe and Ieremie knowne vnto God before hée was fashioned in his Mothers wombe Ieremie 1. And to bee short all other the Electe of God are thus chosen sanctified and

compelled to crye and call to sigh and sobbe before theyr heauenly Father for the deliueraunce of this mortall and sinful booy subdued to vanitie and though they do most euidently perceyue how they are called from darknesse to lighte from loue of iniquitie to the hatred of the same from obedience somtime giuen to Sathan and to the lustes of the flesh to the obedience of the spirit whiche fighteth against the flesh and though I say they perceyuing this be not able to quench these raging lustes yet do they mourne and dayly lament calling for the grace of their heauenly father which lamentations sighings and sorowyngs of theyr sinnes bée the sensible féelings and liuely signes and tokens of Gods infallible and sure Election Wherefore whosoeuer shal féele these secret sighes and mournings thereby hating ●●nne desiring therfrō to be delyuered considering theyr owne weaknes and by the fruite and a good man forth of the good treasure of his harte doth bring foorth good workes the euyll man euyl works This doth Iames byd vs to shewe our fayth of our workes and sayth that Abraham did thus vtter his faith by his works and Rahab by her workes and were iustifyed Where we are compelled with all the godly learned to expounde the worde iustifyed declared to bée iust or else we doo make Iames contrary to him selfe contrary to Moyses whose sentence he in the same place alledgeth contrarie to Paule and the whole course of Scriptures And thus muste all the generall sentence of woorkes bée vnderstoode that by these woorkes wherein God wyll haue vs to walke we are knowne to haue his spirite to be good trees so iudged by our fruites as is the good Apple tree by the Apples not that the Apples make hym good but testifye that hee is good and that it hath within it selfe a kindly power of good iui●● and norishment So we féeling the power of the spyryte workinge in our hartes Godlye motions and so brynging forth good fruites of fayth and good workes doo cōfirme our Election and vocation as Peter speaketh to our selues and others The seconde vse of workes is that God in vs by them may be gloryfied Whereof our sauiour Christ sayth Mat. 5. Let your lyght so shine before men that they séeing your good works may glorifie your father which is in heauen And this is the chiefe vse of good workes the laude and glorye of God where vnto wée were fyrst created in the earthy Adam now are a new restored by the heauenly Adam Christ Iesu to walke in good works to be holy blamelesse and without fault And to this ende that God in them might bee gloryfied doth scripture commend vnto vs good works setteth forth the crowne of glory to them that therin are exercised So rūne that ye may obtaine sayth the Apostle labor for the crowne incorruptible 1. Cor. 9. Nowe because these latter dayes are the tymes wherein our Sauiour Christ dyd saye that ●ayth should fayle and charytie shoulde ware colde we that haue so cleare reuelation of Gods great mercyes wishing alwaies to be of more perfection let them with all thankes geeuinge vnto God reioyce knowing that this procedeth not from flesh nor bloud but frō the spirite of our head Iesus Christ who maketh intercession for his afflicted members who are his Sainctes with vnspeakeable gronings Whome though for a time hee doo permit to be afflicted both in spirite and bodie as sometimes he did Iob Ionas Ieremie and other yet at the ende hee giueth vnto them most triumphant victorie accordinge to the euerlasting purpose of his diuine prouidence who is to be feared reuerenced renowmed and praysed for euer So be it Heretofore haue we answered generally to them that woulde make God the Author of euyll and to them which do say that this doctrine taketh away exhortations and threatninges and the preachyng of the worde Nowe by the grace of God we wyl more briefly answere to some arguments whiche they bryng foorthe of the scriptures setting aparte all such cauyllations as mans reason whiche in Gods mysteries can neuer bée satisfyed by the craft of the deuyl doth excogitate inuēt But first we wyl speake somthing of good workes the true vnderstanding of those scriptures which commend them vnto vs lest we should seeme to dissuade men from the same or exte●●ate the meaning of the holy ghost in such sentences as our aduersaries doo wickedly peruert for the maintenance of mans power against this doctrine of grace free Election which dare affirme that by works they purchase part of theyr saluation the which as we haue sayde is freely geuen by this Election in Christ Iesu before the foundation of the world was lay●● The good works which are so in déede that is to say which proceede of the spirite of adoption the feeling of Gods mercies in electing calling iustifying fyrst of all haue this vse y they declare the power of God to bee in vs and the spyrite of Christ which doth conforme vs to his image and this is the ende whervnto we are Elected and Predestinate to be conformed to the Image of his sonne Rom. 8. Elected before the foundation of the world to be holy and blamelesse Eph. 1. Created vnto good workes which God hath prepared for vs to walke therein Eph. 2. These haue the reward as Paul sayth not onely of this lyfe but of the world to come Therefore sayth our Sauiour Christ. Math. 25. Come ye blessed of my father possesse the kingdome prepared for you from the begynning of the world I was hungry and ye gaue me meate I was thyrstie and ye gaue me drinke c. Of this excellent commendation and rewarde of good workes we do learne the dignity of the same not of the worthinesse of thēselues which are neuer able to stand in Gods iudgementes for our very righteousnesses are as Esay sayth as clothes fylthily polluted but of the dignitie of the grace of the promise of God who worketh them in vs For it is God sayth Paul that worketh in vs both the wyll and also the worke euen of his purpose Phi. 2. Therefore all is of grace not of works least any should glory Ephes. 2. For if there were any power in our selues or dignity in the workes then had we some thing to glory but now that all is confessed to be of Gods free mercies and nothing of our selues we conclude that God crowneth and rewardeth his owne workes in vs that who so gloryeth should glory in the lord 1. Cor. 1 ●n● where some ●●edge this place Ma. 26 so to commende workes that they shoulde bee the cause of the Election and the fauor of God they doo not consyder the fyrst wordes Come you blessed of my Father inheryte the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the world Wherin we may note that they beeing the blessed and beloued of the father are called to the inheritance of the heauenly kingdom not wonne by