â—h P. 7. the meanes of the end must go together The ende which euery one of vs doth desire and ayme at it is eternall glory we must be sure then to lay hold vpon Calling and Iustifiyng as the meanes ordained to come vnto this end For this is a certaine and sure ground in diuinity and Religion Whom-soeuer God hath appointed to eternall life he hath also appointed that man to vse the meanes whereby he may come vnto the same To make this more plaine let it please you to vouch safe the hearing of an accident which fell out very fitly to this purpose One Ludouicus a learned man of Italy yet wanting the direction of Gods good spirit and so neuer considering aduisedly of the meanes of our Saluation he grew at last to this resolution Si saluabor saluabor It bootes not what I doe nor how I liue For if I bee saued I am saued Thus Ludouicus bewitched with this desperate opinion continued a long time till at length hee grew very dangerously sicke wherevpon he sent for a cunning and learned Phisition and earnestly requested his helpe The Phisition before-hand made acquainted with his former lewd assertion how in his health hee would vsually say If I bee saued I am saued he likewise directed his speech to the same purpose and said Sure it shall bee needlesse to vse any meanes for your recouery neither doe I purpose to minister vnto you for if the time of your death bee not come you haue no cause to feare you shall liue and do well inough without Phisicke and if the time of your death bee nowe come it is vnpossible to auoide it Ludouicus musing in his bed of the matter and considering aduisedly of the phisitions speech finding by reason that as meanes were to be vsed for the health of the body so God also had 〈…〉 ordained meanes for the saluation of the Soule vpon further conference with shame griefe he recanted his former opinion tooke phisicke and so was happily cured both of soule and body at one time By this doctrine of Gods loue so manifestly Calling vs we directly learne that if a man doe thirst after his saluation if a man would bee throughly 〈…〉 assured in his heart and conscience that God hath chosen him to eternall life hee must not rush presently into Predestination into Gods secret Counsell but he must enter into himselfe to trie and examine whether hee bee rightly Called for as the surest way to come vnto the sea is first to finde out 〈…〉 a riuer so concerning our saluation the plainest surest way to finde out the depth of Gods counsell is first to come vnto Calling vnto Iustifying which are as sweet and liuely springs flowing from the same We know and see dayly by experience wee are not able to discerne wee cannot pierce with the eye to see what matter the Sunne is of but we can plainely see and manifestly perceiue both beames and heat and light proceeding from the same So heere concerning the first point of Predestination alone wee cannot conceiue it wee are not able to pierce it for it is the way which the Eagles eye hath not seene but Calling and Iustifying which are as heate and light proceeding from the same those we may as comfortably perceiue as wee doe sensibly feele the heate and operation of the Sun Here then is the duty of a true Christian heere is the part of a religious and good man indeede not to venter his saluation vpon a bare speech presumption of Predestination but to vse all meanes possible which God hath ordained That he may truely be Called to heare the word of God and to ioy in hearing of it with loue and with a desire to profit that hee may bee Iustifyed when he hath heard to be feruent in prayer zealous of well doing and abundant in all good works of Charity that he may be Glorified in the life to come to consecrate both soule and body and all the whole course of his life vnto God that so growing vp from faith to faith from vertue to vertue from hearing to beleeuing from Calling to Iustifiing at length Gods spirit may satisfie our spirits that we are his our bodies his our soules his wee setled and sealed vp in a Christian ioy for euer Wherefore I beseech you all by the mercies of God and I intreate you as you hope to stand with comfort before God and his Angels at the last day euery man lay hold vppon his soule betimes do not esteeme the loue of any thing in this World more then the loue of God purchased in his sonne Christ Iesus Take heede and beware of this profane speech If I be saued I am saued vtter it not in word thinke it not in heart away with it 〈…〉 For God is not the cause of our condemnation it is our selues Woe vnto vs wretches we our selues are the workers of our owne destruction Wisedome 1. 13. O seeke not Death in the error of the soule 〈…〉 13. and destroy not your selues with the workes of your owne hands Bis interimitur qui suis armis interimitur Euery man catch hold vpon this Chaine worke and make sure his saluation and striue to walke before 〈…〉 the Lord in trueth with a perfect heart On the one side let no man passe on in a secure and carelesse course of life nor on the other side curiously prie into the hidden counsell of the Lord but euery good Christan with an humble spirit with an honest minde with a cheerefull and good heart 〈…〉 seeke to apprehend those meanes which God hath appointed for his saluation Iustification The third Lincke of this Chaine is Iustification Whom he hath Called those he hath Iustified IT is a principle in reason Actio perfect a non recipitur nisi imperfectè primò An habit is not gotten at the first the work of our regeneration is not wrought on a sodaine But as the Psalmist saith The Codly grow from strength to strength and the wise Psal 8â— man sheweth how The light of the righteous shineth more and more to the perfect day So here the Apostle Pr. 56. â— foote by foote leadeth vs from one degree vnto another till at length we may come to make our election sure This Iustification it goeth a step farther then Calling For Calling is an enlightning the mind with spiritual knowledge Iustifying an establishing the heart with a grounded perswasioÌ„ Calling is the beginning of conuersion but Iustifying is a full clearing of the heart Calling is the first change of one that is regenerate but Iustifying is the full perswasion of the Soule when the spirit of grace resteth in vs and we setled and truely sanctified in an holy christian course of life So then when we haue not onely sorrowed for sinnes past which is the first step of our Calling but further when wee are renewed in spirit and so changed in our life
manifest that sinne doth proceede from the suggestion of Sathan working with our owne concupiscence yet euill and godlesse men they thinke they are tempted of God and when they sinne they do not sticke to say God hath so decreed it let him therefore worke his will for who hath euer resisted his will Homer that notable Heathen Poet hee answered such men very fitly in the person of Iupiter speaking in this sort 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Od. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O yee foolish mortall men euer and anone you cry out of the immortall Gods imputing to them the cause of yous miseries when indeede your selues are the workers of your owne wo. 〈…〉 4. 2. Perditio tua ex te O Israel Thou hast fallen by thine owne iniquity Stigias vltrò quaerimus vndas Like the Ostridge we do pricke our selues with our own feathers and we our selues do cause the shippe to leake where we saile Onely lo this haue I found that God hath made man righteous but they haue sought out many inuentions Quare peccas quianescis 〈…〉 31. c. How comes it to passe saith S. Aug. that thou dost sinne because thou art ignorant it is not so Why dost thou sin because thou art compelled there is no such matter why doest thou sinne because it pleaseth it delighteth thy wicked and corrupted nature In the transgression of a 〈…〉 9. 5. man is his snâ—re Of our owne accord wee runne wilfully into the dead fall of sinne so is it in the 9. Psal and 16. vers The vngodly is trapped how not by God but by the workes of his owne hands The Lord our God is good holy and onely holy so holy that as Iob saith the Angels are vncleane in his sight so pure that his Ministers the Cherubins Isa 〈…〉 are of fire most cleere and yet the Cherubins and Seraphins do couer their faces with their wings as not able to behold the perfect brightnes of his most pure and vndefiled Maiestie Therfore although no action can be done without God and that his power is so in all things that we cannot so much as lift vp our fingar without him For in him we liue and moue and haue all our being Yet is not God the cause of any sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 〈…〉 Wee cannot fasten the least touch of any euill vppon GOD. But so it stands Vna eademque actio tribuitur causae principali instrumentali In one and the selfe same action there is a double cause First the instrumentall cause mouing then God separated from the instrument yet giuing power of motion to the same Through this double cause of moouing there is a double worke which vnto vs seemeth to be but one For example God as appeareth in the 2. of the Acts and the 23. ver by his determinate counsell and foreknowledge deliuered vp our Sauiour Christ as the principall cause Iudas as the instrumentall cause yet neither is God to bee drawne in as a party in Iudas fault nor Iudas to bee excused as furthering the worke of God For God neuer coÌ„manded Iudas to deliuer vp Christ nor Iudas in deliuering him had any such intention as to doe God seruice in the execution of his will Deus agit per malos non in malis The wicked are the instruments of God Yet not God the cause of their wickednesse God is the cause of the action but not of the euill or quality in the action For example A man trauaileth his horse by the way he is the cause of his going but if his horse halts or haue an ill pace he is not the cause of his ill going A cunning man striketh an instrument with his fingars he is the cause of the sound but if the Instrument be bad or the strings not well chosen hee is not the cause of the ill sound The Iron rusteth thou wilt not wite it vpon the Smith Wine sowreth the fault is not in the vintner In the heauens there is a double motion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The fixed Starres and the whole 〈…〉 â— lib. â—amiâ—tâ— Globe of all is carried about with one Sphere and with one motion yet the planets in themselues haue a wandring and vncertaine course The like 〈…〉 we may vsually behold in euery clocke the greatest and highest wheele moueth and carryeth about all the rest yet in this motion some wheeles turne to the right hand others to the left and that by a contrary course So then it fareth thus with the wicked As hee that hath an euill and corrupt stomacke if hee doe eate hony it turneth into gall or as if a mans hand be out of ioynt when he would moue it one way it turnes another so the wicked and godlesse men whereas the light of nature Gods spirit and his word leadeth them one way their owne vilâ— inclination their own concupiscence leadeth them another Now then what shall we say is there vnrighteousnesse with God doth he cause vs to commit sinne No God forbid wickednesse should bee in God or iniquity in the Almighty But as it is saide before Euery man is drawne away by his owne concupiscence Iob. â—â— and is inticed lust when it hath conceiued bringeth forth sin and sinne when it is finished bringeth 〈…〉 forth death Hauing hitherto freed God from all imputatation of euil by shewing from whence sin comes and that God is not the author of it wee doe heere meete with the Pelagian Heretike who not able to vntie this knot affirmes that the wicked are reiected for the sins which God fore-saw they would commit and so contrariwise the godly preuenting the grace of God by their merits are predestinated and chosen through faith and good workes which GOD fore-saw they should doe Making Gods eternall election to depend vppon our faith and vppon our workes whereas cleane contrary our faith our good workes and all the good that is in vs doth wholy depend vppon Gods free election Saint Paul saith directly God hath chosen vs in 〈…〉 his sonne Christ before the foundation of the world was If in Christ Assuredly it appeares we were vnworthy in our selues and so Gods election is the cause of our good workes Et causa non est posterior suo effectu the cause it doth neuer follow the effect The learned Schooleman makes it plaine Non ideo electus est quis quia talis futurus erat sed ex tali Lomb electione talis est factus No man was euer chosen through faith and good workes which GOD fore-saw that hee should doe but the faith and good workes which we now doe proceede from the eternall election which went before This doth the Apostle very plainely set downe â—m 1. 9 God hath saued vs and called vs not according to our workes but according to his owne purpose and grace which was giuen to vs through Iesus Christ before the world was Calling Moreouer
holdeth on his iourney so in this life wee are pilgrims wee are trauailers and howsoeuer we do seek another countrie and striue to come vnto the Cittie of rest yet in this iournie wee wander often out of the way wee take many falles wee haue many impediments neither is it possible the light of our Faith should still hold out and neuer bee darkned in this pilgrimage till in the life to come we be made Citizens of that heauenly Ierusalem which is aboue Wee conclude then with the sweet and modest saying of good Saint Augustine Haec est perfectio Christianorum vt agnoscant se nunquam esse perfectos Herein stands the perfection of a Christian to acknowledge himselfe neuer to be perfect The Conclusion Now it remaineth as was promised in the beginning to shew the mutuali coherence of these words and to knit vp againe the Lincks of this Chaine together HEre in foure words are contayned the foure causes of our saluation In Predestination there is the efficient cause which is Gods loue In Calling there is the materiall cause which is Christs death opened in his word In Iustifying there is the formall cause aliuely faith in Glorifying there is the finall cause which is euerlasting life Thus in Predestination we behold God the Father chosing of his loue in Calling we heare God the Sonne teaching by his word in Iustifying wee feele the comfort of God the holy Ghost sealing by his spirit The fruite of all which of Gods loue chosing of Christs word Calling of God the holy Ghost comforting the effect of all these is our Glorifycation So that as we do see farre with our bodily eye yet reach farther with reason which is the eye of the mind but Faith which is the eye of the soule out-strippeth both So Calling enlightneth the mind with spirituall knowledge Iustifying goeth further and sealeth vp the heart with heauenly comfort Glorifying out-strippeth all and doth rauish the soule with immortalitie Euery one of vs after this life wee desire and hope to inioy eternall Glorie Behold Conceditur Ber◠in Predestinatione promittitur in vocatione ostenditur in Iustificatione percipitur in Glorificatione In Predestination there is the first grant In Calling it is directly promised in Iustifying it is plainely shewed in Glorifying there is liuerie and seisin the full possession of all In Predestination God bestoweth vpon vs his loue in Calling he graunteth the blessing of his word in Iustifying he yeelds the fruit of his spirit in Glorifying he doth wholy giue vnto vs himselfe Here are the sweet springs issuing out of Nilus the head whereof cannot be found here are the foure pleasant riuers which water Paradise which runne through the Soule with a Diuine vertue and comfortably coole all our spirituall heat Here is the holy and precious oyle powred vpon the head of Aaron the exceeding loue and fulnesse Ioh◠Of◠nes◠all of grace powred vpon our head Christ Iesus and running downe to the skirtes of his clothing to euery particular and penitent member of his Church Here wee may see the spirituall regeneration of the Soule shadowed out in the first creation of the World In Predestination there is the huge and vast deepe the darke forme whereof could not be discerned in Calling the separating of light from darknesse of knowledge from ignorance in the Soule in Iustifying the Sunne is created the 〈…〉 6 bright beames of his grace shine in our hearts in Glorifying we may behold the new Adam framed 〈…〉 6 after the Image of God and placed in the paradise of immortall ioy Obserue here if you please the kindnesse of alouing Father who hauing many sonnes beareth secret affection to some one there is Predestination this affection in his good time hee declareth by making his will knowne and his loue manifest there is Calling after this Calling he causeth him to take vp his inheritance in Court and giueth him earnest in token of assurance there is Iustifying lastly he enters into his fathers ioy and is made neire of all there is Glorifying Againe in Predestination the heauenly husband-man chooseth out a plot of ground at his owne pleasure in Calling hee soweth it with the seede of his word in Iustifying hee waters and cherisheth it with his spirit in Glorifying hee reapes and carrieth into the barne Lastly behold apparantly in Predestination 〈…〉 5.5 how Ioseph long before was sold into Egypt by the determinate Counsell of God by Calling how hee was loosed out of prison and deliuered from the bondage of sinne by Iustifying how his cause was made knowne and so acquitted innocent in Glorifying how hee was clothed in Purple placed in the Kings Chariot and made the chiefe of his Kingdome Now then as Saint Paul saith to the Romans What shall wee say to these things in like sort what shall we say to these so excellent so sweete so diuine misteries to these so comfortable testimonies of Gods loue to this Ladder of Iacobs whervpon none but Angels do ascend to this inward working of the Spirit which bloweth where it listeth to this Diuine and hidden purpose which can not be deceiued to this ineffable glorie of the Sonnes of God which they do expect and looke for what shall wee say more effectuall and more comfortable Can any thing bee set downe more plainely or knit vp more briefly can any demonstration be concluded more soundly Whom the Lord hath Predestinated before all time those doth hee Call in time whom he Calleth those hee doth Iustifie and whome he Iustifieth those doth he Glorifie Thus then may euery true Christian conclude for the comfort of his Soule and the assurance of his saluation for euer I am Iustified truely by aliuely and working Faith therefore I am Called I am Called effectually by his word therefore I am Predestinate I am Predestinate and chosen of his free loue from eternitie and therefore I shall bee Glorified vnto all eternitie againe Osetled comfort Osweete conceiued hope of ioy That ioy which strength of Hells ten thousand can neuer take away Wherefore should we feare whereof shall we be afraid No no force so mightie so puissant able to ouerthrow vs. No terror of sinne no plagues of death no rage of the world no power of the Diuell himselfe In all these we are more then conquerors For al things shall turne to the best to them that are setled in Gods feare That wicked and most dangerous conspiracy plotted against the Lords annointed whē it came to the very pinch when it was brought to the very height was not all turned topsie-turuie and vtterly disapointed This day wee do acknowledge it with thankefull remembrance this day wherein wee are all met together in a most happie and blessed peace this day doth plainely witnesse that hee had the deliuerance wee feele the comfort the Church hath an endlesse blessing and God hath his euerlasting praises O behold what it is to bee knit vnto God For whome he doth