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A09362 A case of conscience the greatest taht [sic] euer was, how a man may know, whether he be the son of God or no. Resolued by the vvord of God. Whereunto is added a briefe discourse, taken out of Hier. Zanchius. Perkins, William, 1558-1602.; Zanchi, Girolamo, 1516-1590. 1592 (1592) STC 19666; ESTC S110395 35,569 79

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whom he will haue to come to Christ Which also was said to be done in infants For this calling is the beginning of saluation euen in this life and therfore it is the Apostles manner in the beginning of his Epistles to make mention of this calling naming all the faithful The Saintes called Therfore it must needes be that all they which are elected in Christ must also at length be effectually called and drawen to Christ. After an effectuall calling followeth Faith the third effect of predestination vvhich is saide to be peculiar vnto the elect And without which as the Apostle saith it is not possible to please God For by it wee are engrafted into Christ and are made the members of Christ without faith no man can be saued And that this is an effect of predestination the Apostle plainly sheweth when he saith that he had obtained mercie namely in Gods eternal predestination that he might beleeue Wherefore whosoeuer ar predestinate to obtaine eternall life in Christ and by Christ they are also elect to haue the very gift of Faith Therefore it must needes be that at length they shall beleeue in Christ. The fourth benefite is iustification that is a free pardonning of our sinnes and the imputation of the righteousnes of Christ for it followeth Faith because vvhosoeuer ar indued vvith true faith in Christ are also iustified And that justification is an effect of predestination The Apostle sheweth when he putteth it after calling before which he setteth predestination And when hee saith that we are elect in Christ that wee might be holie without spot or blame in the presence of God and that this is not done while wee are in this world but by the pardoning of all our faults and by the imputation of his perfect obedience Wherefore it must needs be that al the elect shal be justified and be taken for most pure without blame in Gods presence With iustification is ioyned regeneration and sanctification by the holy Ghost namelie whiles vve are made new creatures by him the sons of God to not onelie by adoption but also by regeneration For when Christ justifieth vs hee doth not only forgiue vs our vnrighteousnes and impute his righteousnesse to vs but also he taketh from vs our stonie hart and giueth vs a fleshie heart of his owne and he strips vs of our olde man and puts on his newe man Lastly he taketh away the corruption of our nature and makes vs partakers of his diuine nature and so indeed of the sonnes of men he makes vs the sonnes of God and his brethren to Therefore it is said that we are predestinated to adoption by Iesus Chrst and elect that we may be holie without blame and that which is borne of the spirite is called spirite Therefore the elected to eternall life must needes bee begotten anew to be the sonnes of God and bee made partakers of the diuine nature and be a newe creature in Christ Hence issueth the sixt effect of predestination which is heedfullie to be regarded the loue of righteousnesse the detestation of sinne For in regeneration the affections are principallie chāged Namelie the affections of the corrupt nature and flesh into the affections of the diuine nature spirite Hence it is that the Apostle saith that they which are borne anew do walke according to the spirite and not after the flesh and not to sauour the thinges of the flesh but the things of the spirite And the chiefe affections of the flesh are the loue of sinne that is the concupiscence of the flesh and contrariwise the hatred of righteousnes and the lawe of God which are not of the Father but of the world Therfore the chiefe affections of regeneration and the spirit are the loue of righteousnes and of the lawe of God the hatred of sin For that which is spoken chiefly of Christ Thou hast loued righteousnes and hated iniquitie is to bee vnderstood of all the members of Christ endued with his spirite because it is trulie accomplished in them Hence it is that Dauid who in himself did represent the disposition of all the regenerate said of himselfe I haue loued thy law thy law is in the midle of my hart I haue hated all the works of iniquitie I will not sit with the wicked Also Paule I am delighted saith hee in the Lawe of God according to the inner man That is in as much as I am borne anewe And no mā doubteth but that both these affections are the effects of predestination except he be ignorant that all these are the gifts of God which as in time he bestoweth on his so also he hath decreed to bestow them on them before the foundation of the world And from these two affections being the first fruits of regeneration ariseth a care endeuour to doe good vvorks that is to flie sin to fulfil the Lawe of God vvhich is the seuenth effect of predestination For hee which hateth any thing from his heart he taketh heed of it as much as he can and he flieth from it and escheweth it and on the contrarie he which loueth any thing from his heart that also hee seeketh after and endeuoureth himselfe to the compassing of it Therfore the Apostle Iohn maketh this a chiefe difference betweene the sonns of God and the children of the deuill that is between them that are borne anew and them that are not borne anew that the children of God both loue and doe righteousnesse and the children of the deuill loue sinn and doe it as also the deuil sinned from the beginning Christ came to dissolue the workes of the Deuill namelie in his elect for in the reprobate he leaueth them vntouched because they are not giuen him of the father to be purged borne anew and saued Therefore seeing Christ was before ordayned and predestinate to the doing of all these workes and that there is no good wrought in vs which was not prouided for vs in Christ from al eternitie it is a cleare case that the care also of doing good workes is an effect of predestination And the Apostle plainlie teacheth it when he saith that we were created in Christ to good works which God hath prepared that we might walk in them To this purpose serueth that which the Apostle deliuereth of loue not vnfaigned to which he sheweth that wee were elect and of a good conscience which he makes the inseperable companion of the faith of the elect Lastlie of a pure heart which he ascribeth to the elect considering the vnfaithfull haue nothing cleane in them and that their mind and conscience is defiled Now that this care to doe good works is necessarie in all the elect Peter sheweth it when he bids vs endeuor to make our election and calling sure by good workes as some copies haue it But to whom shall we make it sure not vnto God for
in respect of vs he putteth down another seale saying Let him depart from iniquitie vvhich calleth vpon the name of the Lord For with this marke all the elect are branded They call vpon the name of the Lord and depart from iniquitie seeking after holinesse a good conscience And this is that sealing which is so often mentioned in the Scriptures As when in the Apocalypse it is said that an innumerable multitude was sealed to the Lord. For like as the Father sealed Iesus Christ as he was man and Mediatour so also the rest of his children he hath sealed and doth daylie seale with sure notes and seales to distinguish them from other men and the children of this age For God is said to haue annointed vs and sealed vs and giuen vs the earnest of his Spirit in our hearts And againe to haue sealed vs with the holie Spirit of promise and that to the day of redēption As it is easie to discerne a right seale from a counterfeit so the true soules of God by the sealing of the Spirit are distinguished from Hypocrits and lawfull children from bastards It remaineth that wee shoulde declare some effects of predestination by which as by marks and seales the elect may bee discerned from Reprobats The first effect of predestination is Christ himselfe as he is a Mediatour and a Sauiour dwelling in our hearts by his holie Spirite For as we are elected in him and by him redeemed so by the sprinkling of his blood wee are cleansed and sealed and by his dwelling in vs quickned for he is our life and that eternall and therfore we are seuered frō Reprobates which alwaies remaine in death as in the holie Scriptures we are taught We say that this is the first effect of Predestination because we can enjoy none of the gifts of God either of election vocation or justification except in Christ and by Christ For he hath powred out all the effectes of Predestination into vs. In that therefore euery elect faithfull man feeleth Christ to dwell in him and to quicken him he hath a seale in himselfe by which he may knowe that he was elected to euerlasting life in the same Christ A part and beginning of which life is this spirituall life by which wee now liue to God And as euerie man knoweth himself to be the sonne of God in Christ because he calleth vpon God from his heart as a Father So he may conclude that he is predestinated to be the sonne of God for Christs cause And that by this first note the faithfull may know that they are elect to eternall life the Apostle sheweth knovv ye not saith he your selues that Iesus Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates And no doubt a type of this kinde of sealing was that sealng whiche was done in Aegypt by the blood of the Lambe namely when the houses of the Israelites were sprinkled with this blood that they might be discerned from the houses of the Aegyptians and so bee passed ouer vntouched of the Angell And by Christe as by the chiefe effect yea and the cause to of all the effectes which followe all other effects of predestination are put into vs and we are sealed with them The Apostle nameth three principals our calling to wit effectuall our justification and glorification This third effect we shall obtaine in the life to come the two first in this life And to these two may very well be referred all other which we receiue in this life by Christ with the effectuall calling wee joyn a sound hearing of the word of God and the vnderstanding of it accompanied with great and constant delight and joy faith also and a true knowledge of the Deitie humanitie and office of Christ. Vnto iustification wee refer a perswasion of the remission of our sins by Christ for by this we are iustified and regeneration too or sanctification and renouation of life a good conscience loue not faigned a pure hart and cleane patience in aduersitie and boasting in tribulation all good workes and fruits of the spirit ad hereunto the crosse it selfe which wee beare for the trueth of the Gospel wherefore whosoeuer feeleth that he is effectually called that hee doth willingly heare the worde that he doth beleeue the Gospell that he is sure of the remission of his sinnes that hee burneth with true loue to his neighbour that he is bent to euerie good work he cannot but must needes be perswaded of his election for God onely doth communicate these vnto the Elect. Therefore it is plaine that the elect are confirmed in the assurance of their election by the effectes of predestination and that there is a threefold way by which God reuealeth to euery man his predestination But if any shal take an occasion the rather of doubting of his election then of confirming himselfe in it of that which hath bin spoken as concerning the fruits of the Spirit and the effects of predestination and that peraduenture because hee can feele in himselfe few and verie weake fruites of regeneration and election yet let him not bee discouraged neither let him doubt of his election but let him vnderset himselfe with these props First of all if euer he truelie felt in himselfe that testimonie of the Spirite which before I mentioned namelie that he is the sonn of God let him know vndoubtedlie that he is such a one and therfore elected to eternall life For the holie Ghost neuer beareth record or perswadeth a man of that which is false for he is the spirite of truth And they are not the sonnes of God except they haue bene predestinate as the Apostle saith to adoption by Christ And none that is the sonne of God and a man elected can be made a reprobate and the childe of the Deuill Therefore albeit he feele in himselfe both fewe and feeble effects of regeneratiō yet let him not doubt of his election otherwise he shall disgrace the testimonie which he hath receiued of the holie Ghost yea and that to which as yet he enjoyeth although peraduenture by reason that his mind is troubled by euill affections that testimonie of the holie Spirite can scarse be heard in him For the true testimonie of our adoption by the holy Ghost being once giuen vnto our spirit lasteth for euer although it is other whiles heard more plainlie and at other times is more slenderly and scarce perceiued But how say you may I know whether that testimonie doth proceed frō the holie Ghost and therfore whether it be a true and certain testimonie I answer first by the perswasion secondly by the maner of the perswasion lastlie by the effects of this testimonie and perswasion For the first the holy Ghost doeth not simplie say it but doth perswade with vs that we are the sonnes of God and no flesh can doe this Againe he perswades vs by reasons drawne not from our works or from anie worthines in vs but
by which they come vnto it And wee beleeue as we are bound to do that we are predestinate to eternal life and therefore wee must also beleeue that we haue bene elected to Faith and good workes that by them as by certaine steppes we might be brought to eternall life And therefore so far must we be from neglecting faith and the meanes of good workes and of a holy life that contrariwise it is rather our dutie to keepe faith in a good conscience to be conuersant in good workes which God hath prepared that we might walke in them And because wee can neither attaine to the ende nor the meanes that bring vs thereunto of our selues Therefore it is our parts to craue them at Gods hands by prayer that hee woulde giue vs Faith and a care to do good workes and encrease them in vs. Nether must we onely ask them but also certainly trust that we shal obtaine them for Christ his cause For if for all them which are predestinated to eternall life God hath prepared faith by which they may beleeue and good workes to walk in therefore if wee beleeue as by Gods commandement wee are bound that wee are in Christ elected to eternall glory we must also be perswaded that before we depart hence hee will giue vs true repētance increase true faith inflame vs with loue lastly that he wil minister vnto vs aboundantly all thinges in Christ to obtaine the end Yea this confidence also and prayer it is one effecte of predestination by which wee get the rest Therefore this doctrin we must hold that predestination to eternall life doeth not take away the meanes of obtaining it but rather establish them And therefore both these principles are true namely that the elect to life cannot perish and vnlesse a man beleeue in Christ and perseuer vnto the end in this faith working by loue hee shall perish The reason is because in predestination the meanes and the end of it are so ioyned together that the one cannot be seuered from the other Wherfore whosoeuer holdeth not the meanes vnto the end amongst which faith is one it is manifest that hee was neuer predestinate and therefore mu●● needes perish as on the cōtrary he which holdeth faith must needes be saued So the truth of these propositions is euident hee which beleeueth in the son hath eternall life contrariwise he which beleeueth not in the Sonne the anger of God remaineth vpon him because as a constant faith is a sign of election so obstinat infidelity is a token of reprobation FINIS Bradfords ansvvere to Careles Careles I Am troubled with feare that my sinnes are not pardoned Brad. They are for God hath giuen thee a penitent and beleeuing hearte that is an heart which desireth to repent and beleeue For such an one is taken of him hee accepting the will for the deed for a penitent and beleeuing heart indeed Trin. vni Deo gloria Profession without practise a note of an hypocrite Sincerity of life and religion a note of communion with God To professe perfect sanctification in this life a note of an hypocrite humble confession of sin to God is a note of remission of sinne An endeuo● to keep th● commandementes a sign of faith Faith without obedience a note of an Hypocrite profession ioyned with hatred and malice a note of an hypocrite Loue of our brother a signe of regeneration Gods spirite dwelling in the heart a signe of perseuerance papists deny Iesus to bee Christ for though in words they magnifie him yet in their doctrin by necessary consequent they denie him to be a king a priest a prophet perseuerance in the knowledge and obedience of the Gospell a sign of communion with Christ. A desire an indeuour to vse good means to cleanse our selues of our corruptions and priuie sins is a mark of adoption Loosnes of life or the practise of sin a note of the child of the deuill for the present time To loue a christian because he is a christian or godly man is a note of Gods chiid Compassion stirring in the heart a note of loue Workes of mercy signs of loue sincere loue a note of sincere profession Boldnes in praier a signe of a pacified conscience The operation of gods spirit in sanctifying vs a sign of communion with God A sincere confession of the Gospel a note of communion with Christ. To be like God in holines of life a signe of his loue to vs particularlie Our loue of God a signe that he loueth vs particularlie An indeuor to keep the commandements a sign of loue of our brother Proofes invinsible that Iesus of Nazaret the son of Mary was the son of God against the Iewes A signe of our praiers granted vs if God do but heare them Sincerity of life in righteousnes holines a note of Gods child Seuen notes of an vpright man 1. Cor. 2.10 Math. 11.27 1. Cor. 2.16 Rom. 12.34 The elect by the testimonie of the holy Ghost are made sure of their election ch 19.13 1. Cor. 2.10 Ioh. 16.13 Rom. 8.15 Gal. 4.6 Rom. 8 9 Vers. 2. The elect out of the word of god their conscience making the assumption at length they may be certainly perswaded of their predestination That wherby a man applies the general promise to himselfe Deut. 27.26 They which do trulie beleeue know that they beleeue 2. Cor. 13.65 Ier. 32.40 Luk. 22.33 Vers. 3. By the effects of predestination a man may gather his predestination Heb. 11.12 The effectes of predestination which are in vs are like seals imprinting the image of Gods electi in vs. Ioh. 10.14 Col. 4.9 1 Ioh 4.10 1. Iohn 4.7 Rom. 5.5 Ephes. 1.4 Rom. 8.30 2. Tim. 2.19 Apoc. 2.3 Ioh. 6.27 2. Cor. 1.21 Eph. 1.13 4.30 The chiefe effects of predestination by which the elect ar discerned from the Reprobate 2. Cor. 13.5 Rom. 8.30 The weaknes of our faith as touching our eternal election by what staies it may be held vp How a man may knowe whether the testimonie which is giuen of the Spirit be of of the spirit or not Whereby a man may knowe whether his faith be a true faith or not The ende of our predestination The means to which we are predestinate how manie they bee Eph. 2.20 The first benefit of god predestnating vs is Christ. Eph. 1.4 c. 2. Tim. 1.5 Rom. 8.30 Iohn 8.47 Rom. 1.7 1. Cor. 1.2 Tit. 1.1 Heb. 11.6 1. Cor. 7.25 Rom. 8.30 Eph. 1.4 Eph. 1.4.5 Iohn 3.6 Rom. 8.1 5. Psal. 45 8. psa 119.113 40.9 101.3 26 5. Rom. 7.22 1. Ioh. 3 7. Eph. 2.10 Eph. 1.4 1 Tim. 1.19 Tit 1.15 2. Pet. 1.10 Rom. 8.29 Gal. 4.6 Psal. 50.15 Rom. 7.27 phil 1.23 2. Tim. 4. 8 Apoc. 22.17.20 Mat. 6.10 Psal. 50.15 Rom. 5.3 8.28 Rom. 8.31 Mat. 24.24 Ier. 32 4● The vse of this doctrin 1. Cor. 7.25 Eph. 1.4.2 Tit 2.11 Ioh. 3.3