calling is an argument of admirable power in God of his infinite mercie to vs. For as he shewed his power in creation in making things to bee that before were not euen so hee manifests his power in his effectuall vocation in calling men that were dead in sin and worse then nothing by their owne deserts to liue the life of grace and in breathing into them the breath of life which was vtterly expired by their fall in Adam Yea the Lord may seeme to exhibit more power when he calles men then when he did create him for at his creation there was none to hinder him but at his vocation there were many hinderers great impedimēts though all inferiour vnto GOD There is the Diuel and his suggestions there is the World and her incantations scandals and allurements there is our owne flesh the rebellious corruption of the heart All these God must vanquish and he must perswade and incline our wils and of nillers make vs willers before he perfit and accomplish in vs this his glorious and thrice-happy worke of grace Secondly this calling is a notable testimony of his grace and mercie to vs in that it pleased him to shine vpon vs with the light of his spirit and to cast his gratious eies vpon vs who were by sin more loathsome then a carion and more stincking then any dunghil What are wee that God should bee mindful of vs and visit vs with his grace The Starres are vncleane in hi◠sight how much more man a Worme euen the son of man which is but a worme As God declared his goodnes in creation by communicating a beeing vnto things that had no beeing euen so the same God doth manifest his mercy in vocation by ministring life vnto those that before were miserable and void of life And indeed there is more goodnes shewed more grace exhibited in restoring a man out of his grieuous and inextricable miserie and in curing him of his cursed blindnesse then in giuing him a beeing hauing none before in making him to see hauing no sight To raise a dead soule from the death of sin vnto a supernaturall life is a greater worke of mercy then to raise a dead body from bodily death to liue a naturall life Eightly this effectuall calling doth farre surpasse our naturall propagation or procreation For in this we are but taken as it were out of our father Adam but in the other wee are both taken out of the first Adam wholy corrupted and set also into the second Adam Christ Iesus Who of God is made vnto vs vvisedome righteousnes sanctification and redemption Lastly this calling that the excellencie thereof may yet appeare ratifies all our couenants with God Men in their Baptisme enter couenant with God but often start from it and will not stand to it so as the couenant is onely made But when as a man is effectually called the couenant is not onely made but truely accomplished and that on mans part Haec clariss◠Perk The fourth and last propertie of effectuall vocation is that it may be discerned by certaine signes thereof This estimation or discerning of it is two fold infallible and coniecturall Coniecturall discerning or determining of it is especially when in our iudgement of charitie wee deeme of others as of the called of God by their outward profession and conuersation in the world And thus Paul cals the Romanes Corinthians Sancts by calling whereas notwithstanding it is not vnprobable but that there were some hypocrites among them For visible Churches are like a uet where in is taken both good fish and bad or a barne wherein is cockle and good corne or a garden in which grow both stincking weeds and pleasant flowers the nettle as well as the rose The certaine and infallible discerning and determination made of effectuall vocation is either when by a speciall and extraordinary reuelation from God one man discernes determines infallibly of the calling of another this I say is performed whē it is performed by a special work of God For he alone vnderstandeth the heart For what man knoweth the things of a man saue the spirit of a man which is in him All is not gold that glisters The heart is deceitfull wicked aboue all things who cā know it I the Lord search the heart and try the reiues Or else secondly this infallible determination and discerning is made when a man determines of and discernes his owne vocation by certaine workes of Gods spirit which are infallible testimonies and tokens of it and by which we may make our calling sure as Poter would haue vs. The signes of effectuall Calling are these First the Calling of God works in vs another call whereby wee call vpon him and seriously seeke vnto him and desire his grace Now to desire the helpe of grace is the beginning of grace To call vpon God constantly and sincerely for his grace is a worke of grace and therefore an vndoubted token of our calling vnto grace Secondly the attentiue hearing of the word is a marke of our effectuall vocation For as a man is iudged to be sicke and diseased when his stomack cannot brook nor digest wholesome meats so the soule of that man cannot be sound to whom the word of God hath no pleasant tast But when a Man can say with the Prophet Dauid Thy word is sweeter to me then the hony or hony combe by this we may gather an assured trust that wee are giuen vnto Christ if we do continue in hauing delight still For otherwise a sicke man may haue some while a relish of his meat when there is some intermission of the disease but it holdeth not long so is it with them that haue for a while some tast of the word of God and afterward fall away Haec Clariss Will. Thirdly the Sheepe of Christ are such as are called home out of the vast wildernesse of this world vnto Christ their sheepheard Therefore by what notes these Sheepe are discerned by the same a man may know his calling Christ saith that his sheep know him heare his voyce and follow him If therefore we know acknowledge and embrace Christ if wee heare and hearken vnto his voyce to doe it if we study to resemble imitate and follow him in loue meekenesse patience humilitie iustice fidelitie trueth confidence and compassion we may assure our selues that wee are his Sheep effectually called home into his fold Furthermore the Romanes are by Paul entituled the called of Iesus Christ The Corinthians are said to bee Saints by calling The Thessalonians some of them at lest were effectually called Now Paul saith of the called Romans that they obeyed from the hear◠vnto the forme of the doctrine whereunto they were deliuered Of the called Corinthians hee saith that in all things they were made rich in Christ and were not destitute of any gift and that howsoeuer
represent the whole realme in the Parliament euen so did Adam represent the person of his whole posteritie Whatsoeuer he receiued of God he receiued it for himselfe and for all his progeny and what he lost he likewise lost for himselfe and for them all as wee see a man by high treason doth taint his blood and disgrace his posteritie Iustine saith By sinning Adam made his posteritie obnoxious vnto death made them vniuerso All guiltie of his first offence The Lord saith Gregorie did so make Adam as that he might procreate children without sinne if hee continued in the obedience of his Creator but because the soule of man refused to obey her Lord the procreation of children is in sinne Wee see now that Creation is a meane of the execution of Gods election For a man must first be before he can be saued Yet it is no speciall or peculiar meanes For all that are created shall not be saued some shall be damned All men saith Prosper are of God created but of this vniuersalitie or companie some are to bee damned with the Diuell others shall raigne with Christ The Permission of the fall is that whereby God suffred Adam and his sonnes to reuolt fall into sinne and did not hinder the fall which he could haue done if it had so pleased him But hee would not hinder it because such was his pleasure for certaine causes best knowne vnto himselfe In the meane let no man thinke that God was iniurious For 1. he was not indebted to vs to confirme vs by his grace to keepe vs from declining 2. this fall was by God permitted for the greater benefit of all his Elect. For their glory procured by Christ which had neuer been if man had neuer fallen doth farre surpasse the glorie which was giuen them in their creation Great are the euils saith Gregorie which wee suffer by reason of that first offence but what faithfull man would not indure greater rather then want so great a Redeemer Thirdly though God not bound to let did permit this fall yet it is not to be ascribed vnto him as to the cause thereof For hee did not incline his heart to sinne hee did not infuse the least corruption into his soule neither did hee with-draw any grace before inspired into him but hee fell by his free-will through his owne default at the perswasion and suggestion of the Diuell Tertullian saith truely As God brought man into the state of life so man brought himselfe into the state of death The beginning and root of sinne is in our selues saith Basil It cannot be saith Austen that hee which raiseth vs from sinne should make vs fall into sinne Thou art not a God saith Dauid that loueth wickednes neither shal euil dwel with thee Man therefore as Fulgentius saith hath the cause of his iniquitie in his owne proper will not froÌ„ Gods predestination If any man decline from iustice and pietie he runnes head-long of his owne will hee is drawne by his owne concupiscence he is beguiled through his perswasion Nihil iâ—i Pater the father hath no oare in this boat the Sonne is no agent of this sinne the holy Ghost is no worker of this wickednesse And though we should say that God willed that reuolt yet we must know that God did not will it positiue so as to produce effect or giue being to it but negatiuè desereâ—do because his will was to leaue Adam to himselfe and not to preserue him from reuolting that he might bee prooued by temptation and that it might appeare what the creature is able to doe when the Creator shall with-draw the staffe of his grace and cease to support Therefore we conclude with Clemens That the fault of mans chusing of that which was forbidden is not to be transferred or ascribed vnto God Thus we see the second meanes of the Execution of Election Which is a very necessary meane For if a man had not fallen then had there been no place for vocation iustification by Christ and sanctification by the Spirit But though this meane is necessarie yet it is not appropriated to Election because then all that fell should be restored But as Ambrose saith Liberatur parâ— hominum parte pereunte as some are deliuered so some are destroyed The wicked saith Iob are kept vnto the day of destruction The righteous onely shall be saued CHAP. IIII. What effectuall Calling is the parts causes effects subiects place time maner properties and signes of it are declared THvs much concerning the common meanes seruing for the execution of Gods Election The speciall are these three Effectuall Vocaâ—ion Iustification and Glorification that is as Trelcarius saith The gracious beginning proceeding and the glorious accomplishing and consummation of the blessings of God For the first Effectuall vocation or calling is an action of God translating men from the kingdom of darkenesse to his owne Kingdome And it is two-foldeâ— Extraordinary and Ordinary Extraordinary vocation is an immediate and speciall worke of the Spirit whereby without outward meanes hee smiteth the heart and inwardly speaketh to the soule and by the infusion of grace doth make the heart to answere his call and drawe neere vnto him This calling without the ministerie of the word is very rare and vnusuall But the Lord that is aboue meanes is not tyed to meanes but can worke without meanes when it pleaseth his Maiestie so to doe Effectuall vocation which is ordinary is that Whereby God calleth out of darkenesse into his marueilous light from the power of Sathan vnto God those whom he knew from eternitie and predestinated vnto life of his meere fauour by the promulgation of the couenant of grace or preaching of the Gospell Or It is when grace is not onely offered but giuen also by God through the effectuall working of his Spirit in our heartes which is the beginning of grace in vs hee himselfe laying the first foundation of it by giuing power to receiue the word to mingle it with faith and to bring foorth the fruites of new obedience This ordinary effectuall calling hath two parts Inuitement and Admission Inuitement is when God offers remission of sinnes and life euerlasting to them that beleeue Outwardly by the preaching of the Gospell Inwardly by the inspiration of heauenly desires Admission is when men are entred into the kingdome of grace and it is either outward or inward Outward admission is made in Baptisme Inward admission is when men are taken out of old Adam and by faith ingraffed in to Christ For by this insition into Christ men are made reall members of Gods kingdome Haec ille For the better conceiuing and vnderstanding of this Calling these points ensuing are worthy our consideration The efficient cause of effectuall Calling is Almightie God By him we are called vnto the fellowship of his Sonne He hath called vs vvith an holy calling
work and with Primatius God doth iustifie the vngodly but not by works which â—e wanteth For if he should iustifie him according to workes he must be punished and not deliuered The externall moâ—â—er then and meritorious efficient of our Iustification is Christ by his obedience For God made him to be sinne for vs who knew no sinne that â—e should be made the rightousnesse of God in him Wee are iustified through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus whom God hath set foorth to bee a reconciliation through faith in his blood Augustine saith Christ alone hath 〈…〉 the punishment for vs without his 〈◊〉 demerits that we might obtaine grace by him without good merits Christ saith Basill is true righteousnesse vvho is made vnto vs of God righteousnesse vvisdom sanctification and redemption As the 〈◊〉 couered the dike and the Decalogue so he couereth 〈◊〉 sinne and hee hides our bodies and soules from the furious indignation and vengeance of God Now the obedience of Christ is two-fold actiue and passiue The former stands in his perfite fulfilling of the Law the latter is contained in his passion both in life and death By the passion of Christ our sinnes are remitted Therefore Peter saâ—th that he bare our sinnes vpon the Crosse And Iohn likewise saith that he washed vâ— from our sinnes in his blood And long before them the Prophet Esay saith that he was vvounded for our transgressions and by his stripes we are healed Remission of sins saith Chrysostome is on the blood of Christ His death saith Amâ—â—ose is the iustification of sinners By it gods iustice is fully satisfied his wrath is appealed and â—ll punishments temporall and eternall deserued by sin are quite remoued By his fulfilling of the Law we are reputed and esteemed righteous For Christ is the end of the Law for righteousnes vnto euerie one that beleeueth â—e was made vnto vs of God righteousnes By the obedience of this one maniâ— shall be made righteous Lord saith Bernard I will remember thy righteousnes onely for that is also mine For thou art made vnto me righteousnes of God Now this his righteousnesse is not ours but his originally is made ours by Gods tree imputation It is imputed to vs by God accounted ours Christ being our Suretie and standing in our stead and so appropriated to vs as if we had performed it in our owne persons Bernard saith that the righteousnesse of Christ is imputed to vs. And againe the iustice of another is assigned vnto man because he wanted his owne The satisfaction of one is imputed vnto all And no maÌ„ must thinke it strange that the obedience of Christ could satisfie for the disobedience of all the Elect make them to bee reputed righteous with God For in that it was the obedience of God that is of that holy man who was true God it was of endlesse merit of inualuable value with the Lord. The perfection and merit of this obedience comes from the dignity of his person that did obey And though iustification bee through Christ yet God may bee sayed to iustify freely because it comes freely to vs wee doe nothing for it and because also it was his free loue which moued him to send his sonne to suffer for our sins and to fulfil the Law fully for vs. Neither must any man imagine that Christ did not fulfill the Law for vs but for himselfe onely and consequently that his actiue obedience is not imputed to vs. For Christ is not onely our redemption but he is also the perfection of the Lawe for vs that beleeue in him Whereupon it is that Ambrose saith He hath the perfection of the Law who beleeueth in Christ Moreouer Whole Christ is giuen vnto vs with his benefits Otherwise if his Passiue obedience were onely imputed to vs it would follow that haâ—fe Christ were onely giuen vs Patientem non Agentem to wit as he is a Patient and not an Agent or dooer of those things which are pleasing to his Father and auferentem peccatâ— onely as he takes away sin and death and not affâ—rentem iustitiam bringing righteousnes But he was not borne for himselfe but for vs and was giuen vnto vs that hee might both doe for vs the things that were to be done and suffer the things which were to be suffered Againe Christ as man fulfilled the Lawe for himselfe that hee might be in both natures an holy high Priest so continue Neuerthelesse as Mediatour God and Man hee became subiect to the Law and in this regard he did not fulfill tâ—â— Lawe for himselfe neither was he bound so to doe Neither must this seeme strange to any that the Law should both exact obedience and the penalty too For howsoeuer in the state of innocency the Law threatned the penaltie and onely exacted obedience yet since the fall it doth both exact obedience the punishment The threatning of the Law exacts the punishment the precepts exact obedience And albeit Christ hath kept the Law fully for vs yet none must from thence conclude that therefore we are not bound to keepe the Law â—hat saith one which Christ did we are not bound to doe for the same end and in the same maner Now he fulfilled the law in way of redemption and satisfaction for vs and so doe not we fulfill the Law but onely in the way of thankefulnesse for our redemption And though we be bound to obey the Lawe yet wee must not thinke that God will reiect our obedience for the weakenes of it as hee would haue reiected Christs if his had beene imperfect For he was our Mediatour and therefore his obedience was of necessitie to be most perfect or else Gods iustice had not been satisfied and so we had perished and besides all our imperfections and defects whatsoeuer are couered with his perfection as with a vaile and so our weake obedience is accepted and not contemned Finally for our comfort we must know that if we respect the Trueth of that righteousnes which is imputed to vs weare accounted as truly righteous before God as Christ himselfe is but if we regard the quantity and subiect Christ is more iust theÌ„ we Because he is originally and actually righteous but we by imputation he is subiectiuely iust and by inherency but we by application relation in him and vnto him And yet we must not therefore thinke our selues to be redeemers For his obedience is imputed to vs onely for our owne redemption and not as it is the price of redemption for all the Elect. As for example Christs righteousnes is imputed to Peter not as it is the price of redemption for All but as it is the price of redemption for Peter And so much for the efficient causes of our Iustification The matter of iustification according as are the parts thereof is twofold Remission of
sins and Gods accepting of vs as righteous men Remission of sins is a gracious act of God whereby for the merit and satisfaction of Christ he doth perfectly forgiue both the fault and punishment Therefore Paul saith that by him wee haue redemption through hiâ— blood euen the forgiuenes of sinnes according to his rich grace and that there is no condemnation to theÌ„ that are in Christ Iesus who hath by himself purged our sins and by whom the Father hath reconâ—iled vâ— vnto himselfe Now it were absurd to thinke that the punishment is retâ—ined when the sin is remitted For if the proper cause bee defaced then the effect thereof must needs be also abolished If the bodie bee remoued the shadow thereof remaines not So if sin bee pardoned the punishment is remitted As for the crosses which the faithfull suffer they are to bee reputed curses or penalties of vengeance inflicted of God as of an ireful direful Iudge but they are to be esteemed onely as tryals or as punishmeÌ„t of castigatioÌ„ imposed of god as a louing father desiring the welfare weldoing of his childreÌ„ As many as I loue saith the Lord I rebuke chasten He scourgeth euerie sonne vvhich he receiueth If therefore ye be vvithout correction whereof all are partakers then are ye bastards and not sonnes Novv no chastening for the present seemeth to bee 〈◊〉 but grieuous yet afterward it bringeth the 〈◊〉 fruit of righteousnes vnto theÌ„ which are thereby exercised The Lord tries vs by afflictions as gold is tried in the furnace with fire He keeps vs by the crosse within our limits as water is held in with bankes And with the thorny hedge of troubles vexations hee keepes vs within our owne walkes and pastures being by nature giuen to break out and stray Therefore Dauid saith Before I was afflicted I went astray but now I keepe thy word it is good for mee that I haue beene afflicted that I may learne thy statutes Blessed is the man whom thou chastisest For it is certaine God scoureth away the infirmities of his Saincts by many afflictions It is the Lord which sendeth crosses to his children to saue theÌ„ that they freese not with the wicked world in their dregs For this end saith Cyprian the Lord rebuketh that hee might amend vs to this end he mends that he might saue vs. Augustine saith that sorrowes before pardon of sins are the punishments of sinners but after pardon they are the trials and exercises of iust men And so for death it selfe the sting and strength thereof which is sin is abolished by the death of Christ vpon the crosse therefore is to bee reputed but as a triall or chastisement whereby the Lord doth teach vs humilitie and the flight of sinne and doth exercise and proue our faith fortitude and patience And though in respect of sinne it be the entrance of Hell yet through the death of Christ it is become the gate of heauen and as Cyprian speaketh Ianua vitae the dore of life It doth as it were conuey vs out of the wildernes into Canaan out of a troublesome Sea into a quiet hauen and out of earth into heauen from woe to weale and from men to God yea it becomes the death of sinne that first gaue life to it We conclude therefore this truth with Vrsinus saying God doth not hate vs neither hath he a will to punish vs for those sins for which Christ hath sufficiently satisfied in whom also we haue remission of those sins of omission and all other our sins so that by his onely merit we are reputed righteous before God The second part of Iustification is Gods gracious acceptation wherby he doth for the merit of Christs actiue obedience by faith receiued of vs account vs iust and pure and honours vs with the crowne of life And in this respect we may truely be sayed to be iust perfect and holie men because we stand clothed with the most perfect righteousnes of Christ which is reputed ours in which appearing before our heauenly father wee doe receiue a blessing as Iacob did of Isaack hauing on his elder brothers garmeÌ„ts Neither must it seeme strange vnto vs that we should be accepted righteous for the righteousnes of an other For albeit this righteousnesse be Christs primarily and by way of inherence yet it is ours by Gods donation and by the application of faith As the paiment of our debt is another mans so farre forth as it is discharged by him but it is our payment as it is imputed to vs. Aquinas saith well The head and the member is as one mysticall person and therefore the satisfaction of Christ pertaineth to all the faithfull as to his members The forme or formall cause of Iustification is not faith loue nor any other vertue neither is it an infused quality or habituall sanctity inherent in vs. For this were to confound iustification and sanctification which are very different acts as wee shall hereafter shew But the righteousnesse of Christ imputed considered as it is imputed of God is the forme of iustification Or the proper and onely true forme of iustification is the free imputation of the righteousnes of Christ by which the merit and obedience of Christ are applied to vs by vertue of that neare communion whereby he is in vs and we in him Now God is said to impute the righteousnes of Christ vnto a man when hee doth adiudge decree and giue it to him and account and reckon it as his owne and for the merit and worthines of it doth pardon acquite him and repute him righteous O sweete exchange saith Iustin Martyr O vnsearchable vvorkemanship O benefits surpassing all expectation that the iniquity of manie should be couered in one iust person and that the iustice of one should make manie that are vniust to be reputed iust If one saith Bernard did die for all then all died to wit that the satisfaction of one might be imputed vnto all as that one bare the sins of all Now Christ bare our sins and was made sin for vs not as if our sins had beene infused into him and had beene inherent and inhabitants in him but because they were imputed to him and reputed his as if they had beene committed by him he supplying our place as our Surety and Mediator euen so his righteousnes is made ours not as though it were infused or translated into vs as a thing inherent and inhabiting in vs but because it is reputed ours and imputed freely to vs as if wee our selues had wrought it in our owne persons And of this opinion was S. Augustine We are the righteousnes of God in him as he is sin in vs to vvit by imputation With whom consenteth Vrsinus the imputation of the righteousnes of Christ is not the transfusion of righteousnes or of qualities into vs but the absolution from sins in the iudgement
of God for the righteousnes of an other For iustification and remission of sins are the same For to iustifie is for God not to impute sin vnto vs but to accept vs for righteous to absolue or pronounce vs iust for the righteousnesse of Christ imputed The end of Iustification in respect of God is the glory of God in an admirable composition of iustice and mercie of iustice because hee would haue his sonne to satisfie for our sins rather then that they should escape vnpunished and of mercie because it pleased him to impute and appropriate the satisfaction of his sonne vnto vs rather then we wretches should be destroyed But some will perhaps imagine that God shewed neither iustice nor mercie no iustice because he punished an innocent for the nocent set his teeth on edge whereas they had eaten the soure grapes and no mercie because hee forgaue none without a satisfaction It is true indeed that the innocent was punished but yet it was done willingly and not by constraint and he was of the same nature with the nocent and was also such a potent innocent as that he did satisfie the iustice of the Iudge to the vtmost and conquer all his punishments with facilitie Neither must we deeme the mercie of God to be withheld or not exhibited because he did not forgiue without a satisfaction For first it was of his sole benignitie and perfect mercie without the preuision of any merit that he came to satisfie who made the satisfaction for vs. Herein saith Iohn is that loue not that we loued God but that he loued vs and sent his sonne to be a reconciliation for our sins Secondly it is his grace that hee doth apply the satisfaction of his sonne vnto vs who were disposed thereunto by no gift or merit Thirdly we must consider that Gods iustice is so infinitely absolute as that we could not bee iustified without a Mediator God could not forgiue sinne without a satisfaction For otherwise what need was there that the soone of GOD should be brought as he was to such horrible miserie and to such an accursed death A kinde father would try any way rather then he would expose his owne and onely sonne to extreame terrors and miserie And lest any man should imagine that it is in Gods power to remit or to reteine sinnes like debts we must know that there are two kinds of debts For there is a debt which eclipseth and hurteth the honour of the Creditor and there is also a debt which doth not touch it If the debt do not hurt his honour it may vvith great encrease of honour be rmitted vvithout any recompence at all as vvhen a king forgiueth his seruant the debt of some thousands of câ—ovvnes This debt as it did not hurt the maiestie of the king so it might be forgiuen vvithout anie hurt to his maiestie But if debts doe hurt the honour and maiestie of the Creditour and doe directlie impugne his nature and glorie vvithout doubt they cannot at his pleasure be remitted vvithout satisfaction And such debts are sins at vvhich infringe the rule of Gods eternall vvill are enemies to it so as that they cannot be purged and forgiuen vvithout a penaltie but Gods iustice and vprightnes vvill bee diminished But yet though his mercie could not shoulder out his iustice or any whit eclipse it yet his iustice did not bereaue him of his mercie For of his ovvne meere mercie hee found out the way to redeeme and saue vs when we did not so much as thinke of any such thing and therefore as we ought to admire the seueritie of his iustice so we should also magnifie his endles grace and mercie The endes of Iustification in respect of our selues are that we may be pleasing vnto God that wee may haue peace of conscience and true tranquilitie of minde that being redeemed from miserie wee might bee saued and finally that wee should striue against the streame of our owne corruptions and keepe a constant course in pietie or to vse the words of Zacharie That wee being deliuered out of the handes of our enemies should serue him without feare all the daies of our life in holinesse and righteousnesse before him For Christ gaue himselfe for vs that wee should be zealous of good vvorkes and bare our sinnes on the crosse that vve being dead to sinne should liue is righteousnesse To this end saith Bucanus are wee iustified by faith for Christ that the old man being abolished by the efficacie of Christ crucified Christ may liue in vs and wee by the study of good workes may shew our selues thankefull vnto God for so great a benefite Therefore Paul almost in all his Epistles drawes his doctrine of sanctification and good workes out of the doctrine of Faith or Iustification as the effect out of the cause or as an necessarie consequent from the Antecedent Hâ—c ille In like maner Augustine saith Christ died for the vvicked but not that the wicked should remaine dead but that being iustified they should be conuerted from vvickednesse beleeuing in him vvhich iustifieth the vngodly For God hateth impietie And againe Grace doth iustifie or hee iustifies by grace that he which is iustified might like iustly So then one maine end of our iustificatioÌ„ is that abandoning all iniquitie we should lead our liues in sanctitie The effects and consequents of Iustification are diuers The immediate effect of Iustification is adoption by vvhich the Elect doe now actually please God as his sonnes and coheires of Christ For so soone as the Electare absolued from their sinnes they are foorthwith adopted into the right â—nd priuiledges of the children of God A second effect of Iustification is peace of conscience to wit when we perceiue our selues to be deliuered from our sins before Gods iudgemeÌ„t seat and the iudgement of our owne conscience For there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ and being iustified by faith wee haue peace vvith God euen that peace vvhich passeth all vnderstanding whereas there is no true peace to the wicked but they are like the raging sea that cannot rest vvhose waters cast vp mudde and mire or else they are structen with a spirituall Apoplexcy which hath reaued them of all true sense and are so benummed in their conscience that they can feele nothing till it be roused and awaked Thirdly our iustification makes vs haue accesse to God by prayer with confidence to be heard for Christ For sinne was the Make-bate and wall of partition betwixt God and vs now our sinnes are done away when wee are iustified and therefore with boldnesse wee may approach vnto the throne of Grace We haue now receiued the Spirit of adoption by vvhich vvee crâ—e Abba Father that is by vvhich vve conceiue very good hope in him to vvhom wee pray like suppliants that hee will in fatherly affection tovvard vs giue
vs thâ—se things vve stand in need of Fourthly Iustification begets patience in afflictions and makes a man reioice in the middest of tribulations Being iustified by Faith wee haue peace to Godward Neither that only but also we reioice in tribulations knovving that tribulation produceth patience to wit through the perswasion of our reconciliation vnto God and our assurance that all things how bitter and grieuous soeuer doe worke for the best vnto them that loue God and are pleasing to him Lastly Glorification is an inseparable companion and a notable effect of Iustification Being freed from sinne and made seruants vnto God yee haue your fruit in holinesse and the end euerlasting life The obedience of Christ by grace imputed to vs and by Faith receiued of vs workes in vs a desire care and endeuour to obey God His death for which our sins are remitted works in vs another death whereby wee die to sinne And his glorious righteousnesse wherewith wee are inuested and made to bee reputed righteous doth merit for vs eternall life and glorie The subiect of Iustification or the persons that are iustified or to whom Iustification doth belong are the Elect of God the sheep of Christ euen all that are predestinated vnto life For therefore the Scriptures speak on this sort The Lord hath laied vpon him the iniquitie of vs all I laie dovvne my life for my sheepe Whom hee did predestinate hee hath also iustified Who spared not his owne Sonne but gaue him for vs all how shall he not vvith him giue vs all things also But for what vs saith Augustine Euen for them vvhich are fore-knowen praedestinated iustified and glorfiied Haimo saith Christ hath taken avvaie in the Elect not onely originall sinne but all actuall offences also and hath moreouer giuen the euerlasting life Radnulphus also saith that the blood of the High-priest Christ vvas the expiation of all Beleeuers I adde further that the Elect are the onely persons to whom this worthy worke of God belongs and none but they First the Scripture is euident By his knowledge shall my righteous seruant iustifie Manie He bare the sinne of manie His blood vvas shed for manie for the remission of sins Hee vvas once offered to take awaie the sinnes of manie The Scripture saith Manie and not All without the exception of any Thou shall call his Name Iesus for he shal same his people from their sinnes Now all are not his For his people are his sheep and his sheepe are the deuils Goaets all are not his sheepe Yee beleeue not saith Christ for yee are not of my sheepe Some men haue neuer faith therefore some are neuer iustified Secondly for whom Christ did not pray for them hee did not sacrifice because to intercede and to sacrifice are conioyned But Christ prayed onely for the Elect and for Beleeuers and in praying did offer himselfe to the Father I praie for them saith Christ I praie not for the world but for them which thou hast giueÌ„ me for they are thine And for their sakes I sanctifie my selfe I praie not for these alone but for them also which beleeue in me Origen saith accordingly Hom. 9. in Leuit. that Christ prayth Onelie for those which are the Lordes portion Augustine saith There is a world of the damned for this world Christ praieth not And there if a world of those that are to be saued for this world Christ praieth And likewise Cyrill The Lord Iesus putting a difference betwixt his and such as were not his for those onelie saith he I praie which keepe my word and haue taken my yoke For to whom he is a Mediatour and High-priest on them only he bestowes the benefit of Meditation Therefore the Elect and faithfull are only iustified redeemed by Christ Thirdly Christ gaue himselfe that he might sanctifie to himselfe a peculiar people that is a people selected out of others as a precious treasure and his owne proper goods Therefore it was not Christs intention to giue himselfe to be a ransome for all and euery one alike Lastly regeneration and life eternall belong not to all All men doe not die to sinne and liue to God and the kingdome of God shall be giuen to them for whom it is preprared Many shall be excluded Therefore all are not iustified For they that are iustified shal be also glorified Isychius saith that Christ who suffered for vs hath deliuered vs from sinne and from the bondage of it And Augustine more plainly Euerie one that is generated is damned and no man is deliuered but he that is regenerated And againe God gaue a great price bought those whom he doth reuiue It is manifest therefore that the Elect are onely partakers of the merits of Christ and iustified in the sight of God For whereas Christ is said to take awaie the sinnes of the world here the vvorld only that is the vniuersall coÌ„panie of the Elect which are taken from all degrees and callings in the world is to he vnderstood For there is as it were a little world of the Elect. Eusebius saith Christ hath suffered for the saluation of the vvorld of those that shal be saued And S. Augustine hauing made a distinction of Worlds saith that this vvorld which God doth reconcile vnto himselfe in Christ and which is saued by Christ and to which euerie sinne is remitted through Christ is elected ouâ— of the maligning damned and defiled world And though the Apostle say that hee gaue himselfe a ransome for all men yet we must in no wise therefore conclude that all are iustified without exception For the word All as Aristotle in his Politiques hath obserued signifieth either euerie one in particular and then it is takeÌ„ distributiuely or else Not each particular and then it is taken collectiuelie signifieth anie not ech many not al without exception of any Whereas then the Apostle saith that Christ gaue himselfe a ransome for All he meaneth al beleeuers of what condition or couÌ„trey soeuer Neither 〈◊〉 it any new thing that the word All should be taken in such a sense seeing the like examples may be found as in Luk. 11.42 Woe be to you Pharisies for you â—â—the mint rue and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all hearbes that is hearbs of euerie kinde So Christ is said to heale Euerie disease that is all kinds of diseases All Iudea is said to goe out to Iohn Baptist Multi Omnes in Paulo idem sunt Manie saith Sedulius and Al are the same with Paul It is true indeed I grant that the obedience of Christ being the obedience of God was in it self sufficient to haue procured the Iustification of all without exception but if wee respect either Gods decree or Christs intention it is appropriated to the Elect and belongs to none but them Innocentius saith His blood was shed
For all flesh is grasse and all the glorie of man is as the flower of grasse The grasse withereth and the flower faâ—leth away but the iustification of a sinner remaineth for euer It is enacted and enrolled in heauen it shall not bee repealed and oblâ—terâ—ted vpon the earth Fiftly Iustification may be perceiued knowne and that three waies First by the suggestion of Gods spirit Secondly by faith which is a certaine assurance or perswasion of the loue af God in Christ Now a man may assure himselfe of faith â—f theâ—â— two things be in him First if he loue God for God himselfe and his neighbour truely as himselfe For loâ—e accompanies faith as the light doth the sunne Indeed it proceedes fâ—om faith and as Grâ—gorâ—â— saith Quantum 〈◊〉 taâ—tuâ—◠〈◊〉 As is our faith 〈…〉 our loue Secondly a man may assure himselfe of Iustifying faith if he doe striue against his doubtings and with an honest heart doe will to beleeue and vnfeignedly desire to be reconciled vnto God and do with aâ—l constantly vse the good meanes that God hath ordeined to beget and encrease faith For God acceptâ— the wil to beleeue for faith it selfe and the will to repent for repentance The reason hereof iâ— plaine Euerie supernaturall act presupposeth a supernaturall povver or gift and therefore the vvill to beleeue and repent presupposeth the povver and gift of faith and repentance in the heart Thirdly a man may come to bee assured of his Iustification by certaine vnfallible tokens and 〈◊〉 of it some whereof I will here set down The first is a ioy most vnspeakable and glorious wherewith our hearts must needs be rauished when we see â—ur selues by the righteousnesse of Christ of the free grace of God redeemed from death deliuered from hell and freed fâ—om the fearefâ—ll condemnation of the wicked The second is the peace of conscience While sin and the guilt of sin remained there was no peace nor quietnes to be found but feare within terrours without and troubles on euerie side But when our sins are once nayled to the crosse of Christ and forgiuen vs then the windes are layed the waues are setled the sea is calmed the soule is quieted and imparked within the pales of peace Thirdly that no man may thinke fleshly sottishnes and the stupour of the spirit to be found securitie true tranquillity being indeed but like a caâ—me beâ—ore some violent no oâ—â—â—agious tempâ—st wee may know that our peace is good and that 〈…〉 fâ—â—â—â—on is past with God â—f w◠〈◊〉 a promptitude and 〈…〉 to dâ—e that which is good 〈…〉 a man doth finde 〈…〉 for the forgiuenes of siâ—nes 〈◊〉 loue of God constraineth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—â—y which hee conceiueth 〈…〉 him and putteth life into hâ—m for 〈◊〉 peâ—â—oâ—mance of those things whicâ— are pleasing vnto God His vnderstanding is inlightned his iudgement is refoâ—â—ed his affections are bâ—â—â—râ—d his ioies are in heauen his desire are to Christ-ward his walke is tâ— Canaan his course to Ierusalem 〈◊〉 his anger is consumed vpon his ownâ— corruption For we must know 〈◊〉 when God doth in pâ—te riâ—hteousneâ— vnto a man to preuent his dâ—mâ—â—tioâ— by sin then hee doth also infâ—se righteousnes into him to â—inder the â—â—â—â—nation of sin Therefore Paul ioyneâ— both together when hee saith that Christ is made vnto vs righteousness◠〈…〉 and redemption and when hee tâ—ls his Corinths that they are vâ—â—sh 〈…〉 and iustified So then he that ciâ—cumciseth the fore skin of his heart by true repentance he that waâ—â—eth against all his lusts truely stâ—â—â—h to serue the Lord in all his pâ—ecâ—pâ—s he may know for certainâ— that God haâ—h cut the cords of his sinnes and hath cast them all behindâ— him But â—â—â—â—e are manie circumcised to 〈◊〉 not to the Lord they are the cirâ—uâ—â—â—sion of the King and of the Queene they leaue maâ—y grosse sins pâ—â—â—shable by imprisonment but for others as great but not pâ—nal they passe ouer These men must know what so long as they addict themselues to their knowne enormities without repentance they are out of the kingdome of Christ are not clothed with the robes of his righteousnes but coâ—â—red with the rotten rags of their owne wickednes For those that are in Christ vvalke not after the flesh but after the Spirit They thâ—t aâ—e â—is haue crucified the flesh vvâ—th the affections the lusts But to liue in sin is to take sin downe from the crosse and to put life and spirit into it Finally as S. Iohn teacheth we know that we are translated from death to life which is in our iustification because vve loue the Brethren For it is impossible for him rightly to loue a righteous man in Christ who is not as yet himselfe made righteous by Christ But when a man is once â—â—sâ—ified by God he will then begin to loue a iust man for God Loue loâ—es his like One iust man will loue another Martin Luther faith that a man may try and know whether hâ— be incorporated into Christ or not by this that as hee feeleth his heart cheered and sweetned by the feeling of Gods promises and fauour written in his hart so such a man as no man is but he that is iustified haâ—h forthwith regard of his Neighbour and helpeth him as his Brother careth for him lendeth him giueth him comforteth counâ—elleth him yea and briefly hee is greeued if there bee none towards whom he may be seâ—uiceâ—ble hee is patient tractabâ—e and truly friendeth all men he doth not esteeme the teÌ„porall pleasure and pride of this life he iudgeth no man hee defameth no man he interpreteth all things to the best part Finally when as he seeth not the matter go well with his neighbour as that he fainteth in faith waxeth cold in loue he prayeth for him he reproueth him according to his calling hee is sorely greeued if any man commit any thing against God or his Neighbour And all this proceedeth from the roote and iuice of Gods grace for that the bountifulnes loue and goodnes of Christ hath sprinckled and replenished his heart with sweetenes and loue that it is a pleasure and ioy for him to do good to his Neighbour and is greeued for his sins as Samuel for Saul By these and such like workes of grace a man may come to a certaine knowledge of his Iustification Which how well worthy it is of our knowledge they can best tell which feele the comfort of it most And let no maÌ„ thinke it impâ—ssible to bee discerned by man because it is performed by God without man For though it be acted by God in heauen yet it produceth many notable graces in man vpon the earth by which it may be perceiued as a vine by her grapes or as a lamp by her light Neither let vs be induced to thinke that iustification is a changeable or reuokable act of God and that a iustified man may fall from grace and
perish and that therefore there can bee no certaintie made of the continuance of it For nothing can separate vs from the loue of God wherewith hee loueth vs in Iesus Christ our Lord. Who hath redemed vs with his blood Hee saith Aug. who hath bought vs for so great a price will not that they should perish whom hee hath bought Master Tyndall saith thus Christ is thine and all his deeds are thy deeds Christ is in thee and thou in him neither canst thou be daÌ„ned except Christ be damned with thee Wee conclude therefore according to the trueth that as Iustification is irreuocable so it is discerneable Let him doubt sath M. Philpot of his faith that listeth God giue we alwaies grace to beleeue that I am sure of true faith and fauour in Christ And so much concerning iustification the second meane ordeined for the execution and demonstration of â—â—ds eternall Election â—rga Dei bonitas veniam noÌ„ dimidiabiâ— Aut nihil aut totum to lachrymaÌ„te dabis CHAP. VI. What sanctification is All the causes of it are expressed Four effects of it The subiects termes and time of it Nine properties thereof Ten tokens of it THE third thing wherein the Apostle placeth the execution of the decre of Election is Glorification Whom he hath foreknowne predestinated effectually called and iustified them â—e hath also glorified Glorification is the communication or free donation of true holinesse and happinesse to them that are elected called and iustified For glorie comprehendeth in it both holines happinesse Holines is one degree of happinesse and happines is the highest degree of holinesse No man is holy but the same is happy and no maÌ„ can be happy but he must bee holie Grace is the inchoation of glorie and glorie is the consummation of grace He that sits in the throne of grace is truely intituled to the crowne of glorie and it is one point of glorie to be a man of grace A gracious man may be rightly stiled a glorious man Glorification then comprehendeth in it two things Sanctification in this world and the collation of eternall happinesse in the world to come Of both these we will intreat in order Sanctification or Regeneration is a benefit of God whereby our corrupt nature is renewed to the image of god by the Holy Ghost Polan Part. The lib. 1. Or sanctification is an inward change of a man iustified wherby the image of God is restored in him Hippocrates saith of Phisick that it is an adiection and a subraction Adiection of things wanting and a Subtraction of things redounding in the bodies of men Euen so sanctification is a remouing of the corrupt humors of our soules and an adiection or infusion of spirituall graces which are wanting It was excellently said by one The wise men saith he which were expert in nature could say that in euerie generation there is a corruption And we see that the seede sowen is much changed before it grow vp and beare fruit Then needfull it is that in regeneration there be a corruption of sin so that as the seed in the ground so sinne in our mortall bodies may decay that the new man may be raised vp the Spirit of God taking possession of our soules Now this transformation of a man is very requisit to saluation For without holines no man shall see God If wee will not liue to God by grace vpon the earth wee shall not liue in glorie with him in the heauens If wee will not die to sin in this world wee shall not escape death the wages of sin in the world to come If we doe not liue to God in holinesse in this life wee shall not liue in happines with God in the life to come It is not onely necessary in him that is to be saued that sinne be abolished by remission but that it bee likewise mortified by regeneration Neither is it onely requisit that a man stand righteous by the imputation of righteousnesse but that a man also be righteous by the infusion of righteousnes Sanctification is not deriued to vs from our parents For parents must be considered two waies First as they are Man the children of Adam Secondly as they are holy men sonnes of the second Adam and thus they doe not beget their children though their holinesse bee a meanes to make them to be reputed holy with men and accounted the children of the Church But they produce their children as they are men and corrupted in their father Adam and so conuey nature corrupted in Adam to them although they be regenerated Take wheat make it as clean as you can sowe it and it will come vp not as it was sowen but in stalk blade and eare and it brings vp as much chaffe as euer it did though none vvere sowen with it Euen so parents though sanctified by grace do bring forth childreÌ„ that are vnholie But the fountaine and proper Efficient of our sanctification and holines is almightie God whose workemanship we are created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes and who in mercie hath translated vs out of the kingdome of darknes into the kingdome of his beloued sonne in whom he hath quickned vs through his loue and hath lifted him vp with his right hand to giue repentance vnto Israel And albeit our Sanctification be the worke of the whole Trinitie yet it is immediately performed by the holy ghost therefore by a peculiar epithet hee is called Holy and we are said to be borne of the Spirit who is also compared vnto seede and vnto fire and vvater Vnto seede because of his vertue as it vvere of seede the faithfull are renevved and created nevv men that beeing dead to sin they might liue vnto God Vnto fire first because he doth eat out the drosse of sin and consume our lusts and so refine vs secondly because he doth enlighteÌ„ our mindes and shine like a lamp shew vs the way wherein wee ought to walke and lastly because he doth set vs on heat and inflame vs vvith a zeale of Gods glorie vvith a care of our duetie and vvith a loue of all mankinde And vnto Water because he doth refresh vs extinguish our spiritual thrist and because he doth vvater vs being destitute of all the iuice of life and make vs fertill and finally because he doth wash avvay the filth of our hearts and is povvred out like vvater vpon Beleeuers In like maner also he is compared to the Northerne and Southerne windes to the Northerne because he doth pinch dry the luxurious humours of our hearts and coole the vnnaturall heate and swelling pride of our soules and kil those wormes of wickednes which ly as it were at the very roote of our hearts And to the Southerne because hee doth comfort vs with his warme blasts and moisten vs with his sweete showers and dissolue our frost bitten
a man hee doth so worke vpon him that hee shall willingly yeeld how vnwillingly so euer his will be by nature On vvhom God shevveth mercie saith that learned Father he doth so call him as hee knovveth conuenient for him that hee may not reiect him vvhich calleth to him The same may be said concerning sanctificatioÌ„ Fourthly our Regeneration is but once begun howsoeuer our holinesse sometimes increaseth and sometimes decreaseth The Scripture speaketh but of one new birth As there is saith Austen one fleshlie generation neither can there be made a returne into the vvombe so is there one spirituall regeneration Semel enim nascimur semel quoque renascimur We are once borne and we are once born anew We are but once brought forth by our naturall mother once begotten by our naturall father so wee are but once begotten of our heaueÌ„ly father and but once brought foorth and borne of our spirituall mother which is the Church Fiftly Sanctification is an infallible argument of eternall saluation Grace is the testification of glorie and glory is the promised compensation of grace Godlinesse hath the promise of this life and of that vvhich is to come When vve haue receiued mortification and sanctification is hansels of Gods mercies theÌ„ may vvee hope for heauen for they that haue receiued grace shall also receiue glorie And as we haue behaued our selues in the kingdom of grace in this world so it shal be done vnto vs in the kingdom of glorie in the world to come Holinesse is a signe of honor and the more we haue of holinesse the more wee shall haue of honour Sixtly sanctificatioÌ„ is a very excellent commodious worke of God First because it is wrought by his own finger by his own hand engrauen vpon the tables of our harts Secondly that it is a Reformation and change according to the vvhole law of God and containes in it the seeds of all good duties Thirdly because without it our life is most vile and despicable wholly corrupt and sinfull For as Augustine saith hovv can hee liue iustly that is not iustified Hovv can he liue holily vvho is not sanctified Or hovv can hee liue at all who is not raised vp to life Seauently Sanctification is in this life imperfect Sinne is not all at once consumed but the scum thereof is almost continually boiling and walloping in vs foming out much filthy froth and stinking sauours If vve say saith Iohn that vve haue no sinne vvee deceiue our selues and trueth is not in vs. There is none so holie saith Gregorie vvhich hath not in him some corruption which hee may lament No man saith Lactantius can be vvithout sinne so long as he is burthened with the garment of his flesh Death must end the conflict betwixt the flesh and the spirit So long as we liue sinne will not die Iâ—ie will liue till the Oke bee hewen downe Before there be an vniuersal clensing there must bee a dissolution of nature The body must first rot before grace shall raigne without disturbance It is true indeed that the corruption of our nature is abolished in Baptisme in respect of guilt and condemnation but not in regard of existence Concupiscence saith Ambrose is taken avvay in Baptisme Non vt non sit sed ne obsit Not as touching the being of it but in that it shall bee no impediment of saluation to them that are baptised with water and the holy Ghost For it is to such no Prince but a Rebell only it neither shall damne them nor dominere within them But as a Serpent cut in diuerse peeces hath but certaine reliques of poison and remnants of fiercenes in the maimed members mangled parts thereof and is not able to exercise the like violence to a man as when it was whole and perfitlie membred so howsoeuer sâ—me relicks of sinnes remaine in our old but in our martired Adam yet it hath no such force or fiercenesse to preuaile against vs at vvhen it vvas in perfit age beeing then like to a mightie Monarch rather then to a poore prisoner And although those that are regenerated may bee termed iust and perfit yet it is onely in comparison of the wicked who are in bondage vnder sinne respect of Imputatiue righteousnesse and for that they are perfect because like Infants they haue all the parts of a Christian and not the perfection of those parts All the seeds of sauing graces are sowen in their harts but they haue not the â—ull groath of them in this life No man is so vvashed but he may haue dusty feete trauelling after his washing And as Ansâ—lme speaketh The bodie of sin is destroyed not that in bred conâ—upiscence should be on the suddaine consumed and quite extirped iâ— the very flesh that liueth but that it may be no let to him that is dead in whom it was vvhen he vvas aliue It is destroied not from hauing a beeing vvhiles vve are aliue but that vve should not be compeld to serue it Sin shall be but it shall not be to raigne but rather that the regenerate man may vex and afflict it like a most odious enemy and cut off as it were the hands and the feet thereof as Adonibezeks were by the Israelites till at length it be cleane defaced The trueth of that which hath beene spoken will euidently bee seene by this comparison Take a vessell full of vvater let a portion be taken out and an equall portion of hot vvater be put in it becomes luke-vvarme all of it partly hot and partly cold euen so euerie man is a vessel of vvater filled vvith corruption to the briâ—â— if a part of his corruption be taken avvay and a proportionall part of holinesse put instead of it the vvhole man becomes partly holie partly vnholie And albeit holinesse and sin be contrary yet may they be both in one subiect as light and darknes in the aire at the twilight beeing there remisâ—y neither of them predominant or absolute victour but remaining in continuall combat Now the reasons why the Lord doth not finish mans sanctification in this life may be these First that we might seeke after perfection more earnestly and couet it more ardently Secondly that despising this world we might the more affect our heauenly life as knowing that our perfect sanctification shall not bee wrought till wee come into heauen Thirdly that we might be humbled and exercised in faith patience prayers and skirmiâ—hing with the flesh might not wax proud with a conceipt of perfectioÌ„ but daily pray Enter not into iudgement vvith thy seruant O Lord Forgiue vs our trespasses Caluin saith that our reparation is not finished all at once but that God doth abolish the corruption of the flesh by degrees iâ— his elect That they may exercise themselues in repentance all their life and know that of this vvarfare there is no end but iâ— death Fourthly the
Lord thus doth thaâ— we might exercise and take notice oâ— our spirituall wisedome and Christian fortitude and magnanimity in defeating the wiles of sin and the plots of the Diuell and in contending like couragious Kings against all our spirituall aduersaries and finally in disdaining to giue place to the flesh that abominable and filthy wretch Fifthly the Lord doth hereby demonstrate his liberty and absolute authoritie ouer vs that he is not bound vnto vs by any bond of duetie to perfit his graces in vs in this life For then it should be iniustice in him not to do it But God is righteous in all his waies and holy in all his vvorkes and can not offer the least iniustice Sixthly God thus doth to manifest his mercie to vs to teach vs thankfulnesse to him who pardoneth our weake obedience and accepteth of our poore holinesse imperfect perfection There are with God two courts of Iustice The first is the Kings bench where there is strict iustice the other is the Chancerie where there is a mitigation of that strict course of Iustice In the first Court there is none found iust in the second court of acceptation some are accepted for iust men In this Court God accepteth our vnperfit holines our poore indeauours our weake resolutions our imperfect desires motions and meditations if they be faithfull and entire and directed to the right ends and for his Christ doth pardon all their defects Which argueth mercie on his part claimeth gratitude on ours Lastly the Lord thus doth to demonstrate his prouidence and power in protecting and conseruing vs against so many puislant pernicious enemies as we are begirt with notwithstanding our great vnworthines weaknesses and imperfections And so much for the seuenth property of Sanctification Eightly this worke of the Spirit is neuer cleane extinguished The gifts of God are without repentance The graces of God are not in his children as morning mists but as well builded tovvers to continue all assaults As he hath beguÌ„ the worke of sanctification so he will make an end of it For what should hinder His good will is constant his might is ouer all Sin Sathan and all the enemies of our soules whatsoeuer are with him as chaffe before a whirlewinde or as flax before a flame of fire His eie is waking and allseing his wisedome is infinite his essence euery where and his mercie endureth for euer What then can what shall hinder his worke He hath ioyned vs to Christ who shall disioyne vs He hath wedded vs vnto himseâ—fe what can diuorce vs He is with vs who can be against vs Christ is our King and we are his subiects we neede not therefore doubt of his fauour and protection He is our Architect hee hath built vs vpon a rocke and hath said that hell gates shall not preuaile against vs. Wee are the Temples of Gods spirit who is no idle nor regard lesse Inhabitant Our holinesse I confesse may suffer an eclipse and be diminished but it shall neuer be fully wasted and abolished For God will confirme vs by his grace He saith Augustine who makes men good doth make men to perseuere in good And therefore out state by Christ is surer then our condition was in Adam For though he was made perfectly good yet he had not the grace of perseuerance in that good But to vs it is giuen to perseuere Beleeuers are of the bone flesh of Christ novv there is no part of the bone and flesh of Christ that dieth They that are sanctified are reserued vnto Christ and therefore they shall not fall away from Christ They beleeue in Christ but faith as Chrisostome saith is petra fixa infracta a rock fixed and inuiolable It will shine like a starre in the night of aduersitie and sauours most like Camomell when it is troden vppon Hope is the anchor of the soule it wil endure both windes and waues And loue is strong as death Charitie saith Austen vvhich may be left vvas neuer true Whosoeuer is borne of GOD sinneth not neither can he sin because he is borne of God If a sanctified man cannot sin with a full swinge of the will and if hee cannot liue long in sin without repentance then assured he cannot fall from grace and perish It is our Fathers good pleasure to giue vs the kingdome of heauen and therefore we shall not misse it It remaineth theÌ„ as an vndoubted trueth that the work of sanctification shall neuer be demolished and that a sanctified man shall neuer perish Master Bradford saith well Our blindnes and corrupt affections doe often shadovv the sight of Gods seede in Gods children as thogh they were plain Reprobates Whereof it commeth that they praying according to their sense but not according to the truth desire of God to giue them againe his Spirit as though they had lost it and he had taken it away which thing God neuer doth indeede although he make vs to thinke so for a time And so much for this eight property Ninthly sanctification may be discerned The childe of God may be sure of his new birth The Apostle saith know ye not that ye are the Temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you know ye not that your bodie is the Temple of the Holy Ghost that is in you know ye not your owne selues how that Iesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobates It is possible then that these may be knowne Know for a certaine saith Master Bradford that as the Diuel goeth about nothing so much as to bring you in doubt whether you be Gods child so vvhatsoeuer shâ—ll moue you to admit that dubitation bee assured the same to come of the Diuell This assurance of our Sanctifiâ—ation may be obtained not onely by the inward suggestion of the holy Ghost assuring our spirits of the same but also by certaine vndoubted testimonies and tokens of it some whereof will here annex First He that committeth sin is of the Diuel but vvhosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not Wherefore if we doe not commit sin with full consent of will if when we doe sin we doe not continue in it but recouer our selues by true repentance as Peter did then may we know that we are not the Diuels slaue but Gods childe Secondly vvhosoeuer beleeueth that Iesus is that Christ is borne of God It is then a certaine token of a mans regeneration to beleeue distinctly that Iesus the sonne of Marie is that anointeâ— king priest and prophet which God hath raised vp for the saluation of hiâ— soule and of the rest of Gods Elect. Thirdly Euerie one vvhich â—ouetâ— him vvhich did beget loueth him also vvhich is bâ—gotten of him Whosoeuer therefore doth truely loue the childe of God for his fathers sake doth loue God himselfe And euerie one that loueth is