as it neither ariseth nor dependeth of any naturall causes so also can it not bee knowne by them Agayne the knowledge thereof is not to be sought in the secret hidden fore-knowledge of God but to bee found out by the latter namely by the effects and signes thereof For there is nothing more preposterous nothing more dangerous then omitting and neglecting the effects of Vocation to seeke for the certaynety thereof in the counsell of God And they which labour to do this enter into an endlesse Labyrinth out of which the light of mans reason can never ridde or deliver them Now the effects whereby every man may know his Calling are sundry and manifest First whosoever are called effectually vnto Christ Iohn 8 47. do desire earnestly to heare the word of God and to profile truely in it Secondly Gal. 4 6. the holy Ghost doth stirre vp in them a diligent worship of God and doth kindle and inflame theyr hearts with the desire of thinking and doing good workes Tit. 2.14 and doth beget in them a true hatred of evill as to detest avoyd sinne with all their strength They therefore which love God are called of him 1. Cor. 8.3 for no man can love him except first he be called and taught of him Thirdly God doth beget in his children an hatred of this world and a love of theyr heavenly Country which can be in none but in those that are called and regenerate So that faith and the fruites of fayth are the true and infallible effects and signes of a saving Calling all which as vnseparable companions and vndoubted witnesses doe follow an effectuall Calling by which is begotten in a man a lively and an effectuall feeling of the favour of God Whereas otherwise if a man were not called and regenerate his whole mind and will would be set vpon evill things he should feele no true taste of the grace of God and should be able to doe no good thing before God as furnished onely with humane strength They therefore which doe conceave in theyr minde any good thing and feele it in themselves all that hath his beginning from God that calleth them which worketh in them every good thing that maketh for the Salvation of their soules iustification before God For he onely enclineth the wils and the hearts of men to thinke and doe that which is good and iust They therefore which have an hearty desire to doe that which is good howsoever the worthinesse of their worke answere not their will yet neverthelesse they may know that they are called of God and that they have the holy spirite within them which worketh effectually vnto their Salvation For where hee stirreth vp that spirituall contention betweene vertue and vices there doth an effectuall calling manifest it selfe and declareth and sheweth the power that it hath because that striving betweene the spirit and the flesh can be in none but in those that are called and regenerate For sinne doth wholy possesse the vnregenerate men but it doth but onely hinder the regenerate and set vpon them with great and continuall bickerings They therefore which doe acknowledge and confesse themselves to be vnperfect they may certaynely resolve with themselves that they are called and renewed For this is as one sayth the perfection of Christians to acknowledge theyr owne imperfections But if men feele no such effectes at all or very small and slender effects yet from thence they ought to take no occasion to doubt of the mercy of God or of theyr calling For God doth not give all his gifts and benefites at the first and in one day but enlargeth and encreaseth them by degrees Rom. 1.17 and by little and little Agayne there are sundry and divers times of calling Matth. 20. vers 1. and so forward For some he calleth in theyr first age some in theyr middle age some in their old age some for his great mercy sake he draweth to himselfe in theyr last gaspe of life So that they which as this day feele not the effectes of theyr Vocation they may feele them to morrow or the day after But when God deferreth fayth and repentance even vnto the last pang of death then doth hee witnesse his singular love and mercy towardes miserable sinners For by such examples he comforteth them who have fallen into such or such sinnes and have remayned in them as it were ensnared and lulled a sleepe for a long time that they should not for those sinnes though growne old by long continuance be cast downe and despayre of obtayning mercy because that the incomprehensible grace of God doth remit all manner of sinnes vnto those which are penitent from the bottome of theyr hearts and because that the greatnesse and power of grace is of farre more force to save man then the strength and power of iniquitie is to condemne him as Barnard elsewhere speaketh Lastly we must thinke this that true conversion vnto God and repentance is never too late Whosoever therefore shall truely and heartily repent even at the panges and poynt of death for him is the grace of God prepared and hee may hope for certayne Salvation Agayne true and lively experience teacheth vs by the examples of those whom God calleth even in the last gaspe of life that Salvation and Life eternall is altogether free and every way an vndeserved benefite Therefore no man should despayre of the great Grace of God but all should be in very good hope of it as long as they live here in this world And these thinges bee spoken of Vocation Now it remayneth to speake of Iustification Here is intreated of free Iustification and shewed how it may bee knowne by Vocation or Calling also what it is for a man to be iustified after the phrase of the Gospel and lastly what are the speciall causes of Iustification CHAP. 26. IVstification is the fourth lincke in Pauls Chayne and this is set vnder Vocation or calling in a most convenient and methodicall order For after that God hath called a man vnto himselfe and hath wrought fayth in him by his spirite through the word straight wayes are shewed by the Apostle those benefites which fayth seeketh in God and receyveth of him Fayth therefore that ariseth from an effectuall calling hath respect vnto Iustification Moreover fayth doth not by the proper merite and worke thereof absolve and iustifie any man but it is sayd to iustifie a man because it beholdeth and apprehendeth the free mercy of God in his promises So that true fayth embracing the promises of God and applying them vnto it selfe is imputed by God vnto man for righteousnesse or that I may speake more properly the obedience of Christ his death is imputed to him for righteousnesse through fayth For our righteousnesse before God consisteth in the forgivenesse of our sinnes Rom. 4.6.7 as it appeareth by the wordes of Saint Paul vnto the Romanes But the remission of our sinnes could not
everlasting death and redeemeth and saveth him in Christ is by infinite degrees greater and more excellent This Mercy of God is the onely refuge for miserable sinners a most sure Sanctuary from all danger and a most welcome refreshing The whole Scripture teacheth vs and dayly experience prooveth it true that God is easiie to be intreated and mercifull vnto none but vnto such only which reverently and humbly fly vnto his Mercie with an vnfeigned confession of theyr sinnes and bewayling of theyr guiltinesse Whosoever therefore seeke for acquitall from sinne without the grace of God and merite of Christ doe set light by the mercy of God and the blood of Christ and shall never attayne to the remission of theyr sinnes For no pleading of a mans own worthines hath any place before Gods heavenly iudgement seate Luke 18.14 but an humble deploring of sinne is there accepted They therefore which desire to bee iustified and to be acquited both from the punishment and from the offence must altogether withdraw themselves from the righteousnesse of workes and betake themselves wholy vnto the Mercy of God onely for hee alone can put away sinne and wipe out the guiltinesse thereof For whomsoever the goodnesse of God and merite of Christ hath not delivered from sinne let him see and try what it is that can set him free from the law and the penalty thereof From this it may be concluded for a most certaine and an approoved thing that wretched men can no other wayes be freed from theyr sinnes but by the Mercy of God onely This therefore is the first and chiefest prop and foundation of our fayth and Salvation that wee are accepted of God not that we deserve this by our owne worthinesse but that our sinnes are forgiven vs by the Mercy of God and not layd to our charge So that God doth iustifie his children by forgiving them their sinnes and imputing the obedience of Christ his life vnto them for righteousnesse Now no man ought to marvell that we are iust before God not by our owne inherent righteousnesse but by that which being in Christ is imputed vnto vs through fayth Certaynely in our selves wee are vnrighteous and cannot by any power of our owne attayne vnto righteousnesse before God But Christ satisfying for our sinnes by his death brought to passe that this satisfaction should be imparted vnto vs and that wee in respect of this should bee accounted iust before God For even as he made our sinnes his so also on the other side he maketh his righteousnesse our righteousnesse In Psal 22. as Saynt Augustine sayth As therefore Christ in our sinnes was guilty so likewise wee in his righteousnesse purchased by him in his death are reputed and become righteous This the Apostle playnely testifieth when he sayth 1. Cor. 1.30 that Christ is made vnto vs of God righteousnesse By which wordes hee signifieth that Christ was appoynted of God for vs a Priest and a Sacrifice to witte that by offering vp himselfe hee might purge our sinnes and obtayne remission of sinnes for vs in which our righteousnesse consisteth before God and also that this obedience which hee yeelded vnto his Father by tasting of death for vs should be imputed vnto vs for righteousnesse And although this obedience of Christ his death is properly that thing which is imputed vnto vs of God for righteousnesse as which God esteemeth as if it had beene done by vs and that wee our selves had satisfied his iust iudgement yet wee must know that the obedience of the life of Christ which he yeelded vnto the Lawe by living holily and that holinesse of the nature of Christ by which he was holy from his Conception are not by this altogether excluded from the matter of Iustification For that holinesse of Christ both of his nature and life was necessary for this purpose that the Sacrifice of Christ might bee imputed and imparted vnto vs for righteousnesse For Christ could not have satisfied for our sinnes by his Sacrifice and so have obtayned remission of them for vs if he had not been an holy Priest and also offered vp an holy Sacrifice Hence is it that Saynt Paul vnto the Hebrewes sayth Hebr. 7.26 27. Such an high Priest became vs which is holie harmelesse vndefiled separate from sinners and made higher then the heavens which needed not dayly as those high Priestes namely the Leviticall to offer vp sacrifice first for his owne sinnes and then for the peoples for that did hee once when he offered vp himselfe Beholde a most cleere and evident testimonie of the holinesse of our Priest Of the holinesse of our Sacrifice 1. Pet. 1 18 19. Saint Peter speaketh when he sayth that wee were not redeemed with gold nor silver but with the precious blood of Christ as of a Lambe vndefiled and without spot By these wordes Saint Peter signifieth that those lambes which were killed in the old Testament and did resemble Christ as types and figures ought therefore to bee without blemish that by this the innocency and holinesse of Christ our Sacrifice should bee shadowed forth vnto vs. For Christ as Iohn Baptist sayth is that Lambe of God that is that Sacrifice ordayned of God to take away the sinne of the world By these thinges it may now be vnderstood how and how farre forth the holinesse both of the life and nature of Christ appertayneth vnto this matter of Iustification namely how farre forth it was necessary to this purpose that Christ by his holy Sacrifice or obedience of his death might deserve remission of sinnes for vs in which remission of sinnes consisteth our righteousnesse before God as wee may vnderstand by the wordes of Paul to the Romanes Rom. 5.19 And hence also may this bee gathered whenas Paul to the Romans sayth that by the obedience of one to wit Christ we are made righteous that he meaned it of the obedience of his death which Christ yeelded to his Father by tasting of death for vs. For wee are reconciled vnto God by the death of Christ Rom. 5 9 10 and iustified by his blood as the same Apostle sayth in the same Chapter Furthermore this Iustification is not onely free and perfect but also everlasting in as much as sinne ought not to be imputed vnto them that are iustified any more for ever For whom God hath once receyved into favour having blotted out their sinnes and offences those doth hee still preserve in his favour as righteous so that they can fall from grace and perish by no manner of sinnes they being and remayning pardoned in them For God wil never remember those sinnes to which the regenerate are as yet subiect This the Scripture expresseth and diligently affirmeth in many places For God by Isaias sayth I will remember thine iniquities no more Isay 43.12 Agayne he sayth by Ieremie Ierem. 31.34 I will be mercifull vnto theyr iniquities and remember their sinnes and transgressions no more These
our selves and the truth is not in vs. These testimonies of scripture teach vs that not one liveth heere which is not a sinner So S. Austine sayth in an other place most fitly to this purpose Wo vnto the life of men although most holy if it be examined iudged without Gods mercy But surely although regeneration be heere but onely begun and be vnperfect yet for all that it is not vnprofitable but is very commodious vnto the elect for from thence a most sure and evident token of their election and salvation is ministred vnto them But of this matter shall be spoken more largely and purposely in the end of this treatise Regeneration hath also this commodity which is very great for when men are regenerate they are not onely delivered from the most miserable slavery of sinne and tyrany of the Devill but also are made partakers of the life of God for then are they truly grafted into Christ and Christ is ioyned vnto them agayne so that they are made one with Christ by the spirit and Christ is made one with them Also Christ then liveth in them savingly and raigneth effectually so that he giveth and bestoweth vpon them life everlasting for whom he once hath begun to renew those he never forsaketh for he leaveth not this holy and chiefe worke of all his works as it were broken of Psa 138.8 but bringeth it vnto the end and accomplishment thereof Mala. 3.6 therefore it cannot be made voyd because God doth not change his nature nor disroabe himselfe of that goodnes wherewith he is endued In this goodnes of God the salvation of the godly is grounded and setled so that what the elect have once layd hold on by a stedfast faith that doth God never take from them for the gifts and calling of God are such as are without repentance for which cause Paul sayth playnely boldly Rom. 11.29 that God would performe that which he had begun in the Philippians Phil. 1.6 and bring it vnto the last end and perfection vntill at the last after their happy resurrection their vile bodies be fashioned vnto the glorious body of Christ So this regeneration is the neere fellowship and strong band of Christ and the regenerate And where this grace is effectuall there eternall salvation and life and happines everlasting followeth and ensueth for the old man with the concupiscences perisheth and is abolished 2. Cor. 4.16 but the new man is renued and fashioned vnto the image of God This grace therefore bringeth with it a double benefit for on the one side the strength and body of sinne is weakened and decayed and on the other side our lost righteousnes is repayred and the image of God restored so that we proceede from the abolishing and putting away of the one vnto the restoring of the other as from one contrary vnto an other Therefore regeneration is the onely remedy of the grace of God by which the corruption of nature is heere after a sort restrayned and amended which renewing of nature shall be wholy perfected in the world to come for then shall we necessarily love that which is good with a perfect liking and necessarily hate that which is evill with a perfect hatred Furthermore we must note heere and diligently observe that this power of renewing is in God by nature and is changed by no outward cause or mutable occasion whatsoever and therefore is as sure and certayne as God himselfe in his essence is everlasting for God is as constant in his promises as he is vnchangeable in his essence So that seeing he is alwayes the same and continually as good as his word and ever remayneth like himselfe therefore also doth he truly and indeed perfourme and fulfill those things which he hath promised in his word for the promise of God is sure because that grace whence it dependeth and springeth is sure and grace is onely of that which is both by word promised and indeed perfourmed freely and mercifully without any expectation of reward They therefore which doubt of the promise of God and the accomplishment thereof they do rather by deedes then words accuse and argue God of vnconstancy and falsehood therefore the distrust of the good and favourable will of God and of the perfourmance of things promised is without doubt a very great sinne for God by his almighty power doth begin continue and end this his worke of regeneration wherein it consisteth and is grounded therefore this worke can no more be broken off and fall to the ground then God can of any man be vanquished and overcome The workes and obedience of the godly howsoever they be imperfect and interlaced with divers blemishes yet God in that his fatherly goodnes loveth and accepteth them Then some things are propounded and dilated somewhat largely and plainely concerning the meaning and true vse of good works that the Papists errour might be the more evident in any mans sight CHAP. 30. FVrthermore seeing this regeneration is in this life maymed and imperfect hence it followeth necessarily and infallibly that all good works also which proceede out of it as streames out of a fountayne are maymed and imperfect for such as the cause is such an effect likewise vsually followeth Therefore seeing those workes are vnperfect they can deserve nothing as due debt for to the producing and effecting of any thing there is required necessarily sound and sufficient causes for maymed and mangled causes have never brought forth any thing for imperfect causes are esteemed as no causes And although the workes of the godly be interlaced and stayned with many blemishes and imperfections yet they are pleasing and acceptable vnto God because in them he acknowledgeth the image of his spirit which maketh the persons whence those works proceed acceptable vnto God and mixeth a good quality among their good workes in which being dipped as in an heavenly and spirituall perfume God doth approve and accept them God in his fatherly compassion doth pardon the staynes and defects of good workes so that the works when the corruption of them is abolished and wiped away are accounted iust and righteous and the satisfaction of Christ is imputed vnto them for righteousnes like as it is to the persons from whom they doe proceede therefore as he doth by his favour love and iustify his Saincts vnto death for the righteousnes of the most perfect man consisteth alwayes in faith and the dayly forgivenes of sinnes so also with the same favour doth he love and iustify their workes that is to say he blotteth out and wipeth away the faults which remayne in them in this life and imputeth righteousnes vnto them As therefore the Moone doth borrow and take her light of the Sunne so also faith iustifieth the works of the faithfull and maketh them have a good savour therefore faith getteth the reward and name of righteousnes both vnto the works and also vnto the persons So that although those works
scripture for a certaine singular excellency whereby a man may be worthy to be chosen so that he should be called elect which is excellent and singular they I say are the authors of fables and trifle with toyes seeing that every man is esteemed farre otherwise in this civile and earthly court then he is or iudged to be in the court of heaven Moreover no other cause of reprobation can be alleaged or produced out of the scriptures but the iust and vnchangeable will of God for as much as he in that his eternall and secret counsell hath of himselfe and by himselfe adiudged some men vnto eternall death destruction and that before they were and had done any evill For sinne can in no wise be the cause of reprobation For all have sinned and are alike polluted Ephes 2.3 and by nature the children of wrath so that all even every one should have perished if sinne had bin the cause of reprobation Sinne verily is the cause of those things that necessarily follow reprobation of which we shall speake more hereafter Although sinne that is committed of man be in it selfe a iust and efficient cause of damnation yet the cause of reprobation is not to be sought for in man but the first and chiefest cause thereof is even the free and righteous will of God But in as much as the reprobate are damned that they have deserved by their owne sinne this is the iust cause of damnation for if they had not sinned they should not have beene punished For God is every way so iust that he punisheth none except he be inthralled to sinne and most worthy of punishment And now seeing that it is proved by evident testimonies of the scripture that there is praedestination and that the doubtfulnes of the word and divers signification thereof is playnely discussed and that the causes thereof are produced and layd open it remayneth that wee should playnely define what this praedestination is which except it be done those things which follow to be handled cannot be conceaved and vnderstood Praedestination therefore is the eternall free iust and vnchangeable purpose of God by which of his mercy he hath determined to adopt some men for sonnes through Christ and hath appoynted them to eternall life and glory and hath not vouchsafed othersome that grace and favour but hath reiected them by his iust iudgement and appoynted them to eternall death This definition many places of the scripture do deliver and prove Rom. 9.13 Malac. 1.3 but chiefely the example of Iacob and Esau do wonderfully declare it These two although they were bretheren borne of the same parents although they were sinners both alike and by nature the children of wrath yet the wisedome of God did so discerne betweene them that by his free grace he loved and elected one of them and by his iust iudgement hated and reiected the other and that not according to the good or evill workes foreseene eyther of the one or of the other but according vnto his purpose he did choose Iacob Rom. 9.11 and hated Esau and that when as yet neyther of them were borne and had done neyther good nor evill The scriptures have set forth these two persons as it were two opposite and contrary arguments from which it inferreth two generall propositions namely that Almighty God from everlasting before all ages hath so discerned betweene men by his firme and vnchangeable wisedome that some without any merit of theirs should obtayne vndeserved grace and that some should have and vndergoe deserved iustice and due punishment This praedestination is distinguished from providence as a speciall thing from a generall or as a part from the whole seeing that predestination is not so common nor so large as providence For predestination hath his operation and working eyther in the saving or condemning of men although the created spirits namely the Angels may not vnfitly be referred herevnto But providence reacheth further spreading and extending it selfe vnto all the workes of God So that praedestination is as well the iust councell of God in forsaking the reprobate and casting him off into eternall punishment as the voluntary purpose of God in the salvation of the elect to be begun in this life and finished in the life to come Also providence is the eternall counsell of God and such an order and ratified governement in things that are created according to which all things are directed and do fall out to the glory of God and for the profit and salvation of the elect To this his governement even the temptations and sleights of Sathan are held in subiection which are so guided by the most wise God that they still turne to the good of his Saints although his devises are hurtfull in themselves yet God knoweth how to prevent them and to turne them to a contrary event Therefore although the endevours of Sathan are in their owne nature most pernitious yet by Gods direction they become wholesome vnto his children For God is such a workemaister as is able to alter and withdraw the effect from the cause so as the effect by an accident becommeth good and helpfull whose cause was most ill and hurtfull This providence of God although it reach vnto the creation of all things and to the ordering and governement of them yet it chiefely intendeth the counsels and actions of reasonable creatures and is so intentive about them that although they be very much confused and out of order yet it doth most wisely turne and bring them to those ends which from everlasting were foreordayned and appoynted for them So that all those things which God from everlasting by his vnsearchable wisedome did foresee and know before they were those things by his wonderfull and mervailous providence in the instant and moment of time appointed he doth create ordereth them being created maintaineth them being ordered governeth them being mayntayned and in governing them he doth so draw forth the course and line of his providence in this world that nothing can happen or be done in it then that which God from all eternity did fore-ordayne and appoynt All things do so depend and hang vpon this providence and power of God that without it not one action can be done nor one motion be produced in any creature For God is he by whose power and working is brought to passe all in all and that so as without this power and working of God neyther the godly can do that which is good nor the wicked commit that which is evill This providence of God is so ioyned and combined with his foreknowledge that the one of them seemeth as it were to shake hands with the other For what things soever God by this his vnsearchable foreknowledge did from all ages and from everlasting determine to doe those things being created in time he doth by his infinite providence bring vnto those appoynted ends even as he had decreed from everlasting What and how many are the
best reiected For there are many good men found which want those outward things and many times they are wicked which overflow and abound with them Therefore that obiection of the accepting of persons is not simple but doth comprehend many evils vnder it by which Sathan on the one side doth with mayne force push at the glory of God and on the other side doth openly set himselfe against the salvation of mankind and laboureth to overthrow and hinder it For salvation cannot be obteyned if the true cause of salvation be not vnderstoode and knowne for nothing can be brought forth by any thing else but by his owne proper and true cause But if this obiection should take place salvation should be transported from the true cause thereof vnto a false cause and so be in ieoperdy of losing Moreover God when he elected vs did call vs as it were from nothing For there was no good thing in our nature which could be acceptable and approved vnto him therefore of his free goodnes and mercy he decreed to adopt vs for children by election By all these things it evidently appeareth and is sufficiently proved that God hath absolute power and free will in the electing and reprobating of men For God is bereft of the chiefest part of his honor and glory vnlesse this authority be granted him over men to be the only iudge and disposer of life and death eternal Although God from everlasting hath in his iust iudgement cast away the reprobates from all hope of salvation yet they are condemned for nothing but for their owne sinnes and misdeedes so that they cannot complayne but of their owne deservings CHAP. 19. ELeventhly this decree of Predestination is a iust decree For God in his works is not onely most free but also in the same is most iust and vpright Therefore whatsoever he willeth and doeth he willeth and doeth iustly In as much therefore as he hath reprobated some men and appoynted them to eternall damnation he hath reprobated and decreed to condemne them iustly But that this question may the more cleerely be discussed and the better vnderstoode we must note two things First that God in his nature is iust Secondly that over and besides his nature he willeth and doeth nothing in his workes but that which is iust Moreover God is so iust in his nature as that his iustice is not any accidentall quality which is gotten and attayned by such or such actions or which sometimes admitteth augmentation and sometimes diminution but it is an essentiall propriety in God which cannot be absent from God except he cease to be God So that iustice most properly agreeth vnto God for he is iust indeede properly and so iust that not the least part of iustice can be found to be which proceedeth and commeth not from Gods iustice Therefore the creatures have so much iustice and vprightnes as it pleaseth God to instill and powre into them So that Gods iustice is the fountayne and welspring of all other iustice Certaynely God in his nature and will is so iust that no vniust thing can not onely be found in him but withall likewise he can endure no iniquity in his creatures For the will of God is not onely iust continually but also it is the onely imitable measure and rule of all other righteousnes and that so that no other things can be eyther iust or vniust but those which GOD shall pronounce iust or vniust Therefore whatsoever he shall iudge vniust cannot in any wise be iust and on the contrary those things which he shall esteeme as iust no man ought to thinke vniust Therefore seeing that GOD both in his nature and in his will is exceeding iust it followeth that all things which hee willeth and doeth must needes bee iust For as every cause doth bring forth his effect so also that effect doth declare of what sort the cause is For as the essence of the effect proceedeth from the cause so in like manner the knowledge of the cause is by his effect For such as the cause was such also must the effect needes follow therefore from a iust cause there must needes proceede iust effects wherefore in that that God hath reprobated many men and reiected them from his grace he hath reprobated them and reiected them iustly For all the works of God are iust as the scripture sayth but reprobation is a worke of God therefore it must needes be iust For who would deny that to be in the * Species particular kinde which is in the )( Genus generall or who would say that the nature of the causes is not in the effects This iustice or righteousnes of God is altogether incomprehensible and stretcheth and enlargeth it selfe as farre as the very nature and essence of God doth Therefore God can deliberate and do many and infinite things farre above the capacity of man and that most vprightly although they seeme to be otherwise in the wisedome of man Therefore howsoever God from everlasting hath appoynted certayne men to eternall perdition before they were created or had done any evill yet for all this he cannot be convinced of any iniustice because that he hath free power over all things and a iust will in all things so that he may iustly do in all his creatures whatsoever he doth or will do Therefore in that he hath appoynted some men vnto everlasting destruction hee hath done iustly for hee is a most free agent Therefore though he take pity vpon some and reiect others though he regenerate some and harden others though he save some and destroy others yet these and such like works are the iust works of God which he may do freely Is it not lawfull forme sayth that Lord of the Vineyard in the Parable Mat. 20.15 to do what I will with mine owne Therefore those works as they are done of God are iust and good works but if the same works or the like to these should be done of man they were vniust and great offences because they would be manifestly repugnant contrary to the law of God For the law commandeth that men should love others as themselves and that they should at all times and by all meanes and dutyes that they can save and defend them and not destroy them So that God gave a law vnto men to love and save others but he gave not that law to himselfe for he may iustly hate them whom men by the law are commanded to love Therefore God is iust at all times and in every place although some things which he willeth and doeth seeme very vniust vnto flesh and the wisedome of man For what can seeme more vnrighteous or vniust vnto flesh then to condemne a man vnto eternall destruction before he hath done any evill when as notwithstanding it is the iust worke of God which is therefore iust because it is Gods will This worke and decree of reprobation in the iudgement of man seemeth contrary
to the law and Christian charity For the law commandeth and charity willeth that there be no hurt done to any man but good vnto all but there is no good but hurt done vnto them which are ordeyned vnto this miserable condition and cursed estate therefore it is repugnant to charity and contrary to the lawe I answere God is not bound nor subiect vnto the lawe so that he gave that commandement to men only and not to himselfe Agayne the iustice of God is altogether infinite whose greatnes the shallownes of mans capacity cannot conteyne nor search out therefore it is not to be measured by the law and rule of civile iustice For there is no consequence from an infinite thing vnto a finite thing because there is no proportion betweene them Therefore a man in this matter must renounce all naturall reason and submit himselfe wholy vnto the onely wise God knowing that the iustice of God cannot be examined or comprehended by the shallow conceit of man nor be measured according to the rule of civill iustice Therfore it were extreme madnes blasphemous impiety not to attribute more wisedome vprightnes vnto God then man can vnderstand or imagine Surely this were to erect and worship a vaine idoll in the steed of God or rather to deny God himselfe Moreover there are certaine particular works of God which are not to be reduced to the generall rule of equity as for example the fact of Abraham who in his obedience vnto God would have killed his sonne and have sacrificed him vnto God when as notwithstanding the law sayth Thou shalt not kill The holy man of God knew that God was not subiect to the law but that it was given vnto men onely so that he did not examine the speciall commaundement which he had received concerning the sacrificing of his Sonne according to the lawe but simply obeyed the commaundement of God and desired to execute it with a ready and good will By this example we are taught first that God sometimes doth decree somewhat in his secret will which he prescribeth not in his lawe Secondly that we must obey this his secret will when God commaundeth though the lawe after a sort commaund the contrary otherwise the will of God revealed in his word is the onely continuall rule of good life So there may be some worke which God doth not therefore will because it is iust but it is therefore iust because he willeth it and thinketh it good Furthermore although of two men of which neyther had done any thing he hath predestinated the one vnto life the other vnto death and that before the foundation of the world yet this predestination is no lesse iust then if both had bin created and committed many great offences But it apeareth manifestly that reprobation was decreed before all time and not ordeined in time both from the nature of God and also by the holy scripture From the nature of God it appeareth because God doth nothing with a new will but all things by his everlasting will whatsoever therefore God doth in time that did he determine to do before all time otherwise there should manifest change be found in him if he should do the least thing in time which he did not determine to do before time from everlasting By the scripture it is evident because that every where as well in the doctrine of reprobation as election it reduceth vs vnto the eternall counsell of God that men might certaynely be perswaded that nothing happeneth vnto them in this life which was not ordeyned and decreed for them by God from everlasting So that that happeneth to them in time which God hath fore-ordeyned before time Moreover although the reprobates be reiected from this mercy of salvation by the iust and eternall iudgement of God yet they are not condemned but for their owne sinnes and misdeeds by which they deserve and pull vpon their owne heads the iust wrath of God and eternall destruction Therefore although they are not reprobated reiected for any infidelity or wicked deeds foreseene but because God hath so willed it and decreed it iustly yet they shall not be condemned but for their owne vngodlines To conclude as there is no merit foregoing in election so also is there no desert foregoing in reprobation but both do proceede and flowe from the good pleasure of God Now heere remayneth to be shewed briefly for what causes the reprobates are subiect and liable vnto iust condemnation The first cause of their destruction is the corruption of their nature this is so great that it is fully sufficient for to condemne them iustly as we may see in the death and condemnation of infants and little children that are reprobated who although they be polluted with fewe or none actuall sinnes yet for the originall corruption of their nature they are thrust hedlong into everlasting destruction Therefore this corruption of nature is the first and meritorious cause of damnation Agayne God vouchsafeth not to bestow vpon them the mercy of regeneration but leaveth them by his iust iudgement in their former depravation of nature Neyther can God be accused or charged with iniury because he doth not reforme nor better them for God doth not owe them so much because he hath not promised it vnto them and therefore is not bound to perfourme it And as for the promises although by the publike ministery of the Church they be pronounced vnto all that heare in generall yet indeed and effectually they do properly pertayne and belong vnto the elect only for whatsoever God hath promised in the Gospell and in the matter of salvation they onely obteyne and enioy Agayne the promises do not declare what God hath decreed and determined concerning every one but do shew how he is affected towards them that beleeve therefore they belong to none but to the beleevers so that God oweth nothing to the reprobates but deserved wrath and iust indignation Therefore in that he doth not call them nor draw them to Christ nor iustify them in him nor create faith in them it is for this cause because he hath not chosen them so that when the cause is denyed them the effects must needs be denyed them also For to whomesoever he vouchsafeth not election he also denyeth those blessings and benefits which are the effects of election These being by the iust iudgement of God thus left to themselves are hardned daily more more so that they feare not to commit great detestable sinnes and iniquities neither stand in awe of Gods vengeance but nuzsle themselves in their sinnes with delight and love and commit sinnes willingly and that so proudly and securely as if God the avenger of wickednes did winke at them and would take no account of them for their lives passed These God doth not only reiect and repell from all saving grace and all the effects thereof but also in his iust iudgement doth deliver thē over being so reiected partly
kindes of praedestination and by what proprieties election which is one of the kindes of praedestination is described which that they might more largely be explaned they are devided into certayne severall Chapters even as they seeme to have most affinity amongst themselves CHAP. 8. SEeing then that praedestination hath two kindes or parts which in their effect and ends do much differ the one from the other to which by reason of their divers obiects and contrary ends one and the selfe same thing can not be attributed nor given vnto them it is behoovefull therefore and necessitie doth require it also that for the more clearenesse and perspicuity sake every of them should be handled severally The order of teaching therefore requireth that in the first place we should speake of the Election and Salvation of the Godly and next of the reiection and destruction of the wicked Election is the eternall free and vnchangeable purpose and good pleasure of Gods Will whereby God hath decreed with himselfe to convert vnto Christ some separated from out of the whole company of Man-kind and in him to save them and through him to give them everlasting Life This Definition as well for the matter of it as the maner and ende we finde expressely set downe in Saint Paul to the Ephesians where the Apostle sayth Cap. 1. vers 4.5 He hath chosen vs in him namely in Christ before the foundations of the worlde that we should bee holy and without blame before him through love who hath predestinated vs into the adoption of children by Iesus Christ vnto himselfe according to the good pleasure of his Will Whereas hee sayth In him that is in Christ he hath chosen vs before the foundations of the world he expressely pointeth at this eternall Counsell for as much as God from all eternitie hath by his determinate Counsell fore-ordayned some men vnto Life eternall Whereas hee sayth In Christ hee sheweth the meanes whereby of vnworthy he made vs worthy to wit that Salvation wholy is gotten and bestowed vpon vs through Christ for he made satisfaction for our sinnes by the sacrifice of his Death and by the power of his Spirite turneth vnto himselfe vs that were gone astray and draweth vs vnto him and grafteth vs into himselfe by a true faith being grafted into him doth mercifully and mightily preserve vs in this life and doth dayly renew and fashion vs more and more according to the Image of God vntill at length wee having put off this flesh and layde aside all other infirmities hee may bring vs into eternall Life Therefore although God hath separated and chosen into the fellowship of Salvation men which in themselves were wholly defiled and most vnworthy from among others to whom in respect of themselves they were every way alike yet by electing them in Christ of most vnworthy hee hath made them most worthy through his worthinesse Whomsoever therefore God hath loved from everlasting those he determined to make deare vnto himselfe in Christ their Redeemer and Saviour As often therefore as in the Scripture there is mention made of the eternall love and election of God so often as concerning the causes of the execution of both there is vnderstood and presupposed Christ the Mediator as the onely ground and sure foundation of them both But that this Definition of Election may the more easily be conceyved and more playnely be vnderstood of every one the Proprieties thereof must orderly be set downe and layd open As for the Proprieties of Election although all of them are not contayned in this short abridgement of the Definition because vsually the Definitions of things are made of more generall words which vnder them contayne the more particular yet all of them are eyther contayned as vnderstood vnder these or doe necessarily follow them in the order of attayning of Salvation and do depend of them like as the Linkes of any Chayne are combined one within an other Here is a most strong Foundation layde for the Fayth of Gods Children for as much as Election and so consequently Salvation that dependeth of it can by no meanes be annihilated and perish because it is stayed grounded on the eternall good pleasure of God CHAP. 9. THe first Propriety therefore of Election is the eternal Decree which was beyond and before all ages in as much as God in his infinite goodnesse did thinke of the Salvation of Mankind before he had created any thing This circumstance of eternal time doth declare that God alone did of himselfe bring to passe the worke of our Salvation according vnto the good pleasure of his will This decree of Election he did only once make before all beginnings which alwayes after remayneth firme for ever and continueth vnchangeable throughout all succeeding ages It is not contrary to this Decree whereas the Prophets say that God yet chooseth Sion and Ierusalem For such an election is the manifestation the continuance and the applying of that heavenly eternal election For God in mans iudgement seemeth then to elect a man when he calleth him blesseth him and maketh him partaker of his Grace And of this Eternity there is often mention made in the holy Scripture that all merits and all other meanes whatsoever to which men are wont to bind attribute their salvation might be wiped out of the number of the causes of salvation that the goodnes of God alone might only be acknowledged honored for the sole cause of our salvation Ephes 1â— So Paul manifestly and in expresse words affirmeth that we were chosen in Christ before the foundations of the world were laid 2. Tim. 1.9 that God hath called vs with an holy calling not according to our works but according to his purpose grace which was given vs in Christ Iesus before the world began By these the like testimonies of scripture are taught that Gods Decree touching our Salvation is no new nor sudden thing but eternall and without any beginning And that God is the onely cause of our Salvation and that he had no regard of our merites or worthinesse because there were none at all for as yet wee our selves were not created As often as there is mention made in the Scriptures of the causes of Salvation wee are called vnto this eternall Election as to the fountayne of Salvation and that for sundry causes These are the especiall causes why God in the matter of our Salvation reduceth vs to his eternall Counsell First that we might know that there is no change in God for if after Sinne committed he had be thought himselfe of compassion towards vs and had taken no care for it before hee might surely seeme changeable as he that willed and appoynted one thing before sinne and another thing after sinne But seeing that God from everlasting hath decreed and ordained Salvation for vs long before sinne was committed hereby is prooved manifestly the setled vnchangeablenesse and continuall constancy of his
Will Therefore the everlasting good pleasure of God is the onely vnmooveable ground of our Salvation so that our Salvation is subiect and in danger to none of the devices of Sathan to no troubles of the world nor to no waverings of the flesh because it hath a most strong foundation vpon Gods everlasting Decree Secondly this circumstance of eternall time hath prevented the entrance of Sathans temptations For if God should have taken the first care of our Salvation after the Fall of man was committed and had not thought of it before then surely this Will of God might seeme to have a beginning And Sathan might thereby take occasion maliciously to alledge against God and to perswade vs that the Will of God concerning our Salvation is not certayne and constant because that as it had a beginning so it might likewise have an ende and wee being prone vnto all diffidence might quickly have thought it had beene so and by this meanes might have beene in doubt of our Salvation Therefore God by his provident goodnesse hath timely prevented these temptations and sleights of Sathan and hath found out an excellent remedy for our diffidence teaching vs that his Decree for our Salvation is no sudden thing nor limitted within the listes of momentany time but eternall and vnchangeable So our fayth is then builded and grounded vpon a strong and vnmooveable foundation when we heare and know that our Salvation was ordayned and appointed of God from everlasting Lastly this Note of eternall Time is profitable for this purpose namely to withdraw and reclaime vs as well from all regard or respect of our owne merits and worthinesse as also from the opinion of the intercession of other men for vs. For God did know that the divellish opinions of our owne satisfaction and merit would often times steale vpon vs so that wee should thinke that there is some goodnesse in vs by which we should be gratious and acceptable before God For man doth not willingly humble and cast himselfe downe thus farre as to attribute all the prayse of his Salvation vnto the Grace of God only These things and the like the holy Scripture doth prevent and dispell shewing that God hath elected vs from everlasting before we were and hath given vs Salvation in Christ and so doth condemne vs of foolishnes and vngodlinesse if wee now created would get or deserve our Salvation by any other meanes For such is the vntowardnesse and blindnesse of mans disposition because that wretched men are so bewitched of Sathan by sinne that when there is any speech of Salvation and everlasting Felicitie they would gladly beginne from themselves Hence they frame to themselves divers preparations by which they strive to prevent and deserve the favour of God But by what meanes I pray you can they deserve any thing which are not at all And what good works or merits of theirs could there be before the world was made and before their owne Creation Therefore the eternall Election of God doth every where throughout the whole Scripture proove that this Mercy is the free gift of GOD and that hee for his owne sake onely was mooved to elect vs. So that this eternall Election doth not onely set farre aside all respect of mans worthinesse but also throweth man downe even to Hell together with all his merites if hee should bee dealte withall according to his owne desertes and Gods iust iudgement Here therefore is set downe a continuall contrariety and opposition betweene mans merite and worthinesse and Gods eternall Election yea such and so great an opposition that the affirming of the one is the manifest deniall of the other Looke how much therefore the Scripture attributeth to Gods Election 2. Tim. 2.9 so much it detracteth from mans worthinesse For this cause the holy Scripture hath set that eternall Election and mans worthinesse as two things extreamely contrary one to an other teaching vs that a man may sooner and easier wring oyle out of a Flint stone or strike fire out of the middest of the Ocean then that God should finde any thing in mans Nature worthy of his Election They therefore which seeke for Salvation or the least parte thereof without the eternall Election of GOD they doe not onely seeke Life in death and Salvation in the middest of condemnation but also they seeke God without GOD and by such seeking shall finde nothing else but hell fire and eternall punishment because that one and the selfe same thing cannot proceede from divers causes For God onely is good and so good that hee can finde no good elsewhere at any time or in any place but onely in himselfe and contrariwise mans Nature is so wicked and depraved that out of it can proceede nothing but wicked deedes and vngodly practises But of this hereafter wee will speake more largely It is therefore the vndeserved and altogether the free goodnesse of God in that hee from everlasting ordained and appointed eternall Salvation for vs when wee were not as then created And therefore of so good and bountifull a God who would not hope well Moreover seeing God hath elected vs to Salvation and Life everlasting hence it manifestly appeareth that none could bee our Intercessour to God for vs. Because then there was no man beside God onely and alone which was the whole cause of our Election Hence likewise as out of a most cleare Glasse we may see what care God hath of our Salvation because that from everlasting he did so providently prevent and turne away all the hindrances of our Salvation So the incredible and more then fatherly goodnesse of God is chiefely made knowne in this namely that he was carefull for our Salvation before we were And let these thinges suffice to bee briefely compiled concerning the first Proprietie of Election The second Proprietie of Election is that Election is an high and hidden Decree not onely because God from all eternitie before the foundation of the world before any thing was created did fore-ordaine and appoynt it with himselfe but also in respect of those things which are contayned and ordayned in that eternall decree which are so deepe and hidden in the meaning and vnderstanding of them that they doe not onely farre out-strippe mans capacity but also doe as farre exceed the vnderstanding of the Angelles themselves as the highest Heaven is distant from the lowest earth For the manner of redeeming and saving of Mankinde is so deepe and secret that the very Angels themselves cannot surmise the least of it much lesse consider and determine of it For this cause it is often called in the Scripture the Mysterie that is hidden in God Ephes 3 9. Col. 1.26 because it is manifest and knowne vnto God onely and because no Creature can know it but by Revelation And so it is called by Paul to the Romans Cap. 16.25 the secret Mysterie that is vnknowne to the Creatures In this great and secret Consultation the Sonne
say he ordayned Christ from everlasting to bee the Mediator for the Salvation of the world that he might reconcile God vnto the worlde by the Sacrifice of his death Here beholde and admire the inestimable Mercie of God in that hee had rather his owne Sonne should die then that all Mankinde should perish Here agayne beholde and reverently embrace the incomprehensible goodnesse and mercy of the Sonne of God towardes wretched man in that hee accounted the Salvation of Mankinde more precious then his owne life Christ himselfe having respect to this sayth in Saint Iohn Iohn 3.16 So GOD loved the Worlde that he sent his onely begotten Sonne that by him hee might restore and bestow vpon Mankinde Life that was lost and Salvation that was past hope Therefore this provident Wisedome of God was wonderfully necessary for Mankinde and very profitable yea and in such sort that without it all Mankinde had perished So that the Wisedome of God is to be adored and reverenced of vs and ought continually to bee the onely rule and measure of our wisedome and that so as that all other wisedome without it should be base and of no value and be no more regarded then meere folly and foolishnesse it selfe And for as much as God of his infinite Wisedom found a meanes to deliver vs from such a bottomlesse depth of miserie hence should the Godly entertayne and conceyve great hope in all their adversities For seeing hee hath found out a most wise meanes and way out of so deepe and intricate a mischiefe out of which the wisedome of men nor Angelles could give no direction how to escape therefore surely hee can very easily deliver vs from any dangers of this life how great soever they bee for in his hand are many and incredible meanes of delivery So that where there is no counsell nor meanes of delivery with man there is there a certaine issue and ready way with God Therefore in these dangers which threaten assured death presently and savour of nothing else but of the open grave and vn-avoydable destruction in these GOD most wise hath many meanes of helpe and deliverance from them For it is an easie thing with him to make an issue where there is none sooner then in the twinkling of an eye if it bee his pleasure This then is our onely hope and strong consolation in our extreame temptations and troubles that wee have God for our Helper and Deliverer which in the middest of death can stretch forth his handes and restore vs to life and hath many more meanes to helpe vs then there are Creatures in the whole vniversall worlde And thus farre of the thirde Proprietie of Election The free and vndeserved Mercy of God is the true cause of Election and that is greater by many degrees then that the greatest Sinner can or ought rightly to doubt of it though never so little much lesse despaire of it CHAP. XI THe fourth Proprietie is that Gods Election is altogether a mercifull free and voluntary Decree that is to say that God had no other reason to induce him to choose miserable man but onely his owne meere mercie and favourable good-will as is aforesayde in the causes of Predestination This Mercy of God is not any affection in God which beginneth of a sudden sometimes and sometimes endeth of a sudden neyther is it any Passion which sometime increaseth and sometime decreaseth for if there were any such succeeding change in God God should in no wise be God but it is an eternal and a most ready good Will to do good vnto miserable men Therefore this eternal good Wil in God himselfe is the onely and sole cause why he elected miserable man to the attainement of Salvation Aske nowe what is the reason that he hath receyved this or that man into favour and hath pardoned his sinnes and remitted the punishment and there can no other cause bee rendred but even Gods vndeserved Mercy And hee is sayde to be mercifull to him whom he vouchsafeth his favour and grace such a favourable and gratious affection of his good Will to speake after the manner of men is called Mercy which in God is nothing else but an eternall and gratious purpose to have mercy on those on whom hee will have mercy that is to say to give them freedome from their misery This is alwayes one and the selfe same in God which never altereth but standeth and abideth continually in one state and degree For the names of these affections that are given vnto God from the Passions that are in man doe not set forth any Passion or Change in God but paynt out vnto vs his vnspeakeable liking or hatred of those thinges which then are in hand So this Mercy of God is no new or sudden motion and affection in God but his eternall and vnchangeable Proprietie which as it is once such it is alwayes without which God cannot be God As often therefore as any man thinketh of God let him remember his vnspeakeable goodnesse and readinesse to helpe which can in no meanes be separated nor dis-ioyned from God But many times those things that are proper vnto man are attributed vnto him because his Properties cannot be comprehended of man and therefore they are shadowed forth vnto man by the properties of man as it were through a Lattice and so are made knowne vnto him So God doth after a sort represent vnto vs as in a Glasse his spiritual and heavenly Mysteries and hidden Decrees by the speech or affections of man And thus God for his vnspeakeable Loves sake toward Mankinde doth not thinke much to descend from his greatnesse and from the Throane of his Maiestie and debase himselfe so lowe as to apply himselfe to the capacity of a rude and frayle man And from hence is seene better then in any Glasse how great care God taketh for the Salvation of Mankind This Mercie is that most speciall goodnesse of God which is not bounded and restrayned within the limites of this life but stretcheth and reacheth vnto all Eternity so that it bringeth with it everlasting Life and eternall Salvation and contayneth and includeth those onely which are elected from everlasting and those that shall be blessed for evermore This differeth very much from the generall Mercy of God by which hee cherisheth and maintayneth all living Creatures for it is one thing to have a care over all living Creatures to provide thinges necessary for them and mercifully to guide and governe them So that although God in his Fatherly care doth not forsake even the bruite beastes but careth for each of them yet more especially God declareth his goodnesse in Mankinde For he doth good not onely to the righteous and godly but also to the vniust and vnthankefull For hee maketh the Sunne to rise vpon the good and the badde Mat. 5.45 Luke 6.23 sayth Christ in Matthew and in Luke Such benefites of God are temporall and common to the Godly and to the
Salvation is in the almighty hand of God and hath her abiding-place in his vnchangeable counsell and is reserved by God for man Therefore how can a faithfull man more certainely comfort and refresh himselfe then by this meanes namely by considering that God the only fountaine of all grace and mercy hath chosen him before he was and hath so loved him Rom. 8.32 Iohn 3.16 that he spared not to bestow his onely be gotten sonne for his life and salvation that he might deliver miserable and wretched man from all sinne and from the power of Sathan and bring him into life eternall Doth not God by this inestimable benefite shew that he loveth the salvation of mankinde better then his owne Sonne seeing that he had rather that his Sonne should suffer and dye then that man should be condemned and perish for ever How can a man more effectually and more strongly comfort himselfe then with this meditation that the Sonne of God would suffer and endure the paynes and torments of hell in soule as well as in body for the redemption of man Did not the sonne of God thereby shew that he accounted the salvation of mankinde more precious then his owne life whilest he had rather to dye for miserable man then that he should dye everlastingly How can a man more strongly rayse himselfe vp in hope then by this meanes that he is beloved of God with that love wherewith his onely begotten Sonne is beloved Iohn 17.23.26 and that the Sonne of God doth love and esteeme him no lesse then his owne members and his owne bowels How can a man more truly reioyce with true ioy Math. 25.40 then by this assured and infallible meditation that God by the merites of Christ is reconciled vnto him and made farre more gratious and mercifull vnto him then if he had never offended and sinned against God and that God doth more willingly and more lovingly bestowe salvation vpon man then man can desire it for this is the admirable goodnes of God that he vouchsafeth to convert his enemy vnto him and of rebellious to make him loyall By this meanes he playnely declareth that hee taketh more care for mans salvation then man doth for himselfe How can a man be better comforted then by this most certayne hope that his salvation is certayne and sure and that salvation can no more fall from him then he can fall from Christ Certaynely whome Christ hath redeemed with his bloud and whom God hath taken to mercy who shall hurt or condemne except first he make the death of Christ of none effect and first vanquish and overcome God himselfe but neyther the whole world nor the gates of hell shall never be able to doe this Therefore the salvation of the beleever is as firme and as sure as the omnipotent nature of God is eternall and invincible Lastly a faithfull man may worthily triumph with incredible ioy and gladnes that all his sinnes are forgiven and pardoned vnto him even for and by the onely sacrifice and merit of Christ so that not the least signe of them remayneth nor appeareth For Christ hath satisfyed for them by his death hee hath payd the vttermost farthing and by his bloud hath cancelled the hand-writing that was against vs beeing fastned to his Crosse Therefore seeing that Christ hath payd the whole price of our redemption and hath susteyned Gods anger against sinne and taken it away for ever I know not anything whereby a faithfull man may more confirme himselfe and adde more perfect peace and rest vnto his conscience then by this Seeing therefore that Gods iustice is satisfyed the everlasting throane of his mercy is so erected that it worketh effectually for the salvation of mankinde and doth mightily shew and declare the strength thereof against the power of Sathan and the rage of the whole world and that so that all the power of hell or any other dangers be they never so great shall in no wise be able to hinder or annihilate the salvation of man For God with his almighty hand doth so governe all things that they be not onely not hurtfull and noysome vnto man but on the contrary Rom. 8.28 shall tend to the good and salvation of him So that ranke and deadly poyson shall become wholesome phisick vnto him and the greatest dangers of this life shall become as spirituall Chariots to carry him into heaven For God is Almighty therefore it is easy for him to doe it hee is a mercifull and a most loving father therefore he will not thinke much to doe it So that everlasting felicity and incomparable glory shall ensue and follow after the miseries and the dangers which the godly do endure in this life Therefore the godly beleevers have wherewith to comfort themselves most certaynely and whereof to reioyce in that they are the sonnes of God Ephe. 2.19 and the brethren of Christ and heyres of the kingdome of heaven They have also cause to prayse and glorify God and his sonne Christ to prayse God I say for his so great love towards them in that by his eternall love he did chuse them vnto everlasting salvation and to prayse and glorify Christ for so great a benefit in that by his most pretious bloud he redeemed vs from the anger of God from eternall death and from the slavery of the Devill so that they shall be saved and redeemed for ever and so may as certaynely reioyce of their salvation and of eternall life as Christ himselfe who hath taken their burthen vpon him and payd theyr debt Farre therefore be from a Christian mans heart all troublesome doubts concerning his election and salvation because those doubts have a distrustfull nature and Sathan himselfe for theyr author which can do nothing else but lye and deceive Yea much rather let every Christian man with a stedfast faith beleeve that he is elected vnto salvation from everlasting and that he shall be blessed for ever in the world to come For that faith and perswasion hath God and his holy spirit for an author who can promise nothing but truth and will fulfill and perfourme their promises because they cannot lye For this is the highest step and the surest stay of a Christian mans faith to believe that God is mercifull vnto him and well pleased in his Sonne Christ This is a great glory vnto God then which man cannot give him a greater firmely to believe that he is elected by God through Christ vnto salvation This faith is the certayne salvation of Christians this hope is the highest glory of the elect and their everlasting triumph that they are elected of God and redeemed by Christ and so elected and redeemed as that they shall remayne so for ever in despight of the whole world and the kingdome of Sathan and that they neede no more to feare the danger of falling away and perishing then that God will cease to be God and Christ be of none effect Heere is
lifteth vp such as bee downe but hee which thinketh there is any goodnesse in himselfe striveth agaynst humblenesse of minde and is an enemy vnto the grace of God and is a secret adversary against God and prowdly set against his owne Salvation But Predestination bringeth down a man that it may lift him vp agayne by the grace of God For the least thought of the least goodnesse in man is repugnant against the grace of God Therefore this must first be taken away and driven out that the grace of God may take place Furthermore the Decree of Election is necessary for vs to know for this cause also because that it edifieth and buildeth vp our fayth strongly and surely and maketh vs most certayne that Salvation cannot fayle vs. For there is no better nor fitter meanes for the building vp of our fayth then free Election which doth consist in the eternall and vnchangeable Decree and good pleasure of God so that Salvation which dependeth thereupon cannot be intercepted or taken from vs by any creatures For therefore Salvation is certayne vnmooveable because it is grounded vpon the Counsell of God and is reserved and kept vntouched agaynst all the assaultes and subtilties of Sathan Heere therefore wee ought to know that Salvation proceedeth from two distinct causes First it floweth from the love of God as from an heavenly fountayne and then it is purchased by the blood and merites of Christ Christ ioyneth both these causes together saying God so loved the world Ioh. 3.16 that hee gave his onely begotten Sonne that all which beleeved in him should not perish but have everlasting life Vpon this therefore is our whole Salvation and the vnfallible hope and safety thereof settled and grounded in that God the most Mighty hath given vs vnto his Sonne as his owne proper goods and doth iustifie vs in him and doth not suffer vs beeing iustified Ioh. 10.29 to bee taken out of his hand Hence is the Salvation of the Faythfull stedfast and sure Therefore this doctrine of Election seeing it is the onely gate vnto righteousnes the onely way vnto God and the onely entrance into heaven it is not as some falsely thinke the occasion of desperation the breake-necke of Salvation and as it pleaseth some the deepe pit of perdition neyther is it a subtill and dangerous speculation as others report which tyreth mens minds without any fruite and beguileth and deceyveth them with vayne words but it is a sound and profitable doctrine which tendeth vnto godlinesse and to a serious feare of God and chiefely it is profitable to represse and keepe vnder the pride and arrogancy of man For what thing can more ravish vs with the love and admiration of Gods exceeding great goodnesse towardes vs then Gods free and more then fatherly Election in that of his aboundant grace and mercy he hath appoynted certayne Salvation for vs before we were and stayed not so long till wee came vnto him and desired Salvation of him Was it not a mercie above all mercies in that hee ordayned Salvation for vs which beleeve in Christ and embrace his Gospel before he had created vs Was not this also a singular and inestimable mercie above all mercies in that he hath elected vs in Christ and adopted vs for sonnes which were in our selves altogether wretched and vnworthy and deserved rather to be condemned then to bee saved was it not an honour above all honours in that of the children of wrath hee made vs the children of God and the brethren of Christ Is not this noblenesse above all nobility and dignity above all dignity to have God for our Father to have Christ for our brother and to heare his Church as our mother and to be a true and lively member thereof This doctrine of Election is not onely the chiefe part of the Gospel but also the foundation of the Gospel and the issue and chiefe poynt of our Salvation For Augustine of the Predestination of Saintes Cap. 15. doth expressely teach that Christ himselfe was predestinate that he should be our Head and Redeemer and we were predestinate that we should be his members So that seeing Christ is the chiefe and singular light of Predestination and the same is the Head and Foundation of the whole Gospel Therefore the whole Gospel doth flow and depend from nothing else but from Predestination together with Christ For the whole worke of the Gospel is in this one thing and there it is called Gospel that is ioyfull tidings because it witnesseth vnto men that theyr sinnes are forgiven and pardoned through the death of Christ without any respect had vnto theyr workes that so they might be freely iustified and absolved and delivered from theyr sinnes in the iudgement of God And this iustification proceedeth from Predestination as from the first fountayne of Salvation as Paul in this his chaine doth expressely teach saying that those onely are iustified which are predestinate before of God Therefore free iustification cannot bee helde and maintayned except free predestination be first granted and defended Wherefore seeing that Predestination is the cause and originall of iustification it is in no wise to be concealed or suppressed but ought publikely and openly to be published and preached freely without restraint throughout the whole worlde that this exceeding and infinite goodnesse of God towards men might be made manifest and knowne vnto them that they might learne to distrust themselves and to put their confidence in God that they might seeke for Salvation and finde it not in themselves nor by theyr owne merits but in God and from his goodnesse The Sonne of God himselfe and his holy Apostles and also the Prophets haue taught and stood vpon this doctrine publikely in the whole assembly of the Church The Scripture of both the Testaments is full of this mattter especially the Gospel of saint Iohn is as a cleare glasse wherein Predestination is represented and published abroad For there is no Chapter in that Booke where there is not mention of Predestination eyther in expresse words or in the sence and meaning of it And although there have beene alwayes some from the beginning of the Gospel which perswaded by the allurements and wisedome of the flesh have thought that the doctrine of Predestination should not be openly taught and published abroad because they feared that it would be the occasion and mistresse of desperation or of a dissolute life yet they are in no sort to be beleeved nor followed For the causes which they alledge although at the first sight they may seeme to have some colour or weight yet indeed they do but cast a miste before our eyes and are of no importance For the danger which they feare is vayne and almost none at all For Predestination is the true cause the absolute matter of our greatest hope and sweetest consolation 1. Pet. 1.20 in that God our heavenly Father from eternity hath ordayned his onely begotten Sonne
hope well yea very well concerning the infinite and free goodnesse of God and to awayt the time of theyr vocation and calling and to attend vpon God for his workes both present and to come vntill hee reveale his iudgement and counsell by his calling of them especially seeing that hee calleth and saveth his children oftentimes in the latter time of theyr life and in the very agony of death at the last gaspe So that although at this day they neyther see nor feele in themselves any tokens of Gods love yet by Gods good gift they may see and feele them to morrow For although the Sunne shine not in the night time it doth not follow that it shall never shine nor shew it selfe more but after a while the Sonne will rise and disperse his light and his beames all about farre and wide So likewise although men be vnbeleeving to day yet to morrow they may obtayne fayth by the goodnesse of God Ezech. 36.26 and become sound beleevers God hath promised that he will give vs fayth Therefore we must pray vnto him and patiently awayt the time of the giving of fayth for he wil deny vs nothing beeing asked earnestly and heartily Therefore it becommethall men as long as they live here not to despayre but to have their hope in God theyr most mercifull Father for so great abundance of the grace of God is shedde abroad through Christ that it is not onely equall vnto sinne to doubt thereof but goeth beyond it infinitely Therefore by how much the more men are guilty of these or any other sinnes by so much the more is the grace of God made glorious in theyr Salvition and Redemption For these are the wordes of God which cannot lie nor deceyve which the Apostle pronounceth playnely from the mouth of God saying Where sinne aboundeth there grace doth much more abound Rom. 5.20 By these things thus spoken it is vndoubtedly true that the doctrine and preaching of Predestination is neyther the cause of desperation nor the occasion of a dissolute life but where that is not taught and diligently vrged amongst men there they runne out and let loose the raynes to all vncleanenesse and runne headlong into the lust of committing wickednesse so that not onely a window but even a great Gate is left wide open for them vnto all manner of iniquitie For where the doctrine of Predestination is not vrged and publikely preached vnto men there men cannot come vnto the sure and saving knowledge of theyr Salvation but being stil vncertayne and doubtfull of it Ephes 4.14 are carried about hither and thither and waver like a reede vntill at the last they fall out of this troublesome distrust and continuall feare and runne headlong into desperation and deepe pitte of darkenesse They therefore which suppose that the doctrine and preaching of Predestination is vnprofitable and do refuse it or do prohibite and suppresse it as dangerous do endevour vtterly to take away and overthrowe the whole ground worke of mans Salvation and doe imagine for mankinde nothing else but certayne downe-fall and everlasting destruction For they themselves shunne it as they would a rocke and shut vp the entrance into it from others and so do iniury vnto men and diminish Gods glory For the glory of God is there most diminished whereas men are seduced by false opinions so that they cannot come to the true knowledge of God and the proper cause of their owne Salvation but such doe leade men away from the true cause of theyr Salvation and bring them to a false and erroneous cause 2. Thes 2.13 For Salvation floweth and proceedeth from no cause else but even from the free mercy and favour of God Therefore the Scripture doth often reduce vs to Election as to the onely true originall of our Salvation shewing thereby that Salvation proceedeth not else-where but from the eternall Election and free mercy of God Farre therefore be from vs these fanaticall spirits which with a prowd looke and face of brasse doe reiect and spurne at this most wholesome doctrine of Predestination For of that which they thinke they know best they are most ignorant and when as in theyr owne carnall senses they would seeme most wise and most godly then are they of all other most vayne and most prophane But thou O man which art but a vayne and fading shadow why dost thou with thy impure lippes and malicious tongue reproch or vilifie the wholesome trueth of God and layest it open to the common contempt and scorne of the disordered common people Wilt thou bee wiser then God in that thou art not content with that means of attayning salvation which God from everlasting hath appoynted and ordayned before thou wert Wilt thou have God which created thee subiect vnto thee Wilt thou aske him the reasons of his counsell Acknowledge and bewayle thine owne wickednesse and vncleannesse and heartily detest and abhorre those workes fore-seene together with thine vntowardnesse and pollution and humbly fly vnto beseech the infinite free mercy of God that he taking pitie vpon thee would vouchsafe in and through his Sonne to receyve thee into his favour and to save thee otherwise thou and thy workes fore-seene which are odious vnto God must needes perish everlastingly What art thou that forbiddest that to be taught which God will have to be published and preached all about Thinkest thou that he is foolish or ill advised that hitherto he knoweth not what ought to be taught and what ought not to be taught that thou art become his master to prescribe a rule how to ordaine things what to teach as though hee knewe not what ought to bee done except thou shouldest instruct and teach him as if he were rude and vnskilfull Ought the Creator come to learne of thee being an vncleane creature what is meete to be preached abroad Tell me I pray thee where is thy face and conscience where is that feare and honour which the creature ought to give the Creator Surely it is not in thee for then thou wouldest submit thy selfe to God and to his wisedome with all humblenesse of minde and wouldest with due reverence give deserved thanks vnto him for this so merciful Decree of his But it is no marvell that thou iudgest so rashly and wickedly of Predestination and the doctrine thereof seeing that thou presumest to search and find out that Decree of God without the helpe of his word by thine owne madde and distracted speculations And therefore most fitly hath Austine spoken of thee Epist 105. and of such that are like thy selfe Let him that can search this deepe and hidden mystery and prie into this great depth but let him take heed hee fall not into it There the holy man speaketh of those which when they dispute or speake of Gods Predestination doe straggle beyond the compasse and bounds of Gods worde and follow theyr owne speculations and fantasies But thou if thou be wise
vnto Sathan partly to their own concupiscēces and desires So that they follow not so much the swinge of their owne corrupt nature as the perswasion and temptation of the Devill by which they are carryed hedlong into all filthines and lust of sinne 2. Tim. 3.13 Apoc. 22.11 and are so besotted with the custome of sinning that being blinded with it they wax dayly worse and worse This hardening and delight in sinne is opposed as contrary vnto true faith and saving repentance and this inborne corruption is with actuall sinnes as it were with fewell augmented and increased Therefore the wicked being left to the corruption of their nature and hardned by the enticements of sinne can do nothing else but sinne So that these are those vessels which Saint Paule to Timothy sayth 2. Epist 2.20 were made and appoynted to shame and dishonour So the reprobates by filthy and odious meanes are brought to everlasting shame and dishonour For for the most part the ends are iudged of by the meanes and the meanes by the ends Therefore although the reprobates do commit sinne the affection and indevor of their whole nature tending hastily vnto evill yet notwithstanding by sinning freely and of their owne accord they do accomplish those things which God will have done by them that by them they might iustly be condemned according to Gods purpose from everlasting For in their open misdemeanures God executeth his hidden and secret iudgements as in all the actions of each man els So that those sinnes which the wicked commit are the secondary causes by which they discend as by certayne steps into everlasting perdition Therefore the reprobates although from everlasting they be ordeined vnto damnation yet they cannot iustly murmur against God nor excuse or defend themselves because they themselves are the cause of their owne damnation therefore they are forced to acknowledge their owne guiltines whether they will or no and that the iudgement of their condemnation is iust But God is not therefore the author and causer of their perversenes because that he doth not correct them and amend them For before that they be forsaken and hardned by God in their wickednes the roote welspring of their corruption abideth and sticketh fast within themselves and in their owne nature which they procured vnto themselves by their wilfull falling away from God in the loynes of Adam But it is Sathan which doth excite and stirre vp in them evill thoughts and wicked desires and doth hurry them and incense them as his owne bond-slaves at his pleasure into all manner of wickednes whatsoever and doth take from them all sence and feeling of their misery that they might consume and perish in it Hence is it that they contemne and scoffe at the iudgements of God against sinne and extenuate their sinnes as much as they can So that it is no mervayle though they perish in their evils because they know not the causes of their evill neyther feele nor consider with themselves the greatnes of them yea they are so farre off from seeking to the phisition for remedy against it as that they refuse it being offered Moreover the reprobates by their free and voluntary will which is the onely cause and originall of all actuall sinnes do choose the things that are evill and pursue them with a most eger desire and so are carryed from sinne into sinne and dayly even to theyr dying day do adde and heape sinne vpon sinne vntill they fall into everlasting destrucction vnto the which by such meanes they were ordeyned By these things it most evidently appeareth that the cause of sinne ought not be layd vpon God but to be acknowledged in them which have offended And although God for a while do seeme to winke with his eyes as it were closed vp at their great and detestable wickednes yet that temporall forbearing of their wickednes is not the forgiving and pardoning them for ever but God for his infinite goodnes sake doth favour them many times in this life and dealeth gently with them Rom. 2.4 that so he might allure them vnto repentance but they for the hardnes of their hearts come not vnto this vndeserved mercy therefore he commeth vnto them at the length with deserved punishment These sinnes and evill deedes which the reprobates commit do necessarily follow their reprobation but they are not the causes of it But the reprobates do bring forth them of themselves and are properly the cause of them and that in time when as they were reprobated of God before time therefore their condemnation is properly the wages of their sinnes and the peculiar fruite of their evill deed So the wicked themselves are the first true cause of their own destruction but God is a iust iudge which taketh from them nothing which was theirs but rewardeth payeth vnto thē that which they by their enterprises actions have deserved Therefore when he condemneth them he doth them no iniury but doth make and pronounce vpon them the sentence of their deserved condemnation even for their owne facts Math. 25.43.44 So that such reward shall be rendred them before the iudgement seate of Christ as their labour hath beene heere and such wages shall be payd them there as their deserts have beene heere So two beinnings or causes do go before the condemnation of the wicked to wit the iust decree of God and their owne corruption and impiety Gods decree is the cause farthest removed which hath iustly ordeyned and wisely disposed this their condemnation their owne corruption is the neerest cause which is still in operation and by that operation deserveth condemnation Moreover as often as two causes do concurre to one effect then the effect taketh his nature and name of the neerer cause Therefore the iudgement of the effect ought to proceede and be taken from that Now where there is stiffe-necked incredulity and a wicked life seene replenished and overwhelmed with sundry sinnes and iniquities continually as long as life doth last there do the tokens of reprobation appeare Yet notwithstanding sometimes some are converted vnto God at the last gaspe of death and attayne salvation which through their whole life long have lived dishonestly leawdly in such God doth manifest his incredible mercy and doth indeede shew more cleerely then the Sunne at mid-day that life eternall is by all meanes his owne meere gift and benefite So that God teacheth vs in them that we should hope well of every one as long as they live heere but to denounce the sentence of damnation vpon this or that man for such or such misdeedes is a thing very rash and much dissonant from charity The horrible damnation of the reprobate by the wise and mercifull providence of God turneth vnto the good of the Elect and therefore ought publikely to be preached although some restlesse bust-bodies rage and storme thereat CHAP. 20. THis most iust and horrible condemnation of the wicked maketh for the best
mercy of God and might so much the more strongly be confirmed Secondly the Election might be so much the more made knowne and manifest For contraries being set one against an other and compared together are made the more apparant and familiar vnto vs as also that men may knowe that this world is so governed by the providence of God that nothing else can happen vnto men but that which was fore-ordayned and appointed for them by God before the world was made Lastly this doctrine is to be vrged that the Elect might so much the more carefully eschew and avoyd sinne and exercise themselves in all the study of godlinesse and also that the reprobates may knowe what and what manner of things shall fall to theyr share and what they have deserved by theyr sinnes and wickednesse So that this doctrine is very profitable and necessary on both sides Therefore it ought dayly and diligently to be propounded and preached both to the godly and to the wicked Therefore let all religious and godly Ministers of the word of God apply themselves to this namely to preach this Decree of God publikely in the Church as the Scripture commandeth and let them not esteeme nor care for the Popes censures and curses which are like lightning breaking forth without any naturall cause appearing and not to be feared But the Papists with theyr conventicles cry out that this is an horrible opinion and not to be tollerated in the Church and this they do very craftily For they see that by this doctrine that fable which they have dispersed concerning free will and many other trifles which they chaunt out in theyr Synagogues with bigge words and lofty sentences will altogether vanish and fall to the ground Therefore they goe about to wound and stabbe the doctrine of the Apostles and of Christ concerning reprobation through the sides of the Ministers Others pretend a shadow of desperation and that this doctrine should not be preached lest men should bee cast downe and fall into desperation This danger is not so much to be feared but that the Ministers may pronounce all those things which God hath revealed in his holy word I doe confesse indeed that they must speake wisely of reprobation vnto the people and I thinke also that a wary Caveate should be vsed in the preaching thereof lest a good cause and a profitable doctrine by evill dealing and preposterous handling should be spoyled and made vnprofitable And yet so that nothing which the holy Ghost hath delivered in the Scripture concerning that matter should bee omitted by silence Let the whole world goe to wracke rather then that any thing should be diminished from the trueth of God Let the Ministers therefore faythfully and diligently handle that doctrine and commit the event vnto God and let them know that the Papistes or others cannot nor ought not to forbid those things which God will have opened before the whole world For are they the masters and teachers of God that they ought to teach and prescribe vnto him what ought to be preached This Decree of Election and reprobation is so sure and certayne on both sides that none of the Elect can be reprobated and condemned nor any of the reprobates can bee elected and saved and it is shewed by sure testimonies of Scripture that there are more of the reprobates then of the Elect. CHAP. 21. TWelfthly this Decree of Predestination is a sure and certayne Decree because that with God there is a certayne and set number as well of the reprobate as of the Elect so that the number both of the one and of the other can neyther encrease nor bee diminished For the state and condition of the one and of the other is an vnchangeable order so that the reprobates cannot be elected and saved nor the Elect cannot bee reprobated and condemned Otherwise Gods Decree concerning the one and the other could not be constant and fayth it selfe wanting a sure ground-worke should bee wavering in continuall suspence and should no where have any certayne proppe whereon safely to relye and so should become rather an vnconstant and wavering opinion then a setled and steadfast fayth Therefore as his Fatherly good pleasure of Election is vnchangeable so also is his severe Decree of reprobation Mat. 25.46 So that the Elect shall goe forth into everlasting Life and ioy and the reprobates shall goe into everlasting death and torment Now the Scripture playnely teacheth that there is a certayne number of the Elect. Iohn 10.14 17. Christ himselfe in Saint Iohn expressely and plainely affirmeth that hee knoweth his sheepe that is his Elect and that none is able to take them out of his hand If Christ as he sayth knowe his Sheepe therefore every one by himselfe is knowne of him So that with him there is a certayne number of them for if the number of them were vncertayne he could not be able directly to know them For of a thing vncertaine none can have certayne knowledge So also Saint Paul sayth that the foundation of God standeth sure and hath this seale 2. Tim 2.19 The Lord knoweth them that are his God also hath numbred all the haires of the heads of his children how much more therefore doth he know how many are his Furthermore God knew all and every thing before they were created and nothing is able to escape or be hidde from his infinite Wisedome How therefore should he not discerne and know all his Elect chosen in generall and every one in particular whom he loveth and tendereth with singular care above all thinges Surely if hee should not knowe them every one in particular he could have no great care of them and so they should of necessity perish but they shall never perish therefore they are knowne of him and preserved vnto Salvation Moreover the Scripture manifestly teacheth that there is a set number of the reprobates Mat. 25.32 For Christ shall separate them from the Elect and condemne them in the last great iudgement of the whole world Therefore he knoweth severally and distinctly who they are otherwise hee could not separate them from the Elect vnlesse they were knowne to him by their particular persons severally every one by himselfe And further God which numbreth and knoweth the starres of the Skie the sand of the Sea and all things that are contayned in heaven and in earth from the least vnto the greatest and from the greatest vnto the least knoweth them also For he that knoweth greater and infinite things cannot bee ignorant of the lesser and finite things And for a man to thinke or say that there is not a set number of the Elect and Reprobate that were to deny God and to thinke that there is no God For there is nothing more agreeable or proper vnto God then to discerne and know all things in generall and every thing in particular farre more playnely and distinctly then wee can know those things that lie
be obtayned for vs but by the obedience of Christ his death Therefore sinne which is set as a wall betweene God and vs must first bee taken away For as long as sinne remaineth and is imputed vnto a man there is such and so great disagreement betweene God and man as that he shutteth vp from man all entrance vnto his grace So that the forgivenesse of sinnes without which nothing can fall out happily for any mortall man as it is alwayes the first and greatest benefite of God towards vs as concerning Salvation so alwayes by right it taketh and challengeth vnto it selfe the first place for of it all other the gifts of God doe depend For God doth not lively and savingly doe good and shew favour vnto any but to those whose sinnes he hath first pardoned and forgiven So that when they by the Fatherly compassion of God are taken away and wiped out then the spirit of sanctification commeth in place by the vertue and operation whereof miserable sinners are renewed vnto the patterne and study of godlinesse Therefore God doth first reconcile men vnto himselfe by the free remission of their sinnes Then doth he regenerate them by his spirite into righteousnesse and newnesse of life and calleth them to himselfe and draweth them to Christ Saint Augustine having respect vnto this sayd rightly Regeneration beginneth from the remission of all our sinnes with which saying that holy man would teach vs that God then worketh by his grace in man vnto righteousnesse and eternall life and is then truly and lively perceyved when a mans sinnes are pardoned By this it cleerely appeareth that free remission of sinnes is the first benefite that commeth vnto man in this world tending vnto eternall life They therefore which begin from any other benefite of God which concerneth Salvation are like vnto foolish Phisitians which are carefull onely to curesome griefe and little or nothing desirous at all to know and take away the cause of the disease For that is the sound curing of any disease which beginneth at the cause taketh that away So likewise that is a true deliverance indeed whenas God by the free remission of sinnes sheweth him selfe a good and mercifull father Therefore this remission of sinnes in respect of God goeth before our Calling for God doth not reconcile man vnto himselfe nor take him vnto mercy by any other meanes but by the free remission of sinnes But in respect of vs our Calling goeth before it for by it we beginne to knowe and vnderstand that wee are iustified For when wee are called then is the gate vnto righteousnesse opened vnto vs then is declared what is given vnto vs and what we are to looke for then also doe wee beholde the milde and mercifull countenance of God as in a cleere and chrystall glasse But that Iustification may the more playnely bee vnderstood and the more familiarly conceyved these five thinges ought to be marked and considered First what that word to Iustifie doth signifie and whence it is taken Secondly what true Iustification is and what is the cause thereof Thirdly what manner of thing Iustification is and what proprieties it hath Fourthly what good commeth vnto vs by it and how it may be knowne Fiftly who are they that are iustified and doe obtayne free remission of theyr sinnes To Iustifie in the Hebrew phrase is to acquite one and to pronounce him iust This is a politicall word and a terme of law which is very often and much vsed in civill governement As if an innocent man should bee accused of others as guilty and should stand before the iudgement seat of a iust Iudge there when iudgement shall be given and sentence pronounced according to his innocency then is that man sayd to be iustified before that Iudge Then this word of Iustifying is translated from a politike and civill order vnto spirituall matters and so in the vsuall manner of the Scripture to Iustifie is to forgive and pardon a man his sinne But before this be more largely vnfolded two phrases or fourmes of speach in Divinity are to be explaned for the vnderstanding sake of the more simple sort namely what it is to be iustified by works and what it is to be iustified by faith He is sayd to be iustified by works in whose life and manners there is thought to be so great integrity and holynes as that it may deserve the prayse and testimony of righteousnes before God So in this our time there is found that wicked sect of the Papists which attributeth so great integrity vnto it selfe as that in the perfection thereof it may fully answere and satisfie the iust iudgement of God How true this is Rom. 10. the day of the last and great iudgement of Christ shall declare But they which so establish their owne righteousenes do fall from the truth of the Gospell and lose the mercy of God But he is sayd to be iustified by faith which layeth aside all thought of his owne merits and doth apprehend and apply vnto himselfe the righteousenes of Christ purchased by his death with which being invested and clothed he appeareth in the sight of God not as a sinner but as iust Therefore in this article of iustification wee must pray for true faith and hope from God that wee may be able to renounce our owne merits and worthines and rest our selves vpon the mercy of God onely otherwise we shall never have entrance vnto true righteousenes which is of worth before God for the grace of God only is abundantly sufficient vnto righteousenes as Saint Barnard elsewhere speaketh most wisely and godly when as he sayth It is sufficient for me vnto all righteousenes to have him mercifull vnto me against whom onely I have offended Therefore he is sayd to be iustified before God in the phrase of the Gospel which in his iudgement is thought righteous and is accepted and approved of him for his righteousenes and is no more accounted of him as a sinner but as a righteous man and by that name standeth before his iudgement seate with an vndaunted conscience and ioyfull countenance For a miserable sinner being excluded from his owne righteousnes doth by faith apprehend the righteousnes of Christ that is to say righteousnes purchased by his death whilest that he applyeth the obedience of his death vnto himselfe with which being clothed as with his owne obedience he appeareth now in the sight of God not as a sinner but as a righteous man and being endued with the obedience of Christ his death he is much more gratious in the sight of God then if he had never sinned and had righteousnes of his owne gotten by the iust and perfect works of the law Heere therefore to iustifie is not of vnrighteous to make a man righteous which can be righteous indeede and have no sinne in him but it is to account and repute him for a righteous man which wanteth righteousnes in himselfe to acquite him from
iustification and salvation that without it God will not be mercifull and favourable no not to any one They therefore which do behold this victory of Christ with a true faith have wherewith they may fortifie themselves against the assaults of Sathan they have whereby they may set light by his sleights and subtilties they have wherein they may place their faith and hope in Christ alone and in his merit onely In this iustification howbeit we are iustified and acquitted of our sinnes by the onely merit of Christ yet there is no let but that the three holy and inseparable persons of the Trinity may have and execute their severall actions in it For the Father is therefore sayd to iustifie vs because that of his owne meere grace and free love 1. Pet. 1.20 Gal. 4.4 he hath from everlasting fore-appoynted his onely begotten Sonne to redeeme vs and sent him at the time appoynted The Sonne is therefore sayd to iustifie vs because that for his incomprehensible and vnspeakeable goodnes sake towards vs vouchsafing by the power of the holy ghost to take mans nature vpon him he was obediēt vnto his Father even vnto the death of the crosse Phil. 2. and so satisfied the iustice of God for vs and delivered vs from all the power of the Devill by making amends for our sinnes The Holy Ghost also is sayd to iustifie vs as farre forth as he doth beget in vs true and stedfast faith by which we may apprehend and apply vnto our selves the righteousenes that is purchased by the obedience of the death of Christ Therefore this free remission of sinnes is the onely very fourme of iustification by which iustification is that which it is and is distinguished from all other false and fained satisfactions and sacrifices of which sort the Papists doe invent many and offer them vnto God And the finall cause of iustification is the prayse and glory of Gods goodnes and the everlasting happines and excellent blessed estate of those which are thus iustified Now there was nothing else which moved God to iustifie vs but his owne love towards vs and the obedience of Christ and our misery But the instrumentall cause is a true and a lively faith laying hold on and applying to it selfe the obedience of Christ and righteousnes purchased thereby and relying with a good conscience vpon the sole mercy of God and the onely merit of Christ This iustification is then avayleable and acceptable vnto vs whenas every of vs doth stand as guilty before the heavenly iudge and being carefull of his acquitall doth of his owne accord humble and prostrate himselfe as vnworthy And this is profitably done when a man doth seriously weigh and consider with himselfe the perfection and severity of Gods iustice on the one side and the multitude and greatnes of his sinnes on the other side For by such a consideration hee is seriously humbled with the feeling of his misery and rightly prepared to desire and embrace the mercy of Christ So that by how much the more every of vs shall be severe in condemning himselfe by so much shall we finde God more mercifull and more easy to be intreated for then will a man be capable of the grace of God and benefite of Christ when hee shall knowe himselfe and his whole nature to bee full of vncleanenes and filthines and shall condemne it For he which iudgeth himselfe vnworthy of the grace of God as one sayth him doth God receyve into favour and maketh him worthy through Christ But they which swell and are filled with the opinion of their owne righteousnes and hunger not after the righteousnes of God they perish in their miseries and never come vnto true righteousenes Againe they which being hardned with the custome of sinning and drunken with the delight of their vices do extenuate their faults and securely despise the iudgement of God they shut vp from themselves the gate of mercy What manner of thing Iustification is where are set forth the three proprieties thereof namely that it is free perfect and everlasting and withall there is refuted the opinion of the Papists concerning the merit of works being contrary to the first propriety CHAP. 27. NOw we must lay open what manner of thing iustification is and the quality thereof consisteth especially in three things first that it is free for the remission of sinnes is not for any merits of man but it is a meere grace and an vndeserved mercy promised for Christ his sake alone For God findeth nothing in a man whom he iustifieth but an horrible sinke of sinne and extreame misery The scripture every where affirmeth that Christ only is the author of all grace and the whole hope of our salvation consisteth in the bloud of Christ alone Without the merit of Christ there can be no iustification for he alone hath deserved righteousenes for vs and having deserved it he giveth and imputeth it vnto vs. They therefore which desire to be righteous without the merit of Christ are altogether without God and prophane And they which dreame that they are iustified partly by grace and partly by merit are Pelagians or Papists the followers of their heresie but they which beleeve that they are iustified by the onely merit of Christ are true Christians These by beleeving and receiving the righteousnes of Christ purchased by his death as the righteousnes of an other are iustified indeede but they which by theyr workes and merits do affect theyr owne righteousnes shall never attayne vnto it The Papists therefore have forged a certaine kinde of merit which is weake of it selfe but when it is dipped in the bloud of Christ it is effectuall and forcible and so they say that a man is partly iustified by grace and partly by workes But this cannot be because that grace and merit are two manifest contraryes from which one and the selfe same thing cannot be brought forth For this is the nature and rule of contraryes that from contrary causes contrary effects proceede likewise Moreover wee are all debtors for wee are obliged and bound vnto God so that he may iustly challenge as his due whatsoever good thing can proceede or be perfourmed of vs. Now that which may be demaunded of vs as duty that can not merit But Christ sayth that what good thing soever we do or can do Luk. 17.10 all that how much soever it be is our duty wherefore there is no merit at all Agayne the cause of iustification to wit eternall election in Christ is free therefore likewise iustification it selfe must needes be free for there cannot be more in the effect then there is in the cause thereof Therefore the Papists whilest that they dreame of any merit in vs they do commit a manifest fallacy from that which is no cause as if it were a cause for they remove the merit of Christ which is the perfect and true cause of iustification and set in the roome thereof the merit