work and with Primatius God doth iustifie the vngodly but not by works which â—e wanteth For if he should iustifie him according to workes he must be punished and not deliuered The externall moâ—â—er then and meritorious efficient of our Iustification is Christ by his obedience For God made him to be sinne for vs who knew no sinne that â—e should be made the rightousnesse of God in him Wee are iustified through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus whom God hath set foorth to bee a reconciliation through faith in his blood Augustine saith Christ alone hath 〈…〉 the punishment for vs without his 〈◊〉 demerits that we might obtaine grace by him without good merits Christ saith Basill is true righteousnesse vvho is made vnto vs of God righteousnesse vvisdom sanctification and redemption As the 〈◊〉 couered the dike and the Decalogue so he couereth 〈◊〉 sinne and hee hides our bodies and soules from the furious indignation and vengeance of God Now the obedience of Christ is two-fold actiue and passiue The former stands in his perfite fulfilling of the Law the latter is contained in his passion both in life and death By the passion of Christ our sinnes are remitted Therefore Peter saâ—th that he bare our sinnes vpon the Crosse And Iohn likewise saith that he washed vâ— from our sinnes in his blood And long before them the Prophet Esay saith that he was vvounded for our transgressions and by his stripes we are healed Remission of sins saith Chrysostome is on the blood of Christ His death saith Amâ—â—ose is the iustification of sinners By it gods iustice is fully satisfied his wrath is appealed and â—ll punishments temporall and eternall deserued by sin are quite remoued By his fulfilling of the Law we are reputed and esteemed righteous For Christ is the end of the Law for righteousnes vnto euerie one that beleeueth â—e was made vnto vs of God righteousnes By the obedience of this one maniâ— shall be made righteous Lord saith Bernard I will remember thy righteousnes onely for that is also mine For thou art made vnto me righteousnes of God Now this his righteousnesse is not ours but his originally is made ours by Gods tree imputation It is imputed to vs by God accounted ours Christ being our Suretie and standing in our stead and so appropriated to vs as if we had performed it in our owne persons Bernard saith that the righteousnesse of Christ is imputed to vs. And againe the iustice of another is assigned vnto man because he wanted his owne The satisfaction of one is imputed vnto all And no maÌ„ must thinke it strange that the obedience of Christ could satisfie for the disobedience of all the Elect make them to bee reputed righteous with God For in that it was the obedience of God that is of that holy man who was true God it was of endlesse merit of inualuable value with the Lord. The perfection and merit of this obedience comes from the dignity of his person that did obey And though iustification bee through Christ yet God may bee sayed to iustify freely because it comes freely to vs wee doe nothing for it and because also it was his free loue which moued him to send his sonne to suffer for our sins and to fulfil the Law fully for vs. Neither must any man imagine that Christ did not fulfill the Law for vs but for himselfe onely and consequently that his actiue obedience is not imputed to vs. For Christ is not onely our redemption but he is also the perfection of the Lawe for vs that beleeue in him Whereupon it is that Ambrose saith He hath the perfection of the Law who beleeueth in Christ Moreouer Whole Christ is giuen vnto vs with his benefits Otherwise if his Passiue obedience were onely imputed to vs it would follow that haâ—fe Christ were onely giuen vs Patientem non Agentem to wit as he is a Patient and not an Agent or dooer of those things which are pleasing to his Father and auferentem peccatâ— onely as he takes away sin and death and not affâ—rentem iustitiam bringing righteousnes But he was not borne for himselfe but for vs and was giuen vnto vs that hee might both doe for vs the things that were to be done and suffer the things which were to be suffered Againe Christ as man fulfilled the Lawe for himselfe that hee might be in both natures an holy high Priest so continue Neuerthelesse as Mediatour God and Man hee became subiect to the Law and in this regard he did not fulfill tâ—â— Lawe for himselfe neither was he bound so to doe Neither must this seeme strange to any that the Law should both exact obedience and the penalty too For howsoeuer in the state of innocency the Law threatned the penaltie and onely exacted obedience yet since the fall it doth both exact obedience the punishment The threatning of the Law exacts the punishment the precepts exact obedience And albeit Christ hath kept the Law fully for vs yet none must from thence conclude that therefore we are not bound to keepe the Law â—hat saith one which Christ did we are not bound to doe for the same end and in the same maner Now he fulfilled the law in way of redemption and satisfaction for vs and so doe not we fulfill the Law but onely in the way of thankefulnesse for our redemption And though we be bound to obey the Lawe yet wee must not thinke that God will reiect our obedience for the weakenes of it as hee would haue reiected Christs if his had beene imperfect For he was our Mediatour and therefore his obedience was of necessitie to be most perfect or else Gods iustice had not been satisfied and so we had perished and besides all our imperfections and defects whatsoeuer are couered with his perfection as with a vaile and so our weake obedience is accepted and not contemned Finally for our comfort we must know that if we respect the Trueth of that righteousnes which is imputed to vs weare accounted as truly righteous before God as Christ himselfe is but if we regard the quantity and subiect Christ is more iust theÌ„ we Because he is originally and actually righteous but we by imputation he is subiectiuely iust and by inherency but we by application relation in him and vnto him And yet we must not therefore thinke our selues to be redeemers For his obedience is imputed to vs onely for our owne redemption and not as it is the price of redemption for all the Elect. As for example Christs righteousnes is imputed to Peter not as it is the price of redemption for All but as it is the price of redemption for Peter And so much for the efficient causes of our Iustification The matter of iustification according as are the parts thereof is twofold Remission of
some of them were before their calling notorious sinners committing â—orrible and transcendent enormities â—et now since their calling they were rashed and sanctified and so become new men And as concerning the Thessalonians he saith that the Gospel was not to them in word onely but also in power and much assurance and that they became followers of him and of the Lord and receiued the word in much affliction with ioy of the holy Ghost and turned to God from Idoles to serue the liuing and true God and increased in faith and mutuall loue and were patient faithfull in al their persecutions afflictions So then if with the Romanes we performe heartie obedience to the word if with those Corinthes we be rich in spirituall graces and haue purged our heartes by true repentance from our former iniquities if we be mortified and renewed if like those good ThessaloniaÌ„s we receiue and beleeue the Gospell if we follow the Lord his faithfull embassadours if we entertâ—ine the word with ioyfulnesse notwithstanding all afflictions if we turne to God from all our owne Gods our owne delights and vanities to which wee had wedded our heartes if our faith increase and our loue abound and if we haue patience and faith as they had in all our crosses and afflictions then may we assure ourselues that wee are effectually called as they were Finally Peter exhorting vs to giue diligence to make calling sure addeth that if we doe these things wee shall neuer fall Now what these things are hee sheweth to wit that they would ioint vertue with their faith and with vertue knowledge with it temperance and with temperance patience with patience godlines with it brotherly kindnes and with brotherly kindnes loue If therfore these graces shine within vs and bee fast rooted in our hearts and vnited in our liues we may assure our soules of our effectuall calling if we do these things we shall neuer fall and if we shall neuer fall then may wee safely conclude that God hath effectually called vs to light and glorie And thus much concerning effectu-vocation which is the first meane whereby God executeth his eternall Election CHAP. 5. What Iustification is All the causes of it Fiue effects of it The subiects and time of it Fiue properties thereof Foure tokens of it THE second is Iustification For those whom hee calleth effectually in time hee also iustifieth actually in time To iustifie is to repute or account one iust Pro. 17.15 He which iustifieth the wicked that is he which reputeth and iudgeth him to be iust is an abomination to the Lord. Luke 16.15 You iustifie your selues before men that is You would be esteemed iust To be iustified is to be cleared or to bee reputed iudged and pronounced iust To be iustified then before God is to be reputed and esteemed righteous in his sight Iustification therefore in his proper significatioÌ„ is an Acceptance wherby God esteemeth vs as righteous being receiued into fauour Or Iustification is a iudiciall and gracious worke of God by which hee iudgeth the Elect being in themselues obnoxious to the accusation and curse of the Law to be iust by faith for Christ through the imputation of his iustice and that vnto the praise of his glorious grace and to their owne saluation The principall efficient of Iustification is God the Father in the Sonne by the holy Spirit For who can forgiue sinnes but God alone It is God that iustifies I saith the Lord euen I am hee that putteth away thine iniquities It 〈◊〉 meet that he should be our pardoner who was our Creator and that he should bee the giuer of grace who was to all the author of nature It is his office to absolue the guiltie by whose iustice hee was made guiltie It beloÌ„gs to him to pronounce a man to be iust whose will is the rule of iustice it is his prerogatiue to giue sentence of life and death because he is by nature right and office the highest Iudge The instrument whereby the benefit of Iustification is offered and proclaimed is the Gospel which therefore is called the word of life the word of saluation the word and ministerie of Reconciliation The outward instruments whereby our iustification is sealed and confirmed to vs are the two Sacramentes and thereupon Circumcision is called the Seale of the righteousnesse of faith The inward Sealer of our iustification is the Holy Ghost who testifieth and sealeth it to our consciences so as that we may perswade our hearts of it The Ministers and liuely instruments for the proclaiming testifying and pronouncing our iustification to vs are the Messengers and Prophets of the Lord according to that of Christ whose sinnes ye remit they shall be remitted to them and whose ye retaine they shall be retained The onely internall instrument whereby we apprehend and receiue the grace of iustification offered vnto vs by God is a true sauing faith Iustifying faith is a gift whereby wee apprehend Christ and his benefits Or it is a worke of Gods Spirit in the heart whereby we receiue and lay hold on Christs obedience for the pardon of our sinnes with God and his accepting of vs as righteous in his â—ight The authour of faith is God For vnto vs It is giuen to beleeue This is the worke of God saith Christ that yee beleeue in him whom hee hath sent Faith both begun and finished is the gift of God as Austen truly teacheth The proper forme and life of faith is not charitie which is a distinct gift of God and a fruite of vnfeigned Faith but the Apprehension and Application of Christ and his benefites vnto our selues particularly The proper obiect of a sauing faith is Iesus Christ God-man and Mediator betwixt God and man Remigius saith My whole faith is in Christ by him alone I beleeue that I am iustified and saued And Beda saith The scope of my faith is Christ the end or marke of my faith whereat it aymeth is the Sonne of God Now to be iustified by faith is to be iustified of God for the righteousnesse of Christ apprehended by faith or as Caluin speaketh he shall be iustified by faith who being excluded from the righteousnesse of works apprehendeth the righteousnesse of Christ by faith wherewith he being inuested doth appeare in the sight of God as righteous and â—ot a sinner So that faith doth iustifie in respect of her obiect onely and not as any meritorious or proper efficient of iustification Euen as the hand that receiueth the treasure which is giuen doth not make the receiuer rich but the treasure it selfe so neither the worke or action of faith doth iustifie vs but Christ himselfe whom we doe apprehend And this faith be it weake or strong is yet able to receiue the righteousnesse of Christ euen as a palsie or shaking hand may receiue a iewel of a king as
truely though not so firmely as the hand that is whole and sound And further this sauing faith is the onely hand whereby wee doe receiue Christ and his merites No man is iustified by the workes of the Law but by the faith of Iesus Christ Basil saith This is to glorie in the Lord when a man doth not boast of his ovvne righteousnesse but doth acknowledge that hee is destitute of true righteousnes that he is iustified by faith alone in Christ Chrisostom saith Without faith no man hath obtained life but I am able to shew that a faithfull man both liued and obtained the kingdom of heauen without workes For the thiefe did onely beleeue and was iustified It was well said by Roffensis Fides faeta bonis operibus iustificat ante partum Faith being bigge with good works doth iustifie a man before it bring them forth For as S. Augustine saith Good works doe not goe before him that is to be iustified but follow him that iâ— already iustified And though good workes must neuer bee seuered from faith in the person iustified yet they must be sundred in the act of iustification Though the eie bee not alone yet it sees alone and though the head consult inuent alone yet it is not alone but ioyned to the body so though faith be not alone in the faithfull man yet it alone doth iustifie And thus wee see how to esteeme of faith the Sacraments and the Ministers of God alwaies remembring to ascribe our iustification vnto God Father Sonne and Holy Ghost as the proper and principall efficient thereof as the Scriptures teach vs and confessing with Primasius that God doth iustifie the wicked per solam fidem by faith alone and not by workes The internall impulsiue cause of Iustification which mooueth God to iustifie vs is his grace and meere beneuolence and not our works past present or to come how glorious so euer Paul saith we are iustified freely by his grace And Augustine saith that it is the ineffable grace â—f God that hee which is guilty should be iustified Because all men are shut vp vnder sinne the saluation of man as Anselme saith doth not now consist in the merits of men but in the mercie of God Yea Bellarmine himselfe ingeniously confesseth that by reason of the vncertenty of our owne righteousnesse and the danger of vaine glory Iutissimum est it is the safest course to repose our fiduciam Whole confidence in solu Deâ— misericordia in the Sole mercie and goodnesse of God Now then we must not imagine that this grace of God is procured by our workes but that it doth proceed freely from the Lord. No merit of man saith Anselme doth goe before the grace of God Thou hast done no good saith Augustine and yet remission of sinnes is giuen thee Let thy works be marked and they are found euill If God should reward those workes according to their due he should condemne them But God doth not giue thee the punishment that is due but giues thee grace which is not due And againe he saith The grace without which neither Infants nor men of yeares can be saued is not payed by deserts but giuen without desert and thereupon is called grace The externall impulsiue cause or meritorious efficient of our iustification is not our owne workes virtues or obedience First because they bee the Lords due by vertue of many bonds When we haue done all that is biddeÌ„ vs we haue done but our due no more then wee were bound to due Now shall wee thinke that the discharging of one duetie can satisfie Gods iustice for the omission of many dueties and the commission of many faults Secondly all our righteousnesse is as a stained cloth Gregorie saith All mâ—ns righteousnâ—s iâ— found to be vnrighteousnes â—f God strictly iudge it Our very iustice being brought to the rule of Gods iustice is iniustice that stinketh in the sâ—uerity of the Iudge which shineth in the estimation of the Worker And albeit our good works are perfit in respect of the Spirit from whom thee first flow yet are they polluted when they passe from vs because they ruÌ„ through our corrupted hearts and wils as faire water which runnes through a dirty channell Shall wee now say that our perfect righteousnesse can merit any thing of that righteous Iudge before whose iustice nothing polluted can stand vncondemned Wo vnto the laudable life of men sath Aâ—gustine if God should examine it and lay aside his mercie Thirdly our best actions are not answerable to the benefits of iustification But in reason hee which meanes to merit any thing must bring that which is equal to that which hee seekes to merit fourthly he that wil merit of another must not thinke to merit of him vnâ—esse he bring some thing of his owne to merit with and not that which is his of whom hee doth intend to merit But all our vertues our Faith and good workes are Gods so farre as they bee good and not ours For what haue we which wee haue not receiued Without me saith Christ Ye can dâ—e nothing Of our selues we are not able to thinke one good thought When we eâ—ther beleeue or worke though that faith be ours and albeit the workes â—e ours yet when we haue them we haue them not of our selues but they are giuâ—n of God Whatsoeuer saith Augustine Cornelius wrought well Totum Dâ—o dandam est it must all be ascribed vnto God lest any maÌ„ happily should exalt himself Therfore it is absurde to think we merit any thing by good deedes Fiftly good workes in nature follow Iuâ—tification Augustine saith Iustification goes before the doers of the law Mâ—â— being iustified by beleeuing begin afâ—erwards to liue righteously And Saint Paul saith that God doth iustifie the Vngodly By which then it is plainâ— that no man is iustified for his works Finally wee haue the sentence of the Scriptures with vs and the iudgement of the auncient Church Wee haue beleeued in Iesus Christ saith Paul that we might be iustified by the faith of Christ and not by the workes of the lame because that by the workes of the law no flesh shall be iustified God both saued vs not according to the workes of righteousnesse which we haue done but according to his mercie Ambrose saith Let no man glorie in works because no man is iustified by his works Augustine faith The vngodly is iustified by faith without the merits of good workes Primasius saith It is Gods purpose to iustifie the wicked by faith alone without the workes of the law or any other merits of ours whatsoeuer Hâ—miniâ— iustitia indulgentia Deâ— Gods pardon saith Bernard is mans righteousnesse My merit saith hee is Gods mercie Wee conclude therefore saying with Ambroâ—e Wee are not iustified by works but by faith because fleshly 〈◊〉 is an impedimeÌ„t to
of God for the righteousnes of an other For iustification and remission of sins are the same For to iustifie is for God not to impute sin vnto vs but to accept vs for righteous to absolue or pronounce vs iust for the righteousnesse of Christ imputed The end of Iustification in respect of God is the glory of God in an admirable composition of iustice and mercie of iustice because hee would haue his sonne to satisfie for our sins rather then that they should escape vnpunished and of mercie because it pleased him to impute and appropriate the satisfaction of his sonne vnto vs rather then we wretches should be destroyed But some will perhaps imagine that God shewed neither iustice nor mercie no iustice because he punished an innocent for the nocent set his teeth on edge whereas they had eaten the soure grapes and no mercie because hee forgaue none without a satisfaction It is true indeed that the innocent was punished but yet it was done willingly and not by constraint and he was of the same nature with the nocent and was also such a potent innocent as that he did satisfie the iustice of the Iudge to the vtmost and conquer all his punishments with facilitie Neither must we deeme the mercie of God to be withheld or not exhibited because he did not forgiue without a satisfaction For first it was of his sole benignitie and perfect mercie without the preuision of any merit that he came to satisfie who made the satisfaction for vs. Herein saith Iohn is that loue not that we loued God but that he loued vs and sent his sonne to be a reconciliation for our sins Secondly it is his grace that hee doth apply the satisfaction of his sonne vnto vs who were disposed thereunto by no gift or merit Thirdly we must consider that Gods iustice is so infinitely absolute as that we could not bee iustified without a Mediator God could not forgiue sinne without a satisfaction For otherwise what need was there that the soone of GOD should be brought as he was to such horrible miserie and to such an accursed death A kinde father would try any way rather then he would expose his owne and onely sonne to extreame terrors and miserie And lest any man should imagine that it is in Gods power to remit or to reteine sinnes like debts we must know that there are two kinds of debts For there is a debt which eclipseth and hurteth the honour of the Creditor and there is also a debt which doth not touch it If the debt do not hurt his honour it may vvith great encrease of honour be rmitted vvithout any recompence at all as vvhen a king forgiueth his seruant the debt of some thousands of câ—ovvnes This debt as it did not hurt the maiestie of the king so it might be forgiuen vvithout anie hurt to his maiestie But if debts doe hurt the honour and maiestie of the Creditour and doe directlie impugne his nature and glorie vvithout doubt they cannot at his pleasure be remitted vvithout satisfaction And such debts are sins at vvhich infringe the rule of Gods eternall vvill are enemies to it so as that they cannot be purged and forgiuen vvithout a penaltie but Gods iustice and vprightnes vvill bee diminished But yet though his mercie could not shoulder out his iustice or any whit eclipse it yet his iustice did not bereaue him of his mercie For of his ovvne meere mercie hee found out the way to redeeme and saue vs when we did not so much as thinke of any such thing and therefore as we ought to admire the seueritie of his iustice so we should also magnifie his endles grace and mercie The endes of Iustification in respect of our selues are that we may be pleasing vnto God that wee may haue peace of conscience and true tranquilitie of minde that being redeemed from miserie wee might bee saued and finally that wee should striue against the streame of our owne corruptions and keepe a constant course in pietie or to vse the words of Zacharie That wee being deliuered out of the handes of our enemies should serue him without feare all the daies of our life in holinesse and righteousnesse before him For Christ gaue himselfe for vs that wee should be zealous of good vvorkes and bare our sinnes on the crosse that vve being dead to sinne should liue is righteousnesse To this end saith Bucanus are wee iustified by faith for Christ that the old man being abolished by the efficacie of Christ crucified Christ may liue in vs and wee by the study of good workes may shew our selues thankefull vnto God for so great a benefite Therefore Paul almost in all his Epistles drawes his doctrine of sanctification and good workes out of the doctrine of Faith or Iustification as the effect out of the cause or as an necessarie consequent from the Antecedent Hâ—c ille In like maner Augustine saith Christ died for the vvicked but not that the wicked should remaine dead but that being iustified they should be conuerted from vvickednesse beleeuing in him vvhich iustifieth the vngodly For God hateth impietie And againe Grace doth iustifie or hee iustifies by grace that he which is iustified might like iustly So then one maine end of our iustificatioÌ„ is that abandoning all iniquitie we should lead our liues in sanctitie The effects and consequents of Iustification are diuers The immediate effect of Iustification is adoption by vvhich the Elect doe now actually please God as his sonnes and coheires of Christ For so soone as the Electare absolued from their sinnes they are foorthwith adopted into the right â—nd priuiledges of the children of God A second effect of Iustification is peace of conscience to wit when we perceiue our selues to be deliuered from our sins before Gods iudgemeÌ„t seat and the iudgement of our owne conscience For there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ and being iustified by faith wee haue peace vvith God euen that peace vvhich passeth all vnderstanding whereas there is no true peace to the wicked but they are like the raging sea that cannot rest vvhose waters cast vp mudde and mire or else they are structen with a spirituall Apoplexcy which hath reaued them of all true sense and are so benummed in their conscience that they can feele nothing till it be roused and awaked Thirdly our iustification makes vs haue accesse to God by prayer with confidence to be heard for Christ For sinne was the Make-bate and wall of partition betwixt God and vs now our sinnes are done away when wee are iustified and therefore with boldnesse wee may approach vnto the throne of Grace We haue now receiued the Spirit of adoption by vvhich vvee crâ—e Abba Father that is by vvhich vve conceiue very good hope in him to vvhom wee pray like suppliants that hee will in fatherly affection tovvard vs giue
subiect in vvhich this sanctification is wrought is the vvhole man according to both soule and body yea and life also Yet here by this way we must obserue that sanctification doth not alter the veâ—y substance of a man but onely his corupt and sinfull qualities It rectifieth but abolisheth not affections It corrects and moderates mirth and sorow and such humane passions but takes them not quit away It tunes the iarring strings of a mans heart but it breakes them not in peeces Euen as the fall of man did not abolish a mans essence but corrupt his faculties euen so the raising vp and the renouation of a man doth not aâ—ter his very substance but doth onely change his corrupted qualities and powers Now the Sanctification of the soule consist first in the alteration of the minde whreby ignorance is by little and little abolished and the mind inlightened to know the true God and his mercie in Christ and to know a mans selfe and to see his secret corruptions againg the â—aw and to know how to behaue himselfe vnto God and man aâ— also to approoue the things of God and to minde and meditate on things spirituall and celestiall Secondly it consists in the renouation of the will Which is when God giues grace truely to will good as to beleeue fear and obey God But yet this will is weake and not without resistance and contention made by the flesh Thirdly it consistes in the sanctification of the memorie which is an openesse by grace to keepe good things specially the doctrine of saluation Fourthly it stands in the regeneration of the conscience as when it is fitted to giue true testimony to a mans heart of the remission of his sinnes and of his care to serue God Fiftly it consists in a spirituall transformation of the affections as loue ioy sadnes anger feare and such like whereby a man that is iustified doth so temper them by his reason refined and by the light of the Law with the helpe of Gods Spirite that they doe not breake out as in the wicked that giue the reignes to their lusts but may bee held in some good order howbeit in this life this is done with much strife reluctation and is rather affected then effected Sixtly it consists in the sanctificatioÌ„ of the appetite or desires by which a man iustified obtaineth conformitie with good reason and Gods law in the desiring of meat and in other things which appertaine to the appetite Or the sanctification of the appetite stands in the holy ordering of our desires in meat drinke apparell riches And in the practise of three main vertues sobrietie chastitie and contentation by which the appetite must be gouerned Sobrietie is a continence from superfluous meat and drinke and from a wilfull macerating and afflicting of the body Chastitie is a continencie from wandering lusts and from all impuritie both in wedlock and out of it Contentation is when a man is contented with his present estate whether rich or poore noble or inglorious Paul saith I haue learned in whatsoeuer state I am therewith to be content I can bee abashed and I can abound euery where in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungrie and to abound and to haue want Lastly the sactification of the soule consists in a Christian resolution and constant indeauour with al our forces to please God and to testifie our loue vnto him in the seruing of our neighbour and seeking our owne saluation and withall flatly denying of our selues Which is first when we hold God to be wiser then vve are that so wee should bee both directed and disposed of by him Secondly when vvee account him more carefull for vs then we our selues can be and so rest vvell satisfied vvith vvhat condition of life soeuer he sets vs in The Sanctification of the body is that wherby the members thereof are made fit instruments for the soule regenerated to worke the workes of God with it being become obedient to the minde illumined and the heart reformed through the worke of the Spirit who now hath made it the Temple of his holinesse whereas before it was a slaue to the flesh and a shop of iniquitie and vncleannesse The Sanctification of the life is a visible reformation of it when as it is dedicated to God and good duties those sinnes being abandoned which reigned in it in former times And so much for the Subiects of Sanctificationâ— where remember that this worke of the Spirit is wrought in the whole man and that it belongs onely to the faithfull and Elect of God Ciuill moralities outward formalities and such graces as doe onely bridle and represse sinne may befall the reprobate but Christian vertues and such graces as doe supplant and suppresse sinne in our soules such works of the Spirit as doe reuiue and restore Gods image are appropriated to beleeuers The time wherein Sanctification is wrought is in this life in some sooner in others later but in none after this life if wee respect the beginning of it and not the finishing For it is begunne euer before death and neuer after He that would be saued in the life to come must bee sanctified in this life None liue like victorious Princes in the Church triumphant but such as haue bene courageous soldiours in the Church militant The properties of Sanctification are many First it is a most gracious and free worke of the Lord without all obligation or merit of ours For the Spirit of God bloweth with his blasts of grace both when how and where he listeth And the Apostle teacheth vs that our quickning and saluation is through the great loue and grace of God It is not giuen vs saith Augustine for any merit to wit of ours that we are borne againe of vvater and of the Spirit but it is freelie giuen and if faith haue brought vs to the lauer of regeneration we must not therfore think that we gaue somthing before that sauing regeneration might be giueÌ„ as in the vvay of recoÌ„pence Secondly this new birth is so needfull as that without it we cannot bee saued The kingdome of grace is the suburbs of the kingdome of glorie he therefore that walkes not through the suburbs shall neuer enter into the Citie a man must be in the kingdom of grace or else he shall neuer be admitted into the kingdome of glorie no grace no glory no holinesse no happinesse no heauen no heauenly honour Except a man bee borne againe hee cannot see the kingdome of God neither in this world nor in the world to come There are saith Augustine certaine beginnings of faith like vnto conceptions but yet that a man may come to eternall life it is not onely needfull that he be conceiued but that he bee also borne Thirdly Sanctification is an vnresistable act of the Spirit For when the holy Ghost doth seriously intend to sanctifie
borne of God and knoweth God Fourthly All that is borne of God ouercommeth this world that is saith M. Beza whatsoeuer striueth against the commandements of God Wherefore if a man vanquish the vanities the vaine alluâ—ements and allurâ—ing enchanâ—ments and wicked obstacles of the world and keepe a constant course in pittie he is vndoubtedly the true childe of God and a verie Saint Fiftly He that is begotten of GOD keepeth himselfe and that wicked one toucheth him not When a man then doth keep continuall watch and ward ouer his heart and is circumspect in his walking begiâ—ds himselfe with the armour of God and is fearefull to offend him he doth giue an vndoubted testimonie of sauing grace within him Sixtly when a man will rather forsake the world then God hee doth plainely shew that hee is not of the world but belongs to God and to his kingdome Seuenthly to grieue for sin because it offends God and hurts his owne soule is a notable signe of a mortified heart Eightly a sanctified man doth manifest the grace of his heart by sanctifying the name of God and by conuersing with sanctified men as also by seeking the sanctification of others For bonum est sui diffusiuum a good man doth loue to communicate his goodnes and not to keepe it lockt vp in his owne breast Ninthly it is an infallible signe of holinesse when a man doth more and more â—ontend against his owne vnholinesse and labours continually to draw nearer and nearer vnto God by holynesse Lastly to feele our inward corruptions a desiâ—e to beâ—â—bâ—◠〈◊〉 â—hem an auoiding of the occasions oâ— sinne and an anger against ourselues for our sinning doe euidently shew that the Spirit of God hath taken possession of our hearts and hath begun to worke a most happy change wâ—thin vs. Where these graces are there iâ— also the God of grace the Spirit of grace a man of grace a true dying vnto sin and a liuing vnto God sinne is dismounted the sinner is renewed for Gods image is restored CHAP. 7. Three things vvherein Iustification and Sanctification agree Seuen points in vvhich they dissagree BY this which hath beene said we may easily see wherein Iustification sanctification concord and differ They agree first in their efficient cause for God is the author of them both through the merit of Christ Secondly they haue one instrumeÌ„tall cause vvhich is faithâ— of the former by receiuing it and of the latter by effecting it Thirdly they agree in their scope and end For they both 〈◊〉 tend to one end 〈◊〉 iustification as the cause and sanctification as the way Now as they doe accord in some things so they discord againe in other their difference may appeare in these things ensuing First in that iustification is out of a man sanctification is within him Secondly iustification absolueth a sinner and makes him stand righteous at the barre of Gods iudgement sanctification cannot do this Thirdly iustification brings peace of conscience so doth not sanctification but followeth that peace Hac ille Fourthly iustification consists in the imputation of righteousnes sanctification in the infusion of righteousnes Fiftly iustification is acted at once sanctification is done by degrees holinesse is not made vp at once like a pellet in a mould but successiuelie at leisure Wee are neither perfect men nor perfect new men in our full dimensions so soone as we are borne Our perfection in this life consisteth rather in the pardon of sin then in the perfection of sanctity But iustification in this life is perfect Sixtly they differ in respect of the maner in which they are wrought For iustification is wrought by the right of donation but sanctification is by the way of alteration Lastly they differ in regard of durance For Iustification shall haue an end with this life but sanctification shall continue for euer And thus much for Sanctification the first part of our Glorification CHAP. VIII What Eternall life is The causes of it Three effects of it Who shall liue this life where and when Seuen properties of it Two signes thereof are expressed and the tractate is concluded THE second part oâ— degree of Glorification actiuely taken is the collation of eternall happines in the world to come This happinesse is that glorious estate of Gods saints which is prepared for them in the heauens and it is called Eternall life Eternall life as Vrsinus doth describe it is the eternall being of a Regenerate and glorified man vvhich being is to haue the image of God restored according to which man vvas at the first created that is to bee indued vvith perfect righteousnesse wisdome and felicitie or vvith the true knovvledge and loue of God â—â—â—ed vvith eternall ioy Or mâ—re â—â—â—fly It is a perfect conformitie of man with God consisting in â—â—e true and perfect knowledge and loue of God and in the glorie of both soule and bodie The primarie efficient cause of this glorious condition is God of hiâ— â—â—â—re fauour without any merit of ours For as Christ teacheth it is our Fathers good pleasure to giue vs the kingdome We are saued saith Pâ—â—â—â— by grace not according to the vvorkes of righteousnesse vvhich vve had done but according to his mercie he saued vs. The meritoriâ—us Efficient of our life and happinesse is Christ alone without any personall desert of ours Therefore he is called the Life And the Apostle doth expresse it notably when he saith that the Wages of sinne is death but euerlasting life is the gracious gift Charisma of God through Iesus Christ our Lord. Bernard saith No man can deserue eternall life by his merits Eternall life saith Haymo is paied to none of debt but is giuen of free mercie When aâ— saith Anselme the Apostle might haue said euerlasting life is the vvages he chose to say but euerlasting life is the gift of God that vve might hereby perceiue that God doth bring vs to eternall life not for our merits but for his ovvne mercie We must therefore ascribe all to the mercie of God and to the merit of our Sauiour Let vs not saith Gregorie trust in our vveepings nor in our vvorks but in the allegation or intercession and pleading of our Aduocate And again Not relying vpon my merits I doe beseech thee to saue me but presuming vpon thy sole mercie I hope to obtaine that which I do not by my merits And albeit eternall life be called a Revvard yet it is not of merit but of mercie not causallie as procured by them but consequentlie following theÌ„ as a recompence of our labours Let this saith Caluin be grounded in our heart that the kingdome of heauen is not a stipend of seruants but an inheritance of sonnes which they onelie shal obtain which are adopted of God to be sons for no other cause then for this adoption which depends only of the mercie of God
further this knowledge my purpose is out of the Scriptures and by the helpe of sundry learned and orthodoxall Writers briefly to treat of Gods Election and the Execution of it and so we shal as in a Glasse behold what course the Lord hath in his wisedome taken to manifest his grace vnto vs and to make vs partakers of his glory Before I shew what election is I thinke it not amisâ—e 1. To shew the significations of the word because it is ambiguous 2. To proue that there is an Election 3. And that the doctrine thereof ought to bee learned 4. As also to shew that it ought to be preached to the people 5. and in what maner For the first this word Election or Chusing hath fiue significations First it signifies the chusing and assuming of a man to some worke or office So Saul was chosen to bee a King and Iudas to be an Apostle and of this Election is that speech of Christ to bee vnderstood Haue not I chosen you twelue and one of you is a Diuil Secondly it is taken for that Election whereby the Lorde doth make choise of a nation to bee his people vpon whom he will bestow his lawes and ordinances and more singular loue-tokens then vpon many other Thus the Israelites were Gods elect though amongst them were many reprobates For this election was temporall in part and but a Remnant in comparison were elected as touching that eternall decree of life Thirdly it signifieth the eternall decree of God for the separating and adopting of some men to euerlasting life Fourthly it sometimes signifies the execution of this decree or the separation of certaine men in time by effectuall vocation Fiftly it signifies in that speech of Paul The election hath obtained the Elect themselues as Circumcision is vsed sometimes for Circumcised Buâ— we here vse it in the third signification And so much for the word Now that there is such an Election it is euident by these reasons First by expresse testimonies of holy Scripture Many are called but few are chosen I know saith Christ whom I haue chosen So many as were ordained to eternall life beleeued Endeuour to make your election sure Hee is blinde that cannot see the shining of the Sunne at Noone Secondly the Scripture sheweth that there is a Reprobation therefore vnlesse wee shall say that all are reprobates we must needs grant an electioÌ„ Thirdly the Scripture setteth forth vnto vs the cause the perpetuitie the benefits and tokens of it which were to no purpose if there were no election at all Lastly we haue the consent of the Church in all ages It is saith Augustine horrible blasphemie to deny Predestination Hauing now prooued that there is an Election I come in the third place to prooue the necessitie of learning vnderstanding this doctrine which I will do with these two reasons The first is this That doctrine ought to bee learned which serues to declare Gods glorie But the doctrine of election doth manifest the glory of God For first it sheweth that we are elected to the honour of God and to the praise of his glorious grace Secondly it argues and illustrates his essentiall properties as his omnipotencie omniscience eternity mercy Thirdly this doctrine doth both demonstrate and defend the free grace of God against all contrariant heresies and errors and will arme vs against many impetuous enemies of the truth therefore it is a doctrine worthy to be learned Secondly that Doctrine is necessarily to bee learned which is profitable to vs in the course of Christianity but the doctrine of election will auaile vs much in the running of this race For first it releiues our faith against diffidence shewing that our saluation hangs not like a Meteour in the ayre but is firmely fixed vpon the loue of God in Christ Secondly it furthereth our Spirituall ioy in that it teacheth that the loue of God is Constant and his decree concerning our welfare is Eternall Thirdly it eclipseth the pride of the heart shewing that Gods dignation and not mans dignitie his fauour not mans faith his mercie and not mans merit is the fountaine and foundation of mans felicitie Fourthly it prouokes vs to true gratitude and the practise of all good works because it teacheth to ascribe our saluation wholly to the grace of God and not to our owne goodnesse as also that wee were elected to bee holy and not to follow the swinge of the flesh and to goe a whoring after our owne lusts Fiftly this doctrine ministers comfort to vs and helpes our pacience in aduersitie For it teacheth that wee are predestinated to weare the crowne of thornes with Christ as well as the crowne of glory and that as wee are couered with the grace of God as with a Canopy whiles wee liue in this world so wee shal be honoured with immortall glory in the world to come therefore this doctrine ought to be learned and remembred Fourthly it is fit for Ministers to acquaint their people with this doctrine The reasons are these First Christ and his Apostles and some of the olde Prophets haue commended this doctrine vnto the Church and did teach it the people But it were grieuous sacriledge to depriue the poore people of that which GOD doth vouchsafe them and transcendent impietie to denie the preaching of that in the Church which God doth teach in his word for the good of the Church For whatsoeuer is written in the word it is written for our learning that through the consolation of the Scripture we might haue hope Secondly the Gospell ought to be preached vnto all both learned and vnlearned but the doctrine of Election is a principall part of the Gospel yea the whole Gospell is inclosed within the â—osome of this doctrine if we respect both the decree it selfe and the execution and accomplishment of it together therefore it ought to bee promulged and made 〈…〉 vnto all Thirdly this doctrine is very vsefull and solatious and may be applyed to many notable purposes For it shewes vs the true causes of all our happinesse Secondly it confuteth the Pelagians who ascribe saluation to mens owne strength and merits and vtterly ouerturneth the opinion of Election for works or faith foreseen Thirdly it serues to correct the course of those that hinder their owne happinesse by their presumption diffidence incredulity prophanenesse sensuality and other irregular and irreligeous courses Fourthly it proues the deity of Christ For in that hee hath elected vs vnto life we conclude that he is very God Fiftly as it testifieth the loue of God vnto vs so likewise it serues to enflame vs with loue towards him For who would not loue him of whom hee is so loued and to whom hee is so much obliged And to omit many vses which might be made of this doctrine it shewes the great power and authoritie that God hath ouer
of the Lord is glorious and bringeth wonderfull things to passe The subiects of this effectuall vocation or the persons that are effectually called are not all of all sortes and fexes without exception of any but the Elect of God And therefore Paul saith that God hath called those whome he did fore-know and predestinate And Esay saith all thy children shall be taught of the Lord hee saith not All without exception but all the children of the church As many saith Luke as were ordained vnto eternall life beleeued that is were called vnto the faith Knowledge is not common to all It is not giuen to All to vnderstand the mysteries of the kingdome these things are hid from most of the wise of this world reuealed vnto babes Now if knowledge be giueÌ„ to some not to others then consequently faith For they which haue not known cannot beleeue And if all men do not beleeue then all men are not called For sauing faith is an indissoluble companion of effectuall vocation and by faith wee answere Gods heauenly Calling All that are effectually called are also iustified but we are iustified only by faith therefore iustifying faith may not bee seuered from those that are so called Now All men haue not faith therefore all men are not called Furthermore all that are called shall bee saued and shall perseuere vnto the ende in grace Therefore Augustine saith that to those that are predestinated to the kingdom of God as all that are effectually called are is giuen the gift of perseuerance and that the Church on earth looseth none but those that are wicked and admitteth none into heauen but such as are good Now all men doe not perseuere therefore all are not effectually called all are not glorified therefore all are not pertakers of this kinde of calling Finally God vouchsafes not an outward calling vnto all all men haue not heard of the Gospel and therefore it may seeme absurde that God should vouchsafe an inward calling vnto All seeing hee doth not vouchsafe an outward by the preaching of the Gospell Yea this were to make grace as large as nature or as Peter Mâ—rytâ— speaketh to turne grace into nature if we should say that God did effectually call all We conclude therefore that the Elect are the onely Subiectâ— of this vocation For as Haâ—â—o speaketh the Lord hath not drawen nor doth draw all men to himselfe but omnia electa all that are elect both of all kindes and countries And forsaking those as Beda writeth whom hee knoweth not for his owne he turnes himselfe to visite and illustrate their hearts whom hee hath predestinated to eternall life In like manner Cameracensis truely saith that he giues some gifts of speciall grace to one which he giues not to another as faith and the grace that makes a man gracious and such as are the effectes of Praedestination and such an one is effectuall Calling The subiect or place wherein this worke of the spirit is performed is the heart and minde For the Holy Ghost by this worke doth enlighteÌ„ the mind to see and incline and mollifie the heart to yeeld and to make answere to his call The Termini or things from which and vnto which we are called are darknesse and light vice and vertue prophannesse and holinesse For as Paul saith God hath not called vs vnto vncleannesse but vnto holines and hath deliuered vs out of the power of darknesse and translated vs into the kingdome of his deare Sonne And Peter likewise sheweth that this our calling is from darkenesse vnto light As by our outward calling wee are taught to relinquish the workes of darknesse and to follow vertue and godlines for this the Gospell teacheth euen so by our inward and operatiue calling we are by God instructed and caused to abandon sinne and to pull our neckes out of the Diuels yoke and to disclaime his wayes and on the contrarie to listen and yeeld to God and to subiect our selues vnto his will The things then from which God doth call vs are Sinne Sathan and the World For these are enemies to his glory these coniure against his kingdome these are enemies to our peace and welfare labour the downesull and destruction of our soules The state whereunto we are called is light God himselfe and that blessed condition of man in Christ For this condition is most excellent and happy replenished with much ioy many comforts and peace vnspeakeable Wee are called to holinesse and grace which are vndoubted forerunners of happinesse and glory We are called to God the father of lights the fountaine of felicitie the wel-spring of life the giuer of all grace in whose presence is the fulnesse of ioy and at whose right hand there are pleasures for euermore The time of this calling is either generall or particular The generall time is in this life before death For after death there is no calling neither outward nor inward God offers and confers his grace in this life onely this is the time of mercy after this life there is nothing but the expectation and possession either of happinesse or of misery without possibilitie of mutabilitie The particular time of any mans caling is not reuealed but layed vp in the secret counsell of God in whose hands times and seasons are Yet the extent of the time is large enough thogh stinted eueÌ„ the time of this life some the Sixt houre some at the Ninth and others at the Eleuenth Dauid Iohn Baptist and Timothie were called yong Onesimus the Ethiopian Eunuch and S. Augustine were men growne and the Thiefe was called vpon the Crosse ready to die Here further wee must vnderstand that when God did first beginne this worke of grace wee are no way A gents being dead in sinnes but meere Patients God himselfe being the onely Agent before he hath reuiued vs by his spirit When a man is dead chafe him and râ—bbe him put Aquavitae into him to warme him at the heart when this is done take him by the hand plucke him vp and bid him walke for all this be will not stir the least ioint neither can he All chafing and rubbing all speech and perswasion and all helpes in the world be in vaine vnlesse the soule bee restored to the bodie Euen so no perswasions offered to the minde nor good desires to the will are of any moment till the image of God standing in holinesse which is a conformitie to the will of God and the very soule of our soules begin to be restord First God must illuminate the minde with a new light and he must imprint in the will a new qualitie or inclination and in the heart new affections and hee must giue to the will the act of wel-willing and so a man being reuiued and the wil being acted and mooued by God who workes the will and the deed it also acteth and
moueth by his grace And thus the will is not meerely passiue but passiue and actiue also first passiue and then actiue And herevpon it is that Prosper saith That which is repaired in vs is not repaired without vs. For when God doth call and conuert vs after that hee hath quickened vs by his Spirit hee doth make vs answere his call and desire to come and turne vnto him So then by the way let vs remember to magnifie the grace of God and to say as Austen saith That I fell it was of my selfe but that I rose it was of thee Gregorie saith that our good desires themselues are ministered vnto vs through the grace of God Anshelmus saith A te habeo defiâ—erare a te habeo impetrare That I doe desire I haue it of thee and that I doe obtaine it is of thee He saith Augustine worketh both to will and to worke by ministring most effectuall power vnto the will He preuenteth the vnwilling that he may be willing and pursues him that is willing that he will not in vaine And so much for the time of VocatioÌ„ The Properties thereof are foure First it is most free For God calleth whom he pleaseth Hee vouchsafeth grace to whom he listeth We may not saith Aquinas inquire why he should conuert these and not those because this depends vpon his bare pleasure Therefore Augustine vpon Iohn saith If thou woulst not erre then doe not desire to determine wherefore he should draw this man and not that And againe he saith Of two wicked persons that are of yeeres why the one is so called as that he followeth the Caller and the other either not called at all or not so called as that hee followeth him that calles him his iudgements are vnsearchable He calleth effectally whom he will he hardens whom he wiâ—l And albeit he call many with an outward calling to whom he vouchsafeth not his operatiue and inward calling yet wee must not acaccuse him of crueltie or iniustice but rather admire his iudgements It was well said of that holy man Wilt thou dispute with mee Wonder with mee and exclame O the depth Let vs both consent in feare lest wee perish in errour God is our soueraigne Lord and tyed by no bond to any man Wee cannot finde him out he is excellent in power and iudgement and abundant in iustice and we know him not Secondly this vocation is an irreuocable constant and vncheangeable act of Gods Spirit Those that are once effectually called by God man continue so for euer For the gifts and Calling of God are without repentance God is faithfull saith Paul by whom yâ— are called Who shall also confirme you vnto the end that ye may bee blamelesse in the day of our Lord Iesus And to the Philippians he saith I am perswaded that â—e that hath begun this good worke in you vvill performe it vntill the day of Iesus Christ. Like as Zerubabel did both lay the foundation of the Temple and finish the worke so God will establish and make perfect the worke begun in vs at our vocation Therefore Augustine boldly affirmeth that those are not in this Calling which do not perseuere vnto the end Now the reason why those that are thus called do not fall away is foure-fold The first is Gods election which is vnchangeable and therefore also faith and other the fruits of election cannot be wholly lost and ruined This saith Chrysostome is the propertie of faith nunquam penitus decidit aut omnino turbatur it neuer wholly perisheth neither is it altogether troubled The second is the promise of God in the couenant of grace in which hee promiseth that hee will stand by vs and make vs also to stick to him The third is the intercession of Christ who hath prayed effectually for our coÌ„seruation in the world And the fourth is because we are the members and subiects of Christ who is a puissant and gratious Prince and a most perfect and blessed Head and therefore we may be sure that hee wil protect and preserue his subiects profligate and extirp their enemies and conuay spirituall sense and motion by his spirit into all his members So that if they fall yet they shall not fall away if they sin yet they sin not with full consent of will For they hate nill in part the euill which they wil and they doe not make a trade of sinning but the spirit remaining in them causeth them to returne to God and to recouer themselues by true repentance To conclude this property God when hee calles a man hee performes these foure workes of grace First he quickens him and giues him power to answere his call Secondly hee giues an execution of this power and makes him to answere Thirdly he giues continuance of that power yea and addes a fourth which is an execution of that continuance and so it comes to passe that none of Gods Called do fall quite away but though they fall yet shall they not be cast off for God putteth vnder his hand Thirdly this vocation is a very excellent worke of God For first it is an vndoubted token of election for God by his vocation doth as Caluin teacheth manifest his election which otherwise he keepeth hidden in himselfe And therefore effectuall vocation may be properly called the Testification of Gods election Secondly Vocation is the first act of grace vpon the heart Now the first light and libertie which a close prisoner seâ—s and enioies is most ioyous and solacious Thirdly God as Augustine speaketh by his election did adopt his people to be as sonnes but yet we see that theâ— take not possession of so great a benefit vntill they be called on the contrarie we set that those which are called doe now enioy a certaine communication of their election Vocation puts vs into an actuall possession of Gods loue Fourthly God by calling his elect doth as Caluin affirmeth admit them into his familie and centoine himselfe vnto them that they may be one Fiftly this inward vocation is an infallible pledge of saluation For God denies the speciall efficacie of his spirit to the reprobate for the illustration of his soueraigntie and glorie and appropriates it vnto his Elect for the demoÌ„stration of his mercie Sixtly the excellencie of the Agent doth oftentimes coÌ„mend the act But it is that great God who swayeth the scepter of the whole world and dwelleth in the light that no man can atteine vnto it is hee that inhabiteth eternity spanneth the heauens with his fist who calleth vs with this calling God that commanded the light to shine out of darkenesse is he which hath shined in our hearts to giue the light of the knowledge of the glorie of God in the face of Iesus Christ He and he onely is our effectuall Caller and neither man nor Angell Seuenthly this
For all flesh is grasse and all the glorie of man is as the flower of grasse The grasse withereth and the flower faâ—leth away but the iustification of a sinner remaineth for euer It is enacted and enrolled in heauen it shall not bee repealed and oblâ—terâ—ted vpon the earth Fiftly Iustification may be perceiued knowne and that three waies First by the suggestion of Gods spirit Secondly by faith which is a certaine assurance or perswasion of the loue af God in Christ Now a man may assure himselfe of faith â—f theâ—â— two things be in him First if he loue God for God himselfe and his neighbour truely as himselfe For loâ—e accompanies faith as the light doth the sunne Indeed it proceedes fâ—om faith and as Grâ—gorâ—â— saith Quantum 〈◊〉 taâ—tuâ—◠〈◊〉 As is our faith 〈…〉 our loue Secondly a man may assure himselfe of Iustifying faith if he doe striue against his doubtings and with an honest heart doe will to beleeue and vnfeignedly desire to be reconciled vnto God and do with aâ—l constantly vse the good meanes that God hath ordeined to beget and encrease faith For God acceptâ— the wil to beleeue for faith it selfe and the will to repent for repentance The reason hereof iâ— plaine Euerie supernaturall act presupposeth a supernaturall povver or gift and therefore the vvill to beleeue and repent presupposeth the povver and gift of faith and repentance in the heart Thirdly a man may come to bee assured of his Iustification by certaine vnfallible tokens and 〈◊〉 of it some whereof I will here set down The first is a ioy most vnspeakable and glorious wherewith our hearts must needs be rauished when we see â—ur selues by the righteousnesse of Christ of the free grace of God redeemed from death deliuered from hell and freed fâ—om the fearefâ—ll condemnation of the wicked The second is the peace of conscience While sin and the guilt of sin remained there was no peace nor quietnes to be found but feare within terrours without and troubles on euerie side But when our sins are once nayled to the crosse of Christ and forgiuen vs then the windes are layed the waues are setled the sea is calmed the soule is quieted and imparked within the pales of peace Thirdly that no man may thinke fleshly sottishnes and the stupour of the spirit to be found securitie true tranquillity being indeed but like a caâ—me beâ—ore some violent no oâ—â—â—agious tempâ—st wee may know that our peace is good and that 〈…〉 fâ—â—â—â—on is past with God â—f w◠〈◊〉 a promptitude and 〈…〉 to dâ—e that which is good 〈…〉 a man doth finde 〈…〉 for the forgiuenes of siâ—nes 〈◊〉 loue of God constraineth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—â—y which hee conceiueth 〈…〉 him and putteth life into hâ—m for 〈◊〉 peâ—â—oâ—mance of those things whicâ— are pleasing vnto God His vnderstanding is inlightned his iudgement is refoâ—â—ed his affections are bâ—â—â—râ—d his ioies are in heauen his desire are to Christ-ward his walke is tâ— Canaan his course to Ierusalem 〈◊〉 his anger is consumed vpon his ownâ— corruption For we must know 〈◊〉 when God doth in pâ—te riâ—hteousneâ— vnto a man to preuent his dâ—mâ—â—tioâ— by sin then hee doth also infâ—se righteousnes into him to â—inder the â—â—â—â—nation of sin Therefore Paul ioyneâ— both together when hee saith that Christ is made vnto vs righteousness◠〈…〉 and redemption and when hee tâ—ls his Corinths that they are vâ—â—sh 〈…〉 and iustified So then he that ciâ—cumciseth the fore skin of his heart by true repentance he that waâ—â—eth against all his lusts truely stâ—â—â—h to serue the Lord in all his pâ—ecâ—pâ—s he may know for certainâ— that God haâ—h cut the cords of his sinnes and hath cast them all behindâ— him But â—â—â—â—e are manie circumcised to 〈◊〉 not to the Lord they are the cirâ—uâ—â—â—sion of the King and of the Queene they leaue maâ—y grosse sins pâ—â—â—shable by imprisonment but for others as great but not pâ—nal they passe ouer These men must know what so long as they addict themselues to their knowne enormities without repentance they are out of the kingdome of Christ are not clothed with the robes of his righteousnes but coâ—â—red with the rotten rags of their owne wickednes For those that are in Christ vvalke not after the flesh but after the Spirit They thâ—t aâ—e â—is haue crucified the flesh vvâ—th the affections the lusts But to liue in sin is to take sin downe from the crosse and to put life and spirit into it Finally as S. Iohn teacheth we know that we are translated from death to life which is in our iustification because vve loue the Brethren For it is impossible for him rightly to loue a righteous man in Christ who is not as yet himselfe made righteous by Christ But when a man is once â—â—sâ—ified by God he will then begin to loue a iust man for God Loue loâ—es his like One iust man will loue another Martin Luther faith that a man may try and know whether hâ— be incorporated into Christ or not by this that as hee feeleth his heart cheered and sweetned by the feeling of Gods promises and fauour written in his hart so such a man as no man is but he that is iustified haâ—h forthwith regard of his Neighbour and helpeth him as his Brother careth for him lendeth him giueth him comforteth counâ—elleth him yea and briefly hee is greeued if there bee none towards whom he may be seâ—uiceâ—ble hee is patient tractabâ—e and truly friendeth all men he doth not esteeme the teÌ„porall pleasure and pride of this life he iudgeth no man hee defameth no man he interpreteth all things to the best part Finally when as he seeth not the matter go well with his neighbour as that he fainteth in faith waxeth cold in loue he prayeth for him he reproueth him according to his calling hee is sorely greeued if any man commit any thing against God or his Neighbour And all this proceedeth from the roote and iuice of Gods grace for that the bountifulnes loue and goodnes of Christ hath sprinckled and replenished his heart with sweetenes and loue that it is a pleasure and ioy for him to do good to his Neighbour and is greeued for his sins as Samuel for Saul By these and such like workes of grace a man may come to a certaine knowledge of his Iustification Which how well worthy it is of our knowledge they can best tell which feele the comfort of it most And let no maÌ„ thinke it impâ—ssible to bee discerned by man because it is performed by God without man For though it be acted by God in heauen yet it produceth many notable graces in man vpon the earth by which it may be perceiued as a vine by her grapes or as a lamp by her light Neither let vs be induced to thinke that iustification is a changeable or reuokable act of God and that a iustified man may fall from grace and
perish and that therefore there can bee no certaintie made of the continuance of it For nothing can separate vs from the loue of God wherewith hee loueth vs in Iesus Christ our Lord. Who hath redemed vs with his blood Hee saith Aug. who hath bought vs for so great a price will not that they should perish whom hee hath bought Master Tyndall saith thus Christ is thine and all his deeds are thy deeds Christ is in thee and thou in him neither canst thou be daÌ„ned except Christ be damned with thee Wee conclude therefore according to the trueth that as Iustification is irreuocable so it is discerneable Let him doubt sath M. Philpot of his faith that listeth God giue we alwaies grace to beleeue that I am sure of true faith and fauour in Christ And so much concerning iustification the second meane ordeined for the execution and demonstration of â—â—ds eternall Election â—rga Dei bonitas veniam noÌ„ dimidiabiâ— Aut nihil aut totum to lachrymaÌ„te dabis CHAP. VI. What sanctification is All the causes of it are expressed Four effects of it The subiects termes and time of it Nine properties thereof Ten tokens of it THE third thing wherein the Apostle placeth the execution of the decre of Election is Glorification Whom he hath foreknowne predestinated effectually called and iustified them â—e hath also glorified Glorification is the communication or free donation of true holinesse and happinesse to them that are elected called and iustified For glorie comprehendeth in it both holines happinesse Holines is one degree of happinesse and happines is the highest degree of holinesse No man is holy but the same is happy and no maÌ„ can be happy but he must bee holie Grace is the inchoation of glorie and glorie is the consummation of grace He that sits in the throne of grace is truely intituled to the crowne of glorie and it is one point of glorie to be a man of grace A gracious man may be rightly stiled a glorious man Glorification then comprehendeth in it two things Sanctification in this world and the collation of eternall happinesse in the world to come Of both these we will intreat in order Sanctification or Regeneration is a benefit of God whereby our corrupt nature is renewed to the image of god by the Holy Ghost Polan Part. The lib. 1. Or sanctification is an inward change of a man iustified wherby the image of God is restored in him Hippocrates saith of Phisick that it is an adiection and a subraction Adiection of things wanting and a Subtraction of things redounding in the bodies of men Euen so sanctification is a remouing of the corrupt humors of our soules and an adiection or infusion of spirituall graces which are wanting It was excellently said by one The wise men saith he which were expert in nature could say that in euerie generation there is a corruption And we see that the seede sowen is much changed before it grow vp and beare fruit Then needfull it is that in regeneration there be a corruption of sin so that as the seed in the ground so sinne in our mortall bodies may decay that the new man may be raised vp the Spirit of God taking possession of our soules Now this transformation of a man is very requisit to saluation For without holines no man shall see God If wee will not liue to God by grace vpon the earth wee shall not liue in glorie with him in the heauens If wee will not die to sin in this world wee shall not escape death the wages of sin in the world to come If we doe not liue to God in holinesse in this life wee shall not liue in happines with God in the life to come It is not onely necessary in him that is to be saued that sinne be abolished by remission but that it bee likewise mortified by regeneration Neither is it onely requisit that a man stand righteous by the imputation of righteousnesse but that a man also be righteous by the infusion of righteousnes Sanctification is not deriued to vs from our parents For parents must be considered two waies First as they are Man the children of Adam Secondly as they are holy men sonnes of the second Adam and thus they doe not beget their children though their holinesse bee a meanes to make them to be reputed holy with men and accounted the children of the Church But they produce their children as they are men and corrupted in their father Adam and so conuey nature corrupted in Adam to them although they be regenerated Take wheat make it as clean as you can sowe it and it will come vp not as it was sowen but in stalk blade and eare and it brings vp as much chaffe as euer it did though none vvere sowen with it Euen so parents though sanctified by grace do bring forth childreÌ„ that are vnholie But the fountaine and proper Efficient of our sanctification and holines is almightie God whose workemanship we are created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes and who in mercie hath translated vs out of the kingdome of darknes into the kingdome of his beloued sonne in whom he hath quickned vs through his loue and hath lifted him vp with his right hand to giue repentance vnto Israel And albeit our Sanctification be the worke of the whole Trinitie yet it is immediately performed by the holy ghost therefore by a peculiar epithet hee is called Holy and we are said to be borne of the Spirit who is also compared vnto seede and vnto fire and vvater Vnto seede because of his vertue as it vvere of seede the faithfull are renevved and created nevv men that beeing dead to sin they might liue vnto God Vnto fire first because he doth eat out the drosse of sin and consume our lusts and so refine vs secondly because he doth enlighteÌ„ our mindes and shine like a lamp shew vs the way wherein wee ought to walke and lastly because he doth set vs on heat and inflame vs vvith a zeale of Gods glorie vvith a care of our duetie and vvith a loue of all mankinde And vnto Water because he doth refresh vs extinguish our spiritual thrist and because he doth vvater vs being destitute of all the iuice of life and make vs fertill and finally because he doth wash avvay the filth of our hearts and is povvred out like vvater vpon Beleeuers In like maner also he is compared to the Northerne and Southerne windes to the Northerne because he doth pinch dry the luxurious humours of our hearts and coole the vnnaturall heate and swelling pride of our soules and kil those wormes of wickednes which ly as it were at the very roote of our hearts And to the Southerne because hee doth comfort vs with his warme blasts and moisten vs with his sweete showers and dissolue our frost bitten
affections make vs to sprout vp and looke fresh like flowers The meritorious cause of sanctification is Iesus Christ who by his death and obedience hath merited for vs thâ—t the holy Ghost should bee giuen vs to refine and purge vs. And therefore he is said to be made of God vnto vs Sanctification As by Adam our nature is corrupted euen so by Christ it is restored The Ministers of the word are gods liuely Organs which he vseth to draw men out of the territories and regimeÌ„t of the Diueâ— into the kingdome oâ— his sonne Paul is said to be sent to conuert the Gentiles from darkenes vnto light to the Corinths he saith In Christ Iesus I haue begotten you by the Gospell The instruments which he vseth to this purpose are the word and sacraments Gods word is compared to fire and to an hammer For through his blessing it doth breake our marble hearts and burne vp our sin like stubble and kindles in vs a zeale of his glorie a true loue of righteousnes And by the foolishnes of preaching it is his pleasure to saue them that beleeue And as concerning the sacraments they represent and seale vnto vs our insition into Christ our new birth and our progresse and spirituall nutrition vnto eternall life The matter of Sanctification are the parts whereof it doth consist The parts or actes of sanctification are two the Remotion of euill or Mortification and the Substitution of good or Viâ—ification Mortification is a part of Sanctification whereby the power strength and tyrannie of originall sinne is weakned and also by little and little abolished The ground wherof is the power of Christs God-head or the efficacie of his death which being by faith applyed is as a Corafine to consume the corruption of our nature Viuification is the second part of our Regeneration when as wee are raised vp to a new spirituall life that we might liue vnto righteousnes Or it is a work of the spirit by which true Christian habits virtues and dispositions are infused encreased in vs. And this substitution of good or Quickening is Where Christ dwels and raignes in our hearts by his spirit so as we can say we hencefoorth liue not but Christ in vs. The ground of this is the vertue of Christs resurrection or the power of his God-head raising vp his Man head releasing him of the punishment and tyrannie of our sinnes which vertue and power is as a Restoratiue to restore and quicken vs that we might liue vnto God in holinesse and newnesse of life Mortification then is of the Oldâ— man which is the vitiositie and distemper of our nature deriued from Adam the first ViuificatioÌ„ is of the New man which is the nature of man refined and restored to the image of God and this is deriued from Adam the second in whom are hid all the treâ—sures of wisâ—â—â— knowledge and holinesse The forme of Sanctification is the very translation and alteration of the heart and life or a spirituall reduction and conuersion of a man by God from the vncleannes of sinne to true puritie and Christian sanctitie The endes of our Sanctification are the glorie of God the saluation of our soules the edification of our Brethren the beautifying of our honorable prosession and calling the silencing of Athiests and prophane Mockgods the alluring of others vnto God godlines that we might bee something like God our father and Christ our elder brother and gather assurance to our soules that weâ— are in the state of life The effects of Sanctification are first the true loue of God our selues and our neighbours Secondly a serious desire to doe all good duties and to auoyd all the courses of sinne and wickednes Thirdly it makes him that is sanctified to couet and labour for the renouation and conuersion of others Finally it is the roote of all those good fruites wee bring foorth and beare For if the fountaine bee altogether corrupt and foule the waters must needs be also naught and fithy For who can bring a cleane thing out of filthinesse There is not one But when a man is once truely sanctified though not fully the good workes he doth are then truely holy though not fully The Subiects of Sanctification or or the persons sanctified are such as are elected called and iustified and therfore the Apostle saith that whom God predestinated called and iustified he did also glorifie These and none but these are truely sanctified For God sanctifies those only whom he maketh to be Temples of his spirit but all men are not such yea there are a number in the world that sit in perpetuall darknesse and worship the very deuill Indeed a Reprobate may seeme holy but he is not holy but is like a faire apple rotten in the heart or to a wound that hath a skin drawen ouer it but yet festers inwardly And they may liue amongst Gods holy one as Frogs and fishes in one pond but they are not of them but indeed pertaine to another state And finally Christ is sanctification to those onely to whom hee is wisedome righteousnesse and redemption which he is not vnto all but vnto his owne people onely Now why Christ doth not communicate holinesse vnto all as Adam did corruption the reason is because the maner by vvhich Adam doth communicate his euils vnto all and euery one is naturall to wit generation and humane nature but the maner by which Christ doth communicate his benefits is supernaturall to wit faith and the grace of God whereof all men are not pertakers for it dependeth on Gods Election Therefore whosoeuer haue humane nature the same are sinners But they onely are renewed who are possessed of faith Furthermore those which are sanctified must be considered in a twofold estate first as they are in themselues till God doe worke vpon them and that is lothsome and vgly dead in sinnes and trespasses Euen when we were dead in sins hath hee quickned vs together in Christ Secondly as they are made by grace that is a royall priesthood an holy nation and the Temples of God and of his Spirit Finally these things are worthy to be knowen concerning the regenerate First their Countrey which is heauen Secondly their Parents to wit the holy Ghost and the Church Thirdly their Essentiall parts these are an intelligent soule and an organicall body Fourthly their food which is the word of God Fiftly their disposition or condition that in the minde is a diuine light and reformation in heart Sixtly their war-fare or indeuours which is the flight of the pleasures of the flesh and of fleshly vanities Seauenthly their Religion and that is true godlinesse and faith in Christ Lastly their consummation which is eternall life The obiects or two termes of Sanctification are corruption and sinne to bee diminished and extirped and Christian holinesse to bee planted inpired and augmented The
a man hee doth so worke vpon him that hee shall willingly yeeld how vnwillingly so euer his will be by nature On vvhom God shevveth mercie saith that learned Father he doth so call him as hee knovveth conuenient for him that hee may not reiect him vvhich calleth to him The same may be said concerning sanctificatioÌ„ Fourthly our Regeneration is but once begun howsoeuer our holinesse sometimes increaseth and sometimes decreaseth The Scripture speaketh but of one new birth As there is saith Austen one fleshlie generation neither can there be made a returne into the vvombe so is there one spirituall regeneration Semel enim nascimur semel quoque renascimur We are once borne and we are once born anew We are but once brought forth by our naturall mother once begotten by our naturall father so wee are but once begotten of our heaueÌ„ly father and but once brought foorth and borne of our spirituall mother which is the Church Fiftly Sanctification is an infallible argument of eternall saluation Grace is the testification of glorie and glory is the promised compensation of grace Godlinesse hath the promise of this life and of that vvhich is to come When vve haue receiued mortification and sanctification is hansels of Gods mercies theÌ„ may vvee hope for heauen for they that haue receiued grace shall also receiue glorie And as we haue behaued our selues in the kingdom of grace in this world so it shal be done vnto vs in the kingdom of glorie in the world to come Holinesse is a signe of honor and the more we haue of holinesse the more wee shall haue of honour Sixtly sanctificatioÌ„ is a very excellent commodious worke of God First because it is wrought by his own finger by his own hand engrauen vpon the tables of our harts Secondly that it is a Reformation and change according to the vvhole law of God and containes in it the seeds of all good duties Thirdly because without it our life is most vile and despicable wholly corrupt and sinfull For as Augustine saith hovv can hee liue iustly that is not iustified Hovv can he liue holily vvho is not sanctified Or hovv can hee liue at all who is not raised vp to life Seauently Sanctification is in this life imperfect Sinne is not all at once consumed but the scum thereof is almost continually boiling and walloping in vs foming out much filthy froth and stinking sauours If vve say saith Iohn that vve haue no sinne vvee deceiue our selues and trueth is not in vs. There is none so holie saith Gregorie vvhich hath not in him some corruption which hee may lament No man saith Lactantius can be vvithout sinne so long as he is burthened with the garment of his flesh Death must end the conflict betwixt the flesh and the spirit So long as we liue sinne will not die Iâ—ie will liue till the Oke bee hewen downe Before there be an vniuersal clensing there must bee a dissolution of nature The body must first rot before grace shall raigne without disturbance It is true indeed that the corruption of our nature is abolished in Baptisme in respect of guilt and condemnation but not in regard of existence Concupiscence saith Ambrose is taken avvay in Baptisme Non vt non sit sed ne obsit Not as touching the being of it but in that it shall bee no impediment of saluation to them that are baptised with water and the holy Ghost For it is to such no Prince but a Rebell only it neither shall damne them nor dominere within them But as a Serpent cut in diuerse peeces hath but certaine reliques of poison and remnants of fiercenes in the maimed members mangled parts thereof and is not able to exercise the like violence to a man as when it was whole and perfitlie membred so howsoeuer sâ—me relicks of sinnes remaine in our old but in our martired Adam yet it hath no such force or fiercenesse to preuaile against vs at vvhen it vvas in perfit age beeing then like to a mightie Monarch rather then to a poore prisoner And although those that are regenerated may bee termed iust and perfit yet it is onely in comparison of the wicked who are in bondage vnder sinne respect of Imputatiue righteousnesse and for that they are perfect because like Infants they haue all the parts of a Christian and not the perfection of those parts All the seeds of sauing graces are sowen in their harts but they haue not the â—ull groath of them in this life No man is so vvashed but he may haue dusty feete trauelling after his washing And as Ansâ—lme speaketh The bodie of sin is destroyed not that in bred conâ—upiscence should be on the suddaine consumed and quite extirped iâ— the very flesh that liueth but that it may be no let to him that is dead in whom it was vvhen he vvas aliue It is destroied not from hauing a beeing vvhiles vve are aliue but that vve should not be compeld to serue it Sin shall be but it shall not be to raigne but rather that the regenerate man may vex and afflict it like a most odious enemy and cut off as it were the hands and the feet thereof as Adonibezeks were by the Israelites till at length it be cleane defaced The trueth of that which hath beene spoken will euidently bee seene by this comparison Take a vessell full of vvater let a portion be taken out and an equall portion of hot vvater be put in it becomes luke-vvarme all of it partly hot and partly cold euen so euerie man is a vessel of vvater filled vvith corruption to the briâ—â— if a part of his corruption be taken avvay and a proportionall part of holinesse put instead of it the vvhole man becomes partly holie partly vnholie And albeit holinesse and sin be contrary yet may they be both in one subiect as light and darknes in the aire at the twilight beeing there remisâ—y neither of them predominant or absolute victour but remaining in continuall combat Now the reasons why the Lord doth not finish mans sanctification in this life may be these First that we might seeke after perfection more earnestly and couet it more ardently Secondly that despising this world we might the more affect our heauenly life as knowing that our perfect sanctification shall not bee wrought till wee come into heauen Thirdly that we might be humbled and exercised in faith patience prayers and skirmiâ—hing with the flesh might not wax proud with a conceipt of perfectioÌ„ but daily pray Enter not into iudgement vvith thy seruant O Lord Forgiue vs our trespasses Caluin saith that our reparation is not finished all at once but that God doth abolish the corruption of the flesh by degrees iâ— his elect That they may exercise themselues in repentance all their life and know that of this vvarfare there is no end but iâ— death Fourthly the
Lord thus doth thaâ— we might exercise and take notice oâ— our spirituall wisedome and Christian fortitude and magnanimity in defeating the wiles of sin and the plots of the Diuell and in contending like couragious Kings against all our spirituall aduersaries and finally in disdaining to giue place to the flesh that abominable and filthy wretch Fifthly the Lord doth hereby demonstrate his liberty and absolute authoritie ouer vs that he is not bound vnto vs by any bond of duetie to perfit his graces in vs in this life For then it should be iniustice in him not to do it But God is righteous in all his waies and holy in all his vvorkes and can not offer the least iniustice Sixthly God thus doth to manifest his mercie to vs to teach vs thankfulnesse to him who pardoneth our weake obedience and accepteth of our poore holinesse imperfect perfection There are with God two courts of Iustice The first is the Kings bench where there is strict iustice the other is the Chancerie where there is a mitigation of that strict course of Iustice In the first Court there is none found iust in the second court of acceptation some are accepted for iust men In this Court God accepteth our vnperfit holines our poore indeauours our weake resolutions our imperfect desires motions and meditations if they be faithfull and entire and directed to the right ends and for his Christ doth pardon all their defects Which argueth mercie on his part claimeth gratitude on ours Lastly the Lord thus doth to demonstrate his prouidence and power in protecting and conseruing vs against so many puislant pernicious enemies as we are begirt with notwithstanding our great vnworthines weaknesses and imperfections And so much for the seuenth property of Sanctification Eightly this worke of the Spirit is neuer cleane extinguished The gifts of God are without repentance The graces of God are not in his children as morning mists but as well builded tovvers to continue all assaults As he hath beguÌ„ the worke of sanctification so he will make an end of it For what should hinder His good will is constant his might is ouer all Sin Sathan and all the enemies of our soules whatsoeuer are with him as chaffe before a whirlewinde or as flax before a flame of fire His eie is waking and allseing his wisedome is infinite his essence euery where and his mercie endureth for euer What then can what shall hinder his worke He hath ioyned vs to Christ who shall disioyne vs He hath wedded vs vnto himseâ—fe what can diuorce vs He is with vs who can be against vs Christ is our King and we are his subiects we neede not therefore doubt of his fauour and protection He is our Architect hee hath built vs vpon a rocke and hath said that hell gates shall not preuaile against vs. Wee are the Temples of Gods spirit who is no idle nor regard lesse Inhabitant Our holinesse I confesse may suffer an eclipse and be diminished but it shall neuer be fully wasted and abolished For God will confirme vs by his grace He saith Augustine who makes men good doth make men to perseuere in good And therefore out state by Christ is surer then our condition was in Adam For though he was made perfectly good yet he had not the grace of perseuerance in that good But to vs it is giuen to perseuere Beleeuers are of the bone flesh of Christ novv there is no part of the bone and flesh of Christ that dieth They that are sanctified are reserued vnto Christ and therefore they shall not fall away from Christ They beleeue in Christ but faith as Chrisostome saith is petra fixa infracta a rock fixed and inuiolable It will shine like a starre in the night of aduersitie and sauours most like Camomell when it is troden vppon Hope is the anchor of the soule it wil endure both windes and waues And loue is strong as death Charitie saith Austen vvhich may be left vvas neuer true Whosoeuer is borne of GOD sinneth not neither can he sin because he is borne of God If a sanctified man cannot sin with a full swinge of the will and if hee cannot liue long in sin without repentance then assured he cannot fall from grace and perish It is our Fathers good pleasure to giue vs the kingdome of heauen and therefore we shall not misse it It remaineth theÌ„ as an vndoubted trueth that the work of sanctification shall neuer be demolished and that a sanctified man shall neuer perish Master Bradford saith well Our blindnes and corrupt affections doe often shadovv the sight of Gods seede in Gods children as thogh they were plain Reprobates Whereof it commeth that they praying according to their sense but not according to the truth desire of God to giue them againe his Spirit as though they had lost it and he had taken it away which thing God neuer doth indeede although he make vs to thinke so for a time And so much for this eight property Ninthly sanctification may be discerned The childe of God may be sure of his new birth The Apostle saith know ye not that ye are the Temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you know ye not that your bodie is the Temple of the Holy Ghost that is in you know ye not your owne selues how that Iesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobates It is possible then that these may be knowne Know for a certaine saith Master Bradford that as the Diuel goeth about nothing so much as to bring you in doubt whether you be Gods child so vvhatsoeuer shâ—ll moue you to admit that dubitation bee assured the same to come of the Diuell This assurance of our Sanctifiâ—ation may be obtained not onely by the inward suggestion of the holy Ghost assuring our spirits of the same but also by certaine vndoubted testimonies and tokens of it some whereof will here annex First He that committeth sin is of the Diuel but vvhosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not Wherefore if we doe not commit sin with full consent of will if when we doe sin we doe not continue in it but recouer our selues by true repentance as Peter did then may we know that we are not the Diuels slaue but Gods childe Secondly vvhosoeuer beleeueth that Iesus is that Christ is borne of God It is then a certaine token of a mans regeneration to beleeue distinctly that Iesus the sonne of Marie is that anointeâ— king priest and prophet which God hath raised vp for the saluation of hiâ— soule and of the rest of Gods Elect. Thirdly Euerie one vvhich â—ouetâ— him vvhich did beget loueth him also vvhich is bâ—gotten of him Whosoeuer therefore doth truely loue the childe of God for his fathers sake doth loue God himselfe And euerie one that loueth is