fore-elected some and forsaken others Now why God electeth not all Ne quaeramus scrupulosius si errare nolumus Aug. If we would not erre wee must not be too curious in enquiring Aquinas saith truely God hath no reason but his will why he should elect some to glory and cast away others Neither doth God offer the lest iniury though he doe not chuse all because he is not tyed to chuse any His Lordship is ouer all his authoritie is absolute he may doe with his owne what he will Who can hinder him Wee are all to him as clay in the hand of the Potter Hee will haue mercie on whom hee will and whom hee will hee hardeneth The rich man of a rout of beggars sets his loue on one and passeth by the rest without wronging any A man entertaines one into his house and passeth by many other without any iniury done vnto them and shall we thinke that God may not lawfully chuse or refuse whome he pleaseth God saith M. Green-ham is debtour to none and therefore sheweth mercie to whom he will Wee may assure our selues that his reasons are most iust though vnknowen to vs. For the depth of his counsels cannot be sounded Therefore Gregorie saith well Let no man desire to search out the cause why one is elected when another is repelled because his iudgements are vnsearcheable and his waies past finding out Seing then all men are not elect men let vs see who are the elect and what their number is For the first whosoeuer is or shall bee saued the same is vndoubtedly elected For both these propositions are infallibly true 1. Whosoeuer is elected shall be saued 2. And whosoeuer is or shall be saued is elected Now these are vndoubted Notes of saluation First to esteeme the word of GOD more then our appointed food Iob 23 12. And to couer to be fed with it that we may grow therby 1. Pet. 2.2 Secondly to be swift to heare slow to speake and slow to wrath laying apart all maliciousnesse and the excrements of sinne and receiuing with meekenesse the word that is grafted into vs that it may saue our soules Iam. 1.21 Thirdly to meditate in the word night and day and to alienate our selues from the counsels and wayes of the wicked Psal 1.1.2 Fourthly to walke vprightly before God and to be of a pure and sincere spirit For blessed are those that are vpright in their way Psal 119.1 And blessed are the pure in spirit for they shall see God And this sinceritie and puritie of heart may bee discerned by these two notes First when wee haue respect vnto all the commandements of God labouring to know them if wee doe not and if wee doe to doe after them according to the measure of grace wee haue receiued Secondly if we be desirous and labour to vse all and euery one of those meanes which God hath ordained in his word to bring vs vnto puritie of heart and if in doing these things we simply and singly seeke to approoue our selues vnto God without either looking for praise or profit rebuke or losse from men and when wee seeke not chiefly these outward things at Gods hands Greenham The second thing to bee considered is the number of the elect concerning which these 3 conclusions are worthy to be weighed First that the elect considered apart simply by themselues are exceeding many constituting the whole Church of God which is the mysticall body of Christ Many shall come saith Christ from the East and West and shall sit downe with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the kingdome of heauen Paul saith that by the obedience of Christ Many shall be mad righteous Iohn saith he saw an Innumerable Multitude of all nations and tongues which stood before the Lambe clothed with long white robes and palmes in their handes Augustine saith Electorum quidam quasi â—â—ndus est that there is as it were a certaine world of the Elect. And Ambrose saith that there is in the Elect 〈◊〉 fore-knowne Specialis quaedam vniuersitas à speciall kinde of vniuersalitie vt de toto mundo totus mundus That the whole World out of the whole world and all men from all men seeme to be taken vnto life So then we say that the number of Gods elect considered by themselues alone is great Secondly the Elect in comparison of the Reprobate and damned are but few For straite is the way of life and few there be that finde it And many saith Christ are called but fewe are chosen Christs Flocke is but a little flocke And Paul out of Esay saith that though the number of the children of Israel were at the sand of the sea as indeed they were yet shall but a remnant be saued Which point must bee well considered because some haue imagined that God hath elected all But if this were true then either all should be saued or else God is changeable and doth alter his purpose of himselfe or els is ouercome and drawne to change it by some other which things cannot but offend a iudicious and godly eare Thirdly the number of the Elect is certaine and defined God knowes them all and they can neither bee diminished nor increased It is truely said of Trelcatius Electorum reproborum numerus numeratus certus est quaâ—uis vterque nobis non certo compertus The number of the Elect is certaine both how manie they are and who they are although it bee not certainely knowen to vs. God knowes them and their number though man doe not This was also the iudgement of Augustine who speaketh thus These things I speake of them who are predestinated vnto the kingdom of God Quorum it a certus est numerus vt nec addatur eis quisquam nec minuatur ex eis Whose number is so certaine that neither any can be added to them nor taken from them Hauing now spoken of the persons that are elected it will not bee amisse briefly to set downe their prerogatiues which no reprobate can partake of First God knowes them and approues and loues them Now if the grace of earthly Princes be in so great request what price can be set of his loue who is the Prince of all Princes and the grand Commander of all the world Secondly a liuely and true sauing faith pertaines to them onely and therefore Paul calles it the faith of the elect the scripture saith that so many as were ordained to eternal life beleeued Caluin saith that faith is a singular pledge of Gods fatherly loue layed vp in store for those his sonnes whom he hath adopted And this gift is very excellent For by Faith we liue by Faith wee walke by Faith wee are iustified and our heartes purified by it wee vanquish the world and without it it is vnpossible to please God Thirdly effectuall vocation and conuersion vnto God belongs not to the Reprobate but to
in Christ The instrumental cause offeâ—ing and proclaiming saluation is the Gospel The instrument receiuing and applying it is faith The cause sealing it inwardly to our soules is the spirit of God The externall and instrumentall seales thereof are the two sacraments Thus we see the Efficients of our eternall life and are taught to say with Ber. that good workes are the waie to the kingdom but not the cause of reigning The matter whereof this life consisteth are those admirable good things which God hath prepared and which Christ hath purchased for the Elect Which for any wit of man to conceiue for any tongue to relate or for any pen to set downe is altogether impossible What tongue can tell saith Gregorie and what vnderstanding can comprehend how great the ioies may be of that celestiall citie It is not in man to vnderstand saith S. Basil For there shall be things which eie hath not scene nor care heard of neither hath it entred into the heart of man what things God haâ—h prepared for them that loue him Neuerthelesse we will set downe some of them as wee finde them reuealed and deliuered to vs. In that life theâ—e shall be no earthly or sinfull miserie There shall be no sinne at all no sicknesse no sorrowes no disease nor maladie on crosse no curse no vexation nor calamitie no defect nor deformitie no tumults nor troubles no paine nor penurie All teares shall be done away al euils remoued al sinne abolished all wants supplyed And againe in this life there shall be a perfect plenarie and perpetuall possession of all good things euen of GOD himselfe who is goodnesse it selfe and who will bee all in all vnto all his Elect There shal be perfection of knowledge no deâ—ect in loue happie in mortalitie certaine securitie constant amitie and secure tranquilitie The soule shal haue perfection of vertues the bodie shall be ful of beutie strength and agilitie the whole man shall inioy fellowship with God fellowship with the lamb fellowship with the Angels a happy societie a sweet communion All holinesse all happinesse all ioyes shall be inioyed To conclude wee shall raigne like kings with the king of kings for euer with fulnesse of grace in our hearts and a diaâ—em of glorie on our heades celebrating an euerlasting Sabboth and singing an Alleluâ—â—h to the Lord for euer The formâ— of this life is that vnspeakable splendor and that most excellent order and well ordered excellencie of that happie condition The endâ— of this life are first that God might manifest and ipso fâ—ctâ— fully ratifie his exceeding loue vnto vs. Secondly that we might inioy the full fruit of Christs death passion Thirdly that we may receiue the â—eward of our labours and know that it is not iâ—vaine to serue God And lastly that wee might acknowledge the wonderfull mercie of God vnto vs and celebrate his name for euer The effects of this life are these first by reason of it we are made like vnto the Angels Secondly wee are by it become to bee actually partakers of the dignitie of Christ Thirdly it can not but produce wonderfull gratitude in those which doe inioy it The Subiects or the persons that shall liue this life are the Elect and obedient children of God For the reprobate shall be tormented in endlesse easlesse and remediles tortures The place in which this life shall bee led is the Paradise of God the highest heauens The time is after this life for the soule immediately and for both soule and bodie after the day of iudgement The properties of this life are many First the saluation of them that beleeue is more sure thou the whole frame of heauen and earth because it is founded in the vocation of God which is without repentance in the counsell of separation and in the pleasure of God Secondly it is a most holy life For in it wee shall be compleat and without spot and wrinkle Thirdly it is a most delectable and sweet life For as Bernard truely speaketh VVhatsoeuer is amiable it shal be there and nothing shall be awaie which shall be desired Fourthly it is an all-sufficient life For it shall stand in need neither of meat drinke clothing sunne moone nor any other helpe of this life VVe shall be satisfied with God and hee shall content vs fully Fiftly this life iâ— vnconceiuable it cannot bee throughly discouered or described by any VVho saith Bernard can comprehend in this life how great the glorie of the Saints of God shall bee in the life euerlasting Sixtly this life is an euerliuing life it shall continue world without end As the terrors and the most terrible and horrid torments of the wicked shall continue alwayes so shall this solatious and sweet life of the godly Their death shall neuer see life and the life of these shal neuer see a death The death of those and the life of these are euerâ—liuing and neuer-dying Lastly this life may be discerned in this life of him that shall liue in it in the life to come VVe know saith Paul that if our earthlie house of this tabernacle be destroied we haue a building giuen of God in house not made with hands but eternall in the heauens These things saith Iohn I haue vvritten vnto you that ye may know that ye haue eternall life I am sure saith Iob that my redeemer liâ—â—th and hee shall stand the last on the earth and though after my skinne wormes destroy this bodie yâ—t shall I see God is my flâ—sh whom I my selfe shall see and 〈…〉 shall behold VVhen I awake saith Dauid I shall bee satisfied with thâ—â—e image that is when I rise from the dead as â—â—caâ—â— doth interpret it By thâ—s it appeaâ—eth that a maÌ„ may know his future happinesse The Sâ—â—â—â— of etâ—rnall life are two The first is true faith in Christ For whosoeuer beleeueth shall not perish but shall be saued The second are good workes performed with an vpright heart in conscience of Gods commandement and to an honest end The Psalmist asking who shall rest on Gods holy mountaine receiueth answere as by oracle from heaueÌ„ that he shal there rest that walketh vprightlâ— and worketh righteousnes and speaketh the truth from his heart Thus saith the Lord aske for the old way which is the good way and ye shall find rest â—â—r your soules Life saith Salomon is in â—he way of righteousâ—â—â— and in that path-way there is nâ— death And our Sauiour sheweth that those are the Blessed of his Father and shal inherit eternall happinessâ— who manifest their loue to his afâ—â—â—cted members by their workes of meâ—cie and he that receiueth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet shall receiue a Prophets reward and he that receiueth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receiue the reward
them Whom 〈◊〉 hath fore-knowen and predestinated them he calleth Fourthly the redemption from sinne and miserie and the righteousnesse which is by Christ is theirs and theirs alone Is 53.6 12. 1. Cor. 1 30 Gregorie saith well Pro electorum vitâ— vsque admortem se tradidit author vitae The Lord of life laied downe his life that they might liue which were elected vnto life And Angelome saith Quae est gens in terra alia what other people is there in the earth praeter populum electum besides the elect for which God the sonne of God vouchsafed to come into this world as into Egypt that taking vppon him the shape of a seruant he might redeeme vnto himselfe with his blood an acceptable people studious of good workes Fiftly they onely are adorned with the speciall graces of the spirit they onely are sanctified and renewed Isidore saith Spirituall grace is not distributed vnto all sed tantummodo electis donatur but is giuen to the elect onely Nature saith Augustine is common to all men but not grace Sixtly saluation belongs to none but to them Rom. 11.7 What then Israel hath not attained that he sought but the Election that is the Elect hath obtained it and the rest haue been hardened Faith in Christ is theirs onely and he that beleeueth in him shall be saued but he that will not shall be damned As the Elect are the onely true members of the Church militant so they shall be the onely members of the Church triumphant Therefore wee may boldly say with the Psalmist Blessed is that Nation whose God is Iehouah euen the people that he hath chosen for his inheritance Blessed is the man whom thou chusest and causest to come vnto thee Seuenthly none of the Elect shall be whollie seduced nor vtterly decline and perish For Christ takes it for granted that the Elect cannot be seduced and saith concerning his sheepe I giue vnto them eternall life and they shall neuer perish neither shall any plucke them out of mine hand And the Lord hath promised to stand by them and to put his feare into their hearts that they shall not depart from him Surely saith the Psalmist the Lord will not faile his people nor forsake his inheritance Gregorie saith that temtation doth hide the light of righteousnesse in the heart of the elect oftentimes sed non interimit but puts it not out and makes it pale quiuer sed funditus noÌ„ extinguis but doth not extinguish it altogether Saint Augustine saith well Peters faith failed not in his heart when open confession with the mouth failed him Eightly God doth cause his Angels to protect and guard them The Angel of the Lord pitcheth round about them that feare him and deliuereth them And as Paul speaketh they are ministring spirits sent foorth to minister all for their sakes which shal be heirs of saluation Augustine saith This also I esteeme a very great benefit in that the Lord hath giuen me an angel of peace to keepe me from my birth to my death Ninthly God shall send his Angels with a great sound of a trumpet and they shall gather together his Elect from the foure windes and from the one end of the heauens vnto the other Christ also when he comes to iudgement will set them on his right hand and say Come yee blessed of my father take the inheritance of the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world But hee will place the Reprobate on his left hand and pronounce vnto them the dolefull sentence of condemnation saying Depart from me ye cursed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the Deuill and his Angels Tenthly the Elect shall iudge the Reprobate Know ye not saith Paul that the Saintes shall iudge the world Know ye not that wee shall iudge the Angels Their faith and pietie shall condemne the wicked and bereaue them of excuse and as the Iustices sit about the Iudge at the Asâ—ses so shall the Elect attend vppon CHRIST at the last iudgement and shall subscribe vnto his sentence and applaud his proceedings Moreouer all men but especially all ministers ought to indure all things for their sakes I suffer all things saith Paul for the Elects sake that they might also obtaine the saluatioÌ„ which is in Christ Iesus with eternall glorie Againe God will auenge his Elect though he seeme slow in reuenging those wrongs that are done vnto them For they that touch them doe touch the apple of his eie Furthermore God for the loue he beareth to his Elect hee will shorten the dayes of crueltie and calamitie For the Elects sake saith Christ which hee hath chosen hee hath shortned those daies of tribulation Moreouer the Elect fight with the Lambe against Antichrist and his kingdome which shall by the Lambe be ouercome For he is Lord of Lords and King of Kings and they that are on his side are called and chosen and faithfull Besides the Elect need not dread death and damnation For as the Apostle speaketh Who shall laie any thing to the charge of Gods Elect It is God that iustifieth who shal condemne Finally the Elect may bee assured in this life of their eternall election vnto life Therfore Peter exhorts vs to make our Election sure and the holy Ghost sets downe the notes of those that are the true members of the Church and shal rest vpon Gods mountaine Now this certaintie may bee had two wayes First by the inward testimonie of Gods spirit which giues testimonie to our spirit that wee are the sonnes of God Secondly be the effects of election as are the fruits of the spirit mentioned by Paul which God appropriateth vnto his Elect and which are as a ladder by which we may assend as it were vp into heauen easily discerne if we bee elected Because as one well saith Election includeth the means therefore we must determine of it by the meanes The Apostle saith that whom God foreknew he did also predestinate to bee like to the image of his sonne and doth call iustifie and glorifie them Therefore by conuersion we may hence inferre that those are elected whom he doth conforme vnto his sonne and effectually call iustifie and regenerate these being necessarie meanes by which God doth accomplish his eternall election Now this prerogatiue is the greater and more to bee respected for these reasons First because the Elect may haue better assurance of his election to saluation then anie man can haue of the things hee holdeth in this life by seale writing witnes or any other way that Law can deuise or prescribe Secondly the longer wee liue the better we may be assured the longer this assurance is inioyed the stronger we may finde it Thirdly this certentie doth beger exceeding ioy For what can raise the like ioy in our hearts as this that wee know that we
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
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
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