better warrant than the commaundementes and doctrines of men thoughe there bée in them neuer so muche shewe of wisedome humblenesse of mind as vaine foolish verse 20. c. By this rule all the wil worshipping wil-workes in Popery lacking allowance from the word are proued such as neuer coulde be matter of godlinesse But when thou hast suche regarde to the matter thou takest in hand be it tending to the 〈◊〉 froÌ„ sin or practise of vertue that thou arte assured out of the word that thou oughtest to be occupied therein yet then hast thou not done for vnlesse thou do the same thing in right maner it léeseth the power of a good work It caÌ„not be denyed but that almes and prayer to God â—e things coÌ„manded therfore good matter of godlinesse but yet as it is euident Math. 6. though the Scribes Pharistes did bothe these yet were they not accompted good works then bicause they were not done in right maner The Lord in the first of Esay â—elleth the people that he regarded not their sacrifices burnt offâ—ings â—yes he signifieth vnto theÌ„ that he lothed them counted their labor therein bestowed vaine their incense abhomination yet it is well knowen that then shâ—s◠〈◊〉 were matters allowed and comâ—â—â—â—ded of God yet bicause when they were done they were not done as they oughte to haue béene therefore the Lorde thus despyseth the doyng therof Wherfore it is not ynough as the doltishe practise vnder Antichriste caused â—â—â—les to beléeue to giue almes to faste to pray to vse the Sacraments neuer to care howe and in what sorte to doe these thinges for we sée that thoughe these things be done neuer so much and neuer so ost yet if they be not done in right maner they are reiected of the Lord as vain as abhominatioÌ„s in his sight Now in their maner of doing these thiges are to be regarded First that they proâ—éede I mean al our actions from a heart puristed by faith For as 1. Tim. 2. verse 5. we be taught that the end sum or perfection of the whole law is Loue so are we told that it commeth out of a pure hart of a good coÌ„science saying the true christil loue indéed is not fouÌ„d growing where ther is no pure hearte neyther can there be a pure heart where is not a good conscience neither yet can this gâ—od conscience be where there is absent an vnsayned Faith but where this vnsained faith is that is where a ful and setled persuasion or assuraunce of saluatioÌ„ is throughe Jesu Christ alone wrought in the heart by the holy Ghoste thereis a good conscience bicause being iustified by Faith we haue peace with God thorough our Lord Jesus Christ Rom. 5. so ther is also a pure hart for it is faiths propertie to purify the hart Act. 15. verse 9. And therfore is it writteÌ„ that by saith Abel offred a better sacrifice than Caine Heb. 11. verse 4. For if there hadde bin faith in Caine as in Abell his sacrifice had bin as well accepted as Abels but euen for lack of this it was not If therfore we lacke faith in God when we go about a good matter we léese our labor for it is impossible to please God wtout faith Heb. 2. vers 6. therfore eueÌ„ hereby al the gay glorious works of Turks Iewes Atheists Heretikes Papists are proued to be no good works at all in the sight of god bicause they procâ—â—d froÌ„ such as are destitute of the true Christian faith Secondly we must take héed that our workes be done in humilitie and lowlinesse of mind taking our selues to be bound as indéed we are to doe more than we do or can do yea being ready to say think indéed as Christ hath taught vs that wheÌ„ we haue done al that is commaunded vs to do whiche is impossible for vs to do Act. 15. Rom. 8. that we bée but unprofitable seruants Luk. 17. Further that this Humilitie muste be of measure in vs that it cause vs alwayes to suspect our own weaknesse infirmitie that so there may be founde in vs a holy trembling feare to offend oure good God in omitting the least necessary circumstance of a good work as we be taughte Phil. 2. verse 12. in these wordes Make an end of your saluation in seare treÌ„bling That this humilitie lowlinesse of mind is necessarily to be ioyned with exercizing our selues in good matters Christ hath plainly taught vs Luk. 18 in the parable of the Pharisie Publican there it appeares the the Pharisie had exercised himselfe in good matters both in abstayning from outwarde fins and in doing of good and lawfull things yet bicause when he had done he lackte humilitie therwith was puft vp to think that God was therfore indebted to him he mard al lost al his labor And therfore al merit-mongers that perswade theÌ„selues that by their works they haue deserued Heauen for al their bragging of works more thaÌ„ ynough to iufâ—iâ—â—e theÌ„selues withal are by Christe sent home vniustified yea not so much as once reckoned accompted amongst the workers of any iust holy work Thirdly least any shold think that in teaching vs to be thus lowly minded when we goe about a good work we be taught therein vtterly to distrust or dispaire that god wil at any time regard our good workes accept theÌ„ we must learne of the worde to ioyne hope with our humilitie that as the one preserueth vs froÌ„ truste in our workes so the other may kéep vs from vtter dispairing that God wil reward them But that this hope may be found in vs we must not séek to grouÌ„d any kind of worthâ—nesse in our selues for when we looke into our selues consider our works as they come from vs in great imperfection we find see our selues to tremble â—â—ar being ready al of vs to say with Esay c 4. at our righteousnes is but as â—â—thye clouts but we must resorte to Christe that as in him we our selues are iustified so for his sake these pore fruites of oures might be accepted To teach vs thus to doe Peter hath saide vnto vs 1. Epistle Chap. 2. to whom â—e come as vnto a liuing stone disâ— lowed of men but chosen of God and pretidus and be made a spirituall house a holy priesthoode to offer vppe spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God by Iesus Christ He knew sul wel that to encourage Christians to exercise theÌ„selues in godlines which he termes here the offering 〈◊〉 of spiritual sacriâ—â—teâ— it was neceâ—â—â—ry to teach thâ—us that though when they had done they should find no cause in their own works worthinesse why they shoulde be accepted of God that yet acceptable they should be in Christ Iesus that thus yet he mighte teache them to doe good workes in hope that their labour shoulde be acceptable in Christe and for his sake the infirmities and imperfections
¶ A short Treatise very comfortable for all those Christians that be troubled and disquieted in theyr consciences with the sight of their owne infirmities Wherein is shevved hovv such may in their owne selues finde whereby to assure them of their free election effectuall vocation and iustification Math. 7. verse 17. Euery good tree bringeth foorth good fruite and a corrupt tree bringeth foorth euill fruite Math. 4. verse 18. A good tree can not bring foorth euill fruite neither can a corrupt tree bring foorth good fruite Printed at London by Ralph Newbery Anno Domini 1580. To the Christian Reader saluation in Christ IESVS WHen these few leaues were writ at the first Christian Reader it was not my meaning thus by print to haue made them common for they were writte vpoÌ„ the request of a perticular man for the comfort and consolation of his troubled soule but since one written coppy hath begot so many and made me haue so many suters for moe the number of afflicted coÌ„sciences being in these dayes so many as I know they be and they that haue had the reading heereof already reporting and confessing vnto me that thereby they haue bin much comforted though I know that it was not nor is not penned so exactly nor yet the matter dealt in so substaÌ„tially as things in these dayes to be published had neede to be yet I haue suffered my selfe by the importunitie of the godly that haue requested euen this at my hands to be ouerread and so to publish it I hope for the benefite of all those that shall reade it for this I am sure of I haue so layd downe comforts for the healing of the broken hearted Christian that withall I haue I hope taken all occasion from the prophane and godlesse of taking cause to be sure by any thing heere set downe which I take to bee very necessary to be regarded in such preatises and discourses wherefore be the Reader hereof a right and true Christian or a carnall and counterfeyte Gospeller he may in this short and briefe tracte find that which may be profitable for him if he be of the later sort then here shal he learne that where true iustification in deede is there is also sanctification and that therefore he deceyues himselfe in presuming of the former hauing neuer had any aquayntance with the later and if he be of the first sort be he weake or strong in faith heere shall he find both matter to leade him on in his streÌ„gth and to rayse him vp in his weakenesse and therefore take it vnto thee Christian Reader and learne to make thy profite of it according to thy hearte and a salue of it according to thy sore That thou mayest thus do I beseech the Lord to direct thee in reading of it with his spirit and hauing done I pray thee recompence my good will in commending me vnto God in thy heartie Prayers agayne Farewell Thine in Christ Iesus Thomas Sparke Archdeacon How a man shall be assured in his ovvne conscience of his election effectuall vocation and iustification THis is certayne he that is desirous to knowe whether he be one whome God hath elected and according to the same his election effectually called and iustifyed he is to consider whether he be yet sanctified or no and thereby to iudge of his election vocation and iustification for where this sanctification is founde there the partye that hath it in possession is assured that he is the chosen childe of God effectuallie called vnto that estate and in Christ Iesus iustified and so in the ende sure to bée glorifyed as it maye well and euidentelye appeare bothe by the iudgemente of Peter and also of Paule whereof the firste exhortyng to the particular braunches of sanctificatioÌ„ as namely to knowledge temperance patience godlynesse brotherly kindnesse and loue addeth thys as a reason to adde force vnto his exhortation Bréethren giue diligeÌ„ce to make your calling and election sure for if you do these things ye shal neuer fal 2. Pet. 1. verse 5. and the other Rom. 8. as he assureth those that be in Christ of their election vocation and iustification yea and in the end of their assured glorification saying there is no condemnation to those that be in Christ Iesus so he in the words immediatly following teacheth how to know those that be in Christ and so consequently those that be elected called iustified and in the end to be glorifyed saying Which walk not after the flesh but after the spirit which same lesson Christ our sauiour hathe taught vs Math. 7. verse 18. saying A good trée cannot bring forth had fruite nor yet a had trée can bring forth good fruite and also Ioh. 15. verse 4. 5. where he saith as the branch can not beare fruite of it selfe except it abide in the vine no more can yée except yée abide in me I am the vine yée are the branches he that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruite Héereby I say then it is euident as séeking the cause why we are elected called iustified and finally shall be glorified we find the only cause to be Christ Iesus and therfore are enforced to acknowledge hym the only dore into the shéepefold Ioh. 10. the way the truth and the life Iohn 14. and his name to be the only name whereby commeth saluatioÌ„ Act. 4. so we are compelled being asked who be elected called iustified and to be glorified to answere they onely that ioyne vertue to their faith that walke not after fleshe but after the spirite and so being good trées of the Lordes planting in Christ Iesus Esa 61. and Iohn 13. bring foorth the fruites of righteousnesse that is those only that be sanctified for those the word accompteth sanctified in whome the sanctifying spirit sheweth it selfe to dwell by the right fruites of the spirit wrought in them which all consist in sacrificing crucifying â—â—â—â—â—cising mortifying killing and burying of the old man and in putting on â—â—â—â—â—ing renuing and strengthning of the new man which representeth the ymage of God in holynesse and righteousnesse Ephesi 4. If therefore to our eternall comfort we would be certifyed of thys poynte whether we be of the number of those that shall be saued let vs not séeke to be resolued thereof by â—urious entring into consideration of Gods secret purpose but let vs in the reuelation of Iesus Christ vnto vs and in the assured tokens and marâ—es of those whome God in him hath purposed to saue learne to know and vnderstande what Gods purpose is towardes vs. For as it is written by Paule in the firste Chapter vnto the Ephesians and the thirde verse In hym it is in whome the heauenlye father hathe blessed vs in all manner of spirituall blessings in heauenly things according as he had chosen vs in him before the soundations of the worlde were â—ayde that we shoulde be holy and withoute blame before him thorough Loue. In déede God in
descending downe to vs and in bringing vs to full possession of hys blessings procéedeth by these steppes béeyng of nature good and louyng towardes mankinde thoughe in mutable manne there was found cause why hée should altogither bée shuffe from taking any benefite by thys loue of God towards him yée God being of nature immutable â—erseuered in his loue towards maÌ„ and â—oÌ„ fréely of his own good wil purposeth the saluation of vs men in his son Christ Iesus and electeth and predectinateth vs to be saued through and for hym béefore the foundations of the worlde and therefore in time by promisse reuealeth thys hys purpose and when the fulnesse of Tyme was come sente hym in whome by whome thoroughe whome and for whose sake hys purpose shoulde stande ratified and those whose saluation in Christe thus promised and performe from euerlastyng hée purposed those by his worde and spirite in hys good time he maketh effectuallye to vnderstand how able and willing he is only in hys sonne Christe Iesus to iustify and there stayeth not but by the same meanes he worketh faith in theyr heartes whereby they catch holde of Christ and so in hym of full iustification Thus when hée hath made them trées of righteousnes of his own planting in Christ then he so purgeth and trimmeth them that they may bring forthe muche fruite to his glorie in this life that in the world to come he may make theÌ„ partakers of his owne glorie so that God of his own good will purposeth to sane or electeth whome he liste and those he calleth wheÌ„ he listeth and them iustifieth and sanctifieth here that hée maye in hys good time glorifie elsewhere Rom. 8. But nowe if wée would know Gods purpose of vs wée haue to beginne at the lowest or laste effecte of hys good purpose towardes vs and thereby by degrées to ascende to fynde oute what hys absolute decrée is to doe wyth vs that is lette vs consider whether we be sanctified or no if not it is in vaine eyther to bragge of Iustification Vocation or Election or to presume of Glorification vntil this be founde in vs wée can haue no assurance of anye of these but when this is once sounde in vs then forasmuch as none be sanctified whom hée hath not iustified and none iustified whome he hath not both effectually called in tyme and elected before al times and none euer was partaker of all these but in the ende also there was glorified we may thereby assure our selues that we are alreadye iustified and therefore called called and therefore elected and consequently suche as shall bée glorifyed Howbeit as all is not gold that glisters so all is not Sanctification or true holinesse that séemeth so to be For we reade in the 29. Chapiter of Esay of such as drewe nigh to God with their lippes and yet were farre from hym in their hearts and Esay 28. God in describing a people in whome he founde nothing but sin and transgression to bée cryed out of yet saith thus of them yet they séeke me dayly and woulde knowe my wayes euen as a nation that dydde righteously and hadde not forsaken the statutes of their God in these then ther séemed to be holines and yet was none So in the Scribes Pharisies in Christes tyme in the eyes and iudgementes of men there séemed to be notable sanctification or holinesse of life insomuch that in that respecte Christe compareth them to suche as made cleane the vtter syde of the Cuppe and of the Platter and to painted tombes whyche appeare beautiful outward And yet there he denounceth manye he any woes againste them pronounceth them Hypocrites Serpents and generation of Vipers Math. 23. And therefore Christe hathe tolde vs Math. 5. verse 20. Excepte our righteousnesse excéede the righteousnes of the Scribes Pharisies we shal not enter into the kingdome of Heauen hath also warned vs that we be not like theÌ„ neither in giuing of almes praying nor fasting Math. 6. The Aungell of the Church of Sardis had a name that he liued yet was dead Reuel 3. describing the wickednes of the last times he saith that theÌ„ they shal haue a shew of godlinesse out haue denyed the power therof These places theÌ„ euidently do teach vs to take héed that we do not flatter our selues think that therfore al is wel with vs bicause outwardly we appere to men sanctified righteous for we sée here that it is not that séeming but that being righteous that is proued of God as a marke true token of those that shal enter into HeueÌ„ O theÌ„ how voide are they of any true hope of saluatioÌ„ in whoÌ„ there is neither fouÌ„d holines in déed neither yet so muche as an outward shew therof being men which liue so wickedly that al men that haue any acquaintance familiarity with them sée and beholde their prophane and wicked liues But nowe let these alone let vs take this profite by this lesson that it standeth vs vpon to be righteous in déede if we be desirous hereby to reape any assuraunce of our election and iustification And hereby let vs take occasion to consider least we be deceiued in accompting our selues truely righteous when wée are not what thynges be necessarye to true righteousnesse For the vnderstandyng whereof if we resorte vnto the Scriptures of God thereby shall wée learne that true righteousnesse and perfect is a ceasing from all the sinnes condemned in the lawe in heart worde déede and countenaunce and an embracing all the vertues commended in the same in hearte worde déede and countenaunce And further thereby shall wée plainely learne that he that woulde walke in holinesse and righteousnesse before the Lorde he hath to regard two principal things the matter namelye that hée exercise hym selfe in and the maner howe to doe it For if either bothe of these or one of these be neglected the labor is lost The matter of a good worke is that onely which is warranted lawfull to be done eyther expressely or by sound collection out of the Canonicall Scriptures for it is written yée shall put nothing vnto the word that I command you neyther shall you take aught therefroÌ„ Deu. 4.2 and good reason is there why we should obey this precept for the holy Scripture is giuen by inspiration of God and is profitable to teach to reproue to correct and to instruct in righteousnesse that the man of God may be absolute being made perfect vnto al good works 2. Tim. 3. verse 16.17 and therfore worthily Christ reiecteth all such workes or poyntes of his worship which haue no ground out of she word saying Mat. 15. in vayne they worship me teaching for doctrines mens preceptes thereby telling the Pharistes though they were neuer so paynefull and deuoute in obseruing their owne traditions yet hée would make no accompt of their so doing but as of vayne and lost laboure Vpon this ground Paule Coloss 2. condemneth al works that haue no