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
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