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
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
vs thâ—se things vve stand in need of Fourthly Iustification begets patience in afflictions and makes a man reioice in the middest of tribulations Being iustified by Faith wee haue peace to Godward Neither that only but also we reioice in tribulations knovving that tribulation produceth patience to wit through the perswasion of our reconciliation vnto God and our assurance that all things how bitter and grieuous soeuer doe worke for the best vnto them that loue God and are pleasing to him Lastly Glorification is an inseparable companion and a notable effect of Iustification Being freed from sinne and made seruants vnto God yee haue your fruit in holinesse and the end euerlasting life The obedience of Christ by grace imputed to vs and by Faith receiued of vs workes in vs a desire care and endeuour to obey God His death for which our sins are remitted works in vs another death whereby wee die to sinne And his glorious righteousnesse wherewith wee are inuested and made to bee reputed righteous doth merit for vs eternall life and glorie The subiect of Iustification or the persons that are iustified or to whom Iustification doth belong are the Elect of God the sheep of Christ euen all that are predestinated vnto life For therefore the Scriptures speak on this sort The Lord hath laied vpon him the iniquitie of vs all I laie dovvne my life for my sheepe Whom hee did predestinate hee hath also iustified Who spared not his owne Sonne but gaue him for vs all how shall he not vvith him giue vs all things also But for what vs saith Augustine Euen for them vvhich are fore-knowen praedestinated iustified and glorfiied Haimo saith Christ hath taken avvaie in the Elect not onely originall sinne but all actuall offences also and hath moreouer giuen the euerlasting life Radnulphus also saith that the blood of the High-priest Christ vvas the expiation of all Beleeuers I adde further that the Elect are the onely persons to whom this worthy worke of God belongs and none but they First the Scripture is euident By his knowledge shall my righteous seruant iustifie Manie He bare the sinne of manie His blood vvas shed for manie for the remission of sins Hee vvas once offered to take awaie the sinnes of manie The Scripture saith Manie and not All without the exception of any Thou shall call his Name Iesus for he shal same his people from their sinnes Now all are not his For his people are his sheep and his sheepe are the deuils Goaets all are not his sheepe Yee beleeue not saith Christ for yee are not of my sheepe Some men haue neuer faith therefore some are neuer iustified Secondly for whom Christ did not pray for them hee did not sacrifice because to intercede and to sacrifice are conioyned But Christ prayed onely for the Elect and for Beleeuers and in praying did offer himselfe to the Father I praie for them saith Christ I praie not for the world but for them which thou hast giueÌ„ me for they are thine And for their sakes I sanctifie my selfe I praie not for these alone but for them also which beleeue in me Origen saith accordingly Hom. 9. in Leuit. that Christ prayth Onelie for those which are the Lordes portion Augustine saith There is a world of the damned for this world Christ praieth not And there if a world of those that are to be saued for this world Christ praieth And likewise Cyrill The Lord Iesus putting a difference betwixt his and such as were not his for those onelie saith he I praie which keepe my word and haue taken my yoke For to whom he is a Mediatour and High-priest on them only he bestowes the benefit of Meditation Therefore the Elect and faithfull are only iustified redeemed by Christ Thirdly Christ gaue himselfe that he might sanctifie to himselfe a peculiar people that is a people selected out of others as a precious treasure and his owne proper goods Therefore it was not Christs intention to giue himselfe to be a ransome for all and euery one alike Lastly regeneration and life eternall belong not to all All men doe not die to sinne and liue to God and the kingdome of God shall be giuen to them for whom it is preprared Many shall be excluded Therefore all are not iustified For they that are iustified shal be also glorified Isychius saith that Christ who suffered for vs hath deliuered vs from sinne and from the bondage of it And Augustine more plainly Euerie one that is generated is damned and no man is deliuered but he that is regenerated And againe God gaue a great price bought those whom he doth reuiue It is manifest therefore that the Elect are onely partakers of the merits of Christ and iustified in the sight of God For whereas Christ is said to take awaie the sinnes of the world here the vvorld only that is the vniuersall coÌ„panie of the Elect which are taken from all degrees and callings in the world is to he vnderstood For there is as it were a little world of the Elect. Eusebius saith Christ hath suffered for the saluation of the vvorld of those that shal be saued And S. Augustine hauing made a distinction of Worlds saith that this vvorld which God doth reconcile vnto himselfe in Christ and which is saued by Christ and to which euerie sinne is remitted through Christ is elected ouâ— of the maligning damned and defiled world And though the Apostle say that hee gaue himselfe a ransome for all men yet we must in no wise therefore conclude that all are iustified without exception For the word All as Aristotle in his Politiques hath obserued signifieth either euerie one in particular and then it is takeÌ„ distributiuely or else Not each particular and then it is taken collectiuelie signifieth anie not ech many not al without exception of any Whereas then the Apostle saith that Christ gaue himselfe a ransome for All he meaneth al beleeuers of what condition or couÌ„trey soeuer Neither 〈◊〉 it any new thing that the word All should be taken in such a sense seeing the like examples may be found as in Luk. 11.42 Woe be to you Pharisies for you â—â—the mint rue and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all hearbes that is hearbs of euerie kinde So Christ is said to heale Euerie disease that is all kinds of diseases All Iudea is said to goe out to Iohn Baptist Multi Omnes in Paulo idem sunt Manie saith Sedulius and Al are the same with Paul It is true indeed I grant that the obedience of Christ being the obedience of God was in it self sufficient to haue procured the Iustification of all without exception but if wee respect either Gods decree or Christs intention it is appropriated to the Elect and belongs to none but them Innocentius saith His blood was shed
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
calling is an argument of admirable power in God of his infinite mercie to vs. For as he shewed his power in creation in making things to bee that before were not euen so hee manifests his power in his effectuall vocation in calling men that were dead in sin and worse then nothing by their owne deserts to liue the life of grace and in breathing into them the breath of life which was vtterly expired by their fall in Adam Yea the Lord may seeme to exhibit more power when he calles men then when he did create him for at his creation there was none to hinder him but at his vocation there were many hinderers great impedimēts though all inferiour vnto GOD There is the Diuel and his suggestions there is the World and her incantations scandals and allurements there is our owne flesh the rebellious corruption of the heart All these God must vanquish and he must perswade and incline our wils and of nillers make vs willers before he perfit and accomplish in vs this his glorious and thrice-happy worke of grace Secondly this calling is a notable testimony of his grace and mercie to vs in that it pleased him to shine vpon vs with the light of his spirit and to cast his gratious eies vpon vs who were by sin more loathsome then a carion and more stincking then any dunghil What are wee that God should bee mindful of vs and visit vs with his grace The Starres are vncleane in hi◠sight how much more man a Worme euen the son of man which is but a worme As God declared his goodnes in creation by communicating a beeing vnto things that had no beeing euen so the same God doth manifest his mercy in vocation by ministring life vnto those that before were miserable and void of life And indeed there is more goodnes shewed more grace exhibited in restoring a man out of his grieuous and inextricable miserie and in curing him of his cursed blindnesse then in giuing him a beeing hauing none before in making him to see hauing no sight To raise a dead soule from the death of sin vnto a supernaturall life is a greater worke of mercy then to raise a dead body from bodily death to liue a naturall life Eightly this effectuall calling doth farre surpasse our naturall propagation or procreation For in this we are but taken as it were out of our father Adam but in the other wee are both taken out of the first Adam wholy corrupted and set also into the second Adam Christ Iesus Who of God is made vnto vs vvisedome righteousnes sanctification and redemption Lastly this calling that the excellencie thereof may yet appeare ratifies all our couenants with God Men in their Baptisme enter couenant with God but often start from it and will not stand to it so as the couenant is onely made But when as a man is effectually called the couenant is not onely made but truely accomplished and that on mans part Haec clariss◠Perk The fourth and last propertie of effectuall vocation is that it may be discerned by certaine signes thereof This estimation or discerning of it is two fold infallible and coniecturall Coniecturall discerning or determining of it is especially when in our iudgement of charitie wee deeme of others as of the called of God by their outward profession and conuersation in the world And thus Paul cals the Romanes Corinthians Sancts by calling whereas notwithstanding it is not vnprobable but that there were some hypocrites among them For visible Churches are like a uet where in is taken both good fish and bad or a barne wherein is cockle and good corne or a garden in which grow both stincking weeds and pleasant flowers the nettle as well as the rose The certaine and infallible discerning and determination made of effectuall vocation is either when by a speciall and extraordinary reuelation from God one man discernes determines infallibly of the calling of another this I say is performed whē it is performed by a special work of God For he alone vnderstandeth the heart For what man knoweth the things of a man saue the spirit of a man which is in him All is not gold that glisters The heart is deceitfull wicked aboue all things who cā know it I the Lord search the heart and try the reiues Or else secondly this infallible determination and discerning is made when a man determines of and discernes his owne vocation by certaine workes of Gods spirit which are infallible testimonies and tokens of it and by which we may make our calling sure as Poter would haue vs. The signes of effectuall Calling are these First the Calling of God works in vs another call whereby wee call vpon him and seriously seeke vnto him and desire his grace Now to desire the helpe of grace is the beginning of grace To call vpon God constantly and sincerely for his grace is a worke of grace and therefore an vndoubted token of our calling vnto grace Secondly the attentiue hearing of the word is a marke of our effectuall vocation For as a man is iudged to be sicke and diseased when his stomack cannot brook nor digest wholesome meats so the soule of that man cannot be sound to whom the word of God hath no pleasant tast But when a Man can say with the Prophet Dauid Thy word is sweeter to me then the hony or hony combe by this we may gather an assured trust that wee are giuen vnto Christ if we do continue in hauing delight still For otherwise a sicke man may haue some while a relish of his meat when there is some intermission of the disease but it holdeth not long so is it with them that haue for a while some tast of the word of God and afterward fall away Haec Clariss Will. Thirdly the Sheepe of Christ are such as are called home out of the vast wildernesse of this world vnto Christ their sheepheard Therefore by what notes these Sheepe are discerned by the same a man may know his calling Christ saith that his sheep know him heare his voyce and follow him If therefore we know acknowledge and embrace Christ if wee heare and hearken vnto his voyce to doe it if we study to resemble imitate and follow him in loue meekenesse patience humilitie iustice fidelitie trueth confidence and compassion we may assure our selues that wee are his Sheep effectually called home into his fold Furthermore the Romanes are by Paul entituled the called of Iesus Christ The Corinthians are said to bee Saints by calling The Thessalonians some of them at lest were effectually called Now Paul saith of the called Romans that they obeyed from the hear◠vnto the forme of the doctrine whereunto they were deliuered Of the called Corinthians hee saith that in all things they were made rich in Christ and were not destitute of any gift and that howsoeuer
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
sins and Gods accepting of vs as righteous men Remission of sins is a gracious act of God whereby for the merit and satisfaction of Christ he doth perfectly forgiue both the fault and punishment Therefore Paul saith that by him wee haue redemption through hiâ— blood euen the forgiuenes of sinnes according to his rich grace and that there is no condemnation to theÌ„ that are in Christ Iesus who hath by himself purged our sins and by whom the Father hath reconâ—iled vâ— vnto himselfe Now it were absurd to thinke that the punishment is retâ—ined when the sin is remitted For if the proper cause bee defaced then the effect thereof must needs be also abolished If the bodie bee remoued the shadow thereof remaines not So if sin bee pardoned the punishment is remitted As for the crosses which the faithfull suffer they are to bee reputed curses or penalties of vengeance inflicted of God as of an ireful direful Iudge but they are to be esteemed onely as tryals or as punishmeÌ„t of castigatioÌ„ imposed of god as a louing father desiring the welfare weldoing of his childreÌ„ As many as I loue saith the Lord I rebuke chasten He scourgeth euerie sonne vvhich he receiueth If therefore ye be vvithout correction whereof all are partakers then are ye bastards and not sonnes Novv no chastening for the present seemeth to bee 〈◊〉 but grieuous yet afterward it bringeth the 〈◊〉 fruit of righteousnes vnto theÌ„ which are thereby exercised The Lord tries vs by afflictions as gold is tried in the furnace with fire He keeps vs by the crosse within our limits as water is held in with bankes And with the thorny hedge of troubles vexations hee keepes vs within our owne walkes and pastures being by nature giuen to break out and stray Therefore Dauid saith Before I was afflicted I went astray but now I keepe thy word it is good for mee that I haue beene afflicted that I may learne thy statutes Blessed is the man whom thou chastisest For it is certaine God scoureth away the infirmities of his Saincts by many afflictions It is the Lord which sendeth crosses to his children to saue theÌ„ that they freese not with the wicked world in their dregs For this end saith Cyprian the Lord rebuketh that hee might amend vs to this end he mends that he might saue vs. Augustine saith that sorrowes before pardon of sins are the punishments of sinners but after pardon they are the trials and exercises of iust men And so for death it selfe the sting and strength thereof which is sin is abolished by the death of Christ vpon the crosse therefore is to bee reputed but as a triall or chastisement whereby the Lord doth teach vs humilitie and the flight of sinne and doth exercise and proue our faith fortitude and patience And though in respect of sinne it be the entrance of Hell yet through the death of Christ it is become the gate of heauen and as Cyprian speaketh Ianua vitae the dore of life It doth as it were conuey vs out of the wildernes into Canaan out of a troublesome Sea into a quiet hauen and out of earth into heauen from woe to weale and from men to God yea it becomes the death of sinne that first gaue life to it We conclude therefore this truth with Vrsinus saying God doth not hate vs neither hath he a will to punish vs for those sins for which Christ hath sufficiently satisfied in whom also we haue remission of those sins of omission and all other our sins so that by his onely merit we are reputed righteous before God The second part of Iustification is Gods gracious acceptation wherby he doth for the merit of Christs actiue obedience by faith receiued of vs account vs iust and pure and honours vs with the crowne of life And in this respect we may truely be sayed to be iust perfect and holie men because we stand clothed with the most perfect righteousnes of Christ which is reputed ours in which appearing before our heauenly father wee doe receiue a blessing as Iacob did of Isaack hauing on his elder brothers garmeÌ„ts Neither must it seeme strange vnto vs that we should be accepted righteous for the righteousnes of an other For albeit this righteousnesse be Christs primarily and by way of inherence yet it is ours by Gods donation and by the application of faith As the paiment of our debt is another mans so farre forth as it is discharged by him but it is our payment as it is imputed to vs. Aquinas saith well The head and the member is as one mysticall person and therefore the satisfaction of Christ pertaineth to all the faithfull as to his members The forme or formall cause of Iustification is not faith loue nor any other vertue neither is it an infused quality or habituall sanctity inherent in vs. For this were to confound iustification and sanctification which are very different acts as wee shall hereafter shew But the righteousnesse of Christ imputed considered as it is imputed of God is the forme of iustification Or the proper and onely true forme of iustification is the free imputation of the righteousnes of Christ by which the merit and obedience of Christ are applied to vs by vertue of that neare communion whereby he is in vs and we in him Now God is said to impute the righteousnes of Christ vnto a man when hee doth adiudge decree and giue it to him and account and reckon it as his owne and for the merit and worthines of it doth pardon acquite him and repute him righteous O sweete exchange saith Iustin Martyr O vnsearchable vvorkemanship O benefits surpassing all expectation that the iniquity of manie should be couered in one iust person and that the iustice of one should make manie that are vniust to be reputed iust If one saith Bernard did die for all then all died to wit that the satisfaction of one might be imputed vnto all as that one bare the sins of all Now Christ bare our sins and was made sin for vs not as if our sins had beene infused into him and had beene inherent and inhabitants in him but because they were imputed to him and reputed his as if they had beene committed by him he supplying our place as our Surety and Mediator euen so his righteousnes is made ours not as though it were infused or translated into vs as a thing inherent and inhabiting in vs but because it is reputed ours and imputed freely to vs as if wee our selues had wrought it in our owne persons And of this opinion was S. Augustine We are the righteousnes of God in him as he is sin in vs to vvit by imputation With whom consenteth Vrsinus the imputation of the righteousnes of Christ is not the transfusion of righteousnes or of qualities into vs but the absolution from sins in the iudgement
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
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
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