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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A17121	An historicall narration of the iudgement of some most learned and godly English bishops, holy martyrs, and others (whereof III; viz. Archbishop Cranmer, B. Latimer, and Bishop Hooper, suffred martyrdome, in the dayes of Q. Mary, for the truth and Gospell of Christ Iesus) concerning Gods election, and the merit of Christ his death, &c.	J. A., of Ailward.; Ailward, John, attributed name. aut; Andrewes, John, fl. 1615, attributed name. aut	1631 (1631)	STC 4; ESTC S100399	62,871	120

Adam and his Posterity were made in Christ and for Christ onely and appertained to our Fathers and vs as wee appertained to Christ. Hee is the doore the way and the Life Hee onely is the Mediator betweene GOD and Man without whom no man can come to the Father celestiall Ioh. 1. 3. 6. Because the Promises of GOD appertained to our Fathers forasmuch as they likewise to Christ Hitherto and for ever they were preserved from Hell and the paines due to Adams sinne in him for whose sake the Promise was made The meanes of our Peace and reconciliation with GOD is onely in Christ as by whose Passion we are made holy Therefore CHRIST is called by Iohn the Baptist The Lambe that taketh away the Sinnes of the world And as the Divell found nothing in Christ that he could condemne likewise so now hee hath nothing in us worthy damnation because wee be comprehended and fully inclosed in him for we bee his by Faith All these that be comprehended under the Promise belong unto CHRIST And as farre extendeth the vertue and strength of GODS Promise to save Man as the rigour and Iustice of the Law for sinne to damne man For as by the offence and sinne of one man Death was extended and made common unto all men unto condemnation as Paul sayth So by the Iustice of one is derived life into all men to Iustification The wordes of the promise made unto Adam and Abraham confirmeth the same They are these I will put enmity and hatred betweene thee and the Woman betweene thy seed and the womans seed and her seed shall breake thy h●●d For as wee were in Adam before his Fall and should if hee had not sinned beene of the same Innocencie and perfection that hee was created in So were we in his loynes when he sinned and participated of his sinne And as we were in him and partakers of the ill So were we in him when GOD made him a promise of Grace and partakers of the same grace Not as the children of Adam but as the children of the Promise And the sinnes of Adam without priviledge or exception extended and appertained unto all Adams and every of Adams posteritie So did this promise of Grace generally appertaine as well to every and singular of Adams posterity as to Adam as it is more plainly expressed Where GOD promiseth to blesse in the seed of Abraham all the people of the world And Paul maketh no diversity in Christ of Iew nor Gentile Further it was never forbid but that all sorts of people and of every progeny in the world to bee made partakers of the Iewes Religion and Ceremonies Further St. Paul doth by collation of Adam and Christ Sinne and Grace thus interpret GODs promise and I●aketh not Christ inferior to Adam nor grace unto sinne If all then shall be saved what is to bee sayd of those that St. Peter speaketh of That shall perish for their false Doctrine And likewise Christ sayth That the gate is straight that teadeth to Life and few enter Thus the Scripture answereth 〈◊〉 the promise of Grace appermineth to every sort of men in the world and comprehendeth them all howbeit within certaine limits and bound 〈…〉 the which if men neglect or passe over they exclude themselves from the Promise in CHRIST as Caine was no more excluded till hee excluded himselfe than Abell Saul than David Iudas than Peter Esau than Iacob By the Scripture it seemeth that the sentence of GOD was given to save the one and to damne the other before the one loved GOD or the other hared GOD. Howbeit these threatnings of GOD against Esau if hee had not of his wilfull malice excluded himselfe from the promise of Grace should no more have hindered his Salvation than GODS threatnings against Ninivie which notwithstanding that GOD sayd should be destroyed within 40. dayes stood a great time after and did Penance Esau was Circumcised and presented unto the Church of GOD by his Father Isaac in all externall ceremonies as well as Iacob And that his life and conversati●n was not as agreeable unto justice and equitie as Iacobs the sentence of GOD unto Rebeced was not in the fault but his owne malice Forthere is mentioned nothing at all in that place that Esau was disinherited of eternall life but that hee should be inferiour to his brother Iacob in this world Which Prophecy was fulfilled in their Posterities and not the persons themselves Of this acceptation of the one and reprobation of the other concerning the promise of the earth speaketh Malachy the Prophet as the beginning of his booke declareth speaking in this wise I have loved you saith the Lord yee say Wherein hast thou loved us God answereth Was not Esau Iacobs brother saith the Lord Not withstanding I loved Iacob and hated Esau Wherein hated GOD Esau The Prophet sheweth I have made his possession that was the mount Seir desolate as a desert or wilder nesse of Dragons the which happened in the time of Nabucho donozor Wherein hee loved Iacob the Text declareth God transferred the right and tytle that appertained unto Esau the elder Brother to Iacob the younger Likewise the Laad that was promised unto Abraham and Isaac was by legacy and testament given unto Iacob and his Posterities St. Paul useth this example of Iacob and Esau for none other purpose but to take away from the Iewes the thing that they most put their trust in to say The vayne hope they had in the carnall Linage and naturall descent from the family and houshold of Abraham and likewise their false considence they had in the keeping of the Law of Mose● Pauls whole purpose is in the Epistle to bring Man unto a knowledge of his Sinne and to shew him how it may bee remitted and with many testimonies and examples of the Scripture hee proveth Man to be saved onely by Mercy for the merites of Christ which is apprehended and received by Faith as he at large sheweth in the 3 4 and 5 Chapters of the same Epistle In the understanding of the which three Chapter aright is required a singular and exact ailigence For it seemeth by those places that Paul concludeth and in a manner includeth the divine Grace and promise of GOD within ●ertaine tearmes and limits that onely CHRIST should bee efficatious and profitable in those that apprehend and receive this abundant grace by Faith and to such as have not the use of Faith neyther CHRIST nor Gods grace to appertaine Now seeing no man by reason of this natur all I●●redulity borne and begotten with us can beleeve and put such confidence in God as he requireth by his Law as experience of our owne weakenesse declareth though Man have yeares and time to beleeve the promise of GOD in CHRIST appertaineth to no man This sentence is plaine in the last Chapter of Marke Hee that beleeveth not

if wee be Damned For it is written thus Deus vult owmnes homines salvos fieri God would have all men to bee saved his salvation is sufficient to save all Mankind But wee are so wicked of our selves that wee refuse the same and we will not take it when it is offered unto us and therefore he sayth Pauci verò electi Few are chosen That is few have pleasure delight in it For the most part are weary of it cannot abide it and there are some that heare it but they will abide no danger for it they love more their riches possessions than the word of God therfore Pauci sunt electi there are but a few that sticke heartily unto it and can finde in their hearts to forgoe this world for Gods sake and his holy word There are some now adayes that will not be reprehended by the Gospell they thinke themselves better than it Some againe are so stubborne that they will rather forsweare themselves than confesse their sinnes and wickednesse Such men are cause of their owne Damnation for God would have them saved but they refuse it like as did Iudas the Traytor whom Christ would have had to be saved but hee refused his salvation Hee refused to follow the Doctrine of his Master Christ. And so whosoever heareth the Word of God and followeth it the same is Elect by him And againe whosoever refuseth to heare the word of God and to follow the same is Damned So that our Election is sure if we follow the word of God Here is now taught you how to try out your Election namely in Christ. For Christ is the accompting booke and Register of God Even in the same Booke that is Christ are written all the names of the Elect Therefore wee cannot find our Election in our selves neyther yet in the high Counsell of God for Inscrutabilia sunt iudi cia altissimi where then shall I find my Election In the counting booke of GOD which is Christ For thus it is written Sic Deus dilexit mundum that is God so intirely loved the World that hee gave his onely begotten Sonne to that end that all that beleeve in him should not perish but haue life Everlasting Whereby appeareth most plainely that Christ is the Booke of Life and that all that beleeve in him are in the same Booke so are chosen to Everlasting life for only those are ordained which beleeve Therefore when thou hast faith in Christ then thou art in the booke of Life and so art thou sure of thy Election And againe If thou bee without Christ and have no Faith in him neyther art sory for thy wickednesse nor have a minde and purpose to leave and forsake Sinne but rather exercise and use the same then thou art not in the booke of Life as long as thou art in such a case and therefore shalt thou goe into Everlasting fire namely if thou dye in thy wickednesse and finne without Repentance But there are none so wicked but hee may have a Remedy what is that Enter into thine owne heart and search the secrets of the same Consider thine owne life and how thou hast spent thy dayes And if thou find in thy selfe all manner of uncleannesse and abhominable sinnes and so seest thy Damnation before thine eyes what shalt thou then doe Confesse the same unto thy Lord GOD be sory that thou hast offended so loving a Father and aske mercy of him in the name of Christ and beleeve stedfastly that hee will bee mercifull unto thee in the respect of his onely Sonne which suffered Death for thee and then have a good purpose to leave all sinne and wickednesse and to with-stand and resist the affections of thine owne flesh which ever fight against the spirit and to live uprightly and godly after the will and Commandement of thy heavenly Father If thou goe thus to worke surely thou shalt be heard thy sinnes shall bee forgiven thee God will shew himselfe true in his Promise For to that end hee hath sent his onely Sonne into this world that hee might save Sinners Consider therefore I say Wherefore Christ came into this world Consider also the great Hatred and wrath that God beareth against Sinne and againe consider his great Love shewed unto thee in that hee sent his onely Sonne to suffer most cruell Death rather than that thou shouldst be damned Everlastingly Thus speaketh that Learned B. and Blessed Martyr in that place And in another place hee saith O What a pittifull thing is it That a man will not consider this and leave Sinne and Pleasure of this world and live godly but is so blind and so mad that he will rather have a momentary and a very short and smll pleasure han to hearken to the Will and pleasure of Alnighty God that might avoyd Everlasting paine and ●oe and give unto him Everlasting felicitie For that a ●reat many of us are Damned the fault is not in God for Deis vult omnes homines salvos fieri GOD would have all men to bee saved But the fault is in our selves and in o● owne madnesse that had rather have Damnation th●● Salvation And fu●her in another passage the same Holy Marty writeth in this manner viz. VVEe rode in the Actes of the Apostles That when Saint Paul had made a long Sermon at Antioch then beleeve sayth the Evangelist as many as were ordaind to life Everlasting With the which saying 〈◊〉 great nu●ber of people have beene offended and have sayd We perceive that onely those shall come to beleeve and so to everlasting life which are chosen of God vnto it therefore it is no matter whatsoever wee doe For if we be Chosen to Everlasting life we shall have it And so they have opened a doore unto themselues of all Wickednesse and carnall liberty against the true meaning of the Scripture For if the most part bee damned the fault is not in God but in themselves For it is written Deus vult omnes homines salvos fieri God would that all men should be saved But they themselves procure their owne damnation and despise the passion of Christ by their owne wicked and inordinate living Heere wee ma● learne to keepe us from all curious and dangerous questions When we heare that some bee chosen and some●ee ●ee damned let us have good hope that we shall be among he chosen and live after this hope that is uprightly and godly then thou shalt not be deceived Thinke that God hath chosen those that beleeve in Christ and Christi the booke of life If thou beleevest in him then thou ar●ritten in the booke of life and shalt be saved So wee need not to goe about to trouble our selves with curios questions of the Predestination of God But let us rater endeavour our selves that we may be in Christ for ●hen wee be in him then are

both their Goods and their Lives against that Fil●●y and detestable Sect. And as for those Errours which Pelagius the old Hereticke with Calestinus and Iulianus his Adherents did hold and also Revoked the same in the Iudiciall Councell of Palestine I thinke it good to Rehearse them First in Latine● and after in English as they are gathered together by St. Augustine And then to shew according to your request what part of their Doctrine which they teach under the name of Predestination My selfe and others doe mislike To the end that you and others may the better Iudge who are indeed worthy to bee called Pelagians and whether some part of their Doctrine be not for just cause misliked The words of St. Augustine are These Obiectum est Eum dicere 1. Quia Adam sive peccaret sive non peccaret Moriturus esset 2. Et quòd Peccatum ejus Ipsum solum ●eserit Non genus Humanum 3. Et. quòd Infantes in Illo statu sunt quo Adam fuit ante praevaricationem 4. Et quòd neque per Mortem vel praevericationem Adae Omne Genus humanum moriatur neque per Resurrectionem Christi Omne Genus Humanum resurgat 5. Et Divites Baptizatos nisi Omnibus abrenuncient si quid Boni ●●s● fuerint facere non Reputari illis nec cos habere posse Regnum Dei 6. Et Gratiam Dei Adjutorium non ad Singulos Actus dari sed in Libero Arbitrio esse vel in Lege atque in Doctrinâ 7. Et Dei Gratiam secundùm merita nostra dari 8. Et Filios Dei non posse vocari Nisi omninò absque peccato fuerint effecti 9. Et Non esse Liberum Arbitrium si Dei indiget Auxilio quoniam in propriâ voluntate habet vnusquisque facere aliquid vel non facere 10. Et victoriam nostram Non ex De● adjutorio esse sed ex libero Arbitrio 11. Et quòd Poenitentibus venia non Detur secundùm Gratiam Misericordiam Dei sed secundùm Meritum Laborem eorum qui per Poenitentiam Digni fuerint misericordiâ Haec omnia Pelagius Anathematizavit The First of Pelagius's Errors which St. Augustine heere citeth is That ADAM should have Dyed whether hee had Sinned or not Sinned This is as you heare One of Pelagius his wicked Errors That Sinne is not the Cause of Reprobation or casting away Death sprung out of Gods Ordinance or some other way and came not of Mans Sinne. For saith Hee Whether Man had Sinned or Not sinned yet Hee should have Dyed Contrary to the Manifest Scripture which sayth That By One man Sinne entred into the world and Death by the Meanes of Sinne. And the Wiseman saith That GOD Created man to bee undestroyed And againe hee saith God hath 〈◊〉 made Death neyther hath Hee pleasure in the Destruction of the living Hee created All things that They might have their Beeing yea All the people of the Earth hath Hee made that they should have Health That there should bee no Destruction in Tlum And that the Kingdome of Hell should not bee upon the Earth For Righteousnesse in everlasting But Vnrighteousnesse bringeth Death Wicked therefore and abominable was This Error of Pelagius which affirmed That whether Man had Sinned or not Sinned Hee should have Dyed And heere in the very Beginning of Pelagius's errours I report me to Themselves even to Them I say that blow the Trumpet of Defamation against others with the Tearmes of pestilent Pelagians whether Those whom they so accuse now to bee Pelagians doe hold this Errour Or whether they Themselves which would take some Mote of Errour out of other mens Eyes have not this Pelagius Beame sticking fast in their owne Let they-themselves be Iudges or ●et their owne Doctrine Iudge both in Print and Preaching whereof some part shall bee hereafter rehearsed Ye● let All the world judge which haue heard the Doctrine of both parties who they are which in this point ought worthily to bee called Pelagians The Second Errour which St. Augustine rehearseth is That ADAMS Sinne did onely hurt Himselfe and not the whole generation of Man This is another vile and Detestable errour which Pelagius held That the Sinne of Adam brought not Misery and Death upon all his Posteritie Contrary to the open Scripture which sayth That By the sinne of One condemnation came upon All men And the Holy man Esdras sayth O Adam what hast th●n done For though it was Thou that sinned yet Thou art not fallen alone but All wee that come of thee The Third depending also upon the Second is this Thas Infants being new borne are in that state that Adam was in before his Transgression Which Errour seemeth onely or chiefly to extend to the Innocencie of Children For if his mind were that in All points Infants were in Adams state then should it bee over-Brutish For who seeth not that Babes new-borne suffer oftentimes Paine and Griefe Which Adam did not before his Transgression But to affirme that Infants are not Borne and Conceived in si●ne is to deny Originall sinne which is an old ard a Dive●●sh errour and utterly against the Scripture which sayth plainely Behold I was borne in wiskednesse and in sinne hath my Mother conceived Mee The Fourth errour is That Neyther by the Death and Transgression of Adam All the Generation of Man dyeth nor that by the Resurrection of CHRIST All the Generation of Man doth rise againe I doe no● understand that Felagius here spake of the last Resurrection at the Day of Iudgement as though hee had after the manner of the Sadduces denyed the Resurrection of our Soules and Bodies at the last Day For then were all their Disputation in vaine of the Manner how wee should bee saved Whether by the Grace of GOD or by the Deserving of Man if Salvation or Resurrection had of eyther part beene denied altogether Neyther doth the Scripture attribute the last Resurrection unto CHRIST as though the Soules and Bodies of Men should have dyed like Beasts and not have rison againe unto Iudgement if CHRIST had Not come yea no Doubt all men should have risen againe and That unto the Iudgement of everlasting Damnation if CHRIST had not come But I understand that Pelagius in this Article denyed the Genera●●tie of Redemption by the Death of CHRIST by which wee 〈◊〉 as it were arise from Death because of the State of Life and Salvation whereunto we are brought in Christ by Redemption like as wee were in the state of Death and Damnation in ADAM by sinne Not that any Man is purged from the Corruption of Sinne unto the Innocency of ADAM but because the Sinne is covered in Christ and pardoned for His sake And further there is to bee Noted that the First part of this Errour is manifestly the very same which is the Second and Third Errour before rehearsed and by the same

it Preached Gods mercy ever continue the same Let us thinke verily that now God calleth and convert our lives to it Let us obey it and beware we suffer not our foolish iudgements to wander after the flesh least the Divell wrap us in darknesse and teach us to seeke the Election of God out of the Scripture Although webe of our selves bondmen unto sinne and can doe no good by reason our Originall and race is vicious yet hath not the Divell induced wholly his similitude into any of Adams posterity but onely into those that contemne and of a set purpose and a destinyed malice hate God as Pharao and Saul The one gathered all his men of warre and would fight with GOD and his Church rather than obey his Commandement The other would against GODS expresse will and pleasure kill David that God had ordained to bee King These sinnes Christ calleth The Sinne against the Holy Ghost St. Iohn Sinne unto Death St. Paul Voluntarie or willing sinne Wee must therefore judge by the Scripture and beleeve all things there spoken Know thereby the will of God and search not to know the thing that appertaineth nothing to thine office Remember how craftie a workeman the Divell is and what practise hee hath used with other Chiefly and before all thinges he goeth about to take this perswasion that Gods word is true out of mans heart as he did with Adam that thought nothing lesse than to Dye as God said Then thought hee wholly to have printed his owne Image in Adam for the Image of GOD and to bring him to an utter contempt and hatred of God for ever as hee had brought him to diffidence and doubt of his Word Here let us all take ●eed of our selves which daily by the word of GOD being admonished of ill yet amend not Wee shall find at length God to bee iust in his word and will punish with eternall fire our contumacy and in obedience which fire shall be no lesse hot than his word speaketh of So did he also with Saul perswade that God was so good that though he offended he would not punish him as he said But be pleased with a fa●●e sacrifice againe This doctrine is therefore necessary to be knowne of all men that God is iust and true and requireth of us feare and obedience as Saint Iohn faith He that sent ●●o is true DAVID speaketh thus of his Iustice The Lord is iust in all his wayes And understand that his iustice extendeth to two divers ends the one is that he would all men to be saved the other and to give every man according to his acts To obtaine the first end of his justice as many as be not utterly wicked and may be holpe partly with threatnings and partly with promises he allureth and provoketh them unto amendment of life The other part of his justice rewardeth the obedience of the good and punisheth the inobedience and contempt of the ill These two justices the elders doe call correctivam and retributivam Ionas the Prophet speaketh of the first and Christ of the second God would all men to bee saved and therefore provoketh now by faire meanes now by foule that the sinner should satisfie his just and righteous pleasure not that the promises of GOD appertaine unto such as will not repent or his Threatnings unto him that doth repent but those meanes hee useth to save his creature This way useth he to nurture vs untill such time as his Holy spirit worke such a perfection in us that wee will obey him though there were no paine nor ioy mentioned at all Therfore looke not onely upon the promise of God but also what diligence and obedience he requireth of thee least thou doe exclude thy selfe from the Promise There was promised unto all these that departed out of Egypt with Moses the land of Canaan howbeit for disobedience of Gods Commandements there was but one or two that entered Of the other part thou seest that of the menaces and horrible threatnings of God that Ninivie the great Citie should be destroyed within forty dayes nothing appertained unto the Ninivites because they did Penance and returned to God In them seest thou Christian Reader the Mercy of God and generall Promise of salvation performed in Christ for whose sake onely GOD and Man was set at one So that they received the Preaching of the Prophet and tooke God for their God and God tooke them to be his people and for a certainty thereof revoked his Sentence that gave them but forty dayes of life They likewise promised Obedience unto his holy Lawes and Commandements as God give us all grace to doe That though wee be infirme and weake to all vertues wee exclude not our selves by contempt or negligence from the Grace promised to all men Thus farewell in CHRIST Novembris 5. Anno 1549. CHAP. 17. 4. Curiositie THe fourth let or Impediment of keeping GODS law is Curiositie and overmuch searching the Privities and secrets of GOD when men of an ill and licentious life returne not to Repentance as the Scripture biddeth but mount straight way into Gods providence and Predestination contemning the will of God that is made open unto him in the Scripture that God would have him now to Repent and to receive Grace and search to know the thing that never was made open to Man or Angell the event and end of things to come Thus reasoneth Man with himselfe Who knoweth what his last houre shall be Wherefore favoureth God the one and not the other Sometime the good maketh an ill end and the ill a good In this opinion and inscrutable mysterie he weareth all his wits and at the end of his cogitations findeth more hidden and doubtfull objections than at the beginning so that hee commeth from this Schoole neyther wiser nor better Moses remooveth this ungodly let and impediment saying The secrets of the Lord our God are made open unto us and unto our children for ever that we doe all the precepts of this law The which words plainely condemne our foolish and audacious presumption that seeke to know what shall happen unto us in the houre of death and will not know the thing that should be done in all our lives to wit that God would have us know the thing that is opened unto vs in the Scripture or Gods mercy promised in Christ Iesu and follow him in all vertue If we offend and repent and leave sinne then hath he promised mercy and will give it Moses saith Doe the thing that thou art bid to doe and follow the will of God made open to thee in his word As for the disputation of Gods providence is a curiosity and no relig 〈…〉 〈◊〉 presumption and no faith a le● of vertue and furtherance of vice When thou hearest repon●ance spoken of learne that lesson out of hand lest per adventure tho● be never good scholler in divinity of Gods lawes

reason desireth not onely to live iustly in this world but also to live for ever in eternall felicity without end and that commeth by the similitude of God which yet remaineth in the soule after the sinne of Adam Whereby we see plainely that those excuses of ignorance be damnable when man seeth hee could doe well if he followed the iudgement of his owne conscience So that we see that the law of God is eyther outwardly or inwardly or both wayes opened unto man and by Gods grace yee might doe the good and leaue the evill if it were not of malice and accustomed doing of sinne The which excuseth the mercy and goodnesse of God and maketh that no man shall be excused in the latter judgement how subtilly soever they now excuse the matter and put their evill doings from them and lay it uppon the predestination of GOD and would excuse it by ignorance or say he cannot be good because he is otherwise destinied This Stoicall opinion reprehended Horace No man is so cruell saith he but may waxe meeke so that he give a willing care to Discipline Although thou canst not come to so farre knowledge in the Scripture as other that beleeved by reason thou art unlearned or else thy vocation will not suffer thee all dayes of thy life to be a student yet maiest thou know and upon paine of damnation art bound to know the Articles of thy faith to know God in Christ and the holy Catholike Church by the word of God written the tenne Commandements to know what workes thou shouldest doe and what to leave undone the Pater Noster Christs prayer which is an abridgement epitome or compendious collection of all the Psalmes and prayers written in the whole Scripture In the which thou prayest for the remission of sinne as well for thy selfe as for all other desirest the grace of the holy Ghost to preserve thee in vertue givest thankes for the goodnesse of God towards thee and all other Hee that knoweth lesse than this cannot be saved and he that knoweth no more than this if hee follow his knowledge cannot be damned There be two common verses that all men in manner know and doubtlesse worthy that teach us that to know Christ though we know no more is sufficient That is to say To be ignorant is to know many things without Christ If thou know Christ well it is sufficient though thou be ignorant of all other things Thus farre the Iudgement of B. HOOPER THE IVDGEMENT OF B. LATIMER B. LATIMER Sermons Part. 3. Fol. 213. In his Sermon upon Septuagesima MVlti sunt vocati pauci verò Electi That is Many are called and few are chosen These wordes of our Saviours are very hard to understand and therefore it is not good to bee too Curious in them as some vaine fellowes doe who seeking Carnall liberty pervert tosse and turne the Word of GOD after their owne mind and purpose Such I say when they reade these wordes make theyr Reckoning thus saying What need I to mortifie my body with abstaining from all sinne and wickedneis I perceive God hath Chosen some and some are reiected now if I bee in the number of the Chosen I cannot be Damned But if I bee accompted among the condemned number then I cannot be Saved For GODS Iudgements are immutable Such foolish and wicked reasons some have which bringeth them eyther to Desperation or else to carnall Liberty Therefore it is as needfull to beware of such reasons or Expositions of the Scriptures as it is to beware of the Divell himselfe But if thou art desirous to know whether thou art chosen to Everlasting life Thou mayest not begin with God for God is too high thou canst not comprehend him the Iudgements of God are unknowne to Man therefore thou mayest not begin there But begin with Christ and learne to know Christ and wherefore that hee came namely that hee came to save Sinners and made himselfe a Subiect to the Law and a fulfiller of the same to deliver us from the wrath and danger thereof and therefore was Crucified for our Sinnes and rose againe to shew and teach us the way to Heaven and by his Resurrection to teach us to arise from sinne So also his Resurrection teacheth and admonisheth us of the generall Resurrection Hee sitteth at the right hand of God and maketh intercession for us and giveth us the Holy Ghost that comforteth and strengthneth our Faith and daily assureth us of our Salvation Consider I say Christ and his comming and then begin to try thy selfe whether thou art in the booke of life or not If thou findest thy selfe in Christ then thou art sure of everlasting life If thou be without him then thou art in evill case For it is written Nemo venit ad patrem nisi per me that is No man commeth unto the Father but through me Therefore if thou knowest Christ then thou mayest know further of thy Election But when we are about this matter and Troubled within our selves whether we be elect or no wee must ever have this Maxime or principall Rule before our eyes namely that GOD beareth a good will towards vs. God loveth us God beareth a fatherly heart towards us But you will say how shall I know that or how shall I beleeve that We may know Gods will towards us through Christ God hath opened himselfe unto us by his Sonne Christ. For so saith Iohn the Evangelist Filius qui est in sinu Patris ipse revelavit that is The Sonne which is in the bosome of the Father he hath revealed Therefore we may perceive his good will and love towards us hee hath sent the same his Sonne into this world which hath suffered most painefull death for us Shall I now thinke that God hateth me or shall I doubt of his love towards me Here you see how you shall avoyd the scrupulous and most dangerous question of the Predestination of God For if thou wilt inquire his counsayles and enter into his consistory thy wit will deceive thee for thou shalt not be able to search the counsailes of God But if thou beginne with Christ and consider his comming into the world and doest beleeve that God hath sent him for thy sake to suffer for thee and to deliver thee from sinnz death the Devill and Hell Then when thou art so armed with the knowledge of Christ then I say this simple question cannot hurt thee for thou art in the booke of life which is Christ himselfe Also wee learne by this sentence Multi sunt vocati That many are called c. That the Preaching of the Gospell is universall that it appertaineth to All mankind that it is written In omnem terram exivit sonus corum Through the whole earth their sound is heard Now seeing that the Gospell is universall it appeareth that hee would have all Mankind saved and that the fault is not in him

we well and then we my bee sure that we are ordained to Everlasting life But you will say How shall I know that I am in the bookof life How shall I try my selfe to be Elect of God to evelasting Life I answere First we may kn●w that wee may and time be in the booke and another time come ●t againe as it appeareth by DAVID which was writen in the booke of life But when he sinned hee at that same time was out of the booke of the favour of God until hee had repented and was sory for his faults So we●ay ●ay bee in the booke one time and afterward when we ●rget God and his word and doe wickedly we come out of the booke that is out of Christ which is the booke And in that Booke are written all beleevers But I will tell you how you shall know when you are in the booke And there are three especiall notes whereby wee may know the same The first note is if you know your sinne and feele your owne wretchednesse and filthinesse which is a great matter for the most part of people are so drowned in sinne that they no more feele the same for sinne greeveth them no more According to the saying of Salomon Impius quum in medium peccatorum venit contemnit That is The ungodly man when he entreth into the middest of all sinne and mischiefe despiseth the same he regardeth Sin nothing at all neither is he sory for it But as I said the first note is when you know your sinne and feele the same then are they heavy unto you and greeve you Then followeth the second point which is faith in Christ that is when you beleeve most stedfastly and undoubtedly that God the Heavenly father through his Sonne will deliver you from your sinnes When you beleeve I say that the bloud of our Saviour is shed for you for the cleansing and putting away of your sinnes and beleeving this most stedfastly with an unfained heart then you have the second Point The third point is when you have an earnest desire to amendment and hatred against Sinne study to live after Gods will and Commandements as much as is possible for you to doe then have you the third Point And when you finde these three Points to bee in you Namely first when you know your sinne and be sory for the same and afterwards beleeve to bee saved through the passion of Iesu Christ And Thirdly have an earnest desire to leave sinne and to fly the same when you find these three things in your hearts then you may be sure that your names are written in the booke and you may be sure also that you are elect and predestinate to everlasting life And againe when you see not your wickednesse and that sinne grieveth you not neither have you faith or hope in our Saviour and therefore are Carelesse and study not for amendment of life then you are in a heavy case and then you have cause to cry and lament your wretchednesse For truely you are not in the booke of life but the Devill hath power over you as long as yee are in such a state Here you see now how you shall try your selves whether you be in the booke of life or no c. And againe THe Evangelist saith hee when Iesus was borne What is Iesus Iesus is an Hebrew word and signifieth in our English tongue a Saviour and Redeemer of all Mankind borne into this world This title and name to save appertaineth properly and principally unto him for he saved us else had we beene lost for ever Notwithstanding the name of Saviour is used in common speech as the King is called a Saviour for he saveth his subiects from all danger and harme that may ensue of the Enemies Likewise the Physitian is accompted a Saviour for hee saveth the sicke man from the danger of his disease with good and wholesome medicines So Fathers and Mothers are Saviours for they save their Children from bodily harme that may happen unto them So Bridges leading over the waters Likewise Ships and Boates great and small Vessels upon the Seas are Saviours for they save us from the fury rage and tempest of the Sea So Iudges are Saviours for they save or at least should save the people from wrong and oppression But all this is not perfect saving for what availeth it to bee saved from Sicknesse Calamities and Oppression when wee shall bee condemned after our death both body and soule for ever to remaine with the Devill and his Angels Wee must therefore come to Iesus which is the right and true Saviour And he it is that hath saved us from sinne Whom hath hee saved His people how saved hee them First by Magistrates he saveth the poore from oppression and wrong The Children hee saveth through the Tuition of the Parents from danger and perill by Physitians hee saveth from sicknesse and diseases but from sinne hee saveth onely through his Passion and bloudshedding Therefore he may be called and is the very right Saviour for it is hee that saveth from all infelicitie all his faithfull people and his salvation is sufficient to satisfie for all the world as concerning it selfe but as concerning us hee saved no more but such as put their trust in him And as many as beleeve in him shall bee saved The other shall be cast out as Infidels into everlasting damnation Not for lacke of Salvation but for Infidelitie and lacke of Faith which is the onely cause of their damnation He saved us from what even from sinne Now when he saved us from sinne then hee saved us from the wrath of God from affliction and calamities from Hell and Death and from Damnation and everlasting paine for Sin is the cause and fountaine of all mischiefe Take away sinne then all other Calamities wherein mankind is wrapped are taken away and cleane gone and dispersed Therefore hee saving us from sinne saved us from all affliction But how doth he save us from sinne In this manner that sinne shall not condemne us Sinne shall not have the victory over us He saved us not so that we should be without sinne that no sinne should be left in our hearts No he saved us not so For all manner of imperfections remaine in us yea in the best of us so that if God should enter into Iudgement with us wee should all be damned For there are more nor ever was any man borne into this world which could say I am cleane from sinne except Iesus Christ Therefore he saved us not from sinne in taking cleane away the same that wee should not be inclined unto it but rather the power and strength of the same sinne he hath so vanquished that it shall not be able to condemne those which beleeve in him for sinne is remitted and not imputed unto the beleevers So likewise he saved us from sinne not taking

it cleane away but rather the strength and force of the same So he saved vs from other Calamities not taking the same cleane away but rather the power of the same So that no Calamity nor misery should be able to hurt us that are in Christ Iesu And likewise he saved us from Death not that we should not dye but that Death should have no victory over vs nor condemne us but rather to be a way and entrance unto Salvation and everlasting Life for death is a gate to enter into everlasting life No man can come to everlasting life but he must first dye bodily But this death cannot hurt the faithfull for they are exempted from all danger through the death and passion of Iesus Christ our Saviour who with his death hath overcome our death And in another place the same Father writeth as followeth viz. THe Holy Scripture maketh mention of a Sinne against the Holy Ghost which Sinne cannot bee forgiven neyther in this world nor in the world to come And this maketh many men unquiet in their hearts and consciences For some there be which ever bee afraid least they have committed that same sinne against the Holy Ghost which is irremissible Therefore some say I cannot tell whether I have sinned against the Holy Ghost or not If I have committed that sinne I know I shall be damned But I tell you what yee shall doe Despaire not of the Mercy of GOD for it is immeasurable I cannot deny but there is a Sinne against the Holy Ghost which is irremissible But wee cannot iudge of it afore-hand we cannot tell which man hath committed that sinne or not as long as he is alive But when he is once gone then I can Iudge whether hee sinned against the Holy Ghost or not As now I can judge that Nero Saul and Iudas and such like that dyed in sinnes and wickednesse did commit this sinne against the Holy Ghost for they were wicked and continued in their wickednesse still to the very end They made no end in their wickednesse But we cannot judge whether one of us sinne this sinne against the Holy Ghost or not For though a man bee wicked at this time yet he may repent and leave his wickednsse to morrow and so not commit that sinne against the Holy Ghost Our Saviour Christ pronounced against the Scribes and Pharises that they had committed that sinne against the Holy Ghost because Hee knew their hearts he knew that they would still abide in their wickednesse to the very end of their lives Further the promises of Christ our Saviour are generall they pertaine to all Mankinde hee made a generall Proclamation saying Qui credit in me habet vitam aeternam Whosoever beleeveth in mee hath everlasting life Likewise St. Paul saith Gratia exuperat super peccatum The Grace and Mercies of God exceedeth farre our sinnes Therefore let us ever thinke and beleeve that the grace of God his mercy and goodnesse excedeth our sinnes Item consider what Christ saith with his owne mouth Venite ad me omnes qui laboratis c. Come unto me All yee that labour and are laden and I will ease you Marke here hee saith Come all yee Wherefore then should any body despaire or shut out himselfe from these promises of Christ which be generall and appertaine to the whole world For he saith Come all unto me and then againe he saith Refocillabo vos I will refresh you you shall be eased from the burdens of your sinnes Therefore as I said before he that is blasphemous and obstinately wicked and abideth in his wickednesse still to the very end he sinneth against the Holy Ghost as St. Augustine and all other godly writers doe affirme But he that leaveth his wickednesse and sinnes and is content to amend his life and then beleeving in Christ seeketh Salvation and everlasting life by him No doubt that man or woman Whosoever they be shall bee saved For they feed upon Christ upon that meate that God the Father this Feastmaker hath prepared for all his guests Such another passage to This same purpose you may Reade in his sixt Sermon upon the Lords Prayer Some two passages before the End of the Sermon Speaking against Novatus the Hereticke CHrist onely and no man else merited Remission Iustification and eternall felicity for as many as will beleeve the same They that will not beleeve it shall not have it For it is no more but beleeve and have For Christ shed as much bloud for Iudas as for Peter Peter beleeved it and therefore he was saved Iudas would not beleeve and therefore he was condemned The Fault being in him onely and in no body else Againe The same blessed Father writeth Thus as followeth SIc Deus dilexit mundum So entirely hath GOD loved the world that hee sent his onely begotten Sonne to that end that all that beleeve in him should not perish but have life Everlasting this is now a Comfortable thing and a great promise which GOD maketh unto the whole world and no doubt he is as able to fulfill that promise of Grace as hee was able to fulfill His wrathfull word against the Iewes So likewise hee saith Vivo ego dicit Dominus nolo mortem Peccatoris sed ut convertatur vivat As truely as I live sayth the Lord God I will not the death of a Sinner but rather that hee shall turne and live It is not his pleasure when wee be damned therefore hee sweareth on Oath wee ought to beleeve him without an Oath yet to satisfie our mindes and to the intent that wee should beleeve him and be the better assured of his goodwill towards Vs hee sweareth this Oath Now therefore if wee will follow him and leave our wicked living convert and turne our selves unto him be sory for that which is past and intend to amend our life now forward If wee doe so no doubt we shall live with him everlastingly without end Therefore let every one of us goe into his owne heart and when he findeth that hee hath beene a Wicked man an Irefull man a Covetous or a sloathfull man Let him Repent and be sory for it and take a good purpose to leave that same sinne wherein he hath lyen before Let us not doe as the Iewes did which were stiffe-necked they would not leave their Sinnes they had a pleasure in the same they would follow their old Traditions refusing the Word of GOD Therefore their Destruction came worthily upon them And therefore I say let us not follow them least we receive such a Reward as they had least everlasting destruction come upon us and so we be cast out of the favour of GOD and finally lost world without end Furthermore in another Sermon hee saith as heere followeth I Say there be two manner of Men Some there be that are not Iustified not Regenerate nor yet in State of