knowledge doth beget Againe this knowledge naturally bringeth foorth securitie confidence as where the same Apostle sayth Cap. 3.19 â—â— Wee know that wee are in the trueth and shall before him assure our heartes and we haue boldnesse towardes God And therefore it can not otherwise but include an absolute assurance Finally that hee might apparantly conclude that this knowledge is a knowledge of diuine Fayth are altogeather as infallible as it may bee he commeth in with this inference in the next Chapter Cap. 4.16 We haue knowne and beleeued the loue that God hath in vs. Now where as our Aduersaries come in with this surioynder that these tearmes are generall nothing concerning any one in particuler it is vntrue that they say For where as John speaketh in the plurall number Wee haue knowne he speaketh of himselfe and in himselfe of the residue of the Church wrapped and infolded in the same condition Now hee himselfe knew certainely that he should be saued For Christ not long before he left the World filled their heartes with ioy and gladnesse partly by repeating and renewing the Promise of Eternâ—â— life and of the perpetuall presence of tâ—â— Spirit and partly by praying to his Fatheâ— for them for their finall preseruation so 〈◊〉 they might irrefragably conclude their assured saluation both for the present anâ— for the life to come Thus hauing concluded the affirmatiâ—â— of this Question let vs now consider whaâ— our Aduersaries can say for the Negatiue and Destructiue part thereof 1. First they tell vs of Job who for a his integritie was without this certaintâ— and securitie of Grace as where he thus be wrayeth it Iob. 9.21 Though I were perfect yet my soâ—â— sh uld not know it verâ— 28. I am afraide of all my works I answere by Hierome that heere hee speâ—keth by way of comparison with God anâ— himselfe especially when hee entreth intâ— iudgement with the creature in which case he disclaymeth his owne righteousnesse aâ— not being able to abide the tryall so that that this speach My soule should not knowâ— is as much as if he should haue sayd I wil not acknowledge or stand vpon my righteousnesse which is no lesse then the very Angels can say which are alreadie in Heauen and are heerein aforehand with him Againe the wordes according to the originall are commonly translated and to be read thus Am I perfect I know not my souls I abhorre my life That is if I take my selfe to bee perfect I haue no regard of mine owne Soule Againe thus I am perfect in respect of you I know not my soule I abhorre thy life namely in respect of mine owne righteousnesse The wordes of the 28. verse are thus to be deliuered I feâ—e all my sorrowes and not all my workes as flatte against the Hebrew text and an exposition which the Popish Translators doe forsake 2. Next they pleading against vs Eccles 9.1.2 from the wordes of the Preacher thus Man knovves not vvhether he be vvorthie of Loue or Hatred For all thinges are kept vncertaine till the time to come But it will not serue their turne for the translation is not right for the wordes in the Hebrewes and Septuagint stand thus No man knoweth loue or hatred all things are before them The latter wordes All things are kept vncertaine till the time to come come in by intrusion Hierome taketh no notice of them Againe the holy Ghost doth not simply denie the knowledge of Gods loue or hatred as though no man could be assured thereof in this life For to consture the wordes so the reason of the holy Ghost must be fashioned in this manner If Loue or Hatred were to be knowne then it must be knowne by the eternall blessings of God but it cannot be so knowne in asmuch as all thinges come alike to all therefore Loue and Hatred can not be knowne Now so the Proposition is not true For there be other meanes beside the outward benefites of God wherefore the true meaning of the wordes is that Loue or Hatred are not to be considered of or determined by Gods outward fauours Bernard Bernard serm de octau pascha speaketh of this Text thus that no man knowes Loue or Hatred namely of himselfe yet that God giues most certaine and assured testimonies thereof to men vpon earth Serm. 5. de dedic These be his owne wordes Whâ— knowes whether he be worthy loue or hatred Who knowes the minde of the Lord Heere both Fayth and trueth must needes helpe vs that that which is hidden in the heart of the Father may be reuealed vnto vs by the Spirit and his Spirit giuing testimonie perswades our Spirit that we are the Sonnes of God and this perswasion is caused by his Calling and Iustifying vs freely by Fayth Hieromes Hieron in hunc locum wordes on this place though commonly abused to a contrarie sense are these That men can not know Loue or Hatred by the present afflictions which they suffer because they know not whether they suffer them for probation or punishment 3. Thirdly 1. Cor. 4.3.4 they presse vs with these wordes of the Apostle I iudge not my selfe I know nothing by my selfe Where Paul not priuie to his owne estate refuseth to pronounce doome of his owne righteousnesse But it is manifest by the wordes of that Epistle that Paul speaketh nothing of his owne persoÌ„ or of estate before God but onely of the function of his Ministrie and the eminencie thereof against certaine deprauers of that calling amongst the Corinthians as Theodoret Aquina and Lyra doe auerre in their Scholies vpon this text So that where he saith J Iudge not my selfe it is as if he should haue sayd I assume not to my selfe to stand in comparison of the excellencie of my Ministrie dignitie of Apostleship in the sight of God aboue this man or that that is in the Ministrie the Iudgement is the Lordes and I leaue it to him to whom it belongeth So that heere he onely refuseth to value and prize the worthinesse of his Office though in other cases he maketh no bones to giue Iudgement of himselfe as when he sayd 2. Tim 4 â— 8 I haue fought a good fight J haue kept the fayth hencefoorth is layde vp for mee the crowne of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous Iudge shall giue mee And Chrysostome on this place sayth that Paul did not denie to iudge himselfe simply but onely to this purpose to bridle others and to teach them modestie And where Paul sayth I know nothing by my selfe his saying is not generall but it is to haue restraint to his defectes and offences in the course of his Ministerie for he was priuie to himselfe That in simplicitie and godly purenessâ— 2. Cor. 1.12 he had his conuersation in the worlâ— And hee knew this by himselfe Rom. 8.38 That nothing could seauer him from the â—oue of God in Chrâ—st 4.
Elect. For albeit he giueth vs no such plaine particuler proposition as this is Thou art Elected vnto euerlasting life yet no lesse is concluded in the heartes of the Elect in such Aphotismes as are generall euen as each particuler man is determined capable of reason by the vniuersalitie of this Axiome Euery man liuing is a creature reasonable though the Assumption be suppressed This therefore is the course that God taketh with vs He hath chosen all and euery one whom he decreed to be faythfull heyres of saluation And this maine Maxime in tearmes generall is proclaymed by the Apostles at the Standard to all that are Elect. The Proposition in generalitie standeth thus All the Faythfull are elected to euerlasting life Heere the word stayeth and medleth not with the Miner Now heere God effecteth by Fayth that hee bestoweth on vs that wee make the Minor in our mindes in this manner But I am of the fellowship of the faythfull as feeling that I truly beleeue in Christ How commeth therefore now thy cause to be concluded that thou art Predestinated to eternitie of glory Truely by God that giueth the proposition from the Gospell and by working thine heart with the worke of faith which hee worketh in thee to goe on with the assumption It is therefore manifest that God by the word of the Ghospell where he pronounceth all the faythfull to be elected that he doth reueale his particuler election to euery one that is of the fayth Onely it standeth euery Beleeuer in hand that as often as hee heareth the generall Proposition hee make the Assumption and inferre it in the nicke and vpon the necke of it And so doth the Lord reueale to euery man his speciall malediction by this generall Scriptures enuntiation Cursed be euery one that abideth not in all thinges which are written in this Bo ke Though hee doth not come to tell euery man in his eare that hee and hee is accursed For this may euery one gather of himselfe his conscience telling him that he hath started from the Statutes of God like a broken Bowe 3. The third kind of meanes by which God vnfouldeth and layeth open to vs our state of Saluation is the effectes in vs aswell inward at outward effectually assuring the same vnto vs in a double respect 1. First because these effectes are such as God giueth them to none but onely to the Elect. 2 Next for that they are not simply the effectes of Election but also such and such as they be the engrauen Seales and the perfect Stampe thereof For God is like to the Sunne to vs. The Sunne while it striketh vs with his radiant Beames and in a manner looketh vs on the face leaueth such an impression of his light in our eyes as wee reciprocally by the participation of the same light see the Sunne it selfe the very light thereof For the light of the Sunne the beames thereof sent downe vpon vs reflect againe vpon the Sunne it selfe So the Foreknowledge of God in which from all eternitie he did would acknowledge vs for his owne is so in God as in it selfe is not to be seene of vs but yet as God acknowledgeth vs to be his and engraueth the Forme and Image of this knowledge in vs that are elected he bringeth it to passe as wee acknowledge this God for our onely true God and bid all other farewell So that God fâ—st looketh downe from Heauen on vs and acknowledgeth vs and so by communicatioÌ„ of this knowledge light vnto vs we are thereby made to know him againe Hereto serueth that which Christ sayth J know my Sheepe Ioh. 10.14 and immediatly inferreth thereupon I am knowne of mine As if hee should haue sayd While I know them for my Sheepe and marke them out as Shepheardes doe their Sheepe with a red stroake euen of my redde blood I make them on the other side by the participation of my knowledge that they acknowledge me for their Shepheard The same learning the Apostle giues the Galathians where he faith Sâ—eing yee k ow God Gal. 4.9 yee rather are knowne of God c. Where hee would haue the Galathians know that all their knowledge holdeth in â—ayne from the foreknowledge that God had of them The like may be said of the Loue of God in which he loued vs in Christ before the ground-worke of the World was layde which loue of vs is more then Adamantine and hath been the onely Loadstone to draw our loue by retaliation vnto him For Gods loue to vs being eternall and to eternall life must beget in time in vs a loue somewhat like seruing to the eternitie of his glory whereto pertaineth these wordes of S. John Not that wee loued God 1. Ioh. 4.10 but that hee first loued vs making our loue the consequent of his loue So that by the sinceere loue we beare towardes him we consider of the latitude and qualitie of that loue wherewith God in Christ from all eternitie hath prosecuted vs. Now what is all this his Loue but our Election Now that none is elected vnto life euerlasting who beare not in due time these effectes and cognizances of their Election about them it is manifest by such Scripture places which deale in the poynt of Predestination The holy Apostle telleth vs that wee were elected that wee should be holy and without blame Ephes 1.4 And hee further informeth vs that such whom God Predestinateth are likewise Called and Iustified and so consequently qualified with Fayth and the knowledge of God wherewith they acknowledge God for their Father and with loue whereby they imbrace him as their Father And finally with good will and setled resolution Rom. 8.30 constantly and continually to seeke his glorie But we come to the effectes by which we come to the knowledge of the causes They are of two sortes 1. Such as necessarily appertaine to all without which they are not capable of eternall life 2. Such as are annexed as dependances and appurtenances thereunto Of the first sort are 1. Christ as Mediator and Priest and his obedience and righteousnesse for without Christ there is no saluation 2. Our effectuall Vocation to Christ by the holy Spirit and the coniunctaunces thereof our Iustification and so our Regeneration therevpon These foure Predestination Vocation Iustification Glorification are so coadunited and coanimated togeather as they cannot be diuided And so no man can be Glorified who is not Iustified and no man can be Iustified that is not first effectually Called as no man can be so called who is not Predestinated Without these meanes no not the very Infants can attaine to this end of their endlesse Glorie Wherefore inwardly all the Elect children by the Holy ghost in their kind are Called and Iustified that they may be likewise Glorified Of the Second sort which Infantes by reason of their age can not haue which notwithstanding follow the rest of the Elect though in some they
are more forcible in some more infirme in some more in othersome lesse are such as follow actuall and habituall Fayth 1 Hearing of the Word 2 Hatred of Sinne Loue of Righteousnesse 3 Patience in aduersitie 4 Endeauour to doe good Workes Wherefore we say that such as are Elected to this end are therewithall Predestinated vnto the meanes that tend to this end For Predestination is not onely of the end but also of the meanes that serue therevnto All as well the end as the meanes are the effectes of Predestination Wherefore rightly saith Saint Augustine August Praedistinatio est praeparatio beneficiorii D j quibus certâ—ssine liberantur quicunque theâ—antur Predestination is a preparation of the benefites of God by which they are most certainely deliuered whosoeuer are deliuered 1. The first Gift of God the effect of Predestination is Christ Iesus with his Obedience Merites Death Resurrection Glorie as hee is ordained Mediator betweene the Father and vs and the head of all the Elect and so the Head Fountaine of all the manifold Graces of God from the flowing streame of his free Predestination powred vpon vs For the effectes of Predestination are so ordinate and subordinate one to the other as those that haue precedencie giue their efficiencie and sufficiencie to their fellowes Wherfore Christ being the formost effect of Election hee is the cause of all the rest from whom and by whom they are all the companie of them conuayed and communicated vnto vs. Wherefore worthily the Apostle in his Letter to the Ephesians the first Chapter Ephes 1.4 layeth vs downe these Lessons 1. That we are Chosen in Christ vers 5. as it were in the head that wee should be his members 2. That hee hath Predestinated vs to Adoption filiation but wee are adopted into this Son-ship in Christ Gal. 4 6. the first borne of manie Brethren and by the communication of the said filiation we are really indeed the Sonnes of God endowed with his Spirit by which wee are regenerated 3. vers 6. That we are made freely accepted to God in Christ his beloued 4. That in the same Christ vers 7. we haue our RedemptioÌ„ through his Blood of the euerlasting Couenant euen the forgiuenesse of our sinnes as all Wisedome and Vnderstanding beside 5. Finally that all thinges in him vers 8. are reconciled togeather as well the thinges in Heauen Gal. 4 10. as the thinges that are in Earth Summarily the Apostle there as in other sundry places teacheth that whatsoeuer good thinges we haue receiued or are to receiue from the first to the last from our eternall Election to our future Glorification wee haue and shall haue them onely in Christ and by Christ in whom wee hold them all in Capite from him Whosoeuer therefore are chosen of God to life euerlasting beside that they are chosen in Christ they are Predestinated vnto Christ that is to the vnion and communion of Christ so that by him it is of necessitie we attaine all other thinges 2. The second Benefite of God and effect of our Election is our effectuall Vocation to Christ and his Gospell by which the Elect onely are called because it is performed 2. Tim. 1.9 According to his owne purpose grace which is giuen to vs in Christ. The outward calling is common with the rest with the verie Rebrobates according to this Aphorisme of our Sauiour Many are called Ioh. 8.47 But few are chosen But the inward true calling by which the vnderstanding is enlightned with the sauing knowledge of God the will is inclined to the will of God is the peculiar of the part predestinate This vocation effectuall is discerned by the verie effects thereof Whereof two are immediate 1. The heartie hearing of Gods word togeather with the vnderstanding therof coupled consorted with constancie cheerefulnesse 2. A serious and sure fayth affiance that we haue in the same Hence is it Ioh. 8.47 that is saide by our Sauiour Hee that is of God that is to meane by election and effectuall vacation heareth Gods word that is willingly cheerefully and continually Yee therefore heare it not because ye are not of God This vocation of ours is done not onely by the preaching of the worde albeit that is the ordinarie meanes wherewith God effecteth it but sometimes he vseth other helpes as Prayer the consideration of his Miracles the admonition of Friendes the interposition of afflictions the inward inspiration of his Spirit Justinus Martyr as witnesseth Eusebius Euseb Lib. 4. 8. was won to the sayth by the regard he had to the rage of Tyrants Aug. Confess Lib. 3. Cap. 4. and to the patient suffrings of the Saintes Augustine in his Confessions telleth vs that hee was conuerted to Christianisme by reading an heathnish Booke of Cicero indorced superscribed Hertensius the forme of his confession is thus Jlle Liber mutauit affectum meum et ad teipsum Domine mutanit preces meas That Booke turned my minde and turned my Prayers vnto thee O Lord my God God in mollifying our Heartes Or any other thing of that nature and conuerting vs doth as hee that would soften the Waxe that is hard to make it apt to take an impression First he chafeth it vp and downe betweene his handes he oyleth it he dippeth it in warme Water he setteth it against the Fire and then bringeth it to the Stampe or Presse and if none of these will doe it good then he medleth no more with it but as a thing vnprofitable hee doth vtterly reiect it This is the course that God taketh in the mollifying and softning of our heartes First he taketh vs as it were into his hands rubbing and stroaking vs with the memoriall of his Benefites then he suppleth vs with his holy Inspirations the vnction and comfortable oyle of his Grace 3. Hee washeth and rinseth vs with the Waters of his Pleasures as out of a Riuer 4. And sometimes worketh our compunction by the fierie tryall of Persecution 5. And lastly striketh vs out of life with the hammer of Death If none of these callinges will make vs come to him hee then casteth all such sinners into Hell as all the people that forget God and will not obey his heauenly Calling Where Fire and Brimstone Storme and Tempest shall be their portion to drinke He calleth by his Word such as are of age wherfore it is said to the Church of Laodiceaâ— Behold I stand at the doore and knocke if any man shall heare my voyce Apoc. 3. and open the doore I will come in to him and suppe with him and hee with mee wherfore Christ saith If any man loueth me and keepeth my wordes Ioh. 14. my Father shall loue him and we will come and abide with him But withal he chiefly worketh our Vocation by his inward inspiration by the which the Father draweth by the Spirit them that