THE WAY TO HEAVEN IN A Sermon deliuered at Saint Maries Spittle on Wednesday in Easter weeke the 27. of March 1611. By SAMVEL GARDINER Doctor of Diuinitie Imprinted at London by W. W. for THOMAS MAN 1611. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE THE VERTVous Lady JANE Lady BARKLEY wife to HENRY Lord BARKLEY SAMVEL GARDINER Consecrateth this his Sermon in testification of his dutifull affections ROM 8.16 The same Spirit beareth witnesse with our Spirit that we are the children of God HAuing lately handled among you the doctrine of the certaintie of our Election I hold it fitte now to open the veine of these two Questions naturally incident vnto the former Argument 1. Whether a man may know his particular Election 2. How it may be knowne This Scripture that teacheth how it may be knowne plainely insinuateth that it may be knowne How it may be knowne it is heere told vs the mouth of two witnesses the best that is in Heauen The Spirit of God 1. Cor. 2.10 which searcheth all thinges yea the deepe thinges of God 2. The best that is in Earth The Spirit of man 1. Cor. 2. â—1 that onely knoweth the thinges of man within him reuealing it vnto vs. By these degrees as by the Staues of Iacobs Ladder we ascend vp to this sacred counsaile of his Sanctuarie Our owne Spirit is our Heart and Conscience sanctified in the sprinkling of the Blood of Christ The Spirit of God is ioyned by God vnto it to helpe our infirmities Our Spirit testifieth morally of our Adoption by sanctification and the fruites thereof The Spirit of God witnesseth an other way that is by the absolute certaintie of Fayth declaring and applying the Promises of God Foure maner of wayes may one be said to be the Child of God 1. By naturall or essentiall Generation in this sense Christ Iesus is the onely Sonne of God begotten of the substaunce of his Father before all worldes 2. By the grace of Hypostaticall vnion with the naturall Sonne of God thus Christ as man is the Sonne of God and the borne Sonne of God 3. By grace of Election as they that are elected and put apart to this to be Sonnes and so ioynt heyres with Christ in his Kingdome in this meaning Christ is sayd to haue died Iohn 11.52 To gather togeather in one the children of God that were scattered that is the Elect not as yet regenerated 4. By grace of Regeneration according to the saying of Christ to Nicodemus Iohn 3.5 Except a man be borne againe of the Spirit hee can not enter into the kingdome of God Heere to be the Child of God is to be Predestinated into the Adoption of his Children Ephes 1.5 Who hath Predestinated vs to be adopted through Jesus Christ in himselfe Next to be made actually indeed the Child of God through Fayth As many as receiued him Ioh. 1 1â— to them he gaue prerogatiue to be the Sonnes of God euen to them that beleeue in his name Finally by the same Spirit to be regenerated into the child of God and to put on the nature of the Sonne of God Christ Iesus or to put on Christ Iesus himselfe according to the Apostles phrase of speach Put on the new man Ephes 4.24 which after God is created vnto righteousnesse and true holinessâ— Now the Priuiledges are royall annexed by God to those whom he hath thus Adopted his Children They are the Lords Heyres apparant it is the consequent the Apostle maketh 1. If we be Children Rom. 8.17 we be also Heyres euen the Heyres of God 2. Fellow-heyres with Christ so are they surnamed in the same place Heyres annexed with Christ Rom. 8.17 3. Yea Kinges at all degrees so the spirit speaketh euidently Reuel 1.6 And made vs Kinges and Priestes euen to God his Father 4. All their Afflictions Wantes Offences are but probations and fatherly Corrections layde vpoÌ„ them for their good as it is written We know that all thinges worke togeather for the best Rom. 8.28 vnto them that love God 5. They haue a coÌ„maunding imperial power ouer all creatures yet so as in this life they haue but Jus adrem Right to the thing In the fift that is to come they shall haue Jus in re Right and ful state in the verie thing it selfe world life death thinges present thinges to come euen all are yours â—â—b 27. Thou madest him litle inferiour to the Angels thou crownest him with Glory and Honour and hast set him aboue the workes of thine handes â—is 8. Thou hast put all things in subiection vnder his feete 6. Lastly the very Angels are Officers at hand to giue attendaunce vnto them and to watch ouer their good Ieb 1.4 Are they not all ministring Spirites sent foorth to minister for their sakes which shall be heyres of saluation Whereto answereth this part of Psalmodie Psal 34.7 The Angell of the Lord pitcheth round about them that feare him and deliuereth them Hereupon let me speake in the language of Dauid Seemeth it a small thing that I be Sonne in law to a King sithence I am poore and of no reputation So seemeth it a small thing to vs to be adopted into the Children of God beeing Wormes 1. Ioh. 3.1 and no Men Behold what loue the Father hath giuen vs that wee should be called the Sonnes of God It was a part of high honour done to our forefathers Hebr. 11.16 Abraham Izaac Iacob that God was not ashamed to be called their God No lesse honour is performed to vs that hee is our God and wee his people hee our Father and wee his Children Now the Spirit of God while it inwardly witnesseth to our Spirit that is to our Mindes by illuminating them by the Sun-beames of his Grace that wee are the Children of God hee doth plainely and openly reueale to vs that we were from all eternitie Adopted into his Son-ship For they are not by Fayth the Children of God neither are they regenerated into the Children of God or haue put on Christ who haue not first been Predestinated vnto this Adoption And heere now come our first Question in place to be ventilated and decided whether a man may know his particuler Election The Papistes say no without suggestion of speciall reuelation A verie erroneous and absurd assertion easily checked by Scriptures and Reasons By Scriptures as by the words of Christ to his Disciples Luk. 10.20 Reioyce that your Names are written in Heauen But Ignotâ— nulla cupido no man reioyceth in a thing either vnknowne or vncertaine vnto him By this Precept of Peter Giue diligence 2 Pet. 1.10 to make your election sure Now herein what would all our diligence doe good if it could not be made sure Lastly in this perswasion of S. Paul to the Corinthians Prooue your selues 2. Cor. 13.5 whether yee be in the fayth or not Know yee not your owne selus how that Josues
Christ is in you except ye be reprobates Where it is assumed as a matter confessed that a man may know his Fayth and so his Election Fayth being the infallible marke of our Election By Reasons wee confront them in the cause thus 1. That which a man is bound certainely to beleeue he may certainely know and that without notice of speciall Reuelation But euery faythfull man standeth bound to beleeue that he is elected it being the positiue precept of God that wee beleeue in Christ 1. Ioh. 3.23 This is his commaundement that wee beleeue in the Name of his sonne Iesus Christ. To beleeue in Christ being not onely to beleeue that we are Adopted Iustified Redeemed by him but also eternally to be Elected in him 2. Againe we dispute thus That which is consigned and sealed vnto vs by the spirit of God of that we may be sure for then are wee sure of our Leases and Grauntes when they are sealed vnto vs. But our Adoption and so by sequell our Election is sealed vnto vs by the Spirit of God This Scriptures conceale not but reueale vnto vs â— Cor. 2.12 where they say Wee haue receiued not the Spirit of the world but the Spirit which is of God that we might know the thinges that are giuen to vs of God As in an other place thus Ephes 1.13 Jn whom also ye haue trusted after that yee heard the word of trueth euen the Gospell of your saluation whereâ—â— also after that yee beleeued yee were sealed with the holy Spirit of Promise If our Aduersaries hereto shall obiect that this obsignation of our Adoption is morally by our works to beare vs in hand that this our knowledge of our Adoption is but coniecturall and probable wee further answere that the holy Spirit sealeth our Adoption by begetting in vs a speciall confidence For when as we heare the Promises of God and withall ruminate and meditate vpon them in commeth the holy Ghost in the nicke inclining the Vnderstanding the Will to imbrace them and then draweth them on to giue consent vnto them and to rest contented in them Whence ariseth that speciall assurance that we are Gods adopted Children and that wee stand in his fauour If further it shall be obiected that the Catholike-fayth chargeth none to giue Fayth to that which God neither by written or vnwritten Word or otherwise by Tradition hath intimated vnto vs and how that by none of these wayes it hath been suggested that this man Peter or that man Cornelias is Predestinated by God and therefore that no man is constrained particularly to beleeue this or that man to be saued let them be thus answered that albeit this particular proposition J am Elected be not so broadly set downe in the Bible yet inclusiuely as Species in sico genere as Logicians speake is it there contained So as by naturall collectiue inference it is set downe in the word by disputing in this manner Ioh. 6.35 Whosoeuer truely beleeue are elected But â—aruely doe beleeue therefore J am elected The Proposition or first part of this Reason is the verie Scripture the Assumption or second part commeth from the Conscience of the beleeuing person The Conclusion naturally issueth from them both 3. Our next Argument shal be thus formed The Fayth of the Elect or otherwise that which we call A sauing Fayth is a certaine and particuler perswasion of forgiuenesse of sinnes and of eternall life That Fayth is this resolute perswasion and that this Resolution is of the nature of Fayth Scriptures doe conclude as where Christ sayth to Peter Math. 14.31 O thou of litle Fayth wherefore did â—est thou doubt As where he sayth to his Disciples Math. 21.21 If yee haue Fayth and doubt not As where Saint James monisheth thus Let him aske in Fayth Iam. 1.6 and wauer not The Fayth that was so much commended in Abraham He doubted not of the Promise of God through vnbeliefe Rom. 4.20 but was strengthned in the Fayth In the second place that Fayth is a particuler perswasion applying thinges beleeued it is thus prooued The propertie of Fayth is to receiue the Promise so S. Paul That yee might receiue the Promise of the Spirit through Fayth Gal. 3.14 and the thing promised which is Christ with his spirit of which sayth our Sauiour As many as receiued him Ioh. 1.12 to them he gaue prerogatiue to be the Sonnes of God euen to them that beleeue in his Name It is this that giueth vs courage and confidence these two beeing the worthy effectes of our Fayth as Paul teacheth saying Ephes 3.12 By Christ we haue boldnesse entraunce with confidence by Fayth in him Boldnesse is when a sinner dare presse into the presence of God and not be dismaide with the menaces of the Law or the vnderstanding of his owne vnworthinesse nor with the manifold tryalles of the Diuell and it is more then certaintie of Gods fauour which a generall Fayth can not breed as Papistes would haue it This generall Fayth without doubt beeing in Cain Saul Achitophel Iudas and such like yea in Sathan himselfe who not-withstanding despaired and some of them desperatly did fordoe themselues and the Diuell for all his fayth quiuereth as a Leafe tossed with the wind in the presence of God 4. Lastly I oppose against them thâ— multiplicitie of instances as very pregnanâ— proofes of the cause congested by S. Iohn iâ— his first Epistle whose intentioÌ„ through 〈◊〉 the whole Letter is to shew how a maâ— may ordinarily and plenarily know thâ— hee is in Gods loue and so in the state oâ— eternall life The places are very strong on our side and they are these Hereby we are sure that we know him 1. Ioh. 23. if we keepe his Commaundementes vers 5. If we keepe his word hereby we know that we are in him In this are thâ— children of God knowne 1. Ioh. 3.10 and the children of the Diuell Thereby we know that we are of the trueth vers 19. and shall before him assure our heartes Hereby we know that we dwel in him Chap. 4.13 and he in vs because he hath giuen vs of his spirit These thinges haue I writen vnto you Chap. 5.13 that beleeue in the name of the sonne of God that yee may know that yâ—â— haue eternall life Now our Aduersaries thus slubber vp an answere to these Testimonies 1. That none of them doe necessarily imply any such certaintie of Diuine knowledge in asmuch as those thinges which we learne by coniectures we may be sayd to know This is but an hungrie Answere by their leaue and a very miserable shift which with what facilitie we list we dissolue and doe away For thus S. Iohn directly deliuereth vs the drift of his Epistle Ioh. 1.4 These thinges write we vnto you that your ioy may be full But it must needes be an vncertaine ioy which a doubtfull and coniecturall
time Their Altar is without Fire their Prayers without feruour their Wordes without intention the outward action of their bodies without the consent of their inner affections The second effect is the Affect of Heart answerable in nature to that which is in Children towardes their Parents which is an affection of loue reuerence obedience thankfulnesse For they call not vpon him as vpon a skarlot and grimme Iudge but they come to him in his familiar name Abba that is a gracious mercifull Father Now such as are not of the right Spirit they can not in trueth come to him in this name Finally where the testimonie of the Spirit is many other graces of the Spirit are with it for it will not be solitarie as when one branch of a Tree sprouteth the rest sprout out with it Further learne thus to know them asunder to put difference betweene the Spirit and Presumption 1. Presumption is an inborne qualitie which wee sucke from our Mothers but the witnesse of the Spirit is supernaturall 2. Presumption is in them that recke not of the ordinarie meanes that make to their saluation But they that are of the Spirit chearefully imbrace them take care to follow theÌ„ they reuerently religiously heare the word of God 3 Presumptio is in such that vse not to call on the name of God but the Spirit of God is the Spirit of Prayer teaching vs to pray with teares not able to be expressed PresumptioÌ„ is lincked with Loosenesse of life the Spirit worketh vs in a new mould Mat 2 22. Mutatus ab illo Hectore cleane contrary to that we were before and warneth vs with the Wise-men of the East not againe to returne to Herods Court to our old Byas but by casting off our old conuersation as the Eagle doth her bill to turne into our country an other way Presumption is peremptorie and maketh a man to stand vpon his Slippers to be confident vp to the throate and neuer once to cast any doubt of our well doing whereas the consciences of the godly are oft times perplexed and troubled with doubtes yea now and then surcharged ouerwhelmed with them Presumption will faile vs at a dead lift and giue vs the slippe in the needfull time of trouble in the houre of temptation and death But the Spirit of God standeth close to vs and continueth with vs for euer and euer 2. Wee come to the handling of the Second poynt how the Spirit witnesseth our Adoption For that it witnesseth the same vnto vs this Scripture concludeth it as diuers other Authorities of Scripture beside flatly confirme it Our Heartes are wholly in the hands of the Spirit to rule gouerne them as seemeth best to him This Rule of his coÌ„sisteth chiefely in the certaine reuealed knowledge of our attonement with the Father in Christ Hereof speaketh the Prophet Jsaiah thus By his knowledge Isai 53 11. shall my righteous Seruant iustifie in my Of this speaketh our Sauiour where he sayth Ioh. 17.3 This is life eternall that they know thee to be the onely verie GOD and whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ. This knowledge is not that which is generall for so the Deuils might be saued but it is that which is particuler by which a man commeth to know that God is his Father Christ his Redeemer the Holy Ghost his Sanctifier and Comforter This knowledge is the peculiar worke of the Spirit as this Text teacheth as this other the same mouth deliuereth of the same nature Wee haue receiued not the Spirit of the world â— Cor. 2.12 but the Spirite which is of God that wee might know the things that are giuen to vs of God Now three manner of wayes doth the Spirit make vs priuie to this counsaile of God 1. By his inward Inspiration 2 By his outward Word 3. Inwardly outwardly by inward and outward effects By his Spirit he did inspire the Prophetes and open many thinges to come And Christ sayd to his Apostles as concerning the Holy ghost He shall leaâ— you into all trueth Ioh. 16.13 By his Word he spake vnto the Prophets and by his Word in like manner he teacheth vs his Will Also by diuers effectes he declareth either his Mercie or his Iustice as it is well knowne The same is to be thought of the reuealing of his Election to witte that God reuealeth the same to the Elect by the Spirit by the Word by the most assured effectes of his Predestination We are now to speake of them seuerally in their order 1. By inward inspiration we haue intimation of our certaine Election by which our mindes are illuminated and it is reuealed vnto vs that wee are from all eternitie Predestinated into this Adoption of his Son-ship All the Elect are owners of this Grace as now actually made the Sonnes of God by Fayth regenerated and new borne by the Holy ghost ingrafted into Christ So the Apostle saith Rom. 8.9 If any man hath not the spâ—rit of Christ he is not his Whosoeuer therefore is of Christ is ingrafted into Christ must needes ipso fâ—â—â—â— haue the Spirit of Christ Now whosoeuer haue receiued and haue this spirit of Christ the spirit of God testifieth to their mindes that they are the sonnes of God he maketh them to speake in the language of Children Aâ—ba that is Father And it is a certaine case that none is renewed by the spirit of God who is not peremptorily perswaded that God is become his most louing and gracious Father and so call vpon him by that sweete speciall name Therfore though all men in that they are assured by the certaintie of Fayth that God is their Father and they are his Sonnes do not thereby argue and conclude that they are elected to eternall life yet all men indeed haue thereby a most sure certificate of their Election to the state of Glorie because if they be the Sonnes of God it followeth by due consequent that they also be the heires of eternall life Let this Testimonie appeare euident by way of demonstration in this manner Whosoeuer call vpon God and in their heartes cry Abba Father it is certaine that such be the Children of God and that this cry of theirs is from the gift motion of the spirit of God But whosoeuer are the Sonnes of God are also inheritours of life euerlasting and they are predestinated into the adoption of his children Therefore it cannot otherwise be but that all such as are perswaded by the spirit of God that they are the Sonnes of God should be predestinated to eternall life be throughly perswaded in the same 2. The second meanes whereby we attaine the knowledge of our Election is his outward Word not any particular Word by which hee doth outwardly in priuate and proper manner suggest to any man expresly his Election but the generall word of the Gospell in the which Christ calleth all them which beleeue in him
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
come to Christ the Dignation and Grace which he giueth to Infantes Which Vocation is the introduction into our state of saluation in this present life Wherfore vsually the Apostles in the frontispire forehead of their letters to the Churches speake of this Vocation Rom. 1.7.8 1. Cor. 1.2 inscribing and entitling them Saintes by calling Therefore it must needes be that whosoeuer be Elected in Christ be at their appoynted time effectually called and drawne vnto him 3. The third benefite of God and effect and proofe of our Predestination proper onely to the Elect is Fayth without which Heb. 11.6 in the testimonie of the Apostle it is impossible to please God For by this we are incorporated into Christ we are made members of his body without which Fayth no flesh can be saued In Infantos the action of Fayth which is a knowledge of Christ and confidence in him is not as not capable thereof in respect of their age but they haue notwithstanding the Spirit and life of Fayth which in processe of time will breake foorth as those Scripture pâ—aces prooue which teach That Saluation commeth to all by Fayth and how that without Fayth it is altogeather impossible for any to please God That this is the effect and fruite of Election the Apostle perspiciously and openly deliuereth 1. Cor. 7.25 where he witnesseth of himselfe that hee obtained mercie of the Lord that is in his sacred and secret decree of Predestination to be faythfull Wherefore whosoeuer are Predestinated to eternall life in Christ they are elected to this Fayth the effect thereof and therefore perforce they must at last beleeue in Christ 4. The fourth benefite and effect is Justification that is the free remission of our sinnes and the imputation of the righteousnes of Christ So that the forme of Iustification is as it were a kind of translation of our sinnes to Christ and of Christs righteousnesse to vs by reason of this diuine imputation It is stiled The Righteousnesse of Christ because it is out of vs and it is in the humanitie of Christ as in the subiect This naturally followeth Fayth at the heeles inasmuch as those that are endowed with this Fayth are therewithall also Iustified That this Iustification is an effect of Election Rom. 8.30 the Apostle insinuateth by setting it vpon the head of our Vocation adioyned to Predestination immediatly before Now this is not effected in vs while wee are in this world but in the Pardon of our sinnes and in the imputation of his perfect obedience to vs. 5. The fift benefit and effect is Regeneration and Sanctâ—fication by the Spirit while we become New creatures by him and so the Sonnes of God not onely by Adoption but by regeneration also For Christ when he Iustifieth vs he not onely remitteth our vnrighteousnesse and imputeth his obedience vnto vs but also taketh away our heart of Stone giueth vs his owne heart of Flesh vnto vs putteth off our Old man and cloatheth vs with his New one and strippeth vs of our inward corruption and maketh vs pertakers of his owne Nature and so indeed of the Sonnes of Men maketh vs the Sonnes of God and Brethren vnto him Wherefore wee are sayd to be Predestinated by Iesus Christ Ephes 1.4.5 Ioh. 8.6 That wee should be holy and without blame befo e him And hence is this saying of our Sauiour That which is borne of the Spirit is Spirit 6. From this roote springeth the sixth Branch of our Election which is The loue of Righteousnesse and hatred of Sinne For in Regeneration there is Toâ—mâ—â—rs a quo et termanus aâ— qâ—m An auersion from sinne and a conuersion to God the mortification of the old â—â—â—am and the viuification of the New the alteration of affections of Nature corrupted into the affections of Diuine nature by the Holy ghost sanctified which is noted in their Walke of which the Apostle speaketh Rom. 8 1. which is Nâ—â— aâ—ter the flesh but after the spirit And in the distaste their Stomackes take of carnalities They saâ—â—ur not the thâ—â—â— of the Flesh but of the spirit Now the first affectes of the Flesh are Loue of sinne which is the Câ—ncupiscence of the fl sh and so on the contrarie side The hatred of Righteousnesse and of the Law of â—oâ— which are not of the Father but of the World For that which properly is spoken of Christ 〈◊〉 5 8. Thou hast loued Righteousnesse and hated â—â—quitie is not improperly vnderstood of all that are the members of Christ wherefore Dauid who beareth the person of all the Elect and expresseth their disposition 〈◊〉 3. saith of himselfe J haue â—oued thy Law Thy Lâ—◠〈◊〉 within my heart J hate all these that are workers of iniquitie J will not sit among the Wicked Such affections S. Paul deliuereth vs. J delight in the Law of God concerning the Inner man that is Rom. 7.23 as I haue an inward and a better birth 7. Now these two Affections the first fruites of Regeneration beget the seuenth Effect Aâ— endeaâ—our to doe Good workes that is to forsake Sinne and to fulfill the Law For hee that hateth any thing from his heart hee shunneth and auoydeth it all that he may And so of the other side hee that inwardly loueth a thing hee pursueth it with the hottest contention that can be This distinctioÌ„ of theirs in these two opposite coÌ„ditions the Apostle thus speaketh of He that doth righteousnes is righteous 1. Ioh 3.7 as he is righteous Hee that committeth sinne is of the Devill For the Deuill sinneth from the beginning Now Christ came into the World to dissolue the workes of the Deuill in the Elect But in the Reprobate he suffereth them to remaine still as they are because he was neuer stated in them they were not giuen him of his Father to be purged regenerated saued Wherefore Christ being preordinated to performe all these workes and no good thing is done in vs which was not in Christ prepared for vs from all eternitie it is more then manifest that our sollicitude of good works is the effect of our Election This the Apostle sheweth plainely where he sayth Eâ—liâ— 2 1â— Wee are creâ—ted in Christ Iesus vnto goâ—◠〈◊〉 which God hath ordained that wee should walke in them This duetie as more then necessarie is commended and commaunded vs by Saint Pâ—ter 2. Pet. 1.10 in this precept hee prescribeth vs Giue diligence to make your Calling and Election sure that is by Good workes as many coppies haue it For to whom should we make it sure Not to God for it was sure to him before all worldes but to our selues and neighbours 8. Now because while we seeke the glorie of God and are carefull of Good works and we refuse to fashion our selues according to this world in the lustes and sinnes thereof the Flesh the World and the Deuill combine and hange togeather like the Skales