Psal 45.7 and Mediator with the holy Ghost aboue his fellowes according to that which Christ saith of himselfe Him hath God the Father sealed Ioh. 6.27 So also the rest of his Children he hath sealed doth dayly seale with Markes and Characters of their certaine Election to deuide them from the outcastes of this present euill world 2. Cor. 1.21 As where he sayth who hath sealed vs and giuen vs the earnest of the spirit And in the latter to the Ephesians thus Ephes 1.13 After that yee beleeued ye were sealed with the holy spirit of promise Ephes 4.30 And in the same Epistle thus Grieus not the holy Spirit of God by whom yee are sealed vnto the day of Redemption These Seales are the Meanes to serue the end sette downe by God Predestination is not onely of the Ende but also of the Meanes that make to that end Now all of them aswell the Ende as the meanes are the Effectes thereof Wherefore rightly sayth Augustine Praedestinatio est praeparatio beneficiorum Dej quibus certissimè liberantur quicunque liberantur Predestination is a preparatiue of the graces of God by which they are most assuredly saued who are to be saued These Meanes in some are more impotent in some more eminent in some more in some lesse Some haue but a litle Oyle in their Cruise In some their cuppe doe ouerflowe Those meanes are our Vocation Iustification Sanctification Repentaunce new Obedience without which there is no entraunce to the Throne of Grace But by these Groomes wee may be brought into the Kinges Chamber Heere the two principall Seales and Meanes are set out vnto vs as Fayth and New obedience the naturall Branch that sprouteth from that roote Fayth hath the preheminence insinuated in this Prescience and foreknowledge of God in these words The Lord knoweth who are his The other is more open in the wordes following Let all that call vpon the name of the Lord depart from iniquitie It is Fayth that in a quicke apprehension swalloweth downe this Proposition The Lord knoweth who are his Knoweth that is Loueth those that are his and so inferreth this Assumpt therevpon and so loueth mee that am one of his This Attribute of Knowledge ascribed to God is of two sortes 1. Absoluta Absolute so stiled of the Schoole-men inasmuch as all thinges simply and absolutely from all eternitie are knowne vnto God Of this the spirit speaketh thus Heb. 4.13 Neither is there any creature which is not manifest in his sight But all thinges are naked and open vnto his eyes And to this appertaineth this sentence of Psalmodie Psal 94.11 The Lord knoweth the thoughtes of men that they are but vaine 2. The other is Specialis of more speciall propertie as by which he not onely knoweth the Elect as he doth all other things but also knoweth them for his owne deuideth them from others alloweth and loueth them aboue all others For this word Knoweth when it is giuen to God speaking of the creature very often in Scripture-language beareth such a meaning as where Dauid sayth The Lord knoweth the way of the righteous Psal 1.6 but the way of the vngodly shall perish As where Christ sayth to the prating professors Math. 7.23 I know you not depart from mee yee workers of iniquitie As where Paul sayth God hath not cast away his people Rom. 11.2 which hee knew before So doth Thomas take this word in his Scholie vpon the 8. Chapter to the Romans Quos praesciuit scientia approbationis hos et praedestinauit Those whom he foreknew in his knowledge of approbation them also he predestinated And the same Schoole man is in the minde that Gods effectuall will of conferring grace is included in this his knowledge of approbation Thus Hugo de Sancto victore in his notes vpon the Epistle to the Romanes And Ioachim vpon the Reuelation doe vnderstand this worde Augustine August do perseuer Sanct. lib. 2. c. 18. sometimes doth not doubt to take the Knowledge of God for Gods Predestination and to confounde them togeather grounding his Iudgement vpon the Apostles assertion God hath not cast away his People which he knew before And such are by his reckning Filij in praescientia Aug. de corrept et gra c. 9. Sonnes in Gods foreknowledge Qui in memoriali patris sui inconcussa stabilitate conscripti sunt Who are written downe in Gods rowles of remembrances not to be raced out So Cyrill singeth vs the same songe Cyrill expos in Ioh. 7. c. 6. where he sayth Christ knoweth his Sheepe electing and foreseeing them vnto eternall life as the Apostle telleth vs God hath not cast away his people which hee knew before for as the Lord such as he reprobateth is sayd not to know as where he sayth to the foolish Maydes that had not Oyle for their Lightes I know you not so such as hee predestinateth and preordinateth vnto life hee is rightly sayd to know them Now this is the true Fayth which ought to be in vs to be throughly perswaded that wee are in the rancke and classie of Gods children adopted in Christ Iesu and so to be in the fatherly fauour of God and that so our saluation is sealed vp in a Bagge Without this Fayth we cannot be grafted into Christ But this Fayth sufficeth vs though not perfect so it be true though but small as a Graine of Musterd-seed tender like a new borne Babe In the Babe there can not be the action of Fayth which is the knowledge of Christ and confidence in him yet is the Spirit and virtue thereof in it which in time will shew it selfe And this the Scriptures would haue vs beleeue Heb. 11.6 in all such places as shew vs that wee are saued by Fayth and that without Fayth it is impossible that we should please God yet withall the perfecter our Fayth is the greater is the power of it and therefore we must endeauour all we may to encrease our Fayth And albeit wee receiue in this life not the Tithe but the first Fruites of Gods Spirit Rom. 8.23 2. Cor. 1.22 and but the earnest thereof the first Fruites being but a Sheafe in comparison of the whole Cornelande and the Earnest being as it were but a Pennie for the payment of Poundes yet this Sheafe this Pennie serueth the turne to incorporate vs into Christ As the eye of an Israelite seruing him but to looke vp to the Brasen Serpent auayled to cure the sting of the fierie Serpent Iohn 3. so the pur-blind eye of our Fayth if it can but turne vp the Ball towardes Christ lifted vp vnto the Crosse it will be enough to cure the deadly wound the old Serpent hath giuen vs. The Palsie shaking hand of a poore Lazar may serue to receiue the deuotion of a Passenger as well as the best though the other can hold it fastest Though the Bonie partes in mans body be the strongest
Apostles except Iudas was lost because he was so preordinated to be lost Whosoeuer therefore are truely giuen to Christ by the Father they are in such safe protection vnder Christ as they cannot perish because they are Elected that is Iohn 13.18 giuen to Christ Elsewhere foretelling vs that one of the Colledge of Apostles should betray him he prefaceth to the poynt in hand in this wise I speake not of you all J know whom J haue chosen but it is that the Scripture might be fulfilled Hee that eateth bread with me hath lift vp his heele against mee Hee giueth the cause to Gods eternall Election that none of the Apostles was to admit such a prodigious sinne of prodition but onely Iudas as proposed to perdition Thus hauing heard Christ him selfe speaking for vs what need wee more witnesses Rom. 8.30 Yet wee please to heare what Saint Paul can say for vs. In his golden Chaine twined with his foure indiuiduall linckes the person Predestinated is proclaymed at the Standard therewithall Called Iustified Glorified And hee is in his expostulatorie Scrutinie Inquirie after him that dare stand out aduersarie to this his positiue Diuinitie Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect It is God that Iustifieth who shall condemne As if he should haue disputed it thus They are Elected therefore can they not be Condemned Yea he prouoketh the proudest Enimie to the field for the triall of this trueth as Affliction Tribulation and all the vnited forces of Temptations telling vs how these when they haue done their worst can neuer be of power to raise our Foundation and to sunder vs from Christ Lastly he would haue vs beleeue this as a sure word of prophecie that neither Angels Dominations or Powers future nor present thinges altitudes or deapthes nor any thing else from the Center to the Circumference can vndoe this Foundation of our eternall and infallible Election Destroy this Foundation and all these rowes of spirituall Stones layde herevpon must needs come tumbling downe As this saying of Saint Paul Rom. 5.1 Being iustified by Fayth wee haue Peace towards God Which peace of conscience towards God we can not haue so long as we hoouer as the Rauen betweene Heauen and Earth and are in perplexitie about our Election As this other his ghostly Aphorisme Fayth maketh not ashamed Rom. 5.5 because the loue of God is shed abroad in our heartes by the holy Ghost which is giuen vs If fully and finally this loue may be lost of vs whereby we are couered with shame and confusion as it were with a Cloake As this his other peece of Lecture Rom. 8.16 The spirit of God witnesseth with our spirit that we are the children of God So be it that wee yeeld that the Spirit may be quite extinguished in vs. It is Saint Iohns assertion 1. Ioh. 2.19 and the marke indeed of those of reprobate condition They went from vs but they were not of vs for if they had been of vs they should haue continued with vs For it is flatte which Saint Paul sayth The giftes and calling of God are without repentance Rom. 11.29 and so by course of consequence he cannot repent that he hath predestinated vs. Thus doe our Popelinges fall before the Scriptures as Dagon before the Arke and the foundation of our Election standeth sure And now we will deale with them by dinte and force of reason and thus dispute for the soliditie of this our Foundation 1. First a posteriorj Gods purpose to saue the Elect in this world is absolutly constant Therefore he so Calleth Iustifieth Regenerateth them so qualifieth them with the Induments and Ornaments of his spirit so gouerneth them and giueth them the guift of perseuerance as he neuer repenteth himselfe of these collated benefites inasmuch as repentance cannot fall vpon him as Scripture before taught vs. God followeth his chosen with an indiuiduall vnwearisome and eternall loue So sayeth God in Jeremie Ierem. 31.3 J haue loued thee with an euerlasting loue So sayeth Christ in John For as much as he loued his owne which were in the world vnto the end he loued them Iohn 13 1. But he willeth and worketh nothing now which was not willed and determined by him from all eternitie wherfore this foundation is of absolute stabilitie 2. A priorj we pleade thus Election is only in God and not in man in as much as Election was before the Creation and so before man Ephes 1.4 Wee were chosen saieth the Apostle before the worlds foundation Againe if Eection be a part of diuine Prouidence and Prouidence is Gods the Sequence is naturall that Election must be in God and no part thereof may cleaue to mans thumbes And hence also the deduction is as needfull that it is eternall and immutable as consisting in God onely in whom all thinges are according to his nature without variablenesse or shaddow of change Stood the Foundation of our Election vpon no surer ground then Man it would soone be turned vp For Euripus changeth not oftner then Man And what may Man doe simply by himselfe towards his owne saluation He that is a reprobate can lay to himselfe a sure Foundation wherevpon he may build his owne damnation in asmuch as not beeing sufficiently supported by the hand of God God not beeing bounde vnto him thereunto he simply can bring foorth nothing but fruites vnto death with willfullnesse enough and so vndoe himselfe But Election cannot so bee made sure of the part of the Elect as by nature mutable and as so continually and grieuously sinfull So as so farre as it layeth in them they quite strip themselues of the graces of God and if doome should be denounced according to their deedes there were no foundation made for them in Heauen The effects of Election are in the persons themselues that are elected as their vocation passiue and so their Iustification and regeneration in this sense also faith and the workes of faith and at last their glorification in like manner Wherefore these effects in vs that are of the Elect admitte an alteration in respect of our selues Wherevpon by nature faith and regeneration may be lost of vs and of righteous wee may become vnrighteous and so fall from grace and perish But in regard of predestination and diuine decree which is in God so immutable it can not be that these guiftes of God and these effectes of Predestination should be quite without effect and therefore hauing dependance on God our saluation is most safe Haue a view heereof in the course of the world led by the hand of heauenly prouidence For Saeculum Speculum The World is a Looking-glasse in this case For how is it that it is so well ordered so as the Heauens keepe their stations appointed thē the Sunne knoweth his vprising and the Moone her going downe the alternall entercourse of the day and the night is not to bee disturbed and all
Iewell in his hand knoweth that he hath it For if a man that beleeueth an other man on his word doth know that he beleeueth him how much more shall hee whose heart is inspired with true Fayth by the worke of the holy Ghost to beleeue the Gospell know that hee beleeueth it If a man might not know whether hee hath this true Fayth or noe how is it that the Apostle perswadeth vs thus Prooue your selues whether yee be in the Fayth 2. Cor. 13.5 thereby insinuating that it is to be discerned prooued and knowne whether we do beleeue So that as hee that vnderstandeth knoweth that he vnderstandeth So he that beleeueth knoweth that hee beleeueth Wherfore Saint Paul thus speaketh of himselfe I know whom I haue beleeued 2. Tim. 1.12 A poynt which Saint Iohn thus concludeth 1 Ioh. 3.24 saying 1. Ioh. 3.24 Hereby wee know that he abideth in vs euen by that spirit which he hath giuen vs. Augustine is plentifull in this cause I will charge you August lib. de Trinit 13. c. 1. Quisque vidit fidem esse in corde suo si credat si non videt cam deesse Euery one perceiueth that hee hath fayth in his heart if he beleeueth If not he findeth that he is without it Epist 112. Againe where he sayeth Credens videt propriam suam fidem per quam respondet se credere sine dubitatione The beleeuer feeleth his owne Faith by which he beleeueth without doubtinges Lib. 8. de Triâ—it c. 8. In an other place thus Qui diligit Fratrem suum magisscit dilectionem per quam diligit quam Fratrem quem diligit Hee that looueth his Brother knoweth the loue wherewith he loueth him better then he knoweth his Brother whom hee loueth This and such like effects of Gods Predestination are not simply effects but such effects thereof as they also may be saide to be Seales of it For God to vsward is like to the Sunne The Sunne when it shineth on vs and in a manner looketh vs on the face printeth in such sort the Image of his light in our eyes as wee also are made partakers of the same light and are enabled to looke vpon the Sunne the light thereof For the beames of the Sunne striking vpon vs haue a repercussion and reflexe towards the Sunne So the Lord the Sonne of Righteousnesse looketh vpon vs and knoweth vs to be his And then the Elect being made partakers of his Light and Knowledge hee maketh vs likewise to know him Heereto serue these words of our Sauiour J know my sheepe Iohn 10.14 Inferring therevpon in the next place And J am knowne of mine So the first is the cause of the latter and the latter alwayes followeth the former as if he should haue sayd While I acknowledge them for mine I make them to haue my light knowledge to acknowledge mee their Shephearde Both these are put togeather by Saint Paul Gal. 49. where hee sayth Seeing yee know God or rather are knowne of God Where hee teacheth that therefore because God knew the Galathians who first acknowledged them for his hee consequently imparted this his owne Wisedome to them and brought them to that passe to acknowledge the true God to be their God The like may be sayd of the Loue of God wherewith he loued vs in Christ to eternall life before the groundworke of the World was laide God in louing vs hath left an impression and obsignation of his loue in our heartes by which wee returne and retorte this loue and loue him againe and as it were by the reflexion of these Sun-beames striking into our heartes are prouoked to loue him For Gods loue towardes vs beeing by nature eternall bringeth foorth at his full appoynted time a certaine loue in vs seruing to the eternitie of his glorie 1 Ioh. 4.19 Hence it is that Saint John sayth Not that we loued him but that he first loued vs. As if hee should thus say By setting the Seale of his Loue vpon our heartes hee effecteth thus much that wee in the rereward should loue him as a Father Wherefore by the soliditie of that loue by which wee haue a feeling that wee loue God wee are made to know how large the dimensions of that loue of God are by which from all eternitie in Christ hee hath embraced vs. Now what is this loue else but Predestination So our Election by which we are put apart in Christ from the residue of the World setteth a kind of Image of God himselfe vpon vs that is it begetteth an other Election by which wee renounce all other Gods and know no other else but the true God to be adored and worshipped and not onely as wee gather the cause from the effect but as wee draw a Picture from the president and as from the forme of the Seale in the Waxe we easily conceiue what is the Image of the Seale it selfe And thus much of this first Seale which respecteth God in these wordes The Lord knoweth who are his The other Seale followeth which concerneth our selues in the sequell thus Let euery one that calleth vpon the Name of the Lord depart from iniquitie To Fayth the proper indument of the Elect a speciall Seale of Election Good workes an other Seale thereof is immediatly adioyned Good workes can neuer be sundred from Fayth as Scriptures and Fathers teach and our Church beleeue The Apostle speaking of such who making great wordes of Christ Tit. 1.16 but denie him in their workes sayth They prefesse they know God but by workes they denie him and are abominable and disobedient and to euery good worke reprobate Where to denie God is to denie the Fayth In an other place hee sayth 1. Tim. 5.5 if there be any that prouideth not for his owne and namely for them of his household he hath denied the Fayth Now hee that denieth the Fayth can not haue Fayth Also Saint Iohn sayth Hee that sayth 1. Ioh. 2.4 I know him and keepeth not his commaundementes is a lyar Where hee concludeth that to be a lying and a false Fayth which hath not ioynt commerce with the performaunce of his preceptes but a counterfait Fayth is no Fayth at all Therefore they goe both hand in hand togither Fayth Good workes and will not part company Iam. 2. Fayth without Good workes is dead It is Saint Iames his theoreme and case diuinitie But dead Fayth is no more Fayth then a dead Man is a Man The Fathers with one consent teach the same Orig. in Ezech. Hom. 9. Origen sayeth Male credit quicunque peccat Hee that is a sinner is but a simple beleeuer In epist ad Rom. l. â— c. 10. In his Scholie vpon the Romans hee prooueth the same thus Omnis qui credit in eum non erubescit erubescit autem omnis qui peccat ergo qui adhuc ruboreÌ„ peccati incurrit credere non videtur Euery one that