vertue of the ayre yet we knowe not the beginning and the cause of it Wel then if in this transitorie life which is gone in a moment we see a marueilous vertue whereby God worketh so mightely in it that it passeth the reache of our senses howe is it possible to fetch within the compasse of our vnderstanding this secret worke in the heauēly life whiche passeth the reache of nature as though we were not to beleue any more thē we are able to perceiue by the vewe of the eie But the chiefest point that is to be considered in the excellencie of this generation is this that euen as the word of God is an vncorruptible seed of life which bringeth forth fruite like to it selfe and suche a budde as neuer drieth vp euē so when the Christian mā is once made partaker of this light it cā neuer be so put forth and choked vp in him but there remaineth still some sparke alway in him such is the force of the worde when it is once kindled in the heart of man by the holy Ghost who beareth him witnes that he is the childe of God and causeth him to folowe his gouernement and conduct with a stedy heart and holdeth him in a stedy and continuall obedience of iustice And therefore GOD sayeth by his Prophet Ezechiel That hee giueth them that are his a newe heart and promiseth thē that they shal walke in his ordinances for his holy spirit pursueth his grace in them euen to the ende For though there be sometime some breaches cracks in their faith as we haue alteratiōs in vs by reason of our frailenes moued therūto such violence as Satan worketh against vs and though the brightnes of our faith be daseled with the thicke and obscure darkenes of tentation yet notwithstanding it ceaseth not to haue alwayes an eye to God and that more is though it so fal out as we know it befell to Dauid that the Christian man be for a season so dead on sleepe with suche a blockishnes of sume that there appeareth not any one sparke of the spirit in him as Dauid prayeth for this cause that it may be restored to him yet notwithstanding this seede whereby God regenerateth his elect as it is incorruptible dieth not though it be for a season as it were choked so that a man would thinke that all reuerence and feare of God were cleane put out Yet there is a cole vnder these asshes whiche kindleth and taketh fyre againe and this roote commeth to spurt forth when a man would haue thought it had bene cleane dead For the vertue and goodnes of God is such that it surmounteth our malice so that that man may be sure of his saluation whom God hath once touched with a liuely faith though it were but a very short whyle for he is constrained to say that that which he belieued is a trueth seeing it can not be by fleshe blood but by the light of God wherein there is neither lie nor deceit and so consequently that that hath bene once founde true shal be euer true For this is certaine that God who began this worke of regeneration will perfit it in the day of the Lorde and will not leaue the worke of his handes vnperfect for his gifts and callings are without repentance looke what he hath once giuen he neuer calleth it back being faithfull constant in his deedes and keepeth his trueth euerlastingly without any alteration or change for it is impossible his worde should faile and it can not be but Gods decree must remaine according to the election so that whomesoeuer he hath once knowen and appointed to saluatiō that man can neuer fall from his saluation The stedfastnes of his counsell is shewed to the heyres of promesse that it shall endure for euer by two thinges whiche can neuer be changed to witte his worde and his othe whereby he hath confirmed his promisses it is impossible he should lye in them To this purpose Iesus Christ sayeth that al that the father hath giuen him shall come to him and he wil not cast out one of them that shal come to him For this is the will of my father sayth hee that I leese not one of them whom my father hath giuen me but I will rayse them vp all in the latter day And againe My sheepe sayth he heare my voyce and followe me I knowe them and giue them euerlasting life and no man shall take them out of myne hande So then seeing he hath promised that that man which hath once taken liuely roote in him shall neuer be plucked vp all that are of the flocke of his sheepefolde are out of daunger to be euer cast away because the purpose of God which he hath decreed vpon them is stedfast and the sentence of peace is ratified to them and therefore hee taketh them apart and sayeth vnto them in this wyse feare not litle flock seeing it is giuen to you to know the mysterie of the kingdom of heauen for to whom soeuer the gift of beleuing is giuē to the same man is also giuē the gift of cōtinuance according to the vertue of the holy Ghost which is euerlasting wherby the Christian man is renued his force remaineth for euer for otherwise were it not continuing for euer the grace of God could not be alwayes sure and stable And on the other side it were to great doltishe blockishnes distrust to doubt whether the Sonne of God in his prayers for the Elect that their faithe might not fayle them were heard or no seeing he sanctified him self for them so that their hope which is as it were a sure anchre for the soule extendeth it selfe beyonde our death and though the infirmitie of the fleshe be great yet seeing their fast holde hangeth not vpon their owne vertue but vpon the vertue strength of God seeing their saluation is kept vnder his secret garde as vnder a seale and authēticall signet they are out of all danger written as it were inregistred by the Almightie and euerlasting God in the booke of life so that all their synnes are not able to stoppe the course of Gods election nor quenche or diminishe the lest wyse that may be the loue of God seeing that euen by our verie sinnes hee taketh occasion to shewe vs farre greater loue hee hym selfe beyng vnchangeable and his decrees euerlasting so that it is not in mans power to change his decree nor to make him goe awaye from that whiche he hath once determined And in deede it were no meete thing for his vnchangeable nature neither might it be truely sayde of hym that hee lighteneth men to blynde them or buyldeth to pull downe or planteth to roote vp Hereby now may euery man see that the spirit of God is the true marke of a Christian man whereby he is knowen from all other and is of greater accompt then all other not that Spirit whereby
heare of the adoption of God howe God hath adopted and taken vs to be his sonnes in Christ before the foundation of the world was layed And why so Because they go about to set vp their owne righteousnes and therefore will not be subiect to the righteousnes of god If we do wel because we are the childrē of God and if we beleue because we were appointed to saluatiō thē is it not our wel doing that maketh vs to be Gods children then are we not appointed to saluation because we beleeue then are al their merites gone then is al their fat in the fyer A Heathen a Pharise and a Papist is no bodie vnlesse he may merite vnlesse God may be bound to him and not he to God he wil not take the kingdome of heauen of gift he wil haue it of duetie and that is no God a mercie to him This is the very point of the matter iudge nowe which is the presumptuous doctrine either the heathenish pharisaicall papistrie or the trueth of the Gospel But as I sayd I can more easely enter into the matter then get out of it the grossenes of their heresie is so notorious and brutishe the trueth of our doctrine is so plaine and riche that I can not conteine my selfe if I should folow my self I will therefore surcease and leue your worship to the reading of the worke it selfe which shal be sufficient to instruct you in the waye of this trueth and arme you agaynst the assaultes of Satan by these his instrumentes The Lord by his holy Spirit worke those two effectes in you for this present so true and comfortable doctrine and further leade you into al trueth as he is the God of trueth that in the day of the Lord Iesus you may be founde to haue walked without stumbling in whatsoeuer he hath thought necessarie to reueile vnto you for your saluatiō 15. Sept. 1576. Your worships humbly at commandement L. T. A briefe collection of the chiefest points of the lyfe of Master Peter de la Place whyle he liued Counseller to the French King and chief President in his Court of Aydes at Paris set forth by P. de Farnace THough to iudge aright of any worke we haue to consider rather what the thing is in it self then to stande much vpon the authour of it because as truth is the opinions wherwith we are before possessed whether they be with or against the persons stay vs from iudging syncerely of their doings yet notwithstanding it is a cōmendable custome not onely to set mens names before their bookes but also to set downe what men they were to the ende the reader may be the better prepared to taste of the fruict when he shal once vnderstand what tree did beare it for it is to be thought that the fruict wil be like the tree that bare it And therefore seeing this worke came to mine handes I was so bold to put forth this short but yet moste true discours of the lyfe and death of the worthie man that made it being otherwyse thus minded though this occasion had not fallen out that it were an iniurie to posteritie to suffer diuers thinges lye buryed vnder silence which befell him in his lyfe tyme and are woorthie perpetuall memorie Therefore to begime at his byrth Master Peter de la Place an Angoulesmian borne was so well trayned by in learning euen from a chylde that he onely of all his brethren resolued with him selfe to followe the studie of the Lawes wherein he profited so marueylously that before hee was two and twentie yeeres olde he made a commentarie vpon the title of Actions and about the same tyme began to be a common pleader in the Parliament of Paris where he gote himgreat commendation and prayse for excellencie of witte and eloquence in pleading and especiadly for singular vprightnes of conscience For which cause also the deceased King Francis the great did him this honour to chuse him for his Aduocat and Autourney in his Court of Aydes in Paris In which office he behaued him selfe so well that no man is able to bereue him of this commendation that he kept his handes continually cleane from briberie and neuer dyd any thing against his office either for vnbrideled ambition or couetousnes King Henrie the last hauing sufficient testimonie of his good and vpright bearing of himselfe in steade of continuing him in this office chose him amongest a number of other to be his Presidēt in the said Court of Aides And whilest he was in this office it pleased God to call him to knowe him about the yere 1554 after a strange fashion About twentie yeres before whylest hee was a student at Poictiers it pleased God to make him see Master Iohn Caluine passing then that way with the Archbyshop of Tillet whome he was content to heare speaking honourably of the knowledge of God in generall but when hee spake of the pure seruice of God he made astaye there as one very zelous of that religion wherein he had bene carefully brought vp Yet so it was that euen from that daye there remained some scruple in his conscience that it might well be he might be deceiued and that his mynde ran vpon oftentimes as he confessed afterwarde which was as you would saye a preparatiue to nourishe this litle seede vntill it came to budde forth and spring at such time as God had appointed it After this it fell out on a daye that standing at his doore there came a certaine strāger to him by a wonderfull prouidence of God whom he knewe not but seeing him to be a man of some qualitie and one that wanted reliefe in his extreme pouertie turned to hym very humbly and made him a long discourse in excellent Latin vpon the cause of his miserie And finding hym to be a man well qualified caused him to come in euen into his studie to feele hym the better to the bottome at his leasure Then this poore mā as one sent from God began to discyfer out frankely vnto hym all the abuses of the Popishe Church and to shewe hym the true and onely way to serue god And after he had heard him patiently he rewarded him and prayed him notwithstanding very earnestly to come no more to him so afraid he was of the fyers which were prepared against them which were suspected the lest that might be for the doctrine of the Gospel as in deede this poore stranger not long after was tried in the fornace at Paris But after this Peter de la Place left not tourning both the Scriptures and al the old fathers euen to the very scholemen to finde some meanes if it were possible to take away this scruple which troubled his minde day night By this meanes in shortspace God touched his heart and opened his eyes and caused him to behold the light of the Gospel in so much as after the death of King Francis the second he declared him selfe openly to be of
all creatures are susteined and haue their mouing by a generall strength and vertue which is common to all liuing creatures neither that spirit whereby we haue diuers and sundrie giftes bestowed seuerally vpon eche of vs but the spirit of adoption and sanctification which the Lorde giueth to none but to the Christian man when he receiueth him into the number of his children and separateth him from all other and sundreth him from the world to bring him to the hope of the euerlasting inheritance This Spirit is for this cause called the Spirit of sanctificatiō whereby the image of God is imprinted in a Christian and serueth him for an earnest pēny of his saluation and in deede putteth him in possession and a certaine enioying of his adoption whiche is giuen him by a speciall grace of God to bring that to passe by a secret working which he determined in his secret counsel to bring to passe in him by his mightie hand shewing him selfe to be a most gracious and louing father by his testimony a greater then which and more certaine we can not desire because the light and knoweledge which he giueth is accompanied with such a persuasion and certaintie of spirit and with so stedfast and assured trust of heart in his goodnes that it maketh our vnderstanding surmount all thinges clenseth lifteth vp our hearts to heauen and causeth vs to feele a spirituall tast of heauenly riches And to be short causeth a new birth in him and transformeth him for this light which is in a Christiā mans soule differeth very much frō all other light of knowledge and from that kinde of faith which procedeth from the persuasion of man For it is impossible for mās wit to giue man such vnderstāding of knowledge and faith as this is which is wrought in him by the mightie working of the spirit of God and is this in summe that the Gospel which hath no appearance of witte nor strēgth is notwithstāding a wisdom so high that it surmounteth the heauens is the mightie power of God to saluation to euery one the beleueth to bring him to the kingdom of heauen for in deede what can there be more strange more foolish more simple or more offensiue to reason then to heare a man say that God is made become a mortall man that life was subiect to death righteousnes couered with a shew of sinne blessing subiect to curse that by this meanes men might be ransomed from death made partakers of blessed immortalitie to the end they might obtein life that iustice might raigne sinne being once abolished and last of al to the end that death it self malediction might be swalowed vp and therfore that we haue to enter into glorie by ignominie into felicitie by myseries and into life by death And moreouer that this light is farre different from all other light of knowledge faith which proceadeth from the persuasion of man it is nedelesse to alleage any other example thē the example of that faith which is in the most part of them that beare the name of Christians yet haue nothing but the bare title and beleue in Iesus Christ because they haue bene so learned taught frō father to sonne are so persuaded because they see other men that liue with them beleue so thē especially whom they take to be the holiest the wisest the most religious persuade them selues that their heades can not erre So that if they had chanced to haue bene borne in any other countrie or religion they would as easely haue bene persuaded to it as to that which now they holde and are persuaded is true seeing their knowledge is gotten by reason and discourse of man not giuen of God and from aboue but cold fleshly weake and very changeable which hath no other end but a peculiar respect of his owne and nothing lesse then to be touched with the glorie of god Neither doe they receiue Iesus Christe for such an one as he is offred of God the father in the Gospel by a liuely faith proper to the elect but while they professe his name they spoile him of his glorie vertue and dignitie to transferre it to creatures and mens inuentions in steade of the Creator And therefore it foloweth that this man which we speake of cā not be discerned from other by any iudgement of mans sense reason but by a spiritual iudgement by comparing spiritual things with spirituall things for the Christian people are but a smal flock contemptible scattred here one there one in the thickest of a number that are falsely called the people of God and Christians separate from the cōmō order of mē set apart as a treasure that God reserueth for himself hiddē withdrawē from the sight knowledge of mē as a few graines of corne vnder a great deale of chaf in a floore so that it is not y reputatiō nobilitie greatnes wisdō deuotiō or other apperance that man estemeth be it neuer so glorious which we haue to respect as S. Paul willeth the Corinth to consider that there are but a few called amongst them a few wise a few noble a fewe mightie of authoritie after the flesh neither haue we to respect the title or outward profession ne yet the outward signe of Baptisme as it is written All they that are of Israel are not Israelites nor all they Abrahams children which are borne of Abraham although they haue all one selfe same marke of Circumcision but it is the marke of the Spirit of God which we must haue regard vnto seeing that all signes and appearances because they are onely without are vnprofitable without the holy working of the inward wherein truely consisteth the witnesse whereby a Christian man may know him self And the first effect of this inward vertue of God is that which the Scripture calleth Adoption which is not common to all the world as Iesus Christ giueth vs to vnderstād saying That he prayeth not the father for the world but for them whom the father hath giuen him as it is said in an other place That the praise of y adoption is not of men but of God according to his good pleasure and grace giuē in Christ before the foundations of the world were layde So that euen as it is said that Christ dwelleth in vs by the spirit of God euen so doth man know and is knowen to be a Christian by the felowship of the same spirit as by that marke wherewith the heauenly father sealeth and marketh the heart of his elect in assurance of their adoptiō wherby he knoweth thē whō he hath quickened frō heauen by his most secret vertue which no sense of man is able to perceiue being in it self very high of great maiestie in outward appearāce vile beggerly wherby euery Christian mā hath such a conformitie with Christ that as the world did not know him so neither is he knowen to
the world for as much as the world which hath receiued nothing but the spirit of the world hath no vnderstanding of those things which sauor of the spirit of god For saith S. Paul euē as no man knoweth the things that are in mā but only the spirit of man euen so no mā knoweth the things of God but the spirit of God. So then a man can not iudge no not of him self whether he be a Christian or no vnlesse it be by the light of this spirit of God that is giuen him as S. Iohn witnesseth speaking in the persone of euerie Christian saying after this sort Hereby we know that God dwelleth in vs euen by the holy Ghost whom he hath giuen vs And this he sayeth vpon certaine knowledge not by gessing according to that that S. Paul sayeth That the same spirit beareth recorde with our spirit that we are the children of God and that it is not by the spirit of the worlde but by the spirit of God that we knowe those thinges which are giuen vs of God to wit our adoption hope of euerlasting life and more that we are able to say and to say truely that they are none of Christes which haue not this inward witnes of the spirit and againe that they beare about them a witnes condēnation against themselues which doubt whether they possesse Christ and be of his bodie or no hauing no assurance by certaintie of faith to be out of doubt and vpon sure ground both for this present and for the time to come and suche faith as Iesus Christ assureth vs that al that are his shall haue saying in this wise to his Apostles the spirit of trueth which the world can not receiue because it seeth him not ne knoweth him but you knowe him for he dwelleth in you and shal be in you And in deede seeing that continuance is a necessarie thing for saluation what faith were it if it had not with it assurance and certaintie to continue Nowe the trueth is so that whosoeuer hath the gift of faith to beleeue hath also the gift of perseuerance to continue considering that faith is not a persuasion for a daye and a thing that sodenly vanisheth away but a stedfast and well rooted persuasion in the heart to continue all the life long as saint Paule boasteth boldely in many places of his election and persuadeth other to doe the lyke vpon a glorie whiche is not grounded vpon any thing that is in man but in the goodnes of God saying That hee knoweth whome he beleeueth and that he is one of them whome Christ came to saue that hee wayteth for the Croune of glorie and is sure that nothing can separate him from the loue of God in Iesus Christe as one that was chosen before the foundation of the worlde was layed Whiche thing fleshly mē can not do because they know not what the spirit of God meaneth being not regenerate and for that cause hauing so base an heart so vite and abiect through sinne that they can not persuade them selues that God loued thē so well as to saue thē by the death of his only derely beloued sōne that he was so liberall as to giue them paradise vnlesse they deserue it by their workes and merites where as the regenerate haue within them such a feeling of the loue of God in Christ that they see them selues out of doubt most assuredly saued in him and can not persuade them selues that Christ to whom the father hath giuen all power to iudge can pronoūce sentence against those his brethren and mēbers for whom he died vpon the Crosse This christian mā hath a certaine knowledge by the effects which the same spirit of God bringeth forth in him that he hath this gift of faith for as sone as hee causeth him through his vertue and mightie working to feele a peace and vnspeakeable rest in his cōscience that appeaseth contenteth and satisfieth it he mainteineth him in a spiritual ioy increaseth the studie of good workes in him inflameth him in the loue of God maketh him delight in his word in the same word to behold the face of God gracious louing and fauourable with suche an assurance of his grace that he reioyceth and triumpheth with a bolde and cherefull countenance in the hope of euerlasting glorie in so muche that he is not afrayed to present him selfe before his God and call vpon hym as his father with perfect assurance to obteine at his handes what soeuer is necessarie for him whiche were impossible for him to do if he were not moued enforced thereunto through some heauēly and diuine working which surmoūteth all the force and strength that is or can be in man For from whence might this assurance of the good wil of God procede and that the man is colde and altogyther senselesse of him selfe voyd of al motion or bent to pray to him could be moued to repayre vnto him with such a cōfidence and yet godly notwithstanding hauing grieuously offended him were it not through his diuine and heauenly working whiche the Christian man may easely perceyue moreouer by this that it engendreth in him a loue of Iustice and on the other side a hatred of sinne by an alteration of affections pleasures and displeasures for other then before to wit suche as are in al them whose eyes the Prince of this worlde hath blinded And yet notwithstanding trueth it is that he feeleth a continuall combat of the spirit and the flesh in him self whiche hindereth him from perfecting his workes but yet so it is that though sin dwell in him yet it doeth not reigne in him And such are the effectes whereby the Christian man commeth to the experience and feeling of his fayth so consequently of his electiō For a Christian man striueth not to enter into the Sanctuarie of Gods wisedome to informe him selfe of Gods predestination secret counsell as some rashe headed more bold then godly wyse will nedes intrude and thrust in them selues most arrogantly in to the secretes of God finding nothing in the ende but a mase which they are neuer able to get out of for neyther is it meere that the height of the wisedome of God shoulde be subiect to the sense of man to seeke it out euen to his euerlastingnes But the Christian being once come to the way of fayth holding him selfe stedfastly there is led from step to step euen to the King of heauens chāber as S. Augustin speaketh there to beholde the treasure of his Election and yet for all that doeth not become thereby negligent and dissolute but cleane contrarie doth after that more diligently applie him selfe to God to be his instrument of righteousnes continuing most reuerently to make his election more steady and sure by good workes which God hath prepared for his Elect to walke in But we must vnderstande that this light whiche is in the children of God
whereby they haue this knowledge in thē selues that they are Christians reacheth to no further assurance then of them selues for they are not able to knowe assuredly of an other man that that they knowe to be in them selues by reason of that hypocrisie that is naturally in the heart of mā wholly disguysed and seased with a thousand kinde of maskings wherewith he deceyueth not onely other men but him selfe also and moreouer because this priuiledge of sounding mens hearts knowing men within belongeth properly to God alone who hath reserued to him selfe the knowledge of his as he keepeth them close vnder his seale as S. Paul sayeth yea at such time as when they do not as yet eyther knowe him or them selues Surely the sight of man is too weake to enter so farre as to iudge assuredly whether the seede of the word of God be rooted deepe ynough in any mans heart to remayne there And to the end he should not rashly take so much vppon him God hath taken a good order for it warning vs dayly by experience howe farre his secret iudgements passe our capacitie for oftentimes we see those men brought into the right way whiche seemes to vs to be vtterly cast away and lost children As on the other side we see a nomber fal which seemed to vs to stand very fast being true as S. Augustin sayeth That according to the secret and hidden counsell of God there are many sheepe without the Church many wolues within And in deede there is in a nomber such a likelyhood and resemblance of a Christian vnder a cloake of hypocrisie that they seeme to haue the selfe same beginning and grounde of fayth which the Christian hath which causeth vs that we can not iudge of them aright as we should For moreouer beside that they haue the self same name that the other haue and be likewise in the selfe same companie make profession of one selfe same doctrine receyue the same Sacraments they are sometimes touched with some taste of the worde of God and do reuerence it yea and that so far forth that they thinke it great impietie to contemne it and despise it and haue moreouer such a taste of heauēly gifts as the Apostle him selfe witnesseth in the Epistle to the Hebrewes that thei seeme both to them selues and to other that see them to be no lesse accōpted of then the rest of the faithfull And yet it falleth out so in the end that they shewe them selues to be nothing lesse then Christians thus deceyuing them selues within them selues because they can not throughly examine them selues in their heartes nor make good profe of them selues whether Christ dwel in them or no so full of vanitie is the heart of man. For thus it is that the seede of the worde of God hath not life in them to continue and dwell there without corruption though it seeme to haue taken roote in them yet it is not liuely so that the taste which they get of the goodnes of God is but for a whyle and yet that too very confused and very irresolute and in like sort in that that God lighteneth their vnderstandings and maketh them knowe his grace it is without ingrauing that true efficacie in them which is imprinted in the Christians heart which they neuer knew because they receyue not the vertue of the Spirit of GOD in deede ne haue the true clearenes of fayth but onely to serue them for greater condemnation and make them voyde of all excuse And in that that God entreth into their heartes it is to no other ende but that his bountie and trueth may be knowen to them by the Spirit of vnderstāding without further cōmunicating with them the Spirit of adoption And this is the matter why through want of ablenes to comprehende his vnchangeable will they can not constantly embrace his trueth to haue more then a light and sly knowledge of it nor haue an earnest desire to loue God heartily as his children do Hereof it followeth that a man can no more know certaynely whether an other man be a true Christian or no then he can in a ground sowed with diuers seedes knowe one seede from another which shall bring forth fruit which shal not yea though it haue already put forth yea and that more is though it be al eared Wherefore euen as Solon sayed to Cresus King of Lydia that no man is to be counted happie before his deathes day because of many miseries and calamities which may befall him euen so I say that no one mā can know an other man thorowly to be a Christian whiche is the greatest felicitie that is before the ende of his race And for this ende and purpose Iesus the sonne of Sirach warneth vs to iudge of no man before his death because sayeth he that is the time wherein a man sheweth what he hath bin all his lyfe long For some shew euident tokens that they were neuer other before God but Christians though whyle they liued they neuer made any shewe of it other some that thei were neuer Christians thogh they made shewe of that profession a great nomber of yeeres for witnes wherof let vs take Iudas on the one side and the thief that was hanged with Christ on the other This is a poynt which we must alwayes haue recourse vnto that such as God hath chosen to be true Christians shal be true Christians what malice vnbeliefe soeuer they be presently giuen vnto and they also on the other side of whome he hath foreseene that they shall be wicked and infidels shal be such be they neuer so good and of a true profession at this instant for he is a Christian alwayes which hath bin foreknowen and appoynted before from the beginning to be a Christian So then it appeareth that there is great difference betwene that iudgement whiche a Christian man may make of him selfe and that iudgement which he can make of an other man because the certeintie of faith remayneth shut vp within and stretcheth not so far as to be knowen in other seeing that the Spirit of GOD beareth all the elect witnesse of their calling But as for an other man wee knowe not howe to iudge of him saue onely by the outwarde man whiche is often tymes very deceyueable And yet notwithstanding by the iudgement of charitie we may accompt him for a Christian in whom we finde so farre as the eye of man is able to reach the seede of the word not to be fruitlesse that is to say that the preaching of the Gospel is not only in worde but in vertue of the holy Ghost considering that where we see the signes of Gods election as we take them there we haue occasiō to hope well and not defraude our neighbour of a charitable friendly and louing iudgement For moreouer and beside that the good nature which ought to be in a Christiā leadeth vs to hope well of all men S.
Paul writing to the Thessalonians is so bolde as to assure them that their election is of God speaking as it were vpon a certaintie of knowledge grounded vpon notable signes and markes of the vertue of the holy Ghost which he sayeth he sawe in them by euident effectes of fayth the carefull and paynefull charitie towardes their neighbours the sure hope and stedfast continuance in wayting for the manifestation of Iesus Christe with pacience which surmounteth all wearines both of the length of time and of all afflictions of the world whatsoeuer The like he doeth particularly in Timothies respect to whome he writeth That he assureth him self that faith and true religion dwelleth in him iudging so of the certeintie of the cause which is hidden to all men by the apparant effects thereof euen as if it were visible And so we in like sorte by a charitable iudgement may iudge or at the least perswade our selues wel of our brethren in whom we perceyue like fruites and actions of the Spirit of God to take accompt them for Christians For as we iudge by the outward motions of the bodie that there is a soule in the bodie so may we perceyue by his workes whether the spirit of God be in man or no seeing that euen as the soule which liueth not idle within mans bodie sheweth it self by that vertue and vigour which it distributeth to the members and to eche part of the bodie euen so the Spirit of God that is in man is not idle but sheweth what power it is of in the man in whome it is and sheweth it selfe effectually by a conformitie with Christ who liueth in him and gyueth life to his members whiche he communicateth with them and powreth out vpō them by the vertue of his Spirit which is as you would say the general soule of al the childrē of God not respecting the substance but the grace so that euen as we thinke that the graffe is well ioyned to the substance of the tree which it is graffed into when we see it bring forth fruite out of the same tree by that strength which it receyueth of the same roote euen so we know that a man is truely ingraffed and made one body with Christ when through one selfe same force of the Spirit he bringeth forth fruit in Christ But as for the knowledge of a reprobate man it is a thing so secret and hidde to men that they can neuer iudge of it certeinly vnlesse they haue some extraordinarie reuelation for be it that we finde neuer so euil signes and tokens in any man what is he that can tell whether God haue reserued mercy for him in store or no vnto the latter ende of his lyfe though he haue spent it wholly in wickednesse Therefore seeing in deede it was not expedient nor mete for vs to haue knowledge to discerne the one from the other lest that thereby we shoulde become to colde in charitie towardes all as we owe to all as though all men were our brethren in Christ it is sufficient that this chaffe shall be separate from the corne at the latter day So then this onely remayneth that we knowe distinctly and particularly what the operations of the holy Ghost in man are because there is no other way to knowe a Christian man outwardly by but by them And seeing it is so as we haue saide that a Christiā man is a man made a new creature as touching his nature by a seconde byrth it is euident that that can not be done vnlesse the first nature dye and this man put of the fleshe that is to say his first nature which is corrupt euen that which we bring with vs from our mothers wombes which is called the old man For he can not in any wyse be capable of the kingdome of heauen vnlesse he be destroyed and brought to naught by the sworde of the Spirit to the ende that death may make a riddance of all the operacions of the fleshe which sinne woorketh in him For as long as we are Adams children and nothing els but men we are suche slaues to sinne that we can do nothing but sinne vntil we be made new men by the death of the first man and haue passed by meanes of the communication of the death of Christ to the participation of his life These two pointes to wit Mortification and Viuification whiche can not be separate the one from the other are out of doubt the chiefest operations of the holy Ghost in a Christian man so that euen as Christe dyed to destroy sinne passing by death to euerlasting lyfe in that fleshe which he toke of vs euē so this man is dead in him selfe and renued to a better life accompanied with meete conuenient workes for it and such as may witnes that he is a trewe member of Christ by casting downe of him selfe of his owne wisedome and reason and al his affections and passions which casting downe of him selfe proceedeth from a liuely tast and feeling of the goodnes of our heauenly Father whereby man is knowen to be Gods chylde and inheritour of al his blessings for this can not be but forthwith his vyle base carnal and earthely affections vanishe away and become dead in him by reason of the great light of fayth which darkeneth putteth out all the false light of our corrupt nature Wherefore a Christian man doeth then in deede shewe him selfe to be a right Christiā when the death of Christ which hath a certayne force in it to expell and cast out the wickednes of our fleshe and his resurrection whereby there is raysed vp in vs the state condition of a better nature shew their fruit in him as by Baptisme we are made partakers of this grace So that al knowledge of Iesus Christe that hath not this vertue to followe it is naked and bare and al baptisme without it vnprofitable and nothing worth for there commeth no man to Christ or is receyued into the grace of Christ but the efficacie of his death appeareth in him beareth about a shew and token of it in him by mortification of the flesh and quickening of the spirit as hauing passed out of this first nature into the nature of Christ by a spirituall renewing which sheweth it selfe by framing the course of our life anew wherein who so is formost sheweth that he hath profited most in the knowledge of God And we may not thinke that the benefit of the death and resurrection of Iesus Christ belongeth to any other saue onely to them which shew forth a new lyfe of a right affection of heart some sooner some later giue them selues to holynes and cleannes wherein standeth the band of the coniunction that is betwene God and vs and the certayne badge and marke of a Christian man wherby the children of God as S. John sayth are knowen from the children of the deuill For which cause Iesus Christ speaking of this sanctificatiō to
of litle accompt to enter into the list of the Gospel vnlesse we labour and striue to come to the end for the chiefest wisdome of the best is to draw on further and to go on more and more as the calling of a Christian man requireth nay no maÌ„ ought to thinke of him self that he hath profited but smally that can feele in him self some signe witnes of that felowship he hath with Christ in his death resurrection through new motions of an vnfeined heart which striueth in dede to godlines of life Considering that God of his free goodnes vouchsaueth that holy affection which he him self planteth in the heartes of his seruants this honour that he taketh him for a Christian which is not so as yet properly for maÌ„ can not come to this happines in this life to be cleane from all sinne and to haue a fulnes of faith pure charitie And in that that a man is taken to be a Christian it is by reason of the newnes of life that is begonne in him through the vertue of the holy Ghost that by his vertue quickeneth him vntil he be perfectly renewed which caÌ„ not be done before the time that we shal haue put of the mortalitie of these our bodies and therewithall the filth of sinne And therfore let a man examine his life souÌ„d his heart to the depth to know whether he finde the markes of a Christian there or no and in case he do finde them there let him be as thankeful to God as if he had receiued the greatest benefit in the world being assured that his name is written in heauen And therfore let him with S. Iohn skip for ioye crie out with Elizabeth enlarge his toÌ„gue with Zacharie and magnifie the Lord with the virgin Marie for that it hath pleased him to cast vpoÌ„ him being but a worme of the earth the eies of his great mercy to make him taste such high things so riche secret to the sense of man that there is no eye can see them no eare can heare them nor heart and vnderstaÌ„ding that can coÌ„prehend them And let that man know that this secret was giueÌ„ him to the end he should keepe this so great a benefit vnto death by encreasing the same faithe whereby he was receiued to be partaker of this benefit for it is the ende of a Christian mans calling to go on more more in obedience to Godward to striue without ceasing to draw euery day more nere then other to him regarding on the one side the goodnes of God on them that continue on the other side his seueritie on them which abuse the treasure bountifulnes of his grace And if on the other side he can not know in him selfe that he is a Christian chosen of God let him sobbe sighe before his face pray to him to make him partaker of his light heauenly grace to the end he may be out of doubt for he that doubteth hath not as yet sufficient light in him seeing the efficacie of the witnes of Gods spirit is so cleare and certaine in his heart in whom he is that as touching the point there is no doubt But we may well say that that man is blinde peruers miserable that can not persuade himself so much of the goodnes mightie power trueth of God as to beleue his promises which he hath made sworne and pronounced so solemnely And therefore let euery man striue with him selfe to make his election sure through a good conscience and sinceritie of life answerable to the professioÌ„ of his faith labour by al meanes possible that the world may know in deede that it is not in baine that he persuadeth himself he is a Christian FINIS The excellencie common to al men The excellencie propre to a Christian A foolish prayse of the powers and vertues that are in man. A blindnes euen in the knowledge of the excellencie that is in man. The true knowledge of a mans selfe Their errour whiche haue soght mans excellencie in that which is of man. All the excellencie of man as of man is defiled The coÌ„mon nature of man is not capable of the excellencie of a Christian The wonderful work of God appeareth in a Christian The wonderful goodnes of God which appeareth in a Christian The cause of the excellencie of a Christian coÌ„sisteth in the onely goodnes of God. Of the eternall councel of God touching man. The excellencie of a Christian appeareth fully in Iesus Christ The excellencie of a Christian procedeth of that fulnes which is in Christ All the elect are gathered together in Christ The cause and matter of the excellencie of a Christian is wholy to be referred to the loue and goodnes of God by Christ from euerlasting The vaiting and ioyning together of a Christian with Christ The excellencie of a Christian doth wel ap peare in the felowship which he hath with Christ The Christian man farre passeth all other meÌ„ That which the ChristiaÌ„ recouereth in Christ is greater then that which he lost in Adam The chiefe excellencie of a ChristiaÌ„ is to be made like vnto God. The Christian man is made perfect in Christ The woÌ„derful vniting of a Christian with Christ Only the Christian is Lord of the world All things are profitable to the Christian yea euen sin it selfe The Christian man is from euerlasting in the heart of god The Christian is Gods treasure He desendeth to a more particular declaration of the excellencie of a Christian The Christian is a creature whom the world knoweth not Man may bring nothing of his owne to make him a Christian The excellencie of a Christian procedeth from Gods election and froÌ„ nothing that is in man. To be a Christian is the onely worke of God. Of the regeneration of a Christian How a man becommeth a Christian The excellencie of the power of God in the generation of a Christian The beginning of a Christian is from heauen as is also his Conuersion The Father and Mother of a Christian The nourishment of a Christian The nourishment of the pure worde of God is wholsome To make the ChristiaÌ„ grow vp profit Bastarde children Two kindes of spirituall generation Amongst al the bastard children the childe of perdition is the chiefest The generation of a ChristiaÌ„ fur prounteth the reache of our senseâ— The light y is giuen to the Christian can neuer be wholy extinguished The worke of the regeneration of a Christian is neuer left vs perfect Of the true marke of a Christian The Christian can not be knowen by the light of maÌ„s sense The onely marke of the spirit of God causeth vs to knowe a Christian How a man may knowe that he is a Christian Faith is not without assurance of continuance If 〈◊〉 knoweth himselfe to be a Christian by the effects of Gods spirit in him Man is not made negligent by knowing that he is chosen â—o lyfe To know in an other beside him self whether he be a Christian or no. The hypocrisie of the false Christian hath great affinitie with the true The difference betwene the true and counterfeiâ— Christian It is impossible to know who is a true Christian before he dye A Christian man may be knowen by the iudgement of charitie and how To know a reprobate man. To knowe a Christian man by the outward effectes of the holy Ghost in him Mortification and Sanctification two of the chiefest effects of the Spirit of God in a Christian Holynes of lyfe is a marke of a Christian An holy man. Charitie a marke of Christians A differeÌ„ce betwene Charitie and the loue of our selues A Christian man withdraweth not him self froÌ„ doing The Christian man employeth him selfe to euery trade of life both priuate and publique The priuate state The publique state Where there is mutuall charitie there is also mutuall seruitude The Christian loketh alwayes to his calling The Christian is content with his state The qualities of a Christian Of the marke of the crosse The condition of the Christian is to beare the crosse Abraham a paterne of the Christians Conformitie to Christ by the Crosse A difference betwene the crosse of the Christians and the worldly crosses God procureth our saluation by the Crosse A comparison of man with the sea The crosse serueth for a certaintie of our electioÌ„ Iesus Christ suffreth in his meÌ„bers God taketh no pleasure in the afflictioÌ„s of his but chastiseth them for their profite The profe of a Christian by the Crosse The Crosse discouereth the false Christian The profite of the crosse The excellencie of a Christian man appeareth vnder the crosse A fit comparison of the Christian passing thorowe the miseries of this world The glorie of a Christian in the Crosse The crosse of Antichrist The excellencie of a Christian in affliction He that would exempt him selfe from the crosse abuseth the name of a Christian A man is to be taken for a Christian though he haue not atteyned to a perfection The worke of regeneration is not perfited in one day How a Christian man is said to be spiritual and righteous An admonition to euery one that he should wel examine himself whether he be truely a Christian That man is very blind that can not persuade him self he is a Christian