them Whom 〈◊〉 hath fore-knowen and predestinated them he calleth Fourthly the redemption from sinne and miserie and the righteousnesse which is by Christ is theirs and theirs alone Is 53.6 12. 1. Cor. 1 30 Gregorie saith well Pro electorum vitâ— vsque admortem se tradidit author vitae The Lord of life laied downe his life that they might liue which were elected vnto life And Angelome saith Quae est gens in terra alia what other people is there in the earth praeter populum electum besides the elect for which God the sonne of God vouchsafed to come into this world as into Egypt that taking vppon him the shape of a seruant he might redeeme vnto himselfe with his blood an acceptable people studious of good workes Fiftly they onely are adorned with the speciall graces of the spirit they onely are sanctified and renewed Isidore saith Spirituall grace is not distributed vnto all sed tantummodo electis donatur but is giuen to the elect onely Nature saith Augustine is common to all men but not grace Sixtly saluation belongs to none but to them Rom. 11.7 What then Israel hath not attained that he sought but the Election that is the Elect hath obtained it and the rest haue been hardened Faith in Christ is theirs onely and he that beleeueth in him shall be saued but he that will not shall be damned As the Elect are the onely true members of the Church militant so they shall be the onely members of the Church triumphant Therefore wee may boldly say with the Psalmist Blessed is that Nation whose God is Iehouah euen the people that he hath chosen for his inheritance Blessed is the man whom thou chusest and causest to come vnto thee Seuenthly none of the Elect shall be whollie seduced nor vtterly decline and perish For Christ takes it for granted that the Elect cannot be seduced and saith concerning his sheepe I giue vnto them eternall life and they shall neuer perish neither shall any plucke them out of mine hand And the Lord hath promised to stand by them and to put his feare into their hearts that they shall not depart from him Surely saith the Psalmist the Lord will not faile his people nor forsake his inheritance Gregorie saith that temtation doth hide the light of righteousnesse in the heart of the elect oftentimes sed non interimit but puts it not out and makes it pale quiuer sed funditus noÌ„ extinguis but doth not extinguish it altogether Saint Augustine saith well Peters faith failed not in his heart when open confession with the mouth failed him Eightly God doth cause his Angels to protect and guard them The Angel of the Lord pitcheth round about them that feare him and deliuereth them And as Paul speaketh they are ministring spirits sent foorth to minister all for their sakes which shal be heirs of saluation Augustine saith This also I esteeme a very great benefit in that the Lord hath giuen me an angel of peace to keepe me from my birth to my death Ninthly God shall send his Angels with a great sound of a trumpet and they shall gather together his Elect from the foure windes and from the one end of the heauens vnto the other Christ also when he comes to iudgement will set them on his right hand and say Come yee blessed of my father take the inheritance of the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world But hee will place the Reprobate on his left hand and pronounce vnto them the dolefull sentence of condemnation saying Depart from me ye cursed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the Deuill and his Angels Tenthly the Elect shall iudge the Reprobate Know ye not saith Paul that the Saintes shall iudge the world Know ye not that wee shall iudge the Angels Their faith and pietie shall condemne the wicked and bereaue them of excuse and as the Iustices sit about the Iudge at the Asâ—ses so shall the Elect attend vppon CHRIST at the last iudgement and shall subscribe vnto his sentence and applaud his proceedings Moreouer all men but especially all ministers ought to indure all things for their sakes I suffer all things saith Paul for the Elects sake that they might also obtaine the saluatioÌ„ which is in Christ Iesus with eternall glorie Againe God will auenge his Elect though he seeme slow in reuenging those wrongs that are done vnto them For they that touch them doe touch the apple of his eie Furthermore God for the loue he beareth to his Elect hee will shorten the dayes of crueltie and calamitie For the Elects sake saith Christ which hee hath chosen hee hath shortned those daies of tribulation Moreouer the Elect fight with the Lambe against Antichrist and his kingdome which shall by the Lambe be ouercome For he is Lord of Lords and King of Kings and they that are on his side are called and chosen and faithfull Besides the Elect need not dread death and damnation For as the Apostle speaketh Who shall laie any thing to the charge of Gods Elect It is God that iustifieth who shal condemne Finally the Elect may bee assured in this life of their eternall election vnto life Therfore Peter exhorts vs to make our Election sure and the holy Ghost sets downe the notes of those that are the true members of the Church and shal rest vpon Gods mountaine Now this certaintie may bee had two wayes First by the inward testimonie of Gods spirit which giues testimonie to our spirit that wee are the sonnes of God Secondly be the effects of election as are the fruits of the spirit mentioned by Paul which God appropriateth vnto his Elect and which are as a ladder by which we may assend as it were vp into heauen easily discerne if we bee elected Because as one well saith Election includeth the means therefore we must determine of it by the meanes The Apostle saith that whom God foreknew he did also predestinate to bee like to the image of his sonne and doth call iustifie and glorifie them Therefore by conuersion we may hence inferre that those are elected whom he doth conforme vnto his sonne and effectually call iustifie and regenerate these being necessarie meanes by which God doth accomplish his eternall election Now this prerogatiue is the greater and more to bee respected for these reasons First because the Elect may haue better assurance of his election to saluation then anie man can haue of the things hee holdeth in this life by seale writing witnes or any other way that Law can deuise or prescribe Secondly the longer wee liue the better we may be assured the longer this assurance is inioyed the stronger we may finde it Thirdly this certentie doth beger exceeding ioy For what can raise the like ioy in our hearts as this that wee know that we
represent the whole realme in the Parliament euen so did Adam represent the person of his whole posteritie Whatsoeuer he receiued of God he receiued it for himselfe and for all his progeny and what he lost he likewise lost for himselfe and for them all as wee see a man by high treason doth taint his blood and disgrace his posteritie Iustine saith By sinning Adam made his posteritie obnoxious vnto death made them vniuerso All guiltie of his first offence The Lord saith Gregorie did so make Adam as that he might procreate children without sinne if hee continued in the obedience of his Creator but because the soule of man refused to obey her Lord the procreation of children is in sinne Wee see now that Creation is a meane of the execution of Gods election For a man must first be before he can be saued Yet it is no speciall or peculiar meanes For all that are created shall not be saued some shall be damned All men saith Prosper are of God created but of this vniuersalitie or companie some are to bee damned with the Diuell others shall raigne with Christ The Permission of the fall is that whereby God suffred Adam and his sonnes to reuolt fall into sinne and did not hinder the fall which he could haue done if it had so pleased him But hee would not hinder it because such was his pleasure for certaine causes best knowne vnto himselfe In the meane let no man thinke that God was iniurious For 1. he was not indebted to vs to confirme vs by his grace to keepe vs from declining 2. this fall was by God permitted for the greater benefit of all his Elect. For their glory procured by Christ which had neuer been if man had neuer fallen doth farre surpasse the glorie which was giuen them in their creation Great are the euils saith Gregorie which wee suffer by reason of that first offence but what faithfull man would not indure greater rather then want so great a Redeemer Thirdly though God not bound to let did permit this fall yet it is not to be ascribed vnto him as to the cause thereof For hee did not incline his heart to sinne hee did not infuse the least corruption into his soule neither did hee with-draw any grace before inspired into him but hee fell by his free-will through his owne default at the perswasion and suggestion of the Diuell Tertullian saith truely As God brought man into the state of life so man brought himselfe into the state of death The beginning and root of sinne is in our selues saith Basil It cannot be saith Austen that hee which raiseth vs from sinne should make vs fall into sinne Thou art not a God saith Dauid that loueth wickednes neither shal euil dwel with thee Man therefore as Fulgentius saith hath the cause of his iniquitie in his owne proper will not froÌ„ Gods predestination If any man decline from iustice and pietie he runnes head-long of his owne will hee is drawne by his owne concupiscence he is beguiled through his perswasion Nihil iâ—i Pater the father hath no oare in this boat the Sonne is no agent of this sinne the holy Ghost is no worker of this wickednesse And though we should say that God willed that reuolt yet we must know that God did not will it positiue so as to produce effect or giue being to it but negatiuè desereâ—do because his will was to leaue Adam to himselfe and not to preserue him from reuolting that he might bee prooued by temptation and that it might appeare what the creature is able to doe when the Creator shall with-draw the staffe of his grace and cease to support Therefore we conclude with Clemens That the fault of mans chusing of that which was forbidden is not to be transferred or ascribed vnto God Thus we see the second meanes of the Execution of Election Which is a very necessary meane For if a man had not fallen then had there been no place for vocation iustification by Christ and sanctification by the Spirit But though this meane is necessarie yet it is not appropriated to Election because then all that fell should be restored But as Ambrose saith Liberatur parâ— hominum parte pereunte as some are deliuered so some are destroyed The wicked saith Iob are kept vnto the day of destruction The righteous onely shall be saued CHAP. IIII. What effectuall Calling is the parts causes effects subiects place time maner properties and signes of it are declared THvs much concerning the common meanes seruing for the execution of Gods Election The speciall are these three Effectuall Vocaâ—ion Iustification and Glorification that is as Trelcarius saith The gracious beginning proceeding and the glorious accomplishing and consummation of the blessings of God For the first Effectuall vocation or calling is an action of God translating men from the kingdom of darkenesse to his owne Kingdome And it is two-foldeâ— Extraordinary and Ordinary Extraordinary vocation is an immediate and speciall worke of the Spirit whereby without outward meanes hee smiteth the heart and inwardly speaketh to the soule and by the infusion of grace doth make the heart to answere his call and drawe neere vnto him This calling without the ministerie of the word is very rare and vnusuall But the Lord that is aboue meanes is not tyed to meanes but can worke without meanes when it pleaseth his Maiestie so to doe Effectuall vocation which is ordinary is that Whereby God calleth out of darkenesse into his marueilous light from the power of Sathan vnto God those whom he knew from eternitie and predestinated vnto life of his meere fauour by the promulgation of the couenant of grace or preaching of the Gospell Or It is when grace is not onely offered but giuen also by God through the effectuall working of his Spirit in our heartes which is the beginning of grace in vs hee himselfe laying the first foundation of it by giuing power to receiue the word to mingle it with faith and to bring foorth the fruites of new obedience This ordinary effectuall calling hath two parts Inuitement and Admission Inuitement is when God offers remission of sinnes and life euerlasting to them that beleeue Outwardly by the preaching of the Gospell Inwardly by the inspiration of heauenly desires Admission is when men are entred into the kingdome of grace and it is either outward or inward Outward admission is made in Baptisme Inward admission is when men are taken out of old Adam and by faith ingraffed in to Christ For by this insition into Christ men are made reall members of Gods kingdome Haec ille For the better conceiuing and vnderstanding of this Calling these points ensuing are worthy our consideration The efficient cause of effectuall Calling is Almightie God By him we are called vnto the fellowship of his Sonne He hath called vs vvith an holy calling
calling is an argument of admirable power in God of his infinite mercie to vs. For as he shewed his power in creation in making things to bee that before were not euen so hee manifests his power in his effectuall vocation in calling men that were dead in sin and worse then nothing by their owne deserts to liue the life of grace and in breathing into them the breath of life which was vtterly expired by their fall in Adam Yea the Lord may seeme to exhibit more power when he calles men then when he did create him for at his creation there was none to hinder him but at his vocation there were many hinderers great impedimēts though all inferiour vnto GOD There is the Diuel and his suggestions there is the World and her incantations scandals and allurements there is our owne flesh the rebellious corruption of the heart All these God must vanquish and he must perswade and incline our wils and of nillers make vs willers before he perfit and accomplish in vs this his glorious and thrice-happy worke of grace Secondly this calling is a notable testimony of his grace and mercie to vs in that it pleased him to shine vpon vs with the light of his spirit and to cast his gratious eies vpon vs who were by sin more loathsome then a carion and more stincking then any dunghil What are wee that God should bee mindful of vs and visit vs with his grace The Starres are vncleane in hi◠sight how much more man a Worme euen the son of man which is but a worme As God declared his goodnes in creation by communicating a beeing vnto things that had no beeing euen so the same God doth manifest his mercy in vocation by ministring life vnto those that before were miserable and void of life And indeed there is more goodnes shewed more grace exhibited in restoring a man out of his grieuous and inextricable miserie and in curing him of his cursed blindnesse then in giuing him a beeing hauing none before in making him to see hauing no sight To raise a dead soule from the death of sin vnto a supernaturall life is a greater worke of mercy then to raise a dead body from bodily death to liue a naturall life Eightly this effectuall calling doth farre surpasse our naturall propagation or procreation For in this we are but taken as it were out of our father Adam but in the other wee are both taken out of the first Adam wholy corrupted and set also into the second Adam Christ Iesus Who of God is made vnto vs vvisedome righteousnes sanctification and redemption Lastly this calling that the excellencie thereof may yet appeare ratifies all our couenants with God Men in their Baptisme enter couenant with God but often start from it and will not stand to it so as the couenant is onely made But when as a man is effectually called the couenant is not onely made but truely accomplished and that on mans part Haec clariss◠Perk The fourth and last propertie of effectuall vocation is that it may be discerned by certaine signes thereof This estimation or discerning of it is two fold infallible and coniecturall Coniecturall discerning or determining of it is especially when in our iudgement of charitie wee deeme of others as of the called of God by their outward profession and conuersation in the world And thus Paul cals the Romanes Corinthians Sancts by calling whereas notwithstanding it is not vnprobable but that there were some hypocrites among them For visible Churches are like a uet where in is taken both good fish and bad or a barne wherein is cockle and good corne or a garden in which grow both stincking weeds and pleasant flowers the nettle as well as the rose The certaine and infallible discerning and determination made of effectuall vocation is either when by a speciall and extraordinary reuelation from God one man discernes determines infallibly of the calling of another this I say is performed whē it is performed by a special work of God For he alone vnderstandeth the heart For what man knoweth the things of a man saue the spirit of a man which is in him All is not gold that glisters The heart is deceitfull wicked aboue all things who cā know it I the Lord search the heart and try the reiues Or else secondly this infallible determination and discerning is made when a man determines of and discernes his owne vocation by certaine workes of Gods spirit which are infallible testimonies and tokens of it and by which we may make our calling sure as Poter would haue vs. The signes of effectuall Calling are these First the Calling of God works in vs another call whereby wee call vpon him and seriously seeke vnto him and desire his grace Now to desire the helpe of grace is the beginning of grace To call vpon God constantly and sincerely for his grace is a worke of grace and therefore an vndoubted token of our calling vnto grace Secondly the attentiue hearing of the word is a marke of our effectuall vocation For as a man is iudged to be sicke and diseased when his stomack cannot brook nor digest wholesome meats so the soule of that man cannot be sound to whom the word of God hath no pleasant tast But when a Man can say with the Prophet Dauid Thy word is sweeter to me then the hony or hony combe by this we may gather an assured trust that wee are giuen vnto Christ if we do continue in hauing delight still For otherwise a sicke man may haue some while a relish of his meat when there is some intermission of the disease but it holdeth not long so is it with them that haue for a while some tast of the word of God and afterward fall away Haec Clariss Will. Thirdly the Sheepe of Christ are such as are called home out of the vast wildernesse of this world vnto Christ their sheepheard Therefore by what notes these Sheepe are discerned by the same a man may know his calling Christ saith that his sheep know him heare his voyce and follow him If therefore we know acknowledge and embrace Christ if wee heare and hearken vnto his voyce to doe it if we study to resemble imitate and follow him in loue meekenesse patience humilitie iustice fidelitie trueth confidence and compassion we may assure our selues that wee are his Sheep effectually called home into his fold Furthermore the Romanes are by Paul entituled the called of Iesus Christ The Corinthians are said to bee Saints by calling The Thessalonians some of them at lest were effectually called Now Paul saith of the called Romans that they obeyed from the hear◠vnto the forme of the doctrine whereunto they were deliuered Of the called Corinthians hee saith that in all things they were made rich in Christ and were not destitute of any gift and that howsoeuer
some of them were before their calling notorious sinners committing â—orrible and transcendent enormities â—et now since their calling they were rashed and sanctified and so become new men And as concerning the Thessalonians he saith that the Gospel was not to them in word onely but also in power and much assurance and that they became followers of him and of the Lord and receiued the word in much affliction with ioy of the holy Ghost and turned to God from Idoles to serue the liuing and true God and increased in faith and mutuall loue and were patient faithfull in al their persecutions afflictions So then if with the Romanes we performe heartie obedience to the word if with those Corinthes we be rich in spirituall graces and haue purged our heartes by true repentance from our former iniquities if we be mortified and renewed if like those good ThessaloniaÌ„s we receiue and beleeue the Gospell if we follow the Lord his faithfull embassadours if we entertâ—ine the word with ioyfulnesse notwithstanding all afflictions if we turne to God from all our owne Gods our owne delights and vanities to which wee had wedded our heartes if our faith increase and our loue abound and if we haue patience and faith as they had in all our crosses and afflictions then may we assure ourselues that wee are effectually called as they were Finally Peter exhorting vs to giue diligence to make calling sure addeth that if we doe these things wee shall neuer fall Now what these things are hee sheweth to wit that they would ioint vertue with their faith and with vertue knowledge with it temperance and with temperance patience with patience godlines with it brotherly kindnes and with brotherly kindnes loue If therfore these graces shine within vs and bee fast rooted in our hearts and vnited in our liues we may assure our soules of our effectuall calling if we do these things we shall neuer fall and if we shall neuer fall then may wee safely conclude that God hath effectually called vs to light and glorie And thus much concerning effectu-vocation which is the first meane whereby God executeth his eternall Election CHAP. 5. What Iustification is All the causes of it Fiue effects of it The subiects and time of it Fiue properties thereof Foure tokens of it THE second is Iustification For those whom hee calleth effectually in time hee also iustifieth actually in time To iustifie is to repute or account one iust Pro. 17.15 He which iustifieth the wicked that is he which reputeth and iudgeth him to be iust is an abomination to the Lord. Luke 16.15 You iustifie your selues before men that is You would be esteemed iust To be iustified is to be cleared or to bee reputed iudged and pronounced iust To be iustified then before God is to be reputed and esteemed righteous in his sight Iustification therefore in his proper significatioÌ„ is an Acceptance wherby God esteemeth vs as righteous being receiued into fauour Or Iustification is a iudiciall and gracious worke of God by which hee iudgeth the Elect being in themselues obnoxious to the accusation and curse of the Law to be iust by faith for Christ through the imputation of his iustice and that vnto the praise of his glorious grace and to their owne saluation The principall efficient of Iustification is God the Father in the Sonne by the holy Spirit For who can forgiue sinnes but God alone It is God that iustifies I saith the Lord euen I am hee that putteth away thine iniquities It 〈◊〉 meet that he should be our pardoner who was our Creator and that he should bee the giuer of grace who was to all the author of nature It is his office to absolue the guiltie by whose iustice hee was made guiltie It beloÌ„gs to him to pronounce a man to be iust whose will is the rule of iustice it is his prerogatiue to giue sentence of life and death because he is by nature right and office the highest Iudge The instrument whereby the benefit of Iustification is offered and proclaimed is the Gospel which therefore is called the word of life the word of saluation the word and ministerie of Reconciliation The outward instruments whereby our iustification is sealed and confirmed to vs are the two Sacramentes and thereupon Circumcision is called the Seale of the righteousnesse of faith The inward Sealer of our iustification is the Holy Ghost who testifieth and sealeth it to our consciences so as that we may perswade our hearts of it The Ministers and liuely instruments for the proclaiming testifying and pronouncing our iustification to vs are the Messengers and Prophets of the Lord according to that of Christ whose sinnes ye remit they shall be remitted to them and whose ye retaine they shall be retained The onely internall instrument whereby we apprehend and receiue the grace of iustification offered vnto vs by God is a true sauing faith Iustifying faith is a gift whereby wee apprehend Christ and his benefits Or it is a worke of Gods Spirit in the heart whereby we receiue and lay hold on Christs obedience for the pardon of our sinnes with God and his accepting of vs as righteous in his â—ight The authour of faith is God For vnto vs It is giuen to beleeue This is the worke of God saith Christ that yee beleeue in him whom hee hath sent Faith both begun and finished is the gift of God as Austen truly teacheth The proper forme and life of faith is not charitie which is a distinct gift of God and a fruite of vnfeigned Faith but the Apprehension and Application of Christ and his benefites vnto our selues particularly The proper obiect of a sauing faith is Iesus Christ God-man and Mediator betwixt God and man Remigius saith My whole faith is in Christ by him alone I beleeue that I am iustified and saued And Beda saith The scope of my faith is Christ the end or marke of my faith whereat it aymeth is the Sonne of God Now to be iustified by faith is to be iustified of God for the righteousnesse of Christ apprehended by faith or as Caluin speaketh he shall be iustified by faith who being excluded from the righteousnesse of works apprehendeth the righteousnesse of Christ by faith wherewith he being inuested doth appeare in the sight of God as righteous and â—ot a sinner So that faith doth iustifie in respect of her obiect onely and not as any meritorious or proper efficient of iustification Euen as the hand that receiueth the treasure which is giuen doth not make the receiuer rich but the treasure it selfe so neither the worke or action of faith doth iustifie vs but Christ himselfe whom we doe apprehend And this faith be it weake or strong is yet able to receiue the righteousnesse of Christ euen as a palsie or shaking hand may receiue a iewel of a king as
shall see the good pleasures of the Lord in the land of the liuing and shall haue an house not made with handes but eternall in the heauens And what greater ioy can any man desire to enioy then to be assured that he is elected to eternal ioy Fourthly this assurance is the more excellent considering the woe of the Reprobates which want it and the wearisome sights and inexplicable terrors of such as are swallowed vp of dispaire Fiftly this priuiledge is the more to be accounted of because we may enioy it dayly through our life and for that the longer we be partakers of it the sweeter it is vnto vs. Lastly this assurance is an infallible argument of true faith by which wee come to Christ we approch to the Father and hasten to heauen For faith is an enemie to doubting and incredulitie and is an vndoubted certenty or perswasion Thus much concerning the subiects of Election It remaineth yet to speak of the properties and signes thereof and thence wee passe to the accomplishent of it The properties of it are especially three First it is most free without all obligation conpulsion externall instigation or preuision of future preparations merits faith For hath not the Potter libertie ouer his clay to make of the same lumpe one a vessell vnto honour and another a vessell to dishonour Who can compell the Almightie Or what is before his will Why did he make no more worldes then one Why did he make choise of the Israelites aboue all nations Why made he no more kindes of creatures or set no more Sunnes to shine in the heauens Who art thou that thou darest dispute with God The will of God saith Austen is the cause of all things that are And Hugo saith that of Gods will which is the cause of all things there is no cause Deus est liberrimum agens God is a most free Agent and doth whatsoeuer he will Therefore Aquinas saith well that the difference betwixt the saued and the damned proceedes from the principall intentions of the first Agent Secondly the decree of Election is from all eternitie not onely before we did beleeue but before wee were Gods Election and reprobation was past vpon Iacob and Esaâ— before they were borne and ere they had done good or euill And the Apostle teacheth that God did chuse vs before the foundation of the world Sedulius saith that God purposed with himselfe ante omnia mundi tempora before the beginning of the world to saue those that beleeue In like manner also S. Austen saith He fore-knew vs before he made vs and elected vs in his fore-knowledge Cum nâ—ndum fecisset when yet he had not made vs. And againe intra mundum facti sumus ante mundum electi sumus wee were made after the world but wee were elected before the world For as one saith well like as Dauid was annointed and appointed to be king long before he entred to his kingdome and as Moses was designed to be the deliuerer of Israel forty yeeres before he exercised his office so the Elect of God were long agoe ordained to saluation though the accomplishment thereof they must expect with patience Thirdly the election of God is constant perpetuall immutable and inuiolable For the principles and first grounds of things are stable and vnmoueable and that which is contingent mutable and vncertaine is therefore barred from being an originall or ground Now the decree of election is the foundation and scaturidge of saluation therefore it is certaine stedfast and vnchangeable Secondly God the author of Election is an immutable vnresistable and constant Agent or Architecht and doth seriously and effectually separate and elect some men vnto himselfe therfore his decree cannot but bee fulfilled Thirdly the Scripture is euident in auouching this truth My counsell saith the Lord shall stand The foundation of God saith Paul remaineth sure The decree of Election is called a foundation for two causes First because it is the beginning and well-spring of our saluation and of all the meanes tending to saluation Secondly it is so termed for the surenesse and firmnesse of it because the same is neuer shaken but remaines immutable For euery foundation hath this necessarie condition that it bee strong and steddy so as that the rest of the building may stay vpon it surely and not be remoued And such a firme foundation is Gods election For whosoeuer are elected shall still remaine elected and shall neuer bee reiected This is my fathers will saith Christ that of all which he hath giuen me I should loose nothing Those whom he loued euer hee loueth for euer Firmissime tene Hold saith S. Augustine most assuredly and nothing doubt at all Neque perire posse aliquem that neither any of those can perish whom God hath predestinated vnto the kingdome of heauen nor that any of those can by any meanes come whom he hath not predestinated vnto life Now if none of the Elect can perish then Gods election remaineth constant So much for the properties the Signes of Election are many First the loue of God is the ground of election And Gods loue is best knowne by his best gifts the best things hee reserueth for those whom he best loueth As Ioseph sent vnto Beniamin more messes of meate and gaue him richer giftes and more costly suites of apparell then to the rest of his brethren so the Lord bestoweth the best gifts vpon his owne children Now the graces of regeration the spirituall gifts of faith hope and loue are without all comparison the most principall Therefore he that hath faith hope and loue may assure himselfe of Gods loue and that hee is in electorum albo in the ranke and roll of Gods elect these being infallible tokens and vndoubted effects of Election and fore-runners of eternall life Secondly there is as one hath excellently deliuered a knowledge in God whereby he knowes who are his and this knowledge brings foorth an other knowledge in vs whereby wee know God for our God There is an election in God which works in the Elect another election wherby they chuse God for their God The loue whereby God loueth vs workes in vs another loue wherby we loue God Christ first apprehends vs this apprehension of his works in vs the appreheÌ„sion of faith wherby we lay hold vpon him Hoec ille If these things therefore be in vs we may conclude infallibly that we are the elect of God For they are the fruits of his loue the works of his spirit therfore irrefragable testimonies and tokens of Election The sun by his light shines vpon vs and by the same light we view and behold the sunne To conclude these also are sure signes of Election which I will set downe as I finde them in the workes of that zealous Preacher 1. A rebuking of sinne inwardly a pouertie of spirit from thence
Yee are saith Peter a chosen generation that ye should shew foorth his vertues that hath called you And againe As hee which hath called you is holy that is God so Iude 1. But here we must beware that wee doe not separate the persons For it is a worke common to the Trinitie One saith well God the Father doth call vs in Christ by the Spirit for he is absolute Lord of all his Creatures and therefore he may call out of the kingdome of darkenesse into his owne kingdome whom he will His instruments are the Ministers of the word and therefore are called Conorkers Fathers Sauiours His ordinary outward meanes is the preaching of the Gospell Hee hath called you by our Gospell saith Paul The Law serues to prepare the heart for grace but it is the oyly drops of the Gospell that by the power of the Spirit doe soften the heart and make it supple and pliable it like Balme doeth reuiue and comfort the heart The Gospell is the power of God that is the instrument of Gods power to saluation to all that beleeue Afflictions also losses crosâ—es sicknesse good examples and the like are by Gods blessing good preparatiues of grace but the preaching of the Gospell is the proper instrument of the Spirit for the effecting of grace By it God speakes to the eare of the soule and by it as by a Pipe hee conueyes his graces into the cisterne of our hearts Now GOD when hee calles a man performes a double worke of grace First he doth illuminate vs by his holy Spirit infusing a new and heauenly light into our minde being so blind before as that it neither saw nor could see the things which doe belong to the spirit of God The naturall man saith Paul perceiueth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishnesse vnto him neither can he know them In like manner also in the will which is altogether peruerse and wholly fallen from God he worketh an vprightnesse and in all the affections a new holinesse Hence proceeds that new man which is created after God in righteousnesse and true holinesse Secondly he causeth vs being enlightned and thus changed to apprehend his mercy to desire and affect our amendement and to answere vnto his call like Dauid VVhen thou saidst Seeke yee my face mixe heart answered vnto thee O Lord I will seeke thy face When God had pierced Dauids eare with the augur of his Spirit he answered Lo I come The primary cause or the foundation of this vocation is the free grace of God For this Vocation is of gift and not of merit of Grace and not of Nature God calling whom he will and againe whom he will either not calling or not calling them effectually The Apostle saith that hee hath called vs with an holy calling not according to our works bâ—t according to his own purpose grace The meritorious cause of this effectuall Calling is the merits of Christ For Christ hath merited in our behalfe that the Holy Ghost should bee sent into vs to illuminate and adorne our hearts with his graces The matter whereof this Vocation doth consist is a speciall powerfull and inward worke of the Spirit The forme and as it were the life and soule thereof is the illumination and information of the mind and an efficatious bending conforming and working of the heart wil whereby it becomes obedient to the voice of God and returnes as it were an audible and liuely Eccho into his eare The end is double first the glory of God and the commendation of his mercie to whom we must ascribe both grace and nature and of whom we haue receiued our soules and bodies yea and the very soule of our soules which is his Spirit The second end of this vocation is our deliuerance and translation out of ignorance infidelitie sensualitie and rebellion vnto spirituall grace and glory For we are called out of darknesse into light that we might walke in light and no longer serue the Prince of darknesse We are called out of the world vnto God to the end that wee should relinquish the lusts of the world and serue God that walking vprightly before him in this world wee may reigne like Princes with him in the world to come The effects and fruites of this Calling are a reformed iudgement a fleshy heart a yeelding vnto the Lord a sâ—ight from the works of darknesse an attentiue and hungry eare a spirituall relishing and receiuing of the solacious and sweete promises of the Gospel When a skilfull Musitian hath once strung tuned and strucke his instrument it sends out many pleasant and sweet soundes so when the Lord hath once breathed his Spirit of life in at the nostrils of our soules when he hath once tuned the strings of our sinfull hearts and hath toucht them with the finger of his spirit he makes them send forth many delectable and harmonious sounds wherein he takes delight When Christ had cried to Lazarus being dead and said Lazarus Come foorth He forthwith reuiued and came foorth of the graue So when Peter had said to dead Tabitha Tabitha arise She opened her eies immediatly and sate vp Euen so when he shall vouchsafe to call a man with his powerfull voice and shal effectually speake vnto the heart and say Arise thou that sleepest in thy sinne come foorth of the graue of iniquitie stand vp and walke in the wayes of righteousnes his call is so mightie and his word so powerfull and vnuanquishable that the man to whom hee doth so speake must needs awake arise come foorth and walke The voice of the Lord saith Dauid is mightie the voice of the Lord breaketh the Cedars it deuideth the flames of fire it maketh the Wildernesse to tremble and discouereth the Forrests These are the effects of that voice In like maner the voice which God speaketh to the eare of the soule in his effectuall Vocation is so mightie and so glorious as that it rendeth the heart and makes it tremble it discouereth the soule and diuides in twaine and peirceth into the most secret places of it And looke as at the sound of the seauen Trumpets the wall of Iericho fell flat downe and as at that efficatious voyce of Christ saying I am he his enemies that came to apprehend him went away back-ward and fell to the ground euen so when Gods voice shall sound in a mans eare and when Christ shall speake effectually vnto the heart the walles of hell shall reele and totter the fortresses of iniquitie shall be ruinated the castles of sinne shall be cast downe our spirituall enemies shall bee driuen backeward the strong man Satan shall bee fettered and his cursed workes dissolued These are the admirable effects of this glorious voyce these are the worthy workes of Gods effectuall Calling We may therefore iustly say The voyce of the Lord is mightie The voyce
of the Lord is glorious and bringeth wonderfull things to passe The subiects of this effectuall vocation or the persons that are effectually called are not all of all sortes and fexes without exception of any but the Elect of God And therefore Paul saith that God hath called those whome he did fore-know and predestinate And Esay saith all thy children shall be taught of the Lord hee saith not All without exception but all the children of the church As many saith Luke as were ordained vnto eternall life beleeued that is were called vnto the faith Knowledge is not common to all It is not giuen to All to vnderstand the mysteries of the kingdome these things are hid from most of the wise of this world reuealed vnto babes Now if knowledge be giueÌ„ to some not to others then consequently faith For they which haue not known cannot beleeue And if all men do not beleeue then all men are not called For sauing faith is an indissoluble companion of effectuall vocation and by faith wee answere Gods heauenly Calling All that are effectually called are also iustified but we are iustified only by faith therefore iustifying faith may not bee seuered from those that are so called Now All men haue not faith therefore all men are not called Furthermore all that are called shall bee saued and shall perseuere vnto the ende in grace Therefore Augustine saith that to those that are predestinated to the kingdom of God as all that are effectually called are is giuen the gift of perseuerance and that the Church on earth looseth none but those that are wicked and admitteth none into heauen but such as are good Now all men doe not perseuere therefore all are not effectually called all are not glorified therefore all are not pertakers of this kinde of calling Finally God vouchsafes not an outward calling vnto all all men haue not heard of the Gospel and therefore it may seeme absurde that God should vouchsafe an inward calling vnto All seeing hee doth not vouchsafe an outward by the preaching of the Gospell Yea this were to make grace as large as nature or as Peter Mâ—rytâ— speaketh to turne grace into nature if we should say that God did effectually call all We conclude therefore that the Elect are the onely Subiectâ— of this vocation For as Haâ—â—o speaketh the Lord hath not drawen nor doth draw all men to himselfe but omnia electa all that are elect both of all kindes and countries And forsaking those as Beda writeth whom hee knoweth not for his owne he turnes himselfe to visite and illustrate their hearts whom hee hath predestinated to eternall life In like manner Cameracensis truely saith that he giues some gifts of speciall grace to one which he giues not to another as faith and the grace that makes a man gracious and such as are the effectes of Praedestination and such an one is effectuall Calling The subiect or place wherein this worke of the spirit is performed is the heart and minde For the Holy Ghost by this worke doth enlighteÌ„ the mind to see and incline and mollifie the heart to yeeld and to make answere to his call The Termini or things from which and vnto which we are called are darknesse and light vice and vertue prophannesse and holinesse For as Paul saith God hath not called vs vnto vncleannesse but vnto holines and hath deliuered vs out of the power of darknesse and translated vs into the kingdome of his deare Sonne And Peter likewise sheweth that this our calling is from darkenesse vnto light As by our outward calling wee are taught to relinquish the workes of darknesse and to follow vertue and godlines for this the Gospell teacheth euen so by our inward and operatiue calling we are by God instructed and caused to abandon sinne and to pull our neckes out of the Diuels yoke and to disclaime his wayes and on the contrarie to listen and yeeld to God and to subiect our selues vnto his will The things then from which God doth call vs are Sinne Sathan and the World For these are enemies to his glory these coniure against his kingdome these are enemies to our peace and welfare labour the downesull and destruction of our soules The state whereunto we are called is light God himselfe and that blessed condition of man in Christ For this condition is most excellent and happy replenished with much ioy many comforts and peace vnspeakeable Wee are called to holinesse and grace which are vndoubted forerunners of happinesse and glory We are called to God the father of lights the fountaine of felicitie the wel-spring of life the giuer of all grace in whose presence is the fulnesse of ioy and at whose right hand there are pleasures for euermore The time of this calling is either generall or particular The generall time is in this life before death For after death there is no calling neither outward nor inward God offers and confers his grace in this life onely this is the time of mercy after this life there is nothing but the expectation and possession either of happinesse or of misery without possibilitie of mutabilitie The particular time of any mans caling is not reuealed but layed vp in the secret counsell of God in whose hands times and seasons are Yet the extent of the time is large enough thogh stinted eueÌ„ the time of this life some the Sixt houre some at the Ninth and others at the Eleuenth Dauid Iohn Baptist and Timothie were called yong Onesimus the Ethiopian Eunuch and S. Augustine were men growne and the Thiefe was called vpon the Crosse ready to die Here further wee must vnderstand that when God did first beginne this worke of grace wee are no way A gents being dead in sinnes but meere Patients God himselfe being the onely Agent before he hath reuiued vs by his spirit When a man is dead chafe him and râ—bbe him put Aquavitae into him to warme him at the heart when this is done take him by the hand plucke him vp and bid him walke for all this be will not stir the least ioint neither can he All chafing and rubbing all speech and perswasion and all helpes in the world be in vaine vnlesse the soule bee restored to the bodie Euen so no perswasions offered to the minde nor good desires to the will are of any moment till the image of God standing in holinesse which is a conformitie to the will of God and the very soule of our soules begin to be restord First God must illuminate the minde with a new light and he must imprint in the will a new qualitie or inclination and in the heart new affections and hee must giue to the will the act of wel-willing and so a man being reuiued and the wil being acted and mooued by God who workes the will and the deed it also acteth and
in regard of efficiencie for those onely which are predestinated but for all men in respect of sufficiencie In like manner Aquinas the merit of Christ was alike to all in regard of sufficiencie but not as concerning efficacie Howsoeuer his blood and merits were in themselues sufficient for the iustification and saluatition of all men yet they did not effectually procure them for all but onely for the Elect to whom they were ordained and intended and of whom alone they can bee rightly receiued and embraced Now those that are iustified must be considered in a double condition One according to nature the other according to supernaturall grace According to nature they are sinners for he iustifieth the vngodly Rom. 4.5 and therefore obnoxious to the accusation and malediction of the Law for cursed is euery man that continueth not in al things which are witten in the Law to doe them But according to supernaturall grace they are beleeuers or ingrafted into Christ by faith For the righteousnesse of God is made manifest by the faith of Iesus Christ Vnto all and vpon all that beleeue And 〈◊〉 much for the persons whom God doth iustifie The time of Iustification is in this life with some sooner and with others later but with none at all after this life is ended Vrsâ—inus saith well Remission of sins is giuen to all the Elect and to them alone Yet all the Elect haue not alwaies remission of sinnes but all Beleeuers haue it alwaies because they onely haue remission of sins who beleeue that they haue it But this the Elect do and alwaies beleeue but then first when they are conuerted and indued with faith Yet in respect of the fore-determined purpose of God they haue alwaies remission of sins And aâ—beit sanctification doe often by some fruits thereof appeare before iustification yet this in nature is before the other Wee see the light vsually before the Sunne in the morning and the brooke doth often offer itself vnto our eies before the spring The Properties of Iustification are fiue First it is most excellent and that in respect of the Iustifier which is God 〈◊〉 respect also of the meritorious efficient thereof which is Christ and in regard of those admirable effects which it doth proâ—uâ—e one amongst the rest is this which I adde vnto the former whereof wee haue already spoken to wit that it giues a man the right vse of the good creatures of God which he hath created to be receiued with thanksgiuing of them that beleeue â—or vnto the pure which men are when they be purged by faith in the bloud of Christ â—l things are pure but vnto the that are defiled as euery one is vntill God doe iustifie him and are vnbeleeuing is nothing pure but euen their mindes and consciences are defiled The Reprobates therefore and Vnbeleeuers abuse the giftes of God rather then vse them Therefore as Danaeus speaketh God doth fatten them in this world as Hâ—gs for the slaughter On the contrary those that are now iustified by faith in Christ doe vse them lawfully For they are fed of God as his house-hold seruants They are not theeues and Vsurpers of them as the wicked are but they hold them as lawfull heires and owners of the world 〈◊〉 Secondly Iustification is a most free act performed freely by God without coaction or the least inducement by any dignitie present or foreseen to be in vs hereafter For being absolute Lord of all hee may shew mercie on whom he lists We are by nature all the children of wrath and the viâ—â—als of the deuill destitute of all true grace and subiect to the curse and therefore it is a wonder that wee are not all consumed We must needs then confess that the free grace of God in Christ hath made the difference Chrysostom according to the Scripture truely saith that God of his grace alone doth iustifie our kinde and not through our good deeds labours nor recompence And Theodulus saith Christ is the Author of righteousnesse to them that beleeue in him euen vnto them that had done nothing righteouslie Here then by the way wee may remember that our Iuctification is free in regard of vs that did not deserue it and free also in respect of God who did freely deuise dispose the means therof and freely workes faith within vs by which wee doe apply it to vs. But it is not free but iustly performed in regard of Christ who by his all-sufficient merits did deserue it and by desert acquire it Thirdly Iustification is one absolute entire and indiuiduall act It is once onely acted essentially and directly in this life although it it bee diuers times renewed and applied a fresh to wit when the person iustified doth fall into sin and repent Now though Iustification bee a most perfect and plenary worke of God yet we come to the full perswasion of it but by degrees and though God at once forgiue a man his sinnes by an absolute act which admits neither increase nor decrease yet that man receiues his pardon by such a faith or such a perswasion of faith as is not alwaies one but sometimes stronger sometmies also weaker ebbing and flowing like the salt waters sometimes appearing and some times hidden like the sun with a thicke mist or duskie cloud Fourthly Iustification is an immutable inuiolable and irreuocable aâ—â— of God Peccata semel remissa nunquam redeuÌ„t sins being once remitted are neuer after called into question And he that is once of God for Christ reputed righteous shall be reputed righteous foreuer If it sho d be otherwise it were either long of God or of our selues but not of God who is on changeling I am the Lord I charge not nor of our selues for we are kept by the power of God through faith vnto saluation and so gouerned by his spirit as that we neither doe sinne nor can sinne with full consent of will and without the reluctation and conflict of the spirit The Godly and vngodly doe oftentimes commit the same offence if we respect the act but it is not the same if we consider their maner of acting it The godly sinne against their conscience but not against their full conscience But the vngodly sinne against their 〈◊〉 â—â—conscience and that â—ully And therefore albeit a man that is iustified fall into some grieuous sin as Dauid did yet grace is not vtterly put out neither hath he lost the benefit of his iustification thogh for a time he feele it not Now this property of immutabiliâ—ty is very rare and excellent by much to be preferred to all earthly things For Riches remaine not alwayâ— nor the the crowne from generation to generation Fauour iâ— deceiptfull and beautie iâ— vanitie The fashion of this world passeth away And what 〈◊〉 life It is euen a vapor that appeareth for a little 〈◊〉 and afterwardâ— vanishâ—th away
affections make vs to sprout vp and looke fresh like flowers The meritorious cause of sanctification is Iesus Christ who by his death and obedience hath merited for vs thâ—t the holy Ghost should bee giuen vs to refine and purge vs. And therefore he is said to be made of God vnto vs Sanctification As by Adam our nature is corrupted euen so by Christ it is restored The Ministers of the word are gods liuely Organs which he vseth to draw men out of the territories and regimeÌ„t of the Diueâ— into the kingdome oâ— his sonne Paul is said to be sent to conuert the Gentiles from darkenes vnto light to the Corinths he saith In Christ Iesus I haue begotten you by the Gospell The instruments which he vseth to this purpose are the word and sacraments Gods word is compared to fire and to an hammer For through his blessing it doth breake our marble hearts and burne vp our sin like stubble and kindles in vs a zeale of his glorie a true loue of righteousnes And by the foolishnes of preaching it is his pleasure to saue them that beleeue And as concerning the sacraments they represent and seale vnto vs our insition into Christ our new birth and our progresse and spirituall nutrition vnto eternall life The matter of Sanctification are the parts whereof it doth consist The parts or actes of sanctification are two the Remotion of euill or Mortification and the Substitution of good or Viâ—ification Mortification is a part of Sanctification whereby the power strength and tyrannie of originall sinne is weakned and also by little and little abolished The ground wherof is the power of Christs God-head or the efficacie of his death which being by faith applyed is as a Corafine to consume the corruption of our nature Viuification is the second part of our Regeneration when as wee are raised vp to a new spirituall life that we might liue vnto righteousnes Or it is a work of the spirit by which true Christian habits virtues and dispositions are infused encreased in vs. And this substitution of good or Quickening is Where Christ dwels and raignes in our hearts by his spirit so as we can say we hencefoorth liue not but Christ in vs. The ground of this is the vertue of Christs resurrection or the power of his God-head raising vp his Man head releasing him of the punishment and tyrannie of our sinnes which vertue and power is as a Restoratiue to restore and quicken vs that we might liue vnto God in holinesse and newnesse of life Mortification then is of the Oldâ— man which is the vitiositie and distemper of our nature deriued from Adam the first ViuificatioÌ„ is of the New man which is the nature of man refined and restored to the image of God and this is deriued from Adam the second in whom are hid all the treâ—sures of wisâ—â—â— knowledge and holinesse The forme of Sanctification is the very translation and alteration of the heart and life or a spirituall reduction and conuersion of a man by God from the vncleannes of sinne to true puritie and Christian sanctitie The endes of our Sanctification are the glorie of God the saluation of our soules the edification of our Brethren the beautifying of our honorable prosession and calling the silencing of Athiests and prophane Mockgods the alluring of others vnto God godlines that we might bee something like God our father and Christ our elder brother and gather assurance to our soules that weâ— are in the state of life The effects of Sanctification are first the true loue of God our selues and our neighbours Secondly a serious desire to doe all good duties and to auoyd all the courses of sinne and wickednes Thirdly it makes him that is sanctified to couet and labour for the renouation and conuersion of others Finally it is the roote of all those good fruites wee bring foorth and beare For if the fountaine bee altogether corrupt and foule the waters must needs be also naught and fithy For who can bring a cleane thing out of filthinesse There is not one But when a man is once truely sanctified though not fully the good workes he doth are then truely holy though not fully The Subiects of Sanctification or or the persons sanctified are such as are elected called and iustified and therfore the Apostle saith that whom God predestinated called and iustified he did also glorifie These and none but these are truely sanctified For God sanctifies those only whom he maketh to be Temples of his spirit but all men are not such yea there are a number in the world that sit in perpetuall darknesse and worship the very deuill Indeed a Reprobate may seeme holy but he is not holy but is like a faire apple rotten in the heart or to a wound that hath a skin drawen ouer it but yet festers inwardly And they may liue amongst Gods holy one as Frogs and fishes in one pond but they are not of them but indeed pertaine to another state And finally Christ is sanctification to those onely to whom hee is wisedome righteousnesse and redemption which he is not vnto all but vnto his owne people onely Now why Christ doth not communicate holinesse vnto all as Adam did corruption the reason is because the maner by vvhich Adam doth communicate his euils vnto all and euery one is naturall to wit generation and humane nature but the maner by which Christ doth communicate his benefits is supernaturall to wit faith and the grace of God whereof all men are not pertakers for it dependeth on Gods Election Therefore whosoeuer haue humane nature the same are sinners But they onely are renewed who are possessed of faith Furthermore those which are sanctified must be considered in a twofold estate first as they are in themselues till God doe worke vpon them and that is lothsome and vgly dead in sinnes and trespasses Euen when we were dead in sins hath hee quickned vs together in Christ Secondly as they are made by grace that is a royall priesthood an holy nation and the Temples of God and of his Spirit Finally these things are worthy to be knowen concerning the regenerate First their Countrey which is heauen Secondly their Parents to wit the holy Ghost and the Church Thirdly their Essentiall parts these are an intelligent soule and an organicall body Fourthly their food which is the word of God Fiftly their disposition or condition that in the minde is a diuine light and reformation in heart Sixtly their war-fare or indeuours which is the flight of the pleasures of the flesh and of fleshly vanities Seauenthly their Religion and that is true godlinesse and faith in Christ Lastly their consummation which is eternall life The obiects or two termes of Sanctification are corruption and sinne to bee diminished and extirped and Christian holinesse to bee planted inpired and augmented The
subiect in vvhich this sanctification is wrought is the vvhole man according to both soule and body yea and life also Yet here by this way we must obserue that sanctification doth not alter the veâ—y substance of a man but onely his corupt and sinfull qualities It rectifieth but abolisheth not affections It corrects and moderates mirth and sorow and such humane passions but takes them not quit away It tunes the iarring strings of a mans heart but it breakes them not in peeces Euen as the fall of man did not abolish a mans essence but corrupt his faculties euen so the raising vp and the renouation of a man doth not aâ—ter his very substance but doth onely change his corrupted qualities and powers Now the Sanctification of the soule consist first in the alteration of the minde whreby ignorance is by little and little abolished and the mind inlightened to know the true God and his mercie in Christ and to know a mans selfe and to see his secret corruptions againg the â—aw and to know how to behaue himselfe vnto God and man aâ— also to approoue the things of God and to minde and meditate on things spirituall and celestiall Secondly it consists in the renouation of the will Which is when God giues grace truely to will good as to beleeue fear and obey God But yet this will is weake and not without resistance and contention made by the flesh Thirdly it consistes in the sanctification of the memorie which is an openesse by grace to keepe good things specially the doctrine of saluation Fourthly it stands in the regeneration of the conscience as when it is fitted to giue true testimony to a mans heart of the remission of his sinnes and of his care to serue God Fiftly it consists in a spirituall transformation of the affections as loue ioy sadnes anger feare and such like whereby a man that is iustified doth so temper them by his reason refined and by the light of the Law with the helpe of Gods Spirite that they doe not breake out as in the wicked that giue the reignes to their lusts but may bee held in some good order howbeit in this life this is done with much strife reluctation and is rather affected then effected Sixtly it consists in the sanctificatioÌ„ of the appetite or desires by which a man iustified obtaineth conformitie with good reason and Gods law in the desiring of meat and in other things which appertaine to the appetite Or the sanctification of the appetite stands in the holy ordering of our desires in meat drinke apparell riches And in the practise of three main vertues sobrietie chastitie and contentation by which the appetite must be gouerned Sobrietie is a continence from superfluous meat and drinke and from a wilfull macerating and afflicting of the body Chastitie is a continencie from wandering lusts and from all impuritie both in wedlock and out of it Contentation is when a man is contented with his present estate whether rich or poore noble or inglorious Paul saith I haue learned in whatsoeuer state I am therewith to be content I can bee abashed and I can abound euery where in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungrie and to abound and to haue want Lastly the sactification of the soule consists in a Christian resolution and constant indeauour with al our forces to please God and to testifie our loue vnto him in the seruing of our neighbour and seeking our owne saluation and withall flatly denying of our selues Which is first when we hold God to be wiser then vve are that so wee should bee both directed and disposed of by him Secondly when vvee account him more carefull for vs then we our selues can be and so rest vvell satisfied vvith vvhat condition of life soeuer he sets vs in The Sanctification of the body is that wherby the members thereof are made fit instruments for the soule regenerated to worke the workes of God with it being become obedient to the minde illumined and the heart reformed through the worke of the Spirit who now hath made it the Temple of his holinesse whereas before it was a slaue to the flesh and a shop of iniquitie and vncleannesse The Sanctification of the life is a visible reformation of it when as it is dedicated to God and good duties those sinnes being abandoned which reigned in it in former times And so much for the Subiects of Sanctificationâ— where remember that this worke of the Spirit is wrought in the whole man and that it belongs onely to the faithfull and Elect of God Ciuill moralities outward formalities and such graces as doe onely bridle and represse sinne may befall the reprobate but Christian vertues and such graces as doe supplant and suppresse sinne in our soules such works of the Spirit as doe reuiue and restore Gods image are appropriated to beleeuers The time wherein Sanctification is wrought is in this life in some sooner in others later but in none after this life if wee respect the beginning of it and not the finishing For it is begunne euer before death and neuer after He that would be saued in the life to come must bee sanctified in this life None liue like victorious Princes in the Church triumphant but such as haue bene courageous soldiours in the Church militant The properties of Sanctification are many First it is a most gracious and free worke of the Lord without all obligation or merit of ours For the Spirit of God bloweth with his blasts of grace both when how and where he listeth And the Apostle teacheth vs that our quickning and saluation is through the great loue and grace of God It is not giuen vs saith Augustine for any merit to wit of ours that we are borne againe of vvater and of the Spirit but it is freelie giuen and if faith haue brought vs to the lauer of regeneration we must not therfore think that we gaue somthing before that sauing regeneration might be giueÌ„ as in the vvay of recoÌ„pence Secondly this new birth is so needfull as that without it we cannot bee saued The kingdome of grace is the suburbs of the kingdome of glorie he therefore that walkes not through the suburbs shall neuer enter into the Citie a man must be in the kingdom of grace or else he shall neuer be admitted into the kingdome of glorie no grace no glory no holinesse no happinesse no heauen no heauenly honour Except a man bee borne againe hee cannot see the kingdome of God neither in this world nor in the world to come There are saith Augustine certaine beginnings of faith like vnto conceptions but yet that a man may come to eternall life it is not onely needfull that he be conceiued but that he bee also borne Thirdly Sanctification is an vnresistable act of the Spirit For when the holy Ghost doth seriously intend to sanctifie
in Christ The instrumental cause offeâ—ing and proclaiming saluation is the Gospel The instrument receiuing and applying it is faith The cause sealing it inwardly to our soules is the spirit of God The externall and instrumentall seales thereof are the two sacraments Thus we see the Efficients of our eternall life and are taught to say with Ber. that good workes are the waie to the kingdom but not the cause of reigning The matter whereof this life consisteth are those admirable good things which God hath prepared and which Christ hath purchased for the Elect Which for any wit of man to conceiue for any tongue to relate or for any pen to set downe is altogether impossible What tongue can tell saith Gregorie and what vnderstanding can comprehend how great the ioies may be of that celestiall citie It is not in man to vnderstand saith S. Basil For there shall be things which eie hath not scene nor care heard of neither hath it entred into the heart of man what things God haâ—h prepared for them that loue him Neuerthelesse we will set downe some of them as wee finde them reuealed and deliuered to vs. In that life theâ—e shall be no earthly or sinfull miserie There shall be no sinne at all no sicknesse no sorrowes no disease nor maladie on crosse no curse no vexation nor calamitie no defect nor deformitie no tumults nor troubles no paine nor penurie All teares shall be done away al euils remoued al sinne abolished all wants supplyed And againe in this life there shall be a perfect plenarie and perpetuall possession of all good things euen of GOD himselfe who is goodnesse it selfe and who will bee all in all vnto all his Elect There shal be perfection of knowledge no deâ—ect in loue happie in mortalitie certaine securitie constant amitie and secure tranquilitie The soule shal haue perfection of vertues the bodie shall be ful of beutie strength and agilitie the whole man shall inioy fellowship with God fellowship with the lamb fellowship with the Angels a happy societie a sweet communion All holinesse all happinesse all ioyes shall be inioyed To conclude wee shall raigne like kings with the king of kings for euer with fulnesse of grace in our hearts and a diaâ—em of glorie on our heades celebrating an euerlasting Sabboth and singing an Alleluâ—â—h to the Lord for euer The formâ— of this life is that vnspeakable splendor and that most excellent order and well ordered excellencie of that happie condition The endâ— of this life are first that God might manifest and ipso fâ—ctâ— fully ratifie his exceeding loue vnto vs. Secondly that we might inioy the full fruit of Christs death passion Thirdly that we may receiue the â—eward of our labours and know that it is not iâ—vaine to serue God And lastly that wee might acknowledge the wonderfull mercie of God vnto vs and celebrate his name for euer The effects of this life are these first by reason of it we are made like vnto the Angels Secondly wee are by it become to bee actually partakers of the dignitie of Christ Thirdly it can not but produce wonderfull gratitude in those which doe inioy it The Subiects or the persons that shall liue this life are the Elect and obedient children of God For the reprobate shall be tormented in endlesse easlesse and remediles tortures The place in which this life shall bee led is the Paradise of God the highest heauens The time is after this life for the soule immediately and for both soule and bodie after the day of iudgement The properties of this life are many First the saluation of them that beleeue is more sure thou the whole frame of heauen and earth because it is founded in the vocation of God which is without repentance in the counsell of separation and in the pleasure of God Secondly it is a most holy life For in it wee shall be compleat and without spot and wrinkle Thirdly it is a most delectable and sweet life For as Bernard truely speaketh VVhatsoeuer is amiable it shal be there and nothing shall be awaie which shall be desired Fourthly it is an all-sufficient life For it shall stand in need neither of meat drinke clothing sunne moone nor any other helpe of this life VVe shall be satisfied with God and hee shall content vs fully Fiftly this life iâ— vnconceiuable it cannot bee throughly discouered or described by any VVho saith Bernard can comprehend in this life how great the glorie of the Saints of God shall bee in the life euerlasting Sixtly this life is an euerliuing life it shall continue world without end As the terrors and the most terrible and horrid torments of the wicked shall continue alwayes so shall this solatious and sweet life of the godly Their death shall neuer see life and the life of these shal neuer see a death The death of those and the life of these are euerâ—liuing and neuer-dying Lastly this life may be discerned in this life of him that shall liue in it in the life to come VVe know saith Paul that if our earthlie house of this tabernacle be destroied we haue a building giuen of God in house not made with hands but eternall in the heauens These things saith Iohn I haue vvritten vnto you that ye may know that ye haue eternall life I am sure saith Iob that my redeemer liâ—â—th and hee shall stand the last on the earth and though after my skinne wormes destroy this bodie yâ—t shall I see God is my flâ—sh whom I my selfe shall see and 〈…〉 shall behold VVhen I awake saith Dauid I shall bee satisfied with thâ—â—e image that is when I rise from the dead as â—â—caâ—â— doth interpret it By thâ—s it appeaâ—eth that a maÌ„ may know his future happinesse The Sâ—â—â—â— of etâ—rnall life are two The first is true faith in Christ For whosoeuer beleeueth shall not perish but shall be saued The second are good workes performed with an vpright heart in conscience of Gods commandement and to an honest end The Psalmist asking who shall rest on Gods holy mountaine receiueth answere as by oracle from heaueÌ„ that he shal there rest that walketh vprightlâ— and worketh righteousnes and speaketh the truth from his heart Thus saith the Lord aske for the old way which is the good way and ye shall find rest â—â—r your soules Life saith Salomon is in â—he way of righteousâ—â—â— and in that path-way there is nâ— death And our Sauiour sheweth that those are the Blessed of his Father and shal inherit eternall happinessâ— who manifest their loue to his afâ—â—â—cted members by their workes of meâ—cie and he that receiueth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet shall receiue a Prophets reward and he that receiueth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receiue the reward