sure of safeâ—â— Vse then let vs liue vprightly embrace vertue shun vice carefully destruction remaineth for the vngodly but peace and Gal. 6. 16. mercie to Syon and vpon the Israell of God Let Pharao be drowned the Israelites shall passe ouer safely wicked Israelites may be destroyed yet faithfull Caleb and Iosua shall liue Lotte shall escape when Sodome shall flame with fire and all the inhabitants therof And Noah with his shall be aliue in the Arke when the whole world shal haue an end Thus vertuous men haue a Supersedeas against Gods iustice not of merit but in mercie their soules be sprinkled with the blood of the Lamb so that the Angell of wrath must passe ouer their persons they are aforehand marked Eze. 9. in the forehead for that they mourne cry for the abhominations which they see these the Angel must not so much as touch wheÌ„ they be coÌ„maÌ„ded to smite other without pittie O let vs therfore liue vertuously and be doers of these things Ye shall not leaue your standing You D 〈…〉 e. Psa 15. 5 shall neuer as Dauid saith be moued you shall not like dogs returne to the vomite againe nor like swine to the Ioh. 10. 28 myre it is Christs promise None shall pluck them out of his hands whom hee hath chosen the more they exercise vertue the more they loue it and grow more zealous in it Dauid findeth the Psa 19. words of God sweeter then honey and the keeping of the commandements more precious then pearles so is it with euerie one that seeketh GOD in righteousnesse Vse This keeping of our standing that we fall not away is also a forcible reason to moue vs to exercise our selues in these vertues What more comfort then euer to abide with God in the state of grace to call God father Christ the Iudge our blessed sauiour the holy Ghost our comforter glorious Angels our fellow seruantâ— earth our right and heauen our inheritance And what more vncomfortable then by falling away to bid adue to God to grace to goodnesse It is to cause the Lord to abhorre vs and to bid the Diuell take vs It is to runne from vnder Gods protection and to seeke death and destruction who therefore would not liue in doing vertuously to keepe his standing in the state of grace that hee fall not away Doubt not of falling if thou liue in Euangelicall obedience in these vertues thou hast a perpetuall pledge of Gods loue euen by thy godly life his promises are annexed to such a one by well doing thou hast assurance of deliuerance and art in Gods seruice and he that hath called thee will mercifully reward thee in the end But many haue falne thou wilt say true from what they Obiection answered seemed to bee but not indeede from what they were their gifts were common fauours but not the speciall graces of election they neuer attained vnto the aforenamed Euangelicall obedieÌ„ce secretly they were hypocrites none fall finally but the good things they do are done sinisterly as appeareth in Iehu and they nourish some sinne which doth breake out at the length openly as in Iudas is manifest Search therefore thy self how thou standest if vprightly with feare loue and in humility feare not to fall finally The elect fall for a time as we see in Dauid but they so coÌ„tinue not euer this is the fall of a reprobate If you demand how in falling we may know the difference betweene the elect A quest and reprobate it may appeare thus to a man first by the truth of grace before the fall by the remainder of grace in falling with a kind of feare and with some struggling vnwilling to yield and yet through infirmity violence of affection forced to yield for the godly truely conuerted cannot sin after with full consent Lastly after the fall to be checked in conscience and though for a time they do lie in sin yet then not without the Lords externall chastisements to make them remember themselues when a faithful messenger coÌ„meth as Nathan to say thou art the man Dauid yieldeth and saith I haue sinned which the reprobate do not If further through feare thou that art in the state of grace dost obiect Sathans Elect neede not to fear they shall no way be ouercome powre hee shall not preuaile Christ hath ouercome him Math. 4. And his triumph is thy victorie so read it and beleeue If thou dread the world Christ saith Be of good comfort I haue ouercome the world Iohn 16. 33. If the flesh which ouerthrew Salomon conquered Sampson hee that is in Christ hath mortified Rom. 6. the deedes of the flesh and why was Christ pure but to subdue thy corruption If yet thou say But for all this thou maist be ouercome by many temptations fall away in time of persecution remember that God wil not try thee aboue thy strength 1. Cor. 10. 13. And for other afflictions for Christ in them thou shalt be more then a conqueror through him that loued vs. Rom 8. 37. And I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to com nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall bee able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus verse 38. 39. But many false teachers shall arise true to deceiue certainly the reprobate and to beguile the elect if it were possible Math 24. 24. But therefore it may bee inferred that it is an vnpossible thing bee humble and meeke for them that be mâ—â—ke will he guide in iudgement and teach the humble his way Psal 25. 9. Loue the truth for the truthes sake God wil not giue thee ouer to beleeue lies as hee doth those that haue not a loue of the truth 2. Thes 2. 10. Oh but I feare my daily offences wil cause the Lord to cast me off to take his grace from me so shall I fall finally For this know that the best sinneth often it is not sinning but the lying in sin that daÌ„neth If thou canst confesse sin forsake Pro. 28. 13. it thou shalt haue mercie Prou. 28. 13. though thou dost fall thou shalt not be cast off for the Lord putteth vnder his hand Psal 37. 24. To conclude the Lord wil not forsake his people for his great names sake because it hath pleased the Lord to make them his people 1. Sam. 12. 22. Thus said Samuel to Israel to coÌ„fort them euen when they had greatly offeÌ„ded God Therefore let Sathan roare and compasse the earth Iob is hedged about let A comfortable conclusion the world lie in wickednesse the elect shall see light to come out the flesh is strong but the spirit of God is stronger to cast it out to subdue and kil it persecution shall not ouercome the loue of Christ wil constraine vs to hold False teachers shall not mislead vs so but wee shall see returne or preuent them before though we sin yet this doth not condemne vs for no Christians but that we are weake and not wholly freed froÌ„ corruptions Here is no perfection here is vprightnesse to bee had hold this beware of hypocrisie striue to perfection that thou maist after attaine it in glory So beloued shall no sin raigne over vs grace shall grow in vs peace shal be vpon vs faith shal set comfort before vs this wretched worlde shall not bewitch vs pleasures shall not deceiue vs nor any thing cause vs to miscarie but that wee shall run on run out our race with ioy vntill the full end of our daies Which the Father of mercy the God of all comforts graunt vnto vs for his sonnes sake Christ Iesus To whom with the Father and the holy Spirit be euerlasting praise and glory for this his grace and all other his mercies now and henceforth for euermore Amen FINIS
hearts that they neuer depart from him Ier. 32. 40. Lastly we may establish our thoghts vpon the ground of a mans saluation The foundation of God remaineth sure his 2. Tim. 2 19. free mercie in Christ Iesus chusing some to euerlasting life no inducement in maÌ„ before we haue being our end is appointed nothing good foreseene in vs mouing God no way in vs is there cause at all of our happines but begun froÌ„ Gods free good pleasure and established in Christ out of whom wee may not suppose any least thing that may be beneficiall to worke mans saluation or to procure good to vs which is not freely giuen of God and obtained by Christ alone without any respect of vs at all Whence a penitent sinner may thus coÌ„fortably reason Gods I was before I had my beeing in my beeing by corruption of nature hee found me his enemy yet did he not hate me but shewed his mercie vnto me he ordained me before the world that caused him in time to bring me into the world my sinnes did not hinder the passage of mercy because in Christ he would be satisfied for mee I will therefore surely conclude that God remaining one in mercie Christ Iesus alway wel-pleasing to his father the cause of my saluation beeing stil one and the same I will not doubt damnation for falles of infirmity when as Gods mercie and Christes merit preuented the same in mine obstinate standing in rebellion Thus by meditation may wee strengthen and settle our selues in assurance to be saued Praise the Lord. It pleaseth God to afford his childreÌ„ By diuine inspiration more in musing on heauenly comforts then when mens thoughts are bestowed vpon other things he aydeth them with his spirit who openeth our eies to see the secrets of the kingdome of God and to know the things that are giuen vs of God 1 Cor. 2. 12. Rom. 8. 10. who giueth testimony to our spirit that we are the children of God which witnes also is true and not lying as Iohn saith This is the spirit of adoption by which we are sealed and the earnest which he giueth when he taketh vs to be his Haue I then the spirit of Christ I am Christs and in him there is no coÌ„demnation Rom. 8. 1. Now least we be misled by Satans delusion and take it for the holy spirits inspiration By sanctification How to know the perswasion of Gos spirit from Sathans delusion see Rom. 〈◊〉 2. 5. 11. 15. 16. there is a third thing to be added that is sanctification For if we haue the spirit of God we are led by it wee walke not after the flesh but sauour the things of the spirit which quickneth our mortall bodies by it wee doe mortifie the deedes of the flesh by it we are without feare and dare come to God cry Abba father this spirit helpeth our infirmities in prayer it maketh request for vs with sighes that cannot be expressed This is the witnessing of Gods spirit with our spirit it is not a bare motion but a true perswasion from the effectuall graces which it worketh in vs causing vs to liue in newnesse of life This spirit witnesseth not to our spirit if it bee adulterous nor to our drunken spirit nor to our sweating lying blasphemous and rayling spirit nor to our prophane and mocking spirit if such we be that we are the sonnes of God no no for our conscience telleth vs that such are the sonnes of the Diuel and all perswasion of saluation is but Sathans deceiueable delusions to secure vs in sin The holie spirit will not say wee are coheires with Christ certaine of heauen whilst we walke on in wickednes hee teacheth in the scripture the contrarie and sheweth that there is no peace Esai 57. 21. Psal 9. 17. Mat. 25. to the wicked they shall go into hell and all the workers of inâ—quity Vse Therefore let vs not think otherwise but it is the spirit of Sathan and not the holy Ghost that worketh an imagination of any certaintie of salâ—ation whilst wee liue vnsanctified in our thoughts vnchanged in our speech and vnreformed in our conuersation We see that assurnace may bee had by the foresaid meanes it must make vs striue by these means for it which if we obtaine O blessed are we saluation is come vnto vs the comfort of all comforts Through this assuraÌ„ce thogh we fall we rise againe and doubt not of The benefits which arise vnto vs by hauing assurance mercie when we repent We ioy to heate of death because we are perswaded to be with Christ which is best of all we feare not man that onely can kill the bodie for that our soules are in safety This maketh vs desire to bee taken from hence and to be dissolued This maketh vs loue and long after the comming of the Lord Iesus saying how long Lord wheÌ„ Lord O come Lord Iesus come quickly Reue. 6. 10. 22. 20. This to conclude freeth vs froÌ„ all dread of any euil that may befall vs from the rigour of the law it caÌ„not condemne vs if it do Christ Iesus acquiteth vs froÌ„ terror of conscience it dare not accuse vs if it do Christ will speak for vs froÌ„ deaths sting dead stroke it hath not right to rule ouer vs if it do it s but a while Christ hath got the victory froÌ„ the fierce wrath of the Iudge in the last day when he shal be before vs Angels on one hand diuels on an other about vs the world burning in millionâ— of thousaÌ„ds conscience accusing crying out to the mountains to couer them hell gaping ready to deuoure all to whome Christ shall say Go ye cursed with the Diuell his angels Math. 25 But what terrour can this be to the penitent assured of life none at all The Diuels cannot daunt vs the repentant hath his pardon Angels will not disclaime vs they here haue waited vpon vs God will acknowledge vs we haue his spirit the assurance of his loue And can the Iudge Iesus Christ condemne vs who is our sauiour and hath by his death acquited vs Lastly we are freed from the horrour of hell where Diuels damned ghosts bee where paine is endless the place darknesse the persons punished with fire and brimstone remedilesse their noise is hydeous weeping and wayling for time lost and not recouerable howling lamentably crying for time present and paines intollerable they gnash with their teeth one vpon an other their conscience accusing coÌ„ntinually tormenting They languish with paine wishing to die but they shall remaine and euer bee though liuelesâ—e that their torment may be endless Sithen assurance of saluation here deliuereth vs from the dread of these things what cause haue wee to vse all meanes to get so great and vnspeakable a good Oh let vs then meditate seriously pray for the spirit ardently and liue here conscionably that wee may bee therefore certaine of our saluation and
so liue eternally Amen Your calling and election sure Doctrine YOur calling that is which you haue tasted of by the ministry preaching of Gods word giue all diligence to make it sure see it be not vocall but effectuall not a calling to an externall profession but to an internall sanctification blossoming forth in good workes Make this sure but doe you aske how How to make our calling sure by good workes that is by knowing feeling and euer retaining such graces as are Gods good workes wrought in a man effectually called at the time of his conuersion The true knowledge of By knowledge the Lord Iesus is a worke of God in a mans conuersion Act. 9. 5. 18 who openeth the eies of the blinde turneth men Ier. 31. 33 from Satan to God from darknes to the light Act. 26. 18 True sight of sinne with humiliatioÌ„ for the same is an other HumiliatioÌ„ when certaine were conuerted they saw their sinnes confessed them left them Act. 2. 37. and. 19. 18. Faith in the Lord Iesus is an other the first grace of one truly standing in the state of grace for he is not by the word called effectually that beleeueth not faithfully for hearing bringâ— beleeuing and such as are Rom. 10 14 called of God beleeue in the sonne Ioh. 8. 30. Act. 8. 37 After this followeth a plyable hart to obey God the stony heart remoued in stead thereof God giueth a heart of flesh yielding subiection to God his word and spirit Eze. 36. 26. 27. This will make Paul going to persecute ignorant of Christ after one question made and answered Who art thou Lord I am Iesus whom thou persecutest Act. 9. in the next place to say Lord what wilt thou that I doe not making any more resistance This made Dauid ready to do any thing willingly at Gods bidding yea and it causeth vs humbly to condiscend to his good pleasure and say with Ezechias The word of the Lord is good with Ely It s the Lord let him do what seemeth him good and alwaies with Iesus Christ Father not my wâ—â—â—ut thy will be fulfilled Lastly the Vnion with Christ Lord worketh an vnion of hart spirit with other in Christ * â—er 32. 40 wherby it coÌ„meth to passe that we do conioine in one together one with another thus Act. 2 42 the church is set forth in that verse are 8 graces of the Church their constancy in this word they coÌ„tinued in the next word The eight graces of the Church daily their seruencie with one acord their vnitie in the Temple their audacitie in other words following their charity familiarity alacrity sincerity vnto which by the voice of Christ they were called and wherewith we must be endued and therein continue else we cannot make our calling sure Vse Therfore such as remaine in blindnes such as are not humbled for sins neuer came to the sight of them neuer sorrowed or sought for pardon for theÌ„ but liue in their lusts loden themselues with iniquity such as giue not credyt to the word of God beleeue not his faithfull messengers such as be obstinate stubborne refusing the easie yoke of Christ or to draw with the godly therin but rather mocke at holy exercises raile on such as desire to please God endeuor to bring trouble vniustly vpon them these though they be come to externall bare profession yet sithen they are not come to reformation by their calling they cannot bee sure that they are saued they may liue in the Church but yet are none of it tares they be but none of the Lords wheat they are in that number of the many called but not of the fewe that shall bee saued they are like the guest comming in without his wedding garment whom the Lord one day will command to bee bound hand and foote and to be cast into vtter darkenes where is weeping and wayling and gnashing of teeth Calling and election In the order of Exposition causes election is before vocation for therefore are we called because wee are elected Rom. 8. but in searching out our saluation according to the work wroght vpon vs and the same felt in vs calling must be before election so is it in iustification and sanctification that is before this if we note the cause and effect but this must wee finde in vs before the other for our owne assurance sanctified we be in our owne persons but iustified onely in Christs righteousnes Election is secret in God and by effectuall vocation knowne and reuealed to vs and the first sensible worke of GOD vpon vs touching soules safety God commeth forward beginning in and from himselfe to doe vs good wee to find this must goe backward from within our selues by sanctification to iustification by vocation to election and thence conclude our eternall saluation Therefore Esay 43. 1. is it that here the holy Ghost hath thus set downe the words and the like else where The wisedome of God doth nothing without iust cause he breaks not order as ignorant of order neither sets downe matter as mistaken but euer to teach vs from thence somewhat which by the help of Gods spirit we vnderstaÌ„ding may further to saluation Doctrine From this order first wee learne how to make sure our election if wee haue made sure our vocation There is no doubt of the former where wee make certaine the latter and hee that cannot finde himselfe called cannot possibly be truly perswaded that he is one of the elect for he hath not the next and immediate worke of God following election going before iustification Vse Therfore to know our election watch for our Rom. 8. 30. calling follow the meanes the ministry and preaching of Gods word the ordinary means to bring men to Christ It pleaseth him by the foolishnes thereof to 1 Cor. 1. 21. Rom. 1. 16 saue them that beleeue It is the power of God to saluation where this is carelesly neglected such shall finde no other means to be saued and such as persecute it may feare iustly to be damned Sythen our election is made sure by our calling and our calling confirmed to vs as is said I neede not say more of this yet because the word affordeth vs more marks to settle our selues in better assurance a word thereof or two also Our election is further made sure by Markes of election other markes of the elect if we find them in vs they euer remain vpoÌ„ vs which is to be sanctified 1. Pet. 1. 2 fruitfull in good things Iohâ—â— 16 sequestred from the world Ioh. 17. 6. 15. 19 a note which is notto be loued of the meÌ„ of the world perseuerance Ioh. 15. 16 following after Christ Ioh. 10. 28 without departing from him 1. Ioh. 2. 19 loue to the godly 1. Ioh. 3. 14 faith in Gods promises and a holy reuerence to Gods ordinaÌ„ces his word and sacraments and he that