Saint Augustine Haec est perfectio christianorum vt agnoscant se nunquám esse perfectos Herein stands the perfection of a Christian to acknowledge himselfe neuer to bee perfect The Conclusion Now it remaineth as was promised in the beginning to show the mutuall coherence of these words and to knitte vp againe the Linckes of this Cheine together HEre in foure words are contained the foure causes of our Saluation Jn Predestination there is the efficient cause which is Gods loue Jn Calling there is the materiall cause which is Christs death opened in his word in Iustifying there is the formall cause a liuely faith in Glorifying there is the final cause which is euerlasting life Thus in Predestination wee behould God the Father chosing of his loue in Calling we heare God the Sonne teaching by his word in Iustifying wee feele the comfort of God the holy Ghost sealing by his spirit The fruite of all which of Gods loue chosing of Christs word Calling of God the Holy Ghost comforting the effect of all these is our Glorification So that as we do see farre with our bodely eye yet reach farther with reason which is the eye of the mind but Faith which is the eye of the soule out strippeth both So Calling enlighteneth the minde with spirituall knowledge Iustifying goeth further and sealeth vp the heart with heauenly comfort Glorifying out-strippeth all and doth rauish the soule with immortalitie Bernard Euerie one of vs after this life wee desire and hope to enioy eternall Glorie Behould Conceditur in Predestinatione promittitur in vocatione ostenditur in Iustificatione percipitur in Glorificatione Jn Predestination there is the first grant in Calling it is directly promised in Iustifying it is plainely shewed in Glorifying there is liuerie and season the full possession of all Jn Predestination GOD bestoweth vpon vs his loue in Calling hee granteth the blessing of his word in Iustifying he yeeldes the fruite of his spirit in Glorifying he doth wholy giue vnto vs himselfe Here are the sweete springes issuing out of Nilus the head whereof cannot bee founde here are the foure pleasant riuers which water Paradise which runne through the Soule with a Diuine vertue and comfortably coole all our spirituall heat Iohn 1 16. Here is the holy and pretious oyle powred vpon the heade of Aron the exceeding loue and fulnesse of grace powred vpon our head Christ Jesus and running downe to the skirtes of his clothing to euery particuler and penitent member of his Church Of his fulnesse haue all wee receiued Gen. 1. Here we may see the spirituall regeneration of the Soule shadowed out in the first creation of the World In Predestination there is the huge and vast deepe the darke forme whereof could not bee discerned in Calling the separating of light from darkenesse of knowledge from ignorance in the Soule in Iustifying the Sunne is created the bright beames of his grace shine in our hearts in Glorifying we may behould the new Adam framed after the Jmage of God and placed in the paradise of immortall ioy Obserue heere if you please the kindnes of a louing Father who hauing many sonnes beareth secret affection to some one there is Predestination this affection in his good time hee declareth by making his will knowen and his loue manifest there is Calling after this Calling he causeth him to take vp his inheritaÌ„ce in Court giueth him earnest in token of assurance there is Iustifying lastly hee enters into his Fathers ioy and is made heire of all there is Glorifying Againe in Predestination the Heauenly husband-man choseth out a plotte of ground at his owne pleasure in Calling hee soweth it with the seede of his word in Iustifying hee waters and cherisheth it with his spirite in Glorifiinge hee reapes and carrieth into the barne Gen. 45 5. Lastly behould apparantly in Predestination howe Ioseph longe before was sould into Egipt by the determinate Counsell of GOD Gen 41.14 by Calling howe hee was loosed out of prison and deliuered from the bondage of sinne Psal 105.19 by Iustifyinge howe his cause was made knowne and so acquitted innocent Gen 41 42. in Glorifyinge howe hee was clothed in Purple placed in the Kings Chariote and made the cheife of his Kingdome Now then as Saint Paule saith to the Romanes What shall we say to these thinges in like sort what shall wee say to these so excellent so sweete so Diuine misteries to these so comfortable testimonies of Gods loue to this Ladder of Iacobs whereupon none but Angels do ascende to this inwarde working of the Spirite which bloweth where it listeth to this Diuine and hidden purpose which cannot bee deceiued to this in-effable glorie of the Sonnes of God which they doe expect and looke for what shall wee say more effectuall and more comfortable Can any thing bee set downe more plainely or knitte vp more breifely can any demonstration bee concluded more foundly Whome the Lord hath Predestinated before all time those doth he Call in time whome hee Calleth those hee doth Iustifie and whome hee Iustifieth those will hee Glorifie Thus then may euerie true Christian conclude for the comfort of his Soule and the assurance of his Saluation for euer J am Iustified truely by a liuely and working Faith therefore J am Called J am Called effectually by his worde therefore J am Predestinate J am Predestinate and choosen of his free loue from eternitie and therefore J shall bee Glorified vnto all eternitie againe O setled comfort O sweete conceiued hope of ioye That ioy which strength of Hels ten thâ—usand can neuer take away Wherefore should we feare whereof shall wee bee afraide No no force so mightie so puissant able to ouerthrowe vs. No terror of sinne no plagues of death no rage of the World no power of the Diuell himselfe Jn all these wee are more then Conquerers For all thinges shall turne to the best to to them that are setled in GODS feare That wicked and most dangerous conspiracie plotted against the Lords annointed when it came to the verie pinch when it was brought to the verie height was not all turned topsie-turuie and vtterly disappointed This daye wee doe acknowledge it with thankefull remembraunce this daye wherein wee are all mette together in a most happie and blessed peace this day doth plainely witnesse that hee had the deliuerance wee feele the comfort the Church hath an endelesse blessinge and GOD hath his euerlasting praises O behould what it is to bee knit vnto God For whome hee doth loue who is able to wronge them whome he hath chosen howe can they be reiected whom hee doth Call howe shall they bee shutte out Whome hee doth Iustifie who dare accuse them Whome God will Glorifie howe can they bee forsaken Seeing my Soule is lincked to that Cheine which can neuer be vnloosed my soule grounded vpon that foundation which can neuer be shaken what shall make vs to despaire nay what is it shall make vs to wauer or doubt of the singular loue of God which hee beareth towardes vs in his sonne Christ Jesus What shall separate vs from the hope of immortalitie in the life to come shall the wearisomnesse of this trouble some life shall the discontentmentes of this transitorie World shal a little sickenesse shaking this brittle house of clay No all the afflictions of this life which are but for a moment they are not to be accounted worthy that exceeding surpassing eternall weight of glorie For God hath chosen vs before the World he hath Called vs out of the World he hath Iustified vs in the World and he will Glorifie vs in the World to come God hath Chosen vs not being hee hath Called vs being enemies he hath Iustified vs being sinners he will Glorifie vs being mortall wretches Therefore wee may cheerefully singe with Dauid Miserecordia Domini ab aeterno in aeternum The mercy of the Lord is from euerlasting to euerlasting From euerlasting Predestination to euerlacting Glorie the one hauing no ending the other hauing no beginning This blessed fruition of glorie and immortalitie that wee may feele the comfort of it in our harts and consciences now in this life and hereafter enioy in the life to come the Lord grant euen for his blessed sonne Christ Jesus sake to whom with the Father and the holy Ghost three persons and one euerliuing God be ascribed all power glorie praise and thankes-giuing for euer and euer Amen FINIS
hearing of an accident which fell out verie fitly to this purpose One Ludouicus a learned man of Italy yet wanting the direction of Gods good spirit and so neuer considering aduisedly of the meanes of our Saluation he grew at last to this resolution Si saluabor saluabor Jt bootes not what J doe nor how J liue For if I be saued I am saued Thus Ludouicus bewitched with this desperate opinion continued a long time till at length hee grew verie dangerously sicke whereupon he sent for a cunning and learned Phisition and earnestly requested his hespe The Phisition before-hand made acquainted with his former lewd assertion how in his health he would vsually say Jf I be saued I am saued he likewise directed his speach to the same purpose sayd Surely it shall be needlesse to vse any meanes for your recouerie neither do J purpose to minister vnto you for if the time of your death be not come you haue no cause to feare you shall liue and do well inough without Physicke and if the time of your death bee now come it is vnpossible to auoide it Ludouicus musing in his bed of the matter and considering aduisedly of the Phisitions speach finding by reason that as meanes were to be vsed for the health of the bodie so God also had ordained meanes for the Saluation of the Soule vpon further conference with shame and greife he recanted his former opinion tooke Phisicke so was happily cured both of Soule and bodie at one time By this Doctrine of Gods loue so manifestly Calling vs we directly learne that if a man doe thirst after his Saluation if a man would be throughly assured in his heart and conscience that God hath chosen him to eternall life he must not rush presently into Predestination into Gods secret Counsell but he must enter into himselfe to trie and examine whether he be rightly Called For as the surest way to come vnto the Sea is first to find out a riuer so concerning our Saluation the plainest and surest way to find out the depth of Gods counsell is first to come vnto Calling vnto Iustifying which are as sweete and liuely springs flowing from the same We know and see daily by experience we are not able to discerne wee cannot pearce with the eye to see what matter the sunne is of but we can plainely see and manifestly perceiue both beames and heate light proceeding from the same So here concerning this first point of Predestination alone wee cannot conceiue it we are not able to peirce it for it is the way which the Eagles eye hath not seene but Calling and Iustifying which are as heate light proceeding from the same those we may as comsortably perceiue as we do sensibly feele the heate and operation of the Sunne Here then is the duty of a true Christian here is the part of a religious and good man indeede not to venter his Saluatiō vpon a bare speech presumption of Predestination but to vse all means possible which God hath ordained That he may truely be Called to heare the word of God to ioy in hearing of it with loue and with a desire to profit that he may be Iustified when he hath heard to be feruent in prayer zealous of well doing and abundant in all good workes of charitie that he may be Glorified in the life to come to consecrate both soule and bodie and all the whole course of his life vnto God that so growing vp from faith to faith from vertue to vertue from hearing to belecuing frō Calling to Iustifying at length Gods spirit may certifie our spirits that we are his our bodies his our soules his and wee setled and sealed vp in a Christian ioy for euer Wherefore J beseech you all by the mercies of God and J entreate you as you hope to stande with comfort before God and his Angels at the last day euerie man lay hould vpon his soule betimes do not esteeme the loue of any thing in this World more then the loue of God purchased in his Sonne Christ Iesus Take heede and beware of this prophane speech If I be saued I am saued vtter it not in word thinke it not in heart away with it For GOD is not the cause of our condemnation it is our selues Wo vnto vs wretches wee our selues are the Wisd 1 13. workers of our own destruction Wisdom 1.13 O seeke not death in the error of the soule and destroy not your selues with the workes of your own hands Bis interimitur qui suis armis interimiter Euerie man catch hould vpon this Chaine worke and make sure his Saluation and striue to walke before the Lord in truth and with a perfect heart On the one side let no man passe on in a secure and carelesse course of life nor on the other side curiously prie into the hidden Counsell of the Lord but euerie good Christian with an humble spirit with an honest minde with a cheere-full and good heart seeke to apprehend those meanes which God hath appointed for his Saluation Iustification The third Lincke of this Cheine is Iustification Whom he hath Called those he hath Justified IT is a principle in reason Actio perfecta non recipitur nisi imperfectè primò An habit is not gotten at the verie first the worke of our regeneration is not wrought on a sodaine But as the Psalmist saith Psal 84.7 The godly growe from strength to strength and the wiseman sheweth how Prou. 56 418. The light of the righteous shineth more and more to the perfect day So here the Apostle foote by foote leadeth vs from one degree vnto another till at length we may come to make our election sure This Iustification it goeth a step farther thē Calling For Calling is an enlightning the mind with spirituall knowledge Iustifying an establishing the heart with a grounded perswasion Calling is the beginning of conuersion but Iustifying is a full clearing of the heart Calling is the first change of one that is regenerate but Iustifying is the full perswasion of the Soule whē the spirit of grace refleth in vs and we setled and truely sanctifyed in an holy and Christian course of life So then when we haue not only sorrowed for sinnes past which is the first step of our Calling but further when we are renewed in spirite and so changed in our life that for the most part our thoughts words works are guided by the good spirit of God for as many as are led by the spirit of God those are the sonnes of God then we may assure our selues that we are Iustified Rom. 8 14. Howsoeuer we be chosen from the beginning by Gods loue and after Called by his word yet there is neuer assurance vnto vs vntill the Holy Ghost hath sealed it vp in our harts which sealing is our Iustification Thus to assure vs of our Iustification it is not enough to be Called to the knowledge Pro 27 19.
Romans 8.30 ver Moreouer whom he predestinated theÌ„ also he called and whom hee called them also he iustified and whom hee iustified them also he glorified 2 Tim 3.6 EVerie scripture saith the blessed Apostle giuen by inspiration is profitable to instruct the man of God and to make him perfect to good works Yet notwithstanding if a man should seeks vpon purpose and line by line trace the whole body of the scripture ouer of all others this one short verse is most denine most excellent Hiero in cap. 9. ad Ephe Singuli Sermones Sillabae apices puncta in Diuina scriptura plena sunt seÌ„sibus In the holy Scripture euerie speach and sentence euerie verse euerie point and sillable is rich in sence and full of diuine holy misteries So is it here For the points of doctrine it containeth the whole some of our religion for the manner it consisteth of a sweete gradation for the matter it is full of comfortable instruction for the depth of the vnderstanding it hath in it such sweet profound and heauenly misteries that as it is written the head of the Riuer Nilus could neuer be found so the height depth and spirituall knowledge which lyeth couched in this whole verse in euerie point in euery worde it is vnsearchable it cannot bee sounded Concerninge the Doctrine Surely howsoeuer men doe liue at case for a time in this life and carelesly passe on in this busie world yet the especiall and maine poynt is the saluation of the Soule to bee assured of the life to come and if a man might be satisfied therein then all were well all were sure indeede Alas this life endeth and GOD knoweth how soone euen this night before tomorrow may my soule be taken from mee and if I could proue vnto my heart that God had chosen mee to eternall life then I should thinke my selfe the most happie and blessed-creature aliue Jn this great and waightie point of Saluation for euer to answere a man throughly and soundly to satisfie a mans heart and soule vnto the full there is no one place in all the holy booke of God that can so briefly so plainly so sufficiently instruct vs as this one short verse The auncient Fathers in the course of their writinges they doe call it the goulden Chaine of our Saluation because each one of these Predestination Calling Iustification and glorifyinge are so coupled and knitte together that if you hould fast one lincke you drawe vnto you the whole Chaine if you let goe one you lose all For the manner of my proceeding according to the Fathers allusion first I will vntie this Chaine and weigh euerie lincke in his own proper ballance so handling euerie point seuerally by it self in the end I will knit them vp and close them all together againe And here before I enter any further I most humbly craue pardoÌ„ and fauourable construction in this matter Predestination part of the Gospell may be preached of discreetly and reuerantly Aug. De. Bono pers cap. 14.15 20. I know right well I am to touch a very great weightie point of religion indeede so secret and deepe that I doe throw my selfe downe at the foote of Gods mercy-seate beseeching him with all humblenesse to support my weakenes to enlarge my heart and to giue me an vnderstanding spirit that whatsoeuer I shall speake it may be with such truth of his word with such zeale of his glorie with such reuerence of his Maiestie as becommeth his seruant and this holy place De correptione gratia cap. 5 14 16 Pe. Martir locis com class 3. cap. 1. Zanchius de natura Dei li 3. cap. 2 For Predestination being so high a point wherein offence may be giuen by wading too farre by Gods assistance it shall bee touched so plainely and with such moderation as euer-more J will be sure to keepe the rule of the sacred worde of God for my guide The purpose and drift of Saint Paule in this place is to proue vnto the Romans being then in persecution that howsoeuer in this life miserie afflictions did befall theÌ„ yet their saluation stood sure and most certaine because it depended vpon the vnfallible purpose of God which here is called Predestination So that Predestination is the secret and immutable purpose of God wherby he hath decreed from all eternitie to call those whome he hath loued in his Sonne Christ and through faith and good workes to make them vessels of eternall glorie Ephe 1 5. That God of his free mercy hath made choise of some to eternall life it is apparant in diuers places Ephesians 1. and the 5. ver He hath Predestinated vs to be adopted vnto himselfe through Iesus Christ according to the good pleasure of his owne will 2 Tim. 1.8.9 In the 2. to Timo. 1. the 8. and 9. ver He hath saued vs called vs according to his owne purpose and grace which was giuen to vs through Christ Iesus before the world was Act 13 48. So then as the Potter hath power ouer the clay to make it either a vessell of honor or dishonor so God hath power ouer the Sonnes of men and of his own free mercy hath made choise of some to eternall life others hath left vnto perdition Pro 16.4 God hath created all for himselfe and the wicked also for the euill day Now if it be demanded why God hath made choise of some and not of others and so thought iniustice and want of compassion that he should reiect men before they be born and brought into the light and yer euer they haue done good or euill as it is said in the 9. to the Rom. the 11 12. ver Yer euer the children were borne when they had don neither good nor euill that the purpose of God might remaine according to election I haue loued Iacob I haue hated Esau in this case I first answere plainly with the Prophet Esaiah â—â—sa 45 9. in his 45 chap. the 9 ver Woe be vnto him that striueth with his Maker or what art thou ôman that darest staÌ„d vp to plead against God The clay may not dispute with the Potter Man that is but dust and ashes be may nog reasoÌ„ the case with his Creator To know further why God hath made choise of some and not of others there is no other reason to be giueÌ„ no other answere to be made but that Rom. 9.15 God sheweth mercie Exod. 33.19 it is his good pleasure it is his will Miserecordia cius causa Miserecordiae to whome hee will shew mercy he hath coÌ„passion vpon whom it pleaseth him to haue compassioÌ„ There is power and free libertie in God to giue and bestow his grace both to whom when and how much-soeuer it pleaseth him Huic fit miserecordiâ— sibi non fit iniuria saith S. Augustine God chooseth one hee refuseth another to him he sheweth mercie to thee he doth no
a non you cry out of the immortall Gods imputing to them the cause of your miseries when indeede your selues are the workers of your owne woe Perditio tua ex te O Israell thou hast fallen by thine own iniquitie Stigias vltrò quaerimus vndas Hos 14 2 Like the Ostrige we do pricke our selues with our owne feathers and we our selues do cause the Shippe to leake where we saile Onely lo this haue I found that God hath made man righteous but they haue sought out many inuentiōs Quare peccas quia nescis c. Eccles 7 31. How comes it to passe saith S. Aug. that thou dost sin because thou art ignorāt it is not so why dost thou sin because thou art cōpelled there is no such matter why dost thou sin because it pleaseth it delighteth thy wicked and corrupted nature Pro. 29.6 In the transgression of a man is his snare Of our owne accorde we run wilfully into the dead-fall of sinne so is it in the 9. Psal and 16 ver The vngodly is trapped how not by God but by the workes of his owne hands The Lord our God is good holy and onely holy so holy that as Iob saith the Angels are vncleane in his sight so pure that his Ministers the Cherubins are of fier most cleare and yet the Cherubins and Ceraphins do couer their faces with their wings as not able to behold the perfect brightnesse of his most pure and vndefiled Maiestie Isa 6.2 Therefore although no action can be done without God and that his power is so in all things that we cannot so much as lift vp our finger without him For in him we liue and moue and haue all our being Yet is not God the cause of any sin Act. 17.28 Gre Naz 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We cannot fasten the least touch of any euill vpon God But so it stands Vna eademque actio tribuitur causae principali instrumentali In one and the selfe-same action there is a double cause First the instrumentall cause mouing then God separated from the instrument yet giuing power of motion to the same Through this double cause of mouing there is a double worke which vnto vs seemeth to be but one For example God as appeareth in the 2. of the Acts and the 23. ver by his determinate counsell and fore knowledge deliuered vp our Sauiour Christ as the principall cause Iudas as the instrumentall cause yet neither is God to be drawne in as a partie in Iudas fault nor Iudas to be excused as furthering the worke of God For God neuer commanded Iudas to deliuer vp Christ nor Iudas in deliuering him had any such intention as to do God seruice in the execution of his will Deus ag it per malos non in malis The wicked are the instruments of God Yet not God the cause of their wickednes God is the cause of the action but not of the euill or qualitie in the action For example A man trauaileth his horse by the way hee is the cause of his going but if his horse halt or haue an ill pace he is not the cause of his ill going A cunning man striketh an instrument with his fingers he is the cause of the sound but if the Instrument be bad or the strings not well chosen he is not the cause of the ill sound The Iron rusteth thou wilt not wite it vpon the Smith Wine sowreth the fault is not in the vintner In the heauens there is a double motion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aristoxenus in lib de foram ni bus tibiarum The fixed Starres and the whole Globe of all is carried about with one Sphere and with one motion yet the Planets in themselues haue a wandring and vncertaine course The like we may vsually behould in euerie clocke The greatest and highest wheele moueth and carieth about all the rest yet in this motion some wheeles turne to the right hand others to the left and that by a contrarie course So then it fareth thus with the wicked As hee that hath an euill and corrupted stomake if hee do eate honie it turneth into gall or as if a mans hand be out of ioynte when hee would mooue it one way it turnes an other so wicked and godlesse men whereas the light of nature Gods Spirit and his word leadeth them one way their owne vile inclination their owne concupiscence leadeth them an other Now then what shall we lay is there vnrighteousnes with God doth hee cause vs to commit sin No God forbid wickednesse should be in God or iniquitie in the Almightie Iob 34 10. But as it is said before Euerie man is drawne away by his owne concupiscence and is entised lust when it hath conceiued bringeth forth sinne and sinne when it is finished bringeth forth death Iam. 1 14 Hauing hitherto freed God from all imputation of euill by shewing from whence sinne comes and that God is not the Author of it We do here meete with the Pelagian Heretike who not able to vntie this knotte affirmes that the wicked are reiected for the sins which God foresaw they would cōmit so cōtrariwise the godly preuenting the grace of God by their merits are predestinated and chosen through faith and good workes which God fore-sawe they should doe Making Gods eternall election to depend vpon our faith and vpon our workes whereas cleane contrarie our faith our good workes and all the good that is in vs doth wholy depend vpon Gods free election Ephe. 14 Saint Paule saith directly God hath chosen vs in his sonne Christ before the foundation of the world was If in Christ Assuredly it appeares we were vnworthie in our selues and so Gods election is the cause of our good workes Et causa non est posterior suo effectu the cause it doth neuer follow the effect Pet Lomb The learned Schoole-man makes it plaine Non ideò electus est quis quià talis futurus erat sed ex tali electione talis est factus No man was euer chosen through faith and good workes which God fore-saw that hee should do but the faith and good workes which wee now do proceede from the eternall election which went before 2 Tim 1 9 This doth the Apostle verie plainely set downe God hath saued vs and called vs not according to our workes but according to his owne purpose and grace which was giuen to vs through Jesus Christ before the World was Calling Moreouer whom he Predestinated them also he Called AS from the maine Sea wee do strike into some chanell or riuer So from Predestination the great depth of Gods Counsell the Apostle commeth vnto Calling For whereas it hath beene shewed in opening the first point that God of his free mercie did choose some to life and others hath left vnto Perdition In this case if God should neuer Call men if he should neuer offer them grace it might seeme preiudiciall to his mercy
World being considered in his works to the intent all men might be without excuse Thus we see by this Philosophie lecture all people whatsoeuer are instructed to know God But to his owne people God reads Diuinity lecture he Calleth and teacheth them by his word Jn the 146. Psalme and the two last verses God hath giuen his word vnto Jacob his statutes and his ordinances vnto Israell Psal 146 19.20 He hath not dealt so with euerie Nation neither haue the Heathen knowledge of his Lawes So then as in the 1. of King 6.28 verse there is mention made of three Courts of the Temple at Ierusalem wherin God was worshipped so here are three Courts First we behould God in the frame and composition of the Heauen and the Earth as the great and outtermost Court then we see God in our selues in the workemanship of the bodie in the powers of the mind and soule there is the inner Court Lastly with the high prest we enter into Sanctum Sanctorum that is we behould God and learne to know him in his sacred and Heauenly Word All the Prophets and Apostles all the Ministers of God they are Diuinitie Lecturers and all Nations people kindred to whom they haue and doe preach the Gospell of Christ Iesus all these haue their outward Calling and vnto all these grace mercie and saluation in Christ Iesus hath beene offered And hereof is that place vnderstood in the 20. of Math. 16. verse Many are Called but few are chosen i by the outward Calling both of the workes of God and of his word many are Called for this outward Calling is common both to good bad but by the inward Calling effectually working in them a liuely faith apprehending Christ so verie few are Called Here in this place of Saint Paule is ment a more speciall powerfull inward Calling which is wrought by Gods spirit and ioyned with faith so doth Saint August expound it in his booke de Predestinatione sanctorum Non quacunque sed qua vocatione fit credens Whomsoeuer God hath chosen to life him he hath also Called by that Calling whereby he is made and becomes faithfull Acts the 16. and 14. A certaine woman named Lidia heard vs. Acts. 16 14. Ephe. 1.13 There is the outward Calling and the Lord opened her heart shee attended to the thinges which Paule spake and she was baptized there is the inward Calling This then is the sound plaine meaning of these words Whom he hath Predestinated those he hath Called that is those whome hee hath chosen to eternall life hee hath also ordained to vse the meanes of saluation which is an effectual Calling by his Word and Spirit Hauing discussed this second point wherby it appeareth how all men liuing are Called both by the workes of God and by his word we may here see how the dissolute liuers and prophane Atheistes of these our times deceiue themselues It is a common conceite fostred in the bosome of many yea vile and sensuall men they will not sticke to say If I be saued I am saued If I be chosen to life I am sure of saluation If other wise I cānot auoyd it Assuredly such men they do speake as peruersly and as senslesly as if a man should say that hee would gladly be at Yorke and yet will vse neither horse foote nor Wagon but will flie thether For the determinate counsell of God it doth not take away the nature and property of secondarie causes it doth not take away the meanes of Saluation but rather Gods secret counsell it doth set those causes in order and doth dispose of those meanes to their appointed ende Gods purpose his eternall decree is not to be sought out in his bottomlesse counsell For then we must all cry out with Sa. Paule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 11.33 O the deepenesse of the riches both of the wisedome and knowledge of God how vnsearchable are his iudgements his waies past finding out But Gods purpose his eternall decree is to be sought out in the meanes and in the manifestation appointed for the same The course and order of mans Saluation is like a Golden Cheine And this ver may fitly be called Iacobs Ladder whereupon the Angels and Saints of the Church do descend and ascend vnto God Iacob wrestled with the Angell at the foote of the Ladder we must not be so hardie as to wrestle with God at the top of the Ladder Wee see here God hath set downe not onely Predestination as though we should stay there but Iustification and Calling as middle-steps and degrees whereby we must ascend vnto God Wee must not pull downe the Ladder and thinke to iumpe into Heauen To say Mat. 4.6 If I be saued I am saued it is the Diuels Diuinitie When our Sauiour was vpon the Pinnacle hee bad him cast himselfe downe headlonge for saith he God hath giuen his Angels charge ouer thee least at any time thou dash thy foote against a stone He left out the cheife point in all his waies it was not the right way from the pinnacle to cast himselfe downe headlong No more is it here the way to stand vpon this high point and dangerous pinnacle of Predestination to cast a mans selfe down headlong desperately saying If I be saued I am saued Jn the 2. of Oze 11. ve The Lord there promising temporall blessings setteth downe an order and a course how they hang together Oze 2.11 I saith the Lord will heare the Heauens and the Heauens shal heare the earth the carth shall heare the Corne and Wine and oyle and the Corne and Wine and oyle shall heare Israell So likewise in the spirituall blessings of the Soule there are meanes and an order how we come vnto the same God by his sonne Christ Christ by his Word his Word worketh by his Spirite his Spirit doth certifie our hearts our hearts stand fast by faith Faith catcheth hould vpon Christ and so backe againe Christ presenteth vs vnto God Here likewise in this Scripture God hath chosen vs from euerlasting there is Predestination he doth not there leaue vs but then hee doth teach vs by his word there is Calling this word through his spirit engendreth faith there is Iustifying this iustifying faith lifts vs vp vnto God there is Glorifying Arist Rhet. li 1. cap 7. Common sence and reason doth teach vs. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In euerie action the ende and the meanes of the ende must goe together The ende which euery one of vs doth desire and aime at it is eternall glorie wee must be sure then to lay hould vpon Calling and Iustifying as the meanes ordained to come vnto this ende For this is a certaine and sure ground in Diuinitie and Religion Whom-soeuer God hath appointed to eternall life he hath also appointed that mā to vse the meanes whereby he may come vnto the same To make this more plaine let it please you to vouchsafe the