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.
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
of Saluation in Christ by his word but after this knowledge to lay hould vpon Christ by a working faith and so to hould on and continue still an holy Christian and sincere course of life that at length as Solomon saith In water face aunswereth face so in this worke of Iustification our spirit may answere vnto Gods spirit that we are his Euen as the pure and Christall Glasse doth liuely represent the image which is set before it so the heart once Iustified by a liuely faith in Christ in some good measure doth expresse the image of God and striueth to come vnto this marke which is here propounded namely our Glorification Glorifying THe fourth Lincke of this Cheine is Glorifying Which Glorifying is the highest steppe of Solomons Throne it is that exceeding great reward which God promised vnto Abraham it is that eternall weight of Glorie whererof J neither know how to begin nor how to make an ende of speaking Aug. de sinib lib 3. In vita aeterna faciliùs possumus dicere quid ibi nō sit quà m quid ibi sit In describing the glorie of the world to come it is easier to expresse what is not there then what is there For there is no discontentment nor greife no faintnes nor infirmitie no mourning nor miserie no corruption nor death but ioy and fulnes of ioy for euer such ioy as if we had once tasted we wold dispise the pleasures of a thousād worlds in hope of assurance to enioy it For after we haue waded through the miseries of this life at length in the twinckling of an eye in a moment with the sound of a Trumpet wee shall be carried into the heauenly Paradise into Abrahams bosome thousand thousands of Angels and Saints shall receiue vs with ioy and singing Our meate shall be that breade of life and that Heauenly Manna which will tast like whatsoeuer thing we desire our drinke shall be the water of life which if we haue once tasted we shall neuer thirst againe our mirth and musicke shall be the songe of the Saints Reud 5.13 Alleluia honor and praise and glorie be vnto him that sitteth vpon the throne and vnto the Lambe for euer-more There shall we reioyce continually in the presēce of the holy ONE We shall be his Saints and he shall be our God neither shall wee feare death any more neither sorrowe nor crying nor feele any want againe The Lord of Hostes who is the King of gloriè he will take vs by the right hand leade vs to the garden of comfort to the fountaine of ioy where all our garments shall be washed pure in the bloud of the Lambe and all teares shall be washed from our eyes There shall wee see the Courts of the Lord of Hostes new Ierusalem the Citie of the great King Where there is no night nor any candle nor yet the light of the Sunne for the Lord himselfe shall be our light with him we shall shine as the starres in Heauen Here shall we be clothed with white robes the innocency of Saints we shall haue Palms in our hands in token of victorie We shall be crowned with a diadem of pure gould which is immortalitie and seruing God a while in this short life there shall wee haue riches without measure life without death liberty without thraldome solace without ceasing and ioy without ending O blessed are they Lord that dwell in thy house where the Sonne of God in glorie is light vnto their eyes musicke vnto their eares sweetnes vnto their tast and full contentment vnto their hearts where in seeing they shall know him and in knowing they shall possesse him and in possessing shall loue him and in louing shall receiue eternall blessednesse that blessed eternitie the Garland we run for and the Crowne we fight for Jn a word Here we shall come vnto the ende of all our desires for what els is our ende but to come to that ende-lesse glorie which hath no ende 1. King 10 6 The Queene of Sheba when she had seene the riches and royaltie of Solomons Court she said vnto the King It was a true word which J heard in mine own Land of thy prosperity and happinesse but now I haue seene it with mine eyes lo the one halfe is not tould me so concerning the glorious fruition of eternitie in the life to come whatsoeuer may possibly he deliuered by the tongues of men yet vndoubtedly the one halfe cannot bee tould vs. By this place of Scripture thus rising by degrees the Katharistes the family of loue and the Puritanes of our times would gather this conclusion For as-much as here are certaine degrees set down whervpon GODS Church is builded and whereby the members of the same doe growe vppe in Religion therefore now in this life by a godlye reformation we may attaine vnto perfection This selfe conceited and head-strong opinion of theirs hath beene the first cause ground of all the trouble some cōtentions which longe since haue beene raised now at this day are continued in our Church For diuers men while they take themselues as Iob saith the Onely-wise-men and pure in their owne eyes dreaming still of a certaine imagined perfection they neuer cease to bee clamorous to the Christian Prince troublesome to the the quiet state and diuers of them verie dangerous people to the whole Church of God Jn this verse of our text there is an ende propounded there is a marke set vp where-vnto euery Christian must labour to attaine and striue by all good indeuour to come But alas who can say that his heart is cleane and man that is borne in sinne conceiued in iniquitie while hee is clothed with sinfull flesh how can hee attaine perfection That the Militant Church of Christ hath had imperfectiōs in all ages it is a plaine an vndoubted truth For if euerie member be imperfect how can there be perfection in the whole Perfectio nostra magis constat remissione peccatorum quà m perfectione virtutum Our perfection consiseth rather in the forgiuenesse of our sinnes then in the perfection of our vertues In truth thus stands the estate of a Christian mans life in this world As a man traueiling a long iournie to a farre cittie he doth not continually go but he resteth here and stayeth there he baiteth in one place loggeth all night in an other yet still he is going forward houldeth on his iournie so in this life we are pilgrims we are traueilers and howsoeuer we do seeke an other country and striue to come vnto the cittie of rest yet in this iournie wee wander often out of the way we take many fallés we haue many impediments neither is it possible the light of our faith should still hold out and neuer be darkened in this pilgrimage till in the life to come wee bee made Citizens of that heauenly Ierusalem which is aboue We conclude then with the sweete and modest saying of good