whereby they haue this knowledge in thē selues that they are Christians reacheth to no further assurance then of them selues for they are not able to knowe assuredly of an other man that that they knowe to be in them selues by reason of that hypocrisie that is naturally in the heart of mā wholly disguysed and seased with a thousand kinde of maskings wherewith he deceyueth not onely other men but him selfe also and moreouer because this priuiledge of sounding mens hearts knowing men within belongeth properly to God alone who hath reserued to him selfe the knowledge of his as he keepeth them close vnder his seale as S. Paul sayeth yea at such time as when they do not as yet eyther knowe him or them selues Surely the sight of man is too weake to enter so farre as to iudge assuredly whether the seede of the word of God be rooted deepe ynough in any mans heart to remayne there And to the end he should not rashly take so much vppon him God hath taken a good order for it warning vs dayly by experience howe farre his secret iudgements passe our capacitie for oftentimes we see those men brought into the right way whiche seemes to vs to be vtterly cast away and lost children As on the other side we see a nomber fal which seemed to vs to stand very fast being true as S. Augustin sayeth That according to the secret and hidden counsell of God there are many sheepe without the Church many wolues within And in deede there is in a nomber such a likelyhood and resemblance of a Christian vnder a cloake of hypocrisie that they seeme to haue the selfe same beginning and grounde of fayth which the Christian hath which causeth vs that we can not iudge of them aright as we should For moreouer beside that they haue the self same name that the other haue and be likewise in the selfe same companie make profession of one selfe same doctrine receyue the same Sacraments they are sometimes touched with some taste of the worde of God and do reuerence it yea and that so far forth that they thinke it great impietie to contemne it and despise it and haue moreouer such a taste of heauēly gifts as the Apostle him selfe witnesseth in the Epistle to the Hebrewes that thei seeme both to them selues and to other that see them to be no lesse accōpted of then the rest of the faithfull And yet it falleth out so in the end that they shewe them selues to be nothing lesse then Christians thus deceyuing them selues within them selues because they can not throughly examine them selues in their heartes nor make good profe of them selues whether Christ dwel in them or no so full of vanitie is the heart of man. For thus it is that the seede of the worde of God hath not life in them to continue and dwell there without corruption though it seeme to haue taken roote in them yet it is not liuely so that the taste which they get of the goodnes of God is but for a whyle and yet that too very confused and very irresolute and in like sort in that that God lighteneth their vnderstandings and maketh them knowe his grace it is without ingrauing that true efficacie in them which is imprinted in the Christians heart which they neuer knew because they receyue not the vertue of the Spirit of GOD in deede ne haue the true clearenes of fayth but onely to serue them for greater condemnation and make them voyde of all excuse And in that that God entreth into their heartes it is to no other ende but that his bountie and trueth may be knowen to them by the Spirit of vnderstāding without further cōmunicating with them the Spirit of adoption And this is the matter why through want of ablenes to comprehende his vnchangeable will they can not constantly embrace his trueth to haue more then a light and sly knowledge of it nor haue an earnest desire to loue God heartily as his children do Hereof it followeth that a man can no more know certaynely whether an other man be a true Christian or no then he can in a ground sowed with diuers seedes knowe one seede from another which shall bring forth fruit which shal not yea though it haue already put forth yea and that more is though it be al eared Wherefore euen as Solon sayed to Cresus King of Lydia that no man is to be counted happie before his deathes day because of many miseries and calamities which may befall him euen so I say that no one mā can know an other man thorowly to be a Christian whiche is the greatest felicitie that is before the ende of his race And for this ende and purpose Iesus the sonne of Sirach warneth vs to iudge of no man before his death because sayeth he that is the time wherein a man sheweth what he hath bin all his lyfe long For some shew euident tokens that they were neuer other before God but Christians though whyle they liued they neuer made any shewe of it other some that thei were neuer Christians thogh they made shewe of that profession a great nomber of yeeres for witnes wherof let vs take Iudas on the one side and the thief that was hanged with Christ on the other This is a poynt which we must alwayes haue recourse vnto that such as God hath chosen to be true Christians shal be true Christians what malice vnbeliefe soeuer they be presently giuen vnto and they also on the other side of whome he hath foreseene that they shall be wicked and infidels shal be such be they neuer so good and of a true profession at this instant for he is a Christian alwayes which hath bin foreknowen and appoynted before from the beginning to be a Christian So then it appeareth that there is great difference betwene that iudgement whiche a Christian man may make of him selfe and that iudgement which he can make of an other man because the certeintie of faith remayneth shut vp within and stretcheth not so far as to be knowen in other seeing that the Spirit of GOD beareth all the elect witnesse of their calling But as for an other man wee knowe not howe to iudge of him saue onely by the outwarde man whiche is often tymes very deceyueable And yet notwithstanding by the iudgement of charitie we may accompt him for a Christian in whom we finde so farre as the eye of man is able to reach the seede of the word not to be fruitlesse that is to say that the preaching of the Gospel is not only in worde but in vertue of the holy Ghost considering that where we see the signes of Gods election as we take them there we haue occasiō to hope well and not defraude our neighbour of a charitable friendly and louing iudgement For moreouer and beside that the good nature which ought to be in a Christiā leadeth vs to hope well of all men S.
A TREATISE of the Excellencie of a Christian man and how he may be knowen Written in French by Master Peter de La Place one of the Kings Counsel and chiefe President of his Court of Aides in Paris WHEREVNTO IS ADIOYNED A BRIEFE description of the life and death of the said Authour to the end that euerie one may knowe what he was Translated into English by L. TOMSON MATTH V. Blessed are they which suffer persecution for righteousnes sake for theirs is the kingdom of heaven Imprinted at London by Christopher Barkar dwelling in 〈◊〉 Churchyard at the 〈…〉 the Tyg 〈…〉 To the right worshipfull Mistres Vrsula Walsingham grace mercie and peace from God the Father and from the Lord Iesus CHRIST ACcording as your Worships pleasure was I haue perused this booke and as wynde and weather would serue for passage haue brought it out of France into England The cause of your liking can not be misliked of any and the iudgement of the right honourable my Master may stande as most grounded in trueth and iustice whereby he sentenced him not onely to bee of the Religion of Christ but also truely a religious Christian For surely if I be not deceiued in iudgement who so shal reade this booke shal finde there was a Christ in the man such a Christ as made him in deede a Christian not for a daye or two not for fayre and calme weather onely but from the first beginning of his entrance into the knowledge of God to his very last breth in most sharpe and stormie tempestes as witnesseth his happy and blessed martyrdome in that most horrible slaughter of the Sainctes of God on Barthelmewes daye in Paris that wicked murderesse of Gods people against whome their innocent blood crieth to God for vengeance against the daye of wrath As he felt so he wrote and his feeling was with such spirituall vnderstanding as that we may well see hee was one of them of whome hee wrote and by so well knowing himselfe to his euerlasting comfort gaue vs a waye to knowe our selues for the ioyous assurance of our saluation The greatest comfort we haue is to knowe that we are of the citie of God and who so would honour vs the most could not better perfourme it to our liking then to assure vs we are the childrē of that heauēly Father brought into that honour and dignitie by Christ that died for vs and gaue himselfe for vs and in whome we dwell and he in vs if we deceiue not our selues As for the cōfort we might reape by being made mē and not beastes though it be great God is therfore greatly to be magnified yet considering what God did for vs what we haue done against him where he set vs by grace and where we finde our selues through sinne and rebellion we haue cause rather to sorowe then to ioye of heauines then of comfort and in that respect the veriest varlet caitif that goeth vpon the earth hath as muche to triumphe in as hath the best man of God the dearest child of our heauenly Father For they are mē as well as we made to the image of God as well as we haue as great light in them of natural reason vnderstāding as we witnes the Heathē that neuer knewe God no worse sinners in Adam thē we but we as bad as they both of vs for our sinne and rebellion against him in that man Adam iustly blinded iustly condemned This the blind wyse Philosopher did not see and this the obstinate Pelagian Papist at this day will not acknowledge and therfore they bothe lift vp their heeles against God haue wicked thoughtes and speake blasphemous wordes against heauen and against their owne saluation And because this prerogatiue ouer other creatures but equalitie of and in mankinde had not that in it that might in deede comfort the heart of man but rather cast him down his minde and purpose was to lay forth the other to vs which is proper to vs I say proper to vs that are of the houshold of faith of the common wealth of Israel citizens of heauen felow heires with Christ the children of God and I say proper because the Heathen and Barbarians be they neuer so wyse the Pelagians and Papistes be they neuer so superstitiously deuoute haue neither part nor portion in it And this is the preeminence not to be called but to be a Christian which whosoeuer feeleth in himselfe with a right feeling of true vnderstanding which neither of the two before named hath for the one fighteth against the name of Christ the other can not abide to heare of any certaine persuasion assurance of the cōscience that it is beloued of God and that God is without doubt our Father hath the greatest preeminēce that man can haue vpon earth and the greatest ioye and comfort that can be felt by man All of vs at this day in this part of the world do ioye in this name Christian and it is taken for the greatest dishonour that can be done to man to saye he is no Christian And yet sure it is that euery man is not a Christian that is called a Christiā euery man is not a Christian that is Christened not euery one that sayth Lord Lord shal enter into the Kingdom of heauen no more then euery one that was circumcised was a true Iewe or all that descended of the race of Abraham were true children to Abraham There was amongest them Ismael who persecuted his brother and yet was he circumcised there was Esau whom the Lord hated and yet was he circumcised So are there heretikes amongst vs Christened and yet not Christians for neither the cutting of of a piece of skinne in them did make thē true Israelites neither dipping in a litell water maketh these true Christians ▪ both of these standeth in the spirit not in the letter in the inward worke by grace and that of God not in the outwarde worke of man So that he that hath this honorable name to be called a Christiā hath more cause to tremble then to reioyce vnlesse he haue a sure testimonie both within and without that he is in deede a Christiā for the abuse of Gods name can auaile man nothing at all nay it furthereth and increaseth his condemnation as great credite committed to a seruant and abused by that seruāt procureth greater displeasure Howe we shal come to the knowledge of this preeminence and excellencie which is in vs this booke sheweth and because it is so plainely and shortely set forth I will not stande here to make any discourse of it vnto your worship onely I most humbly beseche you to reade the booke it selfe and there shall you finde it so well layd forth as shal be to your contentment and comfort I could very willingly haue bene cōtent to haue entred somewhat into the matter but I feare I should haue ouerslipped my self for I must needes confesse of my selfe and to the
and other effects that follow flowe from the euerlasting Election as brookes and streames doo from their fountaines and springs Therefore seeing this man is not begotten eyther of flesh or blood as other are but of God it is not for naught that I sayde before that he is such a creature as the worlde knoweth not For in deede his beginning is not from hence beneath from the earth but from aboue from heauen as also his chiefest conuersation abyding place is there where he hath God for his Father and here the church for his mother but yet in deede heauenly Mother because she hath her beginning from that grace that is aboue moreoner because she is gardien and keper of the seede of that life that perisheth not by which seede she conceyueth and bringeth forth this man and when she hath brought him forth she nourceth him with the seasoned milke of vnderstanding that being nourished by it he may growe vp to saluation And afterwarde shee fostereth him with stronge and substantiall meate vntyll he come to a perfect age that is to the attainement of the latter ende of fayth Euen as the natural mā conceyued of naturall seede is nourished with blood in his mothers wombe and fed afterwarde with milke whē he is once borne as all creatures are nourished with that wherof they are ingēdred euen so the regenerate man conceyued begotten of the incorruptible seede of the worde of God is nourished and fostered by it receyuing the same simply and purely without any mixture and hotch poch of any other mans inuention with it For as there is no food more holsome thē the foode of the worde of God if it be receyued syncerely as it is so there is none more noysome and hurtful when it is marred with mixture of other things mingled with it thē is the false doctrine of men And therefore God speaking to his Church by the mouth of his Prophet Esai sayth after this forte My spirit which is in thee and my wordes which I haue put into thee shal neuer depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy children And to the ende they may growe vp and profit the better he sealeth and marketh them with the seale and marke of Baptisme adding moreouer an inwarde working of his holy Ghoste and afterwarde gyueth them for meate and nourishment the Sacrament of the body and blood of Iesus Christe though he be able and sufficient ynough to bring them to perfection in one houre But it pleaseth him to haue them growe vp after that forte by litle and litle vnder the nourishement of this mother so that who so is not conceyued in her wombe and brought foorth by her and fostered and nourished by her doeth boast in vayne that GOD is his Father For he begetteth no children neyther fostereth and bringeth vp any but by his ministerie so that we may not seperate these two thinges whiche God hath coupled togyther to wit that the church is Mother to all them whose Father he is and whosoeuer is not begotten of her is begotten of an harlot and hathe an harlot for his mother who begetteth children for the Deuill to euerlasting death seeing there is no entrance into the life that remayneth for euer but onely for them whom this mother kepeth and guydeth and gouerneth so that who so is out of her bosome it is impossible for him to be saued And as in the fleshly generation there is one lawful and an other bastard so fareth it also in the spirituall generation there is one lawfull and an other bastarde The first is after the spirit and the second after the fleshe and are hereby knowen the one from the other that the one is conceyued and made by the spirit of trueth of a chast mother that is chast and faithful to her husband IESUS Christ and the other by the spirit of errour and lyes of a mother that playeth the harlot with Satan by breaking her promesse made to Christ and yet notwithstanding kissing him with a trecherous kisse of Iudas and lyke an hypocrite and dissembling harlot as she is contenteth her selfe to haue but one halfe of him the one being touched with a pure and naturall loue will not haue him vnlesse she may enioye him wholly and therfore begetteth lawefull children which are children of light begotten of the immortall seede and beautified with righteousnes and holynes to the ende sayeth Saint Iames that they may be the first fruites of his creatures that is to say chosen and set a part frō all other men and sequestred to be an holy offering the other on the contrarie side begetteth children of darkenes to Satan of a mortall seede which are workers of iniquitie whose vnderstanding is corrupt going on from naught to worse as they are led by the spirit of lies by whom the pure brightnes of true doctrine is stopped vp and the seruice of God disfigured with many kindes of superstitions idolatrie and wickednes yet vnder a coloure of godlynes wisedome holines wherby thei draw other into errour Amongest all the children thus begottē the man of sinne childe of Satan is most notorious in whome the spirit of Satan dwelleth in all fulnes as he doeth also in thē which haue receiued his marke in their foreheads and handes and this man lifteth vp him selfe aboue all that is called God and aboue that thing whatsoeuer it be wherin the worship of the Lord stādeth which he transferreth to him selfe in so much as he sitteth in the temple of God and maketh warre against Christ with power of illusion and deceiueablenes the like whereof was neuer seene bearing a booke in his hand which is sweete in the hand but bitter in the heart so much the more deadly to the consciences of men by howe muche it is pleasant to mans sense and reasone and giueth him occasion to boast of him selfe To be short this generation is a crooked vnfaithfull wicked and froward generation and yet notwithstāding the number of them is great they are farre mightier and of greater renowme thē the other which are but a small flocke vyle abiect and contemptible as touching the flesh Now then if the meanes of this generation of a Christian man wherby he is renued into a newe life and made a newe creature be founde to be suche that it surmounteth the capacitie of our senses we may not marueile at it seeing that euen in this bodily life we perceiue suche a vertue as the reason wherof our senses are not able to atteine vnto As for example there is none of vs but draweth the vital spirit of the ayre and we al feele the motion of the ayre wherby we both drawe in our breath and breathe out and yet there is not one of vs that can tel frō whence this mouing commeth or whither it goeth And though euery one of vs feele in him self the
vertue of the ayre yet we knowe not the beginning and the cause of it Wel then if in this transitorie life which is gone in a moment we see a marueilous vertue whereby God worketh so mightely in it that it passeth the reache of our senses howe is it possible to fetch within the compasse of our vnderstanding this secret worke in the heauēly life whiche passeth the reache of nature as though we were not to beleue any more thē we are able to perceiue by the vewe of the eie But the chiefest point that is to be considered in the excellencie of this generation is this that euen as the word of God is an vncorruptible seed of life which bringeth forth fruite like to it selfe and suche a budde as neuer drieth vp euē so when the Christian mā is once made partaker of this light it cā neuer be so put forth and choked vp in him but there remaineth still some sparke alway in him such is the force of the worde when it is once kindled in the heart of man by the holy Ghost who beareth him witnes that he is the childe of God and causeth him to folowe his gouernement and conduct with a stedy heart and holdeth him in a stedy and continuall obedience of iustice And therefore GOD sayeth by his Prophet Ezechiel That hee giueth them that are his a newe heart and promiseth thē that they shal walke in his ordinances for his holy spirit pursueth his grace in them euen to the ende For though there be sometime some breaches cracks in their faith as we haue alteratiōs in vs by reason of our frailenes moued therūto such violence as Satan worketh against vs and though the brightnes of our faith be daseled with the thicke and obscure darkenes of tentation yet notwithstanding it ceaseth not to haue alwayes an eye to God and that more is though it so fal out as we know it befell to Dauid that the Christian man be for a season so dead on sleepe with suche a blockishnes of sume that there appeareth not any one sparke of the spirit in him as Dauid prayeth for this cause that it may be restored to him yet notwithstanding this seede whereby God regenerateth his elect as it is incorruptible dieth not though it be for a season as it were choked so that a man would thinke that all reuerence and feare of God were cleane put out Yet there is a cole vnder these asshes whiche kindleth and taketh fyre againe and this roote commeth to spurt forth when a man would haue thought it had bene cleane dead For the vertue and goodnes of God is such that it surmounteth our malice so that that man may be sure of his saluation whom God hath once touched with a liuely faith though it were but a very short whyle for he is constrained to say that that which he belieued is a trueth seeing it can not be by fleshe blood but by the light of God wherein there is neither lie nor deceit and so consequently that that hath bene once founde true shal be euer true For this is certaine that God who began this worke of regeneration will perfit it in the day of the Lorde and will not leaue the worke of his handes vnperfect for his gifts and callings are without repentance looke what he hath once giuen he neuer calleth it back being faithfull constant in his deedes and keepeth his trueth euerlastingly without any alteration or change for it is impossible his worde should faile and it can not be but Gods decree must remaine according to the election so that whomesoeuer he hath once knowen and appointed to saluatiō that man can neuer fall from his saluation The stedfastnes of his counsell is shewed to the heyres of promesse that it shall endure for euer by two thinges whiche can neuer be changed to witte his worde and his othe whereby he hath confirmed his promisses it is impossible he should lye in them To this purpose Iesus Christ sayeth that al that the father hath giuen him shall come to him and he wil not cast out one of them that shal come to him For this is the will of my father sayth hee that I leese not one of them whom my father hath giuen me but I will rayse them vp all in the latter day And againe My sheepe sayth he heare my voyce and followe me I knowe them and giue them euerlasting life and no man shall take them out of myne hande So then seeing he hath promised that that man which hath once taken liuely roote in him shall neuer be plucked vp all that are of the flocke of his sheepefolde are out of daunger to be euer cast away because the purpose of God which he hath decreed vpon them is stedfast and the sentence of peace is ratified to them and therefore hee taketh them apart and sayeth vnto them in this wyse feare not litle flock seeing it is giuen to you to know the mysterie of the kingdom of heauen for to whom soeuer the gift of beleuing is giuē to the same man is also giuē the gift of cōtinuance according to the vertue of the holy Ghost which is euerlasting wherby the Christian man is renued his force remaineth for euer for otherwise were it not continuing for euer the grace of God could not be alwayes sure and stable And on the other side it were to great doltishe blockishnes distrust to doubt whether the Sonne of God in his prayers for the Elect that their faithe might not fayle them were heard or no seeing he sanctified him self for them so that their hope which is as it were a sure anchre for the soule extendeth it selfe beyonde our death and though the infirmitie of the fleshe be great yet seeing their fast holde hangeth not vpon their owne vertue but vpon the vertue strength of God seeing their saluation is kept vnder his secret garde as vnder a seale and authēticall signet they are out of all danger written as it were inregistred by the Almightie and euerlasting God in the booke of life so that all their synnes are not able to stoppe the course of Gods election nor quenche or diminishe the lest wyse that may be the loue of God seeing that euen by our verie sinnes hee taketh occasion to shewe vs farre greater loue hee hym selfe beyng vnchangeable and his decrees euerlasting so that it is not in mans power to change his decree nor to make him goe awaye from that whiche he hath once determined And in deede it were no meete thing for his vnchangeable nature neither might it be truely sayde of hym that hee lighteneth men to blynde them or buyldeth to pull downe or planteth to roote vp Hereby now may euery man see that the spirit of God is the true marke of a Christian man whereby he is knowen from all other and is of greater accompt then all other not that Spirit whereby
goodnes honestie before men labouring by his good conuersation to edifie all men to the aduancement of their saluation And all this he doeth because he feeleth within hym selfe that he is called to so high a degree of honour as to be the childe of God which moueth him with great earnestnes and zeale of spirite to do an infinite sort of good workes to the glorie of God and to frame himselfe to be manered and facioned as becommeth so high a state as he is placed in And though these markes may seeme to be sufficient to knowe a true Christian by yet notwithstanding beside those markes of holines and charitie there is the marke of the crosse farre more apparant and to be perceiued in the sight of man to teache vs more plainely that the knowing of a Christian mā standeth in the mortification of the outward man outwardly as the former did in the inward man And yet both the one and the other proceede out of one head which is the felowship we haue with Christe which can not be separate frō the crosse For this cause the doctrine of the Gospel is called the word of the Crosse because the worlde doeth for the most parte hate it as the wisdome of mā is wholly cōtrarie to the wisedome of God the one seeking Gods glorie the other the glorie of the flesh which is so much the more enemy to the first because the light of that Gospel discouereth the darknes of it the trueth of the Gospel maketh manifest and bringeth to light the errours and lies of the flesh And because the world can not indure it seeth that it can not mainteine it self in credit by the may of trueth and peace it striueth to do it by the way of lying cogging and violence as it is in deede a lier murderer so that they that are accompted and taken for the wisest the discretest of greatest power and holines are sometimes the first that band them selues against the trueth of God as they that feele them selues most greeued And therfore the Iewes did more hainously a great deale persecute Christ then the Gentiles amongst them the Pharisies and high Priests more then the common people and so at this day the chiefest among the false Christians and members of Antichriste are enemies to Christ more than other so that the saying of saint Paule is found true in all times That they which are after the flesh alwayes persecute thē that are after the spirit for though they do not imprison all nor banish all nor confiscate all Christians goodes nor burne all or behead all or hang all yet at the lest wyse there are fewe that scape their scoffes and mockes their reuiles and tantes their gnashing of teeth and shaking their heads at them for this is a sure saying and worthy to be receyued that all that will liue faythfullye in Jesus Christe must suffer persecution So that all the children of God haue this condition layed vpon thē to beare the crosse of Christ as men appointed to it by the wyll of the heauenly Father who hath decreed this with him selfe to obserue this order and meanes in gouerning his childrē that he wil exercise thē in this life with diuers crosses and for that cause Jesus Christ him selfe the elder brother was consecrate by afflictions and so entred into the preferrement of saluation And so must all they that followe him beare the same liuerie and cognissance vpon them as he him selfe shewed plaine inough saying to his Apostles No man can be said to be his disciple but he that taketh vp his crosse foloweth him And in an other place That the childrē of God shal be knowē frō other by this that the world shal hate thē as he was hated first And in deede if we looke vpon Abrahā the paterne of our faith which is a sufficient example for vs so that we neede not alleage any other we may see that the promisse of adoption was no soner made him but he was by and by commaunded to depart from his house and forsake his parentes his own coūtrie and other cōmodities to be a pilgryme and a stranger vpon the earth subiect to a perpetuall kinde of crosse And surely that man can not haue a certain profe within him self that he is a Christian that is vnwilling to be subiect to this state condition which the master head and Lord of al was willingly subiect to for vs all who is a liuely paterne for vs to folowe For the free adoption wherein consisteth mens saluatiō can not be separate frō Gods euerlasting decree which hath made all his children subiect to beare the Crosse and because there shal be none inheritour of heauē which is not first made like to the only sonne of god For as he hath the chiefest best place amongest al the children of God as amongst men the eldest sonne beareth the name of the house so is he appointed to be their paterne by whom they must be framed as it were by line and square to the end they refuse nothing which he was subiect vnto and that in so doing they may euerie one in his place be ioyned and coupled together with their head who is placed in the highest degree not onely to be aboue all but also to holde all thē that are coupled togither with him vnder one selfsame marke of brotherhood and honour And as kings princes of this world haue their honours and praises wherewith they crowne the noble and valiant actes of their soldiers so this soueraigne King and Prince Jesus Christ honoreth thē with his markes whom he vseth in matters of great weight to the ende they may appeare glorious with him aboue the rest Hereby it appeareth how farre this marke of the crosse which is proper to the Christiās differeth frō that which al the world tasteth of seing the case standeth so that there is no mā can say that he is exēpt frō miserie affliction trouble in this life For where as the other which al mē taste of is a signe of the curse of God to the wicked this crosse which is sanctified of God is a signe of blessing wholsom for thē that beare it therefore they should be deceiued that should thinke that they which suffer in this warfare against sinne should be thought to suffer for sinne as the worldlings do in their sufferāces cōsidering that by this crosse God procureth the saluation of his people vsing it as an instrument and help fit for the aduācing of regeneration begun in them both to beate downe the foolishe vaine confidence of the flesh and to breake in pieces the veile of hypocrisie which is naturally in it and also to bridle his intemperancie For the whole nature of mā is so prone to boast it self proudly and presumptuously of his vertue sufficiencie that it is needefull to shewe him his frailetie as it were
of litle accompt to enter into the list of the Gospel vnlesse we labour and striue to come to the end for the chiefest wisdome of the best is to draw on further and to go on more and more as the calling of a Christian man requireth nay no maÌ„ ought to thinke of him self that he hath profited but smally that can feele in him self some signe witnes of that felowship he hath with Christ in his death resurrection through new motions of an vnfeined heart which striueth in dede to godlines of life Considering that God of his free goodnes vouchsaueth that holy affection which he him self planteth in the heartes of his seruants this honour that he taketh him for a Christian which is not so as yet properly for maÌ„ can not come to this happines in this life to be cleane from all sinne and to haue a fulnes of faith pure charitie And in that that a man is taken to be a Christian it is by reason of the newnes of life that is begonne in him through the vertue of the holy Ghost that by his vertue quickeneth him vntil he be perfectly renewed which caÌ„ not be done before the time that we shal haue put of the mortalitie of these our bodies and therewithall the filth of sinne And therfore let a man examine his life souÌ„d his heart to the depth to know whether he finde the markes of a Christian there or no and in case he do finde them there let him be as thankeful to God as if he had receiued the greatest benefit in the world being assured that his name is written in heauen And therfore let him with S. Iohn skip for ioye crie out with Elizabeth enlarge his toÌ„gue with Zacharie and magnifie the Lord with the virgin Marie for that it hath pleased him to cast vpoÌ„ him being but a worme of the earth the eies of his great mercy to make him taste such high things so riche secret to the sense of man that there is no eye can see them no eare can heare them nor heart and vnderstaÌ„ding that can coÌ„prehend them And let that man know that this secret was giueÌ„ him to the end he should keepe this so great a benefit vnto death by encreasing the same faithe whereby he was receiued to be partaker of this benefit for it is the ende of a Christian mans calling to go on more more in obedience to Godward to striue without ceasing to draw euery day more nere then other to him regarding on the one side the goodnes of God on them that continue on the other side his seueritie on them which abuse the treasure bountifulnes of his grace And if on the other side he can not know in him selfe that he is a Christian chosen of God let him sobbe sighe before his face pray to him to make him partaker of his light heauenly grace to the end he may be out of doubt for he that doubteth hath not as yet sufficient light in him seeing the efficacie of the witnes of Gods spirit is so cleare and certaine in his heart in whom he is that as touching the point there is no doubt But we may well say that that man is blinde peruers miserable that can not persuade himself so much of the goodnes mightie power trueth of God as to beleue his promises which he hath made sworne and pronounced so solemnely And therefore let euery man striue with him selfe to make his election sure through a good conscience and sinceritie of life answerable to the professioÌ„ of his faith labour by al meanes possible that the world may know in deede that it is not in baine that he persuadeth himself he is a Christian FINIS The excellencie common to al men The excellencie propre to a Christian A foolish prayse of the powers and vertues that are in man. A blindnes euen in the knowledge of the excellencie that is in man. The true knowledge of a mans selfe Their errour whiche haue soght mans excellencie in that which is of man. All the excellencie of man as of man is defiled The coÌ„mon nature of man is not capable of the excellencie of a Christian The wonderful work of God appeareth in a Christian The wonderful goodnes of God which appeareth in a Christian The cause of the excellencie of a Christian coÌ„sisteth in the onely goodnes of God. Of the eternall councel of God touching man. The excellencie of a Christian appeareth fully in Iesus Christ The excellencie of a Christian procedeth of that fulnes which is in Christ All the elect are gathered together in Christ The cause and matter of the excellencie of a Christian is wholy to be referred to the loue and goodnes of God by Christ from euerlasting The vaiting and ioyning together of a Christian with Christ The excellencie of a Christian doth wel ap peare in the felowship which he hath with Christ The Christian man farre passeth all other meÌ„ That which the ChristiaÌ„ recouereth in Christ is greater then that which he lost in Adam The chiefe excellencie of a ChristiaÌ„ is to be made like vnto God. The Christian man is made perfect in Christ The woÌ„derful vniting of a Christian with Christ Only the Christian is Lord of the world All things are profitable to the Christian yea euen sin it selfe The Christian man is from euerlasting in the heart of god The Christian is Gods treasure He desendeth to a more particular declaration of the excellencie of a Christian The Christian is a creature whom the world knoweth not Man may bring nothing of his owne to make him a Christian The excellencie of a Christian procedeth from Gods election and froÌ„ nothing that is in man. To be a Christian is the onely worke of God. Of the regeneration of a Christian How a man becommeth a Christian The excellencie of the power of God in the generation of a Christian The beginning of a Christian is from heauen as is also his Conuersion The Father and Mother of a Christian The nourishment of a Christian The nourishment of the pure worde of God is wholsome To make the ChristiaÌ„ grow vp profit Bastarde children Two kindes of spirituall generation Amongst al the bastard children the childe of perdition is the chiefest The generation of a ChristiaÌ„ fur prounteth the reache of our senseâ— The light y is giuen to the Christian can neuer be wholy extinguished The worke of the regeneration of a Christian is neuer left vs perfect Of the true marke of a Christian The Christian can not be knowen by the light of maÌ„s sense The onely marke of the spirit of God causeth vs to knowe a Christian How a man may knowe that he is a Christian Faith is not without assurance of continuance If 〈◊〉 knoweth himselfe to be a Christian by the effects of Gods spirit in him Man is not made negligent by knowing that he is chosen â—o lyfe To know in an other beside him self whether he be a Christian or no. The hypocrisie of the false Christian hath great affinitie with the true The difference betwene the true and counterfeiâ— Christian It is impossible to know who is a true Christian before he dye A Christian man may be knowen by the iudgement of charitie and how To know a reprobate man. To knowe a Christian man by the outward effectes of the holy Ghost in him Mortification and Sanctification two of the chiefest effects of the Spirit of God in a Christian Holynes of lyfe is a marke of a Christian An holy man. Charitie a marke of Christians A differeÌ„ce betwene Charitie and the loue of our selues A Christian man withdraweth not him self froÌ„ doing The Christian man employeth him selfe to euery trade of life both priuate and publique The priuate state The publique state Where there is mutuall charitie there is also mutuall seruitude The Christian loketh alwayes to his calling The Christian is content with his state The qualities of a Christian Of the marke of the crosse The condition of the Christian is to beare the crosse Abraham a paterne of the Christians Conformitie to Christ by the Crosse A difference betwene the crosse of the Christians and the worldly crosses God procureth our saluation by the Crosse A comparison of man with the sea The crosse serueth for a certaintie of our electioÌ„ Iesus Christ suffreth in his meÌ„bers God taketh no pleasure in the afflictioÌ„s of his but chastiseth them for their profite The profe of a Christian by the Crosse The Crosse discouereth the false Christian The profite of the crosse The excellencie of a Christian man appeareth vnder the crosse A fit comparison of the Christian passing thorowe the miseries of this world The glorie of a Christian in the Crosse The crosse of Antichrist The excellencie of a Christian in affliction He that would exempt him selfe from the crosse abuseth the name of a Christian A man is to be taken for a Christian though he haue not atteyned to a perfection The worke of regeneration is not perfited in one day How a Christian man is said to be spiritual and righteous An admonition to euery one that he should wel examine himself whether he be truely a Christian That man is very blind that can not persuade him self he is a Christian