Iewell in his hand knoweth that he hath it For if a man that beleeueth an other man on his word doth know that he beleeueth him how much more shall hee whose heart is inspired with true Fayth by the worke of the holy Ghost to beleeue the Gospell know that hee beleeueth it If a man might not know whether hee hath this true Fayth or noe how is it that the Apostle perswadeth vs thus Prooue your selues whether yee be in the Fayth 2. Cor. 13.5 thereby insinuating that it is to be discerned prooued and knowne whether we do beleeue So that as hee that vnderstandeth knoweth that he vnderstandeth So he that beleeueth knoweth that hee beleeueth Wherfore Saint Paul thus speaketh of himselfe I know whom I haue beleeued 2. Tim. 1.12 A poynt which Saint Iohn thus concludeth 1 Ioh. 3.24 saying 1. Ioh. 3.24 Hereby wee know that he abideth in vs euen by that spirit which he hath giuen vs. Augustine is plentifull in this cause I will charge you August lib. de Trinit 13. c. 1. Quisque vidit fidem esse in corde suo si credat si non videt cam deesse Euery one perceiueth that hee hath fayth in his heart if he beleeueth If not he findeth that he is without it Epist 112. Againe where he sayeth Credens videt propriam suam fidem per quam respondet se credere sine dubitatione The beleeuer feeleth his owne Faith by which he beleeueth without doubtinges Lib. 8. de Triâ—it c. 8. In an other place thus Qui diligit Fratrem suum magisscit dilectionem per quam diligit quam Fratrem quem diligit Hee that looueth his Brother knoweth the loue wherewith he loueth him better then he knoweth his Brother whom hee loueth This and such like effects of Gods Predestination are not simply effects but such effects thereof as they also may be saide to be Seales of it For God to vsward is like to the Sunne The Sunne when it shineth on vs and in a manner looketh vs on the face printeth in such sort the Image of his light in our eyes as wee also are made partakers of the same light and are enabled to looke vpon the Sunne the light thereof For the beames of the Sunne striking vpon vs haue a repercussion and reflexe towards the Sunne So the Lord the Sonne of Righteousnesse looketh vpon vs and knoweth vs to be his And then the Elect being made partakers of his Light and Knowledge hee maketh vs likewise to know him Heereto serue these words of our Sauiour J know my sheepe Iohn 10.14 Inferring therevpon in the next place And J am knowne of mine So the first is the cause of the latter and the latter alwayes followeth the former as if he should haue sayd While I acknowledge them for mine I make them to haue my light knowledge to acknowledge mee their Shephearde Both these are put togeather by Saint Paul Gal. 49. where hee sayth Seeing yee know God or rather are knowne of God Where hee teacheth that therefore because God knew the Galathians who first acknowledged them for his hee consequently imparted this his owne Wisedome to them and brought them to that passe to acknowledge the true God to be their God The like may be sayd of the Loue of God wherewith he loued vs in Christ to eternall life before the groundworke of the World was laide God in louing vs hath left an impression and obsignation of his loue in our heartes by which wee returne and retorte this loue and loue him againe and as it were by the reflexion of these Sun-beames striking into our heartes are prouoked to loue him For Gods loue towardes vs beeing by nature eternall bringeth foorth at his full appoynted time a certaine loue in vs seruing to the eternitie of his glorie 1 Ioh. 4.19 Hence it is that Saint John sayth Not that we loued him but that he first loued vs. As if hee should thus say By setting the Seale of his Loue vpon our heartes hee effecteth thus much that wee in the rereward should loue him as a Father Wherefore by the soliditie of that loue by which wee haue a feeling that wee loue God wee are made to know how large the dimensions of that loue of God are by which from all eternitie in Christ hee hath embraced vs. Now what is this loue else but Predestination So our Election by which we are put apart in Christ from the residue of the World setteth a kind of Image of God himselfe vpon vs that is it begetteth an other Election by which wee renounce all other Gods and know no other else but the true God to be adored and worshipped and not onely as wee gather the cause from the effect but as wee draw a Picture from the president and as from the forme of the Seale in the Waxe we easily conceiue what is the Image of the Seale it selfe And thus much of this first Seale which respecteth God in these wordes The Lord knoweth who are his The other Seale followeth which concerneth our selues in the sequell thus Let euery one that calleth vpon the Name of the Lord depart from iniquitie To Fayth the proper indument of the Elect a speciall Seale of Election Good workes an other Seale thereof is immediatly adioyned Good workes can neuer be sundred from Fayth as Scriptures and Fathers teach and our Church beleeue The Apostle speaking of such who making great wordes of Christ Tit. 1.16 but denie him in their workes sayth They prefesse they know God but by workes they denie him and are abominable and disobedient and to euery good worke reprobate Where to denie God is to denie the Fayth In an other place hee sayth 1. Tim. 5.5 if there be any that prouideth not for his owne and namely for them of his household he hath denied the Fayth Now hee that denieth the Fayth can not haue Fayth Also Saint Iohn sayth Hee that sayth 1. Ioh. 2.4 I know him and keepeth not his commaundementes is a lyar Where hee concludeth that to be a lying and a false Fayth which hath not ioynt commerce with the performaunce of his preceptes but a counterfait Fayth is no Fayth at all Therefore they goe both hand in hand togither Fayth Good workes and will not part company Iam. 2. Fayth without Good workes is dead It is Saint Iames his theoreme and case diuinitie But dead Fayth is no more Fayth then a dead Man is a Man The Fathers with one consent teach the same Orig. in Ezech. Hom. 9. Origen sayeth Male credit quicunque peccat Hee that is a sinner is but a simple beleeuer In epist ad Rom. l. â— c. 10. In his Scholie vpon the Romans hee prooueth the same thus Omnis qui credit in eum non erubescit erubescit autem omnis qui peccat ergo qui adhuc ruboreÌ„ peccati incurrit credere non videtur Euery one that
beleeueth in him is not ashamed but euery one that sinneth is ashamed therefore hee that falleth into the shame of sinne seemeth as yet not to beleeue Cyprian Cyprian singeth the same song where he saith Quomodo dixit se credere in Christum qui non facit quod Christus facere praecepit How doth hee say that hee beleeueth in Christ who doth not that which Christ hath commaunded him Ambrose is as peremptorie in the Point Amb. lib. 6. Epist 36. where he saith Vbi quis caeperit luxuriart incipit deuiare a vera fide Hee that swaggereth swarueth from the Fayth Aug. in Ioh. serm 61. Augustine hereunto performeth testimonie in sundry places as where hee sayth Qui fidem habet sine spe et dilectione Christum esse credit non in Christum credit Whosoeuer hath Fayth without Hope and Loue beleueth that Christ is but hee beleeueth not in Christ Aug. de fide et operib c. 23. Againe where he sayth Insoperabilis est bona vita a fide quae per dilectionem operatur immo ueró ipsa est bona vita Good life is not to be seuered from Fayth which worketh by Loue yea Fayth is of it selfe good life Wherefore the 12. Article of the Christian confession of the Church of England is most sound which professeth in this wise Good workes are the fruites of Iustifying fayth and doe necessarily spring and grow from thence Wherefore Fayth beeing the badge of the Elect and Workes inseparably being the effectes thereof the sequell must needes bee that Good workes must be also the Liuerie of the Elect whereby they may be knowne Which stoppeth the mouth of our carnall Epicures who vpon the foundation of Gods immutable decree of our election would lay the structure and composition of a dissolute conuersation while they reason thus Wee may liue as wee list because if wee be predestinated vnto life wee can not be lost But such are to know that the End and the Meanes that make to the end must needes goe togeather Fayth and Good Workes inseparably accompanie the worke of our Election God glorifieth not the Elect before hee hath Called and Iustified them yea before they Beleeue and declare by their Workes that they doe beleeue Ephes 2.10 Hence is it that the Apostle sayth Wee are created in Christ Iesu vnto good Workes which God hath ordained that wee should walke in them Ephes 1.4 And hereto serue these inferences of Saint Paul of Loue vnfaigned 1. Tim. 1.19 vnto whic h we are chosen and of a good Conscience which as an impartible companion is of the Fayth of the Elect. This endeauour to performe Good works is to all the Elect necessarie 2. Pet. 1.10 as Peter teacheth where he willeth vs that wee make sure our Election and Vocation by good workes as many Copies haue it not to God our vocation being certaine vnto him before the Worldes creation but to our selues to our neighboures This is one of the chiefest vses we make of Good workes that by them not as causes but effectes of our Election and Fayth wee our selues and our brethren are assured and secured of our saluation Where the mouthes of the Pelagians are stopped who make the foresight of our Fayth and Workes in God the cause of our Saluation when as of the quite contrary-side God hath predestinated vs to Fayth and Good workes because he hath chosen vs to eternall life 1. Cor. 7.25 Wherefore Paul speaketh cautelously where he sayth Jobtained mercy of the Lord to be faythfull he saith not Because I was to be faithfull As where he speaketh in the same manner thus That we should be vnblamable not because we were to bee such As againe where hee sayth Ephes 1.4 Wee are created in Christ Iesu vinto Good workes which God hath ordained that wee should walke in them not because wee did them As finally where he saith Tit. 2.11 The Grace of God hath appeared that wee should liue soberly righteously godly not because wee were so to doe It can not be rightly said that God first foreseeth that men are to beleeue and afterward predestinateth them to beleeue Because whom hee foreknew should beleeue therefore hee foreknew it Contra. Tryphon because hee decreed it Wherefore Iustine Martyr calleth them The Elect who are foreknowne that they should beleeue wherefore such as by Gods grace are delighted in Good workes in them there is a certaine signe and seale that they beleeue in Christ and so that they are elected in Christ vnto eternall life Fayth is of the nature of a Tree in operation which naturally of it selfe bringeth foorth fruites so that there is no need that the Tree be commaunded to yeeld her encrease So the faythfull man without coaction disposeth himselfe to be fruitfull in Good workes the Law of God being grafted in his heart so that his delight is dayly in the same So that of his owne accord he doth Good workes as of him selfe hee cateth hee drinketh seeth heareth and performeth such faculties as are incident to Nature As hee that is thirstie doth but stay vntill drinke come and as hee that is hungrie expecteth his meate and then willingly and naturally hee taketh them both So the Faythfull man hungrie and thirstie of Righteousnesse taketh the aduantage of all occasions to doe the Workes thereof Although Fayth alone iustifieth and knitteth the Marriage knotte betweene the Soule Christ and is properly the Wedding garment and the signe Tau which must Protect vs from the power of the euill Angels yet Fayth is neuer seuered from Charitie Wherefore the Faythfull are resembled to Orchardes Vines and Trees that bring foorth Fruite in season The Church by Isaiah is resembled to a Vine Isai 5.7 furnished with a Wine-presse and Towre for the purpose wherefore Christ sayth Ioh. 15.1 I am the Vine and my Father is the Husbandman euery Branch that beareth not fruite in mee hee taketh away and euery one that beareth fruite he purgeth it that it may bring foorth more fruite Wherefore God is sayd to haue come downe to the Garden of Nuttes Cant. 6.10 to see the fruites of the Valley to see if the Vine budded and the Pomegranats flourished Moreouer we are to Bring foorth Fruites in patience For God Luk. 8.15 the Lord of the Vineyard commeth to his Vine with a pruning Knife in his hand to toppe and cutte off the luxurious Branches that we might bring foorth more Fruite and be in better liking Christians are Trees of righteousnesse Ezech. 47.4.12 grewing by the Riuers of the Sanctuarie But not such Trees as ours are for they take roote vpwarde in Heauen in Christ and their branches grow downeward and fructifie among men Wherefore theoricall Religion is not enough It serueth not our turnes to beare the name of Christians if wee liue not as Christians True Pietie challengeth a departure frō Iniquitie Jacobs smooth Voyce and Esaus rough
of the world being considered in his workes to the intent that they should be without excuse Because that when they knew God they glorified him not as God neyther were thankfull Now God can not otherwise be glorified but by our cōformitie to the Law by our departure frō iniquitie by our duties of pietie and integritie No other end hee proposeth to himselfe in his afflicted punishments that so they might consider his anger towards sinne to be shie thereof and shunne it He hath determined the Diuels and the Reprobates to damnation to no other ende then to warne the Elect not to sinne and if they sin to saue themselues by repentance and by perfourmance of future obedience The patience of God is to the same purpose His sufferance Rom. 2.4 is only a summons to our conuersion to which end saith the Apostle Despicest thou the riches of his bountifulnes and patience and long sufferance not knowing that the bountifulnesse of God leadeth thee to repentance The common and ordinarie benefites of God redound vnto the wicked The Cloudes droppe downe Fatnesse vppon their Cloddes they haue the gracious dew of his blessing though none of his inheritance That his practise might be president and Patterne to vs of pietie and perfection as he intimateth in the conclusion thereof in this sentence of monition Bee yee also perfect as your heauenly Father is perfect 2 All the Workes of our Redemption are of reference vnto this Our departure from Iniquitie For all the Promises of the Gospell in Christ are to dispell Despaire that we should not as absorpt of Desperation plunge our selues through our sinnes into the pitte of Perdition but contrariwise vnder hope of Grace should repent vs of our Trespasses and depart from our Iniquities Christ the Argument of the Gospell conformed himselfe to the rites of the Law could defie euery aduersarie that could accuse him of Sinne was obedient to his Father to the death that his example should be our imitation according to this his direction in such causes I haue giuen you an exsample that as I haue done so should yee doe Hee that saith hee is in him must walke as hee hath walked Hee cured the Sicke raised the Dead filled the Hungrie with good thinges as for other ends so namely and mainely for this one ende that while they recounted how Sinne brought these euils into the World they should shake off these euils and forsake their sinnes the Caution giuen by Christ to the Palsey-man Now thou art whole sinne no more least a greater euill come vnto thee Hee remitted sinnes that wee should committe no more sinnes wherefore hee sayeth to the adultresse in the Ghospell Jf no man condemne thee J doe not condemne thee Goe in peace The same matter of meditatiō ariseth vnto vs out of the circumstances of his passion Hee did beare the Crosse and suffered the shame for vs to deliuer vs determined to eternall death and to leaue vs an example that it seeme not grieuous vnto vs to suffer all manner of euill vniustly for his sake This vse Saint Peter giueth vs of Christe Passion for vs 1. Pet 4.1 Forasmuch as Christ hat suffered for vs in the flesh arme your selues likewise with the same minde which is that hee the hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sinne that he hence forward should liue not after the lustes of men but after the will of God That is in a word as it is else where deliuered That wee should crucifie the flesh with the lustes thereof He prayed for his Enimies to teach vs to forbeare vengeaunce to beare wronges with patience Hee dieth not onely to saue our Soules from death but also to the end that wee should die to our sinnes The application that Paul maketh of that Article of the Fayth He is buried Rom. 6. that wee also should burie our sinnes and roule a great Stone ouer the Graue of them that they neuer rise againe The inference Rom. 6.4 the same Apostle maketh in the same place Wee are buried then with him by baptisme into his death that like as Christ was raysed vp from the dead to the glory of the Father so wee also should walke in newnesse of life Hee dispatcheth his Apostles into the wide perambulation of the world with this legatiue Commisson to preach the Gospell and Remission of sinnes and to this speciall end that wee should make an end of sin as in the clause of that commission is not obscurely intimated where these wordes are added Teaching them to obserue such thinges as J haue commaunded you Hee ascended vp to Heauen not onely to appeare for vs in the presence of God but also to raise vp our Soules from the nethermost Pitte to the vppermost Heauens that wee might learne in liew of this benefite to lead an heauenly life It is the warning that Paul giueth vs out of the sayd Learning Coloss 3.1.2 If yee be then risen with Christ seeke those thinges that are aboue and not those thinges that are on the earth This was Paules course of conuersation Our conuersation is in Heauen Finally foretelling the finall Iudgement hee inserteth this speciall end hereof to giue to euery one according to his workes Wherefore it standeth vs in hand as much as our Soules Bodies are worth to looke to our wayes and to follow our iniquities no more 3 Lastly the workes of our communicate Redemption implye the same condition The Apostle shutteth them all vp in foure wordes 1. Rom. 8. Predestination 2. Vocation 3. Justification 4. Glorification 1. The intention of our Election heedeth this condition as where Paul teacheth it saying Ephes 1.4 Hee hath chosen vs in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in loue Of our Vocation wee may say the like For God hath not created vs to vncleannesse but vnto holinesse Wee haue Fayth giuen vs to obey his Call First that thereby we might pertake of the righteousnesse of Christ imputed to vs. 2. Next that wee might obserue the Law and that the righteousnesse of the Law might be fulfilled in vs. Rom. 6.19 Hence commeth in this Interrogation of the Apostle Doe wee make the Law of none effect through Fayth God forbid yea wee establish the Law Hee Iustifieth vs in pardoning our sinnes that we should be no more factiue instrumentes to sinne 1. Cor. 6. but that we should Giue vp our members as seruantes vnto righteousnesse in holinesse he instilleth his holy Spirit into vs that being made the Members of Christ and the Temples of the holy Ghost wee should take heed how hereafter we pollute and defile our bodyes with iniquities It is the quicke expostulation and question of the blessed Apostle 1. Cor. 15. Know yee not that your bodyes are the Temples of the holy Ghost Hee that shall pollute the Temple of God him shall God destroy All the Religion that we haue in the Church as Preaching Sacraments Prayers Discipline driue at this end to die to sinne to liue to God To conclude our Glorification includeth concludeth the same consideration Then shall God be all in all because then there shall be no more sinne to striue against God Wherefore bend wee and band wee all our Sinnewes and Sides against the sides of Sinne that wee may liue in his feare and die in his fauour and enioy that Place which the Father of old hath prepared Christ of late hath purchased and to which wee are sealed by the Spirit of sanctification To these three Persons and one God be praise and glorie now and euer Amen FINIS
vs to be heere Let vs taste of the Tree of Life and our eyes shall bee opened Let vs sprinckle our heartes with the blood of the Lambe and the destructiue Angell shall not hurt vs Let vs say with the Spouse Cantic 3.4 in the Canticles J haue found him whom my Soule loueth I will hold him fast and will not let him goe The forgiuenes of our finns is an Article of our Christian faith so that hee that beleeueth it not is not a Christian This Faith is required of vs through our whole life but cheifely about the time of our death when our Wealth and Wel willers our Senses and Sensualities and all outward sollaces and succours forsake vs. For then Faith enforceth vs to goe out of our selues and to runne to the mercie of God as to our Cittie of refuge Then is Faith the hande of the Soule by which wee draw in Christ to our selues with all his Benefites Then is Faith the mouth of the heart by which wee feede on Christ as on a restoratiue eating his Body and drinking his Blood vnto eternall life Then is Faith the Foote of the minde which enableth vs to walke with God the meanes whereby wee are familiar with him Then is Faith the Eare by which wee heare God speaking to vs out of the word Then is Faith the Tongue of the Soule by which wee talke with God and inuocate his most holy and reuerende name Wherefore Luther was wont to say That men become best Christians when they are at Deaths doore When Dauid sawe nothing but present death before his eyes 1. Sam. 30.6 the People determining with themselues to stone him his Quietus est that he immediately tooke out was in the Lord his God And the vse that he made to himselfe of the Promises of God was the argument of his Ioye Psal 119.49.50 and the lifter vp of his head in the time of trouble where he sayth Remember the promife made to thy Seruant wherein thou hast caused mee to put my trust It is my comfort in my trouble for thy promise quickned mee As else where where he sayeth Psal 73.25 My Flesh and my heart faileth But God is the strength of my heart my portion for euer The Jsraelites Ioh. 3.14 when they had beene stroken by firie Serpents in the Wildernesse and their wounds were deadly they cast vp their eyes to the Brazen Serpent as God would haue them and they were forthwith healed So when the fiery Dart of death striketh vs at the very heart fixe wee the eyes of our fayth vpon Christ lifted vp vpon the Crosse and so by the Path-way and Region of death wee shall haue the through passage and entry vnto eternall life All this while I deny not but that this fayth in the best of the bunch skirmisheth with doubtes Hee that neuer doubted of his election neuer yet beleeued it As he that is in health feeleth many grudginges and motions vnto sicknesse which he should neuer feele were hee not sound So the true beleeuer feeleth many quaimes which he should not haue had had he not beleeued For in Man there is a double estate as he is compounded of Nature and Grace By the first Rom. 7.5 that is Nature hee and his flesh as Man and Wife maketh but one Boody wherfore the one consenteth and is accessary to the other When the flesh sinneth man also sinneth that consisteth of Flesh yea when the Flesh perisheth the Man perisheth as a louing couple they liue and die togeather By the second albeit his Flesh be about him Rom. 7.17 Rom. 8.1 yet hee and his Flesh haue made a diuorce This Diuorce is made when a man beginneth to displease himselfe and to hate the Flesh and the filthy fruites thereof Now vpon this Diuorce they are no more one but twaine and are so deuided as the one hath nothing to doe with the other In this case although the Elesh bringeth foorth sinne and perisheth yet the Christian is not in the state of damnation Therefore howsoeuer the Flesh fathereth doubtes recount with thy selfe this Diuorce and that thou art now wedded vnto Christ and so disclaime thy sinnes as none of thine basely begotten and bastardly brattes Say I doubt but I detest my doubtinges I am no cause of them But my Flesh is the occasion which shall perish when as my Soule shal be saued by Iesus Christ In the meane while cure this Disease of thy doubtinges with these preseruatiues I prescribe thee 1 That it is Gods positiue and expresse precept thou shouldest beleeue in Christ 1. Ioh. 3 23. His Precept runneth thus This is his commaundement that wee beleeue in the Name of his sonne Jesus Christ Thou darest not breake the eight Commaundement of the morall Law Thou shalt not steale And why art thou so bould as to breake this this being as forcible a binder as the other 2 That God his promises of saluation in Christ are indefinite and generall excluding none Let one of them heere stand in the roome of manie So God loued the world Ioh. 3. that he gaue his only begotten Sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life When the Prince sealeth his generall pardon for all Felons euery man taketh the benefite of it though he bee not set downe by his name in it But God hath gone further with thee thē so he hath particularly signed thee thy Pardon 1. First in the Seale of Baptisme 2. Secondly by that of the Supper of the Lord wherfore stand fast in the faith which thou hast made and doubt no farther of it 3 That Distrust and Despaire Rom. 4.18 displeaseth God almost as much as any other sinne for thereby thou art no longer the Childe of Abraham To hope against hope as thou oughtest Thou robbest God of his Glory in asmuch as thou makest his infinite Mercie an vnderling to thy sinnes Thou makest God a lyer who hath plighted this promise to thee of forgiuenesse of sinnes Nay thou doest iustifie Sathan before God for God hath sayd it sworne it sealed it with the redde precious blood of Christ and yet wee rather beleeue the suggestion of Sathan that the Iustice of God is not to be appeased This Despaire is a maladie immedicable for thereby wee doe as the wilfull diseased man who when as the Chyrurgian would heale his soare hee thrusteth his Nayles againe into it and setteth it backward But all this while how should a man know that hee is thus Sealed and hath this indeleble character of Fayth stamped on his Soule For many a mans Fayth is but fayned and formed to the times And such do but beguile themselues while they stand in opinion they doe beleeue and beleeue not at all I answere that such resemble them that dreame that they are Princes and great States and awake starke Beggars Such as truly beleeue doe know they beleeue euen as hee that hath a