common weale whiche is to be folowed without his owne house So that as a sonne he rendereth the duetie of obedience and subiection to his father and mother and helpeth them as much as he can as a seruant he sheweth him selfe seruiceable to his master and diligent to please him as of a free and wylling heart seruing God and not man as on the other syde if he be a master hee entreateth his seruantes gentlye and is not to rigorous and churlishe towardes them hauing alwayes an eye to God as to the Lorde and Master of all and if he be a Father he vseth his children louingly and gentlye as is meete for their persones trayneth vp and frameth theyr lyues in good maners and last if hee be an husbande he rendreth that beneuolence that is due vnto his wife for we may not thinke that this man is of the number of those whiche forsake the remedy that God hath established for auoiding of fornication and will nedes vpon an headines ouercome the necessitie of nature rashly assuring them selues that God will helpe them which he promiseth to none but to thē that walke in his wayes ne giueth the gift of continencie at all times to all men Moreouer the order and frame of an houshold is so well perceiued in the house of a Christian that he him self as Pastoure of his familie instructeth it diligently in the feare of God and keepeth it in good and Godly discipline by continual exercise in Godlines So that in his house you shall finde the chast wife the shamefaced plaine modest wife decked without as she is within no painted nor masked thing rendring true obedience to her husband and hauing an eye vpon her familie her seruants her children the master father and husbande euery one in his degree employing him selfe syncerely in his duetie and office approuing his doings as before God. And as for other offices dealings which are not houshold matters and are without his house as an inferiour and subiect he reuerenceth the higher powers submitteth him selfe willingly to them as to Gods ordinances whose minde is by this order to gouerne the worlde and keepe the state of mankinde in peace and tranquillitie payeth them their tributes and dueties and submitteth him selfe freely and frankely to obey their lawes and commandementes not onely for necessities sake because he can not resist thē without danger of being punished for it but also for conscience sake bound to do it by the worde of god He honoreth the Ministers Pastours of the Church as Gods messengers and sheweth him self ready and frameable to their teaching frequenteth the holy assemblies and vseth all meanes he can that are profitable to nourishe and mainteine the seruice of god And againe as superiour and placed in higher roume aboue other he hath a care to execute his charge faithfully to defende the good punish the wicked as al power and authoritie of man is bound to serue the commoditie and profit of the subiects If he be a pastour he ministreth the world of God faithfully and marreth not the doctrine of saluation he keepeth it in his puritie and instructeth the people both in good doctrine in good example of life and vsurpeth no rule or violent tyrānous Lordlines ouer his felowes nor inferiours but seketh the commoditie and profite of all them that hee hath charge of So then the condition of all men is this that they are mutually bounde one to an other so that none of vs may exempt him selfe from subiection and therefore wheresoeuer there is loue of one toward an other there is also interchangeable seruice The highest Kings and Princes that are are not exempt from it for God hath placed them in preeminence to serue as the members of the bodie what preeminence and prerogatiue soeuer the one hath ouer the other yet notwithstanding serue one an other vsing such powers as God hath put in them to the profit of the whole bodie receiuing no other commoditie but that which ariseth of the profite of the whole and is powred out vpon the whole bodie And for this cause the Christiā man hath his eyes alwayes bent vpon his vocation as vpon aprinciple and ground whereby to gouerne him self a right necessarie in al things to keepe the right waye taketh heede he do not ambitiously and rashlye take vpon him many and sondrie charges and offices togither that he attempt not more then his calling will beare and medleth not rashly with those things which do nothing cōcerne him but contenteth him selfe with his present cōdition whatsoeuer it be whether great or smal rich or poore honorable or base he foloweth it and continueth in it constantly and passeth not his bounds nor changeth it without iust cause For his affections are ruled he bridleth his naturall inordinate desires which couet commonly more then mā hath measuring his sufficiēcie by the will of God which he knoweth by that that befalleth him and taketh all as from him and by his prouidence whereunto he referreth the whole cōduct of him selfe and whatsoeuer concerneth him so that he wil do nothing nor take ought vpon him of his owne head but as a simple toole instrument submitteth himself to the conduct of his master and workeman who is the Lord of all And therfore in what state soeuer he finde him self either high or lowe rich or poore he beareth him selfe alwayes moderatly and as it were in an euen balance Hauing aboundance of richesse honours and heauenly blessinges plentifully poured vpon his soule hee easely frameth hym selfe to beare hym selfe after one forte in what so euer state may befall him in this present life making nothyng so great accompt of earthly and transitorie things as men cōmonly do verie vainely and foolishly To be short the Christian man is a vessel of honour sanctified to euerie good worke and a man that walketh after the spirit and not after the flesh and as Iesus Christ sayth that bringeth forth good things out of the treasure of his heart and spirituall vertue that is in him for he is the good tree which is knowē by his good fruite it beareth And a man clad with the garment of light that walketh honestly as at midday in all mens eyes being a paterne of good workes and a lampe lightened with the spirit of God that shineth in the darkenes of the world by purenes of life in whom there is not one piece or portiō of his life but yeldeth a good and sweete sauour of holines loue to the glorie of God and profit of his neighbour whether we marke his talke which is poudred with salt accordingly as the worde of God dwelleth plentifully in him and with such a grace that he is able to draw his hearers by reason of the commoditie and profit that commeth by his talke either to his modest behauiour being very meeke and graue or to his actions which tende to nothing but to
glorie of GOD I speake it that I can easelier enter into it then come forth so great comfort I receiue of the doctrine which is the chiefest part of the ioye of my saluation Were it not that I had good assurance and feeling of these markes whiche hee setteth downe and are in deede the true markes of our saluation both in vs and to vs that we are saued I should despayre rather then hope and bende my selfe wholly against God then euer bee subiect or submit my selfe to god And therefore so oft as euer I enter into consideration of the wicked doctrines whiche the reprobate and condemned Church of Antichrist giueth out and teacheth I finde none so detestable as this poynt that laboureth to take away from vs all perswasion of Gods loue towarde vs and of our moste sure and certaine redemption by the blood of Christ They call it a presumptuous doctrine a desperate doctrine a doctrine that leadeth man to all kinde of dissolutenes an enemie to godlynes of lyfe and deuotion a furtherer of all sensualitie all lust all wickednes and rebellion agaynst god Though we are taught by the Scripture that none can beleeue but such as are appointed to saluation and none can receyue Christ and beleeue in his name but they which haue this prerogatiue giuen them to be sonnes of God though the Apostle say Knowe ye not that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you and agayne The Temple of God is holy which Temple you are though Christ him selfe saye Reioyce that your names are written in the booke of lyfe and Of those whom my Father hath giuen me I will not leese one yet cease they not agaynst so manifest trueths of the Spirit of God witnes of the Sonne of God yea and euident speaches of God him selfe to disgorge their blasphemies tending to the subuersion of soules because they enuie at other mens saluation not passing as seemeth by their doctrine for their owne though I iudge them not Is it a presumption for a Christian man to say as Christ hath commaunded vs and taught vs to say Our Father which art in heauen Or may I say Our father in doubt whether he be so or no No man can call God his Father but in fayth and fayth is nothing but an vndoubted perswasion that we are beloued of God in Christ beloued as children because he gaue his Sonne for vs because he the righteous dyed for me the vnrighteous whereby as he became a sinner by setting him selfe in my place so doo I become righteous in that that God setteth me in his place And because our condition and state is such with God Iesus Christ our Sauiour willed vs in praying to pray thus Our Father For if this grounde go not before we are lyers in so praying Nay we blaspheme him in so praying for he will not be called Father of the reprobate no more then he will accept the sacrifice of the wicked whereof he sayeth by his Prophet that it is an abomination to him for our prayers are sacrifices and if they be the prayers of his children then are they sweete smelling sacrifices but if they be the prayers of the wicked and reprobate then are they an abomination to the lord Do we not euery one of vs in the Confession of our fayth say I beleeue in God the Father what do we lye when we say so Or must we doubt whē we say so Wel this is the doctrine of the enemies of God the Papistes who say it is presumption for any man to say that he is saued Then I say it is presumption for any man to saye that he is the childe of God then is it presumption for any man to saye that God is our Father then is it presumption for any man to say that he is a Christian then is it presumption for any man to say in a good and true faith I beleeue in god And so by this meanes shal the whole Catholike Church be condemned for charging vs to say so then is Christ a lier and a master of heresies in teaching vs to pray so then do we all wickedly to call and professe our selues Christians with such confidence as we doo And seeing their profession and doctrine is so that no man can assuredly saye that God is his Father let them set it downe in flattermes as they meane it and let the style of the confession of fayth and the Lords prayer go as their doctrine is after this sorte I doubt in God the Father almightie I doubt in Iesus Christ I doubt in the holy Ghost and If thou which art in heauen be our Father halowed be thy name and so forth What a diuelish doctrine is this yet it is the doctrine of the church of Rome what a desperate doctrine is it and yet it is the doctrine that we must confesse to be true or els we be heretikes we must be burned wee must be condemned Christians I say must be condemned because they say they are Christians for it is nothing els we say we say we are the children of God that is an heresie say they and yet they will graunt vs to be Christians A strange kinde of Christian that hath not the Spirit of Christ and if we haue the Spirit of Christ are we not Children The Apostle teacheth vs all this why then what is it els to say we are Christians then to saye we are the children of God and is there any chylde of God that is not faued Paul sayeth if sonnes then heires heires of the kingdome yea felowe heires with Christ So then it is no more presumption to say I am saued then to say I am the the childe of God neyther any more presumption to saye I am the childe of God then to saye I am a Christian Oh but say they this doctrine maketh men desperate for if they stand vpon those termes once that they are saued they will care no more for good workes they will abandon them selues to all kinde of sinne In deede they say as they feele for if thei felt what it were to haue this persuasion groūd they would knowe that as they are freed frō sinne so are they to liue in righteousnes The true Christian and chylde of GOD is more fearefull to sinne because he loueth God and is beloued of God then all the wicked haue for feare of punishment He knoweth and is perswaded that as he is dead with Christ so must he rise againe with Christ in newnes of life to liue after the Spirit not after the fleshe and that God hath prepared his wayes to walke in which are good workes If the liues of all men were looked into it would easely appeare where were the greatest abundance of sinne whether in the true Christian who is a witnes of the trueth of this doctrine or in the enemie of trueth which can not abyde this doctrine And why can he not abyde this doctrine because he can not abyde to
he thought it not enough I say to giue them all these so great and honorable titles but goeth on further and sayeth they are made partakers of the diuine nature which is so excellent a condition that the head of man is not able to imagine or wishe an higher For in dede what can a man desire more then to become like to God surely the spirit of man is not sufficient able to comprehend the greatnes of this grace how it might be that God should vouchsafe to honour man so highly as to make him a God as it were if we may so say by making him partaker of his diuine immortalitie and blessed glorie And therfore S. Paul writing to the Coloss and speaking to them as to Christians saith that they were cōpleat in Christ when he had said a litle before that al that fulnes of the godhead dwelleth bodily in him shewing therby that this perfect essence of the Godhead which is in Iesus Christ did auaile thē in that that they receiued thereby their perfectiō also And in that that God is wholy in him is to the ende that when they once possesse him they might obteine such a perfection in him as none of vs is able to atteine vnto by all the wit vnderstanding we haue Yea so farre forth that this knot bond is such an one that Iesus Christ who worketh all in al vouchsafeth the Christian thus much honour that he coūteth him self after asort imperfect if he be not ioyned with him as S. Paul witnesseth saying that the Church is the filling vp of the bodie of Christ And therefore there is no marueile if the Prophet Dauid rauished with great admiration of this so wonderfull goodnes loue of God towards mankinde and being as it were rauished besides him selfe cried and saide Lorde what is man that thou so regardedst him that is to say that of thy gracious goodnes thou hast made hym so excellent a creature For if he should consider seeke his first beginning from whēce he came where shal he finde it but in the durt dust of the earth if he marke the place of his abode he shall finde him selfe scrauling here vpon the earth below if he looke to his end he shall see that his bodie shal be meate for wormes And yet notwithstanding saith he thou hast so highly honoured this poore creature Man that the Angels serue him as if he were a god for thou hast made him a litle inferior to God hast crowned him with glorie and honour and placed hym ruler ouer the workes of thine handes and hast put all things in subiection vnder his feete As if he would saye what occasion did durt giue thee that of it thou shouldest make a creature to thine image and likenes whom thou wouldest make Lord and Master of all the worlde and put in subiection vnder his feete what so euer is vnder the compasse of heauen speaking of the man that is restored in Iesus Christ For in deede it is he onely and none but he amongest all liuing things that is the only Lord of the world by recouering that interest in Christ which was before lost in Adam who was at the beginning made heire and Lord of all Gods blessings but was afterwardes dispossessed of them through his rebestion and disobedience so that all his posteritie hath no other interest nor title in the blessings of this world then theeues robbers haue whiche take awaye other mens goods the Christian onely except to whome of right belongeth the vse of all things as S. Paul saith whether it be the world or life or death or things present or things to come al things in a word are his because they were made for his profit And there is nothing but God maketh it serue turneth it to his profit in so much that by a speciall dispensation of his prouidence he causeth that the very sinnes them selues which man committeth turne rather to his saluation then to his hurt in that that by them he humbleth them and maketh them better taught and more aduised To be short this mā is a creature that from euerlasting was in Gods heart through Iesus Christ therfore a thing so riche precious that it may well be called Gods treasure But seeing I haue begun to dilate this excellencie of a Christian man by the euerlasting counsell of GOD whiche he determined and appoynted within him selfe before the worlde was according to his gracious goodnes fully set forth in IESUS Christ to al them whom he hath coupled togyther with him It shall be good nowe to come lower and to treat of the matter as it were by descent from heauen to earth and to shew this excellencie more particularly in a Christian beginning at his regeneration and so going on from point to point to shewe howe miraculously he is formed nourished brought vp to rype age what maners he is of what his life is and what his cōuersation to set him out after this sort in his coulours markes as he is For in dede he is a newe creature whom the world knoweth not and an hidden treasure in a vile and contemptible vessell hard to knowe if he be not well marked out set forth with liuely colours And lest in discoursing of it we fal headlong into the same errour which the wise fooles of the world fal into in their discourses vpō his excellencie it shal not be amisse if at the entrie of the matter I warne euery man to beware he presume not so much of him self as to imagine that he hath ought of his owne as though he had in him selfe any piece of a cause meane or ayde to set forwarde this worke Therefore as I sayde before that we haue not to seeke the cause or ground worke or matter of this excellencie any where els but in the mere grace of God according to his euerlasting prouidence so say I againe to shut out all worthines of man that al the goodnes vertue that may possibly be foūd in man proceedeth from the fruict of Gods election and therefore to be a Christian that is to say the best of all creatures procedeth wholy from the gift of our heauēly father in that that whatsoeuer he hath giuen to Christ cōmeth to Christ and in that that no one whit of the worlde belongeth to the Creature were it not that the grace of god plucketh a fewe out of destruction which otherwise should haue perished the world being left in that destruction whereunto it is moste iustly appoynted And for this cause Iesus Christ protesteth that he prayeth the Father for them onely whome the Father hath giuen him For in deede the grace of God findeth no cause in any man why hee should be good vnto him but man receiueth all of his mercy because it is Gods worke onely to saue his and for that ende and
purpose to make them fit and meete to be partakers of his inheritance And for a man to imagine any pretence for man in this case it were as muche as if he shoulde go about to make him his owne maker And if we doe wel to giue God al the prayse for the direction of this our corruptible life howe may we be so bolde to ascribe that vnto our selues which is without cōparison a thousand tymes better to wit the lyfe that perisheth not but remayneth for euer seeing it is a great deale easier to make vs men then by our owne industrie and vertue to be regenerate into a farre more excellent nature Whereupon S. Paul to take away all presumptuous opinion of mans brayne in this behalfe sayeth That it is neyther in the willer nor in the runner that is to say neyther in merite nor worthines nor industrie nor will nor helpe or any meanes that man can worke but in the onely goodnes of our Lord and Master who doeth all things according to the counsel of his good will not according to our workes but according to that purpose of his grace which was giuen vs by Iesus Christe before the worlde was And this ought of a trueth content vs and suffice vs for all reason that may be brought for to go about to searche out any other what were it els but to open a gappe for rashe and heady fellowes to demande in like sorte a reason of al his workes why he bestoweth his graces more vpon some thē vpon other as to beginne with the brute beastes why God made them not reasonable creatures and why he made not a woman a Man and why he made not the ignorant weake and poore man a wyse stronge and rich man and as touching the elect them selues why they are not the same that their head is why there is so great oddes betweene them why they are so vncleane and he very cleannes it selfe and so in summe why he bestoweth not his giftes as well vpon this man as vppon that man. And yet my meaning is not that God hath no reason for making such a difference betwene his creatures as he hath done but because that reason is hidden within his secret counsell I say it must suffise vs for good and all that his will was so and say with S. Augustin that faithfull ignorance is better then rashe knowledge yea that such ignorance is learned and the desire to knowe more is a kinde of madnes Therefore when we see that some haue this honour done them that they are made Christians as well as other though we see no euident cause why it should be so we must learne to stand in admiration of the deepenes and profoundenes of Gods iudgement whiche we may in no wyse dispute of and therefore euery one of vs hath to content him selfe to knowe that to be a Christian is the workemanship as S. Paul sayeth and creature of God created in Iesus Christ and that God hath blessed him with all spiritual blessings in heauēly things in him as he chose him in him before the foūdation of the worlde being predestined of God to adopt him to him selfe according to the good pleasure of his will to the prayse of his grace which he hath powred out moste plentifully vpon him in all wysedome and vnderstanding and to whom he hath giuen to knowe the secret of his will according to his euerlasting decree which he purposed in himself being moued thereunto by no other meanes then of him selfe So then to come to the regeneration of a Christian and to speake of the order that is holden therin First of al we may not dreame of any such generation as Pythagoras made who thought that as soone as that bodies were dead the soules went into other bodies neither may we dreame of any naturall generation or power of man whereby this man should be made after this sorte for this generation is not wrought by a corruptible vncleane seede as the first was whereof we are all partakers which can engender nothing but corruption nothing can be borne of fleshe but fleshe whose ende is death and destruction but by an other and second generatiō which is spiritual made of an holy vncorruptible seede whiche is the worde of God preached whereby thei that are appointed to saluation are called and begotten to him For in deede there is no other differēce betweene Predestination and Calling but this that predestination is a preparatiue of that whereof the calling is the effect and the accomplishment and yet my meaning is not that this generation is made by the vertue of one simple worde vttered by the voyce of man which soundeth onely in the eares which God vseth as his meanes and instrument to call all men indifferently to him for many are called sayeth Christ but fewe are chosen and it were to set a mortall man to much on cockhorse to saye that his voyce were so pearcing of it self as to work a regeneratiō in the soule of man but I say it is by an other inward calling of God by the meanes of the outward which is wrought by mā which inwarde calling maketh it selfe heard within by drawing the hart vnto it which receyueth the witnes of the euerlasting grace and without which the voice of man could be but a bare sounde that vanisheth away in the ayre and a literall preaching dead without any fruit the seede time being of litle valew vnlesse the increase be giuē by vertue of that life which is reserued onely for them whiche were appoynted vnto it from the beginning of the world according to the purpose of God and no purpose of theirs to whom onely it is giuen to knowe the secrets of the kingdome of heauen all other men being shut out and left to their owne nature whereby they are deafe and blinde cōceyued and borne such of the vncleane seede of their parentes hauing beside a darkened vnderstanding whiche can not cōprehende the mysteries of God for his worde is couered and hidden to them so that they can no more perceyue the glorious and bright shining light of it then blinde men cā the light of the Sunne for no man can come to Christe vnlesse he haue a speciall grace who thought that as soone as the bodies were dead the soules went into other bodies neither may we dreame of any naturall generation or power of man whereby this man should be made after this sorte for this generation is not wrought by a corruptible vncleane feede as the first was whereof we are all partakers which can engender nothing but corruption nothing can be borne of fleshe but fleshe whose ende is death and destruction but by an other and second generatiō which is spiritual made of an holy vncorruptible seede whiche is the worde of God preached whereby thei that are appointed to saluation are called and begotten to him For in deede there is no other differēce betweene
the world for as much as the world which hath receiued nothing but the spirit of the world hath no vnderstanding of those things which sauor of the spirit of god For saith S. Paul euē as no man knoweth the things that are in mā but only the spirit of man euen so no mā knoweth the things of God but the spirit of God. So then a man can not iudge no not of him self whether he be a Christian or no vnlesse it be by the light of this spirit of God that is giuen him as S. Iohn witnesseth speaking in the persone of euerie Christian saying after this sort Hereby we know that God dwelleth in vs euen by the holy Ghost whom he hath giuen vs And this he sayeth vpon certaine knowledge not by gessing according to that that S. Paul sayeth That the same spirit beareth recorde with our spirit that we are the children of God and that it is not by the spirit of the worlde but by the spirit of God that we knowe those thinges which are giuen vs of God to wit our adoption hope of euerlasting life and more that we are able to say and to say truely that they are none of Christes which haue not this inward witnes of the spirit and againe that they beare about them a witnes condēnation against themselues which doubt whether they possesse Christ and be of his bodie or no hauing no assurance by certaintie of faith to be out of doubt and vpon sure ground both for this present and for the time to come and suche faith as Iesus Christ assureth vs that al that are his shall haue saying in this wise to his Apostles the spirit of trueth which the world can not receiue because it seeth him not ne knoweth him but you knowe him for he dwelleth in you and shal be in you And in deede seeing that continuance is a necessarie thing for saluation what faith were it if it had not with it assurance and certaintie to continue Nowe the trueth is so that whosoeuer hath the gift of faith to beleeue hath also the gift of perseuerance to continue considering that faith is not a persuasion for a daye and a thing that sodenly vanisheth away but a stedfast and well rooted persuasion in the heart to continue all the life long as saint Paule boasteth boldely in many places of his election and persuadeth other to doe the lyke vpon a glorie whiche is not grounded vpon any thing that is in man but in the goodnes of God saying That hee knoweth whome he beleeueth and that he is one of them whome Christ came to saue that hee wayteth for the Croune of glorie and is sure that nothing can separate him from the loue of God in Iesus Christe as one that was chosen before the foundation of the worlde was layed Whiche thing fleshly mē can not do because they know not what the spirit of God meaneth being not regenerate and for that cause hauing so base an heart so vite and abiect through sinne that they can not persuade them selues that God loued thē so well as to saue thē by the death of his only derely beloued sōne that he was so liberall as to giue them paradise vnlesse they deserue it by their workes and merites where as the regenerate haue within them such a feeling of the loue of God in Christ that they see them selues out of doubt most assuredly saued in him and can not persuade them selues that Christ to whom the father hath giuen all power to iudge can pronoūce sentence against those his brethren and mēbers for whom he died vpon the Crosse This christian mā hath a certaine knowledge by the effects which the same spirit of God bringeth forth in him that he hath this gift of faith for as sone as hee causeth him through his vertue and mightie working to feele a peace and vnspeakeable rest in his cōscience that appeaseth contenteth and satisfieth it he mainteineth him in a spiritual ioy increaseth the studie of good workes in him inflameth him in the loue of God maketh him delight in his word in the same word to behold the face of God gracious louing and fauourable with suche an assurance of his grace that he reioyceth and triumpheth with a bolde and cherefull countenance in the hope of euerlasting glorie in so muche that he is not afrayed to present him selfe before his God and call vpon hym as his father with perfect assurance to obteine at his handes what soeuer is necessarie for him whiche were impossible for him to do if he were not moued enforced thereunto through some heauēly and diuine working which surmoūteth all the force and strength that is or can be in man For from whence might this assurance of the good wil of God procede and that the man is colde and altogyther senselesse of him selfe voyd of al motion or bent to pray to him could be moued to repayre vnto him with such a cōfidence and yet godly notwithstanding hauing grieuously offended him were it not through his diuine and heauenly working whiche the Christian man may easely perceyue moreouer by this that it engendreth in him a loue of Iustice and on the other side a hatred of sinne by an alteration of affections pleasures and displeasures for other then before to wit suche as are in al them whose eyes the Prince of this worlde hath blinded And yet notwithstanding trueth it is that he feeleth a continuall combat of the spirit and the flesh in him self whiche hindereth him from perfecting his workes but yet so it is that though sin dwell in him yet it doeth not reigne in him And such are the effectes whereby the Christian man commeth to the experience and feeling of his fayth so consequently of his electiō For a Christian man striueth not to enter into the Sanctuarie of Gods wisedome to informe him selfe of Gods predestination secret counsell as some rashe headed more bold then godly wyse will nedes intrude and thrust in them selues most arrogantly in to the secretes of God finding nothing in the ende but a mase which they are neuer able to get out of for neyther is it meere that the height of the wisedome of God shoulde be subiect to the sense of man to seeke it out euen to his euerlastingnes But the Christian being once come to the way of fayth holding him selfe stedfastly there is led from step to step euen to the King of heauens chāber as S. Augustin speaketh there to beholde the treasure of his Election and yet for all that doeth not become thereby negligent and dissolute but cleane contrarie doth after that more diligently applie him selfe to God to be his instrument of righteousnes continuing most reuerently to make his election more steady and sure by good workes which God hath prepared for his Elect to walke in But we must vnderstande that this light whiche is in the children of God
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