A Golden Chain, Text 1 (11 of 13)

A Golden Chain · Text 1 (11 of 13)

p. 450Thus we hauehave heard what is to be beleeued concerning the Father, Sonne, and holy Ghost. Now, looke as we beleeue in God distinguished into three persons: so we must remember, that when we performe diuine worship to him, we may distinguish the persons, but we are not to seuer them: when we pray to the Father, we must not omit the Sonne or the holy Ghost, but make our prayers to them all: for as in nature they are one, and in person not deuided but distinguished: so in all worship we must neuer confound or seuer the persons, but distinguish them, and worship the Trinitie in vnitie and vnitie in trinitie: one God in three persons, and three persons in one God.

Hitherto we hauehave intreated of the first part of the Creede concerning God: now followes the second part thereof concerning the Church: and …t was added to the former vponupon speciall consideration. For aaAugust. in …nchir. c. 59.the right order of a confession did require, that after the Trinitie the Church should be mentioned, as the house after the owner, the temple after God, and the citie after the builder. Againe,Aug. l. 4. c. 10. de …ymb. ad Catech. the Creede is concluded with points of doctrine concerning the Church, because whosoeuer is out of it, is also forth of the number of gods children: and he can not hauehave God for his father, which hath not the Church for his mother.

Question is made what the words are which are to be supplied in this article, the holy Catholike Church, whether, I beleeue, or, I beleeue in: and ancient expositours hauehave sufficiently determined the matter. One bbRuffin. in symb.saith, In these words, in which is set forth our faith of the godhead, it is saide, In God the father, in the Sonne, and in the holy Ghost; but in the rest where the speech is not of the Godhead, but of creatures aud mysteries, the preposition In is not added that it should be, in the holy Church, but, that we should beleeue there is an holy Church not as God, but as a companie gathered to God. And men should beleeue that there is remission of sinnes, not, in the remission of sinnes: and they should beleeue the resurrection of the bodie not, in the resurrection of the bodie: therefore by this preposition the Creatour is distinguished from the creatures, and things pertaining to God from things pertaining to men. Another vponupon these words, This is the worke of God that ye beleeue in him; saith,August tract. 2. 9.10 …oh. If ye beleeue in him, ye beleeue him; not if ye beleeue him, ye beleeue in him, for the deuills beleeued God, but did not beleeue in him. Againe of the Apostles, we may say, we beleeue Paul, but we doe not beleeue in Paul: we beleeue Peter, but we beleeue not in Peter. For his faith that beleeueth in him which iustifieth the vngodly, is imputed to him for righteousnes. What is it therefore to beleeue in him? by beleeuing to louelove and like, and as it were to passe into him, and to be incorporated into his members. Now the reasons which some Papists bring to the contrarie to prooue that we may beleeue in the creatures, & in the church, are of no moment. First they alleadge the phrase of Scripture, Exod. 14.31. p. 451They beleeued in God, and in Moses. 1. Sam. 27. 12. And Achis beleeued in Dauid. 2. Chron. 20.20. Beleeue in the Prophets and prosper. Ans. Epiph an. in Anchor.The Hebrewe phrase in which the seruile letter Beth is vsed, must not bee translated with a preposition that ruleth an accusatiue or ablatiue case, but with a datiue case on this manner, Beleeue Moses, Dauid, the Prophets: and it doth not impart any affiance in the creature, but onelyonly a giuing of credance by one man to another. Secondly they alleadge, that ancient fathers read the article on this manner, I beleeue in the holy Catholike Church. Answ. Indeede some hauehave done so: but by this kind of speech they signified no more but thus much, that they beleeued that there was a Catholike Church.

Thus hauing found what words are to be supplied, let vsus come to the meaning of the article. And that we may proceede in order, let vsus first of all see what the Church is. The Church is a peculiar companie of men, predestinate to life euerlasting and made one in Christ. First I say, it is a peculiar company of men: for Saint Peter saith,1. Pet. 2.….1 Pet 2 Ye are a chosen generation, a royall priesthood, an holy nation, and a peculiar people. He speakes indeede of the Church of God on earth, but his saying may be also extended to the whole Church of God, as well in heauen as in earth. Nowe because there can be no companie vnlesse it hauehave a beginning and a cause whereby it is gathered: therefore I adde further in the definition, predestinate to life euerlasting. Noting thereby the ground and cause of the Catholike Church, namely Gods eternall predestination to life euerlasting: and to this purpose our Sauiour Christ saith,Luk. 12.31.Luke 12:31 Feare not little flocke, for it is your fathers will to giuegive you the kingdome: signifying thereby, that the first and principall cause of the Church, is the good pleasure of God whereby he hath before all workes purposed to aduance his elect to eternall saluation. Therefore one saith well,aaBernard. in Cant. onelyonly the elect are the Church of God. And further, because no companie can continue and abide for euer, vnlesse the members thereof be ioyned and coupled together by some bond, therefore I adde in the last place, made one with Christ. This vnion maketh the Church to be the Church: and by it the members thereof, whether they be in heauen or in earth, are distinguished from all other companies whatsoeuer. Now this coniunction betweene Christ and the Church is auouched by Saint Paul when he saith,Col 1.18.Col 1:18 Christ is the head to his bodie, which is his Church: and when he ascribes the name of Christ not onelyonly to the person of the Sonne but to the Church it selfe, as in the Epistle to the Galatians. To Abraham and his seede were the promises made: he saith not, and to his seedes, as speaking of many, but, and vntounto his seede, as speaking of one, which is Christ: that is not the redeemer alone, but also the Church redeemed. For Christ as he is man is not the onelyonly seede of Abraham. And this definition of the Church is almost in so many wordes set downe in the Scriptures in that it is called the Familie of God, partly in heauen,Eph. 3.15.Eph 3:15 and partly in earth, named of Christ: and it is also called the heauenly Ierusalem, the mother of vsus all: and, the celestiall Ierusalem: and,Gal. 4.20. Heb. 12.22.Gal 4:20Heb 12:22 the congregation of the first borne. Nowe for the better vnderstanding of the nature, estate, and parts of the Church, two points among the rest must bee considered; the efficient cause therof, C…s predestination; and the forme, the mysticall Vnion.

In handling the doctrine of Predestination, my meaning is, onelyonly to stand p. 452on such points as are reuealed in the worde and necessarie, tending to edification. And first I will shewe what is the trueth, and secondly the contrary falshoode. In the trueth I consider foure things; I. what Predestination is: II. what is the order of it: III. what be the parts of it: IV. what is the vse.

Predestination may thus be de…ined: It is a part of the counsell of God, whereby he hath before all times purposed in himselfe to shewe mercy on some men, & to passe by others, shewing his iustice on them for the manifestation of the glorie of his owne name. First, I say, it is a part of his counsell, because the counsell or decree of God, vniuersally extends it selfe to all things that are: and Predestination is Gods decree so farre forth as it concernes the reasonable creatures, especially man. Nowe in eueryevery purpose or decree of God, three things must be considered; the beginning, the matter, the ende. The beginning is the will of God whereby he willeth and appointeth the estate of his creatures: & it is the most absolute, supreame, and soueraigne cause of all things that are, so farre forth as they hauehave beeing: hauing nothing either aboue it selfe or out of it selfe, to bee an impulsiue cause to mooue or incline it; and to say otherwise, is to make the will of God to be no will. Indeede mens wils are mooued and disposed by externall causes, out of themselues borrowed from the things whereof deliberation is made, because they are to be ruled by equitie and reason: and a mans bare will without reason is nothing. Nowe Gods will is not ruled by another rule of reason or iustice, but it selfe is an absolute rule both of iustice and reason. A thing is not first of all reasonable and iust, and then afterward willed by God: but it is first of all willed by God, and thereupon becomes reasonable and iust. The matter of his purpose is a decreed manifestation of two of the most ptincipall attributes of the godhead, mercy and iustice: and that with a limitation or restraint of mercy to some of the creatures, and iustice to some others, because it was his good will and pleasure. And we are not to imagine that this is a point of crueltie in God: for his very essence or nature is not iustice alone or mercy alone, but iustice and mercy both togither: and therefore to purpose the declaration of them both vponupon his creatures ouer whome hee is a soueraigne Lord; and that without other respects, vponupon his very will and pleasure, is no point of iniustice. The supreame end of the counsell of God is the manifestation of his owne glorie partly in his mercy, and partly in his iustice. For in common equitie the end which he propoundes vntounto himselfe of all his doings, must be answerable to his nature; which is maiestie and glorie and (as I hauehave said) iustice and mercy it selfe.

And because Pauls disputation in the 9. to the Romanes giues light and sufficient confirmation to this which I nowe teach, I will stand a little to open and resolue the same. From the 1. verse to the 6. he sets downe his griefe conceiued for his brethren the Iewes, and therewithall, that it might not bee thought that he spake of malice, he doth onelyonly in close and obscure manner insinuate the R…iection of that nation. This done in the 6. v. he answers a secret obiection which might be made, on this manner: If the Iewes be reiected, thē the word of God is of none effect: that is, then the couenant made with the forefathers is void: but the couenant can not be voide: therefore the Iewes are not p. 453reiected. The assumption he takes for graunted, and denies the consequence of the proposition. And the ground of his deniall is, because there is a distinction betweene man and man, euen among the Iewes, whereby some are indeede in the couenant, some not. And this distinction is prooued by three examples: the first in this verse, that of the children of Iacob the common parent of all the Iewes, some are Israel, that is, truely in the couenant as Iacob was: and some are not Israel. Now it might be further obiected, that the Iewes are not onelyonly the posteritie of Iacob, but the seede of Abraham in whome all nations of the earth are blessed: and therefore not to be reiected. And to this Paul answers vers. 7. alleadging a second example of the distinction betweene man and man out of the familie of Abraham, in which some were indeede sonnes, some were not. For the proofe of this, first he sets downe the words of the text in Moses, In Isaac shall thy seede be called: and secondly makes an exposition of them with a collection on this manner: Al they which are the sonnes of the promise are the seede of Abraham or the sonnes of God: but Isaac is a sonne of promise and not Ismael: therefore Isaac is the seed of Abraham and heire of the blessing, and not Ismael. The proposition is in the 8. verse, the assumption in the 9. vers. the conclusion in the 7. verse. Here marke, I. howe he makes a double seede, one according to the flesh, the other spirituall: and two kinde of sonnes, one of the flesh, the other sonne of the promise or the sonne of God: for he puts the one for the other. II. that the distinction betweene Isaac and Ismael, whereby one is in the couenant of grace, the other not; standes not in their foreseene saith and vnbeleefe, and the fruites of them: but in the purpose and will of God it selfe. For Isaac is called the childe of promise, because by the vertue of it he was borne, and beleeued, and was adopted the child of God, and made heire of the couenant giuen to Abraham: and therefore consequently the right of apoption befell him by the meere good pleasure of God, which is the first cause of our saluation, without respect of any thing in the person of Isaac. For what God by his promise brings to passe in time, that he most freely decreed before all times. Nowe considering the Iewes might say that Ismael was reiected, because he was borne of the hand-maid Hagar, whereas they, for their parts descend of Abraham and Sarai; by Isaac the lawefull sonne, Paul addes a third example of the distinction betweene man and man out of the familie of Isaac, in which Iacob was a true sonne and heire of the promise, and Esau was not. Nowe the distinction of these two persons is propounded in the 10. vers. and confirmed verse 11, 12, 13. in which are set downe three things: I. the time of this distinction, yer the children were borne, and therefore when they had neither done good nor euill. And this circumstance is noted, to shewe, that God was not mooued by any preuision or preconsideration of Iacobs godlinesse and Esaus prophanenesse to preferre the one before the other. II. the ende why the distinction was made at this time and not afterward when they were borne is, that the purpose of God which is according to his election might remaine sure, not of workes but by him that calleth: that is, that by this meanes it might appeare, that when God receiues any man into the couenant of eternall life, it proceedes not of any dignitie in the man whome God calleth, but from his merciemercy and alone p. 454good pleasure, that his decree of sauing the elect might remaine firme and sure for euer. Hence it is manifest that there is an vnchangeable decree of election of some men (for he that takes all and accepts none can not be said to choose) to saluation, depending vponupon the alone will of God; and therefore necessarily by the lawe of contraries, there is an opposite decree of reprobation: for in that God ordaineth some to eternall saluation, hee testifies thereby, that his purpose is to passe by some without shewing of mercy. III. The author of this distinction, God himselfe by his purpose before al times, which purpose he made manifest by testimony giuen to Rebecca, saying, the greater shall serue the younger: that is, the first borne and more excellent according to the flesh, shall loose his birthright and the blessing of his father, and in respect of title to the couenant, be subiect to the younger. And because this testimony concerning the freedome and seruitude of Iacob and Esau might seeme sufficient to prooue the election of the first and the reiection of the second, therefore Paul addes a secōd testimony out of Malachi, I hauehave loued Iacob & hated Esau: that is, I hauehave purposed to louelove Iacob & to hate Esau. And these words no doubt, are alleadged to expound the former place out of Moses, and shew that the bondage of Esau was ioyned with the hatred of God, and the feedom of Iacob with the louelove of God as tokens thereof.

Against this receiued exposition of the former words which I hauehave nowe propounded, sundrie exceptions are made. First, that the prerogatiue of Isaac aboue Ismael, and Iacob aboue Esau, was only in temporarie blessings, in that God vouchsafed vntounto them the right of the land of Canaan. Ans. If these places are to bee vnderstood of temporall blessings and not spirituall, then the Apostle hath not fitly alleadged the former examples, to prooue the reiection of the Iewes from the Couenant. For though it be graunted, there be a difference betweene man and man, in respect of earthly blessings, yet doeth it not followe that there shall be the same difference in things concerning the kingdome of heauen. If a father for some cause disinherit one or two of his children, it were absurd thereupon to conclude that he might therefore kil any of the rest. Againe, the land of Canaan was not onelyonly an earthly inheritance, but also a pledge and figure vntounto our forefathers of a better inheritance in heauē: and therefore the excluding of Ismael and Esau from the land of Canaan was a signe that they were excluded from the couenant of grace, and the right of eternall life. Some others say, that by Iacob and Esau are not meant two persons, but the two nations of the Idumeans and the Israelites. Ans. It is a manifest vntrueth. For it was not possible for two nations to striue in the wombe of Rebecca, vnlesse wee considered them as they were comprehended vnderunder the two heads, to wit, the verie persons of Iacob and Esau. And whereas they say that Esau in person neuer serued Iacob, but onelyonly in his posteritie, the answer is, that Iacobs freedome and prerogatiues were spirituall, and not temporall, which by faith he saw a farre off, but inioyed not: and therefore proportionally Esau was debased to the condition of a seruant in respect of his younger brother, not so much in respect of his outward estate and condition, as in regard of the couenant made with his auncestours from which hee was barred. And though it bee graunted that by Iacob and Esau p. 455two nations and not two persons are to be vnderstood, yet all comes to one head, for the receiuing of the nation of the Israelites into the couenant, and the excluding of the nation of the Edomites, both descending of Iacob and Esau, serue as wel to prooue Gods eternal election & reprobation, as the receiuing and reiecting of one man. Others say that these words, I hauehave hated Esau, are thus to be vnderstood; I hauehave lesse loued Esau then Iacob. But how then shall we say that Paul hath fitly alleadged this text to prooue the reiection of the Iewe from the fauour of God and the Couenant of grace, considering that of men, wherof one is loued more of God, the other lesse; both may still remain in the Couenant. Lastly, it is alleadged that the former exposition makes Ismael & Esau damned persons. Ans. We must leaue vntounto God all secret iudgement of particular persons, and yet neuerthelesse Paul doth very fitly in there two persons, both descending of Abraham, and both circumcised; set forth examples of such, as for their outward prerogatiues, are indeede barred from the couenāt of life euerlasting before god. And again the opposition made by Paul requires that the contrarie to that which is spoken of Isaac and Iacob, should be said of Ismael and Esau. And there is nothing spoken of either of them in the Scriptures which argues the disposition of men ordained to eternall life. Ismael is noted with the brand of a mocker, and Esau of a prophane man.

To proceede in the text, because the doctrine of Paul deliuered in the former verses might seeme strange vntounto the Romanes, therefore in the 14. verse, he laies downe an obiection, and answers the same. The obiection is this: If God put distinction betweene man and man, without respect had to their persons, vponupon his owne will and pleasure, then is he vniust: but he is not vniust: therfore he makes no such distinction. The answer is, God forbid. Whereby he denies the consequence of the proposition, on this manner: Though God should elect some to saluation, and reiect some others and that vponupon his will, yet were there no iniustice with God. The reason of this answer followes in the 18. verse. God hath absolute power or freedome of will, whereby without beeing bound to any creature, he may and can first of all hauehave merciemercy on whome he will, and secondly harden whome he will. For the proofe of the first, that God hath merciemercy on whome he will, he laies downe the testimonie of Moses, vers. 15. I will hauehave merciemercy on him on whome I will shew merciemercy, and I will hauehave compassion on him on whome I will hauehave compassion. And in verse 16. makes his collection thence, that it [namely the purpose of God according to election verse 11.] is not in him that willeth or in him that runne…h, but in God that sheweth merciemercy. Whereby he teacheth, that the free election of God in order goes before all things that may in time befall man: and that therefore neither the intentions and endeauours of the minde, nor the workes of our life, which are the effects of election, can be the impulsiue causes to mooue God to choose vsus to saluation. The second, that God hardens whome he will, is confirmed & made plaine by the testimonie of Scripture concerning Pharao, verse 17.

In the 19. verse there followes an other obiection, arising out of the answer to the former, on this manner: If God will hauehave some to be hardened and reiected, p. 456and his will can not be resisted, then with no iustice can he punish thē that are necessarily subiect to his decree: but God will hauehave some to be hardened and reiected, and his will can not be resisted: therfore (saith the aduersarie) with no iustice can hee punish man that is necessarily subiect to his decree. Here marke, that if there had beene an vniuersall election of all men, and if men had beene elected or reiected according as God did foresee that they would beleeue or not beleeue, the occasion of this obiection had beene cutte off. But let vsus come to Pauls answer. In the 20. verse hee takes the assumption for graunted, that some are reiected because God will: and that the wil, that is, the decree of God can not be resisted:A child might answer his obiection, if men were elect and re…used for their foreseene faith and …nbeleefe. and onelyonly denies the coherence of the proposition, checking the malipert pride of the aduersarie, and shewing that the making of this wicked and blasphemous collection against the will of God, is as if a man should sue God at the lawe, and bring him as it were to the barre, and plead against him as his equall, whereas indeede the creature is nothing to the creatour, and is absolutely to submit it selfe to his will in all things. In vers. 21. he proceedes to a second answer, shewing that Gods will is not to be blamed, because by his absolute soueraigntie and the right of creation, hee hath power to choose men, or to reiect and harden them. And where there is right and power to doe a thing, the will of the doer is not to be blamed. Now that God hath this right and power ouer his creature, it is prooued by a comparison from the lesse to the greater, on this manner. The potter hath power ouer the clay to make of the same lumpe one vessel to honour, and another to dishonour: therefore may God much more make some vessells of mercy, and some vessels of wrath prepared to destruction. The first part of the comparison is vers. 21. the second part vers. 22, 23. And least any man should thinke that God makes vessels of honour and dishonour without sufficient and iust cause in himselfe, as the potter may doe: therefore he sets downe endes of the will of God: he makes vessels of dishonour to shewe his wrath, and to make manifest his power: and againe he condemnes no man til he hauehave suffered him with long patience. And he makes vessells of honour that he might declare the riches of his glorie vponupon them. Hence it is manifest, first that the ende of predestination is the glorie of God, which is to be made manifest partly in his iustice and partly in his mercy: secondly that men are not elected or refused of God, for their foreseene corru…tions or vertues: for then Paul would not hauehave said, the God made vessels of dishonour, but that being so alreadie, he left them in their dishonour.

Thus from the 6. verse of this chapter to the 24. Paul hath described vntounto vsus the doctrine of Gods eternall predestination, and that by the iudgement of aaAug de …raede…t. san…t. ad Paulinum. ep. 7…. E…c…ir. 98 99. … …rum. 105. epist. …ierony. He…lib… q. 10 B…d. i… Rom. & Aquinas, &c.Diuines in all ages.

The order of Gods Predestination is this. It is the propertie of the reasonable creature to conceiue one thing after another, whereas God conceiues all things at once with one act of vnderstanding, and all things both past and to come are present with him; and therefore in his eternall counsell he decrees not one thing after another, but all things at once. Neuerthelesse for our vnderstanding sake, we may distinguish the counsel of God concerning man into two acts or degrees: the first is, the purpose of God in himselfe, in which he p. 457determines what he wil do, and the end of al his doings: and that is to create al things, specially man for his owne glory, partly by shewing on some men his mercy, and vponupon others his iustice. The second is, an other purpose whereby he decrees the execution of the former, and laies downe meanes of accomplishing the ende thereof. These two acts of the counsell of God, are not to bee seuered in any wise, nor confounded, but distinctly considered with some difference. For in the first, god decrees some men to honour by shewing his mercy and louelove on them, and some againe to dishonour by shewing his iustice on them; and this man more then that, vponupon his will and pleasure, and there is no other cause hereof, known to vsus. In the second, knowne and manifest causes are set downe of the execution of the former decree. For no man is actually condemned; yea God decrees to condemne no man but for his sinnes: and no man is actually saued but for the merit of Christ. Furthermore this latter act of the counsell of God, must be conceiued of vsus in the second place and not in the first. For euermore the first thing to be intended is the ende it selfe, and then afterward the subordinate meanes and causes wherby the end is accomplished. Againe the second act of Gods counsell containes two other; one which setteth downe the preparation of the meanes whereby Gods Predestination beginnes to come in execution; and they are two, the creation of man righteous after the image of God, the voluntarie fall of Adam and withall the shutting vp of all men vnderunder damnation: the other appoints the applying of the seuerall meanes to the persons of men; that Gods decree, which was set downe before all times may in time bee fully accomplished; as shall afterward in particular appeare.

Predestination hath two parts, the Decree of Election, the Decree of Reprobation or No-election. This diuision is plaine by that which hath beene said out of the 9. chapter to the Romanes, and it may be further confirmed by other testimonies. Of some it is said,2. Tim. 2.19.2 Tim 2:19 that the Lord knowes who are his: and of some others. Christ shall say in the daie of iudgement,Math. 7.21. Act. 13.48.Matt 7:21Acts 13:48 I neuer knewe you. In the Acts it is said, that as many of the Gentiles as were ordained to life euerlasting beleeued. And Iude saith of false prophets,Iud. 4.Judg 4 that they were ordained to condemnation.

In handling the decree of Election, I will consider three things: I. what Election is: II. the execution thereof: III. the knowledge of particular Election. For the first, Gods Election is a decree in which according to the good pleasure of his will, he hath certenly chosen some men to life eternall in Christ for the prai…e of the glorie of his grace. This is the same which Paul saith to the Ephesians,Eph. ….4.5. God hath chosen vsus in Christ before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in louelove: who hath predestinate vsus to be adopted through Iesus Christ vntounto himselfe, according to the good pleasure of his will. Nowe that wee m…y the better conceiue this doctrine, let vsus come to a consideration of the seuerall points thereof. First of all I saie, Election is Gods decree. For there is nothing in the worlde that comes to passe either vniuersally or particularly without the eternall and vnchangeable decree of God. And therfore whereas men are actually chosen, & brought to life euerlasting it is because God did purpose with himselfe and decree the same before all p. 458worlds. Now touching the decree it selfe, sixe things are to be obserued. The first, what was the motiue or impulsiue cause that mooued God to decree the saluation of any man. Ans. The good pleasure of God. For Paul saith, he will hauehave mercy on whome he will hauehave mercy: and, He hath predestinate vsus according to the good pleasure of God. Rom. 8. 18. Eph. 1.5.Rom 8:18Eph 1:5As for the opiniō of them that say, that foreseene faith and good works are the cause that mooued god to choose men to saluation, it is friuolous. For faith and good works are the fruits and effects of gods election. Paul saith, he hath chosen us, not because he did foresee that we would becōe holy, but th…t wee might be holy. Eph. 1.4. … 1. ….Eph 1:4Eph 1:1And, he hath predestinate vsus to adoption. Which is all one as if hee had said, he hath predestinate vsus to beleeue, because adoption comes by beleeuing. Now if men are elected that they might beleeue, then are they not elected because they would beleeue. For it can not be that one thing should be both the cause and the effect of another.

The second point is, that Gods election is vnchangeable; so as they which are indeed chosen to saluation can not perish, but shall without faile attaine to life euerlasting. Paul takes it for a conclusion… that the purpose of God according to election must remaine firme and sure;Rom. 9. …. an… 1. 29.Rom 9 and againe, that the gifts and calling of god are without repentance. And Samuel saith, The strength of Israel will not lie or repent. For he is not a man that he should repent. …. Sam. 15 …9.Such as Gods nature is, such is his will and counsell: but his nature is vnchangeable, I am Iehouah, saith he,M…l. 3 6. and I change not: therefore his will likewife and his counsels bee vnchangeable. And therefore whensoeuer the spirit of God shall testifie vntounto our spirits, that we are iustif…ed in Christ, and chosen to saluation; it must be a means to comfort vsus, and to stablish our hearts in the louelove of God. As for the opinion of them that say, the elect may fall from grace and be damned, it is ful of hellish discomfort, and no doubt from the deuil. And the reasons cōmonly alleadged for this purpose, are of no moment, as may appeare by the skanning of them.Eph. 1 …. …. …he…s. ….4. … ….….Eph 1 First they obiect that the Churches of the Ephesians, Thessalonians, and the dispersed Iewes are all called Elect by the Apostles themselues, yet sundrie of them afterward fell away. Ans. I. There are two kindes of iudgement to be giuen of men, the iudgement of certenty, and the iudgement of charitie. By the first indeede, is giuen an infallible determination of any mans election; but it belongs vntounto God principally and properly: and to men but in part, namely so farre forth as God shall reueale the estate of one man vntounto another. Nowe the iudgement of charitie belongs vntounto all men; and by it, leauing all secret iudgements vntounto God, wee are charitably to thinke, that all those, that liue in the Church of God, professing themselues to be members of Christ, are indeede elect to saluation, till God make manifest otherwise. And on this manner, and not otherwise doe the Apostles call whole Churches elect. II. they are called elect of the principall part, and not because eueryevery member thereof was indeede elect; as it is called an heape of corne though the bigger part be chaffe.…l. 69. …8. …xod. …2 32. … 9…3. Secondly it is alleadged, that Dauid praies that his enemies may be blotted out of the booke of life, which is the election of God, and that Moses and Paul did the like against themselues. Answer. Dauids enemies had not their names written in the booke of life but onelyonly in the iudgement of men. Thus Iudas so long as hee was one of the disciples of p. 459Christ, was accounted as one hauing his name written in heauen. Now hence it followes, that mens names are blotted out of Gods booke, when it is made cleare and manifest vntounto the worlde, that they were neuer indeede written there. And where Moses saith, Forgiue them this sinne: if not, blotte me out of thy bo…ke: and Paul, I could wish to be accursed, &c. there meaning was, not to signifie that men elected to saluation might become reprobates: onelyonly they testifie their zealous affections, that they could bee content to be depriued of their owne saluation, rather then the whole bodie of the people should perish, and God loose his glorie. As for that which Christ saith,Ioh. 6 70.John 6:70 HaueHave I not chosen you twelue, and one of you is a deuill, it is to be vnderstood not of election to saluation, but of election to office of an Apostle; which is temporarie and changeable.

The third point is, that there is an actuall election made in time, beeing indeede a fruite of Gods decree, and answerable vntounto it, and therefore I added in the description these wordes, whereby he hath chosen some men. All men by nature are sinners, and children of wrath, shut vp vnderunder one & the same estate of condemnation. And actuall election is, when it pleaseth God to seuer and single out some men aboue the rest, out of this wretched estate of the wicked world, and to bring them to the kingdome of his owne sonne. Thus Christ saith of his owne disciples,Ioh. 15.19.John 15:19 I hauehave chosen you out of the world.

The fourth point is, the actuall or reall foundation of Gods election, and that is Christ: and therefore we are said to be chosen to saluation in Christ. Eph. 1.4.Eph 1:4He must be considered two waies: as he is God, we are predestinate of him, euen as we are predestinate of the father and the holy Ghost. As he is our Mediatour we are predestinate in him. For when God with himselfe had decreed to manifest his glorie in sauing some men by his merciemercy, hee ordained further the creation of man in his owne image, yet so as by his owne fall hee should infold himselfe and all his posteritie vnderunder damnation: this done, he also decreed that the Word should bee incarnate actually, to redeeme those out of the former miserie, whome he had ordained to saluation. Christ therefore himselfe was first of all predestinate as he was to bee our head, and as Peter saith,1. Pet. 1.20. Aug de praede…t. …anct. c.15.1 Pet 1:20 ordained before all worlds; and wee secondly predestinate in him, because God ordained that the execution of mans Election should be in him. Here if any demand, howe wee may be assured that Christ in his passion stood in our roome and steade, the resolution will be easie, if we consider that he was ordained in the eternall counsell of God, to bee our suretie and pledge, and to be a publike person to represent all the elect in his obedience and sufferings: and therefore it is, that Peter saith,Act. 2.23. …. Tim. 1.….Acts 2:23 that he was deliuered by the foreknowledge and determinate counsell of God. And Paul, that grace was giuen vntounto vsus through Christ Iesus before the world was.

The fifth point is, concerning the number of the Elect. And that I expressed in these words, hath chosen some men to saluation. If God should decree to communicate his glorie and his merciemercy to all and eueryevery man, there could bee no election. For he that takes all, cannot be said to choose. Therefore Christ saith, Many are called, but fewe are chosen. Some make this question; howe great the number of the elect is, and the answer may bee this, that the Elect p. 460considered in themselues be innumerable, but considered in comparison to the whole world, they are but fewe. Hence it followes necessarily, that sauing grace is not vniuersall, but indefinite or parti…lar, vnlesse we will against common reason make the streames more large & plentifull then the very f…untain it selfe. And this must excite vsus aboue all thi…gs in the world to labour to hauehave fellowship with Christ, & to be partakers of the special merciemercy of God in him, yea to hauehave the same sealed vp in our hearts. Benefits cōmon to all, as the light of the sunne, &c. are not regarded of any. Things common to fewe, though they be but temporall blessings, are sought for of all. God giues not riches to all men, but to some more, to some lesse, to some none. And herupon how doe men like drudges toile in the world from day to day, and from yere to yere, to inrich themselues. Therefore much more ought men to seeke for grace in Christ, considering it is not common to all. We must not content our selues to say, God is mercifull, but we must goe further, and labour for a certificate in the conscience, that we may be able to say that God is indeede mercifull to vsus. When the Disciples would hauehave knowne how many should be saued, he omitting the question, answers thus, Striue to enter in at the straight gate.

The last point is, the ende of Gods election, and that is the manifesting of the praise and excellencie of the glorious grace of God.Eph ….

Thus hauing seene what Election is, let vsus come to the Execution thereof. Of which remember this rule, Men predestinate to the ende, that is, glorie, or eternall life, are also predestinate to the subordinate meanes, whereby they come to eternall life: and these are vocation, iustification, sanctification, glorification. For the first, he that is predestinate to saluation, is also predestinate to be called, as Paul saith,Rom. 8.3….Rom 8:3 Whome he hath predestinate, them also he calleth. Secondly, whome God calleth, they also were predestinate to beleeue; therefore sauing faith is called the faith of the elect. T…. 1.1.And in the Actes,Act. 13.48.Acts 13:48 as many as were ordained to life euerlasting, beleeued. Thirdly whome God hath predestinate to life, them he iustifieth, as Paul sait…,Rom. ….30. whome he hath predestinate, them he calleth, and whome he calleth, them he iustifieth. Fourthly, whome he hath predestinate to life, them he hath predestinate to sanctification and holinesse of life, as Peter saith, that the Iewes were elect according to the foreknowledge of God the father vntounto sanctification of the spirit. …. Pe…. ….1.Lastly, they that are predestinate to life, are also predestinate to obedience, as Paul saith to the Ephesians,Eph. 2. 10.Eph 2:10 Yee are the workemanship of God, created in Christ Iesus vntounto good workes, which God hath ordained that we should walke in them.

This rule beeing the truth of God, must be obserued: for it hath special vse. First of all it serues to stoppe the mouthes of vngodly & profane men. They vse to bolster vp themselues in their sinnes by reasoning on this manner: If I be predestinate to eternall life, I shall be saued whatsoeuer come of it, how wickedly and lewdly soeuer I liue: I will therefore liue as I list, and follow the swinge of mine owne will. But, alas, like blinde bayards they thinke they are in the way, when as they rush their heads against the wall, and farre deceiue themselues. For the case stands thus: all men that are ordained to saluation, are likewise ordained in the counsell of God to vse all the good meanes whereby they may come to saluation. And therefore all the elect that liue in p. 461this world shall be called, iustified, sanctified, and lead their liues in all good conscience before God and men: and they that liue and continue in their own wicked waies disputing on this manner, If I be ordained to saluation, I shall not be damned; ouershoote themselues, and as much as they can, plunge themselues headlong into the very pit of hell. And for a man to liue and die in his sinnes, let the world dispute as they will, it is an infallible signe of one ordained to damnation. Secondly, there be others that thinke that the preaching of the word, the administration of the Sacraments, admonitions, exhortations, lawes, good orders, and all such good meanes are needlesse, because Gods counsels be vnchangeable: if a man shall be condemned, nothing shall helpe: if a man be saued, nothing shall hinder. But we must still for our part remember, that God doth not onelyonly ordaine the ende, but also the meanes whereby the ende is compassed: and therefore the very vse of all prescribed meanes is necessarie. And for this cause we must be admonished with diligence to labour and vse all good meanes, that we may be called by the ministerie of the Gospell, and iustified, and sanctified, and at length glorified. If a king should giuegive vntounto one of his subiects a princely pallace, vponupon condition that he shall goe vntounto it in the way which he shall prescribe; oh what paines would the man take to know the way, and afterward to keepe and continue in it: but behold, the kingdome of heauen is the most glorious and royall pallace that euer was; and God hath bestowed the same on his elect: and he requires nothing at their handes but that they would turne their faces from this world, and walke vntounto it in the way which he hath chalked forth vntounto them in his word. Therefore if we would hauehave life euerlasting, we must come forth of the broad way that leades to destruction, and enter into the straight way that leades to eternall life. Wee must acquaint our selues with the guides which are the Ministers of the word, that will crie vntounto vsus, Here is the way, walke ye in it, when we goe to the right hand or to the left. Vocation, iustification, sanctification, repentance, new-…bedience, are the markes of the way, and we must passe by them all: and thus our wearie soules weltring a while in this wretched world, shall at length be receiued into eternall ioy and happinesse.

Touching the knowledge of particular election, two speciall points are to be skanned: I. whether a man may know his election: II. how it may be knowne. For the first, Papists are of mind that no man can certenly know his owne election vnlesse he be certified thereof by some speciall reuelation from God: but the thing is false and erroneous which they say. When the disciples of our Sauiour Christ returned from preaching, and shewed what wonders they had done, and how deuills were subiect vntounto them, the text saith they reioyced greatly. But Christ answered them againe, saying,Luk. 10.10.Luke 10:10 In this reioyce not, but rather reioyce that your names are written in heauen. Whereby he signifies that men may attaine to a certen knowledge of their owne election. For we can not, neither doe we reioyce in things either vnknowne or vncerten. Saint Peter saith,2. … 1.…. GiueGive all diligence to make your election sure. Now in vaine were it to vse diligence if the assurance of election could not be any waies compassed without an extraordinarie reuelation. And Paul saith to the Corinthians, p. 462Prooue your selues whether ye be in the faith or not. 2. Cor. 13.5.2 Cor 13:5Where he takes it for granted, that he which hath faith may know that he hath faith, and therefore may also know his election: because sauing faith is an vnfallible marke of election.

The second point is, how any man may come to know his owne election. And there be two waies of knowing it. The one is by ascending vp as it were into heauen, there to search the counsel of God, and afterward to come downe to our selues. The second by descending into our owne hearts to goe vp from our selues, as it were by Iacobs ladder, to Gods eternall counsell. The first way is dangerous, and not to be attempted. For the waies of God are vnsearchable and past finding out. The second way alone is to be followed, which teacheth vsus by signes & testimonies in our selues, to gather what was the eternall counsell of God concerning our saluation. And these testimonies are two: the testimonie of Gods spirit, and the testimonie of our spirits, as Paul saith,Rom. 8.16.Rom 8:16 the spirit of God beareth witnesse togither with our spirits, that we are the sonnes of God.

Touching the testimonie of Gods spirit, two questions may be demaunded. The first is, by what meanes the spirit of God giueth a particular testimonie in a mans conscience of his adoption. Ans. It is not done by any extraordinarie reuelation, or enthusiasme, that is, an ordinarie reuelation without the word; but by an application of the promises of the Gospel in the forme of a practicall syllogisme, on this manner: Whoso…uer beleeueth in Christ, is chosen to life euerlasting. This proposition is set downe in the word of God, and it is further propounded, opened, and applied to all that be in the Church of God, by the ministers of the Gospel set apart for this ende. Now while the hearers of Gods word giuegive themselues to meditate and consider of the s…me promise, comes the spirit of God and enlightens the eyes, and opens the heart, & giues them power both to will to beleeue, and to beleeue indeede: so as a man shall with freedome of spirit, make an assumption and say, but I beleeue in Christ, I renounce my selfe, all my ioy and comfort is in him: flesh and blood can not say this, it is the operation of the holy Ghost. And hence ariseth the blessed conclusion which is the testimonie of the spirit, therefore I am the child of God.

The second question is, how a man may discerne betweene the illusion of the deuill, and the testimonie of the spirit. For as there is a certen perswasion of Gods fouour from Gods spirit; so there be sleights and frauds of the deuill whereby he flatters and soothes men in their sinnes: and there is in all men naturall presumption in shew like faith, indeede no faith. And this counterfait mocke-faith is farre more common in the world then true faith is. Take a view hereof in our ignorant and careles people; aske any one of them, whether he be certen of his saluation or no; he will without bones making, protest that he is fully perswaded and assured of his saluation in Christ: that if there be but one man in a cuntrie to be saued, it is he: that he hath serued God alwaies, and done no man hurt: that he hath euermore beleeued, and that he would not for all the world, so much as doubt of his saluation. These and such like presumptious conceits in blind and ignorant persons, runne for currant faith in the world. Now the true testimonie of the spirit is discerned from naturall presumption, and all illusions of the deuill by two effects and fruits thereof, noted by Paul in that he saith, that the spirit makes vsus crie Abba, that is, father. The first is, to pray so earnestly with groanes and sighes, as though a man would euen fill heauen and earth with the crie not of his lippes, but of his heart, touched with sense and feeling of his manifold sinnes and off…nces. And this indeede is a speciall and principall note of the spirit of adoption. Now looke vponupon the loose and carelesse man, that thinkes himselfe so filled with the perswasion of the louelove and fauour of God, ye shall finde that he very seldome or neuer praies: and when he doth, it is nothing els but a mumbling ouer the Lords praier, the Creede, and the tenne Commandements for fashions sake. Which argues plainely that the perswasion which he hath of Gods merciemercy, is of the flesh and not of the spirit. The second fruit is, the affection of a dutifull child to God a most louing father: and this affection makes a man stand in feare of the maiestie of God wheresoeuer he is, and to make conscience of eueryevery euill way. Now those that are caried away with presumption, so soone as any occasion is giuen, they fall straight into sinne without mislike or stay, as fire burnes with speede when drie wood is laide vntounto it. In a word, where the testimonie of the spirit is truly wrought, there be many other graces of the spirit ioyned therewith, as when one branch in a tree buddeth the rest budde also.

The testimonie of our spirit is the testimonie of the heart and conscience, purified and sanctified in the blood of Christ. And it testifieth two waies, by inward tokens in it selfe, by outward fruits. Inward tokens are certaine speciall graces of God imprinted in the spirit, whereby a man may certenly be a…ured of his adoption. These tokens are of two sorts, they either r…pect o… sinnes, or Gods merciemercy in Christ. The first are in respect of sinnes p…st, p… sent, or to come. The signe in the spirit which concerneth sinnes past, …s … sorrow, which I may tearme a beginning & mother grace of many other gi… and graces of God. It is a kind of griefe conceiued in heart in respect of God. And the nature of it may the better be conceiued, if we compare it with the contrarie. Worldly sorrow springs of sinne, and it is nothing else but the horrour of conscience, and the apprehension of the wrath of God for the same: now godly sorrow, it may indeede be occasioned by our sinnes, but it springs properly from the apprehension of the grace and goodnes of God. World…y sorrow is a griefe for sinne onelyonly in respect of the punishment: godly sorrow is a liuely touch and griefe of heart for sinne because it is sinne, though there were no punishment for it. Now that no man may deceiue himselfe in iudging of this sorrow, the holy Ghost hath set downe seuen fruits or signes th… whereby it may be discerned. The first is Care to leaue all our sinnes: the second is Apologie whereby a man is mooued and carried to accuse & condemne himselfe for his sinnes past, both before God and men. The third is indignation, whereby a man is exceedingly angrie with himselfe for his offences. The fourth is feare, least he fall into his former sinnes againe. The fifth is desire, whereby he craueth strength and assistance, that his sinnes take not hold on him as before. The sixth is zeale, in the performance of all good duties contrarie to his speciall sinnes. The seuenth is reueng…, whereby he subdues his …o… least it should hereafter be an instrument of sinne as it hath beene in …ormer time. Now when any man shall feele these fruits in himselfe, he hath no doubt the godly sorrow, which here we speake of.

The token which is in regard of sinnes present, is the combat betweene the flesh and the spirit,Gal. 1.17.Gal 1:17 proper to them that are regenerate, who are partly flesh and partly spirit. It is not the checke of conscience which all men finde in themselues both good and badde, so oft as they offend God: but it is a fighting and striuing of the minde, will, and affections with themselues, whereby so farre forth as they are renued, they carrie the man one way, and as they still remaine corrupt, they carie him flat contrarie. Men hauing the disease called Ephialtes, when they are halfe asleepe feele as it were some weightie thing lying vponupon their breasts, and holding them downe: now lying in this case, they striue with their hands and feete and with all the might they hauehave to raise vp themselues, and to remooue the weight, and can not. Behold here a liuely resemblance of this combate. The flesh which is the inborne corruption of mans nature, lies vponupon the hearts of the children of God, and presseth them downe as if it were the very weight of a mountaine: now they, according to the measure of grace receiued, striue to raise vp themselues from vnderunder this burden, and doe such things as are acceptable to God; but can not as they would.

The token that respects sinne to come, is Care to preuent it. That this is the marke of Gods children, appeareth by the saving of Iohn,…. Ioh. 5.18.John 5:18 He that is borne of God sinneth not, but keepeth himselfe that the wicked one touch him not. And this care shewes it selfe not onelyonly in ordering the outward actions, but euen in the very thoughts of the heart. For where the Gospel is of force it brings eueryevery thought into captiuitie to the obedience of Christ: 1. Cor. 10.5.1 Cor 10:5and the Apostles rule is followed,P…l. 4.8. whatsoeuer things are true, whatsoeuer things are honest, &c. thinke on these things.

The tokens which concerne Gods merciemercy are specially two. The first is, when a man feeles himselfe distressed with the burden of his sinnes, or when he apprehends the heauie displeasure of God in his conscience for them: then further to feele how he standes in neede of Christ, and withall heartily to desire, yea to hunger and thirst after reconciliation with God in the merit of Christ, and that aboue all other things in the world. To all such Christ hath made most sweete and comfortable promises, which can appertaine to none but to the elect. Ioh. 7. 37. If any man thirst, let him come to me and drinke: he that beleeueth in me, as saith the Scripture, out of his bellie shall flow riuers of water of life. Rev. 21. 6. I will giuegive vntounto him which is a thirst of the well of the water of life freely. Now if he that thirsteth, drinke of these waters, marke what followeth, Ioh. 4.14. Whosoeuer drinketh of the water that I shall giuegive him, shall neuer be more a thirst: but the water that I shall giuegive him, shall be in him a well of water springing vp vntounto euerlasting life.

The second is a strange affection wrought in the heart by the spirit of God, whereby a man doth so esteeme and value, and as it were, set so high a price on Christ and his righteousnesse, that he accounts euen the most pretious things that are, to be but as dung in regard thereof.Phil. 3.8. M…h. …3.44.Phil 3:8 This affection was in Paul, and it is expressed in the parable in which after a man hath found a treasure, he first p. 465hides it, and then sells all he hath and makes a purchase of the field where it is. Now eueryevery man will say of himselfe, that he is thus affected to Christ, and that he more highly esteemes the least droppe of his blood, then all things in the world beside: whereas indeede most men are of Esaus minde, rather desiring the red broth then Isaaks blessing; and of the same affection with the Israelites, which liked better the onyons and flesh pottes of Egypt, then the blessings of God in the land of promise. Therefore that no man may deceiue himselfe, this affection may be discerned by two signes. The first is to louelove and like a Christian man because he is a Christian. For he that doth aright esteeme of Christ, doth in like manner esteeme of the members of Christ. And of this very point our Sauiour Christ saith,Math. 10.….Matt 10 he that receiueth a Prophet in the name of a prophet, shal receiue a Prophets reward, and he that receiues a righteous man in the name of a righteous man, shall receiue the reward of a righteous man. And Saint Iohn saith, Hereby we know that we are translated from death to life, because we louelove the brethren: that is, such as are members, euen because they are so. The second signe of this affection is a louelove and desire to the comming of Christ, whether it be by death vntounto any man particularly, or by the last iudgement vniuersally, and that for this ende that there may be a full participation of fellowshippe with Christ. And that this very louelove is a note of adoption, it appeares by that which S. Paul saith,2. Tim. 4.8.2 Tim 4:8 that the crowne of righteousnes is laid vp for all them that louelove the appearing of Christ.

The outward token of adoption is New-obedience, wherby a man endeauours to obey Gods commandements in his life and conuersation: as Saint Iohn saith,1. Ioh. 2.3.1 John 2:3 Hereby we are sure that we know him, if we keepe his commandements. Now this obedience must not be iudged by the rigour of the morall law, for then it should be no token of grace, but rather a meanes of damnation: but it must be esteemed & considered as it is in the acceptation of God,Mal. 3.17. Si quod vis n… po tes deus factum computat. August.Mal 3:17 who spares them that feare him as a father spares an obedient sonne, esteeming things done not by the effect and absolute doing of them, but by the affection of the doer. And yet least any man should here be deceiued, wee must knowe that the obedience, which is an infallible marke of the childe of God, must be thus qualified. First of all it must not be done vntounto some fewe of Gods commandements, but vntounto them all without exception. Herod heard Iohn Baptist willingly, and did many things: and Iudas had excellent things in him, as appeares by this, that he was content to leaue all and to follow Christ, and he preached the Gospel of the kingdome in Iurie as well as the rest: yet alas, all this was nothing: for the one could not abide to become obedient to the seauenth commaundement in leauing his brother Philips wife; and the other would not leaue his couetousnesse, to die for it. Vpright and sincere obedience doth inlarge it selfe to all the commandements, as Dauid saith,Psal. 1…9.….Ps 1:9 I shall not be confounded, when I hauehave respect to all thy commaundements. And Saint Iames saith,Iam. 2.10….Jas 2:10 he which faileth in one law is guiltie of all: that is, the obedience to many commaundements is indeede before God no obedience, but a slatte sinne if a man wittingly and willingly carrie a purpose to omit any one dutie of the lawe. He that repents of one sinne truly, doth repent of all: and he that liues but in one knowne sinne without repentance, though he pretend neuer …o p. 466much reformation of life, indeed repents of no sinne. Secondly this obedience must extend it selfe to the whole course of a mans life after his conuersion and repentance. We must not iudge of a man by an action or two, but by the tenour of his life. Such as the course of a mans life is, such is the man: though he, through the corruption of his nature, faile in this or that particular action, yet doth it not preiudice his estate before God, so be it he renue his repentance for his seuerall slippes and falls, not lying in any sinne; and withall from yeare to yeare walke vnblameable before God and men. S. Paul saith,2. Tim. 2.19.2 Tim 2:19 The foundation of God remaineth sure: the Lord knoweth who are his. Now some might hereupon say, it is true indeede, God knowes who are his; but how may I be assured in my selfe that I am his? to this demaund as I take it, Paul answers in the next words, Let eueryevery one that calleth on the name of the Lord depart from iniquitie: that is, let men inuocate the name of God; praying seriously for things whereof they stand in neede, withall giuing thanks, and departing from all their former sinnes, and this shall be vntounto them an infallible token that they are in the election of God. Thirdly in outward obedience it is required that it proceede from the whole man: as the regeneration which is the cause of it, is through the whole man in bodie, soule, and spirit.…. Thess. 3.23. Againe, obedience is the fruit of louelove, and louelove is from the pure heart, the good conscience, and faith vnfained.

Thus we hauehave heard the testimonies and tokens whereby a man may be certified in his conscience that he was chosen to saluation before all worlds. If and desire further resolution in this point, let them meditate vponupon the 15. psal. and first epistle of S. Iohn, beeing parcels of Scripture penned by the holy Ghost for this ende.

Here some will demand how a man may be assured of his adoption, if he want the testimonie of the spirit to certifie him thereof. Ans. Fire is knowne to be no painted but a true fire, by two notes; by heate, and by the flame: now if the case fall out that the fire want a flame, it is still knowne to be fire by the heate. In like manner, as I hauehave saide, there be two witnesses of our adoption, Gods spirit, and our spirit: now if it fall out that a man feele not the principall, which is the spirit of adoption, he must then hauehave recourse to the second witnesse, and search out in himselfe the signes and tokens of the sanctification of his owne spirit, by which he may certenly assure himselfe of his adoption, as we know fire to be fire by the heate though it want a flame.

Againe it may be demanded on this manner: how if it come to passe that after inquirie, we finde but fewe signes of sanctification in our selues. Ans. In this case we are to hauehave recourse to the least measure of grace, lesse then which, there is no sauing grace; and it stands in two things: an heartie disliking of our sinnes because they are sinnes, and a desire of reconciliation with God in Christ for them all: and these are tokens of adoption, if they be soundly wrought in the heart, though all other tokens for the present seeme to be wanting. If any shall say, that a wicked man may hauehave this desire, as Balaam, who desired to die the death of the righteous: the answer is, that Balaam indeede desired to die as the righteous man doth, but he could not abide to liue as the righteous: he desired the ende, but not the proper subordinate meanes p. 469which tend vntounto the ende; as vocation, iustification, sanctification, repentance, &c. the first is the worke of nature, the second is the worke of grace. Nowe I speake not this to make men secure and to content themselues with these smal beginnings of grace, but onelyonly to shewe howe any may assure themselues that they are at the least babes in Christ: adding this withall, that they which hauehave no more but these small beginnings must be carefull to increase them, because he which goes not forward goes backeward.

Lastly, it may be demanded what a man should doe if he want both the testimonie of Gods spirit and his owne spirit, and hauehave no meanes in the world of assurance. Ans. He must not vtterly despaire, but be resolued of this, that though he want assurance nowe, yet he may obtaine the same hereafter. And such must he aduertised to heare the word of God preached: and beeing outwardly of the Church, to receiue the Sacraments. When we hauehave care to come into the Lords vine-yarde and to conuerse about the wine-presse, wee shall finde the sweete iuyce of heauenly grace pressed forth vntounto vsus plentifully by the word and sacraments, to the comfort of our consciences, concerning gods election. This one mercy that God by these meanes in some part reueales his mercy, is vnspeakeable. When sickenesse or the day of death comes, the dearest seruants of God, it may bee, must encounter with the temptations of the deuill, and wrastle in conscience with the wrath and displeasure of God, as for life and death: and no man knowes howe terrible these things are, but those which hauehave felt them. Nowe when men walke thus through the valley of the shadowe of death, vnlesse God should, as it were open heauen, and streame downe vntounto vsus in this world some lightsome beames of his louelove in Christ by the operation of his spirit, miserable were the case euen of the righteous.

Thus much of Election, nowe followes Reprobation, in handling whereof we are to obserue three things. I. what it is. II. howe God doth execute this decree. III. how a man may iudge of the same.

For the first, Reprobation is Gods decree, in which because it so pleased him, he hath purposed to refuse some men by meanes of Adams fall and their owne corruptions, for the manifestation of his iustice. First, I say, it is a decree, and that is euident thus. If there be an eternall decree of God, whereby he chooseth some men, then there must needes be another decree whereby he doth passe by others and refuse them. For election alwaies implies a refusall. Againe, what God doth in time, that he decreed to doe before time: as the case falls out euen with men of mean wisdome, who first of al intend with themselues the things to be done and after do them. But god in time refuseth some men as the scripture testifieth, and it appeareth to be true by the euent: Therefore God before all worldes decreed the reiecting of some men.

Nowe in this decree foure points are to be considered. The first is the matter or obiect thereof, which is the thing decreed, namely the reiection of some men in respect of merciemercy, or, the manifestation of his iustice vponupon them. This may seeme strange to mans reason… but here wee must with all submission strike our top-sailes, for the worde of God saieth as much in plaine tearmes. The Apostle Iude speaking of false Prophets saith,Iud. 4.Judg 4 that they were of olde ordained to this damnation. And Paul saith in emphaticall tearmes, that God p. 468makes vessells of wrath prepared to destruction: …om. … 22. 2. …o… 4.3. 2. …. 2.9.13.and that some are reiected, whome he opposeth to them which are elected to saluation.

The second point is the impulsiue cause that mooued God to set downe this decree concerning his creature, & that was nothing out of himselfe, but his verie will and pleasure. Hee hardened Pharaoh with finall hardenesse of heart because he would: and therefore he deceed to doe so because he would. And our Sauiour Christ saith,Mat. 11.25.Matt 11:25 I thanke thee, O father, Lord of heauen and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and men of vnderstanding, and hast opened them vntounto babes. But vponupon what cause did God so? It followes in the next wordes,Vers. 25. It is so, O father, because thy good pleasure is such. And if it be in the power and libertie of a man to kil an oxe or a sheepe for his vse, to hunt & kill the hare and partridge for his pleasure: then much more without iniustice may it be in the will and libertie of the creator to refuse and forsake his creature of his glorie. Nay it standes more with equitie a thousand folde that all the creatures in heauen and earth should ioyntly serue to set forth the glorie and maiestie of God the creator in their eternall destruction, then the striking of a slie or the killing of a slea should serue for the dignitie of all men in the worlde. For all this, it is thought by verie many to be very hard to ascribe vntounto God who is full of bountie and mercy such a decree, and that vponupon his very wil: but let vsus see their reasons. First of all they say it is a point of crueltie for God to purpose to create a great part of the world to damnation in hell fire: the answer is, that by the vertue of this decree God cannot be said to create any man to damnation, but to the manifestation of his iustice and glorie in his due and deserued damnation: and the doing of this is absolute iustice. Secondly it is alleadged that by this meanes God shall hate his owne creature, and that before it is: but it is an vntrueth. Wee must distinguish betweene Gods purpose to hate and actuall hating. Now indeede God before all worlds did purpose to hate some creatures: and that iustly so farre forth as his hating of them will serue for the manifestation of his iustice: but he neither hates them indeed nor loues them before they are: and therefore actuall hatred comes not in till after the creation. Whome God hath decreed to louelove, them, when they are once created, he beginnes to louelove in Christ with actuall louelove: and whome hee hath decreed to hate, them being once created, he hates in Adam with actuall hatred. Thirdly it is obiected, that by this doctrine God shall be the author of sinne, for he which ordaines to the ende ordaines to the meanes of the end: but God ordaines men to the ende, that is, damnation: therefore he ordaines them to the meanes thereof, that is, sinne. Ans. The proposition beeing thus vnderstood, he which ordaines a man to an ende, in the same order and manner ordaines him to the meanes, is false. For one may be ordained to the end simply, the ende beeing simply good; and yet not be simply ordained to the meanes, because they may be euill in themselues, and onelyonly good in part, namely so far forth as they hauehave respect of goodnesse in the minde of the ordainer. Secondly, the assumption is false: for the supreame ende of Gods counsell is not damnation, but the declaration of his iustice in the iust destruction of the creature: neither doth God decree mans damnation as it is damnation, that is, the ruine of man and the putting of him forth to perishment, but as it is a reall execution of iustice. Thirdly wee must make distinction betweene sinne it selfe and the permission thereof, and betweene the decree of reiection, and actual damnation: nowe the permission of sinne, and not sinne it selfe properly is the subordinate meanes of the decree of reiection. For when God had decreed to passe by some men, he withall decreed the permission of sinne, to which permission men were ordained: and sinne it selfe is no effect, but onelyonly the consequent of the decree: yet so, as it is not onelyonly the antecedent, but also the efficient and meritorious cause of actuall damnation.

The third point is, the reall foundation of the execution of this decree, in iust condemnation, and that is the voluntarie fall of Adam and of all his posteritie in him with the fruite thereof, the generall corruption of mans nature. For howesoeuer God hath purposed to refuse men because it so pleased him, yet when his purpose comes to execution he condemneth no man but for his sinnes: and sinne though it were not in the counsel of God an impulsiue cause that mooued him to purpose a declaration of iustice and iudgement, yet was it a subordinate meanes of damnation: God in wonderfull wisdome ordering & disposing the execution of this decree, so as the whole blame and fault of mans destruction should be in himselfe. And therefore the Lord in the Prophet Ose saith,Hos. 13. 9.Hos 13:9 One hath destroyed thee, but I will helpe thee: that is, saluation is of God, and the condemnation of men is from themselues. Nowe whereas many deprauing our doctrine say, that wee ascribe vntounto God an absolute decree in which he doth absolutely ordaine men to damnation, they may here bee answered. If by absolute, they vnderstand that, which is opposed to conditional, then we hold and auouch, that all the eternall decrees of God are simple or absolute, and not limited or restrained to this or that condition or respect. If by absolute, they vnderstande a bare and naked decree without reason or cause, then we denie Gods decrees to be absolute. For though the causes therof be not knowne to vsus… yet causes there be, knowne to him, and iust they are: yea the very will of God it selfe is cause sufficient, it beeing the absolute rule of iustice. And though men in reason can not discerne the equitie and iustice of Gods will in this point, yet may wee not thereupon conclude that therefore it is vniust. The sunne may shine clearely though the blinde man see it not. And it is a flatte mistaking to imagine that a thing must first of all be iust in it selfe, and then afterward be willed of God. Whereas contrarise, God must first will a thing before it can be iust. The will of God doth not depend vponupon the qualitie and nature of the thing, but the qualities of things in order of causes followe the will of God. For eueryevery thing is as God wills it. Lastly, if it be called an absolute decree, because it is done without al respect to mans sinne, then we still denie it to be absolute. For as God condēnes man for sinne: so he decreed to condemne him for and by his sinne: yet so, as if the question be made what is the cause why he decrees rather in his iustice to condemne this man then that man, no other reason can be rendred, but his will.

The last point, is the ende of Gods decree, namely the manifestation of his iustice, as Salomon saith,Prov. 16.4.Prov 16:4 The Lord hath made all things for his owne sake, and the wicked for the day of euill. And Paul saith,Rom. 9.22.Rom 9:22 that God made vessels of wrath, to shew his wrath and to make his power knowne.

p. 470Thus we hauehave seene what Reprobation is: nowe followes the execution thereof, for that which God decrees before time, in time hee executes. And here a speciall rule to be remembred is this. Those which are ordained to iust dā nation, are likewise ordained to be left to themselues in this worlde, in blindnesse of minde and hardnesse of heart, so as they neither shall nor will repent of their sinnes. The trueth of this we may see in Gods word. For S. Peter speaking of the priests and Doctours, and cheife of the people among the Iewes saith plainly,…. Pet. 2.8. They stumbled at the word, and are disobedient. Why so? the reason is there set downe, because they were ordained to it of olde. And so Paul saith to the Corinthians, that he handled not the word of God deceitfully, but in the declaration of the trueth he approoued himselfe to eueryevery mans conscience in the sight of God. Nowe hereupon it might be saide: howe then comes it to passe that all receiue not the Gospel in Corinth; and to this hee answers with a terrible sentence,2. Cor. 4.3.2 Cor 4:3 If (saith he) our Gospell be hid, it is hid to them that perish: giuing vsus to vnderstand, that God leaues them to themselues in this world, whome he purposeth to refuse. And the Lord by the Prophet Esai saith of the Iewes,Esai. ….…. By hearing they shall heare and not vnderstand, and by seeing they shall see & not perceiue, least they should heare with their eares, and see with their eies, and vnderstand with their hearts, and so turne and be saued.

The vse of this is manifolde: first it serueth to ouerthrowe the opinion of carnall men which reason thus: If I be ordained to damnation, let me liue neuer so godly and well, I am sure to be damned, therefore I will liue as I list: for it is not possible for me to alter Gods decree. Blas…hemous mouthes of men make nothing of this and like speeches, and yet they speake flatte contraries. For whome God hath purposed in his eternal counsell to refuse, them also he hath purposed for their sinnes, to leaue to the blindenesse of their mindes and hardnes of their hearts, so as they neither will nor can liue a godly life.

Secondly, this rule doth as it were, lead vsus by the hand, to the consideration the fearefull estate of many people among vsus. We hauehave had for the space of thirtie yeares and more the preaching of the Gospel of Christ, and the more plentifully by reason of the schooles of learning. But what hath bin the issue of it? I doubt not but in many it hath beene the meanes of their conuersion & saluation: but to speake generally of the greater part there is little or no fruite to be seene. The most after this long preaching remaine as blinde, as impenitent, as heard hearted, and as vnreformed in their liues as euer they were, though they hauehave heard the Lord calling them to repentance from day to day, and from yeare to yeare. Well if this rule bee the trueth of God, as no doubt it is, then I say plainely, that there is a most fearefull iudgement of God among vsus. My meaning is not to determine or giuegive sentence of any mans person, of any towne or people, neuerthelesse this may be auouched, that it is a terrible and dangerous signe of the wrath of God, that after this long and daily preaching, there is still remaining a generall hardnesse of heart, impenitencie, and want of reformation in the liues of men. The smithes stithie, the more it is beaten the harder it is made: and commonly the hearts of men, the more they are beaten with the hammer of Gods worde, the more dull, secure, and senselesse they are. This beeing so, it standes eueryevery man in hand to p. 471looke to his owne estate. We are carefull to flie the infection of the bodily plague: oh then! how carefull should we be to flie the common blindnesse of minde and hardnes of heart, which is the very plague of all plagues, a thousand fold worse then all the plagues of Egypt? And it is so much the more fearefull, because the more it takes place, the lesse it is perceiued. When a malefactour on the day of assise is brought forth of the iayle, with great bolts and fetters to come before the iudge, as he is going all men pitie him and speake comfortably vntounto him: but why so? because he is now to be arraigned at the barre of an earthly iudge. Now the case of all impenitent sinners is farre more miserable, then the case of this man: for they lie fettered in bondage vnderunder sinne and Satan; and this short life is the way, in which they are going eueryevery houre to the barre of Gods iustice, who is the King of kings and Lord of lords, there to be arraigned and to hauehave sentence of condemnation giuen against them. Now canst thou pitie a man that is before an earthly iudge, and wilt thou not be touched with the miserie of thine owne estate who goest eueryevery day forward to the barre of Gods iustice; whether thou be sleeping or waking, sitting or standing, as a man on the sea in a shippe goes continually toward the hauen, though he himselfe stirre not his foote. Begin now at length to lay this point to your hearts, that, so long as ye runne on in your blind waies without repentance, as much as ye can, yee make post hast to hel-ward: and so long as you continue in this miserable condition, as Peter saith, Your iudgement is not farre off, and your damnation sleepeth not. Thirdly, seeing those whom God hath purposed to refuse shall be left vntounto themselues, and neuer come to repentance, we are to louelove and embrace the word of God preached & taught vntounto vsus by the ministers of the Gospell: withall submitting our selues vntounto it, and suffering the Lord to humble vsus thereby, that we may come at length out of the broad way of blindnes of mind and hardnes of heart leading to destruction, into the strait way of true repentance and reformation of life, which leadeth to saluation. For so long as a man liues in this world after the lusts of his owne heart, he goes on walking in the very same broad way to hell, in which all that are ordained to condemnation walke: and what a fearefull thing is it, but for a little while to be a companion in the way of destruction with them that perish: and therefore I say once againe, let vsus all in the feare of God, lay his word vntounto our hearts, and heare it with reuerence, so as it may be in vsus the sword of the spirit to cut downe the sinnes and corruptions of our natures, and worke in vsus a reformation of life and true repentance.

The third point concerning the decree of Reprobation, is the Iudgement to be giuen of it. This iudgement belongeth to God principally and pro…erly, because he knoweth best what he hath determined concerning the estate of eueryevery man, and none but he knowes who they be which are ordained to due and deserued damnation. And againe, he onelyonly knoweth the hearts and wills of men, and what grace he hath giuen them, what they are, and what all their sinnes be, and so doth no angel nor creature in the world beside. As for men, it belongs not to them to giuegive iudgement of reprobation in themselues or in others, vnlesse God reueale his will vntounto them and giuegive them a gift of discerning. This gift was bestowed on sundrie of the Prophets in the olde testament, p. 472and in the newe testament on the Apostles.Psal. 69. & 109.Ps 69 Dauid in many psalmes makes request for the confusion of his enemies, not praying onelyonly against their sinnes, (which we may do) but euen against their persons, which we may not doe. No doubt he was guided by Gods spirit, and receiued thence an extraordinarie gift to iudge of the obstinate malice of his aduersaries. And Paul praies against the person of Demetrius, saying, The Lord reward him according to his doings. 2. Tim. 4.14.2 Tim 4:14And such kind of praiers were lawful in them, because they were carried with pure and vpright zeale, and had no doubt a speciall gift whereby they were able to discerne of the finall estate of their enemies. Againe, God sometimes giues this gift of discerning of some mens finall impenitencie to the Church vponupon earth, I say not, to this or that priuate person, but to the bodie of the Church or greater part thereof. S. Iohn writing vntounto the Churches saith,…. Ioh. 5.16.John 5:16 There is a sinne vntounto death (that is, against the holy Ghost) I say not that thou shouldest praie for it: in which wordes he takes it for graunted, that this sinne might be discerned by the Church in those daies. And Paul saith, If any man beleeue not the Lord Iesus,1. Cor. 16.22.1 Cor 16:22 let him be had in execration, Mara-natha, that is, pronounced accursed to euerlasting destruction. Whence it appeares, that the Church hath power to pronounce men reiected to euerlasting damnation, vponupon some speciall occasions, though aaSic Chrysost.I dare not say ordinarily and vsually. The primitiue Church with one consent praied against Iulian the Apostata, and the praiers made were not in vaine, as appeared by the euent of his fearefull ende. As for priuate and ordinarie men, for the tempering and rectifying of their iudgements, in this case they must followe two rules. The one is, that eueryevery member of the Church is bound to beleeue his owne election. It is the commandement of God binding the very conscience,… Ioh. 3.John 3 that wee should beleeue in Christ. Nowe to beleeue in Christ, is not onelyonly to put our affiance in him, and to be resolued that we are iustified and sanctified and shall be glorified by him, but also that we were elect to saluation in him before the beginning of the worlde, which is the foundation of the rest. Againe, if of things that hauehave necessarie dependance one vponupon another, we are to beleeue the one then we are to beleeue the other. Nowe election and adoption are things conioined, and the one necessarily depends vponupon the other. For all the elect (as Paul saith) are predestinate to adoption: and wee are to beleeue our owne adoption: and therefore also our election. The second rule is, that concerning the persons of those that be of the Church, we must put in practise the iudgement of charitie, and that is to esteeme of them as of the elect of God till God make manifest otherwise. By vertue of this rule the ministers of Gods worde are to publish and preach the gospel to all without exception. It is true indeed there is both wheate and darnell in Gods fielde, chaffe and corne in Gods barne, fish and drosse in Gods net, sheepe and goates in Christs folde: but secret iudgements belong vntounto god, & the rule of louelove, which is to think & wish the best of others, is to be followed of vsus that professe faith working by louelove.

It may be demanded, what we are to iudge of them that as yet are enemies of God. Ans. Our dutie is, to suspend our iudgement concerning their finall estate: for we knowe not whether God will call them or no: and therefore we must rather pray for their conuersion then for their confusion.

p. 473Againe, it may be demaunded, what is to be thought of all our ancetours and forefathers that liued and died in the times when poperie tooke place. Ans. We may well hope the best and thinke that they were saued: for though the Papacie be not the Church of God, and though the doctrine of Poperie rase the foundation, yet neuerthelesse in the verie midst of the Romane Papacie, God hath alwaies had a remnant which hauehave in some measure truely serued him. In the olde testament when open Idolatrie tooke place in all Israel, God said to Eliah, I hauehave r…serued seuen thousand to my selfe that neuer bowed knee to Baal: See Illyr. Catal. test. ver….and the like is and hath bene in the generall apostasie vnderunder Antichrist. Saint Iohn saith, that when the woman fled into the wildernesse for a time,Rev. 12.17.Rev 12:17 euen then there was a remnant of her seede which kept the commandements of God, and had the testimonie of Iesus Christ. And againe, when ordinarie meanes of saluation faile, then God can and doth make a supplie by meanes extraordinarie, and therefore there is no cause why we should say, that they were condemned.

Thirdly it may be demanded, whethether the common iudgement giuen of Francis Spira that he is a reprobate be good or no? Ans. We may with better warrant say no; then any man saie, yea. For what gifts of discerning had they, which came to visit him in his extremitie; and what reasons induced thē to giuegive this peremptorie iudgement. He said himselfe that he was a reprobate: that is nothing; a sicke mans iudgement of himselfe is not to be regarded. Yea, but he despaired; a senselesse reason: for so doth many a man yeare by yeare, & that very often as deepely as euer Spira did; and yet by the good helpe of the ministerie of the word, both are and may be recouered. And they which will auouch Spira to be a reprobate, must goe further and prooue two things, that he despaired both wholly and finally: which if they cannot prooue, wee for our parts must suspende our iudgements, and they were much to blame that first published the booke.

Lastly it may be demanded, what is to be thought of them that make very fearefull endes in rauing and blaspheming. Ans. Such straunge behauiours are oftentimes the fruits of violent diseases which torment the bodie, and bereaue the minde of sense and reason: and therefore if the persons liued wel, we must think the best: for we are not by outward things to iudge of the estate of any man. Salomon saith, that all things come alike to al, and the same condition to the iust and to the wicked.

Thus much of the parts of Predes…ination. Nowe followes the vse thereof: and it concernes partly our iudgements, partly our affections, and partly our liues. The vses which concerne iudgement are three. And first by the doctrine of Predestination we learne that there cannot be any iustification of a sinner before God by his workes. For Gods election is the cause of iustification, because whome God electeth to saluation after this life, them he electeth to be iustified in this life. Nowe election it selfe is of grace and of grace alone, as Paul saith,Rom. 11…5.Rom 11:5 Election is by grace, and if it be of grace, it is no more of workes: or else were grace no grace: therefore iustification is of grace and of grace alone: & I reason thus. The cause of a cause is the cause of all things caused: but grace alone is the cause of predestinatiō, which is the cause of our vocatiō, iustificatiō p. 474sanctification, &c. Grace therefore is also the alone cause of all these. Therefore the Scriptures ascribe not onelyonly the beginning, but also the continuance and accomplishment of all our happinesse to grace. For first, as election, so vocation is of grace. Paul saith,1. Tim. 1.9.1 Tim 1:9 God hath called vsus not according to our works, but according to his purpose and grace. Againe, faith in Christ is of grace. So it is said, To you it is giuen to beleeue in Christ. Phil. 1.29.Phil 1:29Also the iustificatiō of a sinner is of grace. So Paul saith plainly to the Romans: you are iustified freely by his grace. Againe, sanctification and the doing of good workes is of grace. So it is said,Rom 3.24.Rom 3:24 We are his workemanshippe created in Christ Iesus vntounto good workes, which God hath ordained that we should walke in them. Eph. 2.10.Eph 2:10Also p…rseuerance in good workes and godlines is of grace. So the Lord saith,Ier. 32.40.Jer 32:40 I will make an euerlasting couenant with them, that I will neuer turne away from them to doe them good, but I will put my feare in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me. Lastly, life euerlasting is of grace. So Paul saith,Rom. 6.23.Rom 6:23 Life euerlasting is the gift of God through Iesus Christ. Nowe they of the Church of Rome teach the …lat contrarie: they make two iustifications; the first whereby a man of an euill man is made a good man: the second, whereby of a good man he is made better. The first they ascribe to grace; but so, as the second is by workes. Secondly hence we learne, that the art of iudiciall astrologie is vaine and friuolous. They that practise it, doe professe themselues to tell of things to come almost whatsoeuer, and this they doe by casting of figures: and the speciall point of their art is to iudge of mens natiuities. For if they may knowe but the time of a mans birth, they take vponupon them to tell the whole course of his life from yeare to yeare, from weeke to weeke, and from day to day, from the day of his birth to the houre of his death: yea that which is more, they professe themselues to tell all things that shall befal men either in bodie, goods, or good name, and what kinde of death they shall die. But that this their practise is not of God, but indeede vnlawefull, it may appeare by this, because it standes not with the doctrine of Gods predestination. Two twinnes begotten of the same parents, and borne both at one and the same time, by the iudgement of Astrologians must hauehave both the same life and the same death, and be eueryevery way alike both in goods and good name: yet we see the contrarie to be true in Iacob and Esau, who were borne both of the same parents at one time. For Iacob tooke Esau by the heele, so as there could not be much difference b…tweene them in time: yet for all this Esau was a fierce man and wilde, giuen to hunting; but Iacob was milde of nature, and liued at home: the one had fauour at Gods hand and was in the couenant, but God kept backe that merciemercy from the other. Againe, in a pitcht field are slaine a thousand men at one and the same time: nowe if we consider the time of their births it may be, they were borne at a thousand sundrie times, and therefore vnderunder so many diuers positions of the heauens and so by the iudgement of all Astrologers should hauehave all diuers and sundrie liues and endes: but we see according to the determination of the counsell of God, they hauehave all one and the same end: and therefore this must admonish all those that are brought vp in schooles of learning, to hauehave care to spend th…r times in better studies: and it teacheth those that are fallen into any manne… of distresse, not to hauehave recourse vntounto these fonde figure-casters. For their astrologicall iudgements are p. 475false and foolish, as wee may see by the two former examples. Thirdly, the knowledge of God is one of the most speciall points in Christian religion: & therefore the Lord saith,Ier 9.24.Jer 9:24 Let him that reioice, reioice in this, that he vnderstandeth and knoweth me. For I am the Lord which shewe mercy and iudgement in the earth. And our Sauiour Christ saith,Ioh. 17.3.John 17:3 This is life eternall to knowe thee, the onelyonly very God, and whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ. Now Gods predestination is a glasse wherein we may behold his maiestie. For first, by it we see the wonderfull wisdome of God, who in his eternall counsell did foresee and most wisely sette down the state of eueryevery man: secōdly his omnipotencie, in that he hath power to saue and power to refuse whome he will: thirdly his iustice and mercy both ioyned togither in the exequution of election: his mercy in that he saueth those that were vtterly lost; his iustice in that he ordained Christ to bee a mediatour to suffer the curse of the lawe, and to satisfie his iustice for the elect: fourthly his iustice in the exequution of the decree of Reprobation; for though hee decreed to holde backe his merciemercy from some men, because it so pleased him, yet he condemneth no man but for his sinnes. Now the consideration of these and the light points, bring vsus to the knowledge of the true God.

The vses which concerne our affections are these. First the doctrine of predestination ministers to all the people of God matter of endlesse consolation. For considering Gods election is vnchangeable, therefore they which are predestinate to saluation can not perish: though the gates of hell preuaile against them so as they be hardly saued, yet shall they certenly be saued; therefore our Sauiour Christ saith, that in the latter daies shall arise false Christs and false prophets, which shal shew great signes and wonders,Math. 24.24…Matt 24:24 so that if it were possible they should deceiue the verie elect. In which wordes he takes it for granted, that the elect of God can neuer finally fall away. And hereupon he saith to his disciples when they reioyced that the deuils were subiect to them,Luk 10.20.Luke 10:20 rather r…ioice that your names are written in heauen. And S. Paul speaking of Hymeneus and Alexander, which had fallen away from the faith, least the church would be discouraged by their fall, because they were thought to be worthy men and pillars of the Church; he doth comfort them from the very gounde of elect…on, saying,…. Tim. 1.…9; The foundation of God remaineth sure and hath this seale: The Lo…d k…eth who are his. Where Gods election is compared to the foundation of an house, the building whereof may be shaken, but the groundworke stande…h fast: and therefore Paul saith further,Rom. 8.…3.Rom 8:3 Who shall lay any thing to the cha…ge of Gods elect? Nowe then that wee may hauehave comfort in distresse, and some thing to stay vponupon in all our troubles: we in this world are as straungers in a farre countrie: our passage homeward is ouer the sea of this worlde: the shippe wherein we saile is the Church: and Satan stirres vp many blasts of troubles and temptations… and his purpose is to sinke the shippe, or to driue it on the rocke; but we must take the anchor of hope and fas…en it in heauen vponupon the foundation of Gods election: which beeing done, wee shall passe in s…fetie and reioice in the midst of all stormes and tempests. Secondly wheras God refuseth some men and leaues them to themselues, it serues to strike a feare into eueryevery one of vsus whatsoeuer: we lie, as S. Paul saith in the like ca…e, the p. 476Iewes beeing the naturall branches are broken off through vnbeleefe, and thou standest by faith: be not high m…nded, but feare. Rom. 11.20.Rom 11:20This indeede was spoken to the Romanes, but we must also lay it vntounto our hearts. For what is the best of vsus, but a lumpe of clay? and howsoeuer in Gods counsell we are chosen to saluation, yet in our selues we are all shut vp vnderunder vnbeleefe, and are fit to make vessels of wrath. Our Sauiour Christ calleth Iudas a deuill, and we know his leud life and fearefull end: now what are we better then Iudas by nature? If we had bin in his stead, without the speciall bles…ing of God, we should hauehave done as he did: he betraied Christ; but if God leaue vsus to our selues, we shal not onelyonly betray him, but by our sinnes euen crucifie him a thousand waies. Furthermore, let vsus bethinke our selues of this, whether there be not already condemned in hell, who in their liues were not more grieuous of…endours then we. Esai calleth the people of his time a people of Sodom & Gomorrha; giuing the Iewes then liuing to vnderstand,Esa. 2.10.Isa 2:10 that they were as bad as the Sodomites, & as the people of Gomorrha, on whome the Lord had shewed his iudgements long before. If this be true, then let vsus with feare and trembling be thankfull to his maiestie that he hath preserued vsus hitherto from deserued damnation.