A Golden Chain, Chapter 57 – Chapter 58
CHAP. 57. Of the estate of the Reprobates in hell.
AFter that the sentence of condemna…on is pronounced, then followeth euerlasting death: whereof this is the estate.
I. The Reprobates are separated from the presence and glorie of God.
II. They are punished with eternall confusion, & most bitter reproches: because all their secret wickednesses and sinnes are reuealed. 2. Thess. 1.9. Which shall be punished with euerlasting perdition, from the presence of the Lord, and from the glorie of his power. Math. 5.8. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. 1. Ioh. 2.28. And now little children, abide in him, that when he shall appeare, we may be bold, and not be ashamed before him at his comming.
III. They hauehave fellowship with the diuell and his angels, Math. 25.41.
IV. They are wholly in bodie and soule tormented with an incredible horrour, and exceeding great anguish, through the sense and feeling of Gods wrath, powred out vponupon them for euer. Esai 66. 24. And they shall goe forth, and looke vponupon the carkases of men, that hauehave transgressed against me: for their worme shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched: and they shall be an abhorring vntounto all flesh.
Hereupon is the punishment of those that are condemned, called Hell fire, a worme, weeping, and gnashing of teeth, vtter darknesse, &c. Rev. 21.8. But the fearefull, and vnbeleeuing, and the abominable, and murtherers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all lyers, shal hauehave their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the second death. Math. 13.42. And shall cast them into a furnace of fire, ther… shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Esai 66. 24.
A Corollarie.
ANd this is the full execution of Gods decree of reprobation, whereby appeareth the great iustice of God in punishing sinne: from whence also commeth Gods glorie, which he propoundeth to himselfe, as the last &chiefest end in all these things. Therefore let eueryevery Christian propound the same end vntounto himselfe. Rom. 9.14. What shall we say then? is there vnrighteousnesse with God? God forbid. 15. For he said to Moses, I will hauehave merciemercy on him to whome I will shew merciemercy: and will hauehave compassion on him on whome I will hauehave compassion. 16. So then, it is not in him that willeth, nor in him that runneth, but in God that sheweth merciemercy. 17. For the Scriptures saith vntounto Pharaoh, For this same purpose hauehave I stirred thee vp, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. 1. Cor. 10.31. Whether therefore ye eate or drinke, or whatsoeuer ye doe, doe all to the glorie of God.
CHAP. 58. Of the application of Predestination.
THe right applying of Predestination to the persons of men, is very necessarie: and it hath two parts. The first is, the iudgement of particular predestination, and the second is, the vse of it.
The iudgement and discerning of a mans owne predestination, is to be performed by meanes of these rules which follow.
I. The Elect alone, and all they that are elect, not onelyonly may be, but also in Gods good time, are sure of election in Christ to eternall life. 1. Corinth. 2.12. 2. Cor. 13.5.
II. They hauehave not this knowledge from the first causes of Election, but rather from the last effects thereof: and they are especially two: The testimonie of Gods spirit, and the workes of Sanctification. 2. Pet. 1. 10. Romans 8.16.
III. If any doubt of this testimonie, it will appeare vntounto them, whether it come from the Spirit of God, or their owne carnall presumption: First, by a full perswasion which they shall hauehave; for the holy Ghost will not barely say it, but perswadeth such, that thay are the children of God, the which the flesh can not in any wise doe. Secondly, by the manner of perswasion: for the holy Ghost draweth not reasons …rom the workes, or worthinesse of man, but from Gods fauour and louelove: and this kinde of perswasion is far different from that which Satan vseth. Thirdly, by the effects of that testimonie. For if the perswasion arise from presumption, it is a dead perswasion: but contrarily, it is most liuely and stirring, if it come from the holy Ghost. For such as are perswaded that they are elected, and adopted children of GOD, they will louelove god, they wil trust in him, and they will call vponupon him with their whole heart.
IV. If the testimonie of Gods spirit be not so powerfull in the elect, then may they iudge of their election, by that other effect of the holy ghost; namely, Sanctification: like as we vse to iudge by heate that there is fire, when wee cannot see the flame it selfe.
V. And of all the effects of sanctification, these are most notable. I. To feele our wants, and in the bitternes of heart to bewaile the offence of GOD in eueryevery sinne. II. To striue against the flesh, that is, to resist, and to hate the vngodly motions thereof, and with griefe to think them burthenous & troublesome. III. To desire earnestly and vehemently the grace of God, and merite of Christ to obtaine eternall life. IV. When it is obtained, to account it a most pretious iewel. Phil. 3.8. V. To louelove the minister of Gods word, in that he is a minister, and a Christian, in that he is a Christian: and for that cause, if neede require, to be readie to spende our blood with them. Mat. 10.42. 1. Ioh. 3.16. VI. To call vponupon God earnestly, and with teares. VII. To desire and louelove Christs comming, and the day of iudgement, that an ende may bee made of the daies of sinne. VIII. To flie all occasions of sinne, and seriously to endeauour to come to newnesse of life. IX. To perseuere in these things to the last gaspe of life. Luther hath a good sentence for this purpose. Hee that will serue God, must, saith he, beleeue that which cannot bee seene, hope for that which is deferred, and louelove God, when he sheweth himselfe an enemie, and thus remaine to the ende.
VI. Nowe, if so be all the effects of the spirit are very feeble in the godly, they must know this, that God trieth them, yet so, as they must not therewith be dismaied, because it is most sure, that if they hauehave faith, but as much as a graine of mustard seede, and bee as weake as a young infant is, it is sufficient to ingraffe thē into Christ, & therefore they must not doubt of their election, because they see their faith feeble, and the effects of the holy Ghost faint within them.
VII. Neither must hee, that as yet hath not felt in his heart any of these effects, presently conclude, that hee is a Reprobate: but let him rather vse the word of God, and the Sacraments, that hee may hauehave an inward sense of the power of Christ, drawing him vntounto him, and an assurance of his redemption by Christs death and passion.
VIII. No man may peremptorily set downe, that himselfe, or any other is a reprobate. For God doth oftentimes preferre those which did seeme to be most of all estranged from his fauour, to be in his kingdome aboue those, who in mans iudgement were the children of the kingdome. Hence is it that Christ saith: The Publicanes and harlots goe before you: and, many an one is called at the eleuenth houre, as appeareth by that notable example of the thiefe vponupon the crosse.
The vses, which may be made of this doctrine of predestination, are very many. First, for our instruction, we are taught these things.
I. That there is neither any iustification by workes, nor any works of ours that are meritorious. For election is by the free grace of God: and therefore in like sort is iustification. For, as I saide before, the cause of the cause, is the cause of the thing caused. And for this reason, in the worke of saluation, grace doth wholly challenge al to it selfe. Rom. 11.5. At this time there is a remnant through the election of grace. 2. Tim. 1.9. Who hath saued vsus, and called vsus with an holy calling, not according to our workes, but according to his owne purpose & grace, which was giuen to vsus, through Christ Iesus before the world was. Phil. 1. 29. VntoUnto you i… is giuen for Christ, that not onelyonly ye should beleeue in him, but also suffer for his sake. Rom. 3.24. Wee are iustified freely by grace. Tit. 3.5. Not by the workes of righteousnesse, which we had done, but according to his merciemercy he saued vsus. Ezech. 36. 27. I will cause you to walke in my statutes. Rom. 6.23. The gift of God is eternall life.
II. That Astrologie, teaching, by the casting of Natiuities, what men will be, is ridiculous, and impious: because it determineth, that such shall be very like in life, and conuersation, whom God in his predestination hath made vnlike. Iacob and Esau, borne of the same parents, and almost in the same moment of time, (for Iacob held Esau by the heele as he was borne) were of most vnlike dispositions, and had diuers euents. The like may we see in all twinnes, and others, which are borne at the same time.
III. That God is most wise, omnipotent, iust, and mercifull. O the wonderfull riches, both of the wisdome and knowledge of God! howe vnsearchable are his iudgements, and his waies past finding ont! Eph. 1.5. Who hath predestinate vsus, to be adopted through Iesus Christ vntounto himselfe, according to the good pleasure of his will.
Secondly, beeing the seruants of Christ we are admonished:
I. To fight against all doubting and diffidence of our saluation, because it neither depēdeth vponupon workes, nor faith, but vponupon Gods decree which is immutable. Math. 24.24. Luk. 10.20. Reioice that your names are written in the booke of life. Rom. 8.33. Who shall any thing to the charge of Gods chosen? it is God that iustifieth, who shall condemne? 2. Tim. 2.19. This teacheth, that the anker of hope must be fixed in the trueth, and stabilitie of the immutable good pleasure of God: so that albeit our faith bee so tossed, as that it is in danger of shipwracke, neuerthelesse it must neuer sinke to the bottome, but euen in the middest of danger, take hold vponupon repentance, as on a board & so recouer it selfe.
II. To humble our soules vnderunder the mightie hand of God: for wee are as clay in the hand of the potter. Rom. 9.21. They through infidelitie are broken off, but thou standest through faith. Be not high minded, but feare.
III. To giuegive all glorie to God. 2. Thess. 2.13. We ought to giuegive thankes alwaie to God for you brethren, beloued of the Lord, because that God hath from the beginning chosen you to saluation.
IV. To beare crosses patiently. Rom. 8.29. Those which he knewe before, he hath also pre…estinate, to be made like to the image of his sonne. This likenesse to Christ, is in bearing afflictions. Phil. 3.10. That I may know him, and the vertue of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his afflictions, to be made conformable to his death.
V. To doe good workes. Eph. 2. 10. Wee are his workemanship created in Christ Iesus to doe good workes, which God hath ordained, that we should walke in them.
Thus much concerning Theologie.