Predestination, Translators note
¶ To the Right VVorshipfull Master Iohn Hayward. Maior: And the Worshipfull Iurates his Brethren: And the whole Communalti… of the Towne and Libertie of Fauersham.
RIght Worshipfull, as many other wholsome and heauenly doctrines grounded vpō the word of God, hauehave beene and are to this day contradicted and impugned: euen so it fareth with the diuine and deepe doctrine of Gods Predestination; a doctrine not more heauenly, then wholsome, nor more commodious, then comfortable, & yet as heauenly & as commodions, duplicate page duplicate page as any doctrine whatsoeuer, which the Scriptures do affoord. The Pelagians held, that God predestinated men to life or death, as he did foresee that they would by their naturall free will receiue or reiect grace offered. They taught, that it was in mans power to beleeue, or not to beleeue: they placed the causes of saluation in men themselues out of God, and held, that the Elect might fall from grace and perish.
Others hold, that albeit the Lord electeth some of his meere mercy without respect of any thing in them, that yet he reiecteth those which are reiected, because he did foresee that they would reiect his grace offered vntounto them in the Gospell. Some Vbiquitaries hold, that Adams fall came to passe without Gods decree, or any ordination of …: secondly, that no decree of God dependeth vponupon his sample will, concerning the saluation of the godly, or the reiection of the Reprobate: thirdly, that God doth vtterly nill the reprobation of …y: fourthly, that the Reprobate may bee conuerted and saued: …ly, that Christ dyed for the reprobates, and that it is the purpose and will of God simply, that all men without exception should be saued. Some do subiect Election vntounto Gods eternall decree, but not Reprobation. Others, putting no difference betweene Reprobation and Damnation, do thinke, as God doth passe by some men of his meere pleasure, that he doth in like sort damne them of his meere will and pleasure, whereas indeed sinne is the cause why men are damned. Many of the Romish synagogue do teach, that men are elected for their foreseene faith, and meritorious works. And it is the common opinion of all Papists, that the Elect cannot be certaine and sure of their election, vnlesse it be extraordinarily by some speciall reuelation, and singular priuiledge. Many also there are, which would not hauehave this doctrine publickly taught by the Minister; but without good reason. For first, as the Minister must not search the secrets of God which are not reuealed, so he must not suppresse or hide that which is reuealed. For things Reuealed, belong to Deu. 29. 29.vsus and to our children for euer, as Moses teacheth. Therefore as we may not search into those things which God will hauehave kept secret, so we may in no wise be wholly ignorant of those things which he hath reuealed vntounto vsus. But this doctrine of Predestination, is very plentifully and perspicuously reuealed and deliuered vntounto vsus in the Scriptures. Secondly, as the word of God omitteth nothing which is needefull to be knowne, touching the saluation of our soules, so wee must know, that it teacheth nothing but that which is profitable, and worthy to be learned of all. For that speach of Paul to the Romanes is true of all the writings of the Prophets and Apostles also, VVhatsoeuer things were written, were written for Rom. 15. 4our learning. But the word of God doth teach this doctrine of Election and Reiection, as is euident by many places therein: therefore it is necessary and fit to be taught of the Minister, and to be learned of the people. Thirdly, it is the duetie of all faithfull Ministers to teach all the counsell of God, as Paul sayth Act. 20. 27.hee did: but Predestination is a part of Gods counsell: therefore it ought to bee deliuered of vsus vntounto the people of God; alwayes remembring, that wee applie our selues to your capacities, and teach it orderly (as occasion serueth) keeping our selues in all sobrietie within the limits of the Word. Fourthly, Christ commaundeth the Gospell to be preached Mark. 10. 15.to eueryevery creature: but this Doctrine belongeth to the Gospell, and therefore is to bee preached vntounto the vnlearned, as to the learned. Lastly, all Ministers are bound to keepe back nothing which is profitable, but to shew Act. 20 20.it as Paul did: But the doctrine of Predestination is very profitable. For first, it letteth vsus see the omnisciencie, the omnipotencie, the soueraignetie, and immutable nature of God. Secondly, it serueth to increase and confirme our faith and hope, concerning the eternall felicitie of our soules and bodyes; seeing it is not founded vponupon our selues, or vponupon any sandie foundation, but vponupon the constant and vnchangeable good pleasure of God. Thirdly, it teacheth vsus not to wonder at the small number of beleeuers, and at the hardnesse and blindnesse of many mens hearts and minds. For it sheweth, that God hath elected but a fewe, and hath Math. 20. 16.passed by many, leauing them vntounto themselues, and deliuering them vp into the hands of the Diuell. Fourthly, it serueth to strengthen and comfort vsus in all afflictions, and to arme vsus against all the fiery darts of the Diuell, and the fury of his lims. For it sheweth, that nothing can separate vsus frō the louelove of God, and that all things Rom. 8. 28, 39.worke for the best vntounto them that louelove God, euen vntounto them that are called of his purpose. All stormes and waues of woe shall passe ouer, and in the end we shall rest in the quiet hauen of euerlasting happinesse. Fiftly, this doctrine stayeth vsus from taking offence at the Apostacy of many professors: for it sheweth vsus, that all is not gold which glisters, and that some stand for a time, and some stand fast for euer. If they had been of vsus (sayth Iohn) they should hauehave continued with vsus. Sixtly, it teacheth …. Iohn 2. 19.vsus to acknowledge Gods singular goodnesse towards vsus, who of his meere good will toward vsus, hath elected vsus vntounto eternall life, and the fruition of immortall glory in the heauens. Seuenthly, it serueth to teach vsus humility, and to beate downe the pride of our harts. For it sheweth, that Gods grace, and not our goodnesse, is the originary cause of our welfare and saluation. The cause, which mooued God to choose vsus rather then many others, was not our foreseene preparations, or meritoriou… works, but his owne louelove, and free good will toward vsus. Lastly, (to … sundry vses which might be made of this one doctrine) it teacheth vsus to ascribe the glory of our saluation to God alone, and to walke thankefully before him, manifesting the gratitude of our hearts by our religious, righteous, and sober liues. To conclude, some are so far out of louelove with this doctrine, that they can scarce with patience indure to heare it spoken of. And many licencious and prophane persons do very wickedly abuse it, to take vntounto themselues liberty of lasci…us and loose …. For (say they) if I be ordeyned to …ed, I cannot be damned, … if damnation be my destiny, I can neuer be saued: And therefore it skilleth not how I liue; for if God hauehave appointed me to be saued, I shall be saued, though I do iust nothing: and it he hauehave determined that I shall be damned, I shall neuer escape it, though I liue neuer so well. For Gods decree is constant, his appointment shall stand, whosoeuer sayth nay to it. But these men forget, that God doth predestinate men as well to vse the meanes, as to atteine vntounto the end. As he hath appointed a man to liue, so he hath appoynted the same man to vse those meanes which preserue life, as meate, drinke, rest, recreation, labour, phisicke. Euen so, as hee hath appoynted a man to be saued, hee hath appoynted him to vse the meanes, and to walke in the way of saluation, as to bele…ue: and therefore the scripture saith, So many as were ordeined to euerlasting life beleeued, Act. 13 48. And Paul shew…, that those God doth call, … bee hath predestinated, and iustifieth those … 8. …… … doth effectually call, before he … … them. And in his Epistle to the Ephesians he teacheth, that (as God hath chosen vsus vntounto life eternall, so) he hath Ephes. 1. 4.also chosen vsus in Christ, that we should be holy, and without blame before him in louelove: and that as hee hath ordeyned vsus vntounto saluation, so hee hath created vsus in Christ Ephes. …. 10.Iesus vntounto good works, which hee hath ordeined that wee should walke in them. As the Scripture teacheth vsus that God hath elected vsus vntounto saluation: so it doth also teach vsus, that hee sent his Sonne to saue vsus. As God had determined that Christ should not dye in his infancie (as the euent declared) so hee did appoynt his father in lawe Ioseph to take hym and his Mother, and to flye into Egypt, when Herod Math. 2. 13.sought to destroy him. By which wee see, that as GOD hath predestined the end, so hee hath also predestined the way and meanes thereunto. Hee therefore that desireth to be saued, must vse the meanes which God hath appointed. His damnation may not without cause be feared, who following the sway of his carnall affections, contemneth o… neglecteth the meanes of grace, and will not 1. Sam, 2 25.walke in the way which leadeth vntounto glory. But wee (Beloued) reiecting all the fansies and fantastike inuentions of man, must rectifie our iudgements by the rule of Gods word, and with discreet diligence and sobrietie we ought to labour for the true knowledge and right vnderstanding of this celestiall and solacious doctrine of Gods eternall Predestination; … doctrine not so profound as profitable, and not so …bstruse and intricate, as many doe imagine. A notable furtherance hereunto this treatise following will affoord; penned pithily, concisely, and perspicuously by a very learned and iudicious Diuine. Now (my Brethren) amōgst many other things which belong to this doctrine, there be two things which I do commend to your Christian consideration. First, the priuiledges of Gods elect and adopted children. Secondly, the notes of Election vntounto saluation, and the practise of those things, whereby a man may come to be in his conscience soundly perswaded, that he is a chosen vessell predestinated to eternall life. For the first; Many and excellent are the prerogatiues and immunities, wherewith the Elect are priuiledged and adorned: therefore the Psalmist saith, Glorious things are spoken of thee, O thou Citie of Psal, 8…. 3.God. And yet as glorious and numerous as they be, they are not easily discerned and acknowledged of the world: first, because their disgrace is common and publique, by reason of the spitefull and inueterate malice of the Serpent and his …eed, whereby it commeth to passe, that the faithfull in all ages hauehave acted a part longer or shorter, in a dolefull tragedy vponupon the stage of the world, so as that of all men they hauehave alway for the most part seemed most miserable, and least respected of man, and priuiledged of God. Secondly, because sundry slips and sinnes hauehave bin obserued in them. Thirdly, the vpright Pro…. 2…. 27.man is such an abomination to the wicked, as that through his cankered spite, his spitefull and rancorous hatred, he cannot behold and fansie his sweet and louely condition. Fourthly, the principall ornaments of the Godly are darke and spirituall, as the Psalmist saith, The Kings daughter Psal. 45. …3.i… all glorious within; and their outward estate is vsually obscure, course, and ragged; not much vnlike to the Curtaines of the Tabernacle, whose outwarde couerings were of Goates haire, Rams skins, and Badgers, but the inward were of fine twined linnen, blue silke, purple & skarlet, with the most exquisite embroydering of Exod. 26the Cherubins vponupon them.
The World, vntounto Gods Children is as a Step-mother, and may be tearmed Gods Schoole-house, in which hee trayneth vp his Children as Schollers vnderunder the crosse, often correcting them with his rod of affliction. Whence it is, that the world accounts them infortunate, and beeing vnable to iudge of colours, through the dimnesse of her sight, thee considereth and commendeth none but such as are light, though they weare and lose their brightnesse, whiles shee is poaring on them. But although the World bee blea…e-eyed and di… sighted, yet those which are elected out of the world, do feele, and see, and can say much. And the word of God conteyneth in it many royall and notable priuiledges and dignities, properly belonging vntounto those whom God hath elected and adopted, some whereof I will briefly and plainely heere set downe.
The first dignitie is their glorious and Priuil. 1.honorable stiles and titles. They are called in the Scriptures, The people, the redeemed, the sonnes, the building, the husbandrie and houshold seruants of God, the brethren, the spouse, the members, the seed & the sheep of Christ, the temples of the holy Ghost, the seed, the sonnes and the daughters of Abraham. They are called liuely stones, a spirituall house, heires of the promise, Saints, faithfull, Kings, Priests, yea an holy & princely priesthood, a peculiar people chalenged of God, a chosen generation, and an holy nation.
The faithfull and chosen children of Priuil. 2.God alone hauehave true title to all the outward blessings of God, for they only beleeue, Isa. 1. 19 1. Tim. 4. 3.and they are only Gods obedientiaries. Reprobates are butindeed vsurpers of them in his sight. We lost them in Adam, and we receiue right neither in them nor to them, but by Christ. His passions hauehave purchased our possessions.
The Elect only can vse Gods blessings Priuil. 3.to a right end and in a right maner. For they only are pure (being purged in the bloud of Christ) and they only can pray with a true faith. The wicked make their riches their owne ruine, and Gods benefits their owne bane, and either abuse them, or vse them not as he commandeth them, and causeth his owne children by his grace to vse them.
God hath appoynted his holy Angels, Priuil. 4.which for their strength and fortitude are called Gods, to guard and protect his Psa. 8. 5.people. The Angell of …: Lord (saith Dauid) pitcheth round about them that foare him. …sal. 34. ….And the Apostle sayth, that they are all ministring spirits, sent forth to minister for their sakes which shall be beires of saluation. The Lord hath honoured his Elect, and Priuil. 5.no doubt, yet doth and will (when it pleaseth him) by preseruing them, and prouiding for them very effectually, and sometimes …er…. 36. 26.also very wonderfully. Hee saued Noah from drowning, Lot from burning, …lias from famishing, Mordecai from murder, and Paul from those bloudy Votaries, by prouiding for them very kindly. Hee saued Samson miraculously from perishing by thirst, and Daniel from the teeth of the Lions. Dauid saith, The Lord drew him out Psal. 18, 16, 48, 50.of many waters, and deliuered him from the cruell man, and gaue him great deliuer anc…s. He did often and strangely also preserue our late Queene of holy and happy memory, from the desperate and malicious attempts of Popish Traytors, set a worke by the Diuell to murder her. He prolonged her dayes, he held the Crowne on her head, and kept the Scepter in her hand with peace and prosperitie, the time and tyranny of *Paul. 4. Pius 4. & 5. Greg. 13. Sixtus. 5. Vrban. 7. Greg. 14 Innoc. 9. Clemon, 8nine or tenne Monsters her mortall enemies, though their slaues continually plotted and practised against her, and thought the Prince of the aire thundered against her in his *Pius 5. Greg. 13. Sixtus ….Lieutenants (as it were from the clouds) with curses and cursed Excommunications. Lately also he hath vouchsafed an admirable deliuerance to his Anointed our gracious King, and to vsus all, from a most barbarous and horrible confusion. And of this kinde of fauour and fauourable dealing vsed of the Lord, we may reade plentifully in Diuine and Ecciesiasticall stories. And no doubt, the wicked hauehave sometimes fared the better for the Electsake, as Laban did Gen. 30. 27. Gen. 39. 5. Act. 27. 24. Gen. 18. 32. Iob. 22. …0.for Iacob, and Potiphar for Ioseph, and those which say led in that dangerous voyage to Rome, for Paul, who was in their companie. God told Abraham, that if there were but ten righteous persons in Sodom, hee would not destroy it for their sakes. Eliphaez saith, that the innocent shall deliuer the Iland; meaning, that God doth often deliuer a whole countrey from perill, for the iust m…ns sake.
For his Elect GOD hath altered the course of nature. He diuided the waters Priuil. 6.of the red sea, that his people might passe dry-shod through it. He caused the Sunne Exo. 14. 22. I…sh. 10. 12.to stay, and the Moone to stand still, till his people had auenged themselues vponupon their enemies. For Gideons sake he caused the dew to fall only vponupon a fleece of wooll, and kept it from falling vponupon the ground: Iud. 8. 38, 40.and afterwards, at his request he let it fall on the earth, and kept the fleece drie. For Hezekiah his sake he brought the shadow in the dyall of Ahaz ten degrees Isa. 38. 8backward, by the which degrees the Sunne was gone downe.
GOD doth often preserue his chosen Priuil. 7.children from pe…is then, when he doth persecute the wicked. Many sorowes Psal. 32. 10.(… Dauid) shall be fall the wicked, but he that trusteth in the Lord, shall be compassed of mercy. Noah was deliuered, when the wicked were drowned. The Israelites Gen. 19. 16.passed, whē the Egiptians perished. Whē Sodo… was burned, Lot was brought foorth. When Ierico was sacked, Raha… was saued. When Abab was slaine, Iebosaph…t escaped. When Ierusalem was to be destroyed, the Lord commanded Ezek. 9. 4.the godly to be brāded, that they might be preserued. Moreouer, when the Lord deliuereth his own people, then he doth sometimes thrust the wicked into their dangers. The righteous (sayth Salomon) Pr…. 11. 8.escapeth out of trouble, and the wicked shall come in his stead. And as he doth vsually crosse their cursed counsels, so he doth often times curse theyr malicious and bloudie enterprises, and cracks them vpō their owne crownes, and breakes them vponupon their own backs. Haman was hanged on that galowes which he himselfe Hest. 7. 9had prepared for Mordecai, whom the King did greatly aduance. Daniel was brought…om the Lions, and his accusers Dan. 6. 23, 24.being cast into the den amongst them, were deuoured of them. God preserued Shadrak, Meshak & Abednego in the hot Dan 3. 22.fiery furnace, and …lew the men with the flame of the fire, that brought them forth to be burned. The Lord deliuered good Ieh…shaphat, and caused his enemies that 2. Chron. 20. 23.came against him, to help forward their owne destruction. The Lord hath deliuered vsus frō their barbarous and bloodthirsty Catholiques, and hath for the honour of his mercy pulled the rotten house of their diuelish muentions vponupon their owne heads. His name be praysed for euer and euer, Amen.
Christ hath altered the nature of affsictions Priuil. 8.vntounto his elect and faithfull members. For whereas they are cast vponupon the wicked, as punishments due vntounto them for their sinnes wherein they liue, they are inflicted vponupon the Godly by Psal. 8… 31, 32. Hab. 12. 6.God, as a mercifull Father that desireth the amendment of his children. Because our hearts are drossy, the Lord, as our most skilfull founder, casteth vsus into the furnace of afflictions, that he might refine vsus. Because we are subiect to transgresse and goe astray, the Lord imparketh vsus within the pales of aduersitie, and hedgeth vsus about with the thorny quick-set of the crosse, that we might be kept in some compasse. Dauid sayth, Psa. 119 67.Before I was afflicted, I went astray, but now I keepe thy word. Because wee are by nature vntoward to that which is good, the Lord vseth the crosse as a Schoolemaster to instruct vsus. Therefore Dauid sayth, It is good for me that I hauehave beene afflicted, that I may learne Psa. 11… 71.thy Statutes. Because wee are by nature inclined to the louelove of the world, the Lord, as our Nurse, doth weane vsus from the louelove thereof, by affliction, as the Mother or Nurse driueth her Child from the brest, by rubbing it with some bitter thing. To be briefe, the Lord by afflictions ex…eth our faith and patience, …a…neth vsus humility, and teacheth … to esteeme of prosperity. By aff…s bee maketh vsus to take experience or his louelove, and of those graces which he hath giuen vsus. By afflictions he learneth vsus to be mercifull vntounto the miserable. for the sense of sicknes, and the feeling of pouerty through Gods blessing, is a notable meanes to make vsus pity the poore and the sick. The Apostle sayth, Our light affl…ction, which is but for 2 Cor. 4. 17.a moment, worketh vntounto vsus a far most excellent, and an eternall weight of glory; though not as a cause procuring it (for wee are Ephes. 2. 8. Rom. 6. 23.saued by grace: and euerlasting life is the free gift of God in Christ) yet as a way and meanes directing and leading vsus thereto. Christ hath two Crownes, the one of thornes, the other of glory: hee that will be honoured with the last, must bee humbled and tryed with the first. Thus it is euident, that God sheweth himselfe a Father, in afflicting his Children. But as for the Reprobate, his erosses are curses, and his afflictions are fore-runners of further iudgements inflicted and sent of God as a seuere and dreadfull Iudge.
God hath altered the nature of death Priuil. 9.vntounto all the elect. For Christ by his death hath been the death of death, and the death of sinne, which is the sting and strength of death. First of all, God by death teacheth vsus to detest sinne, and to acknowledge the seu…ty and sharpnes of his anger against it. Secondly, by death he deliuereth vsus vtterly from the body of sinne. Till death we attaine not vntounto perfection, and at death sinne is wholy con…ed. When we dye, sinne dyeth. For sinne is so nething like …uy, which falleth downe and dyeth, when the tree on which it hanged is cu… d…. Thirdly, the Lord doth sometimes take away his children by death, that they should not see those euils which he h… purposed to plague his enemies withall. Mercifull men are taken away (sayth Is… ▪ 57. ….…) and no man vnderstand…th that the righteous is taken away from the euill to some. So the Lord tooke away good Iosiah, …. Chr…n. 84. 28.that his eyes might not see all the euill which hee purposed to bring vponupon that place Yea such is his louelove vntounto his Saints, that he cannot doe that to the wicked which he would, so long as they liue amongst them. As the Angell told Lot, that he could do nothing till he was gone out of Sodome: euen so it may be …en. 19. …2.truly sayd, that Gods louelove is so feruent towards his chosen, as that it sometimes keepeth him from scattering his iudgements in those places wherein they liue. Therefore he doth often remoue them by death, that he may more freely poure out the vials of his wrath vponupon the vngodly, Fourthly, by death God learneth vsus to seeke a place of rest, and to alie…ate our affections from the world; which being like vntounto bird-lime, would otherwise more easily belime our affections, that they could not soare vp to the heauens the place of our home. Fiftly, by death the Lord humbleth vsus, and teach…th vsus, not to pra…ke and plume vp our bodies lyke Peacocks, as if wee meant to liue euer. Sixtly, the Lord by their deaths occasioneth their exper…c… and feeling of the vertue of Christs resurrection. Lastly, as death is the complement of mortification, and endeth the battell betweene the flesh and the spirit; so it fully finisheth all earthly calamities, and as a …erry-… it transporteth vsus ouer the tempestuous and broad Ocean of tribulations and afflictions, into the calme and quiet hauen of endlesse happinesse. But as for the Reprobate, it is to them as a boat, to cary them out of a riuer of earthly miseries, into a restlesse & bottomlesse sea of infinite & ineffable torments. And because their felicity (if any) consisteth in the finite fruition of worldly prosperity, God in his appointed time, by death as by … knife, cutteth asunder the threed of life, and so casteth them out of their paradise, and sendeth their soules to the place of the damned, where they shall continue terribly tormented, till that dolefull and dismall day of vengeance.
God hath ordeined the writing of his …ri…l. 10word, the preaching of it, the administration of the Sacraments, and his dispensers of them principally and properly for the be…fit of the Elect. Sa… Paul sayth, Whatsoeuer things are written aforet…me, are written for our learning, that we …om. 15. 4.through patience and comfort of the Scrip…s, might hauehave hope. Iohn saith, he wrote that wee might beleeue in the name of 1. Ioh 5. …3.Christ. Therefore his writings properly belong to the children of God, And the Apestle writing to the …ans, sayth, that Christ gaue some to be Apostles, and some Prephets, and some …uangelists, and some Pastors and Doctors. But to what end? For the reparation of the Saints, and for the edification of Christs Eph…. 4. …2.body. And this is no small prerogatiue. for the Sacraments are signes and seales of Gods grace. The preaching of the Gospell is the power of God to saluation to all that doe beleeue. In his word hee hath recorded his will. And his Ministers are as it were his Trumpeters, which do sound in our eares the trumpets of his Law and Gospell, and instruct vsus when to stand still, when to retyre, and when and how to march forward. They are through his assistance our spirituall Fathers, by whom he doth procreate and beget vsus vntounto himselfe, for our good and his owne glory. Now all these things profit the Reprobate nothing at all, but do indeed through the rebellions corruption of they… hearts, harden and stiften them, as the Sunne doth clay.
The Lord hath vnited all his elect and Priui. 1…de…re children vntounto Christ, by his Spirit, and by a true and liuely faith. And by reason of this vnion, they are after a sort vnited to the whole Trinity, Father, Sonne, and holy Ghost. Yea hence it is that we are partakers of Christs benefits. For as the members of the body hauehave neither sense nor motion, vnlesse they be vnited to the head: and as the science or griffe receiueth no nourishment, except it be set in the stock and grow vp with it: Fuen so, vnlesse we be vnited vntounto Christ our stock and spirituall head, we hauehave no spirituall life and motion, neither are we actually partakers of his benefits. But being once vnited and knit vntounto him, we receiue sense and sap, life and motion.
All the elect and faithfull people of God, are partakers of the prayers of all Priuil. 12.the Godly throughout the world. The children of God hauehave fellowship one with an other, as with Christ their head. Whereas on the contrary, they pray for the confusion and finall destruction of his and their impenitent, pestilent, and irreconciliable enemies, and can not but hate and abandon those, whom they see to walke peruersly in wicked and reprobate courses, without remorse of conscience, and all shew of repentance. For GOD hath put a secret antipathy and mortall en…y betweene his seed, and the seed of the Serpent. Therefore Salomon sayth, A wicked man is an abomination to the iust, and he that is vpright in his Prou. 29 27.way, is an abomination to the wicked. And as Dauid sayth, The wicked practiseth against Psal. 37. 12.the iust, and g…a…eth his t…th against him. So he also sayth thus of himselfe, Psal. 3… 6.I hauehave hated them that giuegive themselues to deceitfull vanities. And againe, Doe not I hate them, O Lord, that hate Psa. 139 21.thee? I hate them with the perfection of hatred, as if they were mine vtter enemies. And in the fifteenth Psalme, contemning Psal. 15. 4.of a vile person, that is, of a wicked wretch, and the honouring of the Godly, is made an infallible note of a faithfull member of the Church. By which it appeareth that there is no sincere and solid communion betweene Gods children and the slaues of the Diuell. And therefore it is one of our priuiledges and peculiar dignities, to inioy the louelove, and louely communion of the Saints.
Faith, by which we walke and liue, Priuil. 13.by which we are iustified and adopted, without which it is impossible to please GOD; this faith, which is a supernaturall Heb. 11. 6. Act. 13. 48. T…. 1. 1.gift of God aboue corrupt and created nature, this faith (I saye) is peculiar and proper to the Elect: therefore Saint Paul …alieth it, The …aith of the Elect: and teacheth the Thessalonians, …. Thes. 3 2.that it is not common to all men. Secondly, Hope is an excellent gift of God, for it maketh not ashamed, and by Rom. 5. 5it the Apostle sayth we are saued, that is, by hope we expect and wait for that saluation, Rom. 8. 24.which by faith we apprehend, and assure our selues of, for the …ualuable merits of Christ. Now, this grace is not giuen to any besides the Elect. For how can the Reprobate hope to be saued, seeing they are appointed for the day of euill, and are reserued to the day Prou. 16. 4. Iob. 21. 30. …. Tim. 1 5,of destruction, and shall be brought foorth to the day of wrath? Thirdly, LoueLove, which springeth out of a pure heart, and floweth from a good conscience and faith vnfeigned, is giuen only to Gods Elect. For it is not possible for the Reprobate to louelove God, to that end and in that manner which God requireth; seeing he hath cast them off from all eternity, and purposed not to giuegive them any sauing grace; considering also that they are by nature voyd of pu…itie, and do liue and dye in sinne. Now this priuiledge is the greater, because this grace is very rare and excellent. LoueLove is (as it were) a knife, wherewith faith shareth and cutteth out the duties which we doe owe vntounto God and man, in some good and acceptable manner. LoueLove is the cock which letteth out the water of Gods graces out of the cisterne of our hearts. LoueLove is the nurse of humanitie, the mother of equitie, the maintainer of vertue, the daughter of faith, the preseruer of pietie, the mistresse of modestie, the badge of Christianitie, the bane of discord, the staffe of concord, Col. 3. 14. Iob. 13. 35. 1. Cor. 1… 13.the keeper of the Crowne, the bond of perfection, and the note of a true disciple. Saint Paul in some sort prefers it to faith and hope, when he saith, Now abideth faith, hope and louelove: but the chiesest of these is LoueLove. By which we see, that the Lord hath highly honoured vsus, in that hee conferreth this glorious grace vntounto none but vsus. Lastly, that filiall Prou. 9. 10. Prou. 1… 27.feare, which is the beginning of wisdome, and the well-spring of life, to auoyd the snares of death, and which makes a man to keepe the golden rule of mediocritie, is giuen onelyonly to Gods Elect. For how can the Reprobate, who doe louelove sinne, and doe not louelove God, how (I say) can they feare to displease him, because they hate sinne, and louelove him? or how can the Reprobate, who are all ordeined to ineuitable and eternall perdition, be sayd to feare God as a Sonne feareth his louing Father, seeing they be slaues, and considering that the word of God pronounceth him happy and blessed, who standeth Psa. 112 ….in awe of GOD, and feareth to offend him? If the Reprobate be blessed, then of all men the Elect are most accursed. But wee shall say that those are blessed, whom the Lord hath accursed, if we shall say, that the Reprobate doe feare God with that feare whereof I now speake.Priuil. 14. …. Chron. 14. 11. Nahum. 1. 9. Act. …. 4
GOD accounteth those iniuries as done vntounto himselfe, which the wicked offer vntounto his faithfull seruants. Saul persecuted the true professors of Christ, yet Christ told him from heauen, that he persecuted him. The afflictions of Gods children, are called in the Scriptures, Col. 1. 24Christs afflictions. For such is the vnion and communion betwixt the head and the members, that if any of Reuel. 11 8.them smart, the head is partaker of the griefe. If any part be crazed or annoyed, the heart is ready to mourne, the head to consult, the tongue to bewayle and vtter it, the foot to run to the Surgeon, and the hand is ready to do her duety. Euen so it is betweene Christ and his members. If any of them bee iniuriously vexed and troubled, hee takes the wrong as done vntounto himselfe. And so Christ may be sayd to be crucified in that great city, which is mystically called Sodom and Babylon, that is, Rome, because hee is there put to death in his members, and is in them (as it were) slayne continually by *Romish authority is either heathenish, or Popish, Christ died by the former, but in hi… members he hath died by both, and yet doth by the latter. Zach. …. 8. Math. 25Romish authority, as hee was by it (if wee speake properly) crucifyed and put to death. So in lyke manner the Lord sayeth, He which toucheth you, toucheth the apple of mine eye. And as Christ esteemeth of those good deeds which men do vntounto them, as done vntounto himselfe: euen so hee accounteth the bare neglecting, and the not relieuing of them in their wants, as if the wicked had been in this kind of duety faultie vntounto himselfe.
God will shorten the World, and hasten the comming of his Sonne for the Priui. 15Elect. And so that speach of Christ may be vnderstood, For the Elects sake those Math. 24 22.euill dayes shall be shortened. Moreouer, such is the patience and good wil of God vntounto his Elect, as that hee stayeth his comming for a time, because he would (as Peter affirmeth) hauehave none of them to perish, but come vntounto repentance, 2. Pet. 3. 9.that when hee commeth, they may bee welcome vntounto him, and hee to them.
God doth effectually call the Elect, and none besides them, and they alone Priui. 16are iustifyed in his sight. For hee doth pardon them alone, and they only are Rom. 8. 30.clothed with the spotlesse roabes of Christs perfect righteousnes. Therefore the Prophet saith, The ch…stisement of our Isa. 53. 5 6.peace was vponupon him. The Lord hath layed vponupon him the iniquitie of vsus all. For the ….transgression of my people was he plagued. By his knowledge shall my righteous seruant 11. 12. Math. 1. 21. Iohn 17. 9.iustifie many. He bare the sinne of many. He doth not say all. For he came to saue his owne people only from their sinnes. He did not so much as pray for the Reprobate. Now this is a very great and admirable priuiledge, and honour, that God should send his only Sonne to dye for vsus few despicable wretches, and that Christ should lose his life, and shead his heart blood for vsus only, whereas it was in Act, 20. 28.it selfe (being the blood of God) sufficiēt to hauehave redeemed a thousand thousand worlds of sinners. If a man had a medicine able to cure all diseases, and would not giuegive it any sauing some few, they were wonderfully indebted to him. The blood of Christ is able to heale all our soule-sicknesses, and to deliuer vsus from all our sinnes: and it hath pleased him to wash vsus alone in it, and to withhold it from the far greater part of mankind. By which we see, how highly hee hath honoured vsus, and how deep we are in his debt. If three men were in danger of drowning or burning, and a man should come and deliuer one of them, and leaue the other two to the danger, all men might well say, that he fauoured him more then the other. By our sinnes we were all in danger to be drowned in that sulphury lake, and to be consumed with the fire of Gods wrath, as well as the Reprobates. Our sinnes deserue it. But Christ hath set himselfe betweene his Father and vsus. He hath taken no notice (as it were) of them: and vsus only, who are elected, he hath redeemed. As the Lord drowned the Egyptians onelyonly in the Sea, so Christ hath ouerwhelmed our sinnes only in his blood. And as the Propitiatory couered the Ar…e and the Decalogue: so Christ couereth his Elect with his bloud, and hideth them, yea them alone, from the wrath of God, and therefore Paul calleth him, The sauiour of his body. By which we see, his grace & good Ephes. 5. 23.will is farre greater to vsus then to them.
It is impossible through the vertue of Priui. 17Gods decree and Christs merits, that any of the Elect should fall into the sinne against the holy Ghost, into which some Reprobates hauehave rushed.
The Elect being once actually redeemed, Priuil. 18. … Luk. 1. 74.hauehave liberty to serue and worship GOD without feare of any euill. They serue him chiefly for his louelove, and for conscience of his commandements. The wicked seeme to serue him oftentimes, but it is for some sinester respect, as for feare of damnation (as the slaue obeyeth his Master for feare of the whip) or for feare of imprisonment, or an ill name, or else for the louelove of lucre, or the desire of glory or credit with men.
The elect alone do merit at Gods hāds, Priuil. 19.for they being alone partakers of Christs meritorious righteousnes, do also alone, it being accounted as their owne, merit euerlasting life of God. Now is not this an exceeding great fauour, that we being but wormes, should deserue euerlasting Iob. 25. 6happines of so high a Maiesty? It doth greatly commend the louelove of God to vsus, and the rather, because he hath graced vsus only with the inestimable merits of his Sonne, refusing to impart them to many millions of men, as noble, as wise, as learned, as beautifull, as mighty, and as wealthy as our selues.
The Elect being once effectually called, do sinne thenceforward only of infirmity. Priui. 20Therefore Saint Iohn sayth, that Whosoeuer is borne of God, sinneth not, that is, with full consent of will. For so farfoorth 1. Iob. 3. 9.as he is regenerate, he doth not sinne. Wherefore Paul in the person of all true beleeuers saith, If I do that I would not (meaning euill) it is no more I that do Rom. 7. 20.it, but the sinne that dwelleth in me. But on the contrary, wickednes (as Iob sheweth) is sweet in the wicked mans mouth, …ob. 20. 12.he hideth it vnderunder his tongue, he fauoureth it, he will not forsake it, but keeps it close in his mouth. His sinne is as his soule, and therefore Salomon saith, he can not sleepe except hee hauehave done euill, And the Prophet Isaiah sheweth, that Prou. 4. 16.the wicked is so soldered to his sinne, as that hee will not learne righteousnes, though mercy be shewed vntounto him: in Isa. 2…. 10.the land of vprightnes, where true religion is commanded, countenanced and professed, he will do wickedly; neither respecting Gods mercifull dealing, nor the good ensamples of the Godly. Whereas the faithfull detest and abhor their corruptions, and struggle against them, striuing and desiring to be deliuered of them, as a prisoner of his bolts, or as those which are troubled with the disease Ineubus, called the Night-mare, desire or struggle to be rid thereof.
The Scriptures do teach, that God hath Priuil, 21made peace betwixt the creatures and his children. The stones of the field are Iob. 5. 23.in league with them, and the beasts of the field are at peace with them. The Lord by his Prophet Hosea sayth, that he will make a couenant for them with Hos. 2. 18the wild beasts, and with the foules of the heauen, and with that which creepeth Exod. 11. 7. Exod 14. 22, 28,vponupon the earth. Do we not reade, that the Sea made way to the Israelites, and ouerwhelmed their enemies which pursued them? Do we not reade that Rauens fed the Prophet Eliah? Do we not read… 1. King. 17. 6,that the hungry Lyons fauored Daniel, and that the fire spared the three Children? Did not a Starre conduct the wise men to the place where our Lord lay? Math. 2. 9Did not the Lord make a couenant for his seruant Ionah with the Whale, whose Iob. 41. 5, 22.teeth (as the scripture saith) are terrible, and by his might he maketh the d…th to boyle like a pot? And did he no… make a bond of peace for Paul with the venemous Viper, when she b…ing vponupon his Act. 28. 5, 6.hand he receiued no hurt, though the Barbarians wayted when hee should hauehave swolne, or falne downe suddenly dead? On the contrary, we reade that he drowned the wicked world with water, & burned the filthy Sodomites with fire. He met with ambitious Absalom with a 2. King. 2 24.tree, and slue those wicked childrē which mocked the Prophet Elisha with Beares. He made the dogs to eate the flesh of wicked Iezabel, and destroyed Herod, that 2. King. 9 36. Act. 12. 23. Exod. 8.cruell & vainglorious king with wormes. He plaged the Egyptiās with frogs, flyes, & lice. Yea, the Lord hath all creatures in heauen and earth ready (whē it pleaseth him) to run vponupon the wicked and reprobate, as a grey hound vponupon his game whē the leash is takē off, which he manifesteth when he sayth by Ieremy, I will &c.Iere. 15. 3. Priuil. 22.
The Elect being once forgiuen of God, & accepted vntounto euerlasting life for the merits of Christ, hauehave ioy vnspeakeable, and that peace which passeth all vnderstanding. The kingdome of God (sayth the Rom. 14. 17.Apostle) standeth in peace and ioy in the holy Ghost. If the health of body be such a thing, as is rather with comfort inioyed, then in words to be expressed; how great shall we think is the peace of conscience, & ioy in the holy Ghost? It may be tasted, but it can not be expressed. The malefactor hath great peace and quietnes with himselfe, whē the King hath granted him his pardon: euen so the elect should hauehave Rom. 5. 7.great peace & tranquility of mind, when as God, the great King of heauen and earth, hath pardoned their sins, and receiued thē to fauour. But on the cōtrary, the Reprobate & irreconciliable sinners, that sell themselues to worke wickednes, and drinke iniquitie lyke water, hauehave either no peace at all, but are like the raging Sea that cannot rest, whose Isa. 57. 20.waters cast vp myre and dirt, or else are senselesse like stocks, labouring of a spirituall apoplexy, and a diuelish dead palsy, being sunke into the gulfe of security, and hauing made a league with death and a couenant with hell.
The Elect hauehave an Altar, whereupon Priuil. 23if they lay all their prescribed sacrifices, they shall be accepted of God, as smelling sweetly in his nostrils. But the Reprobate, and all their sacrifices are odious and abominable in his sight. They want our Altar Christ Iesus, who should purge and sanctify theyr offerings, and by whom they should offer them vntounto the Father: and therefore their goodly sacrifices are but goodly sinnes.
God giueth his holy Spirit to his Elect only, who in Gods appointed time maketh Priuil. 24his habitation in them, who doth also sweep the floores of their spirits with the hand of his grace, and the beesome of his word, and trimmeth vp the houses of their hearts with the sweet and pleasant flowres of his spirit, and adorneth them with the costly tapestry and precious ornaments of his orient and excellent graces He perfumeth them (as it were) with frankincense and coales of Iuniper. He buildeth windowes within them, that they may receiue the bright and beawtifull beames and louely light, which do shine from the Sun of righteousnes. Hee constituteth a kingdome within them: hee ruleth them with the strength of his arme, and the scepter of his word. He stablisheth his throne with iustice and mercy: he fostereth the part regenerate, he bridleth and tameth the rebell, euen the rebellious corruption of the heart, and by little and little consumeth it. As for the Reprobate; their hearts are the dens of the Diuell, and the cabins of sinne, stincking loathsomly like a dead carryon. There is indeed a kingdome within them: but the Diuell is the King, Sinne is the Queene. His Throne is wickednes, his Scepter is iniquity, his Lawes are the liberty of the flesh, his rewards are death, and they are his slaues and vassals.
As the Elect may hauehave Grace, so it is possible for thē to grow in grace: therefore Priuil. 25. 2. Pet. 3. 18. 1. Pet. 2. 2.Peter exhorteth vsus, To grow in grace, and in the knowledge of Christ, and sheweth also how we may grow. But for the Reprobate; as they are void of all true lauing grace, so they grow not there in, for they can not increase in that which they want. A man cannot grow in bignes, vnlesse he hauehave a body. A man cā not grow rich, vnlesse he hauehave …iches. They may increase in sin and grow in wickednes, as clay doth in hardnes whē the weather is dry, or as the riuers do in depth & bredth whē the tide commeth. Againe, whereas the Lord doth very often giuegive the reines to the Reprobate, and suffers them to rush headlong into horrible enormities, as the Gadarens Swine did into the Sea; hee doth mercifully preserue his owne people, and graciously keepeth them oftentimes from declining and falling; and whensoeuer they either stumble or fall, they may recouer themselues by serious and sound repentance. But God hath not vouchsafed the gift of godly sorow and true repentance to the Reprobate. It belongs only to Gods Elect. Wee may reade of Dauids repentance, of Peters falling and rising, of Pauls conuersion: but wee neuer read of any true *…o turne truly, is to returne from all sinne vntounto God.turning that euer any reprobate made. If any of them repent, it is but for fashion sake, or for feare of punishment. It is not for louelove to God, or for the hatred of sinne for sinne, or for the consideration of Gods louelove vntounto them. As lead being cast into the water, can not but sinke, so the Reprobate can not but sinne. And as a Mill-stone lying in the bottome of the Sea, can not come vp, so the Reprobate beeing ouerwhelmed in the bottomlesse pit of iniquitie, can not repent. Though it were possible to remoue a Mountayne out of his place, yet it were more impossible to remoue a Reprobate from his corruptions. Hee may mooue, but hee will not remooue. Hee may turne, but hee cannot returne. As it is impossible for him to reuiue, who is ordained to perpetuall death: so it is impossible for him to reuiue from sinne, whom the fountaine of all life hath righteously forsaken, and deliuered for euer vntounto Sathan, to hold captiue in the graue of sinne, and in the darke and deadly dungeon of iniquity.
The children of God hauehave the spirit of prayer, and with boldnesse may approach Priuil. 26.vntounto the throne of his grace, and put vp their suites vntounto him. The King will permit a true subiect to come into his presence and speake vntounto him, when a rebell or traytour shall finde no such fauour. A Kings sonne may speake vntounto his father, when others are not permitted so to do. We are the sonnes of God, and the seruants of his sonne; therefore we may boldly in the name of our elder brother, present our selues before him, and put vp our supplications to him; and the rather, because he knoweth and approoueth vsus. For as the Apostle sayth, The foundation of God remaineth sure, and hath this seale, The Lord knoweth who are 2. Tim. 2 19.his. But the Reprobate and their prayers are abominable in his sight. They want the spirit of prayer, and either can not pray at all, or not in the right manner. Neither can they approach with boldnesse vntounto GOD, seeing they hauehave no part in Christ, nor Christ in them. They cannot pray with cōfidence to be heard; seeing they are destitute as well of faith, as of the fauour of God.
GOD accepteth the sincere will and Priuil. 27.feruent desires of his faithfull and elect children to beleeue, repent and obey for faith, repentance & obedience. For As Psa. 103 13.a father hath compassion on his children, so hath the Lord compassion on them that feare him. He will spare them, as a man Mala. 3. 17.spareth his owne sonne. But fathers vse to take in good part their childrens works, so they do them with care and diligence, though not so perfectly and exactly as indeed were meet. In like manner, if we will and with an honest heart desire to do well, though we do it very weakely, God doth notwithstanding take all in good part, and regardeth not the imperfection of the worke. A desire of grace is one degree of grace, and a will to do well, is with God accounted doing well. Therefore Paul sayth, If there be a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man 2. Cor. 8. 12.hath, and not according to that he hath not. That which he saith of giuing almes, is true in the performance of all other duties. If there be in a man a ready and willing mind to beleeue, repent, and obey, though he do not these things perfitly, or so well as many of his brethren do; yet God, for the merits and intercession of his Sonne, accepteth both of him and his imperfit works, and in mercy rewardeth him. Dauid, besides his dayly infirmities, did thrice grieuously offend God, and yet he told Salomon, that if he …. Chron. 7. 17.would walke before him as Dauid his father, he would establish the throne of his kingdome, so as that he should not want a man to be a Ruler in Israel. And albeit in that place he requireth that he should do according to all his commandements, whereby he may seeme to exact perfect (and therefore impossible) obedience; yet if we consider all things well, it will plainely appeare, that hee meaneth no other thing, then that hee should labour and seeke to please him in all things: because hee setteth his father Dauid before his eyes as a patterne to follow, and because else-where we reade that hee maketh the same promise vntounto him, onelyonly requiring of him, To indeuour himselfe to doe hi… commandements, 2 Chron. 28. 7.as hee had begun. Now this is a very comfortable doctrine. For when a man considereth that GOD respects his weake obedience and honest heart, and accounteth the will to doe, for the deed done, his heart is eased, his conscience is appeased, his mind is setled, and beholding the infinite louelove of God, he is rauished with ioy, and prouoked to magnifie his mercy, and to struggle against the corruption of his heart, to please him in doing all things which are pleasing in his sight. Now, lest we should beguile our selues (for mans heart is a mine of subtilty) in thinking we desire, & will to beleeue, repent & obey, whē as we either do not at al, or do but as a reprobate may doe; I will set downe some rules, which as the touch-stone trieth gold, and as Salomons sword found out the right mother, so these may serue to discouer the truth of our desires, and to deserte the goodnes of our wils. First of all, if we be grieued that we can desire and will no better then we do: secondly, if we do desire and will to do these things for the glory of God, and because we are perswaded that both these things and the willing of them are pleasing vntounto God: thirdly, if we striue to increase in willing and desiring, and if we feed… them with the diligent hearing of Gods word, with holy meditations, with often prayers, and with setting before vsus the ensamples of excellent men, as the Priests kept the fire vponupon the altar, and fed it continually, and suffered it not to Leuit. 6. 12.go out: fourthly, if to our wills and desires we ioyne reformation of our liues, and in our seuerall callings labour accordingly to serue God: fiftly, if in our hearts we prefer eternall seruing of God in heauen, before all momentany profits and pleasures whatsoeuer. Sixtly, if we had rather liue in a continuall crosse all our life long, but yet pleasing God, and being in his fauour, then spend the same in sinfull pleasures, continually displeasing his Maiesty. Seuenthly, if we desire and will to s…rue him, and to returne home vntounto him from … sins, though wee were verily perswaded that there were no hell. Lastly, if … had rather please God, his rod of correction being alwayes exercised vponupon vsus, then liue without remorse of conscience against our knowledge, in profitable and pleasant sinnes, continu…lly …ing and displeasing GOD our gr…cious Father; though wee were certainely (as it were by oracle from heauen) assured that we should at the last gasp repent, and be saued, notwithstanding our former rebellion, and horrible disloyaltie. If we desire and will to beleeue, repent, and obey, and find these things in vsus, then our desires will goe for currant, God will accept of them, and approoue them.
The Lord indeed suffereth his children Pri…. 28.to fall, but it is to let them see that their standing is by his grace, and to shew them that he is not obliged with any bond of their merit… (which are iust none) to sust…ine and vphold them: he dot… it also, to make thē cling the closer about him, and to seeke more earnestly for his assistance as the little child skrec…th one for … … it is falne, & lieth … …wling vponupon the ground: be doth it to hi… … the and to abate their natura…l …rid… …nd as … lets thē ral… louelove, so by their f…l… he mani…esteth his wisdome & …tegrity, and sheweth his admirable cōp… & humanity, in forgiuing and in raising them vp againe. But the fals of the reprobate kindle the coales of Gods weath against them, and further their full & finall perdition: they serue to increase their …, and consequently their paines: they serue for punishments sometimes of former offences: and by committing one sinne in the neck of an other, they put out the light of nature, they harden their hearts, and sit themselues for further wickednes, euen as the stithy becomes the harder by striking. I graunt indeed, that oftentimes they are greuously galled & perplexed with their sins. But it is not a sorow that causeth repentance vntounto saluation neuer to be repented of, And vsually it …areth with them, … it doth with yong Hat-makers, or such as vse to play at Stoole-ball. In the beginning their fingers may blister, and their hands may ake, but after a while, their hands become …ard and brawny, and are well armed for such works, and the more they practise, the lesse paine they feele: so the custome of sinning takes away the sense of the sin. And as y• dropsy mā, the more he drinks, the drierhe is: so the reprobate, the more he falleth, the more he …nsieth falling.
It is not possible that any of the Elect Pri…i. 29should be damned, or that any of them being soundly conuerted, should …holly for a time (much lesse for euer) fall away from God and perish. For Gods decree of a2. Tim. 2. 19.Election is constant, and his bIsa. 46. 10.counsell shall stand. cIohn 6. 37.Him that commeth vntounto me, (saith Christ) I cast not away, that is, I do not cast off or eiect him, that embraceth me with the hand and armes of a liuely faith, and testifieth the same with the fruites thereof. And whom God hath predestin…ted, called and iustified, them dRom. 8. 30.he will also glorifie. For his couenant with them is an eIere. 32 40.euerlasting couenant, and his gifts are w…hout fRom. 11. 29.repentance. gCant. 8 6.LoueLove is strong as death: much water can not q…h louelove, neither can the floods drowne i…. Prety, which …, was neuer prety. And true faith (though as small as a graine of must…d seed) cannot altogether vanish and bee extinguished: For God will … it, hee will not hIsa. 4…. 3.breake the bru…ed reed, nor quench the smoking flexe. Indeed faith may be shaken, but it can not be shiuered in peeces▪ it may be mooued, but it can not be remooued: it may … and wax dry, but it can not weare away quite and die: Sathan may si…t and towze it, he may lay siege against it, but he cannot sack it, he shall neuer destroy it. The Sunne may set and for a time lye hid, but it remayneth in the heauen: and faith may be couered (as fire with ashes) but yet it continueth in the heart. The fish may be in the water, though she floate not alwayes aloft. There is sap in the roote, when the leaues are faine off, and the top naked, and in appearance withered. So faith liueth, though it hauehave lost some signes of life. The S…ne and the Moone may be indeed eclip…e… euen so the eye of faith may be dimmed. But as the Sun and Moone do not perish in their eclipses, nor lose their light for euer; euen so faith doth not perish when it is eclipsed: It may indeede receiue a buff…t, whereby it may (as it were) reele and stagger and fall to the ground, and there for a time lye like a man in a …woone, or fit of the falling sicknes, but it cannot dye; because God, the wel…p…ing as well of spirituall life, as of naturall, will neuer forsake it. The Th…m…s may suffer an ebbe, but it is not st…rke dry at any time: so faith may come to a very low ebbe, but yet it will hauehave water al…yes in the bottome. As a great riuer may befrozen ouer with hard ice for a time, and so couered with snow, as that it seemeth rather a Rock then a Riuer, or like to other ground; euen so faith may be (as it were) frozen ouer with thicke y…e, and so hild with the snow of sinne, as that it may not bee seene at all for a time. But as there is water in the Riuer which is deepe; notwithstanding the frost, though it be not seene: euen so there is life in faith, though for a time it do not appeare. But when the weather is broken, when the holy Ghost begins to make a thawe, with the fresh fire of his grace, when the South wind blowes hard, and when the Sunne of righteousnes hath melted the ice, then Faith will appeare, and flow amayne, as a Riuer after rayne, and as the waters do after a thawe. Then grace, which was couered before, will shine bright and cleare, as the Sunne doth after a showre, as is euident by the repentance of Dauid and Peter. Moreouer, our Sauiour sayeth, that his sheepe shall iIohn 10. 28.neuer perish. The kIsa. 40. 11.Lord (sayth Esay) shall feede his flock like a Shepheard: he shall gather the Lambs with his arme, and carry them in his bosome. Hee lPsal. 23. 2.maketh them to rest in greene pastures, and leadeth them by the still waters. mPsa. 41 12.He vpholdeth them in their integrity, and doth set them before his face for euer. As nZach. 4. 9.Zerubbabel layed the foundation of the Temple, and did finish it: so oPhil. 1. 6.God that hath begun his good worke in the temple of our hearts, will finish it vntounto the end. They can not be taken from him by strong hand. pIohn 10 29, 30.For hee is greater then all, and his will to saue them is answerable to his power: therefore hee sayth, qIohn 10 28.Hee giueth vntounto them euerlasting life; adding also, that none shall pluck them out of his hands. Master Tinda… sayth well: Christ is thine, and all his deeds are thy deeds; neither canst thou be damned, except he be damned with thee. They cannot perish by seduction; for the Elect cannot be rMat. 24. 24.seduced, Neither can they of themselues fall away. For sIere. 32. 40.God hath put his feare in their hearts, that they shall not depart from him. A man may for a time cease to laugh, but he cannot lose the faculty of laughing. The drunkard loseth sometimes the vse of reason, but the faculty neuer; so the graces of God may be crazed, but yet they are not vtterly abolished. Finally, God forsaketh not them, For his louelove is t…re. 31. 3.euerlasting: those whom he loueth once, he uIoh. 13. 1.loueth to the end. wRom. 8. 39.Nothing can separate vsus from hi… louelove. It is like the xDeut. 29. ….Israe…ites shooes, which waxed not old. It is like the tree of life: he that once truly t…st…th of it, shall not dye eternally. As a Father doth not reiect his Child when he hath broken his face by falling, but rather seekes a playster: he will (it may be) lash him, but he will not leaue to louelove him. Euen so our heauenly Father dealeth with his Children. For he hath sayd, that hee will yIere. 32. 40.neuer depart from them to do them good: hee zHeb. 13 6.will not faile them nor forsake them: but a1. Thess. 5. 23, 24will sa…ctifie them throughout, and keepe them s…fe vntounto the comming of Christ. Indeed our enemies may wound vsus, but they shall not win: they may vex vsus, but they shall not vanquish: they may perhaps presse vsus, but they shall not oppresse vsus: they may cut vsus, but they cannot kill vsus. For GOD, who is greater then all, will not suffer vsus to be 1. Cor. 10. 13. Psa, 127 4. Priuil. 30. Ioh. 1. 12 Math. 14 31. Rom. 4. 20. 2. Cor. 5. 1.tempted aboue our power, and is very vigilant for vsus. For, he that keepeth Israel, neither slumbereth nor sleepeth.
The Elect may assuredly be perswaded in this life, that they shall be saued in the life to come. For a speciall and certaine perswasion of Gods mercy, is the very heart and marow, the life and soule of true faith. Therefore Paul sayth, We know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle be destroyed, we hauehave a building of God, that is, an house not made with hands, eternall in the heauens. Furthermore, if it be not possible for men to know that they shal be saued, how could Saint Iohn say, These things hauehave I written vntounto you that beleeue in the name of the Sonne of God, that ye may know that ye hauehave eternall life. To conclude, if it were impossible for a man to be in his conscience assured, that hee is the elect and faithfull seruant of God, effectually called in time, & orde…ned to glory before time; to what end should Dauid inquire who of all professors are the true mēbers Psal. 15.of the Church mili…āt on earth, and shall be of the Church triumphant in the heauens? and to what end shuld he set down y• marks, wherby they may be discerned? And to what purpose should Paul exhort vsus to prooue our selues whether we are in the faith? Or why should he speake after this maner vntounto vsus, Know ye not your owne selues, how that Iesus Christ is in you, 2. Cor. 13. 5. 2. Pe…. 1. 10.except ye be reprobates? And wherefore should Peter bid vsus be diligent to make our calling & election sure? It remaineth therfore as an vndoubted truth, that the elect may be truly assured of their election, and may assuredly know (without speciall reuelation) that they shall be saued. Now this is a very great prerogatiue, and the greater; first, because it may be iuioyed to the end: secondly, because the longer it is inioyed, the better we are assured: thirdly, it brings with it wōderfull ioy. For what greater ioy can a man here inioy, then to be assured of eternall ioy? Fourthly, this assurāce makes a mā mor… wary, and more vnwilling to displease God by sin, wherby nothing is deserued but damnation. Fiftly, this priuiledge is the more excellent, because they whi… wāt this knowledge altogether, can hauehave no solid consolation. And as for the Reprobate; they hauehave no more to do with this certenty, then they hauehave with saluation. As it is impossible for them to be saued, so it is impossible for thē to be truly assured of their saluation. He that dreameth, may think he walketh, eateth, talketh, seeth, whē he doth not: and he may think he is awake, whē he is not. So these dreamers may think that they shalbe saued, and may sooth vp themselues as if they were cock-sure, but they are deceiued. He that is in a swoone, doth sometimes perswade himself that he seeth many strange sights, but his perswasion is false: so the Reprobates may thinke all things runne round, they may perswade themselues they are in Gods fauour and shall be saued: but as the things are false whereof they do perswade themselues: so their perswasion must needs also be as …alse. It is but a spirituall swoone, or d…u…l…sh, dreaming, or dizzinesse, that doth so blinde their eyes, and beg…le them.
The Elect only shall be raysed vp of Christ as a Sauiour and Redeemer. And Pri…i. 31when all people shall be gathered before him, he will separate his Elect from the Reprobate. The Elect shall be placed on his right hand, and vponupon them he Math. 25will pronounce the white and comfortable sentence of absolution. On the contrary, he will raise vp the Reprobate, as he is a terrible and dreadfull Iudge, he will set them on his left hand like Goates, and pronounce against them the dolefull and black sentence of condemnation. And more also, which may increase their griefe; he will vse the Elect for the approbation of his iudgement vponupon them, and vponupon the wicked Angels also. They shall attend vponupon him, as Iustices do vpō the Iudge at the Assises, and shall approoue his sentence; and this Saint Paul teacheth, when as he 1. Cor. 6. 2, 3.sayth, that the Saints shall iudge the world and the wicked Angels. Now as this is a great honour vntounto the Elect, to sit as Iudges vponupon the wicked: so it must needes minister no small griefe vntounto them, to be (as it were) iudged of those whome they before hauehave derided, condemned, nicknamed, and persecuted. Thus we hauehave seene many notable priuiledges of Gods elect and faithfull children. If Balaam prophecied of the Israelites, when he looked vponupon them dwelling according to their tribes, saying, How goodly are thy tents, O Iacob, and thy Nu…. 24 5.habitations, O Israel; wee may well coniecture, that God will exceedingly manifest his louelove vntounto vsus hereafter in the heauens, seeing h…e hath honoured vsus so highly in this vale of misery, and will grace vsus so much after the resurrect…, in our entrance into heauen, as that we shall iudge the World and the Angels.
The last priuiledge of the Elect, whereof Priuil. 32.I will intreate, is, that God will giuegive them the kingdome of heauen and euerlasting life. Feare not, little flock (sayth Luk 12. 32.our Shepherd) for it is your Fathers pleasure to giuegive you the kingdome. And Paul saith, that God doth glorify those whom Rom. 8. 30. Iohn 10. 28.he hath predestinated, called, & iustified. Our Sauiour saith, that he giueth eternall life vntounto all his Sheep. As Ioshua brought the children of Israel into earthly Canaan: so Christ Iesus our Ioshua, will one day bring all true Israelites into celestiall Canaan, & will crowne thē with immortall glory. To describe this bless…d estate perfectly, surpasseth mans capacitie, whole knowledge is as yet imperfect. For Paul out of Esay sayth, that the eye hath not seene, and the eare hath not heard, neither …. Cor. 2. … …. 64. …came it into mans heart to thinke of those things which God hath prepared for them that louelove him. Neuerthelesse it may in part be described, according as God hath reuealed it in his word to vsus. In this estate the Elect shal be deliuered and set free frō all wants & miseries, frō sin, and from all the temptations of Sathan. …. …1 4.They shall hauehave perpetuall fellowship with the blessed Trinity, & the holy Angels. They shall hauehave perfic knowledge, and they shal perfectly louelove God, 1. Cor. 13. 12.who will be all in all vntounto them. Their hearts shall be full fraught with endlesse & vnvtterable ioyes. Their toungs shall continually sound out the prayses of God. They shal celebrate an euerlasting Isa. 66. 23. Phil. 3. 21.Sabboth, seruing God most purely for euer and euer. Their bodies shall be like to the glorious body of Christ; bright & beawtifull, nimble, & full of agility, preserued & susteined by the immediate power of God, without meat, drinke, sleep, labor, phisick; and therfore Paul calls thē 1. Cor. 15. 44.spirituall. Lastly, to make vp their happine…; the place of their abode shalbe in the highest heauēs, where there is no paines 2. Cor. 5. 1.but pleasures, no wo but weale, no sinne but seruing of God, no griefe but glory, no want but welth, no sicknes but helth, no death but life, no iarres but ioyes, no wars but peace, no treachery but truth, no fighting but triumphing, & no chāge, but euerlasting continuance. When a man hath liued so many thousand thousand yeres in all y• pleasures of paradise, as there are hours in a M. millions of yeres, he shall not atteine vntounto the end, for the end is endlesse, and the time is without time. But on the other side, the Reprobate are seuered from the solacious sight and comfortable presence of God. Their fellowship is with the Diuell and his angels in …ell fire, where they are vnspeakably tormented in soule and body, with endlesse, easelesse, and remedilesse torments. Their life is death, and their death is life, a dying life, and a liuing death. When they hauehave spent so many yeeres in paynes, as there be stars in the Skye, moats in the Sunne, sands on the shoare, and fishes in the seas, they shall be as farre from the end, as they were the first day: for the time is infinite, their damnation is euerlasting, & their death shall neuer be put to death: their worme shall not dye, their fire shall neuer be Isa. 66. 24.put out, neither shall they be put out with it. But as the Salamander is alwaies in the fire, and neuer wasteth: so the wicked shall bee continually scorched in hell-fire, and yet shall neuer be consumed. Lo… then (Beloued) you see the Charter of the Saints in part. No earthly Monarch can graunt such a one vntounto his Subiects, as God hath giuen freely to his Elect. All the Countries, Kingdomes, and Cities that hauehave beene, are, and shall be, can not shew such dignities, such royalties, and such immunities giuen them by man, as I hauehave shewed to belong to Gods Elect, and obedient children. The consideration of these benefits and priuiledges should mooue vsus, First, to acknowledge and lawd Gods infinite louelove. Secondly, in way of thankefulnes to dedicate our soules and bodyes, and all that we hauehave, vntounto GOD. Thirdly, to admire the condition of Gods children. Fourthly, to be afrayd to disgrace them, whom the Lord doth so grace and countenance. Fiftly, to vndergoe couragiously all aduerse blasts, and all the crosses of this life. Sixtly, to alienate our hearts from the world. Seuenthly, to roll our care vponupon God, and to rely vpō his prouidence. Eightly, to desire the comming of Christ, and not to feare death too múch: The sooner we dye, the sooner we come to our crownes. Lastly, the cōsideration of these benefits and priuiledges, should stir vsus vp to seeke by all meanes to be enrolled amongst them, and neuer to rest, till we be in some measure certaine, & certainly perswaded, that we are elected, and preordained to saluation. Whē Ahashuerosh had honoured Mordecai, and shewed fauour vntounto the Iewes, the Scripture sayth Hest. 8. 7that much people of the land became Iewes. So, seeing the Lord hath thus dignified the Elect, let vsus behaue our selues like them, and labour to be accounted of their company. Claudius Lysias gaue a great summe of money for the freedome Act. 22. 28.of the Romanes; how much more ought we to seeke for these freedomes and royalties, which do more surpasse the other, then the heauen doth the earth, and the precious pearle doth the poorest pibble. They are not indeed to be named, or compared together, and yet these may be had without money, though they can not be had by money. And thus much for the Priuiledges.
I come now briefly to set downe the notes of Election vntounto life, and to shew how a man may come to be truly perswaded in his conscience, that he shall be saued. Let a man that would attaine to the knowledge of his election vntounto saluation, 1. heare the word of God often and attentiuely. For faith, whereby wee Rom. 10. 17.are perswaded of Gods speciall grace vntounto vsus, is ordinarily wrought by hearing of the word preached. 2. Let him wage warre with his infidelity, and let him not listen to Sathan tempting him to doubting, or desperation. 3. Let him beware of pride and presumption, neither trusting to his owne goodnes, nor obliuious of Gods infinite iustice. 4. Let him often and earnestly pray for this benefit, and desire that GOD would giuegive him his Spirit, which may witnes with him that hee is the chosen childe of God. 5. Let him reuerently receiue the Sacrament, and meditate often of his Baptisme. For the Sacraments are pledges of Gods louelove, and serue to increase our faith. Hee that receiueth them with an honest and humble heart, may assure himselfe of the remission of his sinnes, and of the saluation of his soule. Lastly, let him expend and duly 6. Consider diligently Gods …atherly d…g with thee.cons…der the notes of Election to eternall life, by the which a man may know that hee is ord…ined to be saued. No…e, … … …. The Iaylour demaunding … Paul and Silas what hee …ould do to be …ed; they made him …, …, Be…eeue in the Lord Iesus Christ, and thou shalt be saued. Secondly, Act. 16. ….…ue o… our … for theyr …ty: We know (say…h Iohn) that we are transl…d f…om death to life, because we …. Iohn 3. 14.louelove the brethren. Thirdly, the feare of God, where…y wee are loth to offend him, chiefly, because we louelove him, and … …. Blessed is the man that feareth Psa. …12 1.the Lord; … Blessed, then Elected. …y, h…rty confe…sion, and lothing of … s…nnes. He that confesseth and forsaketh Prou. 28 13.his sinnes, shall finde mercy But God vouc…afeth his speciall mercy only to his … people, Fif…ly, confidence and affianc… in God, O Lord of hosts, blessed is Psal 84. 12.the man that … in thee. The condition of Reprobates is cu…ed. …he Apostle sayth, Our confidence hath great Heb. 10. 35.recompence o… reward. Sixtly, sincere and true calling vponupon the n…me of God. For Paul sayth, Whosoeuer shall call vponupon Rom. …0. 13.the Name of the Lord, shall be saued. Seuenthly, carefull and constant indeu…uring to keepe all …he commandements of God. …o…, Blessed are they that do h… Reuel. 22. 14.commandements, that their right may be in the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the …ity. As the Lord promised to establish the kingdome of Salomon, if 1. Chron. 28. 7.he did constantly indeuour … keepe his commandements: so the …e Lord will establish vsus for euer in the kingdome of heauen, if we will indeuour constantly to serue and obey him. Eightly, p…ient bearing of affliction for the truths …ke. Blessed are they (sayth Christ) which suffer Math. …. 10.persecution for righteousnes s…k…: for theirs …s the kingdome of heauen Nint…y, … … nest and harty desire to be w…hed in the blo…d of Christ, and to be inu…sted in the white robes of his righteousnesse. Blessed Math. 5. …are they which hunger and thirst for righteousnes, for they shall be filled. To him that Reuel. 21. 6.is a thirst, I will giuegive of the well of the water of life freely, Tenthly, Christian humilitie, and pouertie of spirit, when a man seemeth naked and base in his owne sight, and ascribeth all to Gods grace. Blessed are the poore in spirit, for theirs is the kingdome of heauen. Eleuenthly, a lusting Math. 5. 3and longing after the comming of Christ. Paul sayth, that the righteous Iudge will giuegive a crowne of righteousnes 2. Tim. 4. ….vntounto all those that louelove his appearing. Twelfthy, Dauid in the 15. Psalme asketh the Lord who shall dwell in his tabernacle, and rest on his holy mountaine? and receiued answere as it were by oracle frō God, that he shall, who walks vprightly, and worketh righteousnes, and speaketh the truth frō his heart. And Peter hauing cōmanded vsus to make our election and calling sure, addeth, saying, that if we do These things, wee shall neuer fall, but shall be sure and certaine. Now 2. Pet. 1. 10.what these things are, he sheweth, to wit, that we adorne our hearts and liues with 2. Pet. 1. 5, 6, 7.vertue, knowledge, tēperance, godlines, & louelove. To cōclude, he that is sure of his Adoption, may be also certaine of his Election: for none are adopted, but such as are elected. Now a man may know his Adoption, if he find in himselfe the properties of an obediēt & louing son. I will set downe some. 1. Property. As a little child, whether in learning good, or leauing euill, is either woon by a faire word, or awed by a check, or feared by a frowning looke, or allured by a trifling gift, or stilled by seeing an other beatē before him, or else quieted by a rod; euē so Gods childrē are either affected by his promises, or allured by his mercies, or awed by his threats, or skared by his frowning coūtenāce, or humbled by his correcting of others, or by his rod which is vpō their owne backs. 2. A good and wise child is very desirous to know his fathers minde or will, that so he may best know how to please & humour him; and such is ye disposition of Gods child. Iob maketh it the note of a wicked mā, to affect y• ignorāce Iob. 21. 14.of Gods waies. 3. A good child knowing that he hath vniustly grieued his father, will not be quiet till they be good friends againe. 4. He laboureth to resemble his father in his rare and excellent vertues. 5. Hee will beare a blow at his fathers hands, (though he skorne to put it vp at an other mans,) and whē his father hath chidden or corrected him, he will not run for comfort to his fathers desperate & sworne enemies. 6. He …ui…th not a seruant or brother that is …ore laborious and circumspect in his fathers businesse, then himselfe is. 7. He caryeth a thankful heart toward his father for his fatherly gifts. 8. He is glad to know his fathers p…ro…ati…es, his lands & lea…es (if there be any) specially if he be an h…e. 9. He longeth to se… his father, and to heare often of him in … absence. 10. He maketh much of those louelove-tokens which his father hath giuē him to keep for a remembrance of him, or for a signe of his louelove. 11. He cannot without griefe indure to see his father in…ured or abused by any. 12. He hath a sp…all regard of his fathers credit. 13. He reioyceth at his fathers prosperity. 14. He …keth his fathers company, he listeneth to his words, & loueth to talke vntounto him. 15. He loueth his mother entirely, he affecteth his brethrē and sisters, though it be but for his fathers sake. 16. He hateth the fellowship of his fathers inturious and vniust enemies, be is a friend to all his fathers faithfull friends, he contemne▪ n…t the… companies. 17. He cle…eth vntounto his father in the time of tro…ble, and doth not cast him off. These are properties of gracious, wife, and godly childre…, … being applied to t…e purpose in …, …hey are so many infallible notes of God… dutifull and louing child. Those which find them in their hearts & liues, may truly and infallibly assure themselues and know, that they are the sons and daughters of God, elected before the foundation of the world, to euerlasting life and happinesse. Those which after diligent search finde them not to be in them, must not despaire, though they may iustly indeed suspect and bewaile their estates; but let them flye to the throne of grace with hungry hearts, and incessantly desire fa…our, remembring also to vse all meanes whereby all these foresaid graces and gracious conditions may be generated, nourished, and augmented in them.
These things (right Worshipfull and Beloued) I hauehave here set downe as a Preface to the treatise following, for your furtherance and encouragement, and being the first fruits of my labours, in this kind I do present and giuegive them vntounto you, in testimony of mine hearty louelove, and earnest desire of your Christian progresse in knowledge and in godlinesse. The God of peace, that brought againe from the dead our Lord Iesus Christ, the great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the euerlasting couenant, make you perfect in all good works, to do his will, working in you that which is pleasing in his sight, through Iesus Christ; to whom be praise for euer and euer, Amen. Fauers-ham. Iune. 20. 1606.
Your Worships in Christ Iesus. Thomas Tuke.