The Christians Bulwark, Chapter 17

The Christians Bulwark · Chapter 17

p. 312CHAP. XVII. Of the certainty of Catholicke and true iustifying Faith, in regard of the certainty of predestination vntounto grace, and perseuerance therein vntounto glory.

BEing now, by Gods grace, to speake of the certainty of sauing Faith, in regard of predestination and perseuerance; p. 313that we may not seeme to build, without laying first a foundation; it is requisite, first of all, to lay downe the true state of the Doctrine of predestination, as wee finde it reuealed in the Scriptures. And so much the rather, because the Pontificians hauehave so miserably mangled it, seeking by their cunning vnderminings to blow vp (wherein they are very expert Pioners) and so to throw downe the most goodly frame of Christian Faith, like those their typicall Babylonian Edomites, who said of Ierusalem (the type of Gods Church and Chosen) Raze it, Raze it, euen to the foundation thereof. For thePsal. 137.Ps 137 Church of Christ, consisting of all the Elect, is mainly founded vponupon the eternall decree of Gods predestination.

So that in this case, wee are not to forbeare to speake the truth, because carnall minded men hauehave from time to time carped and cauelled at this Doctrine, as wee reade in the Councell of Trent: For as St. Augustine saith, Num propter Aug. de bono perseuer. lib. 2. cap. 16.malos vel frigidos, huius sententiae (nempe praedestinationis) veritas deserenda, aut ex Euangelio delenda putabitur? Dicatur verum, maximè, vbi aliqua quaestio, vt dicatur, imp…llit, & capiant, qui possunt: ne forte cum tacetur, propter eos, qui capere non possunt, non solum veritate fraudentur, verum etiam falsitate capiantur, qui verum capere, quo capiatur falsitas, possunt: that is, Is the truth of this Doctrine (to wit, of predestination) to bee forsaken, or shall it be thought worthy to be cancelled out of the Gospell, because of those that are wicked and cold? Let the truth bee spoken, especially, where any question doth inforce it to be spoken, that they may receiue it, who are capable of it: lest haply, when it is concealed, in regard of those that are not able to receiue it, they who are capable of the truth, whereby falshood may be detected, be not only defrauded of the truth, but may be taken with falshood. And a little after: Nonne potius est dicendum verum, vt qui potest capere, capiat, quam tacendum, vt non solum id ambo non capiant, verum etiam qui est intelligentior, ipse sit peior? Instat inimicus gratiae, at que vrget modis omnibus, vt credatur secundum merita nostra dari; ac sic gratia iam non sit gratia. Et nos nolumus dicere, quod teste Scriptura possumus dicere: timemus enim videlicet, ne loquentibus nobis offendatur, qui p. 314veritatem non potest capere; & non timemus, ne tacentibus nobis, qui veritatem potest capere, falsitate capiatur. Aut enim sic praedestinatio praedicanda est, quemadmodum eam sancta Scriptura euidenter loquitur, vt in praedestinatis, sine poenitentia sint dona & vocatio Dei: aut gratiam Dei secundum nostra dari merita consitendum, quod sapiunt Pelagiani: that is, Is not the truth rather to be spoken, that he which can receiue it, may receiue it, than to be concealed, that not onelyonly neyther can receiue it, but also he that is more intelligent, may be made worse? The enemy of grace is instant, and vrgeth by all meanes, that it might be beleeued, it is giuen vntounto vsus according to our merits; and so grace should now bee no more grace. And yet wee will not speake, that which by the testimony of the Scripture we may speake: for we feare, forsooth, lest if we speake, he be, offended that cannot receiue the truth: and we doe not feare, lest while we are silent, he which is able to receiue the truth, may be deceiued by errour. For eyther is predestination so to bee preached, as the holy Scripture doth euidently declare it, that in those that be predestinate, the gifts and calling of God may bee without repentance: or else we must confesse, that the grace of God is giuen according to our merits, which is the opinion of the Pelagians. And againe in the same booke, Chapt. 21. Nimiae contentionis est praedestinationi contradicere, vel de praedestinatione dubitare: It is too much peruersuesse to contradict predestination, or to call it into question. Yet Saint Augustine denies not, but that wisedome and discretion is to be vsed in the preaching of it. For (saith he) it is not so bee preached to the ignorant multitude, as that the preaching of it may seeme worthy of reproofe. For dolosi, vel imperiti medici est, etiam vtile medicamentum sic allegare, vt aut non prosit, aut obsit: It is the property of a deceiptfull, or an vnskilfull Physitian, so to apply euen a wholesome plaster, as that either it doe no good, or else hurt. Which was the prouident wisedome of his sacred Maiesty, our gracious Soueraigne, in his late iniunction to Ministers; not to debarre them from the free and lawfull, yea the most vsefull and comfortable preaching of that diuine Doctrine of predestination, as occasion p. 315serued: but rather to giuegive direction, at least to younger Diuines, lest through want of mature iudgement in the manner of opening that mysterie, and applying of it, they might haply put a stumbling blocke before the iniudicious and ignorant hearer. For otherwise his excellent Maiesty doth himselfe beare royall record to this diuine Doctrine, in his learned Paraphase of the Reuelation, the 20. Chapter, in the latter end, in these words, The booke of life was opened, to the effect that all those, whose names were written in it: to wit, predestinated and elected for saluation, before all beginnings; might there be selected for eternall glory.

Now hauehave not wee in these times the same iust cause of speaking this truth, in regard of those Pelagianizing enemies of the grace of God, the Pontificians and their complices, as Augustine had against the Pelagians? both of them contending to ouerthrow the truth of predestination, being the ground of the free grace of God in sauing mankinde, and to establish mans merits and righteousnesse, as the motiue cause of the grace of God. Therefore in this so important a cause, hauing to deale with so many importunate aduersaries of this fundamentall truth, we must not be meale-mouthed, lest we come to verifie that of our selues, which Gregory once said of some: Nonnulli, dum veritatis Discipuli esse humiliter negligunt, Greg. moral. 6.Magistri errorum fiunt: Many, while out of a kind of humility, they neglect to be the Disciples of the truth, they become the Masters of errors. Come we then in the feare of God, to free our selues of the enuie of his great glory, in setting down this great mysterie, wherein the glory of Gods rich grace doth most clearly shine, and shew it selfe.

Predestination then is an vnchangeable act of Gods goodPredestination defined. pleasure and will, whereby he hath from all eternity of his free grace, elected out of the corrupt masse of mankinde, fallen in Adam, a certaine number of men, whom hee hath purposed effectually to bring to eternall saluation, by the only absolute meanes and merits of Iesus Christ, and by other conditionall and subordinate meanes appointed by him for the receiuing and applying of Christ, and walking in him, euen p. 316vntounto the end: leauing the rest of men in their originall corruption, to their further and finall condemnation. The Scripture makes good eueryevery part of this definition. First, for the subiect of it, which is predestination, the **foreign.word is there often vsed, which signifieth a fore-determining, or appointing, or preordaining of a thing. But about the name, or the thing, there is no great question made. The very aduersaries are forced to confesse it, at least in part. Now for the Predicate of the definition, it is an act or decree, called sometimes in Scripture, foreign, Gods Councell, as Ephes. 1. 11. sometimes foreign, Gods Purpose, as Rom. 8. 28. sometimes foreign, as 1. Pet. 1. 2. which is such a fore-knowledge, as is not onelyonly a bare prescience, but a Praescitum, an established or decreedSee Beza and Erasmus on Rom. 8. Quid sit Dei foreignRom 8 fore-knowledge; as the Latines call a decree of the people Plebiscitum: and also the decree or iudgement of a cause, Cognitio, or tryall, or knowledge. So foreign, or praecognitio, or fore-knowledge of God, is his witting and willing act or decree. The Apostle therefore in the forenamed place (Rom. 8.) doth ioyne the purpose of God, and his fore-knowledge together, as one and the same thing, vers. 28. 29. For wee know that all things cooperate or worke together for good to them that louelove God, being the called according to his purpose: and hee addes, For whom he fore-knew, those hee also predestinated to be conformed to the image of his Sonne. So that to predestinate to a conformity vntounto Christ, is an act of Gods fore-knowledge or fore-decree, conducing vntounto, or producing the end, to the which God decreed or purposed. Which foreign, fore-knowledge, or fore-decree of God, is very emphaticall and significant, containing in it, as wee said before, not a bare prescience (much lesse that this fore-knowledge in God, was led or moued by the euent of those things, which he saw would come to passe in the creature, according to which euent he should predestinate men to saluation or damnation, because he fore-saw they would be such & such, as the Pontificians, & whosoeuer symbolize with them in this matter, possessed or tainted with the spirit of the Pelagians: of which Augustine speaketh) but this fore-knowledge in God here, hauing speciall and sole reference p. 317to the Elect in Christ, it importeth a knowledge not of apprehension onelyonly, but of louelove and approbation, as God isIohn 1. 48. When thou wast vnderunder the figtree, I knew the….John 1:48 said to know his owne, 2. Tim. 2. 19. but not to know the rest, as Matth. 7 23. and God thus fore-knowing of his, doth with all predestinate them to saluation. Hence it is, that the Scripture neuer speaketh of this fore-knowledge in God respectiuely, as it appertaineth to this his eternall purpose towards mankinde, but it is alwayes applyed to the Elect onelyonly. As Rom. 11. 2. God hath not cast away his people, whom he fore-knew. So 1. Pet. 1. 2. Elect, according to the fore-knowledge of God the Father. And Rom. 8. 29. Whom he fore-knew, them also he did predestinate, &c. Yea and Christ also, that elect one of God (Esa. 42.) in whom we are elect, is said to be fore-knowne of God; that is, fore-ordained, as 1. Pet. 1. 20. foreign, fore-known or fore-ordained of God. So Acts 2. 23. Christ was deliuered by the determinate Councell, foreign, and fore-knowledge of God: which fore-knowledge, or fore-appointment of God, is so proper to Gods Elect, as no where in all the Scriptures, is it to be found applyed to the Reprobate. It is no where said in the Scripture, that God did reprobate those, whom he fore-knew. But on the contrary, Gregory saith,Greg. moral. lib. 2. cap. 4. Nescire Dei, reprobare est: Gods not knowing, is to reprobate. As he applyeth that place, Luke 13. 27. Depart from me, I know you not, &c. So that Gods foreign, or fore-knowledge, is the ground of his predestination, respectiuely to the Elect, whom he did so fore-know, as he did louelove, approue, and like, and so predestinate, or fore-ordaine to life.

But some Pontifician spirit may obiect: Gods prescience or fore-knowledge, though it be vnderstood for a knowledge of approbation, yet this approbation was in respect of his prescience of apprehension, fore-seeing that such and such men, would be such and such in their willingnesse to receiue grace offered; and thereupon to his fore-knowledge of apprehension, hee ioyneth the fore-knowledge of approbation. This obiection plainly argueth, that the spirit of those ancient Heretickes, the Pelagians, is risen againe, and hath possessed the mindes of all such obiectors. To which I shall neede p. 318to shape no other answer, but only to vse the same, which Augustine made to the Pelagians, to the very same purpose. Praesci…bat (ait Pelagianus) qui futuri essent sancti & immaculati, Aug. de praedest. Svnct. l. 1. c. 18. Sic Arminiani, noui nostri Pelagiani. Nonne ergo certo futurum, quod praesciebat Deus? Tum quorsum quaeso vniuersalis gratia? Satis est, si gratia ijs tantū offeratur, quos Deus praesciuit accepturos, caeteris non item. Sed contra vniuersalem gratiam, scitè Chrysost. in Rom. 8. hom. 15. in haec verba, foreign; &c.Rom 8per liberae voluntatis arbitrium, & ideo eos ante mundi constitutionem in ipsa sua praescientia, qua tales futuros esse praesciuit, elegit. Cum dicat Apostolus, Elegit nos in ipso ante mundi constitutionem, vt essemus sancti & immaculati. Non ergo quia futuri eramus, sed vt essemus. Nempe certum est, nempe manifestum est; ideo quippe tales eramus futuri, quia elegit ipse, praedestinans, vt tales per gratiam eius essemus: The Pelagian saith, God fore-knew such as would be holy and immaculate, by the freedome of their will, and therefore hee chose them before the foundation of the world in his very prescience, whereby hee fore-knew they would become such. Whereas the Apostle saith, He chose vsus in him, before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy, and without spot. Not therefore, because we would become such, but that we should be such. This is certaine, this is manifest; that therefore wee would become such, because he did choose vsus, predestinating vsus, that we should become such by his grace. We neede not to adde any other testimonies of the Scriptures; the whole current of them runneth all along with vsus in this point, carrying vsus to the full Ocean of this grace of God, as will further appeare throughout this whole definition. True it is, that St. Augustine himselfe was once of that opinion with the Pelagians, Pontificians, and our new Pelagians, concerning Gods prescience; as vnderstanding it to be nothing else, but a preuision of future things and euents, and thereupon to hauehave grounded his decree. Which opinion Augustine ingenuously retracteth and recanteth in his first booke of his Retractations, and the 23. Chapter.

Secondly, as predestination is an act, or decree, so it is an immutable and vnchangeable act. With God is no variablenesse, nor shadow of change, Iames 1. 17. And Rom. 11. 29. foreign, the free gifts and calling of God are without repentance. If the Stoickes did attribute such a perfection to a wise man, as that he should p. 319not be subiect to repentance: then those men are stockes, andSapientem nullius rei poenitere. Cic. vnwise men, yea wicked and intolerably presumptuous, that dare impute a mutability to Gods decrees, as depending vponupon the vncertaine euents of mans fickle will. No, saith the Apostle, The foundation of God stands sure, and hath this seale, 2. Tim. 2. 19.2 Tim 2:19The Lord knoweth who are his. What stands surer than a foundation? and what foundation so sure, as Gods foundation? Yea, it is a sealed foundation, neuer to be cancelled or abrogated: Infinitely more sure, than the decree of Darius concerning Daniel, which like the Law of the Medes & Persians, alterethDan. 6. 8.Dan 6:8 not. For euen Gods decree towards his seruant Daniel, did frustrate the end and purpose of that wicked decree, as it was intended by the Persian Councellors. Quis tollit praedestinationem Aug. in Psal. 32. Consilium Domini manet in ae…ernum, &c.Ps 32Dei? Ante mundi constitutionem vidit nos, fecit nos, emendauit nos, misit ad nos, redemit nos: hoc eius consilium manet in aeternum, haec eius cogitatio manet in saecula saeculorum: Who taketh away the predestination of God? Before the foundation of the world he saw vsus, he made vsus, he mended vsus, hee sent vntounto vsus, he redeemed vsus: this counsell of his remaineth for euer, this thought of his heart is permanent vntounto all ages. And Anselme in Rom. 8. Praeposuit Deus Electos ad vitam venire, cuius propositum mutari non potest: secundum hoc propositum, non secundum suum meritum, vocati sunt à Deo, vt sancti sint: God purposed to bring the Elect to life, whose purpose cannot bee changed: according to this purpose, not according to their merit, are they called of God to be holy. Neyther doth the immutability of Gods decree stand vponupon his bare prescience, as if it were no otherwise immutable, but as God did fore-see the euents of things would be so and so, in which respect only his decrees should be said to be mutable, that the aduersaries of the truth might seeme to confesse a kinde of immutability in God, but framed according to their mutable fancies: but this decree of God hath its foundation in the immutable will of God. And therefore it followeth in the definition, That predestination is an immutable act of Gods good pleasure and will. This part of the definition is proued aboundantly by the Apostle, Ephes. 1. 5. Hauing predestinated vsus vntounto the adoption. p. 320of Children by Christ to himselfe, according to the good pleasure of his will. And vers. 9. Hauing made knowne vntounto vsus the mysterie of his will, according to his good pleasure, which he had purposed in himselfe. And vers. 11. In whom also wee hauehave obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him, who worketh all things after the counsell of his owne will. Whereupon Augustine hauing to this very purpose recited the same ScriptureAug. de praedest. Sanctor. l. 1. c. 18 at large, saith, Quis haec audiat diligenter, & intelligenter, & audeat de hac, quam defendimus, tam clara veritate dubitare? Who can heare these things diligently, and intelligently, and dare doubt of this so cleare a truth, which we defend? Now Gods will is the prime, absolute, and independent cause of his decree and act of predestinating vsus to saluation. Yea, voluntas Aug. Sent. 58.Dei (saith Augustine) est prima & summa causa omnium corporalium, spiritual…um que motionum. Nihil enim fit visibiliter▪ & sensibiliter, quod non de inuisibili & intelligibili summi Imperatoris Aula, aut iubeatur, aut permittatur, secundum ineffabilem iustitiam praemiorum, at que poenarum, gratiarum & retributionum, in ista totius creaturae amplissima quadam, vniuersa que republica: The will of God is the prime and supreme cause of all both corporall and spirituall motions. For nothing is done visibly and sensibly, which is not from the inuisible and intelligible Court of the supreme Emperour, eyther commanded or permitted, according to the vnutterable iustice of rewards and punishments, of fauours and retributions, in this kinde of spacious and vniuersall republique of the whole creature. And Ludouicus Viues noteth vponupon St. Augustines words, Qui voluntatem Aug. de …iuit. Dei, l. 9. c. 23. Voluntas Dei certissima, quàm potentissima est.Dei spectant, certissimam originem, è qua vniuersa profiscuntur, spectant. Id que quoniam aliud non sit in mando, quam quodea vult: They which looke vponupon Gods will, doe looke vponupon a most certaine cause or fountaine, from whence all things do flow. And that, because there is no other thing in the world, than what his wil willeth. This is according to that of the Apostle, saying, That God worketh all things after the counsell of his own will. The will of God then is the prime & supreme cause of all▪ And this will is in himselfe, and of▪ himselfe alone; it depends nor vponupon any thing out of himselfe, as vponupon the creature, p. 321or the actions of men fore-seene, but it is in himselfe,Voluntas Dei intra se est, non extra se. Ephes. 1. 9.Eph 1:9 and not without himselfe, as Ephes. 1. 9. Hauing made knowne vntounto vsus the mysterie of his will, according to his good pleasure, which hee had purposed foreign, in himselfe. Now this absolute independent will of God, is, as wee see, set out by sundry attributes: as, The Purpose of his will, the Counsell of his will, the good Pleasure of his will, vers. 5. 9. 11. By the Purpose ofVers. 11. his will, is set out Gods immutable determination: by the Counsell of his will, Gods vnsearchable wisedome: and by the good Pleasure of his will, his vnspeakable goodnesse, merciemercy, and free grace in the worke of ordaining man vntounto saluation. So that the Counsell, and Purpose, and good Pleasure of Gods will in appointing vsus vntounto saluation, was not suggested into the minde and disposition of God, by the meanes of any eyther faith or workes in vsus, which God fore-saw we would hauehave: but our faith and other good fruits of it are therefore in vsus, because God according to the Counsell, Purpose, and good Pleasure of his owne will, did appoint vsus vntounto saluation. As Augustine saith excellently to this purpose: Fiunt electi, Aug. de praedest. Sanct. l. 1. c. 17.non qui eliguntur, quia crediderunt, sed qui eliguntur, vt credant. Hanc enim vocationem & Dominus ipse satis aperit, vbi dicit, Non vos me elegistis, sed ego elegi vos. Nam si propterea electi erant, quoniam crediderant, ipsi eum prius vti que elegerant credendo in eum, vt eligimererentur. Aufert autem hoc omnino, qui dicit, Non vos me elegistis, sed ego vos elegi. Et ipsi quidem procul dubio elegerunt eum, quando crediderunt in eum: vnde, non ob aliud dicit, Non vos me elegistis, sed ego vos elegi; nisi quia non elegerunt eum, vt eligeret eos, sed vt eligerent eum, elegit eos: quia misericordia eius praeuenit eos, secundum gratiam, non secundum debitum. Elegit ergo eos de mundo, cum hic ageret in carne; sed iam electos in seipso, ante mundi constitutionem. Haec est immobilis veritas praedestinationis & gratiae: They are elect, not who are elected, because they beleeued, but who are elected, that they might beleeue. For this calling the Lord himselfe also doth sufficiently declare, where he saith, You hauehave not chosen mee, but I hauehaveIohn 15.John 15 chosen you. For if they had been therefore elected, because they had beleeued, then they had chosen him first, by beleeuing p. 322in him, that they might merit to be chosen: but he doth altogether take away this, who saith, You hauehave not chosen me, but I hauehave chosen you. And indeed they certainly choose him, when they beleeue in him: whereupon, for no other cause he saith, You hauehave not chosen mee, but I hauehave chosen you: but because they chose not him, that he might choose them, but that they might choose him, he chose them: because his mercy preuented them, according to grace, not according to debt. Therefore he chose them out of the world, when hee liued here in the flesh: but being already chosen in himselfe before the foundation of the world. This is that vnmoueable verity of predestination and grace. And a little after, Elegit ergo Deus fideles, sed, vt sint, non quia iam erant: GodAug. ibid. therefore elected the faithfull, but, that they might be faithfull, not because they were already faithfull. And alledging that of St. Iames (Iames 2.) Hath not God chosen the poore in this world, that they might be ri…h in faith, and heires of the Kingdome, which he hath promised to them that louelove him? He thereupon concludes: Eligendo ergo facit diuites in fide, sicut haeredes regni: Therefore by electing them he maketh them rich in faith, as also heires of the Kingdome. And before in the 10. Chapter, Ad hanc vocationem (electionis & propositi Dei) qui pertinent, …mnes sunt docibiles Dei, nec potest eorum quisquam dicere, credidi vt sic vocarer: praeuenit eum quippe misericordia Dei, quia sic vocatus est, vt crederet: Whosoeuer doe appertaine to this vocation (namely of Gods election and purpose) they are all taught of God; nor can any of them say, I beleeued▪ that therfore I should be so called▪ sith the mercy of God preuented him, because he is so called, that he might beleeue. And lib. de Patientia. Christus non iustos, sed iustificandos elegit: Christ did not chuse those that were already iust, but those who were to be instified. Thus wee see this holy man, following the word of Christ, concludes the Purpose, Counsell, and good Pleasure of Gods will, to be the prime, originall, absolute, independent cause of mans saluation. As hee saith elsewhere: Praedestinatio est praepaeratio graciae, gratia autem est ipsa donatio, s…u praedestinationis effectus: Predestination is the preparation p. 323of grace, and grace is the gift it selfe, or the effect of predestination.Aug. Enchirid. cap. 94. 95. 99. tom. 3. And in his Enchiridion: Vnum ex paruulis eligendi, alterum rélinquendt causavna erat, Dei voluntas: cuius enim vult, miseretur Deus, & quem vult, obdurat. Miseretur scilicet magna bonitate, obdurat nulla iniquitate, vt nec liberatus de suis meritis glorietur, nec damnatus, nisi de suis meritis conqueratur. Sola enim gratia redemptos discerit à perditis, quos in vnam perditionis concreuer at massam ab origine ducta causa communis. Et, nisi per indebitam misericordiam nemo liberatur; & nisi per debitum iudicium nemo damnatur: There was one and the same cause ofRom. 9.Rom 9 electing the one, and leauing the other of the children (to wit, Iacob and Esau) euen the will of God: for God hath mercy vponupon whom he will, and whom he will, he hardeneth. Hee sheweth mercy out of his great bounty, hee hardeneth without any iniustice, that neyther hee that is freed, might glory of his owne merits, nor hee that is condemned, might complaine but of his owne demerits. For it is onelyonly grace which separateth the redeemed from the condemned, whom the common cause, deriued from the originall, had confounded altogether in one masse of perdition. And, but by vndue and vndeserued mercy, none is deliuered; and but by due and deserued iudgement, none is condemned. Thus this holy man. So that whatsoeuer exceptions or obiections, cauils or calumnies, eyther the malicious or ignorant enemies of this truth take vp against it, as blaming God for an accepter of persons, in preferring one wicked man before another, being all naught, without exception or difference, in Adams corrupt loynes; they doe but shoote their arrowes against the Sunne: or as that famous Naturalist Aristotle, who would desperately drowne himselfe in that Septemfluous Sea of Euripus, for spight that hee could not finde out a reason for the ebbing and flowing of it. Or it is, as the Apostle vseth a familiar comparison, as if the Pot should expostulate with the Potter, and demand a reason why he made it such and such. The reason of Gods will is a mysterie, as the Apostle sheweth; the effects whereof are made knowne vntounto vsus, but the primeEphes. 1. 9.Eph 1:9 cause locked vp in Gods owne brest. To prye into this Arcanum, p. 324or secret, what is it, but with the Bethshemites to peepe into Gods Arke, and so to perish by a fearfull plague? Can Emperours and Commanders in any Armie hauehave their wils presently obeyed, and put in execution, without demanding a reason of them? nay, can that great mysterie of iniquity impose vponupon their disciples blinde obedience vntounto their most damnable and diabolicall designes, proceeding from that Dragons will, which animateth the Beast, a reason whereof to demand, were as dangerous to the party demanding as hee by the execution of the command might proue dangerous to others: and cannot God hauehave his will absolute and free to himselfe, though it be most iust, wise, and perfectly good, but the vilest and basest of men dare affront it, and eyther call God to an account for a reason, why hee so willeth, or else they must conclude, that their owne wils, for the goodnesse of them, must bee the reason and cause mouing God so to will? Yet if they will needes hauehave a reason of this supreme will of God, whereof wee speake, let them know, God so willeth, because it is his good pleasure. If that will not satisfie thee, because I relate it, heare the Apostle. He hauingRom. 9.Rom 9 said, Hee hath mercy on whom hee will, and whom hee will, hee hardeneth: and thou replying, Why then doth God yet complaine? for who hath resisted his will? But O man (saith he) who are thou that replyest against God? Whereupon St. Augustine saith: Talibus Aug. Epist. 105. …ix to compres…ytero.dicamus cum Apostolo (non enim melius illo inuenire possumus, quid dicamus) O homo, tu quis es, qui respondeas Deo? Quaerimus nam que meritum obdurationis, & inumimus. Merito nam que peccati vniuersa massa damnata est; nec obdurat Deus impertiendo malitiam, sed non impertiendo misericordiam. Quaerimus autem meritum misericordiae, & non inuenimus, quia nullum est, ne gratia euacuetur, si non gratis donatur, sed meritis redditur: To such replyers let vsus say with the Apostle (for we cannot finde what to say better) O man, who art thou, that replyest against God? for wee enquire for the merit of obduration, and wee finde it. For by the merit of sinne the whole masse is condemned; nor doth God harden by infusing of malice, but by not imparting of mercy. But wee enquire for the merit of p. 325mercy, and we find it not; because it is not at all, lest grace be made voide, if it be not giuen of gratuity, but rendred of dutie. And to conclude this point with S. Augustine in a word,Aug. de bon… perseuerant. cap. 12. com. 7. Conficitur ita que gratiam Dei non secundum merita accipientium dari, sed secundum placitum voluntatis eius, in laudem & gloriam ipsius gratiae eius, vt qui gloriatur, null… modo in seipso, s…d in Domino glorietur: qui hominibus dat, quibus vult, quoniam misericors est; quod & si non det, iustus est: & non dat, quibus non vult, v… notas faciat diuitias gloriae suae in vasa misericordiae. Dando enim quibusdam, quod non merentur, profectò gratuitam, & per hoc veram suam gratiam esse voluit. Non omnibus dando, quid omnes merentur, ostendit. Bonus in beneficio certorum, iustus in supplicio caeterorum: We conclude therefore, that the grace of God is giuen not according to the merits of the receiuers, but according to the good pleasure of his will, vntounto the praise and glory of his grace, that he that glorieth, should by no means glory in himselfe, but in the Lord: which giueth to men, to whom he will, because he is mercifull; which if hee doe not giuegive, he is iust: and he giueth not to whom he will not, that hee may make knowne the riches of his glory, vponupon the vessels of mercy. For by giuing to some that which they merit not, it is that he would hauehave his grace to be free, and so to be grace indeed. And by not giuing to all, he sheweth what all doe deserue. So he is good in pardoning some, iust in punishing the rest. Like vntounto a creditor, who hauing sundry debtors, deepely and indifferently engaged vntounto him, it is in his free power and choice which of them hee will freely acquite, and of which hee will iustly require his owne.

Now to shut vp this point of the definition, which is that, whereon all the rest depends, we finde in the Scriptures, that there is no one part of the gracious mysterie of mans saluation, but it is expresly and particularly referred to the will and good pleasure of God, as the prime and supreme cause of all: That the Sonne of God, Iesus Christ, came into the world, to1. take our nature vponupon him, to be incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and to become our Mediatour, and to accomplish the worke p. 326of mans saluation, it is wholly and in eueryevery part ascribed to the will and good pleasure of God. How often doth Christ himselfe say in the Gospell, I came downe from Heauen not to doe mine owne will, but the will of him that sent mee? Ioh. 6. 38. It Col. 1. 19.Col 1:19pleased the Father, that in him should all fulnesse dwell, and (hauing made peace through the bloud of his Crosse) by him to reconcile all things vntounto himselfe, &c. His death and passion, were the fruits of Gods will and good pleasure, Esa. 53 10. It pleased the Lord to bruise him, he hath put him to griefe; when thou shalt make his soule an offering for sinne, &c. and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. His preaching here on the earth, and reuealing the mysterie of God vntounto Babes, was from his Fathers good will: Euen so Father, for so it seemed good in thy fight, Mat. 11. 26. I hope they will not deny or question any of this, as by pretending any merit in vsus, to precede or procure as a motiue, from God, any part of this grace of Redemption. And yet I know not what they meane, when they ascribe to the Virgin Mary a merit at least Ex congruo, why shee should be the Mother of God.

That we should be saued by such a means as the preaching2. of the Gospell, which is Christ crucified (a meanes contemptible in the eyes of the world) it is Gods good pleasure. It pleased God by the foolishnesse of preaching, to sau… them that beleeue, 1. Cor. 1. 21. The whole administration of the Word of God, is according to his owne will, Heb. 2. 4. Our regeneration,…ohn 1. 13 is not according to the will of the flesh, nor the will of man, but of God. And Iames 1. 18▪ Of his owne will begate he vsus, by the Word of truth, that wee should be a kinde of first-fruits of his creatures. So also our saluation. 1. Thes. 4. 3. This is the will of God, euen your sanctification. It is hee that worketh in vsus both to will and to doe, of his good pleasure, Phil. 2. 13. The perseuerance of Gods Saints and Elect in the state of grace, vntill they come to full glory, is the will of God. Iohn 6. 39. This is And who hath …sted his wil?the Fathers will, which hath sent me, that of all, which he hath giuen me, I should lose nothing, but should raise it vp againe at the last day, And Mat. 18. 14. It is not your Fathers will, that one of these little ones should perish. That we inheriteternall life, it is Gods good p. 327pleasure. Luke 12. 32. Feare not, little flocke, for it is your Fathers good pleasure to giuegive you the Kingdome. So also, Iohn 6. 40. It is the will of the Father to giuegive vsus eternall life. The Scriptures abound in setting forth the glory of Gods will and good pleasure herein. Admirable is the wisedome and counsell of God, that hee hath in the holy Scriptures so punctually and particularly pointed out vntounto vsus the pleasure of his will, taking place in eueryevery part and passage of the worke of our Redemption, as altogether depending vponupon that prime, independent, eternall will, and good pleasure of God, in his free purpose and appointment of vsus vntounto eternall life. Let all aduersaries here stop their mouthes, and be couered with confusion of face, that goe about to robbe God of this his great glory, while they would hauehave Gods electing of vsus, to depend vponupon the free-will and work of man, and Gods will and pleasure to bee no more but a consequence of their wils; which qualities and actions in them, God fore-seeing from all eternity (say they) did thereupon will, that such should be saued; according as he saw they would both receiue grace offered, and retaine the same vntounto the end. And this they will hauehave to be the very substance, and whole contents of the Gospell. O for a Gagge for this new Gospell! Nay, no Gospell, but it is the old spell of the Serpent; which subtile though it were, yet it is foolishnesse with God. Ye shall be as Gods, knowing good Genes. 3.Gen 3and euill. That is, as some learned Interpreters note vponupon it, the Serpent would perswade mankinde (as indeede he did) that hee should not neede any further Gods wisedome and counsell for direction; themselues should bee thenceforth foreign, selfe-wise sufficient, yea euen as Gods, knowing all things. And Salomon saith, Hee that is selfe-wise, is a foole, yea a foole of all fooles. Well, yet this Doctrine of the Serpent did not directly (though by consequence it did) exalt man aboue God, but onelyonly seemed to place him in an equall ranke with him. But this Doctrine, built vponupon that foundation of the Serpent, is now erected so high, as it surmounts the Throne of God. Now must God become inferiour to his creature, his So…ereigne will must daunce attendance at the p. 328doore of mans will. OnelyOnly they hauehave left God his bare prescience, as if he were no better than a poore Prognosticator, or Fortune-teller. And yet if this hellish and blasphemous doctrine were to bee found onelyonly amongst those ancient Heretiques, the Pelagians, or among their successors, the Pontificians, it were but dignum patella operculum; no maruaile, if they that are of their Father the Deuill, doe the workes of their Father. The Lord Christ keepe out, or whippe out this dotage, yea this doctrine of Deuils, out of his Schoole. Let such vncleane Birds neuer nestle or roost in Christian Nurceries. But passe wee to the next point in the definition.

From the perennious and pure fountaine of Gods will and pleasure, doe flow all the riuers of the waters of life towards the creature: as first in Gods eternall electing out of the corrupt masse of mankinde, a certaine number of men. This election of God, is the prime and proper act of his good pleasure and will. As Ephes. 1. 4. 15. Verses. So Deut. 7. 6. 7. 8. Vers. where we hauehave a type of his election in the children of Israel, flowing from the free louelove and fauour of God. But this reflecteth vponupon that before, sufficiently confirming this▪ Againe, this election is of a certaine number of men. I say, of a certaine number, not of all, as some absurdly affirme, which is against the nature of an election. For, Electio est aliquorum, non omnium: Election is of some, not of all; as the word it selfe also importeth, signifying to gather out from among others. Againe, a certaine number, and definite; not vncertaine, and indefinite, as the Pontificians teach. The number of the Elect of God is a certaine and fixed number: Hereupon Augustine saith; Qui praedestinati sunt in Regnum Dei, eorum ita certus Aug. de correp. & grat. cap. 13.est numerus, vt nec addatur eis quisquam, nec minuatur ex eis: The number of them that are predestinate vntounto the Kingdome of God, is so certaine, that neyther any can bee added vntounto them, nor diminished of them. This is according to the truth of God, 2. Tim. 2. 19. The foundation of God stands sure, hauing this seale, The Lord knoweth who are his. If the Lord know who are his, hee knoweth how many are his; and if how many, there is a certaine number of them, else the Lords p. 329knowledge were vncertaine. Christ saith also, I know mine, and am knowne of mine: yea, he calleth his owne sheepe by name. Christ knoweth the certaine number of sheepe, that belong vntounto his fold. And their names are inrolled in Heauen. Heb. 12. 23. And Christ saith, few are chosen in comparison of the residue. And, Pauperis est numerare pecus: Christ the Shepheard can easily number his little flocke. Yea, hee that numbereth our haires, doth he not number the persons of his elect? Therefore the seruants of God are sealed in their fore-heads, and the number of them is set downe, of all the Tribes of Israel, Reuel. 7. Indeed in the 9. Verse, a great multitude did Iohn see, which no Man could number. But they are certaine with God. So the number of Gods elect is certaine, as certaine to God, as the number of the Starres ofPsal. 147. 4. 5.Ps 147:4Ps 147:5 Heauen, which God calleth all by their names. So great is the Lord, so great his power, and his vnderstanding infinite.

Obiect. But it may be obiected, that election appertaineth to all indifferently, as being left to eueryevery ones choice. For the Scripture saith, that God would hauehave all men to be saued, as 1. Tim. 2▪ 4▪ and Rom 11. 33. God hath shut vp all in vnbeliefe,Aug. de correp. & grat. cap. 14. that hee might hauehave mercy vponupon all. But these places proue not that Gods election belongeth to all, for then the Scripture should bee opposite to it selfe, which saith elsewhere, That few are chosen. But as St. Augustine well noteth, this All is simply meant of all the Elect. As he saith, Omnes homines vult saluos fieri, vt intelligantur omnes praedestinati, quia omne genus hominum in eis est: sicut dictum est Pharisaeis, Decimatis omne olus (Luc. 11 42.) vbi non intelligendum est, nisi omne quod habebant: that is, God would hauehave all men to bee saued, meaning all the predestinate, because in them is all sorts of men: as it was said to the Pharisees, Yee tithe all kinde of herbes; where we are not to vnderstand but all that they had. As also St. Ambrose saith, Quamuis magna pers hominum Saluantis Ambros. de vocat. Gent. lib. 1.gratiam repellat, aut negligat, in electis tamen & prescitis, at que ab Omnium generalitate discretis, specialis quaedam censetur vniuersitas. Pro parte mundi, totus mundus; & pro parte hominum, p. 330omnes homines nominantur: Although a great part of men reiect, or neglect the grace of the Sauiour, yet a certaine speciall vniuersality is accounted in those that are elect, and fore-knowne, and separated from the generality of All. For a part of the world, the whole world; and for a part of men, all men are named.

Next, this certaine number is elected out of the corrupt masse of mankinde, all corrupt in Adams loynes, after his fall. Therefore, the elect are called vessels of mercy; and mercy implyes misery. Hence the Apostle, very aptly compares the corrupt masse of mankinde to a lumpe of Potters clay; and clay is nothing but dirt. Also an example of Gods election we hauehave in Iacob and Esau, in the same place, Rom. 9▪ which two, are set out as types of all mankinde; Iacob of the Elect, and Esau of the Reprobate. Now to what time or condition, had Gods act or purpose of separating these two, one from the other, speciall reference? Namely, while they were yet vnborne, and before they had done good or euill, that the purpose of God, according to election, might stand, not of workes, but of him that calleth; it was said vntounto her, The elder shall serue the younger; Iacob hauehave I loued, but Esau hauehave I hated. So that God did in his eternall purpose elect Iacob, and reiect Esau in their Mothers wombe, before they had actually done good or euill; but not before they had both of them alike contracted the corruption of originall sinne in their Mothers wombe. Hence it is, that presently after mans fall, Gen. 3. the Lord God first reuealeth the mysterie of his will, in his eternall purpose towards mankinde, in putting an enmity betweene the Serpents seed, and the Womans seed, both Angels and Men. The Serpents seede are the Reprobate, a generation of Vipers, of their Father the Deuill: The Womans seede there, are the Elect: first Christ, and in him all the Elect, who are blessed in him, and who, with Christ, are at continuall enmity with the Serpent and his seede, Michael and his Angels, fighting against the Dragon and his Angels, the bond-womans sonne persecuting the free-womans sonne in an allegory, Gal. 4. Thus Gods election had a speciall reference p. 331to the corrupt masse, out of which he chose vsus to saluation. So Ezech. 16. Abraham, the Father of the faithfull, for his natiuity and birth, was an idolatrous Amorite. Ierusalem, the type of Gods Elect, was chosen in her bloud, ver. 5. as the Lord saith, None eye pitied thee, but thou wast cast out in the open field, to the loathing of thy person, in the day that thou wast borne; and when I passed by thee, and saw thee polluted in thine owne bloud, I said vntounto thee, when thou wast in thy bloud, Liue: yea, I said vntounto thee, when thou wast in thy bloud, Liue.

Now this election of God, in choosing out of the corrupt masse and lumpe of mankinde, such as shall be saued, doth necessarily imply, that this election is of his free grace, as is expressed in the definition: which is a point worthy our speciall consideration, although indeed, this free grace of God, is the very life-bloud (as it were) which runneth through the whole body, and filleth eueryevery veine of the definition. It is called an election of grace, Rom. 11. 5. To this grace it is, that the Apostle (rauished with the admiration of Gods incomprehensible louelove, & breaking forth into a gratefull acclamation and benediction of God for it, as if now hee had but newly come forth, or were still in his rapture in the third Heauen) referreth and ascribeth the whole worke of our saluation, To the praise of the glory of his grace (saith he) wherein he hath made vsus accepted in the Beloued, Ephes. 1. 6. And in the seuenth Verse, In whom we hauehave redemption through his bloud, the forgiuenesse of sinnes, according to the riches of his grace. And Chapt. 2. 4. &c. God who is rich in mercy, for his great louelove, wherewith hee loued vsus, euen when we were dead in sinnes, hath quickned vsus together with Christ (by grace ye are saued) and hath raised vsus vp together, &c. That in the ages to come, he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace, in his kindnesse towards vsus, through Christ Iesus. What greater louelove, what greater grace, what richer mercy, than for God to cast his eye of fauour vponupon vsus, euen when we were dead in sinnes? As the Apostle saith also, Rom. 5. 8. God commendeth his louelove towards vsus, in that while we were yet sinners, when we were enemies, Christ dyed for vsus. And in the vulgar Latine, p. 322set forth by the Diuines of Louain, printed at Antwerpe, 1584. in the fourth to the Romanes, Verse 5. wee finde these words in the Text, Ei verò qui non operatur, credenti autem in eum, qui iustificat impium, reputatur fides eius ad iustitiam, secundum propositum gratiae Dei: Now to him that worketh not, but beleeueth in him, that iustifieth the vngodly, his faith is reckoned for righteousness,**Secundum propositum gratiae Dei. according to the purpose of the grace of God. Now these last words are not in our vulgar translations, nor in most Greeke Copies; but the Louain Doctors hauehave noted in the margent, that they are found in some Manuscripts, and Greeke Copies. And it were to be wished, that they had added no worse than this into that their translation; for it is but that, w^ch is the generall Doctrine of the Gospell of Christ. For the preaching of the Gospel, what is it, but a beame of this grace of God shining vponupon sinners? as Tit. 2. 11. The grace of God, that bringeth saluation, hath appeared vntounto all men. And the Gospel, is the Gospel of the grace of God, Act. 20. 24. And the Word of God, is the word of his grace, vers. 32. And Acts 14. 3. Yea, we finde the very same words in the Apostle, 2. Tim. 1. 9. Who hath saued vsus, and called vsus with an holy calling, not according to our workes, but (marke) according to his owne purpose and grace, which was giuen vsus in Christ Iesus, before the world began; but is now made manifest by the appearing of our Sauiour Iesus Christ, &c. So that the ground of our saluation by Iesus Christ, is the meere grace of God; by this grace we are saued, by this grace we come to inherit eternall life: for eternall life is of the grace of God, it is foreign, the free gift of his grace, And wee are heires of the grace of life, 1. Pet. 3. 7. The Apostle Paul was so in louelove with this grace, that all his Epistles are perfumed throughout, as it were with this precious oyntment. Hee nameth it not so little as a hundreth times. The salutation of each Epistle hath grace in it: yea, the Apostle sets it as his marke at the end of eueryevery Epistle, and would hauehave all his Epistles knowne by that marke to bee his. As hee saith, 2. Thes. 3. 17. 18. The salutation of Paul with mine owne hand, which is the token in eueryevery Epistle, so I write, The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ bee with you all. So that besides other p. 333probable arguments, I finding this marke at the end of the Epistle to the Hebrewes, I conclude it to bee Pauls Epistle. No one Apostle ends his Epistle with the prayer and wishing of grace, but onelyonly Paul. Indeede▪ the Reuelation endeth so: The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ be with you all, Amen.

Thus Gods gracious eternall purpose, in electing to saluation such, as in his speciall fauour hee was pleased to foreknow, being the prime and originall cause, whereon depends the whole frame of our effectuall saluation: it teacheth vsus a maine difference between the first Couenant, and the second. The first Couenant was made with the first Adam in Paradise, which indeed did meerly depend vponupon mans will, to keep it, or to break it. Doe this, and thou shalt liue. This was that first Couenant; which, Man failing to keep, & so forfeiting his estate, God now makes a second Couenant in the second Adam, which he will not (as he did in the first) hazzard vponupon mans will or ability in the keeping of it; Gods wisdome well weighing, that if Adam in his perfection so easily and quickly brake the first Couenant, though hee had both will and power to keepe it: how much more man now, corrupt and weake, would neuer bee able to keepe the second Couenant. And therefore to make sure worke, God takes a contrary course in the second Couenant; which, that it may for euer stand firme and immutable, hee hath established it vponupon the sure foundation of his owne good pleasure and will, wherein is no shadow of change.

Well, the conclusion is, Gods free grace and fauour is the ground of our election, it is the foundation, whereon depends our whole saluation; wee are elected, wee are saued, all by grace, according to his purpose and grace. This grace of God, the Pontifician Church cannot away withall, as being an enemy to all their Doctrine. And therfore the Councell of Trent hath excluded, yea and condemned the grace of God, as the sole efficient cause of saluation: for Ses. 6. Can. 11. the words be, Si quis dixerit, &c. gratiam, qua iustificamur, esse tantum fauorem Dei: anathema sit: that is, If any shall say, that the grace, p. 324whereby we are iustified, is onelyonly the fauour of God: let him be Anathema, or accursed. If Romes Curse were of force, then wofull were the case of St. Paul, that doth so often & mightily magnifie the grace of God in our iustification; yea, the only grace and fauour of God, excluding workes, as not hauing the least share with Gods grace therein. Nay, the whole Word of God, which is the Word of his grace, and the Gospell of his grace, must fall vnderunder Romes Curse. Howsoeuer the equiuocating Romanists would foyst and shuffle in their workes, by the name of grace: by which indeed they destroy and ouerthrow the grace of God.

Obiect. But say some, It is sufficient that wee grant, that Gods grace doth manifest it selfe in prouiding for vsus, and offering vntounto vsus meanes, whereby we may be saued, without which meanes, because we cannot be saued, therefore we are said to be saued by the grace of God.

Answ. Is that sufficient? O enemies of the grace of God, and of your owne saluation! Will you so limit Gods grace? Will ye so eclipse the glory of his grace, as to confine it within such narrow bounds? Indeede great, and infinitely great was Gods louelove, in so louing the world, that he gaue his only begotten Sonne, that all that beleeue in him, should not perish, but hauehave life euerlasting. But did his gift depend vponupon mans acceptance, that it might be effectuall if man would, otherwise not? Then, as Esay saith, Who hath beleeued our report? Had not then this great louelove of God beene vtterly lost? Had not this gift beene such, as no man would receiue it? For what saith the Scripture? All hauehave sinned, and foreign, comeRom. 3. 23.Rom 3:23 short of the glory of God. The naturall man foreign, perceiueth not, receiueth not this gift: it is farre aboue out of his reach. He may say, Who shall fetch Christ from aboue, that I may hauehave him within my reach? What reach? The Deuill had him within his reach, when he carryed him vp to a high mountaine. But thou wilt say, God reacheth out Christ vntounto thee in his Word. The Word is neare thee; True. But where is thy hand to put forth to receiue him? Thy hand must bee a liuely faith: for to beleeue in Christ, is to receiue him as p. 335Gods gift. But faith also is the speciall gift of God. Therefore, saith the Apostle, By grace are ye saued, through faith; and not of your selues, it is the gift of God. Now herein doth the glory of Gods grace shine forth, and gloriously display it selfe, that he hath not only in his rich mercy prouided vsus the means of saluation, making tender of it vntounto vsus in his Word: but hee effectually also giueth it vntounto vsus, giuing vsus a minde and meanes to receiue it. As St. Iohn saith, Hee hath giuen vsus a 1. Ioh. 5. 20▪ Iohn 6▪ 44.1 John 5:20John 6:44minde, to know him that is true. And Christ, No man can come vntounto mee, except the Father, which hath sent mee, draw him. And againe, No man knoweth the Father, but the Sonne, and he to whom Matth. 11. 27.Matt 11:27the Sonne will reueale him. And (Matth. 16. 17.) Peter hauing confessed Christ to be the Sonne of the liuing God, Christ answered him, Blessed art thou Simon Bar-Iona: for flesh and bloud hath not reuealed this vntounto thee, but my Father which is in Heauen. As the Apostle also, 1. Cor. 12. 3. No man can say, that Iesus is Christ, but by the holy Ghost: that is, No man can truly acknowledge him to be his Christ, but by the holy Ghost. Otherwise, the very Deuill, seeing his miracles, & feeling his power euen ouer them, confessed, saying, I know who thou art, Luk. 4. 34. & 41.Luke 4:34Luke 4:41the holy one of God: and, Thou art Christ the Sonne of God. Yet the Deuill did not this by the holy Ghost; nor was it by any power of Gods grace. But herein stands that grace of God: first, in choosing vsus freely of his meere louelove and mercy; not fore-seeing vsus to be good, but finding vsus to be euill, shut vp in vnbeleefe, that he might hauehave mercy vponupon vsus. Secondly, not only in prouiding and offering meanes of grace, but also in effectuall giuing and bestowing grace vponupon all those whom he hath chosen, giuing them grace to receiue grace, that of his fulnesse we might all receiue, and grace for grace▪ as it followeth in the definition.

Now as God out of his meere louelove, grace, and fauour, did from all eternity elect and appoint a certaine number of men, fallen in Adam; vntounto saluation: So for the effecting of this his eternall purpose in time, hee did also appoint the meanes, whereby hee would bring those vntounto the end of their saluation. The meanes is twofold: First, the only absolute meane… p. 336which is Iesus Christ: Secondly, an inferiour and conditionall means, whereby we are made capable to receiue Christ, with all his benefits. First then, Christ is that only all-sufficient and absolute meanes, whereby God would effectually worke saluation vntounto vsus; vponupon, and to whom the eye of his grace principally and immediately reflecteth, in his electing of vsus. So Eph. 1. 4. He chose vsus in him, and Ephes. 3. 11. according to the eternall purpose, which he purposed in Christ Iesus our Lord▪ Now there is no other name vnderunder Heauen, giuen amongActs 4. 12.Acts 4:12 men, whereby we must be saued; neyther is there saluation in any other. And, other foundation can no man lay, than that which is laid, Iesus Christ, 1. Cor. 3. 11. Iesus Christ, God-man, is the Centre, in whom all the lines of Gods louelove and mercy to mankinde doe meete. Thus are wee chosen in him, before the foundation of the world, Ephes. 1. 4. Thus are we blessed with all spirituall blessings in heauenly places, in Christ, ver. 3. Thus are wee predestinated vntounto the adoption of children by Iesus Christ, vers. 5. Thus hath God made vsus accepted in the Beloued; to wit, Iesus Christ, in whom the Father is well pleased, vers. 6. Thus hauehave we redemption through his bloud, euen the forgiuenesse of sinnes, according to the riches of his grace, vers. 7. Thus in the dispensation of the fulnesse of time, God doth gather in one all things in Christ, both which are in heauen, and which are in earth, euen In him, vers. 10. Thus in him we hauehave obtained an inheritance, to which wee are predestinated, vers. 11. Thus in him beleeuing, we are sealed with the holy Spirit of promise. Now in that God did of his meere grace elect vsus vntounto saluation, therein appeareth the wonderfull mercy and louelove of God towards vsus: in that hee made choice of his owne Sonne to bee the onelyonly soueraigne meanes of this our saluation, therein appeareth also the infinite wisedome of God, to seale vp, and to reueale vntounto vsus his incomprehensible louelove. Thus is Christ called the power of God, and the wisedome of God. In him are hid all the treasures of Gods wisdome. This is that deepnesse of the riches of the wisdome▪ & knowledge of God, wherein the Apostles admiration was swallowed vp, and wherewith the blessed Angels p. 337themselues were transported with rauishment, Luke 2.Rom. 11. 33.Rom 11:33 13 14. This wisedome of God in Christ, God-man, all the Deuils could not, for all their subtilty, comprehend; neyther can all the wisedome of flesh and bloud conceiue it: it is foolishnesse to the Gentile, and a stumbling blocke to the Iew. Who can conceiue, that the Sonne of God could suffer, and dye? Yet this did Iesus Christ in that Hypostaticall vnion of his two natures. Who can conceiue, that a man should fully satisfie the iustice of God for the sinnes of the world? And yet this did the man Iesus Christ; that one Mediator betweene God and Man, the Man Iesus Christ, saith the Apostle, 1. Tim. 2. 5. Nothing but the precious bloud of God, could reconcile vsus to God, in appeasing his iustice towards vsus: nothingActs 20. …8.Acts 20:8 but the bloud of God, could purchase for vsus the fauour of God, and eternall life. So that in Iesus Christ is reuealed vntounto vsus, foreign, the manifold wisedome of God, as the Apostle speaketh, Ephes. 3. 10. In him alone, and none but him, is the Father well pleased with vsus. So is Christ the only soueraigne absolute meanes, in whom as wee are elected, so we are also saued.

Yet to the end, that all the elect might be made effectually partakers of the louelove and fauour of God in Christ, the wisedome of God hath also ordained subordinate, conditionall, and ordinary meanes, whereby we should receiue Christ for ours. These meanes are the Word of God preached, whereby faith is begotten in vsus, through the operation of Gods Spirit, and the holy Sacraments administred, whereby our faith in Christ is sealed and confirmed in vsus. By this faith it is, that we lay hold vponupon Christ, wherby he is made ours, and we made his, being mystically vnited vntounto him, & so in him adopted the Sonnes of God by grace, as we shewed at large before. Now I call these ordinary & conditionall means, not simply absolute, as Christ is; because although by the meanes of these, to wit, the Word and Sacraments, men are ordinarily brought vntounto saluation in Christ: namely those, who come to be made capable of the ordinary means; yet in case any of the elect cannot come to the vse of the ordinary meanes, as Infants p. 338dying before Baptisme, and many Children dying before they come to heare the Word of God; and so actually, in regard of the ordinary meanes to beleeue God, being an absolute and free agent, that can worke aboue meanes, and without meanes, aboue all that we can thinke (as saith the Apostle) is not so bound to the ordinary conditionall meanes, but that hee can, and doth without them saue all those that belong to the Couenant of grace, elected in Iesus Christ, the onelyonly absolute meanes.

Againe, I call the Word and Sacraments conditionall meanes, because, though they bee not so absolute so to tye God, as if he could not saue vsus without them; yet they be so conditionall, as we may not looke to be saued, but by them, if God doe giuegive vsus opportunity to vse them, and make vsus capable of them: For God did no lesse ordaine these ordinary meanes, whereby wee should come ordinarily to receiue Christ; than he did ordaine Christ himselfe, the onelyonly absolute meanes whereby we must be saued. Hence it is, that St. Augustine, according to his manner, saith excellently: Tunc Aug. de praedest. Sanct. lib. 9.voluisse hominibus apparere Christum, & apud eos praedicari doctrinam suam, quando sciebat, & vbi sciebat esse, qui in eum fuerant credituri; quod posset sic dici, Quando sciebat, & vbi sciebat esse, qui electi fuerant in ipso ante mundi constitutionem: Then was Christ willing to hauehave himselfe made manifest vntounto men, and his doctrine to be preached among them, when he knew, and where he knew there were such, as should beleeue in him; which may be thus explained, When he knew, and where he knew those were, who had been elected in him before the foundation of the world. So that Christ hath appeared, his Gospell is preached, principally for no other end, but to manifest Gods glory in the sauing of his elect. So it is an infallible marke; wheresoeuer God sends the meanes of saluation in the preaching of his Word, there is some of his elect to be called, and saued. Hence it is, that the holy Ghost giueth speciall direction and commission to preach in such and such places onelyonly, for the time: namely, where his elect were. Thus was Philip commanded to goe preach to the Eunuch, Acts 8. p. 339So Peter to Cornelius, Acts 10. The Apostles are inhibited to preach the Word in Asia; for the time was not yet come, Acts 16. 6. They were restrained also by the same Spirit of God, from preaching in Bithynia, vers. 7. So that this was a signe, that as yet God had no people ready for his Word in those places. As the Lord himselfe renders the reason why he will hauehave Paul to continue in Corinth, and to preach the Word boldly against all opposition; For (saith the Lord) I hauehave much people in this City, and I am with thee, to preserue thee from all enemies, Acts 18. 10. So Christ was not sent, but to the lost Sheepe of the house of Israel, to those whom his Father had giuen him out of the world: for who were they that beleeued, but so many as were ordained to eternall life? Acts 13. 48. Againe, as Gods wisedome did ordaine these ordinary and conditionall meanes, whereby his elect should be made effectually partakers of Christ, in whom they are elected: So in the last place, by the grace of Christ, in the vse of these meanes, wee are sanctified and made conformable to Christ, to walke in him, euen as he hath walked, in all holy obedience. For as God in Christ did elect and ordaine vsus to the end, which is to be saued; so also he hath ordained vsus to all the meanes tending to this end: which means are in no sort, to bee seuered from Gods eternall purpose in sauing vsus: for as he did before all time appoint vsus vntounto saluation in his Sonne; so before all time he did appoint the manner, and meanes, and way, wherein we must walke vntounto the end of our saluation: as it is said in the definition, Euen vntounto the end; that is, till wee come to the end of our Christian race, to receiue the end of our faith, the saluation of our soules.

This end is that very thing, to which we are ordained and elected in Christ. As by grace we are elected vntounto grace, so also to perseuere in grace vntounto glory: For the foundation of God stands sure, and hath the seale, The Lord knoweth who are his. Now hath God laid a foundation, and shall not he finish? No, he is the wise builder. Whom he loueth, he loueth to the end. As it is said of Christ, Hauing loued his owne; that is,Iohn 13. 1.John 13:1 p. 340from euerlasting: he loued them vntounto the end; that is, to euerlasting. For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance:Rom. 11. 29.Rom 11:29 It is not possible for the elect to be deceiued; that is, seduced from Christ, Matth. 24. 24. Doth any fall away, and apostatize from the truth? It is not from the grace of Christ that they fall; for they neuer had it: but they fall away from that temporary profession of faith and conuersation, wherein for a time they continued. So St. Iohn, speaking of1. Ioh 2. 19.1 John 2:19 Apostataes, and reuolted Antichristians, saith, They went out from vsus, but they were not of vsus; for had they beene of vsus, they would no doubt hauehave continued with vsus: but they went out, that they might be made manifest, that they were not all of vsus. WhereuponAug. de correp. & grat. cap. 12. Augustine saith; Ne… nos moueat, quod Filijs suis quibusdam Deus non dat istam perseuerantiam. Sunt enim quidam, qui Filij Dei propter susceptam vel temporaliter gratiam, dicuntur a nobis, nec sunt tamen Deo. De quibus Iohannes, Ex nobis exi…runt, sed non er ant ex nobis. Non er ant ex numero Filiorum, & quando era…t in fide Filiorum. Non enim perit Filius promissionis, sed Filius perditionis. Euerunt isti ex multitudine vocatorum, non-ex paucitate electorum: Nor let it moue vsus (saith hee) that God doth not giuegive this perseuerance to some of his Sonnes. For there are some, who because of a temporary grace receiued are called of vsus the Sonnes of God, and yet with God they are not so. Of whom Iohn speaketh, They went out from vsus, but they were not of vsus. They were not of the number of Sonnes, no not when they were in the faith of Sonnes. For the Sonne of promise perisheth not, but the Sonne of perdition. Those were of the multitude of the called, not of the small number of the elect.

But here it may be obiected, that St. Augustine confesseth,Obiect. that those that fell away, were once in the true faith; and therefore, a man may fall away from true faith, and consequently from grace finally and totally. But Saint AugustineAnsw. cleareth this in many places of his Bookes, shewing, that a man cannot fall away from the faith of the elect. As Fides Aug. de …ide & operi. cap. 16. …om. 4.Christi, fides gratiae Christianae; id est, ea fides quae per dilectionem operatur, posita in fundamento, neminem per… permittit: The p. 341faith of Christ, the faith of Christian grace; to wit, that faith which worketh by louelove, being built vponupon the foundation, permitteth none to perish. And therefore where hee speakes of such as were once in the faith, and fall from it, hee meaneth not the proper faith of the Elect, but the common faith of Christians. As he also saith, Appellamus nos & electos Christi Aug. de correp. & grat. cap. 5.Discipulos, & Dei Filios, quia si… appellandi sunt, quos regeneratos p…è viuere cernimus: We doe call men euen the elect Disciples of Christ, and the Sonnes of God, because they are so to bee called, whom we see to be regenerate, and to liue godly: butBy regenerate, he meaneth those that are baptized, and so seeme by their externall profession to be truly and really regenerate. Aug. ibid. if they hauehave not perseuerance, they are not truely called, sith they are called that, which they are not. And therefore, Quia non habuerunt perseuerantiam, sicut non verè Discipuli Christi, ita nec verè Filij Dei fuerunt, etiam quando esse videbantur, & ita vocabantur: Because they had not perseuerance, as they were not truely Christs Disciples, so neyther were they truely the Sons of God, euen when they seemed to be so, and were called so. Of this sort and sense is another place of St. Augustine to bee taken, which the Author of the new Gagge for the old Goose, for haste (as Charity may deeme) rather than eyther of malice or ignorance (not easily incident to a man of such rare and extraordinary learning) hath perhaps casually, in such aNew Gagge for an old Goose. Ch. 20. Aug. de correp. & grat. cap. 18. swift flowing current of discourse, dropped from his Goosequill. His allegation out of St. Augustine, is in these words: Credendum est quosdam de filijs perditionis, non accepto dono perseuerantiae vsus que in finem, in fide, quae per dilectionem operatur, incipere viuere, & aliquandiu fideliter & iustè viuere, & postea cadere, ne que de ha… vita, priusquam hoc eis contingat, auferri. The author of the Gagge seemeth to alledge this place to proue, that a man may totally fall away from grace, sith from faith working by louelove. And the words, as he alledgeth them, seeme to fauour that opinion, as if it were Augustines definitiue conclusion, for all peremptorily to beleeue it, Credendum est. But as a guelt man, though he hauehave all the other signes of a man, hath lost his virility, the chiefe difference of his Sexe: so this sentence being but a little guelt, how much is it made to degenerate from the Masculine stile of St. Augustine? For Augustine p. 342speaking there of the gift of perseuerance, inferreth this sentance, thus: Propter huius vtilitatem secreti, credendum est quosdam, &c. For the benefit of this secret, (to wit, of perseuerance) credendum est: where wee are to note, that these first words, left out by the Author, are a speciall qualification and limitation of our faith herein; namely, how farre forth, and in what respect Augustine would hauehave vsus thinke so, that men may fall from that faith, which worketh by louelove, to the end, that thereby they should bee more carefull to keepe their standing; therefore he saith, Propter huius vtilitatem secreti. A clause in no case to bee neglected; for little though it bee, it leaueneth and seasoneth the whole lumpe. As the same Augustine elsewhere saith, Deus melius esse iudicauit, miscere quosdam Aug. de b…no. perseuer. l. 2. 8.non perseueraturos, certo numero Sanctorum suorum, vt quibus non expedit in huius vitae tentatione securitas, non possint esse securi: God iudged it better, to mingle some that should not perseuere, with the certaine number of his Saints, that they, for whom security in the tentation of this life is not expedient, might learne not to be secure. Now that Augustine, by that faith working by louelove, mentioned in the former allegation (from whence he would hauehave vsus beleeue, for our owne profit and proficiency in perseuering, that the reprobate fall) did not meane that true reall faith of the Saints and Elect, which worketh by louelove; but onelyonly such a faith, in appearance and common account: besides many other places, and those also which we hauehave forecited; that one may conuince it, where heAug. de correp. & grat. cap. 7. saith vponupon 2. Tim. 2. 19. Horum fides, quae per dilectionem operatur, profecto aut omnino non deficit, aut si qui sunt, quorum deficit, reparatur antequam vita ista finiatur, & deleta, quae intercurrerat, iniquitate, vsque in finem perseuerantia deputatur: The faith of those, which worketh by louelove, eyther doth not faile at all, or if there be any, whose faith doth faile, it is repaired before this life be ended, and the inquity, which came betweene, being blotted out, perseuerance is deputed euen vntounto the end. Yea, he saith definitiuely, Fides eius, qui aedificatur super Petram, Aug. ibid.pro qua etiam or auit Christus, ne deficiat, non deficit: His faith that is built vponupon the Rocke, for the which also Christ p. 343prayed, that it should not faile, faileth not. And Christ saith expresly, That the house built vponupon the Rocke, faileth not,Mat. 7. …5.Matt 7:5 but standeth firme against all windes and waues of tentations. The Rocke is Christ, and the house vponupon this Rocke, is eueryevery true beleeuer. But say, that former allegation out of Augustine, had beene altogether set downe by him, eyther in those termes, or in that sense as the Author citeth it; what if one such speech tending that way, should hauehave fallen from that excellent holy man? shall that one preponderate the whole tenure of St, Augustines workes? Nay, rather let it bee interpreted by his other sayings, than they be ouerthrowne and euacuate by this. And let the learned Author of that booke of the Gagge, so maintaine the truth of Christ in the maine current of his other writings, as they may not only extenuate, but wholly expiate and expunge (to omit other things) at least this blot, dropping from his penne. Augustine, though a most excellent light in Gods Church, yet wherein he saw his errours (such was his rare humility, and dextrous ingenuity) hee writ a Booke of Retractations. But for his Doctrine in the point of the Saints perseuerance in the state of grace, vntounto the end, it is so cleare, and consonant to the Scriptures, that it needes no retractation; and as vneasie it is almost by any wit to bee peruerted, as subuerted. OnelyOnly let not a misalledged place, or a mis-conceiued allegation out of Augustine, stand as the Rest, whereon the state of the Doctrine of the Church of England must lye at hazzard. Nor euer let it be said, that the Doctrine of the faith of the Church of England is any other, than the Doctrine of the Catholick faith, which is built vponupon the holy Scriptures, the onelyonly adaequate obiect and rule of Catholike faith.

Now the ground and foundation of perseuerance in grace vntounto the end, is the eternall decree and act of Gods good pleasure and will, in predestinating and electing a certaine number of men out of the corrupt masse of mankinde, to be saued in and through Iesus Christ. So that the certainty of perserance of the elect Saints, depends vponupon the immutability of that foundation of God, which stands sure, and hath Gods p. 344seale vponupon it, The Lord knoweth who are his. And it is worth the4 Tim. 2. noting, yea very materiall for the vnderstanding of the scope of the Apostle in that place, to obserue the words immediatly going befoee, vers. 18. where speaking of the heresie of Hymeneus and Phile…us, by whose meanes the faith of some was ouerthrowne: and least some hereupon might conclude, that therefore Gods elect may fall away from faith, the Apostle preuents, or at least remoues that obiection, inferring in the next words, Neuerthelesse the foundation of God stands sure, &c.

Yea this foundation of God stands so sure, as that it stands not idle and empty, but still in all ages, in all places where Christ is preached, the elect are effectually called, and built vponupon it, vntill the full and finall consummation of the holy and heauenly Temple of God. So that as the Apostle saith,Rom. …. Whom God did predestinate, them he also called; and whom he called, them he also iustified; and whom hee iustified, them hee also glorified. Note here the golden chaine of mans saluation. Our glorification is chained to our iustification; our iustification to our effectuall vocation; our effectuall vocation, iustification, glorification, begunne here in grace, and consummate hereafter in glory, are all chained inseparably to predestination,Aug. de praedest. Sanct. lib. 2. Gods foundation. Whereupon S. Augustine saith, Quos praedestinauit, ipsos & vocauit, illa scilicet vocatione, secundum propositum; non ergo alios, sed quos praedestinauit, ipsos & vocauit: nec alios, sed quos ita vocauit, ipsos, & iustificauit: nec alios, sed quos praedestinauit, vocauit, iustificauit, ipsos & glorificauit, illo vtique fine qui non habet finem: Whom he predestinated, them he also called, to wit, with that calling which is according to his purpose; therefore none else, but whom hee predestinated, them he also called: nor any others, but whom he so called, them he also iustified: nor any others, but whom he hath predestinated, called, iustified, them he hath also glorified vntounto the end, that hath no end. And De fide ad Petrum Diaconum. cap. 3.Aug. de fide ad P. Diaconum. cap. 3. Illi cum Christo regnabunt, quos Deus gratuita bonitate sua praedestinauit ad Regnum: quoniam tales praedestinando praeparauit, vt Regno digni essent, praeparauit vti que secundum propositum vocandos, p. 345vt obediant: praeparauit iustificandos, vt accepta gratia rectè credant, & bene viuant: praeparauit etiam glorificandos, vt Christi cohaeredes effecti, Regnum coelorum sine fine possideant: They shall reigne with Christ, whom God of his free goodnesse hath predestinated to the Kingdome: for because by predestinating he hath prepared such, that they should be worthy of the Kingdome, he hath prepared them to be called according to his purpose, that they should obey: hee hath prepared them to be iustified, that hauing receiued grace, they should beleeue aright, and liue well: he hath prepared them also to be glorified, that being made coheires with Christ, they might possesse the Kingdome of heauen without end. Thus we see the maine reason of the Saints perseuerance in grace vntounto the end, is grounded vponupon the immutability of Gods election. So that the enemies of the truth, and of Gods glory, and louers of their owne glory, know well enough, that their Doctrine of vncertainty, and of falling away from grace, cannot stand, so long as Gods foundation remaineth sure: therefore they hauehave laboured tooth and nayle to vndermyne and blow vp this foundation of God, that so men might be as a tottering house built vponupon the sand; or as a Ship without an anchor, tossed vp and downe, and running vponupon the danger of eueryevery rocke and shelue, as St. Iames compares the faithlesse man to the winde-driuen waue, Iames 1. 6.

Now as God hath preordained and elected vsus, as to the end of our saluation, so to the meanes ordinary and conditionall, the Word and Sacraments, whereby wee should be in time effectually called to imbraoe by faith the onelyonly absolute meanes of our saluation, Iesus Christ, in whom we are elected, and by whom we are mightily saued: So also hee hath ordained and appointed vsus vntounto holinesse of life and conuersation, wherein we should walke and perseuere vntounto the end of this life, as it is in the definition. For good workes, being the proper, immediate, and necessary fruits of iustifying Faith, they become also the ordinary high-way to the Kindgome. They are via Regni, though not causa Regnandi: the way of the Kingdome, but not the cause of making vsus Kings. Hereupon p. 346the Apostle saith, Ephes. 1. 4. That God hath chosen vsus in Christ before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in louelove. And Chapt. 2. 10. We are his workemanship created in Christ Iesus vntounto good workes, which God hath before ordained, that we should walke in them. Here the Apostle speakes of the new creature, of the regenerate man, created, or re-created in Christ Iesus; created in Christ Iesus vntounto good workes, that we should walke in them. For the good workes of a regenerate man, as they are euidences of true faith, so they are excellent meanes to preserue vsus from falling, and to make vsus perseuere in grace vntounto the end. Therfore St. Peter saith, 2. Pet. 1. 10. Wherefore, Brethren, the rather giuegive diligence to make your calling and election sure; for if yee doe these things, ye shall neuer fall. These things; namely such as hee spake of in the fift, sixt, and seuen Verses: to wit, all kinde of good workes. For so (saith he) an entrance shall be ministred vntounto you aboundantly, into the euerlasting Kingdome of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ.

Obiect. But some will here obiect, that for as much as the Apostle doth vse [If] here, as putting the assurance of our election vponupon Ifs and Ands: therefore if a man continue not to doe these things, he shall fall; and so consequently, the assurance of our perseuerance is only conditionall: So that it rests in vsus, eyther to stand or fall from grace.

Answ. For answer hereunto: True it is, that the aduersaries of this truth catch at all shadowes, whereby they may any way obscure this cleare Doctrine, that so all men might remaine still in the shadow of death; as Adam would hauehaveGenes. 3.Gen 3 done, when he thought to hide himselfe from God, by taking shrowd vnderunder the shadowie trees. Hereunto they adde sundry places of Scripture, as all such, where there is eyther any exhortation to take hold of grace, or any admonition to take heede of falling: As 1. Cor. 10. 12. Let him that thinketh hee standeth, take heede, lest hee fall. And Rom. 11. the Iewes fall is propounded to the called Gentiles, as an example of admonition, vers. 20. Because of vnbeliefe they were broken off, and thou standest by faith: Bee not high minded, but feare. And to omit p. 347many other, they alledge one maine place out of Ezech. 18. where God threateneth, That if the righteous forsake his righteousnesse, and commit iniquity; in the iniquity that hee hath committed, he shall dye, and his former righteousnesse shall be remembred no more. From these and such like places the aduersaries would conclude, That a man may fall totally and finally from grace; or at least they would waue the matter, and leaue it indifferent: sith (say they) we find such opposition in the Scripture about this point. Nay (say they) we can bring as many places, that make against certainty of election, and perseuerance in grace, as can be brought for it. So that the aduersaries (I neede name none but the Pontificians; for all that hold of their wicked Doctrine, though they seeme to abhorre the name of Pontificians, yet indeede they are one with them) the aduersaries (I say) are hereupon very peremptory and insolent, because not vnderstanding the Scriptures, but peruerting them to their owne destruction, they thinke they are as fast and full on their side, as against them. Hereupon at the leastwise they would, I say, waue the matter, and make it indifferent, whether side a man choose. So that by hooke or by crooke they would bring in a new Diuinity, as Copernicus and his followers, a new Philosophy; who, making demonstration, that the earth may as well moue round about in 24. houres, as the heauens; therefore his disciples conclusion must be, that not the heauens, but the earth moueth about once in 24. houres. The motion whereof hath caused this brain-sicke giddinesse in these new Philosophicall Heretickes, or Hereticall Philosophers. But the grounds of Diuinity in this point in hand, are farre more demonstratiue and certaine, than that of Copernicus his Philosophy. For he can finde no certaine demonstration of the heauens motion, but that he can stoppe with his versatilous wit; no more then my braine, earthy as it is, can be moued to beleeue his earths motion. But these Nouel-Diuines, must needes confesse, that the Doctrine of Gods election, effectuall vocation of the Elect, and their perseuerance in grace, is very clearly set down in the Scriptures. Which being so, while they would oppose p. 348other places of Scriptures against it, what doe they else, but goe about to make God a lyar, that with him should be Yea and Nay? For if the Scripture be contradictory in the matter of saluation, then it should be no better than a lye; and so God, the author of the Scripture, a lyar. But let God be true, and eueryevery man a lyar. Yea, let the Scriptures be true, vniforme, consonant, and like themselues, and all such wresters and peruerters of the truth, lyars. But they cannot bring any one sentence of Scripture, to contradict this truth of the certainty of Gods election. The Scripture saith, The foundation of God stands sure, and hath the seale, The Lord knoweth who are his: but where can the aduersaries bring one place of Scripture contradictory, which saith, The foundation of God is vncertaine, without seale, The Lord knoweth not who are his? The Scriptures saith of Apostates They went out from vsus, but they were not of vsus; for had they been of vsus, they had continued with vsus: but where saith it the contrary, that Apostates were once the true Children of God, sealed vp in Gods foundation, and knowne of God to be his, and that they were once really of the number of Gods Elect? The Scripture saith, It is impossible to deceiue the Elect, and to seduce them from Christ. The Scripture saith, He that is borne of God, sinneth not; neyther can he sinne, because he is borne of God: that is, he cannot sinne vntounto death; namely, by sinne fall away from God finally. Where saith it, That he that is borne of God doth sinne vntounto death, and so falleth totally and finally from God? Indeede, if as Archimedes, that famous Mathematician and Engineer, who was so confident of his Art, that he durst say, he would remoue this whole terrestriall Globe, if he had but a Ground or Base to fasten his Engine vponupon (although the Base must needes be farre bigger than the Moueable.) So they, if they could finde such a solid ground in Scripture, seruing their owne opinion, and preponderating the eternall vnmoueable truth of Gods election, as thereupon they could pitch their artificiall Engine; much might be, that these rare Engineers, might Giant-like, be able to reere Mount Pelion vponupon Mount Ossa, and so climbe to the top of Olympus: while by their faith, as a graine of scelerata Sinapis, they p. 349command the vnmoueable mountaine of Truth (if the foundation of it did not stand the more sure) to bee cast into the floating sea of their fleeting imagination.

But (say they) the Scripture speaketh doubtfully in many places, as in those fore-alledged and other. To which all I answer in one word, that none of those fore-alledged places doe crosse or contradict the truth of God. Nay contrary, they are all as meanes, to bring the purpose of God to its small period and effect. For, Be not high minded, but feare: Let him that thinketh he standeth, take heede lest he fall: Worke out your saluation with feare and trembling: If ye doe these things, ye shall neuer fall: If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered: If the righteous forsake his righteousness, and commit iniquity: and if there be any other Scriptures of this nature, eyther exhortatory or admonitory (besides that they are excellent restrictiues to all sorts of men in generall, God extending his restraining grace euen to wicked men) they are all necessary precepts, and soueraigne preseruatiues and antidotes, especially to the elect of God, to preserue them from falling. These places do not imply, that Gods elect may fall away: but they serue as meanes to preuent them, that they doe not fall. Now God hath (as I said) not only ordained the end, but all means tending thereunto. Of which meanes, those many exhortations and admonitions in Scripture are a speciall part. To this purpose Augustine speaketh excellently: Tene quod habes, ne Aug. de correp. & grat. cap. 13.alius accipiat Coronam tuam. Quod autem etiam perseueraturis Sanctis sic ista dicuntur, quasi eos perseueraturos habeatur incertum; non aliter hoc audire debent, quibus expedit non altum sapere, sed timere. Hinc & Apostolis dicebatur, si manseritis in me: dicente illo, qui illos vti que sciebat esse mansuros. Et per Prophetam, si volueritis, & audieritis me; cum sciret ipse, in quibus operaretur & velle. Et similia multa dicuntur, propter huius vtilitatem secreti, n… fortè quis extollatur, sed omnes etiam qui bene currunt, timeant, &c. that is, Hold that which thou hast, lest another take thy Crowne (they are the words of the holy Ghost.) Now thatApoc. 3. 11.Rev 3:11 these things are so spoken euen to the Saints that shall perseuere, as if it were vncertaine whether they should perseuere; p. 350they ought not to heare of this otherwise, whom it behooueth not to be high minded, but feare. Hence also it is said to the Apostles, If you shall abide in me: himselfe speaking it, who knew full well that they would abide in him. And by the Prophet, If ye be willing, and will harken vntounto me; when himselfe knew, in whom hee would worke euen to will. And many such things are spoken, for the profit of this secret, lest any should be puffed vp; but that all, euen those that runne well, should feare. Hence it is that the Apostle saith, 2. Tim. 3. 16. All Scripture is giuen by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproofe, for correction, for instruction in righteousnesse: that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished vntounto all good workes. Note here how the holy Ghost, vntounto the Doctrine of the Scripture, ioyneth reproofe and correction, as necessary meanes to bring Gods seruants to perfection. So that those places of Scripture, which deterre men from presumption and security, Gods Children make vse of them, as meanes to keep them in the way, not as stumbling blockes to take offence at, whereby to fall.

If any here obiect that of Gregory, Video Paulum, &c. I see Paul called out of that cruelty of persecuting, to the grace of Apostleship; and yet he so feareth, amidst Gods secret iudgements, as that euen after he is called, hee feareth to be a castaway. For he saith, Castigo, I chastise my body, &c. 1. Cer. 9. and Phil. 3. I follow if I may comprehend, &c. Yea it was now said of him by the voice of the Lord, He is a chosen vessell vntounto mee: and yet for all that, chastizing his body, hee feareth lest hee should be reproued, or cast away. Doth Gregory hence conclude, that the elect is vncertaine of saluation,Greg. moral. lib. 29. cap. 9. or that it is possible for him to become a reprobate? Nothing lesse. For note what the addeth there: Debet profectò, in spe esse non solum securitas, sed etiam timor in conuersatione, vt & illa certantes foueat, & iste torpentes pungat: There ought surely, there ought to be not onelyonly security in our hope, but also feare in our conuersation; that both the one (security in hope) may cheere those that fight, and the other (feare) checke and spurre them that faint. Vnde, &c. Whence (saith he) it is well p. 351spoken by the Prophet, They which feare the Lord, let them hope in the Lord. As if he said plainly, That mans hope is vainly confident, who refuseth to feare God in his conuersation. And lib 9. cap. 27. he further cleareth his minde herein, Sciendum est, quod viri sancti ita incerti sunt, vt confidant; at que ita confidunt, vt tamen ex securitate non torpeant: We are to know, that holy men are so vncertaine, as that they are confident; and are so confident, as that notwithstanding they droope not through security. So that such like places of Scripture, as teach vsus to feare and tremble, being rightly vnderstood and applyed, they are so farre from shaking the certainty of our election and perseuerance in grace, that they tend exceedingly to the establishing of it. Yea they serue also to stoppe all foolish and carnall mens mouthes, that would (forsooth) in Christian policy hauehave this Doctrine of God smoothered and suppressed, as tending to make men carelesse of the meanes of saluation: Whereas on the contrary, seeing the wisedome of God hath tyed the meanes of saluation so inseparably and conditionally to his own purpose and good pleasure in our election: therefore all men being alike indangered vntounto God, should not persist in their rebellion, to their further damnation, but should vse all diligence in the vse of those meanes, by which God doth worke saluation vntounto vsus.

Tell me (if politick respects may take such place) A Kings subiects being all fallen (without exception) into a Premunire, hauing forfeited their estates and all: if now the King out of his speciall grace and fauour, hauehave resolued with himselfe to pardon such a number of them, as seemeth good vntounto him, whose names he enrolleth in his booke of Arcana regni, not purposing to pardon any moe, but these onelyonly; yet withall hath appointed such and such meanes to be vsed, and conditions to be obserued, as he prescribeth, and so thus farre publisheth by Proclamation to all his subiects, that such is his determination and good pleasure, to pardon and spare a certaine number of his subiects, such as himselfe, out of speciall grace, hath made choice of; but the number of the persons, and who they be, he concealeth in his brest, but reuealeth to them the p. 352meanes whereby hee will saue them: will any of his subiects be so desperately minded, as to say thus with himselfe, The King hath resolued to pardon a certain number, and no more, and to receiue them to fauour by such meanes as hee commandeth, by obeying such and such Lawes; but sith I am vncertaine, whether I be one of that number or no, I will not take the paines to vse any such meanes, nor so much as endeauour to obserue those conditions, though neuer so easie, which he requireth in that behalfe? Nay, will not all rather harken to the conditions, being all of them gracious, and no way grieuous, eueryevery one for his part hoping, that he may be one of that number, whom the King hath resolued to receiue to grace and fauour againe, yea, and highly to aduance in his Kingdome? If it bee but a running Lottery, wherein the whole Countrey is coosened, though there be but a few prizes to many blankes, yet how forward are men to aduenture their money, some pawning their very beds, and all to bee cheated? Wee see there is no Papist so vncharitable, that though his neare kinsman, be it Father or Mother, or so, dye neuer so wicked, yet at the least in hope he is but in Purgatory, how will he empty his purse, yea how often, for so many Masses, to release him out againe? although it be a most desperate aduenture; nay, he will not stick perhaps to go a long Pilgrimage, and to doe some tedious Penance inioyned him by a sinnefull Priest, and all for the pardon of that sinne, whereof notwithstanding neyther the Priest can giuegive, nor himselfe receiue any assurance of pardon by such meanes at Gods hand- And shall not all men indangered to God for soule and all, be ready to entertaine and obserue all such conditions, prescribed by God, whereby they may be saued, and without which they cannot be saued?

Yes (say these selfe-wise carnall Vniuersalists) if we were but in as much hope of Gods fauour, as wee may be of a prize in a Lottery, we would hazzard all we hauehave, skin for skin, and all, to saue our life. Yea, or if it were in our owne power, so to vse the meanes prescribed, and the conditions imposed, as that thereby we might be saued, notwithstanding wee knew, p. 353that God had determined to saue but a few of many; wee should bee willing to vse our best endeauour, in hope of the Kings fauour. But the case betweene God and man is otherwise. We are indeede all of vsus fallen into a Premunire, and hauehave forfeited our whole estates, liues and liberties, for our Rebellion. But we heare, that though the King of his speciall grace, hauehave purposed to pardon, and to preferre a certaine small number in comparison of the rest; but withall, that this pardon must be procured by such meanes, as no one of all his subiects, is in himselfe of ability and power to vse, and put in practice, vnlesse the King also giuegive vntounto him a speciall strength to doe that which the King requireth: therefore what should I trouble my selfe for the matter? I know the worst of it; and seeing it is not in my power to helpe my selfe, let the King doe what he will: If I be one of those, whom he hath purposed to pardon, what should I need to take care any further? But if not, what neede I bestow labour in vaine? Yea, but withall obserue, though the grace, and the meanes, and the power of right vsing the meanes be of the King, because he will hauehave all the glory of working that, which all mans strength and wit could neuer hauehave accomplished: yet the King to his former decree hath added another clause, that notwithstanding the Kings purpose and decree, which may not be altered, notwithstanding the right vse of the meanes of procuring his pardon, depend vponupon him alone; yet the King hath peremptorily commanded all his subiects, none excepted, that if any shall dare to contemne, or neglect those meanes, which hee hath prescribed for the good of those, whom they chiefly concerne, that man shall not onelyonly not be pardoned for his former rebellion, but bee bound ouer to a further condemnation, to suffer greater torments and tortures, than otherwise he should hauehave done. Tell mee now in this case, what subiect would be so foolehardy, as openly to contemne and reiect the commandement of the King? and not rather to doe the best that lyeth in him to obserue those things which he commandeth; seeing that of endeauour may come much good: but of contempt, certaine condemnation. p. 354Euen thus stands the case betweene God and vsus: we hauehave all sinned, and forfeited our estates with God. He, of his mercy, hath purposed to saue a certaine number of vsus condemned persons; he hath withall prescribed the meanes, whereby he will saue that speciall number: yet the meanes are such, as though in their owne nature they bee gentle and easie (for Christs yoake is easie, and his burthen light) yet in regard of our impotency, it is in Gods power onelyonly to enable vsus to vse the meanes aright. Now, though God giuegive his speciall grace & strength to none, but those whom he hath appointed to saue; yet forasmuch as we are ignorant who those be, whom he hath ordained to saue, and eueryevery man may as well thinke himselfe to bee of the number, as any other; and seeing though hee cannot of himselfe so much as will that which is truly good, but God worketh in vsus both to will & to do, euen of his good pleasure: yet because God hath commanded all men indifferently to receiue and entertaine his commandements, and conditions, which wilfully to refuse, despise, and oppugne, heapeth vponupon a man further condemnation, which was the miserable case of Corasin, Bethsaida, and Ierusalem, with her contemning, oppugning Iewes: and because God hath reserued this secret number to himselfe, both how many they be, and who they be, whom he hath purposed to saue, none knowing himselfe to be of the number, till hee be actually and effectually called, and hauehave receiued the white stone, the marke of his election, with the new name of the Sonne of God in it, which no man knoweth, but he that hath it; nor any being so wicked, but he may proue to be one of the number of Gods elect, and so to be effectually called in due time: and because for any man to iudge himselfe, while he liueth in this world, to bee of the number of the reprobate, is a desperate iudgement, yea a preiudice of Gods purpose and grace, and a rash presumption, as daring to prye into Gods secrets, and to determine that as certaine, which God hath left vncertaine: therefore for a man to cauill at this truth of God, and thereupon to frame friuolous and foolish unreasonable reasons, to resist and contemne Gods ordinance; what is it but to heape vponupon himselfe p. 355greater and greater condemnation? God will not in the meane time hauehave his truth dissembled, his glory diminished, his mercy despised, and his iustice disparaged. Let no man dare to say, Why doth he yet complaine? Who art thou, vaine man, that pleadest against God? take thou heede thou giuest not God further occasion to complaine of thee: Shall thy politicke, or rather braine-sicke reasons, be wiser than Gods wisedome? God hath willed it so: And his will is aboue all humane reason. And Gods will is nothing but diuine reason, yea wisedome it selfe. But yet as a man, to answer thy reasons with reasons: Thou deniest the certainty of election, at least thou wouldst not hauehave it published and preached. Why? What's thy reason for it? Because it makes men carelesse of the meanes. It is false; it is not Gods good will and pleasure which he hath published, but it is thine owne peruerse and corrupt will, that makes thee carelesse and contemptuous. But by this reason of thine, which thou canst sub-diuide into manie branches, but all growing from the same carnall roote, to satisfie thine owne foolish reason, in desiring to hauehave this glorious truth of God dissembled or suppressed: thou wouldst destroy two precious things, infinitely more deare than a thousand worlds.

The first is the glory of God, which is so nothing much manifested,First. as in this act of his, concerning his good pleasure in the disposing of mankind. It is that summary doctrine of Gods glory. So that to suppresse, or supplant this truth, is to strip God of his excellent glory. It is the saying of a iudicious and learned Diuine, Viciatur & adulteratur Religio, …imulac minimum Caluin. in Praecept. 1. Exod. 20. in initio.Exod 20aliquid detrahitur ex Dei gloria: Religion comes then to be corrupted and adulterated, when once Gods glory suffereth the least detriment or diminution. No (say they) wee doe not take away Gods glory; for we acknowledge his preuenting grace. Iust so did those aduersaries in Augustines time, with whom he had to deale, of whom he saith: A Pelagianorum Aug. de bono perseuer. lib. 2. cap. 16.porrò haeretica peruersitate tantum isti remoti sunt, propter quos haec agimus, vt lice… nondum velint fateri praedestinatos esse, qui per Dei gratiam fiant obedientes, at que permaneant, iam tamen fateantur, p. 356quod eorum praeueniat voluntatem, quibus datur h…c gratia: Now these men (saith hee) with whom wee hauehave to deale, are so much remote from the Hereticall peruersnesse of the Pelagians, that although they will not be brought to confesse, that they which by the grace of God are made obedient and remaine so, are predestinated; yet notwithstanding they confesse, that this grace preuents the will of those, to whom it is giuen. But how? Augustine discouers their deceit; Ideo vit que ne gratis dari credatur gratia, sicut veritas loquitur, sed potius secundum praecedentis merita voluntatis, sicut contra veritatem Pelagianus error obloquitur: This must be so (forsooth) lest grace should be thought to be giuen gratis, as the truth speaketh, but rather according to the merits of mans precedent will, as the Pelagian errour gain-saieth the truth. So that in the conclusion, the Pelagians and Pontificians, with their confederates, conspire in the maine, not onelyonly to diminish, but euen to demolish the glory of God.

The second precious thing which thou wouldest destroy, isSecond. the saluation of the elect: Thou to make a reprobate by thy carnall reason to become at the best a formall hypocrite, puffed vp with the swelling pride of his selfe-righteousnesse, wouldst destroy that gracious purpose of God, in sauing impotent man, which purpose of God is the onelyonly cause of the effectuall sauing of men: For, take away this purpose of God, and no man should be saued. And not onelyonly Gods purpose to saue some, whom he will, doth in time effectually bring them vntounto the state of grace in Christ: but also is so farre from making them carelesse, as it makes them the more carefull to continue in the state of grace. Yea, not only so, but God doth endowe all his with a care, and minde, and will, and power, to continue in his fauour and grace. And to this end, all things worke together, cooperate for good to them that loueloveRom. 8. 28.Rom 8:28 God, to them that are called according to his purpose. Hath God giuen me the grace of faith, to beleeue in his Sonne Iesus Christ, whereby I come now to know, what I knew not before; namely, that I am of the number of Gods elect, preordained to saluation before the foundation of the world? p. 357Am I hereupon carelesse how I liue, because I hauehave receiued the euidence of Gods fauour towards mee in Christ? Nay, now I begin to be more carefull, than euer before, that I may also attaine to the end of my saluation. And I am so much the more encouraged hereunto, not onelyonly because I am ordained of God vntounto it, but because now the Spirit of Christ dwelleth in me, strengthening, incouraging, comforting, confirming mee more and more in the obedience of faith, and sealing me vp vntounto the day of Redemption. I know that God hath appointed to saue me, but not without meanes. He hath made the meanes easie vntounto me, and he hath giuen mee both a minde & power to obserue the conditions, where I, through carnall infirmity still dwelling in me, faile; yet still the means is in my way, which is to be renewed by repentance, humiliation, and obedience. I cannot now euer be resolued, that because I know I am one of Gods elect, therefore I will sinne, and liue as I list: but because I am one of Gods elect, redeemed by Iesus Christ; therefore my whole resolution is, continually to set forth the prayses of him, that hath called mee out of darknesse, into his maruellous light. St. Iohn was of another minde than these men, where, 1. Ioh. 3. speaking of our knowledge and assurance of our blessed estate, in, and through, and with Christ, he addeth, vers. 3. He that hath this hope, purgeth himselfe, euen as hee is pure. So that the more certaine our faith and hope is of eternall life, the more carefull it makes vsus of fitting and preparing ourselues thereunto. For he that hath this hope, purgeth himselfe.

Tell me: a Prince being borne heire apparant to a Kingdome, because he is assured that none can preuent him of his right, is he therefore carelesse of his course of life, running riot, and playing the young Prodigall, and not rather disposeth himselfe, or at least is carefully brought vp vnderunder Tutors and Gouernours for that end, that by learning obedience in his youth and nonage, he may know the better how to Command, when he comes to weald the Scepter? Now the Child of God, by his new birth, is borne heire apparant to the kingdome of glorie; therefore while he is in his minoritie, in p. 358the Principalitie of grace, and because now he hath many infallible arguments to assure him of the Kingdome, is he either himselfe so carelesse, or is his heauenly Father so improuident, as not eueryevery way to furnish him with those graces, beseeming such a Prince, whereby he may in time be throughly furnished, and accounted worthy to sit with Christ in his Throne? Because old Symeon had a reuelation by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen theLuke 2. 26.Luke 2:26 Lord's Christ: Did he therefore (as knowing God to be true in his promise) neglect his ordinary meate, and other meanes for the sustentation, and preseruation of his life, because he was to liue certainely vntill he should see the Lord's Christ? Because King Ezechias had a gracious promise from God,2. King. 20. 6.2 Kgs 20:6 that he should recouer of his pestilent disease, and within three dayes be able to goe vp vntounto the house of the Lord, and moreouer, that he had fifteene yeeres added of God vntounto his dayes; was Ezechias therefore carelesse of vsing the meanes for his recouery, which the Lord had prescribed, and so for the prolonging of his life, which the Lord had promised? Did he not, according to Gods direction, take and apply the lumpe of dry Figgs to the plague-sore, and so recouered? so that within three dayes he went vp vntounto the house of the Lord, to offer the Sacrifice of praise. So the elect of God, being now effectually called to the state of grace, they hauehave a promise from God, that they shall neuer see death (that spirituall death which Christ speaks of) till they see the Lord's Christ face to face, and know him by beatificall vision, euen as they are knowne: are they therefore carelesse of the spirirituall food of their soules, the Word and Sacraments, whereby they are preserued till they come to the fruition of this beatificall vision? And being desperately sicke of the pestilence of sinne, and hauing health promised, and remedy prouided, are they therefore so carelesse, as not to put forth the hand of faith, to apply Christ, (that lumpe of figgs, that cluster of grapes, that balme of Gilead) to their pestilential sore, that recouering perfect health thereby, they may after three dayes be raised vp, and be able vponupon the feet of their holiest p. 359affections to ascend vntounto the house of the Lord, not made with hands, but eternall in the heauens, there to sing Haleluiahs of praise to God for euermore? I will conclude this with S. August. first, for the confirmation of this Catholike truth;Aug. de bono perseuer. li. 2. cap. 17. Non solum ergo praedicatione praedestinationis ab hoc opere (nempe, sanctificationis) non impeditur (electus) verum ab hoc adiuuatur, vt cum gloriatur, in Domino glorietur: Therefore by the preaching of predestination, the elect is not onelyonly not hindered from this worke, to wit, of sanctification, but also is helped hereunto, that when he glorieth, he may glorie in the Lord. And againe for confutation of Pelagian and Pontifician (I had almost said also Arminian) falshood, who say all with one voyce, Si non vultis obedientiam ad quam nos accenditis, in nostro Ibid. cap. 19.corde frigescere, nolite nobis istam Dei gratiam praedicare, quam Deum dare fatemur, quam et nos vt faciamus hortamini: If (say the Pelagians) ye will not hauehave that obedience, to which you inflame vsus, to frieze in our hearts, do not preach vntounto vsus that grace of God, which we confesse God is the giuer of, and which you exhort vsus to doe. Augustine thus concludeth against such: Ego autem nolo exaggerare meis verbis, sed illis potius Ibid. cap. 17.cogitandum relinquo, vt videant quale sit, quod sibi persuaserunt, praedicatione praedestinationis audientibus plus desperationis quam exhortationis afferri: hoc est enim dicere, tunc de sua salute hominem desperare, quando spem suam non in seipso, sed in Deo didicerit ponere: cum propheta clamet, Maledictus omnis, qui spem ponit in homine: Now I will not exaggerate the matter with my words (saith he) but I rather leaue it to them to consider, that they may see what that is, which they hauehave perswaded themselues, that by the preaching of predestination, the hearers are possessed rather with desperation, then with exhortation: for this is all one, as to say, that then a man despaireth of his saluation, when he hath learned to put his hope not in himselfe, but in God: whereas the Prophet proclaymeth, CursedIer. 17. 5.Jer 17:5 is eueryevery one that putteth his hope in man. Therefore, saith he, Miror, homines infirmitati suae se malle committere, quam firmitati Aug. de praed. Sanct. lib. …. c. …promissionis Dei: I wonder, that men had rather commit themselues to their owne infirmitie, than to the certaintie of p. 360Gods promise. But who be they that receiue not this Gospell of God? The Apostle resolueth it, 2. Cor. 4. 3. If our Gospell bee hid, it is hid to them that are lost; in whom the God of this world hath blinded the mindes of them that beleeue not, lest the light of the glorious Gospell of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine vntounto them. And who are they that peruert the Scriptures to their owne destruction, but as St. Peter saith, the vnlearned and the2. Pet. 3. 16.2 Pet 3:16 vnstable? such as are vnlearned in the mysterie of Christ, and vnstable in the faith of Christ. And euen that fore cited place of Ezech. 18. which these men hold as the Cittadell and strongest Fort where they hauehave planted all their munition, is (besides many other) sufficient to argue their iudgement of too great leuity. For what righteousnesse (I pray you) is that, which the Prophet there speakes of? Is it that righteousnesse, whereby wee are iustified in Gods sight? Nothing lesse. For that righteousnesse is properly the state of grace. Nay, it is plain, that the righteousnes there mentioned, is only a morall externall righteousnesse, such as we finde in Gen. 18. 26. What if there be fifty righteous in Sodome? that is, so many morall men, that were not tainted with the crying sinnes of that City. Was there any other grace to bee expected among the Sodomites, than onelyonly a restraining grace, which yet not ten in the whole City were found to hauehave? And that the Lord speakes of morall righteousnesse here, reade the 5. 6. 7. 8. and 9. Verses of the same Chapter of Ezechiel. But it is there said, That a man shall liue in that righteousnesse, and shall not dye. True. But how liue? Is it not spoken in regard of temporall death, and temporall iudgements, threatened in the former Chapter, to which also the Prouerbe in the 18. Chapter hath reference; which Prouerbe also gaue occasion to this whole Chapter? Where the Lord shewing himselfe to be an vpright and vnpartiall God, both iust and mercifull, concludes with an exhortation to repentance and conuersion; which is the proper vse and vp-shot (as wee said before) of all such places of Scripture. But to conclude hence, that because it is said here, If the righteous forsake his righteousnesse: that therefore Gods elect may fall finally from grace: What is it else but to p. 361conclude, That all that are called righteous in the Scriptures, are the elect of God; and so consequently, that the very Elect may fall finally from grace; and also that those righteous, mentioned Matth. 9 13. whom Christ came not to call, if they perseuere in that their Pharisaicall righteousnesse, shall not dye, but therein liue eternally.

But for as much as these Pontifician Pelagians, or call them what you will, how soeuer their Doctrine goe as yet vailed, as wanting fit opportunity to venditate it self publickly vponupon the Stage, although it begin to vent it selfe already, not in obscure corners, but in the Scorners Chaire, as hauing no small Patrons and Aduocates to plead its cause, if the season serued: yet because this Canker begins to spread it selfe, yea euen in the purest Church of Christ; nay, ceazing vponupon the very eyes themselues, so that in time wee may feare, lest as Laban, they obtrude vponupon vsus bleare-eyed Leah, in stead of cleare-eyed beautifull Rachel; not wanting plausible reason to make itGen. 29. 26.Gen 29:26 good, how contrary to faith soeuer, as Laban did, saying it was not the manner of the Countrey. Let these for the better commendation of their politicke Doctrine, giuegive vsus some taste and proofe of the goodnesse of it. It seemeth they hauehave much to say for themselues: but if their Doctrine be built vponupon such firme ground of policy and wisdome, as (seeing Gods wisdome is no longer able to do it) to make men more carefull of liuing well, let these great Reformers of the world giuegive vsus a precedent in the reformation of their owne house**As Anacharsis said to Solon, professing he would reforme the whole Citie: Begin first, said hee, to reforme thine owne house. Plutarch. invita Solonis. Cic. de Oratore. lib. 3.. No doubt these men are of a most refined stampe, sublimated to the very quintessence of humane purity, and perfection of vertue. Well, audiamus bellum puerum, as Cato said: Let vsus heare, nay let vsus see, these faire Lamia's. Indeede deformed Lamia, being finely flowted by the Orator, for his prating, could answer for himselfe, Vultum mihi fingere non potui, ingenium potui: I could not frame vntounto my selfe a faire feature, but wit I could. Then said Cato, Audiamus disertum: Let vsus heare the witty youth. But these men hauehave been able to frame vntounto themselues both beauty and wit; wit, to inuent and compose a new plat-forme of vertue, a new way to Heauen: and p. 362beauty to expresse this vertue, and to demonstrate this way with the very hand of their owne immaculate exemplary life. Let them therefore come forth vponupon the Stage, and act before vsus but a Scene of their Christian life. Wee are willing to be Spectators of this rare spectacle, and will be as beneuolous to giuegive them a Plaudite, if they deserue it, as by their fame and claime we are erected to a high expectation of their performance; for we expect to see them act the parts (not as common Actors and Comedians act others good parts vponupon the Stage, whence foreign or Hypocrites hauehave their names, as Gregory saith, Haereticorum hypocrisis decoros ipsos hominibus Greg. moral. l. 3. cap. 18.ostendit: The hypocrysie of Heretickes makes them appeare beautifull vntounto men:) wee expect (I say) to see them act the parts, not of the ordinary ranke of morallmen; but as they professe to goe before others in learning and wit: so let them goe before all men in sanctity of life and conuersation: which if they doe not, their owne Doctrine shall turne to their greater condemnation. For seeing they attribute so much to their naturall abilities, if they make it not good in their owne practice, God will say vntounto them, Out of thine owne mouth will I condemne thee, thou euill seruant. Hast thou so much power to doe good, and dost it not? If the Lord condemne that feare at the best, which is taught towards him by the precepts of men: how shall hee confound those, that for all their humane politicke precepts, come infinitely shortEsay 29. 13.Isa 29:13 of the feare of God in their liues? But if not only defect of the true feare of God be found in them, but excesse of all corruption doe beare sway in their lusts, if they be extreame proud, couetous, ambitious, malicious, contemners of the true seruants of God, if back-biters, selfe-louers, louers of pleasures more than louers of God, hauing a forme of godlinesse, but denying the power thereof: what reward shall they hauehave for all their new deuices and quaint doctrines? What honour with God? What credit with men? What comfort in themselues, but horrour of conscience? What else can bee expected of such, as hauehave lost, or neuer had the true faith? Can a bad tree bring forth good fruit, saith Christ? Gregory p. 363compareth such to brazen Pipes, Sonum bene loquendi habent, Greg. Moral. lib 33. cap. 16.sed sensum bene viuendi non habent: They hauehave the sound of saying well, but they hauehave not the sense of liuing well. But take their workes at the best, yet seeing they flowe not from the holy roote of sound faith, they are but as many flowers, whose colour is beautifull, but their sauour banefull. Such do stincke odious in the pure nostrils of God: yea they are abominable to the Church of God. As the same Gregory saith; Quia nonnunquam haeretici, quanto magis in perfidiae errorem dilabuntur, Greg. ibid. l. 20. cap. 7.tanto ampliùs in exteriori sese operatione custodiunt, ita vt agere prae caeteris magna videantur; sancta vniuersalis Ecclesia cuncta eorum opera despicit, quae ex authoritate fidei non prodire perpendit: Because sometimes hereticks, the more they sinke into the errour of perfidiousnesse, so much the more warily doe they keepe themselues, in their exteriour operation, so that they may seeme in comparison of others, to doe great things: the holy vniuersall Church doth despise all their workes, which it considereth not to proceede from the authority of faith.

Now hauing spoken of the nature of Predestination, according to the expresse tenure of the holy Scriptures; come wee to set downe the certainty of Catholicke and true iustifying Faith, in regard of the certainty of predestination vntounto grace, and of perseuerance therein vntounto glory. The Pontificians alledge and obiect, That we cannot be certaine of our saluation; but depend alwayes doubtfull, because (say they) we cannot know who is predestinate, and who shall perseuere in grace without speciall reuelation. Now true it is, that no beleeuer can know whether another be predestinate, or shall perseuere, but by speciall reuelation. Samuel came to1. Sam. 16. 1.1 Sam 16:1 know King Saul to be a reprobate, by speciall reuelation. AnaniasActs 9. 15.Acts 9:15 came to know persecuting Saul to bee an elect vessell, by speciall reuelation. So Paul came to know, that Clement,Phil. 4. 3.Phil 4:3 and other his fellow-labourers, had their names written in the Booke of life. Againe, no man, how wicked soeuer, can know or conclude with himselfe, that he is a reprobate, but eyther by diuine reuelation, as Saul came to know this by Samuel1. Sam. 15. 26.1 Sam 15:26 p. 364from God, or else by the effects of finall impenitency and desperation: such as commit the sinne of the Holy Ghost especially. But that eueryevery true beleeuer may, and doth come to know himselfe to be of the number of Gods elect, and predestinate vntounto life, and that not onelyonly by extraordinary reuelation from the Spirit of God, but by the illumination of iustifying Faith, and consequently is hereby assured of his perseuerance in grace vntounto glory; is a Doctrine most euident in the holy Scriptures.

Two generall points therefore come here to be handled: First, that eueryevery true beleeuer in Christ, may and doth certainly know, that hee is one of the number of Gods Elect. Secondly, that eueryevery true beleeuer may, and doth know certainly, that he shall perseuere in grace vntounto glory.

For the first of these: EueryEvery true beleeuer in Christ, may and doth certainly know, that hee is one of the number of Gods Elect. And this hee knoweth first by Faith. The Faith of Gods Elect is as a chrystall perspectiue glasse, though which eueryevery true beleeuer clearely seeth himselfe enrolled in the Booke of life: Reioyce in this, saith Christ, that your Luke 10. 20.Luke 10:20names are written in Heauen. Now how can any man reioyce of that, whereof hee is vncertaine and doubtfull, and which he knoweth not? So that for the Elect to reioyce, that their names are written in Heauen, in the Booke of life, must needes imply a certaine knowledge, that we are of the number of those, whose names are written in the Booke of life; as also some in the Trent-Councell iudiciously alledged from this very place. But the aduersaries obiect, that this was spoken in especiall to the elect Disciples, to whom Christ gaue a speciall reuelation of their election. I answer with Augustine vponupon these very words of the Gospell of Christ,Aug. in Psal. 130.Ps 130 In this reioyce, that your names are written in Heauen: Nullus fidelis habet spem, si nomen eius non est scriptum in coelo: No faithfull man hath any hope, if his name bee not written in Heauen. So that Augustine applyeth this speech of Christ to all the faithfull. As hee there saith, Non eos voluit gaudere ex eo, quod proprium habebant, sed ex eo, quod cum caeteris salutem p. 365tenebant. Inde voluit gaudere Apostolos, vnde gaudes & tu. Christ would not hauehave his Disciples to reioyce of that, which they had proper to themselues (namely, of casting out Deuils, and of doing miracles) but of their owne saluation, which they had common with others. For that very cause would hee hauehave his Disciples reioyce, for which thou also reioycest. Omnium fidelium, qui diligunt Christum, qui ambulant viam eius humiliter, quam ipse docuit humilis, nomina scripta sunt in Coelo. Cuiusuis contemptibilis in Ecclesia, qui credit in Christum, & diligit Christum, & amat pacem Christi, nomen scriptum est in Coelo; cuius…ibet quem contemnis, &c. The names of all the faithfull, which louelove Christ, which humbly walke in his way, which his humble selfe prescribed, are written in Heauen. The name of eueryevery contemptible one in the Church, which beleeueth in Christ, and loueth Christ, and loueth the peace of Christ, is written in Heauen; euen of eueryevery one, whom thou contemnest. And what comparison between such a one, and the Apostles, who did so great miracles? And yet the Apostles are checked, because they reioyced in a priuate good, and are charged to reioyce of that, whereof euen that contemptible one reioyceth. So Saint Augustine. So that the Apostles reioycing, that their names were written in Heauen, was not peculiar to them, but common to eueryevery true beleeuer, the most contemptible whereof, is no lesse commanded to reioyce, that his name is written in Heauen, than the Apostles themselues were. If therefore all the faithfull must reioyce, that their names are written in Heauen, then they must needes certainly know, not coniecturally suppose, or vainely presume, that they are of the number of Gods Elect. For else, to reioyce of that, where of they hauehave no certaine knowledge, were but the flash of a false ioy. But Christ bids vsus reioyce truely and really. All therefore, whose names are written in Heauen, know it to bee so, sith they are bid to reioyce of it. And if this knowledge come not but by reuelation, yet it is no speciall reuelation to some few beleeuers onelyonly, but it is p. 366giuen to all true beleeuers in common. Yea, all the elect, euen eueryevery true beleeuer, knoweth this by his Faith, and the fruits of it, as Hope and LoueLove, &c. This the Apostle sheweth, 2. Cor. 13. 5. Examine your selues, whether yee be in the 2. Cor. 13. 5.2 Cor 13:5Faith; prooue your owne selues. Know yee not your owne selues, how that Iesus Christ is in you, except yee be Reprobates? A most emphaticall speech. Examine: What? your selues. Wherein? Whether yee be in the Faith: yea, Prooue your owne selues herein: And let this be the proofe of your Faith, to know your selues to be in Christ, and Christ to be in you. For this is proper to the elect of God, yea, to all the elect in Christ, to know themselues to be of that number, euen by the proofe and testimonie of their Faith. Which knowledge hee who neuer hath, is a Reprobate, by the Apostles Sentence. For if Christ be in you, then are you of the number of Gods elect: and Christ dwelleth in vsus by Faith; and by Faith, wee know that Christ dwelleth in vsus; by which, wee know that wee are not Reprobates: And if wee know wee are no Reprobates, then wee know certainely, that wee are of Gods elect. Hereupon Saint Augustine sayth: Fides, quae per dilectionem operatur, si est in vobis, Aug. de verbis Apost. ser. 16.iam pertinetis ad praedestinatos, vocatos, iustificatos; ergo crescat in vobis: Faith, which worketh by louelove, if it be in you, you doe now belong to the number of the Predestinate, of the Called, of the Iustified; therefore let Faith grow in you.

Saint Iohn also sheweth this excellently, saying, Hee that 1. Iohn 5. 10.1 John 5:10beleeueth in the Sonne of God, hath the witnesse in himselfe. So that our Faith in Christ, is our infallible witnesse, that wee are Christs, and Christ is ours; and so consequently, that wee are predestinate and elect in Christ. For if any man doubt of this Record of Faith, what it is, and wherein it consisteth, the same Apostle makes it yet more euident, (Verse 11.) saying; And this is the Record, that God hath giuen to vsus eternall life, and this life is in his Sonne. And can wee hauehave this Witnesse, this Record of Faith in ourselues, and p. 367not thereby certainely know, that wee are of the number of Gods elect, when wee thus finde the infallible proofe and effect of it in vsus? Eternall life is the infallible effect of our election. But by Faith wee know that wee hauehave eternall life: For this is the Record, euen our Faith. Yea, this infallible knowledge is that which the Apostle doth purposely write, to informe vsus of: For Verse 13. he sayth, These things hauehave I written vntounto you that beleeue in the Name of the Sonne of God. To what end? That yee may know: What? That yee may know, (not, that yee may hauehave some probable coniecture, but that yee may know) What? that yee hauehave eternall life: Not onelyonly that yee shall hauehave it, but that yee alreadie hauehave it (than which, nothing is more sure and certaine) and that yee may beleeue on the Name of the Sonne of God. And this is the confidence that wee hauehave in him, &c. Now, hath eueryevery true Beleeuer eternall Life? And doth hee know this by Faith? And doth hee not then know, that hee is of the number of Gods elect? Let all Pontifician Sophistry heere stoppe the Mouth of Contradiction: Let it submit to the inuincible and cleare Truth of God.

Thus hauing declared the infallible certaintie of Saluation, sealed vntounto vsus by a liuely iustifying Faith; which makes a man so perswaded of his Election and Predestination, as that it makes him to reioyce that his name is written in Heauen: it followeth now, in the next place, to shew the certaintie of Faith, as touching our perseuerance vntounto the end. Now our perseuerance in Grace, is a necessarie consequent effect of our Election and Predestination in Christ vntounto Glory: So that being sure wee are of the number of Gods Elect, wee are also sure, that wee shall also continue and perseuere in Grace vntounto the end, whereunto wee are elected. As Augustine sayth: Quis in aeternam August.vitam potuit ordinari, nisi perseuerantiae dono? Who could be ordained to eternall Life, without the gift of Perseuerance? So that for a man to know hee is written in the p. 368Booke of Life, of Gods Election, is consequently to know, that hee shall perseuere vntounto the end. Doe wee know, that God loues vsus in Christ? Then doe we also know, that vntounto the end hee loueth vsus. Wee know, that he that hath begun the good worke of Grace in vsus, will also performe it vntounto the end. Wee know, with the Apostle, that nothing shall separate vsus from the louelove of God, which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Rom. 8.Rom 8The Pontificians would faine restraine the Apostles perswasion, and extend it no farther than to himselfe, as a speciall reuelation of the certaintie of his owne saluation. But hee sayth expressely, Nothing shall separate V…; hee sayth not, Mee alone, but VsUs. As hee plainely expresseth elsewhere, saying: Wee know, that if our Earthly House of this Tabernacle were dissolued, wee hauehave a Building of God, a House not made with hands, eternall in the Heauens. Hee sayth not onelyonly, I know, but Wee know. Saint Augustine vponupon these words of Christ (You hauehave not chosen me, but I hauehave chosen you, and ordained you, that yee should goe, and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remaine) sayth thus▪ Quibus verbis eis non solùm iustitiam, verùm etiam in illa perseuerantiam Aug. de correp. & gra…ia, c. 12se dedisse monstrauit. Christo enim sic eos ponentevt eant, & fructum afferant, & fructus eorum maneat: quis, audeat dicere, Forsitan non manebit? Sine poenitentia sunt enim dona & vocatio Dei, sed vocatio eorum, qui secundum propositum vocati sunt. Pro his ergo interpellante Christo, non deficiet fides eorum, sine dubio non deficiet vsque in finem: that is, By which words of Christ, sayth Augustine, hee declared, that hee gaue vntounto them not onelyonly Righteousnesse, but also Perseuerance in the same. For, Christ so ordayning them, that they should goe, and bring forth fruit, and that their fruit should remaine; who dare then say, Perhaps it shall not remaine? For the Gifts and Calling of God (to wit, the Calling of those, who are the Called according to his purpose) are without repentance. Christ therefore making intercession for these, their Faith shall not faile, without doubt it shall not faile vntounto the end. Who then shall p. 369dare to say the contrarie? Yes: the all-daring Pontificians dare say, Forsitan non manebit; Perhaps Faith shall not remaine: and, It is doubtfull whether such Faith shall continue vntounto the end.

But me thinkes I heare the Pontificians say, Saint Augustine doth not yet say, That the Elect doe know certainely, that they shall perseuere vntounto the end. No? Quis audeat dicere, Forsitan non manebit? Who dare say, Perhaps it shall not continue? And shall the Elect themselues, who bring forth this Fruit, and hauehave this Faith, say, Perhaps they shall not perseuere? Or, that their perseuerance is doubtfull? Yea, if none ought to doubt of it, much lesse themselues. The same Augustine sayth againe:Aug ibid. Quando rogauit Christus, ne fides Petri deficeret, quid aliud rogauit, ni…i vt haberet in fide liberrimam, fortissimam, inuictisfimam, perseuerantissimem voluntatem? When Christ prayed, that Peters Faith should not faile; what else did he pray for, but that in his Faith hee might hauehave a most free, most firme, most inuincible, and most perseuering Will? And Christs prayer cannot bee in vaine, as Augustine sayth. Now, if Faith hauehave a most constant Will to perseuere, doth not the Faithfull certainely know that hee shall perseuere, sith hee cannot but know his owne Will; as also, that this Will of his is established by Christs effectuall prayer?Aug. contra mendacium ad Consen ium, c. 6. to. 4. Hence, Saint Augustine to Consentius, sayth: Quis it a euanescat, vt existimet Petrum hoc habuisse in corde, quod in ore, quando Christum negauit? Nempe in illa negatione intus veritatem tenebat, & foris mendacium proferebat: Who so vaine, as to thinke, that Peter had that in his heart, which hee had in his mouth, when hee denyed Christ? For in that denyall, hee held the Truth inwardly, and vttered a Lye outwardly.

But (say they) this was spoken specially to Peter.Obiect. No, sayth Saint Augustine: Dicente Christo, Rogaui pro te, ne deficiat fides tua; intelligamus ei dictum, qui aedificatur super P…ra…s: Christ saying, I hauehave prayed for thee, p. 370that thy Faith faile not: let vsus vnderstand it to bee spoken to him, who is built vponupon the Rocke. By which place wee see, that Saint Augustine did neyther hold Peter to bee the Rocke: nor that stability of Faith was giuen to him alone, but to eueryevery one built vponupon the Rocke.

But the Pontificians obiect, that both Saint Augustine and others doe say, that God onelyonly knoweth who are the predestinate vntounto life. And Bernard saith, Solus Deus scit, quos elegerit à principio: OnelyOnly God knoweth whom he hath chosen from the beginning.

I answer, that when Bernard or Augustine, &c. say thus, it is euident they meane, that God onelyonly knowes this secret immediately, and of himselfe alone; also from eternity, and before the elect themselues, namely, before their effectuall vocation, come to know it: but that the Saints themselues, being now effectually called, doe know this mediately; to wit, by meanes of their Faith giuen them of God, and by the infallible testimony of the Spirit of Christ dwelling in all the faithfull: let vsus heare what Bernard saith; Quando sine testimonio electos suos deserat Deus? Bern. in Octaua Paschae: Ser. 2.Aut certè qu…nam eis esse poterat consolatio inter spem & metum, sollicitudine anxia fluctuantibus, si nulluns omnino electionis suae habere testimonium mererentur? When doth God leaue his elect without witnesse? Or what consolation, I pray you, could they hauehave floating in an anxious doubtfulnesse betweene hope and feare, if they could obtaine no testimony at all of their election? Quam enim requiem habene potest spiritus noster, dum praedestinationes suae nullum adhuc testimonium tenet? For what rest can our spirit hauehave, while it retaineth as yet no testimony of its predestination? And for perseuerance the same Bernard saith: Quis nos separabit Bern. de triplici …ohar. Sermo.à charitate Dei? Hoc glutine, agglutinauit nos sibi ille diuinus intuitus à constitutione mundi, vt essemus sancti, & immaculati in conspectu eius, in charitate. Scimus enim, quia qui natus est ex Deo, non peecat, quia generatio coelestis sernat eum, Generatio p. 371coelestis est aeterna praedestinatio, qua Deus praeuidit eos conformes fieri imagini Filij sui. Ex his nullus peccat; id est, in peccato perseuerat: quia nouit Dominus qui sunt eius, & propositum Dei manet immobile: Who shall separate vsus from the louelove of God? With this glue, that diuine looke and respect of God vponupon vsus hath from the foundation of the world cemented vsus vntounto himselfe, that wee should be holy, and without blame before him, in louelove. For wee know, that hee that is borne of God, sinneth not, because the heauenly generation preserueth him. The heauenly generation is the eternall predestination, whereby God did fore-see, that wee should be made conformable vntounto the image of his Son. Of these, none sinneth; that is, none perseuereth in sin, because the Lord knoweth who are his, and the purpose of God abideth vnmoueable. So Bernard.

Now of the certainty of Faith in the particular apprehension and application of the whole mystery of our redemption, wee hauehave spoken largely before in the fifteenth Chapter. OnelyOnly let mee adde here one saying ofBern. super Cant. ser. 18. Bernard: Noli me tangere (inquit, Iohn 20.) hoc est, desuesce huic seducibili sensui: innitere Verbo, fidei assuesce: fides nescia falli; fides inuisibilia comprehendens, sensus penuriam non sentit. Denique transgreditur fines etiam rationis humanae, naturae vsum, experientiae terminos. Disce id habere certiùs, id tutiùs sequi, quod illa suaserit. Noli me tangere: nondum enim ascendi ad Patrem meum; nam tangi à fide voluit: Touch me not, saith Christ; that is, dis-wont thy selfe with this seducible sense: rest on the Word, acquaint thy selfe with faith; faith that knowes not how to bee deceiued; faith that comprehendeth things inuisible, doth not feele the want of sense. For it transcendeth the bounds euen of humane reason, the vse of nature, and the limits of experience. Learne to account that for more certaine, to follow that more safely, which faith shall perswade thee of. Touch mee not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father; is as if he had said, he would then be touched by faith.

p. 372Besides the sure and viue testimony of faith, we hauehave the attestation of Gods holy Spirit, the testimony whereof is no lesse infallible, than it is most euident in the heart of eueryevery true beleeuer. This holy Spirit assureth all those, that beleeue in Christ, and belong to him, both of their election and perseuerance. This Spirit witnesseth Rom. 8. 16. 17.Rom 8:16Rom 8:17to our spirits, that wee are the Sonnes of God; that's for our election and adoption: and the Apostle addes, If sonnes, then also heires, yea coheires with Christ of his Kingdome: that's for our perseuerance. This Spirit sealeth all beleeuers, and is the earnest of our inheritance. Till when? Euen vntill the redemption of the purchasedEphes. 1. 13. 14.Eph 1:13Eph 1:14 possession, vntounto the praise of his glory: that is, vntill the consummation of all our blessednesse in and with Christ. Therefore is the Holy Ghost the seale and earnest, euen of our perseuerance vntounto glory. This Spirit is that Annointing, whereof Saint Iohn speaketh, The annointing, which yee hauehave receiued of him, abideth in 1. Ioh. 2. 27. 1. Ioh. 3. 24. 1. Ioh. 4. 13.1 John 2:271 John 3:241 John 4:13you. And againe, Hereby wee know, that hee abideth in vsus; by the Spirit, which he hath giuen vsus. And againe, Hereby wee know, that wee dwell in him, and bee in vsus, because hee hath giuen vsus of his Spirit.

The Pontificians, and Vega by name, being consciously conuict, and pressed with these cleare euidences, are faine to flye to most miserable shifts and euasions. Forsitan, &c. saith Vega: **Perhaps, this is as true, as Iohns fellow-Apostles were then liuing, when Iohn wrote this Epistls.Perhaps it appearethVega lib. 9. de incertitud. grat. cap. 19. more probable, that eyther Saint Iohn spake these things of himselfe onelyonly, and his fellow-Apostles: or else, that hee speakes not here of the mansion and habitation of the Spirit in some particular persons, but of his generall residence in the Church. Yea moreouer, saith hee, that testimony, whereby Paul proueth, that the faithfull doe not vnfitly call God Father, as wee call him in the Lords Prayer, is not any inward testimony, whereby the Holy Ghost doth testifie to euerie righteous man, that hee is absolutely the Sonne p. 373of God by grace: but this testimony (forsooth) is that glorious and most excellent testimony, whereby the Holy Ghost, by admirable signes and wonders, and peculiarly by his visible descending (Acts 2.) hath openly testified to all the world, that they are the Sonnes of God, which did receiue the Faith of Christ, and his Baptisme. But to assay to answer these Pontifician Peraduentures, and seeming Probabilities, what were it else, but to goe about to shape a coate for the Moone? Such lunaticke interpretations, such miserable tergiuersations, such slye euasions, such absurd and senselesse shifts, such false and profane glosses, deserue no other answer than to be hissed and exploded out of eueryevery common Schoole, yea whipped also and lashed out of Gods Sanctuary, for such their monstrous and shamelesse profanation of the sacred Truth.

FINIS.

End of the text · Henry Burton, The Christians Bulwark (1632)