THE estate of Mans life, chiefely of the Christians, holdeth comparison tho­rowout with the Seafa­ring condition: So the writer to the Hebrewes in­sinuateth our Fayth, Heb. 6.19. which is the hand that holdeth vp our head, while we are floating ouer the Sea of this world, being sirnamed by him, The Ancre of the Soule. The World is this ebbing and flowing Sea, in the successiue surges thereof very much vnquiet: Mankind, while we heere liue, are the Saylers on this Sea, by sirtes, by sandes, by diuers dreadfull dangers. [Page]The Key-side or Shore, from whence we launch into the Maine, is our Birth into this world. The Port and Landing place to which we driue, is the Land of the li­uing, the life that is to come. The whole Time spent from our Birth. to our Death, is our Seafaring season. Our Shipmai­ster, is our Sauiour; who by his Word and Spirit, saueth the Church, which is his Shippe, from perill of drowning, leading it safely to the Hauen of happinesse.

Now, heere the Apostle would haue vs edific our selues is this holy Fayth, and to build vpon this, as on a sure foundation; that howsoeuer wee finde our selues throwne (as it were) into the midst of this Sea, and that all the contrary Waues and Windes bende and bande themselues a­gainst vs; corporally by crosses, spiritu­ally by our sinnes, by the feind, and the flesh, inflicted vpon vs, that we cannot miscarrie: But that we shall arriue hap­pily at the Hauen of Heauen, aswell in respect of the Decree of God eternall, in­uariable: as in regard of Christ, the Mai­ster of the cordage and tackle; whom Windes and Waues are forced to obey, as the Seruant his Maister.

The summe and issue of these words, is this: That the state of our saluation is sure, as seated vpon the decree of God, a foun­dation [Page]which is sure: For our securitie, a double Seale is sette: 1. One in respect of God, with this Image & superscriptiō vp­on it: The Lord knoweth who are his. 2. The other touching our selues, with this wri­ting in the Ring & Circle of it: Leteuery one that calleth vpō the name of Christ, depart, &c.

The Foundation of the Lord remaineth sure. This Metophor, set vpon the Fore­head of the Text, is to haue applicati­on vnto the eternall counsaile of God touching our election, not by any oppo­site machination lyable to frustration. For it is of the nature of the foundation of an House, whose vppermost structure, and composition may be shaken; but the foun­dation standeth sure. Foundations of or­dinary sort and condition layde by Mens hands, remaine sure a long season: Most sure therefore must that Foundation bee, whose builder and maker is God. Now such is the foundation of our Election, it is vpon the holy Hilles, vpon the Hill of Sion, (which is Gods hill,) which cannot be remooued, but standeth fast for euer. Ephes. 2.20. Wee are built vpon the Foundation of the Pro­phets & Apostles, Jesus Christ himselfe being the chiefe Corner-stone, Jn whom all the building coupled together, groweth vnto an holy Temple vnto the Lord.

The Schoole of Rome would teach vs o­therwise; [Page]Namely, That God his predesti­nation is chaungeable; and that hee that is predestinated, is contingently, or casually predestinated; that is, by hap-hazard, or chaunce-medly, as we may so say. A Pro­position naturally begetting very strange conclusions, as, That hee that is ordained vnto life, may be damned: And that hee that is determined to Damnation, may be saued. Which is nothing else, but of a sure, to make an vnsure Foundation, & to turne it vpside downe. But wee haue not so learned Christ, but beleeue as hee hath taught vs by the mouth of his Prophets euer since the World beganne, that hee whose name is once noted in Gods Booke, and set downe in the writinges of the house of Jsrael, is written downe, neuer to be wiped out, and is seated vpon an euer enduring Foundation. This is the reason of this illation of our Sauiour: Math. 24.24. If it were possible the very Elect should bee de­ceiued. This If, excluding all meanes of possibilitie of preiudicing the setled es­tate of the Elect. But the cause of this im­possible matter of the seducement of the Elect, Totally and Finally layeth, in the course that God hath taken for them, of their continuance in the faith; for which cause else where hee saieth, Math. 25.34. That a King­dome is prepared for vs, from the beginning of [Page]the World: that wee might ascertaine our selues, that when the time commeth, wee shall be absolute owners and possessors of that Kingdome. Hence is it, that hee would haue vs shake off the feare, that misfashioned Fancie feedeth on: Luke. 12.32. Feare not little Flocke, for it is your Fathers pleasure to giue you the Kingdome. Wherefore it is, that we heare of this ioy and gladnesse, that the boanes which our sinnes haue bro­ken, may reioyce: Reioyce, Luke. 10.20. because your Names are written in heauen. Wherefore doth he tell vs, that our Names are writ­ten downe by the Finger of Gods hand, in Magna Charta, in the great Doomes­day booke of heauen? truely to make vs throughly perswaded, that wee shall one day come to Heauen. But this, a luculent instance for the nonce, this solemne and serious asseueration of our Sauiour; Ioh. 6.37. All that the Father giueth mee, (that is, by de­cree of Predestination in his minde) shall come to mee; (that is, by the steppes and feete of Fayth,) and him that commeth to me, I cast not away. They come to Christ, who are giuen by Predestination by the Father vnto Christ; which is the cause they cannot become castawayes. Also, of his Sheepe, (that is to meane of his Elect) our Lord Iesus speaketh thus. Ioh. 10.28. I giue vnto them eternall life, & they shall neuer [Page]perish, neither shall any plucke them out of mine handes. The reason thereof followeth: My Father which gaue them mee, is greater then all: But he gaue them by predestina­ting them. For then are all the Elect giuen vnto Christ to be gouerned and preser­ued, when God hath chosen vs in Christ as in the head, to whom it necessarily belongeth to saue the ioyntes of his body. Sutable hereto is this his other saying; Those that thou gauest me, Ioh. 17.12. haue I kept, and none of them is lost, but the child of perdition. Where hee teacheth, that the Elect were truely giuen him of his Father; so that none of the Apostles, except Iudas, was lost, because he was so preordinated to be lost. Whosoeuer therefore are truely gi­uen to Christ by the Father, they are in such safe protection vnder Christ, as they cannot perish; because they are Elected; that is, Iohn. 13.18. giuen to Christ. Elsewhere fore­telling vs, that one of the Colledge of Apostles, should betray him, he prefaceth to the poynt in hand, in this wise: I speake not of you all: J know whom J haue cho­sen: but it is that the Scripture might be ful­filled; Hee that eateth bread with me, hath lift vp his heele against mee: Hee giueth the cause to Gods eternall Election, that none of the Apostles was to admit such a pro­digious sinne of prodition; but onely [Page] Iudas, as proposed to perdition. Thus ha­uing heard Christ him selfe speaking for vs, what need wee more witnesses? Rom. 8.30. Yet wee please to heare what Saint Paul can say for vs. In his golden Chaine twined with his foure indiuiduall linckes, the per­son Predestinated, is proclaymed at the Standard; therewithall, Called, Iustified, Glorified. And hee is in his expostulatorie Scrutinie, & Inquirie, after him that dare stand out aduersarie to this his positiue Diuinitie; Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect: It is God that Iustifieth, who shall condemne? As if he should haue dis­puted it thus: They are Elected; there­fore can they not be Condemned. Yea he prouoketh the proudest Enimie to the field for the triall of this trueth, as Afflicti­on, Tribulation, and all the vnited forces of Temptations; telling vs, how these when they haue done their worst, can neuer be of power to raise our Foundation, and to sunder vs from Christ. Lastly, he would haue vs beleeue this, as a sure word of prophecie, that neither Angels, Domi­nations, or Powers, future, nor present thinges; altitudes or deapthes, nor any thing else, from the Center to the Cir­cumference, can vndoe this Foundation of our eternall and infallible Election. Destroy this Foundation, and all these [Page]rowes of spirituall Stones layde here­vpon, must needs come tumbling downe. As this saying of Saint Paul, Rom. 5.1. Being iusti­fied by Fayth, wee haue Peace towards God: Which peace of conscience towards God, we can not haue, so long as we hoouer (as the Rauen,) betweene Heauen and Earth, and are in perplexitie about our Election. As this other his ghostly Aphorisme, Fayth maketh not ashamed, Rom. 5.5. because the loue of God is shed abroad in our heartes by the holy Ghost, which is giuen vs; If fully, and finally, this loue may be lost of vs, whereby we are couered with shame and confusion as it were with a Cloake. As this his other peece of Lecture: Rom. 8.16. The spirit of God witnesseth with our spirit, that we are the children of God: So be it that wee yeeld that the Spirit may be quite extinguished in vs. It is Saint Iohns assertion, 1. Ioh. 2.19. and the marke indeed of those of reprobate condition: They went from vs, but they were not of vs: for if they had been of vs, they should haue continued with vs: For it is flatte which Saint Paul sayth, The giftes and calling of God are without repentance; Rom. 11.29. and so by course of consequence, he can­not repent that he hath predestinated vs. Thus doe our Popelinges fall before the Scriptures, as Dagon before the Arke; and the foundation of our Election standeth sure.

And now we will deale with them by dinte, and force of reason; and thus dis­pute for the soliditie of this our Foun­dation.

1. First, a posteriorj, Gods purpose to saue the Elect in this world, is absolutly con­stant: Therefore he so Calleth, Iustifieth, Regenerateth them, so qualifieth them with the Induments and Ornaments of his spirit, so gouerneth them, and giueth them the guift of perseuerance, as he neuer repenteth himselfe of these collated bene­fites, inasmuch as repentance cannot fall vpon him, as Scripture before taught vs. God followeth his chosen with an indiui­duall, vnwearisome, and eternall loue; So sayeth God in Jeremie: Ierem. 31.3. J haue loued thee with an euerlasting loue. So sayeth Christ in John: For as much as he loued his owne which were in the world, vnto the end he loued them. Iohn. 13 1. But he willeth and worketh nothing now, which was not willed and determined by him from all eternitie: wherfore this foundati­on is of absolute stabilitie.

2. A priorj, we pleade thus; Election is only in God, and not in man, in as much as Election was before the Creation, and so before man: Ephes. 1.4. Wee were chosen (saieth the Apostle) before the worlds foundation. A­gaine, if Eection be a part of diuine Proui­dence, and Prouidence is Gods: the Se­quence [Page]is naturall, that Election must be in God, and no part thereof may cleaue to mans thumbes. And hence also the de­duction is as needfull, that it is eternall and immutable, as consisting in God onely; in whom all thinges are according to his na­ture, without variablenesse or shaddow of change. Stood the Foundation of our E­lection vpon no surer ground then Man, it would soone be turned vp: For Euripus changeth not oftner then Man. And what may Man doe simply by himselfe towards his owne saluation? He that is a reprobate, can lay to himselfe a sure Foundation wherevpon he may build his owne dam­nation; in asmuch as not beeing sufficient­ly supported by the hand of God, (God not beeing bounde vnto him thereunto) he simply can bring foorth nothing but fruites vnto death, with willfullnesse enough; and so vndoe himselfe: But Election cannot so bee made sure of the part of the Elect, as by nature mutable, and as so continually and grieuously sin­full: So, as so farre as it layeth in them, they quite strip themselues of the graces of God; and if doome should be denoun­ced according to their deedes, there were no foundation made for them in Heauen. The effects of Election are in the persons themselues that are elected, as their voca­tion [Page]passiue, and so their Iustification and regeneration in this sense; also faith, and the workes of faith, and at last their glo­rification in like manner. Wherefore these effects in vs that are of the Elect, admitte an alteration in respect of our selues: Wherevpon by nature, faith, and regene­ration, may be lost of vs; and of righteous, wee may become vnrighteous, and so fall from grace, and perish. But in regard of predestination, and diuine decree which is in God, & so immutable: it can not be, that these guiftes of God, and these ef­fectes of Predestination should be quite without effect; and therefore hauing de­pendance on God, our saluation is most safe. Haue a view heereof in the course of the world, led by the hand of heauenly prouidence. For Saeculum Speculum; The World is a Looking-glasse in this case: For how is it that it is so well ordered, so as the Heauens keepe their stations ap­pointed thē, the Sunne knoweth his vp­rising, and the Moone her going downe; the alternall entercourse of the day and the night is not to bee disturbed, and all thinges execute their offices in their na­tures, in their seuerall ranckes and classes, wherin they were first placed? It is be­cause Pouidence that vsshereth the World, is not in the Creature, no not in [Page]the hand of Man or of Angell; but in the sole power of the vnchaunging God that holdeth the ball of the World in his hand; and so is vnchangeable. And hence is it that the execution of supreme proui­dence in like sort, & all the effects there­of, hold on so set and setled a tenor, and haue so good successe. And heere follo­weth the assurance of predestination, as founded vpon the certaine foundation of Gods eternall counsaile: Wherefore well saieth Saint Augustine, Turiores erimus si to­tum Deo demus. It shall be safest for vs to hold all in Capite, and to giue all to God. 3. Our next reason is of this fashion. The decree of Election, as of Reprobation, is eternall; The Scriptures make this good: But whatsoeuer is eternall is inuariable, for wee call that Eternall, which is with­out either beginning or ending, and not subiect vnto changing.

4. Wee further vrge the present cause thus: Election is only in the will of God, and hath no copartner-ship with workes foreseene either good or euill, (as in some sort we will prooue towardes the end:) Now that which is independant of it selfe, & hath no other proceeding then frō the will of God, can by no other by­meanes beside God, be dashed or made voyde. Now in God himselfe, there is no­thing [Page]at oddes with his Will; whereby it commeth to passe, that the Will which is in God, which we tearme the absolute and the secret Will, is euermore the same.

5. Moreouer, we tender this argument vnto them; Election is not without fore­knowledge: For God hath foreknowne such as shalbe saued: but Gods fore­knowledge is vnerring, and so sure (as in the sequell of this text we shall shew) and so the state of our Election standeth sure.

6. I say further, (let them checke what is said, if they can) that so many & so maine are the meanes that are prepared and set out by God, for the common saluation of the Church, as they can not possibly passe the handes of God, but needes they must be saued.

7. Beside all this, Gods Will is a worke, Psal. 115.3. as it is in Psalmodie, Our God is in heauen; he hath done whatsoeuer it pleased him. But it is his flatte Will, the Elect should be saued; it must therefore needes be so.

8. Adde hitherto, that he that transpo­seth his Will, is ledde therevnto, either out of the prospect to a better prouision, by a second wisedome; or out of the sense of his insufficiencie, for the execution of his primatiue intention: Wherefore there is no other shift, but when we can not what we would, we will what we can. But nei­ther [Page]of these may be spoken of God; for being only wise, a better counsaile cannot be conceiued, then was first from all eter­nitie considered of: And being omnipo­tent, his armes as Sampsons, are not to be manacled; but whatsoeuer he proiecteth hee perfourmeth.

9. Finallie, all thinges worke to the wic­ked to the worst, through their owne wickednesse, yea the good things of God, as his grace, and the graces of his holy Spirit; 1. Pet. 2.7. Luk. 2.3 4. 2. Cor. 2.16. Rom. 2.4. Gal. 5.13. 1. Cor. 11.27. for Christ is to them A Rocke of of­fence, and a stone to stumble at, appointed for the ruine and fall of many. The Gospell, is a sauor of death, vnto death. The long sufferance of God, that citeth them to repentance, through the iniurie they offer it, serueth to the enlargement of the hardenesse of their heartes; Their Christian libertie, is to them an occasion to liue licentiously.

The Supper of the Lord, their spirituall refection, becommeth their poyson. Wherfore, contrariwise, all things sort out for the best to the elect, as Paul saith; yea, their very sinnes themselues, as rightly Augustine sayth.

To graunt a mutabilitie in God, is to bring in these absurdities with a strong hande, that Gods will may be chaunged: his foreknowledge deceiued: His illimi­ted power restrained: His action hindred; [Page]which to graunt, is to denie him to be God; for hee is a goodly God indeede, whose knowlede may be blemished with errour, his will, with variablenesse, his power, with weakenesse, his action, with frustration.

But what say wee all this while to our sinnes? do not these driue at the very foun­dation, and serue to vndermine it? truly, there is nothing that put so forcibly there­vnto as they; So that name these, and name al, Exod. 32 33. according to this denuntiation of iudge­ment, Who so euer haue sinned against mee, J will put him out of my Booke: But bee yee not dismaide: The hand of that Scripture, set­teth the Axe only at the roote of presump­tuous and malicious sinnes, continued to the death; Heb. 6.6. such as is our obdurate rebel­lion against Christ, wrought in a very wil­fulnesse & accompanied with a final impe­nitence. Our daily falles, enforced through the infirmitie of the Fayth in vs, as beeing but in Herba, et non in Spica; In the Grasse, and not in the Eare, in Inchoation & not in Perfection, will not doe the deede. I denie not that our sinnes deserue so much, and that they draw out the sword of Gods ven­geaunce out of the scabberd of his pati­ence, to strike vs both wayes, inwardly, and outwardly, as he dealt with Dauid: But withall, mindfull of his trueth and goodnesse, and for the obedience sake of [Page]his sonne Christ, his decree of sauing vs, which is our Foundation, is sure on our side: for our sinnes are cancelled; that is, they are not to death imputed. He endueth vs with Fayth & Repentance, whereby we are raysed & set vpon our feete. The cause hereof is, for that as he hath chosen vs vnto life, so he hath withall ministred the meanes of Fayth, and Compunction, that bring vs vnto this life. Wherefore as we haue a fee­ling in our selues of Fayth, and conuersion; so of our assured Predestination vnto Glo­rie, let vs make no further question: For if our sinnes, into which by ineuitable neces­sitie of nature we were to fall, & God fore­saw the same, were not able to make stop­page of the course of Gods purpose of pre­destinating vs to eternall life, in his sonne Iesus Christ, as a woorke of his free grace; surely after our his falles into them, this e­ternall, gratious, & stedfast election, can ne­uer be voided. By grace, our names had first enrolement in Gods register; So by grace they there stand still. I say further, because wee are separated to saluation; by Gods grace it is that we are kept from those sins of contumacie and impenitencie, for which the Reprobate (which were neuer there written,) are said to haue the wipe-out of the Booke of life, when as what they are, by degrees they are manifested; that is to [Page]say, such as neuer had been enrolled; Dauid neuer despaired of his recouerie, for his a­dulterie and murther: Nor Peter, for his tre­ble apostasie, which hereby appeareth, in that amidest all those stormes of tempta­tions, they held fast the Fayth, the Ancre of the Soule, and called vpon the Lord.

Heere I would haue done with this Foun­dation, and haue buckled my selfe to the rest of the Building, but that there are ob­iections of Scriptures against vs, that are needfull to bee answeared.

1. As this from Ezechiel: Ezech. 18.14. Jf the righteous turne away from his righteousnesse, and commiteth iniquitie: Jn the sinnes that he hath sinned, in them he shall die. This supposall If, is true: but where is it simply sayd without an If, that the Righteous shall make this reuolt from his righteousnesse. If, is often in Scripture language, as to say, Not at all: As where it is sayd, If a man shall keepe the Law, hee shall liue in his owne righteousnesse: where this If, is as much as, that which is impossible: Sup­positions doe not set downe any thing; if they doe, an other thing is aymed at, then is there supposed. God is at such deadly fewde with sinne, as who so shall cherrish it in his breast, shall feele his vengeance fol­low him at the backe: wherefore it behoo­ueth vs to continue in well doing; that be­ginning in the Spirit, wee end not in the [Page]Flesh. If we doe, as we haue sowen, we shall reape: Wee haue sowen Sinne, wee shall reape Iustice.

2. Rom. 11.20. An other is from that counsaile of Saint Paul, Thou standest by faith: be not high minded, but feare. Wee answere, there arrogancie, & supine securitie is inhibited, and an holy feare and reuerence enioyned vs. Those that are of the Foundation, can not be of this high minde and presumption, as to shake off all feare, and to become altogether carelesse, for so might the very Elect be re­iected, to whom this Cautat is directed.

3. An other is from this warning of the same Apostle; 1. Thes. 5.19. Quench not the Spirit. I an­swere, that we find not the affirmatiue part, that the Spirit is quenched. I yeelde, that 1. Gods graces may minish in a man: To which purpose, Ephes. 4.30. these dictates, and directi­ons, are deliuered vs, Quench not the Spirit. Grieue not the Spirit of God, by which ye are sea­led to the day of redemption.

2. That the graces of God may be buried in a man, yea, for a time seeme dead, like a man in a traunce; as Eutychus was when hee fell from the third loft: Yet we may say of him, Act. 20.9. as Paul did of Eutychus. Trouble not your selues, for his life is in him. Whom we likewise hearten with this text out of Jsaiah, Isai. 65.8. The wine is found in the cluster, and one saieth, destroy it not, for a blessing is in it. As also with this compa­rison [Page]of the same Prophet, Isai. 6.13. There is substance in the Elme, or in the Oake, when they cast their leaues. In which plight, stood Dauid in his adultrie: Peter in his apostasie: Salomon in his Idolatrie.

3 That a man after repentance, may haue often relapse, yet shall rise againe; as Abra­ham when hee twice lyed, as Ioseph when he twice prophanely sweared, as Dauid that fell often into adulteries, beside other iniquities. If Man, that hath not a Mite of mercie respected with God, must seauentie times seauen forgiue his brother euery day, that trespasseth against him: how may we faddome, & comprehend Gods mercies, & in what boundes may we containe them?

4 That a man may sinne presumptuous­ly, which is heynous and horrible; against which Dauid thus poureth foorth his spirit like water, before the Lord: Psal. 19.13. Keepe thy seruant from presumptuous sinnes, least they get the domi­nion ouer mee; so shall I be vndefiled, and innocent from the great offence.

5 Finally, Psal. 77.7. that a man may despaire of Gods mercie, as Dauid did, where he play­neth it thus: Js his Mercie cleane gone for euer, and is his Promise come vtterly to an end for euer­more? And J sayd, this is my death. Iob. 6.2.3.6. As Job did, where he thus bewrayeth it: Oh that my griefe were well weighed, and my miseries were layde togeather in the ballance: For it would be [Page]now heauier then the Sand of the Sea; therefore my wordes are swallowed vp: For the Arrowes of the Almightie are in mee, the venome there of did drinke vp my spirit. And he further complai­neth, that God is turned enimie, and wri­teth bitter thinges against him, and setteth him vp for a Butte to shoote at. As the in­cestuous Corinthian almost did; for he was drouping and stooping that way, 2 Cor. 2.7. but that Paul watched him, and charged the Corin­thians concerning him; Comfort him, least he be swallowed vp with ouermuch heauinesse. As Luther did for three yeares togeather after his conuersion, by his owne confession. And as some among vs, haue done a longer time: Yea, Despaire may sucke and soake the body, as much as any Sicknesse.

But the Spirit can not quite be extinct in the Elect: their Despaire shall be neither Totall, nor Finall: not Totall, because this Despaire shall not be from the whole heart: For Fayth in that exigent, shall couet a­gainst Despaire. Not Finall, because hee shall recouer himselfe before the end of his life. In the meane while, it shalbe our partes, to cherish the sparkes of the Spirit in our heartes, and eschew such meanes, as are the quenchment thereof. But they reason but absurdly, who out of the endea­uour that must be ours of preseruing of the Spirit, would conclude, the danger [Page]wee are in, of quite quenching it: For the meaning of the Apostle in that place, is onely this; That wee be not too indulgent to the Flesh, in the fight against the Spirit.

3 An other obiection is from the sixt to the Hebrewes: Heb. 6.4, 5, 6. Jt is impossible that they which were once lightned, and haue tasted of the Heauenly guiftes, &c. If they fall away, should be renued a­gaine by repentance. whereunto wee put in this our double answere. 1. First, that there it is not saide, that such at any time fall a­way. 2. Secondly, that many Reprobates haue this illumination, but without sancti­fication, yet with some cheere and chaunge of affections, such as was in Saule, Iudas, Si­mon Magus, and in those of the Parable, who receiued the seede of the worde with ioy, but suffred it not to roote; and that such fall for a full due, it is both certaine, and neces­sarie: But this is nothing to the Elect, who after all their fallinges, haue againe their happie risings: Their faith being seconded with a Corroborating, and strengthning grace of perseuerance to the end. And this is that grace that Paul wished the Ephesians; Ephes. 3.16. That they may be strengthned by his spirit in the inner-man. Colos. 1.11. And to the Colosians, that they may be strength­ned with all might, through his glorious power. The grace which he felt in himselfe, where he sayeth, J am able to doe all things, Phil. 4.13. through the helpe of Christ, that strengthneth me. The grace [Page]that God giueth all such as feare him, accor­ding to that the royall Prophet sayeth, He shall make them strong, Psal. 103.5. and lusty like an Eagle. This grace is ours in a double respect. 1. Of the promise of God in Jeremie, J will put my feare in their heartes, that they shall neuer depart from mee. Luk. 22.32. 2. Of the Prayer of Christ, J haue prayed for thee, that thy sayth should not fuile thee. Hetherto maketh this sweete speech of Augustine, De corrept. et gratia. cap. 2. Ipse cos facit in bono perseuerare, quj facit bonos. He that maketh men good, ma­keth men to continue good; and hee allow­eth not that loue that may be lost; wherfore hee sayeth, Charitas quae deserj potest, nunquam vera fuit. That Charitie that may be cassee­red is but counterfaite.

4 An other Obiection is from the ex­amples of such as haue departed from the Fayth, Ephes. 1.4, 1. Thes. 1.4. 1. Pet. 1.1. as the Ephesians, Thessalonians, and dispearsed Iewes, styled in holy Writinges, The elect and chosen, whereas many of them did afterward forsake their first Loue, and gaue vp their Fayth as it were in the plaine field. Heereto we answere, that there are two sortes of Iudgementes touching mans estate this way. 1. The one is called Iudi­cium Certuudinis, the Iudgement of Certain­tie; by which an vndoubted doome may be deliuered of any mans Election. But that is Gods royaltie, peculiar to himselfe, sette downe in his sacred, and secret booke of [Page]counsailes; man is not to meddle with it, no further then God hath reuealed to one man, an othermans estate. 2. The other is ter­med Judicium Charitatis. The Iudgement of Charitie; whereby wee proceede by the Lawe of Loue, esteeming of such as liue in the Church, and outwardly beare loue to the word of truth, to be in the Calender of the Chosen, vntill wee haue a better Schoolemaister then Nature, to informe vs the contrarie. Now in respect these Ephe­sians, Thessalonians, and Iewes, did beare these outward markes; the Apostle maketh the best construction of their doinges, as Cha­ritie would haue him. 2. Againe, they may be deemed to be thus denominated, a maiorj parte, of the greatest part, according to the common course of speach, wherby we call it an Heape of Corne, which standeth most vpon the Corne, though much confoun­ded with colder, and with chaffe.

5 An other Obiection, Reuel. 3.11. is this admoni­tion Saint John giueth: Hold that which thou hast, that no man take thy Crowne: whereby is meant (as some would haue it) The Crowne of heauenly glory: Whereto they inferre this Prouiso of the Apostle; 1. Cor. 10.12. Let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed least he fall. We answere, that the Crowne there mentioned, is the Crowne of the Ministrie; which without losse to our election, may be lost, and can [Page]not be rightly taken for the Crowne of heauenly glorie. And what if it could, & we should graunt so much; there would be no­thing gotten by it? For it is to be conceiued, that one of these two wayes, it is to be lost. 1. Either in respect of our selues. 2. Or of God. 1. In respect of our selues, wee easily yeelde it, that wee may soone loose this Crowne from our heads: For we are fickle and feeble, & nothing else but a compound of corruption.

Now Death, and not the Diademe of Glorie, is the debt that is due to Sinne. 2. But in respect of God, who hath chosen vs; and of Christ, in whom wee are chosen, this Crowne can neuer be taken away from vs, in asmuch as the giftes and vocation of God, Rom. 11.29. are without reuersion. Wherefore in both these respectes, wee haue warning in the Scriptures to looke to our standing, and to tread sure, least wee fall. And are taught herewithall, that the Elect stand sure in the Sanctuarie of the Lord, they are vnder the safe protection of Christ, and so can not perish.

6 The last Obiection I will deale with, is from such places of Scripture, as speake of Blotting out of the Booke of life: As that peece of Imprecation of Dauids against his Enimies: Psal. 69.29. Let them be wiped out of the Booke of the Liuing, and not be written a­mong [Page]the Righteous. As that asseueration of the Spirit in the Apocalips: Reuel. 3.5. He that ouer­commeth, I will not put out his name out of the Booke of Life. Exod. 32.32. Rom. 9.3. As those passionate wishes of Moses & Paul, to be put out of the writinges of the house of Israel, for the sal­uation of the people of God committed to their charge. All which places conclude nothing lesse, then that they make shew of at the first sight, being not throughly vn­derstood. Dauids enemies had neuer any name in Gods booke, but only in the cour­tious opinion of the Church. And therefore it can not properly be sayd of them, that they were spunged out: But in Scripture phrase, they are taken so to be, when their hypocrisie is discouered, and they are ma­nifested what they are. So Augustine ex­poundeth those wordes of the Psalme: Let them be wiped out of the Booke of the Liuing; that is, Scriptjnon esse cognoscantur tam ab ipsis, quam ab alijs; Let it appeare both to them­selues and others, that they are not written downe. They seeme to be written (sayth the same Father) Secundum praesentem Iusti­tiam, et temporariam fidem, as they carry cre­dite in the World, for their good carriage of themselues in their outward actions, and for their temporarie profession. Concer­ning Moses his wish; some thereby would meane the Booke of this present life, as if [Page] Moses should desire to dye for his People: As if he should haue saide, Eyther saue them, or slay mee. But this meaning is too light to suite with the grauitie of this his petition. For many Captaines and Vali­aunts haue been founde, that haue been prodigall of their owne, for the safeguard of their Souldiers liues: And it is the com­maundement the Godly stande charged with, to giue their liues for their Brethren. Wherein Moses had had his matches euen among the Heathens, such as were Philenj that were brethren, Decius, Curtius, Theseus, and such like, that made no spare of the ef­fusion of their blood, for the benefite of their Countrie: Wherefore some giue these wordes to the Booke of the Couenant, as if he should haue sayd, Blot my Name out of thy Church-booke, and let it no more be in the number of those to whom thou hast made thy Promises of eternall life. Not that Moses desired directly to be damned for the peoples deliueraunce, but onely to be excommunicate from the Church, that is heere on earth; which is somewhat more then to die.

But some of better iudgement then the the former, are of the minde, that Moses loo­ked higher then so; namely to the Booke of eternall life; as if he should thus say: Ra­ther then thy whole people should perish, [Page]let my name no more stand in thy Predesti­natiō-booke, in the number of those whom thou hast put apart to eternall life. And because this Exposition seemeth to breed, and to bring some absurdities with it (as that so great a man should make a motion of a thing impossible; his Predestination in the certificate of his owne knowledge beeing not to be altered; as also that hee should desire that which is vnlawfull, to be raced out of the Register of the Righteous: which is to change copie, and to turne enemie vnto God,) they put in this sur­ioynder, that the Prophet rauished in zeale of affections to the glory of God, and the good of the people, was somewhat beside himselfe, and spake he knew not what.

So likewise they consider of Saint Paules vow, to be sundred from Christ, for his Bre­thren, his Kinsmen according to the flesh: And it is incident as wee know to these passionate affections, as heeding only that, vpon which their minde is bent, not to heed themselues. This is the verdite of ve­ry great men, whose authoritie wee are iustly to reuerence. But to vnbowell our thoughts in the case, howsoeuer we may yeeld them what they say concerning Mo­ses, inasmuch as his parley with God, was extemporall, and familiar, and wee may note him of some rashnesse: That wee [Page]should marke out Saint Paul for such a man, and make him of this humour, is more I am perswaded, then that place will suffer. For Paul wrote it, and not worded it; his hand ledde the Penne, & the Spirit led his heart, as his solemne preamble into that matter witnesseth, Rom. 9.1. in this forme of contestation, I say the truth in Christ, and lye not, my conscience bearing me witnesse in the Holy-ghost. This pa­theticall prouocation and appellation of the Apostle, is argument of perswasion suf­ficient vnto vs, that mature deliberation, and not precipitate affection wrought this resolution. And in that the Spirit sugge­sted it, it cannot be excepted against.

Againe, we distinguish of the nature and manner of his vow, as there is a separation from the loue of Christ: And as there is a priuation of the fruites of his loue. That Paul did wish the first to bid Christ adiew, and to be execrable for his Breathren, it is not, nay ought not to be supposed; For that flatly crosseth the conclusion of the Chapter before, touching his inseparable societie with Christ; and it checketh the principall cause of the very Vow it selfe; which was not so much his loue to his Brethren, as his loue to Christ; whose glo­rie hee thought in the repudiation of the people, should not be litle hazarded, as to whom appertained the Adoption, and the [Page]Glorie; the Couenant, and the Law; the Worship of God, and Promises: and of whom came Christ according to the flesh. For hee saw what the World would gather vpon it, if God should roote out the Israe­litas, and plant the Nations: namely, that either God stood not to his Promise; or that Jesus was not that Messiah promised. This was that which pricked Paul in the quickest Vaine, and stabbed him at the Heart. Yet did his inwarde Bowels bleede in affections to his Brethren, condoleing their destruction. But Christ and his glory, put them to the vttermost straint that might be. Wherefore while hee is in this Feruour of loue, and his affections are thus flagrant towardes Christ, it is not without reason to thinke that in compunction to his kinne, hee could wish to be cut off from the com­munion of Christ. But wee take it that wee are in the right, in expounding his Wish of the fruites of Christes loue, as the felici­tie of the faythfull in the life eternall, of which he would be depriued, and determi­ned to damnation, rather then his eyes should behold the expunction of his peo­ple out of the Couenant of Grace, to the great obloquie & reproach of Gods name, and of his sonne Christ Iesus. And this fit­teth well the spirit of that loue that he bea­reth towards Christ. And this is the Glosse [Page]of Chrisostome, on this text.

Neyther doubt we at all, but that the same Spirit was with Moses his tongue, which was with Pauls Pen; that the one spake, the other wrote with aduisement enough, the same cause, the extent of their loue to the glorie of God, and the indemni­tie of their People, working these affectio­nate wishes in them. Wherefore both these obiections of examples, receiue the same answere: As if Moses should haue saide in this maner. O be gratious vnto thy People, not only for their owne saluation sake, but for the glorie of thy name; or if thine hand must needs take hold on Iudgement, let their blood be vpon my head, and let mee goe downe vnto the damned. Neither doth this imprecation of his, strike at all at the Foundation of Gods vnchaungeable de­cree of election, the same implying in it a tacite condition, if it were possible. But hee knew it, that it was absolutely impossible. As Christ when he did deprecate the re­mooueall of the Cuppe, which he knew be­fore could not be remooued, Father, if it be possible, let this Cuppe passe from mee. The short sūme therefore of Moses his suite is this, Ra­ther blotte mee (if it may bee) out of thy Booke of life, then that thy People should be destroyed, and thy name blasphemed; all which maketh nothing to the purpose, to [Page]prooue that those that are penned downe in that Booke, may be afterward put out.

It followeth.

By an other fitte Metaphor, hee conclu­deth, the certaine saluation of the elect, allu­ding to the auntient custome of men, setting their Signets and sealing Rings, to that which they minde to ratifie. God signed the promises of temporall deliueraunces, made vnto his people with his gracious seale. A Seale was set vpon Noah, and his Family, that the Deluge should not drowne them. Sodome was not sentenced to combustion, before Loth, and his Family, were marked out to an happie preseruation. In the in­flicted punishment vpon the first borne of Egipt, the aspersion of the Blood of the Lambe vpon the Lintels and Dore-postes of the houses of the Jsraelites, was the Lords Broad seale and Charter, of their immuni­tie from the common slaughter. Whereas sixe Angels in Ezechiel were dispached by God, against Ierusalem, for their destruction: Ezech. 9. An other Angell apparelled in white, (with an Incke-horne at his Girdle,) was Legatus a Latere, sent on this Legatiue errant, to saue such, as should be sealed with the letter Tau, vpō their fore-heads, as theire pasport, and [Page]protection: Much more is our spirituall deliuerance assured vs, by signes and seales of it. There is no man elected vnto eternall life, but shal be sealed at the time appointed. And this is that sealing which is so often mentioned in the Scriptures; as where in the Reuelation it is sayd, Apo. 7.4.8. that a number without number, was sealed vnto the Lord. For like as the Father hath sealed Iesus Christ as he was Man, Psal. 45.7. and Mediator with the holy Ghost aboue his fellowes, accor­ding to that which Christ saith of himselfe; Him hath, God the Father sealed: Ioh. 6.27. So also the rest of his Children he hath sealed, & doth dayly seale with Markes and Characters of their certaine Election, to deuide them from the outcastes of this present euill world. 2. Cor. 1.21. As where he sayth: who hath sealed vs, and giuen vs the earnest of the spirit. And in the latter to the Ephesians thus: Ephes. 1.13. After that yee beleeued, ye were sealed with the holy spirit of pro­mise. Ephes. 4.30. And in the same Epistle thus: Grieus not the holy Spirit of God, by whom yee are sealed vnto the day of Redemption.

These Seales are the Meanes to serue the end sette downe by God. Predestination is not onely of the Ende, but also of the Meanes that make to that end. Now all of them aswell the Ende, as the meanes, are the Effectes thereof. Wherefore rightly sayth Augustine: Praedestinatio est praeparatio bene­ficiorum [Page]Dej, quibus certissimè liberantur qui­cun (que) liberantur: Predestination is a prepa­ratiue of the graces of God, by which they are most assuredly saued, who are to be sa­ued.

These Meanes, in some are more impo­tent, in some more eminent in some more, in some lesse: Some haue but a litle Oyle in their Cruise: In some, their cuppe doe ouer­flowe. Those meanes are our Vocation, Iustification, Sanctification, Repentaunce, new Obedience; without which; there is no entraunce to the Throne of Grace: But by these Groomes, wee may be brought into the Kinges Chamber.

Heere the two principall Seales and Meanes, are set out vnto vs: as Fayth, and New obedience: the naturall Branch that sprouteth from that roote, Fayth hath the preheminence insinuated in this Prescience and foreknowledge of God in these words: The Lord knoweth who are his. The other is more open in the wordes following.

It is Fayth, that in a quicke apprehension swalloweth downe this Proposition; The Lord knoweth who are his. Knoweth, that is, Loueth those that are his; and so inferreth this. Assumpt therevpon: and so loueth mee, that am one of his.

This Attribute of Knowledge, ascribed to God, is of two sortes. 1. Absoluta, Abso­lute; so stiled of the Schoole-men, inasmuch as all thinges simply, and absolutely from all eternitie are knowne vnto God. Of this the spirit speaketh thus: Heb. 4.13. Neither is there any creature which is not manifest in his sight: But all thinges are naked and open vnto his eyes. And to this appertaineth this sentence of Psal­modie, Psal. 94.11. The Lord knoweth the thoughtes of men, that they are but vaine. 2. The other is, Spe­cialis, of more speciall propertie, as by which he not onely knoweth the Elect, as he doth all other things; but also knoweth them for his owne, deuideth them from others: alloweth, and loueth them aboue all others: For this word, Knoweth, when it is giuen to God speaking of the creature, very often in Scripture-language beareth such a meaning; as where Dauid sayth, The Lord knoweth the way of the righte­ous: Psal. 1.6. but the way of the vngodly shall perish. As where Christ sayth to the prating pro­fessors. Math. 7.23. I know you not depart from mee, yee workers of iniquitie. As where Paul sayth, God hath not cast away his people, Rom. 11.2. which hee knew before. So doth Thomas take this word in his Scholie vpon the 8. Chapter to the Romans, Quos praesciuit scientia appro­bationis, hos et praedestinauit: Those whom [Page]he foreknew, in his knowledge of appro­bation; them also he predestinated. And the same Schoole man, is in the minde, that Gods effectuall will of conferring grace, is included in this his knowledge of approba­tion. Thus Hugo de Sancto victore, in his notes vpon the Epistle to the Romanes: And Ioachim, vpon the Reuelation, doe vnderstand this worde. Augustine, August. do perseuer. Sanct. lib. 2. c. 18. sometimes doth not doubt, to take the Knowledge of God, for Gods Predestination, and to confounde them togeather; grounding his Iudgement vpon the Apostles assertion: God hath not cast away his People, which he knew before. And such are by his reckning, Filij in praescientia, Aug. de cor­rept. et gra. c. 9. Sonnes in Gods foreknowledge, Qui in memoriali patris sui inconcussa stabilitate conscripti sunt; Who are written downe in Gods rowles of remembrances, not to be ra­ced out. So Cyrill singeth vs the same songe, Cyrill expos. in Ioh. 7. c. 6. where he sayth: Christ knoweth his Sheepe, electing and foreseeing them vnto eternall life, (as the Apostle telleth vs:) God hath not cast away his people, which hee knew be­fore: for as the Lord, such as he reprobateth, is sayd not to know; as where he sayth to the foolish Maydes, that had not Oyle for their Lightes, I know you not: so such as hee pre­destinateth, and preordinateth vnto life, hee [Page]is rightly sayd to know them.

Now this is the true Fayth which ought to be in vs, to be throughly perswaded, that wee are in the rancke and classie of Gods children, adopted in Christ Iesu, and so to be in the fatherly fauour of God; and that so our saluation is sealed vp in a Bagge.

Without this Fayth, we cannot be graf­ted into Christ. But this Fayth sufficeth vs, though not perfect, so it be true, though but small as a Graine of Musterd-seed, ten­der like a new borne Babe. In the Babe there can not be the action of Fayth, which is the knowledge of Christ, and confidence in him; yet is the Spirit and virtue thereof in it, which in time will shew it selfe. And this the Scriptures would haue vs beleeue, Heb. 11.6. in all such places as shew vs, that wee are saued by Fayth; and that without Fayth, it is impossible that we should please God; yet withall, the perfecter our Fayth is, the greater is the power of it: and therefore we must endeauour all we may, to encrease our Fayth. And albeit wee receiue in this life, not the Tithe; but the first Fruites of Gods Spirit, Rom. 8.23. 2. Cor. 1.22. and but the earnest thereof: (the first Fruites being but a Sheafe, in com­parison of the whole Cornelande: and the Earnest being as it were but a Pennie, for the payment of Poundes,) yet this Sheafe, this Pennie, serueth the turne to incorpo­rate [Page]vs into Christ. As the eye of an Israelite seruing him but to looke vp to the Brasen Serpent, auayled to cure the sting of the fierie Serpent; Iohn. 3. so the pur-blind eye of our Fayth, if it can but turne vp the Ball to­wardes Christ lifted vp vnto the Crosse, it will be enough to cure the deadly wound, the old Serpent hath giuen vs. The Palsie shaking hand of a poore Lazar, may serue to receiue the deuotion of a Passenger, as well as the best, though the other can hold it fastest. Though the Bonie partes in mans body be the strongest; yet there is as much life in the weake Flesh, as in them. The weakest Ioynt of the body (so it be liuing) is as liuing as the rest. So this is the ordi­naunce of Diuine prouidence in the body of the Church, that euery one of the Elect, the members thereof, should haue so much Fayth measured out vnto them, as might suffice to their saluation. As hee that ga­thered much Manna had not the more: and as hee that gathered lesse, had not lesse, but had enough as well as the other; so it is with Fayth, the food of the Soule: hee that hath the least, hath enough to saue his Soule in the day of the Lord, as well as hee that hath the greatest measure thereof.

Thus Fayth is the Seale of our Predesti­nation vnto life, in asmuch as none are cap­able thereof, but the sealed sort: wherefore [Page]it is stiled, Tit 1.1. The Fayth of the elect. Wherefore Luke speaking of the Gentiles who had been Paules auditors, Act. 13.48. sayth: As many as were or­dayned vnto life, beleeued. In this respect, Paul entituleth Fayth, 1. Cor. 2.14. The earnest of our adoption and inheritaunce. Men simply naturall, per­ceiue not the thinges that are of God; and so can not spanne or comprehend the Fayth. To this, Cum alibi, rum in libro de bono perseuerāt. giue all the Fathers consent, that Fayth is the effect of Predestination. So Augustine, auoweth against the Pelagians in sundrie places.

Now whereas others are sayd to beleeue as the Deuils, They beleeue and tremble: as the temporizers of these dayes; it is so abu­siuely and improperly sayd of them. It is as Augustine sayth: Alij cogitant, pij credunt, The Godly beleeue; others doe but thinke: The Fayth is not in them, but a kinde of Fancie onely.

This Fayth is a harder matter then the Schoole of Rome conceiueth, who recke no more of it, then of an ordinarie gift of God; of a certaine light of the minde, by which one as­senteth to the word of God; Canis. op. ca. pa. Rhem. test in. 2. Cor. 15.5. (as Canisius hath ex­cogitated: then of an actiō of the vnderstanding, as the Rhemistes would haue it: to be onely occupied in generalities, and neuer to des­cende to application in particular, Heb. 6.5. Luk. 8.13. Iam. 2.19. as An­dradius dreameth. For such a Fayth, the ve­rie Reprobates may be owners of: for their [Page]mindes may be illuminated in the know­ledge of the trueth; and they may bee throughly perswaded of it. And therefore they haue this action of vnderstanding. And this is the generall Fayth that taketh vp thinges in grosse; which the Deuilles themselues haue.

Wee teach and prooue, that Fayth con­sisteth in a facultie of apprehending and applying Christ: that to Beleeue, Apprehend, and to Receiue Christ, are all one. Thus Saint John compoundeth and confoundeth them, Iohn. 1.12. where he sayth; As many as receiued him, to them he gaue power to be the Sounes of God, euen to them that beleeue in his Name. Thus is Faith an application of Christ in speciall to it selfe: as a poore man when an almes is gi­uen him, he doth put foorth his hand and draw it in againe vnto himselfe, and ma­keth the almes his owne. Gal. 3.27. This is the reason of the Metaphor of Putting on of Christ, ta­ken vp by the Apostle, where hee entrea­teth of the nature of Fayth. But Christ is onely Put on by way of application in particular, of his righteousnesse laide to our heartes, as the Garment is applyed vnto the backe, when it is put vpon it. Hitherto hath reference the manducation and pota­tion of Christ, which is by Fayth. Ioh. 6.35. Now the meate and drinke that wee take downe to doe vs good, must be tasted, minced by the [Page]Teeth, conueyed into the Stomacke, dige­sted, and after all these, be particularly ap­plyed to their seuerall partes that are to be nourished by them.

Hence it is that Saint Paul prayeth for the Ephesians, Ephes. 3.17. That Christ may dwell in their heartes by fayth: Which can not be without the apprehension of him. He therefore may properly be sayd to beleeue, that can di­stinctly and truely say of himselfe, that he is throughly perswaded in his conscience, that he is reconciled vnto God for all his sinnes, and is accepted vnto eternall life in him. Thus Paul teacheth both by practise and precept: as where hauing first set downe the generall Proposition: Gal. 2.16. A man is not iustified by the workes of the Law; but by Faith in Christ Iesu: Hee immediatly inferreth the Application of it to himfelfe in particular: Wee haue beleeued in Iesu Christ, that wee might be iustified by the Fayth of Christ. And be­neath in the 20. verse more specially he ma­keth vse thereof, thus vnto himselfe: I liue by faith in the Sonne of God, who hath loued mee, and giuen himselfe for mee. Ney ther doth Paule take this as his prerogatiue, or peculiar, a­boue others; but only setteth out himselfe for an example vnto vs, that wee should so instruct and comfort our selues: Wherefore else where he sayeth, 1. Tim. 1.16. For this cause, was J re­ceiued vnto mercie, that Iesus Christ should first [Page]shew on mee, all long suffring, vnto the ensample of them, which shall in time to come beleeue in him, vnto eternall life. And how this is incident to all beleeuers, in an other place he telleth vs, where hauing thus said, cōcerning himselfe. I Iudge all thinges but doung, Psal. 3.8. that I might win Christ, and might be found in him, not hauing mine owne righteousnesse, which is of the Lawe, but that which is through the faith of Christ, euen the righteousnes which is of God through faith: He teacheth vs, that this is direction for vs, Vers. 15. and the inherent condition of Fayth; Let as many as be perfect, be thus minded.

Thus Fayth liueih not in suspense be­twixt Hope and Feare, as the Crow that flyeth betweene Heauen and Earth; but nestleth herselfe in the Woundes of Christ, as Doues in the cliftes and holes of Rockes. By this, Wee stand, sayth Saint Paul; nay, 2. Cor. 1. by this, Wee liue, sayth the Prophet Abacuc. Abac. 2. Fayth is the Spirit and Soule of the New­man. Wee haue the name that we liue: but indeed we are dead towardes God, if wee beleeue not; If Peraduenture, are not wordes that proceed from the mouth of Fayth, but it is the pronuntiation of Babylon; Ierom. 51.8. as it is thus written: Bring Balme for her Sore, Jf she may he healed. Peraduenture, is a Plaister to be set on the Sore and side of Simon Magus, [Page]whom Simon Peter summoning to repen­tance, Act. 8.22. saith: Pray to God, that if it be possible, the thoughtes of thine heart may be forgiuen thee. Wherefore make wee not our case, like the case of the Elephant, who lyeth downe, and cannot rise againe: Let vs not so farre bend the Bowe, as to breake it: But in the cause of Faith, let vs take vp Peters Text: Maister, it is good for vs to be heere. Let vs taste of the Tree of Life, and our eyes shall bee opened. Let vs sprinckle our heartes, with the blood of the Lambe, and the destructiue Angell shall not hurt vs: Let vs say with the Spouse, Cantic. 3.4. in the Canticles: J haue found him, whom my Soule loueth, I will hold him fast, and will not let him goe. The forgiuenes of our finns, is an Article of our Christian faith; so that hee that beleeueth it not, is not a Christian.

This Faith is required of vs, through our whole life, but cheifely, about the time of our death; (when our Wealth, and Wel wil­lers, our Senses and Sensualities, and all out­ward sollaces, and succours forsake vs.) For then Faith enforceth vs, to goe out of our selues, and to runne to the mercie of God, as to our Cittie of refuge; Then is Faith the hande of the Soule, by which wee draw in Christ to our selues, with all his Benefites. Then is Faith the mouth of the heart, by which wee feede on Christ, as on a restora­tiue, [Page]eating his Body, and drinking his Blood, vnto eternall life. Then is Faith the Foote of the minde, which enableth vs to walke with God, the meanes whereby wee are familiar with him. Then is Faith the Eare, by which wee heare God speaking to vs, out of the word. Then is Faith, the Tongue of the Soule, by which wee talke with God, and inuocate his most holy and reuerende name. Wherefore Luther was wont to say, That men become best Christi­ans, when they are at Deaths doore. When Dauid sawe nothing but present death be­fore his eyes, 1. Sam. 30.6. the People determining with themselues to stone him; his Quietus est, that he immediately tooke out, was in the Lord his God. And the vse that he made to him­selfe, of the Promises of God, was the argu­ment of his Ioye, Psal. 119.49.50. and the lifter vp of his head, in the time of trouble; where he sayth: Remember the promife made to thy Seruant, wherein thou hast caused mee to put my trust: It is my comfort in my trouble, for thy promise quick­ned mee. As else where, where he sayeth, Psal. 73.25. My Flesh, and my heart faileth: But God is the strength of my heart, & my portion for euer. The Jsraelites, Ioh. 3.14. when they had beene stroken by firie Ser­pents in the Wildernesse, and their wounds were deadly; they cast vp their eyes to the Brazen Serpent, (as God would haue them,) and they were forthwith healed. So when [Page]the fiery Dart of death, striketh vs at the very heart, fixe wee the eyes of our fayth vpon Christ, lifted vp vpon the Crosse, and so by the Path-way, and Region of death, wee shall haue the through passage, and entry, vnto eternall life.

All this while I deny not, but that this fayth in the best of the bunch, skirmisheth with doubtes. Hee that neuer doubted of his election, neuer yet beleeued it. As he that is in health, feeleth many grudginges, and motions vnto sicknesse; which he should neuer feele, were hee not sound. So the true beleeuer feeleth many quaimes, which he should not haue had, had he not beleeued: For in Man, there is a double estate, as he is compounded of Nature, and Grace. By the first, Rom. 7.5. (that is Nature,) hee and his flesh; (as Man and Wife,) maketh but one Boody, wherfore the one consenteth, and is accessa­ry to the other. When the flesh sinneth, man also sinneth, that consisteth of Flesh: yea when the Flesh perisheth, the Man peri­sheth; as a louing couple, they liue and die togeather. By the second, albeit his Flesh be about him, Rom. 7.17. Rom. 8.1. yet hee and his Flesh haue made a diuorce.

This Diuorce is made, when a man be­ginneth to displease himselfe, and to hate the Flesh, and the filthy fruites thereof. Now vpon this Diuorce, they are no more [Page]one, but twaine; and are so deuided, as the one hath nothing to doe with the other. In this case, although the Elesh bringeth foorth sinne, and perisheth: yet the Chri­stian is not in the state of damnation. Therefore howsoeuer the Flesh fathereth doubtes, recount with thy selfe this Di­uorce, and that thou art now wedded vnto Christ; and so disclaime thy sinnes, as none of thine, basely begotten, and bastardly brattes. Say I doubt; but I detest my doubt­inges, I am no cause of them: But my Flesh is the occasion, which shall perish, when as my Soule shalbe saued by Iesus Christ. In the meane while, cure this Disease of thy doubtinges, with these preseruatiues, I pre­scribe thee.

1 That it is Gods positiue, and expresse precept, thou shouldest beleeue in Christ: 1. Ioh. 3 23. His Precept runneth thus. This is his com­maundement, that wee beleeue in the Name of his sonne Jesus Christ: Thou darest not breake the eight Commaundement of the morall Law; Thou shalt not steale. And why art thou so bould as to breake this, this being as forcible a binder as the other?

2 That God his promises of saluation in Christ, are indefinite, and generall, exclu­ding none. Let one of them, heere stand in the roome of manie. So God loued the world, Ioh. 3. that he gaue his only begotten Sonne; that [Page]whosoeuer beleeueth in him, should not pe­rish, but haue euerlasting life. When the Prince sealeth his generall pardon for all Felons; euery man taketh the benefite of it, though he bee not set downe by his name in it: But God hath gone further with thee thē so; he hath particularly signed thee thy Pardon. 1. First, in the Seale of Baptisme. 2. Secondly, by that of the Supper of the Lord, wherfore stand fast in the faith which thou hast made, and doubt no farther of it.

3 That Distrust and Despaire, Rom. 4.18. displeaseth God almost as much as any other sinne; for thereby thou art no longer the Childe of Abraham, To hope against hope, as thou oughtest. Thou robbest God of his Glory, in asmuch as thou makest his infinite Mer­cie, an vnderling to thy sinnes. Thou ma­kest God a lyer, who hath plighted this promise to thee of forgiuenesse of sinnes: Nay, thou doest iustifie Sathan before God; for God hath sayd it, sworne it, sea­led it with the redde precious blood of Christ: and yet wee rather beleeue the suggestion of Sathan, that the Iustice of God is not to be appeased. This Des­paire is a maladie immedicable: for there­by wee doe as the wilfull diseased man, who when as the Chyrurgian would heale his soare, hee thrusteth his Nayles againe into it, and setteth it backward.

But all this while, how should a man know that hee is thus Sealed, and hath this indeleble character of Fayth stamped on his Soule? For many a mans Fayth is but fayned, and formed to the times. And such do but beguile themselues, while they stand in opinion they doe beleeue, and beleeue not at all.

I answere, that such resemble them, that dreame that they are Princes and great States, and awake starke Beggars. Such as truly beleeue, doe know they beleeue, euen as hee that hath a Iewell in his hand, know­eth that he hath it. For if a man that belee­ueth an other man on his word, doth know that he beleeueth him: how much more shall hee, whose heart is inspired with true Fayth, by the worke of the holy Ghost, to beleeue the Gospell, know that hee belee­ueth it? If a man might not know whether hee hath this true Fayth or noe; how is it that the Apostle perswadeth vs thus: Prooue your selues whether yee be in the Fayth: 2. Cor. 13.5. thereby insinuating, that it is to be discer­ned, prooued, and knowne, whether we do beleeue? So that as hee that vnderstandeth, knoweth that he vnderstandeth: So he that beleeueth, knoweth that hee beleeueth. Wherfore Saint Paul thus speaketh of him­selfe: I know whom I haue beleeued. 2. Tim. 1.12. A poynt which Saint Iohn thus concludeth, 1 Ioh. 3.24. [Page]saying: 1. Ioh. 3.24. Hereby wee know, that he abideth in vs: euen by that spirit, which he hath gi­uen vs. Augustine is plentifull in this cause: I will charge you, August. lib. de Trinit. 13. c. 1. Quis (que) vidit fidem esse in corde suo si credat: si non videt cam deesse. Euery one perceiueth that hee hath fayth in his heart, if he beleeueth: If not, he findeth that he is without it. Epist. 112. Againe, where he sayeth: Credens videt propriam suam fidem, per quam respondet se credere sine dubitatione. The beleeuer feeleth his owne Faith, by which he beleeueth without doubtinges. Lib. 8. de Tri [...]it. c. 8. In an other place, thus: Qui diligit Fratrem suum, magisscit dilec­tionem per quam diligit, quam Fratrem quem diligit. Hee that looueth his Brother, knoweth the loue, wherewith he loueth him; better then he knoweth his Brother whom hee loueth. This, and such like ef­fects of Gods Predestination, are not sim­ply effects, but such effects thereof, as they also may be saide to be Seales of it. For God to vsward, is like to the Sunne. The Sunne when it shineth on vs (and in a man­ner, looketh vs on the face,) printeth in such sort, the Image of his light in our eyes; as wee also are made partakers of the same light, and are enabled to looke vpon the [Page]Sunne, & the light thereof. For the beames of the Sunne, striking vpon vs, haue a re­percussion and reflexe towards the Sunne: So the Lord, the Sonne of Righteousnesse, looketh vpon vs, and knoweth vs to be his: And then the Elect being made partakers of his Light and Knowledge; hee maketh vs likewise to know him. Heereto serue these words of our Sauiour: J know my sheepe. Iohn. 10.14. Inferring therevpon in the next place, And J am knowne of mine: So the first, is the cause of the latter; and the latter, alwayes follo­weth the former: as if he should haue sayd. While I acknowledge them for mine, I make them to haue my light & knowledge, to acknowledge mee their Shephearde. Both these, are put togeather by Saint Paul, Gal. 49. where hee sayth; Seeing yee know God, or ra­ther are knowne of God. Where hee teacheth, that therefore because God knew the Gala­thians, who first acknowledged them, for his: hee consequently imparted this his owne Wisedome to them, and brought them to that passe, to acknowledge the true God to be their God.

The like may be sayd of the Loue of God, wherewith he loued vs in Christ to eternall life, before the groundworke of the World was laide. God in louing vs, hath left an impression and obsignation of his loue in our heartes, by which wee returne, [Page]and retorte this loue, and loue him againe; and as it were by the reflexion of these Sun-beames, striking into our heartes, are prouoked to loue him. For Gods loue to­wardes vs, beeing by nature eternall, bring­eth foorth at his full appoynted time, a cer­taine loue in vs, seruing to the eternitie of his glorie. 1 Ioh. 4.19. Hence it is that Saint John sayth: Not that we loued him, but that he first loued vs. As if hee should thus say; By setting the Seale of his Loue vpon our heartes, hee ef­fecteth thus much, that wee in the rereward should loue him as a Father: Wherefore by the soliditie of that loue, by which wee haue a feeling that wee loue God, wee are made to know how large the dimensions of that loue of God are, by which from all eternitie in Christ, hee hath embraced vs. Now what is this loue else, but Predestina­tion? So our Election, by which we are put apart in Christ from the residue of the World, setteth a kind of Image of God him­selfe vpon vs: that is, it begetteth an other Election, by which wee renounce all other Gods, and know no other else but the true God, to be adored and worshipped; and not onely as wee gather the cause from the effect, but as wee draw a Picture from the president; and as from the forme of the Seale in the Waxe, we easily conceiue what is the Image of the Seale it selfe.

And thus much of this first Seale, which respecteth God, in these wordes; The Lord knoweth who are his.

The other Seale followeth, which con­cerneth our selues, in the sequell, thus.

To Fayth, the proper indument of the Elect, a speciall Seale of Election, Good workes an other Seale thereof, is immedi­atly adioyned. Good workes can neuer be sundred from Fayth, as Scriptures and Fathers teach, and our Church beleeue. The Apostle speaking of such, who making great wordes of Christ, Tit. 1.16. but denie him in their workes, sayth; They prefesse they know God; but by workes they denie him, and are abominable, and disobedient; and to euery good worke reprobate: Where, to denie God, is to denie the Fayth. In an other place hee sayth, 1. Tim. 5.5. if there be any that prouideth not for his owne, and namely for them of his house­hold, he hath denied the Fayth: Now hee that denieth the Fayth, can not haue Fayth. Al­so, Saint Iohn sayth; Hee that sayth, 1. Ioh. 2.4. I know him, and keepeth not his commaundementes, is a lyar: Where hee concludeth that to be a ly­ing and a false Fayth, which hath not ioynt commerce with the performaunce of his preceptes: but a counterfait Fayth, is no Fayth at all: Therefore they goe both hand [Page]in hand togither; Fayth & Good workes, and will not part company. Iam. 2. Fayth with­out Good workes, is dead: It is Saint Iames his theoreme, and case diuinitie. But dead Fayth, is no more Fayth, then a dead Man, is a Man: The Fathers with one consent, teach the same. Orig. in Ezech. Hom. 9. Origen sayeth: Male credit quicun (que) peccat. Hee that is a sinner, is but a simple beleeuer. In epist. ad Rom. l. [...]. c. 10. In his Scholie vpon the Romans, hee prooueth the same thus: Om­nis qui credit in eum non erubescit: erubescit autem omnis qui peccat: ergo qui adhuc ru­borē peccati incurrit, credere non videtur. Euery one that beleeueth in him, is not a­shamed: but euery one that sinneth, is a­shamed: therefore, hee that falleth into the shame of sinne, seemeth as yet not to be­leeue. Cyprian. Cyprian singeth the same song, where he saith: Quomodo dixit se credere in Chri­stum, qui non facit quod Christus facere praecepit? How doth hee say that hee belee­ueth in Christ, who doth not that which Christ hath commaunded him? Ambrose is as peremptorie in the Point, Amb. lib. 6. Epist. 36. where he saith; Vbi quis caeperit luxuriart, incipit deuiare a vera fide; Hee that swaggereth, swarueth from the Fayth. Aug. in Ioh. serm. 61. Augustine hereunto per­formeth testimonie in sundry places; as where hee sayth, Qui fidem habet sine spe [Page]et dilectione, Christum esse credit, non in Christum credit; Whosoeuer hath Fayth, without Hope and Loue, beleueth that Christ is; but hee beleeueth not in Christ. Aug. de fide et operib. c. 23. Againe where he sayth: Insoperabilis est bona vita a fide quae per dilectionem opera­tur: immo ueró ipsa est bona vita: Good life is not to be seuered from Fayth which worketh by Loue: yea Fayth is of it selfe, good life. Wherefore the 12. Article of the Christian confession of the Church of England is most sound, which professeth in this wise; Good workes are the fruites of Iustifying fayth, and doe necessarily spring and grow from thence: Wherefore Fayth beeing the badge of the Elect; and Workes inseparably being the effectes thereof: the sequell must needes bee, that Good workes must be also the Liuerie of the Elect, where­by they may be knowne. Which stoppeth the mouth of our carnall Epicures; who vp­on the foundation of Gods immutable de­cree of our election, would lay the structure and composition of a dissolute conuersati­on, while they reason thus: Wee may liue as wee list; because if wee be predestinated vnto life, wee can not be lost. But such are to know, that the End, and the Meanes, that make to the end, must needes goe togea­ther. [Page]Fayth and Good Workes inseparably accompanie the worke of our Election. God glorifieth not the Elect, before hee hath Called and Iustified them: yea, before they Beleeue, and declare by their Workes that they doe beleeue. Ephes. 2.10. Hence is it that the Apostle sayth; Wee are created in Christ Iesu vnto good Workes, which God hath ordained, that wee should walke in them. Ephes. 1.4. And hereto serue these inferences of Saint Paul, of Loue vn­faigned, 1. Tim. 1.19. vnto whic h we are chosen: and of a good Conscience, which as an impartible companion, is of the Fayth of the Elect. This endeauour to performe Good works, is to all the Elect necessarie, 2. Pet. 1.10. as Peter tea­cheth, where he willeth vs, that wee make sure our Election, and Vocation, by good workes; as many Copies haue it; not to God, our vocation being certaine vnto him before the Worldes creation: but to our selues, & to our neighboures. This is one of the chie­fest vses we make of Good workes; that by them not as causes, but effectes of our Election and Fayth, wee our selues and our brethren, are assured and secured of our sal­uation. Where the mouthes of the Pelagians are stopped, who make the foresight of our Fayth, and Workes in God, the cause of our Saluation: when as of the quite con­trary-side, God hath predestinated vs to Fayth, and Good workes; because he hath [Page]chosen vs to eternall life. 1. Cor. 7.25. Wherefore Paul speaketh cautelously, where he sayth; Job­tained mercy of the Lord to be faythfull: he saith not, Because I was to be faithfull. As where he speaketh in the same manner, thus; That we should be vnblamable, not because we were to bee such. As againe where hee sayth; Ephes. 1.4. Wee are created in Christ Iesu vinto Good workes, which God hath ordained, that wee should walke in them; not because wee did them. As finally, where he saith; Tit. 2.11. The Grace of God hath appeared, that wee should liue soberly, righteously, godly: not because wee were so to doe. It can not be rightly said, that God first foreseeth that men are to be­leeue, and afterward predestinateth them to beleeue: Because whom hee foreknew should beleeue, therefore hee foreknew it, Contra. Try­phon. because hee decreed it. Wherefore Iustine Martyr calleth them, The Elect, who are fore­knowne, that they should beleeue: wherefore such as by Gods grace are delighted in Good workes; in them there is a certaine signe and seale, that they beleeue in Christ, and so that they are elected in Christ vnto eternall life.

Fayth is of the nature of a Tree in opera­tion; which naturally of it selfe, bringeth foorth fruites; so that there is no need that the Tree be commaunded to yeeld her en­crease: [Page]So the faythfull man without co­action disposeth himselfe to be fruitfull in Good workes, the Law of God being graf­ted in his heart, so that his delight is dayly in the same: So that of his owne accord, he doth Good workes, as of him selfe hee ca­teth, hee drinketh, seeth, heareth, and per­formeth such faculties as are incident to Nature: As hee that is thirstie doth but stay vntill drinke come: and as hee that is hun­grie, expecteth his meate, and then wil­lingly and naturally hee taketh them both: So the Faythfull man, hungrie and thirstie of Righteousnesse, taketh the aduantage of all occasions, to doe the Workes thereof. Although Fayth alone iustifieth and knit­teth the Marriage knotte betweene the Soule & Christ; and is properly the Wed­ding garment, and the signe Tau which must Protect vs from the power of the euill Angels; yet Fayth is neuer seuered from Charitie: Wherefore the Faythfull are re­sembled to Orchardes, Vines, and Trees, that bring foorth Fruite in season.

The Church by Isaiah is resembled to a Vine, Isai. 5.7. furnished with a Wine-presse and Towre for the purpose: wherefore Christ sayth; Ioh. 15.1. I am the Vine, and my Father is the Husbandman; euery Branch that beareth not fruite in mee, hee taketh away: and euery [Page]one that beareth fruite, he purgeth it, that it may bring foorth more fruite. Wherefore, God is sayd to haue come downe to the Garden of Nuttes, Cant. 6.10. to see the fruites of the Valley, to see if the Vine budded, and the Pomegranats flourished. Moreouer, we are to Bring foorth Fruites in patience: For God, Luk. 8.15. the Lord of the Vineyard, commeth to his Vine with a pruning Knife in his hand, to toppe and cutte off the luxurious Branches, that we might bring foorth more Fruite, and be in better liking.

Christians are Trees of righteousnesse, Ezech. 47.4.12 gre­wing by the Riuers of the Sanctuarie: But not such Trees as ours are; for they take roote vpwarde in Heauen in Christ; and their branches grow downeward, and fructifie among men. Wherefore theoricall Religion is not enough. It serueth not our turnes to beare the name of Christians, if wee liue not as Christians. True Pietie, challengeth a de­parture frō Iniquitie. Jacobs smooth Voyce, and Esaus rough Garment, agree not togea­ther. Wee beare Adams disease about vs, rather tasting of the Tree of Knowledge; then of the Tree of Life: Scientia, Know­ledge; weigheth heauier in the Ballence, then Conscientia, Conscience; therefore our Sorrow must be added to that part, to adde more weight vnto it. Such Vocalistes, haue [Page]their Repulse alreadie in the persons of those prating Professors; whom Christ shooke off thus: J know you not, depart from mee yee workers of iniquitie: For Light and Darknesse will haue no entercourse togea­ther: God and Belial will not bargaine to­geather. Psal. 89. Hee cannot abide a sinfull body, of whom it is written: Righteousnesse and Truth is the preparation of his seate. Hee that will fill a Glasse-bottle with Hony that stood full of Vineger before, must first emptie it of the Vineger before it can be capable of the Hony. The vessels of our Soules are full vp to the brim with the sharpe Vineger of our sinnes; God would gladly fill them with the Hony-blessinges of his goodnesse: Wherefore wee must first be purged and rinced of our former iniquities. Lethalia pec­cata non sunt Christianorum, sed Ethnieorum, Deadly sinnes are not of Christians, but of Heathens. Wherefore our Circumcision went before our Reconciliation; to signifie that the circumcision of our sinnes, must goe before our pacification with God. Wee are not vnder the Law, but vnder Grace. What then? Therefore Iniquitie must not thus set vp a Monarchie in vs: it is Paules consequent, and it is necessarily inferred. With our new Profession, wee must cast off our old Conuersation; as the Eagle casteth her Bill: And we must know that the king­dome [Page]of God is not in word, but in worke. Dauids monition in these words; Yee that loue God, see that yee hate the thing that is euill; Psal. 97. an­swereth in effect, the wordes onely varied: to this present direction of the Apostle, in our text: Let euery one that calleth vpō the name of the Lord, depart from iniquitie. Aulus Fuluins, on a time, espying his Sonne in Catilines Campe among the rebellious route, would haue put him to the Sword, telling him, that hee begot him not for Catiline, but for his Countrie: So this is not the condition of our creation, or the consideratio of our regene­ration, that we should serue vnder sinne, the professed Enemie vnto God, but that wee should serue him in righteousnesse, and true holynesse, all the dayes of our life. Demades in times past, seeing Philip the King, want only disposed among his Mini­ons, insulting vpon the misfortunes of his Prisoners, whom he had then in durance; thus grauely and aduisedly censured his leuitie: Sithens Fortune and good lucke, hath imposed vpon thee, the person of Aga­memnon, (that is of a valiant and victorious Prince,) mayest thou not be ashamed to play the Thersites, (that is a Man of vnseemely demeanour?) It is a huge disgrace to a Kings Sonne any way, to conuerse with rascall Company: So, wee beeing adopted the Sonnes of God, by grace in Christ Iesu, it [Page]will bee an indeleble turpitude in vs, to haue any dealing with sinne & iniquitie: Where­fore remember wee our calling, and let euery one of vs that call vpon God, bidde adiewe to iniquitie.

Wee will conclude all, with a short suppu­tation & suruey of the multiplicitie of espe­ciall vse, that this Text tendereth vs.

1 First, heere is liuely demonstrance of the vncreated wisedome of God, who in his eternall counsaile, hath foreseene, and in singuler wisedome, hath disposed of euery ones estate, and this foundation, of his ordi­dation, standeth sure, without possibilitie of any alteration.

2 Heere is also consideration of his po­wer absolute, that he is able, notwithstan­ding all resistaunce, to saue all such, as are appointed thereunto by his diuine proui­dence.

3 Thirdly, heere is Mercy, taking Iustice by the Heele, and supplanting it as Jacob did Esau, in sauing such by his gratious election, through the hand of a Mediator, which were determined to destruction.

4 Fourthly, heere is argument of liquide, Ioy and comfort, that this foundation of our saluation is the Lordes, it must needes there­fore, be vnresistable and most sure.

5 Fiftly, whereas God hath preordinated vs to life, and hath giuen vs the meanes in [Page]his word to attaine the certificat of our par­ticuler election, let vs take the counsaile S. Peter giueth vs, 2. Pet. 1.10. to endeuour to make our e­lectiō sure vnto vs. In the world, men looke well to the assuraunce of such Landes and Possessions as they purchase, that they may be sure to them, and to their Heires; how much more standeth it vs in hand, to make sure to our Soules, the heauenly inheritance, purchased for vs at so deare a price as the blood of Iesus Christ.

6 Further, hence ariseth Patience in af­flictions, in asmuch as, Rom. 8.29. Those whom hee knew before, hee also predestinated to be made like to the Image of his Sonne; as Saint Paul setteth it downe: now wherein our conformitie with his Sonne standeth, hee else-where sheweth vs, where he layeth it downe thus: Phil. 3.10. In the fellowship of his afflictions, & by being made confor­mable vnto his death. Wherefore they feede vpon a fond Fancie, which is a strong falla­cie, who make an estimate of the Graces of God towardes them, by the measure and proportion of their worldly prosperitie; that the Lord heere affordeth them. Saint Paul teacheth them otherwise, Rom. 9.22. where he sayeth: God to shew his wrath, and to make his power knowne, suffereth with long patience, the vessels of wrath prepared vnto destruction. The Sheepe that are highly kept in the better Pastures, come soonest to the slaughter, [Page]when as such as feede on the Common, liue a longer time.

7 Moreouer, wee are heere armed, and pre­pared to withstand all offence, that wee might otherwise take vp in the sense of the contempt, that is cast vpon the Ghospell, and in the senselesse ignoraunce of the Peo­ple, while wee ponder this in our mindes, that nothing contingently, or casually com­meth to passe, but according to the purpose and foreknowledge of God, the Lord kno­wing who are his. In this respect, Gods Ministers are not to discourage them selues, and to be out of heart, in that their labours haue no better successe in the heartes of their hearers, & bring foorth such slender fruites, while they fixe their thoughtes vpon the Decree of God, of sauing some, and of re­iecting other some; it belonging also to the sayd Decree, that some are called sooner, and some later.

8 Moreouer, whereas the Lord knoweth who are his; and some there be, whom hee is sayd not to know: wee are thereby stro­ken with no small feare. It is the conse­quent and application the Apostle maketh from the excision and extirpation of the Jewes (the naturall Branches) and the insiti­on of the Gentiles: Rom. 11.20. Through vnbeliefe they are broken off; and thou standest by Fayth: be not high minded, but feare. There is nothing hap­pen [Page]to them, but may befall vs: for others examples, are our Looking-glasses. Judas was tearmed an Incarnate Deuill; and his end was most fearefull: but without the greater supportation of Gods grace, wee should not onely betray Christ with Judas; but worser then the Jewes, wee should a thousand wayes crucifie him. Consider we with our selues, whether there be not now in Hell, such who were of better conuersa­tion then wee, while wee liued heere on earth. Isai calleth the people of his time, Isai. 1.10. The people of Sodom, and, the people of Gomorah.

9 Finally, from the clause and conclusion of this sentence, Let euery one, who calleth on the Name of the Lord, depart from Iniquitie: direction vnto Sanctification aryseth; be­cause, whom God hath chosen vnto life, hee hath also chosen vnto newnesse of life. Ephes. 1.4. Hee hath chosen vs (sayth Saint Paul) before the foundation of the world, that wee should be holy, and without blame before him in loue: Whereto answereth, that which hee hath else-where in the same Letter; Ephes. 2.10. Wee are created in Christ Jesus, vnto good workes, which God hath ordained that wee should walke in them. Wee haue the same Diuinitie deliuered vs in his writing to the Thessalonians, 2. Thess. 2.13. God hath from the begin­ning chosen you to saluation, through sanctification of the Spirit, and the Fayth of trueth. Rom. 8. The Elect are stiled, Ʋessels of honour: Wherefore such [Page]as will be of that nature, 2. Tim. 2.21. for that high ser­uice, and not be Disshes of disgrace, must so carrie themselues, as they may be num­bred among such. But while wee soake our selues in our Sinnes, and lie wallowing in our Wickednesse, we are worse then Treen Trayes, & Vessels of the vildest vse what­soeuer. It is so set downe, and established by order, that the Sunne should giue vs his light by day, and the Moone by night, and this standing wherein they were primi­tiuely placed, they still keepe. Yea euery Creature in her kinde, keepeth the course, at the first prefixed them, in the creation of all things. The Grasse groweth, Trees fruc­tifie, according to the blessing pronounced by the mouth of God vpon them, when they were first in beeing, the verie ende and purpose of their beeing; thus are all Christians, Trees that are planted by the right hand of God, to giue their fruite in due season, this beeing the period and ende of their election, their holy conuersation. If thou shouldst passe by a ground, where­in thou shouldst see a beautifull Vine, pru­dently kept, enclosed with a wall, that no­thing could hurt it, thou wouldest con­clude, that the owner thereof was a carefull man, a good Husband indeed: so is euery one of vs to keepe our bodyes and soules in that godly and holy manner, as the verie [Page]aduersarie to our Religion, be hee an Infi­dell, beholding vs, may haue occasion to reuerence our Religion, and to say, Great is the God of the Christians. In the setting vp of an House, first we lay the Foundati­on, then the Sides and Walles round about, and then the Roofe the vppermost part thereof. Fayth is the Foundation of this our House: Good workes are the Walles and the rest of the Building that is to be ioyned to this Foundation.

To the pulling downe of an House, the course is quite contrarie to that which was taken when it was first erected; for that which was set vp last was the Roofe; and with the Roofe, we beginne to reaue it and we come to the Foundation at the last. So the Deuill, seeking the ruine of vs all, hee first assaulteth our Good workes, the vp­permost of our Building; our Almes, our Fastes, our Prayers, our Charitie: and then he layeth at the Foundation of our Fayth, and sayth; Downe with it, downe with it, euen to the ground.

Finally, this parcell of Scripture, is the very Period of all the Scripture, as the pur­port of all the Workes of God, done, and yet in doing, towardes vs. They haue ma­ny endes and purposes beside; the prin­cipall whereof, is the Glorie of God: the rest come in at the second hand, and are [Page]seruantes vnto this, as ordinated and se­questred to this seruice and office of fur­thering and setting soorth the excellencie of this Glorie.

Now among those of the secondarie sort, this easily is the chiefe, A zeale to Pietie: a diligent endeauour to depart from Iniquitie. The whole Scripture is resolued into Law, and Gospell. Historie is a midling betweene both, and an appurtenaunce vnto them. The whole Law is abridged and summed in this sentence, Declina a malo; et fac bonum: Eschew that is euill; and ensue that is good. The whole knowledge of the Law, is in the knowledge of our three-folde estate. 1. Of that we had by Creation 2 Of that wee haue now by Nature. 3. Of that wee ought to be now: this one end, to Depart from Iniquitie, is Finis vltimis, alwayes at the ende of all of them three. Wee are told what we were by Creation; that we should striue by Departing from iniquitie, to recouer our primitiue condition. Wee are shewed what wee are now by corruption; that wee might runne from the Law, to Christ; and lead a holy conuersation. 3. Lastly, it les­soneth vs what wee ought to bee; namely, Conformable to our first Image, of Righ­teousnesse and holinesse, by renouncing all Wickednesse. This is the onely Tribute siluer he requireth at our handes, as Moses [Page]thus expresly telleth vs in Deuteronomie. Deut. 10.12. What doth the Lord thy God require of thee; but to feare the Lord thy God, and to walke in his wayes? The same is the consi­deration of the Law of the Gospell, signi­fied by Zacharie; Luke. 1.75. That wee being deliuered out of the hands of our enimies, might serue him without feare, in righteousnesse and holinesse before him, all the dayes of our life: as by Paul in like manner where he sayth: Tit. 2. The Grace of God that bringeth saluation to all men, hath appeared, and teacheth vs, that we should denie all vngodlinesse, and worldly lusts; & that we should liue soberly, and righteously, and godly, in this present world, looking for that blessed hope, and ap­pearing of that glorie of that mightie God, and of our Sauiour Iesus Christ, who gaue himselfe for vs, that he might redeeme vs from all iniquitie, and purge vs to be a pe­culiar people vnto himselfe, zelous of Good workes. The like respect there is of all the Workes of God, and his Sonne Christ, al­ready wrought, or to be wrought for vs. The scope at which they driue, is the re­nuntiation of our Sinnes.

All the Workes of God, whatsoeuer they bee, must be of these three kindes. 1. Such [Page]as concerne our Creation, Preseruation, Protection. 2. Or such as belong to our Redemption by Christ. 3. Or such as ap­pertaine to our communicate Redemption and Grace.

1 The Creation of the World was for mans sake, to the end that man might know God, and by knowing, glorifie him. This is plaine by this the Apostle sayth: Rom. 1.20.21. The inuisible thinges of him, that is, his eternall power, and Godhead, are seene by the creati­on of the world, being considered in his workes, to the intent that they should be without excuse: Because that when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neyther were thankfull. Now God can not otherwise be glorified, but by our cōformi­tie to the Law, by our departure frō iniqui­tie, & by our duties of pietie and integritie. No other end hee proposeth to himselfe in his afflicted punishments, that so they might consider his anger towards sinne, to be shie thereof, and shunne it. He hath determined the Diuels, and the Reprobates, to damnation, to no other ende, then to warne the Elect not to sinne, and if they sin, to saue themselues by repentance, and by perfourmance, of future obedience. The patience of God, is to the same purpose: [Page]His sufferance, Rom. 2.4. is only a summons to our conuersion, to which end saith the Apostle: Despicest thou the riches of his bountifulnes, and patience, and long sufferance, not know­ing that the bountifulnesse of God leadeth thee to repentance? The common and or­dinarie benefites of God, redound vnto the wicked. The Cloudes droppe downe Fat­nesse vppon their Cloddes, they haue the gracious dew of his blessing, though none of his inheritance: That his practise might be president, and Patterne to vs, of pietie and perfection, as he intimateth in the con­clusion thereof, in this sentence of moniti­on, Bee yee also perfect, as your heauenly Father is perfect.

2 All the Workes of our Redemption, are of reference vnto this, Our departure from Iniquitie. For all the Promises of the Gos­pell in Christ, are to dispell Despaire, that we should not as absorpt of Desperation, plunge our selues through our sinnes, into the pitte of Perdition: but contrariwise, vnder hope of Grace, should repent vs of our Trespasses, and depart from our Ini­quities. Christ, the Argument of the Gos­pell, conformed himselfe to the rites of the Law, could defie euery aduersarie that could accuse him of Sinne, was obedient to his Father to the death; that his example, [Page]should be our imitation, according to this his direction in such causes; I haue giuen you an exsample, that as I haue done, so should yee doe. Hee that saith hee is in him, must walke as hee hath walked. Hee cured the Sicke, raised the Dead, filled the Hun­grie with good thinges, as for other ends, so namely and mainely, for this one ende, that while they recounted how Sinne brought these euils into the World, they should shake off these euils, and forsake their sinnes; the Caution giuen by Christ to the Palsey-man: Now thou art whole, sinne no more, least a greater euill come vnto thee. Hee remitted sinnes, that wee should committe no more sinnes, wherefore hee sayeth to the adultresse in the Ghospell: Jf no man con­demne thee, J doe not condemne thee, Goe in peace. The same matter of meditatiō, ariseth vnto vs, out of the circumstances of his passion. Hee did beare the Crosse, and suffered the shame for vs, to deliuer vs determined to e­ternall death; and to leaue vs an example, that it seeme not grieuous vnto vs, to suf­fer all manner of euill vniustly for his sake This vse Saint Peter giueth vs of Christe Passion for vs: 1. Pet 4.1. Forasmuch as Christ hat suffered for vs in the flesh; arme your selues likewise with the same minde, which is, that hee the hath suffered in the flesh, hath ceased from sinne that he hence forward should liue, not after the [Page]lustes of men, but after the will of God: That is in a word, as it is else where deliuered, That wee should crucifie the flesh with the lustes thereof.

He prayed for his Enimies, to teach vs to forbeare vengeaunce, & to beare wronges with patience.

Hee dieth, not onely to saue our Soules from death: but also to the end, that wee should die to our sinnes. The application that Paul maketh of that Article of the Fayth. He is buried, Rom. 6. that wee also should burie our sinnes, and roule a great Stone ouer the Graue of them, that they neuer rise againe. The inference, Rom. 6.4. the same Apostle maketh in the same place: Wee are buried then with him by baptisme into his death, that like as Christ was raysed vp from the dead to the glory of the Father: so wee also should walke in newnesse of life. Hee dispatcheth his Apostles into the wide perambulation of the world, with this legatiue Commisson, to preach the Gospell, and Remission of sinnes; and to this speciall end, that wee should make an end of sin, as in the clause of that com­mission, is not obscurely intimated, where these wordes are added; Teaching them to obserue such thinges, as J haue commaunded you.

Hee ascended vp to Heauen, not onely to appeare for vs in the presence of God, but [Page]also to raise vp our Soules from the nether­most Pitte to the vppermost Heauens, that wee might learne in liew of this bene­fite, to lead an heauenly life. It is the war­ning that Paul giueth vs out of the sayd Learning: Coloss. 3.1.2. If yee be then risen with Christ, seeke those thinges that are aboue, and not those thinges that are on the earth. This was Paules course of conuersation; Our conuersation is in Hea­uen.

Finally, foretelling the finall Iudgement, hee inserteth this speciall end hereof, to giue to euery one according to his workes. Wherefore it standeth vs in hand as much as our Soules & Bodies are worth, to looke to our wayes, and to follow our iniquities no more.

3 Lastly, the workes of our communi­cate Redemption, implye the same conditi­on. The Apostle shutteth them all vp in foure wordes.

1. Rom. 8. Predestination. 2. Vocation. 3. Justifica­tion. 4. Glorification.

1. The intention of our Election, heedeth this condition, as where Paul teacheth it, saying: Ephes. 1.4. Hee hath chosen vs in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in loue.

Of our Vocation, wee may say the like: For God hath not created vs to vnclean­nesse, but vnto holinesse. Wee haue Fayth [Page]giuen vs to obey his Call: First, that there­by we might pertake of the righteousnesse of Christ imputed to vs. 2. Next, that wee might obserue the Law; and that the righ­teousnesse of the Law might be fulfilled in vs. Rom. 6.19. Hence commeth in this Interrogati­on of the Apostle: Doe wee make the Law of none effect through Fayth? God forbid: yea, wee establish the Law.

Hee Iustifieth vs, in pardoning our sinnes, that we should be no more factiue instru­mentes to sinne, 1. Cor. 6. but that we should Giue vp our members as seruantes vnto righteousnesse in holinesse: he instilleth his holy Spirit into vs, that being made the Members of Christ, and the Temples of the holy Ghost, wee should take heed how hereafter we pollute and defile our bodyes with iniquities. It is the quicke expostulation and question of the blessed Apostle: 1. Cor. 15. Know yee not that your bodyes are the Temples of the holy Ghost? Hee that shall pollute the Temple of God, him shall God destroy. All the Religion that we haue in the Church; as Preaching, Sacraments, Prayers, Discipline, driue at this end; to die to sinne, to liue to God.

To conclude, our Glorification includeth & concludeth the same consideration; Then shall God be all in all, because then there shall be no more sinne to striue against God. [Page]Wherefore, bend wee, and band wee all our Sinnewes and Sides against the sides of Sinne, that wee may liue in his feare, and die in his fauour; and enioy that Place, which the Father of old hath prepared, Christ of late hath purchased, and to which wee are sealed, by the Spirit of sanctificati­on: To these three Persons, and one God, be praise, and glorie, now and euer, Amen.