Clause 9

Hitherto we haue intreated of the first part of the Creed concerning God: now followeth the second part thereof concerning the Church: and it was added to the former upon speciall consideration. For¹ the right order of a confession did require, that after the Trinitie the Church should be mentioned, as the house after the owner, the temple after God, and the citie after the builder. Againe the Creed is concluded with pointes of doctrine concerning the Church, because whosoeuer is out of it is also forth of the number of Gods children:² and he cannot haue God for his father, which hath not the Church for his mother.

Question is made what the wordes are which are to be supplied in this article, the holy Catholike Church, whether, I beleeve, or, I beleeve in: and ancient expositours haue sufficiently determined the matter. One³ saieth, In these wordes in which is set forth our faith of the godhead, it is said, In God the father, in the sonne, and in the holy ghost: but in the rest where the speech is not of the godhead but of creatures and mysteries, the preposition In is not added that it should be, in the holy Church, but, that we should beleeve there is an an holy Church not as God, but as a companie gathered to God. And men should beleeve that there is remission of sinnes, not, in the remission of sinnes: and they shoulde beleeve the resurrection of the body, not, in the resurrection of the body: therefore by this preposition the Creatour is distinguished from the creatures, and thinges pertaining to God from things pertaining to men. Another upon these wordes,⁴ This is the worke of God that yee beleeue in him, saith, If yee beleeve in him, ye beleeve him; not if yee beleeve him, yee beleeve in him, for the devils beleeved God, but did not beleeue in him. Againe of the Apostles, we may say, we beleeve Paul, but wee doe not beleeve in Paul: wee beleeve Peter, but wee beleeve not in Peter. For his faith that beleeveth in him which iustifieth the ungodly, is imputed to him for righteousnesse. What is it therefore to beleeve in him? by beleeving to love and like, and as it were to passe into him, and to be incorporated into his members. Now the reasons which some Papistes bring to the contrarie to prooue that wee may beleeue in the creatures, and in the Church, are of no moment. First they alledge the phrase of scripture, Exod. 14.31. They beleeved in God, and in Moses. 1. Sam. 27.12. And Achis beleeved in David. 2. Chron. 20.20. Beleeve in the Prophets and prosper. Answer. The Hebrewe phrase in which the servile letter Beth is used, must not be translated with a preposition that ruleth an accuseth or ablatiue case, but with a datiue case on this manner, Beleeve Moses, David, the Prophets: and it doeth not import any affiance in the creature, but onely a giuing of credence by one man to another. Secondly they alleadge, that ancient fathers reade the article on this manner, I beleeve in the holy Catholike Church. Answer.⁵ Indeed some haue done so: but by this kinde of speech they signified no more but thus much, that they beleeued that there was a Catholike Church.

Thus hauing found what words are to be supplyed, let us come to the meaning of the article. And that wee may proceede in order, let us first of all see what the Church is. The Church is a peculiar company of men, predestinate to life everlasting and made one in Christ. First I say, it is a peculiar company of men, for Saint Peter saieth, Yee are a chosen generation,⁶ a royall priesthood, an holy nation, and a peculiar people. He speakes indeede of the Church of God on earth, but his saying may be also extended to the whole Church of God, as well in heauen as in earth. Now because there can be no companie vnlesse it haue a beginning & a cause whereby it is gathered: therefore I adde further in the definition, predestinate to life everlasting. Noting thereby the ground and cause of the Catholike Church, namely Gods eternall predestination to life euerlasting: and to this purpose our Sauiour Christ saieth, Feare not little flocke, for it is your fathers will to give you the kingdome:⁷ signifying thereby, that the first and principall cause of the Church, is the good pleasure of God whereby hee hath before all workes purposed to aduance his elect to eternal saluatiō. Therfore one saith well,⁸ only the elect are the Church of God. And further, because no companie can continue and abide for euer, vnlesse the members thereof be ioyned and coupled togither by some bonde, therefore I adde in the last place, made one with Christ. This union maketh the Church to be the Church: and by it the members thereof, whether they be in heauen or in earth, are distinguished from all other companies whatsoeuer. Now this coniunction betwene Christ and the Church is auouched by Saint Paul when hee saieth, Christ is the heade to his bodie, which is his Church:⁹ and when he ascribes the name of Christ not onely to the person of the sonne but to the Church it selfe, as in the Epistle to the Galatians. To Abraham and his seede were the promises made:¹⁰ hee saieth not, and to his seedes, as speaking of many, but, and vnto his seed, as speaking of one, which is Christ: that is, not the redeemer alone, but also the Church redeemed. For Christ as hee is man is not the onely seede of Abraham. And this definition of the Church is almost in so many words set downe in the Scriptures in that it is called the Family of God, partly in heauen, and partly in earth, named of Christ:¹¹ and it is also called the heavenly Ierusalem, the mother of vs all: and, the celestiall Ierusalem: and,¹² the congregation of the first borne. Nowe for the better understanding of the nature, estate, and partes of the Church, two pointes among the rest must be considered; the efficient cause thereof, Gods predestination; and the forme, the mysticall Vnion.

In handling the doctrine of Predestination, my meaning is, onely to stande on such pointes as are reuealed in the worde and necessarie, tending to edification. And first I will shewe what is the trueth, and secondly the contrarie falshood. In the trueth I consider foure things: I. what Predestination is: II. what is the order of it: III. what be the partes of it: IIII. what is the use.

Predestination may thus be defined: It is a parte of the counsell of God, whereby hee hath before all times purposed in him selfe to shewe mercie on some men, and to passe by others, shewing his iustice on them for the manifestation of the glorie of his owne name. First, I say, it is a parte of his counsell, because the counsell or decree of God, universally extends it selfe to all things that are: and Predestination is Gods decree so farre foorth as it concernes the reasonable creatures, especially man. Now in euery purpose or decree of God, three things must be considered; the beginning, the matter, the ende. The beginning is the will of God whereby he willeth and appointeth the estate of his creatures: and it is the most absolute, supreme, and soueraigne cause of all things that are, so farre foorth as they are: having nothing either aboue it selfe or out of it selfe, to be an impulsiue cause to mooue or incline it; and to say otherwise, is to make the will of God to be no will. Indeede mens willes are mooued & disposed by externall causes, out of themselues borrowed from the things whereof deliberation is made, because they are to be ruled by equitie and reason: and a mans bare will without reason is nothing. Now Gods will is not ruled by any other rule of reason or iustice, but it selfe is an absolute rule both of iustice and reason. A thing is not first of al reasonable & iust, & thē afterward willed by god: but it is first of all willed by God & thereupon it becomes reasonable and iust. The maner of his purpose is a decreed manifestation of two of the most principall attributes of the godhead, mercy and iustice: & that with a limitation or restraint of mercy to some of the creatures, & iustice to some others, because it was his good will and pleasure. And wee are not to imagine that this is a point of crueltie in God: for his verie essence or nature is not iustice alone, or mercie alone, but iustice and mercie both togither: and therfore to purpose the declaratiō of them both upō his creatures ouer whome he is a soueraigne Lorde; & that without other respects, upon his very will & pleasure is no point of iniustice. The supreme end of the counsel of God is the manifestatiō of his own glory partly in his mercy, & partly in his iustice. For in cōmon equity, the end which he propoūds unto him self of al his doings must be answerable to his nature, which is maiesty & glory, & (as I haue said) iustice & mercy it self.

And because Pauls disputation in the 9. to the Romans giues light & sufficient confirmation to this which I now teach, I will stand a litle in opening & resoluing of the same. Frō the 1. verse to the 6. he sets downe his griefe conceiued for his brethren the Iewes, & therwithall▪ that it might not be thought that he spake of malice, he doth onely in close and obscure manner insinuate the Reiection of that nation. This done, in the 6. verse he answeres a secrete obiection which might be made on this manner. If the Iewes be reiected then the worde of God is of none effect: that is, then the couenant made with the forefathers is void, but the couenant can not be void, therefore the Iewes are not reiected. The assumption he takes for graunted, and denies the consequence of the proposition. And the ground of his deniall is, because there is a distinction betweene man and man euen among the Iewes, whereby some are indeed in the couenant, some not. And this distinction is prooued by 3. examples: the first in this ver. that of the children of Iacob the common parent of all the Iewes, some are Israel, that is, truly in the couenant as Iacob was: & some are not Israell. Nowe it might be further obiected that the Iewes are not only the posterity of Iacob, but the seed of Abrahā in whom all nations of the earth are blessed: and therefore not to be reiected. And to this Paul answeres vers. 7. alledging a second example of the distinction betweene man and man out of the family of Abraham in which some were indeede sonnes▪ some were not. For the proofe of this, first he settes downe the wordes of the text in Moses, In Isaac shall thy seed be called: & secondly makes an exposition of them with a collection on this maner. All they which are the sons of the promise are the seed of Abrahā or the sons of god: but Isaac is a son of promise & not Ismael: therefore Isaac is the seed of Abrahā & heir of the blessing, & not Ismael. The proposition is in the 8. ver. the assumptiō in the 9. ver. the cōclusion in the 7. ver. Here mark, I. how he makes a double seed, one according to the flesh, the other spirituall: & two kinde of sonnes, one of the flesh, the other the sonne of the promise or the sonne of God: for he puts the one for the other. II. that the distinctiō betwene Isaac & Ismael wherby one is in the couenāt of grace, the other not; stands not in their foreseene faith & unbelief, & the fruits of thē: but in the purpose & wil of God it selfe. For Isaac is called the child of promise, because by the vertue of it he was borne & beleeued & was adopted the child of God, & made heire of the couenāt giuē to Abrahā: & therefore consequently the right of adoption befell him by the meere good pleasure of God which is the first cause of our saluation, without respect of any thing in the person of Isaac. For what God by his promise brings to passe in time, that he most freely decreed before all times. Now cōsidering the Iewes might say, that Ismael was reiected because he was born of the handmaid Hagar, wheras they, for their partes descend of Abrahā & Sara by Isaac the lawfull sonne, Paul addes a third exāple of the distinctiō betwene man & mā out of the family of Isaac in which Iacob was a true sonne and heire of the promise, and Esau was not. Now the distinction of these two persons is propounded in the 10. ver. & confirmed v. 11▪ 12, 13. In which are set down 3. things. I. the time of this distinction▪ yer the childrē were born, & therfore whē they had neither don good nor evill. And this circūstance is noted to shewe, that God was not mooued by any prevision or preconsideratiō of Iacobs godlinesse and Esaus prophanenesse to preferre the one before the other. II. The ende why the distinction was made at this time and not afterward when they were borne is, that the purpose of God which is according to his election might remaine sure, not of workes but by him that calleth: that is, that by this meanes it might appeare, that when God receiues any man into the couenant of eternal life, it proceeds not of any dignitie in the man whome God calleth, but frō his mercy & alone good pleasure, that his decree of sauing the elect might remaine firme and sure for euer. Hence it is manifest that there is an unchangeable decree of election of some men (for he that takes all and excepts none can not be said to choose) to saluation, depending upon the alone will of God: and therfore necessarily by the law of contraries, there is an opposite decree of reprobation: for in that God ordaineth some to eternall saluation, he testifies therby, that his purpose is to passe by some without shewing of mercy. III. The authour of this distinction, God himselfe by his purpose before all times, which purpose he made manifest by testimonie giuen to Rebecca, saying, The greater shall serve the younger: that is, the first borne and more excellent according to the flesh, shall loose his birthright & the blessing of his father, and in respect of title to the couenant, be subiect to the yonger. And because this testimony concerning the freedome and seruitude of Iacob and Esau might seeme insufficient to proue the election of the first & the reiectiō of the secōd, therfore Paul addes a second testimony out of Malachi, I haue loved Iacob and hated Esau: that is, I haue purposed to loue Iacob & to hate Esau. And these wordes no doubt, are alledged to expound the former place out of Moses, and shewe that the bondage of Esau was ioyned with the hatred of God, & the freedome of Iacob with the loue of God as tokens thereof.

Against this receiued expositiō of the former words which I haue now propounded, sundry exceptions are made. First, that the prerogatiue of Isaac aboue Ismael, & Iacob aboue Esau, was only in temporarie blessings in that God vouchsafed unto thē the right of the lād of Canaan. Ans. If these places are to be understood of tēporall blessings & not spiritual, then the Apostle hath not fitly alledged the former examples, to prooue the reiectiō of the Iewes from the Couenant. For though it be graunted there be a difference betweene man and man, in respect of earthly blessings, yet doth it not follow that there shall be the same difference in things concerning the kingdome of heauen. If a father for some cause disinherite one or two of his children, it were absurd thereupon to conclude that he might therefore kill any of the rest. Againe, the land of Canaan was not onely an earthly inheritāce, but also a pledge and figure vnto our forefathers of a better inheritance in heauen: and therefore the excluding of Ismael and Esau from the land of Canaan was a signe that they were excluded from the couenant of grace, and the right of eternall life. Some others say, that by Iacob and Esau are not meant two persons, but the two nations of the Idumeans and the Israelites. Answer▪ It is a manifest vntruth. For it was not possible for two nations to striue in the wombe of Rebecca, vnlesse we consider them as they were comprehended vnder there two heads, to wit, the very persons of Iacob and Esau. And wheras they say that Esau in person neuer serued Iacob, but onely in his posteritie, the answer is, that Iacobs freedome and prerogatiues were spirituall, and not temporall which by faith he saw a farre off, but inioyed not:¹³ and therefore proportionally Esau was debased to the condition of a seruant in respect of his younger brother; not so much in respect of his outward estate and condition, as in regard of the couenant made with his auncetours from which he was barred. And though it be graunted that by Iacob and Esau two nations and not two persons are to be vnderstood, yet all comes to one head, for the receiuing of the nation of the Israelites into the couenant, and the excluding of the nation of the Edomites both descending of Iacob and Esau, serue as well to prooue Gods eternall election and reprobation, as the receiuing and reiecting of one man. Others say that these words, I haue hated Esau, are thus to be vnderstood; I haue lesse loued Esau then Iacob. But how then shall we say that Paul hath fitly alleadged this text to prooue the reiection of the Iewe from the fauour of God and the Couenant of grace, considering that of men, whereof one is loued more of God, the other lesse; both may still remaine in the Couenant. Lastly, it is alleadged that the former exposition makes Ismael and Esau damned persons. Answer. Wee must leaue vnto God all secret iudgement of particular persons, and yet neuerthelesse Paul doeth very fitly in there two persons, both descending of Abraham, and both circumcised; set foorth examples of such as for all their outwarde prerogatiues, are indeede barred from the couenant of life euerlasting before God. And againe the opposition made by Paul requires that the contrarie to that which is spoken of Isaac and Iacob, should be saide of Ismael and Esau. And there is nothing spoken of either of them in the Scriptures which argues the disposition of men ordained to eternall life. Ismael is noted with the brande of a mocker, and Esau of a prophane man.

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

In the 19. vers. there followes an other obiection, arising out of the answeare to the former, on this manner: If God will haue some to be hardened and reiected, and his will can not be resisted, then with no iustice can he punish them that are necessarily subiect to his decree: but God will haue some to be hardened and reiected, and his will can not be resisted: therefore (saith the aduersarie) with no iustice can he punish man that is necessarily subiect to his decree. Here marke, that if there had beene an vniuersall election of all men, and if men had beene elected or reiected according as God did foresee that they would beleeue or not beleeue, the occasion of this obiection had beene cut off. But let vs come to Pauls answeare. In the 20. verse he takes the assumption for graunted, that some are reiected because God will: and that the will, that is, the decree of God can not be resisted:¹⁴ and onely denies the coherence of the preposition, checking the malipert pride of the aduersarie, and shewing that the making of this wicked and blasphemous collection against the will of God, is as if a man should sue God at the lawe, and bring him as it were to the barre, and pleade against him as his equall, whereas indeede the creature is nothing to the creator, and is absolutely to submit it selfe to his will in all things. In vers. 21. he proceeds to a second answeare, shewing that Gods will is not to be blamed, because by his absolute soueraignitie and the right of creation he hath power to chose men, or to reiect and harden them. And where there is right and power to doe a thing, the wil of the doer is not to be blamed. Now that God hath this right and power ouer his creature, it is prooued by a comparison from the lesse to the greater, on this manner. The potter hath power ouer the clay to make of the same lumpe one vessell to honour, and an other to dishonour: therefore may God much more make some vessells of mercie and some vessells of wrath prepared to destruction. The first part of the comparison is vers. 21. the second part vers. 22, 23. And least any man should thinke that God makes vessells of honour and dishonour without sufficient and iust cause in himselfe, as the potter may doe: therfore he sets downe ends of the will of God: he makes vessels of dishonour to shew his wrath, and to make manifest his power: and againe he condemnes no man till he haue suffered him with long patience. And he makes vessels of honour that he might declare the riches of his glorie vpon them. Hence it is manifest, first that the ende of predestination is the glorie of God, which is to be made manifest partly in his iustice and partly in his mercie: secondly that men are not elected or refused of God, for their foreseene corruptions or vertues: for then Paul would not haue said that God made vessells of dishonour, but that beeing so alreadie, he left them in their dishonour.

Thus from the 6. verse of this chapter to the 24. Paul hath described vnto vs the doctrine of Gods eternall predestination, and that by the iudgement¹⁵ of Diuines in all ages.

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

Predestination hath two parts, the Decree of Election, the Decree of Reprobation or No-election. This diuision is plaine by that which hath bene said out of the 9. cap. to the Rom. and it may be further confirmed by other testimonies. Of some it is said, that the Lord knowes who are his: and of some others,¹⁶ Christ shall say in the day of iudgement, J neuer knew you.¹⁷ In the Acts it is said, that as many of the Gentiles as were ordained to life euerlasting beleeued. And Iude saith of false prophets, that they were ordained to condemnation.¹⁸

In handling the decree of Election, I will consider three things: I. what Election is: II. the exequution thereof: III. the knowledge of particular Election. For the first, Gods Election is a decree in which according to the good pleasure of his will, he hath certenly chosen some mē to life eternal in Christ for the praise of the glorie of his grace. This is the same which Paul saith to the Ephesians,¹⁹ God hath chosen vs in Christ before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in loue: who hath predestinate vs to be adopted through Jesus Christ vnto himselfe, according to the good pleasure of his will. Nowe that we may the better conceiue this doctrine, let vs come to a consideration of the seuerall points thereof. First of all I say Election is Gods decree. For there is nothing in the world that comes to passe either vniuersally or particularly, without the eternall & vnchangeable decree of God. And therefore whereas men are actually chosen, & brought to life euerlasting, it is because God did purpose with himselfe and decree the same before all worlds. Now touching the decree it selfe, sixe things are to be obserued. The first, what was the motiue or impulsiue cause that mooued God to decree the saluation of any mā. Answer. The good pleasure of God. For Paul saith, he will haue mercie on whome he will haue mercie:²⁰ and, he hath predestinate vs according to the good pleasure of God. As for the opinion of them that say, that foreseene faith and good workes are the cause that mooued God to choose men to saluatiō, it is friuolous. For faith and good works are the fruits and effects of Gods election. Paul saith, he hath chosen vs, not because he did foresee that we would become holy,²¹ but that we might be holy. And, he hath predestinate vs to adoption. Which is all one as if he had said,²² he hath predestinate vs to beleeue, because adoption comes by beleeuing. Now if men are elected that they might beleeue, then are they not elected because they would beleeue. For it can not be that one thing should be both the cause & the effect of another.

The second point is, that Gods Electiō is vnchangeable; so as they which are indeed chosen to saluation can not perish, but shall without faile attaine to life euerlasting.²³ Paul takes it for a conclusion, that the purpose of God according to Election must remaine firme and sure; and againe, that the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.²⁴ And Samuel saith, The strength of Israel will not lie or repent. For he is not a man that he should repent.²⁵ Such as Gods nature is, such is his will and counsell: but his nature is vnchangeable, I am Iehovah, saith he, and I chaunge not: therefore his will likewise and his counsells be vnchangeable.²⁶ And therefore whensoeuer the spirit of God shall testifie vnto our spirits, that we are iustified in Christ, and chosen to saluation, it must be a meanes to comfort vs, and to stablish our hearts in the loue of God. As for the opinion of them that say, the Elect may fall from grace and be damned, it is full of hellish discomfort, and no doubt from the deuill. And the reasons commonly alleadged for this purpose, are of no moment, as may appeare by the skanning of them. First they obiect that the Churches of the Ephesians, Thessalonians,²⁷ and the dispersed Iewes are all called Elect by the Apostles themselues, yet sundrie of them afterward fell away. Answ. I. There are two kinds of iudgemēt to be giuen of men, the iudgement of certentie, & the iudgement of charitie. By the first indeed is giuen an infallible determination of any mans Election; but it belongs vnto God principally & properly▪ & to men but in part, namely so farforth as God shal reueale the estate of one man vnto an other. Now the iudgement of charitie belongs vnto all men; & by it, leauing all secret iudgemēts vnto God, we are charitably to think that al those that liue in the Church of God, professing themselues to be members of Christ, are indeede elect to saluation, till God make manifest otherwise. And on this manner, & not otherwise do the Apostles cal whole churches elect. II. they are called elect of the principal part, and not because euery member thereof was indeed elect; as it called an heape of corne though the bigger part be chaffe. Secondly it is alleadged, that Dauid praies that his enemies may be blotted out of the booke of life, which is the Election of God,²⁸ and that Moses and Paul did the like against themselues. Answear. Dauids enemies had not their names written in the booke of life, but onely in the iudgement of men. Thus Iudas so long as he was one of the disciples of Christ, was accounted as one hauing his name written in heauen. Now hence it follows, that mens names are blotted out of Gods booke, when it is made cleare and manifest vnto the worlde, that they were neuer indeede written there. And where Moses saith, forgiue them this sinne: if not, blotte me out of thy booke: and Paul, I could wish to be accursed, &c. there meaning was, not to signifie that men elected to saluation may become reprobates: onely they testifie their zealous affections, that they could be cōtent to be depriued of their owne saluation, rather then the whole bodie of the people should perish, and God loose his glorie. As for that which Christ saith, Haue I not chosen you twelue, and one of you is a deuill, is to be vnderstood not of election to saluation,²⁹ but of election to office of an Apostle; which is temporarie and changeable.

The third point is, that there is an actuall election made in time, beeing indeede a fruit of Gods decree, and answearable vnto it, and therefore I added in the description these words, whereby he hath chosen some men. All men by nature are sinners, and children of wrath, shut vp vnder one and the same estate of condemnation. And actuall election is, when it pleaseth God to seuer and single out some men aboue the rest, out of this wretched estate of the wicked worlde, and to bring them to the kingdome of his owne sonne. Thus Christ saith of his owne disciples, I haue chosen you out of the world.³⁰

The fourth point is, the actuall or reall foundation of Gods Election, and that is Christ: and therefore wee are said to be chosen to saluation in Christ. He must be considered two waies:³¹ as he is God, we are predestinate of him, euen as we are predestinate of the father and the H. Ghost. As he is our Mediatour, we are predestinate in him. For when God with himselfe had decreed to manifest his glorie in sauing some men by his mercie, he ordained further the creation of man in his owne image, yet so as by his owne fall he should infold himselfe and all his posteritie vnder damnation: this done, he also decreed that the Word should be incarnate actually, to redeeme those out of the former miserie, whome he had ordained to saluation. Christ therefore himselfe was first of all predestinate as he was to be our head, and as Peter saith,³² ordained before all worlds; and we secondly predestinate in him, because God ordained that the Exequution of mans Election should be in him. Here if any demaund, how we may be assured that Christ in his Passion stoode in our roome and steade, the resolution will bee easie, if wee consider that hee was ordained in the eternall counsell of God, to be our suretie and pledge, and to be a publike person to represent all the Elect in his obedience and sufferings: and therefore it is that Peter saith, that he was deliuered by the foreknowledge and determinate counsell of God. And Paul,³³ that grace was given vnto vs through Christ Iesus before the worlde was.

The fifth point is, concerning the number of the Elect. And that I expressed in these words, hath chosen some men to saluation. If God should decree to communicate his glorie and his mercie to all and euery man, there could be no Election. For he that takes all, can not be said to choose. Therefore Christ saith, Many are called, but few are chosen. Some make this question, how great the number of the Elect is, and the answeare may be this, that the Elect considered in themselues be innumerable, but considered in comparison to the whole world, they are but fewe. Hence it follows necessarily, that sauing grace is not vniuersall, but indefinite or particular, vnlesse we will against common reason make the streames more large and plentifull then the very fountaine it selfe. And this must excite vs aboue all things in the world to labour to haue fellowship with Christ, and to be partakers of the speciall mercie of God in him, yea to haue the same sealed vp in our heartes. Benefits common to all, as the light of the sunne, &c. are not regarded of any. Things common to fewe, though they be but temporall blessings, are sought for of all. God giues not riches to all men, but to some more, to some lesse, to some none. And hereupon how doe men like drudges toile in the world from day to day, and from yeare to yeare, to inrich themselues. Therefore much more ought men to seeke for grace in Christ, considering it is not common to all. We must not content our selues to say, God is mercifull, but we must goe further, and labour for a certificate in the conscience, that we may be able to say that God is indeede mercifull to vs. When the Disciples would haue knowne how many should be saued, he omitting the question, answeares thus, Striue to enter in at the straight gate.

The last point is, the ende of Gods Election, and that is the manifesting of the praise and excellencie of the glorious grace of God.³⁴

Thus hauing seene what Election is, let vs nowe come to the Exequution thereof. Of which remember this rule, Men predestinate to the ende, that is, eternall life, are also predestinate to the subordinate meanes, whereby they come to eternall life: and these are vocation, iustification, sanctification, glorification. For the first, he that is predestinate to saluation, is also predestinate to be called, as Paul saith, Whome he hath predestinate, them also he calleth. Secondly,³⁵ whome God calleth, they also were predestinate to beleeue; therefore sauing faith is called the faith of the elect.³⁶ And in the Acts, as many as were ordained to life euerlasting beleeued. Thirdly, whome God hath predestinate to life, them he iustifieth, as Paul saith, whome he hath predestinate,³⁷ them he calleth, and whome he calleth, them he iustifieth. Fourthly, whome he hath predestinate to life, them he hath predestinate to sanctification and holines of life,³⁸ as Peter saith, that the Iewes were Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the father vnto sanctification of the spirit. Lastly, they that are predestinate to life, are also predestinate to obedience, as Paul saith to the Ephesians, Ye are the workemanship of God, created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes,³⁹ which God hath ordained that we should walke in them.

This rule beeing the truth of God must be obserued: for it hath speciall vse. First of all it serues to stoppe the mouthes of vngodly and prophane men. They vse to bolster vp them selues in their sinnes by reasoning on this manner: If I be predestinate to eternall life, I shall be saued whatsoeuer come of it, and howe wickedly and leudly soeuer I liue: I will therefore liue as I list, and follow the swinge of mine owne will. But, alas, like blinde biards they thinke they are in the way, but they rush their heads against the wall, and farre deceiue them selues. For the case stands thus: all men that are ordained to saluation, are likewise ordained in the counsell of God to vse all the good meanes whereby they may come to saluation. And therefore all the Elect that liue in this worlde shall be called, iustified, sanctified, and lead their liues in all good conscience before God & men: and they that liue and continue in their owne wicked waies disputing on this manner, If I be ordained to saluation, I shall not be damned, ouershut themselues, and as much as they can plunge them selues headlong into the very pitte of hell. And for a man to liue and die in his sinnes, let the world dispute as they will, it is an vnfallible signe of one ordained to damnation. Secondly, there be others that thinke that the preaching of the word, the administration of the Sacraments, admonitions, exhortations, lawes, good orders, and all such good meanes are needelesse, because Gods counsells be vnchaungeable: if a man shall be condemned, nothing shall helpe: if a man be saued, nothing shall hinder. But we must still for our part remember that God doth not onely ordaine the ende, but also the meanes whereby the end is compassed: and therefore the very vse of all prescribed meanes is necessarie. And for this cause we must be admonished with diligence to labour and vse all good meanes, that we may be called by the ministerie of the Gospell, and iustified, and sanctified, and at length glorified. If a king should giue vnto one of his subiects a princely pallace, vpon condition that he shall goe vnto it in the way which he shall prescribe, oh what paines would the man take to know the way, and afterward to keepe & continue in it: but behold, the kingdome of heauen is the most glorious and roiall pallace that euer was; and God hath bestowed the same on his Elect: and he requires nothing at their hands but that they would turne their faces from this world, and walke vnto it in the way which he hath chalked forth vnto them in his word. Therefore if we would haue life euerlasting, wee must come forth of the broad way that leades to destruction, and enter into the straight way that leades to eternall life. We must acquaint our selues with the guides which are the ministers of the word, that will crie vnto vs, here is the way walke ye in it, when we goe to the right hand or to the left. Vocation, iustification, sanctification, repentance, new-obedience, are the markes of the way, and we must passe by them all: and thus our wearie soules weltring a while in this world, shall at length be receiued into euerlasting happines.

Touching the knowledge of particular Election, two speciall points are to be skanned: I. whether a man may know his Election: II. how it may be knowne. For the first, Papists are of minde that no man can certenly know his owne Election vnlesse he be certified thereof by some speciall reuelation from God: but the thing is false and erronious which they say. When the Disciples of our Sauiour Christ returned from preaching, and shewed what wonders they had done, and how deuills were subiect vnto them, the text saieth they reioyced greatly. But Christ answeared them againe, saying, In this reioyce not,⁴⁰ but rather reioyce that your names are written in heauen. Whereby hee signifies that men may attaine to a certen knowledge of their owne Election. For we can not, neither doe we reioyce in things either vnknowne or vncerten. Saint Peter saith, Giue all diligence to make your election sure.⁴¹ Now in vaine were it to vse diligence if the assurance of Election could not be compassed without an extraordinarie reuelation. And Paul saith to the Corinthians, Prooue your selues whether ye be in the faith or not. Where he takes it for graunted,⁴² that he which hath faith may know that he hath faith, and therefore may also know his Election: because sauing faith is an vnfallible marke of Election.

The second point is, how any man may come to know his owne Election. And there be two waies of knowing it. The one is by ascending vp as it were into heauen, there to search the counsell of God, and afterwarde to come downe to our selues. The second by descending into our owne hearts to goe vp from our selues, as it were by Iacobs ladder, to Gods eternall counsell. The first way is daungerous, and not to be attempted. For the waies of God are vnsearchable and past finding out. The second way alone is to be followed, which teacheth vs by signes and testimonies in our selues, to gather what was the eternal counsel of God concerning our saluation. And these testimonies are two: the testimonie of Gods spirit, and the testimonie of our spirits, as Paul saith, the spirit of God beareth witnes together with our spirits, that we are the sonnes of God.⁴³

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

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

The testimonie of our spirit is the testimonie of the heart and conscience, purified and sanctified in the bloode of Christ. And it testifieth two waies, by inward tokens in it selfe, by outward fruits. Inward tokens are certen speciall graces of God imprinted in the spirit, whereby a man may certenly be assured of his adoption. These tokens are of two sorts, they either respect our sinnes, or Gods mercie in Christ. The first are in respect of sinnes past, present, or to come. The signe in the spirit which concerneth sinnes past, is godly sorrow, which I may tearme a beginning and mother grace of many other gifts and graces of God.⁴⁴ It is a kinde of griefe conceiued in heart in respect of God. And the nature of it may the better be conceiued, if we compare it with the contrarie. Worldly sorrowe springs of sinne, and it is nothing else but the horrour of conscience, and the apprehension of the wrath of God for the same: now godly sorrow, it may indeede be occasioned by our sinnes, but it springs properly of the apprehension of the grace and goodnes of God. Worldly sorrow is a griefe for sinne onely in respect of the punishment: godly sorrowe is a liuely touch and griefe of heart for sinne because it is sinne, though there were no punishment for it. Now that no man may deceiue himselfe in iudgeing of this sorrow, the holy Ghost hath set downe seuen fruits or signes thereof whereby it may be discerned. The first is Care to leaue all our sinnes past: the second is Apologie whereby a man is mooued and carried to accuse and condemne himselfe for his sinnes past, both before God and men. The third is indignation, whereby a man is exceedingly angrie with himselfe for his offences. The fourth is feare, least he fal into his former sins againe. The 5. is desire, wherby he craueth strength and assistance, that his sinnes take not hold on him as before. The sixth is zeale, in the performance of all good duties contrarie to his special sinnes. The seuenth is reuenge, whereby he subdues his bodie least it should hereafter be an instrument of sinne as it hath beene in former time. Now when any man shall feele these fruits in himselfe, he hath no doubt the godly sorrow which here we speake of.

The token which is in regard of sinnes present, is the combate betweene the flesh and the spirit,⁴⁵ proper to them that are regenerate, who are partly flesh and partly spirit. It is not the checke of conscience which all men finde in themselues both good and badde, so oft as they offende God: but it is a fighting and striuing of the minde, will, and affections with themselues, whereby so farreforth as they are renewed, they carrie the man one way, and as they still remaine corrupt, they carrie him flat contrarie. Men hauing the disease called Ephialies, when they are halfe asleepe feele as it were some weightie thing lying vpon their breasts, and holding them downe: nowe lying in this case, they striue with their hands and feete and with all the might they haue to raise vp themselues, and to remooue the weight▪ and cannot. Behold here a liuely resemblance of this combate. The flesh which is the inborne corruption of mans nature, lies vpon the hearts of the children of God, and presseth them downe as if it were the very weight of a mountaine: now they, according to the measure of grace receiued, striue to raise vp themselues from vnder this burden, & to doe such things as are acceptable to God; but can not as they would.

The token that respects sinne to come is Care to preuent it. That this is the mark of Gods children, appeareth by the saying of Iohn, Hee that is borne of God sinneth not,⁴⁶ but keepeth himselfe that the wicked one touch him not. And this care shewes it selfe not onely in ordering the outward actions, but euen in the verie thoughtes of the heart. For where the Gospell is of force it brings every thought into captivitie to the obedience of Christ: and the Apostles rule is followed,⁴⁷ whatsoever things are true, whatsoeuer things are honest,⁴⁸ &c. thinke on these things.

The tokens which concerne Gods mercy are especially two. The first is, when a man feeles him selfe distressed with the burden of his sinnes, or when he apprehends the heauie displeasure of God in his conscience for them: then further to feele how he stands in need of Christ, & withall heartily to desire, yea to hunger and thirst after reconciliation with God in the merite of Christ, and that aboue all other things in the world. To all such Christ hath made most sweete and comfortable promises, which can appertaine to none but to the elect. Ioh. 7.37. If any man thirst, let him come to me and drinke: hee that beleeveth in me, as saieth the scripture, out of his bellie shall flow rivers of water of life. Rev. 21.6. I will give unto him which is a thirst of the well of the water of life freely. Now if hee that thirsteth drinke of these waters, marke what followeth, Ioh. 4.14. Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him, shall never be more a thirst: but the water that I shall give him, shall be in him a well of water springing up unto everlasting life.

The second is a straunge affection wrought in the heart by the spirit of God, whereby a man doth so esteeme & value, and as it were, set so high a price on Christ & his righteousnesse, that hee accounts euen the most pretious things that are▪ to be but as dung in regard thereof. This affection was in Paul,⁴⁹ and it is expressed in the parable in which after a man hath found a treasure, he first hides it, and the selles all hee hath and makes a purchase of the fielde where it is. Now euery man will say of himselfe, that he is thus affected to Christ, and that hee more highly esteemes the least drop of his blood, then all things in the world beside: wheras indeed most men are of Esaus minde, rather desiring the red broth then Isaaks blessing, and of the same affection with the Israelites which liked better the onyons and flesh pots of Egypt, then the blessings of God in the land of promise. Therefore that no man may deceiue him selfe, this affection may bee discerned by two signes. The first is to loue and like a christian man because hee is a Christian. For hee that doth aright esteeme of Christ, doth in like manner esteeme of the members of Christ. And of this very thing our Sauiour Christ saith, He that receiveth a Prophet in the name of a prophet,⁵⁰ shall receive a prophets rewarde, and he that receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man, shall receive the rewarde of a righteous man. And Saint Iohn saieth, Hereby wee knowe that wee are translated from death to life, because wee love the breethren: that is, such as are members because they are so. The second signe of this affection is a loue and desire to the comming of Christ, whether it be by death unto any man particularly, or by the last iudgement universally, and that for this ende that there may be a full participation of fellowship with Christ. And that this verie loue is a note of adoption, it appeares by that which S. Paul saieth, that the crowne of righteousnes is laid vp for all them that love the appearing of Christ.⁵¹

The outwarde token of adoption is New-obedience, whereby a man endeauours to obey Gods cōmandements in his life and conuersation:⁵² as S. Iohn saith, Hereby wee are sure that we know him, if wee keepe his commandements. Now this obedience must not be iudged by the rigour of the morall law, for then it should be no token of grace, but rather a meanes of damnation: but it must be esteemed and considered as it is in the acceptation of God, who spares them that feare him as a father spares an obedient sonne,⁵³ esteeming things done not by the effect and absolute doing of them, but by the affection of the doer. And yet least any man should heare be deceiued, wee must knowe that the obedience, which is an infallible marke of the child of god, must be thus qualified. First of all it must not be done unto some fewe of Gods commaundements, but unto them all without exception. Herod heard Iohn Baptist willingly, & did many things: and Iudas had excellent things in him, as appeares by this, that he was content to leaue all and to followe Christ, and hee preached the Gospell of the kingdome in Iurie as well as the rest: yet alas, all this was nothing: for the one could not abide to become obedient to the 7. commandement in leauing his brother Philips wife; and the other would not leaue his couetousnes to die for it. Vpright & sincere obedience doth inlarge it selfe to all the commandements, as Dauid saith, I shall not be confounded, when I haue respect to all thy commandements.⁵⁴ And S. Iames saith, hee which faileth in one law is guiltie of all: that is, the obedience to many commandements is indeed before god no obedience, but a flat sinne if a man wittingly and willingly faile in any one thing. He that repents of one sinne truly, doth repent of all: & he that liues but in one known sinne without repentāce, though he pretend neuer so much reformation of life, indeed repents of no sinne. Secōdly this obedience must extend it selfe to the whole course of a mans life after his conversion and repentance. We must not iudge of a man by an action or two, but by the tenour of his life. Such as the course of a mans life is, such is the man: though he, through the corruption of his nature faile in this or that particular action, yet doth it not preiudice his estate before God, so be it he renew his repentance for his seuerall slippes and falles, not lying in any sinne; and withall from yere to yere walke unblameable before God & men. S. Paul saith, The foundation of God remaineth sure: the Lorde knowes who are his. Now some might hereupon say, it is true indeed,⁵⁵ god knowes who are his, but how may I be assured in my selfe that I am his? to this demaund as I take it, Paul answers in the next words, Let euery one that calleth on the name of the Lord depart from iniquity: that is, let men invocate the name of God, praying seriously for things whereof they stand in need, withall giuing thanks, & departing frō all their former sinnes, and this shall be unto them an infallible token that they are in the election of God. Thirdly in outward obedience it is required that it proceede from the whole man:⁵⁶ as regeneration which is the cause of it, is thorough the whole man in bodie, soule, and spirit. Againe, obedience is the fruite of loue, and loue is from the pure heart, the good conscience, and faith unfained.

Thus we haue heard the testimonies and tokens wherby a man may be certified in his conscience that be was chosen to saluation before all worldes: If any desire further resolution in this point, let them meditate upon the 15. Psal. and the first Epistle of Saint Iohn, being parcels of scripture penned by the holy ghost for this ende.

Here some will demaund how a man may be assured of his adoption if he want the testimony of the spirit to certifie him thereof. Answere. Fire is knowen to be no painted but a true fire by two notes; by heate, and by the flame: now if the case fall out that the fire want a flame, it is still knowen to be fire by the heate. In like manner, as I haue said, there be two witnesses of our adoption, Gods spirit, & our spirit: now if it fall out that a man want the principall, which is the spirit of adoption, he must then haue recourse to the second witnesse, and search out in himselfe the signes and tokens of the sanctification of his owne spirit, by which he may certenly assure him selfe of his adoption, as wee knowe fire to be fire by the heate though it want a flame.

Againe it may be demanded on this manner: how if it come to passe that after inquirie, we finde but fewe signes of sanctification in our selues. Answer. In this case we are to haue recourse to the least measure of grace, lesse then which, there is no sauing grace, and it stands in two things: an heartie disliking of our sinnes because they are sinnes, & a desire of reconciliation with God in Christ for them all: & these are tokens of adoption, if they be soundly wrought in the heart, though all other tokens for the present seeme to be wanting. If any shall say, that a wicked man may haue this desire, as Balaam, who desired to die the death of the righteous: the answere is, that Balaam indeede desired to die as the righteous man doeth, but hee could not abide to liue as the righteous: hee desired the ende, but not the proper subordinate meanes which tend unto the end; as vocation, iustification, sanctification, repentance,⁵⁷ &c. the first is the worke of nature, the second is the worke of grace. Now I speake not this to make men secure and to content them selues with these small beginnings of grace, but onely to shew how any may assure themselues that they are at the least babes in Christ: adding this withall, that they which haue no more but these small beginnings must be carefull to increase them, because hee which goes not forwarde goes backwarde.

Lastly, it may be demanded what a man should doe if he want both the testimonie of Gods spirit and his owne spirite, and haue no meanes in the world of assurance. Answer. He must not utterly despaire, but be resolued of this, that though hee want assurance now, yet he may obtaine the same hereafter. And such must be aduertised to heare the word of God preached: and being outwardly of the Church, to receiue the sacraments. When we haue care to come into the Lordes vineyard and to converse about the wine-presse, wee shall finde the sweete iuyce of heauenly grace pressed forth unto us plentifully by the word and sacraments, to the comfort of our consciences concerning Gods election. This one mercy that God by these meanes in some parte reveales his mercie, is unspeakeable. When sickenesse or the day of death comes, the dearest seruants of God, it may be must encounter with the temptations of the deuill, and wrastle in conscience with the wrath and displeasure of God, as for life & death: & no man knowes how terrible these things are but those which haue felte them. Now when men walke thus through the valley of the shadow of death, vnlesse God shoulde as it were, open heauen, & streame downe unto us in this world some lightsome beames of his love in Christ by the operation of his spirite, miserable were the case euen of the righteous.

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

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

Now in this decree 4. pointes are to be considered. The first is the matter or obiect thereof, which is the thing decreed, namely the reiection of some men or the manifestatiō of his iustice upon them. This may seeme strange to mans reason, but here we must with all submission strike our topsailes, for the worde of God saith as much in plaine termes. The Apostle Iude speaking of false Prophets saith, that they were of old ordained to this damnation.⁵⁸ And Paul saith in emphaticall termes, that God makes vessels of wrath prepared to destruction: and that some are reiected, whome he opposeth to them which are elected to saluation.

The second pointe is the impulsiue cause that mooued God to set downe this decree concerning his creature, and that was nothing out of himselfe, but his very will and pleasure. He hardened Pharaoh with finall hardnesse of heart because he woulde: and therefore he decreed to do so because he would. And our Sauiour Christ saith, I thanke thee, O father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and men of vnderstanding,⁵⁹ and hast opened them vnto babes.⁶⁰ But upō what cause did God so? It follows in the next words, It is so, O father, because thy good pleasure is such. And if it be in the power and libertie of a man to kill an oxe or a sheepe for his use, to hunt and kill the hare and partridge for his pleasure: then much more without iniustice may it be in the will and libertie of the creatour to refuse and forsake his creature for his glorie. Nay it standes more with equitie a thousand folde that all the creatures in heauen and earth should ioyntly serue to set forth the glorie and maiestie of God the creatour in their eternall destruction, then the striking of a flie or the killing of a flea should serue for the dignitie of all men in the world. For all this, it is thought by verie many to be very hard to ascribe unto God that is full of bountie and mercie such a decree, & that upō his verie wil: but let us se their reasons. First of all they say it is a point of crueltie for God to purpose to create a great part of the world to damnation in hell fire: the answere is, that by the vertue of this decree God can not be said to create any man to damnation, but to the manifestation of his iustice and glorie in his due & deserued damnation: and the doing of this is absolute iustice. Secondly it is alledged that by this meanes God shall hate his own creature, and that before it is: but it is an untruth. We must distinguish betweene Gods purpose to hate and actuall hating. Now indeede God before all worldes did purpose to hate some creatures: and that iustly so farre forth as his hating of them will serue for the manifestation of his iustice: but he neither hates them indeed nor loues thē before they are: and therefore actuall hatred comes not in till after the creation. Whō God hath decreed to loue, thē whē they are once created, he begins to loue in Christ with actual loue: & whom he hath decreed to hate, them being once created, he hates in Adā with actuall hatred. Thirdly it is obiected, that by this doctrine god shalbe the authour of sinne, for he which ordaines to the end ordaines to the means of the end▪ but God ordaines men to the end that is the dānation: therfore he ordaines them to the means therof, that is, sin. Ans. The propositiō being thus understood, he which ordains a man to an end, in the same order & maner ordaines him to the meanes, is false. For one may be ordained to the ende simply, the end being simply good: and yet not be simply ordained to the meanes, because they may be evill in them selues, and onely good in part, namely so farre forth as they haue respect of goodnesse in the minde of the ordainer. Secondly, the assumption is false: for the supreme ende of Gods counsell is not damnation, but the declaration of his iustice in the iust destruction of the creature: neither doth God decree mans damnation as it is damnation, that is, the ruine of man and the putting of him forth to perishment, but as it is a reall execution of iustice. Thirdly wee must make distinction betwene sin it selfe & the permissiō thereof, and betweene the Decree of reiection, and Actuall damnation: now the permission of sinne and not sinne it selfe properly is the subordinate meanes of the decree of Reiection. For when God had decreed to refuse some men, hee withall decreed the permission of sinne, to which permission men were ordained: and sinne it selfe is no effect, but onely the consequent of the decree: yet so, as it is not onely the antecedent, but also the efficient and meritorious cause of actuall damnation.

The third point is the reall foundation of the execution of this decree, which is condemnation; and that is the voluntarie fall of Adam and of all his posteritie in him with the fruite thereof, the generall corruption of mans nature. For howsoeuer God hath purposed to refuse men because it so pleased him, yet when his purpose comes to executiō he condemnes no man but for his sinnes: and sinne though it were not in the counsell of God an impulsiue cause that mooued him to purpose a refusall, yet was it a subordinate meanes of damnation: God in wonderfull wisedome ordering and disposing the execution of this decree, so as the whole blame and fault of mans destruction should be in him selfe. And therefore the Lorde in the Prophet Ose saith, One hath destroyed thee, but I will helpe thee: that is, saluation is of God,⁶¹ & the condemnation of men is frō them selues. Now whereas many deprauing our doctrine say, that we ascribe unto God an absolute decree in which hee doth absolutely ordaine men to damnation, they may here be answered. If by absolute, they understand that, which is opposed to conditionall, then we hold and auouch, that all the eternall decrees of God are simple or absolute, and not limited or restrained to this or that condition or respect. If by absolute, they understand a bare and naked decre without reason or cause, then wee denie Gods decrees to be absolute. For though the causes thereof be not knowen to us, yet causes there be, knowen to him, and iust they are: yea the verie will of God it selfe is cause sufficient, it being the absolute rule of iustice. And though men in reason can not discerne the equitie and iustice of Gods will in this point, yet may we not thereupon conclude that therefore it is uniust. The Sunne may shine clearely though the blind man see it not. And it is a flat mistaking to imagine that a thing must first of all be iust in it selfe, and then afterward be willed of God. Whereas contrariwise, God must first will a thing before it can be iust. The will of God doeth not depend upon the qualitie and nature of the thing, but the qualities of things in order of causes follow the will of God. For euerie thing is as God willes it. Lastly if it be called an absolute decree, because it is done without all respect to mans sinne: then we still denie it to be absolute. For as God condemnes man for sinne: so hee decreed to condemne him for and by his sinne: yet so, as if the question be made, what is the cause why hee decrees rather in his iustice to condemne this man then that man, no other reason can be rendred, but his will.

The last point is the ende of Gods decree, namely the manifestation of his iustice, as Salomon saieth,⁶² The Lord hath made all thinges for his owne sake, and the wicked for the day of evill.⁶³ And Paul saieth that God made vessels of wrath, to shewe his wrath and to make his power knowen.

Thus we haue seene what Reprobation is: Nowe followes the execution thereof, for that which God decrees before time, in time he executes. And here a speciall rule to be remēbred is this▪ Those which are ordained to iust dānation, are likewise ordained to be left to them selues in this worlde in blindnesse of minde and hardnesse of heart, so as they neither shall nor will repent of their sinnes. The truth of this wee may see in Gods worde. For S. Peter speaking of the Priests and doctours, and chiefe of the people among the Iewes, saieth plainely, They stumbled at the word, and are disobedient. Why so?⁶⁴ The reason is there set downe: because they were ordained unto it of olde. And so Paul saith to the Corinthians, that hee handled not the worde of God deceitfully, but in the declaration of the trueth hee approoved himselfe to euerie mans conscience in the sight of God. Now hereupon it might be saide, how then comes it to passe that all receiue not the gospell in Corinth, and to this hee answeres with a terrible sentence,⁶⁵ If (saieth hee) our gospell be hid, it is hid to them that perish: giuing us to understand, that god leaues them to themselues in this worlde, whome hee purposeth to refuse. And the Lord by the prophet Esai saieth of the Iewes. By hearing they shall heare and not understand, and by seeing they shall see and not perceive,⁶⁶ least they should heare with their eares, and see with their eyes, and vnderstande with their hearts, and so turne and be saved.

The use of this rule is manifolde: first it serueth to ouerthrow the opinion of carnall men which reason thus: If I be ordained to damnation, let me liue neuer so godly and well, I am sure to be damned, therefore I will liue as I list: for it is not possible for me to alter Gods decree. Blasphemous mouthes of men make nothing of this and like speeches, and yet they speake flatt contraries. For whom God hath purposed in his eternall counsell to refuse, them also he hath purposed for their sinnes to leaue to the blindnesse of their mindes and hardnesse of their heartes, so as they neither will nor can liue a godly life.

Secondly, this rule doeth as it were, leade us by the hande, to the consideration of the fearefull estate of many people among us. Wee haue had for the space of thirtie yeeres and more the preaching of the Gospell of Christ, and the more plentifully by reason of the schooles of learning. But what hath beene the issue of it, I doubt not but in many it hath beene the meanes of their conversion and saluation: but to speake generally of the greater parte there is little or no fruite to be seene. The most after this long preaching remaine as blinde, as impenitent, as harde hearted, and as unreformed in their liues as euer they were, though they haue hearde the Lorde calling them to repentance from day to day, and from yeere to yeere. Well, if this rule be the trueth of God, as no doubt it is, then I say plainely that there is a most fearefull iudgement of God amongst vs. My meaning is not to determine or giue sentence of any mans person, of any towne or people, neuerthelesse this may be auouched, that it is a terrible and daungerous signe of the wrath of God, that after this long and daily preaching, there is still remaining a generall hardenesse of heart, impenitencie, and want of reformation in the liues of men. The smithes stithie, the more it is beaten the harder it is made: and commonly the heartes of men, the more they are beaten with the hammer of Gods worde, the more dull, secure, and senslesse they are. This beeing so, it standes euery man in hande to looke to his owne estate. Wee are carefull to flie the infection of the bodily plague: oh then how carefull shoulde wee bee to flie the common blindenesse of minde and hardnesse of heart, which is the verie plague of all plauges a thousande folde worse then all the plagues of Egypt. And it is so much the more fearefull, because the more it takes place, the lesse it is perceiued. When a malefactour on the day of assise is brought foorth of the iayle, with great boltes and fetters to come before the iudge, as hee is going all men pitie him and speake comfortably unto him: But why so? because hee is now to be arraigned at the barre of an earthly Iudge. Nowe the case of all impenitent sinners is farre more miserable then the case of this man: for they lie fettred in bondage vnder sin & satan, and this short life is the way in which they are going euerie houre to the barre of Gods iustice, who is the King of kings and Lord of lords, there to be arraigned & to haue sentence of condemnation giuen against them. Now canst thou pitie a man that is before an earthly iudge, and wilt thou not be touched with the miserie of thine owne estate who goest euery day forward to the barre of Gods iustice; whether thou be sleeping or waking, sitting or standing, as a man on the sea in a ship goes continually toward the hauen, though he himselfe stirre not his foote. Begin now at length to lay this point to your hearts, that, so long as ye run on in your blind wayes without repentance, as much as yee can, yee make poste hast to hell-warde: and so long as you continue in this miserable condition, as Peter saieth, Your iudgement is not farre off, and your damnation sleepeth not. Thirdly seeing those whome God hath purposed to refuse shall be left unto themselues, and neuer come to repentance, we are to loue and embrace the word of God preached & taught unto us by the ministers of the gospell: withall submitting our selues unto it, and suffering the Lord to humble us thereby, that we may come at length out of the broad way of blindnesse of minde and hardnesse of heart leading to destruction, into the straight way of true repentance and reformation of life, which leadeth to saluation. For so long as a man lives in this world after the lusts of his own heart, he goes on walking in the very same broad way to hell, in which all that are ordained to condemnation walke: and what a fearefull thing is it but for a litle while to be a companion in the way of destruction with them that perish: and therefore I say once againe, let us all in the feare of God lay his word unto our heartes, and heare it with such reuerence, as that it may be in us the sworde of the spirite to cut downe the sinnes and corruptions of our natures and worke in us a reformation of life and true repentance.

The third point concerning the decree of Reprobation, is the Iudgement to be giuen of it. This iudgement belongeth to God principally and properly, because hee knoweth best what he hath determined cōcerning the estate of euery man, & none but he knowes who they be which are ordained to due & deserued dānation. And againe, he only knoweth the hearts and willes of men, and what grace he hath giuen them, what they are, and what all their sinnes be, and so doth no angell nor creature in the world beside. As for men, it belongs not to them to giue iudgement of reprobation in themselues or in others, unlesse God reveale his will unto them and giue them a gift of discerning. This gift was bestowed on sundry of the Prophets in the old Testament, and in the new Testament on the Apostles.⁶⁷ Dauid in many Psalmes makes request for the confusion of his enemies, not praying only against their sinnes which we may do, but euen against their persons, which we may not do. No doubt he was guided by gods spirit, & receiued thence an extraordinarie gift to iudge of the obstinate malice of his aduersaries. And Paul praies against the persō of Demetrius, saying,⁶⁸ The Lord reward him according to his doings. And such kinde of praiers were lawfull in them, because they were caried with pure & upright zeale, & had no doubt a speciall gift whereby they were able to discerne of the finall estate of their enemies. Againe, God sometimes giues this gift of discerning of some mens finall impenitencie to the Church upon earth, I say not, to this or that priuate person, but to the bodie of the Church or greater part thereof. S. Iohn writing unto the Churches saith, There is a sinne unto death (that is,⁶⁹ against the H. ghost) I say not that thou shouldest pray for it: in which words he takes it for granted, that the sinne might be discerned by the Church in those daies. And Paul saieth, If any man beleeue not the Lord Iesus, let him be had in execration, Mara-natha, that is, pronounced accursed to euerlasting destruction.⁷⁰ Whence it appeares that the Church hath power to pronounce men reiected to euerlasting damnation, upon some special occasions, though I dare not say ordinarily and usually. The primitiue Church with one consent praied against Iulian the Apostata, & the praiers made were not in vaine as appeared by his fearefull end. As for priuate and ordinary men for the tempering and rectifying of their iudgements, in this case they must follow two rules. The one is, that euerie member of the Church is bound to beleeue his owne election. It is the commandement of God binding the very conscience,⁷¹ that we should beleeue in Christ: Now to beleeue in Christ is not onely to put our affiance in him, and to be resolued that we are iustified and sanctified and shalbe glorified by him, but also that we were elect to saluatioa in him before the beginning of the world, which is the foundation of the rest. Againe, if of things that haue necessarie dependance one upon another, we are to beleeue the one, then we are to beleeue the other. Now electiō & adoptiō are things conioyned; & the one necessarily dependes upon the other. For all the elect (as Paul saith) are predestinate to adoption: & wee are to beleeue our owne adoption: & therefore also our election. The second rule is, that concerning the persons of those that be of the Church, wee must put in practise the iudgement of charitie, & that is to esteeme of them as of the elect of God till God make manifest otherwise. By vertue of this rule the ministers of Gods word are to publish and preach the Gospell to all without exceptiō. It is true indeed there is both wheat & darnell in Gods field, chaffe & corne in Gods barne, fish & drosse in Gods net, sheep & goates in Christs fold: but secret iudgements belong unto God, and the rule of loue which is to thinke and wish the best of others is to be followed of us that professe faith working by loue.

It may be demanded what we are to iudge of them that as yet are enemies of Christ. Ans. Our duty is to suspēd our iudgements concerning their finall estate: for we know not whether God will call them or no: and therefore we must rather pray for their conversion then for their confusion.

Againe it may be demanded what is to be thought of all our ancetours & forefathers that liued & died in the times whē Popery took place. Ans. We may well hope the best & thinke that they were saued: for though the Papacie be not the Church of God, and though the doctrine of popery race the foundation, yet neuerthelesse in the very midst of the Romane papacie God hath alwaies had a remnant which haue in some measure truly serued him. In the olde Testament when open idolatrie took place in all Israel, God saith to Eliah, I have reserved 7. thousand to my self that never bowed knee to Baal: & the like is & hath bin in the generall apostasie under Antichrist. S. Iohn saith,⁷² that when the woman fled into the wildernes for a time, euen then there was a remnant of her seed which kept the cōmandements of God, & have testimony of Iesus Christ. And againe when ordinary meanes of saluation faile, then God can & doth make a supply by means extraordinary, & therfore there is no cause why we should say that they were condemned.

Thirdly it may be demāded whether the cōmō iudgemēt giuen of F. Spira that hee is a reprobate be good or no? Ans. we may with better warrāt say no; then any mā say, yea. For what gifts of discerning had they which came to visit him in his extremitie? & what reasons induced them to giue this peremptorie iudgement. He said himselfe that he was a reprobate: that is nothing; a sick mans iudgement of himselfe is not to be regarded. Yea but he despaired; a senslesse reasō: for so doth many a man yeere by yeere, & that very often as deeply as euer Spira did, & yet by the good help of the ministery of the worde both are & may be recouered. And they which wil auouch Spira to be a reprobate, must go further & prooue 2. things, that he despaired both wholly and finally: which if they can not proue, we for our parts must suspende our iudgementes, and they were much to blame that first published the booke.

Lastly it may be demādend what is to be thought of thē that make very fearful ends in rauing & blaspheming. Ans. Such strāge behauiours are oftētimes the fruites of violent diseases which torment the body & bereaue the minde of sense & reason: & therfore if the persons liued wel, we must thinke the best: for we are not by outward things to iudge of the estate of any man. Salomon saith, that all things come alike to all & the same condition to the iust & to the wicked.

Thus much of the parts of predestination. Now followes the use thereof: & it concernes partly our iudgemēts, partly our affectiōs, & partly our liues. The uses which concerne iudgement are 3. And first by the doctrine of predestinatiō we learne, that there cā not be any iustification of a sinner before God by his workes. For Gods election is the cause of iustification, because whome God electeth to saluation after this life, them he electeth to be iustified in this life. Now election it selfe is of grace and of grace alone, as Paul saieth, Election is by grace, and if it be of grace, it is no more of workes:⁷³ or else were grace no grace: therefore iustification is of grace and of grace alone. And I reason thus. The cause of a cause is the cause of all things caused: but grace alone is the cause of predestination, which is the cause of our vocation, iustification, sanctification, &c. Grace therefore is also the alone cause of all these. Therefore the scriptures ascribe not onely the beginning, but also the continuāce & accomplishment of all our happinesse to grace. For first as election, so vocation is of grace. Paul saieth, God hath called vs not according to our workes,⁷⁴ but according to his purpose and grace. Againe, faith in Christ is of grace. So it is saide,⁷⁵ To you it is given to beleeve in Christ. Also the iustification of a sinner is of grace. So Paul saieth plainely to the Romanes:⁷⁶ you are iustified freely by his grace. Againe, sanctification and the doing of good workes is of grace: So it is saide, Wee are his workemanshippe created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes,⁷⁷ which God hath ordained that wee shoulde walke in them. Also perseverance in good workes and godlinesse is of grace: So the Lorde saieth, I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will neuer turne away from them to doe them good,⁷⁸ but I will put my feare in their heartes, that they shall not depart from mee. Lastly, life euerlasting is of grace: So Paul saieth, Life everlasting is the gift of God through Iesus Christ: Now they of the Church of Rome teach the flatte contrarie:⁷⁹ they make two iustifications; the first whereby a man of an euill man is made a good man: the second, whereby of a good man hee is made better. The first they ascribe to grace, but so, as the seconde is by workes. Secondly, hence wee learne, that the arte of Iudiciall astrologie is vaine and frivolous. They that practise it, doe professe themselues to tell of thinges to come almost whatsoeuer, and this they doe by casting of figures: and the speciall point of their art is to iudge of mens nativities. For if they may know but the time of a mans byrth, they take vpon them to tell the whole course of his life from yeare to yeare, from weeke to weeke, and from day to day, from the day of his birth to the houre of his death: yea that which is more, they professe themselues to tell all things that shall befall men either in bodie, goods, or good name, and what kinde of death they shall die. But that this their practise is not of God, but indeede vnlawfull, it may appeare by this, because it stands not with the doctrine of Gods predestination. Two twinnes begotten of the same parents, and borne both at one and the same time, by the iudgement of Astrologians must haue both the same life, and the same death, and be euery way alike both in goods and in good name, yet we see the contrarie to be true in Iacob and Esau, who were borne both at one time of the same parents. For Iacob tooke Esau by the heele, so as there could not be much difference betweene them in time, yet for all this Esau was a fierce man and wilde giuen to hunting, but Iaacob was milde of nature, and liued at home: the one had fauour at Gods hand and was in the couenant, but God kept backe that mercie frō the other. Againe, in a pitcht field are slaine a thousand men at one and the same time: now if we consider the time of their births, it may be, they were borne at a thousand sundrie times, and therefore vnder so many diuerse positions of the heauens, and so by the iudgement of all Astrologers should haue all diuers and sundrie liues and ends: but we see according to the determination of the counsell of God, they haue all one and the same ende: and therefore this must admonish all those that are brought vp in schooles of learning, to haue care to spend there times in better studies: and it teacheth those that are fallen into any manner of distresse, not to haue recourse to these fond figure-casters. For their astrologicall iudgements are false and foolish, as we may see by the two former examples. Thirdly, the knowledge of God is one of the most speciall points in Christian religion, and therefore the Lord saith, Let him that reioyce, reioyce in this,⁸⁰ that he vnderstandeth and knoweth me. For I am the Lord which shew mercie and iudgement in the earth. And our Sauiour Christ saith, This is life eternall to know thee, the onely very God, and whome thou hast sent Jesus Christ.⁸¹ Nowe Gods predestination is a glasse wherein we may behold his maiestie. For first by it we see the wonderfull wisdome of God, who in his eternall counsell did foresee and most wisely set downe the state of euery man: secondly his omnipotencie, in that he hath power to saue and power to refuse whome he will: thirdly his iustice and mercie hoth ioyned together in the exequution of election; his mercie in that he saueth those which were vtterly lost; his iustice in that he ordained Christ to be a mediatour to suffer the curse of the law, and to satisfie his iustice for the Elect. Fourthly his iustice in the exequution of the decree of Reprobation: for though he decreed to hold back his mercie from some men, because it so pleased him, yet he condemneth no man but for his sinnes. Now the cōsideration of these & the like points, bring vs to the knowledge of the true God.

The vses which concerne our affections are these. First the doctrine of predestination ministers to all the people of God matter of endlesse consolation. For because Gods election in vnchangeable, therefore they which are predestinate to saluation can not perish, though the gates of hell preuaile against them so as they be hardly saued, yet shall they certenly be saued: therefore our Sauiour Christ saith, that in the latter daies shall arise false Christs and false prophets, which shall shew great signes and wonders, so that if it were possible they should deceiue the very elect.⁸² In which words he takes it for graunted, that the elect of God can neuer finally fall away. And hereupon he saith to his disciples when they reioyced that the deuils were subiect to them, rather reioyce that your names are written in heauen. And S. Paul speaking of Hymeneus & Alexander,⁸³ which had falne away from the faith, least the Church would be discouraged by their fall, because they were thought to be worthie men & pillars of the Church; he doth comfort thē from the very ground of election, saying, The foundation of God remaineth sure and hath this seale: The Lord knoweth who are his.⁸⁴ Where Gods election is compared to the foundatiō of an house, the building whereof may be shaken, but the ground-work standeth fast: & therefore Paul saith further, Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect.⁸⁵ Nowe then that we may haue comfort in distresse, & some thing to stay vpon in al our troubles: we in this world are as strangers in a farre countrie: our passage homeward is ouer the sea of this world: the ship wherin we saile is the Church: & satan stirres vp many blasts of troubles & tēptations, & his purpose is to sink the ship, or to driue it on the rock; but we must take the anchor of hope & fasten it in heauen vpon the foundation of Gods Election, which being done we shal passe in safetie & reioyce in the midst of all stormes & tempests. Secondly whereas God refuseth some men and leaues them to themselues, it serues to strike a feare into euery one of vs whatsoeuer, as Saint Paul in the like case saith, the Iewes being the naturall braunches are broken off through vnbeliefe,⁸⁶ and thou standest by faith: be not high minded but feare. This indeed was spoken to the Romanes, but we must also lay it vnto our hearts. For what is the best of vs but a lump of clay? & how soeuer in Gods counsell we are chosen to saluation, yet in our selues we are all shut vp vnder vnbeliefe, and are fit to make vessels of wrath. Our Sauiour Christ calleth Iudas a deuil, & we know his leud life & fearful end: now what are we better then Iudas by nature? If we had bin in his steade, without the special blessing of God, we should haue don as he did: he betraied Christ, but if God leaue vs to our selues, we shal not onely betray him, but by our sinnes euen crucifie him a thousand waies. Furthermore let vs bethinke our selues of this, whether there be not alreadie condemned in hel, who in their liues were not more grieuous offendours then we. Esay calleth the people of his time a people of Sodom & Gomorrha,⁸⁷ giuing the Iewes then liuing to vnderstād, that they were as bad as the Sodomites, & as the people of Gomorrha, on whome the Lord had shewed his iudgements long before. If this be true, then let vs with feare and trembling be thākful to his maiestie that he hath preserued vs hitherto frō deserued dānation.

The vses which respects our liues and conuersations are manifold. First, seeing God hath elected some to saluation, and hath also laid downe the meanes in his holy worde whereby we may come to the knowledge of our particular election, we must therefore as Saint Paul counselleth vs, giue all diligence to make our election sure.⁸⁸ In the world men are carefull and painefull ynough to make assurance of lands and goods to themselues and their posteritie: what a shame is it then for vs, that we should be slacke in making sure to our selues the election of God, which is more worth then all the world beside? and if we shall continue to be slacke herein, the leases of our lands and houses and all other temporall assurances shall be billes of accusation against vs at the day of iudgement to condemne vs. Secondly, by this doctrine we are taught to liue godly and righteously in this present world, because all those whome God hath chosen to saluation, he hath also appointed to liue in newnes of life, as Saint Paul saith, God hath chosen vs in Christ before the foundation of the world,⁸⁹ that we should be holy and without blame before him. And againe, We are created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes,⁹⁰ which God hath ordained that we should walke in them. And, God hath chosen you to saluation through sanctification of the spirite and faith of the truth.⁹¹ The Elect are vessells of honour:⁹² and therefore all those that will be of the number of the Elect, must carrie themselues as vessells of honour. For so long as they lie in their sinnes they be like vessells of dishonour, imploying themselues to the most base seruice that can be, euen to the seruice of the deuill. The sunne was ordained to shine in the day, and the moone in the night, and that order they keepe, yea euery creature in his kind obserueth the course appointed vnto it by creation, as the grasse to grow, and trees to bring forth fruit: now the elect were ordained to this ende to lead a godly life; and therefore if we would either perswade our selues or the world, that we are indeede chosen to saluation, we must be plentifull in all good works, & make conscience of euery euill way: and to doe otherwise is as much as to chaunge the order of nature, and as if the sunne should cease to shine by day and the moone by night. Thirdly, when God shall send vpon any of vs in this world crosses and afflictions, either in bodie or in minde, or any way else (as this life is the vaile of miserie and teares, and iudgement must begin at Gods house) we must learne to beare them with all submission and contentation of mind. For whome God knew before,⁹³ them he hath predestinate to be made like vnto his sonne. But wherein is this likenes? Paul saith, in the fellowship of his afflictions,⁹⁴ and in a conformitie to his death. And the consideration of this, that afflictions were ordained for vs in the eternal predestination of God, must comfort our hearts, and restraine our impatience so oft as we shall goe vnder the burden of them. Hence againe we learne that they which perswade themselues that they are in the fauour of God, because they liue at ease in wealth and prosperitie, are farre deceiued. For Saint Paul saith, God suffereth with long patience the vessells of wrath prepared to destruction,⁹⁵ to make knowne his power and to shew forth his wrath on them. Which beeing so, then no man by outward blessings ought to plead that he hath the loue of God. Sheepe that goe in fat pastures come sooner to the slaughterhouse then those which are kept vpon the bare 〈◊〉 and they which are pampered with the wealth of this worlde, sooner forsake God, and therefore are sooner forsaken of God then others. Salomon saith,⁹⁶ No man knoweth loue or hatred, that is, by outward things: for all things come alike to all: the same condition is to the iust and to the vniust, to the wicked and good, to the pure and polluted. Lastly, it may be an offence vnto vs, when we consider that the doctrine of the Gospel is either not knowne, or else despised and persecuted of the whole world; but we must stay our selues with this consideration, that nothing comes to passe by chance, that God knowes who are his; and that there must be some in the world, on whome God hath in his eternall counsell purposed to manifest his power and iustice. Againe Ministers of the Gospell may be discouraged, when after long preaching they see little or no fruit of their labours: the people whome they teach remaining as blinde, impenitent, and vnreformed as euer they were. But they must also consider, that it is the purpose of God to chose some to saluation and to refuse others: and that of the first some are called sooner some later, and that the second being left to themselues neuer come to repentance. To this Paul had regard when he saide, If our Gospell be hid it is hid to them that perish. And againe, We are vnto God the sweete sauour of Christ in them that are saued and in them that perish.

Hitherto I haue deliuered the truth of this weightie point of religion, which also is the doctrine of the Church of England: now it followeth that wee should consider the falshoode. Sundrie Divines haue deuised, and in their writings published a new frame or platforme of the doctrine of Predestination: the effect and substance whereof is this. The nature of God (say they) is infinite loue, goodnes, and mercie it selfe: and therefore he propoundes vnto himselfe an ende answearable thereunto, and that is the communication of his loue and goodnes vnto all his creatures. Now for the accomplishing of this supreame & absolute ende, he did foure things. First he decreed to create man righteous in his own image: secondly, he foresaw the fall of man after his creatiō, yet so, as he neither willed nor decreed it: thirdly, he decreed the vniuersall Redemption of all & euery man effectually by Christ, so be it they wil beleeue in him: fourthly, he decreed to call all & euery man effectually, so as if they will they may be saued. This being done, he in his eternall counsell foreseeing who would beleeue in Christ, did thereupon Elect them to eternall saluation: and againe foreseeing who would not beleeue but contemne grace offered, did thereupon also decree to reiect them to eternall damnation.

This platforme howsoeuer it may seeme plausible to reason, yet indeed it is nothing els but a Deuise of mans braine: as will appeare by sundrie defects and errours that be in it. For first whereas it is auouched that Adams fall came by the bare presciēce of God, without any decree or will of his, it is a flat vntruth. The putting of Christ to death was as great a sinne as the fall of Adam, nay in some respects greater.⁹⁷ Now that came to passe not onely by the foreknowledge of God, but also by his determinate counsell. And therefore as the Church of Ierusalem saith, Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and the people of Israel gathered themselues togither to doe whatsoeuer thine hand and thy counsell had determined before to be done: so may we say,⁹⁸ that Adam in his fall did nothing but that which the hand of God and his counsell had determined before to be done. And considering the will of God extends it selfe to the least things that are euen to sparrows, whereof none doe light vpon the ground without our heauenly father, how can a man in reason imagine that the fall of one of the most principall creatures that are, shall fall out altogether without the will and decree of God. And there can be nothing more absurd then to seuer the foreknowledge of God from his counsell or decree. For by this meanes, things shall come to passe God nilling, or not knowing, or not regarding them.⁹⁹ Now if any thing come to passe God nilling it, then that is done which God would not haue done; and to say so is to bereaue him of his omnipotencie. And if we shall say that things fall out God not knowing of them, we make him to be imprudent, and denie his omniscience: lastly, if we shall say that a thing is done God not regarding it, we bring in an idole of our owne braines, and stablish the idle-god of the Epicures. But it is obiected to the contrarie, that if God any way decreed and willed the fall of Adam, then he was the author of sinne: which once to say is blasphemie. Answear. The argument followes not. There be three actions in the will of God; one whereby he doth absolutely will any thing and delight in it:¹⁰⁰ and of all such things God himselfe is the author. The second is, wholly or absolutely to Nill a thing:¹⁰¹ and all thinges thus nilled can not possibly come to passe or haue the least beeing in nature.¹⁰² There is also a third action which comes as a meane betweene the two former, which is remissely or in part both to nill and will a thing; whereby though God approoue not euill as it is euill, and therfore doth it not: yet he willeth the permitting of it to be done by others, or the beeing of it; because in respect of God that decreeth the permitting of euill, it is good that there should be euill. And on this maner and no otherwise God willed the fall of Adam: and therefore in the reason of any indifferent man, though he decreed the fall, yet shall he be free from the blame thereof, which lies wholly vpon the doer; these two caueats alwaies remembred: first that God by his will did not constraine or force the will of Adam to sinne, or infuse into it any corruption; and that therefore he sinned willingly and freely, only by the¹⁰³ necessitie of immutabilitie, & not by the necessitie of coaction: secondly that God willed the fall for a most worthie end, which was to lay downe a way tending to the manifestation both of his iustice and mercie. Againe it is alleadged that if God willed Adams fall, then his will is flat contrarie to it selfe, because he wills that which he had by expresse commaundement forbidden. Answer. In deede if God should both wil and forbid one and the same thing, in one and the same respect, there should be a contradiction in Gods will: but that God doth not. He forbad Adams fall as it was a sinne: for so in euery commaundement sinne as it is sinne is condemned and punished: and yet because it was in a new respect, a meanes of manifesting his glorie, who is able to bring light out of darknes, therefore he willingly decreed the permission of it. Incest as it is a sinne, it is condemned in the seuenth commandement, and punished with death: yet as incest was a punishment of Dauids adulterie, God is said to take his wiues and to giue them to his sonne Absolom.¹⁰⁴

Some againe, as it appeares by their writings, feare to ascribe vnto God so much as a permission of Adams fall: but no doubt they are deceiued. For if these rules be true; that God is omnipotent: that he works all things that are by the counsell of his will, and gouernes them: that he hath care and regard ouer man: that nothing is hid from him: that he is vnchangeable, there must needs be permission of will. If the deuill could not enter so much as into an heard of swine without Christs permission,¹⁰⁵ shall we thinke that he could compasse the fall and ouerthrow of man, without a permission? Indeed to permit, is not to hinder euill when one may; and with men this is a fault, but not with God, because he is not bound to hinder the euill which he permits.

The second fault is, that they make the Prescience of mans faith & vnbeliefe, to be the impulsiue causes of Gods decree. For they say that God eternally decrees to saue or refuse men, because he did foresee that they would beleeue or not beleeue. But indeed it is a manifest vntruth. Among the causes of al things that are, there is an order set down by God himselfe, in which order some causes are highest some lowest, some in the middest. Now the highest cause of all is that, which ouerrules all and is ouerruled of none: and that is Gods will, beyond which there can be no higher cause: for God is placed aboue all, and subiect to none. And this very will of his is the cause of all things that haue beeing: for we must not imagine that a thing first of all existeth, and then afterward is willed of God; but first of all God wills a thing, and then afterward it comes to haue beeing. Nowe to say that foreseene faith or vnbeliefe are the moouing causes whereby God was induced to ordaine men either to saluation or to iust damnation, is to vndoe this diuine order of causes, and to displace the linkes; in that Gods will is made a secondarie or middle cause subordinate to others causes placed aboue it: and this is to make the will of God to depend vpon the qualitie and condition of the creature, whereas all things depend vpon it. Againe, Paul saith that God hath opened the mysterie of his will, according to his good pleasure, which he had purposed in himselfe: whereby he makes a distinction betweene the creature and the Creatour. Men,¹⁰⁶ when they purpose the doing of any thing, borrowe reasons of their purposes and wills out of themselues from the thinges to be done; because mans bare will is no sufficient cause to warrant the doing of this or that, in this or that manner, vnlesse there be iust reason. But Gods will is a simple and absolute rule of righteousnesse, and a thing is good so farre forth as Gods wills it. Therefore there is no cause, why he should goe forth of himselfe for externall inducements and reasons of his eternall counsell: his very will in himselfe is a sufficient reason of all his purposes and decrees. And hereupon Paul saith, that Gods purpose was in himselfe, to shew that there is no dependance of his will vpon the creature, and that in ordering and disposing of his decrees hee had no reference or respectiue consideration of the qualities and workes of men. Thirdly by this doctrine, there is fastned vpon God want of wisedome, who is wisedome it selfe: and that is very absurd. A simple man that hath in him but a sparke of the wisedome of God, first of all intendes with himselfe the ende and euent of the busines to be done, and then afterward the meanes whereby the ende is accomplished: but in this platforme God is brought in, in the first place to foresee and consider with himselfe the meanes which tende to the ende, namely the faith and vnbeliefe of men, and then afterwarde to determine with himselfe what shall be the ende and finall condition of euery man either in life or death: as if a man should purpose with himselfe to builde an house without any consideration of the ende why; and afterwarde conceiue with himselfe the particular vses to which hee will applie it. Fourthly, hence it followeth that faith shall not onely be an instrument, but also an efficient cause in the acte of iustification of a sinner before God. For the cause of a cause is also the cause of the thing caused; but foreseene faith is an impulsiue cause whereby God was mooued to choose some men to saluation (as it is said:) and therefore it is not onely an instrument to apprehende Christs righteousnes, but also a cause or meanes to mooue God to iustifie a sinner; because iustification proceedes of Election which comes of foreseene faith: which is erronious by the doctrine of all Churches, vnlesse they be Popish. Fifthly, this doctrine takes it for graunted, that all both young and old, euen infants that die in there infancie haue knowledge of the Gospell, because both faith and vnbeliefe in Christ presuppose knowledge of our saluation by him: considering that neither ordinarily, nor extraordinarily men beleeue or contemne the thing vnknowne. But howe false this is, euen common experience doth shewe. Lastly, this platforme quite ouerthrowes it selfe. For whereas all men equally corrupt in Adam are effectually both redeemed and called, the difference betweene man and man, stands not in beleeuing or not beleeuing, for all beleeue: but in this properly that some are confirmed in faith, some are not. Now when all without exception are indewed with grace sufficient saluation, I demaund why some men are confirmed in grace, and others not confirmed, as also of Angels some were confirmed and stande, and some not confirmed, fell? No other reason can be rendered but the will of God. And to this must all come, striue as long as they will, that of men beeing in one and the same estate some are saued, some iustly forsaken, because God would. Againe, as the foreseeing of faith doth presuppose Gods giuing of faith, vnlesse men will say it is naturall: so the foreseeing of faith in some men alone, doth presuppose the giuing of faith to some men alone. But why doth not God conferre the grace of constant faith to all? because he will not: so then those men whose faith was foreseene, are saued, not because their faith was foreseene, but because God would.

The third faulte is, that they ascribe vnto God a conditionall Purpose or counsell, whereby hee decrees that all men shall be saued, so be it they will beleeue. For it is euery way as much against common sense, as if it had beene said, that God decreed nothing at all concerning man. A conditionall sentence determines nothing simply but conditionally, and therefore vncertenly: and when we speake of God, to determine vncertenly, is as much as if he had determined nothing at all, specially when the thing determined is in the power of mans will, and in respect of God, the decree may come to passe or not come to passe. Men, if they might alwaies haue their choise, desire to determine of all their affaires simplie without cōdition: and when they doe otherwise it is either because they knowe not the euent of things, or because things to be done are not in their power. No reason therefore that we should burden God with that, whereof we would disburden our selues. Againe the Maiestie of God is disgraced in this kind of decree. God for his part would haue all men to be saued: why then are they not? men will not keepe the condition and beleeue. This is flat to hang Gods will vpon mans will, to make euery man an Emperour, and God his vnderling, and to chaunge the order of nature by subordinating Gods will which is the first cause to the will of man which is the second cause: whereas by the very lawe of nature the first cause should order and dispose the second cause. But for the iustifying of a conditionall decree it is alleadged, that there is no eternall and hidden decree of God beside the Gospell, which is Gods predestination reuealed. Answ. It is an vntruth. There be two wills in God,¹⁰⁷ one whereby hee determineth what he will doe vnto vs or in vs: the other,¹⁰⁸ whereby he determineth what we shall doe to him. Now Predestination is the first: wherupon it is commonly defined to be the preparation of the blessings of God, whereby they are deliuered which are deliuered, and the Gospell is the second. Againe, Predestination determines who they are, and how many which are to be saued, and hereupon Christ saith, I know whome J haue chosen:¹⁰⁹ but the Gospell rather determines what kinde of ones and how they must be qualified which are to be saued. Lastly Predestination in Gods decree it selfe: and the Gospell is an outward meanes of the exequution of it: and therefore though the Gospell be propounded with a condition, yet the decree of God it selfe may be simple and absolute.

The fourth defect, is the opinion of Vniuersall sauing grace appertaining to all and euery man: which may be fitly tearmed the Schole of vniuersal Atheisme. For it pulls downe the pale of the Church, and laies it wast as euery common fielde: it breedes a carelessenes in the vse of the meanes of grace, the word & sacraments; when as men shall be perswaded that grace shall be offered to euery one effectually, whether he be of the Church or not at one time or other, wheresoeuer or howsoeuer he liue: as in the like case; if men should be told that whether they liue in the market towne or no, there shall be sufficient prouision brought them, if they will but receiue it and accept of it, who would then come to the market?

Vniuersall grace hath three parts. Vniuersall Election: vniuersall Redemption: vniuersall Vocation. Vniuersall Election of all and euery man, is a witlesse conceit: for if men vniuersally be appointed to grace without exception, then there is no Electing or choosing of some out of mankinde to grace: and if some alone be appointed to grace, as it must needes be in Election, then is not grace vniuersall. And it is flat against the word of God. For Christ auoucheth plainly that fewer be chosen then called,¹¹⁰ and (as afterward we shall see) all are not called. And he further saith, that all which are giuen vnto him shall be one with him and haue life euerlasting:¹¹¹ but all men shall not be one with him and haue life euerlasting: and therefore all men are not giuen to Christ of the father, that is, ordained to saluation. And the Scripture saith, that all mens names are not written in the booke of life:¹¹² and that the kingdome of heauen was not prepared for all. And whereas men build this their vniuersall Election vpon the largenes of the promise of the Gospel▪ vpon the like ground they might as wel make an vniuersall decree of Reprobation, whereby God decrees all men to be damned indefinitely vpon this condition, if they doe not beleeue. Now if vniuersall Reprobation be absurd, as it is indeede, then vniuersall Election must take part therewith.

As for the Vniuersal redemption of all & euery man, it is no better then a forgerie of mans braine. There shall be many in the day of iudgement of whome Christ shall say, that he neuer knew them. Againe he saith,¹¹³ He which beleeveth not is alreadie iudged, and the wrath of God abides vpon him. But if all were effectually redeemed, and onely condemned for not beleeuing in Christ, it should haue beene said that they are alreadie iudged, and that the wrath of God not abides but returnes vpon them. Christ makes no intercession for the worlde:¹¹⁴ and therefore his redemption is not effectuall to all men▪ For the intercession is the meanes of applying the satisfaction. If it be said that by the world is meant onely contemners of grace, it appeares to be otherwise in that Christ opposeth the world to them which are the fathers, and are giuen to Christ by him: thereby signifying that by the world he meanes all such as are not the fathers, and were neuer giuen to Christ. And he laies downe his life for his sheepe:¹¹⁵ nowe the sheepe haue all these brands or markes; they heare his voice, they know him, they follow him, they shall not perish, none shall plucke them out of Christs hands: and these are onely such of whome Paul saith;¹¹⁶ Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect: it is God that iustifieth, who shall condemne? And if this should be true that Christ was crucified and died no lesse to make satisfaction for the sinnes of the damned, then for the sinnes of Peter and Paul and the rest of the Saints, it followes necessarily that all their sinnes are forgiuen: considering that remission of sinne depends inseparably vpon satisfaction made to Gods iustice for sinne: and satisfaction doth necessarily abolish all fault. Wee graunt that Christs death is sufficient to saue many thousand worlds: we graunt againe it is euery way most effectuall in it selfe: but that it is effectuall in, or vnto the person of euery man, that we denie. For if it were thus effectuall, then it should be applied to the person of euery man, as to Caine, Iudas, Nero, Heliogabalus, &c. euen as the plaister is laide to the sore: beeing applied, Christs righteousnes should be imputed for the iustification and sanctification of all and euery man: and thus some iustified before God and sanctified should after goe to hell and be damned, whereas Dauid neuer so much as dreaming of this diuinitie saith, that they are blessed which haue the pardon of their sinnes;¹¹⁷ and Paul, that they which are iustified haue peace with God. But let vs heare what reasons may be alleadged to iustifie the Vniuersalitie of redemption: I. Ezechiel 33. vers. 11. As I liue, saith the Lord, J will not the death of the wicked: but, that the wicked returne from his wicked way. Answeare. The place is to be vnderstoode not simplie but in respect; of the twaine God rather wills the repentance of the sinner then his death. Againe, he wils not death as it is the destruction of his creature, and so this place may be vnderstoode: yet neuerthelesse he wills the same as it is a meanes of manifestation of his iustice: and therefore the Prophet Isai saith,¹¹⁸ that God createth euill. II. 1. Tim. 2. God would haue all men to be saued and come to the acknowledgement of the truth. Answeare. The place is meant not of the persons of all particular men, but of the orders and kindes of men. For in the first verse Paul exhorted Timothie that praier should be made for all men: and in the second verse opening his owne meaning, he addeth these wordes, for Kings and all that be in authoritie: as though he should say, we must pray not onely for priuate men and for the common people, but also for publicke persons, though they persecute the Gospell. But why? because in that very order God hath his Elect which shall be saued. And on this manner Paul expoundes himselfe else where. There is neither Iewe nor Grecian:¹¹⁹ there is neither bond nor free: there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ. III. Rom. 11. vers. 32. God hath shut vp all in vnbeliefe that he might haue mercie on all. Answeare. The worde all, must be vnderstoode of all that are to be saued, both of Iewes and Gentiles, as the article added to all importeth, and the meaning is, that God will saue all whome he purposeth to saue of his mercie, and not of their merite,¹²⁰ because all are sinners as well Iewes as Gentiles: thus Paul expoundes himselfe Galat. 3.22. The Scripture hath concluded all vnder sinne, that the promise by the faith of Iesus Christ should be giuen to them that beleeue. And if we should expound the word all ▪ for euery particular man▪ as some would haue 〈◊〉 ▪ Paul must contradict himselfe, who said before that God would haue mercie on whom he wil haue mercie, & whom he will hee hardeneth, and in this very chapter his drift is to prooue the reiection of the Iewes, and the calling of the Gentiles. IV. Ioh. 3.16. God so loued the world that he hath giuen his onely begotten sonne, that whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall not perish, but haue euerlasting life. and Ioh. 6.51. I will giue my flesh for the life of the world. Answer. By world, we must not vnderstand euery particular man in the world, but the Elect both among the Iewes and Gentiles: for in both these places Christ doth ouerthwart the cōceit of the Iewes, which thought that they alone were loued of God, and not the Gentiles. And how this word is to be vnderstoode in the newe Testament Paul doth fully declare Rom. 11. vers▪ 12. If (saith he) the fall of them, that is, the Iewes, be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles, &c. and vers. 15. If the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiuing be but life from the dead. Where by the world, he vnderstāds the bodie of the Gentiles in the last age of the world. And thus he fully declares his owne meaning, when he saith to the Corinthians God was in Christ reconciling the world vnto himselfe.¹²¹ V. Rom. 14. vers. 15. Destroy not him with thy meate for whome Christ died. 2. Pet. 2.1. Denying the Lord that bought them, and bring vpon themselues swift damnation. Therefore Christ died for them also which are condemned. Answ. The reason is not good. For in these and such like places the Scripture speakes of men not as they are indeede before God, but as they are in appearance and profession, and as they are in the acceptance of men. For so long as a man holds and imbraces the Christian faith, so long in the iudgement of charitie we must esteeme him to be one that is redeemed by Christ, though in deede he be not. And this is the meaning of Peter when he saith, that false prophets denie the Lord that bought them. VI. In the preaching of the Gospell grace is freely offered not onely to the Elect, but to all men indifferently: and God in offering grace deludes no man: and therefore Christs death appertaines and belongs to all men indifferently. Answer. The preaching of the Gospell is an ordinance of God appointed for the gathering togither and the accomplishment of the number of the elect: and therefore in the ministerie of the worde grace and saluation is offered principally and directly to the elect, and onely by consequent to them which are ordained to iust damnation: because they are mingled with the elect in the same societies: & because the ministers of God not knowing his secret counsell, in charitie thinke all to be elect. And though God in offering grace doe not conferre it to all, yet is there no delusion. For the offering of grace doth not only serue for the conuersion of a sinner, but also to be an occasion by mens fault of blinding the minde and hardening the hearte, and of taking away excuse in the day of iudgement.

To conclude this pointe; Vniuersall redemption of all men, we graunt: the Scripture saith so: and there is an universalitie among the elect and beleeuers: but uniuersall Redemption of all and euerie man as well the damned as the elect and that effectually, we renounce as hauing neither footing in the scripture, nor in the writings of any ancient and orthodoxe diuine, for many hundred yeeres after Christ, his words not depraued and mistaken.

As for universall vocation, it is of the same kind with the former: because it is flat against the word of God in which is fully set downe a distinction of the whole world from the creation to the daies of Christ, into two partes: one, the people of God being receiued into the couenant: the other, being the greatest part of the world, No-people, and forth of the couenant. From the beginning of the worlde to the giuing of the lawe, the Church was shut up in the families of the Patriarches: and the couenant in the verie family of Abraham was restrained to Isaak: and the members of these families for this cause were called the sonnes of God; the rest of the world beside being tearmed as they were indeede, the sonnes of men.¹²² From the giuing of the lawe till Christ the nation of the Iewes was the Church of God, and the rest of the world beside, no people of God.¹²³ And therefore Esai calles them prisoners and them that are in darkenesse: and Ose, Such as are without mercie and no people: and Zacharie,¹²⁴ Such as are not ioyned to the Lord: and Paul, Such as are set to walke in their owne waies, beeing without God and without Christ in the world. And this distinction betweene Iewe and Gentile stoode till the verie ascension of Christ. And hereupon when he was to send his disciples to preach, hee charged them not to goe into the way of the Gentiles, & not to enter into the cities of the Samaritanes, but rather to goe to the lost sheepe of the house of Israel:¹²⁵ & when the woman of Canaan made request for her daughter, he gives a deniall at the first vpon this distinction, saying, It is not meete to take the childrens bread and giue it unto dogges:¹²⁶ and againe, I am not sent but unto the lost sheepe of the house of Israel. It will be said, that this distinction arose of this, that the Gentiles at the first fell away from the couenant, and contemned the Messias. It is true indeede of the first heads of the Gentiles the sonnes of Noe: but of their posterity it is false, which in times folowing did not so much as heare of the couenant, and the Messias. The Prophet Esai saith of Christ,¹²⁷ A nation that knew not thee shall runne unto thee. And Paul speaking to the Athenians saieth, that the times of this their ignorance God regarded not:¹²⁸ but now admonisheth all men euery where to repent: & to the Romans he saith,¹²⁹ that the mysterie touching Christ and his benefits was kept secret since the world began, & now opened & published among all natiōs. And if the Gentiles had but knowē of the Messias, why did not their Poets and Philosophers who in their writings notoriously abuse the Iewes with sundry¹³⁰ nicknames, at the least signifie the contempt of the Redeemer. Wherefore to hold and much more to auouch by writing, that all and euery one of the heathen were called, it is most absurd: and if it were so, the Canibals and the sauadge nations of America should haue knowen Christ without preaching, which by the histories of the discouerie of those cuntries is knowen to be false.

Againe, if the Vocation of euery man be effectuall, then faith must be common to all men either by nature or by grace, or both: now to say the first, namely that the power of beleeuing is common to all by nature, is the heresie of the Pelagians, & to say it is common to all by grace, is false. All men have not faith, saith Paul:¹³¹ nay many to whom the gospell is preached, doe not so much as understand it and giue assent unto it;¹³² Satan blinding their minds that the light of the glorious gospell of Christ should not shine unto them: and to say that faith is partly by nature & partly by grace, is the condemned heresie of the semi-Pelagian: for wee can not so much as thinke a good thought of our selues.¹³³

The last defect in the platforme is, that they ascribe unto God a wrong end of his counsels: namely the communication of mercie or goodnesse in eternall happines. For the absolute & soueraigne ende of all gods doings must be answerable to his nature, which is not mercy and loue alone, but also iustice it selfe: and that is the manifestation of his glorie both in iustice and mercy by the expresse testimonie of scripture. Againe, if this were so, all men without exception should be saued, because God can not be frustrated of his end & purpose: & if but one man be damned, he is dāned, either because God wil not saue him, or because he cannot. If they say he will not, then he is changeable; if he can not, then he is not omnipotent, considering his purpose was to convey happines to all creatures.

Thus much of the efficient cause of the Church, namely Gods predestination: which doctrine could not here be omitted cōsidering no man can beleeue himselfe to be a mēber of the Church, unlesse withall he beleeue that he is predestinate to life euerlasting. Now we come to the second point, namely the Mysticall vnion, which is the very forme of the Church,¹³⁴ whereby all rhat beleeue are made one with Christ. To the causing of this union 2. things are required, a Donation or giuing of Christ unto that man which is to be made one with him: & a Coniunction betwene them both. Of the first, the Prophet Esai saith, Vnto us a child is borne,¹³⁵ & unto us a sonne is given: & Paul, who spared not his own sonne, but gave him for us all:¹³⁶ how shall he not with him give vs all things also? And touching it sundry points must be considered. The first is, what is meant by this Giuing? Answere. It is an action or worke of God the Father by the holy ghost, whereby Christ as redeemer in the appointed time is really communicated to all ordained to saluation in such manner, that they may truly say that Christ himselfe with all his benefites is theirs, both in respect of right thereto, and in respect of all fruite redounding thence, and that as truly as any man may say that house and lande giuen him of his ancetours is his owne both to possesse and to use.

The second point is, what is the verie thing giuen? Answer. Whole Christ God and man is giuen, because his humanitie without his godhead, or the godhead without the humanitie doth not reconcile us to God. Yet in this giuing there must be a diuers consideration had of the two natures of Christ: for the communication of the godhead is meerely energeticall, that is, onely in respect of operation: in that it doeth make the manhood personally vnited vnto it to be propitiatorie for our sinnes and meritorious of life eternall. And to auouch any communication of the godhead in respect of essence, were to bring in the heresie of the Maniches, and to maintaine a composition & a commixtion of our natures with the nature of God. Againe, in the manhood of Christ, we must distinguish betweene the subiect it selfe, the substance of bodie and soule, and the blessings in the subiect which tend to our saluation. And the communication of the aforesaide manhoode is in respect of both without separation: for no man can receiue sauing vertue from Christ, vnlesse first of all he receiue Christ himselfe, as no man can haue the treasure hid in the field, unlesse first of all he haue the field: and no man can be nourished by meate and drink unlesse first of all he receiue the substance of both.¹³⁷ And this is the cause why not only in the preaching of the word but also in the institution of the Lordes supper expresse mention is made, not only of Christs merite, but also of his verie body and bloode, whereby the whole humanitie is signified, as appeares by that place where it is said,¹³⁸ that the Word was made flesh. And though the flesh of it selfe profite nothing as S. Iohn saith, yet as it is ioyned to the godhead of the sonne and doth subsist in his person, it receiueth thence quickening vertue, to reuiue and renewe all those to whome it shall be giuen. Lastly, among the blessings that are stored up in the manhood of Christ for our saluation, some are giuen unto vs by imputation, as when we are iustified by the righteousnesse indeed inherent in his manhood but imputed vnto us: some by infusion, as when holinesse is wrought in our hearts by the spirit, as a fruite of that holinesse which is in the manhood of Christ, & deriued from it as the light of one candle from another.

The thirde point is, in what maner Christ is giuen unto us. Answ. God the father giueth Christ unto his Church not in any earthly or bodily manner, as when a King bestoweth a gift with his owne hand, and puttes it into the hande of his subiect: but the manner is altogither celestiall and spirituall: partly because it is brought to passe by the meere diuine operation of the Holy Ghost: and partly because in respect of vs this gift is receiued by an instrument which is supernaturall, namely faith, whereby we lay hold of & apply unto our selues the Euangelicall promises. And this maner of giuing may be conceiued thus. A mā that neuer stirred foote out of England holdes and enioyes lande in Turkie: but how comes it to be his? Thus: the Emperour was willing and content to bestow it; and the man for his part as willing to accept and receiue it: and by this meanes that which at the first was the Emperours, by mutuall consent becomes the mans. In the same manner God the Father hath made an Evangelicall couenant with his Church: in which of his mercy hee hath made a graunt of his owne sonne vnto us, with righteousnesse and life euerlasting in him: and we againe by his grace accept of this graunt and receiue the same by faith: and thus by mutuall consent according to the tenour of the couenant, any repentant sinner may truly say, though I now haue mine abode upon earth, & Christ in respect of his manhood be locally in heauē; yet is he truly mine to haue & to enioy, his body is mine, his blood is mine. As for the giuing & receiving of the body & blood of Christ in bodily maner (which the Papists maintaine in auouching the reall transubstātiatiō of bread and wine in the sacraments into the body & blood of Christ, and the Lutheranes also in teaching that his body and bloode is substantially either in, or with, or under the bread and wine) is an erronious conceit flat opposite to sundrie points of the Christian faith. For Christ to this verie houre retaineth still the essence and essentiall properties of a true bodie, and wee beleeue that really and visibly he ascended into heauen, and there abides till his seconde comming to the last iudgement: who then hauing but common reason would imagine a communication of the bodie of Christ pent up in the element of bread, and conveyed into our bodies by the mouth and stomacke.

The third point is, whether we are not Lordes of Christ he being thus giuen unto us. Ans. No: for this donation is not single but mutuall. As Christ is giuen to us so wee againe are giuen to Christ, as he himselfe saith, Those whome thou hast given me,¹³⁹ Father, I have kept. And wee are giuen unto him in that our bodies and soules are made his not onely as he is God, but also as he is our redeemer: and our sinnes with the guilt thereof are made his by imputation, & the punishment thereof is wholly laide upon him. This is all the dowrie which the Church being the spouse of Christ hath brought unto him.

The fift point is, how any man in particular may know that Christ is giuen unto him of the Father. Ans. When God giues Christ to man, he withall giues man grace and power to receiue Christ, and to apprehend him with all his benefits: and this we doe when wee utterly renounce our selues, this world and all things therein, bewaile our sinnes past, resting on the death of Christ for the pardon of them all, and as it were with both the armes of faith catching hold vpon him in all estates both in life and death. When the heart of any man is truly disposed and inclined to doe these and the like things, we may truly say, that God hath giuen him grace to receiue Christ.

The second thing required to make us one with Christ is, the Mysticall vnion, which is a Coniunction whereby Christ and his Church are actually coupled into one whol Mysticall bodie. Now that we may the better conceiue the nature of it, sundrie questions are to be mooued. The first, what kinde of Coniunction this is. Answer. In the scripture we meete with three kind of Coniunctions. The first is, coniunction in nature, when sundry things are coupled all by one and the same nature. As the Father, the Sonne, and the holy ghost being three distinct subsistances are all one, and therefore ioyned in one godhead or diuine nature. Now Christ and the beleeuer are not ioyned in nature: for then they twaine should haue one body & soule. The second coniunction is in person, when things in nature different, so concurre togither, that they make but one person, as body and soule make one man: and the godhead of the sonne with his manhood make but one Christ: in whome there is an union of distinct natures with unitie of person. Now Christ and a Christian are not ioyned in person: for Christ is one person, Peter a second, and Paul a third distinct from them both: and so many men as there be, so many seuerall persons. The third coniunction is in spirit; and this is the coniunction meant in this place, wherby Christ and his Church are ioyned togither: for the very same spirit of God that dwelleth in the manhood of Christ and filleth it with all graces aboue measure, is deriued thence and dwelleth in all the true members of the church, and filleth them with the like graces in measure, and therefore S. Iohn saith, Hereby wee know that wee dwell in him and hee in us, because he hath given vs of his spirit. Hence it followes, that the bond of this coniunction is one & the same spirit descending from Christ the head to all his members, creating also in them the instrument of faith whereby they apprehend Christ and make him their owne.

The second is, what are the things united? Answ. Not the bodie of the beleeuer to the body of Christ, or the soule to his soule, but the whole person of the man to the whole person of Christ: yet in this order; wee are first of all & immediatly ioyned to the manhoode of Christ, and by the manhood to the godhead.

The thirde question is, what is the manner of this coniunction. Answ. Wee must not thinke that Christ and his Church are ioyned by imagination, as the mind of man and the thing whereof he thinkes: or by consent of heart as one friend is ioyned with another, and as the Iewes conuerted were all of one heart and soule:¹⁴⁰ or by any abode in one place, or by touching as sea and land are both ioyned togither and make one globe: or by any composition or commixtion of substances, as when many ingredients are put togither to make one medecine. But this coniunction is altogither spirituall as the former giuing was, and incomprehensible to mans reason: and therefore we must rather labour to feele it by experience in the heart, then to conceiue it in the braine. Yet neuerthelesse it shall not be amisse to consider a semblance of it in this comparison. Suppose a man hauing the partes of his bodie disioyned farre asunder, his head lying in Italy, one arme in Germanie, the other in Spaine, and his legges with us in England: suppose further all these partes or quarters haue all one soule extending it selfe unto them all and quickening ech of them seuerally as though they were nearely ioyned togither: and though the partes be seuered many hundred miles asunder, yet the distance of place doeth not hinder the coniunction, considering one and the same soule doth inlarge it selfe and giue life vnto them all. In the same maner the head of the Mysticall bodie Christ our Sauiour is now in heauen, and some of his members in heauen with him and some in earth: and of these, some in England, some in Germanie, some in Italie, some in Spaine, distant many thousand miles asunder: and the spirit of God is as it were the soule of this body which giueth spirituall life to all the members: distance of place doth not hinder this coniunction, because the Holy ghost which linketh all the partes togither, is infinite.

The benefites which we receiue by this Mysticall union are manifold. For it is the ground of the conveiance of all grace. The first that by meanes hereof every Christian as he is a Christian or a man regenerate hath his beginning and being in Christ, howsoeuer as he is a mā he hath his being & subsisting in himselfe,¹⁴¹ as Paul saith, Ye are of God in Christ. And, Wee are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. How will some say can this be? After this maner.¹⁴² The comparison is taken from our first parentes. Eve was made of a rib taken out of Adams side he being cast into a slumber: this being done, Adam awaked & said, This now is bone of my bone, and flesh of my flesh. Christ was nailed on the crosse and his most pretious blood was shedde, and out of it arise and spring all true Christians, that is, out of the merite of Christes death and passion, whereby they become newe creatures. Secondly euerie one that beleeueth in Christ by reason of this union hath an unspeakeable prerogatiue, for hereby he is first united to Christ, and by reason thereof is also ioyned to the whole trinitie, the father, the sonne, and the holy ghost, and shall haue eternall fellowshippe with them. Thirdly, sundrie men specially Papistes deride the doctrine of iustification by imputed righteousnesse; thinking it as absurd that a mā should be iust by that righteousnesse which is inherent in the person of Christ; as if we should say, that one man may liue by the soule of another, or be learned by the learning of another. But here we may see that it hath sufficient foundation. For there is a most nere and straite union betweene Christ and all that beleeue in him: and in this union Christ with all his benefites according to the tenour of the couenant of grace, is made ours really: & therefore we may stand iust before God by his righteousnes; it being indeed his, because it is in him as in a subiect; yet so, as it is also ours because it is giuen unto us of God. Now there is no such union betwene man & mā, & for that cause one man can not liue by the soule of another, or be learned by the learning of another. Fourthly, from this fountaine springs our sanctification, whereby wee die to sinne & are renewed in righteousnes and holines. Wormes and flies that haue lyen dead all winter, if they be laid in the sunne in the spring time, begin to reuiue by vertue thereof: euen so when we are united to Christ, & are as it were laide in the beames of this blessed sonne of righteousnesse vertue is deriued thence which warmeth our benummed heartes deade in sinne, and reviveth us to newenesse of life: whereby we begin to affect and like good things, and put in practise all the duties of religion. Firstly, hence we haue the protection of Gods angels: for they alwaies wait and attend on Christ, and because wee are made one with him, they attend upon us also. Lastly by reason of this union with Christ, euery beleeuer commeth to haue interest and to recouer his title in the creatures of God, and to haue the holy and lawfull use of them all. For we must consider, that although Adam created in the image of God was made Lord over all things in heauen & earth; yet when he fell by eating the forbidden fruite; he, and in him all mankinde lost the title and use of them all. Now therefore that a man may recover his interest, hee must first of all be united and made one with Christ: and then by Christ who is Lord and King ouer all, shall he recouer that title in the creatures of God which hee had by creation, and be made Lorde ouer them againe. But some will say, if this be so, then a Christian man may haue and enioy all creatures at his pleasure, and therefore the goods of other men. Ans. The reason is not good, for in this life we haue no more but¹⁴³ right unto the creature, &¹⁴⁴ right in it, that is, actuall possession is reserued for the life to come. Therefore wee content our selues with our allowed portions giuen unto us by God, by his grace using them in holy manner, expecting by hope the full fruition of all thinges till after this life. Againe, if all title to the creatures be recouered by Christ, it may be demanded, whether infidels haue any interest to their goods or no? Ans. Infidels before men are right lordes of all their landes and possessions which they haue obtained by lawfull meanes, and in the courtes of men they are not to be depriued of them: but before God they are but vsurpers because they hold them not in capite, that is, in Christ▪ neither haue they any holy and right use of them, for to the uncleane all things are vncleane. And they must first of all become members of Christ before they can hold & enioy them aright, & use them wel.

The duties which are to be learned of the doctrine of this vnion are manifolde. And first of all wee are taught to purge our handes and heartes of all our sinnes, and especially to auoide all those sinnes whereby mens bodies are defiled, as drunkennesse, uncleannesse, fornication: for they driue away the spirit of God from his owne house, and dissolue the bond of the coniunction betweene Christ and vs. Secondly we must euery one of us, which professe our selues to be members of Christ, labour to become conformable unto him in holinesse of life, and to become new creatures: for this union requireth thus much. Let a man take the griftes of a crabbe-tree and set them into good stockes, yet will they not chaunge their sappe, but bring foorth fruite according to their owne nature euen sowre crabbes: but it must not be so with us: wee are indeed wild oliues, and the braunches of wilde vines, yet seeing we are perswaded that wee are grafted into Christ and made one with him, we must lay aside our wild and soure nature, and take upon us the nature of the true vine, beare good fruite, haue good iuyce in us, and render sweete wine. Thirdly, wee are taught hence to be plentifull in all good workes, consideriag wee are ioyned to him that is the fountaine of grace. And therefore Christ saieth, I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbande man:¹⁴⁵ every braunch that beareth not fruite in mee, hee taketh away; and everie one that beareth fruite hee purgeth it that it may beare more fruite. And the Prophet Esai compares the Church of God to a vineyarde with a tower and a wine-presse in it.¹⁴⁶ And God himselfe comes often downe vnto it, to see the fruites of the valley, to see if the vine budde,¹⁴⁷ and the Pomegranates flourish. And further wee must bring forth fruite with patience.¹⁴⁸ For the Lorde of this vineyarde comes with crosses and afflictions, as with a pruning knife in his hand to pare and to dresse us that wee may be fit to bring foorth fruite plentifully in duties of pietie to God, and in duties of loue to all men, yea to our enemies. Crhistian men are trees of righteousnes growing by the waters of the sanctuary: but what trees? not like ours:¹⁴⁹ for they are rooted upwarde in heauen in Christ, and their graines and branches growe downward that they may beare fruite among men.

Hitherto we haue heard what the Church is: now to beleeue the Church is nothing else but to beleeue that there is a companie of the predestinate made one in Christ, and that withall we are in the number of them.

Before wee proceede any further, three rules must be obserued touching the Church in generall. The first, that Christ alone is the head of the Catholike Church,¹⁵⁰ & that hee neither hath nor can haue any creature in heauen or earth to be his fellow herein. For the Church is his body, and none but he can perfourme the duty of an head unto it: which dutie stands in two things; the first is, to gouerne the Church by such power and authoritie whereby he can and doth prescribe lawes properly binding the consciences of all his members; the second is, by grace to quicken and put spirituall life into them, so as they shall be able to say, that they liue not, but Christ in them. As for the Supremacie of the sea of Rome whereby the Pope will needs stand ministeriall heade to the Catholike Church, is a satanicall forgerie. For the headshippe (as I may tearme it) of Christ is of that nature or qualitie, that it can admitte no deputie, whether wee respect the commaunding or the quickening power of Christ before named. Nay Christ needes no vicar or deputie; for hee is all-sufficient in him selfe and alwaies present with his Church, as hee him selfe testifieth, saying, Where two or three are gathered togither in my name, there am I in the middest among them. And whereas all commissions cease in the presence of him that giues the commission: it is as much pride and arrogancie for the Pope to take unto himselfe the title of the heade and universall Bishoppe of the Church, as it is for a subiect to keepe him selfe in commission in the presence of his King.

The seconde rule is, that there is no saluation out of the Church, and that therefore euerie one which is to be saued must become a member & a citizen of the Catholike and Apostolike Church: & such as remaine for euer out of the same perish eternally. Therefore S. Iohn saieth, They went out of us, they were not of us, for if they had beene of vs,¹⁵¹ they woulde have remained with vs: but this commeth to passe that it might appeare, that they are not all of vs. And againe, that such as be holy are in the citie of God, but without, that is, forth of the Church are dogges, inchaunters,¹⁵² whoremongers, adulterers, &c. And the Arke out of which all perished, figured the Church, out of which all are condemned. And for this cause Saint Luke saieth, that the Lorde added to the Church from day to day such as shoulde be saved.¹⁵³ And the reason hereof is plaine: for without Christ there is no saluation, but out of the militant Church there is no Christ nor faith in Christ: and therefore no saluation. Againe, foorth of the militant Church there are no meanes of saluation, no preaching of the worde, no invocation of Gods name, no sacraments, and therefore no saluation. For this cause euery man must be admonished euermore to ioyne himselfe to some particular Church being a sounde member of the Catholike Church.

The thirde rule is, that the Church which here wee beleeue is onely one. As Christ himselfe speaketh, My dove is alone,¹⁵⁴ and my vndefiled is the onely daughter of her mother. And as there is onely one God and one Redeemer, one faith, one baptisme, and one way of saluation by Christ onely, so there is but one Church alone.

The Catholicke Church hath two partes: the Church Triumphant in heauen, and the Church Militant on earth.

The Triumphant Church may thus be described: It is a companie of the spirites of iust men, triumphing over the flesh, the devill, and the worlde, praising God. First I say it is a companie of the spirites of men as the Holy Ghost expressely tearmeth it,¹⁵⁵ because the soules onely of the godly departed, as of Abraham, Isaac, Iacob, Dauid, &c. are as yet ascended into heauen, and not their bodies. Furthermore the properties of this companie are two. The first is, to make triumph ouer their spirituall enemies the flesh, the deuill, the worlde: for the righteous man so long as he liues in this world is in continuall combate without truce with all these enemies of his saluation: and by constant faith obtaining victory, in the ende of his life hee is translated in glorious and triumphant manner into the kingdome of glorie. This was signified to Iohn in a vision in which hee saw an innumerable company of all sorts of nations, kinreds, people, and tongues stande before the lambe clothed in long white robes with palmes in their handes,¹⁵⁶ in token that they haue beene warriours, but now by Christ haue gotten the victorie and are made conquerours. Their second propertie is to praise and magnifie the name of god, as it followeth in the former place, saying, Amen: praise and glorie, and wisedome, and thankes, honour, power, and might be vnto our God for evermore. Hence it may be demanded whether Angels be of this triumphant Church or no? Answere. The blessed Angels be in heauen in the presence of God the father, the Sonne, and the Holy Ghost, but they are not of the mysticall bodie of Christ, because they are not under him as he is their Redeemer, considering they can not be redeemed which neuer fell: and it can not be prooued that they now stande by the vertue of Christs redemption: but they are under him as hee is their Lord and King, and by the power of Christ as hee is God, and their God, are they confirmed. And therefore as I take it, wee can not say, that angels are members of the mysticall body of Christ or of the triumphant Church.

The Church Militant may be thus described: It is the company of the elect or faithfull, living under the crosse, desiring to be remooved and to be with Christ. I say not that the Militant Church is the whole bodie of the elect, but only that part thereof which liueth upon earth: and the infallible marke thereof is that faith in Christ which is taught and deliuered in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles▪ and this faith againe may be discerned by two markes. The first is, that the members of this companie liue vnder the crosse, and profite by it in all spirituall grace. And therefore it is saide, that we must through many afflictions enter into the kingdome of heaven.¹⁵⁷ And our Sauiour Christ saieth, If any man will come after me,¹⁵⁸ let him deny himselfe, and take vp his crosse every day and follow me. The second marke is a desire to depart hence and to be with Christ, as Paul saith,¹⁵⁹ Wee love rather to be removed out of this body and to be with Christ. And againe. I desire to be loosed and to be with Christ,¹⁶⁰ which is best of all. Where yet we must remember, that the members of Christ doe not desire death simply and absolutely, but in two respectes: I. that they might leaue off to sinne, and by sinning leaue to displease God. II. That they might come to enioy happinesse in heauen, and to be with Christ.

Touching the generall estate of the Militant Church, two questions are to be considered. The first, how farre forth God is present with it assisting it by his grace. Answere. God giues his spirit unto it in such a measure, that although the gates of hell cannot preuaile against it, yet neuerthelesse it remaines still subiect to errour both in doctrine and manners. For that which is true in euerie member of the Church is also true in the whole: but euery member of the militant Church is subiect to errour both in doctrine and manners: because men in this life are but in parte enlightened and sanctified, and therefore still remaine subiect to blindnesse of mind and ignorance, and to the rebellion of their willes and affections: whereby it comes to passe that they may easily faile either in iudgement or in practise. Againe that which may befall one or two particular Churches may likewise befall all the particular Churches vpon earth, all beeing in one and the same condition, but this may befall one or two particular Churches to faile either in doctrine or manners. The Church of Ephesus failed in leauing her first loue, whereupon Christ threatneth to remooue from her the candlesticke.¹⁶¹ And the Church of Galatia was remooued to an other Gospell from him that had called them in the grace of Christ:¹⁶² now why may not the same things befall twentie yea an hundred Churches which befell these twaine. Lastly experience sheweth this to be true, in that generall councels haue erred. The counceil of Nicene beeing to reforme sundrie behauiours among the Bishops & Elders would with common cōsent haue forbidden mariage unto them, thinking it profitable to be so; unlesse Paphnutius had better informed them out of the scriptures. In the third councell at Carthage certaine bookes Apocrypha, as the booke of Syrach, Toby, and the Macchabees are numbred in the Canon, and yet were excluded by the councell of Laodicea. And the saying of a divine is receiued, that former councells are to be reformed and amended by the latter.¹⁶³ But Papistes maintaining that the Church can not erre, alleadge the promise of Christ: How be it when he is come which is the spirite of trueth, hee will leade you into all truth. Answer. The promise is directed to the Apostles, who with their Apostolicall authoririe had this priuiledge graunted them, that in the teaching and penning of the Gospell they could not erre: and therefore in the councell at Ierusalem they conclude thus, It seemes good vnto vs and to the holy Ghost. And if the promise be further extended to all the Church, it must be understoode with a limitation: that God will giue his spirit unto the members thereof to lead them into all truth,¹⁶⁴ so farre forth as shall be needfull for their saluation.

The second question is, wherein standes the dignitie & excellencie of the Church. Answere. It standes in subiection and obedience vnto the will & word of his spouse and heade, Christ Iesus. And hence it followeth, that the Church is not to chalenge unto her selfe authority ouer the scriptures, but onely a ministerie or ministeriall service whereby shee is appointed of God to preserue and keepe, to publish & preach them, and to giue testimony of them. And for this cause,¹⁶⁵ it is called the pillar and ground of trueth. The Church of Rome not content with this, saieth further that the authoritie of the Church in respect of us is aboue the authoritie of the scripture, because (say they) we can not know scripture to be scripture but by the testimonie of the Church. But indeed they speake an untruth. For the testimony of men that are subiect to errour can not be greater and of more force with us then the testimonie of God who cannot erre. Againe, the Church hath her beginning from the worde: (for there can not be a Church without faith, and there is no faith without the word, and there is no word out of the Scriptures) and therefore the Church in respect of vs, depends on the Scripture, and not the Scripture on the Church. And as the lawier which hath no further power but to expound the law, is vnder the law: so the Church which hath authoritie onely to publish and expound the Scriptures, can not authorize them vnto vs, but must submit her selfe vnto them. And whereas it is alleadged that faith comes by hearing,¹⁶⁶ and this hearing is in respect of the voice of the Church, and that therefore faith comes by the voice of the Church: the answeare is, that the place must be vnderstood not of that generall faith whereby we are resolued that Scripture is Scripture, but of iustifying faith, whereby we attaine vnto saluation. And faith comes by hearing the voice of the Church, not as it is the churches voice, but as it is a ministery or means to publish the word of God, which is both the cause & obiect of our beleeuing. Now on the contrarie we must hold, that as the carpenter knowes his rule to be straight, not by any other rule applied vnto it, but by it selfe: for casting his eye vpon it, he presently discernes whether it be straight or no: so we know and are resolued that Scripture is Scripture, euen by the Scripture it selfe, though the Church say nothing; so be it we haue the spirit of discerning when we read, heare, and consider of the Scripture. And yet the testimonie of the Church is not to be despised, for though it breed not a perswasion in vs of the certentie of the Scripture, yet is it a very good inducement thereto.

The militant Church hath many parts. For as the Ocean sea which is but one, is deuided into parts according to the regions and countries against which it lieth, as into the English, Spanish, Italian sea, &c. so the Church dispersed ouer the face of the whole earth, is deuided into other particular Churches according as the countries are seuerall in which it is seated, as into the Church of England and Ireland, the Church of Fraunce, the Church of Germanie, &c.

Againe, particular Churches are in a twofold estate: sometime they lie hid in persecution, wanting the publicke preaching of the word, and the administration of the sacraments: & sometimes again they are visible, carrying before the eyes of the world an open profession of the name of Christ: as the moone is sometime eclipsed & sometime shineth in the full. In the first estate was the Church of Israel in the daies of Eliah, when he wished to die: because the people had forsaken the couenant of the Lord,¹⁶⁷ brokē down his altars, slaine his Prophets with the sword, and he was left alone and they sought to take away his life also. Behold a lamentable estate, when so worthie a Prophet could not finde an other beside himselfe that feared God: yet marke what the Lord saith vnto him, I haue left seuen thousand in Israel, euen all the knees that haue not bowed vnto Baal, and euery mouth that hath not kissed him. Againe it is said, that Israel had bin a long season without the true God, without priest to teach,¹⁶⁸ and without the lawe. Neither must this trouble any that God should so farre forth forsake his Church: for when ordinarie meanes of saluation faile, he then gathereth his Elect by extraordinarie meanes; as when the children of Israel wandered in the wildernesse wanting both circumcision and the Passeouer, he made a supplie by Manna and by the pillar of a cloude▪ Hence we haue direction to answeare the Papists, who demaunde of vs where our Church was threescore yeares agoe before the daies of Luther: we say that then for the space of many hundred yeares an vniuersall Apostasie ouerspread the face of the whole earth, and that our Church then was not visible to the worlde, but lay hidde vnder the chaffe of Poperie. And the truth of this, the Records of all ages manifest.

The second estate of the Church is, when it flourisheth and is visible, nor that the faith and secret Election of men can be seene (for no man can discerne these thinges but by outward signes) but because it is apparant in respect of the outwarde assemblies gathered to the preaching of the worde and the administration of the Sacraments, for the praise and glorie of God and their mutuall edification. And the visible Church may be thus described: It is a mixt companie of men professing the faith, assembled together by the preaching of the word.¹⁶⁹ First of all I call it a mixt companie, because in it there be true beleeuers and hypocrites, Elect and Reprobate, good and badde. The Church is the Lords field in which the enemie soweth his tares: it is the corne flore in which lieth wheat and chaffe: it is a bād of men in which beside those that be of valour & courage, there be white liuered souldiours. And it is called a Church of the better part, namely the Elect whereof it consisteth, though they be in number fewe. As for the vngodly, though they be in the Church, yet they are no more parts of it indeed, thē the superfluous humours in the vains, are parts of the body. But to proceed, how are the members of the visible Church qualified and discerned? the answear followeth in the definition, professing the faith, whereby I meane the profession of that religion which hath beene taught from the beginning, and is now recorded in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles. And this profession is a signe and marke whereby a man is declared and made manifest to be a member of the Church.

Againe, because the profession of the faith is otherwhiles true and syncere, and otherwhiles onely in shew: therefore there be also two sorts of members of the visible Church, members before God and members before men. A member of the Church before God is he, that beside the outward profession of the faith, hath inwardly a pure heart, good conscience, and faith vnfained, whereby he is indeede a true member of the Church. Members before men, whome we may call reputed members, are such as haue nothing els but the outward profession wanting the good conscience and the faith vnfained. The reason why they are to be esteemed members of vs is, because we are bound by the rule of charitie to thinke of men as they appeare vnto vs: leauing secret iudgements vnto God.

I added in the last place, that the Church is gathered by the word preached, to shew that the cause whereby it is begunne and continued, is the word: which,¹⁷⁰ for that cause is called the immortall seede whereby we are borne anew, and milke, whereby we are fedde and cherished to life euerlasting. And hence it followeth necessarily, that the preaching of the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles, ioyned with any measure of faith and obedience, is an vnfallible marke of a true Church. Indeede it is true, there be three things required to the good estate of a Church, the preaching of the Gospell, the administration of the Sacraments, and due exequution of Discipline according to the word: yet if the two latter be wanting, if there be preaching of the worde with obedience in the people, there is for substance a true Church of God. For it is the banner of Christ displaied, vnder which all that warre against the flesh, the deuill, the worlde, must range themselues. As the Lord saith by the Prophet Isai, I will lift vp my hand to the Gentiles, and set vp my standard vnto the people,¹⁷¹ and they shall bring their sonnes in their armes, and their daughters shall be carried vpon their shoulders. Hence it followeth that men which want the preaching of the Gospell, must either procure the same vnto themselues, or if that cannot be, because they liue in the middest of idolatrous nations, as in Spaine and Italie, it is requisite that they should ioyne themselues to those places where with libertie of conscience they may inioy this happie blessing. Men are not to haue their hearts glued to the honours and riches of this worlde, but they should be of Dauids minde, and rather desire to be dorekeepers in the house of God, then to dwell in the tents of vngodlinesse. In the Canticles, the spouse of Christ saith, Shew mercie, O thou whome my soule loueth,¹⁷² where thou feedest, where thou liest at noone: for why should I be as shee that turneth aside to the flockes of thy companions. To whome he answeareth thus: If thou knowe not, O thou the fairest among women, get thee forth by the steppes of the flocke,¹⁷³ and feede thy kiddes by the tents of the shepheards: that is, in those places where the doctrine of righteousnes and life euerlasting by the Messias is published. When the Shunamites child was dead, shee told her husband that she would goe to the man of God, to whom he answeared thus; Why wilt thou goe to him to day, it is neither newe moone nor sabbath day:¹⁷⁴ whereby is signified that when teaching was skarse in Israel, the people did resort to the Prophets for instruction and consolation. And Dauid saith, that the people wheresoeuer their aboad was, went from strength to strength till they appeared before God in Sion. And oftentimes, they beeing Proselytes,¹⁷⁵ there aboad must needs be out of the precincts of Iewrie.

Thus we see what the visible Church is: nowe further concerning it, three questions are to be skāned. The first is, how we may discerne whether particular men and particular Churches holding errours, be sound members of the Catholicke Church or no. For the answearing of this, wee must make a double distinction, one of errours, the other of persons that erre. Of errours, some are destroyers of the faith, some only weakners of it. A destroier is that,¹⁷⁶ which ouerturneth any fundamentall point of religion; which is of that nature, that if it be denied, religion it selfe is ouerturned; as the deniall of the death of Christ, & the immortalitie of the soule,¹⁷⁷ and such like: and the summe of these fundamentall points is comprised in the Creede of the Apostles and the Decalogue. A weakning errour is that, the holding whereof doth not ouerturne any point in the foundation of saluation; as the errour of free will, and sundrie such like. This distinction is made by the holy Ghost, who saith expressely that the doctrines of repentance, and faith,¹⁷⁸ and baptismes, and laying on of hands, and the resurrection, and the last iudgement, are the foundation, namely of religion: and againe, that Christ is the foundation, and that other doctrines consonant to the word, are as gold and siluer laid thereupon. Secondly persons erring▪ are of two sorts: some erre of weakenes, beeing carried away by others; or of simple ignorance, not yet beeing conuicted and informed concerning the truth. Some againe erre of obstinacie, or affected ignorance, which hauing bin admonished and conuicted, still perseuere in their forged opinions. This beeing said, wee nowe come to the point. If any man or Church, shall hold an errour of the lighter kinde, he still remaines a member of the Church of God, and so must be reputed of vs. As when a Lutherane shall hold, that images are still to be retained in the Church; that there is an Vniuersall Election of all men, &c. for these and such like opinions may be maintained, the foundation of saluation vnraced. This which I say is flatly auouched by Paul, If any man (saith he) build on this foundation gold, siluer, precious stones; timber, hay, or stubble, his work shall be made manifest by the fire, &c. and if any mans worke burne, he shall loose, but yet he shall be safe himselfe.¹⁷⁹ And therefore the hay and stubble of mens errours beside the foundation on which they are laide, doe not debarre them from beeing Christians or members of the Church. A man breakes downe the windowes of his house; the house standes: he breakes downe the roofe or the walles; the house yet stands, though deformed: he pulls vp the foundation; the house it selfe falls and ceaseth to be an house. Now religion which we professe is like an house or building: and some points thereof are like windowes, dores, walls, roofes, and some are the foundation: and the former may be battered, the foundation standing. Againe, if the errour be directly or by necessarie consequent, euen in common sense against the foundation, consideration must be had whether the Church or partie erreth of weaknes or malice▪ if of weaknes, the partie is to be esteemed as a member of the Catholicke Church. And thus Paul writes vnto the Church of Galatia, as to a Church of God, though by false teachers it had bin turned a way to another Gospel, and imbraced the fundamentall errour of iustification by works. But when any man or Church shal hold fundamentall errours in obstinacie or affected ignorance, we are then not bound to repute them any lōger as Churches or Christians, but as such to whom condemnation belongs, as Paul sheweth by the example of Iannes and Iambres. And as Iānes and Iambres, saith he, withstood Moses, so doe these also resist the truth,¹⁸⁰ men of corrupt mindes, reprobate concerning the faith. Yet withall this caueat must euer be remembred, that we rather condemne the errour then the person that erreth, because Gods mercie is like a bottomlesse sea, whereby he worketh what he will and when he will in the hearts of miserable sinners.

The second question is, where at this day we may finde such visible Churches as are indeede sound members of the Catholick Church. And for the resoluing of it, we are to go through all countries and religions in the world. And first to beginne with Turkes and Iewes, wee are not in any wise to acknowledge their assemblies for Churches, because they worship not God in Christ who is the heade of the Church.

As for the Assemblies of Papists which haue bin a great part of the world, if thereby we vnderstand companies of men holding the Pope for their head, and beleeuing the doctrine established in the councill of Trent; in name they are called churches, but indeed they are no true or sound members of the Catholick Church. For both in their doctrine & in the worship of God they race the very foundation of religion, which will appeare by these three points. First of all they hold iustification by works of grace: auouching that they are not only iustified before god by the merit of Christ, but also by their owne doings. Which opinion flatly ouerturneth iustification by Christ. For as Paul saith to the Galatians, If ye be circumcised Christ profiteth you nothing, that is, if yee looke to be iustified by the works of the ceremoniall law, yee are fallen from Christ:¹⁸¹ ioyne Circumcision & Christ together in the matter of iustification, and yee doe quite ouerthrow iustification by Christ. Now if this be true, which is the word of God that can not lie, then we say to the Papists, If yee will needes be iustified by works of grace, ye are fallen from grace. The second point is, that they maintaine a daily reall sacrifice of the bodie of Christ in the Masse for the sinnes of the quicke and dead. And this is also a fundamentall heresie. For Christs sacrifice on the crosse must either be a perfect sacrifice or no sacrifice: and if it be often iterated and repeated by the Masse-priest, it is not perfect but imperfect. The third point is, that they worship the Images of the Trinitie and of Saints departed, and their Breaden-god, which is as vile an abomination as euer was among the Gentiles: all beeing directly against the true meaning of the second Commandement, and defacing the worship of God in the very substance thereof. Thus then it appeares that the old Church of Rome is changed, and is now at this day, of a spouse of Christ become an harlot: and therefore no more a Church of Christ indeed, then the carkasse of a deade man that weareth a liuing mans garment is a liuing man, though he looke neuer so like him. And whereas they pleade for themselues that they haue succession from the Apostles, the answeare is, that succession of person is nothing without succession of doctrine, which they want: and we see that Heretikes haue succeeded lawfull Ministers. Secondly, whereas it is alleadged that in the Popish assemblies the Sacrament of Baptisme is rightly for substance administred; and that also it is a note of a Church, three things may be answered. First, that Baptisme seuered from the preaching of the Gospel, is no more a signe of a Church, then the seale seuered from the Indenture is of force; and that is nothing. Circumcision was vsed in Colchis yet no Church,¹⁸² & among the Samaritans, & yet no people. Secōdly Baptisme is in the assemblies of the Church of Rome,¹⁸³ as the purse of the true man in the hand of the thiefe: & indeed it doth no more argue them to be churches, then the true mans purse argues the thiefe to be a true man. For baptisme though it be in their assemblies, yet doth it appertaine not vnto them, but vnto an other hidden Church of God, which he hath in all ages gathered forth of the midst of them. Thirdly, though they haue the outward Baptisme, yet they by necessarie consequent of doctrine, ouerturne the inward baptisme that stands in iustification and sanctification. Moreouer, whereas it is alledged that they maintaine the booke of the old and new Testament penned by the Prophets and Apostles; the answear is, that they doe it with adding to the Canon, and by corrupting the natiue sense of the Scriptures in the very foundation: and therefore they are but as a lanthorne that shews light to others and none to it selfe. Fourthly, it is further said that they hold the Creede of the Apostles, and make the same confession of faith that we doe. I answeare that in shew of wordes they doe so indeede: but by necessarie consequents in the rest of their doctrine they ouerturne one of the natures and all the offices of Christ, and therewithall most of the articles of the Creede. And herein they deale as a father, that in outward shew tenders the bodie of his child, and will not abide the least blemish vpon it: and yet by secret conveiances inwardly annoies the heart, the braine, or the liuer, and so in truth destroies the same. Fifthly it is alledged, that Antichrist must sit in the Temple of God, that is, the Church: therefore say some that desire an vnion between vs and the Papists, popish assemblies are true Churches: but the argument is not good. For it is one thing to be in the Church, an other thing to be of it. And Antichrist is said to sit in the Church, not as a member thereof, but as an vsurper, or as the pyrate in the ship of the marchant: & hēce it cannot be prooued, that assemblies of Papists are Churches, but that in them and with them there is mingled an other hidden Church in the midst whereof Antichrist the Pope ruleth, though himselfe hath no part therein. Lastly, whereas some, being no Papists, think their Churches to be like a bodie diseased and full of soares and wounds frō the head to the foot, & the throat also cut, yet so as life is still remaining; we may better thinke, (their foule errours considered & their worship of God, which is nothing els but a mixture of Iudaisme and Paganisme) that it is a rotten and dead corps void of spirituall life. And therefore we haue seuered our selues from the Church of Rome vpon iust cause: neither are we schismaticks in so doing, but they rather; because the groūd & the proper cause of the schisme is in thē.

As for the Assemblies of Anabaptists, Libertines, Antinomies, Tritheits, Arrians, Samosateniās, they are no churches of God▪ but conspiracies of monstrous heretikes iudicially condemned in the primitiue Church, and againe by the malice of Satan renewed and revived in this age. The same we are to thinke and say of the Familie of loue.

As for the Churches of Germanie commonly called the Churches of the Lutheranes, they are to be reputed of vs as the true Churches of God. Though their Augustane Confession haue not satisfied the expectation of other Reformed Churches: yet haue they all the same enemies in matter of religion, and doe alike confesse the Father, the Sonne, and the holy Ghost: and of the office of the Mediatour, of faith and good works, of the Word, the Church and the Magistrate, are all of one iudgement. They differ indeede from vs in the question of the Sacrament, but it is no sufficient cause to induce vs to hold thē as no Church: for that there is a true or reall receiuing of the bodie and blood of Christ in the Lordes supper, wee all agree; and wee ioyntly confesse that Christ is there present so farre forth that hee doth truly feede vs with his very bodie and blood to eternall life: and all the controuersie lies in the manner of receiuing; we contenting our selues with that spirituall receiuing which is by the hande of faith, they adding therto the corporall, whereby they imagine themselues to receiue Christ with the hand and mouth of the bodie. And though to maintaine this their opinion, they be constrained to turne the ascension of Christ into a disparition, whereby his bodie being visible becomes invisible, yet in the maine points we agree: that Christ ascended into heauen: that he entred into his kingdome in our name and for vs: that we are gouerned and preserued by his power and might: and that whatsoeuer good thing we haue or doe, proceeds wholly from the grace of his spirit. Indeede the opinion of the Vbiquitie of the bodie of Christ reviveth the condemned heresies of Eutiches and Nestorius, and it ouerturneth by necessarie consequent most of the articles of faith: but that was priuate to some men, as Brentius and others, and was not receiued of whole Churches: and whereas the men were godly and learned, and we are vncerten with what affection, and how long they held this errour, we rest our selues in condemning it, leauing the persons to God. Againe Popish Transubstantiation, and Lutherian Consubstantiation, are both against the truth of the manhoode of Christ; yet with great difference. Transubstantiation is flat against an article of faith: for if Christs bodie be made of bread, and his blood of wine (which must needes be if there be a conuersion of the one into the other) then was not he conceiued and borne of the Virgin Marie: for it can not both be made of bakers breade and of the substance of the Virgin. Againe it abolisheth the outwarde signe in the Lordes supper, and the¹⁸⁴ analogie betweene the signe and the thing signified: but Consubstantiation doth not so, neither doeth it ouerturne the substance of any article of Religion, but onely a maine point in Philosophie, which is, that A body doth occupy only one place at once.

Furthermore the Churches of Heluetia, & Savoie, & the free cities of France, & the low Countries, & Scotland▪ are to be reuerēced as the true churches of God, as their Confessiōs make manifest. And no lesse must we thinke of our owne Churches in England and Ireland. For we hold, beleeue, and maintaine, and preach the true faith, that is, the auncient doctrine of saluation by Christ, taught and published by the Prophets and Apostles, as the Booke of the articles of faith agreed vpon in open Parliament doe fully shewe: & withal now we are, and haue bin ready to testifie this our faith, by venturing our liues euen in the cause of religion against forraigne power, and especially the Spainard: and hereupon all the Churches in Europe giue vnto vs the hand of fellowship. And whereas sundrie among vs that separate and indeed excommunicate themselues, giue out that there is no Church in England, no Ministers, no Sacraments: their peremptorie asseuerations wanting sufficient grounde, are but as paper-shot. They alleadge that our assemblies are full of grieuous blottes and enormities. Answ. The defects and corruptions of Churches must be distinguished: and they be either in doctrine, or manners. Againe corruptions in doctrine must be further distinguished: some of them are errours indeed, but beside the foundation; & some errors directly against the foundation: and these ouerturne all religion, wheras the former do not. Now it can not be shewed that in our Churches is taught any one errour that raceth the foundation, and consequently annihillateth the truth of Gods Church. Indeed there is controuersie among vs touching the point of Ecclesiasticall regiment: but marke in what manner. Wee all ioyntly agree in the substance of the regiment, confessing freely that there must be preaching of the word, administration of the sacraments according to the institution, and the vse of the Power of the kaies in admonitions, suspencions, excommunications: the difference betweene vs is onely touching the persons, and the manner of putting this gouernment in exequution: and therefore men on both parts, though both hold not the truth in this point; yet because both hold Christ the foundation, they still remaine brethren and true members of Christ. As for corruptions in manners, they make not a Church to be no Church, but a badde Church. When as the wicked Scribes and Pharisies sitting in Moses Chaire,¹⁸⁵ taught the things which he had written, the people are commaunded to heare them, and to doe the thinges which they say, not doing the thinges which they doe. And whereas it is saide, that we hold Christ in word, and denie him in deede; that is answeared thus: deniall of Christ is double, either in iudgement, or in fact: deniall in iudgement ioyned with obstinacie, makes a Christian to be no Christian; deniall in fact, the iudgement still remaining sound, makes not a man to be no Christian, but a badde Christian. When the Iewes had crucified the Lord of life, they still remained a Church, if any vpon earth:¹⁸⁶ and notwithstanding this their fact, the Apostles acknowledged that the couenant & the promises still belonged vnto them: and they neuer made any separation from their Synagogues, till such time as they had bin sufficiently conuicted by the Apostolicall ministerie, that Iesus Christ was the true Messias.

Thus wee see where at this day we may finde the true Church of God. Nowe I come to the third question: and that is, at what time a man may with good conscience make separation from a Church? Answeare. So long as a Church makes no separation from Christ, wee must make no separation from it: and when it separates from Christ, wee may also separate from it: and therefore in two cases there is warrant of separation. The one is, when the worshippe of God is corrupt in substance. And for this we haue a commandement, Be not, saith Paul, vnequally yoked with infidels:¹⁸⁷ for what fellowshippe hath righteousnes with vnrighteousnes, or what communion hath light with darknes, or what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath the beleeuer with the infidell? or what agreement hath the temple of God with idoles? wherefore come out from among them and separate your selues, saith the Lord. And we haue a practise of this in the old testament. When Ieroboam had set vp idoles in Israel,¹⁸⁸ then the Priests and Leuites came to Iudah and Ierusalem to serue the Lorde. The second is, when the doctrine of religion is corrupt in substance: as Paul saith, If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to the wholesome wordes of our Lord Iesus Christ,¹⁸⁹ and to the doctrine which is acdording to godlines, he is puffed vp; from such separate your selues. A practise of this wee haue in the Apostle Paul, who beeing in Ephesus in a Synagogue of the Iewes, spake boldly for the space of three moneths, disputing and exhorting to the thinges which concerne the kingdome of God: but when certen men were hardned and disobeied, speaking euill of the way of God, he departed from them, and separated the disciples of Ephesus:¹⁹⁰ and the like he did at Rome also. As for the corruptions that be in the manners of men that be of the Church, they are no sufficient warrant of separation, vnlesse it be from priuate companie,¹⁹¹ as we are admonished by the Apostle Paul; and by the examples of Dauid and Lot. By this which hath beene saide, it appeares that the practise of such as make separation from vs, is very badde and scismaticall, considering our Churches faile not either in the substance of doctrine, or in the substance of the true worship of God.

Now to proceede in the Creede. The Church is further set forth by certen properties and prerogatiues. The properties or qualities are two, holines and largenes. That the Church is holy, it appeares by Peter, which cals it an holy nation, and a chosen people: and by Saint Iohn,¹⁹² who calls it the holy citie. And it is so called, that it may be distinguished from the false Church, which is tearmed in Scriptures the Synagogue of Satan,¹⁹³ and the malignant Church.

Now this holines of the Church is nothing els but a created qualitie in euery true member thereof, whereby the image of God which was lost by the fall of Adam is againe renewed and restored. The author of it is God by his word and spirit, by little and little abolishing the corruption of sinne and sanctifying vs throughout, Ioh. 17. vers. 17. Father sanctifie them in thy truth, thy word is truth. And holines must be conceiued to be in the Church on this manner: it is perfect in the Church Triumphant, and it is onely begunne in the Church Militant in this life: and that for speciall cause,¹⁹⁴ that we might giue all glorie to God; that we might not be high minded, that we might worke our saluation with feare and trembling; that we might denie our selues and wholly depende vpon God. Hence wee learne three things: first that the Church of Rome erreth in teaching that a wicked man, yea such an one as shall neuer be saued, may be a true member of the Catholicke Church: for in reason euery man should be answearable to the qualitie and condition of the Church whereof hee is a member: if it be holy, as it is; hee must be holy also. Secondly we are euery one of vs, as Paul saith to Timothie,¹⁹⁵ to exercise our selues vnto godlines, making conscience of all our former vnholy waies, endeauouring our selues to please God in the obedience of all his commaundements. It is a disgrace to the holy Church of God that men professing themselues to be members of it, should be vnholy. Thirdly our dutie is, to eschewe the societie of Atheists, drunkardes, fornicatours, blasphemers, and all wicked and vngodly persons, as Paul saith, Be no companions of them and haue no fellowship with the vnprofitable workes of darknes.¹⁹⁶ And he chargeth the Thessalonians, that if any man among them walke inordinately they haue no companie with him that he may be ashamed.¹⁹⁷

The largenes of the Church is noted in the worde Catholicke ▪ that is, generall or vniuersall. And it is so called for three causes. For first of all it is generall in respect of time; because the Church hath had a beeing in all times and ages euer since the giuing of the promise to our first parents in Paradise. Secondly it is generall, in respect of the persons of men: for it standes of all sortes and degrees of men, high and lowe, rich and pore, learned and vnlearned, &c. Thirdly it is Catholicke or vniuersall in respect of place; because it hath beene gathered from all the parts of the earth, specially now in the time of the new Testament; when our Sauiour Christ saith,¹⁹⁸ that the Gospell shall be preached in the whole worlde. To this purpose Iohn saith in the Revelation,¹⁹⁹ I beheld and loe a great multitude which no man could number of all nations and kinreds, and peoples and tongues, stoode before the throne and before the lambe, cloathed with long white robes and palmes in their handes.

And the Church which we here professe to beleeue, is called Catholicke, that we may distinguish it from particular Churches, which are not beleeued, but seene with eye, whereof mention is made often in the Scriptures. Rom. 16.5. 1. Cor. 16.19. the Church in their house: and the Churches of Asia. Coloss. 4.15. Salute Nymphas and the Church in his house. Act. 11.22. the Church of Ierusalem. Act. 13.1. the Church at Antioche, &c.

That the Church is Catholicke in respect of time, place, person, it ministers matter of endelesse comfort vnto vs. For hereby we see that no order, degree, or state of men are excluded from grace in Christ, vnlesse they will exclude themselues. Saint Iohn saith, If any man sinne, we haue an advocate with the father, Iesus Christ the righteous.²⁰⁰ Nowe it might be answeared, it is true indeede Christ is an advocate to some men, but he is no advocate to me: Saint Iohn therefore saith further, and he is the reconciliation for our sinnes, and not for our sinnes onely, but for the whole world, that is, for all beleeuers of what condition or degree soeuer.

Thus much of the properties of the Church: now follow the prerogatiues or benefits which God bestoweth on it, which are in number foure. The first is expressed in these wordes, The communion of Saints. Where communion signifieth that fellowshippe or societie that one hath with an other: and by Saints we vnderstand not dead men inrolled in the Popes Calender, but all that are sanctified by the blood of Christ, whether they be liuing or dead: as Paul saith, vnto the Church of God which is at Corinthus, to thē that are sanctified in Iesus Christ Saints by calling. And God is the God of peace in all the Churches of the Saints.²⁰¹ Nowe if wee adde the clause I beleeue, vnto these words, the meaning is this; I confesse and acknowledge that there is a spirituall fellowshippe and societie among all the members of Christ, beeing the faithfull seruants and children of God: and withall I beleeue that I am partaker of the same with the rest.

This communion hath two parts, fellowship of the members with the head, and of the members with themselues. The communion of the members with their head is not outwarde, but altogether spirituall in the conscience: and for the opening of it we must consider what the Church receiueth of Christ, and what he receiues of it. The Church receiues of Christ foure most worthie benefits. The first, that Christ our Mediatour, God and man, hath truly giuen himselfe vnto vs, and is become our lot and portion, and withall God the father, and the holy Spirit in him, as Dauid saith, Iehova is the portion of mine inheritance, and of my cuppe:²⁰² thou shalt maintaine my lotte: the lines are fallen vnto me in pleasant places: yea J haue a faire heritage. And, My flesh faileth and my heart also:²⁰³ but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for euer. The second is, the Right of adoption, whereby all the faithfull whether in heauen or earth are actually made the children of God. The benefit is wonderfull, howsoeuer carnall men esteeme not of it. If a man should either by election or birth, or any way els be made the sōne & heire of an earthly prince, he would think himselfe highly aduanced: how highly then are they extolled which are made the sonnes of God himselfe. The third benefit is a title and right to the righteousnes of Christ in his sufferings, and his fulfilling of the lawe. The excellencie of it is vnspeakeable, because it serues to award the greatest temptations of the deuill▪ whē the deuil replieth thus, thou art a transgressour of the law of God, therefore thou shalt be damned; by meanes of that communion which we haue with Christ we answere againe: that Christ suffered the curse of the law to free us from due and deserued damnation: and when he further replies, that seeing wee neuer fulfilled the law, we can not therefore enter into heauen: we answere againe, that Christes obedience is a fulfilling of the lawe for us and his whole righteousnesse is ours to make us stand righteous before God. The fourth benefite is a right to the kingdome of heauen, as Christ comforting his disciples saith, Feare not little flocke it is your fathers pleasure to give you a kingdome: and hence it is sundrie times called²⁰⁴ the inheritance and the lot of the saints.

Furthermore for the conueiance of these benefits unto us, God hath ordained the preaching of the worde and the administration of the sacraments, specially the Lords supper: and hath commaunded the solemne and ordinarie use of them in the Church. And hereupon the Lords supper is called the Communion. The cup of blessing (saith Paul) which we blesse, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ: & the bread which we breake,²⁰⁵ is it not the communion of the bodie of Christ: that is, a signe and seale of the communion.

Againe the thinges which Christ receiveth of us are two: our sinnes with the punishment thereof made his by application or imputation: and our afflictions with all the miseries of this life which he accountes his owne, & therefore doth as it were put under his shoulder to beare the burden of them. And this communion betweene Christ and us is expressed in the scriptures by that blessed and heauenly bargaine in which their is mutuall exchaunge betweene Christ and us: he imparts unto us milke and wine without silver or money to refresh us,²⁰⁶ and gold tried by the fire that wee may become rich, and white raiment that we may be cloathed, and eye-salve, to annoint our eyes that we may see:²⁰⁷ & we for our partes returne unto him nothing but blindnesse and nakednesse, and povertie, and the loathsome burden of our filthie sinnes.

The second parte of the communion is that which the saints haue one with another. And it is either of the liuing with the liuing, or of the liuing with the dead. Now the communion of the liuing standes in three things: I. in like affection: II. in the giftes of the spirit: III. in the use of temporall riches. For the first, communion in affection is, whereby all the seruants of God are like affected to God, to Christ, to their owne sinnes, and each to other. They are all of one nature and heart alike disposed though they be not acquainted nor haue any externall fellowshippe in the flesh. As in a family children are for the most part one like another and brought up alike: euen so it is in Gods familie which is his Church: the members thereof are all alike in heart and affection: and the reason is, because they haue one spirite to guide them all: and therefore S. Peter saieth, The multitude of them that beleeved were of one heart and of one soule,²⁰⁸ neither any of them said that any thing of that which he possessed was his owne, but they had all things common. And the Prophet Esai foretelling the unitie which should be in the kingdome of Christ, saieth, The wolfe shall dwell with the lambe,²⁰⁹ and the leopard shall lye with the kidde, and the calfe and the lyon, and the fatte beast togither, and a litle childe shall leade them. The cowe and the beare shall feede, and their yong ones shall lye togither: and the lyon shall eate strawe like the bullocke. The sucking child shall play vpon the hole of the aspe, and the wayned child shall put his hand into the cockatrice hole. By these beastes are signified, men that be of a wicked & brutish nature: which, when they shall be brought into the kingdome of Christ, shall lay aside the same & become louing, gentle, curteous, & all of one minde. And S. Peter requires of the Church the practise of brotherly loue, and that is to carrie a tender affection to men,²¹⁰ not because they are of the same flesh, but because they are ioyned in the bond of one spirit with us. Furthermore, by reason of this that all the children of God are of one heart, there followes another duty of this communion,²¹¹ whereby they beare one the burdens of another, & when one mēber of the Church is grieued all are grieued, when one reioyceth all reioyce; as in the body when one member suffereth all suffer.

The second braunch of their communion is in the giftes of Gods spirite, as loue, hope, feare, &c. And this is shewed, when one man doth employ the graces of God bestowed on him, for the good and saluation of another. As a candle spendeth it selfe to giue light to others: so must Gods people spend those gifts which God hath giuen them for the benefite of their brethren. A christian man howsoeuer hee be the freest man upon earth, yet is he seruant to all men, especially to the Church of God to doe seruice unto the members of it by loue for the good of all.²¹² And this good is procured, when wee convey the graces of God bestowed on us to our breethren: and that is done fiue waies. I. by example: II. by admonition: III. by exhortation: IIII. by consolation: V. by prayer. The first which is, good example, wee are inioyned by Christ saying, Let your light so shine before men,²¹³ that they may see your good workes and glorifie your Father which is in heauen. And that our hartes might be touched with speciall care of this dutie, the Lord settes before us his owne blessed example, saying,²¹⁴ Be yee holy as I am holy: and, Learne of me that I am meeke and lowly. And Paul saith, Be ye followers of me as I follow Christ: and the higher men are exalted, the more carefull ought they to be in giuing good example. For let a man of note or estimation doe euill, and hee shall presently haue many followers. Euill example runnes from one to another like a leprosie or infection: and this Christ signified when hee said that the figge-tree planted in the vineyarde If it beare no fruite makes all the ground barren.²¹⁵ The second meanes of communication of the giftes of God vnto others, is admonition, which is an ordinance of God whereby Christian men are to recouer their breethren from their sinnes. A man by occasion fallen into the water is in danger of his life▪ and the reaching of the hande by another is the meanes to saue him. Now euerie man when hee sinneth doeth, as much as in him lieth, cast his soule into the very pit of hell: and wholesome admonitions are as the reaching out of the hande to recover him againe. But it will peraduenture be saide, how must wee proceede in admonishing of others? Answer. We are to obserue three things. The first is, to search whether we that are to reprooue be faultie our selues in the same thing or no: first we must take out the beame that is in our owne eye,²¹⁶ and so we shall see clearely to put out the mote in our brothers eye. II. before wee reprooue, wee must be sure that the fault is committed: we must not go upon heare-say or likelihoods: and therefore the Holy ghost saith, Let us consider or observe one another to provoke vnto love or good workes.²¹⁷ III. before we reproove, wee must in Christian wisdome make choice of time and place: for all times and places serue not to this purpose. And therefore Salomon saith, It is the glory of a man to passe by an offence. Furthermore in the act of admonishing, two things are to be obserued. I. a man must deliuer the words of his admonition (so farre foorth as hee can) out of the word of God, so as the partie which is admonished, may in the person of man see God himselfe to reprooue him. II. his reproofe must be made with as much compassion and fellow-feeling of other mens wants as may be.²¹⁸ As Paul saieth, If any man be fallen by occasion into any fault, ye which are spirituall²¹⁹ restore such an one with the spirit of meekenes. The third way of communicating good things to others is exhortation: and it is a meanes to excite and stirre them on forwarde which doe alreadie walke in the way of godlinesse. Therefore the Holy Ghost saith, Exhort one another daily, least any of you be hardened through the deceitfulnesse of sinne. But alas, the practise of this dutie, as also of the former is hard to be found among men; for it is usuall in families that masters and fathers in stead of admonishing their servants and children, teach them the practise of sinne in swearing, blaspheming, slaundering, &c. and as for exhortation, it is not used. Let a man that hath the feare of God offend neuer so little, in stead of brotherly exhortation hee shall heare his profession cast in his teeth, and his hearing of Sermons: this practise is so generall, that many beginning newly to tread in the steppes of godlinesse are hereby daunted, and quite driuen backe. The fourth way is consolation, which is a meanes appointed by God wherby one man shoulde with words of heavenly comforte refresh the soules of others afflicted with sicknesse or any other way feeling the hand of God either in body or in mind▪ And this dutie is as little regarded as any of the former. In time of mens sicknesse neighbours come in, but what say they? I am sorie to see you in this case, I hope to see you well againe, I would be sory else, &c. Not one of an hundred can speake a worde of comfort to the wearie: but we are faultie herein. For with what affection doe we beleeue the communion of Saints, when we our selues are as drie fountaines that doe scarse convey a drop of refreshing to others. The last meanes is praier, whereby Gods Church procureth Gods blessings for the seuerall members thereof, and they againe for the whole. And herein lies a principall point of the communion of Saints; which ministreth notable comfort to euery Christiā heart. For hence we may reason thus: I am indeede a member of the Catholike Church of God, and therefore though my owne prayers be weake, yet my comfort is this, I knowe that I am partaker of all the good praiers of all the people of God dispersed ouer the face of the whole earth my fellowe members, and of all the blessings which God bestowes on them. This will make us in all our troubles to say with Elisha, Feare not, for they that be with vs are more then they that be with them.²²⁰ When the people of Israel had sinned in worshipping the golden calfe, the wrath of the Lord was kindled & made a breach into them, as canon shott against a wall: but Moses the seruant of God stood in the breach before the Lord to turne away his wrath, least hee shoulde destroy them.²²¹ And the prayer of Moses was so effectuall that the Lord said,²²² Let me alone, as though Moses by praier had held the hand of God that he could not punish the people. And some think that Stevens praier for his enemies when he was stoned was a meanes of Pauls conuersion. And surely though there were no other reason, yet this were sufficient to mooue a man to imbrace Christian religion, considering that being a member of the Church hee hath parte in all the praiers of the saintes through the world, and of the blessings of God that come thereby.

The third part of this communion is in temporall things, as goods and riches: whereby I meane no²²³ anabaptisticall communion, but that which was used in the primitiue Church, when they had all things common in respect of use: and some solde their goods and possessions and parted them to all men, as euery one had neede. And by their example we are taught to be content to employ those goods which God hath bestowed on us for the good of our fellow members within the compasse of our callings, and to our abilitie & beyond our ability if need require. Paul saith, Do good to all but specially to thē which are of the houshold of faith.²²⁴

The communion of the liuing with the deade standes in two things: the one is, that the saintes departed in the Church Triumphant doe in generall pray for the Church Militant vpon earth, desiring the finall deliuerance of all their fellow members from all their miseries. And therefore in the Apocalyps they crie on this manner, How long Lord holy and true! doest not thou iudge and avenge our bloode on them that dwell on the earth.²²⁵ I say in generall, because they pray not for the particular conditions and persons of men upon earth, considering they neither know, nor se, nor heare us: neither can they tell what things are done upon earth. The second is, that the godly on earth doe in heart and affection converse with them in heauen desiring continually to be dissolued and to be with Christ. Now whereas the Papists do further inlarge this communion, auouching that the Saintes in heauen make intercession to Christ for us, and impart their merits vnto us; & that we againe for that cause are to invocate them, & to do unto them religious worship, we dissent from, being resolued that these things are but inventions of mans braine wanting warrant of the word.

Lastly, to conclude, a question may be demanded, how any one of us may particularly know and be assured in our selues, that we haue part in this communion of Saints. Ans. S. Iohn opens this point to the full when he saieth, If wee say that we have fellowship with him,²²⁶ and yet walke in darkenesse, we lye: but if wee walke in the light, as hee is light, then we haue fellowship one with another, and the bloode of Christ purgeth vs from all our sinnes. In which wordes hee makes knowledge of Gods will ioyned with obedience to be an infallible marke of one that is in the communion: as on the contrarie, ignorance of Gods will, or disobedience, or both to be tokens of one that hath neither fellowship with Christ, or with the true members of Christ. And therefore to end this point, if we would haue fellowship with Christ, let us learn to know what sin is & to flie frō the same as frō the bane of our soules, & to make conscience of euery euil way.

The duties to be learned by rhe communion of the saints are manifold. And first of all if we do beleeue the fellowship which all the faithfull haue with Christ & with themselues, and be resolued that we haue part therein, then must we separate and withdrawe our selues from all ungodly and unlawfull societies of men in the world whatsoeuer they be. Vnlawfull societies are manifold, but I will only touch one, which euery where annoieth religion, and hindreth greatly this communion of saints, & that is when men ioyne them selues in company to passe away the time in drinking, gaming, &c. Behold a large fellowship which beareth sway in all places; there is almost no towne but there is at the least one knot of such companions: & he that will not be combined with such loose mates, he is thought to be a man of no good nature: he is foisted forth of euery company; he is no body: & if a man will yeeld to run riot with them in the mispending of his time & goods, he is thought to be the best fellow in the world. But what is done in this societie? and how do these cupcompanions spend their time? surely the greatest part of day & night is usually spent in swearing, gaming, drinking, surfetting, revelling, & railing on the ministers of the word, & such as professe religion, to omit the enormities which they procure unto themselues hereby: & this behauiour spreads it selfe like a canker ouer euery place, & it defiles both towne and cuntry. But we that looke for comfort by the communion of saints, must not cast in our lotte with such a wicked generation, but separate our selues from them. For undoubtedly their societie is not of God but of the deuill: and they that are of this societie, can not be of the holie communion of saints: and surely except the Magistrate by the sword, or the Church by the power of the kaies doe pull downe such fellowship, the holy societie of Gods Church and people must needes decay. Excommunication is a censure ordained of God for this end, to banish them from this heauenly communion of the members of Christ that liue inordinately and haue communion with men in the workes of darkenesse.

Secondly by this we are taught that men professing the same religion, must be linked in societie and converse togither in Christian loue, meekenesse, gentlenesse, & patience: as S. Paul taught the Philippians, If there be any fellowship of the spirit,²²⁷ if there be any compassion and mercy, fulfill my ioy, that we may be like minded, having the same love, beeing of one accord and of like iudgement. And againe, Keepe (saith he) the vnitie of the spirit in the bond of peace. Why? Marke how his reason is fetched from this communion: Because there is one body,²²⁸ one spirit, even as you are called into the hope of your vocation, one Lorde, one faith, one hope, one baptisme, one God and father of all, which is above all and in all. And no doubt the same reason made Dauid say, All my delight is in the saints which be vpon earth.²²⁹

Thirdly euery christian man that acknowledgeth▪ this communion must carrie about with him a fellow·feeling, that is, an heart touched with compassion in regard of all the miseries that befall either the whole Church or any mēber thereof, as Christ our head teacheth us by his owne exāple, when he called to Saul, & said Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? giving him to understand, that he is touched with the abuses done to his Church as if they had directly beene done to his owne person. The Prophet Amos reproueth the people, because they dranke wine in bowles, and annointed themselues with the chiefe ointments: but why? was it not lawfull for them to doe so? yes: but the cause for which they are reprooved followeth: No man (saith he) is sory for the affliction of Ioseph.²³⁰ In the middest of their delightes and pleasures they had no regard or compassion of the miseries of the poore Church and seruants of God elsewhere in affliction, which euery man ought to shew forth in the practise of all duties of loue: and therefore Paul saith, Pray alwaies with all maner of praiers and supplications in the spirit,²³¹ and watch thereunto with all perseverance and supplications for the saints. And he highly commendeth the Philippians for communicating to his afflictions.²³² And further he biddeth Philemon to comfort Onesimus his bowels in the Lorde. And S. Iohn saieth, If a mans life woulde saue his neighbours soule, hee must lay it downe for him, if need require.²³³ Wee haue all of us daily occasion to practise this duty towards the afflicted members of Gods Church in other cuntries. For howsoeuer we enioy the gospell with peace, yet they are under persecution for the same: and so oft as wee heare report of this, we should suffer our hearts to be grieued with them, and pray to God for them.

Wee must here be admonished not to seeke our owne things, but to referre the labours of our callings to the common good especially of the Church whereof we are members. As for them that seeke for nothing but to maintaine their owne estate and wealth, and therefore in their trades use false weights and measures; the ingrossing, corrupting, mingling of wares; glosing, lying, smoothing, swearing, forswearing, dissembling, griping, oppressing of the poore, &c. they may plead for themselues what they will, but in truth they neuer yet knew what the communion of Saints meant.

Lastly, considering wee are all knitte into one mysticall body, and haue mutuall fellowship in the same, our dutie is both to redresse the faultes of our breethren and to couer them, as the hande in the bodie laies the plaister upon the sore in the foote or in the legge, and withall couers it. Loue couers the multitude of sinnes. And when men disgrace their brethren for their wants, and blase them to the world, they doe not the dutie of fellow members.

Footnotes

1. August. in enchir. c. 56. ↩

2. Idem lib. 4. cap. 10. de symb. ad Catech. ↩

3. Ruffin. in symb. ↩

4. Aug. tract. 29. in Ioh. ↩

5. Epiphan. in Anchor. ↩

6. 1. Pet. 2.9.
   ↩

7. Luk. 12.32. ↩

8. Bernard. in Cant. ↩

9. Col. 1.18. ↩

10. Gal. 16. ↩

11. Eph. 3.15. ↩

12. Gal. 4.26. Heb. 12.22▪ ↩

13. Heb. 11.13. ↩

14. A childe might answer this obiection, if men were elect and refused for their foreseene faith and vnbeliefe. ↩

15. August. Beda. Tho. Aquinas on this place. ↩

16. 2. Tim. 2.19.
    ↩

17. Math. 7.23. Act. 13.48. ↩

18. Iud. 4. ↩

19. Eph. 1.4, 5. ↩

20. Rom. 8.18. Eph. 1.5. ↩

21. Eph. 1.4. ↩

22. Ioh. 1.12. ↩

23. Rom. 9.11. ↩

24. and 11.29. ↩

25. 1. Sam. 15.29.
    ↩

26. Mal. 3.6. ↩

27. Eph. 1.4. 1. Thess. 1.4. 1. Pet. 1.2. ↩

28. Psal. 69.28. Exod. 32.32 Rom. 9.3. ↩

29. Ioh. 6.70. ↩

30. Ioh. 15.19. ↩

31. Eph. 1.4. ↩

32. 1. Pet. 1.20. August. de praedest. sanct. c. 15.
    ↩

33. Act. 2.23. 2. Tim. 1.9. ↩

34. Eph. 1.5. ↩

35. Rom. 8.30. ↩

36. Tit. 1.1. Act. 13.48. ↩

37. Rom. 8.30. ↩

38. 1. Pet. 2.2▪
    ↩

39. Eph. 2.10▪ ↩

40. Luk. 10.20. ↩

41. 2. Pet. 1.10.
    ↩
42. 2. Cor. 13.5.
    ↩

43. Rom. 8.16. ↩

44. 2. Cor. 7.10.
    ↩

45. Gal 5.17. ↩

46. 1. Ioh. 5.18.
    ↩
47. 2. Cor. 10.5.
    ↩

48. Philip. 4.8. ↩

49. Phil. 3.8. Mat. 13.44. ↩

50. Mat. 10.41. ↩

51. 2. Tim. 4.8.
    ↩
52. 1. Ioh. 2.3.
    ↩

53. Mal. 3.17. Si quod vis nō potes deus factū computat. August. ↩

54. Psal. 119.6 ▪ Iam. 2.10. ↩

55. 2. Tim. 2.19.
    ↩
56. 1. Thess. 3.23.
    ↩

57. Bernard. Looke pag. 12. ↩

58. Iud. 4. Rom. 9.22. 2. Cor. 4.3. 2. Th. 2.9, 13 ↩

59. Mat. 11.25. ↩

60. Vers. 26. ↩

61. Hos. 13.9. ↩

62. Prov. 16.4. ↩

63. Rom. 9.22. ↩

64. 1. Pet. 2.8.
    ↩
65. 2. Cor. 4.3.
    ↩

66. Esai. 6.9. ↩

67. Ps. 69. & 109. ↩

68. 2. Tim. 4.14.
    ↩
69. 1. Ioh. 5.16.
    ↩
70. 1. Cor. 16.22.
    ↩
71. 1. Ioh. 3.
    ↩

72. See Illyr. Catal. test. veritatis. Rev. 12.17. ↩

73. Rom. 11.5. ↩

74. 2. Tim. 1.9.
    ↩

75. Phil. 1.29. ↩

76. Rom. 3.24. ↩

77. Eph. 2.10. ↩

78. Ier. 32.40. ↩

79. Rom. 6.26. ↩

80. Ier. 9.24. ↩

81. Ioh. 17.3. ↩

82. Mat. 24.24. ↩

83. Luk. 10.20. ↩

84. 2. Tim. 2.19.
    ↩

85. Rom. 8.33. ↩

86. Rom. 11.20. ↩

87. Esa. 1.10. ↩

88. 2. Pet. 1.10.
    ↩

89. Eph. 1.4. ↩

90. Eph. 2.10. ↩

91. 2. Th. 2.13.
    ↩

92. Rom. 9. 2. Tim. 2.21. ↩

93. Rom. 8.29. ↩

94. Phil. 3.10. ↩

95. Rom. 9.22. ↩

96. Eccles. 9.1. ↩

97. Act. 2.23. ↩

98. Act. 4.28. ↩

99. Nolenie, nesciente, non curante. ↩

100. 1. Volendo velle.
     ↩
101. 2. Nolendo nolle, or penitus nolle.
     ↩
102. 3. Remissè & velle & nolle, or nolendo velle.
     ↩

103. Decretum dei non tollit libertatē voluntatis sed ordinat. ↩

104. 2. Sam. 12.11.
     ↩

105. Mark. 5.12. ↩

106. Eph. 1.9. ↩

107. quid vult fieri de nobis, or, in nobis. ↩

108. quid vult fieri à nobis. ↩

109. Ioh. 13.18. ↩

110. Math. 22.14. ↩

111. Ioh. 17.2, 11, 24. ↩

112. Apoc. 17.8. and 20.12. Math. 25.34. ↩

113. Math. 7.23. Ioh. 3.36. ↩

114. Ioh. 17.9. ↩

115. Ioh. 10.27. ↩

116. Rom. 8.33. ↩

117. Psal. 32.1. Rom. 5.1. ↩

118. Isai 45.7. ↩

119. Gal. 5.27. ↩

120. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. ↩

121. 2. Cor. 5.18.
     ↩

122. Gen. 6. ↩

123. Esai. 49.9. ↩

124. Ose 2.23. & 1.10. Zach. 2.11. Act. 14.16. Eph. 2.13. ↩

125. Mat. 10.6, 7. ↩

126. Mat. 15.22. ↩

127. Esai. 55.5. ↩

128. Act. 17.30. ↩

129. Rom. 16.26. 1. Tim. 3.16. ↩

130. Apella, Verpus Recutitus, Sabbatarius, Cultor nabium. ↩

131. 2. Thes. 3.1.
     ↩
132. 2. Cor. 4.4.
     ↩
133. 2. Cor. 3.5.
     ↩

134. Gal. 3.28. ↩

135. Esai. 9.16. ↩

136. Rom. 8.32. ↩

137. Ioh. 6.53, 54. ↩

138. Ioh. 1.14. ↩

139. Ioh. 17.2 ↩

140. Act. 2.42. ↩

141. 1. Cor. 1.30.
     ↩

142. Ephes. 5.30. ↩

143. Jus ad rem. ↩

144. Jus in re. ↩

145. Ioh. 15.1. ↩

146. Esai. 5.7. ↩

147. Cant. 6.10. ↩

148. Luk. 8.15. ↩

149. Ezec. 47.12. ↩

150. Eph. 2.22. Coloss. 2.19. ↩

151. 1. Ioh. 2.19.
     ↩

152. Rev. 22.15. ↩

153. Act. 2.47. ↩

154. Cant. 6.8. ↩

155. Heb. 12.23. ↩

156. Rev. 7.10. ↩

157. Act. 14.22. ↩

158. Luk. 9.23. ↩

159. 2. Cor. 5.8.
     ↩

160. Phil. 1.23. ↩

161. Rev. 2.4. ↩

162. Gal. 1.6. ↩

163. August. de Baptis. lib. 2. cap. 3. Ioh. 16.13. ↩

164. Ioh. 3.34. Act. 20.20, 27. ↩

165. 1. Tim. 3.11.
     ↩

166. Rom. 10. ↩

167. 1 King 19.14, 18. ↩

168. 2. Chron. 15.3.
     ↩

169. Math. 13.25, 47. ↩

170. 1. Pet. 1.23. Hebr. 5.13. 1. Cor. 3.2.
     ↩

171. Isai 49.22. ↩

172. Cant. 1.6. ↩

173. vers. 7. ↩

174. 2. Kin. 4.23.
     ↩

175. Psal. 84.7. ↩

176. 2. Tim. 2.12.
     ↩

177. iustification by works. ↩

178. Gal. 5.2, 3. Hebr. 6.1. 1. Cor. 3.10. ↩

179. 1. Cor. 3▪15.
     ↩
180. 2. Tim. 3.8.
     ↩

181. Gal. 5.2. ↩

182. Herodot. ↩

183. Hos. 1.9. ↩

184. and so ouerturnes the sacrament. ↩

185. Math. 23.2. ↩

186. Rom. 9.4. Act. 2.39. ↩

187. 2. Cor. 6.14.
     ↩
188. 2. Chr. 11.14.
     ↩
189. 1. Tim. 6.3.
     ↩

190. Act. 19.9. & 28.28. ↩

191. 1. Cor. 5.11. Psal. 17.4. 2. Pet. 2.8.
     ↩
192. 1. Pet. 2.9. Rev. 11.2. & 22 29.
     ↩

193. Rev. 2.9. & 3.9. Psal. 26.5. ↩

194. 1. Tim. 1.17. Rom. 11.20 Phil. 2.12. Mar. 9.24.
     ↩
195. 1. Tim. 4.7.
     ↩

196. Eph. 3.7. ↩

197. 2. Thess. 3.14.
     ↩

198. Math. 26.23. ↩

199. Rev. 7.9. Catholica. i. per totum orbem diffusa, August. epist. 170. ↩

200. Ioh. 2.1, 2. ↩

201. 1. Cor. 1.2. and 14.33.
     ↩

202. Psal. 16.5. ↩

203. Psal. 73.26. ↩

204. Act. 26.18. Coloss. 1.12. Eph. 1.18. ↩

205. 1. Cor. 10.16.
     ↩

206. Isa. 55.1. ↩

207. Rev. 3.18. ↩

208. Act. 4.32. ↩

209. Esa. 11.6, 7. ↩

210. 2. Pet. 1.7.
     ↩

211. Gal. 6.2. ↩

212. Gal. 5.13. ↩

213. Mat. 5. ↩

214. Leuit. 11▪44. Mat. 11.28. 1. Cor. 11.1. ↩

215. Luk 13.18. ↩

216. Mat. 7.5. ↩

217. Heb. 10.24· ↩

218. Gal 6.1. ↩

219. As Chirurgians tēderly set armes & legs in ioynt. ↩

220. 2. Kin. 6.16▪
     ↩

221. Psa. 106.23. ↩

222. Exod. 32.10. ↩

223. Spirituall communion doth not barr a division of temporall goods▪ Act. 2.21. 2. Cor. 8.1. ↩

224. Gal. 6.10. ↩

225. Rev. 6.10. ↩

226. 1. Ioh. 1·6.
     ↩

227. Phil. 2.1. ↩

228. Ephes. 4.3. ↩

229. Psal. 16.3. ↩

230. Amos. 6.6. ↩

231. Eph. 6.18. ↩

232. Phil. 4.14. ↩

233. 1. Ioh. 3.16.
     ↩