Ofthemanes whereby txemaybeafaredofoureleCti nt. 2 31 al his children,which though it be the Iafl innature andnext vnto faluationit felfe, forfirfl God eleé}eth,and thofe whom hehath eleé}ed,in his good timehe calleth, &whom he cal- leth thofe he iuflifieth,and laIlly,whom he iuf}ifieth tholehe fanélifieth and faueth;yet when we are togathera(furance of our eleótion,weeare not toobferue this order, but tobegin where the Lordendeth,and foafcend from the lo`-v ef}degree till wee cone to the highefl. For as it is a foolifh thing fcra man to thinke that he canleap to the top oíanhigh ladder at the firf} I}ep,and therfore euery onebeginneth with thelotiti- eí},and fo afcendeth flepby ()cep til he come to the highe(l:fo it is afoolifh thingfor aman to imagine,thathe can leape in- to heauen,& there fearch the vnfearchable counfels ofGod, and fo know whether he is electedor no ; but s'emuff begin at the loweíl flep, namelie our fanélifrcation which boing at_ tained vnto,wee may afcend a flep higher in our affurance, namelie that we are i unified, and fo the next, that Wee are effe&ualIie called,& Iaflly to the highefl that we are eled#ed. Otherwife ifwecurioufly dine into the bottomles fecrets of Gods counfels, wee fhall be drownedand ouerwhelmed; if we approach vnto this vnapproachable light, the eie ofour vnderílandingwil be dazled,yea harkblinded;ifweprefume tovnderfland beyond fobrietie, wee (hall by the iuit indge- ment ofGodbe infatuated,and thrufl our felues into an end- lefle laborinth,out ofwhich we Thal neuer find way,wanting the line ofGodsword to guide vs.And therfore ifwe would haue any true aflûrance ofourele6iion, we rnuf+ examine our felues whether webe fan6tified ; and ifwe find inour (clues ianCtificationby the fruites thereof, wee may vndoubtedlie conclude that we are iufaified, called,ele&ed,and (hall be fa- ued.Ifwe walk not after the flefhbut after the fpirit,we may be allured that we are inChrifl Iefus,and therfore there is.no condemnation belonging vntovs, Ro.8.ì.Ifwebring forth the fruites ofrighteotffheffe and holineffe,wemay be allured that we are good trees ofGodsow Ifweebee fruitful! branches we m are ingrafted into the truevine Iefi Seeing then our fanóificatibn a and faluation, &Without it there i Thai thole aha veil beaßtdred eftheireleéh en thrift begin their aftbrance at their fat:idi- ficauen. Rom, S. t. Matth.7. t7. oh.' 5,4.5. .Sea.loe ne planting, Matth..i Z. ayafhuredlyknow,that ee rsChrii,Ioh.is'45 I ifrrteth vs ofour eled}ion 4 s noaffurance;hat f}ron- Q,4 ger
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