tloh. 4· 7rd Cafe ofConfcience. would acknowledge vs for his from alleterni- A might be.holy before llim, begets invs accrtie,italwaies rdl:ethinGod, and cannot of it taineimageeuenefGodhimfelfC:,thatis,anofelfe,be perceiued ofvs. But ye~while£i God ther elelhon, by which \lie renouncingallodoth acknowledge vs for his,he doth portrait thcrGe,ds,which arcworfhipped.inthe world in vs his elect, acertaine forme and image of make our·choife ofthi~ pur true God1rh.o•h, his fore-knowledge: by which he makerh vs, to be our God, that he may be alwaiesobefore reneuncing all other gods, to ackn<>wledge <>ur <yes,he whic!) fanelifieth vs,& the'author him forouronlytrue God. Thusitcommeth of onr whole faluation.. Whereforerhrough to palfe,through.this true knowlepge ofGod, thl.s con(\anteleC\i'?n whioh.i~ i~ vs, weeper. which he vouchfafcth vs,and by whichw~-do ce.me,thatthe ele.!hon which IS 1nGod aseo~ acknowledge God for our God & father: we cerning vs,is firme & fure: not onlyas~ega• may.afte.r.a fort behold in God himfdfe his th~r the caufe by the elfeCI; but alfo as we gll· foreknowledge,by which he bath forejmown the~ t.h~ p~tterneby the piCture: like asBy the vs for his fonnes. Forfidl: <>fall,Goddoth acfimilnude of the forme o(:afeale fa!hionedin lfaowledge vs for his, and thenthcelelt bting waxe,we dqcafilyvnderfland whatisthO'very made partakers ofthis his light & know.ledge, B forme and fa!hwn ofthe feale. Therefore'iris he caufethvs inljke manner -to ac,knowledge manife£i, that it is the manner ofGod by the him. Tothispurpofder•eth that which our dfeClsofhiseleCtionand pr.ede£iin2tion·imSauiour Chri£i faith:firft,(faith he,Joh.w.J4·) prinred in vs, to reueale toeucryoneof.vs his I'fit!owmyflmp!, after he addeth, ,Andagain<,! ownc dellion and pre9efui>ation: And that •m k,.nownc ofmine, As though hee !hould fay, two Wales, both becaufe there arc cerraine whiles I acknowledge them for my !heepe, etfe<ls ofpr~de£iination,andbytheelldlS,the I make them by meanes of this my light and caufes are knowne: and alfo becaufe there are knowledge,that theyalfo can acknowledg me certaineliuely types ofGod• fore-knowledge for their Pa!ior. So the Apo!He faith to the & elellion,bywhich we arefcaled vntoGod. Galathians, G•l. 4· 9· whenyefhall kzrowGod, or Now by the itnprintingofthefe formes and r.sherare/eyowneofhim:he reacheththerefore, \fYpesinvs,as rhe fealeisin waxc,the very lid! that God knew the GaU.thians , becaufe bee patrernsth~mftluesare known what they are. had fir!l: acknowledged them for his, in his eFurthermore, that there is no man elected ternall prede£iination: and by giuing vnto to eternalllite,which !hall not be fealed vp in them this his wifedome, bee made themac~ the time appointed with thcfe marks ofGods knowledge the true God for their God, The C deLhon ( it is manifdl ont of thefe places of fame; may be faid ofthe loue ofGod,by which fcripture,whichtteat ofdeliiii & prede!iinahe louedvsin Chrift toeuerla£iinglife,before don. 'The Apo!tle teacheth, Eph.J ·'l·th-swee the foundation ofthe world:God by!cuing vs wtrt elrffed,' thatweemightbee holy <~ndwithout doth printinour hearts the imageof his loue, b/Ame.A.ilo l~e 1eacheth,Rom.8.3o:rhatal they by which wee may loue him againe from our whom godh<th predej/illated, are lift<Wift cANed hearts: and as it were by therefletHon ofthe and iufiified, and by confequenr indued with Sunne-beames fent downeintoourhearts, we faith andknowledge of God, by which they may be prouoked to loue againe. Forthe loue takehim fortheirFather:withlouealfo,wherofGod to vs,being eternal!, and caufing ererwith they loue him as a Father: alfo with a nalllife,begetteth inthe time appointedacorgood will and con£ia•tpurpofe,by which they taineloue iH vs; (eruing for his eternal! glory. defire con!iantly his glorie. Againe, he faith And to this purpofeis thatofS,/ohn, I Joh.4. in another place, 2 T:m, •·19· Th•foundation 10, Not that wefirft louudGod,but becauf< hefirft ft~ndethfore,h•uing thufta/e(in tefpeLlofGod) t.uedvs. As though he had (aid,therefore we the Lord i<_noweth whoare hn.Now in refpc<lof loue God; becaufe he firfr, that is, before the :vs,he putteth downe another feale,faying: let foundation of the world !cuing vs in Chri!l:, D him depart ftom tnsq141m, whichCAIIcthvponthe by theingrauingofhisloue in our hearts,caun•m• ofthe Lord: tor withthis marke,alltheefethvs toloue himagaine as a Father. So loue le<larebranded, They call vpon the nameo isfaid(rowit,thatlouc bywhichwe loue6od) the Lord,& depart from iniquity: feekingaf. tobeofGod: thatis, to proceed ofthe loue of ter holinelfe and agoodcoGfcience. And,this God towards vs.AndPa11l writeth, Ro,..;.;. is that ftahng which is fo often mentioned in thattbe/oueofGod, (namely thatlouebywhich the Scriptures: As when in the Apocalyps it he loued vs)ufl~<dinour hearts by theholy Ghoft is faid,.Apocal. 7 3· thar an innumerable multiwhich u ginen vs: and by this !bedding of rh• tude was feakd to rhe ~ord. For like as the loueofGodin our hearts, itcommeto topalfe Fatherfealed Jeft!S Chn£i ashe was man and loh. 6 , that loue is alfo wroughtin ourharrsrowards mediatour; fo alfothe refi ofhis children hee , 1 • God. And therefore by that found louc by bath fealed,& cloth daily feale with furc notes which we feelc mtr felues to loue God we are and feaks to dillingui!h them from other inade to know how great the lout of God is, men,and the children ofthis age•. For God is bywhich be loued vs fro a! eternity in Chri!i. faid,z Cor,t. >I,»· to haueannomtedvs,and And whaos that loue clfe but predeiHnation? fealed vs,and gtuen vs the earne£i ofh1s fpmt h Inlike manner,elellion by whichhefingled in.our hearts. An~ againe,. to haue fcaltd vs ;:,,;~- 4 , vs from the re!iofthe world in Chri!l:,that we wtth theholy fpmt ofpromtfe,and that to the l"' ----~------------------------------~------------------~d~aLyl ____
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=