A Golden Chain

¹It remaineth, that we should declare some effects of predestination: by which, as by marks and seals, the Elect may be discerned from Reprobates. The first effect of Predestination, is Christ himself; as he is a Mediator and a Saviour, dwelling in our hearts by his holy spirit. For as we are elected in him and by him redeemed; so by the sprinkling of his blood, we are cleansed and sealed: and by his dwelling in us quickened, (for he is our life, and that eternal) and therefore we are severed from Reprobates which always remain in death, as in the holy Scriptures we are taught. We say that this is the first effect of Predestination, because we can enjoy none of the gifts of god, either of election, vocation or justification, except in Christ, and by Christ: For he hath poured out all the effects of predestination into us. In that therefore every elect faithful man feeleth Christ to dwell in him, and to quicken him; he hath a seal in himself, by which he may know that he was elected to everlasting life in the same Christ: A part and beginning of which life, is this spiritual life, by which we now live to God. And as every man knoweth himself to be the son of God in Christ, because he calleth upon God from his heart as a father: he may conclude, that he is predestinated to be the son of God for Christs cause. And that by this first note the faithful may know that they are elect to eternal life: the Apostle showeth,² Know ye not (saith he) your selves that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be Reprobates? And no doubt a Type of this kind of sealing, was that sealing which was done in Egypt, by the blood of the Lamb: namely, when the houses of the Israelites were sprinkled with this blood, that they might be discerned from the houses of the Egyptians: and so be passed over untouched of the Angel. And by Christ, as by the chief effect: yea and the cause too of all the effects which follow: all other effects of Predestination are put into us, and we are sealed with them.³ The Apostle nameth three principals, our calling, (to wit effectual) our justification and glorification. This third effect, we shall obtain in the life to come, the two first in this life.

¹It remaineth, that we should declare some effects of predestination: by which, as by markes and seales, the Elect may be discerned from Reprobates. The first effect of Predestination, is Christ himselfe; as he is a Mediator and a Sauiour, dwelling in our hearts by his holy spirit. For as we are elected in him and by him redeemed; so by the sprinkling of his blood, wee are clensed and sealed: and by his dwelling in vs quickened, (for hee is our life, and that eternall) and therefore wee are seuered from Reprobates which alwaies remaine in death, as in the holy Scriptures we are taught. Wee say that this is the first effect of Predestination, because we can enioy none of the gifts of god, either of election, vocation or iustification, except in Christ, and by Christ: For hee hath poured out all the effects of predestination into vs. In that therefore euerie elect faithfull man feeleth Christ to dwell in him, and to quicken him; hee hath a seale in himselfe, by which he may know that he was elected to euerlasting life in the same Christ: A part and beginning of which life, is this spirituall life, by which we now liue to God. And as euerie man knoweth himselfe to be the sonne of God in Christ, because he calleth vpon God from his heart as a father: he may conclude, that hee is predestinated to be the sonne of God for Christs cause. And that by this first note the faithfull may know that they are elect to eternall life: the Apostle sheweth,