A09362:187
A case of conscience the greatest that [sic] ever was, how a man may…A case of conscience the greatest taht [sic] euer was, how a man may…
A case of conscience the greatest that [sic] ever was, how a man may know, whether he be the son of God or no. Resolved by the word of God. Whereunto is added a brief discourse, taken out of Hier. Zanchius.A case of conscience the greatest taht [sic] euer was, how a man may know, whether he be the son of God or no. Resolued by the vvord of God. Whereunto is added a briefe discourse, taken out of Hier. Zanchius.
Edinburgh: printed by Robert Walde-grave, 1592Edinburgh: printed by Robert VValde-graue, 1592
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
1The third way, by which God revealeth to every one of us his predestination, is by the effects of predestination, as well inward in us, as outward: by which, as by certain marks imprinted in us, he doeth seal us to himself in Christ: and doth so ⟨p. 41⟩seal us, that if we shall give diligent heed, we may thereby evidently perceive, that we are set apart from the common sort of men, which is often called by the name of the world: that we are foreknown for his sons, and loved in Christ, and predestinated to eternal life; yea, and that we appertain no longer to the world, but to that City which is above, that hath his foundation as the Apostle saith.2 And we have a two fold reason of this argument: one, because these effects (of which we speak, and which we will afterward handle) God worketh not in any, but his elect as also afterward we will show. Therefore, by right a man may, by a true feeling and experience of these effects in himself, be assured of his particular election, and predestination, to have fellowship with Christ in all his graces. For predestination (as Augustine witnesseth) is a preparation to the blessings of God, by which most certainly they are made free,3 whosoever are made free: therefore whosoever feeleth himself freed through these graces of God, may be assured and certified of his predestination. The other reason is, that these effects are not only the effects simply of predestination, but also such effects they are, that they may also may be ⟨p. 40⟩[…] ⟨p. 41⟩[…] ⟨p. 42⟩seals of it: namely, in printing in us a lively form and image of God, foreknowing us, loving us, electing us. And therefore, albeit we cannot see the purpose, the foreknowledge, the election and predestination of God, as concerning our selves, in God himself foreknowing, willing, and electing us: yet we may behold in our selves, some sure representations of all these imprinted, and even stamped in us by the word: and so by the beholding of these forms and impressions in our selves, we shall easily be brought to the knowledge of those patterns (as it were) which are in the Lord himself. The matter (by reason it is very good and comfortable) may be declared by a similitude: God is like unto the Sun in regard of us: