A golden chaine: or The description of theologie containing the order of the causes of saluation and damnation, according to Gods word. A view whereof is to be seene in the table annexed. Hereunto is adioyned the order which M. Theodore Beza vsed in comforting afflicted consciences.

CHAP. 31. Of the couenant of Grace. (Book 31)

HItherto concerning the couenant of works, and of the Law, now follow∣eth the couenant of grace.

The couenant of Grace, is that whereby God freely promising Christ, and his benefits, exacteth againe of man, that he would by faith receiue Christ, and repent of his sinnes. Hos. 2.18. In that daie will I make a couenant for them, &c. 19. And I will marrie thee vnto me for euer: yea, I will marrie thee vnto me in righ∣teousnesse, and in iudgement, and in mercie, and in compassion. v. 20. I will euen mar∣rie thee vnto me in faithfulnesse, and thou shalt knowe the Lord. Ezech. 36.25. I will poure cleane water vpon you, and ye shall be cleane: yea from all your filthinesse, and from all your idols will I clense you. v. 26. And I will giue you a newe heart, and a newe spirit will I put within you. v. 27. And cause you to walke in my statutes. Ma∣lach. 3.1. The Lord, whome ye seeke, shall speedily come to his temple: euen the mes∣senger of the couenant whome ye desire: behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts.

This couenant is also named a testament: for it hath partly the nature and properties of a testament or will. First it is confirmed by the death of the testa∣tor. Heb. 9.16. Where a testament is, there must be the death of him that made the testament. 17. For the testament is confirmed when men are dead: for it is yet of no force, so long as he that made it is aliue. Secondly, in this couenant we doe not of∣fer much, and promise small to God, but in a manner doe onely receiue: euen as the last will and testament of a man, is not for the testators, but the heires commodity.

The couenant albeit, it be one in substance, yet it is distinguished into the old and new testament.

The olde testament or couenant is that, which in types and shadowes pre∣figured Christ to come, and to be exhibited.

The newe testament declareth Christ already come in the flesh, and is ap∣parantly shewed in the Gospel.

The Gospell is that part of Gods word, which cōtaineth a most worthy & welcome message: namely, that mankind is fully redeemed by the blood of Iesus Christ, the only begotten sonn of God, manifest in the flesh, so that now for all such as repent and beleeue in Christ Iesus, there is prepared a full remis∣sion of all their sinnes, togither with saluation and life euerlasting. Ioh. 3.14. As Moses lifted vp the serpent in the wildernesse: so must the sonne of man be lift vp. 15. That who so beleeueth in him, should not perish but haue euerlasting life. Act. 10.43. To him also giue all the Prephets witnes, that through his name, all that be∣leeue in him, shall receiue remission of sinnes.

The ende and vse of the Gospell is, first to manifest that righteousnesse in Christ, whereby the whole law is fully satisfied, & saluation attained. Second∣ly, it is the instrument, and, as it were, the conduit pipe of the holy ghost, to fa∣shion and deriue faith into the soule; by which faith, they which beleeue, doe as with an hand apprehend Christs righteousnes. Rom. 1.16. I am not ashamed of the gospell of Christ, for it is the power of God to saluation to as many as beleeue, to the Iewe first, and then to the Grecian. 17. For the iustice of God is reuealed by it from faith to faith. Ioh. 6. 33. It is the spirit which quickeneth, the flesh profiteth nothing: the words which I speake are spirit and life. 1. Cor. 1.21. It pleased God by the foolinesse of preaching, to saue such as beleeue.

The Gospell preached is, in the flourishing estate of Christs Church, that ordinarie meanes to beget faith: but in the ruinous estate of the same, when as by apostasie, the foundations thereof are shaken, and the cleere light of the word is darkened, then this word read or repeated, yea the very sound thereof beeing but once heard, is by the assistance of Gods spirit, extraordinarily effe∣ctuall, to them whome God will haue called out of that great darkenesse into his exceeding light. Rom. 10.14. How shall they call on him, in whome they haue not beleeued? and how shall they beleeue in him, of whome they haue not heard? And howe shall they heare without a preacher? Act. 11.19. And they which were scatte∣red abroad, because of the affliction that arose about Steuen, walked throughout till they came to Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antiochia, preaching the worde to no man, but to the Iewes onely. 30. Nowe some of them were men of Cyprus, and of Cyrene, which when th••y were come into Antiochia, spake vnto the

Grecians, and preached the Lord Iesus. 21. And the hand of the Lord was with them, so that a great number beleeued, and turned vnto the Lord. Ioh. 4. 28. The woman then left her water pot, and went her way into the city, and said to the men, 29. Come, and see a man which hath told me all things that euer I did: Is not he the Christ? then they went out of the citty, and came vnto him. 39. Now many of the Sa∣maritans beleeued in him, for the saying of the woman which testified, He hath tolde me all things that euer I did. 41. And many moe beleeued, because of his own word. 42. And they said vnto the woman, Nowe we beleeue not because of thy saying: for we haue heard him our selues, and knowe that this is indeede the Christ the Sauiour of the world. Rom. 10.18. I demaunde, haue they not heard? no doubt their sounde went out through all the earth, and their wordes into the endes of the world. Thus we may see, how many of our forefathers, & ancestors in the midst of pope∣ry obtained eternall life. Reuel. 12. 17. The dragon was wroth with the woman, and went and made warre with the remnant of her seede, which kept the commande∣ments of God, and haue the testimonie of Iesus Christ. Rom. 11.4. What saith the diuine Oracles? I haue reserued to me seuen thousand men, which neuer bowed knee to Baal.