cause by reason of their badd dealing to suspect feare doubt doubting there or thē can not be said to be sinne or euil yet as in respect of God who not onely in his owne nature is alwaies like vnto himself free from the least shaddow or shew of turning that may be but as in regard of his action and practise towards all his people in all ages hath manifested himselfe powerful and faithful as their is no reason to doubt so wee cannot doe it but with dishonour to his maiesty and so by consequent also with sinne to our owne soules But let vs proceed 12 Their 12. argument is this No man can certainely conclude that the holy ghost hath kindled or wrought in him faith and other vertues the reason is because they may likewise spring from humane reason Therefore no man can certainely determine that he is in Gods fauour or that he pleaseth God The antecedent of this Enthymeme or imperfect syllogisme as also the confirmation or proofe of the same adioyned thereto are as false as possible may be and as directly thwarting the light and trueth of the word as can bee for out of the word we may reason thus first cōcerning faith It is either the gift of God or it is of nature because betweene there is no meane but it is not of nature for then all men should haue it though not happilie all alike because there is now and then some defect in nature but that is false as the Apostle sheweth 2. Thess 3. saying all men haue not faith therefore it is naturall or of nature and then by consequent it must needs be of God which yet also is warranted vnto vs by plaine texts of Scripture as Philipp 1. Vnto you it is giuen for Christ that not onely yee should beleeue in him but also suffer for his sake And againe Rom. 10. where he saith how they call on him in vvhome they haue not beleeued hovv shall they beleeue in him of vvhome they haue not heard how shall they heare without a preacher c. And if faith from whence all good works flow be the gift of god then must also good workes themselues come from him also because if the first be from him the second likewise And yet least we should thinke that this were not Gods owne and according to his truth but a humane inuention the Scripture that attributeth the worke of faith vnto God ascribeth also al other vertues in vs vnto him For that must euer be true the Apostle speaketh Philip. 2. It is God who worketh in vs both the will the deed according to his good pleasure and Ephes 2. We are his workemanshippe created in Christ Iesus vnto good works which god hath ordained that we should walke in thē For otherwise if we respect our selues in this behalfe I meane of doing good works as from nature wee must say as the Psalmist saith there is none that doeth good no not one they are become all corrupt and abhominable or as the Apostle saith else where not that we are sufficient of our selues to thinke a good thought which is the beginning of a good work but all our sufficiēcy is from god Nay which is more when God hath begunn good thinges in vs wee doe what wee can through the remainders of our corruption either vtterly to deface them or so by imperfectiōs cleauing vnto them to taint them that were they not ouershadowed with the absolute righteousnes of Christ we and they both might iustly be reiected from god And there fore he that knoweth either nature or grace God or man his word or the world cannot but certenly conclude that faith and all other vertues are from God by his spirite and not from man in his nature euen as Saint Iames chap. 1. in a generall sentence affirmeth it Euerie good giuing and euerie perfect gift is from aboue and commeth downe from the father of lights And the proofe or confirmation adioyned to this proposition it selfe for neuer was it heard in the schoole of god or among sound christians that faith and good works might spring frō humane reason For which purpose notable is that speach of our Sauiour Christ vnto Peter after the worthy confessiō that he had made saying thou art that Christ that sonne of the liuing God vnto whome Christ saieth againe Blessed art thou Simon the sonne of Ionah for flesh and blood hath not reuealed this vnto thee but my father which is in heauen Matth. 16. To the same ende also tendeth that that the Apostle saith 1. Corinth 2. But the naturall man perceiueth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishnesse vnto him neither can he know them because they ar spiritually discerned And what should Saint Paule meane else when Rom. 8. he sayeth the wisdome of the flesh is death and againe the wisdome of the flesh is emnitie against god for it is not subiect to the lawe of God neither indeed can be but that it is not in the vnderstanding will or power of man to knowe loue or obey the good things of god till he be inlightned strengthened and inabled from aboue And if it were so that these good thinges doe spring from humane reason why doe we not refuse or forsake the worde and resist the working of gods holy spirit as thinges needlesse and vnnecessarie or why doe we say the Heathen and Gentiles are voide of faith and good workes seeing they haue as much of nature and humane reason as we or any other And besides the obseruatiō of our own hearts will shewe vs the vanity falshood both of the propositiō cōfirmatiō of it for in our cōuersiō to god or repētāce we sensibly feele both the one the other namely faith without which we could not convert it sealing vp in our hearts the forgiuenes of our sinnes for Christs sake the holy ghost quickening stirring vs vp as to that so to other good works besides according to which S. Paul faith Rom. 5 that beeing iustified through faith we haue peace towards God And Rom. 8. The spirit that is the holyghost witnesseth vnto our spirits that we are the children of god And therefore Augustine though indeed I doe not greatly delight in allegation of humane authorities in a certaine place saith well he that beleeueeth knoweth that he beleeueth to witte whilest that in the feares terrours of his heart and conscience God is pleased to make him feele consolation and comfort for they that acknowledge and consent vnto the trueth of Gods word and by serious thinking vpon and cōfortable feeling of the promises of the Gospel vphold their hearts and hope they in whatsoeuer estate or disteesse they be yea though they walke in the valley of the shadowe of death or as we say in the middest of death it selfe they haue experience of and sensibly feele consolation Whereby we may see that when a man hath an assured perswasion or a
election is approoued to others and sealed vp in our selues and sith this is the onely waie into Christs eternall kingdome of which he speaketh verse 11. surely it will well beseeme and become vs to be wholie carried this way vnlesse we will be counted either fearefull contemners of grace and goodnes or else desperate casters away of our selues Now what is there here that may serue to allow of doubting or rather may not be turned the other waie to vphold assurance of heart and of hope And the like may we say for the words which of them is it that will yeeld them any strength The word brethren is a word of loue and no doubt ministreth much comfort and assurance to a godly mind and therfore no doubt when they see themselues so reputed and taken of them that are indeed godly and in some measure very well able to discerne in both which respects Peter no doubt of it was a rare man and therefore that terme could not but consolate If they will presse the terme diligence who seeth not the marueilous difference betweene this and that that they would haue should bee meant thereby who euer heard diligence vsed for distrust or doubting it implieth laborious care and industrie in about the thing we would obtaine which commonly also because it is of commendatiō addeth an edge vnto mens striuings whereas distrustfulnes or doubt maketh them either vtterly to desist leaue of or else to striue with such faintings as there ar many times easily ouercome For calling election making sure they are quite and cleane contrarie as all which indeed are from God and therefore are of the same nature that he is vnchangeable which causeth the Apostle Paule in another place to say the gifts and calling of God are such as he can not or will not repent him self of Rom. 11. The worde of making sure is not as in respect of God for all thinges that he hath determined from before all times are certaine and sure shall be accomplished in time but as in respect of other men and of our selues who may easilie be drawne but whether well yea or no that is the question to suspect our selues and to pronounce hard sentence against others in the sinnes we commit the Apostle shewing that this is one good meane either quite and cleane to remooue that temptation or so to mitigate it as it shall neuer master vs studiously carefully and diligently to follow sanctification and holines without which no man shall see God VVherefore rather certainly then doubting may be crawne and gathered out of this place For if faithfull people should diligently and carefully labour to make their vocation and election sure and certen which they are inioyned here they may then make it sure and certaine yea no doubt they do in some measure make it sure and certē which they doe indeed when they proceed in piety and grow vp in godlines the soūd knowledge steadfast faith and vnfained obedience to Gods holy will For looke how much the more throughly they enter into the kingdōe of Christ or as the scripture saith are ingrafted into Christ with so much the more earnest study desire diligence they growe in grace prosper in the points of gods religion christian life Now where we say they make it sure we must vnderstand still as we haue already touched it in respect of God whose purpose according to ellection is sure and so remaineth as the Apostle saith Rom. 9.11 But as in respect of our selues and our neighbours For by the workes that God commandeth in his lawe of which no doubt of it the Apostle Peter treateth in this place we may as vpon outward testimonies fruites and effects certenly conclude concerning faith and by faith determine touching the spirit of God that dwelleth in vs and so by consequent also concerning our calling election For which purpose see Romans 5.9.14 1. Iohn 3 24. and contrariwise also as appeareth Mat. 7.16.17 c. Indeed I cōfesse that this proofe and confirmation of them is not the first or principall for that is the inward testimony of the holy Ghost bearing record vnto our spirits that we are the sōnes of God but yet it is a secondarie one as I may say by which we may not onely probably but charitably gather of others that beleeue and certenly conclude and determine concerning our selues in as much as our own hearts and the sinceritie thereof and our own fruits and the soundenes of the same are or should be better known vnto vs thē to all the world beside We see then that that which in the handes of our aduersaries hath not so much as the semblance of a sword to scarre vs beeing turned vpon them is of steele and verie pearcing to runne through the sides of that corrupted cause which they vphold but such iudgements must they fall into that labour to obscure Gods glorie and to dismaye and discourage the minds of Gods people that they in the soule should be in the same state either that the Midianites were of whome we read in the booke of Iudges that the Lord set euerie mans sword vpon his neighbour and vpon all the host or else as Saul did namely take a sword and fall vpon it and kill themselues 4 The last place is out of the first epistle of S. Iohn chap. 3. verse 21. If our heart condemne vs not thē haue we boldenesse towards God Out of which they reason by the contrary thus then must it needes followe that if our hearts doe condeme vs we haue not bolnesse towards God and if not boldnesse then doubting and distrust But we answere that the inferrence vpon the contrary is not right for as boldnesse and not boldnesse are opposite so we cannot alwaies safely inferre vpon not hauing boldnesse distrust or doubting because there are many things besides as reuerence of the partie with whome we haue to deale feare and shamefastnesse in our selues and loathsomnesse that standers by many times should be acquainted with our states or suites and sundry such like which may for a time dash vs in our selues yet not take a way frō vs for euer al hope to speed which in deede is doubting or distrust But to the place it selfe The purpose of the Apostle is as I take it that the grace of adoption and newenesse of life which God vouchsafeth vnto vs must be testified by good workes and particularly by sound charitie and loue towardes our brethren which as he commendeth for many respects so specially for sundry good effects it hath as first that thereby we vnderstand that we are indeede God children and his is in the first part of verse 19. Secondly thereby we may haue a peaceable and quiet conscience and this is in the last part of verse 19. And this boldnesse and quietnesse of conscience which is the second effect of sound loue he commendeth by the cōtrary namely trembling of heart with which
they must needes be disquieted that are subiect to it for how can it be that he that knoweth he hath God for his iudge and not for his father as the faithfull people onely haue him so cā be quiet in minde beeing in his owne heart guiltie of horrible sinne as against God himselfe in heauen so against men vpō earth And therefore we may safely say that a wicked person is either not at all quiet or els the grace that he would seme to haue is nothing els but securitie or senselesnes and this feare is amplified by comparison of the greater namely God and his iudgement into which amplification he entreth not so much for thē to whome he wrote though it may be true they had some need and vse of it as for others that would not easily be brought to feeling that so stong either with the testimony of their owne heart or with the greatnesse of Gods wrath and iudgement against them for sinne or with this terrible and heauy threatning or with some one thing or other they might stoupe learne to be humbled Now what is this to doubting specialy in the faithfull whome Iohn laboureth to raise vp to an assured hope by their faith towards God and love to the Saints or brethren or if you will to the wicked what is it to them who for the most part are so farre from doubting that they almost feare no euill either here or els where but as if it were being in a letargie or dead sleepe or senslesnes passe three daies without feare yea without conscience But if this either doe not please or satisfie we may say further that he speaketh here of a set purpose that men haue to doe euill or to sinne as we say against consciēce he meaning that such manner of persons so long as they continue in that perswasion and practise also that they can hardly or not at all determine touching the certenty of our saluation by the testimony of their owne hearts because they haue a sting within them that witnesseth the contrary For this we must knowe that faith and a good conscience are vnseperable companions and goe as it were arme in arme togeather as the Apostle sheweth 1. Tim. 1.19 Yea and that the fruites accompanying them are neuer vtterly sundred from them but at some one time or another are to be found in their measure where the thinges themselues are and that therefore they that haue a good conscience haue boldnesse towards God and are well certified of his grace and their owne saluation thereby And that this in his meaning indeed it may appeare by sundry words before going as when he saith By this that is true and sincere loue to our brethren we knowe that we are of the truth that is belong vnto God whome he signifieth also in the words following when be saith and shall before him assure our hearts which assurance bringing with it peace and tranquillitie cannot but shut out and kill as it were all doubting And againe in the words following when he saith hereby we knowe that he abideth in vs euen by the spirit which he hath giuen vs. And therefore we may see that this place weakeneth our aduersaries doctrine rather then that it doth any manner of way confirme strengthen it But if they will further vrge it as some of them doe and say there is no man but he is accused in his heart and conscience and therefore no man can haue confidence or boldnesse before God We tell them first that the argument followeth not for though the antecedent be trve that euery good man especially is stung more or lesse yet the consequent is not good because thouhh it be tru that as in regard of himselfe and of his sinne and vnworthines thereby he can haue litle or no assurance yet as in respect of God his word his spirite Christs absolute obedience c. he may haue hope and boldnes Secondly we say that it is no good or sound reasoning to reason from the facts of men to or for the doctrine of God For mans facts for the most part are euill and vnlawfull whereas all the doctrines of God are true and holie euen as he himselfe though men either in practise or perswasion would condemne him or thē yet shall he be iust when he speaketh and pute when he iudgeth Facts expresse or shewe things done but neuer declare much lesse proue the lawefulnes of the things practised Besides though wee denie not but that euen the faithful are not onely conuinced but condemned in their heart and perswasion when they consider their vnworthinesse yet feare we not also to affirme that euen then they are absolued and cleared also for so often as they looke vnto themselues and sinne they must of necessitie be pricked and terrified because sinne seene and felt indeed can bring forth as in respect of it selfe no better fruite But on the other side when they behold Christ crucified and runne vnto the sacrifice of his death not onely of absolute but of infinite merite they finde in themselues an assured peace as the Apostle also declareth Romaines 5. where he saith Then beeing iustified by faith vve haue peace towards God through our Lord Iesus Christ and in another place he affirmeth that through Christ we haue boldnes and entrance with confidence by faith in him And let this suffice for aunswer to the testimonies and texts of Scripture which our aduersaries for the establishing of doubting and distrust in the minds of the godlie doe vsually bring out of the old new Testamēt With which we haue dealt first answered them because they make them the principall bullwarks and butteresses of this tottering wall And indeed had they beene truely alleadged such as wee might haue rested and relied our selues vpon but beeing produced as they are we see there is nothing in them but vanity they that will accept them beeing so offred are like to be bound vp in the winges of the winde carried away through the fcircenes of the iudgement of God against them to eternall destruction Now we come to their arguments drawne from humane authoritie which are of two sortes that is to saye either reasons and arguments or authoritie testimonies of ecclesiasticall writers The reasons are manie as mans heart is cunning to deuise and his braine busilie beating vpon vanitie lies euen to vphold the same what he can For our owne parts we will deale no otherwise here then as wee haue done in the texts they haue alleadged namely amongst manie take those that are most materiall and confute thē which beeing once fully and sufficiently aunswered all the rest beeing weaker then water will fall to the ground and euen be spilt as it were of their owne accord 1 Their first argument is couched or framed thus He that cannot know all his sinnes he cannot know whether he please God and of this proposition they render this reason for it may