James 3. in many things we sinne all Howebeit we see a maruelouse difference betweene their setting my sinnes before me and Gods word propounding it vnto me Thou doest it of a deadly malice to drawe me into desperation and by meanes thereof into condemnation and therfore no reason that I should listen vnto thee so deadly hating me as thou doest attempting such morall dangers against me as the death and destruction of my soule and body But the Lord setteth them before me to humble me at the feete of his goodnes that so in forgiuing me also so greate a debt I might learn both to loue him that hath dealt so bountifully with me and beware of falling into the like mischiefes againe by meanes of my sinns Besides I answere further for my selfe that I am not so much to regard my slips falls as how or with what affection I haue offended God hath kept me from sinning presūpteously with a high mind howsoeuer to make me see my selfe to be more circumspect against transgression I haue fallen of humane infirmitie and weaknesse And if this and such like considerations mittigat sinnes amongst men why should it not also in some sort doe so before God who is better able to discerne and iudge both of actions and affections then all the people of the worlde that either haue beene be or shall be Moreouer that is false that thou doest inferre that falling into sinne doth vtterly spoile Gods people of faith in themselues and of all grace and fauoure from God for if that were so howe could any of gods children that haue gone before vs or liue presently with vs or which shall succeed vs euen to the ende of the world al and euery one whereof some one way some another haue beene fearefully ouertaken be raised vp againe to repentance and amendment of life And this we may see as by many examples of holy men in the worde in the world so by the doctrine of the holy scriptures and amongst the rest Ioh. 3. who soeuer is borne of god sinneth not that is to say either the sinne that is vnto death or lieth not wallowing swinelike as the vngodly of the world doe in the filth and puddle of their transgressions And of this assertion he rendreth a reason very strong and forcible saying for his seede remaineth in him that is the holy ghost with his graces shed abroad into his heart will not let him lie still but laboureth his raysing vp againe And as though this had not beene sufficient he addeth neither can he sinne to wit in sort as before is expressed and why because he is borne of God who besides that he is stronger then all and therefore can and will performe his owne will doth not beginne in his people any good worke but bringeth it one daily more and more according to the measure that he seeth to be good for all and euery one of thē to perfectiō And this grace I find from God that as I see my sinne for my humiliation so I behold the precious gift of faith and many great graces of God for my exaltation and therfore haue not lost as thou wouldst haue me beleeue Sathan all sense feeling of God and godlinesse but haue that seed and the annointing by which I shall be inabled to stand and if I doe fall shall yet notwithstanding be raised vp againe and set vpon my feete more staied and confirmed then euer before and that not onely by reason of the circūspectiō and meanes that is wrought in me thereby but also by the strength that is communicated vnto me from aboue which in succeeding time breaketh forth and therefore I am not vtterly fallē from grace as thou forgest and fainest Satan neither haue made frustrate Gods election concerning my selfe because that as a strong foūdation remaineth vnmoueable and vnchangeable for he abideth alwaies faithfull and cannot denie himselfe whether it be executing of his wrath vpon the wicked or in the displaying and exercising of his mercies vpon the godly Besides euē from this I gather infallible comfort that hauing in a true and diligent search of mine owne soule but once in my life found faith in selfe I cannot vtterly lose faith and the fauour of God And why so it is because I haue it no but because the gift and callings of God are such as God will neuer repent him of Ro. 9. And vpon this and nothing els doe I assure my heart Wherefore I feare not to affirme and say that though my faith may be sore shaken and euen as in regard of the fruits of it as if it were broken of for a time or rather lie hid a little while vntill I be inabled by the power of Gods blessed spirit to gather my spirits vnto my selfe yet I am sure the seed therof remaineth in me and shall againe beeing raised vp by the spirit of God breake out in as full force as before As we may see first in Dauid notwithstanding his fearefull falls of adulterie murther c. and then in Peter notwithstanding his carnall counsell giuen to his Master and his shamefull denying yea abiuring and forswearing of him in whome it lay hidden as it were fire in or vnder the ashes and the sunne vnder a darke or thicke cloud it being stirred vp in Dauid by the ministrie of Nathan the Prophet sent vnto him by God to reprooue him put him in mind of his sinne and in Peter as by the crowing of the cocke so by Christs looking backe vnto him So gracious is God towards his children and so powerfull in his owne worke that rather then his people should perish his mercies should allure them his iudgements shal terrifie them his word shal humble them yea and raise them vp also his spirit shal draw them that which seemeth to be no meane shal be an effectuall powerfull instrument to manifest his glory and to worke their good through Christ And that this is false that thou saist Satan that the faithful by their sins loose faith it selfe and the graces of the spirite may appeare by two places of Scripture The 1. is out of Psal 51. where the Prophet praieth that god would not take his holy spirit frō him Which if it had bin quite lost by his former trāsgression he could not haue praied for because it was gone before but rather shoulde haue praied that the Lord would haue restored his holy spirite vnto him because taking away implieth restoring and praying not to take it awaye declareth that it was there still howsoeuer in his owne feeling and falls he supposed he had iustly deserued 〈◊〉 be depriued thereof The second is the wordes of our Sauiour to Peter Luke 22. saying I haue praied for thee that thy faith faile thee not Which words as they containe in thē a protestation of Christs vnfeined care and loue so he saith I haue praied for thee so do they comprehēd a faithful promise in
be might safely infer cōclude that he did 2 The second place which they bring out of the new Testament is out of the 9. chap. of the Epistle to the Romans ver 20. where it is said Be not high minded but feare therfore say they we are to doubt of Gods grace and fauour towards vs. But we answere First that this is such a falacie of homo nymie or equivocation of words as the former For feare doth neither alwaies nor yet for any thing that they haue said for the most part implie doubting What difference there is betwixt these two tearmes hath in part bene shewed already neither neede we to insist therevpon nowe The badnesse of this reason may appeare by this We must feare alwaies therefore we must doubt continually If any should say so it were a badde conclusion vnlesse a man would or could prooue feare and doubting to be tearmes cōuertible Feare we know is vrged pressed vpon vs in the word not so much to work doubting in vs either concerning god or our selues supported by him as to cause vs vnfainedly to reuerence his maiestie carefully and circumspectly to walke as in regard of ourselues and by reason of our spirituall and bodily enemies also And he that either knoweth the nature and signification of the words or obserueth his own heart or waies well shall find this to be the thing that God aimeth at when he so much calleth vpon vs for feare rather then to intangle the hearts of his people with doubtfulnesse or distrust But concerning the place it selfe we are to know that the drift and purpose of the spirit by the Apostle is to humble the Gentiles whose election from before all times and vocation in time God hath bene pleased in those daies the age of the world to manifest vnto themselues and others which fauour as they behold practised to themselues so with all the same a iudgement of casting of from God exercised and executed agaist the Iewish nation who not long before of all the natiōs of the world in the generalitie or body of it had beene the onely peculier people and inheritance of God Nowe knowing that the Gentiles on the one side with their owne graces vouchsafed vnto them and on the other side with the iudgement of the Lord exercised vpon the Iewes might easily be puffed vp aboue measure he assaieth to keep them vnder and to preuent the extremitie of presumptiō or pride which he doth by these words saying Be not high minded but feare Vsing feare not for doubting for that had beene to haue drawne them from one vice to another but for reuerent and humble carying of themselues in the midest and multitude of those mercies that God hath vouchsafed them for the better effecting whereof he vseth in that place and inferreth also many arguments drawne both from the Iewes and Gentiles as if the fall of the Iewes were the riches of the Gentiles how much more shall their fulnesse be it and their assuming againe and those legall and metaphoricall speeches of the holy first fruits attributed to the Iewes of wild oliue trees grafted in their stead spoken of the Gentiles and such like doe plainely shewe the same So that here we may see we are not commaunded or exhorted to doubt of Gods grace and fauour towards vs touching our election saluation forgiuenes of sinnes c. For they are all sure and certaine in God euen as he is in his owne nature and in the trueth of his promises as they are manifested vnto vs in his word and sealed vp in Christs death though we sometimes come short by reason of our weakenesse feeblenesse and wants in the apprehension and application of them to our selues but this rather we are admonished of not proudly to be puffed or stirred vp as in nature we are wont to be neither yet to leane vnto our owne wisdome righteousnesse holinesse c. which is nothing that we take and thinke it to be neither yet to reioyce of it as before God for all in his sight is as a filthy and stained cloath nor to be puffed vp in it as in respect of other men because we haue nothing but we haue receiued it and hauing receiued it there is no reason why we should bragge of it and besides that which we haue is farre short both of that it should be and that many other haue receiued aboue vs. But rather that we should confesse as our owne weakenesse and vnworthinesse on the one side so Gods grace and goodnesse towards vs one the other side And this may we perceiue by the words which the Apostle had vsed a little before saying Boast not thy selfe against the braunches and if thou boast thy selfe thou bearest not the roote but the roote thee And therefore this feare that the Apostle commendeth and commandeth here is not the same that doubting is but is opposed to contempt pride in as much as if he should say modestly soberly and carefully feare and reuerence god least otherwise through carelesnes contempt pride or otherwise thou that art a Gentile prouoke him to manifest iudgement against them as he hath done against the people and nation of the Iewes his first beloued ones 3 A third place obiected is 1. Corinth not the 12. as some of thē say but the 10. ver 22. in these words Wherfore let him that thinketh he stādeth take heed least he fall Therfore say they we may doubt of gods grace towards vs c. But I beseech them to tell vs from whēce they will fetch this conclusion as whether from the particular wordes or from the generall drift of the place If from the wordes which are they that will prooue this woddē conclusion by these wordes him that thinketh he standeth he meaneth doubtlesse such a one as is wise in his owne eies and hauing confidence in himselfe imagineth he is strōg and able to stand when other men are weak and ready to fall So that he signifieth and setteth out here by proud and presumptious persons who haue no familiarity or acquaintance with doubting or distrust nay are so farre remooued from that that they are trāsported to another extreme namely to hautie and proud imaginations concerning themselues and their owne strength And where he saith take heed ye fall it would be marked that he said not so much as feare much lesse let him doubt but let him beware or circumspectly looke vnto himselfe And good reason there is he should do so For none are more nigh danger then those that are wise in their own eies and presume vpon their own strength because when they thinke best of themselues they thinke least of that which may betide them and so be soonest intrapped in sinne through security and carelesnesse of their owne estate or the malice and power of their enemies that rise vp against them Besides it is not onely probable but certaine that by falling he meameth not vtter falling from
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
concerning the forgiuenesse of our sinnes or the sauing of our soules or concerning any other grace whatsoeuer and approoueth not of doubting at any hand the reason whereof is plaine because Gods promise manifested vnto vs in his word and the faith that he hath wrought in our hearts by his word and spirit and not our naturall doubting distrust they are relatiues that is to say such things as one presupposeth another namely that a promise implieth faith or els the promise is of no force as in regard of men and faith implia promise as the proper and peculier obiect of it or els it cannot be counted faith And sith the promise indeed cannot otherwise be either seene but by the eye of faith or apprehended and laid hold of but by the hand of faith which point the Apostle sheweth Ro. 4. when he saith therefore it is by faith that it might come by grace the promise might be sure to all the seede c. it must needes followe that faith as Gods worke in his children and Gods promises as from himselfe not doubting or distrust are relatiues as we call them And good reason both for the affirmation and negation for such as the promises are such must the instrument be apprehending the same but the promises are spirituall and from God and so is faith in vs and not doubting for that is from the corruption of our owne nature which hath no acquaintance with God or goodnesse till it be altered and changed from aboue And therefore we may safely conclud and say establish gods promise or faith is established and put doubting on Gods promise is euacuated for therfore is it of faith as was said before out of Rom. 4. that the promise might be sure then if it be not of faith but of doubting the promise is not firme or sure to wit to vs though as in regard of it selfe and God the giuer of it it is alwaies certaine And this is that also which I thinke Saint Iohn meaneth when he saith he that beleeueth not God as he hath reuealed him selfe in his worde and specially in his promises hath made him a lier because he beleeueth not the record that God witnessed of that his sonne But against this our popish aduersaries put many exceptions as first they say that men must doubt not as in respect of Gods promises but as in regard of their own indignity or vnworthinesse because we are worthy to obtaine or haue that which God hath promised For it may so fall out that because a man hath failed in the conditions annexed to Gods promises he may rightly doubt whether he shall haue that which god hath promised that is to say men should not doubt whether God will faile in accomplishing of his graces and promises made vnto vs but lest we performe not the conditions adioyned thereto because god hath not promised eternall life nor any thing else but vnder condition or else they meane that doubting is not to be referred to gods promises but to our defects and the impediments of our infirmities least happily we want the accomplishment of the conditions ioyned with Gods promises This is their exception but we answer that both their affirmation in their exception and their explanation of it also for of these two parts doeth it consist are starke nought for whatsoeuer they say or howsoeuer they interpret their owne speaches yet if they enioyne and teach men to doubt whether God for Christs sake will be mercifull to such as beleeue in him they appointe or instruct them to doubt of the grace of God because Gods grace Christs merits mans faith being gods worke in vs are not nor cannot be disioyned which they are if men doubt or do teach others to doubt of all or of any of them specially if that doctrine of doubting be receiued But wee will more particularly looke into the wordes and matter of this exception They tell vs that we should not doubt as in respect of Gods promises who would doubt of that or thinke or say so vnlesse he were some notable Atheist or blasphemer who for his thoughts but wordes especially should rather haue his tongue pulled out of his head and be iustly executed by death then be suffered to liue amongst men But that we should doubt of our owne vnworthinesse because we are vnworthie to obtaine or to haue accomplished Gods promises vnto vs that we are indeed vtterly and altogether vnworthy of all or any good thing from god no godly man I thinke wil deny nay and if it will pleasure our aduersasaries we will graunt them more then that namely that we are worthy of all punishmēt both temporall and eternall in body and soule Howebeit this will not followe that because we are vnworthy of the graces god should not bestowe his mercies and graces where as pleaseth him or this that therefore we should not doubt or distrust God and his mercies For this is no vse of our own vnworthinesse either in the sight or sense of it to make vs to call into question or to controuert the trueth of gods promises nay rather if there be any vse of it that way ouer and besides the vnfained humiliation of vs at the feet of god it serueth rather to instruct and teach vs that which the Apostle doth deliuer in his epistle to the Romanes that where sine hath abounded there grace hath abounded much more Yea we say further concerning this point of our vnworthinesse that we should not therefore doubt of gods fauour or the forgiunesse of sinnes the reason is because the trueth and cerenty of gods promise dependeth not vpon our owne worthinesse ot vnworthinesse for that were to subiect vnto man but on the power fidelity and free fauour of god towards vs neither is it confirmed vnto vs because we are worthy of it or made voide and of no effect because we are vnworthy for that shall neuer be found true both in mercy and iudgement that the Apostle saith If we beleeue not yet abideth he faithfull he cannot deny himselfe but therfore was the promise both giuen and published therefore is Christ also become our Mediatour because we are vnworthy and that the father for his sake might become mercifull gratious vnto vs according to which it is said Rom. 8. Now then there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus c. Whereas had not our vnworthinesse beene neither had gods grace so plainly and plentifully appeared neither indeede could Christ haue become our intercessor or Mediatour And therefore our vnworthinesse should bee soe farre off to worke in vs any doubting of gods goodnesse Christs merits howsoeuer as in regard of our selues it may iustly humble vs and hold vs from presumption opiniō of desert c. that it should rather make vs make speed thereto to labour the steedfast apprehension thereof and indeed we are to set against the greatnesse of our vnworthinesse the infinite
desired you he speaketh of all the faithfull vnder one mans person or vnder the person of his disciples to win now you a wheat a hard and a heauy sentence But yet it most comfortablye followeth in the nexte wordes But I haue praied for thee that thy faith faile not Which thing he hath done also euen for the rest of the faithfull as well as for him as we may perceiue by that worthie praier of our Sauiour Christ mentioned in the 17. of Iohn and made to that end also In the Romaines howe many comfortable places are there In the 8. chap. he saith I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor heigth nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. And in the 11. the gifts calling of God are without repentance or such as he can neuer repent of And in the 14. vvho art thou that condemnest an other mans seruant he standeth or falleth to his owne maister yea he shall bee established for God is able to make him stand Now if that popish point either of doubting or faling away were true then these places proouing plainely that great pointe of finall perseuerance should be false so ought not onely themselues to be blotted out of the Bible but the credit of the whole Scriptures to be cracked for if it be not found true in all and euery part of it it is not to be receiued But I say let God be true and euerie man else a lier and let all flesh giue glory to God and stay the heart of it from thinking restraine the mouth from speaking where God hath giuen vs such a plaine and peremptorie conclusion Hitherto we haue shewed specially in this last part of the tractate that this popish opinion concerning doubting is directly flatly contrarie to the Scriptures that it doth abolish faith in Christ for what neede we regard faith if doubting be allowable that it doeth frustrate the commandements and promises of God for to what end else hath he propoūded but that he might beleeue and obey that it doth reproue God of a lye who in his reuealed will by his word hath told and taught vs the contrarie that it abuseth Christs merit who therefore appeared that he might destroy the works of the deuill and amongest the rest distrust doubting that it doth tread vnder foote the office of the holy Ghost which is appointed to seale vp Gods promises in our hearts that it doth weaken the sacraments themselues which are therefore appointed for the confirming and strengthening of vs in faith yea it abolisheth and taketh away al comfort for howe can we be cleared so long as our hearts be possessed with feare and doubting And therefore beeing directly against the scripture and bringing forth such badde effect it cannot be true or good and not being true it is to be reiected And so we might end for this point our treatise were it not that sōe good men desire to see the iudgemēt of the sonder diuines specially of former ages Wherevnto for their sakes and not otherwise I haue thought it not much amise to yeeld 1 Cyprian in his fourth sermon touching mortality hath these words What place saith he is therefore for doubting or distrust who umongst these things can be fearefull or sorry vnles it be such a one as is voide of hope faith for to him it apprertaineth to feare death that vvould not goe to Christ And it belongeth to him not to bee vvilling to goe to Christ that doth not beleeue that he beginneth here euen in this vvorlde to raigne with Christ For it is written the iust doth liue by faith If thou art iust or righteous then thou liuest by faith If thou doest stedfastlye and rightlye beleeue in God vvhy shalt thou not bee vvith Christ and beeing assured concerning the Lords promise that thou shalt bee called vvhy doest thou not imbrace it c. And a little while after in the same sermon Now dearely beloued brethren this falleth out because you are voide of faith because no man beleeueth that those things shall come to passe which God promiseth who is him selfe true whose word is sure certen And a litle after Now God speaketh with thee and thou beeing whole in an vnbeleeuing minde fleetest to and fro and wauerest God vnto thee that art going out of this world promiseth immortality and euerlastingnesse And dost thou doubt This is not to know God c. 2 Chrysostome vpon these words of the Apostle to the Romaines By whome we haue accesse into this grace c. He spake wel saith he saying in which we stand For such grace hath no ende neither is it acquainted vvith bounds or borders And somewhat after For we must be assured not only of the things that are giuen vs or which vve haue receiued already but euen of the things to come and that as wel and certainly as of those that are giuen For men are vvont to glorie of and reioyce in those thinges vvhich they possesse already Wherefore sith the hope that wee haue of things to come is as firme and certaine as of the things that are giuen or we haue receiued already therefore he saith vve reioyce or glory in them 3 Augustine in his booke of meditation The assurance of all our faith saith he is in the precious bloode of Christ And againe writing vpon Psal 88 Christ shall raigne for euer in his saints god hath promised this if thou thinke it a smale matter knovve that God hath confirmed it with an oath Wherfore because the promise is sure and certaine not according vnto our deserts but according to his owne mercy no man ought with feare to be afraide or els to douht And againe in his 28. sermon concerning the sayings or words of the Lord c. All thy sinnes are forgiuen thee therefore he saith presume not vpon thy owne worke but vpon Christs fauour for by grace are ye saued saith the Apostle It is therfore a point of pride but of saith to set abroad the things that thou hast receiued it is not I say pride but deuotion 4 Hilarie vpon the fifth chapter of Mat. The kingdome of heauen which the Lord did then openly professe to be set in himselfe he will haue vs without any doubting of vncertaine wil to hope for because that othervvise there is no iustification by faith if our faith be doubtfull and vncertaine 5 Mazianzen in his consalotorie oration which he made for the calamitie or punishment of haile who knoweth saith he vvhether he vvill returne and repent and leaue a blessing behind him But I plainely knowe it and dare vndertake it if neede were to be a surety as a man may say for the diuine mercy 6 Bernard in his 6. sermon vpō the songe of songes And of a trueth vvhere is
bodie vnto the edifying of it selfe in loue And Cor. 2. We are rooted built in him and stablished in faith whereof all the body furnished and knit togeather by ioints and bandes increaseth with the increasing of God Lastly in as these sinnes doe not raign in me or ouer rule by that but that they are mastered and beaten downe by the grace of the spirit plentifully shed abroad in into my heart and powerfully prevailing against my corruption one while whilest it doth in a notable measure subdue iniquitie present in me and another while whilest after sinne committed it raiseth me vp to repeÌ„tance and amendement so that I lie not sleeping and snorting in sinne as the wicked but theese sinnes are through the mightie operation and working of the holy Chost daily by little and little more and more purged in me scoured from me in this life by beginning if I may so say here and by consummation perfection in the life that is to be reuealed 4 And therefore the assault that he maketh against vs is by an argumeÌ„t framed thus Innumerable men and women perish and are condemned as whom Christ and righteousnes doth no whit at all profit but thou art of that number as appeareth by this because thou art no whit better then they that worsest rather therefore thou art damned Hereunto I answer that the truth of this proposition I willingly consent vnto namely that innumerable persons perish and are condemned but yet with this exception that the cause thereof is not in any impotencie or weaknes of Christs death and righteousnes for that is of most large yea of infinite merit as hath bin shewed alreadie but by reason that they themselues doe not beleeue Fos as that is true in the faithfull which our Sauiour vttereth in a most vehement affirmation saying Ioh. 5. Verily verily I saie vnto you he that heareth my word and beleeueth in him that sent me hath euerlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but hath passed from death vnto life So that againe must be verified in the vnbeleeuers which he saith els where Ioh. 3.18 He that beleeueth not is coÌ„demned alreadie because he hath not beleeued in the name of the onely begotten sonne of God And for the minor I charge it with two faults first that it is false as when he saith thou art one of that number and very vncerten in the other words or if thou wilt reason of the assertion because thou art no whit better then they but worse rather For first when he saith I am one of them he doth not onely euill as in regard of himselfe taking Gods office vpon him to whom alone as vengeance so all true sound iudgement appertaineth but affirmeth falsly that which he can neuer prooue nay the contrarie whereof I am able to shewe and that not onely by mine owne iudgement which happily might be suspected in mine owne cause and yet speaking the truth I see no reason why I should not as well be beleeued for my selfe as Satan against me but euen from the testimonie and witnes of Gods holy word I know I am faithful and I am confirmed in the truth and certentie of the perswasion because I doe not in an euil or idle opinion but in true and certen faith lay hold of Christ and stay and settle my selfe wholly and onely vpon him This no heatheÌ„ Idolater can doe because he is not only without Christ but without God in the worlde This no Mahometist or Iewe can performe because they denye him and defie him from their heartes This no counterfeited or corrupt christian can accomplish For the false christian as papistes ioyne their workes at the least with him and the carnall professour in the corrupt course of his conuersation denies his power to mortification and sanctification Therefore I separated from all and euerye one of them in strength of perswasion in particular application and the fruites of faith and blessed obedience cannot perish But maye truelye and effectuallye saye that Christ Iesus dwelling in my hearte and making me fruitefull to good workes and I againe beeing thereby in him there is no condemnation to me nor anye such yea I am throughly and certainelye perswaded That neither life nor death heigth nor breadth thinges present nor thinges to come are able to separate me from the loue of God tovvards me vvhich is in Christ Iesus As for the vncertaintie of the coÌ„firmation it is apparant by this that though Sathan knowe vs all to bee tainted in AdaÌ„ yet he knoweth not in whom the power of corruption preuaileth most or more The wicked cannot discerne of them of another no not one of them well of their hearts as we see euen particularly by this that many times they are not only blind but senselesse also and yet a man would thinke that they should be as wel able either to know the heigth and hainousnesse of one anothers corruption or their owne as Sathan should bee acquainted with theirs And if Sathan cannot tell whether I bee worse then they he lesse knoweth whether I bee in anye measure of mercie better then they for by reason of the fulnesse of his owne corruption he can much better discerne of euill then any whit at all of good by reason of his aduersnesse and waye-wardnesse and vnto wardnesse thereto But be it as it may be we will yeeld him the hardest that I am such a one to wit by nature yet am I another man by grace and adoption which varieth the state And though I were in my selfe of my selfe no whit better then others nay I will say more worse then others if god be pleased to account otherwise of me what is that to Sathan sith God will haue mercy vpon whomsoeuer he will haue mercy wil cause me and others to feele and finde that true in our selues that the Apostle saith in the generall doctrine of the word where sin hath abounded there grace hath ouer abounded and freelye confesseth of himselfe that God had mercie on him the chiefe of all sinners And therfore I am so farre of from despâ—ire in my selfe though it be true that in that respect I may couer my face with shame that I may rather greatly comforte my selfe because in this life Gods fauour and good will doth not in any thing so plainely appeare as in the forgiuenesse of my sinns But Sathan will yet againe presse and vrge this further thus The faithfâ—â— verily are not damned but saued by Christ But thou art not faithfull or hast not faith therefore thou canst not be saued by Christ but must notwithstaÌ„ding for the want of thy faith remaine stil vnder condemnation For aunswer whereto I say still notwithstanding all thy oppositioÌ„s Sathan that I haue faith and doe beleeue And if thou wilt aske how I know it or can be assured of it I will shew thee Christ our Sauiour telleth vs that we shall know the tree by the fruite from the effects
way to good manners is neuer to late And shall we prescribe time meane matter or any thing els to the almightie God is able and will also at what time howe it pleaseth himselfe to call his owne my selfe amongst the rest He calleth some sooner and yet their state not much the better for that and some later and yet their condition not much the worse for that which our Sauiour himselfe declareth in the parable of them that were called at diuers time to worke in his vyneyard Mat. 20. where those that were called at the dawning of the day and at the third sixt ninth houre they murmured at this that they came at the eleuenth houre receiued as much as themselues which had borne the burden and heat of the day But what saith the Master of the vineyard Friends I haue done you no wrong take that which is your owne goe your waies I will giue vnto this last as much as vnto you And why doth he so but that we might see that to be true in himselfe which he saith of himselfe he will haue mercie on whome soeuer he will haue mercie and that in such a measure of mercie to as he not they shal thinke best yea he doth it to this end that we might finde that fulfilled in the world amongst his owne that he promiseth in his worde that vvhensoeuer it pleaseth him to shew mercy he vvill Yea and that that might be verified which followeth in the end of the parable the 1. shall be last the last first Nay wee will say more then this Euen in thē that are called late as we say ther are or do appeare many times more euident testimonies of faith saluation then in those that are called somewhat sooner For ouer besides that wee may say nothing of this that many forward at the first do not only hold slowly on but sometimes slippe back the very work it selfe and the plenty of grace that is shedde abroad into their heartes doth plainely shew that God alone and not man or meane hath wrought the thing and therfore al the glory therof as likewise thanks for it to be returned vnto him wheras if it were a worke of great continuance wee woulde or might seeme to ascribe it partly to length of time and partly to some other instruments or meanes vsed in the effecting thereof If any man doubt of this let him looke vpon the example of one of the theeues that was crucified with Christ Oh what a heauenly and holy ende made he and that not onely in rebuking euill in his lewd and wicked companion neither yet in iustifying the innocencie and clearenesse of our Sauiour but in calling vpon him and that from the bottome of his heart for mercie All which and specially this last are full of singular grace in regard of god and maruelous cōsorte in respect of vs. From whence also me thinke we may inferre that whosoeuer he bee that doeth but in the verie pinch of death feele these holy and heauenlie motions he may certainely assure himselfe of infallible testimonies of faith and by consequent also of eternall saluation because faith and euerlasting life are neuer sundred in gods children for the feeling of it in this life and the fruition of it in that which is to come And if in my death the feeling of these motions may yeeld me spirituall heauenly comfort why should they not also minister vnto me strong consolation at what time soeuer in my life god of his owne bountifull liberality maketh me a plentifull partaker thereof Besids all this Sathan that hath beene said I must and will tell thee one thing further not onely for the full confutation of that which thou obiectest but euen for the throwinge of thine owne dongue and filthinesse into thine owne face For howsoeuer in other things thou shewest thy selfe to bee a most subtill aduersarie yet therin I will from thy selfe take that that shall hinder me from yeelding if there were nothing else Is there any thing more grosse in the world then poperie which thou hast hatched and brought forth to behold this light Amongst poperie is there any pointe more detestable then that of mans merits Doth not this thy temptation openly vnder proppe and shore vp the ruinous bulwarke or butteresse If for the length of my calling I should be accepted shoulde not God bee mooued with worldly respects For my very calling it selfe though neuet so effectuall I am not respected but for gods free fauour and last cast vpon me in Christ and therefore not for the length of time wherein I am called For I may reason of my calling as I doe of other graces of god The faith that God hath wrought in me is an excellent grace and indeede the hand as it were to lay hold of eternall life and yet I am not saued for my faiths but for Gods mercie sake in Christ Iesus These graces of faith and feeling of vocation sanctification c. are bestowed vpon me and wrought in me not so much nay indeed no whit at all for the working of my saluation for that belongeth vnto Gods mercie and Christs merite as to pledge vp vnto me the certaintie assurance of that and all other graces that God is pleased freely of his owne accord to bestow vpon me other wretched that haue the gift to beleeue But Sathan presseth againe this pointe and frameth a new argument thus Thou thy selfe needest not heare thy selfe so bolde others that thought themselues as stronge as thou doest thy selfe haue fallen away Thou art but infirme and weake and maiest not onely slide and slipp but fall away from the grace of god loose the faith that thou hast Thou cāst not therefore at anye hand be sure of euerlasting life and the sauing of thy soule But I tell thee Sathan though I can be content thou shouldst humble me my selfe and of my selfe as lawe as thou canst and I knowe it also sometimes to be needfull by reason of the high conceits that flesh and blood carieth of it selfe yet thou shalt neuer take away the righteousnes frō me that the Lord hath giuē me nether wil I suffer him to be blasphemed that hath dealt so bountifully with me no though thou shouldst either in malice against me or in blasphemye against God write a booke much lesse shall these few and weak things ouerthrow my hope I tell thee therfore Satan that though I bee infirme and weake in my selfe and readie euerie minute of an houre to slippe and slide yea to fall yet I am strong in him that is the roote and fortresse yea the very God of my strength and power of whom I may say as Dauid saieth by the Lord I shall be inabled to leape ouer a vvall and he shall strengthen my hand and mine arme to breake a bow of brasse and concerning whose goodnesse towardes me I haue that sounding in my heart that was answered to the