well may the tempests of Sathans temptations shake vs but they shall neuer remoue vs from our firme hold and certaine assurance which wee haue in Christ because wee apprehend him nay rather are apprehended or taken hold of by him as the Apostle speaketh Phil. 3.12 Phil. 3.12 And no man no not the whole power of hell is able to plucke vs out of his hands as our Sauiour speaketh Iohn 10.28 For though they be mighty to destroy yet Christ is almightie to saue Ioh 10.28 Esa 63.1 as it is Esa 63.1 and therefore let vs not suffer our soules to be racked betweene hope and feare 1. Pet. 1.13 but let vs trust perfectly on the grace that is brought vnto vs by the reuelation of Iesus Christ as the Apostle exhorteth 1. Pet. 1.13 § Sect. 5 Lastly The certainty of faith proued by the examples of beleeuers that we may be most certaine of this certainty of faith we will adde to these testimonies some examples of beleeuers mentioned in Gods word And first let vs consider the faith of Abraham which was not wauering and doubtfull but most certaine and assured for aboue hope he beleeued vnder hope and hee was not weake in faith neither did hee doubt of the promise of God through vnbeleefe Rom. 4.18 19 20 21 22 23. but was strengthened in the faith and gaue glory vnto God being fully assured that hee which had promised was able to performe it and therefore it was imputed vnto him for righteousnesse as the Apostle setteth it downe Rom. 4.18 19 20 21 22. Now Abraham was not onely a bare beleeuer but the father of the faithfull neither was his faith propounded vnto vs as a wonder to admire at but as an example for all his sonnes to imitate And therefore it is said vers 23. That this is not written for him onely that his faith was imputed to him for righteousnesse 24. But also for vs to whom it shall be imputed for righteousnesse which beleeue in him who hath raised vp Iesus our Lord from the dead But it may be obiected that Abraham is not said here to beleeue thus certainely his owne election or saluation but that he should haue a sonne and become a father of many nations I answere though this were the next and immediat obiect of his faith yet this was not the chiefe and principall but the promise of blessednesse and happinesse which was made to him and all the nations of the earth in his seede Christ For Abraham could not bee iustified by beleeuing that he should haue a sonne but by beleeuing in the Messias which should come out of his loynes by whose righteousnesse and obedience he should be saued And therefore the Apostle Gal. 3.16 doth appropriate that promise made vnto Abraham Gal. 3.16 Gen. 22.18 Gen. 22.18 In thy seede shall all the nations of the earth bee blessed vnto the promised seede Iesus Christ Looke also vpon the prophet Dauid and you shall see that though his faith was often shaken with doubting yet in it selfe it remayned certaine like a tree shaken with the windes which is not ouerthrowne but taketh more firme and deepe roote Psalm 23.4 Psalm 23.4 Though I walke through the valley of the shadow of death I will feare no euill for thou art with mee So Psalm 27.1 Psalm 27.1 The Lord is my light and my saluation whom shall I feare The Lord is the strength of my life of whom shall I be afraide Neither had he onely this assurance in himselfe but sheweth that it is also the state of all the faithfull Psal 125.1 They that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Sion Psalm 125.1 which cannot be remoued but remaineth for euer So Iob in the middest of his afflictions sheweth his certaine assurance and faith saying Iob. 13.15 Iob. 13.15 and 19.25 26. Loe though hee slay mee yet will I trust in him And chap. 19.25 I am sure that my redeemer liueth and he shall stand the last on the earth 26. And though after this skinne wormes destroy this body yet shall I see God in my flesh c. And Paul speaking not onely of his owne assurance of Gods loue and euerlasting life but of all the faithfull saith that he is perswaded that nothing in the world should be able to separate vs from Gods loue in Christ Rom. 8.38 Rom. 8.38 § Sect. 6 And thus haue I shewed that faith is a certaine assurance of Gods loue and fauour in Christ That faith particularly perswadeth vs of our election Now I will also proue that it particularly perswadeth vs of our owne election and life euerlasting For first such a faith is begot now in our hearts by the Preaching of the word as was begot in the hearts of men by our Sauiour Christ himselfe for as there is but one God so there is but one true and iustifying faith Ephes 4.5 Ephes 4.5 but by that faith they were particularly perswaded of the remission of their sinnes and consequently of their iustification and saluation as appeareth Luke 7.42.50 where our Sauiour saith thus to the woman Luk. 7.48.50 Thy sinnes are forgiuen thee thy faith hath saued thee goe in peace So Matth. 9.2 he saith to the sicke of the Paulsie Be of good comfort Matth. 9.2 thy sinnes are forgiuen thee And therefore the faith which is now begot in vs by the Preaching of the word doth also particularly perswade vs of the remission of our sinnes and eternall saluation For as our Sauiour Christ by his owne absolute authoritie did remit the sinnes of those that did beleeue so he hath left this authoritie to his ministers not absolutely by their owne power to remit sinnes which the man of sinne doth chalenge vnto himselfe but to declare and pronounce their sinnes forgiuen who truly beleeue in the sonne of God and repent them of their sinnes the which their sentence is ratified in Heauen according to that Matth. 16.19 Matth. 16.19 I will giue vnto thee the keyes of the kingdome of Heauen and whatsoeuer thou shalt binde in earth shall be bound in Heauen and whatsoeuer thou shalt loose in earth shall be loosed in Heauen which authoritie is not giuen to Peter alone and his successors as the Papists dreame but as Peter answered not onely for himselfe but also in the behalfe of all the rest so he receiueth this power both for himselfe and for all the Apostles yea for all Gods true Ministers the vndoubted successors of the Apostles as our Sauiour expoundeth himselfe Iohn 20.23 where hee giueth this authoritie to all the Apostles saying Whose sinnes so euer yee remit they are remitted vnto them Ioh. 20.23 and whose sinnes so euer yee retaine they are retained So that the Ministers of Gods word by the Preaching thereof may assure men particularly of the remission of their sinnes for when he maketh this generall proposition whosoeuer beleeueth and repenteth him of his
that which is gathered from his owne worthinesse and workes he still doubteth whether yet he be worthy or haue fulfilled the measure of workes required and then further examining himselfe to cleare his doubt and finding his best workes exceeding imperfect and that his sinnes and corruptions are innumerable then is his conscience set vpon the racke and his soule plunged into deepe despaire hauing no other stay but the broken staffe of his owne righteousnesse which most deceiueth him when he most trusteth to it § Sect. 3 And that we may be confirmed against sathans temptations The points to be considered of in this controuersie and the subtill sophistrie of these his Doctors I will handle this poynt at large and will plainely proue first that the childe of God being conuerted iustified and sanctified may be certainely assured of his particular election and that without any speciall reuelation after an ordinarie manner Secondly I will shew the meanes whereby we may attaine vnto this assurance and the infallible signes of our election Lastly I will answere such obiections as are made against it by sathan and his adherents That we may be certainly assured of our election proued by the testimonies of the Scriptures Concerning the first namely that we may be certainely assured of our election and saluation it may be proued by testimonies of Scriptures and also by infallible reasons grounded vpon them For we must not thinke that we can haue this assurance by ascending into heauen and there searching into Gods secret decree but we must gather it out of Gods word wherein the Lord hath reuealed his will vnto vs and in regard hereof though Gods will in it selfe be secret so that we may aske who hath knowne the will of the Lord 1. Cor. 2.16 yet seeing the Lord hath reuealed his hidden will in his word we may say with Paul that we haue knowne the minde of Christ. Now this knowledge of Gods will concerning our election is not to be gathered out of the lawe as the Papists would haue it for by reason of the condition annexed to the promise of euerlasting life Doe this and liue it leaueth our consciences in perpetuall doubting nay rather in vtter desperation because we knowe that we are farre from the exact obedience thereof but out of the gracious promises of the Gospell The couenant of grace made to assure vs of our election freely made to euery one who beleeueth without any condition of our owne workes and worthinesse And therefore if wee beleeue the promises of the Gospell made in Christ we may be assured of our election and saluation though in our selues we are miserable sinners who haue transgressed all Gods commaundements for the couenant and promises of God made to Abraham and his seede was not through the lawe but through the righteousnesse of faith as it is Rom 4.13 and therefore it is by faith that it might come by grace and the promise might be sure not in selfe onely and in respect of the sufficiencie of Gods mercie and Christs merits as the Papists dreame but to all the seede that is to all that beleeue and be the children of Abraham who was the father of the faithfull both Iew and Gentill For otherwise we should haue no better assurance of saluation by the Gospell than by the Law for euen the promise of the Law was most sure in it selfe and on Gods part yet not sure to vs who could not perfourme the condition and therefore the Lord made a new couenant not of workes but of grace onely on the condition of faith that so the promise might be sure not onely in it selfe and on Gods behalf but also vnto vs who are Abrahams seede that is true beleeuers as appeareth Rom. 4.16 And this also notably appeareth Heb. 6.17.18 where the Apostle saith Rom. 4.16 Heb. 6.17.18 that God willing more abundantly to shew vnto the heires of promise the stablenes of his counsaile bound himselfe by an oath 18. That by two immutable things wherein it is impossible that God should lie wee might haue strong consolation which haue our refuge to hold fast the hope that is set before vs 19. Which we haue as an anchor of the soule both sure and stedfast In which words the Apostle plainly sheweth that the Lord hath added his oath to his promise not to the end that in it self it should be confirmed or needed any confirmation on Gods part for his bare word is yea and Amen so infallible and sure that though heauen and earth passe away and perish yet not one iot or title of his word shall faile till all things be fulfilled but to the end that we to whom the promises are made Mat. 5.18 might be assured of the stablenesse of his counsaile and thereby receiue strong consolation and might rest our soules in the tempests of temptations vpon firme hope as it were vpon a stedfast and sure anchor Now what stabilitie what strong consolation what stedfastnesse of hope if wee are still vncertaine of our election sometimes hoping as when wee looke vpon Gods mercie and Christs merits and sometimes doubting as when wee looke vpon our owne sinnes and vnworthinesse For what is this but to be shaken from our anchor hold and to be tossed vp and downe with the waues of doubting till at last wee dash against the rockes of despaire and so make shipwrack of our soules § Sect. 4 And thus you see that the couenant of grace was therefore made with vs Particular testimonies prouing this point that wee might be assured of our election and that the whole Gospell is nothing els but Gods ambassage whereby he certifieth vs of his free and vndeserued loue in Iesus Christ but let vs further consider of some speciall testimonies whereby this assurance is confirmed Rom. 5.1 it is said Rom. 5.1 that being iustified by faith wee haue peace towards God through our Lord Iesus Christ But what peace can we haue if wee be not assured of our election but haue our mindes distracted and racked betweene faith and doubting hope and despaire Rom. 8.38 the Apostle professeth Rom. 8.38 that he is perswaded that neither death nor life nor angels nor principalities c. nor any other creature should be able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. It is true wil the tempter say that Paul had this assurance of his election and saluation but it was by some speciall reuelation and nor ordinarily and therefore it followeth not hereof that euery particular Christian can haue this assurance I answere that the Apostle groundeth not his faith on reuelations in that place but on a foundation common to him with all true Christians namely on the death of Christ vers 32. Vers 23.33.34 on Gods free iustification ver 33. and vpon Christs intercession ver 34. and from hence hee confirmeth his and our resolution that nothing should separate vs
not how to pray as we ought the spirit it selfe helpeth our infirmities and maketh request for vs with sighes which cannot be expressed But God who scarcheth the hearts knoweth what is the meaning of the spirit for he maketh request for the Saints according to the will of God As the Apostle speaketh Rom. 8.26.27 who therefore can doubt of obtaining his suite euen the remission of his sinnes and reconciliation with God seeing his suite is framed and indited by Gods spirit and consequently is most wise iust and as the Apostle saith according to the will of God yea it is sollicited and followed with great earnestnesse by the same spirit and therefore our suite being wise iust and framed by the spirit according to the will of God and by the same spirite in most earnest manner sollicited and furthered there is no question but wee shall obtaine it CHAP. XXXVI Other reasons to perswade the weake Christian of the remission of his sinnes § Sect. 1 ANd these are the reasons which may be drawn from euery of the persons of the Trinitie 1. That wee are to beleeue the remission of our sinnes because it is an article of our Creede to assure vs of the remission of our sinnes to which we may ad diuers others First the beleeuing of the remission of our sinnes in an article of our Creede which we doe daily confesse and professe which is not left vnto our choise to beleeue or not to beleeue but as we confesse it with the mouth so we are boūd to beleeue it with the heart if we would be reckoned in the number of Christians Why then should we doubt of that which we are bound to performe and if wee doe not wee grieuously sinne through infidelitie which is more daungerous damnable then all our other sins whatsoeuer And therefore though there were no other reason to mooue vs though our hainous and manifold sinnes should make it seeme vnto vs neuer so incredible yet let vs set aside all impediments and breake through the violence of all obiections and beleeue in obedience to Gods commaundements and because it is our dutie the performance whereof is very acceptable vnto God and the neglect whereof is a sinne most daungerous and damnable Which that we may perfourme let vs carefully obserue the condition of the couenant of grace that is let vs rest and rely vpon Christ Iesus alone for our saluation by a liuely faith and turne vnto God by vnfained repentance and then there is no place left to doubting of that which in dutie we are bound to beleeue § Sect. 2 Secondly the afflicted soule labouring vnder sinne may receiue no small assurance by the testimonie of Gods faithfull ministers 2. The testimonie of Gods faithfull ministers Matth. 16. for the keyes of the kingdome of heauen are committed vnto them and they haue power giuen them of God here on earth to bind and loose not as though they could by their owne authoritie and in their owne name giue pardon of sinnes to whom they list as the papists teach and practise for this is proper and peculiar vnto God alone as euen the Pharises well knew whereof it was that seeing our Sauiour Christ take vpon him to forgiue sinnes whom they imagined to bee a meere man they affirmed that he blasphemed For who say they can forgiue sinne but God onely but they haue authoritie giuen them of God vpon due examination and tryall of their faith by the fruites thereof vnfained repentance certainely to declare and pronounce vnto them that their sinnes are forgiuen Whosoeuer therefore haue this testimonie of Gods faithful ministers who are well acquainted with their estates giuen vnto thē they may assure themselues that it is vndoubtedly true and most certaine for who is it that dare oppose himselfe and contradict the testimonie of Gods spirite in the mouth of so many his faithfull ambassadours who dare bee so presumptuous as to take vppon him the discerning of his state better then the ministers of God who being appointed of God to this function are indued with a great measure of his spirit whereby they are inabled to discerne and iudge of mens estates better then they themselues for he that is spiritual discerneth all things and is made acquainted with the mind of Christ as the Apostle speaketh 1. Cor 2.15.16 And therefore if diuers of Gods faithfull ministers with one consent pronounce vnto any paenitent sinner the remission of their sinnes and assure them after the examination of their estate that they are in the loue and fauour of God it should be vnto them ten thousand times more forcible an argument to perswade thē to confirme their faith in the assurāce of Gods loue then the cōtrarie testimonie of Sathan or their timorous vnbeleeuing flesh to moue them to doubting thereof if our bodies be sicke we committ our selues to the skill and care of the phisition and good reason because wee knowe he is better able to discerne of our estate then we our selues and beleeuing his iudgment to bee good wee suffer him to applie such remedies as hee thinketh most fitt why then should wee not committ the discerning of our estate to the phisition of the soule no lesse careful and in this respect much more skilful for the others rules in some patients may faile him but the grounds whereupon the spirituall physition buildeth are most infallible being the vndoubted truth of God Why should we not rather beleeue their often approoued iudgment then our owne timorous phantasies or Sathans testimonie who is our malitious enemie § Sect. 3 Thirdly the afflicted soule may gather assurance of the remission of sinnes from the contrarie testimonie of the diuel The 3. Reason drawne from the contrarie testimonie of Sathan For when ther is any suggestion cast into our mindes which is repugnant to the word of God and the testimonie of Gods spirit in the heartes of the faithfull we may assure our selues that it is the speech of Sathan or of our corrupt fleshe the messenger of Sathan both which come to one end but those motiues and suggestions that God will not receiue vs to mercie that our sinnes are vnpardonable that wee are reprobates and castawayes that now it is too late to turne vnto God proceed not from Gods spirit for they are quite contrarie to that which the scriptures teach vs namely that the mercies of God are infinite and hee alwaies readie to receiue vs to grace when we turne vnto him that if we wil earnestly repent and in the mediation of Christ sue for mercie hee will make our scarlet sinnes as white as snow that it is neuer to late to turne vnto God for if wee repent hee hath promised to remit our sins and to receiue vs into his fauour Neither are wee to imagine that the testimonie of Gods spirit in our consciences is contrarie to the testimonie of the same spirit in the holy scriptures and therefore seeing these suggestions
cause of our mortification which is the vertue and efficacie of Christs death and buriall Rom. 6.4.5 communicated and applied vnto vs by the spirit of God whereby wee are ingrafted into the body of Christ and so made partakers of the power and vertue of Christs death which being deriued vnto vs doth not onely take away the guilt and punishment of sinne but also doth mortifie and kill our naturall corruptions which heretofore wholy ruled and ouerswaied vs. Secondly the forme manner and progresse of this worke is here expressed namely the weakning subduing and killing of our corruption by little and little so that this worke is not perfected at once and in an instant but by degrees first it is weakned and the power thereof somewhat abated so as though it beare sway in vs yet it doth not wholy ouerrule vs without resistance as it was vsed to doe in the time of our ignorance then being further enabled by vertue of Gods spirit working in vs we preuaile against it so that though it often rebell yet doe we subdue it and obtaine victorie Lastly obtaining a greater measure of the spirit we mortifie and kill it that is though we doe not vtterly depriue it of life and motion yet we giue it such a deadly wound that it neuer recouereth his former strength but still pineth and languisheth till with the death of the bodie it also dieth and is wholy abolished Now whilest it is in this consumption and neere vnto death hauing a long time before been weake oftentimes it seemeth to recouer strength and to offer some violence vnto the regenerat part but this must not discourage vs as though now it were on the mending hand and like to be restored to it former health and strength for as it fareth with those that lie vpon their deathbead so it is with our sicke flesh and the corruptions thereof after that nature seemeth spent and the power thereof wholy decayed oftentimes falling into some grieuous fit wherein there is a fight betweene life and death their strength seemeth redoubled and farre greater than euer it was but bee of good comfort it is no signe of health but a pange of death which neare approacheth And thus you see the death of sinne and our naturall corruption Now as in the death of the body there is a certaine progresse therein namely when the dead carcase is also buried so also there is not only a death of sinne Rom. 6.4 Col. 2.12 and 3.3.5 but also a buriall the which is wrought by the vertue of Christs buriall applied vnto vs by Gods spirit whereby it commeth to passe that sinne which is already slaine and dead doth so remaine and continue so that this buriall of sinne is nothing else but the further progresse and continuance of our mortification Of this the Apostle speaketh Rom. 6.4 Rom. 6.4 We are buried then with him by baptisme into his death c. So Col. 2.12 § Sect. 3 And thus haue I shewed what our mortification is That the worke of mortification is hard and necessarie which as it is a worke most hard so also most necessary the difficulty appeareth by the name which is borrowed from the practise of Chirurgeons who before they cut off any member doe first mortifie it that after they may take it away with lesse sense of paine And this is implyed by our Sauiour Christ whereas hee inioyneth vs if our right hand or eye offend vs to cut it off and plucke it out and plainely expressed by the Apostle Paul Col. 3.5 Mortifie therefore your members which are in the earth fornication vncleanenesse Col. 3.5 the inordinate affection euill concupiscence and couetousnesse c. where calling these sinnes by the name of members he intimateth thus much that they are as deare vnto vs as the members of our body and also that it is as vnpleasant and painefull vnto vs to forsake our naturall corruptions as to be depriued of the hand eye or foote But though this worke be most hard yet it is most necessary for the best things that are in the flesh and vnregenerate part euen the wisedome thereof is death and enmitie against God Rom. 8.6 7 8. because it is not subiect to the lawe of God neither in deede can be Rom. 8.6 7. neither can we doe any thing pleasing vnto God so long as we are in the flesh as it is verse 8. Lastly if we liue after the flesh we shall dye euen the euerlasting death of body and soule but if wee mortifie the deeds of the body by the spirit wee shall liue euen the life of holinesse and righteousnesse vpon earth and the life of glory and eternall happinesse in Gods kingdome And therefore if it be necessary to be in amitie with God whose louing kindnesse is better than life Psalm 63.4 or to performe obedience vnto the lawe of God or to doe any thing pleasing in his sight or to escape death and damnation or to inioy life and eternall saluation then is it also necessarie to mortifie the flesh and the lusts thereof how hard and vnpleasant soeuer this worke seemeth vnto vs. So that the difficulty must not discourage vs but rather double our diligence and because it is a paine intollerable to part with our sinnes so long as they remaine like liuely members of the body of our flesh therefore as Chirurgians to make the paine tollerable to the patient doe first vse meanes to mortifie themember which they purpose to cut off so let vs vse all good meanes to weaken the strength of sinne and to mortifie our carnall affections and then we shall suffer them to be quite cut off and taken from vs without any extraordinarie passion or sense of paine § Sect. 4 And so much concerning our mortification Of Viuification what it is and the causes thereof wherein the spirit of God communicating and applying vnto vs the vertue and efficacie of Christs resurrection doth raise vs vp from the death of sinne to holinesse and newnesse of life The cause of our viuification is the vertue and efficacie of Christs resurrection applied vnto vs by Gods spirit the which vertue flowing from his deitie was first powerfull in his owne flesh raising it out of graue and giuing it victorie ouer sinne and death and being deriued from our head and communicated vnto vs who are members of his body it doth also reuiue vs who were dead in our sinnes and inableth vs to leade a new life in holinesse and righteousnesse according to the rule of Gods word This appeareth Rom. 6.4 where he saith that we are buried with him by baptisme into his death that like as Christ was raised vp from the dead by the glory of the father so we also should walke in newnesse of life Phili 3.10.11 So Philip. 3.10 11. where Paul desireth not onely to bee clothed with the righteousnesse of Christ applied by faith for his iustification but also to know and