first of that which is insensible 483 CHAP. XXXIX Of that hardnes of hart which is ioyned with sense and feeling thereof 487 Consolations for such as bewaile their imperfections in hearing the word 491 CHAP. XL. Consolations for such as bewaile their wants in prayer 495 CHAP. XLI Of the infallible signes of true repentance 504 That the assurance of the remission of sinnes dependeth not on the dignitie of repentance 511 CHAP. XLII How wee may proue against Sathans temptations that wee haue true faith 513 Of the diuers degrees of faith 515 CHAP. XLIII Sathans temptations grounded vpon our want of sense and feeling of faith answered 525 CHAP. XLIIII How the weake Christian is to comfort himselfe when he is depriued of the sense of faith and other graces and sensibly feeleth the contrary corruptions 529 CHAP. XLV Of the meanes whereby our faith may be strengthened and increased 537 Of the meanes whereby we may be preserued from doubting and desperation 541 CHAP. XLVI Sathans temptations concerning smalnesse and weaknes of faith answered 549 That a weake and small faith may be a true and liuely faith 550 That all the power of hell cannot preuaile against the smallest measure of faith 551 CHAP. XLVII Sathans temptation concerning the certaintie and constancie of faith answered 554 Sathans temptation grounded on the strong faith of other of Gods children answered 555 That God both can and will vphold the weakest beleeuer 559 CHAP. XLVIII Of our iustification what it is and the causes parts therof 563 CHAP. XLIX That we are not iustified by our workes and merits prooued first by the scriptures 570 Secondly by diuers arguments 576 CHAP. L. That faith alone iustifietth how this is to be vnderstood 577 That faith alone iustifieth proued both by testimonies and reasons 579 That not our owne but Christs righteousnesse is the matter of our iustification 581 CHAP. LI. Sathans temptations mouing the weake Christian to doubt of his iustification answered 586 THE CONTENTS OF THE third Booke CHAP. I. Of sanctification what it is and the causes thereof 592 CHAP. II. Of the effects subiect obiect and time of our sanctification 598 CHAP. III. Of the parts of sanctification mortification and viuification and how they are wrought in vs. 602 CHAP. IIII. Sathans temptations whereby he inticeth vs to commit sinne answered 608 Many reasons seruing as preseruatiues to keepe vs from the contagion of sinne 610 CHAP V. Of the two sorts of preseruatiues to keepe vs from falling into sinne 616 CHAP. VI. Of some speciall meanes whereby we may be preserued from committing sinne 621 CHAP. VII Sathans temptations whereby hee discourageth the Christian in the worke of sanctification answered 624 That in the most sanctified remaine some reliques of sinne and the causes thereof 624 That our wants and corruptions should not discourage vs but redouble our care and diligence 627 Consolations to keepe vs from being discouraged when we see and feele our wants and corruptions 628 The causes wherefore God doth not perfectly sanctifie vs in this life 631 CHAP. VIII Sathans temptations drawne from our slow going forward in sanctification answered 636 CHAP. IX Sathans temptations whereby he aggrauateth our sinnes in generall answered 640 What it is to walke after the flesh and after the spirit 642 The differences betweene the sinnes of the regenerate and the vnregenerate 643 CHAP. X. That sinnes committed after repentance are pardonable 645 That all sinnes of knowledge are not presumptuous 647 That sinnes committed against knowledge are pardonable 648 Of sinnes often committed 651 CHAP. XI Sathans temptations whereby he perswadeth the Christian that he hath sinned against the holy Ghost answered 653 What the sinne against the holy Ghost is and how it may be distinguished from other sinnes 654 CHAP. XII Sathans temptations whereby he impugneth the certaintie of our perseuerance answered 656 Diuers arguments to prooue the certaintie of our perseuerance 659 FINIS THE FIRST BOOKE INTREATING OF THE POWER and policies of our spirituall enemies and of the meanes how we may withstand the one and defeate the other CHAP. I. That all the godly are assaulted with the spirituall enemies of their saluation § Sect. 1 THE Apostle hauing shewed the mysterie of our saluation and the causes thereof for the confirmation of our faith in the three first chapters of his Epistle to the Ephesians and afterwards in the other chapters hauing set downe diuers duties both generally belonging to all Christians and also particularly appertaining to men of sundrie conditions that he might moue them to repentance and amendment of life in the next place like the Lords Centinell doth discouer and giue vs warning of the approch of mighty enemies willing vs to arme our selues at all points in our owne defence and couragiously to stand vnder the standerd of Christ Iesus that we may be continually in readines to endure the encounter chap. 6.10 11 c. All that will liue like Gods seruants must prepare themselues for the spirituall combat Whereby he giueth vs to vnderstand that as soone as we seeke for assurance of saluation in Christ and endeuour to serue the Lord in a holie and a Christian life wee are to prepare our selues for a combat vnlesse we would suddenly be surprised for the spiritual enemies of our saluation bandie themselues against vs as soone as we haue giuen our names vnto God and taken vpon vs the profession and practise of Christianitie which are the liuerie and cognisance of our heauenly Lord and Master And this is manifest by the example of Gods children from time to tim◠〈…〉 though they liued in peace and securitie before thâ—◠〈…〉 tained into Gods familie yet no sooner were 〈◊〉 â—itted to be of Gods household seruants but Sathan and the world haue raged against them laboring both by inward temptations and outward furie either to withdraw them from Gods seruice by flattring inticements or vtterly to destroy and ouerthrow them by open violence No sooner had Abel offered a sacrifice of sweete smelling sauour vnto God Gen. 4. but Sathan stirreth vp Cain to become his butcher whilest Moses was contented to be reputed the sonne of Pharaohs daughter he enioyed all prosperitie but as soone as hee ioyned himselfe to Gods people and Church Pharaoh seeketh his life as long as the Israelites worshipped the Egyptian Idols they sate by their flesh-pots in peace and quietly enioyed the fruites of the land but as soone as they made but a motion of seruing the Lord the King stirred vp by the diuell doth rage against them with more then barbarous crueltie whilest Paul persecuted the Church of God Sathan did not so much trouble him either outwardly in bodie or inwardly in minde but no sooner was he truly conuerted to the faith and preached the Gospell but presently he setteth his wicked impes on worke to take away his life which the Lord not permitting he mooueth them to persecute him by imprisoning whipping and stoning him and not content
alreadie plainely proued though we neuer haue any speciall reuelation And therefore without any such particular reuelation we may attaine vnto the certaine assurance that we are iustified in Gods sight Thirdly that which the Gospell assureth vs of we neede not to make any doubt thereof or once call it into question but the Gospell assureth vs that whosoeuer beleeueth in Christ Iesus and truely repent them of their sinnes shall be made partakers of all the gracious promises of life and saluation therein contained So Ioh. 3.16 Ioh. 3.16 God so loued the world that he hath giuen his onely begotten sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life And chap. 5.24 Ioh. 5.24 Verely verely I say vnto you he that heareth my word and beleeueth him that sent me hath euerlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but hath passed from death to life Matth. 11.28 And Matth. 11.28 Come vnto me all ye that labour and are laden and I will ease you And therefore whosoeuer beleeue in Iesus Christ approuing their faith to the world and their owne consciences to bee true and vnfained by the fruite thereof vnfained repentance he may assure himselfe of all the gratious promifes of the Gospell and consequently of the remission of his sinnes and his iustification for the merits and righteousnesse of Iesus Christ Lastly the Lord hath not onely after a generall manner propounded these promises vnto vs and left vs to our owne libertie to beleeue or not to beleeue them but hee hath bound vs to the performance of this dutie by his expresse commaundement Mark 1.15 1. Ioh. 3.23 Mark 1.15 Repent and beleeue the Gospell And 1. Ioh. 3.23 This is his commaundement that we beleeue in his sonne Iesus Christ that is that we doe not onely after a generall manner beleeue that he is the sauiour of mankinde but that we beleeue that he is our sauiour who hath redeemed iustified and wil most perfectly saue vs and rest wholy vpon him alone for our saluation And he that thus beleeueth needeth no other arguments to assure him that he is iustified and shall be saued for he hath the witnesse in himselfe euen the testimonie of Gods spirit crying in his heart Abba father and bearing witnesse vnto his spirit that he is the childe of God and not to beleeue this is to make God a lyer because wee will not beleeue the record that hee hath witnessed of that his sonne 1. Ioh. 5. 10. as the Apostle speaketh 1. Ioh. 5.10 Yea as before I haue shewed at large he hath added vnto the hand writing of his word which containeth also his oath for our better confirmation his sacraments whereby he particularly conuayeth and giueth vnto euery beleeuer as it were proper possession of Christ Iesus and all his benefits to the end that there should bee no place left to doubting nor any neede of any particular reuelation for our further assurance § Sect. 2 Secondly Sathan will suggest that those who are iustified are made iust That we are made iust not by infusion but by imputation of righteousnes and those who are made iust doe continually the workes of righteousnesse but thou will he say to the humbled sinner continuest still in thy corruptions and thy wickednesse cleaueth fast to thee and compasseth thee about and in stead of doing the workes of righteousnesse thou continually heapest vp the full measure of thy sinnes yea thy best actions are so stained with imperfections and so full of infirmities that they iustly prouoke Gods wrath against thee To which we must answere that indeede whosoeuer is iustified is made iust but not by infusion of inherent righteousnesse into our selues but by imputation of Christs most perfect righteousnesse as before I haue shewed for hereby our sinnes are pardoned he hauing taken them vpon himselfe and satisfied Gods iustice by suffering those punishments which wee had deserued and also he hath perfectly fulfilled the law that hee might make vs partakers of his actiue obedience and so imputing both vnto vs hath made vs perfectly iust and righteous in Gods sight So that now the Lord doth not require obedience to his law at our hands to the end that wee should be iustified in whole or in part by our owne righteousnesse neither are we to this end to obserue Gods commandements that we may offer vnto God our workes and inherent righteousnesse desiring thereby to be iustified for as I haue shewed our best righteousnesse is imperfect and mingled with manifold corruptions so as it would rather condemne vs then iustifie vs if the Lord should examine it according to the exact rule of his most perfect iustice but we offer vnto God for our iustification the most perfect righteousnesse and full satisfaction of Iesus Christ which by his merits and sufferings he hath once made for vs desiring thereby wholy and onely to be iustified and saued § Sect. 3 As for our workes and inherent righteousnesse That our works are not causes but effects of our iustification they are not causes but effects and fruites of our iustification neither is it possible that we should doe any good worke acceptable in Gods sight till we are iustified and reconciled vnto God in Iesus Christ for our workes cannot please him till our persons please him and whatsoeuer we doe before faith hath purified the heart it is sinne and odious in the sight of God but as soone as we haue faith begotten in vs presently it apprehendeth Christ and his righteousnes whereby we are iustified and then being iustified faith worketh by loue and bringeth forth in vs the fruites of sanctification which though they bee mingled with much corruption and manifold imperfections yet God in Christ accepteth of them as perfect and will crowne them with glorie and immortalitie That now the Lord doth not require of vs perfect righteousnesse Neither doth the Lord now require of vs that wee perfectly at once shake off all our corruptions but that we labour as much as in vs lieth to mortifie and subdue them according to the measure of his grace and holy spirit which he hath bestowed on vs he doth not straightly commaund that we should instantly banish and expell sinne from dwelling in vs but that we doe not suffer it to raigne in vs nor willingly obey the flesh in the lusts thereof submitting our selues vnto sinne as seruants and vassals to their Lord and maister he doth not inioyne vs that we should wholy vanquish our corruptions and obtaine a full victorie ouer them but that we proclaime open warres against them and manfully fight and striue vnder the conduct of his spirit against the flesh and the sinfull lusts thereof and when we are taken captiue of sinne that we labour to attaine vnto our former freedome in the meane time sorrowing and groning vnder the heauie waight of our corruptions and crying out with the Apostle Rom. 7. wretched man that
be refuted and repelled CHAP. I. Answeres to those temptations of Sathan whereby he perswadeth carnall men of Gods loue § Sect. 1 ANd so much concerning the common affections of the Christian conflict That Sathans temptations impugne all the causes and meanes of our saluation namely his manfull withstanding Sathans encounters and also his fainting and falling into sinne Now we are to speake of the speciall temptations themselues and the meanes whereby wee may be strengthened against them Where first wee are to consider that Sathans temptations are not alwaies one and the same neither impugne one or two points onely of our faith and religion but as the causes and the meanes of our saluation are manifold so also doth he gather manifold obiections against euerie one of them if they truly appertaine vnto vs that so hee may impugne and race our faith or els doth fill vs with vaine presumption perswading vs that all the causes and meanes of saluation concurre together in vs when as in truth wee are voide and destitute of them all Let vs therefore consider of the seuerall causes of our saluation and obserue what temptations Sathan suggesteth in our minds against euery one of them The first and principall cause of our saluation is Gods eternall loue and immutable goodwill wherewith he hath loued his creatures from before the foundations of the world were laid the which loue and goodwill in himselfe did moue him to elect them to saluation whom he so loued without any deserts in themselues for how could they deserue any thing at Gods hath before they were or what good could the Lord foresee in them but that which in his eternall counsaile hee purposed to bestow and impart vnto them Sathans temptation whereby he perswadeth carnall men that they are beloued of God First therefore we will speake of those temptations which concerne the loue of God toward vs which are of two sorts the first leading vs to vaine presumption and carnall securitie the other to horrour and desperation For if Sathan see men liuing in carnall securitie frozen in the dregges of their sinnes so as in truth there is no signe that they are beloued of God he will perswade them that they are highly in his fauour and loue and therefore though they runne on in their wicked courses yet they shall be saued Doest thou not perceiue will he say that God dearely loueth thee Why consider that hee hath made thee one of his chiefest creatures whereas otherwise hee would haue made thee a toade or serpent he hath also like a tender father preserued and nourished thee from thy infancie and which is more he hath sent his dearely beloued sonne to die for thee and hee hath made choise of thee amongst many others to be a member of his Church where thou inioyest the preaching of the Gospell and the vse of the Sacraments to the end thou maist be assured of thy saluation without all question or doubting Neuer therefore take care nor trouble thy selfe concerning thy saluation vse not such strictnes and precisenes of life but take thy pleasure and follow those delights which the Lord hath bestowed vpon thee as pledges of his loue for thou art not now a slaue but a sonne and therefore maist more freely follow thine owne desire and vse thy libertie cast away all seruile feare which maketh thee take such paines in vsing all meanes whereby thou maist be assured of saluation for thou art assured of the principall namely of Gods loue and therefore thou needest not to doubt of the rest nor to debarre thy selfe of thy pleasures spending thy time in feare and care to the end thou maist get the assurance of that which thou needest not to call into question The answere to the former temptation And thus doth the diuell fill men with presumption and lull them asleepe in carnal securitie to their vtter destruction and therefore it behooueth vs to arme our selues against him that we be not circumuented And to this end let vs consider that Gods loue goeth not alone neither is it idle in those whom he loueth but as the first linke of a chaine draweth all the rest of the chaine with it so the loue of God which is the first cause of our saluation is accompanied with all the other causes which are subordinate thereunto for whom God loueth them he electeth whom he electeth those in his good time he calleth whom hee effectually calleth them he iustifieth and whom he iustifieth those hee sanctifieth if therefore we be not sanctified we are not iustified if wee are not iustified we are not called if we are not called we can haue no assurance that wee are elected nor yet of Gods loue and fauour and consequently whosoeuer liue in their blind ignorance in their infidelitie and wallow themselues in the filthie puddle of their sinnes without any true sorrow for those which are past or any good purpose of heart to forsake them in the time to come they can haue no assurance of Gods loue but are rather iustly to feare least they are in the number of those whom the Lord hath eternally reiected if they continue in this their miserable and desperate estate § Sect. 2 Neither let Sathan bewitch them with that vaine opinion of Gods loue towards them Temporall benefits no infallible signes of Gods loue because of those generall benefits which like the raine and Sunne-shine are bestowed both vpon the good and bad for what in this respect can they promise more to themselues than Esau and Saul Were not they created men according to Gods own likenes were they not preseured and nourished by God and that more liberally than many Gods owne children For Esau had so much the he professed to his brother Iacob that he had enough and was attended vpon by foure hundred men And was not Saul a mightie King who had all at commaund Were not all these in the Church of God and outwardly enioyed the word and Sacraments as well as any other and yet God himself saith that he hated Esau and had reiected Saul And therefore let vs neuer bragge of our assurance of Gods loue because of these outward and common benefits which he indifferently bestoweth both vpon the elect and reprobate but if we would be assured indeed of Gods loue let vs looke into our selues and consider if he haue bestowed vpon vs his spirituall graces faith hope patience loue of him and our brethren true repentance for our sinnes and holinesse of life and the rest and then by the fruites of sanctification we may be assured that we are sanctified and consequently iustified called elected and eternally loued of God § Sect. 3 And thus doth Sathan falsely perswade the carnall man that he is highly in the loue and fauour of God How Sathan perswadeth weake christians that thâ—y are not belouâ— of God but contrariwise when he assaulteth the weake Christian hee changeth his copie and goeth about to perswade him
3 But as this temptation is foolish Sathans temptation grounded vpon the vnchangeablenesse of Gods decree false and impious so also it is false for whereas he saith that though we liue in our sinnes without repentance yet we may be elected and therefore shall be saued and though we take neuer so great paines in Gods seruice and most carefully indeauour to spend our liues in holinesse and righteousnesse yet we may be reprobates and therefore shall bee condemned this is vtterly vntrue for whomsoeuer the Lord hath ordained to euerlasting life those also he hath ordained to vse the meanes whereby they may be saued and consequently whosoeuer carefully vse these meanes may be assured of their saluation whosoeuer neglect and despise these meanes they manifestly declare that they are not in the number of the elect so long as they continue in their neglect and contempt for the end and the meanes tending to the end are inseparably ioyned in Gods decree so that they who vse the one shall obtaine the other they who neglect and contemne the meanes shall neuer attaine vnto the end The end of Gods election two fold Eph. 1.5.6 Now the end of Gods election is two fould The chiefe and principall is his owne glorie as appeareth Ephes 1.5.6 Who hath predestinate vs to bee adopted through Iesus Christ vnto himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will to the praise of the glorie of his grace And this end the Lord will not suffer to be frustrate for his glorie shall shine in all his elect and therefore we also are most carefully to labour that we may further this end for the more that the praise of Gods mercie doth shine in vs the better assurance we haue of our election And seeing God is most glorified when as our lights shine brightest before men in a godly and christian life Mat. 6.16 1. Pet. 2.21 therefore let vs be most carefull to spend our time in holinesse and righteousnesse that thereby we may glorifie our heauenly father and also make our owne election sure Eph. 1.4 for he hath chosen vs that we should be holy and therefore if we be holy it is a most certaine signe that he hath chosen vs. The second end of Gods election The second end of Gods election is the saluation of his elect for the iust accomplishing whereof he hath preordained diuers subordinate causes or meanes which are the inseparable effects and fruites of his election all which are so linked one with another as that the precedent meanes is the cause of that which next in order followeth and Gods decree the cause of all The effects of Gods election which are the subordinate causes or meanes of our saluation are principally three Vocation Iustification and Sanctification By vocation we are separated from the world made members of the Church ingrafted in to the body of Christ and this is ordinarily done by the preaching of the word being made effectual by the inward operation of Gods spirit or extraordinarily by some other meanes or immdiately by the illumination of the holy Ghost In our iustification we haue the pardon and remission of all our sinnes by vertue of Christs merit and are adorned with his righteousnesse imputed vnto vs and this is done principally by God himselfe instrumentally by a liuely faith Our sanctification consisteth in our dying to sin and rising vp to newnes of life which is begun increased and finished in vs by Gods spirit Whosoeuer therefore are predestinate to saluation they also are effectually called that is separate from the world and ingrafted into the body of Christ and this they attaine vnto by diligent and attentiue hearing of the word Whosoeuer are effectually called are also iustified and therefore haue obtained a true and liuely faith Whosoeuer are iustified are also sanctified that is die vnto their sinnes and rise againe to newnes of life and consequently whosoeuer are still meere worldlings and no true members of Christs bodie as all those are who make no conscience of hearing Gods word diligently reuerently and attentiuely nor of treasuring it vp in their hearts they are not truly called whosoeuer haue not Christs righteousnesse and obedience imputed and applied vnto them which none haue that are destitute of a true and fruitfull faith are not iustified whosoeuer liue in their sinnes without repentance without any earnest desire and hartie endeuour of seruing the Lord in holinesse and righteousnesse of life are not sanctified and whosoeuer are not called iustified and sanctified shall neuer be saued for the end and the meanes tending thereunto are ioyned together in Gods predestination So that where the one is there the other is where the one neuer is there the other shall euer be wanting And therefore as by our sanctification iustification and vocation wee may certainly conclude that we are elected and shall be saued so if we be without these wee may as certainly inferre that wee are reiected and shall be condemned if wee liue and die in this state Seeing then this is Gods truth let not Sathan lull vs in securitie with that sophisticall cauill if wee be elected we shall be saued liue how wee list if we be reprobates wee shall be condemned be we neuer so earnest in labouring after godlinesse for these principles may well stand together it is impossible that the elect should perish and as impossible also that any who beleeue not in Christ and bring not foorth the fruites of their faith in a godly and Christian life should bee saued it cannot bee that the reprobate should attaine vnto euerlasting happinesse and that any should not attaine thereunto who desireth and endeuoureth to serue and feare the Lord because predestination and saluation are so coupled together with the meanes that come betweene them that they cannot possibly be seuered from one another nor the meanes from either of them nor yet amongst themselues euen as the first lincke of a chaine is ioyned with the last by those which are betweene them and these which are in the middle one with another CHAP. VI. Sathans temptations whereby he moueth the weake Christian to doubt of his election answered § Sect. 1 ANd these are the temptations where with Sathan assaulteth the worldling The causes which moue Sathan and his instruments to perswade the weake Christian to doubt of his election but if he haue to deale with a true Christian who is indeede elected of God and sheweth the fruites of his election by desiring and endeuouring to serue the Lord in holinesse and righteousnes then he perswadeth him to doubt of his election and to hang as it were wauering in the ayre sometime lifted vp with hope sometime deiected and cast downe with feare till at last he being wearie and tired with his doubtful thoughts and hauing no where to rest himselfe is swallowed vp of desperation like vnto a sillie bird which flieth ouer the maine Ocean and one while hopeth
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
commandement Iam. 2.10 is guiltie of all as it is Iam. 2.10 And therefore it behooued the Apostle and al others not to seeke for iustification in themselues and their owne righteousnesse but in the righteousnesse and obedience of Christ which wee may boldly present before Gods exact iudgement seate and there bee accepted as righteous And of this iustificatiō the Apostle speaketh not doubtfully or timorously but boldly and certainly Rom. 5.1 Being iustified by faith we haue peace towards God through our Lord Iesus Christ 2. Rom. 5.1.2 By whom also we haue accesse through faith vnto his grace wherein we stand and reioyce vnder the hope of the glorie of God So Rom. 8.33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen it is God that iustifieth 34. Rom. 8.33 Who shall condemne it is Christ who is dead yea rather which is risen againe c. § Sect. 8 Moreouer Ioel 2.14 Amos 5.15 they obiect these places to moue vs to doubt of our election and saluation Ioel 2.14 Who knoweth if he will returne and repent and Amos 5.15 It may be that the Lord God of hoasts will be mercifull vnto the remnant of Ioseph And Ion. 3.9 Who can tell if God will turne and repent Ionas 3.9 and turne away from his fearce wrath that wee perish not To which I answere that the Prophets in these places doe not speake of the election or eternall saluation of those that truly repent but of their deliuerie from outward afflictions and temporarie calamities threatned against them for their sinnes which sometimes the Lord doth inflict on his children after their true repentance either for their chastizement that they may therby hate sinne for the time to come when they feele the smart of it or els for their triall and sometimes also the Lord after hee hath threatned them against the wicked doth notwithstanding hold backe his hand and as it were put vp his sword of iustice againe into the scabberd which he had drawne out to punish their sinnes vppon on their outward humiliation and fained repentance that hee may shew hereby how highly hee esteemeth the true repentance of his children as appeareth in the example of the Nineuits and of Ahab 1. King 21.29 1. King 21.29 And therefore seeing the Lord keepeth no certaine course in these temporarie chastizements but sometimes inflicteth them vpon the repentant whom hee dearely loueth and sometime spareth the wicked when they but outwardly humble themselues before him therfore the Prophets speak doubtfully and exhort to repentance referring the euent to Gods wise and gracious prouidence And thus doubtfully doth Dauid speake in this respect 2. Sam. 12.22 2. Sam. 12.22 and 16.12 Who can tell said he whether God will haue mercie on me that the child may liue and chap. 16.12 It may be the Lord will looke vpon mine affliction and yet though hee were doubtfull whether hee should be freed from these temporall crosses hee was notwithstanding certainly perswaded of his election and saluation Psal 16.11 as hee professeth Psal 16.11 So that these places speaking of temporarie chastizements make nothing against the certaintie of our election § Sect. 9 And like vnto these Act. 8.22 is that which they alledge to the same purpose Act. 8.22 where Peter exhorteth Simon Magus to repent of his wickednesse and to pray vnto God that if peraduenture the wicked thought of his heart might be forgiuen him To which I answere first that the originall word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is translated if peraduenture and in our Bibles if it be possible somtimes also signifieth that truly and in this sense it maketh nothing for doubting Secondly though wee vnderstand it as a speech of doubting yet it maketh not for their purpose for it is not to bee referred vnto God as though it were doubtfull whether he would forgiue the sinnes of the Magician if he did truly repent and call vpon him for hee hath certainly assured vs by his gracious promise that whosoeuer truly repenteth him of his wicked waies Ezech. 33.11 he will receiue him to mercie Ezech. 33.11 But it is to be referred to Simon Magus of whose repentance and liuely faith Peter might well doubt least either they would be none at all or els fained and hypocriticall seeing his heart was not right in the sight of God but in the gall of bitternesse and bond of iniquitie Lastly though it should be a doubtfull speech and bee referred also to God yet it maketh nothing against the certaintie of faith for the Apostle seeing him in the gall of bitternesse and bond of iniquitie thought it not fit to raise him vp suddenly by applying vnto him the sweete promises of the Gospell nor to cast those pretious pearles before such a filthie swine vnlesse first hee preserued them as it were in the casket of a doubtsull and perplexed speech from being trampled vnder his bemired feete till hee had washed them in the teares of vnfained repentance Moreouer he thus doubtfully speaketh to giue him a more cleere insight of the hainousnesse of his sinne as though it might bee well doubted of whether the Lord would forgiue it or no that so his minde hereby being least perplexed might by the consideration of his horrible sinne bee beaten downe and truly humbled and because those things which are hardly obtained are more earnestly sought therefore Peter intimateth vnto him by this doubtfull speech that it was no easie matter to obtaine forgiuenesse for such outragious wickednesse that hee might hereby work in the Magician more earnest hearty repentance incite him to call vpon the Lord for mercie with more vehemencie and feruencie of spirit It is not therfore the Apostles meaning to ouerthrow the certaintie of faith or to call into question Gods mercie whether hee will extend it or no to hainous offenders who truly repent of their sinnes and beleeue for this were contrary to the whole course of the Gospell but he vseth this doubtfull speech to this desperate sinner that he might not make the soueraigne salue of Gods gratious promises base and contemptible by applying it to the festred sores of a filthy dogge which were neuer cleansed with the sharpe corrasiues of the law and also for the good of this malitious sinner for he doth not absolutely assure him of mercie and forgiuenes that hee might be stirred vp with more earnestnesse and care to seeke it for the easinesse of obtaining maketh the suiter carelesse and negligent in seeking and suing neither doth hee absolutely exclude him frō all hope of grace least hee should neuer labour after it but desperately run on in his wickednes for when hope is cut off the desire also fainteth and therefore he vseth a perplexed and wise tempered speech which on the one side might preserue him frō secure presumption and on the other side from falling into hellish desperatiō § Sect. 10 Lastly Eccles 5.5 they obiect that
God in Iesus Christ so he hath not left out the little weak saith of Thomas who would not beleeue further then hee sawe and felt Yea the Lord in his word hath reuealed vnto vs the diuers degrees of faith in the same men in respect of diuers times That the scriptures set forth vnto vs the diuers degrees of faith in the same beleeuer at one time like a graine of mustard seede at another time like a great tree at one time like a little smoke and soone after bursting out into a great flame now like a weake reed wauering and declyning with the smallest blast of any tryall and within a while like an immoueable rocke which beateth backe huge billowes and euen a whole sea of violent tentations in a word it setteth out to our vew as it were portrayed in a fresh and liue picture the diuers ages of a christian as he is in his conception and preparation to grace and as he is in his new birth and first conuersion as he is a babe and as he groweth from his infancie to greater age and strength till hee come to ripe yeares and to be a strong man in Christ Besides it sheweth vnto vs his diuers relapses through sinne the sicknesse of the soule and how oftentimes the spiritual growth is hindred and the strength of Gods graces abated and much weakned by the cotidian ague of our corruptions and Sathans tentations and also after these fitts bee driuen away by vertue of Gods spirit how we receiue a greater increase of grace and measure of strength whereby we grow more in christianitie and godlinesse in a yeere then we did in two before All which is set downe to this end that we should not make our infancie our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and full growth but labour to increase in grace till we become of babes strong men in Christ as also that finding our selues as weake as little infants wee bee not vtterly discouraged for if we sucke the brests of our spirituall mother the true church and receiue from her the milke and stronger meate of the word and sacraments wee shall assuredly growe vp from grace to grace and strength to strength till of babes wee become strong men in Iesus Christ and that though wee haue many great sickness of the soule and relapses into sinne whereby our spirituall growth for a time is hindred and our strength in Gods graces much abated yet if we often feed vpon the comfortable foode of Gods worde and vse this spirituall physick prescribed by God himselfe we shall not only againe recouer our former strength and health but also find a great increase of Gods graces in vs. § Sect. 3 Lastly Sathan will suggest that though our faith be true That Sathan cannot preuaile against the weakest faith yet it is so exceeding small and weake that with the violence of his tētations and huge masse of our own corruptions it will easily be ouerthrown and turned into infidelitie To which we are to answere that though hereby our faith may be shrewdly shaken yet it can neuer be ouerturned though it may be couered with the ashes of our corruptions yet it can neuer be vtterly quenched though through our gretuous foyles and falls in the cōbate of tentations it may be as it were brought into a traunce so as we cannot sensibly discerne any action motion or life of faith yet the habite and grace it selfe after it is once giuen of God is neuer taken away neither is it possible that it should be quite destroied by all the power of hell And this may appeare by diuers reasons first because faith is not of our selues but the free gift of God as it is Ephe. 2.8 Eph. 2.8 And whatsoeuer sanctifyng and sauing grace the Lord giueth that he neuer taketh vtterly away for the gifts and calling of God are without repentance as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 11.29 Rom. 11.29 Secondly whosoeuer truely beleeueth he is truely knit and vnited vnto the body of Christ and is made partaker of his holy spirit which as it begetteth and beginneth all the sanctifying and sauing graces in vs so also it nourisheth strengtheneth and confirmeth them so as they can neuer vtterly faile for whatsoeuer good worke he beginneth that will hee also perfect and accomplish Phil. 1.26 Phil. 1.6 Thirdly whosoeuer truely beleeueth he is truely iustified and whosoeuer is iustified is elected called and shal be glorified for these inseparably goe together Rom. 8.30 Rom. 8.30 and consequently he that hath true faith whereby he is iustified cannot fall away seeing his iustification is as certaine as the eternall decree of Gods election § Sect. 4 Lastly That God both can and will vphould the weakest beleeuer God both can and will strengthen and confirme all those who are weake in faith till they attaine vnto the end of their faith euen the saluation of their soules and therefore it is impossible that they which once truely beleeue should fall away and be cōdemned Concerning Gods power no man can make any question seeing it is omnipotent and almighty and for his will he hath fully reuealed it both by his word and workes namely that he will not take away that grace which he hath once giuen but rather increase it till it bee perfected and accomplished Esa 66.13 Gods loue compared to the loue of a tēder mother For the first the Lord saith that hee will comfort his Church and people as the woman comforteth her child Esa 66.13 now wee know that the mother doth not abandon her child nor depriue him of that comfort which she can giue him because he is sicke and weake but rather the sicker and weaker he is the more is her care and diligence in releiuing him in his distresse when hee is not able to disgest strong meate she prouideth for him cōfortable foode of light disgestion when he is so weake that he cannot goe she carieth him in her armes or otherwise supporteth him when he is so sicke that he faleth downe to the ground in a swoune shee rayseth him vp neuer resteth till shee hath recouered life in him is this loue in a naturall mother then surely much more shall we finde in our heauenly father Esa 49.15 for though a mother may forget the fruit of her womb yet wil the Lord neuer forget vs as he hath promised Esa 49.15 And therefore the greater our weakenesse is in grace and the more greiuous our sicknesse is through sinne and the noisome humors of our corruptions the more carefully will hee watch ouer vs with the eye of his prouidence and support vs with his almighty power in our greatest weakenesse the more tenderly will he pitie vs and in louing compassion will prouide for vs such comfortable food as wil be fit to nourish vs and repaire our decaied strength when we cannot goe he will with his almighty hand vphould vs and when we fall into a dead traunce
his iustification So Rom. 4.2 Rom. 4.2 If Abraham were iustified by works he had wherein to reioyce but not with God and ver 3. and ver 3.4 Abraham beleeued God and it was counted vnto him for righteousnesse 4. Now to him that worketh the wages is not counted by fauour but by debt 5. But to him that worketh not but beleeueth in him that iustifieth the vngodly his faith is counted for righteousnesse § Sect. 6 And so much cōcerning the testimonies of scripture which manifestly proue that we are not iustified by our works Reasons to proue that w◠are not iustified by our workes Rom. 8.1.33 34. The reasons which may be brought to the same purpose are exceeding many but I wil briefly touch some few only First iustification is manifestly opposed to cōdemnation they are both iudiciall words vsed in ciuill courts therefore to be vnderstood both iudicially not after a diuers maner But to condēne signifieth not to infuse any fault or crime in to the person cōdēned but to pronoūce him guiltie faulty And therfore to iustifie signifieth not to infuse righteousnes into the person iustified but to declare pronoūce repute him as iust righteous Secondly by the same meanes whereby we obtaine the remission of our sins we are also iustified made righteous but wee obtaine the remission of our sinnes not for our workes or inhaerent righteousnes or any vertue that is in our selues but by and for the alone merites obedience and full satisfaction of Christ apprehended and applyed vnto vs by a liuely faith as appeareth Rom. 3.25 And therefore by this meanes alone we are also iustified Rom. 3.25 Thirdly whosoeuer are iustified freely by grace they are not iustified by their owne merits works or inhaerent righteousnesse Rō 3.23.24 but the scriptures testifie that all the faithfull are iustified freely by Gods grace as appeareth Rom. 3.23.24 All haue sinned and are depriued of the glorie of God Eph. 1.7 2.8 And are iustified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus So Eph. 1.7 By whom we haue redemptiō through his bloud euen the forgiuenesse of sinnes according to his rich grace Tit. 3.5.7 and 2.8 By grace are you saued through faith and that not of your selues it is the gift of God and Tit. 3. not by the works of righteousnesse which we had done but according to his mercy he saued vs c. 7. That we being iustified by his grace should be made heires according to hope of eternall life And therefore none are iustified by their owne merits workes or inhaerent righteousnesse Lastly the apostle Paul himselfe gathereth many absurdities which would follow this doctrine of iustificatiō by works first that our faith should bee vaine and the promisse of God voide Rom. 4.14 Rom. 4.14 Secondly that Christ Iesus should die in vaine if we haue righteousnesse by the law Gal. 2.21 Gal. 2.21 Thirdly that wee should haue cause of boasting and glorying in our selues Eph. 2.9 Eph. 2.9 for if a man were iustified by his owne inhaerent righteousnesse hee should haue whereof to glory and so God should be robbed of the whole praise of our saluation Rom. 4.2 Rom. 4.2 But the Lord of purpose hath iustified vs freely of his grace and not for our workes and inha rent righteousnes that all glorying in our selues might be excluded as appeareth Rom. 3.27 Eph 2.9 Rom. 3.27 Eph. 2.9 Fourthly it would follow hereupon that we should still be vnder the curse of the law which is denoūced against all who continue not in all that is written in the booke of the law to do them as the Apostle reasoneth Gal. 3.10 Gal. 3.10 Fiftly that the obedience and satisfaction of Christ should be maymed and imperfect vnlesse it were patched vp with our owne righteousnesse the contrary whereof the Apostle affirmeth Heb. 7.25 namely that hee is able perfectly to saue all them who come vnto God by him Lastly Heb. 7.25 hereupon it would follow that wee should continually wauer in doubting in respect of our manifold corruptions and imperfect righteousnesse and should haue our soules depriued of that peace of conscience which followeth iustification by faith as it is Rom. 5.1 Rom. 5.1 Lastly with the Iewes we shall bring our selues into most certaine daūger of being reiected and cast of from being the people and Church of God if with them we goe about to stablish our owne righteousnesse in the meane time not submitting our selues to the righteousnesse of God Rom. 10.4.6 which is of faith in Iesus Christ as it is Rom. 10.4.6 CHAP. L. That faith alone iustifieth § Sect. 1 ANd thus much concerning the first point How it is to be vnderstood that faith alone iustifieth namely that wee are nor iustified by workes the second is that we are iustified by faith alone whereby we are not to vnderstand that faith by it owne vertue or as it is a facultie habite worke or action in vs doth iustifie vs but as it is the alone instrument whereby we doe apprehend apply vnto vs Christ Iesus his righteousnesse obedience by which onely righteousnesse which is out of our selues in Christ as the proper subiect thereof being offered in the word and Sacraments and applied by faith we are iustified in Gods sight Phil. 2.9 as appeareth Phil. 2.9 Secondly whereas we say that faith alone iustifieth we do not vnderstand such a faith as is alone without workes charitie and other sanctifying graces which were nothing els but imaginarie dead and but as it were a carkase of faith which breatheth not but that amongst all other graces vertues faculties of the soule faith alone and not any of thē is the instrument whereby we apply Christ Iesus vnto vs who being thus applied doth iustifie vs. That though workes do not iustifie vs yet they are necessarily required as fruits of our iustification Otherwise we affirme that other graces of Gods spirit and euen good workes which is a fruite of them all doe necessarily accōpany our iustification not as instruments or causes thereof but as inseparable effects and fruits thereof So that howsoeuer we exclude workes from the act of iustifying yet wee necessarily require them in the subiect or person iustified we affirme that faith alone iustifieth but wee denie that such a faith which is alone doth iustifie vs we maintaine that we are iustified by faith alone without works but with all we affirme that faith which is without workes doth not iustifie vs as being dead false and imaginarie This may bee made plaine by some similitudes to the being of an honest man there is necessarily required honest actions not as causes but as effects neither are his honest actions the cause of his honesty but his honesty the cause of his honest actions to a liuing man there is necessarily required as well breathing which is an action or effect
of life as the soule which is the cause thereof and so to a iustified man there is necessarily required as well good works which are the effects of iustification as faith which is the instrumentall cause thereof for faith and workes are neuer seuered in the subiect or party iustified although they are disioyned in the act of iustifying So the eye onely seeth and not the forehead but yet the eye seuered from the forehead seeth not because it is but a dead eye the hand writeth and not the body but the hand seuered from the body writeth not because it is a dead hand The foote goeth and not the head or heart but the foote which is seuered from the head or heart goeth not and so faith onely iustifieth and not hope not charitie not workes but the faith that is seuered from hope charitie and workes iustifieth not because it is but a dead faith as therefore when we say the eye onely seeth the hand onely writeth the foote onely walketh our meaning is not that these parts being alone and seuered from the rest see write and walke but that amongst all other parts the action or function of seeing belongeth peculiarly vnto the eye writing to the hand walking to the foote so when we say that onely faith iustifieth our meaning is not that the faith which is alone and seuered from other graces and the fruites of them good workes iustifieth but that amongst all other graces this act of iustifying peculiarly and properly belongeth vnto faith and not to any other grace vertue or workes § Sect. 2 Now that that faith alone in this sense vnderstoode iustifieth appeareth plainely Testimonies to proue that faith alone iustifieth vs. Rom. 3.28 both by testimonies of scripture and apparant reasons For the first it is manifest Rom. 3.28 where after long disputation concerning this poynt the Apostle expresly concludeth thus Therefore we conclude that a man is iustified by faith without the workes of the law And chap. 4. vers 5. To him that worketh not but beleeueth in him that iustifieth the vngodly his faith is counted for righteousnes and 4.5 So Gal. 2.16 Know that a man is not iustified by the workes of the law but by the faith of Iesus Christ Gal. 2.16 euen we I say haue beleeued in Iesus Christ that we might be iustified by the faith of Christ and not by the workes of the law because by the workes of the law no flesh shall be iustified And cap. 3.11 And that no man is iustified by the law in the sight of God it is euident Gal. 3.11 for the iust shall liue by faith 12. And the law is not of faith And hence it is that the righteousnes of Christ whereby we are iustified is called the righteousnes of faith Rom. 9.30 because faith is the onely instrument which appehendeth and applieth this righteousnesse vnto vs for our iustification § Sect. 3 The reasons to proue that faith alone iustifieth are diuers Reasons to proue that faith alone iustifieth First that which alone applieth vnto vs Christ Iesus and his righteousnesse that onely iustifieth vs but faith alone applyeth vnto vs Christ Iesus and his righteousnesse and not hope charitie or any other grace and therefore faith alone iustifieth Secondly that which onely maketh the promises of the Gospell firme and sure vnto vs that alone iustifieth vs but faith alone resting vpon Gods mercie and Christs merits maketh the promises of the Gospell firme and sure vnto vs which would be most vncertaine if they should depend on the condition of our workes and worthinesse seeing they are most imperfect and we most corrupt and vnworthie of Gods least mercie as the Apostle plainely sheweth Rom. 4.16 Therefore it is namely the couenant of grace by faith Rom. 4.16 that it might come by grace and the promise might be sure to all the seede and therefore faith alone iustifieth vs. Lastly Ioh. 3.14.15 our Sauiour Christ Ioh. 3.14.15 maketh this comparison As Moses lift vp the serpent in the wildernesse so must the sonne of man be lift vp that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue eternall life From which we may thus reason As the Isralites who were stung with fierie serpents were cured not by any outward meanes of physicke and surgerie or any thing in themselues saue onely by looking vpon the brasen serpent which for this purpose was set vp by Gods commaundement so we being stung of the old serpent with the sting of sinne cannot be cured by any meanes without or within our selues but by beholding the true substance Christ Iesus signified by this shadow with the eye of faith And thus haue I proued first that we are not iustified by our workes and inherent righteousnesse and secondly that we are iustified by faith alone not as it is the chiefe and principall cause for in this respect God iustifieth not as it is the matter or meritorious cause of our iustification for in this respect the merits and righteousnesse of Iesus Christ iustifieth vs but as it is the alone instrument and onely cause in vs which applyeth that meritorious cause vnto vs whereby alone we are iustified in Gods sight § Sect. 4 Secondly the tempter will obiect that this imputed righteousnesse wee speake of is but imaginarie That the imputatiō of Christs righteousnesse is not putatiue and imaginarie and a vaine phantasie as if a man who were defiled with durt should be reputed cleane by the imputation of anothers cleanesse or as if a begger should be esteemed rich by imputation of anothers wealth To which we are to answere that the imputation of Christs righteousnesse vnto vs is no imaginarie dreame but a matter plainely expressed in Gods word as also the not imputation of our sinnes is therein specified In the fourth of the Romanes this word is vsed by the holy Ghost an eleuen times Rom. 4 3.4 So vers 3. Abraham beleeued God and it was imputed vnto him for righteousnesse And vers 4. To him that worketh not but beleeueth in him that iustifieth the vngodly his faith is imputed for righteousnesse And vers 6. Euen as Dauid declared the blessednesse of the man vnto whom God imputeth righteousnesse without workes And vers 8. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not sinne c. § Sect. 5 Yea will the tempter say That not our own but Christs righteousnesse is imputed vnto vs for our iustification it is true that we are iustified by imputed righteousnesse but not by the righteousnesse of Christ which is out of our selues but our faith which is formed and perfected with charitie and other graces and good workes is imputed for righteousnesse or more plainely God accepteth of the workes of the faithfull and their inherent righteousnesse though imperfect and vnworthie in themselues for and through Christ for such righteousnesse which may iustifie vs in his sight For the answering of which obiection we are to
1. Cor. 1.30 By his obedience many are made righteous Rom. 5.19 And that which was impossible to the law Rom. 5.19 in as much as it was weake because of the flesh God sending his sonne in the similitude of sinfull flesh Rom. 8.3.4 and for sinne condemned sinne in the flesh that the righteousnesse of the law might be fulfilled in vs as it is Rom. 8.3.4 In a word in him alone wee haue all our righteousnesse in him we shine gloriously in the sight of God and he is that bright shining Sunne of righteousnes from whom we borrow all our light without whose raies of holinesse we should remaine in the darknesse of our sinnes and corruptions Lastly the Apostle setteth downe the forme of our iustification namely the imputation of our sinnes vnto Christ and the imputation of his righteousnes vnto vs. 2. Cor. 5.21 He which knew no sinne was made sinne for vs 2. Cor. 5.21 that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him As therefore Christ was made a sinner for vs so wee are made righteous before God in him but Christ Iesus was not made a sinner for vs by infusion of our sinnes and corruptions into his nature for hee was alwaies most holie pure vndefiled and without sinne 1 Pet. 1.18.19 and 2.21 as the Apostle witnesseth of him but by imputation onely as being our suretie who had taken vpon him to discharge all our debt and therefore in like manner wee are made righteous not by infusion of righteousnesse but by imputation onely § Sect. 3 Now whereas they obiect That iustification by imputation is not imaginarie but reall and in truth that to be iustified by imputation is but an imaginarie mockerie as if a poore man should be reputed rich to this we are to answere that it is but a friuolous cauill for we doe not teach that God esteemeth and reputeth vs righteous being wholy defiled with sinne and quite destitute of all righteousnes but that hee maketh vs perfectly righteous by washing away our sins with the precious bloud of Christ and by applying and appropriating vnto vs his perfect righteousnes and obedience by vertue of his spirit principally a liuely faith instrumentally wherby we are vnited vnto Christ and become members of his body and consequently haue right and full interest vnto all that which this our head hath done for vs and so being made partakers of his righteousnes and merits God reputeth vs as we are in truth perfectly iust and righteous If a man being poore and farre in debt should be accounted and reputed exceeding rich and nothing indebted it were indeede but a meere imagination But if another of great sufficiencie shuld take vpon him to be his suretie and not onely discharge all his debts but should bestow vpon him great summes of money and much treasure this man whatsoeuer hee was before time in himselfe may now be esteemed rich and out of debt So if we as wee are farre indebted to the iustice of God and exceeding beggerly yea starke naked of all righteousnesse should be reputed as we are thus in our selues righteous and nothing indebted it were but a meere mockerie but seeing our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ hath taken vpon him to be our suretie who is himselfe all-sufficient and seeing hee hath perfectly and fully answered all our debts wherein we were ingaged to Gods iustice and not onely so but also hath communicated and bestowed vpon vs the infinite rich treasures of his righteousnes and obedience giuing vnto vs full interest and possession hereof outwardly by his hand-writing of the Gospell and his Sacraments as seales annexed thereunto and inwardly by the vertue and cooperation of of his spirit applying them vnto vs and lastly seeing we also haue receiued the full assurance of all this heauenly and spirituall rich treasure by the hand of faith wee are in truth quite out of debt and exceeding rich with his righteousnes which is now become ours and therfore are so reputed and esteemed in the sight of God CHAP. LI. Sathans temptations mouing the weake Christian to doubt of his iustification answered § Sect. 1 ANd so much for answering Sathans temptations That our iustificatiō is plainly reuealed vnto vs in the word of God whereby he laboureth to perswade vs to rest vpon a false and imperfect righteousnesse for our iustification now wee are briefly to speake of those which hee suggesteth into the mindes of weake Christians to the end that hee may make them doubt of their iustification that so hee might if it were possible make frustrate this worke of God or at least robbe their soules of all comfort and peace of conscience which alwaies accompanieth the assurance of our iustification for being iustified by faith wee haue peace towards God through our Lord Iesus Christ Rom. 5.1 as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 5.1 First therefore he suggesteth that our iustification is an action of God and therefore vnknowne to vs so that we cannot possibly attaine vnto any certaine knowledge that we are iustified of God vnlesse he assure vs hereof by some speciall and extraordinarie reuelation For the answering whereof we are to vnderstand that this act of God in iustifying a sinner is as cleerely reuealed ordinarily in the Scriptures as any other thing concerning our saluation and that euery true beleeuer may as certainly conclude by vndoubted arguments grounded on Gods infallible truth that he is iustified before God as by naturall reason he can proue that he liueth and breatheth For first our effectuall vocation and iustification are inseparably linked together by the Apostle Rom. 8.30 Rom. 8.30 So that whosoeuer can proue that he is effectually called he may also most certainly inferre that he is iustified But euery true beleeuer may come to the certaine knowledge that he is effectually called as before I haue shewed at large and that not by any speciall reuelation but by the will of God reuealed in his word by the inward testimonie of Gods spirit and the vndoubted signes of effectuall calling which he obserueth in himselfe and therefore without any particular reuelation we may attaine vnto the assurance also that we are iustified that is that our sinnes are pardoned for the merits and full satisfaction of Iesus Christ and we cloathed with his righteousnes Secondly whosoeuer can come to the assurance that he hath a true and liuely faith he may also be assured that he is iustified for it is the nature and an inseparable propertie of true faith to apply vnto the beleeuer Christ Iesus and his righteousnesse whereby hee is iustified before God and hence it is that the Scriptures plainely affirme that we are iustified by faith and not by any thing else which is in vs as before I haue sufficiently shewed But we may come to the certaine assurance that we haue a true faith by the vndoubted signes and inseparable fruites thereof which wee may discerne in our selues as hath been
the Father sanctifieth vs by giuing vs his sonne and sending his spirit and therefore this work is ascribed vnto him Tit. 3.5 Eph. 2.4.5 God the sonne sanctifieth vs by mortifying our sins by vertue of his bloud purging our consciences from dead workes that wee may serue the liuing God and by vertue of his resurrection raising vs also from the death of sinne to newnesse of life and lastly by his death hath merited for vs Gods spirit and rising againe hath sent him vnto vs whereby wee are regenerate and therefore hee also is said to haue sanctified vs and God is said to haue sanctified vs in him Eph. 5.26 1. Cor. 2.11 Eph. 5.26 1. Cor. 2.11 God the holy Ghost also sanctifieth vs by applying the vertue of Christs death and resurrection vnto vs and so immediatly beginneth continueth Ioh. 3.5 6. Act. 11.16 Tit. 3.5 and perfecteth this worke in vs and therefore most vsually in the Scriptures this worke is ascribed vnto him Ioh. 3.5 6. Act. 11.16 Tit. 3.5 And thus it appeareth that God himselfe is the principall and onely efficient cause of our sanctification vpon which point I haue the longer insisted to the end that wee should not in this worke rest vpon our owne strength for then wee shall be subiect to many discouragements and lie open to innumerable temptations grounded vpon our small measure and slow progresse in our sanctification as also vpon the great difficulties and manifolde discouragements which both stay vs in the birth and hinder our full growth in true godlinesse all which in respect of our owne power prooue this worke not onely hard but euen impossible for vs to be perfected and accomplished But rather that wee relie our selues vpon the Lords infinite power and gracious promises whereby wee are assured notwithstanding our owne exceeding weaknesse that he will not onely begin but also finish and perfect this good worke in vs. § Sect. 3 And thus much concerning the principall efficient cause of our sanctification The motiue cause Gods sole mercie the motiue cause which mooued the Lord to sanctifie vs was his owne mercie and Christs merits The first is expressed by the Apostle 1. Pet. 1.3 whereas it is said 1. Pet. 1.3 that God according to his abundant mercie hath begotten vs again c. The other is implied by Paul Eph. 2.5 where hee saith that God hath quickened vs in Christ Ephes 2.5 who by his death merited not onely the remission of sinne for vs but also Gods spirit whereby wee are sanctified So that it was not any good inclination vnto holinesse in vs or any thing els wherein we excelled others which moued God to sanctifie vs Eph. 2.1.3 for wee were all alike the children of wrath and dead in our sinnes but onely his owne boundlesse mercie and the alsufficient merits of Christ our Sauiour were the onely causes which moued the Lord to giue vs his spirit whereby we are regenerate and raised from the death of sinne to holinesse and newnesse of life And therefore let vs not arrogate the praise of our sanctification in whole or in part vnto our selues but ascribe all the glorie to God who is the sole author and finisher of it § Sect. 4 The instrumentall causes of our sanctification Of the instrumentall causes of our sanctification Ioh. 15.3 and 17.17 Iam. 1.18 1. Pet. 1.23 are either externall or internall the external are first the word of God of which our Sauiour speaketh Ioh. 15.3 Now are you cleane through the word which I haue spoken vnto you And cap. 17.17 Sanctifie thē with thy truth thy word is truth So the Apostle Iames chap. 1.18 Of his owne will begat he vs with the word of truth c. And the Apostle Peter affirmeth that we are borne anew not of mortall seede but of immortall by the word of God c. The word of God therefore is an instrumentall cause of our sanctification In which respect also the Ministers by whose ministerie wee are conuerted and regenerate are said to be our spirituall fathers who haue begotten vs vnto God 1. Cor. 4.15 Philem. v. 10. as appeareth 1. Cor. 4.15 and Philem. vers 10. in both which places Paul chalengeth this title vnto himselfe Another externall cause of our sanctification are the Sacraments especially the Sacrament of Baptisme whereof it is that Ananias saith vnto Paul Act. 22.16 Arise and be baptized wash away thy sins Act. 22.16 Eph. 5.26 So Eph. 5.26 it is said that Christ gaue himself for his Church that he might sanctifie it and cleanse it by the washing of water through the word The which places as they are to be vnderstood principally of the washing of iustification wherby we are purged from the guilt and punishment of sinne so also of the washing of sanctification whereby we are cleansed from the sinnes and corruptions themselues The internall instrument of our sanctification is a liuely faith without which the other outward instruments are vneffectuall in those who are of yeeres neither must we think that the bare action of hearing or the outward washing take away our sins and corruptions vnlesse the word and things signified in the Sacraments bee applied vnto vs by a true faith For the word which we heare profiteth not vnlesse it be mixed with faith in those that heare it Heb. 4.2 Heb. 4.2 And vnlesse those that are capable of faith beleeue with all their heart Act. 8.37 it is to no purpose to be baptized Act. 8.37 and therefore vnto the other we must ioyne this instrument of a liuely faith if wee would attaine vnto true sanctification For faith purifieth the heart and is fruitfull in the workes of loue Act. 15.9 Gal. 5.6 as the Scripture speaketh § Sect. 5 And thus haue I set downe the efficient causes of our sanctification Of the manner how our sanctification is wrought in the next place let vs consider of the manner how this worke is wrought in vs. For the vnderstanding whereof we are to know that wee being vnited vnto Christ principally by Gods spirit and instrumentally by a liuely faith and so made members of his mysticall bodie doe participate the vertue of his death buriall and resurrection whereby not onely our iustification but also our sanctification is deriued vnto vs. For first by vertue of his death our sinnes are mortified and our corruptions crucified together with him as appeareth Rom. 6.6 Knowing this Rom. 6.6 that our old man is crucified with him that the bodie of sinne might be destroyed that hencefoorth we should not serue sinne Secondly by vertue of his buriall this death of sinne is as it were further continued and thereby our sinnes and corruptions are more and more subdued and kept vnder that they cannot rise and rebel against the spirit And of this the Apostle speaketh Rom. 6.3 where he saith Rom. 6.3 that we are buried with Christ into his death Thirdly by vertue of
carefull in withstanding this dangerous assault for there is not any one temptation wherewith Sathan preuaileth more than by perswading men to content themselues with a ciuill kinde of honestie which is destitute of religion and the true feare of God And to this end let vs consider that ciuill honestie seuered from true pietie is but glorious iniquitie for when wee haue attained to as great a measure thereof as possibly we can in this age of corruption we shall come short in diuers duties of many of the Heathens who haue excelled in these morall and ciuill vertues and consequently when we are at the best we shall be but honest Infidels and good natured worldlings if wee doe not ioyne thereunto the duties of pietie And how goodly a shew soeuer our workes make in the eyes of men yet are they odious in Gods sight if they be not done in knowledge and grounded on Gods word and commandement but in ignorance and according to our own inuentions and the fond conceit of our blind vnderstanding if they proceede not from the true loue of God which is the onely fountaine of all acceptable obedience but from the loue of our selues and other carnall respects if they bee not the fruites of a liuely faith but done in ignorance and infidelitie for what soeuer is not done in faith is sinne Rom. 14.23 Heb. 11.6 as it is Rom. 14.23 and therefore cannot please God Heb. 11.6 By which we are not to vnderstand an historicall faith whereby wee know and are assured that those workes wee doe are commanded in Gods word but a true iustifying faith which doth applie vnto vs Christ Iesus and all Gods mercifull promises made in him For that our workes may be acceptable before God there is required first that our persons bee acceptable vnto him neither can any thing we doe please him so long as we remaine his enemies in which state we are by nature till wee are reconciled in Christ our Mediatour as appeareth Rom. 5.10 Rom. 5.10 Col. 1.20 Now vnlesse we haue faith we cannot apply vnto vs Christ nor his merits and righteousnes by whom onely wee are reconciled vnto God and consequently we remaine Gods enemies who can doe nothing pleasing in his sight Secondly the best of our workes are imperfect and mingled with many corruptions and therefore cannot abide the examination of Gods exact iustice till their imperfections be couered by Christs righteousnesse and their corruption washed away with his most precious bloud now Christ and his merits cannot by any other meanes be applied vnto vs but by the hand of a liuely faith Lastly if all our works and honest dealing be not done in zeale of Gods glorie referred to this end that Gods name may be magnified they are not acceptable before God for the cause why he would haue our light shine before men is that he our heauenly father may be glorified Matth. 3.16 as it is Matth 5. 16. and the maine and wherefore wee should haue our conuersation honest amongst the Gentiles and vnbeleeuers is that they which speake euill of vs as of euill doers may by our good works which they shall see glorifie God in the day of their visitation 1. Pet. 2.12 as it is 1. Pet. 2.12 And therefore let not Sathan deceiue vs in perswading vs to rest in ciuill honestie for if it be seuered from true pietie from sauing knowledge from sincere loue of God iustifying faith and a zeale of Gods glorie it will not be acceptable in Gods sight as proceeding from the loue of our selues and other carnall respects namely to obtaine praise or profit thereby § Sect. 5 And thus Sathan dealeth with ciuil worldlings But if those which he incountreth be professors of religion How Sathan dealeth with professors of religion then hee seeketh to perswade them that if they outwardly perfourme the duties of pietie as the hearing of Gods word the publike and priuate calling vpon Gods name the frequent receiuing of the Sacraments if they attaine to the knowledge and profession of religion and can tip their tongues with godlinesse then they may liue how they list amongst their brethren neglecting all the duties of the second table so they outwardly obserue the first for though they be barraine of good workes destitute of charitie filled with pride addicted to couetousnesse oppression and all deceitfull dealing yet they shall be iustified by their faith and approoued of God for their outward profession sake But let such men know that this is a notable stratagem of Sathan to cause vs to fall into his secret ambushments to our destruction That pietie and honestie are inseparable which if they would preuent and auoide let them consider that pietie and charitable honestie are two such twinnes as are borne liue and dye both together that they are the life and soule of a Christian which cannot possiblie be seuered that it is as possible for the good tree to bring foorth bad fruite for the fire to be without heate and the Sunne without light as it is for a liuely faith to be voide of good workes true profession to be seuered from holie practise and iustification before God from sanctification and holinesse of life before men that whosoeuer braggeth of his loue to God and loueth not his brethren is a liar and there is no truth in him 1. Ioh. 4.20 1. Ioh. 4.20 that though they professe themselues the children of God yet if they doe not the workes of righteousnes as well as the workes of pietie and loue their brethren they are in truth the children of the diuell 1. Ioh. 3.10 Rom. 2.13 as appeareth 1. Ioh. 3.10 that not the hearers of the word but the doers thereof are iustified Rom. 2.13 that not euery one who saith Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of heauen Matth. 7.21 but they who doe the will of the father which is in heauen Matth. 7.21 that they deceiue themselues who looke to be saued by hearing the word Iam. 1.22 if they practise not that which they heare Iam. 1.22 for in stead thereof they shall plunge themselues into deeper condemnation For the seruant that knoweth his masters will and doth it not Luk. 12.47 shall be beaten with many stripes Luk. 12.47 And it shall be more easie for Tyre and Sidon Sodome and Gomorrah Mat. 11.21 who had not the Gospell preached amongst them nor saw Christs miracles than for Corazin and Bethsaida which enioyed both Matth. 11.21 for there as he giueth great meanes of knowledge there hee expecteth great fruites in practise and as hee will be honoured in all so especially in those that come nigh vnto him as it is Leuit. 10.3 Lastly Leu. 10.3 that the sentence of saluation and damnation shall not be giuen according to our words and profession but according to our deedes and the holie practise of the workes of mercie and Christianitie which are the inseparable fruites and
despaire of victorie Sathan shall not neede to fight against vs for we will ouercome our selues fainting before the fight and casting away our weapons as soone as Sathan doth but muster his forces and march against vs. And therefore let vs so much feare the temptations as that we doe not securely contemne them and not so much feare them as that we should despaire of victorie let vs feare them so much as that thereby we be stirred vp with more care diligence to resist and ouercome them but not somuch as that we should cowardly faint distrusting Gods helpe let vs feare them in respect of our weaknes and their violence but let vs boldly striue against them trusting in Gods almightie power merciful promises of his aide and assistance being hereby assured of certaine victorie § Sect. 7 Lastly The ninth meanes to obiect Christ against all temptations Matth. 9.13 Esa 53.5 if we would withstand Sathā we must obiect our Sauiour Christ against al his temptations for if we apply him vnto vs by a liuely faith he will be our sheeld and buckler to defend vs from all Sathans blowes For example if Sathan tell vs that we are miserable sinners and therfore in the state of damnation we are to answere that our Sauiour Christ came into the world to saue sinners that he was wounded for our transgressions broken for our iniquities c. and with his stripes we are healed and so he which knew no sin 2. Cor. 5.21 was made sin for vs that we might be made the righteousnes of God in him If he say that we are subiect to the curse of the law Galat. 3.13 we are to answere that Christ hath redeemed vs frō the curse of the law when he was made a curse for vs. If he obiect that we are subiect to Gods wrath we are to tell him that Christ did beare his fathers displeasure that he might make our peace Col. 1.21.22 and whereas we were strangers and enemies because our minds were set on euill works he hath now reconciled vs in the body of his flesh through death If he tell vs that we are his bondslaues we are to answere that we were so indeede in time past but our Sauiour christ hath paied vnto his father the price of our redemption 1. Cor. 1.30 hath set vs free If he affirme that we are vniust and therefore shall be condemned before Gods iudgment seate we are to answere that Christ who was innocent was condemned that we who are guiltie might be acquitted that though we are wicked in our selues yet we are most iust being clothed with his righteousnes that he that came to saue vs shall come to iudge vs and therefore we neede not doubt of mercie if wee pleade his merits forsaking the plea of our owne righteousnesse and renouncing all selfe confidence If he say that we shall be held captiue of death and neuer rise to take possession of our heauenly inheritance we are to answere that our Sauiour Christ hath broken the bonds of death and led captiuitie captiue that he is risen againe being the first fruites of them that slept Ioh. 14.2 and is ascended into heauen to prepare vs a place there If he obiect that Christ and all his benefits doe not appertaine vnto vs for euery man shall liue by his owne righteousnes Ezech. 18. and the soule that sinneth shall die the death we are to answere that by the spirit of God and a liuely faith Christ is become our head and we his members so that he is ours and we his and our sins he hath taken vpon him bestowed on vs his righteousnes he is become our husband and we his spouse and therfore as he hath cōmunicated himself vnto vs so likewise al his benefits his merits righteousnes sanctificatiō euerlasting happines § Sect. 8 But if Sathan will not thus be answered we are not to entertaine any further disputation with him but to send him to our Sauiour Christ who hath taken vpon him to be not onely our redeemer and our mediator and intercessor vnto God his father That to auoyde Sathans importunitie we must leaue to dispute with him and send him to our aduocate 1. Ioh. 2.1 but also our aduocate to pleade our cause and to answere all suites made against vs both by Gods iustice and the handwriting of the law and also by Sathan and all his adherents as it is 1. Ioh. 2.1 Seeing therefore our Sauiour Christ who is the wisedome of his father hath taken vpon him the defence of our cause in all our suites let not vs our selues be ouer busie in disputing with this wrangling sophister but send him for an answere to our Sauiour Christ who hath fully satisfied his fathers iustice in all which it had against vs and cancelled the handwriting of the law whereby we were obliged and bound and therefore much more able is he to answere al accusations which this cauelling accuser hath against vs. Neither are we to doubt but that our Sauiour will be our aduocate to pleade our cause especially considering that it doth principally concerne himselfe and his owne glorie and sufficiencie For the questions and causes controuersall betweene vs and Sathan are not about our owne worthinesse merits righteousnes and satissactions all which we renounce and cast away from vs as polluted cloutes in respect of being any causes of our iustification and saluation but concerning Christs righteousnes merit and the sufficiencie and efficacie of his death and obedience for the saluation of al repentant sinners which do apply them vnto themselues by a liuely faith and therefore we may assure our selues he wil defend his owne cause against all Sathans obiections and imputations § Sect. 9 But if Sathan continue his importunitie If we will auoide Sathans importunitie we must imploy our selues in holy exercises and will admit of no answere we are as much as in vs lieth to banish his temptations out of our mindes and not to thinke and meditate on them and to this end we are continually to exercise our selues in feruent prayer desiring the Lords gracious assistance whereby wee may be enabled to withstand all the assaults of our enemie as also to heare reade and meditate in Gods word and diligently to vse holy conferences with our christian brethren and painfully to imploy our selues in the workes of our callings that so we may haue no leasure to entertaine Sathans temptations For as a vessell which is alreadie full can receiue no more and whatsoeuer is powred thereinto spilleth vpon the ground so when our mindes are replenished with holy thoughts and occupied in godly and honest exercises there is no roome left for Sathans suggestions and therefore as soone as they offer to enter we presently reiect them Whereas on the other side if we spend our times in idlenes and doe not diligently exercise our selues in the duties of christianitie and of our seuerall
losse or crosse maketh me mourne weepe and waile when by my sinne I haue offended God I cannot shed a teare nor shew any true signe of hartie sorrow and such is mine vntowardnes and corruption that in stead of forsaking my sinne I am readie to fall againe vpon the next occasion And therefore I cannot haue any faith or full assurance of Gods promises made in Christ seeing they are all limited and restrained to those sinners which repent and amend That the desire of Gods graces is accepted for the graces which we desire That therefore these mourning soules may receiue some comfort let them know first that if they haue an earnest desire of repentance faith and the rest of Gods graces if they haue a good purpose to leaue and forsake their sinnes and to spend their liues in the seruice and worship of God if they are displeased with their corruptions and according to the measure of grace giuen pray vnto God desiring the assistance of his holy spirit whereby they may more and more mortifie the old man and crucifie the flesh and the lusts thereof if they hate the sinne they commit and loue the good which they cannot doe if they can grieue because they are no more grieued for their sinnes and be displeased with themselues because their sinnes doe no more displease them then may they be assured that they are Gods children who are acceptable vnto him in Iesus Christ For he respecteth not so much our actions as our affections nor our workes as our desires and indeuours so that he who desires to be righteous is righteous he that would repent doth repent hee that striueth to leaue and forsake his sinnes hee repâ—teth of him as if he had left and forsaken them they that would neuer fall nor bee foiled by their spirituall enemies God esteemeth as his inuincible souldiers and valiant worthies who were neuer vanquished For the Lord accepteth the desire for the deede and if there be first a willing minde 2. Cor. 8.12 it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that a man hath not as it is 2. Cor. 8.12 So he is accounted blessed not who hath attained vnto perfect inherent righteousnesse indeede Matth. 5.6 but he who hungreth after righteousnesse Matth. 5.6 that is who hath a sence and feeling of his wants and imperfections and withall an earnest desire to haue his wants supplied § Sect. 3 But yet we must not imagine The conditions required vnto that desire which is acceptable that euery flickering and vnconstant desire proceeding from suddaine passion and some extraordinary occasion is pleasing vnto God for so euery worldling might imagine himselfe to be in the state of grace but vnto this desire I speake of there are diuers things required As first that this desire be ioyned with an holy indeuour and earnest striuing and labouring in the vse of the meanes whereby wee may attaine vnto those graces which we doe desire for it is not sufficient that wee wish for faith repentance and other graces vnlesse we indeuour to attaine vnto them and to this end carefully vse all good meanes ordained of God for the obtaining our desires Secondly this desire must not be suddaine like a flash of lightening vanishing away as soone as it entreth into vs but we must constantly perseuere in it till it be satisfied Thirdly it must not bee a slight and indifferent desire as though we would haue these graces if we could easily attaine vnto them otherwise wee doe not greatly care whether wee haue them or no but it must bee very earnest at least sometime though not alwayes So as we may say with Dauid My soule longeth after thee O Lord as the thirstie land Psal 63.1 And As the Hart brayeth for the riuers of water so panteth my soule after thee O God as it is Psal 42.1 Fourthly this desire is true and pleasing vnto God when as it proceedeth from a sense of our owne want and penurie in regard whereof we are truely humbled And hereof it is compared to hungering and thirsting in which two things concurre first a sence of want which afficteth vs and a desire to haue it supplied Fiftly it is not sufficient that we haue a continuall and earnest desire of our saluation vnlesse wee desire as earnestly the subordinate causes and meanes tending thereunto namely vocation iustification sanctification faith repentance and the rest of the graces of Gods spirit for euen Balaam himselfe did wish that he might die the death of the righteous but his desire was not acceptable to God because he wished not also to liue their life he desired to die like them that he might be saued but hee desired not to serue the Lord in holinesse and newnesse of life whereby he might haue been assured of saluation If therefore wee would haue our desires acceptable to God they must be ioyned with an holy indeuour to obtaine those spirituall graces which we doe desire they must be constant earnest and proceede from a true sence and feeling of our owne want and be referred as well to the meanes as to the ende and then the desire of grace is the grace it selfe the desire of faith is faith the desire of repentance is repentance not in it owne nature but in Gods acceptation who accepteth the will for the deede § Sect. 4 And in truth this is the chiefe perfection of our righteousnes The Christians perfection consisteth in desiring and labouring after perfection when as we feele our imperfections and labour earnestly after more perfection for Christiani sumus potius affectu quà m effectu We are Christians rather in our affections and desires than in our workes and abilities neither doth the Lord bestow vpon his children the full measure of his spirit and the graces thereof in this life but onely the first fruites which are as it were but an handfull of corne in respect of the whole field and the earnest to assure vs of the rest which is but as a peny in respect of many thousands which are confirmed vnto vs thereby Rom. 8.23.2 Cor. 1.22 and 5.5 as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 8.23.2 Cor. 1.22 and 5.5 True it is indeede that God bestoweth his spirit and the graces thereof vpon some of his children in greater measure and vpon some in lesse euen as the first fruites may be a greater or lesser handfull and the earnest is sometimes a peny and sometimes a shilling sometimes more and sometimes lesse but yet the greatest measure which any receiue is but as an handfull of the first fruites and an earnest peny in respect of the maine summe and full measure which the Lord hath hereby assured vs that he wil bestow vpon vs in his kingdom and hee that hath receiued the least earnest hath as full and perfect assurance of the whole bargaine which God hath couenanted to make good vnto vs as he who hath receiued the greatest according to the
Gods couenant Secondly the couenant betweene God and vs wherein he professeth himselfe our God and taketh vs for his people and heires of his promises is not the couenant of workes but the couenant of grace in which hee offereth freely in Christ his grace and mercy to all who will receiue it by the hand of a liuely faith And this the Lord himselfe expresseth Ierem. 31.31 Beholde the dayes come saith the Lord that I will make a new couenant with the house of Israel that is my Church Ierem. 31.31 32. Not according to the couenant which I made with their fathers that is the couenant of workes the which my couenant they breake c. but this shall be my couenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those daies saith the Lord I will put my law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and will be their God and they shall be my people So the Apostle Paul saith that the promise made to Abraham and his seede was not giuen through the lawe but through the righteousnesse of faith Rom. 4.13 Rom. 4.13 and that it was therefore by faith that it might come by grace and the promise might be sure to all the seede For if the couenant were of workes and not of faith of deserts and not of grace we should continually disanull and make it of no effect § Sect. 3 Thirdly Our redemption not caused by our worthinesse Eph. 1.7 8. as we are elected before all times so were we in time redeemed freely and without respect of our owne worthinesse of the meere mercy and loue of God although our Sauiour Christ payed the full price of our redemption vnto God his father for vs and this appeareth Ephes 1.7 By whom we haue redemption through his blood euen the forgiuenesse of sinnes according to his rich grace 8. Whereby he hath been abundant towards vs in all wisedome and vnderstanding So that our redemption was not free vnto our Sauiour Christ for it cost him the inestimable price of his most precious bloud but it was free vnto vs without any respect of our workes and worthinesse For we were like desperate debters deeply ingaged vnto God and not able to pay the least farthing and therefore were cast into the prison of euerlasting death there to be detained till we had discharged the whole debt which being impossible vnto vs it pleased our Sauiour Christ of his meere pitie and free goodwill to become our suretie and to make full satisfaction to his father euen to the least mite that so we might be released and set free We were all of vs miserable captiues held in the thraldome of sinne Sathan and death vnable to deserue in any measure to be set at libertie for wee were the children of wrath who were not sick only but euen dead in our sinnes Eph. 2.1.5 as it is Eph. 2.1.5 But our Sauiour Christ of his vndeserued loue did pay the price of our redemption and set vs out of our captiuitie quickning and raising vs vp from sinne to newnesse of life as the Apostle setteth it downe Eph. 2.3 And you were by nature the children of wrath as well as others Eph. 2.3.4 4. But God which is rich in mercie through his great loue wherewith he loued vs 5. Euen when we were dead by sinnes hath quickened vs together in Christ by whose grace ye are saued 6. And hath raised vs vp together in heauenly places in Christ Iesus 7. That he might shew in ages to come the exceeding riches of his grace through his kindnesse towards vs in Christ Iesus So that there is no worthinesse in our selues which the Lord respected for we were all alike the children of wrath and dead in our sinnes but onely of his free mercie and great loue he hath redeemed vs by Christ § Sect. 4 Fourthly Our worthines no cause of our calling as the Lord hath freely redeemed vs so also hee hath freely called vs to the knowledge of the mysterie of our redemption wrought by Iesus Christ and chosen vs amongst all nations to be his Church and peculiar people and that of his meere grace and free goodwill without any respect of our worthines as appeareth 2. Tim. 1.9 Who hath saued vs 2. Tim. 1.9 and called vs with an holy calling not according to our workes but according to his owne purpose of grace which was giuen vs through Christ Iesus before the world was So Moses telleth the children of Israel that the Lord had called and made choise of them aboue all other nations to bee his Church and people not for any respect of themselues or their owne worthinesse but of his free loue and vndeserued mercie Deut. 7.7.8 as it is Deut. 7.7.8 Psal 44.3 Our works and worthinesse no causes of our iustification Fiftly as the Lord hath freely called vs so being called he hath freely iustified vs not for any inherent righteousnesse in our selues but of his owne grace and goodwill through the righteousnesse and obedience of Iesus Christ which he imputeth vnto vs. And this is euident Rom. 3.24 where it is said that we are iustified freely by Gods grace Rom. 3.24 through the redemption which is in Christ Iesus And Tit. 3.7 where the Apostle saith that we are iustified by his grace Tit. 3.7 And least wee should ioyne with Gods grace our owne workes and worthines he telleth vs that Abraham himselfe though a most righteous and holy man in respect of his sinceritie and integritie of heart was notwithstanding not iustified by his workes but Abraham beleeued God Rom. 4.3.5 and that was imputed vnto him for righteousnesse Rom. 4.3 ver 5. he flatly excludeth works from being any causes of our iustification To him saith he that worketh not but beleeueth in him that iustifieth the vngodly his faith is counted for righteousnesse So that wee are freely iustified of Gods grace and goodwill without any respect of our owne works and worthinesse as being any causes of our iustification although they are necessarie and inseparable fruites thereof For the same death and bloudshed of Christ whereby we are freed from the guilt and punishment of sinne and euerlasting death doth free vs also from the death of sin to newnesse of life and doth not onely iustifie but also sanctifie vs as the Apostle plainly sheweth Tit. 2.14 Who gaue himselfe for vs that he might redeeme vs from all iniquitie Tit. 2.14 that is free vs from the guilt and punishment of sinne to which we were subiect and purge vs to be a peculiar people vnto himselfe zealous of good workes Sixtly our sanctification and inherent righteousnesse it selfe what is it els but the free gift of God begun increased and finished by his gracious spirit That our sanctification is the free gift of God what are the graces in vs but Gods free and vndeserued gifts what are our best works but the fruites of his
so hee will say to the other Depart from me ye cursed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the diuell and his angels Let them know that neither fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers nor wantons nor buggerers not theeues nor couetous 1. Cor. 6.9.10 nor drunkards nor railers nor extortioners nor any that liue in the like sinnes without repentance shall inherit the kingdome of God for truth it selfe hath spoken it 1. Cor. 6.9.10 but they shall haue their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone Reu. 21.8 which is the second death as it is Reuel 21.8 And therefore let not Sathan bewitch them by setting before their eyes Gods mercie for as sure as God is iust and true of his word so surely shall such as continue in their sinnes without repentance bee eternally condemned neither is it any impeachment to Gods mercie if hee exercise his iustice in inflicting due punishment vpon obstinate and rebellious sinners seeing it is sufficiently manifested in the saluation of those who repent and beleeue § Sect. 2 The second temptation which Sathan suggesteth into the minds of carnall men to the end they may runne on in their desperate courses and wallow still in the pleasing filth of their corruptions hee thus frameth Why enioyest thou not saith he thy pleasures why art thou afraid to satisfie all thy desires what needest thou to take any paines in perfourming Gods worship and seruice Sathans temptation grounded vpon the vnchangeablenesse of Gods predestination and to what purpose shouldest thou forsake thy pleasing sinnes studying and striuing after mortification and newnesse of life which is so bitter and vnpleasant vnto thee for Gods decree of predestination is sure and most vnchangeable as himselfe is without change and therefore if thou art elected of God thou maiest follow thy delights goe on in thy sinnes liue as thou list yet surely thou shalt be saued and he will giue thee repentance though it be deferred to the last gaspe But if on the other side thou art a reprobate reiected of God in his eternall councell then take what paines thou wilt make thy throte horce with praying and thy bagges emptie with giuing almes be neuer so diligent in Gods seruice neuer so carefull in mortifying thy sins yet all is in vaine for those whom he hath reprobated shall be condemned And therefore much better were it to take thy pleasure and to follow thine owne desires whilest thou art in this life for the punishments of the life to come will be enough though thou addest no torments of this life vnto them That the former temptation is both foolish and ridiculous false and impious And thus doth Sathan reason in the minde of a carnall man partly to continue and increase his securitie in the course of sinne and partly to discredit the holy doctrine of Gods eternall predestination as though it opened a dore to all licentiousnesse But if we consider of this temptation aright and sound it to the bottome we shall finde first that it is most foolish and ridiculous secondly that it is most false and impious That it is most foolish it will easily appeare if we vse the like manner of reasoning in worldly matters for it is all one as if a man should thus say thy time is appointed and the Lord in his counsaile hath set downe how long thou shalt liue if therefore it be ordained that thy time shall be short vse what meanes thou wilt of phisicke and good diet yet shalt thou not prolong it one day but if God hath decreed that thou shalt liue to olde age take what courses thou wilt runne into all desperate daungers vse surfetting and all disorder of diet nay eate no meate at all and yet thou shalt liue till thou art an old man Or as if he should say God hath decreed alreadie whether thou shalt be rich or poore and if he hath appointed thee to be poore take neuer so much paines follow thy calling as diligently as thou wilt abstaine from all wastfulnesse and prodigalitie yet shalt thou neuer get any wealth but if thou art preordained to be rich sell all thou hast and scatter it abroade in the streetes spend thy time in gaming drinking and whoring neuer troubling thy head with care nor thy hands with worke yet shalt thou be a welthie man Now who would not laugh at such absurd manner of reasoning if any should vse it because euery man knoweth that as God hath decreed the time of our life so he hath decreed also that we should vse the meanes whereby our liues may be preserued so long as he hath ordained that we should liue namely auoyding of daungers good diet and phisicke and as he hath decreed that a man should be rich so he hath decreed also that he should vse all good meanes of attaining vnto riches namely prouidence and paines in getting and care and frugalitie in keeping that he hath gotten and whosoeuer vse not the meanes doe make it manifest that they were not ordained vnto the end Although indeede because the Lord would shew his absolute and almightie power he doth not alwaies tie himselfe vnto meanes but sometimes crosseth and maketh them vneffectuall to their ends and sometime he effecteth what he will without or contrarie to all meanes and hence it is that some quickly die who vse all meanes to preserue health and some become poore who vse al meanes of obtaining riches whereas others being depriued of the meanes attaine vnto long life and riches by the immediate blessing of God But ordinarily the meanes and end goe together and therefore it is fond presumption to imagine or hope without the vse of the meanes to attaine vnto the end And thus it is also in spirituall matters appertaining to euerlasting life those whom God hath elected he hath ordained also that they should attaine vnto and vse all good meanes tending thereunto namely faith repentance sanctification and newnesse of life and therefore it is as absurd for any to imagine that they shall be saued continuing in their ignorance infidelitie vnrepentancie and filthie corruptions as it is for a man to thinke that he shall liue to be old and yet runneth into all daungers forsaketh phisicke yea and foode also whereby his life should be sustained For the spirituall meanes of saluation are as well nay much more contained in Gods decree as the corporall meanes of preseruing life for it hath been heard-of that some haue liued in the middest of daungers and in the absence of meate for a long time but it was neuer heard that any haue attained vnto euerlasting life without faith repentance and sanctification for euen the thiefe vpon the crosse beleeued in Christ and shewed the fruites of his faith in acknowledging his owne sinne reproouing his fellow in confessing our Sauiour Christ euen then when his Apostles denied and forsooke him in calling vpon his name and desiring by his meanes euerlasting life § Sect.
it is manifestly declared in the Gospel that wee are elected vnto euerlasting life and therefore we are bound to beleeue it and may be assured that we are elected The proposition or first part of this reason containeth two branches the first is that we are bound to beleeue whatsoeuer the Gospell reuealeth the second that we may be assured of it both which are euident truths For that which Christ commandeth that wee are bound to perfourme but he commandeth vs to beleeue the Gospell Mar. 1.15 Repent and beleeue the Gospell Mark 1.15 1. Ioh. 3.23 So this is his commandement that we beleeue c. 1. Ioh. 3.23 The breach of which commandement is punished with euerlasting death For he that will not beleeue shall be damned as it is Mar. Mar. 16.16 16.16 And as we are bound to beleeue it so wee may also come to be assured thereof seeing the Gospell commandeth vs nothing which it doth not also by the inward and ordinarie cooperation of Gods spirit enable vs to perfourme For this difference is betweene the commandements of the Law and the commandements of the Gospell the Law sheweth vs the duties which we should perfourme but ministers vnto vs no power whereby wee may be enabled to perfourme them but the Gospell being assisted with the operation of Gods spirit doth command and withall giueth vs abilitie to perfourme the commandement for the words of the Gospell are spirit and life as our Sauiour speaketh Ioh. 6.63 6.63 and with the preaching thereof the spirit inwardly worketh quickning and strengthening vs to perfourme that which it enioyneth The assumption or second part of the reason is also cleere namely that the Gospell manifesteth vnto vs our election for what els is the whole Gospell but a declaration of Gods loue and of our election and redemption in and by Iesus Christ what is it els but the ambassage whereby God reconcileth vs vnto himselfe what els is contained therein but Gods mercifull promises of life and saluation made on no other condition but on the condition of faith which we need not feare to perfourme seeing it is commanded vs of God and therefore though we had no other reason to beleeue yet wee should beleeue in obedience to Gods commandement seeing he commandeth nothing which is not good in it selfe tending to his owne glorie and our saluation and if we doe beleeue though our vnworthinesse bee neuer so great yea though our faith bee neuer so weake and small yet may wee thereby be assured of our election and saluation for this is Gods will Ioh. 6.40 and 3.36 that whosoeuer beleeueth in his sonne shall haue euerlasting life as it is Ioh. 6.40 So Ioh. 3.36 He that beleeueth in the sonne hath euerlasting life But most notable is that place 1. Ioh. 1. Ioh. 5.10 5.10 He that beleeueth in the sonne of God hath the witnesse in himselfe that is they neede no other reasons to perswade them that the testimonie which God hath giuen of his sonne namely that whosoeuer beleeue in him shall haue euerlasting life is true for they haue full and sufficient assurance hereof by their faith Whosoeuer therefore can be assured that they beleeue in Iesus Christ as all may who bring forth the fruits of faith in sanctification and holines of life or at least desire and endeuour to serue the Lord in the duties of pietie and righteousnesse they may be assured nay they are bound by Gods expresse commandement vndoubtedly to beleeue they are elected and shall be saued because all the promises of the Gospell are made vnto them without any other condition § Sect. 2 Secondly whosoeuer are bound to beleeue that Iesus Christ is their Sauiour and Redeemer Secondly we are assured that we are redeemed and consequently that we are elected they are also vndoubtedly to beleeue and may also be assured of their election but euery Christian is bound by Gods expresse commandement to beleeue that Iesus Christ is their Sauiour and Redeemer as appeareth 1. Ioh. 3.23 and therefore they are vndoubtedly to beleeue and may bee assured of their election The proposition is manifest seeing all those and those onely are saued and redeemed by Christ Rom. 8.30 Matth. 25.34 Act. 13.48 who are elected to saluation in Gods eternall decree The assumption is most certaine for whereas God commaunds vs to beleeue in Iesus Christ hee doth not onely enioyne vs to beleeue that he is a Sauiour of his Church in generall or of the Patriarchs Prophets and Apostles alone for this also the diuels beleeue as well as wee but wee are to beleeue that he is our Sauiour and Redeemer and to applie all the promises of life and saluation made in him particularly vnto our selues for otherwise how should wee haue that assurance of faith and that bold confidence when we approach vnto the throne of grace Heb. 4.16 and 10.22 which the Apostle requireth of vs Heb. 4.16 and 10.22 if wee cannot be assured that he is our Sauiour and Redeemer in whom God loueth and hath elected vs § Sect. 3 Neither must this faith and assurance of our election and saluation be mixt with doubting That our assurance should not be mixt with doubting as the Papists would beare vs in hand who make doubting not an infirmitie but a commendable vertue of their faith for faith doubting though they are often mixt in Gods children yet in respect of their owne natures they are opposed in the scriptures one against the other So it is said of Abraham Rom. 4.20 that he doubted not of Gods promise through vnbeleefe but was strengthened in the faith Rom. 4.20 where the Apostle sheweth that doubting is a fruite of vnbeleefe and not a commendable vertue nay hee opposeth it to faith saying that hee doubted not of the promise but was strengthened in the faith So the Apostle Iames chap. 1.5 saith If any man lacke wisedome Iam. 1.5 let him aske in faith and wauer not where he opposeth faith to wauering or doubting And our Sauiour Christ also maketh this opposition Matth 21.21 saying If ye haue faith and doubt not Matth. 21.21 So that though faith and doubting are not opposed in respect of the subiect wherein they are for euen the most deare children of God haue their faith often mixt with doubting they being partly flesh and partly spirit yet these two in their owne natures are opposed one against the other and euen in respect of their subiect they thus far disagree that though they haue their subsistance in the same subiect yet not in the same part that is though they be in the same man yet not in the same part for faith is in the regenerate and spirituall part doubting in the vnregenerate or fleshly part Doubting a fruite of vnbeleefe opposed vnto faith Doubting then is no vertue of faith but opposed thereunto as a fruite of vnbeleefe it proceedeth not from the spirit but from the flesh and as
a fruite of the flesh it is condemned in Gods word though the Papists highly commend it So Matth. 14.31 our Sauiour reprehendeth Peter for his doubting O thou of little faith Matth. 14.31 wherefore diddest thou doubt And Luk. 12.29 he telleth vs that wee must not stand in doubt or as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth be not like vnto meteors which are carried about in the ayre with euery winde Luk. 12.29 And the Apostle Iames chap. Iam. 1.7 1.7 compareth him that wauereth or doubteth to a waue of the sea tost of the winde and carried away And Paul is so farre from commending doubting for a vertue that hee doth not onely condemne it as a sinne in it selfe but also as a cause which maketh our actions which are indifferent or good in themselues to become sinnes So the eating of this or that meate is a thing indifferent and lawfull if it be recciued with prayer and thanksgiuing but yet the Apostle telleth vs Rom. 14.23 that he who doubteth is condemned if he eate Rom. 14.23 and he rendreth this reason because he eateth not of faith and whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne So that by this hee sheweth that he who doubteth eateth not of faith and that whatsoeuer is not done of faith is sinne Seeing therefore doubting is opposed vnto faith and is in it selfe not onely a sinne but also a cause of sinne let vs not intertaine it though it bring letters commendatorie from the Pope and all his shauelings but labour to banish it out of our harts and striue after faith and full assurance of our election and saluation in Christ Iesus and though we finde our great vnworthinesse of the least of Gods mercies and cannot see any reason in our selues why we should beleeue that wee are elected and shall be saued yet let vs hope against hope and beleeue against beleefe for it is not a thing left to our choise but inioyned vs by God as the chiefe and maine dutie required in the Gospell and therefore laying aside all reasoning and disputing let vs resolue to beleeue in obedience to Gods commandement and then though we are neuer so full of corruptions Act. 15.9 yet will this faith purifie vs though wee are most backward in perfourming any good worke yet will it be fruitfull in vs Galat. 5 6. and will worke by loue though wee be most vnworthie it will make vs more worthie by applying vnto vs the righteousnesse of Christ and the merits of his death and bloudshed which will not onely free vs from the guilt and punishment of sinne but wil also purge vs from the vices and corruptions themselues § Sect. 4 Thirdly the certaintie of our election may be prooued Thirdly faith is a certaine and particular perswasion and not a doubtfull opinion or generall notion by an argument drawne from the nature of faith which is not a doubtfull opinion but a certaine perswasion not a generall notion but a particular assurance whereby we do applie and appropriate vnto our selues those things which wee doe beleeue Whosoeuer therefore hath true faith he doth certainly beleeue and is particularly assured of his election iustification and saluation That faith is a certaine perswasion it may appeare first by those properties and names which are giuen vnto it in the word Heb. 11.1 faith is said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Heb. 11.1 a subsistance or present being of things hoped for so that hope waiteth for them in time to come but faith enioyeth them as being present namely in respect of the certaine assurance and particular application of the promises vnto ourselues and therefore the Apostle saith 1. Ioh. 5.13 that hereby we may know not that wee shall haue but that we haue eternall life 1. Ioh. Heb. 11.1 5.13 not in possession but in assurance of faith It is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the same place which word is quite contrarie to doubting as signifying a manifest demonstration which doth not only shew a thing probably but also doth conuince with strong arguments and make that truth cleere and manifest which was otherwise obscure and secret and therefore in the text it is called a demonstration of things not seene So there is ascribed vnto it fulnesse of perswasion Heb. Heb. 10.22 10.22 Let vs draw neere with a true heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in full assurance of faith and also boldnesse with confident trust Eph. Eph. 3.12 3.12 by whom we haue boldnesse and entrance with confidence not by extraordinarie reuelations but by faith in Christ which full assurance boldnesse and confidence wee could not haue if wee were not assured of Gods loue and our election but remained doubtfull whether we were beloued of God and elected or no. To these names and properties of faith we may adde some plaine testimonies of Scriptures which cleerely shew that faith is not a doubtfull hope but a certaine perswasion 1. Iohn 3.14 1. Ioh. 3.14 The Apostle saith that we knowe that we are translated from death to life not by reuelation but because we loue the brethren he doth not say that we knowe that we shall be but that we are translated from death to life to note the certainty of this knowledge and perswasion Rom. 3.2 the Apostle saith Rom. 5.2 that by Christ we haue accesse through faith vnto Gods grace wherein we stand and reioyce vnder hope or as the word signifieth glory and triumph with ioy so that we doe not wauer and stagger but stand firmely through faith we doe not feare and timorously hope but euen glory and triumphe in our reioycing saying with the Apostle Rom. 8.33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen Rom. 8.33 34.35 38. it is God that iustifieth 34. Who shall condemne it is Christ which is dead yea or rather which is risen againe who is also at the right hand of God and maketh request also for vs. 35. Who shall separate vs from the loue of Christ c. So that though our sinnes be manifold our vnworthinesse great and our faith weake yet if it be true it may also be certaine in the assurance of Gods loue and our election because it is not grounded on our worthinesse but vpon Gods free iustifying and accepting of vs as righteous in Christ Heb. 6.18 and vpon Christs death resurrection and intercession for vs vnto God his father which is a most sure foundation that cannot faile In deede if our faith and the anchor of our hope did pitch rest and fasten it selfe vpon the light and hollow sands of our owne merits and worthinesse the surging waues and boysterous blasts of Sathans temptations would disanchor and tosse vs too and fro till at length we should make shipwracke of our faith against the rockes of despaire but seeing we take holde and rest vpon the firme and sure anchor-hold Christ Iesus his merits and righteousnesse
the sunne first inlightneth our eyes and by this light we see the sunne it selfe And this our Sauiour Christ intimateth Ioh. 10.14 where first he saith he knoweth his sheepe Ioh. 10.14 and then he addeth that he is also knowne of them As though he should say whilest I know and acknowledge them for my sheepe hereby I bring to passe that they in like manner by the participatiō of this my light and knowledge doe acknowledge me for their true pastor If therefore we know and acknowledge God for our gracious God louing father in Christ it is a most certaine signe that he also by his foreknowledge doth know and acknowledge vs for his people and children But if we remaine in our ignorance without the knowledge of God and his sonne Christ we can gather no assurance vnto our selues of our election for if the foreknowledge of God had shined vpon vs the beames thereof would haue illuminated our hearts so as wee should by their light haue knowne God also Gods loue cause of our loue The like may be said of Gods eternall loue wherewith he hath loued vs in Christ for God louing vs hath imprinted the image of his loue in our hearts whereby wee loue him againe and when this heauenly heate of Gods loue hath descended on vs and warmeth our cold hearts frozen in the dregges of sinne then doe we reflect some of those beames of Gods loue towards him againe And this the Apostle Iohn plainely sheweth 1. Ioh. 4.19 where he saith that we loue God because he loued vs first 1. Ioh. 4.19 that is by that eternall loue wherewith God loued vs in Christ there is imprinted in our hearts the loue of God Vers 7. And hence it is that he saith vers 7. that loue commeth from God because we can neither loue God nor our neighbours aright till his loue towards vs hauing shined vpon vs hath inflamed our hearts So the Apostle Paul saith Rom 5.5 that the loue of God is shed abrode in our hearts Rom. 5.8 by the holy Ghost which is giuen vnto vs whereby loue towards God is begotten in vs. If therefore the loue of God be in our hearts we may be assured that it is but an impression which is made in vs by the seale of his loue towards vs but a little sparke kindled by this heauenly flame and a small modell or little counterfaite resembling the infinit loue of God wherewith from all eternitie he hath loued vs in Christ Thus also Gods eternall election whereby before all worlds he hath chosen vs in Christ doth make an impression and sealeth in our hearts the form or image thereof whereby we make choyse of the true God Iehouah amongst all the Gods of the nations to be our onely God whom we will serue and worship And therefore if we haue made this election and dedicated our selues wholy to Gods worship and seruice alone it is a most certaine signe of our election whereby God hath chosen vs fot our choosing of God is an effect of his choosing of vs and an impression or print wherewith by his election hee hath sealed vs. § Sect. 5 And thus it appeareth that the effects of Gods election doe not onely as signes signifie The first effect of our election is our sauiour Christ by whom we are assured that we are elected but also as seales confirme vnto vs the assurance thereof but let vs further consider the special effects of our election whereby we may be assured that we are chosen of God The first effect is our Sauiour Christ himself set apart of God to be the mediator to reconcile all Gods elect vnto him dwelling in vs by his spirit who may iustly be called the first effect of Gods election because all the other namely our vocation iustification sanctification and saluation are by him and through him alone Whosoeuer therefore are assured that Christ dwelleth in them and they in him they haue a most vndoubted signe of their election and whosoeuer haue not Christ dwelling in them by his spirit can haue no assurance that they are chosen as the Apostle plainely sheweth 2. Cor. 13.5 know you not saith he that Iesus Christ is in you except you be reprobates 2. Cor. 13.5 but how shall we know whether Christ dwelleth thus in vs and we in him the Apostle telleth vs Rom. 8.1 Rom. 8.1 that those who are in Christ Iesus walke not after the flesh but after the spirit that is those who doe not willingly submit themselues to be ruled and led by the lusts of the flesh but labour and striue to resist and subdue them studying and indeauoring to liue a spirituall life in holinesse and righteousnesse For in whomsoeuer Christ dwelleth by his spirit those he regenerateth and raiseth from the death of sinne to newnesse of life and his blood is effectuall not only to purge them from the guilt of sinne but also to cleanse them in some measure from the corruptions themselues § Sect. 6 The second effect of our election The second effect of our election is our effectuall calling is our effectuall calling whereby we are separated from the world and ingrafted into Christ and made liuely members of his body and this is done ordinarily by the diligent and attentiue hearing of the word ioyned with the inward operation of Gods spirit If therefore we haue heard Gods word preached diligently and attentiuely if thereby wee haue attained vnto the knowledge of the worke of our redemption wrought by Iesus Christ and are delighted therewith if by this meanes wee haue our hearts somewhat weaned from the world and fixed vpon our Sauiour and heauenly things and thinking it sufficient to haue spent the rest of our liues past in the lusts of the Gentiles 1. Pet. 4.2.3 doe liue hence forward after the wil of God then are we truely and effectually called for those are Christs sheepe that heare his voyce and follow him Ioh. 10.4 Those are ingrafted into his body who bring forth the fruites of godlinesse Ioh. 10.4 for as the branch can bring forth no fruite except it abide in the vine so neither can we bring forth any fruites of pietie and righteousnesse except wee abide in Christ and therefore if we doe bring forth these fruites it manifestly appeareth that we are in Christ and consequently truely called and elected for without him we could doe nothing Ioh. 15.4.5 as it is Ioh. 15.4.5 § Sect. 7 The third effect of Gods election The third effect is our iustification is our iustification consisting in the remission of our sinnes and the imputation of Christs righteousnesse and to this is required a true and liuely faith which assureth vs of the remission of our sinnes and applieth vnto vs Christs righteousnesse If therefore we beleeue that our sinnes are forgiuen if we doe by faith apply vnto vs Christ and his righteousnesse we may be assured that we are iustified
and consequently elected now this perswasion and liuely faith is discerned by the fruites thereof for it purifieth our hearts and worketh by loue and it worketh in vs an hatred of sinne and loue of righteousnesse which is our sanctification § Sect. 8 So that our sanctification which is the last effect of Gods election wrought in vs in this life The fourth effect is our sanctification which is the touchstone of all the rest is the true touchstone of all the rest whereby wee may certainely know whether we be effectually called that is separated from the world and ingrafted as liuely members into the body of Christ and whether we be truely iustified that is purged from the guilt and punishment of our sinnes by Christs blood and adorned with his righteousnesse imputed vnto vs. For if we be separated from the world then doe we not set our mindes vpon worldly things but haue our conuersation in heauen from whence we looke for a sauiour euen the Lord Iesus Christ Phil. 3.20 if we are ingrafted into the body of Christ who is the true vine then doe we bring forth the sweete grapes of holinesse and righteousnesse in our liues and conuersations as it is Ioh. 15.5 Ioh. 15.5 if we haue by a true faith the assurance of the remission of our sinnes then will we loue God who hath forgiuen vs so great a debt and labour to expresse our loue by glorifying his name in causing our light to shine before men and if the blood of Christ be effectuall vnto vs for the purging away of the guilt and punishment of sinne then will it also in some measure purge away the corruptions themselues For we are grasted with him into the similitude of his death and resurrection Rom. 6.56 and our olde man is crucified with him and the body of sinne destroyed that from henceforth we should not serue sinne as it is Rom. 6.5.6 And as our sanctification is the onely vndoubted signe of our vocation and iustification so also of our election for the Lord hath chosen vs that wee should bee holy Ephes 1.4 And therefore if wee be holy wee haue a manifest effect and inseparable fruite of our election Eph. 1.4 if we be not holy nor make conscience of seruing the Lord in the duties of pietie and christianitie we haue no assurance that we are elected for though the foundation of God remaineth sure on Gods part being sealed and confirmed in his eternall counsell yet it is not sealed in our hearts vntill we depart from iniquitie 2. Tim. 2.19 as it is 2. Tim. 2.19 Though then there be no place vnto our sanctification in Gods decree as being any cause thereof and therefore when the question is asked why we are elected we must answere not for any deserts or holinesse in our selues but because of Gods good pleasure and vndeserued grace and when it is demaunded in whom we are elected wee must reply in Christ Iesus only yet there is chiefe place vnto our sanctification in the assurance of our election so that when the question is asked who are elected answere is to be made those onely who are also sanctified in Gods good time by his gracious spirit Heb. 12.14 for without this holinesse no man shall euer see God as it is Heb. 12.14 § Sect. 9 Now our sanctification doth principally consist in a loue of righteousnesse Wherein our sanctification consisteth and a true hatred of sinne from whence proceedeth an earnest desire and hartie indeauour of forsaking that which is euill and of cleauing vnto that which is good and for the better effecting hereof a carefull studie of mortifying the flesh and the lusts thereof and painefull diligence in vsing all good meanes whereby the spirit may be strengthened and the gifts and graces thereof encreased that so wee may not be so prone to fall into that sinne which we hate nor so backward in imbracing and following that righteousnesse and holinesse which wee loue And this is the sanctification which is an inseparable fruite and effect of Gods election in all his children That those who will be assured of their election must begin their assurance at their sanctification which though it be the last in nature and next vnto saluation it selfe for first God electeth and those whom he hath elected in his good time he calleth and whom he calleth those he iustifieth and lastly whom he iustifieth those he sanctifieth and saueth yet when we are to gather assurance of our election we are not to obserue this order but to begin where the Lord endeth and so ascend from the lowest degree till we come to the highest For as it is a foolish thing for a man to thinke that he can leap to the top of an high ladder at the first step and therefore euery one beginneth with the lowest and so ascendeth step by step till he come to the highest so it is a foolish thing for a man to imagine that he can leape into heauen and there search the vnsearchable councels of God and so know whether he is elected or no but we must begin at the lowest step namely our sanctification which being attained vnto we may ascend a step higher in our assurance namely that we are iustified and so to the next that we are effectually called and lastly to the highest that we are elected Otherwise if we curiously diue into the bottomlesse secrets of Gods councels we shall be drowned and ouerwhelmed if we approach vnto this vnapproachable light the eye of our understanding will be dazled yea starke blinded if we presume to vnderstand beyond sobrietie we shall by the iust iudgement of God be infatuated and thrust our selues into an endlesse laborinth out of which we shall neuer finde way wanting the line of Gods word to guide vs. And therefore if we would haue any true assurance of our election we must examine our selues whether we be sanctified and if we finde in our selues sanctification by the fruites thereof wee may vndoubtedly conclude that we are iustified called elected and shall be saued If we walke not after the flesh but after the spirit we may be assured that we are in Christ Iesus and therefore there is no condemnation belonging vnto vs Rom. 8.1 Rom. 8.1 If we bring forth the fruites of righteousnesse and holinesse we may be assured that we are good trees of Gods owne planting Matth. 7.17 Matth. 7.17 If we be fruitfull braunches we may assuredly know that we are ingrafted into the true vine Iesus Christ Ioh. 15.4.5 Ioh. 15.4.5 § Sect. 10 Seeing then our sanctification assureth vs of our election and saluation and without it there is no assurance what stronger argument can be imagined to make vs flee sinne The vse of the former doctrine and labour after mortification and newnesse of life what keener knife can be vsed to cut insunder the cordes of vanitie wherein naturally we are fettered and intangled
may wholy be ascribed to his owne free grace who calleth and iustifieth sanctifieth and saueth whom he will and not vnto humane learning or knowledge which may be attained vnto by mans industrie and labour It may bee also that these who teach one thing and practise the cleane contrarie §. Sect. 3. That not learning but Gods spirit freeth vs from our naturall corruptions doe notwithstanding beleeue that is know and giue their assent to that which they deliuer but this generall faith is incident as well to the diuels themselues as vnto men and therefore those who haue it may neuerthelesse be as worldly carnal and prophane as euer they were for before we attaine vnto a true iustifying faith and be sanctified by Gods spirit our knowledge and learning wil not free vs from our corruption of nature wherein wee are conceiued borne and bred and therefore though wee see the truth yea know and acknowledge it to be the word of God which shall one day either iustifie or condemne vs yet if the Lord doe not ioyne with this knowledge the inward operation of his spirit making it effecttuall for our sanctification and for the purging of vs from our corruptions wee are as readie to fall into all sinne being inticed and carried away with the riches honours and pleasures of the world as if we were still most sottishly ignorant A notable example hereof we haue in Salomon who though hee had receiued such a measure of wisedome and diuine knowledge That neglect of dutie doth not alwaies argue incredulitie as neuer meere man attained vnto the like yea though he were a penman of an excellent portion of holie Scriptures yet the Lord leauing him to the corruption of his owne heart he fell most grieuously into all abominable wickednesse and yet who will dare to say that Salomon did not write as he thought and not rather that he was carried away through the violence of his corruptions to commit that sinne which his conscience condemned and to neglect obedience to Gods vndoubted truth So Dauid who was indued with notable knowledge and no lesse grace fel notwithstanding most fearefully into adulterie and murther but shall we therefore thinke that he was not perswaded that these were horrible sinnes or that when he commended mercie innocencie and chastitie he spake not as he thought And Peter likewise denied and forswore his master whom before hee had acknowledged to be the sonne of God but shall wee hence conclude that Peter dissembled when he made that notable confession because when hee came to the triall hee vtterly disclaimed it Nay rather we may certainly be perswaded that Dauid was carried away with his lust and concupiscence and Peter ouercome with feare and frailtie and both drawne through their corruption to commit those sinnes which their consciences condemened But leauing such farre fetcht instances let euery man yea euen he who hath attained vnto the greatest measure of faith and sanctification enter into a strict and due consideration with himselfe and examine his owne conscience before Gods tribunall seate and then let him tell me whether hee perfourme obedience to all that truth which hee knoweth and beleeueth or whether he may not iustly complaine that our corruption takes occasion by the knowledge of Gods commandement to work in vs all manner of concupiscence that hee doth those things which he alloweth not nay which he hateth and abhorreth that though hee doe not onely know the law of God but also is delighted therewith in the inner man yet that there is another law in his members which rebelleth atainst the law of his mind Rom. 7.8.15.23 and leadeth him captiue vnto the law of sinne as it is Rom. 7.8.15.23 And if this be the case of Salomon Dauid Peter and of all Gods children who haue attained to the greatest measure of knowledge and sanctification let not Sathan perswade vs that wee may safely neglect the ministerie of the word because the ministers thereof seeme not perswaded that the doctrine which they deliuer is true in that they do not practise it in their own liues for many knowing and beleeuing that truth which they deliuer are notwithstanding destitute of the sanctifying graces of Gods spirit and therefore wholy carried away into all licentious wickednesse and many also who are sanctified being not wholy purged from their naturall corruptions are readie to shew their frailtie and infirmties to all the world though they know acknowledge beleeue and from their hearts embrace that truth which they teach and professe But if Sathan cannot thus preuaile nor cause vs to doubt of Gods truth §. Sect. 4. The second temptation taken from the euill liues of Ministers answered because the ministers liue not according to that doctrine which they teach then he will perswade them at least to refuse to heare such whose liues are scandalous as being vnworthie to take the word into their mouthes and vnable to conuert or amend others seeing the word is not powerfull which they deliuer for the conuerting and refourming of their owne liues Which temptation of sathan is most dangerous and pernicious vnto many for what greater discouragement can there be to a sicke patient than to take physicke of such a Physition who can not cure himselfe of the same disease Or who will willingly eate of that foode which he who giueth it vnto him so loatheth and abhorreth that he will not so much as taste of it Or who taketh delight in hearing him discourse of mercie chastitie and liberalitie whom he knoweth wholy possessed of crueltie lust and couetousnesse And therefore it were to be wished that Gods ministers should be Physitions to themselues before they take vpon them the cure of others that they should not stand like Images by the high way sides directing others in their iourneys themselues neuer mouing foot but that they should like guides goe before them and instruct them not only by their word but also moue them to receiue their instructiō by their example But yet let vs take heed that Sathan doe not take occasion vpon the neglect of their dutie to make vs neglect ours that he do not robbe vs of the inestimable treasure of Gods word and depriue vs of this heauenly Manna and foode of our soules whereby all the graces of Gods spirit are begotten That the Ministers wickednesse or vnworthinesse should not make vs neglect hearing nourished and increased in vs because the minister who offreth it vnto vs doth not feede vpon it himselfe And to this end we are to know that the ministerie of the word is Gods ordinance which dependeth not vpon the worthinesse of him who deliuereth it neither is it made voide and vneffectuall by his vnworthinesse but it hath it vertue force and power from the blessing of God and from the inward operation of his spirit who applieth it to the hearts and consciences of men and thereby illuminates their vnderstandings begetteth faith in them
seuen diuels or in Matthew and Zacheus the Publicanes or in Paul who persecuted the Church of God In a word what worthines is in any of Gods saints before the Lord by the preaching of his word made effectuall by the inward operation of his spirit hath called and conuerted and pulled them out of their sins and corruptions in which they wallowed and indued them with some measure of his sanctifying and sauing graces § Sect. 2 Secondly That our vnfitnesse to heare should not make vs neglect hearing whereas he obiecteth our vnfitnes to heare because our eares are dull our eyes blind our hearts hard and our wils affections and all the powers and faculties of our bodies and soules wholy corrupted and disordered this must not moue vs to neglect the hearing of Gods word but to become hearers thereof with more care and diligence for it is the two-edged sword of the spirit which will pearce and make way for it selfe to enter and will builde a lodging for it selfe to dwell in it is not onely a light to guide those that see but a precious eye-salue to giue sight vnto those who were borne blinde it is not onely the heauenly deaw which maketh Gods graces to spring in vs but also that diuine seede which giueth them being and rooting in our hearts it is not onely the foode of our soules to preserue and increase that strength which wee alreadie haue but also that immortall seede by which wee are first begotten vnto God and borne againe who before were dead in our sinnes and that excellent physicke of our soules by which they are purged from their corruptions and restored vnto health which before were deadly sicke in sinne it maketh vs first to will that which is good and then further to desire it it giueth vs life who before were dead in our sinnes and then preserues this life it begets and begins faith sanctification and all other graces in vs and being begotten and begun it strengtheneth increaseth them and therefore let not Sathan disswade vs from the hearing of Gods word because of our sinnes vnworthinesse and vnfitnesse for as it is a notable meanes ordained of God for the increasing of grace where it alreadie is so is it no lesse effectuall for the begetting of grace where it neuer was There is no wise man that will neglect his trade and liue idely because he is poore but rather this will moue him to be more painfull therein as being the meanes whereby hee may become rich neither doe men refuse all nourishment because they haue emptie and hungrie stomackes but doe more earnestly desire meate that they may be filled and satisfied yea euen those whose stomackes are weake doe not altogether refuse their foode but eate something to sharpen their appetite and so by little and little in vsing their stomackes they get stomacks let vs follow the like practise and when we â—â—rceiue our beggerlinesse in Gods graces let vs more earnestly â—â—bour after this heauenly treasure and precious pearle that we may be made rich wheÌ„ we feele our emptines of all vertue aâ—â— goodnesse let vs more eagerly hunger after this spirituall Mâ—â—na that we may be filled and satisfied when we finde our appetite weake and our stomacks indisposed to eate of this heauenly foode let vs a little force our selues against the appetite or 〈◊〉 all good meanes to quicken and sharpen it and so wee shall finde that the oftner we eate the oftner we shall desire the more wee heare the word of God the more wee shall desire to heare and the greater benefit wee shall receiue by it Whereas neglect of hearing will make vs euery day more vnfit to heare euen as long abstinence doth quite spoyle the stomack CHAP. XXVI How wee must arme our selues against Sathans temptations whereby he laboureth to make the word of God fruitlesse § Sect. 1 ANd these are the temptations which Sathan vseth to disswade vs from hearing the word That Sathan tempteth vs to carelesse negligence in hearing but if we breake these snares and cannot bee withheld from frequenting Gods holie assemblies then hee will labour by all meanes to make the word of God which we heare fruitlesse and vneffectuall for our conuersion and saluation and to this end hee will labour to work in vs a negligent carelesnesse in hearkening to those things which are deliuered and this is vsually accompanied with dulnesse of spirit drowsinesse and sleepinesse or if wee set our selues to heare the word with any care and conscience to profit thereby then he wil seeke to distract our mindes with wandring thoughts either by offring and suggesting to our consideration and memorie the world and the vanities thereof as our affaires and businesse and those pleasures wherewith wee are most delighted or if this will not preuaile by casting into our mindes things in their owne nature good and religious if they were thought vpon in time conuenient to the end that wee may be distracted and be made vnfit to heare the word with profit That to resist Sathan we must prepare our selues before we heare Which temptations we are to withstand as being most dangerous and pernicious and to this purpose there is something required at our hands to be perfourmed before our comming to Gods assemblies and something afterwards Before wee come to the hearing of the word there is required due preparation whereby our mindes are made fit vessels to receiue the spirituall treasure and foode of our soules For if we come into the congregation of the faithfull without any premeditation reuerence or regard of the action which we are to take in hand if we present our selues rashly and vnaduisedly as if we went to a play or to dispatch some worldly businesse we shall hardly keepe our minds from negligent wandring and worldly distractions which will make the word of God fruitlesse and vnprofitable § Sect. 2 Now this preparation doth principally consist first in the purging of our corrupt affections VVherein this preparation consisteth Eccl. 4.17 to which duty the wise man exhorteth vs Eccl. 4.17 Take heed to thy feete when thou entrest into the house of God that is be carefull to purge thine affections which are the feete of thy soule And this was typically signified by the outward washing of the Israelites before the promulgation of the law Exod. 19.10 Exod. 19.10 where by the washing of their clothes and bodies the purging of the secret corruptions of the heart was signified and represented Which dutie is necessarily to be performed of al those who will heare the word with profit for as the most pure liquor is defiled and made vnprofitable for vse if it bee put into a polluted and stinking vessell so the pure liquor of Gods word is defiled and made fruitlesse vnto al those who receiue it into an heart polluted with vncleane affections As therefore Moses was enioyned by God to put off his shooes from his feete before he
our stonie hartes and giueth vs hartes of flesh as hee promiseth Ezec. 11.19 And breaketh vp these fallow grounds fit in themselues to bring forth no fruite but weedes and thistles that so they may bee prepared to receiue the seed of his word and bee made fruitfull in all grace And thus our stubborne rebellious hartes are softened when as we particularly apply vnto our selues the doctrine of the law wherby first wee come to the knowing and acknowledging of our finnes original and actual Secondly our hartes are pricked and our consciences wounded by apprehending and applying to our guiltie soules the curse of the lawe the anger of God and those feareful punishments prepared for the wicked Thirdly seeing this our miserie and finding no means of our owne how wee may come out of this wretched estate wee are brought to despaire of our own strength righteousnesse and satisfaction finding them of no vertue for our iustification By all which being throughly humbled and cast downe in our selues the Lorde by the preaching of the gospel doth reueale vnto vs a way how we may escape out of this miserable estate by applying vnto our selues Christ Iesus and all his meritts and obedience by a true and liuely faith after which the humbled sinner seeing his owne wants and miserie by the lawe and perceiuing that our sauiour Christ is so rich in meritts that hee can cansily supply all his defects and so gratious and powerfull that hee can and will free him out of his wretchednesse he doth plainely discerne that hee standeth exceedingly in need of Christ Iesus and his righteousnesse After which sense of his owne wantes there is begott in him an carnest and hungring desire to bee made partaker of Iesus Christ his righteousnesse meritts obedience and of all those inestimable benefitts which are purchased by them And lastly hee is mooued to appeale from the sentence of the law to the throne of grace pleading not his owne righteousnesse or satisfaction but Christs meritts and obedience The third and last meanes of our effectuall calling is a true and liuely faith The 3. meanes whereby we apprehend Christ Iesus and all his benefitts giuen and applyed vnto vs by Gods spirite resting vpon him alone for our iustification and saluation .. § Sect. 4 That all 〈◊〉 find the former meanes powerfull in them are effectually called And these are the meanes of our effectuall calling which whosoeuer hath found powerfull working in themselues for their conuersion after the manner before spoken of they may most certainely assure themselues that they are effectually called and are alreadie partakers of Iesus Christ and all his benefites If therefore the Lorde whilest wee did lye frozen in the dregs of our sinnes without all desire of grace or meanes to escape our sinnes without all desire of grace or meanes to escape out of our miserie hath vouchsafed vnto vs the misterie of his holy word if by the law hee hath reuealed our sinnes vnto vs and the punishmentes due vnto them and if by the gospell hee hath shewed vs the way how we may come out of this miserie if by the inward cooperation of his holy spirit he hath opened our deafe cares and with this precious eyesalue hath annointed the blinde eies of our vnderstandings so that we haue attentiuely heard and in some measure vnderstoode those principles of our christian religion which haue in the misterie of the worde beene deliuered vnto vs if our hartes haue beene softened and pearced and our consciences wounded with the sight and sense of our sinnes if disparing in our owne strength righteousnesse and all other meanes of our owne wee haue gone out of our selues and rested and relied vpon Christ Iesus alone for our iustification and saluation then are wee without all doubt effectually called and are in the number of Gods church and people to whom the promises of grace doe appertaine § Sect. 5 That we may know that we are effectually called by considering the seuerall parts thereof Secondly we may come to the knowledge of our effectuall calling by considering the seuerall parts thereof The first is our selection and separation out of the corrupt masse of mankind whereby it commeth to passe that though wee be in the world yet we are not of the world and therefore wee neither loue it nor the world vs and this our Sauiour sheweth Ioh. 15.19 If saith he hee were of the world the world would loue his owne but because yee are not of the worlde but I haue chosen you out of the world therefore the world hateth you 1. Ioh. 2.15 and the apostle Iohn affirmeth that if any man loue the worlde the loue of the father is not in him 1. Ioh. 2.15 and the apostle Iames telleth vs that the amitie of the world is enmitie with God Iam. 4.4 and therefore whosoeuer will bee a friend of the worlde maketh himselfe the enemie of God If therefore our loue and affectiōs be weaned in some good measure from the world and fixt on spirituall and heauenly things if wee cease to be citizens of the world Phil. 3.29 and begin to haue our conuersation in in heauen from whence wee looke for a sauiour euen the Lorde Iesus Christ and if the world beginne to hate and scorne vs then may we be assured that wee are seuered from the world and intertained into Gods church and familie § Sect. 6 Sathans tentation answered whereby he perswadeth the christian that he loueth the world and the world him But here the tempter will obiect that by this it plainely appeareth that wee are not yet effectually called nor seperated from the world because we still loue the world affecting and desiring the vaine pleasures honoures riches thereof yea and also loue those who are meere worldlings and on the other side the world also loueth vs giuing vs good countenance and performing other duties vnto vs. For the answering of which suggestion we must distinguish betweene our selues and our selues for whilest we continue in this life wee are partly flesh and partly spirit and as there is great enmitie betweene the spirit and the world so is there great amitie betweene the world and the flesh So farre forth therefore as wee are still carnall and corrupt fleth the world loueth vs but as much as is spirituall and regenerate so much the world hateth and abhorreth Moreouer we may generally be considered as men or more specially as we are Christian men in the first respect the world that is wicked worldlings may loue vs for some naturall partes or meere morall vertues or els in common humanitie as members of the same ciuill or politicke body but as wee are Christians who haue giuen our names vnto God diuoted our selues to his worship and seruice the world hateth vs and our profession religion and all the fruits and exercises of sanctification and holinesse so that though in other naturall worldly and more ciuill respects
and reape comfort vnto themselues by these holy duties In the meane time such are to support themselues from falling into vtter desperation by calling to their remēbrance their state and condition in times past for if euer they haue had any delight in the holy exercises of religion prayer hearing the word godly conferences if euer they could discerne in themselues any faith by the true fruits of sanctification they may take comfort thereby assuring themselues that they shall againe be restored vnto their former estate for the gifts and calling of God are without repentance Rom. 11.29 Ioh. 13.1 and those whom he hath once loued he loueth vnto the end An example hereof we haue in Dauid who being troubled and full of anguish in his spirit his soule refusing all comfort and being so astonished that he could not speake yet hee considered the daies of old and the yeares of ancient time Psal 77.2.3.4 hee called to remēbrance his former songes in the night occasioned by the great benefits which the Lord had bestowed vpon him so knowing that the Lord was vnchangeable in his mercy and goodnesse he releeued his poore soule which was ready to faint vnder the heauy waight of present afflictions And thus also Iob being brought through the violence of those heauie crosses which the Lord laied vpon him euen to the brinke of desperation so that hee spared not to vtter in the bitternesse of his souie fearefull curses and most impatient speaches comming neere vnto blasphemie oftentimes comforteth himselfe by calling to minde his former integritie and righteousnesse whose example if the poore humbled soules will follow they may rayse themselues with true comfort when they are sunke downe vnder their heauie burthen of present corruptions CHAP. XLI How the weake Christian may bee assured that his repentance is true and vnfained § Sect. 1 ANd so much for answering Sathans tentations drawn from hardnesse of hart Of the signes of true repentance first of the seuerall degrees therof whereby he laboureth to perswade poore humbled sinners that they are vtterly destitute of of repentance but if hee faile of his purpose then hee will indeauour to make them beleeue that though they haue some shew of repentance yet it is not such as God requireth for either hee will affirme that it is hypocriticall and dissembled rather for feare of punishment then for hatred of sinne or true loue of God or if it bee true yet it is not sufficient as being in verie small measure and in no proportion answearable to our hainous sinnes Against both which tentations it behooueth the humbled sinner to arme himselfe that he may repell them when they are suggested and to this purpose that hee may proue his repentance true and vnfained hee is to take a true search of his owne heart and conscience and to examine his repentance according to some vndoubted signes which may serue as touchstones to discouer whether it be true and vnfained or dissembled hypocriticall The first vndoubted signe of vnfained repentance is when wee can obserue in our selues the seuerall degrees or partes thereof as they haue beene wrought in vs by Gods spirit for from the enumeration of all the parts we may conclude that wee haue the whole The first degree is that by the law we come to the knowledg and acknowledgment that we are haynous and greeuous sinners who haue broken transgressed all Gods cōmaundements Secondly from this knowledge acknowledgment of our sinnes proceedeth a true sense and feeling of them and the punishments due vnto them and an apprehension and applying to our selues the anger of God the curse of the law and eternall condemnation due vnto vs for our sinnes Thirdly from this sense of our miserable estate there ariseth in our consciences feare and horror of being ouertaken and ouerwhelmed of those iudgments of God and fearefull punishments which hang ouer our heads for our sins Fourthly from this feare and anguish of mind proceedeth sorrow and bitter greefe because wee haue thus hainously sinned and made our selues obnoxious to all these euills and also in the same respects a true hatred of sinne which still hangeth vpon vs and an earnest desire to be freed from it Fiftly Act. 2.27 this hatred of sinne and desire to be freed from it maketh vs earnestly to seeke and inquire after some meanes whereby wee may attaine vnto our desires that beeing freed from all those feareful euils which oppresse our consciences with the waight of them we may obtaine Gods loue and fauour and the assurance of our saluation Sixtly thus inquiring and searching wee finde by the preaching of the Gospell that our gratious God hath sent his sonne into the world to the end that he might saue and deliuer vs out of this miserable estate if we beleeue in him and also hath commaunded vs to beleeue Which being made effectuall by the inward operation of Gods holy spirit we haue true faith begott in vs wherby we are assured of Gods mercy in Iesus Christ and of the full remission of all our sinnes the consideration whereof doth comforte and rayse vs vp from falling into desperation and vtter destruction Seuenthly after this assurance of Gods loue and of the forgiuenesse of our sinnes there followeth first a true hatred of sinne because it is sinne an vnfained sorrow not so much in regarde of the punishment which by our sinnes wee haue iustly deserued as that because we haue offended our so gratious a God and tender louing father Secondly this sorrow will not suffer vs to hide excuse 2. Cor. 7.11 or extenuate our sins 2. Cor. 7.11 but moueth vs in all humilitie to prostrate our selues before Gods mercie seate and in greefe of soule to confesse them acknowledging that confusion and condemnation is due vnto vs which by no meanes wee can escape but by Gods mercie and the merites and righteousnesse of Iesus Christ Thirdly being assured of the pardon of our sinnes past wee labour and striue for the time to come to leaue and forsake them and to mortifie the flesh and corruptions thereof whereby we are led captiue vnto sinne also we indeauour with a feruent zeale of Gods glorie to serue the Lorde in holinesse and righteousnesse that so by our godly liues wee may glorifie him and expresse our thankfulnesse for all his inestimable benefites Fourthly if at any time besides or contrary to our purpose we be ouertaken by our corruption and fall into sinne there followeth in vs an holy anger and indignation with our selues because wee did not more carefully looke to our waies which godly anger preceedeth to the taking of a holy kind of reuenge to the end that thereby our sinnes may be subdued and our corruptions mortified For example hee that hath offended through gluttonie and drunkennesse being truly penitent and angry with himselfe for his sinne will also tame the fleshe by punishing the same through fasting and abstinence He
apostle speaketh 1. Tim. 2.4 where he saith that it is the will of God that all men should bee saued 1. Tim. 2.4 and come to the acknowledging of the truth that is to the knowledge of the truth of God and assenting therunto The 2. degree a perswasion that our sins are pardonable The second degree is an assurance that our sinnes are pardonable which is wrought in vs by the knowledge and due consideration of Gods infinite mercy and Christs inualuable merites and indefinite promises of the Gospell made with out exception to ill repentant and belieuing sinners from whence also ariseth a generall hope that we shall receaue the pardon and remission of our sinnes which hope is nourished and increased by this consideration that the Lord hath placed vs in his church and gratiously granted vnto vs the outward meanes wherby we may be brought vnto vnfained repentance and haue a liuely faith wrought in vs euen the ministerie of the word and administration of the sacraments vpon which onely condition the couenant of grace and all the sweete promises of the Gospell are made and assured vnto vs. § Sect. 4 The third degree is a hungring desire after grace that is not onely to be made partakers of Gods mercy The 3. ddegree an hungring desire after grace and Christs meritts and righteousnes by which we are iustified reconciled vnto God and receaue the pardon and remission of all our sinnes but also after the meanes and instrumentall causes whereby the assurance of Gods mercy and Christs merits is deriued vnto vs namely true faith and vnfained repentance and the rest of the graces of Gods sanctifying spirit The which desire of grace is the beginning of grace neyther can wee desire it till in some measure it be wrought in vs for regeneration and sanctification is begunne at the same time in all the parts and faculties of our bodies and foules so that he who is truely regenerate many facultie or part is also regenerate in the whole man And therefore whosoeuer hath his will renewed and sanctified to desire that which is good is also sanctified and renewed in his vnderstanding affections and in all the powers and faculties of body and soule Moreouer as before I haue deliuered at large our desire of grace faith and repentance are the graces themselues which we desire at least in Gods acceptation who accepteth of the will for the deed and of our affections for the actions And therefore if we earnestly desire to repent beleeue we doe repent and beleeue in Gods sight and the Lord hath made the like gratious promises to this earnest desire of grace which hee hath made to those who find themselues plentifully indued with the graces themselues So Matth. 5.6 Blessed are they which hunger and thirst for righteousnesse for they shal be filled So the virgin Marie saith in her song Luk. 1.53 Luke 1.53 That the Lord filleth the hungrie with good things and sendeth away the rich emptie And our Sauiour Christ calleth vnto him such as thus hunger and thirst promising that he will satisfie them Iohn 7.37 Reuel 21.6 and 22.17 Ioh. 7.37 Lastly whosoeuer feeleth this desire in him ioyned with a carefull and continuall vse of the meanes whereby his desire may be satisfied he may assure himselfe that the Lord who hath wrought in him the will to desire will also in his good time worke in him abilitie to perfourme and the graces which hee so earnestly desires for hee will fulfill the desire of them that feare him he will also heare their crie and will saue them As it is Psal 145.19 So Psal 10.17 Psal 145.19 10.17 Lord thou hast heard the desire of the poore thou preparest their heart and bendest thine eare vnto them And therefore if in the middest of our afflictions and grieuous tentations wee can crie out with the Prophet Dauid Psalm 38.9 Lord I powre my whole desire before thee Psal 38.9 and my sighing is not hid from thee We may be assured how miserable soeuer wee are in our owne sense and feeling that wee are in the state of grace and shall haue our desires satisfied for he that hath begunne this good worke in vs Phil. 1.6 will also in his good time finish and perfect it as the Apostle speaketh Phil. 1.6 § Sect. 5 The fourth degree is an approaching vnto the throne of mercy that we may in all humilitie confesse our sinnes The 4. degree an approching to the throne of grace Heb. 4.16 and acknowledge that wee are guiltie of death and condemnation and also that wee may in the name and mediation of Christ obtaine the pardon and remission of them And of this the Apostle speaketh Heb. 4.16 Let vs therefore goe bouldly vnto the throne of grace that wee may receiue mercy and find grace to helpe in time of need And the Prophet Hosea cap. 14.2 O Israel returne vnto the Lord thy God for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity 3. Take vnto you words and turne vnto the Lord and say vnto him take away all iniquitie and receiue vs graciously so will we render the calues of our lips An example hereof we haue in the Prophet Dauid Psal 32.5 Then saith he I acknowledge my sinne vnto thee Psal 32.5 neyther hid I mine iniquitie for I thought I will confesse my wickednesse vnto the Lord and thou forgauest the punishment of my sinne So likewise the prodigall Sonne hauing attained vnto the sight of his sinne and to a desire of forgiuenesse resolueth to goe vnto his father and to say Luk. 15.18.19 Father I haue sinned against heauen and before thee am no more woorthie to be called thy sonne make mee as one of thy hired seruants Luke 15.18.19 § Sect. 6 The fift degree is a specially perswasion wrought in vs by Gods spirit whereby we particularly apply vnto vs the sweete promises of the gospell The 5. degree a special application of the promises and are assured of Gods loue and fauour of the remission of our sinnes for the merits righteousnesse and obedience of Iesus Christ resting vpon him alone for our saluation An example whereof wee haue in the Apostle Paul Gal. 2.20 Gala. 2.20 Thus saith he I liue yet not I now but Christ liueth in me and in that I now liue in the flesh I liue by faith in the sonne of God who hath loued mee and giuen himselfe for mee And this perswasion ought to goe before sense and experience for first wee beleeue and are perswaded of the truth of Gods promises and resist diffidence and doubting and afterwardes followes ioyfull sense and experience of Gods mercy truth and goodnes towards vs. And hence it is that the Apostle defineth faith to bee the ground of things which are hoped for and the demonstration or euidēce of things not seene Heb. 11.1 Ioh. 20 29. Heb. 11.1 to this purpose our sauiour Christ saith to Thomas
Ioh. 20.29 Thomas because thou hast seene me thou beleeuest blessed are they which haue not seene and haue beleeued An example hereof wee haue in the Cananitish woman who though shee had no experience of Gods truth in his promises yea though shee had many repulses yet beleeued and afterwards to her comfort had ioyfull experience of them Mat. 15.27 Mat. 15.27 An these are the degrees of faith which whosoeuer findeth in himselfe hee may be assured that hee hath a true liuely and iustifying faith notwithstanding all the tentations of Sathan If therefore hauing heard the gospell wee haue attained vnto some measure of knowledge of the chiefe principles thereof if we haue giuen our assent vnto this truth in which our vnderstandings are informed if hereby we haue attained vnto this assurance that our sinnes are pardonable and haue conceiued some hope in consideration of Gods infinite mercie and Christs merites that wee shall be forgiuen and pardoned if we haue an hungring desire after grace and mercie and highly esteeme the merites and righteousnesse of Iesus Christ so that wee wish nothing more then to bee made partakers of them if by this desire wee haue beene moued to flee vnto the throne of grace and there humblie acknowledging our sinnes haue earnestly desired pardon and forgiuenesse Lastly if at any time wee haue discerned in in our selues a perswasion of Gods loue and of the pardon and remission of our sinnes and that we haue or doe rest vppon the alone merites and obedience of Christ Iesus for our iustification and saluation then may wee be assured that we are indued with a true iustifying faith § Sect. 7 The second argument to proue that wee haue a true and a liuely faith is the testimonie of Gods spirite The second argument to proue that we haue faith is the testimonie of Gods spirie Rom. 8.15.26 for as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 8.15 Wee haue the spirite of adoption whereby we crie abba father 16. and the same spirit beareth witnesse with our spirit that we are the children of God and ver 26. Likewise the spirite also helpeth our infirmities for we know not what to pray as we ought but the spirite it selfe maketh request for vs with sighes which cannot be expressed c. Whosoeuer therefore haue this testimonie in their harts and consciences that they are the children of God whosoeuer at any time feele or haue felt the spirit of God powerful in thē in powring out their soules in hartie prayer with sighes and grones which cānot be expressed they may be assured that they haue receiued the spirite of adoption and consequently are indued with true faith Gal. 5.22 for the spirite and the fruites thereof amongst which faith is one of the chiefe are neuer seuered Moreouer the Apostle saith 1. Cor. 2.12 that wee haue not receiued the spirit of the world 1. Cor. 2.12 but the spirit which is of God that wee might knowe the things that are giuen to vs of God That is not onely his spirituall graces in this life in which number faith is one of the greatest but those excellent ioyes in Gods kingdome in the life to come of which also wee haue some knowledge and tast by the illumination of the same spirite Lastly the Apostle affirmeth 2. Cor. 1.22 that God hath sealed vs 2. Cor. 1.22 and hath giuen the earnest of the spirit in our hartes and Ephe. 1.13 Hee telleth the Ephesians that after they had heard the gospel and beleeueà Ephe. 1.13 they were sealed with the holy spirit of promise which was the earnest of their inheritance vntil the redemption of the possession purchased vnto the praise of the glorie of God Wheresoeuer therefore is this testimonie of the spirite which as an earnest or seale assureth them that they are the children of God there also is faith for as the Apostle witnesseth after that wee beleeue we are thus sealed § Sect. 8 The third argument to proue that wee haue faith is the conflict and fight which euerie christian feeleth in himselfe betweene the spirit and the flesh The 3. argument is the fight between the flesh and the spirit the world and the diuell and the combat which is betweene faith and doubting for so long as wee are destitute of the spirit and a liuely faith we are wholy ouerswayed with the fleshe and Sathan like a mightie tyrant houldeth vs captiue peaceably and without any resistance but when wee haue receiued the spirite of God and haue faith wrought in our harts then beginneth a fierce battaile which neuer endeth till by death our spirituall enemies get a final ouerthrowe Though therefore this fight be most sharpe and exceeding troublesome to the poore christian yet hee may thereby gather vnto himselfe sound comfort and certaine assurance that hee is indued with the spirit of God and a liuely faith for when hee discerneth that hee is assaulted with Sathan and his owne corrupt fleshe he may be assured that Sathan and his owne corrupt fleshe he may be assured that Sathan is diseased of his quiet possession by a superior power which can be no other but the power of Gods spirit secondly by his assaulting it manifestly appeareth that hee findeth some resistance so as hee cannot peaceably reenter thirdly that howsoeuer our faith seeme vnto vs neuer so weak yet it is so strēgthened cōtinually by vertue of Gods spirit that sathā al the power of hel cānot preuaile against it for otherwise how could such weakenesse withstād such might Lastly being assured that it is the spirit of God which assisteth and enableth vs to withstand Sathan we may also be assured that in the end we shall obtaine victorie vnlesse we would fondly imagine that the diuell is stronger then God and the violence of his tentations more forcible to destroy vs then the spirit of God to protect and defend vs for now they haue ioyned battle and either the one or the other must get the vpper hand eyther the spirit of God must thrust out sathan or Sathan the spirit of God and therefore how can we doubt of conquest seeing wee are assured that God cannot take the foyle for his power is omnipotent and with a word of his mouth he is able to destroy Sathan and all his adhaerents and of his will wee neede not to make any question for it will not stand with his glory to receaue a repulse by giuing Sathan place after that he hath taken vpon him our protection § Sect. 9 How we may know that this combate is fought betweene the flesh and the spirite Yea will the tempter say but how wilt thou know that this battle is fought in thee how canst thou be assured that it is the spirite of God which fighteth in thee against thy spirituall enemies and not rather thine owne tumultuous passions and perturbations and diuers tentations suggested by the same diuell To which it is easie to make answere for neither doth
the flesh fight against sathan nor sathan against the flesh nor either of thē against thēselues for so their kingdome being deuided could not possibly stand Mat. 12.25 as our sauiour Christ himselfe hath taught vs Mat. 12.25.26 And therefore it must needs be sōe other force which causeth this oppositiō which can proceede from nothing else but the spirit of God But this will more manifestly appeare if we consider the contrarie affections and actions which plainely shew themselues in this battle for we find our faith assaulted with doubting and infidelitie these also againe beaten backe after they haue gotten some ground and subdued with the strēgth of faith we discerne also our affiance in God shrewdly shaken with diffidence and distrust and afterwards this distrust vanquisheth againe by affiance so as after we haue vttered through the violence oftentation some diffident and impatient speeches yet at the length we growe to Iobs resolution Though hee kill mee yet will I trust in him Iob. 13.15 Wee may also discerne our zeale sometime so hot in Gods seruice that it expelleth coldnesse and the fruit thereof dulnesse and drowsinesse of spirite and sometimes by them it is cooled and in outward appearance quenched and the like may bee saide of all the other fruits of the flesh and the spirit Besides which fight and stirring betweene them and their fruits the christian may obserue in himselfe a misliking of the corruptions of the flesh great greefe and vexation of mind because hee is still subiect vnto them and an earnest desire to be freed from them ioyned with an holy indeauoure in the vse of the meanes which are ordayned of God for this purpose and howsoeuer through the violence of Sathans tentations and his owne corruptions ye be sometimes led captiue into sinne yet afterwardes hee is greeued for it hee hateth and abhorreth it and earnestly desireth and indeauoureth for the time to come to leaue and forsake it and to serue the Lorde in newnesse of life Now whence doth all this opposition and contrarietie proceede shall wee say from the flesh why it is against all reason Iam. 3.11 for as the Apostle Iames disputeth Iam. 3.11 Doth a fountaine send out at one place sweete water and bitter can the figg tree bring forth oliues or a vine figgs or rather as our sauiour Christ reasoneth Mat. 7.16 Doe men gather grapes of thorns or figgs of thistles Mat. 7.16 so may I demaund can the flesh in the which as the Apostle affirmeth dwelleth no good thing Rom. 7.18 bring foorth the fruites of the spirite which are quite contrarie to the nature thereof namely sorrowe for sinne hatred of it selfe and the corruptions thereof and carnest desire of sanctification and holines of life it is impossible And therfore we may conclude that they are the fruits of Gods spirit in vs and consequently that wee are the sons of God who are indued with a true and liuely faith for as many as are led by the spirite of God Rom. 8. they are the sonnes of God which priuiledge belongeth onely to the faithfull as appeareth Ioh. 1.12 Ioh. 1.12 As many as receaued him to them hee gaue power to be the sons of God euen to them that beleeue in his name So that whosoeuer haue the spirit haue faith also for the spirit and faith which is a fruit thereof cannot be seuered § Sect. 10 The fourth argument whereby we may bee assured that we haue faith The 4. argument taken from our sanctification is our mortification and dying vnto sinne and rising againe to newnesse of life for the bloud of Iesus Christ which is applied vnto vs by faith as it doth washe away the guilt and punishment of our sinnes so doth it also cleanse vs in some measure from the corruptions themselues and as his death and obediēce hath meritted the pardon of our sins so also Gods spirit by vertue whereof we are more and more freed from the bondage and seruitude of sinne and Sathan and as by his resurrection hee hath made way for our second resurrection whereby wee rise to euerlasting happinesse so also for our first resurrection whereby wee rise from sinne to newnesse of life If therefore wee can find in our selues that our sins and corruptions are by little and little mortified that wee striue and indeauour after holinesse and righteousnesse of life if our vnderstandings bee somewhat inlightened in the knowledge of Gods truth and our stubberne wills inclyned to holy obedience if we discerne that our affections are in some measure changed and renewed then may wee be assured that wee are indued with a true and liuely faith which hath applied vnto vs Christ Iesus and his bloudshed death merites by vertue whereof this worke of regeneration is begunne in vs. § Sect. 11 Lastly The last argument taken from the seuerall fruits of sanctification we may be assured that we haue faith by the seuerall fruits of sanctification and regeneration which proceed from it for example when wee can sorrow and greeue for our sinnes past not for any worldly losse or feare of punishment but because thereby we haue offended God when as we hate our present sinnes and corruptions especially those which stick fastest vnto vs and are most pleasing to our corrupt nature when as we indeauour and striue to forsake and mortifie all sinne though our carnall affection be much indeared to it by reason of some great pleasure or profite which it bringeth with it auoiding with no lesse care those sinnes which bring worldly benefitt then those which are accompanied with shame and punishment when as we loue God euen when he afflicteth vs and in obedience to his commaundement perfourme such holy duties and imbrace such vertues not onely which are commendable in the world but also those which are accompanied with shame and reproach when as we loue our brethren yea euen our enemies and shew this our loue by giuing vnto those who want and forgiuing those who offend vs and when more especially we extend this loue and the fruits thereof to those who are of the houshould of faith and amongst these principally to Gods ministers who are instruments appointed of God for our conuersion and saluation when as wee can submit our selues vnto Gods will and rest contented in all estates with his good pleasure when as we loath this life and the vanities of the world and desire our dissolution that we may be with Christ and be freed from our sinnes when as we are patient in afflictions and in the middest of them haue some hope of tasting Gods mercy and goodnesse grounding our hope vpon Gods promisses and our owne former experience when as we delight in the hearing and meditating in Gods word and continue constant in the profession and practise of his truth not onely when our obedience is good cheape but also when it is deare and very costly and as well when it is
them and the warme sunshine of Gods loue and fauour againe appeareth to them The sire is sometime so couered with ashes that it sendeth forth neither light nor heate and therefore in outward sense and appearance it seemeth quite extinguished but when the ashes are remooued and more wood added to it it bursteth out into a great flame and makes all the standers by to perceiue his heate and light and so the graces of Gods spirite are sometimes so couered with the ashes of our corruptions that there appeareth no sparke of them nor yet any heate of true comfort but when our corruptions are remoued with vnfained repentance and a new supplie of grace ministred vnto them by Gods spirite then doth their light appeare vnto vs and warme our harts with true cōfort and not to vs alone but euen those about vs see our shining light and glorifie our heauenly father A man hath not alwaies the vse of his senses reason and vnderstanding as in his sleepe but because we cannot sensibly discerne these faculties shall wee therefore conclude that this man who is a sleepe is senselesse vnreasonable and without vnderstanding it were most absurd for if wee but expect a while till hee be throughly awakened our argument will appeare manifestly false and so sometime the poore christian is ouertaken with the sleepe of drowsie securitie and is ouerwhelmed for a time with hardnesse of harte and dulnesse of spirite so as none of those spirituall graces which are in him can sensibly be discerned by himselfe or others but shall he or we conclude or beleeue Sathan so concluding that he neuer had them or now is depriued of them why it were as absurd as the other For when hee is awaked out of his drowsie sleepe by the voice of the Lorde sounding in his eares and by the good motions of his holy spirite his faith loue zeale and all other vertues and graces shew themselues in their fruits and actions as manifestly as in former times § Sect. 3 Seeing then those arguments which are taken from sense and feeling so often faile That we must not conclude that we haue not faith because we doe not sensibly discerne it let vs not be perswaded by sathans tentations to beleeue that we are destitute of faith and other sanctifying graces of Gods holy spirit because at sometimes we cānot sensibly discerne them for though now our soules seeme so sicke in the sense of sinne that there appeareth no signe of life yet the Lord wil rayse vs vp againe restore vs to perfect health though now wee see no fruites of faith whilest wee are nipped with the winter of tentations yet the Lord will water vs with his holy spirit warme our frozen hearts with the liuely beames of his loue and fauour so as we shal bring forth aboūdant fruits in due time seasō though now there appeare not a spark of grace in vs by reasō al is couered with the ashes of our corruptiōs yet the Lord wil surely ad a fresh supply blow vpon vs by his holy spirit so that our light and heate shall appeare to our selues others though now our spirits be oppressed with drowsie dulnesse yet the Lord in his good time will cause vs to awake by hearing his voice sounding in our eares out of his holy word and will againe quicken and reuiue vs with his holy spirit so as after this sleepe wee shal be enabled to follow with chearefulnesse our labours and workes both which concerne his seruice and those duties also which concerne our brethren onely let vs not tempt the Lord in prescribing him a time but waite his leasure he will surely helpe vs. CHAP. XLIIII How the weake Christian is to comfort himselfe when he is depriued of the sense of faith and sensibly feeleth the contrary corruptions § Sect. 1 BVt thou wilt say how is it possible that my soule should receyue any comfort That the Christian in the want of present sense must comfort himselfe with his former feeling or that I should preserue my selfe from falling into vtter desperation seeing I cannot feele in me any good thing nor discerne any sparke of grace what hope remaineth when as I plainely discerne in steed of faith doubting and infidelitie in stead of the loue of God hatred and rebellion in stead of zeale coldnesse and drowsie dulnesse and in stead of all sanctifying graces nothing els but a heauy masse of filthy corruptions I answere that when thou hast no comfort in thy present sense and feeling then thou must call to thy remembrance the times past in which thou hast by faith apprehended Gods loue mercy and goodnesse towards thee and brought foorth the fruits of thy faith in the workes of holinesse appertaining to Gods seruice and the workes of Christian righteousnesse belonging to our brethren for we may assure our selues that if euer wee haue truly discerned these graces of Gods spirit by the fruits of sanctification in vs they are not taken from vs for the gifts and calling of God are without repentance Rom. 11.29 as it is Rom. 11.29 And where he hath begunne a good worke their he will finish it and bring it to perfection As the Apostle speaketh Phil. 1.6 Phil. 1.6 Wee know that the woman being with childe feeleth no life nor motion of the child diuers moneths together after the time of her conception and after that she hath felt it stirre and moue oftentimes there is an intermission wherein she feeleth not the motion there of a good space together and yet notwithstanding because informer times she hath felt it she is perswaded that a liue child is in her and cōfortably hopeth to haue happy trauaile And thus it fareth with Gods children oftentimes after that by the seed of the word faith is begotten and conceiued in them they feele no life motion nor vndoubted signes thereof a long while and after that they haue the remission of their sinnes and are reconciled vnto God they haue not the feeling and sense of pardon and reconciliation diuers moneths yea sometimes many yeares together which the Lord in his wisedome and mercy doth that he may moue them hereby vnto more serious repentance and earnestly to hunger after a greater measure of faith carefully vsing the meanes ordained for this purpose and that they may more esteeme and be more thankefull for his inualuable benefits after that they haue full assurance of them And after they haue a feeling of faith and other spirituall graces by their motions and fruits oft-times againe they are depriued of it either because they haue wounded their consciences by falling into some knowne sinne or for that it pleaseth the Lord to excercise their faith and manifest his power in their weakenesse moouing them hereby to denie themselues and to rest wholy vpon him yeelding vnto him the whole glorie and praise of their saluation What therefore is to bee done in such a case Surely they
are not vtterly to bee discouraged nor to suffer themselues to sinke into the gulfe of desperation but as the sense and feeling of their state ought to humble them vnder Gods hand and to mooue them to enter into a due examination of themselues and to a serious repentance for their sinnes so they must take comfort vnto themselues and prop vp their declining faith by calling to mind former times wherein the Lord hath shewed his mercifull and gratious countenance vnto them and wherein they in token of thankefulnesse haue glorified God by their holinesse and righteousnesse of life An example whereof wee haue in the Prophet Dauid Psal 77. who being grieuously afflicted could not receaue in his soule any true comfort Psal 77. for howsoeuer hee did thinke vpon the Lord yet hee was still troubled and though hee prayed vnto him yet his spirit was full of anguish What help◠did he then find in this his present distresse He telleth vs in the first verse Then saith he I considered the dayes of old and the yeares of ancient time I called to remembrance my song in the night namely his songs of thanksgiuing whereby he had praised God for his great benefits and vers 11. I remembred the workes of the Lord certainely I remembred thy wonders of old Iob. 31. So the holy man Iob apprehending and conceyuing of God as of his enemie in respect of his present sense and feeling and being mooued by his friends to doubt of his graces which he had receiued and to condemne himselfe for an hypocrite comforteth himselfe and strengtheneth his faith in the middest of al these grieuous tentations by calling to his remembrance his fruits of faith and workes of sanctification which he had discerned in himselfe in former times as appeareth Chap. 31. Whose example if the children of God in like distresse will follow how miserable soeuer they are in their present sense and feeling yet they may receaue vnto themselues comfort because Gods gifts and calling are without repentance § Sect. 2 But here Sathan will further obiect that we are not only without all sense and feeling of faith That true faith resteth not in our sēse and feeling but also that we doe sensibly feele the heauie burthen of Gods wrath and plainely discerne his frowning and angrie countenance against vs and therfore howsoeuer those children of God who are in his loue and fauoure may haue some faith in them although it doe not alwaies so sensibly appeare yet it is impossibly that we should haue any sparke thereof seeing wee haue not any sense of Gods loue and fauour nay doe sensibly perceaue the cleane contrary to which wee are to answeare that faith doth not relie it selfe vpon our sence and feeling for as the apostle saith faith is the ground of things not presently inioyed but which are hoped for and the euidence or demonstration of things not which are subiect to the senses and sensibly discerned but which are not seene Heb. 11.1 Heb. 11. I and we beleeue that such ioyes are prepared for vs as neither eye hath seene nor eare hath heard nor the heart of man conceiued as it is 1. Cor. 2.9 and it is a kind of infidelitie to beleeue onely those things which are subiect vnto our senses and vnderstandings 1. Cor. 2.9 and therefore when Thomas would not beleeue that Christ was risen before it was made manifest to his senses hee is reproued for infidelitie bee not saith hee faithlesse but faithfull So that when our sense and feeling cease their faith beginneth his chiefe worke the most excellent faith sheweth it selfe most clearely when wee haue no sense and feeling or when we discerne and feele the plaine contrarie for it is an easie matter to be strong in faith when God sheweth himselfe gratious and mercifull but when he appeareth vnto vs like an angrie iudge when as his wrath flameth out against vs then to behold his loue through the vizard of anger to apprehend by faith his mercie and goodnesse towards vs when our senses apprehend nothing but his wrath and displeasure Iob. 13.15 to growe to Iobs resolution in the middest of our bitter agonies and greiuous afflictions though hee kill me yet will I trust in him and when we haue receaued many repulses and bitter snubs yet with the Cananitish woman to continue our suite Mat. 15. argueth such a faith as is hardly found no not in Israell Our want of sense therefore of Gods loue and fauour doth not argue want of faith for our faith is not grounded vppon our sense and feeling but vppon Gods gratious promises immutable goodnesse and infallible truth and if euer we haue tasted of Gods loue and mercie whatsoeuer wee apprehend in our present sense and feeling faith concludeth that we are still in his loue and fauour for he is without change or shadow of change as the apostle speaketh Iam. 1.17 and whom he loueth to the ende hee loueth them Iam. 1.17 as our Sauiour hath taught vs. Ioh. 13.1 Ioh. 13.1 Though then our sense of Gods loue fayle yet may our faith continue strong as appeareth plainely in the example of Iob who though he conceiued of God in his sense and feeling that he had hiddē his face frō him took him for his enemy though he seemed to write bitter things against him and made him to possesse the sinnes of his youth yet by a liuely faith he still rested and relied vpon him protesting that though he should slay him yet hee would trust in him as appeareth Iob. 13.15 Iob 13.15 Yea our Sauiour Christ himselfe who could not sinne through infidelitie in respect of his present sense and feeling complayneth that God had forsaken him § Sect. 3 That we are rather to beleeue Gods word then our owne sense and feeling If therefore Sathan goe about to perswade vs that we are without faith because we presently apprehend not Gods loue nor feele the sweete tast of his goodnesse wee are to answeare that wee are not to build our assurance vppon our owne sense and feeling but vpon Gods vnchangable goodnesse and gratious promisses made vnto vs in Christ Iesus and if at any time our sense and feeling tell vs one thing namely that God hath withdrawne his loue from vs and will neuer againe looke gratiously vpon vs and the word of God assure vs of another thing to witt that God will neuer forsake vs but continue his loue towards vs vnto the end wee are not to giue credit vnto our owne feeling but vnto Gods worde for otherwise what doe wee els but preferre our oft deceyuinge sense before Gods infallible truth and imagine that wee can better discerne and iudge of our estate then God himselfe but the worde of God telleth vs that if wee turne vnto the Lorde by vnfained repentance sorrowing for our sinnes past hating our present corruptions and desiring and indeauouring to mortifie the flesh and the
we attaine vnto fulnesse of perswasion That we must not content our selues with a small measure of faith Otherwise we shall make it manifest that we deceiue our selues with a shew and shadow of faith and that as yet we haue no true faith indeede which as it resembleth the graine of mustard seed in respect of the smalnes at the beginning thereof so also in the growth increase therefore if euer we would attaine vnto peace of conscience and assurance that wee are indued with a true and liuely faith we must earnestly labour in the vse of those meanes ordayned of God for the increase of faith and feruently pray vnto God that he will not onely sowe the seede of faith in our harts but also that he will so water it with the dew of his grace and holy spirite that it may grow from a small seede to a greate tree and that he will neuer cease blowing this smoking flaxe with the breath of the same his holy spirit till it increase from a little sparke to a mightie flame whereby our hartes being warmed with true comfort may with feruent zeale seeke to glorifie his holy name by our christian and holy conuersation § Sect. 4 Secondly we are to know that how weak smal soeuer our faith be so it be true the Lord wil not reiect it That the least faith is acceptable to God Mat. 12.20 nor vs in regard of it for he wil not breake the bruised reed nor quench the smoking flax till he bring forth iudgment vnto victorie as himselfe hath spoken Mat. 12.20 He wil not contemne the least measure of his own grace which he hath bestowed vpon vs for though it be in neuer so small a quantitie yet if it be true it is his owne gift and his gifts are without repentance neither doth he euer contemne that which himselfe hath giuen nor take it away after it is once bestowed nay rather to him that hath shall bee giuen vntill hee haue abundance Mat. 25.29 he that hath receiued 5. talents shall receaue 5. more yea and hee that hath but one if hee doe not hide it but vse it to his maisters glorie shall be accepted and haue his talent doubled We reade in the scriptures that Christ reproued some for their small faith but yet we neuer read nor heard that he reiected and cast of any though their faith were neuer so weake if it were true no not him who cried out in the sense of his owne weaknesse Lorde I beleeue helpe thou my vnbeliefe Mar. 9.24 And therefore if with him wee find a true faith in vs at least in some measure and though it be exceedingly mingled with doubting and assaulted with infidelitie yet if wee can with this man earnestly pray the Lorde to helpe our vnbeliefe and with the Apostles hartily crie out O Lord increase my faith the Lord will accept of our hartie desire and graunt our request which is made by his owne spirite in vs and that according vnto his owne wil. § Sect. 5 Thirdly we must vnderstand that faith doth not iustifie and saue vs by it selfe as it is a vertue or facultie of the mind and hart or in respect of it owne excellencie quantitie That faith doth not iustifie vs as it is a worke or facultie in vs but as an instrument which applieth Christ vnto vs. and worthinesse for what were this but to embrace againe the doctrine of the papists which we haue reiected and to seeke for iustification in our selues and for our owne merites and worthinesse but as an instrument whereby we lay hold of and apply vnto our selues Christ Iesus with his righteousnesse and merites by which onely wee appeare iust before God now a weake faith as truly though not so powerfully doth apprehend and apply Christ Iesus and all his merites and obedience as a stronger faith euen as a small and weake hand if it be able to reach vp the meate to the mouth doth as well performe its dutie for the nourishment of the body as one of greater strength because it is not the strength of the hand but the goodnesse of the meate which nourisheth the bodie So a weake faith laying hould of Christ and applying him and his benefites to the beleeuer is sufficient to nourish him to euerlasting life as well as a stronger because it is not the worthines or excellencie of the instrument but of Christ which it apprehendeth that is effectual for our iustification eternal saluatiō So in like maner as a smal weak hād is able to receiue an almes as a stronger and greater and as a little eye doth see the whole body of sunne or some great mountaine as well as a bigger so our faith though weake and small doth apprehend Christ as truely and effectually for the saluation of the beleeuer as the greatest and most strong our Sauiour Christ compareth himselfe to the brasen Serpent and the beleeuing Christian stong with the stinge of sin to the Israelites which did behold it to the end they might be cured Ioh. 3.14 now we know that all of them were not a like sharpe sighted but some were poreblind some bleare eyed some sawe it but exceeding weakely and dimly but yet notwithstanding as many as looked on it were cured and healed though they were neuer so weake sighted so whosoeuer being stong with sinne do looke vpon Christ with the eye of faith resting vpon him alone for their saluation though they bee neuer so weake sighted yet they shal be restored to health and be eternally saued because it is not in their sight but in the obiect thereof Christ Iesus to iustifie before God and to purchase for them eternall saluation CHAP. XLVII Other tentations concerning faith answered § Sect. 1 ANd thus may we answere Sathans tentations Sathans tentation concerning the certainty and constancie of faith answeved which hee groundeth vpon the small quantitie and weakenesse of our faith besides which he suggesteth diuers others as first that true iustifying faith is a firme certaine and constant perswasion whereas ours if wee haue any at all is weake and feeble instable inconstant and wauering and that it is not onely continually assaulted but also often foiled and ouercome with doubting and infidelitie and therefore that it is but a shadow of faith and not true faith indeed The which tentation wee may easily answere if wee but remember that which already hath beene deliuered namely that the best cannot attaine in this life vnto such perfection of faith as is quite freed from all infirmities and corruption that there is diuers degrees of true iustifying faith some weaker some stronger some in greater and some in smaller quantitie some like smooking flaxe and a graine of mustard seed some like a bright burning flame which giueth light and the liuely heat of true comfort to those who are indued therewith and of as high growth as the greatest tree in the garden and
limmitt and restraine it Rom. 3.21.22 Rom. 3.21.22 and 4.5 Where hee saith that the righteousnesse of God is made manifest without the the law to wit the righteousnesse of God by the faith of Iesus Christ vnto all and vpon all that beleeue and 4.5 To him that worketh not but beleeueth in him that iustifieth the vngodly his faith is counted for righteousnesse And our Sauiour hath promised that whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall not come into iudgment but hath passed from death to life Ioh. 4.24 Ioh. 5 24. The time when we are thus iustified is first in this life as soone as true faith is begot in vs by the ministery of the word whereby we particularly apply vnto our selues Christ Iesus and all his benefites resting and relying vpon him alone for our iustification and saluation the which shall bee fully perfected at the day of iudgment when as our Sauiour Christ shall pronounce the sentence of absolution saying Come yee blessed of my father take the inheritance of the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world Mat. 25.34 Mat. 25.34 CHAP. XLIX That we are not iustified by our workes and merites § Sect. 1 ANd so much breefely of the doctrine of Iustification Sathans tentations concerning iustificatiō of two sorts Now we are to speake of and to answere such tentations as are suggested by our spirituall enemie to the end that hee may perswade vs that wee are notiustified or that hee may moue vs to seeke for iustification where it is not to bee had and so in the meane time neglect it where only it is to be found and the alone meanes whereby it is to bee inioyed In speaking whereof I shall not need to handle things so largly as those points which went before partly because our iustification doth inseperably follow our effectuall calling and therefore hee that is assured of the one needs not to doubt of the other partly because the most of those tentations which Sathan suggesteth to impugne and make void our assurance that we are iustified are alreadie answered namely those which concerne the remission of our sinnes and true faith in Iesus Christ and partly because those tentations which Sathan suggesteth into the minds of afflicted christians are the selfe same which the lims of Sathan the antichrist of Roome and all his apostaticall sinagogue doe hold and defend and therefore I shall not need to intreat hereof at large because these points in controuersie haue beene alreadie and will be hereafter so copiously learnedly and religiously handled by others of greater abilities and farre more excellent gifts But let vs come to the matter in hand The tentations of Sathan concerning this point are of two sorts the first tend to perswade vs to labour after and to rest vpon an imperfect and maymed righteousnesse for our iustification whereby wee can neuer be iustified in Gods sight so in the meane time he causeth vs to neglect the alsufficiēt most perfect righteousnes of Iesus Christ by which alone we are iustified before God and eternally saued the other tend to make vs doubt of our true iustification that so hee may either make this gratious worke of God frustrate in vs or els at least depriue our soules of that true consolation and peace of cōscience which dependeth vpon the assurance of our iustification § Sect. 2 For the first How Sathan tempteth vs to neglect Christs righteousnesse to rest vpon our owne he will labour to perswade vs that it is not the righteousnesse of Iesus Christ imputed vnto vs by God and apprehended and applied vnto vs by faith whereby wee are iustified in Gods sight for this imputatiue righteousnesse is but meerely putatiue and imaginacy but by that inhaerent righteousnes which is in our selues for Christ will he say did not fulfil the law died that this his righteousnes obediēce should become ours by imputation but he died for vs to the end he might merite for vs the spirit of God which should infuse into vs an inhaerent righteousnes he shed his blood to the end that our good workes being dipped and died therein might become perfect and so iustifie vs in Gods sight and therefore that wee are not iustified by faith alone but by our other graces and vertues also and our good workes proceedding from them neither by faith at all as it is an instrument which applieth Christ and his benefits vnto vs but as it is a grace or vertue infused into our selues Against which tentation it behooueth vs most carefully to arme our selues as being most daungerous and pernitious for it robbeth God and our sauiour Christ of the whole glorie of our iustification and saluation and deriueth some yea the greatest portion vnto our selues as being chiefly iustified by our owne meanes and also it depriueth our soules of all true comfort and full assurance that we are iustified saued by taking out of our hands the strong staffe of our saluation the perfect righteousnesse of Iesus Christ and by putting into them the weake reed of our owne workes which will presently breake and faile vs when we most rest vpon it and so we shall vnrecouerably fall into the horrible pit of deepe desperation when as we are abandoned of our chiefe hope that is when on the one side the huge waight of our grieuous sinnes and on the other side the great imperfection of our most perfect righteousnesse and the filthie pollution of our most glorious workes appeare vnto vs. And to the end that we may be the better inabled to resist this dangerous and damnable tentation I will first shew that we cannot be iustified before the tribunall of Gods iudgement by our inhaerent righteousnesse good workes and secondly that we are iustified by faith alone as it onely applieth vnto vs Christ Iesus his righteousnesse and obedience § Sect. 3 That we are not iustified by our owne workes and righteousnesse it manifestly appeareth both by plaine testimonies of holy Scripture That we are not iustified by our works prooued by the Scriptures and stronge arguments which are grounded vpon them For the first the Apostle plainely saith that by the workes of the law shall no flesh be iustified in his sight for by the law commeth the knowledge of sinne but now is the righteousnesse of God made manifest without the law hauing witnesse of the law and the Prophets to wit the righteousnesse of God by the faith of Iesus Christ Rom. 3.20.21.22 Phil. 3.9 vnto all and vpon all that beleeue Rom. 2.20.21.22 So Phil. 3.9 He disclaimeth his owne righteousnesse resteth vpon the alone righteousnesse of Christ Iesus which is made ours by faith for his iustification and saluation I haue saith he counted all things losse and doe iudge them to be dunge that I may winne Christ and might bee found in him not hauing mine owne righteousnesse which is of the law but that which is through the faith of
Christ euen the righteousnesse which is of God through faith Phil. 3.9 and Gal. 3.10.11 Phil. 3.9 Gal. 3.10.11 Hee affirmeth that as many as rest in the workes of the law are vnder the curse and that no man is iustified by the law in the sight of God it is euident because the iust shall liue by faith So Rom. 4.5 To him that worketh not but beleeueth in him that iustifieth the vngodly his faith is coūted for righteousnesse Rom. 4.5 And our Sauiour Christ teacheth vs to say and acknowledge when we haue done all to our vttermost power which is commaunded vs that we are still vnprofitable seruants Luk. 17.10 Luk. 17.10 § Sect. 4 But vnto these and such like manifest places it is answered that the Apostle speaketh not of the works of the morall law That the former places are to be vnderstood of the works of the morall law and not of the ceremonies onely but of the ceremonies onely to which againe wee reply that no such friuolous distinction can be gathered out of the Apostles wordes nay the plaine contrary euidently appeareth by his maine scope and drift in his whole discourse of our iustification and also by some particular places His chiefe scope is to beate downe the pride of all both Iewes and Gentiles to the end that the whole glory and praise of our iustification and saluation might be ascribed to the free mercy grace and goodnesse of God alone now it is most certaine that the morall duties are in themselues farre more excellent then the ceremoniall and consequently more fit to puffe vs vp with a spirituall pride and to make vs to rest in our selues for our iustification ascribing at least some part of the praise vnto our owne workes and vertues so that if the Apostle had onely spokē of the works of the ceremoniall law mans pride should not bee beaten downe neither should God haue the whole praise of our saluation and so his discourse should be vaine as not tending to prooue inforce that for which end and purpose hee chiefly vndertakes it Againe this should nothing concerne neither the Gentils in former times nor any true Christians since the comming of Christ forasmuch as they did not nor doe not neither were nor are bound to obserue the ceremoniall law cōsequently could neuer once dreame of obtayning righteousnesse by fulfilling the ceremonies but they would rather ascribe the glorie of their iustification to their morall duties to which they found themselues bound by the law of nature written in their harts or doe find themselues bound by the morall law of God written in his worde and therfore it was necessarie for the beating downe of their pride and that they might ascribe the whole glory vnto God of their iustification and saluation that the apostles in this discourse should proue that they were not iustified neither by obseruing the law of nature written in their hartes nor yet the morall law of God reuealed in his word Whereby it manifestly appeareth that howsoeuer the Apostle excludeth the workes of the ceremoniall law from being causes of iustification yet not them alone but the workes of the morall law also § Sect. 5 But this may more manifestly appeare by particular places wherein the Apostle plainly sheweth that he speaketh not onely of the ceremoniall law The former point prooued by particular testimonies but of the morall law also In the second chapter of the Epistle to the Romanes he plainly disputeth as well of the law of nature to the obedience whereof the Gentiles were obliged as of the law giuen by Moses Rom. 3.19.20 Chap. 3.19.20 Hee sayth that all the world are made culpable before God and therefore by the works of the law shal no flesh be iustified in his sight Now if this consequence be good he speaketh not onely of the ceremoniall but of the moral duties for the former belonged not to the gentiles and therefore the neglect of them did not make them culpable nor debarre them of being iustified by their owne workes Rom. 10.5.6 Gal. 3.11.12 21.22.24 Secondly Rom. 10.5.6 and Gal. 3.11.12.21.22.24 The Apostle putteth a plaine difference betweene the righteousnesse which is by the law and the righteousnesse which is by faith and maketh a flatt opposition in the acte of iustification not betweene morall ceremonial duties but betweene doing and beleeuing Eph. 2.8.9 faith and workes Thirdly hee saith Eph. 2.8.9 that wee are saued by grace through faith not of our selues nor of workes least any man should boast himselfe If hee had spoken only of workes they might though foolishly haue wrested it to ceremonies only seeing the Ephesians were not bound to the ceremoniall law as being strangers to the common wealth of Israel as himselfe speaketh ver 12. but whē he saith also not of our selues vers 12. he excludeth al whatsoeuer is in vs from being the cause of our saluation not onely ceremoniall but also morall duties So writing to Titus he saith Tit. 3.5 Titus 3.5 Not by the workes of righteousnes which wee had done but according to his mercy hee saued vs in which place we are necessarily to vnderstand the works of the morall law for Titus being a Grecian was not bound to obserue the ceremoniall law and therefore he was not so much as circumcised as the apostle plainely affirmeth Gal. 2.3 Gal. 2.3 Fourthly Paul speaketh of that law by which wee come to the knowledge of sinne Rom. 3.20 and 7.7.8.9 as appeareth Rom. 3.20 and 7.7.8.9 But the knowledge of sinne came especially by the morall law and therefore of this law the Apostle speaketh Lastly the Apostle speaking of the workes of the law alleadgeth these sentences Gala. 3.10 Gal. 3.10 As many as are of the workes of the law are vnder the curse for it is written cursed is euery man that continueth not in all thinges which are written in the booke of the law to doe them So that he speaketh not of the ceremoniall law alone but of the whole law of Moses and of all things contayned in it and ver 12. ver 12. And the law is not of faith but the man that shall doe those things shall liue in them Which cannot be vnderstoode of the ceremoniall law alone but of the workes of the morall law yea of them especially That the Apostle excludeth as well the workes of the regenerate as of the vnregenerate Secondly it is answered that the apostle speaketh only of the workes of those who are not regenerate nor indued with faith and not of the regenerate and faithfull Which shifting cauill the apostle clearly taketh away not only by applying his speeches vnto all men without any limitation but especially in that example of Abraham which he bringeth for this purpose who though hee were long before regenerate indued with faith and exceeding plentifull in good workes yet hee flatly excludeth all his workes from being any causes of
know that this word imputing or imputation is taken two waies in the Scriptures first when as the thing imputed is in our selues and so it is said Psal 106.31 Psal 106.31 Rom. 5.13 that the fact of Phinees was imputed vnto him for righteousnesse so Rom. 5.13 But sin is not imputed while there is no law Secondly when as the thing imputed is out of our selues and of this Leuit. 17.4 Numb 18.27 mention is made Leuit. 17.4 and Numb 18.27 And in this latter sense the word is to be vnderstoode in the doctrine of iustification and not in the former For our sinnes were imputed vnto Christ when he offered himselfe to stand in our place to pay our debt and to make full satisfaction to his fathers iustice by suffering those punishments which we by our sinnes had deserued in which respect the Scriptures say that he was reputed amongst the wicked Mar. 15.28 2. Cor. 5.21 Mar. 15.28 and that he was made sinne for vs 2. Cor. 5.21 not by infusion of our sinnes and corruptions into his most holy nature but by imputation onely And contrariwise we are made iust or iustified not by infusion of inherent righteousnesse into vs but by imputation of Christs righteousnes when as beleeuing in him notwithstanding that our nature is still defiled with sinne and manifold corruptions through the meere mercie and free grace of God for the merits and obedience of Christ wee are reputed iust as though wee had neuer committed sinne and had perfourmed perfect obedience vnto Gods commandements and so adiudged heires of euerlasting life So that this imputation consisteth not in Gods reputing of vs iust in respect of our inherent righteousnesse infused into vs but in the free mercie and grace of God which for Christ his sake couereth our sinnes which are indeede inherent in vs so as they shall neuer be imputed vnto vs for our condemnation imputeth vnto vs the righteousnes which is not in vs but in Christ wherewith being fully possessed he reputeth of vs as most innocent and perfectly righteous § Sect. 6 Now that imputation is to be vnderstood in this latter sense The former point prooued by testimonies of the Scriptures Rom. 4.4.5 it is most manifest where the Apostle Paul setteth down the word in both these senses denying that in this doctrine of iustification it is to be vnderstood of the former and affirming it of the latter To him saith he that worketh the wages is not imputed by fauour but by debt namely because he hath merited it by his owne righteousnes 5. But to him that worketh not but beleeueth in him that iustifieth the vngodly his faith is counted or imputed for righteousnes euen as Dauid declareth the blessednes of the man vnto whō God imputeth righteousnes without works In which words he plainly sheweth that there is a kind of imputatiō which hath his ground or foundation in works and inherent righteousnes and this he affirmeth is not of grace And that there is another kind of imputation which hath not it ground and foundation in him to whom it is made but in the free mercie of God iustifying the wicked without his workes and therefore not onely destitute of inherent righteousnesse whereby hee might be iustified but also guiltie of inherent corruption and actuall transgression whereby hee might bee condemned if God should enter into iudgement with him So also hee plainly affirmeth Eph. 2.8 that we are saued by grace through faith Eph. 2.8 and that not of our selues it is the gift of God 9. Not of workes least any man should boast himselfe § Sect. 7 Secondly The former point proued by the example of Abraham this may be prooued by the example of Abraham vpon which the Apostle in the former place insisteth for by that imputed righteousnesse whereby he was iustified wee are also iustified but the Apostle plainly affirmeth that this imputation was not of Abrahams inherent righteousnesse with the which notwithstanding he was plentifully indued for as he saith if Abraham were iustified by workes he had wherein to reioyce but not in God but that Abraham beleeued in God and this was counted to him for righteousnesse Rom. 4.2.3 as it is Rom. 4.2.3 and therefore we are not iustified by our workes and inherent righteousnesse but by the righteousnesse of Christ imputed vnto vs. § Sect. 8 Thirdly that righteousnesse which iustifieth vs That perfect righteousnesse is required to our iustification Iam. 3.2 must consist in perfect obedience and fulfilling of the law of God in that exact manner and measure which Gods iustice doth require but this cannot possibly be done by any righteousnesse which is in vs which is most imperfect and mingled with many sinnes and corruptions for in many things we sinne all as it is Iam. 3.2 and he that saith he hath no sinne is a liar as Iohn speaketh 1. ep 1.8 and our best righteousnes is like a polluted cloath 1. Ioh. 1.8 Esa 64.6 as it is Esa 64.6 but by the alone righteousnesse of Iesus Christ which being imputed vnto vs is sufficient to answere and satisfie Gods exact and most perfect iustice That our righteousnesse whereby we are to be iustified must be perfect Rom. 3.31 and such as the law and exact iustice of God requireth it appeareth Rom. 3.31 whereas the Apostle plainly affirmeth that when faith is imputed vnto righteousnesse Iam. 2.10 the law is not made voide but rather confirmed and fulfilled Doe we then saith he make the law of none effect through faith God forbid Yea we establish the law But this cannot be done by our righteousnesse which is imperfect and mingled with innumerable sinnes but by the alone most perfect righteousnesse of Iesus Christ imputed vnto vs. Againe the Lord hath commaunded and straitly charged that in our ciuill iudgements the righteous shall be iustified Deut. 25.1 and the wicked condemned Deut. 25.1 And the wise man saith that he that iustifieth the wicked Pro. 17.15 and he that condemneth the iust euen they both are abomination vnto the Lord Pro. 17.15 And the Prophet Esay denounceth a woe against them which commit this sinne Esa 5.23 chap. 5. vers 23. Now shall the Lord require this of vs and shall we thinke that he whose will is the rule of iustice wil iustifie any whose righteousnesse is imperfect and not according to his law No he hath told vs that it is more easie that heauen and earth should passe away Luk. 16.17 than that one title of the law should fall vnaccomplished Luk. 16.17 And therefore let vs not trust vnto our owne imperfect righteousnesse but wholy rest vpon the alone righteousnesse of Iesus Christ by a liuely faith for our iustification For he is the Lord our righteousnesse Iere. 23.6 Esa 45.24 Iere. 23.6 In him we haue righteousnesse and strength Esa 45.24 He is made vnto vs of God wisedome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption 1. Cor. 1.30
euery part and facultie of bodie and soule And therefore whosoeuer would bee assured that he hath attained true sanctification he is to labour to compose and frame the whole man his minde and imagination his will and affections his outward actions life and conuersation according to the exact rule of Gods law in all of them mortifying the old man and his inbred corruption and imbracing the contrarie duties of holinesse and righteousnesse Otherwise if our sanctification be not of the whole man and euery part in their seuerall measure it will in the end be vaine and fruitlesse for as it is to no purpose for citizens being besieged to fortifie one place of the wall and leaue another part vnfortified or to keepe strait watch at some of the gates and leaue others open so it will not auaile vs to fortifie some parts against the power of sinne and to leaue others weake and naked nor to garde some of the outward passages of the senses and neglecting some other suffer them to lie as an open entrance to let in our spirituall enemies for so they will easily surprise vs and leade vs captiue vnto sinne but if we would be in any safetie in this strait siege we must set a strong garde and a carefull watch ouer euery part and facultie of our bodies and soules § Sect. 3 The obiect of our sanctification about which it is exercised Of the obiect and time of our sanctification is sinne and corruption and holinesse and righteousnesse that we may flie the one and imbrace the other mortifie the flesh and the lusts thereof and be quickned in the spirit that we may be conformable in all holy obedience vnto the law of God auoyding that which he hath forbidden and labouring to performe that which hee hath commaunded The time when sanctification is wrought in vs is presently after we are effectually called and iustified for as soone as the vertue and power of Christs obedience death and resurrection is applied vnto vs by a liuely faith it doth not onely free vs from the guilt and punishment of sinne but also mortifie the flesh with the corruptions thereof and quickneth vs in the inner man enabling vs to forsake our former sinnes and to serue the Lord in holinesse and newnesse of life But howsoeuer our sanctification bee begun presently after our conuersion yet it is not so soone finished but as the seede being cast into the ground doth first take roote and then is scarcely discorned afterwards shooteth forth into a blade and so springeth vp by little and little till it bringeth forth an eare and lastly it ripeneth and yeeldeth to the sower plentifull increase so when first the seedes of sanctification are sowne in vs by vertue of Gods spirit they haue a time to take rooting when as they make little or no shew to our selues or others but afterwards they send forth as it were a blade of a holy profession and the ripe fruites of godlinesse Notwithstanding these fruites in this life are not purely cleane and without mixture but as in the fairest field there is amongst the cleanest wheate some tares and cockell so in those that are most sanctified there are many corruptions of the flesh mixed with the good fruites of the spirit Apoc. 22.11 the which the christian is still in weeding and plucking vp by the rootes so long as he liueth but yet can neuer ouercome this great worke till the winter of death wholy nippeth and killeth these weedes of sinne We must not therefore presently after our conuersion dreame of a perfection in sanctification no nor yet at the first estimate the truenesse thereof by the greatnesse of the measure for as it is in the naturall generation and growth of the body so also in spirituall regeneration all is not finished at the first but perfected by degrees As soone as we are conuerted we are but babes in Christ Heb. 5.14 and in respect of our infancie in knowledge faith and other graces such as haue neede rather of milke than of strong meate Rom. 8.29 in the rest of our life we grow vp from strength to strength till we come to mans estate vnto which age we cannot properly be said to haue attained till by death we wholy lay aside the old man and the corruptions thereof and lastly we attaine to our consummation and full perfection when at the latter day wee shall rise againe and both in body and soule bee indued with perfect holinesse whereby we shall be enabled to performe obedience to Gods will in that degree which his iustice requireth CHAP. III. Of the parts of Sanctification § Sect. 1 THe parts of sanctification are two That sanctification containeth two parts mortification and viuification mortification and viuification the which also are said to be the parts of true repentance but in a diuerse sense for they are attributed vnto sanctification as they are the worke and action of God who by his holy spirit doth mortifie and quicken vs and is the sole author and cause of our sanctification and vnto repentance as they haue reference vnto vs who being regenerate and indued with Gods spirit doe labour in the mortification of our corruptions and indeauour to serue the Lord in newnesse of life for Spiritu sancto acti agimus we being first moued and set a worke by Gods spirit doe worke together with him This diuision hath it ground and warrant in many places of holy Scriptures in which it is expressed in diuers phrases and formes of speech Psal 34 14. and 37.27 Esa 1.16.17 Rom. 5.11.18 Eph. 4.22.23 Psal 34.14 Escew euill and doe good Esa 1.16.17 Cease to doe euill learne to doe well Rom. 6.11 likewise thinke ye also that ye are dead to sinne but are aliue to God in Iesus Christ our Lord. And v. 18. Being free from sin ye are made the seruants of righteousnesse Ephes 4.22 That ye cast of concerning the conuersation in time past the old man which is corrupt through the deceiuable lusts 23. And be renewed in the spirit of your minde 24. And put on the new man which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse So Rom. 7.4.8.13 1. Cor. 5.7 Col. 2.12.3.9 Gal. 5.16 1. Pet. 2.24.3.11 By al which places and many others it is cleere and manifest that our sanctification consisteth of these two parts the mortifying of the flesh and the quickning of the spirit § Sect. 2 Mortification is the first part of sanctification Of Mortification what it is and how it is wrought wherein the spirit of God applying vnto vs the vertue and power of Christs death and buriall doth by little and little weaken subdue and kill in vs our naturall corruption the flesh and the lusts thereof so that they are not so powrfull as in times past to stirre vp in our mindes euill motions which are contrarie to the will and word of God In this description is set downe first the