Moreouer he is to take heed that wil be stedfast in the faith to resist the diuel that he bee rich in good workes and that hee abstaine from committing those vices which nature doth lead vnto For in the time of triall in the hower of temptation or when Satan doth assault it will greatly shake the mind if a man when he doth looke for the arguments of a true faith and findeth that hee hath beene fruitlesse but if his conscience doe accuse him not only of a slacknesse in good workes but also of foule sinnes commited then will he crie out that all his former profession of the faith was but in shew or in hypocrisie This Apostle in the first chapter of his seconde Epistle teacheth that if we ioyne vertue with our faith and with vertue knowledge and with knowledge temperance with temperance patience and with patience godlinesse and with godlinesse brotherlie kindnes and with brotherlie kindnesse loue we shal make our calling and election sure we shall if we doe these thinges as he saith neuer fall 2. Pet. 1. vers 5.6.10 We shall perceiue assuredly if these things be in vs that God hath called vs effectually and that hee hath chosen vs. And therein doth consist the stedfastnes of faith euen when we are sure that God hath chosen vs in his sonne vnto life eternall If this assurance of Gods loue and fauour towards vs were not to be attayned vnto how could he say Whom resist stedfast in the faith Can there be any stedfast faith without that I beseech yee let vs thinke well of these things let vs vse all care and diligence yea all the holy meanes that God hath appointed to increase our faith that being armed therby we may resist and ouercome our enemie the diuell But here it may be demaunded whether the diuell be to be resisted only by faith or some other things to be vsed I answere that Saint Peter doth set downe the only way by which we are to resist the diuell we haue nothing whereby to withstand him but faith and that is sufficient alone to withstand him whatsoeuer way hee sekeeth to hurt vs. I suppose that the reason heerof is euident vnto all men The power of God alone is sufficient euery man will confesse to shielde vs from the Diuell and no power indeed but the power of God Faith onely armeth vs with that power of God and maketh it as it were ours He that standeth and liueth as the the Scripture speaketh by faith standeth and liueth not in himselfe but in the power of God If we thinke it lawfull to seeke help to resist him and to put him to flight any where but in God then may we vse some other way to resist him besides faith We are to resist him by praier will some say That is true for prayer is a speciall fruite of faith the liuely faith doth bring foorth true prayer And if the prayer bee not of faith it cannot help to deliuer vs from the tyranny of Satan Faith sendeth vp praier yea with fasting strong praier which draweth downe the power of God vpon vs which shieldeth and defendeth vs from the rage of the fiende All other meanes that haue beene deuised to put diuels to flight are vaine and friuolous yea meere illusions of Satans owne deuising which wickedlie deface the power of God For when men cannot resist by faith then doe they flie vnto those other meanes as more sure Wofull is the state of the world in this thing that when men wil not learne of God to resist the diuell they learne at the diuell himselfe But that this thing may be more euident we are to see how many wayes the diuell seeketh to deuour vs. I doe not meane that we should in particulars see those wayes by which the Diuell deuoureth the soules of men for who is able so to expresse them surely not any mortall man For he hath manifold sleightes subtilties and craftes yea euen ten thousand deuises of all sorts to snare and to entrap the soules withall Hee hath also his forces and fierie dartes of terrour to wounde withall It is no dealing in particulars but to bee armed stronglie to resist him howsoeuer he commeth My purpose therefore is but to touch certaine generall heads which containe the rest So that this cruell aduersarie this roaring Lyon the Diuell may catch the praie deuour it he careth not which way it bee for that is the ende of all if hee may carie soules to hell And therefore according to the seuerall states and conditions that men bee in hee frameth himselfe to set vpon them There is no man I suppose which will make any doubt that the diuel coueteth to plunge al men as deep as he can into all euill but according as men are apt and incliued he is faine to deale as he may with some one way with some another Such as be ignorant in darknesse with them he dealeth that he may keep the pure cleere and heauenlie light of the Gospell out of their harts so holde them still vnder the power and in the kingdome of darknesse Touching these Saint Paule saith If our Gospell be hid it is hid to those that perish in whom the God of this world hath blinded the mindes euen of the infidels least the light of the Gospell of the glorie of Christ shoulde shine vnto them which is the image of God 2. Cor. 4. vers 3.4 To bring this to passe this enemie vseth speciall meanes by which he may diffame the Gospel and the profession of it as a doctrine not to bee suffered breeding and drawing with it so manie enils As namelie he soweth errours heresies and wicked opinions He is the father of al such things He raiseth vp the heretickes and Schismatickes and then suggesteth to the heartes of men which be his chiefe seruants that the Gospell hath bred them and they proclaime it with open mouth Behold and see say they what a doctrine is this yea this new learning that hath brought foorth so many foule heresies and diuisions The diuell say they the diuell goeth with it How can it be of God how can it bee good doctrine which bringeth foorth such fruit Satan did practise this while the holie Apostles were aliue vpon the earth as we read how the false Apostles did seeke almost euerie where to pul down that which S Paule had built S. Iohn in the Reuelation mentioneth the Nicholaitanes and a woman which said she was a Prophetesse that taught seduced the seruāts of the Lord that they might commit fornication and eat of things offred vnto Idols And the same Apostle saith that in his time there were many Antichrists for so he calleth the heretikes which then were 1. Ioh. 2. S. Paule said to the Elders of Ephesus I knowe this that after my departure there shall enter in among you grieuous Wolues not sparing the flocke and there shall rise vp of your selues that shal speak peruerse
Lyons doe seeke continually for to swallowe vs vp so if we seek so farre as to be armed with a stedfast faith wee attaine to that estate out of which wee can neuer bee cast It is as much as if he should say the Diuell can neuer ouercome a stedfast faith obtaine that and you are sure to stand to the end Beloued wee are not then to labour onelie for faith but if we will be sure to ouercome the diuel and to stand to the end we must labour to obtain a stedfast faith But how can we bee sure that this is the mind of the Apostle to warrant men that they shall get the victorie ouer the diuell euen to the end if they attaine vnto a stedfast faith I answere that hee agreeth with himselfe teaching here the same thing which hee exhorteth vnto in the first chapter of his second Epistle Here unto saith he giue all diligence in your faith minister vertue in vertue knowledge in knowledge temperance in temperance patience in patience godlines in godlinesse brotherlie kindnesse in brother he kindnesse loue For if these things be among you and abound they will make that you neither shall be idle nor vnfruitful in the knowledging of our lord Iesus Christ For he that hath not these thinges is blinde and cannot see a farre off and hath forgotten that he was purged from his olde sinnes Wherefore brethren giue rather diligence to make your calling election sure for if ye doe these thinges ye shall neuer fall For by this means an entring shal be ministred vnto you abundantly into the euerlasting king dome of our Lord Iesus Christ 2. Pet. 1.5.6.7.8.9.10.11 In this place S. Peter doth most plainlie affirme that they which haue such a faith as goeth with those fruites they come to an assurance that they be called of god chosen vnto life and glory and he doth assure and warrant them that they shall neuer fail Hee addeth as a reason that they haue an entrance into the kingdome of Christ which is euerlasting If the true liuely faith may faile and be wholy lost what assurance can anie man haue that hee is called of God and chosen to life eternall Or how could the holie Apostle say If yee doe these things ye shall neuer fall Doe not they fall which loose the faith or in whome it is wholy quenched Christ raigneth in all those which haue the liuely faith and if his kingdome may be broken downe againe where it once taketh place how can it be said in euery respect to be eternall Now to ioyne these two places together that man hath the stedfast faith whereby he doth resist the diuel which doth those things which S. Peter mentioneth and thereby is sure hee is called and chosen and that he shall neuer fall Hee is firme stedfast in the faith which commeth vnto this and such as haue proceeded no further in the power of a fruitfull faith but that they be still vncertaine whether they shall stand to the ende howe can they be said to resist the diuell stedfast in the faith When S. Paule telleth vs that the shielde of faith doth quench all the firie dartes of the Diuel it is to giue courage and comfort that such as haue once gotten that shield shall neuer be ouercome for if the faith bee ouercome then it doth not quench them all The like courage and comfort Saint Peter doth heere minister by shewing that being stedfast in the faith Satan is resisted Where a man is sure to get the victorie how valiantlie hee doth fight what assaultes he wil endure and with what comfort and consolation of minde But if the battell be made doubtfull that although hee haue so liuely a faith which woorketh by charitie yet he may loose it he may be ouercome it daunteth and discourageth it taketh away the comfort and consolation And this is to ouerthrowe that which the Lord of speciall purpose hath allotted to his children namely that in all the trials and afflictions and temptations which they passe through they may haue strong consolation For it is written Wherein God willing more abundantlie to shewe vnto the heires of promise the stablenesse of his counsell confirmed by an oth that by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to ly we might haue strong consolation Heb. 6. ver 17.18 If God hath confirmed his promise by an oth that all they which beleeue in his sonne shall haue eternall life why is it or to what end is it but that wee should come to the assurance of saluation without which assurance there can be no strong consolation If men bee condemned for high treason and then some hope of pardon followeth it somewhat comforteth that they may suppose it may be they shall escape the tormentes of death and not be executed but so long as there is doubt they haue no strong consolation but when they know assuredly haue it confirmed vnto them that they are set free by pardon then is their consolation strong indeede We are all of vs for high treason against God condemned to hell to endure eternall tormentes A couenant and promise is made that so many as doe beleeue in the sonne of God shall haue free pardon and so not onelie escape from those endlesse miseries but also be lifted vp into eternall glorie So manie as doe wisely and sensiblie consider this wofull and miserable estate in which all are in by nature cannot but be touched with great horror and fear For is it a light matter to be cast with the diuell and his Angels into eternal fire Is hee not more then mad which can be merie so long as he is subiect vnto so horrible damnation Wel there is hope of pardon that so hee shall escape in as much as God hath not only giuen his sonne to bee a redeemer but hath promised and bounde that his promise with an oath that euery one which beleeueth shall bee saued Hee feeleth that he hath a faith and it doth comfort him but vntill he feele that the same his faith is the true and liuelie faith which getteth the victorie ouer Satan and which can neuer be vanquished he cannot haue strong consolation Eternall woe with the diuelles in hell is a most grieuous thing vnpossible it is that any man shuld haue strong consolation vnlesse he be sure that he shall be deliuered from it Whereupon it followeth that feeing the blessed Lord God hath ordained that his children shall heere in the midst of the battell against Satan haue strong consolation that he doth also giue vnto them assurāce of faith yea such a faith as they doe knowe can neuer be ouercome Take away the one take away the other Wherby we see that they which do hold that the true and liuelie faith may be wholy lost ouerthrow the stablenesse of Gods couenant If they will obiect that manie haue great gladnesse and consolation which haue not any true saith I aunswere
their owne wickednes fall from it vtterly and finally and so he hath before ordained them in his foreknowledge vnto damnation This they say standeth with reason the other they hold to be repugnant to reason What shall we say to this shall wee heere enter for to discourse at large by the scriptures touching election and reprobation I haue no such purpose But only so farre as agreeeth with our present matter namely to make it appeare that the stedfastnesse of our faith and the full assurance of our saluation dependeth vpon the knowledge of our election As namely if wee finde in vs the true and liuely faith which goeth with the spirit of sanctification wee may then rise vp to that high cause and be assured that the Lord hath in that his eternall and vnchangeable decree chosen vs in Christ to be his children so that wee cannot perish To come then to an answere to those men Is not this a strange thing that they will comprehend by reason how God could decree the choise or election of some of his creatures vnto life and the reprobation of others vnto eternall destruction for their sinnes and yet not vniust If wee alleage the sentence of the Apostle But who art thou O man that pleadest with God They aunswer that they doe not pleade with God but they stand for the defence of the iustice and mercie of God least that shuld be imputed vnto him which is vniust and cruell No Is not this to plead with God or against God when hee shall bee iust hee shall be good hee shall bee mercifull no further than thy reason can comprehend He must yeeld a reason vnto thy vnderstanding and capacitie with what right or equitie he could doe so or so or els thou wilt reiect it Is not this I say to plead against God Saint Paule after hee hath disputed of the reiecting of the Iewes and the calling in of the Gentiles breaketh foorth into this exclamation O the deepnesse of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God how vnsearchable are his iudgments and his wayes past finding out Rom. 11. To this agreeth the Prophet in the Psalm saying Thy iugdments are as the great deep Let it be demanded what iudgementes of God are those which be vnsearchable or which bee as the great deep Are they not those iudgmēts which he executeth vpon his creatures and especially vpon his chief creatures Angels and men If these his iudgments be as the great deep euen vnsearcheable incōprehensible both vnto men and Angels then is it so in the highest matter namely that hee hath ordained by his eternall decree to bestow eternall life and glory vpon some and to appoint other some vnto eternal ignominie torments which they shall endure iustly for their sinnes For if any iudgementes of God bee vnsearcheable or any where it is in predestination It may bee rightlie said that if the counsels and wayes and iudgements of God be not vnsearchable in that eternal decree then is there no iudgmēt of god vnsearchable which is to denie not only the saying of the Apostle and of the Prophet but also after a sort to denie God for he that will make his iudgmentes to be searchable maketh also God himselfe to be searchable Wilt thou measure and comprehend the counsels the decrees and the iudgementes of God by reason Then measure and comprehend God himselfe euen that eternall and infinit maiestie with thy reason Nowe if it bee so that God hath chosen some for this cause that he did foresee that of their owne wil and power they would be faithfull do good works continue to the ende And on the other side that hee did foresee who would be vnfaithfull wicked and rebellious euen to their death and those in his foreknowledge he saw to be iustly damned Here is nothing incomprehensible in these iudgmentes For thy reason doth find out and thy vnderstanding doth comprehend all causes and thou canst shew a reason how God hath done euery thing and yet is iust yea all the causes of his counselles he open vnto thee if it bee so Why then did Saint Paule crie out How vnsearchable are his iudgments Why faith the Prophet also That they be a great deepe The Prophet was dull of conceipt it seemeth and so was Paule for thou hast entred into this great deepe and hast with the light of thy reason searched out all things and whatsoeuer is not agreeable to the same thy reason thou doubtest not to dash it out of Gods decrees Thou wilt haue nothing to stand higher then thy reason can reach vnto and comprehende Thou saiest that whatsoeuer is contrarie vnto reason is absurde Well but take heede that thou doest not extoll reason too much It doth indeed comprehend the principles of logicke but that it will from thence rise vp to comprehend God and his eternall decree it is extreame folly If wee looke a little in particulars we shall find it to bee so VVe do beleeue and confesse that the Lord God by his eternall power infinit wisedom created heauen earth al things which are in thē both visible inuisible Of the inuisible creatures in heauen the Angels some sinned fel whom he hath condēned vnto eternall fire they be now diuels Others whom the holie Apostle calleth the elect Angels neuer sinned neither shall euer any of them sinne as they bee well assured but shall remaine verie glorious and blessed for euer Tell me nowe were not all these the creatures of God and created in the same estate and conditiō How commeth it that some of them stand others do fall Will ye not say that of his infinite goodnesse and loue hee had decreed to stay vp the one parte so that they should neuer sinne nor be in danger of falling and that he had also decreed to leaue those other to their owne will and power why did he not shew the same goodnesse and loue towards all whie did he set so glorious creatures in such estate as that they should fal from the heauenlie glory into diuels torments was he not able to support them and to retaine them in glory with the rest He created man in great dignitie euen after his owne image whie did he not keepe him in that estate why did hee suffer the diuell to enter in vnto the woman and to tempt her why did hee not forewarn the man and the woman that such an enemie woulde set vpon them or why did he not giue thē strength to get the victorie in that tēptation O wilt thou say God did only suffer those thinges to bee done by the diuell hee did not ordaine that any such matter should fall out for that cannot stand with equity or iustice it agreeth not with mercy Wel thou hast a childe and when it is in thy power to let yet thou wittinglie doest suffer a terrible Lyon to enter in vnto him and to deuour him who will say that this
is a sufficient excuse to cleer thee from crueltie to say that thou didst not decree it but onlie suffer it to come so to passe If this bee no excuse to defend thee how foolish art thou in vsing it to defende the iustice and mercie of God VVilt thou thus call the iustice of God and his mercie vnder the account of thy reason that thou maist by thine owne wit comprehend it or els it cannot bee iustice O howe much better is it that thou shouldest crie out with the Apostle How vnsearchable are his iudgmentes And where thou canst not comprehend by reason howe God shoulde in iustice either decree or suffer the fall of Angels and men yet to rest in this that howsoeuer wee cannot comprehende those thinges yet we are sure that there can be no vnrighteousnes with God but whatsoeuer he decreeth it is most holie and iust for his will is the perfect rule of all righteousnesse To proceede when man was fallen and had cast himselfe and all his posterity into endlesse miserie a redeemer is promised All are loste alike there be none which are in themselues better or more worthy than other why then is not the redeemer sent vnto all If any shall replie and say hee was sent vnto all that is vntrue for God chose the seede of Abraham the nation of the Iewes he separated them from al other nations of the world he gaue them his lawes and ordinances euen the liuelie Oracles for to teach them The other nations he left in the darke to walke in the vanities of their owne minde subiect to the manifold illusions and sleightes of diuelles and that for manie ages together among whome there were so manie famous wise men Philosophers Poets and Orators Yea there were among them infinit thousand thousands which could neuer hear of Christ of infants dying and perishing in their natiue corruption that is in originall sinne Who can search out and comprehend the iudgmentes of God in this were they not the worke of his handes Yet there is no hope offred vnto them But at the length Christ Iesus the only light and saluation of the worlde is preached to the Gentiles Why did hee not now open the eies of all whie did he not giue that effectuall grace of his spirit vnto all as to beleeue in his son vnto saluation VVhen hee opened the heart of Lydia why did he not also open the heartes of the rest that heard Paule preach Some will say they would not Yea but hee of those that were most vnwilling made willing where it pleased him As we haue a perfect example in Saint Paule who was a cruell persecuter Christ saith No man commeth vnto me except the father which sent me draw him Ioh. 6. VVhy did hee not drawe Herode and Pilate and the high Priestes as well as Paule VVee see in these latter dayes that there be great Nations as the west Indies which had neuer hearde of Christ vntill of late time and then by a most cruell and idolatrous people which haue murthered them most wickedlie so that they haue been made to stumble and to bee further from Christ VVho is able to comprehend the depth of these iudgementes Shall not wee lay downe the pride of our owne vnderstanding and say with the Apostle Hath not the Potter power ouer the claie of the same lumpe to make one vessell vnto honour and an other vnto dishonour Or shall the thing formed say to him that formed it Whie hast thou made me thus O beloued let vs lay aside all such vaine and curious presumptions and let vs as the holie Scripture directeth vs make our singular comfort of that eternall decree of God Thus wee are with it to fortifie our selues against the Diuell God of his owne good will hath chosen in his sonne Iesus Christ euen before the foundations of the worlde were laide those whome he will saue as the heires of eternall glorie Hee hath in his prefixed time redeemed them not with golde or precious stones as Saint Peter saith but with the blood of his sonne as of a Lambe immaculate and without spot He doth also call them hee doth sanctifie them This decree of God is vnchangeable it is vnpossible that any of his elect should perish VVho can plucke them out of the handes of Christ Then in the next place wee are to bee assured that none can haue the true faith but the chosen of God Not any doe receiue the spirit of adoption which witnesse unto their spirit that they be the children of God but the elect The elect are onlie regenerate and borne of God and sealed with the holie spirit of promise Then come downe to thy selfe If thou canst trulie say I haue the liuelie faith I haue receiued the spirit of adoption which doth witnesse with my spirit that I am the childe of God I am regenerate I haue the true repentance I am sanctified Satan doth tempt mee stronglie manie wayes but I am sure though he often as it were foile thee and cause me to goe awrie that hee shall neuer get the victorie ouer mee Is not this a singular comfort to a man If anie that hath the spirit of adoption may lose him then where is the stedfastnesse of faith which Saint Peter heere requireth in resisting the Diuel If it come once to lie in our selues wee cannot bee vndoubtedlie sure and stedfast wee may well wauer and doubt but when we knowe that we are kept by the power of God as it is written 1. Pet. 1. Then haue wee a rocke whereon to rest then doe we stand stedfast armed with the power of God This faith may be tried and seeme oftentimes to be sore shaken but it can neuer bee ouercome Yea will some man say but euery man cannot come to knowe that hee hath receiued the true and liuely faith or the spirit of adoption we see many goe farre in the profession of the gospel and thinke that they haue the true faith and the sanctifying spirit which yet fall quite away It is true that there bee manie which imbrace the gospell and professe it with such feeling that they suppose God hath called them as his children there is for the time such a touch such a moouing in their heartes and yet in time they manifest themselues not to be of God One occasion or other driueth them awrie so that some of them become heretickes some of thē although they fall not into heresies yet they fall into vices and become so irreligious that all the former graces which they had tasted of doe vanish and are lost And this is the cause we are willed by Saint Peter to make our calling and election sure For seeing the reprobate receiue a kinde of faith and zeale which yet is not the true and liuely faith we are willed to be diligent and carefull to see that we rest not in that faith VVe must labour to attain to that testimonie of the spirit of adoption we must seek to bee confirmed and euen sealed with the holie spirit of promise and so come to that full assurance of faith and hope which neuer confoundeth And that is it which Saint Peter teacheth the way to come vnto in the place before alleadged where he willeth vs to ioine vertue with our faith with vertue knowledge c. For if we follow that rule which hee there prescribeth we shall be sure neuer to fall we shall then with a stedfast faith resist our aduersarie the diuell and get the victorie ouer him It is a matter of great importance I pray and beseech you as you tender the happy estate of your owne soules looke vnto it Set your hearts vpon the liuelie Oracles of God and seeke day and night after the knowledge of holie thinges and howe to please the Lord your God Then shall you bee blessed for euermore Amen FINIS