man hath prouided for vs and prescribed vnto vs in the worde of trueth For plaine proofe whereof we may beholde if we can the bad effects and bitter fruits that either the ignorance or neglect hereof bringeth forth in our age And if there were no more but this the continuall carnalitie and carnall securitie that euerie where raigneth til it be discouered and felt and the distrust yea desperation that then rageth when the Lord is pleased to lay it open and to presse it hard and home as we saie to to the heart these were sufficient enough not onely to prooue the point but also to cause vs in time to leaue our great and grieuous corruptions and in in a good and acceptable seasoÌ„ euen while it is called to day as the scripture saieth to looke to better courses assuring our selues that as for poperie it can neuer be repelled but by the sounde knovvledge of Gods will reuealed in his vvord this trueth beeing as coÌ„trary to that errour and falsehood as daye is to darknesse and as for assured comforte in distresse or distrust it is no where to be found but generally in the same word also and particularly in the sweet promises thereof which as God alone that is altogether faithfull hath plentifullye made so vvill he that is onely almightie and doth vvhatsoeuer pleaseth him both in heauen and earth in an acceptable time graciously performe for his glorie and the good of his people And that therefore vve should endeuour by all the good meanes that possibly we can that the word of Christ might dvvell in vs plenteously in all vvisedome teaching and admonishing our ovvne selues in Psalmes and Hymnes and spirituall songues singing with a grace in our hearts to the Lord and doing vvhat soeuer vve shall do in vvord or in deede either towards God in the cause of his vvorship or in the dueties of charitie towards men in the name of the Lord Iesus Now vvhat experience you right honourable and right vvorshipfull haue had in this behalfe I knovv not This I am sure of that belonging to the Lord as vpon good grounâ—â— I doubt not I perswade my selfe you do you either haue had heretofore or hereafter before the day of your dissolution dravv nigh shall haue your portion and part of triall both the one and the other vvaye And though it may be that you haue through gods mercie in Christ bestowed vpon you the grace of a stedfast perswasioÌ„ yet he that is now strong through Gods grace may hereafter through his owne wickednesse and vvants become weake God hauing not onely ordeined that as a meane so to humble vs least in the excellent aboundance of graces we might be exalted aboue measure but prouided one of vs to support and helpe an another according to any measure of mercie that we haue receiued from him Wherein if I may either soundly comfort you for that vvhich is past and duetifully prouoke christian care minister strong consolation for that which is to come and may perceiue either the one or the other or both not onely to dwell in your selues but as by and and from you to bee communicated to others specially those whose case and state is distressed either waye I shall right hartely reioyce aâ— one in this comfortablie feeling the forgiuenesse of our sinnes that God hath beene pleased to make his trueth effectuall and powerfull in vs aswel for the obedience of his holie commaÌ„dementes as for the vnfeigned beleefe of his blessed promises And in this respect principally I assure you is it that hauing sometime since written a discourse against all manner of doubting whether it be from others as popish doctrine and Sathans suggestions or from the diffidence and distrustfulnesse of our owne hearts and being much and often requested by some deare friends of mine vvhome I could not vvell denie to publish it I am bold vnder your patronages to let it passe to the presse and to come forth to behold the light and from you to cause it to come to the vievv of others for yours and their spirituall benefite especially And in this dedication of my poore trauailes vnto you I could not but ioyne you all together as one because that though as in respecte of your several states degrees and callings in the common vvealth you do somewhat differ yet God by many gracious meanes of his mercy particularly by open and religious profession of his trueth and holie bande of christian mariage hath made you as it were to become one that so growing alltogether in this life by the power of the spirite to the vnitie of faith and obedience of the goodwill of God you might in that time that God hath set vvith himselfe from before all tines come all together likewise to that one euerlasting life blessednes vvhich is the ende of that one faith and hope wh rewith we are and shall be both sealed and susteined euen vntill and in the day of Iesus Christ And so humblie beseeching good acceptance of this that is done in the singlenesse and sinplicitie of my soule vvhich I trust you will not denie me because I desire nothing but that is right and reasonable and directly tending to your owne good specially spiritual and vvithall hartilie praying the Lord to giue it a blessing in your seuerall soules for the glorie of his name and your euerlasting comforte whereof also I conceiue good hope because God is large in loue and bountifull in giuing specially vnto his people in vvhich number I trust you are not without cause accounted before me I do ende for this present and vvith that submission that is fitt for my selfe and belongeth to persons of so great place and calling take my leaue At Wooburne the 14. of Aprill 1598. Your Hon. and Worship euer ready and that in all things to be commaunded in Christ Thomas Wilcocks the Lords vnworthy seruant Lord Iesus begin and make an ende ALL popery generally is full of vanity and vntrueth being druÌ„ke vp and receiued in infecteh defileth both body and soule Howbeit this cannot be denied but that some points are more deadly discomfortable by much then other some For as in the great varietie of naturall sickenesses diseases all are not alike dangerous but some are more pestilentiall and infectiue as more assaulting the heart and the head other vitall partes then other some are as we may see in the messels pocks hot burning agues plauges or pestilences and such like So is it in the huge heape and infectiue lumpe of popish opinions and doctrines some being more high and heinous then other some and as if it were not only taking the crowne of glory and eternall life from the head or out of the hands of our Sauiour Christ and setting it vpon the headlesse or handlesse bodie of mans corrupt nature tainted with all manner of vngratiousnes and sinne but euen labouring to take by the throat and to straÌ„gle that little
absolute and infinite in some measure vnto vs our knowledge comming from him and infused into vs doth intitle vs in our measure therevnto and yet notwistanding he in sense before the onely knower of the heart But as it is Gods good pleasure in his word to acquaint vs with this matter and by many meanes to labour not onely our knowledge therein but also our assurance thereof as we may perceiue by these notable sentences 2. Cor. 13. Prooue your selues whether ye are in that faith examine your selues c. He doubling this exhortation or commandement rather that so he might expresse the necessity and excellency of this point And the 1. Iohn 3. he saith that by the soūd loue in our hearts we knowe that we are of the truth and shall before him that is truth euen God himselfe assure our hearts And therefore as in naturall things we doe from the effects gather of the causes and that not onely probably but certenly for such as the cause is such are the effects so in spirituall things we may yea we ought to doe the like wherein though as in regard of others that are hypocrites we may be somtimes deceiued yet as in respect of our selues if we haue wise iudgement and be able to put a difference betweene things that differ we cannot lightly erre For the minor or assumption of this syllogisme we confesse it also to be true but yet in sense before the very selfe same seruing to cleare and answere this proposition that hath beene deliuered for answere to the maior But because they suppose this argument to be weake they adioine vnto it another as like it both for forme of reasoning pith or strength to proue as possible may be so that an egge is not so like to an egg as we haue in the prouerb then one of them is like another saying He that knoweth not the heart he cannot knowe touching his saluation for that were to search the heart and the reines of men which belōgeth onely vnto God But no man knoweth the heart for that is proper vnto God onely and therefore no man can knowe or be assured touching saluation Wherevnto though that which hath bin deliuered to the former may suffice for full aunswere yet a word or two more to this that so it may appeare they can say nothing but that which is or may be easily aunswered The maior if they vnderstand it of absolute and exact knowledge is vtterly false not onely because men in this life cannot attaine to such a knowledge but also because that the measure manner that God hath in his word revealed vnto his people is sufficient inough to strengthen their owne conscience and to make them by soūd effects and fruites charitably to iudge of others though it doe not or cannot intitle thē to that fulnesse thereof that is onely in the Lord himselfe And as for the proofe adioyned to this proposition it is of no force neither as in respect of this cause for God as we haue heard hath giuen in some measure that grace vnto men and specially to his childrē and yet hath neuer a whit the lesse thereof in himselfe or equalled them thereby vnto his maiesty The minor likewise is false for there are that knowe their owne hearts and in some measure are inabled by the graces of the spirit to sound other mens and that not onely extraordinarily as Peter did the heart of Ananias and Sapphira his wife Act. 5. but ordinarily as appeareth by the place of the proofe before alleadged and yet not rush into Gods office or be induced with absolute and infinite knowledge as he and therefore they are vtterly deceiued that obiect this But for finall answere in a word we say further Though he that in some measure knoweth the heart cannot absolutely knowe it as God because that which is in him in all fulnesse is is him according to the measure that God which distributeth his graces seeth good and therefore he cannot absolutely knowe either himselfe or others to be of the number of them that shall be saued as God or cannot be precedent or immediate matters iudge or determine thereof for indeed that were to be God and not man Yet by subsequent things or meanes men may knowe as if it were by effects from causes or by consequents of or from antecedents and not onely probably but truely and certenly gather concerning the matter And me thinketh this argument may well be retorted and cast backe againe thus against the aduersaries themselues He that knoweth in some measure his owne and other mens heart may from thence charitably gather for others and certainely conclude for himselfe touching the fauour of God and eternall life or else if this were not true the light raised in vs were darkenesse and of no vse But the faithfull doe in some good measure as hath bin shewed before receiue from God and feele in themselues this grace therefore they may know and be assured of it and by consequent need not to doubt though not as in regard of themselues for so who will not be ouerwhelmed therewith yet as in respect of God who is faithfull and fast in all his promises and graces whatsoeuer and therefore in this also 3 A third argument they inforce thus He that knoweth not Gods wil he cannot know Gods grace concerning himselfe and his saluation But no man knoweth the will of God according to that which is said who hath not knowne the minde of the Lord or who was his councellour which words are repeated Isaiah 48.13 Romanes 11.34 Therefore no man can know or be assured of his saluation But we will aunswer first vnto the maior or proposition by distinguishing secondly vnto the minor or assumption by explaning or expounding rightly the places alleadged God though he be but one and therefore as in regard of his own nature can haue but one will yet in respect of himselfe and men to whome he hath reuealed himselfe by his word who are by many meanes and waies distinguished from himselfe he hath indeed is truely said to haue a double wil that is one secret in himselfe the other reuealed to men specially to his people in his word And least wee should seeme to speake anie thing herein without warrant let vs mark what God himselfe saith in his law Deuter. 29. The secret things belong to the Lord our God but the things reuealed belong vnto vs and to our children for euer that we may doe all the words of this lawe In this behalfe or matter respecting gods wil men are commonly sick of two sinnes that is curiositie to search further then god hath bin pleased to manifest and negligence or contēpt of that which is reuealed in these words and by this distinction God goeth about to represse and redresse both teaching men so to abstaine from beeing wise aboue measure and searching into his wayes councels and iudgements that are beyond their reach that yet
of the thing as he that in strength apprehendeth the like or another of the same kinde so may a christian man though he haue but infirme and weake faith be as well assured that god in Christ will shewe him mercie and forgiue him all his sinnes through his obedience as he that hath more strength of it and euen in that infirmitie reape and receiue singular coÌ„fort though not in the weaknes it selfe yet as in regard of the obiect that that weake instrument laieth assured hold of and applieth to it selfe 11 They haue an other argument which they doe not onely frame and fashion but presse vrge againe and againe in manner and forme following Naturall thinges say they are vnchaungeable But to doubt concerning Gods grace and our reconciliation with him is naturall specially as we are nowe borne and brought forth into the world therefore to doubt is vnchaungeable first for the maior or proposition of this sillogisgisme we say that in diuers respectes it is and may be true and in diuerse respectes againe it is not true but false Naturall thinges are vnchangeable to witte so long as they continue so be not altered or chaÌ„ged by his haÌ„d that is the Lord of nature or by soÌ„e extraordinary course that he is pleased to permit and appoint for then when he that is Lord ouer all will haue an alteration the creatures must of necessitie by right of creation and by the authoritie of the Creator yeeld therevnto And this is it that the Prophet teacheth Psal 104. saying All things waite vpon thee that thou maiest giue them foode in due season thou giuest it them and they gather it thou openest thy hand and they are filled with good things But if thou hide thy face they are trovbled if thou take avvay their breath they die and returne to their dust And we see it confirmed also by sundry examples as in the booke of Iehoshua chapter 12. where he saith Sunne stay thou in Gibleon and thou mooue in the valley of Aâ—alon And Isaiah 38. Where for the confirmation of Hezekias faith in the promise of his recouery to health it is said that in the deall of Ahaâ— the sunne returne a backward tenne degrees by vvhich degrees it was gone downe Besides it is true in such naturall things as God hath created and preserued yea and doth preserue in their estates wherein â—e created them and not in those which by some occasion since haue an addition vnto their created nature of which sort as we shall heare hereafter doubting and distrustfulnes is and not of the former And good reasoÌ„ it should be so for the additameÌ„t vnto nature as it was created in an alteration and changing of the first nature as we may see euen by this particular if we had no more that for the sinnes of man the creatures and particularly the earth is liable to the curse of barrennesse c. which without that it could not haue beene and yet notwitstanding this additioÌ„ these things by reasoÌ„ of propagation are eueÌ„ in this life â—ightly named natural And this we might inlarge and prooue by many other particulars that howesoeuer at their first producing or bringing forth they seemed to be against nature and monstrous indeede yet by propagation and continuance of time are reckoned amoÌ„gst naturall things So that we may nowe see howe the maior is true and howe it is vntrue For the minor it is true sinne bringing that many other fearefull things into the world and the same thorugh the taint of originall vnrighteousnesse beeing spread ouer all flesh howebeit that will not followe therevpon nor out of the maior that is concluded that therefore doubting cannot be altered For though as in respect of nature vitiated and man himselfe tainted therewith there can be no alteration or change made but rather still an increase of corruption by reason of that strength and power of original sin and the reliques of it in vs yet as in regard of God who onely worketh wonderfull thinges both in heauen and earth according to his good pleasure and to whome alone it belongeth as to search the hearts and reines so to make of fâ—â—tie fleshie hearts it is not so but as he can and that with ease also change the naturall course of all his creatures generally so can he as he will and by such powerfull instruments as he hath appointed thereto alter and change the vitiaâ—e and corrupt heart of man purging it so by faith that it shall be free from the power of iniquitie and sanctified also vnto many good workes And so by all this we see the weakenesse and infirmitie of this argument which they themselues feeling fearing also presse it yet a little further thus Euen those naturall things which are added to nature created are immutable or vnchangeable But doubting euen after this sort is naturall therefore after this manner or sort this doubting also is vnchangeable But that we knowe Gods iudgements to be such that the wicked shall proceede from euill to worse that so heaping vp their owne sinnes they might heape vp against them more iust and swift condemnation we should wonder at this that men turne the truth of God into a lie to their own and other mens hurt also For first the maior or proposition is not true in one sense as hath beene shewed before for though it be true that in this deprauation corruption of our nature naturall things indeed by the strength and power of nature are vnchangeable the reason is because nature so deformed cannot set a foot forward to reformation or alteration of it selfe but rather will proceed in the power of the corruption of it and specially also when it is egged forward with Satans malice from euill to worse yet that hindreth not but by the doctrine of the Gospel which is the power of god to saluation to euery one that beleeueth and by many other meanes and helpes as particularly the gratious working of his blessed spirit this worke of changing and altering our nature not onely may but as we see by former and daily experience is brought to passe for as nothing could hinder him but further him rather when he coÌ„manded light to shine out of darknesse so nothing now can stoppe his worke but shal further it rather in chaunging that cursed and corrupted nature of ours So that though this be true that by force and power of nature they cannot be remooued or changed yet that letteth not but that this also may be true that by Gods word outwardly and by his holy spirit inwardly accompanying making the same fruitefull they may in them that beleeue by little and little not onely be altered and changed but at the last be vtterly chaÌ„ged which is more And as for the minor or assumption we say that in this sense and after this sort namely that not as nature was first created of God for so it could not chuse but be as he is