the purpose for the question is not of epicures and worldlings who haue no faith or a dead faith but of true beleeuers who bring foorth the fruites of their faith at least in an holie desire and endeuour of seruing the Lord in holinesse and righteousnesse For they that cannot be assured that they haue faith cannot haue any certaintie of their election but none can haue any assurance of faith vnlesse they bring foorth the fruites of their faith in dying to sinne and rising againe to newnesse of life for faith purifieth the heart and worketh by loue and therefore such as liue in their sinnes without repentance hauing no faith can haue no certaintie of their election though they may delude themselues with a fond perswasion which hath no other ground but carnall securitie and fond presumption but hence it followeth not that because a dead faith affoordeth no true certaintie therefore a liuely faith doth it not because a prophane epicure or carnal worldling deceiueth himselfe with a vaine opinion therefore those that are truly conuerted mortified vnto sinne and raised vp to newnesse of life can haue no certaintie of their election and saluation For what similitude is there betweene light and darknes righteousnesse and vnrighteousnesse the children of God and the children of Belial the repentant and vnrepentant faith and no faith Lastly §. Sect. 11. That this doctrine openeth no way to securitie and presumption they obiect that if we teach this doctrine of the certaintie of election men will abuse it to nourish in them carnall securitie and presumption To which I answere that wicked men abuse the whole doctrine of the Gospell to their destruction for when they are taught that God is most gratious and mercifull that Christ hath died for vs and giuen himselfe as a sufficient price to redeeme vs out of the power of sinne Sathan death and damnation and maketh intercession for vs to God his father that the Lord is slow to wrath and ready to forgiue they take occasion hereby of continuing in their sins and deferring their repentance till God take them away and consume them in his heauie displeasure but hence it followeth not that the Gospell must not bee taught because carnall men abuse it to their iust condemnation for though to these it be the sauour of death vnto death yet to those who are saued it is the sauour of life vnto life 2. Cor. 2.16 1. Cor. 1.18 as it is 2. Cor. 2.16 Though it be foolishnes to those that perish yet it is the power of God to those whom God hath ordained to saluation and God is no lesse glorified in the one by shewing his mercie than in the other by shewing his iustice Though worldly men abuse it to carnall securitie yet the godly are the more incited thereby to serue the Lord in holinesse and newnesse of life for like louing children the more they are assured of the loue of their heauenly father and secured of his mercie and bountifull benefits the more they loue him againe the more they loue him the more zealous they are of his glorie and the greater their zeale is the greater is their care in making the light of their godly and Christian liues to shine before men that their heauenly father may bee glorified So that it is not the fault of this precious seede but the barrennesse of the ground which maketh it fruitlesse or els for good wheate sendeth tares cockle and darnell it is not any defect or ill disposition in this sweet smelling flower but the venemous nature of these spiders which turne honey into poyson and therefore the seed must be cast vpon the earth though there bee stones with the good ground which will neuer bring foorth fruite the flowers of sweete consolation must not be pulled vp by the rootes and cast away For though the spider gathereth poyson yet the profitable Bee wil gather honey out of them Secondly when wee teach the certaintie of election wee doe not teach that men must gather it out of Gods secret counsaile but from their owne sanctification by which they may be assured that they are iustified called and elected and therefore whosoeuer are not sanctified but continue in their sinnes without repentance can haue no assurance by our doctrine that they are elected or shall be saued nay contrariwise we teach out of Gods word that whosoeuer line in the flesh shal die Rom. 8.13 that they which performe the lusts thereof shall neuer inherit the kingdome of God Gal. 5.19.20 21. that none who continue in their vnrighteousnesse and vncleannesse shall enter into the heauenly Ierusalem 1. Cor. 6.9.10 Reu. 21.27 but shall haue their portion in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone as it is vers 8. Now what stronger bridle to curbe in our vnruly flesh when it is ready to runne into sinne than to be assured that if wee liue in sinne and fulfill our carnall lusts wee are in the state of condemnation what sharper spurre to pricke vs forward when wee are readie to faint or slacke our pace in the Christian race of holinesse and righteousnesse than to consider that our sanctification and newnesse of life is the onely meanes whereby wee may come to the assurance of our election and saluation CHAP. XIII Of our Redemption § Sect. 1 ANd thus much concerning our election and the certaintie thereof The next cause of our saluation is our redemption by Iesus Christ for as the Lord hath from all eternitie elected vs to saluation of his meere mercie without any respect of our works or worthines so he hath ordained in this his eternal decree our Sauiour Christ to bee the Mediatour who should worke the worke of our saluation and as it were the conduit whereby hee would conuey his grace mercie and euerlasting saluation vnto vs and hath set him apart to be our Sauiour and Redeemer who should saue and deliuer vs out of the captiuitie and bondage of our spirituall enemies and restore vs to the glorious libertie of the sonnes of God Redemption what it is This our redemption is an effect of Gods election whereby our Sauiour Christ being set apart of his father for this purpose hath freed and deliuered all Gods elect out of the captiuitie of their spirituall enemies sinne death and the diuell by offring himselfe for the price of their redemption and a sufficient sacrifice for sinne for the appeasing of his fathers displeasure and satisfying of his iustice to the end that being deliuered they may serue him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the daies of this life and afterwards may inherit the kingdome of glorie and the crowne of eternall happinesse which is purchased for them The definition explaned First I say that it is an effect of Gods election for whom he had chosen to euerlasting life in Christ those by Christ he hath saued and redeemed and those only as we shall see afterwards Secondly I shew who is our
vses the Gospell serueth in our spirituall warfare for they who are armed with the true knowledge thereof and are assured of the merciful promises therein contained they will walke and march valiantly in the waies of godlinesse and Christianitie though they are full of the briars and thornes of afflictions and persecution preferring the rebuke of Christ before the riches of Egypt because they haue an eye to the recompence of reward which they shall receiue at the end of their iourney And this maketh them little to regard the foulenes and vnpleasantnes of the way and though Sathan trouble them in their march setting vpon and assaulting them yet they easily resist the furie of his temptations and goe on forward in the profession and practise of Christianitie if they be armed with the knowledge of the Gospell of peace for it is therefore called the Gospell of peace Luk. 10.5 because it bringeth peace to our soules not onely as it is the ambassage of God whereby wee being reconciled vnto God Rom. 10.15 Luk. 1.7.9 haue peace with him from the assurance whereof we haue the peace of conscience but also because if we be armed therewith we shall obtaine a finall victorie ouer our spirituall enemies after which shall follow euerlasting peace which shall not so much as be disturbed with the attempts of any enemies § Sect. 2 But it is not sufficient that we know and beleeue this Gospell of peace vnlesse we be alwaies prepared to make confession and profession therof though thereby we incurre worldly shame losses afflictions and persecution And this the Apostle signifieth VVhat it is to be prepared with this Gospell by telling vs that our feete must be shod with the preparation of the Gospell of peace that is as those who are well shod are in readines to goe through rough and vnpleasant waies so those that are indued with the knowledge of the Gospell must alwaies be in readines to make profession thereof in the middest of affliction and persecution For as with the heart man beleeueth vnto righteousnes Rom. 10.10 so with the mouth he must confesse vnto saluation Rom. 10.10 And this is that which the Apostle Peter requireth of vs 1. Pet. 3.15 1. Epist 3.15 That we doe not onely sanctifie the Lord in our hearts but also that we be readie alwaies to giue an answere to euery man that asketh vs a reason of the hope that is in vs. But if we lay aside this armour we shal be as vnfit to trauell in the afflicted way which leadeth to Gods kingdome as those souldiers who are barefoote be vnfit to march through waies which are full of briars and thornes neither shall wee be readie to make confession and profession of our faith in the time of persecution and trouble but rather to slide backe into a generall apostasie from all religion vnlesse we be confirmed and comforted with the sweete promises of the Gospell made to those who suffer affliction for Christs sake namely that if we confesse him before men Matth. 10.32 Mark 8.35 he will confesse vs before his father in heauen Matth. 10.32 That whosoeuer shall lose his life for Christs sake and the Gospels shall saue it Mark 8.35 That whosoeuer shall forsake houses or brethren or sisters Matth. 19.29 or father or mother or wife and children or lands for his names sake shall receiue an hundred fold more and shall inherit euerlasting life Matth. 19.29 CHAP. XIII Of the shield of faith § Sect. 1 THe fourth peece of the Christian armour which the Apostle exhorteth vs aboue all to put on is the shield of faith which of all other parts is most necessarie because how weake soeuer it be in it selfe yet it doth defend and protect vs against all the temptations of Sathan for he that putteth on faith doth put on Iesus Christ also it being a propertie inseparable of faith to applie vnto vs Christ Iesus and all his benefits that is his merits and righteousnes and euerlasting life it selfe And this will be not onely a glorious garment to couer our deformitie out of Gods sight to preserue vs from the heate of Gods wrath and to obtaine the euerlasting blessing of our heauenly father but also it is armour of proofe to defend vs from the violent assaults of our spirituall enemies Let vs therefore take vnto vs the shield of faith that wee may also put on the Lord Iesus Christ Rom. 13.14 as the Apostle exhorteth vs Rom. 13.14 for hauing him wee shall want nothing which may either defend our selues or offend our enemies the Lord himselfe will be our shield and buckler and therefore it will be impossible for our foes to preuaile against vs. What is meant by quenching Sathans firie darts But let vs consider further of the excellencie and necessitie of this shield of faith which appeareth by the vertue thereof in repelling all the firie darts of Sathan The Apostle saith that thereby wee may quench his firie darts alluding to the custome of souldiers in ancient time who malitiously poysoned their darts whereby the bodies of those who were wounded were so inflamed that they could hardly be cured or eased of their raging and burning paine And such darts are all Sathans temptations whereby wee are wounded with sinne for if they bee not repelled and quenched with the shield of faith they will inflame our lusts to sinne and one sinne will inflame our hearts to another till there be kindled in vs a world of wickednesse And this wee may see in the example of Dauid who after that he gaue himselfe to idlenesse and sloth and so was pearced with one of Sathans firie darts it presently inflamed his heart to commit adulterie and hauing giuen place to that hee was prouoked to murther so that if wee admit one of these firie darts they will inflame vs to receiue another and so our burning wounds will torment our consciences and most hardly admit of any cure And therefore it behooueth vs to take vnto vs the shield of faith whereby we may quench these firie darts But why doth the Apostle vse this improper speech seeing the shield doth not quench but repell the darts that beate vpon it I answere partly to shew the nature of our enemies temptations namely that they are firie mortall raging and pernitious as before I said and partly to set foorth a double vertue of faith for first thereby wee repell and beate backe his temptations and so resist him stedfastly in the faith 1. Pet. 5.9 as the Apostle speaketh 1. Pet. 5.9 And secondly if Sathans darts haue pearced and wounded vs faith also doth coole the scorching heate of sinne by applying vnto vs the precious baulme of Christs blood so that our wounds are not mortall vnto vs though mortall in themselues if they were not cured by this soueraigne salue of sinne which being applied by faith doth ease the burning torments of our euill consciences and preserueth vs
not in all that is written in the booke of the law to doe it Galat. 3 10. Rom. 8.8 Gal. 3.10 that they who liue according to the flesh cannot please God Rom. 8.8 that the burthen of sinne cannot be light seeing it pressed out of Christ himselfe a bloudie sweate c. On the other side if hee aggrauate the hainousnes of our sins to the end hee may draw vs into despaire of Gods mercie let vs say Ezec. 18.23.32 it is written I will not the death of a sinner saith the Lord but that he repent and liue Ezech. 18.23.32 And that Iesus Christ came into the world to saue sinners 1. Tim. 1.15 Matth. 9.13 1. Tim. 1.15 And that he came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance Matth. 9.13 Ioh. 3.16 If he tempt vs to the loue of the world and to the seruice of this vnrighteous Mammon let vs answer him Matth. 6.24 that it is impossible to serue two masters of such contrarie disposition as it is written Matth. 6.24 That if wee loue the world 1. Ioh. 2.15 Iam. 4.4 the loue of the father abideth not in vs 1. Ioh. 2.15 That the amitie of the world is enmitie against God Iam. 4.4 Contrariwise if renouncing the world and endeuouring to serue the Lord in vprightnes and in truth hee seeke to draw vs from our integritie by threatning afflictions and persecution wee are to strengthen our selues and resist him with the sword of the spirit remembring that they are blessed which suffer persecution for righteousnes sake Matth. 5.10 1. Tim. 3.12 for theirs is the kingdō of heauen Mat. 5.10 That all that will liue godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer persecutiō 1. Tim. 3.12 That whosoeuer loseth any thing for Christs sake Matth. 19.29 shall receiue in recompence an hundreth fold more and haue euerlasting life to boote Matth. 19.29 If he tempt vs to the neglect of Gods word wee are to tell him that all Christs sheepe heare his voyce and follow him Ioh. 10.27 Ioh. 8.47 Ioh. 10.27 That whosoeuer is of God heareth Gods words Ioh. 8.47 that they who know God heare his ministers whereas he that is not of God heareth them not 1. Ioh. 4.6 And if he obiect that wee cannot heare it without great labour and cost wee are to remember that whosoeuer is a wise Merchant fit for the kingdome of God will rather sell all he hath to buy this precious pearle than be without it Matth. 13.44 45 46. Mat. 13.44.45 On the other side if he tempt vs to content our selues with the bare hearing thereof neglecting obedience thereunto we are to tell him that not the hearers of the word Rom. 2.13 but the doers thereof shall be iustified Rom. 2.13 that they who are hearers of the word and not doers also doe deceiue themselues Iam. 1.22 if they thinke hereby to haue any assurance of eternall life Iam. 1.22 That not euery one who saith Lord Lord that is Matth. 7.21 maketh a goodly profession of religion shall enter into the kingdome of heauen but he that doth the will of the father who is in heauen Matth. 7.21 So when he tempteth vs to pride wee are to say vnto him Sathan I may not yeeld vnto thy temptation for it is written God resisteth the proude but giueth his grace to the humble 1. Pet. 5.5 1. Pet. 5.5 If he tempt vs to couetousnes we are to resist him saying it is written 1. Tim. 6.10 that the desire of money is the roote of all euill 1. Tim. 6.10 If to carking care wee are to tell him that the Apostle exhorteth vs to cast all our care on the Lord for he careth for vs 1. Pet. 5.7 1. Pet. 5.7 If to vnthriftie mispending of Gods gifts and carelesse consuming of our estates wee are to tell him that he that prouideth not for his familie 1. Tim. 5.8 is worse than an Infidell 1. Tim. 5.8 § Sect. 3 And thus may we repell the violence of all Sathans temptations and giue him the soyle if wee will take vnto vs the sword of the spirit That it behooueth vs to be skilfull in handling the sword of the spirit and skilfully vse the same in the fight for it is not sufficient that we haue this sword lying by vs nor to be able to shew the goodnes thereof in discourse if in the meane time we neuer draw it out to fight the spirituall combat but let it rust in the scabberd but we must alwaies haue it readie for the combat and as it were naked in our hands that wee may strike home and cut off all the temptations of Sathan and the lusts of our owne flesh when they doe assault vs. And to this end we must be skilfull in the vse thereof for though a man haue an excellent weapon yet if he know not how to vse it it will little helpe him either to defend himselfe or offend his enemie so if a man haue this two edged sword of Gods word and haue no skill to rule it he will strike flatlong and not cut and sometime wound himselfe in stead of hurting his enemie yea so politike a warriour is Sathan against whom we fight that if wee be not skilfull in the vse of this sword he will turne the edge and point thereof against our selues and so in stead of defending vs it will like the sword of Goliah be readie for the enemie to cut off our owne head And therefore it behooueth vs to come into Gods schoole continually that there we may learne how to vse and handle this sword of Gods word so cunningly that wee may resist Sathan in all his assaults and giue him no aduantage in the fight Otherwise he will vse it to our own ouerthrow for if hee durst fight against our Sauiour Christ with his owne weapon the word of God whose knowledge was exquisite and without measure saying It is written how much more busie will he be in vsing it against vs who haue not attained vnto the least part of his skill The folly of those who neglect this spirituall weapon Whereby appeareth first the carnall retchlesnesse of many men who as though there were no enemie to assault them haue not this weapon in their houses at all or if they haue yet they bestow more time in prophane exercises than in studie how to vse the sword of the spirit for their owne defence or at least trusting to their owne skill as sufficient in it selfe they seldome come to the Lords schoole where they might learne to vse the weapon of Gods word for their best aduantage Secondly hereby appeareth the wicked practise of the enemies of Gods truth who take from Gods people this sword of the spirit which the Lord hath giuen vnto all for their defence Neither doth the Apostle in this place exhort onely the Clergie to take this weapon but all Christians whatsoeuer who are assaulted with their
perseuerance in praier for it is not sufficient to pray earnestly and feruently for a spirt but we must continue therein expecting the Lords leisure And vnto this we are exhorted Rom. 12.12 continuing in prayer Rom. 12.12 So the Prophet Dauid perswadeth to expect and waite for the Lord Psal 27.14 and to bee strong in continuing constantlie in our course and then in the end God will comfort our hearts Psal 27.14 And the Apostle Paul willeth vs to pray incessantly 1. Thess 5.17 like importunate suiters who will haue no nay though they receiue many denials To this dutie our Sauiour encourageth vs by the parable of the vnrighteous Iudge who though hee neither cared for man nor feared God Luk. 18.1 yet was moued through importunitie to do the poore widow iustice and therefore our heauenly father will much more graunt the importunate suites of his elect VVhy the Lord delaieth to graunt the petitions of his children especially hauing bound himselfe thereunto by his most gracious promises True it is that the Lord doth many times deferre to graunt the prayers of his children as though he heard or regarded them not when as in truth he neuer delayeth any of their lawfull suites vnlesse it be to this end that hee may thereby either conuay vnto them greater benefits than they desire as when hee giueth spirituall graces in stead of earthly benefits or els that thereby he may moue them to pray more feruently and so exercise and increase their faith hope and patience or that he may shew these his graces to the praise of his glorie who hath bestowed them both to others and the parties themselues or that hee may moue vs more thankfully to receiue and highly to esteeme his benefits after by long suite wee haue obtained them which wee would not so greatly regard if he bestowed them at the first motion A notable example hereof we haue in the Canaanitish woman both for our comfort and imitation Matth. 15. Matth. 15. To whose prayers our Sauiour Christ gaue as it seemed no eare and when he did take notice of her suite he giueth her a double repulse first by telling her that he was sent onely to the lost sheepe of the house of Israel and when this would not moue her to surcease her suite he vseth a more bitter deniall telling her that it was not fit to take the childrens bread and to cast it to whelpes but when she was not hereby discouraged nor her faith extinguished but rather of a sparke increased to a great flame at the last she doth not onely receiue what she desired but also was sent away with great commendation But wherefore did not our Sauiour graunt her petition at the first hearing Surely not that he grudged her her suite or was loth to entertaine it but to the end that he might make her more earnestly implore his helpe and manifest to all the world her singular faith and lastly that she might be an example to vs for our imitation both to encourage vs in asking of God the supplie of our wants and also to perseuere in prayer though at the first God seemeth not to regard vs yea though wee receiue diuers repulses and many discouragements which if we perfourme wee shall haue a notable testimonie of a true faith when as we can patiently abide the Lords leisure though hee doe deferre his helpe Esa 28.16 for he that beleeueth will not make haste as it is Esa 28.16 and in the end wee shall be sure to obtaine our godly and honest desires if not as we would yet as it shal be most for our good and withall eternall blessednes For the Lord is the God of iudgement and blessed are all they that waite for him Esa 30.18 as it is Esa 30.18 When therefore we are assaulted by our spiritual enemies and readie to faint in the combat of temptations let vs call vpon the Lord for his assistance that wee may be freed from danger and deliuered from them and if the Lord doe seeme to deferre his helpe and suffer vs still to beare the brunt of the battaile after wee haue many times implored his assistance yet let vs not be discouraged but constantly perseuere in prayer assuring our selues that the Lord will either free vs from the temptation or els giue vs strength to endure and ouercome it for hee hath promised that he will not suffer vs to be tempted aboue our power but that he will giue a good issue to the temptation that wee may be able to beare it and he is faithfull and true of his word 1. Cor. 10.13 as it is 1. Cor. 10.13 It may be that the Lord wil not quite free vs from the skirmish of temptation though we haue often desired it of him either because he would further trie our Christian valour and exercise our faith or restraine vs from sinne especially spirituall pride to which wee are too too subiect as wee may see in the example of Paul who being buffeted by the messenger of Sathan besought the Lord thrice that he might depart from him but the Lord answered that his grace which he bestowed on him was sufficient and that his power was made manifest in the Apostles weaknes as appeareth 2. Cor. 12.8 9. 1. Cor. 12.8.9 Now the cause why the Lord would not altogether release him was that he might be humbled hereby the pricke of the flesh letting out the winde of vaine glorie which would haue puffed him vp by reason of the multitude of reuelations which hee had receiued Let vs not therefore send for the Lords assistance as it were by poste and prescribe the Lord a time with the Bethulians wherein if we be not relieued we will faint and cowardly yeeld for that which the Prophet speaketh from the Lord concerning the vision may fitly bee spoken of the Lords aide and helpe Though it tarie watch Hab. 2.3 for it shall surely come and not stay Habac. 2.3 § Sect. 6 The last thing required in our prayers is Prayer to be made for all the Saints that wee doe not onely pray for our selues but also for all the Saints For wee are fellow members of the same bodie wee are fellow souldiers which fight vnder the same Captaine Iesus Christ and consequently their victorie is our victorie and their foyles are our foyles As therefore souldiers do not only stand vpon their seuerall guards but ioyne their forces together whereby it commeth to passe that they who being scattered might easily be ouercome hauing vnited their forces are vnresistable so wee are not onely to stand vpon our owne defence but to ioyne in prayer with the whole Church militant and then shall not our spirituall enemies stand against vs for of the praier of one righteous man auaileth much Iam. 5.16 being feruent and effectuall of what efficacie and power are the prayers of all the righteous ioyned together No armour appointed for the backe
spirit may be saued in the day of the Lord Iesus 1. Cor. 5.5 § Sect. 5 It may be that the worke of mortification and regeneration doth goe slowly forward Though our spirituall growth be show yet it is certaine and the Lord may for a time let our corruptions beare great sway in vs to the end he may hereby truly humble vs with the sight of our infirmities and take away from vs all selfe-confidence presumption and cause of boasting and cause vs wholy to relie vpon his mercie and Christs merits but though it go on slowly yet it shall goe surely because it is not begun and continued by our selues for we cannot so much as thinke a good thought but all our sufficiencie is of God as it is 2. Cor. 3.5 2. Cor. 3.5 neither can we so much as will and desire that which is acceptable in Gods sight for it is he that worketh in vs the will and the deed Phil. 2.13 euen of his good pleasure as it is Phil. 2.13 And therefore these holie desires which are the beginnings and first fruites of regeneration being the worke of Gods spirit he will finish and perfect that which he hath begun till at last we be fully freed from our corruption and indued with vnspotted holines and sanctification Phil. 1.6 According to that Phil. 1.6 I am perswaded of this same thing that he who hath begun this good worke in you will performe it vntill the day of Iesus Christ For as with the Lord himselfe there is neither change nor shadow of change Iam. 1.17 Mal. 3.6 Rom. 11.29 Iam. 1.17 Mal. 3.6 so also are his gifts and calling without repentance as it is Rom. 11.29 § Sect. 7 If therefore we haue but a desire to forsake our sinnes If we earnestly desire perfectiō the Lord will perfect vs and in the meane time pardon our imperfections and to attaine vnto true sanctification this desire is Gods worke which he wil finish accomplish according to that Psal 145 19. He wil fulfill the desire of them that feare him For if the Lord doe euen presse vpon vs whilest we doe not desire his companie if hee stand waiting and knocking at the doore of our hearts calling and crying vnto vs that we will open and giue him entrance when his holie spirit hath inflamed vs with true loue of him and opened our hearts with an earnest desire to haue him enter will he now thinke you goe away and refuse to come in when wee inuite him Nay assuredly for he hath promised the contrarie Reuel 3.20 Behold saith he I stand at the doore and knocke if any man heare my voice and open the doore I will come in vnto him and sup with him and he with me that is I will make him a rich banquet of my heauenly graces and giue him to drinke the water of life of which whosoeuer drinketh shall neuer be more a thirst but it shall be in him a well of water springing vp into euerlasting life as our Sauiour speaketh Ioh. 4.14 So our Sauiour Christ calleth such as thirst vnto him Ioh. 7.38 Reu. 21.6 If any man thirst let him come to me and drink And I will giue to him that is a thirst of the well of the water of life freely If therefore we haue a thirsting desire after Gods spirit and the graces thereof we shall in Gods good time be satisfied and filled with the full measure of them And in the meane time though our infirmities be neuer so great and manifold yet in Christ God wil be well pleased with vs when as our corruptions do displease our selues so that we earnestly desire to be freed from them and to serue the Lord in righteousnes and holines of life For the Lord esteemeth more of our will than of our deedes and of our holie endeuour than of our best workes because this is the seruice and sacrifice of our hearts wherewith aboue all other things hee is most delighted and therefore Da cordi Deo sufficit Pro. 23.26 Giue thy hart to God and it sufficeth Prou. 23.26 For the Lord is our most gracious father whose loue farre exceedeth the loue euen of tender mothers Esa 49.15 Esa 49 15. and 66.13 Looke therefore what affection the tender father or mother beareth and sheweth towards their childe and such nay infinit more will the Lord shew towards vs as himselfe professeth Mal. 3.17 And I will spare them Mal. 3.17 as a man spares his owne sonne that serueth him Now we know that if a child endeuour to to his dutie and striue to doe his best though through want of power or skill hee is not able to doe as he would those things which his father inioyned him there is no louing father but will winke at his imperfections and accept his wil commending his obedience and dutifull endeuour though the worke in it self deserue no commendations how much more therefore will our heauenly father whose loue is infinite and without all compare be wel pleased with vs in the middest of our infirmities if we haue a desire and care to serue him The Lord is our shepheard Psal 23.1 Ioh. 10. and we his flock and the sheep of his pasture as it is Psal 23.1 and Ioh. 10. Now if a sheepe be intangled in the briars so as hee cannot follow the shepheard though he heare his voyce calling vnto him yet if hee struggle and striue to come out to the vttermost of his power and bleat for the shepheards helpe when he cannot help himselfe hereby it appeareth that hee is one of his flocke which the good shepheard will not suffer to be lost whereas indeed if he want not power alone but will also to be freed and to follow after it is cleere that he belongeth to another sheepfold so if when wee are intangled in the briars of our corruptions and so hindred with our imperfections that wee cannot follow the great shepheard of our soules Iesus Christ in the path of righteousnes which leadeth to the sheepfold of euerlasting happines though wee heare his voyce calling vnto vs yet if with the sillie sheepe we struggle and striue to be freed from the snares of sinne and when wee cannot free our selues by our power doe as it were bleate and after our sheepish manner implore the help of our carefull shepheard crying out with the Apostle Paul that blessed sheepe of Christ Wretched man that I am Rom. 7.24 who shall deliuer me from the bodie of this death as it is Rom. 7.24 then will our louing shepheard Iesus Christ in his good time come and loose vs and if with strugling in the briars of sinne we are so disabled that we cannot goe he will take vs like the straied sheepe vpon his shoulders and carrie vs by the waies of righteousnesse into his sheepfold of euerlasting happinesse Neither can it possibly be that our heauenly shepheard who of purpose came into the world
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
friends he endured tedious labours many miseries and so Dauid was persecuted whilest Saul did sit on the throne yea our Sauiour Christ himselfe was arraigned at the barre and condemned whilest Pilate and the chiefe Priests and Pharisies sate in the seate of iustice ouerswaying all at their owne pleasures and yet at the same time Iacob was beloued Esau hated Dauid chosen of God Saul reiected our Sauiour Christ the deare sonne of his heauenly father and his enemies the instruments and limmes of Sathan So that it is most true that Salomon speaketh namely no man can haue assurance of Gods loue and fauour by these outward benefits bestowed both vpon the godly and wicked neither by his aduersities and afflictions can gather that the Lord hateth him for these befall all indifferently as it pleaseth God to punish the reprobate or to chastize his owne children But though we can gather no sound argument from these outward things of Gods loue yet it followeth not that there is no other meanes to assure vs hereof for by the same reason wee may conclude that man is no better than brute beasts and that there is no immortalitie of the soule Eccles 3.19 because it is said Eccles 3.19 that the condition of the children of men and the condition of beasts is the same But as the Wiseman speaketh there of their outward mortalitie alone and not absolutely in all respects and therefore he saith that they are alike to see to that is in outward appearance vers 18. and explaineth himselfe in the words following for saith hee as one dieth so dieth the other so he doth not meane here simply that there is no assurance of Gods loue but onely in respect of these outward things and therefore he addeth that in these outward respects all things come alike to all and the same condition is to the iust and the wicked Though then there is no assurance of Gods loue to be gathered out of our worldly estate yet it cannot hence be concluded that therefore there is no meanes whereby we may be assured hereof for the Lord hath giuen vnto vs his word and mercifull promises he hath giuen vnto vs his holy spirit crying in our harts Abba father and witnessing to our spirits that we are the sonnes of God Rom. 8. Rom. 8. He hath manifested his loue by giuing vs his onely sonne and begetting in vs by his word and spirit a liuely faith whereby wee may apply him and all his benefits vnto vs. Whosoeuer therefore beleeueth truly in Iesus Christ he may be assured of Gods loue and euerlasting life according to that Ioh. 3.16 So God loued the world that he gaue his onely begotten sonne Ioh. 3.16 that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life If therefore we beleeue in Iesus Christ we need not to despaire no nor to doubt of Gods loue and fauour towards vs notwithstanding our vnworthinesse nor yet in regard of the manifold afflictions which God inflicteth on vs neither in respect of those manifold infirmities which we bewray whilest the hand of God is vpon vs but wee may soundly and assuredly conclude with the Apostle Paul Rom. 8.38 I am perswaded that neither death nor life Rom. 8.38 nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come 39. Nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. And so much concerning the first cause of our saluation namely Gods loue and goodwill and also the temptations of Sathan whereby hee laboureth to impugne our assurance thereof the second cause is Gods free election which proceedeth from the other for whom he loueth those hee electeth vnto euerlasting life and happinesse it being an inseparable fruite of loue to seeke the good and felicitie of the partie beloued Election therefore is that part of Gods eternal and immutable decree whereby of his free loue and vndeserued grace he hath preordained some in Christ vnto saluation and to the vse of the meanes tending thereunto for the praise of the glorie of his grace CHAP. IIII. Of Gods election the causes subiect obiect and properties thereof IN this definition is set downe first the efficient cause or author of our election namely God himselfe the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost and this appeareth Eph. 1.4 He hath chosen vs in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy c. And Ioh. 15.16 Ye haue not chosen me but I haue chosen you and ordained you that ye goe and bring foorth fruite c. Secondly the motiue or impulsiue cause of Gods election is expressed namely Gods free loue meere goodwill and vndeserued grace And this also is manifest Luk. 12.32 Feare not little flocke for it is your fathers pleasure to giue you a kingdome And Eph. 1.5 who hath predestinated vs to be adopted through Iesus Christ vnto himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will Here therefore are excluded all other causes wherewith diuers haue imagined God was moued to elect vs as namely our owne will the foreseeing of our workes worthinesse or faith and the merits of our Sauiour Christ And that these were not the causes which mooued the Lord to elect vs it may be prooued by manifest testimonies of scripture First our owne will is expressely excluded Rom. 9.16 It is not in him that willeth or runneth but in God that sheweth mercie Secondly not the foresight of our owne workes for the Apostle plainly affirmeth Rom. 9.11.12 that before the children were borne and when they had neither done good or euill that the purpose of God might remaine according to election not by workes but by him that calleth 12. It was said vnto her the elder shall serue the younger 13. As it is written I haue loued Iacob and hated Esau And chap. 11.5.6 he saith that Gods election is of grace and if it be of grace it is no more of workes or els were grace no more grace Thirdly not the foresight of any worthinesse in vs more than in others For there is no difference for all haue sinned and are depriued of the glorie of God as it is Rom. 3.23 And the Apostle affirmeth both of himselfe and others that they were all dead in their sinnes and by nature the children of wrath as well as others Eph. 2.1.3 Fourthly the Lord respected not our faith as an impulsiue cause mouing him to elect vs but only as an effect of our election neither was the Lord mercifull vnto vs in making choise of vs to bee partakers of euerlasting happinesse because we were faithfull but that we might be faithfull as Paul professeth of himselfe 1. Cor. 7.25 And the holy Ghost affirmeth Act. 13.46 that as many of the Gentiles as were ordained vnto eternall life beleeued Lastly although the merit of Christ was the onely meritorious cause of our saluation yet it was
subiect and not as being ready to fall vpon vs for this difference is betweene the feare of the wicked and Gods children they like malefactors which are led out to punishment are filled with horror and feare when they thinke of the torments which they are to indure but yet did neuer feare to commit such crimes as descrued the punishments and though they should escape yet this would be no warning for the time to come but Gods children seeing the iudgements which are exercised vpon the wicked doe feare not least they should be inflicted vpon them presently but least they should so offend and deserue the like punishments first auoyding sinne that they may not receiue the wages thereof And this sonne-like feare is commended vnto vs in the scriptures as being a part of the honour and seruice which we owe vnto God as appeareth Mal. 1.6 Mal. 1.6 A sonne honoureth his father and a seruant his maister if I be a father where is mine honour if I be a maister where is my feare saith the Lord Psalm 34.9 and 112.1 So Psalm 34.9 Feare the Lord yee his saints for nothing wanteth to them that feare him And Psalme 112.1 Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord and delighteth greatly in his commaundements In which places we are not to vnderstand a seruile and slauish feare but an ingenuous and sonne-like feare which drawes vs backe from falling into sinne and incites vs to performe all good duties of holinesse and righteousnes to God and our brethren because we would not incurre the displeasure of our heauenly father but do those things which are acceptable in his sight Lastly whereas the Apostle Peter 1. epist 1.17 exhorteth vs to passe the time of our dwelling here in feare 1. Pet. 1.17 hee doth not vnderstand such a feare as maketh vs to doubt of our election and saluation but such an one as prouoketh vs to obey Gods commandements and restraineth vs from wallowing and defiling our selues in sinne for with this feare in the verse following he ioyneth certaine knowledge of our redemption and consequently of our election and saluation knowing saith he that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as siluer and gold from your vaine conuersation c. but with the pretious bloud of Christ. So that this feare doth not take away the certaine knowledge of our election and redemption but this knowledge causeth vs to feare least we fall into sinne after we are assured of this great benefit of our redemption and thereby displease our gracious God and defile our soules after they are purged with the pretious bloud of Iesus Christ § Sect. 6 Besides these places there are others also obiected Other places obiected answered Iob. 9.21 as that Iob. 9.21 Though I were perfect yet I know not my soule therefore I abhorre my life To which I answere that Iobs scope and drift in this place is to shew that euen the most iust and holie man cannot stand before Gods iudgement seate in his owne righteousnesse and holinesse which is polluted and imperfect and that therefore it behooueth euery one to despaire in himselfe and his legall righteousnesse as not being able to iustifie him in Gods sight in respect of whose puritie euen the very heauens are vncleane that so he may wholy rely vpō Gods mercy and Christs merits and this appeareth vers 2.3 I know verely saith he that it is so that is Iob. 9.2 that God is iust and all men are sinners who are righteously punished for their demerits as Bildad had reasoned in the former chapter and therefore how should man compared vnto God be iustified 3. Verse 3. If he would dispute with him hee could not answere him one thing of a thousand And vers 20. If I would iustifie my selfe Verse 20. mine owne mouth should condemne me if I would bee perfect hee shall iudge me wicked 21. And though I were innocent or perfect that is though I seemed iust in mine own eyes and knew nothing by my selfe yet I know not mine owne soule nor what secret corruptions may lurke in it and therfore I will not hereby looke to be iustified nay in this respect I abhorre my life and cast mine owne righteousnesse from me as a polluted cloute By which manner of reasoning hee confuteth Bildads obiection who affirmed that Iob and his sonnes were punished of God for their sinnes and that iustly and therefore they were not so iust and innocent as they had seemed to this Iob answereth that it is true indeede he could not iustifie himselfe in respect of his owne righteousnesse if hee compared himselfe with Gods exact iustice but must needes condemne himselfe for a wretched sinner yet hence it followed not that therfore God thus afflicted him seeing this was the state not of him onely but of all men whatsoeuer and therefore this could not be the onely cause of his extraordinarie afflictions So that this place makes nothing against the assurance of our saluation which is grounded vpon Gods free mercy and Christs merits but against that presumption which relieth it selfe in whole or in part vpon our owne legall righteousnesse § Sect. 7 The like place to this is that saying of Paul which they obiect 1. Cor. 4.3 4. 1. Cor. 4.3 4. I iudge not mine own selfe for I know nothing by my selfe yet am I not thereby iustified but he that iudgeth me is the Lord. For answering whereof we are to know that there were diuers in the Church of Corinth who censured Pauls ministerie and disgraced his gifts a gainst which detractations he bendeth his speech and maketh an apologie for himselfe saying that hee would not take vpon him to iudge himselfe concerning the excellencie and worth of his ministerie and gifts but would leaue the iudgement and approbation thereof vnto God whose ambassadour hee was and though he knew nothing which might bee obiected against him in regard of his ministerie yet hereby hee would not looke to bee iustified in Gods presence So that if this be the sense of the words as appeareth by the coherence and the drift of the place it maketh nothing for popish doubting But let it bee granted that Paul speakes not of his ministerie but of his righteousnesse and obedience to the law yet this maketh nothing against the certaintie of our election for the Apostle speaking of his owne righteousnesse and innocencie doth disclaime it from being any cause of his iustification neither doth he say that in regard therof he doubteth as the Papists would expound him but he affirmeth directly that he is not thereby iustified and rendreth this as a reason that it is God who iudgeth him and therfore though he were vnblameable before men yea though he knew nothing by himselfe yet hee could not hereby be iustified before the iust iudgement seate of God who requires such perfection and exact obedience as can be found in no man liuing for he that but once breaketh but one
sinne that presseth it downe feareth and doubteth the spirit being assured of euerlasting happines triumpheth with ioy desiring nothing more than to be dissolued and to be with Christ the flesh finding it selfe guiltie of sinne and in this respect subiect to the anger of God and condemnation feareth and trembleth to thinke vpon death The spirit conceiueth of God as of a mercifull father in Christ and in all necessities flyeth vnto him by heartie prayer the flesh conceiueth of him as of an angrie and seuere iudge and therefore flyeth from him desiring rather to seeke for helpe any where else than of the Lord so that the christian by reason hereof at the same time findeth in himselfe opposition betweene action and action affection and affection For at the same instant while the flesh hauing in it the conscience of sinne and sense of guiltinesse doth murmur repine and complaine vpon God as an enemie which is readie to destroy vs the spirit doth flie vnto God by a liuely faith and committeth it selfe to his prouidence will and protection expecting saluation from him onely which it could neuer doe if it were not assured that we were in his loue and fauour And in this the christian may not vnfitly be compared to a childe who hauing been sharpely corrected by his father doth auoyde his presence as though hee were his enemie but if at the same time some suddaine danger affright him before al other he runneth to his father for safegard and protection so when our heauenly father hath sharpely corrected vs either with some outward or inward afflictions we flee from his presence as though he were our enemy but when an imminent danger ouertaketh vs and we be in perill to be supplanted with sathan and his assistants who are our enemies in deed then the sonne-like affection which is wrought in our hearts by Gods spirit doth moue vs to runne vnto him before all other desiring and crauing his ayde and assistance And thus it appeareth that though the flesh and the spirit be mixt together yet they retaine their owne natures properties and effects and though faith which is a grace of the spirit be mingled with doubting yet this doubting is not of the nature of faith which in it selfe is certaine and assured nay it is not an infirmity of faith as lamenesse is an infirmity of the ioynts and dimnesse of the sight for it is not any way incident to the nature thereof and therefore much lesse is it a commendable virtue of faith as the Papists teach but it is a fruite of vnbeleefe which is in the part vnregenerate and is opposed vnto faith as appeareth Rom. 4.20 and consequently Rom. 4.20 though faith be assaulted with doubting yet in it owne nature it may and doth remaine certaine and assured § Sect. 6 Fourthly That it is no presumption to labour for the assurance of our election 1. Cor. 2.16 they obiect that it is rash presumption and proud boldnesse for any man to search into the mystery of Gods secret counsailes or to take vpon him peremptorily to determine that hee is one whom God hath elected For who hath knowne the minde of the Lord as it is 1. Cor. 2.16 I answere that it is true indeede whosoeuer prieth into Gods hidden counsailes and secret decree of predestination is proude and presumptious and shall in the end receiue the punishment of both being giuen ouer of God to fall into many errors and in the end vtter desperation and therefore it is very dangerous yea pernicious to our soules if we labour after the assurance of our election by vsing these meanes and iudge of Gods decree according to the conceite of our own reason doubtfull speculations But yet though the will of God be in it selfe secret and not to be searched into this must not hinder vs from looking into his will reuealed though we can gather no certainty of our election by searching into his secret decree yet this is no impediment why wee may not gather it out of his word where hee hath reuealed his decree and the execution thereof though we can haue no assurance by our owne speculations yet we may attaine vnto it by the testimony of Gods spirit Rom. 8.16 which witnesseth to our spirits that we are the sonnes of God which also searcheth all things euen the deepe things of God and is giuen vnto vs that we also might know the things which God hath giuen vs 1. Cor. 2.10.12 as the Apostle teacheth vs 1. Cor. 2.10.12 and therefore it is no pride or presumption to be certaine and assured of that which the Lord hath reuealed in his word to this end that we might be certainely assured thereof But it may be demanded how this certainty can be gathered out of the Scriptures I answere that if we would attaine vnto it we must not seeke it in the law where the promises of life and saluation are made vpon the condition of our own works and worthinesse which condition we can neuer performe and therefore can neuer be assured of the promise But out of the Gospell which doth not only shew that some are predestinated to life and some reiected neither doth it only speake of our election as it was ordained in Gods secret decree in it selfe or reuealed in his word but also it setteth out vnto vs the execution of the decree with the causes meanes signes and effects of our election and how it is accomplished for the bringing vs to those ioyes to which God hath chosen vs. First therefore it sheweth the decree of God concerning our election Secondly Gods decree concerning our redemption by the death and obedience of Christ our mediator Thirdly the decree of God concerning the calling of his Church by the ministery of the word that they may be ingrafted into the body of Christ and so participate with him in all his benefits to their saluation Fourthly the decree concerning the sending of his spirit into the hearts of his chosen by the inward operation whereof the word is made effectuall for the begetting of faith and repentance Fiftly and lastly his decree concerning the iustifying and sauing of those who repent truely of their sins and apprehending and applying vnto themselues by a liuely faith Christ and his merits obedience doe approach vnto the throne of grace to receiue mercy and forgiuenesse And all these are so linked together that they can neuer possibly be seuered so that he who is assured of one may be assured of all whosoeuer is certaine that he hath faith and repentance may be certaine also of his election though he neuer presumptuously search into Gods secret counsaile Fiftly §. Sect. 7. That the Lord particularly assureth vs of our election they obiect that there is no certainty of faith which is not grounded vpon Gods word but there is no place of Gods word which assureth vs of our particular election and saluation and therefore we can haue no certainty
and striuing to mortifie the flesh and the corruptions thereof and to rise againe to newnes of life Our affections also were wholy corrupted and disordered so that we hated God and loued the world feared man and not the Lord trusted vpon the inferior meanes neuer regarding the fountaine of all goodnes in a word wee were giuen ouer to our owne harts lusts Rom. 1.24.26 and vnto vile affections as it is Rom. 1.24.26 but by the redemption wrought by Christ becomming his and being quickned and strengthened by his holy spirit wee haue crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof Gal. 5.24 as the Apostle speaketh Gal. 5.24 Lastly the members of our bodie were seruants to vncleanes and iniquitie to commit iniquitie Rom. 6.19 Rom. 6.19 our eyes full of adulterie our tongues forges of lies our feete swift to shed blood but our Sauiour Christ redeeming vs hath deliuered our bodies also from the thraldome of sinne and Sathan so as though sinne dwell yet it shall no longer raigne in our mortall bodies Rom. 6.12 that we should obey the lusts thereof as appeareth Rom. 6.12 In a word both body and soule were in miserable captiuitie to our spirituall enemies but our Sauiour hath bought vs with a price 1. Cor. 6.20 to the end we may glorifie God in our bodies and in our spirits for they are Gods as it is 1. Cor 6.20 And hath redeemed vs not with corruptible things as siluer and gold from our vaine couersation 1. Pet. 1.18.19 but with his owne most precious blood as Peter teacheth vs 1. Pet. 1.18.19 If therefore we are redeemed by Christ then our blind vnderstandings are inlightened by the preaching of the Gospell and we freed from our former ignorance our willes which were rebellious are inclined to obedience so as we earnestly desire to leaue our sinnes and to serue the Lord in the duties of sanctification and haue an endeauor of mortifying our sins and rising againe to newnes of life our affections also are purged from their corruptions so that we loue feare trust in hope and expect all good from him who is the fountaine of all goodnes our bodies which were giuen as seruants vnto sinne are now become the seruants of righteousnes vnto holines Rom. 6.29 vers 22. In a word both in bodie and soule we are freed from sinne and made seruants vnto God But if our vnderstandings are still blinde and ignorant our willes backward to imbrace any goodnes and most prone vnto all euill our affections as corrupt as euer they were and our bodies the readie instruments to act all sinne and wickednes then haue we as yet no fruite of the redemption wrought by Christ for it is not a titularie but a powerfull redemption which indeed and truth deliuereth vs euen in this life from our spirituall enemies so that though they may assault and grieuously vexe vs yet they shall neuer gouerne and raigne ouer vs and therefore whosoeuer feele not the redemption wrought by Christ powerfull in this life to free them in some measure from the rule and iurisdiction of sinne Sathan the world and the flesh shall neuer finde it fruitfull and effectuall to free and deliuer them from condemnation hell and destruction in the life to come CHAP. XVI Of those temptations which Sathan vseth against the faithfull concerning their redemption § Sect. 1 ANd thus much concerning those temptations which Sathan suggesteth into mens mindes to nourish in them carnall securitie That it is not repugnant to Gods iustice to punish Christ for vs. now we are to consider of those which he vseth to moue men to doubting and desperation First therefore he obiecteth that it is a thing vnreasonable and vtterly repugnant to Gods iustice that Christ who was innocent should be punished for vs who are guiltie that we should deserue the blame and he suffereth the stripes that the righteous should be condemned and the wicked acquitted that wee who like barrabas were cruell murtherers and wicked sinners should be let lose and the immaculate lambe of God in whom there was no fault should be deliuered vp to be crucified for what were this but to make the iust God like vniust Pilate what were this but to deny his owne word hauing said that the righteous should liue in his righteousnes Ezech. 18.20 and the sinner die in his iniquitie To which I answere first that it would not indeede haue stoode with Gods iustice to haue punished Christ as he was innocent and righteous nor to haue acquitted and absolued vs who were vnrighteous and wicked but he punished Christ in respect that he had taken vpon him the sins of all the faithfull and absolueth vs as we are freed from our sins clothed with his righteousnes and obedience He punished Christ not as he was most iust and free from sin but as he was our suretie who had taken vpon him to discharge our debt and to satiffie for our sinnes and thus the creditor may iustly require his debt of the suretie though in respect of himselfe he owed him nothing and thus he may nay ought to release the principall when the suretie hath allreadie discharged the debt Secondly I answere that it had bin iniustice in God if he had forced our Sauiour Christ who was iust and innocent to vndergoe the punishments which were due vnto vs who were malefactors and offenders for this were to condemne the righteous and to iustifie the wicked but our Sauiour Christ of his owne free accord did voluntarily offer himselfe to stand in our place and to discharge that debt which we owed and to make satissaction to his father by suffering that punishment which wee had deserued Ioh. 10.18 And this apeareth Ioh. 10.18 where our Sauiour saith that no man tooke his life from him but that hee laied it downe of himselfe And the Apostle telleth vs that he humbled himselfe Phil. 2.8 and became obedient vnto death Phil. 2.8 In which respect his death is called a sacrifice or free oblation which he voluntarily offered vnto his father Heb. 9.14 Heb. 9.14 and therefore the Lord might iustly take that which Christ freely gaue nay it had been crueltie and iniustice if he should haue refused the paiment of such a sufficient suretie when he voluntarily offered it for our discharge choosing rather still to haue kept vs in prison bound in the chaines of euerlasting death Lastly there might haue been some shew of rigor and iniustice if Christ the innocent had been ouerwhelmed in suffering the punishments which were due vnto vs who were the offendors but being not onely man which suffered but God also and therefore of infinit power and maiestie he was able to pay our great debt and yet is neuer the poorer to suffer death and ouercome it by suffering and by yeelding a while to the malice of our spirituall enemies he finally vanquished and gloriously triumphed ouer them all and therefore it
the Lord hath pardoned and remitted them so as they shall neuer be imputed vnto vs nor arise vp in iudgement to our condemnation neither in this world nor the world to come secondly he doth deliuer vs from our sinnes whilest he doth giue vnto vs his holy spirit whereby our sinnes are in some measure mortified the strength of them abated so that they do not raigne and rule in vs as in former times although we cannot wholy expell them from dwelling in vs according to that Rom. 6.12 Rom. 6.12 Sinne shall not raigne in your mortall bodie that you should obey it in the lusts thereof And though we cannot vtterly subdue this Cananitish brood of our corruptions but that still whilest we continue in this life they are as thornes in our sides alwaies vexing and grieuing vs yet by the helpe of Gods spirit assisting vs we weaken their force abate their courage and make them become tributaries and if at any time they rebel we curbe them in giue them the ouerthrow yea though sometimes they gaine ground giue vs the foile yet wee rise againe by vnfained repentance and recouer our selues being assisted with the fresh supply of Gods spirit till at last by death we obtaine a finall victory § Sect. 5 Thirdly That our obedience to the Lawe proueth not that we are not redeemed Gal. 3.13 he obiecteth that we are still vnder the law and tied to the obedience thereof and therefore Christ hath not freed vs from it I answer that though Christ hath not freed vs from the obedience of the lawe yet he hath freed vs from the curse and malediction as it is Gal. 3.13 so as though we do not performe it in that exact manner and measure which God requireth yet our transgression shall not be imputed vnto vs for he hath perfectly fulfilled the law for vs that his righteousnesse might become our righteousnesse and he hath suffred death that by his blood he might wash away our sins Rom. 8.3.4 And thus when the law was impossible to be performed by reason of the weaknes and corruptions of our flesh the Lord sent his Son in the similitude of sinfull flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh that the righteousnesse of the lawe might be fulfilled in vs as it is Rom. 8.3 4. Moreouer we are not now tied to performe obedience to the lawe to the end that thereby we may be iustified nor yet shall we for the imperfections of this our obedience be in danger of condemnation but now onely it is a meanes before our conuersion to bring vs to Christ by shewing vnto vs our sinnes and insufficiency in our selues and after our conuersion it serueth for a rule or square according to which we are to frame our liues in holinesse and righteousnesse that so we may shew our thankfulnes vnto our heauenly father for his inestimable benefits by glorifying his name in a godly life And because this also is bitter and vnpleasant to flesh and blood therefore the Lord hath also granted and giuen vnto vs his holy spirit which mortifieth our corruptions whereby we are made lesse prone vnto sinne and quickneth vs in the inner man inabling vs to performe obedience in some measure to the law of God with alacrity and cheerefulnes so that now his commandements are not grieuous vnto vs 1. Iohn 5.3 as the Apostle speaketh 1. Ioh. 5.3 but his yoke which so much galled vs while we were rebellious and like vntamed oxen is now become easie and his burthen which heretofore was so heauy and irkesome is now become light Matth. 11.30 as our Sauiour telleth vs Matth. 11.30 § Sect. 6 Fourthly That God is not angry vvith the faithfull though he seemeth to frowne vpon them the tempter may obiect to the weake conscience which laboureth vnder the burthen of sinne that our Sauiour Christ hath not redeemed vs from the anger of God due for sin seeing we stil see his frowning countenance and apprehend the scorching heate of his wrath inflamed against vs but let all know that if they truly beleeue in Christ and onely rely themselues vpon this their mediator if their sins past grieue them and they purpose for the time to come to labor that they may forsake them then they are reconciled vnto God by Christ and in him hee is become their louing and gracious father Col. 1.20.21 as the Apostle telleth vs Col. 1.20.21 Let not such therefore be discouraged if God seeme to frowne vpon them for a time for hee will not frowne for euer nor alwaies retaine his anger as the Psalmist speaketh Psalm 103.9 Nay Psalm 103.9 in truth he is not angry with vs at all as a Iudge to punish but as a Father to correct and amend vs and if we will speake properly he alwaies loueth and delighteth in vs for as hee is well pleased with Christ our head so is he alwaies well pleased with vs in him as being members of his body notwithstanding as a tender Father when his Sonne offendeth maketh semblance as though his wrath were kindled to the ende that hee may bee carefull in the time to come to auoyde the like fault and to amend so the Lord who is our gracious Father seemeth oftentimes to bee grieuously displeased with his children when they haue sinned against him hiding from them his amiable louing countenance and shewing nothing but signes of wrath not that hee hath in truth cast them out of his loue and fauour for he neuer falleth out with those whom Christ hath reconciled vnto him neither can hee cease to loue the members of Christ nor Christs members cease to bee his members after they are once ingrafted into his bodie by his holie spirit and a liuely faith onely like a wise father he frowneth vpon them and seemeth angrie to make them in the time to come forsake their sinnes whereby they haue incurred his displeasure § Sect. 7 Fiftly the tempter will obiect that we are not freed and deliuered out of his power and iurisdiction That though Sathan tempt vs yet we may be assured that we are redeemed Heb. 2.14 seeing he doth often assault and ouercome vs with his temptations and leadeth vs captiue fast bound in the fetters of sinne To which wee must answere that our Sauiour Christ by his death hath destroyed him that had the power of death that is the diuell that he might deliuer all them which for feare of death were all their life time subiect to bondage as the Apostle sheweth Heb. 2.14.15 That God hath deliuered vs from the power of darknesse and hath translated vs into the kingdome of his deare sonne Col. 1.13 as it is Col. 1.13 That our redeemer Iesus Christ hath spoiled the principalities and powers and hath made a shew of them openly and hath triumphed ouer them vpon his crosse Col. 2.15 and that not onely for himselfe but for all his members Col. 2.15 That hee hath
faire volume of the creatures so as none can behold them but he must needes know and acknowledge it yet that this God being one in nature should be distinguished into three persons the Father Sonne and holy Ghost without any diuision of substance or confusion of persons mans reason cannot conceiue though the Lord hath reuealed it and much lesse could inuent it seeing now it cannot comprehend it So that the world and the creatures therein contained were created the light of nature sufficiently teacheth vs seeing they haue an end and therefore had a beginning a time of corruption and therefore a time of generation also and as is the nature of euery seuerall part so is the nature of the whole vniuersall seeing also one effect brings vs to his cause and that cause to a superiour cause and that to another vntill we come to the highest and supreame cause which is God who hauing his being of himselfe giueth being to all things but that all this goodly order should bee brought out of confusion this light out of darknes that al these excellent creatures should be created of nothing by the alone word of their omnipotent Creator it passeth the conceit of humane reason therefore his inuention also So that we are wretched and full of miserie not only our reason but euen our senses can teach vs but how wee should be freed out of this miserie and attaine vnto euerlasting happinesse is a thing aboue the reach of mans wisedome And that we are vnable to performe those duties we ought and leaue those sinnes vndone which we should omit and by both offend God the law of nature written in our hearts and the checks and feares which euery one feele in their owne consciences doe sufficiently teach vs but the meanes whereby wee should be reconciled vnto God whom we haue offended as they are set down in his word namely that the second person in Trinitie should take vpon him mans nature and be borne of a pure virgin that in this nature hee should for vs perfourme perfect obedience to Gods law and suffer affliction miserie yea death it selfe to reconcile vs to his Father and procure his loue to free vs from euerlasting death and damnation and to purchase for vs euerlasting life and happinesse and that his obedience and merits should become ours by reason of that vnion whereby hee becommeth our head and wee his members which vnion is made principally by his spirit and instrumentally by faith doe all seeme strange yea absurd to humane reason and therefore the Apostle saith that the natural man perceiueth not the things which are of the spirit of God 1. Cor. 2.14 for they are foolishnes vnto him neither can hee know them because they are spiritually discerned as it is 1. Cor. 2.14 And if he cannot know and conceiue them when in the preaching of the Gospell they are reuealed vnto him how much lesse could hee inuent them hauing neuer heard of them or who can imagine that in policie he would haue deuised such a religion to keep the world in awe and obedience as to euery worldly man seemeth foolish and absurd yea contrary to his nature For what can be more against the haire than to deny our selues and to take vp our crosse and follow Christ than to reiect our owne workes and worthinesse and to seek for iustification in Christs death and obedience alone than to imagine that manifold afflictions and great miserie is the high way that leadeth to glorie and endlesse felicitie and that pleasures honours and riches make vs vnfit to enter into Gods kingdome And therefore seeing the doctrine of the Scriptures are not onely aboue the reach of humane reason but also flat contrary to naturall wisedome it plainly prooueth that they are not the inuention of mortall man for then the effect would bee like the cause but the word of the euerliuing God which sauoureth of his hidden and spirituall wisedome § Sect. 5 The eluenth argument The eleuenth reason taken from the prophecies of holy Scriptures to proue that the Scriptures were indited not by man but by Gods spirit are the prophecies therein contained which were fulfilled in their due time as that there should be enmitie betweene the seed of the woman and the seed of the Serpent and that the promised seede Christ Iesus should vanquish the diuell that the posteritie of Cham should be accursed that Abraham should haue a sonne by his wife Sarah when they were both old and she past the time of child-bearing that his posterity should be bond men in Egypt foure hundred yeres foretold before hee had Isaac of whom they came that Iudaes posteritie who was but the fourth sonne should haue soueraigntie and dominion ouer the rest that the scepter should not be taken from him till the Messias should come that the tribe of Ephraim should excell the tribe of Manasses that hee who should ree difie Iericho after it was destroyed Iosh 6.26 should be punished with the death of his sonnes as appeareth Iosh 6.26 which was fiue hundred yeeres after fulfilled in Hiel the Bethelite 1. King 16.34 as it is 1. King 16.34 that Iosias by name should destroy idolatrie and the idolaters and restore the true religion 1. King 13.1.2 2. King 22. and 23. foretold almost 300 yeeres before he was borne 1. King 13.1 2. 2. King 22. and 23 that the people of Israel should bee led captiue into Babylon and be set free by Cyrus by name Esa 44.26.27.28 prophecied of aboue an hundred yeeres before Cyrus was borne Esa 44.26 27 28. And to these we may adde the prophecies of Ieremy concerning the taking of Ierusalem and their captiuitie into Babylon and the time of seuentie yeeres limited for their abiding there the prophecies of Daniel concerning the foure Monarchies which are so cleere and perspicuous as if hee had seene them in his time the prophecie of Christ concerning the destruction of Ierusalem the prophecies contained in the Reuelation of S. Iohn many of which we see fulfilled in our time especially that concerning the Antichrist of Rome his manner of comming his increasing his workes seate and place of residence and which are so manifestly and plainly described as if the Apostle had written an historie and not a prophecie Which plainly proueth that the Scriptures were not deuised by man but penned by the inspiration of Gods spirit who by his prouident wise dome foreseeth all things and by his wise prouidence ruleth all things § Sect. 6 But here Sathan will be readie to obiect That the Scriptures were penned by the holie men of God which are in them mentioned and not forged in their names by some polititian that we are not able to prooue that these prophecies were written by any such Prophets and holy men as are mentioned in the Scriptures so long before the things contained in them were done and that for ought wee know they might be forged
not confesse with the Prophet Esay that wee haue gone astray like wādring sheepe Esay 53.6 he will neuer seeke vs nor cary vs on his blessed shoulders to the sheepfould of eternall happinesse In a word as without the sense of sinne we can neuer attaine vnto faith and repentance so without faith and repentance we can neuer haue any assurance of any of the promises of the Gospell § Sect. 5 And therefore it behooueth vs as we tender our saluation that wee labour after the sight and sense of our sinnes The meanes whereby wee may attaine so a true sight of our liues 2. King 22.19 Act. 2.37 that with good Iosias our hearts melt within vs and euen resolue themselues into the teares of vnfained repentance that we euen rent our heart with true compunction as the Prophet exhorteth Ioel. 2.13 and that with the Iewes wee haue our hearts prickt within vs when we come to the sight of our sinnes and all this not so much in regard of the punishment we haue deserued as that by our sinnes wee haue displeased our good God and gratious father and haue caused our sauiour Christ who is the Lord of life to be put to a shamefull and painefull death Zach. 12.10 And that wee may attaine vnto this sense and feeling of our sinnes 1. Meanes prayers there are diuers meanes to be vsed effectuall for this purpose as first we are to haue our recourse vnto God by earnest and feruent prayer desiring and intreating that he will annoint the blind eyes of our vnderstandings Reuel 3.17.18 with the pretious eye salue of his holy spirit that we may see our owne wretchednesse miserie pouertie blindnesse and nakednesse and that hee will soften our hard hearts with the oyle of his grace and so beate these stonie rockes that out of thē may flow plentiful streams of vnfained repentance Secondly 2. Meditating in the law we are oftentimes to set the law as a glasse before vs that so we may see our deformities and to examine our liues thereby as it were by a rule or square that so wee may know both how often we haue erred transgressed it in the time past and how vnable we are to performe it for the time to come in that exact maner which God requireth For as the deformities and spots in the face though they be great and many cannot be descerned of those who haue them vnlesse they looke themselues in a glasse and though euery one els doth plainly see thē yet the party himselfe doth least of all perceiue them so though our spirituall deformities and filthy spots of sinne appeare most vgly and odious in the eies of God men so that euery one seemeth to point at them yet wee our selues will neuer discerne them vnlesse we set the looking glasse of the law before vs. Thirdly 3. Meditating of the iustice and truth of God Iob 4.18 15.15 Esa 64.6 we are often and earnestly to meditate vpon the iustice and truth of God in whose presence the heauens are not cleane and the Angels themselues are vnable to abide the rigour of his iustice and how much more is man abominable and filthy who drinketh iniquitie like water In whose sight out best righteousnesse is like a polluted cloth and how much more filthy then are our sinnes and wickednesse moreouer as he is most iust so as he cannot let sinne goe vnpunished so also hee is most true yea truth it selfe neither can any of those threatnings fall to the ground vnexecuted which he hath denounced against those who liue in their sinnes and therefore there is no meanes to escape his fearfull iudgements vnlesse we turne from our sinnes and meete the Lord by vnfained repentance Fourthly let vs continually remember that we must once appeare before Gods tribunall seate of iudgement 4. Meditation of the last iudgement there to render an accompt not onely of our words and workes but euen of our secret thoughts when as the Lord himselfe who searcheth the hearts and reignes shal be our iudge who will not acquit the guilty nor respect the person of man neither will he be satisfied with faire pretences and smooth excuses nor corrupted with brides and gifts 1. Cor. 11. And therefore let vs iudge our selues that we may not be iudged of the Lord and in bitternesse of soule and remorse of conscience let vs condemne our selues to be miserable sinners that the Lord may acquite vs and make vs tast of his mercy 5. Remembrance of those punishments due to the wicked Lastly let vs seriously meditate on those fearefull punishments which are prepared for those who liue and die in their sinnes for they shall for euer be seperated from the presence of God the ioyes of heauen and the sweete companie of the Saints and Angels and be cast into eternall darknes where they shall for euer and euer be tormented in flames vnquenchable all which horrible punishments are due vnto all Gal. 3.10 who continue not in all which is written in the booke of the law to doe them and therefore how shall we escape who in stead of continuing in obedience to all Gods commandements haue continualy brokē them aland done the clean contrary if we do not in the sense of the heauy burthen of our sinnes humble our selues before God by vnfained repentance and come vnto Christ by a true and liuely faith that we may bee eased of this intollerable waight and adorned with his righteousnesse and obedience § Sect. 6 And so much concerning the first signe whereby those may be discerned whom Christ calleth The 2. thing required is that our sins be irksome greeuous vnto vs. namely the sight and sense of their sinnes But it is not sufficient that we feele our sinnes like a heauie burthen pressing vs down if we be contētto bear it stil but it must seeme irksom and grieuous vnto vs and make vs exceeding weary of bearing it we must with the Apostle Peter thinke it sufficiēt that we haue spent the time past of our liues after the lust of the Gentiles in abominable sinnes and for the time to come we are to liue after the will of God dedicating our selues wholy to his worship and seruice Otherwise though we haue neuer so exquisite a sight and sense of our sins yet if they seeme vnto vs a sweet burthen which we are content still to beare without any great wearinesse nay with pleasure and delight if wee bee like the rich miser who though his backe should be almost broken with the waight of his owne gold yet would not thinke it any trouble nay would esteeme it for his chiefe felicity because his burthen pleaseth him so if we feeling that our sinnes are an huge and massy burthen are neuerthelesse not troubled nor wearie of bearing them but rather take our chiefe delight in being so loded because the burthen is exceeding sweet and delightfull to vs we may
fort we had bestowed his rich treasures therefore in his iustice he sent his sergeant death to arest vs and to cast vs in the prison of vtter darkenes there to remaine in the custody of sathan our most malitious iaylor till we had fully discharged our debt and made full satisfaction to his iustice which wheÌ„ we were altogeather vnable to perfourme it pleased our sauiour Christ in his infinite loue towards vs to become our suerty and to take vppon him the answering of our debt which he fully discharged in as exact a manner and measure as the iustice of God required for whereas wee are bound to performe perfect obedience to the lawe he performed it for vs where as wee for our disobedience were subiect to the sentence of condemnation the curse of the law and death of body and soule he was condemned for vs and bore the curse of the lawe and dyed in our stead an ignominious death whereas we deserued the anger of God and to bee kept prisoners in the graue vnder the dominion of death he endured his fathers wrathfull displeasure and himselfe was for a time held captiue of death in the graue that so he might reconcile vs to his father and set vs at libertie In a word whatsoeuer we owed Christ discharged whatsoeuer wee deserued hee suffered if not in the selfe same punishments for hee could not suffer the eternall torments of hell yet in proportion the dignity of his person giuing value vnto his temporarie punishments and making them of more valew and worth then if all the world should haue suffered the eternal torments of hell Seing therefore our Sauiour Christ hath fully discharged our debt and made full satisfaction to his fathers iustice God cannot in equitie exact of vs a second payment no more then the creditours may iustly require that his debt should be twice payd once of the suerty and againe of the principal Neither now hath Gods iustice any thing to shew against vs for the lawe which was the hand writing of ordinances which made against vs and as it were a bond whereby wee were obliged and bound to God the father either to performe obedience or to vndergoe the penaltie euen euerlasting death and condemnation is now cancelled taken away and fastened to the crosse of Christ as the Apostle affirmeth Col. 2.14 So that now the Lord cannot in his iustice put vs in suite nor recouer any debt of vs seeing our sauiour Christ our good and all sufficient suerty hath vndertaken the matter in our behalfe discharged our debt to the vtmost farthing cancelled the handwriting or bond in which wee were obliged and by the law acquitted vs of all paimentes which Gods iustice by vertue of the law might require of vs. and therefore if we turne vnto God by vnfained repentance and lay hould vpon our sauiour Christ and his merites by a liuely faith we haue our quietus est and generall acquittance which God himselfe hath pronounced from heauen in the presence of many witnesses saying This is may welbeloued son in whom I am well pleased that is in whome I am delighted restfully satisfied wel coÌ„tented Mat. 3.17 CHAP. XXXIIII Of the third Argument grounded vpon Gods truth § Sect. 1 THe third argument Of Gods truth in his promises whereby all those who repent and beleeue may bee assured of the pardon remission of their sins is grouÌ„ded vpon Gods truth for the Lorde is most true yea truth it selfe and all his promises in Christ are yea and amen 2. Cor. 1.20 Apoc. 1.7 hee is a faithfull and true witnesse and whatsoeuer hee hath spoken shall be accomplished so that though the heauens decay and waxe olde like a garment though the sunne loose his light and the moone be turned into bloud though the earth tremble and quake and the foundations of the mountaines bee mooued and shake yea though heauen and earth and all things therein contained perish and passe away Matth. 5 1â— yet shall not one iote or title of his word fal to the ground vnaccomplished And therefore whatsoeuer the Lord hath promised in his worde that he wil most vndoubtedly performe for he is Iehoua who hauing his essence and being in and from himselfe alone giueth being vnto all things else especially to his worde and promises But hee hath promised to all beleeuers and repentant sinners that hee will in Christ Iesus pardon al their sins and will receiue them into his grace and fauour and therfore if wee beleeue and rest vppon our Sauiour Christ alone for our saluation truly repenting vs of all our sinnes wee may assure our selues that though our sins be neuer so many and grieuous yet the Lord will receiue vs to mercy and pardon and forgiue them § Sect. 2 But that the poore soule wounded with sin and groning for wearines vnder this vnsupportable burthen That Gods regal stile assureth vs of mercie and forgiuenesse may haue some ground whereupon to rest when it is ready to faint some spirituall weapons whereby it may defend it selfe and beate backe the violence of Sathans tentations I will make choise of some amongst many of the comfortable promises of the gospell made vnto all repentant sinners First therefore let vs consider that when the Lorde like a mightie monarch would set out his owne stile as it were in faire text letters to be read of all his subiectes he thus proclaymeth it Exod. 34.6 The Lorde the Lord strong mercifull and gracious slowe to anger and aboundant in goodnesse and truth 7. Reseruing mercy for thousands forgiuing iniquitie and transgression and sinners wher we may obserue that the greatest part of his stile coÌ„sisteth of his mercy gratiousnes long suffering goodnes readines to forgiue the iniquities of repentant sinners as therfore wee cannot offer a greater disgrace to a mightie prince then to denie or call into question any part of his tytles or regall stile so we cannot more dishonour the prince of princes and soueraigne king of heauen earth then by doubting of or denying any of these his titles which in his owne stile hee hath attributed vnto himselfe seeing then he professeth and proclaymeth himselfe to bee a gratious mercifull long suffering God who is alwaies readie to forgiue repentant sinners when they implore his mercie let vs not offer God that disgrace to rob him of any part of his glorious titles nor depriue our soules of that true comfort which the Lorde by them in his infinite goodnesse hath graunted vnto vs. § Sect. 3 Moreouer this is one maine part of the couenant of grace That Gods â—ouenant assureth vs of the remission of our sinnes which the Lord professeth that he will make with his church and people namely that he will forgiue their iniquitie and remember their sinnes no more Ier. 31.34 the counterpaine of which couenant we haue Heb. 10.16.17 and therefore if we on our part performe the condition of this couenant
betweene God and vs that is if we truely and vnfainedly repent vs of our sinnes and a rest and rely on Iesus Christ for our saluation by a liuely faith wee may be assured that God on his part will not goe one iote from his word nor breake the couenant which he hath made with vs. For he hath not onely made this his couenant with vs by word of mouth but he hath also committed it to writing and not contenting himselfe herewith that there might be no place left to doubting hee hath confirmed and ratified his hand writing by adding thereunto his seales which are the Sacraments as first the seale of Baptisme whereby he assureth vs that being outwardly receiued into the body of the Church and inwardly ingrafted into the body of Christ wee haue all our sinnes and filthy corruptions washed away with his precious bloud as the outward filth of the body is washed and purged by the washing of water The vertue of which spirituall washing is not limited and restrained to the time past or present as though it washed away onely our originall corruption as some haue foolishly imagined but extendeth it selfe to the whole course of our liues So that if falling into many and greeuous sinnes we vnfainedly repent vs of them and apply Christ Iesus and his merites vnto vs by a true and liuely faith we may be assured of the pardon and forgiuenes of them all for this was promised sealed and confirmed vnto vs in our Baptisme Secondly the Lord hath further cōfirmed this his couenant by the Sacrament of his Supper for he hath therefore instituted and ordained it that thereby we should be put in mind of our sauiour Christes death and suffrings to the end that we may gather more and more assurance that our Sauiour gaue his blessed body to be crucified and shed his most pretious bloud that hee might take away the curse of the law and naile it vnto his crosse free vs frō his fathers anger by bearing it himselfe and by his death deliuer vs from euerlasting death and by his bloudshed wash away all our sinnes and corruptions And hence it is that the Apostle calleth the wine in the Lords supper the new Testament in Christes bloud 1. Cor. 11.25 because thereby the new Testament is sealed and confirmed vnto vs. And therefore whensoeuer wee receaue the Sacrament of the Lords supper the Lord doth thereby certainly assure vs that our sinnes in Christ are pardoned and forgiuen and that he hath receaued vs into his loue and fauour yea the Lord hath not onely ratified confirmed his couenant with vs concerning the remission of our sinnes with his owne hand writing and seales annexed but also by his oath For God willing more abundantly to shew vnto the heires of promise the stablenesse of his counsaile bound himselfe by an oath that by two immutable things wherein it is impossible that God should lye we might haue strong consolation as the Apostle speaketh Heb. 6.17.18 And therefore vnlesse wee would conceiue of God that hee is vntrue of his word a couenant breaker yea a periured person which were most horrible blasphemie once to imagine we may vndoubtedly assure our selues that he will pardon and forgiue vs all our sinnes be they in number neuer so innumerable nor so hainous in their nature and qualitie if wee will turne vnto him by vnfained repentanee and lay hould vpon Christ Iesus our sauiour by a true and liuely faith § Sect. 4 But let vs more particularly consider of some of the speciall promises of God Of particular promises whereby wee may be assured of the remission of our sinnes contained in the couenant of grace that so we may gather vnto our selues more full consolation and firme assurance of the pardon and forgiuenesse of our sinnes The Prophet Dauid who had in himselfe often experience of Gods mercy telleth vs Psal 32.10 that whosoeuer trusteth in the Lords mercy shall compasse him The Prophet Esay exhorteth the wicked to forsake his wayes and the vnrighteous his owne imaginations and to returne vnto the Lord assuring them that he will haue mercy vpon them for he is very ready to forgiue Esay 55.7 The Lord himselfe also doth make this gratious promise Ezech. 18.21 But saith he if the wicked will returne from all his sinnes which he hath committed and keepe all my Statutes and doe that which is lawfull and right he shall surely liue and not dye 22. All his transgressions that he hath committed shall not bee mentioned vnto him but in his righteousnesse that he hath done he shall liue 23. Haue I any desire that the wicked should dye saith the Lord God or shall he not liue if he returne from his wayes vers 32. For I desire not the death of him that dieth saith the Lord God cause therefore one another to returne and liue yee and cap. 33. ver 11. As I liue saith the Lord I desire not the death of the wicked but that the wicked turne from his way and liue So Mal. 3.17 the Lord professeth that hee will spare his people and children as a man spareth his owne Sonne that serueth him Now we know that a louing father is ready to forgiue to receaue into his grace and fauour his repentant Sonne though he hath very often offended him so surely the Lord who is infinitely rich in mercy wil much more forgiue his children when they turne vnto him nay he is not onely ready to receaue them into his grace and fauour but it filleth him as I may say with exceeding ioy and delight when his repentant children forsake their sinnes and euill wayes and turne vnto him by vnfained repentance as it appeareth most euidently in the parable of the prodigall Sonne of the strayed sheepe and the lost groat Moreouer our Sauiour Christ had his name Iesus giuen him of God by the minister of an Angell because hee saueth his people frō their sinnes as appeareth Math. 1.21 he therfore came into the world not to cal the righteous but sinners to repentance As it is Matt. 9.13 and he inuiteth and calleth vnto him all those who are wearie and heauie laden with the burthen of their sinnes promising that hee will ease them Matt 11.28 yea so certaine it is that they shal haue remission of their sinnes and euerlasting hapinesse who truly repent and beleeue that our sauiour Christ saith they haue it already as though they were in present possession Iohn 5.24 Verily verily I say vnto you he that heareth my word and beleeueth in him that sent me hath euerlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but hath passed from death to life So chap. 6.47 and chap. 11.26 whosoeuer liueth and beleeueth in mee shall neuer die The apostle Peter also plainly affirmeth that God would haue no man to perish but would haue all men to come to repentance Seeing therefore the Lord hath made so many gratious promises in the Gospel to all
commaundementes To which wee must answere that the worde of Christ is his gospell wherein hee promiseth euerlasting life to all that beleeue in him and bring forth the fruites of their faith in vnfained repentance as it appeareth Ioh. 5.38 where hee thus speaketh to the vnbeleeuing Iewes And his word saith he haue yee not abiding in you for whom he hath sent him yee beleeue not whereby it is manifest if Christs reasoning bee of sound consequence that those haue his word abiding in them who beleeue in him whom God hath sent euen our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ So that we keepe the word of our Sauiour when wee beleeue in him resting and relying vpon him alone for our saluation and truely repent vs of our sins sorrowing and grieuing that by them we haue offended and displeased our louing God and mercifull father hating our sinnes because they are sinnes purposing and labouring to forsake them and indeuouring according to the measure of strength and grace receiued to serue the Lord in holinesse and newnesse of life And therefore if wee can find in our selues this faith and this repentance wee may vndoubtedly be assured notwithstanding our manifould falls and greate corruptions that we haue kept the word of Christ and therefore are giuen vnto him of the father and consequently that we are effectually called and shal be eternally glorified For it is the will of the father that whosoeuer beleeueth in his son Iesus Christ shoulde haue euerlasting life as our Sauiour testifieth Ioh. 6.40 As for our corruptions they shall bee washed away with the bloud of Christ and our imperfections shall bee couered with the rich robe of his perfect righteousnesse so that in him wee shall appeare perfect before Gods iudgment seate and there bee accepted as iust and righteous § Sect. 9 The third part of our effectuall calling is our vnion and communion with Christ Of the third part of our effectuall calling whereby he becommeth our head and wee his members of which whosoeuer can bee assured they need not to make any queston of their effectual calling but all those who are indued with faith are vnited vnto Christ for it is a propertie thereof to apply vnto our selues Christ and all his benefitts it is the hand of the soule whereby wee lay hould vpon Christ it is the mouth of the soule wherby we spiritually feed vpō him he that eateth his flesh and drinketh his bloud dwelleth in Christ and Christ in him as himselfe speaketh Ioh. 6.56 So also whosoeuer are indued with Gods spirit and haue submitted themselues to bee led and gouerned thereby they are ingrafted in the bodie of Christ for the spirit is the bloud of this vnion and therefore if wee can discerne the spirit of God in vs by any of the fruits thereof Gal. 5.22 wee may bee assured that wee are the members of Christ and consequently effectually called Lastly wee may be assured that wee are ingrafted in the bodie of Christ by our worke of saluation either appertaining to Gods seruice or christian righteousnesse towards our neighbour for it is impossible that wee shoulde bring foorth any ripe grapes of godlinesse if wee were notingrafted in the true vine Iesus Christ as himselfe affirmeth Ioh. 15.4 Abide in mee and I in you as the branch cannot beare fruite of it selfe except it abide in the vine no more can yee except yee abide in mee 5. I am the vine ye are the branches hee that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruites for without mee yee can doe nothing And therefore if wee make conscience of our wayes and exercise our selues in some measure in those good workes which the Lorde hath commaunded in obedience to his will and to this end that his name may be glorified wee may assure our selues that wee are ingrafted into the true vine Christ Iesus for of our selues we are altogether vnfruitfull and could doe nothing § Sect. 10 But here Sathan will obiect that this argument maketh against our selues That we may be vnited vnto Christ though we alwaies bring forth small fruits and sometime no fruites for we thereby make it manifest that we are not ingrafted into Christ because our fruites of holinesse and righteousnesse are commonly exceeding small and sometimes none at al wheras the liuely branches of this vine are exceeding fruitfull and abundant in good workes To which we are to answere that all the branches of the vine do not bring forth fruits in like aboundance but some more and some lesse and yet notwithstanding this doth not proue that these are not true branches as well as the other although they receiue lesse sappe and liuely iuyce from the roote and stocke and so also it is in this mysticall vine if the branches be not altogeather barren and fruitlesse though their fruites be not in so greate aboundance yet if it bee right and of the same nature with the other they may assure themselues that they also are liuely branches of the true vine Iesus Christ neither is the quātity nūber of our fruits so much in this regard to be respected for if according to the quātitie of sap goodiuice which we receiue frō our root we bring forth fruit that is if according to that measure of grace giftes of Gods holy spirit which our sauiour Christ hath bestowed vpon vs we spend our liues in Gods seruice which himselfe hath commaunded to the end that we may glorifie his holy name we may assure our selues that we are true branches of this vine which our Sauiour will purge and prune that wee may bringe forth more fruites as he hath promised Ioh. 15.2 moreouer whereas Sathan obiecteth that wee are not branches of this vine because at some times wee can shew no fruits wee are to answere that as the earthly vine hath not alwayes grapes no not so much as leaues vpon it and yet notwithstanding it liueth receiuing nourishment from the roote and bringeth forth fruit in due time and season so that the braunches of this misticall vine are some time without the fruites of good workes yea haue not so much to bee seene vpon them as the faire greene leaues of an outward profession as it is most vsuall when as they are throughly nypped with the could winter of tentations and haue all their beautie blasted and blowne away with the boysterous blasts of sathans fierce incounters and yet at the same time they receiue the sapp iuyce and vertue of Gods spirit from their roote Iesus Christ by which they seeming dead doe liue and receiue nourishment vntill at Gods good pleasure the comfortable beames of his loue and fauour do shine vpon them with which their frozen hartes being throughly warmed doe againe bring forth not onely the leaues of profession but also the ripe fruits of godlinesse and righteousnesse and therefore though presently in such cases wee haue no fruites to shewe yet let not Sathan perswade vs that
ouerruled vs and after also beareth some sway in vs euē when we are regenerate til with al our other corruptions we lay this aside also by death And this appeareth in the exāple of the Prophet Dauid who desireth the Lord to create in him a cleane hart to renew a right spirit within him Psal 51.10 Psal 51.10 in which words he implieth that his hardnesse of heart was so great and the corruption thereof so abominable that it was euen past mending and therefore he doth not pray the Lord to purge and reforme his old hart Ezech. 11.19 but to create a new one and to take quite away his stonie hart to bestow vpon him a hart of flesh as though his hart were like a building exceeding ruinous which could no longer be repaired vnlesse it were razed downe euen to the foundation and all new built vp againe So whereas he praieth the Lord to renew his spirit in him he giueth vs to vnderstand that he hath lost the feeling of the spirit of adoption crying in his hart Abba father and that there was in him such an intermission surcease of the actions fruits therof that it seemed vtterly quenched and departed from him So els where he praieth vnto the Lord to quickē him according to his louing kindnesse Psal 119.88 that he might keepe the testimonies of his mouth Whereby hee intimateth his drowsinesse and deadnesse in Gods seruice The Prophet Esay likewise in the behalfe of himselfe and the people complaineth thus Esay 63.17 Esay 63.17 O Lord why hast thou made vs to erre from thy waies and hardned our hart from thy feare By all which it appeareth that euen the deare children of God do oftentimes see and feele to their great griefe their hardnesse of hart which is ioyned with exceeding dulnesse and drowsinesse in Gods seruice Yea in truth this kind of hardnesse of hart is incident vnto them alone For whilest men are worldly and carnall though their harts are most hard and obdurate yet they doe not discerne it neither are they any whit displeased with their estate but fondly flatter themselues imagining that they are in exceeding good case and very deuout in Gods seruice which indeed as they perfourme it is meerely formall customable rather then conscionable in shew and externall but not in spirit and truth but when the Lord by the ministery of his word made effectuall by the inward operation of his holy spirit doth pull of the thicke skinne of carnall securitie from of their hearts and causeth the seales of ignorance to fall from their eyes then and not before doe they plainely discerne and sensibly feele that huge masse of inbred corruption their dulnesse and drowsinesse in Gods seruice their hardnesse of hart and impaenitencie and now they are much vexed and grieued with them which in former times neuer troubled them And therefore let not such be dismaied nor debarre their soules of that cōsolation which of right belongeth to them for flesh and bloud hath not reuealed this their corruption hardnesse of hart dulnesse and deadnesse in Gods seruice but the good spirit of God which hath begunne already to worke in them shewing them their corruptions and moouing them to an vnfained dislike of them and therefore they may assure themselues that he who hath begunne this good worke in them will also bring it in his good time to perfection Onely as the Psalmist exhorteth Let them tarrie the Lords leasure Phil. 1.6 waite vpon and trust in him and he shall comfort their hearts § Sect. 2 Now this sensible or discerned hardnesse of hart is also of two sortes 2. Sortes of sensible hardnesse of hart The first ioyned with the vse of the means wherby it may be softned the first is of them who carefully vse all good meanes and indeauour with all diligence to better their estate which they see to bee most miserable and to mollifie their hard hartes and to attaine vnto harty and vnfained repentance Which who so doth hee may assure himselfe that hee is the child of God and in his loue and fauour for earnestly to desire repentance and carefully to vse the meanes whereby we may attaine thereunto to be displeased with our hardnesse of heart and to labour that it may bee mollified to bee sorry that wee can bee no more sorry and to bee displeased with our selues because wee can no more bee displeased with our sinnes is very acceptable in the sight of God though wee see but a little progresse in godlinesse and but a small increase of repentance which wee desire in great measure for the Lorde esteemeth the will for the deed and the affection for the action and wee may assure our selues that if on our part wee be not wanting in the vse of the meanes the Lord will not bee wanting on his part to supply our wantes and to satisfie all our Godly desires Of this hardnesse of heart which verie often befalleth the dearest of Gods children wee haue many examples Examples of this hardnesse of heart Psal 77.2 The prophet Dauid thus complaineth Psal 77.2 In the day of my trouble I sought the Lorde my sore ranne and ceased not in the night my soule refused comfort 3. I did thinke vppon God and as troubled I prayed and my spirit was full of anguish 4. thou keepest mine eyes waking I was astonied and could not speake So the church complaineth thus Cant. 3.1 Cant 3.1 and 5.6 In my bed I sought him by night whom my soule loued I sought him but I found him not and chap. 5. ver 6. I opened to my welbeloued but my welbeloued was gone and past mine heart was gone when hee did speake I sought him but I could not find him I called him but hee answered me not Whereby it is manifest that euen the deare saints of God are often times destitute of all comfort and voyde of all feeling of Gods fauour and of the powerfull working of the graces of Gods spirit which they haue receiued though they vse the meanes appointed of God for the stirring vp and increasing of grace in them which commeth to passe by reason of their hardnesse of heart and drowsie dulnesse of spirit in these spirituall excercises And hence it is that many of Gods children doe grieously afflict their soules because they see these their corruptions and imperfections and hereby often times are mooued to thinke that they are destitute of faith and of all sauing graces of Gods sanctifying spirite because though they vse the meanes ordayned of God for the begetting and increasing of grace in them yet they cannot perceiue any fruite that commeth thereby nor feele in their soules any true comfort or ioy in these spirituall excercises For example some complaine that though they continually heare the word yet they feele no increase of any grace no more knowledge no more faith no more zeale of Gods glory no more mortification of their old corruptions
owne most precious blood he purgeth them from all their corruptions and perfecteth all their wants and inperfections so as now though not in themselues yet in him they will bee acceptable vnto God and hee will mercifully graunt our petitions § Sect. 4 Fourthly whereas others complaine that their mindes are carried away with worldly distractions and wandring imaginations when they are making their prayers vnto God Consolations for such as bewaile their distractions and wandring thoughts in prayer they are to knowe that this befalleth also euen the dearest children of God partly through their owne corruption and partly through the malice of Sathan who laboureth most to interrupt vs in those holy excercises which hee knoweth most profitable and effectuall for our saluation Whereof it commeth to passe that though diuers howers togeather we can talke of worldly affaires and heare the speech of others without any distractiō of mind or thinking of any thing but of the subiect of our present speach yet when we heare God speak vnto vs in the preaching of the word or whē we speak vnto God in prayer and supplication our mindes wander hether and thether though wee striue neuer so much to containe them because through our natural corruption wee are soone wearie of these holy excercises and Sathan is still at hand to suggest into our minds wandring thoughts in which we take most delight but this should not discourage vs from taking in hand these holy actions but rather the consideration hereof should strongly moue and prouoke vs to more earnestnes care and diligence so as Sathan may not preuaile against vs if notwithstāding sometimes nay often we receaue a foile let it be an occasiō to moue vs to take the more paines to make a double request vnto God not onely that he will graunt vnto vs those things which we desire but also that for Christs sake he will pardon our sins infirmities in that wee haue begged them so coldly and negligently § Sect. 5 Lastly whereas our spirituall enemy taketh occasion altogether to discourage vs from vndertaking these spirituall exercises That our wants and infirmities in prayer should not make vs neglect this holy exercise because therein wee bewray notable corruptions and cannot though we striue neuer so much performe them as we ought let vs in no case yeeld vnto this tentation but strongly arme our selues against it and to this end let vs consider that if Sathan can perswade vs to desist from perfourming those duties altogether which wee cannot performe as we ought but with great weakenesse corruption and imperfection we shall doe nothing at all which God requireth of vs for example the Lord commaundeth vs to loue him with all our hearts and with all our soule and with all our strength which dutie of loue wee perfourme with great weaknesse and exceeding coldly but because wee can not doe it as God requireth and as we ought shall wee not therefore doe it at all God forbid So the Lord commaundeth vs to trust and to put our whole affiance in him but we are readie to rest and relie vpon the arme of flesh and inferiour meanes either in whole or at least in part and when they faile vs our trust in God is very weake and mingled with much diffidence and doubting but shall we therefore put no affiance in God all because we cannot doe it so perfectly as God requireth be it farre from vs. So in the verie like maner the Lord expressly chargeth and commandeth vs to cal vpon his holy name which dutie oftentimes we perfourme coldly and negligently hauing our minds carried away with wandring thoughts and worldly imaginations but shall sathan working vpon our own corruption therefore perswade vs altogeather to desist from this holy exercise no in no case let vs not yeeld to this temptation For it is not left vnto vs at our owne choise as a thing indifferent to pray or not to pray but it is a notable parte of Gods worship and seruice and a singular dutie which the Lord expresly inioyneth vs to perfourme whereunto he hath adioyned most comfortable promises which depend not vpon our worthinesse and the excellencie of our praiers but on his owne free mercy and goodnesse and the merits and intercession of our Sauiour Christ Psal 50.15 So Psal 50.15 Call vpon mee in the day of trouble so will I deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie mee And Matth. 7.7 Aske and it shal be giuen you Matth. 7.7 And Ioh. 16.23 Verily verily I say vnto you whatsoeuer you shal aske the father in my name hee will giue it you Ioh. 16.23.24 24. aske and ye shall receiue that your ioy may be full And the Apostle Paul chargeth vs. 1. Thes 5.17 that we pray continually Seeing therefore the Lord expresly requireth this dutie at our hands 1. Thes 5.17 though our infirmities and corruptions be neuer so great let vs labour continually to performe it assuring our selues that if in obedience to his commaundement we call vpō him and labour and striue against those corruptions which shew themselues vnto vs in this holy action he that hath inioyned vs this dutie will also giue vnto vs his holy spirit if we will attend his leasure which wil teach vs how to pray according to Gods wil with sighes and grones which cānot be expressed whereas on the other side if our infirmities and corruptions wholy discourage vs from performing this dutie we shall grieuously sinne against God in transgressing his commaundement and in robbing him of a chiefe part of his worship and seruice and also wee shall plunge our selues into a most desperate estate adioyning our selues vnto the number of those wicked Atheists of whom the Psalmist speaketh who call not vpon God Psal 53.4 And so much for answering those tentations which Sathan and our corruption doe suggest to discourage vs from the seruice of God Psal 53.4 §. Sect. 6. Of the second kind of sensible hardnesse of hart which haue their occasion and ground from our hardnesse of hart and drowsie dulnesse and deadnesse in perfourming these holy exercises The other kind of sensible hardnesse of hart is seuered from the vse of these holy meanes for sometimes it commeth to passe especially in the spiritual combate of temptation that euen Gods deare children are so besotted astonished through the violence of the temptations of Sathan and huge waight of their owne corruptions that they cannot indeauour in no sort to vse these meanes whereby they might be comforted and releeued in this wretched estate as the hearing of the word calling vpon Gods name meditating in the Scriptures and holy cōferences yea these holy exercises seeme for a time odious and loathsome vnto them vntill it please the Lord by his owne good spirit to awaken and raise them vp out of this spirituall trance and to giue vnto them againe the feeling of his grace and fauour and good motions abilities to serue him
with the godly instructions profitable exhortations and sweete consolations of those who are more stronge and therefore the Apostle Paul exhorts those who had attayned vnto agreat measure of faith that they admitt such as were weake into their companie to be made partakers of their Christian conferences to the ende that hereby they might be more and more strengthened and confirmed Rom. 14.1 Rom. 14.1 The 4. means the vse of the sacraments The fourth meanes is the holy vse of the sacraments for the Lord hath added them as seales to the handwriting of his couenant of grace to confirme our faith in the full assurance of his promises and to take away all doubting For whereas the weake conscience might make some scruple in respect that the promises of the gospell in the preaching of the word are deliuered indefinitely and after a generall manner in the vse of the sacraments they are assured vnto them particularly and as it were by name and that not after some obscure and hidden maner but most familiarly by such common signes are are subiect to the senses and within the reach of the shallowest capacitie The 5. means good workes A fift meanes to confirme our faith is to be continually conuersant in good workes and to bring forth the fruites of holy obedience for hereby our faith is exercised and by exercise strengthened and increased whereas contrariwise the neglect hereof doth wound the conscience and so quench the liuely heate of faith that though it bee not quite extinguished yet it will not sensibly be discerned As therefore the strength of the bodie is increased by exercise and for want thereof waxeth faint and languisheth and as the stomacke is by outward exercise of the bodie made more fitt to performe his dutie of concoction so our faith being exercised in good workes is made more strong and fitt to performe his dutie in applying Christ and the sweete promises of the gospel vnto vs and without this spirituall exercise it waxeth faint and the strength thereof abateth The 6. means feruēt prayer The last meanes to strengthen and increase our faith is continuall and feruent prayer for faith is not in our owne power but it is the free gift of God as the Apostle teacheth vs Ephe. 2.8 neither can any man come vnto our Sauiour Christ by a liuely faith except it be giuen him of the father Ephe. 2.8 as himselfe speaketh Ioh. 6.65 Ioh. 6.65 And therefore when wee see the small measure of our faith we are with the apostles to pray vnto the Lord that hee will increase it Luk. 17.5 Luk. 17.5 And when wee perceiue that it is grieuosly assaulted with doubting and infidelitie we are in feruencie of spirit to crie out with the father of the possessed childe Lorde I beleeue helpe my vnbeleefe Mark Mark 9.24 9.24 And then we may be assured that the Lord will heare vs and satisfie our godly desires making vs to growe vp from faith to faith till at length wee attaine vnto such a fulnesse of perswasion that wee shall bee able truely to say with the Apostle I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall bee able to seperate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. as it is Rom. Ro. 8.38.39 8.38.39 § Sect. 3 And these are the meanes which properly tende to the strengthening and increasing of our faith Of the means whereby we may be preserued from doubting and desperation which whosoeuer carefully and conscionably vse they shall assuredly find them effectuall for this purpose Now wee are to speake of those meanes whereby wee may bee preserued from doubting and desperation of which I shal not neede to speake much seeing the most of these points are handled before The 1. means The first meanes to preserue vs from desperation is to cal continually vnto our remembrance that the promisses of the gospell are generall and indefinite excluding none how vnworthie and sinnefull soeuer they be if they doe not exclude themselues through their owne infidelitie Mat. 11.28 So Mat. 11.28 our Sauiour calleth all humbled and repentant sinners without exception saying Come vnto me all yee that labour and are heauie laden and I will ease you Ioh. 3.16 and Ioh. 3.16 God so loued the world that he sent his only béloued son that as many as beleue in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life Mat. 9.13 So Matth. 9.13 our Sauiour saith that hee came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance either then refuse the name of repentant sinner or acknowledge that he came to saue thee and Ioh. 6.40 our sauiour saith that it is his fathers will who sent him that euery man who beleeueth in him should haue euerlasting l fe Seeing therefore God taketh no exception nor excludeth any let vs not exclude our selues through our want of faith and infidelitie The 2. means Secondly we are to consider that the Lord hath not onely propounded his gratious promises vnto vs but also hath commaunded vs to beleeue them Mark 1.15 1. Ioh. 3.23 So Mark 1.15 Repent and beleeue the gospell and 1. Ioh. 3.23 This then is his commaundement that wee beleeue in the name of his sonne Iesus Christ c. now to beleeue in Christ is not onely to beleeue that he is a sauiour for this euē the diuels beleeue also but to beleeue that he is our sauiour to rest wholy vpō him for our saluatiō to say with the Apostle Paul Gal. 2.20 Gal. 2.20 I liue by the faith in the sonne of God who hath loued me and giuen himselfe for me And to the end that wee may be armed against doubting and enabled to perfourme this commaundement it hath pleased the Lord to adde vnto his word his oath Heb. 6.18 that by two immutable things wherein it is impossible that God should lye wee should haue strong consolation as the apostle speaketh Heb. 6.18 Yea he hath also vnto his word and handwriting annexed his Sacraments as seales that there might be no place left for doubting Seeing therefore the Lord hath expresly commaunded vs to beleeue and vsed al meanes to enable vs to perfourme his commaundement let vs not now dispute the question whether we are worthy to beleeue or no or whether such grieuous sinners are bound to this dutie but setting all excuses aside let vs beleeue in obedience to Gods commaundement The 3. means Thirdly we must not alwaies set before vs the innumerable multitude and huge waight of our sins but withal cal to our remembrance the infinite mercies of God and merits of Christ who hath offered vnto his father a propitiatorie sacrifice and full satisfaction for all our sinnes 1. Iohn 2.2 and not for ours onely but for the sinnes of all the world
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
that he purged it with the bloud of Christ from all sinne and adorned it with the rich robe of his righteousnesse The Apostle likewise saith that it is God who iustifieth him who in himselfe was vngodly Rom. 4.5 and 8.33 It is God who iustifieth who shall condemne The reason hereof is manifest because it is the Lord against whom we haue sinned as Dauid speaketh Psal 51.4 And he alone is our supreame iudge who hath authoritie to absolue or condemne vs and therefore he onely can giue vnto vs the pardon and remission of our sinnes and accept of vs as iust and righteous And this worke is not peculiar vnto any one person but is commune to the whole trinitie For God the father being fully satisfied by the full satisfaction righteousnesse and obedience of Christ the sonne applied vnto vs by the holy spirit doth pardon and forgiue vs all our sinnes and pronounceth and accepteth of vs as innocent and indued with perfect righteousnesse The motiue or impulsiue cause which moued the Lorde thus to iustifie vs was not any thinge in vs or out of him selfe but of his meere mercy and free good will wherewith hee hath loued vs from the beginning as it manifestly appeareth Rom. 3.24 Rom. 3.24 Where the Apostle sayth that we are iustified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus and Tit. 3.5.7 Tit. 3.5.7 Not by the workes of righteousnesse which we had done but according to his mercie he saued vs by the washing of the new birth and renewing of the holy ghost 7. That being iustified by his grace we should bee made heyres according to the hope of eternal life The instrumentall causes are of two sorts first on Gods part the word and the sacraments whereby the Lord offreth conuaigheth sealeth and assureth vnto vs his mercie grace Christ Iesus with his merites righteousnesse and obedience the remission of our sinnes and euerlasting life Secondly on our part a true and liuely faith whereby wee receiue and apply vnto our selues the mercy of God Christ Iesus all his benefits resting vpon him alone for our saluation § Sect. 2 The materiall cause of our iustification is the actiue and passiue righteousnesse and obedience of Iesus Christ The material cause his inhaerent holinesse his fulfilling of the law his death sacrifice and full satisfaction So that we are not iustified by the essentiall righteousnesse of the godhead nor by our owne workes ioyned with Christs merites nor by any inhaerent righteousnes infused of God through the merites of Christ or by any other thing in our selues or any other meere creature but by the alone righteousnesse of our mediatour Iesus Christ God and man which is out of our selues and in Christ as the proper subiect thereof and not belonging to vs till by the spirite of God and a liuely faith it be applyed vnto vs and so becommeth ours Of the formall cause The formall cause of our iustification is a reciprocall imputation or transmutation of the sinnes of the beleeuer vnto Christ and of his righteousnesse vnto the beleeuer whereby it commeth to passe that the faithfull man hath not his sinnes imputed vnto him nor the punishment due vnto them inflicted on him because Christ hath taken vpon him the guilt and punishment and by making ful satisfaction vnto his fathers iustice hath obtayned the pardon and remission of al his sinnes And also is clothed with the glorious robe of Christ Iesus righteousnesse and so appearing before God both free from all sinne and indued with perfect righteousnesse hee is iustified reconciled and eternally saued And of this imputed righteousnes the apostle speaketh Rom. 4.5 Rom. 4.5 But to him that worketh not but beleeueth in him that iustifieth the vngodly his faith is counted for righteousnesse 6. Euen as Dauid declareth the blessednesse of the man vnto whom God imputeth righteousnesse without workes saying 7. Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiuen and whose sinnes are couered 8. blessed is the man vnto whom the Lord imputeth not sinne and 2. Cor. 5.19 2. Cor. 5.19 For God was in Christ and reconciled the world vnto himselfe not imputing their sinnes vnto them c. 21. For hee hath made him to bee sinne for vs which knewe no sinne that wee should be made the righteousnesse of God in him And the Apostle affirmeth 1. Cor. 1.30 That Iesus Christ is made vnto vs of God wisdome 1. Cor. 1.30 righteousnesse sanctification and redemption So that now Christs righteousnesse is our righteousnesse his obedience our obedience his merits our merites as certainely perfectly and effectually euen as if we our selues had bene most innocent fulfilled the law or made full satisfaction to Gods iustice By which it appeareth that in respect of our selues wee are iustified freely of Gods meere mercy grace without any respect of our owne righteousnes or worthinesse but yet through Christ and for his righteousnesse and obedience imputed puted to vs Rom. 3.23.24 both which are signified by the Apostle Rom. 3.23.24 where he said that all in themselues are wretched sinners without difference and thereby are depriued of the glory of Gods kingdome 24. and are iustified freely of his grace through the redemption which is in Christ Iesus § Sect. 3 The finall cause The finall cause of our instification is two fold the chiefe and principall is the glory of God for hereby the Lord hath most notably manifested his infinite iustice and mercy his iustice in that he would rather punish our sinnes in his onely begotten Sonne then he would suffer them to goe vnpunished his mercy in that for our sakes hee spared not his best beloued Sonne but gaue him to suffer death yea the death of the crosse that by his one oblation he might make full satisfaction for our sinnes and purchase for vs euerlasting life and also in that he vouchsafeth vnto vs the outward means of his word and Sacraments and the inward assistance of his holy spirit whereby wee are vnited vnto Christ and haue a liuely faith begotten in vs which apprehending Christ his righteousnesse and merits wee are iustified sanctified and eternally saued And this end is signified by the Apostle Rom. 3.24.25 where hee saith that God hath iustified vs freely by his grace Rom 3.24 5.21 through the redemption which is in Christ Iesus to declare his righteousnesse by the forgiuenesse of sinnes and might shew himselfe iust by iustifying him who is of the faith of Iesus And cap. 5.21 he saith that as vnder the law sinne had raigned vnto death so now grace raigneth by righteousnesse vnto eternall life through Iesus Christ our Lord. Ephe. 2.5.6.7 So Eph. 2.5.6.7 hee affirmeth that God hath quickned vs in Christ who were dead in our sins hath raysed vs vp in him that hee might shew in the ages to come the exceeding riches of his grace through his kindnesse towards vs in Christ Iesus The
vnto vs. with Sathans temptations drawne from the reliques of our sinnes the strength of our corruptions and the imperfections and small measure of our sanctification let vs further consider first that these reliques of sinne shall not bee imputed vnto vs nor come in iudgement before God to our condemnation because by faith we are vnited vnto Christ and so made partakers of the vertue and merits of his death and passion whereby he hath satisfied Gods iustice for our sinnes so that they cannot now condemne vs nor draw vpon vs any punishment and likewise wee are made partakers of his perfect righteousnesse and obedience to the law which as a rich robe doth couer and hide our patched ragges of imperfection So then though we see the reliques of sinne and our manifold imperfections let vs not be discouraged hereby from labouring in the worke of sanctification but rather striue and endeuour to mortifie our sinnes and aspire to more and more perfection And if besides our purpose wee be led captiue of sin let vs remember that we haue an aduocate with the father Iesus Christ the iust 1. Ioh. 2.1.2 and that he is the reconciliation for our sinnes so that though they make vs condemne our selues in our own consciences yet they shall neuer condemne vs before God And this the Apostle Paul sheweth vnto vs for hauing in the seuenth chapter of his epistle to the Romanes declared that the faithfull haue remaining in them the flesh and reliques of their old corruptions which powerfully hinder them from doing the good they would and moue them to commit the euill which they would not least any hereby should be discouraged in the sight and sense of his corruptions hee presently addeth in the beginning of the eighth chapter that notwithstanding the flesh and the corruptions therof which before he had spoken of remained in vs yet there was no condemnation to those who were in Christ Iesus and hee yeeldeth this reason because the law of the spirit of life which is in Christ Iesus had freed them from the law of sinne and of death that is because the power and vertue of the spirit of God which is the author of life by vniting vs as members vnto the bodie of Christ in whom we liue and by sprinkling our consciences with his precious bloud had deliuered them from the force and power of sinne and death so that now it could not condemne them nor oblige and binde them to guilt and punishment as in former times Seeing therefore the sting of sinne is taken away that it cannot condemne vs let vs not so feare it as that it should moue vs desperately to cast away our weapons not daring to encounter it for though this our enemie may assault vs yet it cannot ouercome vs though it may wound vs yet it cannot kill vs though it may giue vs a foyle yet in the end wee are sure of victorie if we manfully resist and labour to subdue it § Sect. 6 Secondly let vs consider that the Lord doth not require of vs vnder the Gospel such exact and perfect righteousnes That the Lord in the Gospell requireth not perfect obedience to the law as was required vnder the Law which is altogether impossible to our corrupt nature and was neuer to be found in any man our Sauiour Christ excepted but onely that wee striue and labour to attaine vnto it he doth not require of vs that we should at once free our selues from the flesh and the corruptions thereof but that we endeuour to mortifie it according to the measure of grace and strength which wee haue receiued from him he doth not require of vs that wee be without sinne but that sinne doe not rule in our mortall bodies that wee should like slaues obey it willingly in the lusts thereof and that also wee hating and abhorring it doe continually make warre against it and subdue it by little and little seeing we cannot at once wholy vanquish it He doth not now require of vs that we should performe perfect obedience to the law which Christ hath performed for vs but that we doe our best endeuour and though we cannot attaine to our desire Rom. 7.12.22 yet at least that wee be delighted in the law of God concerning the inner man and consent vnto it that it is good holy and iust In a word this is the Christian mans righteousnes which God requireth that he hate sinne and loue godlines that hee desire and endeuour to mortifie the flesh and corruptions thereof and labour to leade a new life in holy obedience and if contrarie to his desire and purpose he doe the euill which hee hateth or leaue vndone the good which hee loueth that he sorrow and grieue for his sinnes and imperfections and making confession hereof before the throne of grace doe implore mercie and forgiuenesse in Christ Iesus And if wee offer vnto God this righteousnesse it will be acceptable vnto him notwithstanding our manifold imperfections for hee measureth our deede by our will and esteemeth more of our affections than of our actions August Nec intuetur Deus quantum quilibet valeat sed quantum velit quicquid vis non potes Deus factum computat He respecteth not what we can doe but what we would do and that which we could performe and cannot he esteemeth it as though it were performed So that hee reputeth him righteous who earnestly desireth and laboureth to be righteous and him perfect who acknowledging and bewailing his imperfections striueth to attaine to more perfection Wherein he fitly may be compared vnto a tender louing father who esteemeth of the least endeuours of his beloued sonne more than of the best actions of a seruant because hee regardeth not so much the excellencie of the action as the person and cheerefull will of the agent § Sect. 7 Now the reasons why the Lord being perfectly iust will notwithstanding accept of our imperfect righteousnesse VVhy the Lord accepteth of our imperfect righteousnesse is first because we being made members of Christs bodie our persons are acceptable vnto him and therefore our workes also not in their own worthines or for their own merit but in and for Christ are accepted the corruptions and staines of them being washed away in his bloud and the imperfections of them being couered with Christs perfect righteousnesse And thus being adorned in the garment of our elder brother Christ Iesus we obtaine the blessing of our heauenly father Secondly our righteousnesse and holinesse doth proceede from the spirit of God dwelling in vs and from hence our workes being imperfect in themselues doe receiue their dignitie excellencie and estimation in Gods sight as being the fruites of his own spirit howsoeuer mingled with our corruptions § Sect. 8 Thirdly let vs remember that our sinnes and corruptions which we hate and labour to mortifie will neuer mooue the Lord to reiect and cast vs out of his loue and fauour That
but exceedingly grieued that by his sinne hee hath displeased God and seeing his owne weaknesse and infirmities doth bewaile them and fleeth vnto God by feruent prayer desiring the assistance of his holy spirit whereby hee may be enabled to mortifie his flesh and the corruptions thereof which hee deadly hateth and to serue God in holinesse and newnesse of life such a one may assure himselfe that hee walketh not after the flesh but after the spirit and that hee is in Christ Iesus and hath escaped condemnation though through his infirmitie and strength of his inbred corruptions hee falleth often into sinne § Sect. 5 The differences betweene the sinnes of the regenerate man and the vnregenerate Though therefore the sanctified man sinneth yet this doth not prooue that he is still in the flesh and vnregenerate seeing there is great difference betweene his sinnes into which he now falleth and those which hee committed before hee was sanctified or those which they commit which still liue in the flesh For first the vnregenerate man doth continuallie sinne heaping vp one wickednesse vpon another the man regenerate but sometimes when hee is ouercome by his corruptions the wicked man committeth sinne with greedinesse the godly man with some kinde of irksomnesse and after a sort vnwillingly the one drawes sinne vnto him as it were with cartropes Esa 5.18 the other is violently drawne to sinne with the strength of his corruptions the one hunteth after sinne and the occasions thereof the other is hunted by sinne and Sathans temptations till being out of breath and fainting for wearinesse hee is ouertaken and led prisoner The carnall man sinneth with full consent of will and with pleasure and delight the spirituall man doth not yeeld without some resistance of the regenerate part and as it were grudgingly and with the misliking of the spirit he that is vnregenerate suffreth sinne to raigne in him and yeeldeth vnto it such willing and heartie obedience as the loyall subiect doth to his lawfull King but the sanctified man obeyeth it as though it were an vsurping tyrant repiningly and by cōstraint rather drawne with force than moued by any loue or liking The wicked man committeth sinne vpon deliberation aduisedly and of set purpose but the regenerate man for the most part suddenly besides his purpose and contrary to his resolution The vngodly mans heart and conscience seldome or neuer controules him for his sinne or if it doe yet it suddenly vanisheth like a flash of lightning but there is a fight in the hart of the godly man the carnall part drawing one way and the spirituall part another When the carnall worldling offendeth hee is in his common way for hee maketh an occupation of committing sinne but when the regenerate man sinneth hee is out of his course and is neuer at rest till he commeth into his way of righteousnesse again when the wicked man hath committed one sinne that is an argument to moue him to commit another Eccl. 8.11 because iudgement is deferred and hee hath escaped punishment but the true Christian like one who runneth a race for some great wager if he stumble and fall when he riseth againe he doth more carefully looke to his feete and striueth to runne the more swiftly in the way of righteousnesse that so he may redeeme with more than vsuall speed the lost time wherein he was hindred by his fall Finally the vnregenerate man being fallen into the puddle of sinne doth wallow therein with pleasure and delight and neuer striues to rise againe by amendment of life but the man regenerate though hee fall yet he riseth vp againe by true repentance and neuer resteth till hee haue throughly washed his polluted soule with the bloud of Christ applied vnto him by a liuely faith The one remembreth his sinnes which he hath committed with gladnesse and reioycing yea bragging and boasting of his outragious wickednesse the other neuer thinketh vpon them but with griefe and sorrow neither is there any thing in the world whereof he is more ashamed than of his sinnes Seeing therefore there is such great and manifold differences betweene the sinnes of the sanctified and those who are vnsanctified let not Sathan perswade vs that wee are still in the flesh and vnregenerate because will we nill we we often fall into sinne if in our manner of sinning wee can finde these differences which we neuer discerned in former times CHAP. X. Sathans temptations taken from particular sinnes into which we haue fallen answered § Sect. 1 That sins committed after repentance exclude vs not from pardon ANd so much concerning those temptations which Sathan suggesteth in respect of our sinnes in generall now we are to speake of such as concerne particular sinnes and these are of two sorts for either Sathan seeketh to ouerthrow our faith and to discourage vs from going forward in our course of godlinesse by setting before vs and exceedingly aggrauating those sinnes which indeede wee haue committed or by perswading vs falsely that we haue committed such sinnes as being vnpardonable are not incident to the childe of God The former sort of temptations are taken either from some hainous sin once committed or from the often falling into the same sin Concerning the first he aggrauateth the sinnes of the faithfull two especiall waies either because they haue been committed after repentance or voluntarily against knowledge and conscience In the former respect he is ready to suggest that the children of God doe not commit any sinne after they haue truly repented of it and if any doe either he neuer truly repented or if he did yet after his fall there is no place to a second repentance nor hope of Gods mercie For answering whereof wee are to know that howsoeuer the state of those who thus sinne is somewhat dangerous and they more hardly recouered than others euen as those diseases are perilous and hardly cured into which wee fall by a relapse after the recouerie of health yet this is incident to the children of God who haue truly repented and notwithstanding this grieuous kinde of falling they are not debarred of Gods mercie in Christ Iesus And this appeareth partly by reasons and partly by examples For first the gracious promises of the Gospell concerning the remission of sinnes are indefinite and without limitation of time or sinnes whether committed before or after repentance So Matth. 11.28 Come vnto me all ye that labour and are heauie laden Matth. 11.28 1. Ioh. 2.1 2. and I will ease you and 1. Iohn 2.1 2. If any man sinne we haue an aduocate with the father c. In which and in many other places the Lord assureth vs that he will receiue to mercy all repentant sinners of what nature and qualitie soeuer their sinnes are Secondly in the lawe were sacrifices appoynted for the sinnes of the people not onely those who were newly receiued into the Lords couenant for their sinnes past but also for those sinnes which were
enemies who labour to hinder our saluation for he is omnipotent and mighty to saue Esa 63.1 as it is Esa 63.1 And though through our frailety and weakenesse we might continually bee vanquished and drawne from God yet now there is no doubt hereof seeing we doe not stand in our owne strength 1. Pet. 1.5 but are kept by the power of God through faith vnto saluation as it is 1. Pet. 1.5 though in our selues wee are impotent and feeble yet we are strong in the Lord and in the power of his might and being armed with the armour of God Eph. 6.10 11. we are inabled to stand against the assaults of the diuell as the Apostle speaketh Ephes 6.10 11. Though wee are of little force in regard of our owne strength and able to doe nothing yet are we able to doe all things through the helpe of Christ which strengthneth vs as it is Philip. 4.13 though we be weake in faith Phil. 4.13 and vnable to stand yet being the seruants of God we shall be established for God is able to make vs stand Rom. 14.4 In a word Rom. 14.4 though our spirituall enemies are stronger than we yet shall they not bee able to plucke vs from Christ For the father which gaue vs to him is greater than all Ioh. 10.28 29. and none is able to take vs out of the fathers hand as our Sauiour reasoneth Iohn 10.28 29. And therefore when we are discouraged and ready to faint in the sight and sense of our owne weakenesse and our enemies mighty power let vs comfort our selues in the Lord saying with the Apostle I knowe whom I haue beleeued 2. Tim. 1.12 and I am perswaded he is able to keepe that which I haue committed to him against that day as it is 2. Tim. 1.12 § Sect. 2 The fifth reason is grounded vpon Gods truth and fidelitie The fifth reason groundad on Gods truth in his couenant Apoc. 1.5 2. Cor. 1.20 Luke 16.17 which is so infallible that whatsoeuer hee hath spoken promised or couenanted that he will most certainely performe for God is a faithfull and true witnesse Apoc. 1.5 and all his promises in Christ are Yea and Amen 2. Corinth 1.20 So that it is more easie that heauen and earth should passe away than that one title of Gods word should fall vnaccomplished Luke 16.17 But the Lord in his word hath assured all that beleeue that hee will vpholde them and preserue them vnto euerlasting life against all the furie of their enemies as may appeare both by his couenant which he hath made with his Church in generall and also by particular promises made to all the faithfull Concerning the first the Lord maketh this couenant with his Church Esa 59.21 I will saith hee make this my couenant with them Esa 59.21 my spirit that is vpon thee and my words which I haue put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seede nor out of the mouth of the seede of thy seed saith the Lord from henceforth euen for euer If therefore Gods spirit neuer departeth from them and they for euer confesse and professe his word and truth then certainely they can neuer fall away nor loose their heauenly inheritance For Rom. 8.11 if the spirit of him that raised vp Iesus from the dead dwell in vs hee shall also quicken our mortall bodies because his spirit dwelleth in vs as it is Rom. 8.11 Rom. 8 11.14.â—7 And as many as are led by the spirit of God they are the sonnes of God vers 14. And if we be children we are also heyres c. vers 17. So Ierem. 32.38 I will bee their God and they shall be my people â—er 32.38 39 â—0 Vers 39. And I will giue them one heart and one way that they may feare me for euer for the wealth of them and of their children after them 40. And I will make an euerlasting couenant with them that I will neuer turne away from them to doe them good but I will put my feare in their hearts that they shall not depart from me c. If therefore the Church and people of God shall feare him for euer if his couenant be euerlasting if he will neuer depart from them nor they from him then certainely there is no doubt of their perseuerance â—er 31.31.32 And chapter 31.31.32 The Lord saith that he will make a new couenant with his Church not according to the couenant which he made with their fathers 33. But this shall be the couenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those dayes saith the Lord I will put my lawe in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and will be their God and they shall be my people c. And I will forgiue their iniquitie and I will remember their sinnes no more In which words the Lord couenanteth that his law should euer remaine so deepely ingrauen in their hearts that nothing should blot it out that they should continually meditate and delight themselues therein Rom. 2.15 2. Cor. 3.2 for thus this phrase of writing in the heart is vsually taken in the Scriptures So likewise he assureth them of the perpetuall pardon of their sinnes so that their sinnes should neuer make frustrate that couenant which he had made with them Hos 2.19.20 So Hos 2.19 And I will marrie thee vnto me for euer yea I will marry thee vnto me in righteousnesse and in indgement and in mercy and compassion 20. I Will marrie thee vnto me in faithfulnesse and thou shall knowe the Lord. If therefore the Church of God shall bee married vnto him for euer in righteousnesse and faithfulnesse and in mercy and compassion then can neither their faith and righteousnesse towards God nor his mercy and compassion towards them fayle but both shall continue vnto the end Seeing then the couenant which is betweene God and vs doth assure vs of the continuance of his loue and mercy and of our perseuerance in his feare and holy obedience we neede not to doubt either of the ceasing of his loue or our falling away For though the mountaines remoue and the hils fall downe yet shall not his mercie depart from his children neither shall the couenant of his peace fall away As the Lord himselfe protesteth Esa 54.10 Esa 54.10 § Sect. 3 And thus haue I proued the certaintie of our perseuerance An obiection taken from our faltinesse answered by the couenant of grace which God hath made with his Church for whatsoeuer the Lord promiseth to the whole body of the Church that he also promiseth to euery particular member thereof seeing the whole containeth all his parts so that whatsoeuer belongeth to the whole body that also belongeth to all the members But it may be obiected that howsoeuer this couenant on Gods part is firme and eternall yet by our fault and transgression it may