the common faith and saluation of all beleeuers Which as it may appeare by this be cause faith and saluation are common graces so by this because they vse the wordes of the plurall number and such as doe indifferently comprehend all the faithfull yea by the manner of speaches also which they vse concerning the matter it selfe namely speaking indefinitly of faith And in all of them they make this the foundation of our assurance and certainty that Christ is our Mediatour that he died for vs c. Besides Rom. 4. he speaketh concerning Abrahams faith and sheweth that it was written before for our sakes and equally belonged vnto all the faithfull So that we may see they speake of no propper matter concerning themselues nor in these places alleadged and quoted if any speciall reuelatiō concerning their owne saluation but of a grace common to all the elect of God ther fore this exception is but a meere cauill 2 Secondly this their doctrine of doubting standeth vp against the word and commandement of God calling vpō vs yea inioyning vs for the glory of Gods name and our owne good to repent and beleeue the gospel As Marke 11. verse 15. Repent and beleeue the Gospell as also against those sweete exhortations that are giuen vs in the same worde to prouoke to confidence and religious boldnes as that of Hebrewes 4.16 Let vs therefore goe boldly vnto the throne of grace that vve may receiue mercy and finde grace to helpe in time of neede and that of Hebr. 10.22 Let vs drawe neere vvith a true heart in assurance of faith c. And sundry such like as as these For first looke whatsoeuer god enioyneth or commandeth it is neither doubtfully to be imbraced as in regard of our perswasion because that will breed neglect at the least if not contempt of him and his authoritie that commaundeth yea indeed also of the thing it selfe cōmaunded nor to be sluggishlie or slouthfully performed as in regard of our practise because as god in euerie thing loueth chearefulnesse so likewise in the obedience of his law much lesse may it be deferred and put of both because time is not our owne we haue no charter or warrant of our liues no not for one minute of an houre Besides who knoweth not that these thinges are opposite one of them to another namely for God to commaund vs and for vs either to doubt of himselfe or the thing or things that he prescribeth For if he be God he must be beleeued as well in the things he enioyneth for his worship and our obedience as in the promises he propoundeth for the expressing of the manifold riches of his grace offring strong consolation to our distressed consciecnes otherwise if wee doubt him or distrust him therein we robbe him of his glorie Againe wee may reason for the better confirmation of this point from the true meaning of these words beleeue the gospell To beleeue the gospell I take to be nothing else but to be rightly perswaded of and particularly to apply vnto our owne hearts those promises which are made vnto vs in the Gospell specially those that concerne the forgiuenesse of sinnes here in this life and our euerlasting saluation in the life to come But this is not to doubt but certainelie to be assured and perswaded rather that the whole gospell is true and particularly this part of it that Christ indeed is the Sauiour of all them that beleeue in him for faith and repentance must be preached in his name and there is no other name giuen vnder heauen wherein men must bee saued but his and therefore they that hold or teach otherwise doe not onely not knowe what it is to beleeue but euacuat and destroy faith the gospell Christ Iesus and al. Sith therfore they that do truly beleeue do not doubt concerning that which they doe beleeue I meane for the time manner and measure of their faith for I am not ignorant of this that that which is strong at one time as in regard of gods grace and spirite supporting vs may be infirme and weake at another as in regard of the remainders of our sinnes and the dullnesse and slownesse of our hearts to beleeue it will well yea and must of necessitie follow that all they that doe truely beleeue the Gospel of Christ ought not at any hand to doubt or distrust concerning gods goodnesse the infinite merite of Christs obedience the forgiuenesse of their sinnes or the sauing of their soules the reason is because doubting here that faith that God hath wrought in them cannot stand together And as for the exhortation vsed in the word we may say as much namely that God meaneth thereby to stirre vs vp stedfastly and without wauering to relie vpon him or else he would neuer haue so earnestly called vpō vs therfore or prouoked vs thereto vnlesse he had meant as much indeed as he vrgeth or stirreth vs vp in words It is for men that are corrupted to dallie and to dissemble so and to make shew in words of more then they meane indeed a fault common as heretofore so nowe adaies in all states and degrees yea euen in them that for their places and callings approch most neere vnto God but no such thing hath beene or euer shall be found in the holy one of Israell for as he is not man but God and therefore iudgeth not according vnto man or hath respect of person so he cannot lie or dissemble but being altogeather good and holy himselfe and deliuering as we may the testimonies and tokens of his loue towards vs meaneth as he speaketh so shall all flesh finde it whether it be in the faithfull promises concerning peace and life or the execution of his iudgements in this world or that which is to come Thirdly this doctrine of doubting fighteth against certēty assurāce of al such promises as god hath graciously giuē vs specially those that he hath made vnto vs for the forgiuenes of our sins our eternall saluation through Christ Of which sort is that of Isay 1.17 Though your sinnes were as crimsin they shall be made white as snowe though they were red as scarlet they shal be as wooll and that of Ioh. 3.16 So God loued the world that he hath giuen hit onely begotten sonne that who soeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue eternal life 1. Cor. 130. Christ is made of God vnto vs vvisdome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption and sundry others Nowe the promises of God and mans doubting concerning the truth and certenty therof VVhether we respect the things promised or Gods good will and power that hath promised they are not onely opposite or cōtrary one of them to another but indeede ouerthrowe or destroy one an other For euery promise yea though it be but a promise of the lawe requireth faith in it or to it much more a promise of the Gospell calleth for faith whether the promise be made
god hath giuen vnto vs concernig his grace fauour that we might not onely haue the same generally propounded vnto vs therein as we see it to bee done in the publike ministrie of the worde especially but that by the vse of the same euerie one rigthly vsing them for the taking awaye of doubt and distrust out of his heart might haue sealed vp in him an infallible testimonie of Gods mercie euerie way specially of the forgiuenesse of his sinnes and the sauing of his soule through the obedience of Christ vnto whome and his merits the Sacraments do indeed directly vs and to haue by them as it were by certen aides propps his faith more more vpheld continued And therefore Rom. 4. the Apostle speaking of circumcision saieth that it was the seale of righteousnesse which is by faith And Gal 5. speaking of our holy baptisme he affirmeth that so many of vs as haue beene baptized according to Christs institution and haue had with all the grace of the Sacrament bestowed vpon vs by the effectuall working of the holie spirite of God haue put on Christ Yea the Euangelists and Paule himselfe shewing what Christ did and saide in the administration of his holie Supper obserue amongest other things this that he said take yee eate yee this is my bodie which is giuen for you likewise of the cup drinke yee all of this for this is my blood of the new testament which was shed for you for the forgiuenesse of sinnes What meaneth this particular sumption or taking of the elements in the one or in the other Sacrament but to teach and instruct vs that as verilie as those outward things are become ours we hauing taken them vpon our flesh in our hands conueied them into our stomack and haue had as it were al our senses satisfied therwith that so for our better assurāce we haue by the eye of faith beheld and by the hand of faith laye sure hold of those spirituall graces that God in the Sacraments ment to offer by those outward and visible signes and elements and actions vsed in and about them he ment more and more to confirme our harts But this certaintie and comforte that is aforesaid in sort and sense is contained in the Sacraments this doctrine of doubting that is deliuered in the romish synagogue doth not only weaken it but laboureth if not by violence yet by fraude and subtiltie to pull out of mens minds and consciences For these two things to wit that in the Sacraments of God ordained by god to remooue our doubting and to confirme our faith euerie one of vs haue the promise of God sealed vp in our hearts by the Sacraments and in their lawfull sanctified vse are euerye one of vs vnderpropped and confirmed that we should not doubt but should bee assured of the grace and fauour of God touching the forgiuenesse of our sinnes and eternall saluation and this that the papists teach that we are to doubt concerning the promise of gods grace and fauour pardoning of our sinnes sauing of our soules c. These two things I say are so opposite one of them to another that they cannot stand together nor no more agree then fire and water light and blindnesse c. And therefore also we are to cast away from vs this doctrine or dotage rather 9. As in the articles of our faith we say we beleeue and confesse the forgiuenesse of sinns so is that sweet and comfortable doctrin also commended vnto vs in the holy Scriptures and propounded in many places of the Gospell take one for all namely Luke 44. where it is said that repentance and remission of sins should bee preached in Christs name among all nations But this doctrine of our aduersaries fighteh directly against it for shall we say we beleeue it and yet shall we doubt of it Or mindeth God to haue it propounded as principall part of the gospell and we shall stand in mannering of it specially as in respect of our selues For other mens hearts this way we are not able to sound with our owne we ought to be best acquainted This is to make God to deale worse with the faithfull then earthly princes doe with their rebellious and vndutifull subiects who if they proclaime once a pardon must be beleeued in the word of a prince and God publishing such a doctrine and requiring beleefe of it yea labouring the feeling of it in our hearts must not be credited What is it to beleeue the forgiunes of sinnes namely to be well assured of this that that grace is not onely imputed vnto others but vnto them also and that is the reason also why we say I beleeue and why the spirit telleth vs the iust shall liue by his owne faith For though I may yea ought to be well perswaded as of the whole body of the Church so of euery seueral sounde member thereof that all the graces that God hath promised to all or any of them shal be effectually accomplished because he that cānot lie and is both willing and able to performe whatsoeuer pleaseth him hath promised the same yet can I not particularly feele these graces in others as in mine owne soule because I haue receiued the gift and grace of faith particularly to apply them vnto myselfe and to assure mine owne heart therein And therefore in vaine if our aduersaries doctrine be true hath God both appointed the preaching of it and called for the beleefe of it at our hāds sith to doubt of this maine point is amōgst thē a matter both lawful necessary 10 Lastly there are many places of scripture which exact and demaunde at the hands of the faithfull perseuerance in well doing yea which doe exercise and stirre them vp therevnto To put downe the particular places intreating thereof and demaunding it at our hands would make halfe a volume That we must auoid to the end we must shunne tediousnes and not to shew some were to leaue scruple that we could not performe it or that there were no such places in the Scripture we must therefore of necessitie repeat one or two which I would pray the godly reader might suffice for all How sweet is that saying of Psal 37. ver 24. 25 Though he fal speaking of the righteous and godlie yet shall he not bee cast off And why so the spirite rendreth the reason for the Lord putteth vnder his hand as if he would say men may bee sure it shall so be because God that is greater then all can will establish him And yet there is not all but for our better warrantile and vpholding of our heart he putteth downe his owne particular obseruation and experience not onely in his own person but in others saying in the next verse I haue beene yong and am old yet saw I neuer the righteous forsaken nor his seede begging bread In the 22 of the Gospell after Luke Christ saith thus to Peter Simon Simon Satan hath
Apostle my grace is sufficient for thee my strength shall be persected through weakenes And why should I make anie doubt of this sith Gods election which is grounded vpon the mutable purpose and decree of God is alwaies firme and sure And sith the word not of man but of god assureth me that those whome the Lord loueth euen vnto the ende he loueth them sith that he that is for vs with vs within vs is stronger and greater then al. And sith euē the verie articles of our faith teach vs to beleeue as the Father to be Almightie whose power no creature is able to withstand so Iesus Christ to be our Lord into whose hands sith the father hath eiuen vs wee are sure no aduersarie power shall pull vs out of the same for he also is not onely constant and firme as the father but almightie also And that saluatiō which he hath wrought for me through his blood and inabled me in the power of the spirite to applye vnto mine owne hearte he will preserue and vpholde in mee together with the gift and grace of perseueraunce so that not fall euen vnto the end and in the end Wherein I am the more setled confirmed not onely by this that he dealeth not with his seruants as men do who beginne and leaue of in the turning of a hand or the twinckling of an eye but looke what worke he beginneth in his he perfecteth the same Neither yet by this that he hath giuen me and the rest of his seruantes gracious promises as that he wil be with vs vnto the ende of the worlde that his spirite shall bring vnto our remembrance the sweet and comfortable wordes of trueth and life but also by this that he hath graciouslye performed it vnto his seruants not onely vpholding them that they haue not beene carried away either with the swaye of sinne in the world or strength of corruption in them selues but euen then when they haue beene fallen in raysing them vp againe as wee see particularly in Dauid who confesseth of himselfe and in himselfe that to bee true through gods goodnesse thou hast deliuered my soule from death mine eies from teares and my feet from falling Psalme 116. And likewise in Peter whom though our Sauiour Christ foretold of Sathans malice against him and the rest of the faithfull vnder this metaphoricall or borrowed terme of desiring to winnowe them as men doe winnowe wheate yet doth withall most comfortably tell him and the rest of the faithfull in him I haue prayed for thee that thy faith faile not wherefore when thou art conuerted strengthen thy brethren And what though others in outward shewe farre better and more stronge then my selfe haue fallen awaye Doeth it therefore followe that I shall doe so likewise I tell thee no Sathan God is aboue all lawe and therefore beyonde all example And what if God to let proude fleshe and bloode vnderstande that they stande not by themselues woulde make some fearefull examples of humaine inconstancie weakenesse and waueringe to the ende that the parties themselues might bee humbled and other learne to feare wilt thou then from thence gather an vniuersall course Or on the other side if God for the comforte of al them that are feeble and weak hearted and handed in Sion would make the meanest of his seruantes most worthye instrumentes to manifeste his strength in their owne weakenesse wilt thou crosse his purpose whose power no creature is able to resist and darest thou discomfort where God goeth about to giue all consolations yea such comforts as no man can giue but he and none can haue but those that belong vnto him Ouer and besides all this god in his word hath giuen me other strong consolations against this temptation or assault of thine for in the second epistle of Timothy and the second chapter against the backe sliding and falling away of others he giueth me these two speciall comforts namely that the elect of which number I am one are out of all danger of any such falling away and againe that such hypocriticall backsliders are knowne to god and not to vs when he saith The strong foundation of god remaineth sure hauing this seale the Lord knoweth who are his And in the second chapter of Saint Iohns first epistle the holy ghost laboureth the same point that so in the mouth of two or three witnesses this as all other trueth might be established and made sure and giueth sundry consolations against it as first that none should be terrified or offended with their faultes because though such had or might haue a place in the Church yet were they neuer of the Church because the Church is the company of the elect which cannot perish and therefore also cannot fall from the grace of God in Christ Secondly because they are annointed of the holy Ghost not onely with true knowledge of saluation and eternal life but with all other graces from the same and namely with the gift of perseuerance but his owne words are most excellent and therefore let vs marke them They went out from vs saith he but they were not of vs for if they had beene of vs they should haue continued with vs. But this commeth to passe that it might appeare that they are not all of vs but ye haue an ointment frō the holy one and knowe all things And nowe with what reason or face cā Irefuse this truth of God so plainely and plentifully propounded and imbrace the lies of Sathan I tell thee I cannot fall away from the grace of god nor fall away from the faith that he hath planted in me vnles I would make God a changeling and vncertaine and that cannot be for the scripture telleth me there is not so much as a shadow of turning in his maiestie which yet that I might be the better perswaded thereof he hath alwaies by performance shewed him selfe at all times and to all his people to be such a one Shewe thou the contrary if thou canst But Sathā further presseth this temptation of mans weaknesse and abilitie to fall away from the acts indeede thereof and the effects following frō the same saying after this sort Thou hast fallen diuers vvaies and at sundry times also and therefore hast lost the faith grace that God gaue thee and so art becōe gods enimie Aud howe canst thou then be assured of fauour at his hand Herevnto I answere that I cannot or will not deny but that I haue fallen and fallen fouly yea diuers waies and sundry times and of this I haue better witnesse then thy word Sathan For first that obseruation of mine own waies that God of his grace hath wrought in me doth testifie vnto me euery day when I rise vp and euery night when I lie down that I haue and doe heinously offend and secondly the texts of holy scripture doth witnes the same as for example 1. king 8. there is not a man but he sinneth and
vs acquainted withal And we know that we must not iudge of this matter à priori as the school mē say that is by things going before for we knowe them not but by things following which may be discerned because they are described and set downe vnto vs in the word nor yet besides or without the word for then we shall wāder in darkenes more grosse then that of Egypt be ouertakē with many odd and swimming conceits But we must out of the word by consequents according to the word determine of the matter otherwise we shall not onely speake at aduenture but faile because there not else where God hath for this and al other matters misteries plainely and plentifully reuealed his will And though it be true that euen the writinges before the law was giuen and after it was deliuered doe describe this matter vnto vs yet wee must principally fetch it from the gospell because therein God doth especially discouer the decrees that he hath made with himself from before all times concerning our saluation in which Gospell we shall see more testimonies and tokens giuen vnto vs for the assurance of our hearts in it then as yet we haue heard of as Christs death yea the death of the crosse for the redemption of mankinde the mistery of the calling both of Iewes and Gentiles by the ministerie of the word saith and repentance giuen vnto men through the hearing of the word preached the iustifying and sauing of them which through faith beleeue in Christ and by meanes thereof take hold of him to eternall life and lastly the testimony pleadge of the spirit bearing record vnto our spirits that we are Gods sonnes yea heires yea fellow heires with our Sauiour Christ in which respect it is also else where called the earnest of our inheritance Ephesians the first ver 14. And this I thinke may suffice for this point 6 Their sixt argument or reason is thus framed He that hath not in himselfe the perfect obedience of gods law cannot certainely conclude that he pleaseth god but must of necessitie still doubt because we know that nothing can please god but perfect obedience and againe this condition is added to the law doe this and thou shalt liue also keepe the cōmaūdements c. But no mā hath in him that perfect obedience therefore no man can certainely conclude that he pleaseth God To all which we answer that we haue many things iustly to except against it As first that the maior or proposition is not onely fraile but false in the sense that they set it downe in yea though that it haue adioyned vnto it a double reason to strengthen it withall For a mā may haue a good thing yea that good thing they speak of namely perfect obedience in himself though not of himselfe and yet be sure that by reason of that which frō another is imputed vnto him he pleaseth God If they would haue dealt plainely and haue said thus he that hath neither in himselfe nor of himselfe perfect obedience cānot be sure that he pleaseth God and so haue adioyned vnto it such a minor as followeth namely that no man hath either in himselfe or of himselfe that perfect obedience therefore c. it had beene somewhat to the purpose I confesse but then their falshood would more easilie haue beene espied and that made them to halt or at the least to dissemble in vsing this terme onely in himselfe and leauing at that other of himselfe of which also no doubt they meane it and in other places inforce it very farre and that in plaine tearmes audible voice though here they mētiō it not For we the faithful I mean hauing the righteousnesse of Christ communicated and imputed vnto vs haue it in our selues though indeede not of our selues and from the same reape singular consolation and assurance yea much more then from anie righteousnesse wee haue or can haue of our owne For our owne could be no better when it were at the best then that which our first parentes had by creation and yet wee see that notwithstanding the excellencie and integritie thereof they were subiect to falling as the euent declared but wee ingrafted into Christ are free from that feare that so hauing in that and manie other respectes more then we lost in Adam our comfort might be the more large and certaine By all which we may perceiue that the Maior both in the words of it and in their meaning is vntrue or at the least cōmeth short of that it should in that it excludeth or mentioneth not the absolute and perfect obedience of our Sauiour with which beeing clothed as if it were with the vnspotted garment of our elder brother we cannot choose but stand as pure and cleane in the sight and presence of Almightie God As for the proofes adioyned to the proposition we confesse the trueth of them in themselus though we cannot but acknowledge that they are impertinently to no purpose alleadged or brought in here for though we haue none of our owne yet wee haue Christs absolute obedience imputed vnto vs which is as our owne in as much as he is our head and we his members and he and we make but one bodie in as much therefore as he is the person with whome onely God is well pleased and in whome alone he hath reconciled vs vnto himselfe accepting of his offring of himselfe once for all as a full and sufficient price not onely to pay our debts to redeeme vs out of prisō but to bring vs into the glorious liberty of the sonnes of god we should no more doubt of this then if one hauing paid our debtes we were sure to be acquitted and discharged thereof no not so much of this as of that because men that haue satisfied for vs may demaund it againe and molest vs if we pay it not whereas our Sauiour Christ will not or cannot doe in the exceeding pitie and compassion of his loue towardes vs any such thing And as for the places alleadged we aunswere that though in our faylings and fallinges we hauing not performed the thinges that are cōmaunded vs they may and doe make vs to doubt as in respect of our vnworthinesse yet neuer were they propounded by God to make vs doubt of or distrust his power good will c. towardes vs but rather as to sett out the absolute righteousnesse that is in him and our manifold and continuall breaches of his lawe so it may cause vs to go out of our selues to fly frō him as a seuere iudge and to runne vnto Iesus Christ who is placed betweene him and vs not onely to remooue and take away all his wrath but to purchase all his fauour and so the lawe by that meanes both in the light of it and in the threts of it our breaking of it euery way indeed become as the Apostle saith our scholmaster to lead vs vnto Christ And
exceedingly good but as after the fal of our first parents it was deriued and coueied ouer vnto vs that so to doubt of the grace and fauour of God for the forgiuenesse of sinnes for the sauing of our soules c. is very naturall indeede that is to say that in and through this deprauation and corruption of that excellent nature which by creation was infused into our first parents and in them to all their posteritie had they continued therin because we are all in their loines to haue bene partaker of their excellent graces by creation as well as we are of their sinne by transgression men do doubt of God his goodnesse c. And though as in regard of men naturall or facultie or power that they haue in them as of theÌ„ we acknowledge it imposible to alter or change this doubting and distrustfulnesse yet by God to whome all things ar possible and by his singular helpe aide and grace it is not onely in his owne people much altered in this life though the worke be wrought by little and little and as it were by certen steps and degrees but in them shall be vtterly abolished and taken away in the life that is for to come God working it here but in measure and there in absolutenes and perfection not because he is not able here to doe it for what is he not able to performe to shewe what hindraÌ„ce we haue in our selues against his gratious workes partly from our selves and partly from Satans malice and also that he might instruct vs with holy desires to huÌ„ger and thirst after the life to be reuealed where is indeede the absolute perfection and fulnesse of our felicity But they say further coÌ„cerning this point The Saintes and people of God doe sometimes fall into doubting concerning gods grace and their own saluation and to that end they alleadge Psal 33. Habac. 1. We graunt it neither neede they indeed to prooue it for the experience that God hath giuen vs of others of our selues doth plainly shew the same But what would they infer that therefore it is good and laweful Surely there will no such thing followe To reason froÌ„ some facts or affections of the godly is not right for so in Noah we might druÌ„keÌ„nes from Dauids adultery we might approoue of other meÌ„s filthines from Peters fal we might iustifie other meÌ„s feare c. The reason whereof is plaine and euident Our regeneration as other spirituall graces that God vouchsafeth vs in this life as knowledge faith obedience c. is but in part And by reason of the remainders of sinn the flesh also lusting yea rising vp against the spirite it falleth out that many times we doe not onely leaue vndone the good we should performe but accomplish also the euill that god hath forbidden vs to do And that not only in the affections and thoughts of our hearts to which we must refer doubting and distrustfulnes but euen in the words of our mouths and works of our hands also and therefore not safe to follow the example of Gods Saints either in inward or outward thinges further then as they themselues are sanctified and walke in the obedience of the word and tread in the holy steppes of God And this the Apostle meaneth when he saith Ephes 5. Be yee followers of God as deare children and walke in loue euen as Christ hath loued vs and in anolher place Be yee follovvers of me euen as I am of Christ first to the CorinthiaÌ„s eleuen By which we see that though the faithfull fall into doubting yet they do it not as in respect of the graces of God which they haue receiued but as in regard of the remainders of flesh corruption in them vnreformed And yet so as they do oppose and set themselues what they can and higge and wrestle with their doubting by setting against the same holie and heauenlie thoughts of gods free grace gracious promises as also the strength and power of the holie spirit of God prouoking them as they are regenerate to manie good works and particularly to praier by meanes whereof that which is faint and weake in and of themselues may bee strengthened as wee may see in the father of the possessed child Mark 9. Lord I beleeue help myne vnbeleefe and by the Apostles beseeching God to increase their faith this assurance of their harts concerning fauour from God and saluation beeing a fruite of their faith and a worke of Gods spirite in them without which indeede they can neuer attaine therevnto and that doubting that they finde and feele flowing from the remainders of their corruption as yet vnregenerated But as men that are in a labyrinth and cannot tell which way to get out do more and more inwrappe themselues so fareth it with these persons opposing themselues against the truth of God and assaying to defend the errors and corruptions of their owne hearts For as though that which they haue said already had not beene mirie and filthie inough they yet vrge more claye and dongue drawne out of the beastlie puddle of their owne hearts Thus therefore they yet presse and vrge this point Naturall thinges that is such things as we haue naturally in our minds are not sinne but doubting is naturall therefore it is not sinne we aunswer to the proposition or maior by distinguishing Naturall things are of two sortes that is either such as we had first from God by creation remaine some of them in vs as yet vntainted are not sinne as for example our feare our loue c. simply and in themselues considered as it is not sinne in it selfe to haue that passion of feare or that affectioÌ„ of feare as to our children c. so that they be freed from extremities and such things in the considerations before expressed are not to be accouÌ„ted simply sinne or euill But there are some things nowe counted naturall which haue both come vpon preuailed vpon the puritie of our nature as it was in creation as for example ignorâ—nce in steed of our knowledge doubting or distrustfulnes in stead of our hope c. and these cannot choose but be euill for euen as our creation and all the things we had therein comming from God made vs to be denominated good because nothing could come from him but that which was good So these proceeding from a contrary fountaine that is Satan and his malice cannot choose but be of the same nature that he is of that is euil sinful And therfore coÌ„cerning doubting say that it is naturall indeed but not as from our first creation for then it should haue beene good but came vnto our nature after the fall and so beeing depraued is euill specially when it is referred to God as in all this question it is for though when wee haue to deale with men specially such as whome for their waywardnes inconstancie other corruptioÌ„s that we our selues haue had experieÌ„ce of we haue iust
therfore or fruits of my faith will I gather this trueth against thee to the staying vpholding of mine owne heart And first because the holy spirit of God and the infallible testimonie that it yeeldeth vnto my heart is a principally propp and stay vnto me I tell thee Sathan that euen that shall testifie vnto my spirite that I am Gods childe and dare therevpon without feare or trembling call vpon him and say Abba O father by which I perceiue I doe beleeue for otherwise how could I call vpon him in whome I beleeue not and assuredly knowe that I haue faith because I stay my selfe wholy and onely vpon him saying unto him in some sorte and sense as the Prophet Dauid saieth Lord vvhome haue I in heauen but thee and in earth I desire none vvith thee And least Sathan should thinke I doe this without warrant or reason I will not feare or bee ashamed to set downe my grounds out of the word How comfortable is this saying of the Apostle Romaines 8. Wee haue not receiued the spirite of bondage to feare againe but the spirit of adoption whereby vve crye as vvith boldnesse so vvith earnestnesse father father The same spirite witnesseth vvith our spirite that vvee are the children of God if children then heires also c. To the same ende tendeth that of 1. Cor. 2. Where he saieth We haue receiued not the spirite of the vvorld but the spirite vvhich is of God that by it vve may know the thinges that are giuen vnto vs of God And though this be sufficient and indeede greater then all exception yet haue we besides the powerfull working of the same spirite framing vs and fashioning vs to sound cōuersion before god and to the yeelding orbringing out of the sincere fruits of faith that is to say good workes which cannot but assure me of my saluation and of Gods grace and confirme me in the certaine hope of the one and the other And this is that which Saint Peter prouoketh vnto when he saieth Brethren g ue diligence by good vvorkes to make your calling and election sure for if yee do these thinges yee shall neuer fall because by this meanes an entry shal be ministred vnto you aboundantly into the euerlasting kingdom of our Lord Sauiour Iesus Christ And of this truth we haue further this double reason If that which is from our selues as for example our sinnes maye iustlye mooue and make doubting why should not that which is from God as for example the fruits of our vnfeined faith and obedience ministet hope and assurance God I am sure is greater then man and his graces much more excellent then mans infirmities are base and vile And if this were not true howe should we that carrie gods heauenly treasures in earthen vessels conceiue hope of profiting by them in our selues or of doing good with them vnto others But wee are assured of the one the other notwithstanding our weaknesse and wants therefore we must also conceiue hope of the former indeed assure our hearts therein Againe why doth Christ dwell in our hearts by faith as the Apostle saieth in his Epistle to the Ephesians it is to this ende that he might be idle in vs no verily Sathan when he possesseth men will not suffer them to be idle much lesse Iesus Christ but prouoke them still to honest labours and good workes For by his spirituall power he manifesteth his owne strength in the middest of our manifold weakenesses Nowe if that bee true then this ensueth therevpon that I am Christs and Christ is mine as the Church faithfull soule singeth in the booke of the Canticles yea he himselfe with all his graces and merits whatsoeuer So that he which feeleth and findeth these effectes in himselfe can not but must of necessitie inferre therevpon that he hath faith and that therefore he hath Christ in him in this life making him fruitefull vnto all good works and sealing vp vnto him in him saluation euerlasting life in that which is to come Vnlesse that he would imagine that Christ could be idlye or without fruite in the hearts of his people which were blasphemy And yet we may be the better assured hereof because true faith indeed can no more be sundred from good workes which are the sound fruits thereof then light from the sunne or heat from the fire or if you will the shaddow from a naturall bodie But yet Sathan will except against this This faith of thine which thou speakest of and these fruites of it that thou mentionest they are imperfect they are faint and few yea they seeldome or verie rarely appeare or are seene What then Satan Graunt that my faith and good works are faint and few in me wilt thou infer that therefore I haue none that is against all reason and religion In reason he that hath but a sick pining or languishing life liueth still and in hope of the bettering of his estate either as in regard of this world if god will or as in respect of the life to come especially And why shoulde not this in measure and manner be true as in respect of our spirituall life here In religion we know that God accepteth both the whole Church the seuerall mēbers of it according to that they haue and not according to that they haue not prouided alwaies that that which they haue they haue it frō him or els how could the Church members of it reioyce or cōfort thēselus in the thing that they do And frō hence is it indeed that we learne notwithstanding weaknes wants either in whole congregations or seuerall members not to breake the vnitie of the spirit in the band of peace nor to forsake the fellowship of the brethren and the exercises of the Church as the manner of sinne is but n holy wisdome and power from aboue to put a difference betwixt good and euill and that not onely in our perswasion but in our practise not forsaking the good of our God for some euills or corruptiō of man adioined therewithall nor yet for the goods sake iustifying or approouing the euill And if this were not sufficiēt yet we haue further props to our faith here namely first that though our faith be weake and faint yet is it true and sound For euen that faith which is infirme and weake may yet notwitstanding be true right the reason is because that not weake faith and true faith are opposite but weake faith and no faith And this we may see also by the worthy speech of the father of the sicke childe in the Gospell Lord I beleeue but helpe thou mine vnbeleefe This weakenes imperfection our faith not comming from it selfe nor being in it selfe as of it selfe for so it is an excellent and an absolute worke of God but as it is intermingled with the remainders of our vnbeleeuing heart which yet notwithstanding the faintnesse and weaknesse of it may no lesse effectually
James 3. in many things we sinne all Howebeit we see a maruelouse difference betweene their setting my sinnes before me and Gods word propounding it vnto me Thou doest it of a deadly malice to drawe me into desperation and by meanes thereof into condemnation and therfore no reason that I should listen vnto thee so deadly hating me as thou doest attempting such morall dangers against me as the death and destruction of my soule and body But the Lord setteth them before me to humble me at the feete of his goodnes that so in forgiuing me also so greate a debt I might learn both to loue him that hath dealt so bountifully with me and beware of falling into the like mischiefes againe by meanes of my sinns Besides I answere further for my selfe that I am not so much to regard my slips falls as how or with what affection I haue offended God hath kept me from sinning presūpteously with a high mind howsoeuer to make me see my selfe to be more circumspect against transgression I haue fallen of humane infirmitie and weaknesse And if this and such like considerations mittigat sinnes amongst men why should it not also in some sort doe so before God who is better able to discerne and iudge both of actions and affections then all the people of the worlde that either haue beene be or shall be Moreouer that is false that thou doest inferre that falling into sinne doth vtterly spoile Gods people of faith in themselues and of all grace and fauoure from God for if that were so howe could any of gods children that haue gone before vs or liue presently with vs or which shall succeed vs euen to the ende of the world al and euery one whereof some one way some another haue beene fearefully ouertaken be raised vp againe to repentance and amendment of life And this we may see as by many examples of holy men in the worde in the world so by the doctrine of the holy scriptures and amongst the rest Ioh. 3. who soeuer is borne of god sinneth not that is to say either the sinne that is vnto death or lieth not wallowing swinelike as the vngodly of the world doe in the filth and puddle of their transgressions And of this assertion he rendreth a reason very strong and forcible saying for his seede remaineth in him that is the holy ghost with his graces shed abroad into his heart will not let him lie still but laboureth his raysing vp againe And as though this had not beene sufficient he addeth neither can he sinne to wit in sort as before is expressed and why because he is borne of God who besides that he is stronger then all and therefore can and will performe his owne will doth not beginne in his people any good worke but bringeth it one daily more and more according to the measure that he seeth to be good for all and euery one of thē to perfectiō And this grace I find from God that as I see my sinne for my humiliation so I behold the precious gift of faith and many great graces of God for my exaltation and therfore haue not lost as thou wouldst haue me beleeue Sathan all sense feeling of God and godlinesse but haue that seed and the annointing by which I shall be inabled to stand and if I doe fall shall yet notwithstanding be raised vp againe and set vpon my feete more staied and confirmed then euer before and that not onely by reason of the circūspectiō and meanes that is wrought in me thereby but also by the strength that is communicated vnto me from aboue which in succeeding time breaketh forth and therefore I am not vtterly fallē from grace as thou forgest and fainest Satan neither haue made frustrate Gods election concerning my selfe because that as a strong foūdation remaineth vnmoueable and vnchangeable for he abideth alwaies faithfull and cannot denie himselfe whether it be executing of his wrath vpon the wicked or in the displaying and exercising of his mercies vpon the godly Besides euē from this I gather infallible comfort that hauing in a true and diligent search of mine owne soule but once in my life found faith in selfe I cannot vtterly lose faith and the fauour of God And why so it is because I haue it no but because the gift and callings of God are such as God will neuer repent him of Ro. 9. And vpon this and nothing els doe I assure my heart Wherefore I feare not to affirme and say that though my faith may be sore shaken and euen as in regard of the fruits of it as if it were broken of for a time or rather lie hid a little while vntill I be inabled by the power of Gods blessed spirit to gather my spirits vnto my selfe yet I am sure the seed therof remaineth in me and shall againe beeing raised vp by the spirit of God breake out in as full force as before As we may see first in Dauid notwithstanding his fearefull falls of adulterie murther c. and then in Peter notwithstanding his carnall counsell giuen to his Master and his shamefull denying yea abiuring and forswearing of him in whome it lay hidden as it were fire in or vnder the ashes and the sunne vnder a darke or thicke cloud it being stirred vp in Dauid by the ministrie of Nathan the Prophet sent vnto him by God to reprooue him put him in mind of his sinne and in Peter as by the crowing of the cocke so by Christs looking backe vnto him So gracious is God towards his children and so powerfull in his owne worke that rather then his people should perish his mercies should allure them his iudgements shal terrifie them his word shal humble them yea and raise them vp also his spirit shal draw them that which seemeth to be no meane shal be an effectuall powerfull instrument to manifest his glory and to worke their good through Christ And that this is false that thou saist Satan that the faithful by their sins loose faith it selfe and the graces of the spirite may appeare by two places of Scripture The 1. is out of Psal 51. where the Prophet praieth that god would not take his holy spirit frō him Which if it had bin quite lost by his former trāsgression he could not haue praied for because it was gone before but rather shoulde haue praied that the Lord would haue restored his holy spirite vnto him because taking away implieth restoring and praying not to take it awaye declareth that it was there still howsoeuer in his owne feeling and falls he supposed he had iustly deserued 〈◊〉 be depriued thereof The second is the wordes of our Sauiour to Peter Luke 22. saying I haue praied for thee that thy faith faile thee not Which words as they containe in thē a protestation of Christs vnfeined care and loue so he saith I haue praied for thee so do they comprehēd a faithful promise in
the grace of God for that can they neuer cōe into that are his for those whome the Lord loueth he loueth vnto the ende but slipping or sliding into sinnes and transgressions and those neither not of the highest degree but of the meanest nature which he calleth afterward temptations appertaining to mā which though in their owne nature as any other sinne should may dismay vs much yet should they not worke as in respect of God and his goodnesse towards vs doubtfulnesse in vs because those whome he loueth he loueth as we haue heard already vnto the ende notwithstanding the weakenesses and wants that be in them And the drift of the place will as little availe them For by that which goeth before as also by that which followeth after we may see that the spirit laboureth nothing more then this to drawe the Corinthians from security to heed and carefulnesse which he doth as by propunding vnto thē auncient examples of Gods wrath against a people that had very great priuiledges and tokens of Gods fauour so by this also that they hauing a more plaine declaration of Gods will then the other should thereby learne to be more wary least otherwise not the like but greater iudgemēts should breake forth against them by howe much Christ was more plainely manifested amōgst them And yet least one side they might flatter thēselues to much so not so carefully withstād Satans subtilities as they ought for men that imagine more of thēselues then there is cause why are cōmonly carelesse or on the other side thinke that this dealing of the Apostle was somewhat rough hard into which fault when men are friendly admonished by them that loue and care for them they easily fall he doth so with one hand by admonition labour to preuent security that be doth with the other raise them vp to comfort least they might imagine or thinke that he made them altogeather like to those wicked people of Israel that perished in the wildernesse Now what is there either in the one or in the other that fauoureth of vpholding doubting For carefulnesse one the one side and comfort one the other both which are the thinges he propoundeth here are such as haue no familiaritie or acquaintance with distrustfulnesse or doubting In a word the Apostle here dealeth against carnall confidence and securitie enioyning vs that we rely not to much vpon the graces that God hath bestowed vpon vs or flatter our selues in carelesse securitie or stay our selues vpon our present estate or foolish conceite and opinion that we haue of our selues but rather that ackowledging our weakenesse faintnesse and vnworthinesse and also Gods grace and goodnesse towards vs we should labour to liue in the feare of God and combating against our corruption and flesh we should craue Gods aide and asistance against sinne and Satan If the Apostle here then had forbidden the Corinthians to trust in the promises of God it had beene somewhat but he is so farre frō that that here he blameth them for being so much puffed vp in the vaine confidence of flesh and blood and provoketh them rather to modesty and lowelinesse And what is this to distrust or doubting which is that they must prooue or els nothing 4 They alleadge a fourth place out of Phil. 2. verse 12. Worke out your owne saluatiō with feare and trembling therefore say they men must doubt of saluation c. But this hath no more pith or marrowe in it then the former Why may we not as safely alleadge it for free will and power not onely to doe good but to merite also as for maintenance and vpholding of doubting ad distrust The commandement seemeth to be plaine for the one but the wordes of feare and trembling are not so sufficient for the other As therfore the commandement implieth not abilitie in parties commaunded to doe the thing or things enioyned but rather sheweth what God requireth so the wordes of feare and trembling doe rather tend to breed carefulnes and circumspection then doubtfulnes or distrust And indeed if we should respect the words themselues specially the commandement wee shall see that the place rather yeeldeth argument of confidencie and boldnes then of doubting and distrust For if the commandement will inferr power in our selues to do the thing commanded and we knowe that that which is in our owne hands we easilie trust vnto and make no scruple or doubt of it it will follow therevpon that howsoeuer feare and trembling may seeme in their sense to implie doubting yet power to work saluation being in men thēselues will quickly expell that conceit vnlesse they mind to hold that a man at one and the selfe same time ocupied about one and the selfe same obiect and hauing but one trueth or waye to leade him thereto may yet doubt of himselfe and presume of himselfe But the truth is that the self same spirite that for taking away the conceit of mans freewill and power presently addeth it is God that worketh in vs both the will the deed according to his good pleasure doth in manie places of other his writings particularly in this epistle say for the remoouing of doubting that he is assuredly perswaded that god that had begunne this worke in thē would make it perfect euen vntill the day of Iesus Christ Nowe what worde is there in this text that will implie doubting If it be anie it is feare and trembling but they as wee haue heard already import no such matter but rather signifie reuerence of God and a certaine kind of childlike awe and loathsomnes to offend or displease so gratious a father as our heauenly father is Me thinketh wee may well expound this place by a sentence of the Prophet Psal 2. Where he saith serue the Lord in feare and reioyce before him in trembling what doeth he meane thereby doubting no surely for the Apostle Iames telleth vs that he that wauereth or doubteth receiueth nothing at all but as he is inconstant in all his waies so he is sent away emptie harted and handed from God but he vnderstandeth childlike feare which is alwayes adioyned with faith and is opposed not to doubting as we haue noted already but to carnall securitie and carelesnes which vaine cōfidence in and of our selues worketh in vs. These men belike suppose that faith and feare cannot stand together but they are deceiued for the faithfull may both feare and beleeue also yea and enioy comfort and consolation to according as they respect either themselues or God or cōsider in God a supreame Maiestie which may cause them to feare or tremble or behold in him largenes in promise faithfulnes in performing and so not onely beleeue in him but reioyce also In a word the Apostle mindeth not to cōmaūd mē to doubt of gods grace their owne saluation for that had bin directly contrary to the truth that he had in other places deliuered and all comming from one spirite and the same
God and is the worke of his owne grace in vs and appointed indeede amongst other fruits of our faith notwithstanding the weakenes and wants of it which are from our selues not from god or his work in vs and therefore may indeed comfort vs for as this is a sure rule that whatsoeuer is of or from our selues may iustly discourage vs and cause vs to hang downe our heads for shame and to cast downe our hearts for feare So this is as certaine that whatsoeuer is from God may and ought as in and of it selfe specially when it is reuerently receiued and rightly vsed notwithstanding there be imperfections in them that take and vse the same yeeld vnto vs singular consolation Hitherto concerning the maior Nowe for the minor Wherevnto we answer that in the gospell the measure of repentance that is of contrition faith and new obediēce is not prescribed my meaning is that there is not shewed how great or howe much our repentance should be but rather the thing it selfe in it selfe the soundnesse of it exacted or required So that we may safelie say not the quantitie of it as whether it be litle or great suffiseth but the soundnesse truth of it suffiseth though not before God neither for there is want in vs our good works that way yet as in regard of our selues and our owne assurāce for though it be not sufficient for our purpose or before God yet it may suffice for another and as in regard of our selues For euen as not the quātity so much as the quality of faith in the truth and stedfastnesse of it is it that in some sorte commendeth vs to God but specially ministreth much comfort to our owne consciences And as not long and many praiers but short and sweet as we may say yea so do wee say and beleeue also touching all other fruits of our faith and namely our repentance And let this suffice for this point 8 Their eight argument they make thus Pride is a vice displeasing God on the other side humilitie and modestie is a vertue that he taketh delight in But for a man to say that he is in Gods fauour and is assured of eternall saluation is a point of arrogancie as againe to doubt whether he be in Gods fauour a token of modestie and humilitie Therefore for a man to say that he is sure he is in Gods fauour is a soule fault and to doubt of it is a goodlie vertue The maior of this proposition is as cleare as possible can bee and to bee prooued by manie places of the Scripture and particularly by this God resisteth the prouds and giueth grace to the humble And therefore we say nothing to it but willinglie yeeld and submit our selues to the truth thereof But the minor is corrupt and false and therefore wee denie it in both the parts or propositions of it For it is not arrogancie to be assured generallie of Gods fauour for all mercies and particularly of his grace concerning eternall saluation sith god himselfe for the better vpholding of our hearts and hopes that way hath beene pleased to giue vnto vs many gratious both proppes and promises in his worde which also in good time he will performe vnto vs as he hath done to many of his faithfull seruantes who haue gone before vs in the flesh and in the faith For this and not that is arrogancie indeede to take that which doth not belong vnto vs or to presume of this or that which we haue not and yet deceiued in our owne hearts imagine we haue it or els hauing it to be puffed vp with a conceite of hauing more then we inioy or els inioying it to be proud of it either as though we had not receiued it or as though God had giuen it vs to that end to make vs swell ouer others But to assure our selues of Gods grace and of eternall life is a doctrine that God hath deliuered in his word for the good and stay of his owne people as we haue already heard heretofore and should againe hereafter heare it prooued more at large and therefore we can not arrogate or take any more vnto our selues then that that in regard of the free fauour of God belongeth vnto vs and presume here we cannot or be proud whether we haue it or haue not for it were madnesse to be lifted vp with that we haue not and sith we haue it not of our selues but frō another we may say as the Apostle saith what hast thou that ihou hast not receiued if thou hast receiued it why reioycest thou as though thou hadest not receiued it And again we knowe God giueth no graces to any euill ende howesoeuer man in his owne corruption and Satan in his malice against him abuse them many times thereto but as the graces themselues are good so both he in his purpose doth and we in our practise ought to aime at good endes and effects that so the one answering the other he might haue glory other mē good and our selues cōfort On the other side it is not humilitie to doubt of Gods fauour but distrustfulnes or doubting rather for humilitie respecting not God or not reaching vnto him though it be acceptable in his eyes as other good thinges are but concerning men who when he considereth either himselfe his sinne and misery thereby or els God in his maiestie might iustice c. as a sharp reuēger of the same hath iust occasiō to be thrown downe is a holy blessed virgine whereas distrustfulnesse or doubting arising from the corruption of our hearts and an imagination touching the height or heinousnes of our iniquities or ignorance of gods diuine nature and holy word as though he could not or would not forgiue vs is a foule vice because it dishonoureth God in the riches of his mercie and addeth affliction vnto a fearefull and distressed soule And both these points me thinketh we may see plaine by and earthly comparison For as when a great prince or person that both hath largenesse of power and soundnesse of good will shal promise vs much and wil vs in the word of a prince to assure our selues and be bolde then to doubt were folly in our selues and discredit to the person that offereth would performe such singular fauour so is it in this behalfe betweene vs and God whose power we cannot doubt of not onely because it is absolute and infinite but also because he hath effectually in all ages and to euery person performed whatsoeuer he hath faithfully promised and whose good will we may not call into question he hauing giuen vs so many assurances thereof as his sweete promises the death of his sonne the pledge of his spirit and many particular graces both outward and inward as he hath beene pleased to bestowe vpon vs. So that we may see it is not pride but Christian humilitie not onely to thinke or speake lowely of but as it were to distrust yea
condemne our owne deedes and workes and renouncing them vtterly to rest and stay our selues vpon the mercy of God promised vnto vs for Christ our Sauiour his sake and alwaies both in minde and mouth to haue that worthy saying of the prophet rise with vs Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant O Lord for then no flesh shall be righteouse in thy sight and that of the Apostle 1. Cor. 4. I knowe nothing by my selfe and yet I am not iust or iustified for all that One the other side it is not humilitie as they suppose but arrogancie and indeede contempt of God and heauenly promises not to giue credit to or not to beleeue these sweete promises And therefore Saint Iohn saith he that beleeueth not God hath made him a lier 1. Iohn 5.10 and we may see a memorable example of it in Ahaz Isaiah 7. who refused a signe giuen vnto him from god But they presse this further say it is a token of humilitie to acknowledge our infirmities and sinnes And who wil deny that that hath any fault or sauour in him of godlines But on the other side who knoweth not that humilitie and doubting differ as much as vice virtue or what man vnles he were madde not onely without reason but against godlinesse would suppose that our true humility should destroy confidēce boldnesse or faith concerning Gods grace forgiuenesse of our sinnes and eternall saluation sith our humility is as other good things in vs the fruite of the faith If mā did soundly vnderstand what humility were they would doubtlesse be of another minde thē conclude so This is humility not onely truly to feare God as a iudge and so to acknowledge in his sight our sinnes and infirmities but also to fly vnto Iesus Christ and to stay in his al sufficiēt satisfaction Doth this ouerthrowe a poore mans pouertie that he beggeth an almes for Gods sake as we say or doth this destroy a weake mans weaknesse that he seeketh for shelter and defence at the handes of the strōg or doth this take away a sicke mans sicknes that he laieth it open to the Phisition and requireth medicine no verely but rather argueth pouerty weaknesse sicknesse c. And so doth our humility But let vs go forward 9 The ninth argument is this Where there is vnworthinesse there cannot be assurance of Gods grace of forgiuenesse of sinnes and of saluation but still there must be doubting But in thē that are turned to God there is great vnworthinesse whilest they knowe not whether they haue sufficiently and worthily prepared themselues and performed all the couenants and conditions that God hath prescribed therefore c. The proposition or maior of this argument is very false because the beholding or feeling of our own vnworthinesse doth no more worke doubting much lesse distrustfulnesse in the hearts of Gods people then feeling of outward wants maketh naturall men carelesse of a supply It is a grace of God to be well acquainted with our owne vnworthinesse yea such a grace as God onely bestoweth vpon his owne children that so in the beholding and sight therof they may more earnestly seeke after and be more fruitfully made partakers of the exceeding riches of his mercy wheras the wicked of the world are either ceased with benūmednesse and senslesnesses of their owne vnworthinesse and good reason thereof because they feele not sinne or els see it in iudgement and condemnation and good reason of it also because rather they haue made no account to profit by Gods mercies but to abuse them rather to licentiousnesse and sinne And that we might be the better assured of the trueth of this point namely that the feeling of the indignity of gods people hath neither wrought doubting in themselues nor caused god the lesse but more rather to esteeme them we haue many memorable examples but for the present we will content our selues with one out of the ould testament and another out of the newe that so seeing the consent of scriptures and the confirmitie of this trueth in all ages we may the better beleeue it both for the comfort of our consciences and stopping the mouthes of the aduersaries In the 18. of Genesis the spirit presseth this in the prayer of Abraham that he made for Sodom Gomorrah c. that he said he was but dust and ashes and how could he more debase and humble himselfe and yet he cōtinueth afterwards his prayer againe againe which had his heart beene possessed with doubting and vpheld with hope he could not haue performed And in the 8. of the gospell after Mathew the Centuriō that came to intreat Christ for his seruant sicke of the palsie and grieuously pained feeling and confessing his owne vnworthinesse that he was not vvorthy that Christ should come vnder his roofe doth not only make Christ him selfe as he was mā to maruaile at it but according to truth for the better comforting of all that haue the like sense to cōmend him to say verely I haue not found so great faith no not in Israel what meaneth that generall sentēce of the word god resisteth the proud giueth grace to the humble confirmed by the example of the Pharise Publican Luke eighteene But to teach vs this point Can a man be truely humbled in himselfe without sight and sense of his owne vnworthinesse or can he tast or tell how sweet the Lord is in his mercies that is not wel acquainted with his owne miseries If anie man thinke so he is fowly deceiued Nay we will say more that where vnworthines is most felt there is offred vnto godlie men the best meanes of certainetie and assurance not onely because the Scripture saith where sinne hath aboūded ther grace hath abounded much more but because God in his purpose and indeed assured good-will calleth vs out of our selues who are altogether weaker then water that so we might wholy repose our wofull soules vpon him that is the god of our comfort and the vnmouable rock of our strength Wherefore wee see that the maior is vtterly vntrue As for the first part of the assumption or minor we will not denie it namely that euen in the faithfull there is not onely is great vnworthines but a very good tast and feeling thereof And good reason there is it should be so they best obserue their owne waies they best examine their owne hearts c. Neither will we much stick with them to yeeld them the secōd part of it namely that these are good meanes to make euen god feele their vnworthines that they doe not rightly and reuerently prepare themselus to the seruice of god that they fullfill not al nay not any in sort as they should of the couenants conditions or cōmandements of god c. but that they should worke doubting in them of gods goodnes grace towards them that is the point we deny and they cā neuer prooue for doubting is not the proper peculiar
of the thing as he that in strength apprehendeth the like or another of the same kinde so may a christian man though he haue but infirme and weake faith be as well assured that god in Christ will shewe him mercie and forgiue him all his sinnes through his obedience as he that hath more strength of it and euen in that infirmitie reape and receiue singular coÌ„fort though not in the weaknes it selfe yet as in regard of the obiect that that weake instrument laieth assured hold of and applieth to it selfe 11 They haue an other argument which they doe not onely frame and fashion but presse vrge againe and againe in manner and forme following Naturall thinges say they are vnchaungeable But to doubt concerning Gods grace and our reconciliation with him is naturall specially as we are nowe borne and brought forth into the world therefore to doubt is vnchaungeable first for the maior or proposition of this sillogisgisme we say that in diuers respectes it is and may be true and in diuerse respectes againe it is not true but false Naturall thinges are vnchangeable to witte so long as they continue so be not altered or chaÌ„ged by his haÌ„d that is the Lord of nature or by soÌ„e extraordinary course that he is pleased to permit and appoint for then when he that is Lord ouer all will haue an alteration the creatures must of necessitie by right of creation and by the authoritie of the Creator yeeld therevnto And this is it that the Prophet teacheth Psal 104. saying All things waite vpon thee that thou maiest giue them foode in due season thou giuest it them and they gather it thou openest thy hand and they are filled with good things But if thou hide thy face they are trovbled if thou take avvay their breath they die and returne to their dust And we see it confirmed also by sundry examples as in the booke of Iehoshua chapter 12. where he saith Sunne stay thou in Gibleon and thou mooue in the valley of Aâ—alon And Isaiah 38. Where for the confirmation of Hezekias faith in the promise of his recouery to health it is said that in the deall of Ahaâ— the sunne returne a backward tenne degrees by vvhich degrees it was gone downe Besides it is true in such naturall things as God hath created and preserued yea and doth preserue in their estates wherein â—e created them and not in those which by some occasion since haue an addition vnto their created nature of which sort as we shall heare hereafter doubting and distrustfulnes is and not of the former And good reasoÌ„ it should be so for the additameÌ„t vnto nature as it was created in an alteration and changing of the first nature as we may see euen by this particular if we had no more that for the sinnes of man the creatures and particularly the earth is liable to the curse of barrennesse c. which without that it could not haue beene and yet notwitstanding this additioÌ„ these things by reasoÌ„ of propagation are eueÌ„ in this life â—ightly named natural And this we might inlarge and prooue by many other particulars that howesoeuer at their first producing or bringing forth they seemed to be against nature and monstrous indeede yet by propagation and continuance of time are reckoned amoÌ„gst naturall things So that we may nowe see howe the maior is true and howe it is vntrue For the minor it is true sinne bringing that many other fearefull things into the world and the same thorugh the taint of originall vnrighteousnesse beeing spread ouer all flesh howebeit that will not followe therevpon nor out of the maior that is concluded that therefore doubting cannot be altered For though as in respect of nature vitiated and man himselfe tainted therewith there can be no alteration or change made but rather still an increase of corruption by reason of that strength and power of original sin and the reliques of it in vs yet as in regard of God who onely worketh wonderfull thinges both in heauen and earth according to his good pleasure and to whome alone it belongeth as to search the hearts and reines so to make of fâ—â—tie fleshie hearts it is not so but as he can and that with ease also change the naturall course of all his creatures generally so can he as he will and by such powerfull instruments as he hath appointed thereto alter and change the vitiaâ—e and corrupt heart of man purging it so by faith that it shall be free from the power of iniquitie and sanctified also vnto many good workes And so by all this we see the weakenesse and infirmitie of this argument which they themselues feeling fearing also presse it yet a little further thus Euen those naturall things which are added to nature created are immutable or vnchangeable But doubting euen after this sort is naturall therefore after this manner or sort this doubting also is vnchangeable But that we knowe Gods iudgements to be such that the wicked shall proceede from euill to worse that so heaping vp their owne sinnes they might heape vp against them more iust and swift condemnation we should wonder at this that men turne the truth of God into a lie to their own and other mens hurt also For first the maior or proposition is not true in one sense as hath beene shewed before for though it be true that in this deprauation corruption of our nature naturall things indeed by the strength and power of nature are vnchangeable the reason is because nature so deformed cannot set a foot forward to reformation or alteration of it selfe but rather will proceed in the power of the corruption of it and specially also when it is egged forward with Satans malice from euill to worse yet that hindreth not but by the doctrine of the Gospel which is the power of god to saluation to euery one that beleeueth and by many other meanes and helpes as particularly the gratious working of his blessed spirit this worke of changing and altering our nature not onely may but as we see by former and daily experience is brought to passe for as nothing could hinder him but further him rather when he coÌ„manded light to shine out of darknesse so nothing now can stoppe his worke but shal further it rather in chaunging that cursed and corrupted nature of ours So that though this be true that by force and power of nature they cannot be remooued or changed yet that letteth not but that this also may be true that by Gods word outwardly and by his holy spirit inwardly accompanying making the same fruitefull they may in them that beleeue by little and little not onely be altered and changed but at the last be vtterly chaÌ„ged which is more And as for the minor or assumption we say that in this sense and after this sort namely that not as nature was first created of God for so it could not chuse but be as he is
sound or that god may not distribute his graces as he will to some more to some lesse to none all it were somewhat But these things being as they are Hieroms collection cannot be very good But let it be as may be wee say nothing to deface him or to puffe vp our selues but to shewe that the aduersaries haue not nor cannot any maÌ„ner of way haue such hold of him or from him as they suppose And the like may we say of al the rest whose authorities we cease further to answer as we because that which hath beene said to these will suffice to satisfie the other as also because we would auoid tediousnesse not onely in matter vnnecessarie but euen also in that which is necessary and so make hast to more materiall points and matter of more weight and importance Hitherto wee haue bin busied and I hope not vnprofitably in aunswering whatsoeuer our aduersaries haue beene able to alleadge either out of Scripture or from reason or fathers against the certainetie of faith in the fauour of God touching our saluation c. or for the maintenance and vpholding of that doubtfulnesse and distrust which they hold in themselues and would obtrude or thrust vnto others By all which it plainely and euidently appeareth that that doctrine of theirs concerning doubting is not conteined in the word of God or the writings of the fathers rightly vnderstood or is grounded vpon anie sound or religious reason and that therefore indeede it is not to be accounted a Scripture doctrine or a doctrine conteined in the bookes and writinges of holie men indued with sound and vpright iudgement but is taken rather as a dreame and fantasie of their owne which together with with them will vanish awaye they beeing so farre of their preiudising the trueth which they haue seemed to oppugne and impugne that they haue rather established and confirmed the same so true here and else where euen in all respects must that be that the Apostle Saint Paule speaketh in the second to the CorinthiaÌ„s the thirteene where he saith We cannot do any thing against the truth but for the trueth Now we are in as few words as possiblie wee can to declare that this their doctrine of doubting directly striueth against gods holy word the writings of the founder fathers religions reason and whatsoeuer else we can recken vp that so when wee see it hath not onely nothing for it but all against it wee may cast it away with bissing and so more soundlie cleaue and stick to the truth of God and his word 1 This doctrine of the papists concerning doubting of Gods grace our owne saluation c. is first directlie contrarie to two sorts of testimonies contained in the holie Scriptures or writinges of God The first sort is of them that doe manifestlie and plainely instruct vs coÌ„cerning the assurednesse of faith and the certainetie confidencie and boldnes of beleeuers shewing also withall that by faith and the sound fruites thereof we may safelie iudge and determine concerning election specially our owne The second sort is of them in which God himselfe by his word and spirite hath sharpely reprooued and iustly condemned doubting concerning himselfe his goodnesse power word promises therin contained To put downe all the particular places of both kindes in the verie words of the text would bee tedious and indeed vnnecessarie because the trueth of the doctrin of the word standeth not in the multitude and conformitie of places but vpon God and that sufficient credit in it selfe that God hath giuen to it Notwithstanding wee will touch some and by quotation onely referre the godlie and studious reader to the the rest that we thinke meet for this purpose and to his continuall reading of the word by which we may doubtlesse add many more of the like nature In the epistle to the Hebreues there are two worthy places The 1. is chap. 4. v. 16. where he saith Let vs boldly go therefore vnto the throne of grace that we may receiue mercie and finde grace to help in time of neede Wee may perceiue that it is an exhortation inferred vpon the premises containing in them a reason of this our christian boldnes namely this that howsoeuer Christs priesthood was farre more excellent and glorious then that of Aaron because he is the sonne of God placed in heauen c. Yet that glorie of his should not hinder vs from approching vnto him but rather further vs indeed not onely because he hath the fulnes of all power in his hand as v. 14. but also because he is our eldest brother and is not onely sensibly touched with the feeling of out infirmities and miseries but accounteth them all euen as his owne and therefore wee may come with coÌ„fidence and boldnes vnto him The 2. place is chap. 10. ver 22. where he saith Let vs draw neere with a true heart in assurance of faith our harts being pure from an euill conscience It is an exhortation as the former drawne indeed froÌ„ the maiestie dignitie of Christs priesthood set out and described verse â—â— in which the Apostle sheweth not onely how that all sufficient sacrifice which Christ hath offred once for al vpon the altar of the crosse may be applyed vnto vs to wit by a liuely stedfast faith which he câ—leth here assuraÌ„ce of faith but also how we may be persuaded we haue that faith namely through the sanctification of the spirit which he meaneth by hauing our hearts purged from an euill conscience c. all which causeth vs also assuredly to hope and trust in god and to be assured of his grace because wee see we haue not receiued his grace in vaine To which wee may adde a place out of the first epistle of Peter chap. 1. ver 15. Wherefore gird vp the loynes of your minde bee sober and trust perfectly on that graâ—â— that is brought vnto you in the reuelation of Iesus Christ In which words we may not onely see a transition from one vertue to another that is from faith which he had spoken of before to hope which he now dealeth with they being indeede inseparable companions such as go arme in arme as we may 〈◊〉 but also he doeth very briefly declare what manner of hope that is that we should haue namely that it should be sound sincere continuall and to our vttermost perfect yea he teacheth vs whereon that hope staieth it selfe or what it respecteth grace saith he either the grace of the fauour of God in Christ or els free saluation reuealed vnto vs in the Gospell which also is called grace because it proceedeth from the free fauour and grace of God which is wrought vnto vs in this life through Christ manifested in his word and shall be fully accoÌ„plished when he that is our head shal appear for to ether of these or both of these may these words of the reuelation of Christ be referred though I thinke principally to the
of sinnes And therefore Isaie 4. the ministers of God are charged to comfort yea to comfort againe and againe the people of God and to speake to the heart of Ierusalem and to crie vnto hir that hir warfare is accomplished and that hir iniquitie is pardoned c i And therefore also Christ himselfe most comfortably saith to him that was sicke of the palsie Sonne be of good comfort thy sinnes are forgiuen thee Math. 9. See further for this purpose also Luk 7.50 Rom. 8.15 2. Tim. 1.7 1. Ioh. 4.18 and many other places besides But this doctrine of our aduersaries cōcerning doubting doth if it be receiued quite and cleane supplant the consolation that God hath provided for vs there as we may gather by the effects for where there is doubting concerning Gods grace the forgiuenes of our sinnes the hope of euerlasting life c. There cannot be peace and quietnesse of conscience or any sure soūd and firme comfort but terrours and distrustfulnesse not onely touching their owne present estate but specially also for that which it comes yea at the length desperation for that doubtfulnesse of heart dwelt and continued entring forth at the last because as there is in the godly through the fauour and loue of God towards the in Iesus Christ an increase proceeding from faith to faith so is there in the wicked by reason of their owne sinne and Satans malice against them a proceeding from one iniquity to another they growing in naughtinesse as they doe in yeares On the other side where there is hope and confidēce concerning Gods free fauour and the forgiuenesse of our sinnes and eternall life c. there cannot be but ioy and gladnesse in the minde in the mouth yea the whole man is shal be affected therewith for it is impossible that these graces felt should lie long hid vnder the ashes of our corruption because that being from God who is stronger then all they will prevaile and being as the Apostle sheweth Gal. 5. fruites of the spirit they will breake forth as through the power of him that worketh them in vs so to the glory of him that vouchsafed them vnto vs not onely to the praise of his own name but so the benefite specially spirituall of the sound members of his bodie So that we may safely conclude that such as teach men to doubt they both hinder the minde from true comfort both of the word and spirit especially who hath the name of comfort giuen him in the scripture for this ende chiefely and lay open not a little gappe but a great broade way to desparation 7 In the word of God and especially in the writings of the newe testament we haue many things propounded vnto vs concerning the vnfallible testimony or pledge of the spirit as 2. Cor. 1. he saith that God hath also sealed vs and hath giuen the earnest of the spirit into our hearts meaning thereby such a pawne and pledge of it as doth not onely serue to confirme the promise of Gods goodnesse in vs but is after a sort powerfull in god if a man may so say to make it irrevocable or such as cannot be called backe and Eph. 1.13.14 he saith they were sealed vp with the holy spirit of promise vvhich is the earnest of our inheritance vnder which borrowed kinde of speeches as of sealing first he meaneth to make a notable difference betweene those that are authenticall and those that are not after of earnest he would giue vs to vnderstand that as he or they that haue giuen or taken earnest of a bargaine binde themselues so is it betwixt God and vs See also Ephe. 4.30 and other places But this doctrine of our aduersaries is flatly against it which perswadeth doubting of all and euery grace from God But surely if we marke it by these and such like kind of speeches as we may not only see the great care that God hath to roote it out of ms hearts but also that it is not an esie thing to be performed or conceiued sealing or a seale we knowe is wont to be put to such things as we would haue others to take for vndoubted assured and that not so much in respect of him whose seale it is as to him to whome the seale is giuen as we may see in letters pattents of princes in commission of great personages in graunting of annuities pensions c. And the like may we say of the earnest peny as we call it both the one and the other being vsed to this end that all what soeuer doubting or distrust which might any manner of way arise or fall out might by euery good meane be remoued and taken away And euen so the seale of the spirit is stamped and imprinted in and vpon the beleeuers and the holy spirit is giuen vnto thē as a pledge or earnest penny that so euery one of them might be certified and assured in their hearts that the promises of God made vnto them concerning his fauour the forgiuenesse of their sinnes eternall life are vnmoueable and most certaine and they the better sensed armed thereby against doubting and distrust which naturally cleaueth as fast vnto them as the skinne to the flesh or the flesh to the bones And that this is so namely that the spirit is giuen vnto them to these holy endes and purposes you shall see it plainely propounded and prooued Rom. 8.16 Cal. 4.6 besides those places which haue beene put downe before out of 2. Cor. 1. and Eph. 1.4 And therfore as it is sinne and shame euen against the spirit of the grace to cast away that testimony which he yeeldeth vnto our spirits that we are the sonnes of God and is directly against the commandement of the Apostle 1. Thess Quench not the spirit So this doctrine that leadeah the way and bringeth forth such beastly and bad effects ought to be odious and abhominable to euery man that regardeth his owne comfort or esteemeth gods glory or would not indeede dispise the spirit of grace 8 Besides we knowe that both in the old testament before Christ gaue the fathers sacraments as particularly circrmcision and the passeouer and since in the newe testament God hath giuen vs the same for substance effect I meane the sacrament of baptisme and that of the Lords supper In all which no doubt god then laboureth and now assaieth not onely to remooue the doubting and distrust of our hearts but also to confirme vs in this faith But this doctrine of our popish aduersaries concerning doubting doth infringe both the doctrine of the sacraments themselues and the vse of them also and yet both of them are according For it is certaine that the sacraments themselues whether we consider the outward signes thereof or the invisible grace adioyned thereto offered by the faith offered to the faithfull and wrought in them by the religious vse of them according to Christs institution were both ordained annexed vnto the promises that
these words that thy faith faile not or if you wil this being the end that Christ aimed at in his praiers or the fruit effect that followeth thē in all Christ shewing that is through his most feruent and continual praiers that the whole Church and the particular members of it are so vpheld that they do neuer vtterly nor neuer shall vtterly fal away from the faith which thing spoken here as it should seeme particularly to of Peter and yet notwithstanding in truth vprightnes to be extended to all the faithfull because there is in their measure manner a like cōsideratiō of them in al euery faithfull person is more at large described prooued in the 17. of Iohn Where we may see that Christs praier was frō the beginning is now and shal be to the end of the worlde the very foundation and groundwork of the stability and continuance of the Church of God Another sore assault that after the former yea and indeede at the least wise in outward shew vpon the former Satan maketh against vs or giueth vnto vs is this If thy sinnes harm thee not neither indeed cā hurt thee as thou saiest thou maiest after thou beleeuest once sinne without feare of punishment Thou dealest Sathan like a Sathan now that in a double respect first in the end of thy temptations labouring euery way if it may be to ouerthrow my faith and obedience In the former thou didst assaye to drawe me to despaire In this latter thou labourest to throwe me headlong into securitie So that thou effect my ruine thou carest not by what meane by either of these or by both of them together or by any other God hath discouered this vnto me I hūblie thanke him hoping that he that hath giuen me grace to espie thy subtletie wil also graunt me strength to ouercome it Secōdly herein thou shewest thy selfe an aduersary in that thou doest falsifie peruert my words Where did I say simply that sinne could not hurt or harme This I beleeue in my heart haue and will confesse it vnto the end with my mouth that being ingrafted into Christ my sinnes past or present cannot condemne me no more then they haue done the faithfull which haue gone before me in the flesh and in faith And what haue I saide here but that which the Scripture speaketh euery where The Apostle telleth vs. Rom. 8. in termes that cannot be corrupted with false glosses there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus That againe that the spirit speaketh out of the Prophet Ieremie as a parte and peece of the newe couenant Hebrewes 8. tendeth to the same ende saying I will be mercifull to their vnrighteousnes I will remember their sinnes their iniquities no more That our sinnes offend our most gracious heauenly father that they grieue the holy ghost within vs yea that we by thē not only as it were with cartrops but with gable ropes pul vpon vs though not eternall yet tēporary corporall punishments so indeed do harme hurt vs I neuer denied nor will deny because the truth and certenty of al euery one of these things is propounded vnto vs in the worde of God But in what sense I haue saide thus I haue shewed before and let that suffise As for that that thou woldst haue me to infer thervpon namely that therefore I might liue as I list sinne without controulment it is most false in it self most irreligious before God most vnseasonable in the sight iudgement of men Doth not the Apostle tell vs Rom. 8 that they that are led by the spirit of God are the childēr of God what meneth he thereby any thing els but this that they that are by the grace of God through the worke of regeneration in the power of the spirit and the exercises of the word freed frō sinne do not remaine or continue therein And is not the same that he expresseth in an other place in other tearmes saying our olde man is crucified with Christ that the bodie of sinne might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serue sinne If we knowe any thing in Christ or of Christ we knowe this that so many as are iustified from their sinns by faith in his blood are also by the spirit of Christ sāctified vnto obedience of his wil for these are the two fruits that we haue in by the death and rising againe of our Sauiour from whēce also there followeth this comfort to the faith full that they doe many times in some good measure withstand and ouercome sinne not in others only but in themselues principally And sure we are of these that that sanctification which we haue in and from Christ by obedience of his will can no more be seperated from free iustificatiō from all our vnrighteousnesse through his blood then heat from fire or light and warmeth from the body of the sunne And therefore euen this declareth Satā that thou art a falsifier of all good words and workes But besides I tel thee that sith we may by effects gather arguments to our selus touching the saluation of our soules that therfore thou canst not or shalt not herein shake my faith I take it to be the generall drift of the Apostle 2. Cor. 13. to prooue that by effects we may iudge of our owne and other mens good estates before God Sith therfore God giueth vs that leaue it behoueth vs with all careful indeauour as to vphold these good things in vs so carefully to see whether we can truely finde them in our selues or no or the more in number the more great and excellent in qualitie and the more assured we shall after due examination finde them to be in vs the more assured we may be concerning our owne saluatiō so much the more valiantly oppose our selues against Sathat in this same dangerous combate Whereof also as seemeth to me there is great reason For if our sinnes which are from Sathans malice or our owne corruption do grieue vs possesse our hearts with feare why shall not the fruits of our faith and obedience which are from God yeeld vs comfort fill our hearts with hope not because they are in vs for so we doe many times weaken them at the lest if not impaire or hurt them but as they are in vs from God who we are sure will accept of his owne good workes and graces vouchsafed vnto vs. Lastly I say that as we abstaine not from meate and drinke and other necessarie aides of naturall life because we knowe that the tearme and time of the said life is limited by God so there is no man vnles he be wittingly and wilfully wicked that therefore will giue himselfe ouer to sinne because he is assured of his owne saluation for that were to turne the grace of God into wantonesse to abuse the best grace that euer God gaue vs nay rather a good mā wil therefore the more heedily beware of sinne abstaine frō it because he knoweth that sinne in it own nature grieueth god make the seperatiō between the Lord and vs and cleaue fast vnto righteousnes well doing because our forsaking euill or departing from it as also our accomplishment and performance of good thinges is a pledge of our electiō as the Apostle saith The strong foundation of God remaineth sure hauing this seale set vnto it first the Lord knoweth them that are his and secondly let euery one that calleth vpō the name of the lord Iesus Christ depart from iniquitie And there fore I tell thee Satan I cannot harken to any of thy voices much lesse to this by which thou labourest to thrust me headlong into loose life which wil prouoke god hurt mine owne soule and hinder other men from faith full obedience but detest thee and it wil by gods grace flie from these and all other corruptions whatsoeuer thou wouldst stirre me vnto FINIS