benefits at Gods hand but hauing obtained them we must be as readie to giue him thankes and to ascribe the glorie of all vnto him who is the author and bestower of all vertue and grace which is in vs and so calling vpon God with all manner of prayer he will be continually readie to assist vs in our spirituall combat The third thing required is that we pray in or by the spirit for the word here vsed may signifie both First therefore we must pray in the spirit to which is required first that we pray with vnderstanding in which respect the ignorant Papists offend who pray in an vnknowne tongue and the ignorant Protestants also who though they pray in their owne language yet know not the sense and meaning of that they speake Secondly that we pray with attentiue mindes ioyning our hearts with our tongues and thoughts with words to which is opposed the prayer of the lippes alone when as wee draw neere vnto God with our mouthes our hearts in the meane time being farre from him Esa 29.13 as it is Esa 29.13 Which kinde of prayer is odious and abominable vnto God for what more grosse discord than when the tongue and heart disagree from one another which should be tuned in vnisone And as the carcasse being seuered from the soule is presently corrupt and stinketh so the prayer of the lips being seuered from the prayer of the heart which is the life and soule of it is but a dead carcasse of prayer and stinketh in Gods nostrels Thirdly that we pray with a pure conscience and faith vnfained lifting vp pure hands to God 1. Tim. 2.8 without wrath or doubting as it is 1. Tim. 2.8 to which is opposed prayer proceeding from a polluted conscience when as men liue in their sinnes without any true sorrow for those which are past or any sincere purpose to forsake them in the time to come which prayers must needes proceede from an heart full of incredulitie seeing they haue no promise in the word whereupon they may ground their faith nay contrariwise it is said that God heareth not sinners Ioh. 9.31 that is Ioh. 9.31 such as go on in their sinnes without repentance hauing no purpose of heart to leaue and forsake them And thus you see what it is to pray in the spirit which wee cannot perfourme vnlesse we pray through and by the spirit of God which helpeth our infirmities and teacheth vs to pray as wee ought yea it selfe maketh request for vs with sighes which cannot be expressed Rom. 8 26. §. Sect. 4. Of watchfulnes Matth. 26. as it is Rom. 8.26 The fourth thing required is watchfulnes which dutie is required ioyntly with prayer in many places Our Sauiour three times ioyneth them together saying Watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation Matth. 26. And the Apostle Peter 1. Epist 4.7 saith Now the end of all things is at hand 1. Pet. 4.7 Be ye therefore sober and watching vnto prayer As though hee should say your enemie the diuell as a roring lion walketh about seeking whom he may deuoure and therefore it behooueth you at all times like valiant and carefull souldiers who are still in daunger to be assaulted by their enemies to be sober and watch 1. Pet 5.8 as it is 1. Pet. 5.8 but now more especially seeing the end of all things is at hand for Sathan knowing that his time is but short will redouble all his forces to work our destruction euen as souldiers will most fiercely assault a town when as they cannot long lie at the siege either by reason of winter drawing on or the approching of new forces to relieue the towne or raise the siege Seeing therefore Sathan redoubleth his force and care in working our destruction let vs redouble our care and watchfulnes in seeking to preuent his force and malice For if Sathan watch continually that he may murther vs shall not wee be watchfull in withstanding his assaults He is continually in armes to ouerthrow vs and shall not wee watch night and day in our Christian armour that we may defeate his forces and obtaine victorie Now this our watchfulnes is partly of the bodie and partly of the soule The bodily watching is the abstaining from naturall sleepe to the end that wee may giue our selues vnto prayer Psal 6.6 Psal 88.1 when as with Dauid we water our couch with teares Psal 6.6 and call vpon God not onely in the day but in the night also as it is Psal 88.1 And whē as euen at midnight we rouze vp our selues to giue thankes vnto God for his mercie and benefits Psal 119.62 as it is Psal 119.62 The watchfulnes of the soule is when as wee doe not sleepe in our sinnes being rocked in the cradle of carnall securitie but shake off our drowsines by vnfained repentance rising vp to newnes of life And to this watchfulnes the Apostle exhorteth vs Eph. 5.14 Awake thou that sleepest Eph. 5.14 and stand vp from the dead and Christ shall giue thee light c. for wee are dead in our sinnes till Christ by his spirit mortifie them and reuiue vs Eph. 2.1 raising vs vp to newnes of life as it is Eph. 2.1 Though therefore wee take our rest and sleepe in that measure which nature requireth 1. Thess 5.6 yet let vs not sleepe as doe other to wit in carnall securitie but let vs watch and be sober as it is 1. Thess 5.6 because in this respect it is time that we should arise from sleepe for the darke night of ignorance is past and the bright sun-shine day of the Gospel is come Rom. 13.12 c. let vs therefore cast away the workes of darknes and let vs put on the armour of light So that we walke honestly as in the day not in gluttony and drunkennes neither in chambering and wantonnesse nor in strife and enuying but putting on the Lord Iesus Christ taking no thought for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof as it is Rom. 13.12 13 14. And this is the Christian watch which we are to ioyne with prayer but as I would not haue vs put our whole confidence in the spirituall armour so much lesse in our owne care and watchfulnes for wee must relie our selues vpon God onely desiring him to watch ouer vs while we sleepe but yet with the Lords assistance wee must ioyne our endeuour and not drowsily and sleepely receiue his aide and as the godly husbandman expecteth the fruites of the earth from the blessing of God and yet notwithstanding vseth all paines care and diligence in plowing harrowing and sowing his ground so we are to seeke deliuerance from the force and malice of our spirituall enemies of God alone but yet wee are to ioyne our good endeuour carefully and diligently vsing all the good meanes which are ordained of God for this purpose § Sect. 5 The fift thing required is perseuerance in prayer Of
vnrepentancie and therefore if the assurance which we haue of our election and saluation be not ioyned with a desire to leaue our sinnes and with an earnest endeuour of seruing God in the duties of holines and righteousnes then it doth not proceed from the testimonie of Gods spirit but from carnall securitie and fond presumption Lastly presumption no longer perswadeth men of Gods loue and fauour than they enioy the outward benefits of this life but when the Lord laieth vpon them any grieuous affliction either outwardly in bodie and state or inwardly in mind then this perswasion vanisheth and nothing remaineth but doubting which commonly endeth in vtter despaire but the testimonie of the spirit is constant and permanent and howsoeuer wee cannot by reason of the grieuousnesse of afflictions and the violent noise of our own passions heare the voyce thereof at some times yet afterwards againe it crieth alowd in our hearts Abba father and witnesseth vnto our spirits that we are the sonnes of God So that the chiefe meanes whereby wee are assured of our election is the spirit of God But seeing we haue it not naturally in our selues how may we attaine vnto it Surely we are to haue our recourse vnto the Father of lights by earnest prayer Iam. 1.17 Matth. 7.7 Luk. 11.13 from whom descendeth euery good and perfect gift hauing our faith grounded vpon Gods gracious promise namely that if we aske we shall receiue and more especially that hee will giue his holie spirit to them that aske it as it is Luk. 11.13 § Sect. 2 The second meanes whereby wee may attaine to the certaintie of our election The second meanes the hearing of the word is the hearing of the word wherein the Lord manifesteth his grace and goodwill to all beleeuing and repentant sinners and whereby also he ordinarily begetteth this faith and repentance in all his children For howsoeuer Paul may plant and Apollos may water but God alone giueth the encrease yet Gods blessing ordinarily accompanieth his owne ordinance making it effectuall by the inward operation of his spirit for those ends for which he hath ordained it And though the word may long sound in our eares before it pearce the heart or beget any sauing grace in vs vnlesse the Lord open our hearts and make the seed of his word fruitfull yet those who make conscience of hearing the word with diligence reuerence and attention and pray for the assistance of Gods spirit whereby it may become profitable to their saluation may constantly expect the blessing of God vpon his owne ordinance which they carefully vse in obedience to his will whereas those who neglect and contemne Gods word haue no such assurance because it is the meanes and instrument which is ordained of God for this purpose without which the spirit of God doth not ordinarily beget faith or any sauing grace in vs. Though therefore we doe not after long hearing of the word feele this assurance of Gods loue and our election yet let vs not giue it ouer but expect Gods blessing vpon it and waite his leasure assuring our selues that in the end hee will make this his owne ordinance effectuall for those ends for which he hath ordained it § Sect. 3 The third meanes whereby we may attaine to the assurance of our election The third meanes the vse of the Sacraments is the frequent and religious vse of the Sacrament of the Lords supper whereby our faith is more and more confirmed the in truth of Gods promises For the Lord to the preaching of his word which is the couenant of grace hath added these seales that we might be the more throughly assured of his loue and fauour and therefore if we conscionably frequent this holy Sacrament the Lord will blesse also this his owne ordinance Moreouer they who worthily receiue these holy misteries doe receiue Christ Iesus and haue the vnion and communion which is betweene him and them more and more strengthned and confirmed for hee that eateth his flesh and drinketh his blood dwelleth in Christ and Christ in him Ioh. 6.56 As it is Ioh. 6.56 Now there is no condemnation to those that are in Christ Iesus Rom 8.1 Rom. 8.1 and therefore they neede not doubt of their election and saluation § Sect. 4 The fourth meanes whereby we may be assured of our election The fourth meanes the effects of our election Zanch. de Attrib l. 5. c. 2. are the effects of Gods predestination which are the vndoubted signes thereof for the effects argue the cause as the cause the effects and that not onely in naturall things but also in those which are supernaturall and spirituall and therefore as certainely as we know that there is fire because it casteth forth heate and the sonne by his casting forth of bright raies whereby the world is lightned and that a tree is good by the good fruits which it bringeth forth so also may wee as certainely be assured that we are elected of God when wee finde in our selues the effects and vndoubted signes of our election Neither are these effects bare signes onely of our election but also manifest seales which by their plaine impression doe euidently assure vs thereof so that though we doe not directly and immediatly know Gods election predestination and eternall decree of our saluation in God himselfe electing predestinating and decreeing that we shall be saued yet we may plainely see apparant seales and impressions hereof in our selues liuely resembling that which is secret in Gods hidden councell and as we not seeing the seale which maketh the impression doe easily discerne the forme fashion and quantitie thereof by the print which it hath made so wee not seeing Gods secret decree of predestination may notwithstanding attaine to the euedent knowledge thereof by that impression which it maketh in vs. This also may further be illustrated by a familiar similitude namely as the sunne shining vpon vs with his bright beames doth imprint as it were in our eyes the image of his light whereby we see the sunne and the light thereof the beames of the sunne which are cast vpon vs being reflected backe againe to the sunne it selfe so the foreknowledge of God whereby he hath decreed that we shall be saued before all eternitie is secret in it selfe so that we cannot see not vnderstand it directly but yet whilest God doth acknowledge vs for his elect he doth expresse the image and forme of this his foreknowledge in those whom he hath elected whereby we doe also acknowledge him our gracious God who hath elected vs and so it commeth to passe that by the true knowledge of God which is communicated vnto vs whereby we acknowledge him for our God and father wee also know his foreknowledge whereby he knoweth and acknowledgeth vs for his sonnes and children For first God knoweth vs and then by the light of this knowledge communicated vnto vs he inlightneth our hearts with the true knowledge of himselfe as
Ephes 4.14 therefore without holinesse there is no assurance that we are elected seeing he hath sworne that all those whom he hath redeemed and saued out of the hands of their spiritual enemies hell death and the diuell Luk. 1.74 75. shall worship him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the daies of their life what hope of redemption and saluation can they conceiue who liue in impietie and vnrighteousnesse seeing by Gods oath they are excluded from both whilest they continue in this state CHAP. X. Of the signes and infallible notes of our election § Sect. 1 ANd thus haue I set down the meanes whereby we may be assured of our election The first signe an earnest desire after the meanes of our saluation now let vs consider of some speciall signes which are infallible notes of those that are elected The first signe is an earnest desire after the meanes of our saluation and a conscionable endeuour in vsing them after we enioy them For the end and the meanes are neuer separated in Gods decree and therefore those that carefully vse the meanes may be assured that they shall attaine vnto the end For example the hearing of Gods word is the chiefe meanes of our conuersion being made effectuall by the inward operation of Gods spirit and as thereby we are begotten vnto God so also it is that bread of life wherewith our soules are nourished and strengthened in all spirituall graces So that whomsoeuer God hath elected those he hath decreed to call ordinarily by these meanes and by the same also to furnish with his graces being called Whosoeuer therefore labour to purchase this precious pearle whosoeuer hunger after this heauenly Manna and are content to enioy it not only when it is good cheap but also when it is very chargeable whosoeuer enioying it do attentiuely and diligently heare it and receiue it with delight they vse the meanes of their saluation and therefore may bee assured that they are elected for the meanes the end go together And that this is a note of Gods child it appeareth Ioh. 10.3 4. where our Sauiour saith that his sheep heare his voyce Ioh. 10.3.4 And Matth. 13.45 he compareth the true member of the kingdome of grace to a Merchant Matth. 13.45 who rather then he would want the precious pearle of Gods word selleth all he hath to buy it Those therefore who make this precious account of Gods word and carefully diligently and attentiuely heare it when they enioy it may to their comfort assure themselues that they haue an vndoubted signe of their election And on the other side those who had rather bee without it than enioy it those who wil bestow no cost to obtaine it nor forgoe any pleasure or commoditie that they may heare it nor when they do heare it are affected with any delight but are glutted with loathing satietic hearing no part of the sermon with any pleasure but the conclusion onely they can haue no assurance of their election because they neglect the means of their saluation which are ioyned with the end in Gods eternall decree The like also may bee said of other meanes as the receiuing of the Sacraments meditating in Gods word the workes of holinesse and righteousnesse and the rest § Sect. 2 The second signe of those that are elected The second signe the spirit of supplication is the spirit of supplication when as they can powre foorth their soules in feruent and effectuall prayer vnto the Lord confessing their sinnes and imploring his grace and mercie for this is a notable fruit of Gods spirit working in vs which we cannot by any naturall meanes attaine vnto for of our selues wee know not what to pray as we ought Rom. 8.26 but the spirit helpeth our infirmities and maketh request for vs with sighes which cannot be expressed as it is Rom. 8.26 Prayer therefore is a most inseparable fruite and vndoubted signe of Gods spirit and Gods spirit certainly assureth vs of our election and adoption for it beareth witnesse with our spirits that we are the sonnes of God Vers 16. as it is vers 16. So Rom. 10.13 it is said Rom. 10.13 that whosoeuer call vpon the name of the Lord shall be saued But this prayer must proceede from faith for as it followeth How shall they call on him in whom they haue not beleeued and must be perfourmed in spirit and truth and not with deceitfull lips for it is to no purpose to draw neere vnto God with our mouthes Esa 29.13 if our hearts be farre from him Esa 29.13 § Sect. 3 The third signe of those who are elected and adopted to be the children of God The third signe is when we are weaned from the loue of the world and minde heauenly things is when as their hearts are somwhat weaned from the world and seated in heauen minding the things that are aboue and when their tongues being set a worke by the heart doe gladly entertaine godly and religious conferences for there as the treasure is there will the heart be also and with whatsoeuer the heart is affected the tongue is delighted Now that these holie meditations and religious discourses are signes of the child of God hereby it plainly appeareth in that they cannot possibly proceede from our corrupt nature to which they are irksome and tedious but from the spirit of God dwelling in vs and guiding and directing vs in our thoughts and words and whosoeuer are thus led with the spirit of God they are the sonnes of God as it is Rom. 8.14 Rom. 8.14 He that is right heire to a roiall kingdome and not yet possessed thereof is neuer wearie of thinking on it nor glutted with such discourses as tend to the extolling the riches and glorie which there attend him or shew the meanes whereby he may be assured to come into speedie and peaceable possession of his right and so those who are elected by God and adopted to bee the heires of his euerlasting kingdome of glorie are neuer satisfied in meditating and speaking of the riches and ioyes of this heauenly inheritance or of the meanes whereby they may bee assured vndoubtedly to obtaine it whereas those who haue no such interest nor hopes thinke and talke of these things with loathsome wearinesse as being matters not concerning them and therefore when such thoughts come into their mindes they vanish as suddenly as a flash of lightning and when they are present at any spirituall discourses the time seemeth long and they sit vpon thornes vntill they bee ended and they remaine dumbe as though they were tongue-tyed vnlesse they take occasion to interrupt such holie conferences and to diuert them to some worldly affaires § Sect. 4 The fourth signe of the childe of God who is elected to saluation The fourth signe is the sight of sinne and sorrow for it is when he seeth his sinnes and imperfections and truly repenteth of them that is bewaileth those
at sometimes they are withdrawne from our sense and feeling yet shall they neuer be taken from vs and if at any time we haue had assurance that the spirit of God hath dwelled in vs by this worke thereof effectuall prayer we may assure our selues that it hath not forsaken vs Rom. 8.26 but will againe helpe our infirmities and whereas we cannot tell how to pray as we ought the spirit it selfe will make request for vs with sighes which cannot be expressed § Sect. 2 Secondly Consolations for such as cōplaine that they cannot pray in any good forme whereas they complaine that they cannot pray in any good forme but oftentimes fill Gods eares with impatient cries vncomfortable roarings in stead of prayers they are to know that this is often incident vnto the children of God especially when his hand is heauy vpon them either in some outward affliction of bodie or some inward anguish of mind For example the Prophet Dauid confesseth that when Gods hand was heauie vpon him day and night his prayers were but roarings Psal 32.3 Psal 32.3 So Ezechias faith that whē he should haue praied he chattered like a Crane or a Swallow mourned as a Doue Esa 38.14 Esa 38.14 And the poore Publicāe oppressed with the heauy burthē of his sins in stead of a long eloquent speach vttereth these fewe wordes O God be mercifull vnto me a sinner and yet our Sauiour Christ testifieth of him that he receaued the remission of his sinnes and went home iustified Luke 18.13.14 Luk. 18.13.14 Neither in trueth doth the Lord regard the eloquence of the tongue but the earnestnesse of the hart he respecteth not our well couched wordes and smooth vttered stile but the feruencie of the spirit and our humble and harty desires which are acceptably heard of him though our tongues bee silent The sacrifices of God are not eloquent wordes but a contrite spirit a contrite and broken heart will not the Lord despise Psal 51.17 as it is Psal 51.17 The prayers indited by Gods spirite which also are according to the will of God consist not in the wordes of the mouth but in the sighes of the heart which cannot bee expressed Rom. 8.26 as the Apostle teacheth vs. Rom. 8.26 And therefore if wee offer vnto God an humble and contrite spirit if wee can sigh and grone earnestly desiring those things wee want according to his holy will though wee cannot expresse our mindes in any good order or in a continued forme of speech yet if wee can from our hartes roare with Dauid chatter with Ezechias and vtter this abrupt speech with the poore publicane O God bee mercifull vnto mee a sinner the Lorde will heare vs and that as speedily as though we could pray vnto him with the eloquence of men and angels For to what end principally serue wordes but that wee may by them expresse our mindes to men who otherwise could not vnderstand them but the Lorde who searcheth the hartes vnderstandeth our sighes which cannot bee expressed Rom. 8.26 as it is Rom. 8.26.27 and hee knowes our thoughts long before wee thinke them as the psalmist speaketh Psal 139.2 Psal 139.2 Hee is a spirit yea an allseeing spirit and therefore our prayers vnto him are the desires of the heart neither doth our wordes serue to perswade him but to stirre vp our owne dul spirits and to keepe vs from disorderly wandring thoughts Exod. 14.15 So that if wee can with Moses lift vp our hearts vnto God with earnest desires this will bee a strong crie in the eares of the Lorde and hee will surely heare it If we can vnfainedly say with the prophet Dauid Psal 38.9 Psal 38.9 Lorde I powre my whole desire before thee and my sighing is not hid from thee we may be assured he will heare vs and graunt our request for he heareth the desire of the poore he prepareth their hart and bendeth his eare vnto them Psal 10.17 as it is psal 10.17 yea hee doth not only heare them and in some sort incline to their request but hee will fulfill the desire of them that feare him hee will heare their crie and saue them as the same prophet speaketh Psal 145.19 Psal 145.19 We know that a kind louing father if he see his sonne exceeding sicke wil be verie carefull and tender ouer him to prouide all things necessarie for him which may doe him good and though with a faultering tongue and vnperfect speech hee aske any thing which is profitable for him to receiue yet how readily will hee harken vnto him and graunt his desire yea if his sicknesse so increase that hee becommeth speechlesse vttering nothing but deepe grones euen this language moues him to no lesse care in vsing all meanes which may doe him good Shall then wee daily obserue such fruites of loue in sinfull man and shall wee doubt of finding lesse in the Lord who is infinite in loue mercie and goodnesse farre bee it from vs. Nay let vs assure our selues that though our soules being sicke in sinne and exceedingly dulled and beaten downe with some grieuous tentation we cannot vtter any thing but vnperfect speeches yea though wee are through the grieuousnesse of our affliction and greatnesse of our corruption strucken dumbe and can vtter nothing but grones and sighes yet if wee desire to be freed out of this wretched case and to haue the comfort of Gods spirit the Lord who searcheth the hart and vnderstandeth our secret thoughts wil harken vnto vs and graunt the desires of our hart at least so farre forth as it will stand with his owne glorie and our euerlasting good § Sect. 3 Thirdly whereas others complaine that their hartes are so harde and their spiritts so dull Consolations for such as bewaile their coldnesse and dulnesse in prayer that they cannot vtter vnto God a prayer with any earnestnesse or feruencie of spirit but exceeding coldly and verie weakely and therefore they feare that God will neuer heare them they are to remember that the Lord heareth vs not nor graunteth our requests for the worthinesse and excellencie of our prayers but for his sonne Iesus Christs sake who is our mediatour and intercessour in whose name we cal vpon God and therefore though our prayers bee full of infirmities and vttered with much weaknesse yet calling vpon the Lord in our sauiours name hee will surely heare vs as our sauiour hath promised Ioh. 16.23 Ioh. 16.23 Verily verily I say vnto you whatsoeuer ye shall aske the father in my name he will giue it you Moreouer we are to know that we do not offer vp our prayers immediately vnto God the father but by the mediation of Iesus Christ who putting our prayers into the goulden vialls which are full of the precious odours of his merites thereby perfumeth them and maketh thē an offering of sweet smelling sauour vnto God Apoc. 5.8 by washing them in his
Ioh. 20.29 Thomas because thou hast seene me thou beleeuest blessed are they which haue not seene and haue beleeued An example hereof wee haue in the Cananitish woman who though shee had no experience of Gods truth in his promises yea though shee had many repulses yet beleeued and afterwards to her comfort had ioyfull experience of them Mat. 15.27 Mat. 15.27 An these are the degrees of faith which whosoeuer findeth in himselfe hee may be assured that hee hath a true liuely and iustifying faith notwithstanding all the tentations of Sathan If therefore hauing heard the gospell wee haue attained vnto some measure of knowledge of the chiefe principles thereof if we haue giuen our assent vnto this truth in which our vnderstandings are informed if hereby we haue attained vnto this assurance that our sinnes are pardonable and haue conceiued some hope in consideration of Gods infinite mercie and Christs merites that wee shall be forgiuen and pardoned if we haue an hungring desire after grace and mercie and highly esteeme the merites and righteousnesse of Iesus Christ so that wee wish nothing more then to bee made partakers of them if by this desire wee haue beene moued to flee vnto the throne of grace and there humblie acknowledging our sinnes haue earnestly desired pardon and forgiuenesse Lastly if at any time wee haue discerned in in our selues a perswasion of Gods loue and of the pardon and remission of our sinnes and that we haue or doe rest vppon the alone merites and obedience of Christ Iesus for our iustification and saluation then may wee be assured that we are indued with a true iustifying faith § Sect. 7 The second argument to proue that wee haue a true and a liuely faith is the testimonie of Gods spirite The second argument to proue that we haue faith is the testimonie of Gods spirie Rom. 8.15.26 for as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 8.15 Wee haue the spirite of adoption whereby we crie abba father 16. and the same spirit beareth witnesse with our spirit that we are the children of God and ver 26. Likewise the spirite also helpeth our infirmities for we know not what to pray as we ought but the spirite it selfe maketh request for vs with sighes which cannot be expressed c. Whosoeuer therefore haue this testimonie in their harts and consciences that they are the children of God whosoeuer at any time feele or haue felt the spirit of God powerful in thē in powring out their soules in hartie prayer with sighes and grones which cānot be expressed they may be assured that they haue receiued the spirite of adoption and consequently are indued with true faith Gal. 5.22 for the spirite and the fruites thereof amongst which faith is one of the chiefe are neuer seuered Moreouer the Apostle saith 1. Cor. 2.12 that wee haue not receiued the spirit of the world 1. Cor. 2.12 but the spirit which is of God that wee might knowe the things that are giuen to vs of God That is not onely his spirituall graces in this life in which number faith is one of the greatest but those excellent ioyes in Gods kingdome in the life to come of which also wee haue some knowledge and tast by the illumination of the same spirite Lastly the Apostle affirmeth 2. Cor. 1.22 that God hath sealed vs 2. Cor. 1.22 and hath giuen the earnest of the spirit in our hartes and Ephe. 1.13 Hee telleth the Ephesians that after they had heard the gospel and beleeueà Ephe. 1.13 they were sealed with the holy spirit of promise which was the earnest of their inheritance vntil the redemption of the possession purchased vnto the praise of the glorie of God Wheresoeuer therefore is this testimonie of the spirite which as an earnest or seale assureth them that they are the children of God there also is faith for as the Apostle witnesseth after that wee beleeue we are thus sealed § Sect. 8 The third argument to proue that wee haue faith is the conflict and fight which euerie christian feeleth in himselfe betweene the spirit and the flesh The 3. argument is the fight between the flesh and the spirit the world and the diuell and the combat which is betweene faith and doubting for so long as wee are destitute of the spirit and a liuely faith we are wholy ouerswayed with the fleshe and Sathan like a mightie tyrant houldeth vs captiue peaceably and without any resistance but when wee haue receiued the spirite of God and haue faith wrought in our harts then beginneth a fierce battaile which neuer endeth till by death our spirituall enemies get a final ouerthrowe Though therefore this fight be most sharpe and exceeding troublesome to the poore christian yet hee may thereby gather vnto himselfe sound comfort and certaine assurance that hee is indued with the spirit of God and a liuely faith for when hee discerneth that hee is assaulted with Sathan and his owne corrupt fleshe he may be assured that Sathan and his owne corrupt fleshe he may be assured that Sathan is diseased of his quiet possession by a superior power which can be no other but the power of Gods spirit secondly by his assaulting it manifestly appeareth that hee findeth some resistance so as hee cannot peaceably reenter thirdly that howsoeuer our faith seeme vnto vs neuer so weak yet it is so strēgthened cōtinually by vertue of Gods spirit that sathā al the power of hel cānot preuaile against it for otherwise how could such weakenesse withstād such might Lastly being assured that it is the spirit of God which assisteth and enableth vs to withstand Sathan we may also be assured that in the end we shall obtaine victorie vnlesse we would fondly imagine that the diuell is stronger then God and the violence of his tentations more forcible to destroy vs then the spirit of God to protect and defend vs for now they haue ioyned battle and either the one or the other must get the vpper hand eyther the spirit of God must thrust out sathan or Sathan the spirit of God and therefore how can we doubt of conquest seeing wee are assured that God cannot take the foyle for his power is omnipotent and with a word of his mouth he is able to destroy Sathan and all his adhaerents and of his will wee neede not to make any question for it will not stand with his glory to receaue a repulse by giuing Sathan place after that he hath taken vpon him our protection § Sect. 9 How we may know that this combate is fought betweene the flesh and the spirite Yea will the tempter say but how wilt thou know that this battle is fought in thee how canst thou be assured that it is the spirite of God which fighteth in thee against thy spirituall enemies and not rather thine owne tumultuous passions and perturbations and diuers tentations suggested by the same diuell To which it is easie to make answere for neither doth
sinne that presseth it downe feareth and doubteth the spirit being assured of euerlasting happines triumpheth with ioy desiring nothing more than to be dissolued and to be with Christ the flesh finding it selfe guiltie of sinne and in this respect subiect to the anger of God and condemnation feareth and trembleth to thinke vpon death The spirit conceiueth of God as of a mercifull father in Christ and in all necessities flyeth vnto him by heartie prayer the flesh conceiueth of him as of an angrie and seuere iudge and therefore flyeth from him desiring rather to seeke for helpe any where else than of the Lord so that the christian by reason hereof at the same time findeth in himselfe opposition betweene action and action affection and affection For at the same instant while the flesh hauing in it the conscience of sinne and sense of guiltinesse doth murmur repine and complaine vpon God as an enemie which is readie to destroy vs the spirit doth flie vnto God by a liuely faith and committeth it selfe to his prouidence will and protection expecting saluation from him onely which it could neuer doe if it were not assured that we were in his loue and fauour And in this the christian may not vnfitly be compared to a childe who hauing been sharpely corrected by his father doth auoyde his presence as though hee were his enemie but if at the same time some suddaine danger affright him before al other he runneth to his father for safegard and protection so when our heauenly father hath sharpely corrected vs either with some outward or inward afflictions we flee from his presence as though he were our enemy but when an imminent danger ouertaketh vs and we be in perill to be supplanted with sathan and his assistants who are our enemies in deed then the sonne-like affection which is wrought in our hearts by Gods spirit doth moue vs to runne vnto him before all other desiring and crauing his ayde and assistance And thus it appeareth that though the flesh and the spirit be mixt together yet they retaine their owne natures properties and effects and though faith which is a grace of the spirit be mingled with doubting yet this doubting is not of the nature of faith which in it selfe is certaine and assured nay it is not an infirmity of faith as lamenesse is an infirmity of the ioynts and dimnesse of the sight for it is not any way incident to the nature thereof and therefore much lesse is it a commendable virtue of faith as the Papists teach but it is a fruite of vnbeleefe which is in the part vnregenerate and is opposed vnto faith as appeareth Rom. 4.20 and consequently Rom. 4.20 though faith be assaulted with doubting yet in it owne nature it may and doth remaine certaine and assured § Sect. 6 Fourthly That it is no presumption to labour for the assurance of our election 1. Cor. 2.16 they obiect that it is rash presumption and proud boldnesse for any man to search into the mystery of Gods secret counsailes or to take vpon him peremptorily to determine that hee is one whom God hath elected For who hath knowne the minde of the Lord as it is 1. Cor. 2.16 I answere that it is true indeede whosoeuer prieth into Gods hidden counsailes and secret decree of predestination is proude and presumptious and shall in the end receiue the punishment of both being giuen ouer of God to fall into many errors and in the end vtter desperation and therefore it is very dangerous yea pernicious to our soules if we labour after the assurance of our election by vsing these meanes and iudge of Gods decree according to the conceite of our own reason doubtfull speculations But yet though the will of God be in it selfe secret and not to be searched into this must not hinder vs from looking into his will reuealed though we can gather no certainty of our election by searching into his secret decree yet this is no impediment why wee may not gather it out of his word where hee hath reuealed his decree and the execution thereof though we can haue no assurance by our owne speculations yet we may attaine vnto it by the testimony of Gods spirit Rom. 8.16 which witnesseth to our spirits that we are the sonnes of God which also searcheth all things euen the deepe things of God and is giuen vnto vs that we also might know the things which God hath giuen vs 1. Cor. 2.10.12 as the Apostle teacheth vs 1. Cor. 2.10.12 and therefore it is no pride or presumption to be certaine and assured of that which the Lord hath reuealed in his word to this end that we might be certainely assured thereof But it may be demanded how this certainty can be gathered out of the Scriptures I answere that if we would attaine vnto it we must not seeke it in the law where the promises of life and saluation are made vpon the condition of our own works and worthinesse which condition we can neuer performe and therefore can neuer be assured of the promise But out of the Gospell which doth not only shew that some are predestinated to life and some reiected neither doth it only speake of our election as it was ordained in Gods secret decree in it selfe or reuealed in his word but also it setteth out vnto vs the execution of the decree with the causes meanes signes and effects of our election and how it is accomplished for the bringing vs to those ioyes to which God hath chosen vs. First therefore it sheweth the decree of God concerning our election Secondly Gods decree concerning our redemption by the death and obedience of Christ our mediator Thirdly the decree of God concerning the calling of his Church by the ministery of the word that they may be ingrafted into the body of Christ and so participate with him in all his benefits to their saluation Fourthly the decree concerning the sending of his spirit into the hearts of his chosen by the inward operation whereof the word is made effectuall for the begetting of faith and repentance Fiftly and lastly his decree concerning the iustifying and sauing of those who repent truely of their sins and apprehending and applying vnto themselues by a liuely faith Christ and his merits obedience doe approach vnto the throne of grace to receiue mercy and forgiuenesse And all these are so linked together that they can neuer possibly be seuered so that he who is assured of one may be assured of all whosoeuer is certaine that he hath faith and repentance may be certaine also of his election though he neuer presumptuously search into Gods secret counsaile Fiftly §. Sect. 7. That the Lord particularly assureth vs of our election they obiect that there is no certainty of faith which is not grounded vpon Gods word but there is no place of Gods word which assureth vs of our particular election and saluation and therefore we can haue no certainty
not how to pray as we ought the spirit it selfe helpeth our infirmities and maketh request for vs with sighes which cannot be expressed But God who scarcheth the hearts knoweth what is the meaning of the spirit for he maketh request for the Saints according to the will of God As the Apostle speaketh Rom. 8.26.27 who therefore can doubt of obtaining his suite euen the remission of his sinnes and reconciliation with God seeing his suite is framed and indited by Gods spirit and consequently is most wise iust and as the Apostle saith according to the will of God yea it is sollicited and followed with great earnestnesse by the same spirit and therefore our suite being wise iust and framed by the spirit according to the will of God and by the same spirite in most earnest manner sollicited and furthered there is no question but wee shall obtaine it CHAP. XXXVI Other reasons to perswade the weake Christian of the remission of his sinnes § Sect. 1 ANd these are the reasons which may be drawn from euery of the persons of the Trinitie 1. That wee are to beleeue the remission of our sinnes because it is an article of our Creede to assure vs of the remission of our sinnes to which we may ad diuers others First the beleeuing of the remission of our sinnes in an article of our Creede which we doe daily confesse and professe which is not left vnto our choise to beleeue or not to beleeue but as we confesse it with the mouth so we are boūd to beleeue it with the heart if we would be reckoned in the number of Christians Why then should we doubt of that which we are bound to performe and if wee doe not wee grieuously sinne through infidelitie which is more daungerous damnable then all our other sins whatsoeuer And therefore though there were no other reason to mooue vs though our hainous and manifold sinnes should make it seeme vnto vs neuer so incredible yet let vs set aside all impediments and breake through the violence of all obiections and beleeue in obedience to Gods commaundements and because it is our dutie the performance whereof is very acceptable vnto God and the neglect whereof is a sinne most daungerous and damnable Which that we may perfourme let vs carefully obserue the condition of the couenant of grace that is let vs rest and rely vpon Christ Iesus alone for our saluation by a liuely faith and turne vnto God by vnfained repentance and then there is no place left to doubting of that which in dutie we are bound to beleeue § Sect. 2 Secondly the afflicted soule labouring vnder sinne may receiue no small assurance by the testimonie of Gods faithfull ministers 2. The testimonie of Gods faithfull ministers Matth. 16. for the keyes of the kingdome of heauen are committed vnto them and they haue power giuen them of God here on earth to bind and loose not as though they could by their owne authoritie and in their owne name giue pardon of sinnes to whom they list as the papists teach and practise for this is proper and peculiar vnto God alone as euen the Pharises well knew whereof it was that seeing our Sauiour Christ take vpon him to forgiue sinnes whom they imagined to bee a meere man they affirmed that he blasphemed For who say they can forgiue sinne but God onely but they haue authoritie giuen them of God vpon due examination and tryall of their faith by the fruites thereof vnfained repentance certainely to declare and pronounce vnto them that their sinnes are forgiuen Whosoeuer therefore haue this testimonie of Gods faithful ministers who are well acquainted with their estates giuen vnto thē they may assure themselues that it is vndoubtedly true and most certaine for who is it that dare oppose himselfe and contradict the testimonie of Gods spirite in the mouth of so many his faithfull ambassadours who dare bee so presumptuous as to take vppon him the discerning of his state better then the ministers of God who being appointed of God to this function are indued with a great measure of his spirit whereby they are inabled to discerne and iudge of mens estates better then they themselues for he that is spiritual discerneth all things and is made acquainted with the mind of Christ as the Apostle speaketh 1. Cor 2.15.16 And therefore if diuers of Gods faithfull ministers with one consent pronounce vnto any paenitent sinner the remission of their sinnes and assure them after the examination of their estate that they are in the loue and fauour of God it should be vnto them ten thousand times more forcible an argument to perswade thē to confirme their faith in the assurāce of Gods loue then the cōtrarie testimonie of Sathan or their timorous vnbeleeuing flesh to moue them to doubting thereof if our bodies be sicke we committ our selues to the skill and care of the phisition and good reason because wee knowe he is better able to discerne of our estate then we our selues and beleeuing his iudgment to bee good wee suffer him to applie such remedies as hee thinketh most fitt why then should wee not committ the discerning of our estate to the phisition of the soule no lesse careful and in this respect much more skilful for the others rules in some patients may faile him but the grounds whereupon the spirituall physition buildeth are most infallible being the vndoubted truth of God Why should we not rather beleeue their often approoued iudgment then our owne timorous phantasies or Sathans testimonie who is our malitious enemie § Sect. 3 Thirdly the afflicted soule may gather assurance of the remission of sinnes from the contrarie testimonie of the diuel The 3. Reason drawne from the contrarie testimonie of Sathan For when ther is any suggestion cast into our mindes which is repugnant to the word of God and the testimonie of Gods spirit in the heartes of the faithfull we may assure our selues that it is the speech of Sathan or of our corrupt fleshe the messenger of Sathan both which come to one end but those motiues and suggestions that God will not receiue vs to mercie that our sinnes are vnpardonable that wee are reprobates and castawayes that now it is too late to turne vnto God proceed not from Gods spirit for they are quite contrarie to that which the scriptures teach vs namely that the mercies of God are infinite and hee alwaies readie to receiue vs to grace when we turne vnto him that if we wil earnestly repent and in the mediation of Christ sue for mercie hee will make our scarlet sinnes as white as snow that it is neuer to late to turne vnto God for if wee repent hee hath promised to remit our sins and to receiue vs into his fauour Neither are wee to imagine that the testimonie of Gods spirit in our consciences is contrarie to the testimonie of the same spirit in the holy scriptures and therefore seeing these suggestions
ouerruled vs and after also beareth some sway in vs euē when we are regenerate til with al our other corruptions we lay this aside also by death And this appeareth in the exāple of the Prophet Dauid who desireth the Lord to create in him a cleane hart to renew a right spirit within him Psal 51.10 Psal 51.10 in which words he implieth that his hardnesse of heart was so great and the corruption thereof so abominable that it was euen past mending and therefore he doth not pray the Lord to purge and reforme his old hart Ezech. 11.19 but to create a new one and to take quite away his stonie hart to bestow vpon him a hart of flesh as though his hart were like a building exceeding ruinous which could no longer be repaired vnlesse it were razed downe euen to the foundation and all new built vp againe So whereas he praieth the Lord to renew his spirit in him he giueth vs to vnderstand that he hath lost the feeling of the spirit of adoption crying in his hart Abba father and that there was in him such an intermission surcease of the actions fruits therof that it seemed vtterly quenched and departed from him So els where he praieth vnto the Lord to quickē him according to his louing kindnesse Psal 119.88 that he might keepe the testimonies of his mouth Whereby hee intimateth his drowsinesse and deadnesse in Gods seruice The Prophet Esay likewise in the behalfe of himselfe and the people complaineth thus Esay 63.17 Esay 63.17 O Lord why hast thou made vs to erre from thy waies and hardned our hart from thy feare By all which it appeareth that euen the deare children of God do oftentimes see and feele to their great griefe their hardnesse of hart which is ioyned with exceeding dulnesse and drowsinesse in Gods seruice Yea in truth this kind of hardnesse of hart is incident vnto them alone For whilest men are worldly and carnall though their harts are most hard and obdurate yet they doe not discerne it neither are they any whit displeased with their estate but fondly flatter themselues imagining that they are in exceeding good case and very deuout in Gods seruice which indeed as they perfourme it is meerely formall customable rather then conscionable in shew and externall but not in spirit and truth but when the Lord by the ministery of his word made effectuall by the inward operation of his holy spirit doth pull of the thicke skinne of carnall securitie from of their hearts and causeth the seales of ignorance to fall from their eyes then and not before doe they plainely discerne and sensibly feele that huge masse of inbred corruption their dulnesse and drowsinesse in Gods seruice their hardnesse of hart and impaenitencie and now they are much vexed and grieued with them which in former times neuer troubled them And therefore let not such be dismaied nor debarre their soules of that cōsolation which of right belongeth to them for flesh and bloud hath not reuealed this their corruption hardnesse of hart dulnesse and deadnesse in Gods seruice but the good spirit of God which hath begunne already to worke in them shewing them their corruptions and moouing them to an vnfained dislike of them and therefore they may assure themselues that he who hath begunne this good worke in them will also bring it in his good time to perfection Onely as the Psalmist exhorteth Let them tarrie the Lords leasure Phil. 1.6 waite vpon and trust in him and he shall comfort their hearts § Sect. 2 Now this sensible or discerned hardnesse of hart is also of two sortes 2. Sortes of sensible hardnesse of hart The first ioyned with the vse of the means wherby it may be softned the first is of them who carefully vse all good meanes and indeauour with all diligence to better their estate which they see to bee most miserable and to mollifie their hard hartes and to attaine vnto harty and vnfained repentance Which who so doth hee may assure himselfe that hee is the child of God and in his loue and fauour for earnestly to desire repentance and carefully to vse the meanes whereby we may attaine thereunto to be displeased with our hardnesse of heart and to labour that it may bee mollified to bee sorry that wee can bee no more sorry and to bee displeased with our selues because wee can no more bee displeased with our sinnes is very acceptable in the sight of God though wee see but a little progresse in godlinesse and but a small increase of repentance which wee desire in great measure for the Lorde esteemeth the will for the deed and the affection for the action and wee may assure our selues that if on our part wee be not wanting in the vse of the meanes the Lord will not bee wanting on his part to supply our wantes and to satisfie all our Godly desires Of this hardnesse of heart which verie often befalleth the dearest of Gods children wee haue many examples Examples of this hardnesse of heart Psal 77.2 The prophet Dauid thus complaineth Psal 77.2 In the day of my trouble I sought the Lorde my sore ranne and ceased not in the night my soule refused comfort 3. I did thinke vppon God and as troubled I prayed and my spirit was full of anguish 4. thou keepest mine eyes waking I was astonied and could not speake So the church complaineth thus Cant. 3.1 Cant 3.1 and 5.6 In my bed I sought him by night whom my soule loued I sought him but I found him not and chap. 5. ver 6. I opened to my welbeloued but my welbeloued was gone and past mine heart was gone when hee did speake I sought him but I could not find him I called him but hee answered me not Whereby it is manifest that euen the deare saints of God are often times destitute of all comfort and voyde of all feeling of Gods fauour and of the powerfull working of the graces of Gods spirit which they haue receiued though they vse the meanes appointed of God for the stirring vp and increasing of grace in them which commeth to passe by reason of their hardnesse of heart and drowsie dulnesse of spirit in these spirituall excercises And hence it is that many of Gods children doe grieously afflict their soules because they see these their corruptions and imperfections and hereby often times are mooued to thinke that they are destitute of faith and of all sauing graces of Gods sanctifying spirite because though they vse the meanes ordayned of God for the begetting and increasing of grace in them yet they cannot perceiue any fruite that commeth thereby nor feele in their soules any true comfort or ioy in these spirituall excercises For example some complaine that though they continually heare the word yet they feele no increase of any grace no more knowledge no more faith no more zeale of Gods glory no more mortification of their old corruptions
holy spirit like a glorious light hauing dispelled the darke foggie mists of ignorance and illuminated the eyes of their vnderstandings with the knowledge of Gods law they better discerne their sinnes and miserable estate then in former times And this the Apostle Paul sheweth vnto vs in his own example Rom. 7.9 Rom. 7.9.10 For saith he I was once aliue without the law but when the commaundement came sin reuiued 10. but I died and the same commaundement which was ordeyned vnto life was found to be vnto mee vnto death and ver 13. was that then which was good made death vnto mee God forbid but sinne that it might appeare sinne wrought death in mee by that which is good that sinne might bee out of measure sinfull by the commaundement So that the preaching of the law doth not make vs more sinfull but reuealeth those sinnes vnto vs which before we discerned not As therefore the sunne shining vpon some filthie place doth not make it so filthie but onely doth make it manifest which was not seene in the darke and as the wholesome physicke is not the cause of those corruptions which it purgeth out but by expelling them out of the bodie sheweth them vnto vs so the heauenly light and soueraigne physicke of Gods worde doth not worke in vs our filthie corruptions and hurtfull humors of sinne but it reuealeth them vnto vs whereas before times by reason of our ignorance and blindnesse they were secret and hidden § Sect. 6 When therefore out of the former premisses this conclusion is inferred either by Sathan who continually like a malicious enemie seeketh our destruction That we are not to neglect hearing the word because of the former imperfections or by our owne corrupt flesh which is impatient of any rough handlinge and therefore would rather haue vs sicke still then indure any paine in beeing cured that it were better for vs to surcease the hearing of gods word as seruing to no other end but to encrease our condemnation let vs in any case resist such motions as beeing most daungerous tentations which being entertained will bring vs to vtter ruine and endlesse destruction for if wee depriue our selues of this heauenly light the diuell will easily lead vs hudwincke vnto all fin wickednesse if we long abstaine from this comfortable food of our soules they will be hungarstarued and all the graces of Gods spirit will waxe faint and die in vs if wee disarme our selues of this sword of the spirite Sathan without any resistance will ouercome vs and take vs captiues forcing vs as his miserable slaues to commit all those workes of darknesse in which hee will imploy vs. And therefore as wee tender the saluation of our owne soules let vs not be discouraged from hearing the word of God by any suggestions whatsoeuer no not though we seeme vnto our selues euery time wee come into the Church to goe a step towards hell for whilest we vse Gods ordinance which is appointed as the meanes for our conuersion and saluation there is some good hope but when we vtterly neglect it our state is most desperate CHAP. XL. Consolations for such as bewayle their hardnesse of hart and wants in prayer § Sect. 1 OThers complaine that they are so ouerwhelmed with their hardnesse of hart Consolations for such as cōplaine that they cannot pray at all and drowsie dulnesse of spirit that eyther they cannot pray at all or if they doe it is barrainely without all forme or fashion or if they haue the eloquence of the tongue good set formes of praier yet they perfourme it coldly and drowsilie without all earnestnesse and feruencie of spirit hauing their minds caried away with wandring thoughts so that their praiers are but meere liplabour therefore it were better not to pray at all because they cannot performe this dutie in any good maner or measure as God requireth And this is a tentation wherewith euen the dearest children of God are much vexed and troubled and therefore it shall not be amisse to answere the seuerall branches of this complaint First therfore where as they complaine that they cannot pray at all this is to bee vnderstood either generally of all times or specially at sometimes If they say they can neuer pray it is very likely that either they forget or much deceiue themselues for few or none who are altogether destitute of the spirit of supplication haue any vnderstanding to discerne their want or any grace to bewaile it but content themselues with their lip-labour as though they had perfourmed acceptable seruice vnto God And it is a worke of one and the same spirit to make vs see our infirmities with hatred and dislike of them and to moue vs earnestly to desire of God that we may be freed from them which earnest desire is harty praier But if they further affirme that they are most sure they doe neuer pray vnto God I answere that though this in it selfe be a most daungerous case for it is a signe of a worker of iniquitie not to call vpon God as the Psalmist speaketh Psal 53.4 Psal 53.4 yet they haue no cause to despaire for the same spirit which hath reuealed vnto them this their sinne and infirmitie and hath wrought in them a dislike thereof will also remoue it and supply their want in Gods good time if they will labour for this good gift and not quench the good motions of the spirit when God offreth them vnto them The gift of praier not in our owne power But if they cannot denie that sometimes they haue had the grace giuen them of God to call earnestly vppon his name howsoeuer in this present time they are altogether disfurnished thereof then let them know that their case in this respect is common withall the deare children of God for harty prayer is not in our owne power neither doth it attend vpon our owne will but it is the gift of God which at sometimes in plentifull measure he bestoweth vpon his children and at other times he pulleth backe his liberall hand to the end that by the want thereof we may learne to ascribe the glorie and praise of our harty prayers vnto God who worketh in vs the will and the deed and is in truth the onely true authour of them which praise otherwise in pride of hart we would arrogate vnto our selues as being a naturall facultie and in our owne power and also to the end we may more highly esteeme it and with more ioy and diligence vse it when we haue it bestowed on vs least through our negligence and slouthfulnesse we mooue the Lord to take it from vs. Seeing therefore this hartie calling vpon Gods name is a gift of God a worke of his holy spirit in vs which at sometimes heretofore we haue discerned in our selues let vs not altogether be discouraged though at sometimes we want it Rom. 11.29 for the giftes of God are without repentance and though
we attaine vnto fulnesse of perswasion That we must not content our selues with a small measure of faith Otherwise we shall make it manifest that we deceiue our selues with a shew and shadow of faith and that as yet we haue no true faith indeede which as it resembleth the graine of mustard seed in respect of the smalnes at the beginning thereof so also in the growth increase therefore if euer we would attaine vnto peace of conscience and assurance that wee are indued with a true and liuely faith we must earnestly labour in the vse of those meanes ordayned of God for the increase of faith and feruently pray vnto God that he will not onely sowe the seede of faith in our harts but also that he will so water it with the dew of his grace and holy spirite that it may grow from a small seede to a greate tree and that he will neuer cease blowing this smoking flaxe with the breath of the same his holy spirit till it increase from a little sparke to a mightie flame whereby our hartes being warmed with true comfort may with feruent zeale seeke to glorifie his holy name by our christian and holy conuersation § Sect. 4 Secondly we are to know that how weak smal soeuer our faith be so it be true the Lord wil not reiect it That the least faith is acceptable to God Mat. 12.20 nor vs in regard of it for he wil not breake the bruised reed nor quench the smoking flax till he bring forth iudgment vnto victorie as himselfe hath spoken Mat. 12.20 He wil not contemne the least measure of his own grace which he hath bestowed vpon vs for though it be in neuer so small a quantitie yet if it be true it is his owne gift and his gifts are without repentance neither doth he euer contemne that which himselfe hath giuen nor take it away after it is once bestowed nay rather to him that hath shall bee giuen vntill hee haue abundance Mat. 25.29 he that hath receiued 5. talents shall receaue 5. more yea and hee that hath but one if hee doe not hide it but vse it to his maisters glorie shall be accepted and haue his talent doubled We reade in the scriptures that Christ reproued some for their small faith but yet we neuer read nor heard that he reiected and cast of any though their faith were neuer so weake if it were true no not him who cried out in the sense of his owne weaknesse Lorde I beleeue helpe thou my vnbeliefe Mar. 9.24 And therefore if with him wee find a true faith in vs at least in some measure and though it be exceedingly mingled with doubting and assaulted with infidelitie yet if wee can with this man earnestly pray the Lorde to helpe our vnbeliefe and with the Apostles hartily crie out O Lord increase my faith the Lord will accept of our hartie desire and graunt our request which is made by his owne spirite in vs and that according vnto his owne wil. § Sect. 5 Thirdly we must vnderstand that faith doth not iustifie and saue vs by it selfe as it is a vertue or facultie of the mind and hart or in respect of it owne excellencie quantitie That faith doth not iustifie vs as it is a worke or facultie in vs but as an instrument which applieth Christ vnto vs. and worthinesse for what were this but to embrace againe the doctrine of the papists which we haue reiected and to seeke for iustification in our selues and for our owne merites and worthinesse but as an instrument whereby we lay hold of and apply vnto our selues Christ Iesus with his righteousnesse and merites by which onely wee appeare iust before God now a weake faith as truly though not so powerfully doth apprehend and apply Christ Iesus and all his merites and obedience as a stronger faith euen as a small and weake hand if it be able to reach vp the meate to the mouth doth as well performe its dutie for the nourishment of the body as one of greater strength because it is not the strength of the hand but the goodnesse of the meate which nourisheth the bodie So a weake faith laying hould of Christ and applying him and his benefites to the beleeuer is sufficient to nourish him to euerlasting life as well as a stronger because it is not the worthines or excellencie of the instrument but of Christ which it apprehendeth that is effectual for our iustification eternal saluatiō So in like maner as a smal weak hād is able to receiue an almes as a stronger and greater and as a little eye doth see the whole body of sunne or some great mountaine as well as a bigger so our faith though weake and small doth apprehend Christ as truely and effectually for the saluation of the beleeuer as the greatest and most strong our Sauiour Christ compareth himselfe to the brasen Serpent and the beleeuing Christian stong with the stinge of sin to the Israelites which did behold it to the end they might be cured Ioh. 3.14 now we know that all of them were not a like sharpe sighted but some were poreblind some bleare eyed some sawe it but exceeding weakely and dimly but yet notwithstanding as many as looked on it were cured and healed though they were neuer so weake sighted so whosoeuer being stong with sinne do looke vpon Christ with the eye of faith resting vpon him alone for their saluation though they bee neuer so weake sighted yet they shal be restored to health and be eternally saued because it is not in their sight but in the obiect thereof Christ Iesus to iustifie before God and to purchase for them eternall saluation CHAP. XLVII Other tentations concerning faith answered § Sect. 1 ANd thus may we answere Sathans tentations Sathans tentation concerning the certainty and constancie of faith answeved which hee groundeth vpon the small quantitie and weakenesse of our faith besides which he suggesteth diuers others as first that true iustifying faith is a firme certaine and constant perswasion whereas ours if wee haue any at all is weake and feeble instable inconstant and wauering and that it is not onely continually assaulted but also often foiled and ouercome with doubting and infidelitie and therefore that it is but a shadow of faith and not true faith indeed The which tentation wee may easily answere if wee but remember that which already hath beene deliuered namely that the best cannot attaine in this life vnto such perfection of faith as is quite freed from all infirmities and corruption that there is diuers degrees of true iustifying faith some weaker some stronger some in greater and some in smaller quantitie some like smooking flaxe and a graine of mustard seed some like a bright burning flame which giueth light and the liuely heat of true comfort to those who are indued therewith and of as high growth as the greatest tree in the garden and
and raising vp of a most faithfull seruant of God and my most deare friend who hath bound me with many benefits to the performance of all christian duties But afterwards finding it to grow to such a volume that it was too great to passe in a written coppie and hoping that that which was profitable for one might bee beneficiall vnto many at length I resolued to make my labours publike by committing them to the presse The principall things that I propounded to my selfe in this treatise are these first and especially I indeauour to comfort those who are afflicted in conscience in the sight and sence of their sinnes by offering vnto them certaine assurance that their sinnes are remitted and that themselues are elected to eternall life in the state of grace reconciled vnto God in Christ and receiued in his loue and fauour Secondly I labour to leade the christian in an euen course vnto the hauen of eternall happinesse that he may not runne aside neither on the right hand and so falling vpon the rockes of presumption make shipwracke of his soule nor yet on the left hand and so plunge himselfe into the gulfe of desperation Wherein I haue purposely and aduisedly auoyded their practise who scatter their consolations they know not where to bee applyed they care not by whom whereof it commeth to passe that those that are most secure and presumptuous arrogate them to whom they doe not appertaine and those that are afflicted and humbled dare not appropriate them to themselues because they are deliuered indefinitly to all without all caution or any condition whereby they might bee restraiâ—ed rather to them than any other in whom sinne yet liueth and raigneth Wherein they resemble negligent physitions who hauing made a good medicine for a sicke man doe not giue it vnto him but cast it carelesly into some corner whether the sicke patient in respect of his faintnesse and weakenesse is likely neuer to come which being found and greedily drunken vp by those who haue no neede of it in stead of doing them good doth turne to their baine and vtter destruction Lastly I haue desired to giue solid and substantiall consolations which are firmely grounded vpon Gods vndoubted truth and such infallible reasons as cannot bee gainsaid and haue withall deliuered the conditions vpon which they are to be receiued and the vndoubted signes and markes of those to whom of right they appertaine to the end that those who finde these things in themselues may not doubt to apply them to their wounded consciences whereby they may bee soundly cured and throughly comforted and that those who finde no such condition obserued by them nor any such signe or marke in them may be debarred from participating of these consolations which would nourish in them securitie and presumption and contrariwise examining themselues according to these rules and finding no correspondencie betweene themselues and them may hereby be awakened out of their lethargie of securitie and attaining vnto a sight and sense of their miserable estate may neuer be at rest till by vsing all good meanes for this purpose they may finde these markes and signes of their election vocation iustification and sanctification in them that so they may boldly and fitly apply vnto themselues these comforts and consolations as rightly and truly appertaining vnto them All which my labours I thought good to dedicate vnto your worships partly because I desired to giue this testimonie of my true thankefulnesse for those manifold benefits which from some of you I haue receiued and of mine vnfained loue which I beare to you all for your vertues and approued godlinesse and partly because I thought none fitter to whom I might commend this discourse of the Christian Warfare than your selues who are olde experienced souldiars in fighting these spirituall battailes and therefore haue iudiciall feeling and sensible apprehension of those things which I haue written and commended to your patronage Now the Lord our God who is the fountaine of all goodnesse and the sole giuer of all true consolation increase in you more and more the gifts and graces of his sanctifying spirit and so fill your hearts with all sound spirituall comfort and the ioy in the holy Ghost that you may through the course of your whole liues chearefully goe forward in the profession and sincere practise of his religion and true godlinesse and after this life may receiue that crowne of righteounsnesse which is prepared and laid vp for you in his kingdome of eternall glorie Amen Your Worships in the Lord most assured IOHN DOVVNAME THE CONTENTS OF THIS BOOKE THE CHIEFE POINTS HANDLED in the first Booke CHAP. I. THat all Gods seruants are assaulted with the spirituall enemies of their saluation pag. 1 That the strong faith whereof worldlings boast is nothing els but securitie and vaine presumption pag. 3.4 That Gods seruants may rather be comforted than dismaied by the assaults of their spirituall enemies pag. 6 CHAP. II. Why God suffreth his seruants to be exercised in the spirituall conflict of temptations namely for his owne glorie and their euerlasting good pag. 7 CHAP. III. Arguments to encourage the weake Christian to enter into this spirituall conflict pag. 10 CHAP. IIII. Of the malice of our spirituall enemie Sathan ioyned with violence and falshood and how we may withstand it pag. 16 CHAP. V. Of his strength courage and audaciousnesse and how wee may withstand them pag. 23 CHAP. VI. Of Sathans aides and first of the world pag. 31 How the world tempteth by prosperitie and how wee may resist these temptations pag. 32 How it tempteth by aduersitie and of the meanes whereby wee may resist these temptations 34 CHAP. VII Of the flesh what it is and how we may subdue it 39 CHAP. VIII Of Sathans policie and how we may defeate it 40 CHAP. IX Of the spirituall armour described Eph. 6.44 CHAP. X. Of the particular parts of the Christian armour and first of the girdle of veritie 48 CHAP. XI Of the breastplate of righteousnesse 51 CHAP. XII Of the preparation of the Gospell of peace 54 CHAP. XIII Of the shield of faith and what is meant by quenching Sathans darts 55 CHAP. XIIII Of the helmet of saluation 57 CHAP. XV. Of the sword of the spirit and how we must vse it in the conflict of temptations 59 CHAP. XVI Of prayer and the necessitie thereof in the spirituall conflict 64 Of the properties required in prayer 65 Of watchfulnes in prayer 67 Of perseuerance in prayer Where is also shewed why the Lord delaieth to grant the petitions of his children 69 CHAP. XVII Of Sathans stratagems First how he fitteth his temptations according to our affections and naturall inclinations and how we may defeate this policie 72 CHAP. XVIII How Sathan fitteth his temptations according to our state and condition And how we may withstand these temptations 78 How Sathan tempteth professors of religion whose profession is only in shew 82 How he tempteth the sincere
from our owne shadowes yea from our selues for wee carrie it in our owne bosomes How hard therefore is this enemie to be ouercome how dangerous and irksome must this fight needs be wherein our selues must be enemie to our selues So that we cannot obtaine the victorie vnlesse we be ouercome we cannot be sure of life vnlesse we mortifie and kill our greatest part we cannot sustaine our selues but we nourish our enemie we cannot famish our enemie but we our selues shall pine with hunger Who would not thinke the estate of those citizens to be most dangerous who being besieged by forraine forces harbour amongst them more traytors which are hourely in readines to open the gates and betray the citie into their enemies hands than true subiects and loyall citizens to stand in their defence But this is our case we are besieged with forraine forces the world and the diuell and we nourish in vs secret traytors euen the flesh with whole legions of the lusts thereof which are continually readie to open the gates of our soules euen our senses of seeing hearing touching tasting smelling whereby whole troupes of temptations enter and surprize vs. § Sect. 3 How the flesh is to be weakned The consideration whereof should make vs most watchfully to stand vpon our guard and to vse such Christian policie to withstand our enemies and preuent their treacherous attempts as true-hearted citizens would vse in the like case who if they were besieged with forraine forces and knew that they harboured traytors who sought all opportunities of betraying their citie into their enemies hand they would if they were strong enough lay hand on them draw them to the place of iudgement condemne and put them to death but if they found them too great and strong a partie then they would vse all good policie to make them weaker by depriuing them of their foode and prouision weapons armour and munition and all other meanes wherein consisted their chiefe strength and then they would set vpon them being thus disabled and proceede in the course of iustice before mentioned so we being in continuall danger to haue the citie of our soules sacked through the treacherousnes of our flesh must if wee be strong enough and powerfull through Gods spirit mortifie kill and abolish the flesh and the lusts thereof but if we finde the spirit weake and the flesh strong we are to disable it by fasting and watchfulnes in prayer by withdrawing from it the foode with which it is nourished that is voluptuous pleasures and worldly delights but especially being weake in our selues wee are to implore the aide and assistance of Gods spirit whereby we may be strengthened and enabled to subdue and mortifie the lusts of the flesh 1. Pet. 2.11 which rebell and fight against our soules being assured by Gods mercifull promise that if we aske and desire his spirit he will giue it vs Luk. 11.13 Luk. 11.13 and hauing the spirit of God to assist vs we shall be sure of victorie But if in steede of mortifying and taming the flesh and the lusts thereof wee pamper them like Epicures with all voluptuous delights Pro. 24.21 wee shall but strengthen our enemies to cut our owne throtes if wee delicately bring vp this seruant which we should vse as a slaue at length it will be not onely as our sonne but a tyrannous Lord and master which will binde vs hand and foote in the fetters of sinne and cast vs into the prison of hell What follie therefore is it to nourish and arme our enemie to our owne destruction CHAP. VIII Of Sathans policie § Sect. 1 ANd thus much of the flesh which is the second enemie that ioyneth with Sathan in working our destruction and thus much also concerning the first part of our enemies power which consisteth in the strength either of himself or of his aides now we are to consider of the second part which consisteth in his warlike policie and skill in imploying this his strength to his best aduantage If our enemie had great strength and yet wanted policie he might the more easily be resisted and the sooner vanquished for strength without wit is like a giant without eyes But as our enemie is exceeding strong so is hee also no lesse subtill and politike in imploying all his strength to his best aduantage and therefore as in regard of his strength he is called in the Scriptures a lion and a mightie dragon so in respect of his subtiltie and wilines he is called a serpent yea an old serpent which being the subtillest of beasts hath his craft redoubled by his age and experience Apoc. 12.9 Apoc. 12.9 and hereof he is called in the Scriptures 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to signifie vnto vs his great knowledge No marueile therefore though Sathan should be an expert souldier seeing he is not onely of wonderfull strength but also of great knowledge by creation which though in respect of good things it was much decreased by his fall yet in sleights and stratagems it is much increased by his long experience from the beginning of the world euen almost sixe thousand yeeres which is sufficient to make one wise that is by nature foolish and simple and therefore much more Sathan who is by nature very politike being also a spirit and hereby fit to diue as it were into the secrets of nature and with incredible swiftnes to passe from place to place readie to intrude himselfe into all companies secretly and to learne the nature qualities and dispositions of al men against whom he fighteth And though he cannot know our thoughts directly and certainly for this is proper to God alone to bee the searcher of hearts yet he hath such intelligence from our affections lusts inclinations and outward actions that hee can shrewdly gesse at them if he doe but a while keepe vs companie and see our disposition and conuersation So that wee cannot giue Sathan the least aduantage but he is readie to take it and make vse thereof to our ouerthrow we can lay no plot against him but he discerneth it and is readie to preuent it And therefore in this respect our state is like the king of Arams 2. King 6.12 2. King 6.12 for Sathan our enemie knoweth all our counsailes and consultations which wee take and hold in our most secret chambers § Sect. 2 And thus you see what Sathans policie is How we may defeate Sathans policie against which we must oppose no lesse wisedome and skill if wee will haue the victorie Whereas therefore wee are foolish by nature or wilie to beguile our selues that wisedome which we haue naturally being worldly and carnall which is enmitie against God Rom. 8.7 Rom. 8.7 and therefore more fit to betray vs into the hands of our enemie than to defend vs from him it behooueth vs to goe out of our selues into the Lords treasurie of wisedome and there to furnish vs with such spirituall sauing wisedome as shall be
Matth. 6. our praiers are odious and Pharisaicall Matth. 6. Thanksgiuing is an excellent dutie but if with the Pharisie wee giue thankes rather to boast of our gifts then to shew true thankfulnes to the giuer Luk. 18. we shall not be approoued of God Giuing of almes is a worke acceptable vnto God for it is a sacrifice wherewith he is well pleased Heb. 13.16 Heb. 13.16 but if they be not giuen in simplicitie of heart but in hypocrisie that we may be seene of men it shall haue the hypocrites reward Matth. 6. In a word Matth. 6. this truth and simplicitie of heart is so necessarie that without it whatsoeuer we doe it is not regarded for God is a spirit Ioh. 4 24. and he will be worshipped in spirit and in truth Ioh. 4.24 According to that Iosh 24.14 Feare the Lord Iosh 24.14 and serue him in vprightnes and in truth Which if wee perfourme our seruice of God will be acceptable in his sight though perfourmed in great weaknes and mingled with many imperfections otherwise though wee offer thousands of rammes and whole riuers of oyle that is omit no outward cost and labour in Gods worship Mich. 6.7.8 yet will it be abominable in his eyes Mich. 6.7.8 Let vs therefore with our Sauiour pray vnto God Ioh. 17.17 that wee may bee sanctified with his truth that not onely whatsoeuer wee doe may be grounded on Gods truth but that woe may doe it in truth and vprightnes of heart CHAP. XI Of the breast-plate of righteousnes and Gospell of peace § Sect. 1 THe second part of our armour is the breast-plate of righteousnes whereby we are to vnderstand a good conscience true sanctification and a godly life which also we are to put on according to the example of our grand Captaine Christ Esa 59.17 He put on righteousnes as an habergeon Esa 59.17 and an helmet of saluation vpon his head The excellencie of this breast-plate of righteousnes And then shall not Sathans darts pearce vs so long as we are armed with a good conscience and a godly and innocent life Yea as long as our breasts and hearts are armed with righteousnes though our other members fall into sinne our wounds shall not be mortall for as the breast-plate doth defend the breast and vitall parts of a souldier so the studie and holie endeuour of a Christian to liue in righteousnesse and true sanctification doth so arme his minde that Sathan cannot deadly wound the heart with any of his temptations True it is that the Saints doe receiue wounds and foyles when as Sathan hath drawne them to commit sinne but they are not wounded at the heart because they doe not sinne with full consent of will for they allow not that which they doe neither doe they what they would but what they hate and they delight in the law of God concerning the inner man Rom. 7.15.22 when the flesh leadeth them captiue to the law of sin And hence it is that Paul saith he did not transgresse Gods law Rom. 7.17 1. Ioh. 3.9 and vers 6.8 but sinne that dwelled in him Rom. 7.17 And the Apostle Iohn affirmeth that they who are borne of God sinne not 1. Ioh. 3.9 and that they who are in Christ sinne not and that whosoeuer sinneth is of the diuell vers 6.8 Not that Gods children are exempted from all sinne but because they sinne not with the full consent and swinge of their will and when they doe fall their hearts are defended with the breast-plate of righteousnes that is with an holie endeuour and desire of seruing God Dauid a man according to Gods owne heart may be a notable example hereof for euen after he was indued with the knowledge of the truth and had this godlie endeuour of seruing God he notwithstanding fell grieuously many times and was wounded often with Sathans darts but his wounds were not mortall neither did they pearce the heart because he was armed with the breast-plate of righteousnes for he kept Gods law in his heart and it was sweeter than honey vnto his mouth Psal 119. he meditated therein and sought after it continually as appeareth Psal 119. Would we therefore be preserued from the deadly wounds of Sathans darts of temptation then let vs studie and labour after true holines let vs keepe a good conscience and howsoeuer wee fall often through infirmitie yet let the heart alwaies be armed with the breast-plate of righteousnes that is with an earnest desire and holie endeuour of seruing God and so shall Sathan neuer mortally wound vs. § Sect. 2 But on the other side That the lacke of this armour is most pernicious if we once lay aside the breast-plate of righteousnes not so much as endeuouring to serue the Lord in holines of life but imbrace sinne with full consent of will we shall lay our breasts open and naked to all Sathans thrusts yea and as it were put swords in his hands wherewith hee may wound and murther vs for vntill wee disarme our selues and put weapons into the hands of Sathan by our sinnes he cannot hurt vs as wee may see in the example of our first parents who whilest they continued in their righteousnes and integritie Sathan could not offer them any violence by assault and force and therefore he allured them to entertaine a treacherous parley wherein hauing inticed them to disarme themselues of this breast-plate of righteousnes by wilfull transgressing Gods commandement hee inflicted on them deadly wounds pearcing them through to the verie heart and so like Ioab whilest he seemed louingly to imbrace them he did most treacherously stab them The consideration whereof should make vs repell most carefully all Sathans temptations whereby he inticeth vs to sinne but especially let vs neuer bee allured to put off the breast-plate of righteousnes and then though Sathan wound our soules with sinne yet his wounds will not be mortall so long as wee doe not fall into sinne with full consent of will but through infirmitie in the meane time loathing the sinne which wee commit and delighting our selues in the law of God in respect of the inner man for though we fall yet the Lord will raise vs vp by vnfained repentance so that though sinne dwell in vs yet shall it neuer raigne in vs. CHAP. XII Of the preparation of the Gospell of peace § Sect. 1 THe third part of our Christian armour is VVhat the Gospell of peace is that wee haue our feete shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace where he alludeth to the custome of souldiers in former times who going into the field strongly armed their legges and feete with legge-harnesse wargreaues or buskins to preserue them from the iniurie of the weather the pearcing of briars thornes and such other things as might hurt them in their way as they marched and from the violence also of their enemies blowes when they were incountred for all which
spirituall enemies but they notwithstanding conspiring with Sathan to worke the ouerthrow of Gods Church depriue them of the vse of the sword of the spirit the word of God and so betray them into the power of Sathan being able to make no resistance when their chiefe weapon is taken from them CHAP. XVI Of Prayer § Sect. 1 THe last and chiefe meanes wherby we may both defend our selues and offend our enemie Eph. 6.18 That prayer is the meanes of obtaining Gods assistance and the rest of the spirituall armour is feruent and effectual prayer which the Apostle exhorteth vs to vse Eph. 6.18 And pray alwaies with c. The necessitie and profit of which exercise is exceeding great in this spirituall combat because thereby we doe obtaine all our strength to fight and victorie also ouer our enemies For first wee cannot endure the least assault of Sathan by our owne strength vnlesse wee be armed with the power of Gods might as before I haue shewed And the Lords assistance whereby onely we can ouercome is obtained by earnest and effectuall prayer according to that Psal 50.15 Call vpon me in the day of trouble Psal 50.15 so will I deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie me And our Sauiour prescribeth vs this meanes to free our selues from temptation or at least from being ouercome by them by crauing the Lords assistance saying Leade vs not into temptation Matth. 6.13 but deliuer vs from euill Matth. 6.13 So hee exhorteth his disciples vnto prayer least they should enter into temptation Luk. 22.40 Luk. 22.40 46. Secondly we cannot obtaine the spirituall armour before described by any meanes of our owne but those graces of Gods spirit are his gifts from whom euery good and perfect gift descendeth Iam. 1.17 Iam. 1.17 and therefore are to be begged at his hands by earnest and effectuall prayer we hauing his gracious promise Matth. 7.7 that if we aske we shall receiue Math. 7.7 And our Sauiour hath assured vs that whatsoeuer wee aske the father in his name Ioh. 16.23 he will giue it vs Ioh. 16.23 And to this his promise he addeth his commandement in the verse following saying Vers 24. Luk. 11.13 Aske and you shall receiue Yea if we doe but truly desire the holy Ghost the Father will giue him vnto vs Luk. 11.13 And hee commeth not alone but bringeth with him our spirituall armour euen all his graces fit for to arme vs in the spirituall combat against all the assaults of Sathan and his assistants § Sect. 2 But whereas these graces are in this life but weake and imperfect in vs The rest of the spirituall armour is not sufficient without prayer our truth being mixt with will-worship and hypocrisie the puritie of our conscience being stained with our corruption our knowledge of the Gospell but in part and shadowed with the vaile of ignorance our faith mixt with doubting and weakened with incredulitie our hope shaken from our anker-hold when the promises of God are delaied and whereas we also are vnskilfull to vse this spiritual armour for our best aduantage therefore it behooueth vs after wee haue armed our selues at all points not to trust altogether in our armour but to haue our recourse vnto our grand Captaine Christ Iesus acknowledging our owne weakenesse and desiring his aide and assistance that being armed with his power we may obtaine a glorious victorie ouer our spirituall enemies And as Moses ioyned with Iosuahs sword his owne effectual prayer which was of farre greater efficacie for when he held vp his hands in prayer Israel preuailed but when he fainted Amaleck had the vpper hand so wee being to fight against the spirituall Amalekites are not wholie to trust in our spirituall weapons but we are to implore continually the Lords assistance by heartie prayer assuring our selues that if we lift vp our hands and hearts vnto God we shal in the end obtaine a full victorie but if we faint the spirituall Amaleck will preuaile against vs. Whilest our mindes lie groueling on the earth it is an easie matter for these spirituall wickednesses to ouercome vs seeing they fight against vs from high places but if wee lift vp our hearts in prayer vnto God our mindes and soules shall be as it were transported into heauen which is a tower of strength into which our spirituall enemies cannot approch Whensoeuer therefore wee are assaulted by Sathan let vs lift vp our soules into heauen by effectuall prayer and so we shall be out of his reach § Sect. 3 Now that our prayers may bee effectuall there are diuers conditions and properties required in them by the Apostle in this place First that wee pray continually Luk. 18.1 1. Thess 5.17 The properties required in prayer which also our Sauiour Christ enioyneth vs Luk. 18.1 And Paul also 1. Thess 5.17 not that wee must neglect all other exercises and doe nothing but pray for there is a time to heare the word to do the workes of mercie and of our callings but his meaning is that we be alwaies readie to pray vpon all good occasions especially in the time of temptation this dutie is required according to that Psal 50.15 Psal 50.15 And therefore the Apostle saith not that wee must pray 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in euery particular time and season but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in euery fit time when iust occasion and opportunitie is offered Seeing therefore in the time of temptation we doe especially need the Lords helpe therfore that aboue al other is the opportune and conuenient time wherein we are to implore the Lords assistance Where by the way the stinted prayers of the popish rabble which they restraine to set houres is confuted for the Apostle willeth vs alwaies to be in readines when any fit occasion is offered The second thing required is that wee pray with all manner of prayers and supplication The former word here vsed is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth the earnest desiring of any good thing the other is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the deprecation of some euill so that whether wee want any thing that is good or would be deliuered from any thing which is euill wee must haue recourse vnto God by prayer that we may obtaine the one and auoide the other but more especially when we feele the want or weaknes of any part of the spirituall armour the graces of Gods spirit wee are to begge them at Gods hand that so wee may be enabled to stand in the encounter and when wee apprehend the extreame malice ioyned with the great power and cunning policie of our spirituall enemies wee are earnestly to pray that the Lord will not leade vs into temptation or if he doe yet that he will not suffer vs to fall therein and to be ouerthrowne And these our prayers must not onely be publike in the Church but also priuate in our chambers neither must wee be alwaies begging these
perseuerance in praier for it is not sufficient to pray earnestly and feruently for a spirt but we must continue therein expecting the Lords leisure And vnto this we are exhorted Rom. 12.12 continuing in prayer Rom. 12.12 So the Prophet Dauid perswadeth to expect and waite for the Lord Psal 27.14 and to bee strong in continuing constantlie in our course and then in the end God will comfort our hearts Psal 27.14 And the Apostle Paul willeth vs to pray incessantly 1. Thess 5.17 like importunate suiters who will haue no nay though they receiue many denials To this dutie our Sauiour encourageth vs by the parable of the vnrighteous Iudge who though hee neither cared for man nor feared God Luk. 18.1 yet was moued through importunitie to do the poore widow iustice and therefore our heauenly father will much more graunt the importunate suites of his elect VVhy the Lord delaieth to graunt the petitions of his children especially hauing bound himselfe thereunto by his most gracious promises True it is that the Lord doth many times deferre to graunt the prayers of his children as though he heard or regarded them not when as in truth he neuer delayeth any of their lawfull suites vnlesse it be to this end that hee may thereby either conuay vnto them greater benefits than they desire as when hee giueth spirituall graces in stead of earthly benefits or els that thereby he may moue them to pray more feruently and so exercise and increase their faith hope and patience or that he may shew these his graces to the praise of his glorie who hath bestowed them both to others and the parties themselues or that hee may moue vs more thankfully to receiue and highly to esteeme his benefits after by long suite wee haue obtained them which wee would not so greatly regard if he bestowed them at the first motion A notable example hereof we haue in the Canaanitish woman both for our comfort and imitation Matth. 15. Matth. 15. To whose prayers our Sauiour Christ gaue as it seemed no eare and when he did take notice of her suite he giueth her a double repulse first by telling her that he was sent onely to the lost sheepe of the house of Israel and when this would not moue her to surcease her suite he vseth a more bitter deniall telling her that it was not fit to take the childrens bread and to cast it to whelpes but when she was not hereby discouraged nor her faith extinguished but rather of a sparke increased to a great flame at the last she doth not onely receiue what she desired but also was sent away with great commendation But wherefore did not our Sauiour graunt her petition at the first hearing Surely not that he grudged her her suite or was loth to entertaine it but to the end that he might make her more earnestly implore his helpe and manifest to all the world her singular faith and lastly that she might be an example to vs for our imitation both to encourage vs in asking of God the supplie of our wants and also to perseuere in prayer though at the first God seemeth not to regard vs yea though wee receiue diuers repulses and many discouragements which if we perfourme wee shall haue a notable testimonie of a true faith when as we can patiently abide the Lords leisure though hee doe deferre his helpe Esa 28.16 for he that beleeueth will not make haste as it is Esa 28.16 and in the end wee shall be sure to obtaine our godly and honest desires if not as we would yet as it shal be most for our good and withall eternall blessednes For the Lord is the God of iudgement and blessed are all they that waite for him Esa 30.18 as it is Esa 30.18 When therefore we are assaulted by our spiritual enemies and readie to faint in the combat of temptations let vs call vpon the Lord for his assistance that wee may be freed from danger and deliuered from them and if the Lord doe seeme to deferre his helpe and suffer vs still to beare the brunt of the battaile after wee haue many times implored his assistance yet let vs not be discouraged but constantly perseuere in prayer assuring our selues that the Lord will either free vs from the temptation or els giue vs strength to endure and ouercome it for hee hath promised that he will not suffer vs to be tempted aboue our power but that he will giue a good issue to the temptation that wee may be able to beare it and he is faithfull and true of his word 1. Cor. 10.13 as it is 1. Cor. 10.13 It may be that the Lord wil not quite free vs from the skirmish of temptation though we haue often desired it of him either because he would further trie our Christian valour and exercise our faith or restraine vs from sinne especially spirituall pride to which wee are too too subiect as wee may see in the example of Paul who being buffeted by the messenger of Sathan besought the Lord thrice that he might depart from him but the Lord answered that his grace which he bestowed on him was sufficient and that his power was made manifest in the Apostles weaknes as appeareth 2. Cor. 12.8 9. 1. Cor. 12.8.9 Now the cause why the Lord would not altogether release him was that he might be humbled hereby the pricke of the flesh letting out the winde of vaine glorie which would haue puffed him vp by reason of the multitude of reuelations which hee had receiued Let vs not therefore send for the Lords assistance as it were by poste and prescribe the Lord a time with the Bethulians wherein if we be not relieued we will faint and cowardly yeeld for that which the Prophet speaketh from the Lord concerning the vision may fitly bee spoken of the Lords aide and helpe Though it tarie watch Hab. 2.3 for it shall surely come and not stay Habac. 2.3 § Sect. 6 The last thing required in our prayers is Prayer to be made for all the Saints that wee doe not onely pray for our selues but also for all the Saints For wee are fellow members of the same bodie wee are fellow souldiers which fight vnder the same Captaine Iesus Christ and consequently their victorie is our victorie and their foyles are our foyles As therefore souldiers do not only stand vpon their seuerall guards but ioyne their forces together whereby it commeth to passe that they who being scattered might easily be ouercome hauing vnited their forces are vnresistable so wee are not onely to stand vpon our owne defence but to ioyne in prayer with the whole Church militant and then shall not our spirituall enemies stand against vs for of the praier of one righteous man auaileth much Iam. 5.16 being feruent and effectuall of what efficacie and power are the prayers of all the righteous ioyned together No armour appointed for the backe
withstand Sathan when he fawneth than when hee frowneth when hee fighteth by ambushment than when he assaulteth vs by open violence when he offreth to stab vs to the heart than when hee doth but as it were pricke a vaine letting vs blood to death without sense of paine when hee tempteth vs to outragious sinnes than when he inticeth vs to secret and hidden sinnes when he allureth vs like a friend to commit sinne by offring pleasure riches or honours than when like an enemie a roring lion or cruell dragon he raungeth about and rageth against vs Nam cum delectabile proponit molestum supponit dum vngit pungit He propoundeth things delightfull to bring vs to griefe and miserie he fawneth on vs that he may bemire vs and killeth while he embraceth vs. Neither doth man know his time but as the fishes which are taken in an euill net Eccless 9.12 and as the birds which are caught in the snare so are the children of men snared in the euill time when it falleth vpon them suddenly as it is Eccles 9.12 Nay seeing this fight is farre more dangerous because hee couereth his hooke with an alluring baite and those snares of sinne more pernicious which lie hidden than those which lie in open view Temptations vnto secret sins most dangerous seeing wee are more easily tempted to those sinnes which are secret and disguised in the habite of vertue than vnto those grosse sinnes which haue their names as it were branded in their foreheads seeing also we can more hardly repent of them both because they do not appeare so horrible and grieuous vnto vs as the other open and outward sinnes and also because they worke in vs no shame after we entertaine and liue in them neither can any of our christian brethren admonish or rebuke vs for them they being secret vnknown therfore is Sathan made more audacious to tempt vs and wee more bold to admit of his temptation and after we are fallen wee lacke meanes to raise vs vp againe by vnfained repentance for our selues doe approoue our sinnes and our brethren know them not which Bernard well discerning vttereth this speech fit for this purpose Extimesco magis occulta peccata quae clam committo quam manifesta quae perpetro palam clam enim si pecco nemo me redarguit Vbi autem reprehensio non metuenda est ibi tentatori patet aditus liberrimus peccatum cum voluptate admittitur I am more affraid saith he of my secret then of my open sinnes for if I sinne secretly there is no man to reproue me and where reprehension is not feared there the tempter hath most free accesse and the sinne is entertained with pleasing delight In a word seeing we are more easily drawne into these sinnes and after we are enthralled with them make no hast to get out of our captiuitie therefore let vs be much more warie and heedfull in discouering and auoyding these hidden snares and secret sinnes into which we doe most commonly fall vnwittingly and being fallen doe most willingly continue in them § Sect. 8 Secondly How Sathan assaulteth vs by his instruments the world and the flesh Sathan assaulteth vs sometimes by his deputies and instruments especially he employeth in these seruices the world and the flesh In the world he doth not onely make choyse of our enemies and prophane irreligious men which he stirreth vp to afflict and persecute vs to the end we may be discouraged from the profession and practise of true godlinesse but also of our deare friends and acquaintance and our neere kindred sometime our brother or sister our parents and children yea sometimes a mans wife which lieth in his boo some playeth the part of the tempter As we may see in the example of Iob who was not so much vexed by all his outward afflictions as by the temptation of his wife and three friends The same is euident in the example of Eue whom Sathan vsed as his instrument to intice Adam to the breach of Gods commaundement and Iesabel who was the diuels deputie in prouoking her husband to oppression and horrible murther Neither doth he onely vse to these ends our carnall friends but also our spirituall kindred in Christ who are of the same religion and make the same profession with vs and thus by the old Prophet he inticed the young Prophet to transgresse Gods commaundement 1. King 13. 1. King 13. And thus hee tempted our Sauiour Christ to neglect the worke of our redemption vsing the Apostle Peter as his instrument and therefore because he supplied the diuels place our Sauiour calleth him by his name saying Matth. 16.23 Get thee behinde me Sathan thou art an offence to me Matth. 16.23 And thus nowadaies he vseth professors yea preachers of the Gospell as meanes to tempt men to sinne both by their words and euill examples which temptation is farre more daungerous and of greater force then if all worldlings should combine themselues together and labour both by perswasion and example to seduce them for when they can say I am a professor as well as thou 1. King 13.18 I am a seruant of God who make conscience of my waies as well as thou I am a Prophet as well as thou and therefore thou needest not to make any doubt or scruple in following my councell or example it is a most strong temptation to intice vs to sinne for like sheepe we are most apt to follow after when any of our owne companie leade vs the way And therefore if we would resist this temptation we must labour after true knowledge that we may not depend vpon others for our direction but vpon the word of God alone and not liue by example but by precept for the straightest rule that euer was of the most holy mans life our Sauiour Christ excepted is often and in many places crooked for who is it that hath not erred and gone astray and therefore if we alwaies follow their examples in all particulars we shall erre with them besides all our owne errors § Sect. 9 So also he vseth the helpe of our owne flesh to betray the spirit and leade vs captiue into sinne and that so cunningly That Sathan vseth the helpe of our owne flesh in tempting vs to sin that we can hardly discerne between Sathans suggestions and our owne corrupt motions and desires for being a spirit he doth not appeare in a corporall shape and perswade vs to sinne with reall words which are conuayed to the heart by the eare but he commeth to vs after a spirituall manner and suggesteth secretly his temptations into the heart and minde directly and immediatly so as wee can seldome distinguish his motions from our owne thoughts For as the spirit of God doth so moue vs to all vertuous and holy actions as that in the meane time we would thinke his motions to be our owne godly cogitations 2. Cor. 3.9 but that we are
the idolatrous heathen to burne in sacrifice their deare children So also he tempteth some to despaire of Gods mercie and so torment themselues with horror and feare yea sometimes to lay violent hands vpon themselues murthering and taking away their owne life which by nature is so deere and precious vnto them All which being contrarie to our naturall inclinations and the desires of the flesh manifestly appeare to be the suggestions of Sathan And these are the chiefe differences betweene the temptations of Sathan and the flesh otherwise they are commonly so like one to the other that they can hardly be discerned and therefore let vs not be so carefull curiously to distinguish them as to auoyde or resist them knowing that Sathan is the captaine generall and the flesh and the lusts thereof Sathans chiefe aides and assistants which continually fight against the spirit and labour to plunge both bodie and soule into euerlasting destruction CHAP. XXII Of the generall meanes whereby we may be inabled to withstand our spirituall enemies § Sect. 1 ANd so much concerning the manner of Sathans fight The circumstances to be considered in this spirituall conflict now we are to speake of the conflict it selfe wherein as I haue shewed the parties assaulting and oppugning are the diuell and his assistants the world and the flesh the partie defending and resisting is the christian souldier The cause of the fight is not for lands and dominions nor for riches and mines of gold for these would Sathan be content to giue if he had them in his possession if we would renounce Gods seruice and fall downe and worship him but for the euerlasting saluation of our soules which Sathan laboreth by all meanes possible to hinder and to plunge vs into endlesse destruction The weapons which the assailants vse in this fight are not the sword speare or any other carnall furniture but spirituall temptations whereby they seek to intice draw and prouoke man to sin that consequētly he may receiue the wages therof euerlasting death The weapons which the Christiā souldier vseth to defend himself and repell his enemies is the spiritual armour before spokē of namely the girdle of veritie the breast-plate of righteousnes the knowledge profession of the Gospel of peace the shield of faith the helmet of saluation the sword of the spirit and feruent and effectuall prayer § Sect. 2 Now in this conflict of temptations Of two common affections to be considered of in this spirituall conflict there are first two common affections or generall properties to be considered of the Christian souldiers manfull resistance or els his fainting and receiuing the foile for either he couragiously standeth vpon his defence armed with the graces of Gods spirit and putteth Sathan to flight by withstanding his temptations or els being surprized at vnawares whilest he is disarmed of these spirituall weapons and Christian armour hee is soiled by his spirituall enemies yeelding vnto their temptations and falling into sinne Of the first meanes to withstand our spirituall enemies to wit Gods commandement That we may withstand our spirituall enemie valiantly in all his temptations and obtaine a finall victorie there are certaine general means to be vsed which may serue as strong forts and bulworkes vnto which we may retire our selues as often as we faint and be readie to receiue any disaduantage in the fight First we are continually to haue in memorie the commandement of our chiefe captaine Christ Iesus whereby he inciteth vs to a continuall fight without fainting or yeelding So Eph. Eph. 6.10.11 6.10.11 Be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might Put on the whole armour of God that ye may be able to stand against all the assaults of the diuell 1. Pet. 5.8 And 1. Pet. 5.8 Your aduersarie the diuell as a roring lion walketh about seeking whom he may deuoure Whom resist stedfast in the faith The second meanes hope of victorie Secondly let vs be incouraged to withstand our spirituall enemies with assured hope of victorie for we fight the Lords battailes vnder the standerd of Iesus Christ whose power is omnipotent and therefore able to defend vs to ouerthrow our enemies with a word of his mouth who also is our head and we his members and therefore we may assure our selues that he hath no lesse will than power to succour vs. As also let vs alwaies haue in minde the crowne of victorie promised to all that ouercome euen a crowne of glorie and euerlasting happines in Gods kingdom Apoc. 2.7 3.5.12.21 And this will make vs resolue neuer to faint in the battell Apoc. 2.7 and 3.5.12.21 nor cowardly yeeld vnto Sathans temptations though he should intice vs to sinne by offring vs the whole world because we would not thereby hazard the losse of this eternall waight of glorie The third meanes to be alwaies in readines Thirdly we are alwaies to stand in readines armed with the christian armour the graces of Gods spirit and to vse al good means that we may be more and more strengthened confirmed in them but yet when we are at the strongest we are not to presume vpon our own strength but to relie our selues wholy vpon the Lords assistance and when wee are tempted and assaulted we must continually implore his help that being armed with the power of his might wee may withstand the temptation and obtaine victorie The fourth meanes to take occasion of Sathans temptation vnto sinne of doing the cōtrary vertue Fourthly when we are assaulted by our spirituall enemies and tempted vnto any sinne we must not only abstaine from committing thereof but also take occasion thereby of doing the contrary vertue For example whē we are tempted to vnlawful pleasures we must not only abstaine from thē but also we are somewhat to abridge our selues of those that be lawfull and the more feriously and painfully to follow the works of our lawfull callings when we are tempted to couetousnes we must the more carnestly exercise the works of mercie and christian liberalitie when we are tēpted to ambition we must not only refraine frō vainglorie but we must labour after true humilitie and mortification refusing not only vnlawfull honours but those also which are lawfull so oft as we haue iust cause to feare that Sathan wil taking occasion of our corruption hereby cause vs to forget God when we are tempted to neglect the hearing of Gods word on the Lords Sabbaoth wee are the more diligently to heare it not only then being bound hereunto by Gods commandement as being one of the chief means of sanctifying this day consecrated to Gods seruice but also on the weeke daies if the Lord giue vs fit opportunitie when as we might lawfully be exercised in the duties of our callings In a word when we are tempted to any vice wee are to take occasion thereby of doing the contrarie vertue in the meane time carefully auoiding the policie of
spirit may be saued in the day of the Lord Iesus 1. Cor. 5.5 § Sect. 5 It may be that the worke of mortification and regeneration doth goe slowly forward Though our spirituall growth be show yet it is certaine and the Lord may for a time let our corruptions beare great sway in vs to the end he may hereby truly humble vs with the sight of our infirmities and take away from vs all selfe-confidence presumption and cause of boasting and cause vs wholy to relie vpon his mercie and Christs merits but though it go on slowly yet it shall goe surely because it is not begun and continued by our selues for we cannot so much as thinke a good thought but all our sufficiencie is of God as it is 2. Cor. 3.5 2. Cor. 3.5 neither can we so much as will and desire that which is acceptable in Gods sight for it is he that worketh in vs the will and the deed Phil. 2.13 euen of his good pleasure as it is Phil. 2.13 And therefore these holie desires which are the beginnings and first fruites of regeneration being the worke of Gods spirit he will finish and perfect that which he hath begun till at last we be fully freed from our corruption and indued with vnspotted holines and sanctification Phil. 1.6 According to that Phil. 1.6 I am perswaded of this same thing that he who hath begun this good worke in you will performe it vntill the day of Iesus Christ For as with the Lord himselfe there is neither change nor shadow of change Iam. 1.17 Mal. 3.6 Rom. 11.29 Iam. 1.17 Mal. 3.6 so also are his gifts and calling without repentance as it is Rom. 11.29 § Sect. 7 If therefore we haue but a desire to forsake our sinnes If we earnestly desire perfectiō the Lord will perfect vs and in the meane time pardon our imperfections and to attaine vnto true sanctification this desire is Gods worke which he wil finish accomplish according to that Psal 145 19. He wil fulfill the desire of them that feare him For if the Lord doe euen presse vpon vs whilest we doe not desire his companie if hee stand waiting and knocking at the doore of our hearts calling and crying vnto vs that we will open and giue him entrance when his holie spirit hath inflamed vs with true loue of him and opened our hearts with an earnest desire to haue him enter will he now thinke you goe away and refuse to come in when wee inuite him Nay assuredly for he hath promised the contrarie Reuel 3.20 Behold saith he I stand at the doore and knocke if any man heare my voice and open the doore I will come in vnto him and sup with him and he with me that is I will make him a rich banquet of my heauenly graces and giue him to drinke the water of life of which whosoeuer drinketh shall neuer be more a thirst but it shall be in him a well of water springing vp into euerlasting life as our Sauiour speaketh Ioh. 4.14 So our Sauiour Christ calleth such as thirst vnto him Ioh. 7.38 Reu. 21.6 If any man thirst let him come to me and drink And I will giue to him that is a thirst of the well of the water of life freely If therefore we haue a thirsting desire after Gods spirit and the graces thereof we shall in Gods good time be satisfied and filled with the full measure of them And in the meane time though our infirmities be neuer so great and manifold yet in Christ God wil be well pleased with vs when as our corruptions do displease our selues so that we earnestly desire to be freed from them and to serue the Lord in righteousnes and holines of life For the Lord esteemeth more of our will than of our deedes and of our holie endeuour than of our best workes because this is the seruice and sacrifice of our hearts wherewith aboue all other things hee is most delighted and therefore Da cordi Deo sufficit Pro. 23.26 Giue thy hart to God and it sufficeth Prou. 23.26 For the Lord is our most gracious father whose loue farre exceedeth the loue euen of tender mothers Esa 49.15 Esa 49 15. and 66.13 Looke therefore what affection the tender father or mother beareth and sheweth towards their childe and such nay infinit more will the Lord shew towards vs as himselfe professeth Mal. 3.17 And I will spare them Mal. 3.17 as a man spares his owne sonne that serueth him Now we know that if a child endeuour to to his dutie and striue to doe his best though through want of power or skill hee is not able to doe as he would those things which his father inioyned him there is no louing father but will winke at his imperfections and accept his wil commending his obedience and dutifull endeuour though the worke in it self deserue no commendations how much more therefore will our heauenly father whose loue is infinite and without all compare be wel pleased with vs in the middest of our infirmities if we haue a desire and care to serue him The Lord is our shepheard Psal 23.1 Ioh. 10. and we his flock and the sheep of his pasture as it is Psal 23.1 and Ioh. 10. Now if a sheepe be intangled in the briars so as hee cannot follow the shepheard though he heare his voyce calling vnto him yet if hee struggle and striue to come out to the vttermost of his power and bleat for the shepheards helpe when he cannot help himselfe hereby it appeareth that hee is one of his flocke which the good shepheard will not suffer to be lost whereas indeed if he want not power alone but will also to be freed and to follow after it is cleere that he belongeth to another sheepfold so if when wee are intangled in the briars of our corruptions and so hindred with our imperfections that wee cannot follow the great shepheard of our soules Iesus Christ in the path of righteousnes which leadeth to the sheepfold of euerlasting happines though wee heare his voyce calling vnto vs yet if with the sillie sheepe we struggle and striue to be freed from the snares of sinne and when wee cannot free our selues by our power doe as it were bleate and after our sheepish manner implore the help of our carefull shepheard crying out with the Apostle Paul that blessed sheepe of Christ Wretched man that I am Rom. 7.24 who shall deliuer me from the bodie of this death as it is Rom. 7.24 then will our louing shepheard Iesus Christ in his good time come and loose vs and if with strugling in the briars of sinne we are so disabled that we cannot goe he will take vs like the straied sheepe vpon his shoulders and carrie vs by the waies of righteousnesse into his sheepfold of euerlasting happinesse Neither can it possibly be that our heauenly shepheard who of purpose came into the world
sonne we may returne againe and be receiued into his euerlasting loue and fauour § Sect. 4 Secondly That spirituall afflictions tend to our mortification the Lord sendeth afflictions to mortifie in vs the old man the flesh and vnregenerate part now the flesh is not onely in our bodie but also in our soule and euery part and facultie thereof and therefore the Lord doth not afflict the bodie alone with outward calamities but euen the soule also with griefe of minde and horrour of conscience with the waight of sinne and sense of his wrath to the end that our corruptions both in bodie and soule may be mortified the old man with the lusts thereof crucified and in the end fullie abolished Iere. 4.4 And therefore doth the Lord breake our hard and stonie hearts therefore doth he plowe and teare them vp like fallow ground to the end that the seede of his grace being sowne in them may take roote fructifie and bring forth a plentifull haruest of godlinesse to his glorie and our comfort It is not therefore for want of loue that our heauenly father doth thus bruse vs and euen crush vs in peeces it is not because he will reiect vs and cast vs of but when we are truely humbled when our hard hearts are softned and our spirits broken and made contrite then will he regard vs and shew his tender loue and mercifull kindnesse vnto vs as he hath graciously promised Matth. 12.20 The brused reede will he not breake Matth. 12.20 Psa 51.17 and smoking flax shall he not quench So Psal 51.17 The sacrifices of God are a contrite spirit a contrite and broken heart O God thou wilt not despise And the Prophet telleth vs that our Sauiour Christ was sent into the world to preach glad tidings vnto the poore to binde vp the broken harted c. to comfort all that mourne Esa 61.1 2 3. to giue them beautie for ashes the oyle of ioy for mourning the garment of gladnes for the spirit of heauines c. as it is Esa 61.1.2.3 Luk. 4.18 § Sect. 5 Lastly Gods dearest children subiect to spirituall affliction that the afflictions of the minde the apprehension of Gods wrath the sting of sinne and torments of conscience are not any true and certaine signes of Gods hatred hereby it plainely appeareth in that the most deare children of God haue been subiect to them and that in great measure For example Iob who by Gods own testimony was the iustest man that liued on the earth Iob. 1.8 Iob. 1.8 notwithstanding was so grieuously afflicted both in body and minde that he bursteth out into these grieuous complaints Iob. 6.4 9.17 18. 13.24.26 16.9 19.11 Iob. 6.4 The arrowes of the almightie are in me the venime whereof doth drinke vp my spirit and the terrors of God fight against me And chap. 9. vers 17. He destroyeth me with a tempest and woundeth me without cause 18. He will not suffer me to take my breath but filleth me with bitternesse So c. 13.24 Wherefore hidest thou thy face and takest me for thine enemie And v. 26. Thou writest bitter things against me and makest me to possesse the iniquities of my youth And c. 16.9 His wrath hath torne me and he hateth me and gnasheth vpon me with his teeth mine enemie hath sharpned his eyes against me And. c. 19.11 He hath kindled his wrath against mee and counteth mee as one of his enemies Looke also vpon the example of the Prophet Dauid who though he were a man according to Gods own heart yet was he made to drinke a deep draught in this cup of inward afflictions and was vexed not only outwardly in his estate goods and body but also in his soule with the sense of Gods wrath with the waight of sinne and the terrors and torments of conscience which make him to vtter these and such like pittifull complaints in the booke of the Psalmes Psal 6.3 Psal 6.3 My soule is also sore troubled but Lord how long wilt thou delay And v. 6. I fainted in my mourning I cause my bed euery night to swim and water my couch with my teares So Psal 38.2 Psal 38.2.3 Thine arrowes haue light vpon me and thine hand lieth vpon me 3. There is nothing sound in my flesh because of thine anger neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sinne 4. For mine iniquities are gone ouer mine head and as a waightie burthen they are too heauie for me c. And Psal 88.7 Thine indignation lieth vpon me Psal 88.7.14 15 16. and thou hast vexed me with all thy waues And v. 14. Lord why dost thou reiect my soule and hidest thy face from me 15. I am afflicted and at the point of death from my youth I suffer thy terrors doubting of my life 16. Thine indignations goe ouer me and thy feare hath cut me off So in the 77 Psalme he taketh vp this lamentable complaint vers 7. Psal 77.7 8 9 10. Will the Lord absent himselfe for euer and will he shew no more fauour 8. Is his mercie cleane gone for euer doth his promise faile for euermore 9. Hath God forgotten to be mercifull hath he shut vp his tender mercies in displeasure 10. And I said this is my death Looke also vpon the Apostle Paul who though he were a chosen vessel whom God had seperated from his mothers wombe to carrie his name before the Gentils and is is Act. 9.15 Act. 9.15 Gal. 1.15 2. Cor. 6.4 5 6 7 8. Gallat 1.15 yet was hee afflicted grieuously not onely outwardly in body as hee professeth 2. Corinth 6.4.5.6.7.8 c. but also in minde for the messenger of Sathan was sent to buffet him 2. Cor. 12.7 8. and hee had a long time a pricke in the flesh from which hee could not be freed though he often begged this fauour at Gods hand as appeareth 2. Cor. 12.7.8 And the burthen of sinne grieuously afflicting his conscience forced him to cry out Rom. 7.24 Rom. 7.24 O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of his death § Sect. 6 So that by these and many such like examples That Christ himselfe indured these spirituall afflictions 1. Cor. 10.13 1. Pet. 5.9 Esa 53.3 that is manifest vnto our comforts which the Apostle speaketh 1. Cor. 10.13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as appertaineth to man for the same afflictions which we suffer are accomplished in our brethren which are in the world as it is 1. Pet. 5.9 Yea the same and farre greater were indured by our head Iesus Christ himselfe who receiued deepe and grisly woundes in respect of those small scratches which we suffer and drunke the full cupe of Gods heauie displeasure of which we onely sip or taste for he was not onely in his outward state deiected and reputed as an abiect amongst men nor persecuted by his cruell enemies alone euen to
as if he should come to a man who hath endured much and tedious sicknesse and should say vnto him thou diddest imagine thy selfe awhile agoe very beautifull and exceeding strong but thou wast much deceiued for if thou lookest in a glasse thou shalt presently perceaue that thou art leane pale and deformed and if thou makest triall of thy strength thou shalt finde that it is scarce sufficient to sustaine the waight of thine owne body Now who would not deride such fond reasoning who could not easily answere that iudgement is not to be taken of the beautie and strength of the bodie in the time of sicknes but in the time of health but this is the very like case and thus sottishly doth Sathan conclude or rather delude Gods children in the time of temptation for he sayeth thus vnto them thou diddest perswade thy selfe that thou art the childe of God and in his loue and fauour that thou art indued with faith patience and other graces and daily increasest in them but now thou art come to the triall it proueth farre otherwise for thy faith is turned into doubting or infidelitie and thy patience to impatiencie and therefore there is no likelyhoode that thou art beloued of God for then thou wouldest profit by afflictions and increase in grace and strength whereas thou bewrayest nothing but thy manifould corruptions But we are to know that we are not to iudge of our grace and strength in the time of temptation and of the spirituall conflict when as our soules are grieuously sicke with the sense of sinne and apprehension of Gods heauie displeasure incurred thereby when as the fire of Gods spirit is couered with the ashes of our corruptions and the fruites and graces thereof nipped with the coulde winter and boysterous blasts of temptations but we are to looke into our selues when the fit is past and the conflict ended and then shall we finde our patience by experience of Gods loue confirmed our faith renewed all other graces strengthened and increased and then shall we clearâ—â—y discerne the bright beames of Gods loue and fauour shining vpon vs when the cloudes of temptation are past away which did hide them from vs. § Sect. 8 That Gods deaâ—â— children in gâ—eiuous temptations shew impatiencie and vtter someâ—â—â—â— inconsiderate speeches But if in the time of triall and temptation we iudge according to our present sense and feeling we must needes be deceiued for it cannot be denied but that euen the deare children of God who haue receiued a great measure of grace when the hand of God is vpon them doe doubt of his loue and fauour and when they are grieuously afflicted doe bewray their corruption and shew their impatience by vttering inconsiderate speeches for while we continue in this life we haue the reliques of sinne hanging on vs and we are partly flesh and partly spirit yea the flesh is the stronger part and therefore it is no maruaile if the flesh being pinched in the time of temptation doth complaine and being launced deepely with the rasor of sharpe afflictions doth cry out for paine complaining of the Surgeon that he dealeth too rigorously with him And if men through bodily sicknes haue their iudgements blinded their vnderstanding dasled and misled their memorie ouerthrowne so that they can put no difference betweene their friends and their enemies but euen raile vpon those whom in the time of their health they dearely loued and thinke none so much their enemie as their physition rauing and inconsiderately speaking they know not what what wonder is it if the like effects follow the sicknesse of the soule when it is as it were set vpon the racke pressed with the burthen of sinne and tormented with the apprehension of Gods anger considering that these kinde of afflictions are faire more grieous and without comparison more intollerable Pro. 28.14 for a man may sustaine his infirmities but a wounded spirit who can beare as it is Pro. 28.14 What meruaile then is it if they take God for their enemie when they feele his sharpe medicines though in truth he be their louing Phisition who by this meanes cureth them of their diseases of sinne and corruption what wonder is it if they vtter rauing speeches when the sense of paine presseth them so sore how is it possible but that they should doubt of Gods gracious loue and fauour when as they presently taste of nothing but his rigor and iustice § Sect. 9 Example to cleere the former point Iam. 5.11 We must not therefore iudge of our state while the crosse is vpon vs for so should we condemne the generation of the iust to be most wicked then should we imagine those who haue excelled in patience to be most wayward and impatience Looke vpon Job who is renowned for patience and you shall sinde that while the hand of God was vpon him he bewrayeth the corruption of the flesh and sheweth notable impatiencie cussing the day of his natiuitie and wishing that he had neuer been borne or else that he had presently after his birth been swallowed vp in the lawes of death Iob. 3 6.8.9.10 Iob. 3. So chap. 6.8.9 he thus crieth out like a man vtterly desperat O that I might haue my desire and that God would graunt me the thing that I lung for 9. That is that God would destroy me that he would let his hand goe and cut me off 10. Then should I yet haue some comfort though I burne with sorrow let him not spare c. Where Iob seemeth to deale with God as a condemned malefactor with a iust seuere iudge who seeing the anger of the iudge incensed against him for his crime hath no hope that he can by intreatie and perswasions mooue him to reuoke his sentence of death and therefore onely desireth a mitigation of the tortures and that he may quickly be dispatched and ridde out of his paine nam misericordae genus est citò occidere it is a kinde of mercie to be speedie in execution So Iob hauing no hope to be freed from his miseries desireth onely this fauour at Gods hands that he would not as it were corment him peece meale but make a quicke dispatch of him by laying on a greater waight of afflictions till by their vnsupportable burthen the breath were pressed out of his body And chap. 10.18 Iob. 10.18 Wherefore hast thou brought me out of the wombe Oh that I had perished and that none eye had seene me 19. And that I were as I had not been but brought from the wombe to the graue Looke vpon the Prophet Dauid who was a man according to Gods owne heart endued with a stedfast faith and constant patience and you shall perceiue that Gods loue and the graces of Gods spirit in him were so shadowed with the grieuousnesse of his present afflictions that he could not discerne them For he complaineth like a man vtterly cast off and reiected of God Psal 88.14 Lord
why dost thou reiect my soule Psal 88.14 and hidest thy face from me 16. Thine indignation is gone ouer me and thy feare hath cut me off 77.8.9 The like complaint he taketh vp Psal 77.8.9.10 Neither had the Prophet in these times alwaies the spirit of supplication and prayer but sometime the grieuousnesse of his paine did shut his mouth so as he could not confesse his sinne Psal 32.3.4 nor humble himselfe before his God though through the waight of affliction his bones were consumed and he roared for griefe all the day long as appeareth Psalm 32.3.4 So Ieremie seeing the word of God contemned Ierem. 20.14.15.18 and himselfe who was Gods ambassador despised could not beare it but bursteth out into great impaciencie cursing the day of his birth and euen the man that brought newes thereof to his father because he was borne to see labour and sorrow and that his daies should be consumed with shame Ierem. 20.14 15.18 If therefore we iudge of Iob Dauid and Ieremie acording to their outward behauiour and their owne inward feeling in the time of afflictions and in the combate of temptations we should thinke them voyde of faith impatience and destitute of all assurance and hope of Gods loue and fauour but the Scriptures teach vs otherwise propounding them vnto vs as patternes of patience and true godlinesse and themselues also at other times doe shew their singular faith patience and the rest of the graces of Gods spirit Seeing then this is not our case alone but the state of Gods dearest children let vs not beleeue the tempter telling vs that we are not Gods children because we see not Gods graces so plainely in the time of temptation and triall but contrariwise bewray our impatiencie and other corruptions but let vs be truely humbled in the sight of our infirmities laboring and striuing to reforme them and iudge of our state not as we finde it in the time of the conflict but as it was or is before or after the combate is ended § Sect. 10 Lastly the tempter obiecteth The obiection out of Eccles 9.1 answered and hath stirred vp his wicked instruments the enemies of Gods truth to defend that though wee are not wholy to despaire of Gods loue yet wee must doubt thereof and to this purpose they alleadge that saying Eccles 9.1 which they reade thus I haue handled all these things in my heart that I might curiously vnderstand Iust and wise men and their workes are in the hand of God and notwithstanding a man knoweth not whether he be worthie of loue or hatred but all things are kept vncertain for the time to come c. I answere that if Gods loue or hatred did depend vpon our owne vnworthinesse wee might well doubt nay I will say more wee might iustly despaire of his grace and goodwill and certainly assure our selues that we were hated and abhorred of God for this if any thing wee haue deserued But the truth is that as Sathan tempting our Sauiour and quoting scripture for his purpose left out that which made against him so here by his instruments assaulting his members he addeth to the scriptures that which maketh for him for neither in the Hebrew which is the originall nor in the Greeke translation is there any one word of our worthinesse or vnworthinesse but thus it is in the text as it is truly translated in our Bibles No man knoweth either loue or hatred of all that is before them and whereas they reade the words following thus But all things are kept vncertain for the time to come they most grosly depraue the text which is thus to be read as wee haue it translated All things come alike to all and the same condition is to the iust and the wicked and thus also doth Arias Montanus one of the most learned amongst themselues translate it Neither wil their corrupt translatiō stand with the sense and truth of the place for as he saith no man knoweth whether he be worthie of loue so also that no man knoweth whether he be worthie of hatred but this is vtterly false for so should wee say that wee could not know whether the Sodomites for their filthinesse the Canaanites for their idolatrie Iulian for his apostasie were worthie to be hated of God whereas the scriptures witnesse the cleane contrarie and euen they themselues doe confesse that they who desperatly giue ouer themselues into all sinne and wickednesse are not to doubt but that they are worthie of Gods anger and heauie displeasure why therefore on the other side may not those who are truly conuerted vnto God and indued with a liuely faith which worketh by loue be assured of Gods loue and fauour seeing he hath assured them hereof in his word Nay in the same chapter vers 7. their corrupt exposition is ouerthrowne for there he biddeth vs to eate our bread with ioy and to drinke our wine with a cheereful heart for God now accepteth our works Now though God did indeede accept ourworkes yet wee could not be moued to ioy and cheerefulnesse of heart hereby vnlesse also we might be assured of his acceptation But let vs examine these words and shew the true sense of them The exposition of Eccles 9.1 There are two expositions giuen which may stand with the analogie of faith and the circumstances of the text For some vnderstand these words not of Gods loue or hatred but of mans loue towards those things he desires and of his hatred towards those things he flieth and then this is the sense of the place A man knoweth not whether those things which he loueth as pleasures honours and riches or those things which hee hateth namely crosses and afflictions shall happen vnto him because they are not disposed by his owne power but by the prouidence of God who giueth these outward things indifferently to all both iust and vniust So that if the words are thus to be vnderstood there is no shew of reason in the Papists exposition Secondly let it be granted that it is to be vnderstood of Gods loue towards vs yet it will make nothing for their purpose for then this is the plaine sense of the words no man can know whether hee bee loued or hated of God by these common outward things which happen alike to al and in respect whereof there is the same condition to the iust and the wicked and to the pure and polluted to those that worship God and those that worship him not there is no iudgement that can bee giuen either of our selues or others in respect of our outward state for sometime the iust are poore the vniustrich the wicked aduanced to honour and the godly afflicted and persecuted For example Esau enioyed his delights and plentie of all things Iacob like a poore pilgrime went into a strange countrie hauing no other riches but his clothes on his backe and his staffe in his hand when he was come amongst his
friends he endured tedious labours many miseries and so Dauid was persecuted whilest Saul did sit on the throne yea our Sauiour Christ himselfe was arraigned at the barre and condemned whilest Pilate and the chiefe Priests and Pharisies sate in the seate of iustice ouerswaying all at their owne pleasures and yet at the same time Iacob was beloued Esau hated Dauid chosen of God Saul reiected our Sauiour Christ the deare sonne of his heauenly father and his enemies the instruments and limmes of Sathan So that it is most true that Salomon speaketh namely no man can haue assurance of Gods loue and fauour by these outward benefits bestowed both vpon the godly and wicked neither by his aduersities and afflictions can gather that the Lord hateth him for these befall all indifferently as it pleaseth God to punish the reprobate or to chastize his owne children But though we can gather no sound argument from these outward things of Gods loue yet it followeth not that there is no other meanes to assure vs hereof for by the same reason wee may conclude that man is no better than brute beasts and that there is no immortalitie of the soule Eccles 3.19 because it is said Eccles 3.19 that the condition of the children of men and the condition of beasts is the same But as the Wiseman speaketh there of their outward mortalitie alone and not absolutely in all respects and therefore he saith that they are alike to see to that is in outward appearance vers 18. and explaineth himselfe in the words following for saith hee as one dieth so dieth the other so he doth not meane here simply that there is no assurance of Gods loue but onely in respect of these outward things and therefore he addeth that in these outward respects all things come alike to all and the same condition is to the iust and the wicked Though then there is no assurance of Gods loue to be gathered out of our worldly estate yet it cannot hence be concluded that therefore there is no meanes whereby we may be assured hereof for the Lord hath giuen vnto vs his word and mercifull promises he hath giuen vnto vs his holy spirit crying in our harts Abba father and witnessing to our spirits that we are the sonnes of God Rom. 8. Rom. 8. He hath manifested his loue by giuing vs his onely sonne and begetting in vs by his word and spirit a liuely faith whereby wee may apply him and all his benefits vnto vs. Whosoeuer therefore beleeueth truly in Iesus Christ he may be assured of Gods loue and euerlasting life according to that Ioh. 3.16 So God loued the world that he gaue his onely begotten sonne Ioh. 3.16 that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life If therefore we beleeue in Iesus Christ we need not to despaire no nor to doubt of Gods loue and fauour towards vs notwithstanding our vnworthinesse nor yet in regard of the manifold afflictions which God inflicteth on vs neither in respect of those manifold infirmities which we bewray whilest the hand of God is vpon vs but wee may soundly and assuredly conclude with the Apostle Paul Rom. 8.38 I am perswaded that neither death nor life Rom. 8.38 nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come 39. Nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. And so much concerning the first cause of our saluation namely Gods loue and goodwill and also the temptations of Sathan whereby hee laboureth to impugne our assurance thereof the second cause is Gods free election which proceedeth from the other for whom he loueth those hee electeth vnto euerlasting life and happinesse it being an inseparable fruite of loue to seeke the good and felicitie of the partie beloued Election therefore is that part of Gods eternal and immutable decree whereby of his free loue and vndeserued grace he hath preordained some in Christ vnto saluation and to the vse of the meanes tending thereunto for the praise of the glorie of his grace CHAP. IIII. Of Gods election the causes subiect obiect and properties thereof IN this definition is set downe first the efficient cause or author of our election namely God himselfe the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost and this appeareth Eph. 1.4 He hath chosen vs in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy c. And Ioh. 15.16 Ye haue not chosen me but I haue chosen you and ordained you that ye goe and bring foorth fruite c. Secondly the motiue or impulsiue cause of Gods election is expressed namely Gods free loue meere goodwill and vndeserued grace And this also is manifest Luk. 12.32 Feare not little flocke for it is your fathers pleasure to giue you a kingdome And Eph. 1.5 who hath predestinated vs to be adopted through Iesus Christ vnto himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will Here therefore are excluded all other causes wherewith diuers haue imagined God was moued to elect vs as namely our owne will the foreseeing of our workes worthinesse or faith and the merits of our Sauiour Christ And that these were not the causes which mooued the Lord to elect vs it may be prooued by manifest testimonies of scripture First our owne will is expressely excluded Rom. 9.16 It is not in him that willeth or runneth but in God that sheweth mercie Secondly not the foresight of our owne workes for the Apostle plainly affirmeth Rom. 9.11.12 that before the children were borne and when they had neither done good or euill that the purpose of God might remaine according to election not by workes but by him that calleth 12. It was said vnto her the elder shall serue the younger 13. As it is written I haue loued Iacob and hated Esau And chap. 11.5.6 he saith that Gods election is of grace and if it be of grace it is no more of workes or els were grace no more grace Thirdly not the foresight of any worthinesse in vs more than in others For there is no difference for all haue sinned and are depriued of the glorie of God as it is Rom. 3.23 And the Apostle affirmeth both of himselfe and others that they were all dead in their sinnes and by nature the children of wrath as well as others Eph. 2.1.3 Fourthly the Lord respected not our faith as an impulsiue cause mouing him to elect vs but only as an effect of our election neither was the Lord mercifull vnto vs in making choise of vs to bee partakers of euerlasting happinesse because we were faithfull but that we might be faithfull as Paul professeth of himselfe 1. Cor. 7.25 And the holy Ghost affirmeth Act. 13.46 that as many of the Gentiles as were ordained vnto eternall life beleeued Lastly although the merit of Christ was the onely meritorious cause of our saluation yet it was
aske But we are taught to pray for the remission of our sins and therefore we are certainly to beleeue that our sinnes are remitted and consequently that we are iustified called elected and shall be saued for whom he did predestinate them also he called Rom. 8.30 and whom he called them also he iustified and whom he iustified them also he glorified as it is Rom. 8.30 § Sect. 9 Sixtly The sixt argument taken from the confession of our saith whatsoeuer we professe in the Articles of our faith that we should beleeue and of that we may and ought particularly to be assured but euery man professeth that he beleeueth the remission of sinnes and life euerlasting that is that the Lord doth not onely forgiue sinne and granteth vnto some the fruition of euerlasting life for this the diuels beleeue as well as we but also that he doth particularly forgiue me my sinnes and that he will make me an heire of eternall happinesse for this is the nature of faith to assure vs certainlie and particularlie of that which wee beleeue as wee haue shewed and therefore we ought particularly to be assured of the remission of our sinnes and that wee shall attaine vnto euerlasting life and consequently that wee are elected seeing none enioy it but Gods chosen But it may be obiected that if euery one be bound to beleeue as an article of his faith that his sinnes are forgiuen and that hee is an heire of euerlasting life then some are bound to beleeue that which is false for those who liue and die in their sinnes without repentance shall neuer obtaine either the one or the other I answere that wee are not bound to beleeue being destitute of a true and a liuely faith for this were rather fondly to presume than surely to bee perswaded of the promises of the Gospell but wee are first bound to haue a true liuely and iustifying faith and so to beleeue and applie vnto our selues the promises of the Gospell but those that liue in their sinnes without repentance they are altogether destitute of true faith which wheresoeuer it is purifieth the heart and worketh by loue moouing the beleeuer to endeuour and striue to mortifie his corruptions and to rise from the death of sinne to newnesse of life and therefore well may they securely presume but it is impossible that they should truly beleeue because they are vtterly destitute of a liuely faith and where the cause is not the effect cannot follow and consequently for their infidelitie they are subiect to eternall plagues and punishments because they doe not that which they are bound to perfourme Neither must we thinke that euery kind of faith or rather euery fond perswasion of faith is enioyned vs but such a faith as is grounded vpon Gods word but the word of God doth teach vs that whosoeuer liue in the flesh cannot please God and if we liue after the flesh we shall dye Rom. 8.8.13 Rom. 8.8.13 1. Cor. 6.9 That the vnrighteous shall not inherit the kingdome of God 1. Cor. 6.9 That the workers of iniquitie shall be reiected of Christ Matth. 7.23 And that no vncleane thing Mat. 7.23 Reuel 21.27 nor whatsoeuer worketh abomination and lies shall enter into the kingdome of heauen Reuel 21.27 And therefore those who liue in the flesh those who are workers of iniquitie vnrighteous and vncleane in which ranke are all those who liue in their sins without repentance fulfilling the lusts of the flesh and falling continually into sinne with pleasure and delight are not bound simply and absolutely to beleeue so long as they resolue to continue in this state for so should they be bound to beleeue that which is false and repugnant to Gods word but they are bound to haue a true faith which being wrought in their hearts will moue them to forsake their sinnes by vnfained repentance to hunger after righteousnes to endeuour to serue the Lord in holinesse and newnesse of life and so to beleeue in Christ as their Sauiour and Redeemer which fruites if our faith bring not foorth we cannot be assured that we haue true faith or do truly beleeue For though in nature faith be before repentance yet in our sense and feeling it alwaies followeth it neither doth faith euer soundly and truly perswade vs of Gods loue till we haue sorrowed for our sinnes and at least in purpose of heart haue forsaken them So that whosoeuer liueth still in his sins with pleasure and delight and yet beleeueth that he is elected to saluation and that he is in Gods fauour and shall continuing in this state be made an heire of eternall life he is not indued with true faith but with fond presumption and carnall securitie which maketh him to beleeue that which is false and repugnant to Gods word Though then all men euen carnall worldlings and reprobates are bound to beleeue and because they doe not are subiect to condemnation as committing a great and fearefull sinne as appeareth Ioh. 3.18 and 16.8.9 where our Sauiour saith that the holy Ghost should reproue the world of sinne Ioh. 3.18 and 16.8.9 because they beleeue not in him yet they are not bound to beleeue continuing in their worldlinesse and resoluing to goe on in their sinnes for such a faith were but fond presumption but they are bound so to beleeue as that their faith may be grounded vpon Gods word which it can neuer possibly be if it be seuered from true repentance and for want of this faith they are condemned CHAP. VIII The last argument grounded vpon the testimonie of Gods spirit § Sect. 1 LAstly whatsoeuer the spirit of God doth testifie in the heart and conscience of a man and doth fully assure him thereof that he is to beleeue and of that he ought vndoubtedly to be assured but the spirit of God doth testifie to the faithfull and doth fully assure them that they are the sonnes of God by adoption and grace and consequently that they are elected for none are the sonnes of God but those who are predestinate to be adopted through Iesus Christ as it is Ephes 1.5 Eph. 1.5 and therefore the faithfull are to beleeue and ought vndoubtedly to be assured that they are the sonnes of God elected to euerlasting life The prosition is manifest for what more certaine truth can be imagined than that which the spirit of God witnesseth vnto our spirits and confirmeth vnto vs seeing all the properties required in a true witnesse doe concurre in him in the highest degree namely knowledge truth and faithfulnesse for knowledge he is infinit and knoweth all things euen the eternall councell and decree of God concerning our election as appeareth 1. Cor. 2.10 1. Cor. 2.10.12 The spirit searcheth all things euen the deepe things of God and this spirit doe we receiue that we may know the things that are giuen to vs of God As it is vers 12. What fitter witnesse therefore can be imagined in this
respect than Gods spirit who wholy and onely knoweth all his secret counsailes In respect of truth hee is most true yea truth it selfe and in regarde hereof hee is called the spirit of truth which leadeth vs into all truth Ioh. 16.13 Ioh. 16.13 And therefore as in respect of his knowledge he cannot bee deceiued so in respect of his truth he cannot deceiue In respect of faithfulnesse he is most faithfull and iust in all his waies Psal 145.17 1. Cor. 1.9 especially in his word Psal 145.17 for his testimonie is sure as it is Psal 19.7 and therefore he cannot lie 1. Cor. 1.9 Psal 19.7 neither will he conceale the truth for any respect of persons and consequently whatsoeuer this al-knowing true and faithfull witnesse testifieth we are vndoubtedly to beleeue as being most sure and certaine If an Angell sent from heauen should assure vs from God that wee are elected euen the Papists themselues could not deny but that we might be assured thereof by such a reuelation without any manner of doubting but the testimonie of Gods spirit witnessing to our spirits that we are the sonnes of God is so much more certaine and without exception than the testimonie of Angels as the spirit of God better knoweth the counsels of God than Angels as it excelleth them in truth and faith as the testimonie which is imprinted in the heart is more firme then that which is spoken in the eare which may easily be forgotten And therefore if by their doctrine we might be assured of our election by the extraordinarie reuelation of an Angell then much more certainely may wee be assured hereof by the ordinarie testimonie of Gods spirit which he witnesseth in the hearts and consciences of the faithfull § Sect. 2 The proposition being manifest That Gods spirit testifieth that we are the sonnes of God let vs proue the assumption which containeth two branches first that the spirit of God testifieth to our spirits that we are the sonnes of God and secondly doth fully assure vs of this testimonie that it is most vndoubted true both which are manifest by Gods word First that Gods spirit giueth this testimonie in the hearts of the faithfull Rom. 8.15.16 it is euident Rom. 8.15.16 For ye haue not receiued the spirit of bondage to feare againe but ye haue receiued the spirit of adoption whereby we crie abba father the same spirit beareth witnesse with our spirit that we are the children of God Gal. 4.6 So Gal. 4.6 Because ye are sonnes God hath sent forth the spirit of his son into your hearts which crieth abba father Which places doe so euidently proue this point that there needes no more reasons or allegations for first he excludeth the spirit of bondage which like the Papists faith causeth vs to feare and doubte of our election and saluation and then hee telleth vs that wee haue receiued the spirit of adoption which beareth witnesse vnto our spirit that wee are the children of God § Sect. 3 Secondly because we are exceeding weake and the graces in vs shadowed with imperfections and our faith mixt with doubting because we are saued as yet but by hope as it is Rom. 8.24 And we walke by faith and not by sight as it is 2. Cor. 5.7 and this our faith is continually shaken with manifold temptations therefore least we should doubt of Gods loue and our election adoption and saluation the Lord hath giuen vs his spirit to seale and further to confirme this assurance in our hearts and that it might be an earnest and a sure pledge vnto vs whereby he might secure vs concerning the couenant which he hath made with vs. The truth hereof appeareth in many places of the Scripture 2. Cor. 1.22 2. Cor. 1.22 Who hath sealed vs and hath giuen the earnest of the spirit in our hearts So Ephes 1.13 In whom also ye haue trusted Eph. 1.13 after that ye heard the word of truth euen the Gospel of our saluation wherein also after that ye beleeued ye were sealed with the holy spirit of promise 14. Which is the earnest of our inheritance vntill the redemption of the possession purchased vnto the praise of his glorie And Ephes 4.30 Eph. 4.30 The Apostle exhorteth vs not to grieue the holy spirit of God by whom we are sealed vnto the day of our redemption And 2. Cor. 5.5 2. Cor. 5.5 he saith that God hath giuen vnto vs the earnest of his spirit Which wordes doe minister vnto euery faithfull man no small consolation if they bee rightly waied for first wee vse to seale those things which we would haue most certaine and out of all controuersie as when a man hath made a promise or couenant with another for his better securitie he doth commit it to writing and least yet there should any scruple or doubt rest in his minde he doth confirme it by adding his seale to put the matter out of all question so the Lord hath added to the written couenant of his word whereby he hath assured vs of our election adoption and saluation the outward seale of the sacraments and the inward seale of his spirit whereby he hath ratified it not in it selfe but in our hearts that so all cause of doubting being taken away we might certainely be assured of his promises that they belong vnto vs not after a generall manner as the Papists teach but particularly euen as this assurance is particularly sealed by Gods spirit in the heart of euery true beleeuer Rom. 4.11 Rom. 4.11 The end therefore why we are sealed to saluation by Gods spirit is not that we should doubt thereof but that it might be out of all question fully ratified and confirmed vnto vs for this is signified by this metaphor here vsed of sealing as may appeare not onely by the ordinarie custome amongst vs but also by the vse thereof in former times So when Ahashuerosh would haue letters written in the Kings name which no man might reuoke he commaundeth that they should be sealed with the Kings ring Hest 8.8 Ioh. 6.27 Hest 8.8 And Ioh. 6.27 it is said that God the father had sealed our Sauiour Christ that is confirmed him in his office of mediation by giuing euident testimonies and manifest signes that the people might not doubt of his calling and anoynting Matth. 3. 17. and 17.5 and Ioh. 1.32 So whereas the holy Ghost in the faithfull is called the earnest of our inheritance this ministreth vnto euery true beleeuer no small consolation nor doubtfull assurance of their saluation for we know that an earnest is giuen amongst men to ratifie and binde a bargaine so as they cannot goe from their agreement after earnest is giuen and receiued The word arrhabo which is here translated earnest hath also other significations which minister vnto Gods faithfull the same assurance and the like true comfort Gen. 38.17.18 Genes 38.17.18 this word is vsed to signifie a pledge or pawne
than the which there can bee no better assurance of performing promise and 2. King 14.14 2. King 14.14 it signifieth a hostage giuen in warres which is giuen for assurance to confirme couenants agreed vpon Whereas therefore Gods spirit in the faithfull is called arrhabo which signifieth an earnest pawne and hostage we are hereby assured that the Lord will performe his couenant betweene vs and him that he will not misse a day in the performing of his promise that howsoeuer we were enemies yet now being reconciled by the death of his sonne he hath giuen vs an hostage to assure vs of eternall peace euen his holy spirit And therefore let not Sathan nor all his assistants cause vs to doubt of Gods couenant wherein he hath assured vs of our election adoption and saluation seeing he hath sealed this couenant with his spirit and hath giuen vnto vs this earnest and pawne to assure vs that he will performe his promise and bargaine § Sect. 4 But here the tempter obiecteth That we may discerne Gods spirit by the effects thereof that we cannot know and discerne whether we haue the spirit of God vnlesse it should bring forth in vs some extraordinarie effects and though it should be granted that we were indued therewith yet we cannot discerne the testimonie thereof from our owne thoughts vnlesse it be by some speciall reuelation To the first I answere that though many lulled asleepe with carnall securitie doe vainely dreame that they haue Gods spirit and so are deluded with their owne phantasies yet this hindereth not but that he who hath the spirit of God indeede may certainely be assured that it dwelleth in him for it sealeth in vs the assurance of Gods couenant 2. Cor. 1.22 and who can receiue this seale and not feele the impression it is an earnest and who receiuing an earnest cannot know whether he hath receiued it for otherwise how can it assure vs of our bargaine if of it selfe we haue no assurance it is a pawne of Gods loue and our saluation and who hauing a pawne in his custodie cannot know that he possesseth it it is a heauenly light which doth illuminate our vnderstandings Eph. 1.17.18 which were blinde and ignorant in the knowledge of Gods truth and who cannot discerne betweene blindnesse and sight light and darknesse it is a water which purgeth vs from our corruption Esa 44.3 Ezech. 16.9 and who that is thus washed and clensed can doubt that this water hath touched him Matth. 3.11 Act. 2.3 it is a sire which inflameth our cold frosen hearts with a zeale of Gods glorie and loue of our brethren and how can fire which is caried in our brests be hidden from vs 1. Ioh. 2.20.27 it is a precious oyle which mollifieth our hard stonie hearts and maketh them flexible and pliable able to Gods will which before were so stiffe and obdurate that they would rather haue broken then bowed to obedience it suppleth also our stiffe ioynts and maketh them actiue and nimble in the workes of holinesse and righteousnesse and who finding those strange alterations in himselfe may not be assured that he is annoynted with this oyle it is the Lords champion fighting in vs against the flesh Gal. 5.17 and subduing the lusts thereof and who feeling this intestine warre in his owne bowels can doubt that the combatants haue their residence in him in a word it is onely this spirit which restrained vs from the euill which naturally we loue and prouoketh vs to imbrace that good which through naturall corruption we loth and abhorre if therefore sinne growe vnpleasant vnto vs and vertue and true godlinesse delightfull we may be assured that this is the worke of Gods spirit dwelling in vs. Would we then be assured that we are indued with the spirit of God why then let vs consider if our eyes blinded with ignorance are inlightned in any good measure with the knowledge of Gods truth if our soules polluted with the filth of sinne are purged in some sort from our corruptions if our cold hearts are inflamed with the zeale of Gods glorie and the loue of our brethren if our hearts more hard than adamant and more inflexible than steele are softened and made obsequious to Gods will and if the other members of our body which were benummed and as it were taken with a dead paulsie be made nimble and actiue in the workes of holinesse and righteousnesse if we feele a fight and combate betweene the flesh and the spirit the one striuing to leade vs captiue vnto sinne the other resisting and drawing vs out of this captiuitie if the sins which heretofore we haue loued be now lothsome vnto vs and the vertues which we haue abhorred be delightfull and pleasant and then we may assure our selues that it is the light of Gods spirit which hath shined vpon vs it is this heauenly water which hath washed vs it is this diuine fire which hath inflamed vs it is this precious oyle that hath mollified and foftned vs it is this champion of the Lord of hosts which maketh warre against our trayterous flesh and subdueth the lusts thereof in a word it can be nothing but Gods spirit which makes vs hate that sinne which naturally we so dearely loue and to loue vertue and godlinesse which by nature is lothsome and bitter vnto vs. § Sect. 5 And thus it is manifest that wee may be assured that we haue Gods spirit by the ordinarie fruites thereof in euery faithfull man Now let vs consider how we may know the testimonie of Gods spirit witnessing in our hearts that we are elected adopted and shall be saued How we may discerne the testimonie of Gods spirit from our owne presumption 2. Cor. 3.6 1. Cor. 3.5 from our owne phantasies caused through carnall securitie and vaine presumption And to this end we are to know that the preaching of the Gospell is the ministerie of the spirit whereby wee are sealed and confirmed in the assurance of our saluation as appeareth 2. Cor. 3.6 And hence it is that the preachers of the Gospell are called the ministers by whom the people beleeue 1. Cor. 3.5 And the words of the Gospell are called by our Sauiour Christ spirit and life because it is the ministery of the spirit which quickneth vs as it is Ioh. 6.63 And Gal. 3.2 Ioh. 6.63 Gal. 3.2 the Apostle saith that we haue receiued the spirit by the hearing of faith that is the doctrine of faith preached in the ministery of the Gospell If therefore the testimonie of saluation in the mindes of the faithfull be conceiued by the preaching of the Gospell applied vnto them by faith then is it most certainly the testimonie of Gods spirit for the inward testimonie of Gods spirit is not different from the outward testimonie of the word but if this perswasion be not grounded vpon Gods word as theirs is not who perswade themselues that they are elected adopted
and shall be saued notwithstanding that they liue in their sinnes without repentance making no conscience of their waies nor indeauoring to serue the Lord in holinesse and righteousnesse of life then is it not the testimonie of Gods spirit but a presumptuous phantasie and a secure and carnall imagination for the testimonie of Gods spirit in the conscience is the same with the testimonie of the word and therefore it doth not beare witnesse nor giue any assurance that they are saued which Gods word pronounceth to bee in the state of damnation When therefore this testimonie is giuen in a faithfull man and agreeable to Gods word it is the testimonie of the spirit which sealeth vs in the full assurance of that wee beleeue according to that Ephesians 1.13 where the Apostle saith Eph. 1.13 that after the faithfull had receiued the word of truth euen the Gospell of their saluation and beleeued therein they were sealed with the holy spirit of promise But those who make no conscience of hearing the Gospell preached and when they heare it doe not beleeue it nor apply it to themselues by a true and liuely faith nor bring foorth any fruites thereof in a holie and Christian life they haue neither faith nor Gods spirit and therefore if they haue any perswasion of their election and saluation it is not the testimonie of Gods spirit but their owne phantasie and a vaine opinion arising from carnall securitie and presumption § Sect. 6 Secondly Another means to discerne the testimonie of the spirit the testimony of Gods spirit may hereby bee knowne first in that it throughly perswadeth the faithfull of their election and saluation secondly by the manner of perswading them thirdly by the effects of this testimonie and perswasion For the first the spirit of God doth not only giue this bare testimonie that wee are elected adopted and shall be saued but also doth fully perswade vs hereof as being a thing most certaine and without question So 1. Cor. 2.12 the Apostle saith that wee haue receiued the spirit of God 1. Cor. 2.12 that wee might know the things that are giuen to vs of God And Eph. 1. 17 18. Gods spirit is called the spirit of wisedom and reuelation Eph. 1.17.18 which doth inlighten the eyes of our vnderstanding that we might know what the hope is of his calling and what the riches of his glorious inheritance is in the Saints and what is the exceeding greatnesse of his power particularly towards vs that beleeue according to the working of his mightie power So the Apostle Iohn saith 1. Ioh. 3.24 hereby we know that Christ abideth in vs euen by the spirit which he hath giuen vs 1. Ioh. 3.24 So that wee may be assured that we haue Gods spirit therby be throughly perswaded that Christ dwelleth in vs and consequently that wee are elected and shall be saued And chap. 4.13 Hereby know wee that we dwell in him and he in vs and 4.13 because he hath giuen vs of his spirit And the Apostle Paul by the spirit of God was so stedfastly assured of Gods loue that he professeth that he was firmely perswaded that nothing could separate him from it Rom. 8.38 39. Rom. 8.38 39. So that the spirit of God throughly perswadeth the faithfull that they are elected and shall be saued whereas the wicked who are destitute of Gods spirit may wel haue a fond opinion and a foolish conceit that they are highly in Gods loue and elected to saluation through carnall securitie and vaine presumption but they are neuer throughly perswaded hereof for when any affliction of bodie or minde is inflicted on them their vaine perswasion vanisheth away and nothing remaineth but doubting which in the end bringeth them to vtter desperation But here the tempter will take occasion to discourage the weake Christian and to perswade him that he hath not Gods spirit seeing he doth not feele in himselfe this firme perswasion of Gods loue and his election and saluation The perswasion of the spirit not alwaies discerned in our sense and feeling To which we are to answere that Gods spirit doth throughly perswade although not at all times neither in our present sense and feeling for immediatly after our conuersion when wee are newly regenerate and like new borne babes in Christ the motions of the spirit are but weake in vs and we are not skilfull in vnderstanding this heauenly language of the spirit wherewith we haue been altogether vnacquainted but the spirit waxing stronger in vs and we growing to a ripe age in Christ doth crie in our hearts Abba father and testifieth to our spirits that we are the sonnes of God which we then being better acquainted with this heauenly speech do well vnderstand and are throughly perswaded thereby And secondly when the poore Christian who hath receiued a great measure of the spirit is exercised in the spirituall conflict the hideous noise of Sathans temptations which like Cannon-shot sound in his eares and the tumultuous outcries of his owne passions doe so disturbe and wholie possesse him that he can not heare the voyce of the spirit perswading him that hee is the child of God till the skirmish bee past and the noise of temptations ceased and then againe as in former times hee heareth to his comfort the spirit of God perswading him of Gods loue and hereby hee is againe assured thereof So that wee are not to iudge of the hauing of Gods spirit in the time of our Christian infancie and spirituall nonage nor yet according to our present sense in the time of temptation but when wee are come to perfect age and when the conflict of temptations is ceased Secondly the testimonie of Gods spirit perswading vs of his loue and our election is knowne by the manner whereby it perswadeth vs namely it perswadeth vs hereof with arguments grounded vpon Gods word and drawne not from any worthinesse in our selues but from Gods free grace and vnderserued mercie and from the righteousnesse and merits of Christ whereas Sathan and our owne flesh neuer vse such reasons but either mooue vs to a bare and vaine opinion which hath no ground at all but selfe-loue which maketh men easily beleeue that which they desire or els with some arguments drawne from some outward common benefits bestowed indifferently vpon the good and bad or lastly from a pharisaicall conceit and false opinion of our owne worthinesse and deserts § Sect. 7 Lastly The 3. meanes to discerne the spirit namely by the fruites thereof the testimonie of Gods spirit is knowne and discerned by the effects thereof for after that it hath effectually perswaded vs that we are elected and the deare children of God we are mooued thereby to trust wholie in God and to loue him as our gratious father from which loue proceedeth a zeale of his glorie and a true hatred of sinne because thereby our heauenlie father is dishonored displeased with vs and a
true loue and heartie endeuour of imbracing holinesse and righteousnesse because thereby our gratious father is glorified and well pleased with vs. If therefore these effects and fruites follow this perswasion of Gods loue and our election wee may bee assured that it is the spirit of God which doth perswade vs but if wee haue no such trust and affiance no such loue of God no zeale of his glorie no hatred of sinne no loue nor desire of embracing righteousnesse but remaine as carnall worldly and prophane as euer we were then let vs bragge as much as wee will of our perswasion of Gods loue and our election yet it is most certaine that this perswasion is not wrought in vs by Gods spirit but that it is a vaine conceit and fond opinion which proceedeth from selfe-loue carnall securitie and fond presumption which in the end vanishing away will leaue vs in despaire CHAP. IX Of the meanes whereby we may be assured of our election § Sect. 1 ANd thus haue I proued that those who are conuerted vnto God iustified The first means the testimonie of the holie Ghost and in some measure sanctified may ordinarily attaine vnto the assurance of their election Now I will shew the meanes and signes whereby wee may bee thus assured The first and principall meanes which assureth vs of our election is the inward testimonie of Gods spirit which crieth in our hearts Abba father Rom. 8.15 16. and witnesseth vnto our spirits that we are the children of God as it is Rom. 8.15 16. Which testimonie it doth not giue by extraordinarie reuelation but by a secret application of the promises of the Gospell vnto vs and by an inward cooperation whereby it maketh the outward ministerie of the word effectuall for the begetting of faith in vs whereby as with an hand wee doe appropriate the generall promises of the word vnto our owne selues And when the Ministers vse reasons to perswade vs of Gods loue in Christ the holy ghost openeth our deafe cares and inlighteneth our blinde vnderstandings and powerfully inclineth our wils so that we may attentiuely heare truly vnderstand and bee fully assured of that truth which is deliuered not only in respect of the whole Church but also in respect of our selues particularly so as we can say I beleeue that these promises of God are true and that they belong to all the faithfull and consequently vnto me who doe beleeue and am assured of them seeing they are promised on no other condition Diuers differences between the testimonie of the spirit and presumptuous securitie But the tempter will obiect that many through carnall presumption doe perswade themselues that al the promises of the Gospell doe belong vnto them and therefore we may easily be deceiued not being able to discerne betweene the testimonie of the spirit and presumptuous securitie I answer that those who are indued with Gods spirit may easily discerne the testimonie of the spirit from the carnall language of presumption as is euident by that which before I haue deliuered and also may more plainly appeare by manifest differences if the one bee compared with the other For presumption is a fruite of originall corruption which accompanieth vs from our mothers wombe till it bee beaten downe with Gods sanctifying spirit but the testimonie of the spirit is a thing supernaturall which no man euer feeleth before his conuersion vnto God when as by the preaching of the word he is humbled vnder the burthen of sinne sorrowing and grieuing for his sinnes past and detesting them from his hart and purposing to leaue and forsake them in the time to come If therefore wee haue had alwaies this testimonie in our mindes that wee are in Gods fauour and elected and neuer felt our conuersion nor discerned any fruites thereof then doth this testimonie proceede from carnall presumption and not from Gods spirit Secondly those who haue the testimonie of the spirit make conscience of the diligent and carefull vse of the outward meanes of saluation as the hearing and reading of the word the receiuing of the Sacraments and other holie duties of Gods seruice because they know that the inward testimonie of the spirit is not ordinarily seuered from the outward testimonie of the word and the assurance of Gods loue and our election is not wrought immediatly in vs by reuelation of the spirit but by the preaing of the word and vse of the Sacraments made effectuall by the inward cooperation of the holy Ghost But presumption as it ariseth not from the vse of these meanes made thus effectuall but from carnall securitie so is it not confirmed thereby for the lesse that the presumptuous man heareth the word and perfourmeth the duties of pietie and Gods seruice the more confidently doth he boast of his faith and full assurance and therefore hee maketh no conscience of vsing these meanes ordained of God nay contrariwise he will not sticke to affirme that the hearing of the word too often is the cause that troubleth mens mindes and afflicteth their consciences moouing them to doubt of Gods mercie which before they neuer called into question and why is this but because hereby men are rouzed out of their sleepe of securitie and haue their confident presumption beaten downe If then wee are carefull to vse all holie meanes ordained of God to assure vs of our saluation that assurance and testimonie which followeth is the testimonie of Gods spirit otherwise it is nothing els but fond presumption Thirdly presumption is most confident and neuer doubteth nor maketh any question of his election saluation who thus presumeth but this testimony of the spirit is much assaulted with doubting and oftentimes thereby so exceedingly weakened that wee cannot heare the voyce thereof as wee may see in the example of Iob Dauid the father of the possessed child the two Disciples who iourneyed to Emaus and in all Gods children who haue not yet attained vnto fulnesse of perswasion vnto which none can come but by degrees And therefore if wee can bragge with secure worldlings and say with the proud Pharisie I neuer was troubled I thanke God with any doubting of mine election saluation as many are but alwaies haue had a strong beleefe that I am in Gods loue and shall vndoubtedly be saued wee may assure our selues that this is the voyce of presumption and not the testimonie of Gods spirit Fourthly presumption is ioyned with worldlinesse and prophanesse but the testimonie of Gods spirit is neuer seuered from sanctification or at least from an earnest desire and holie endeuour of seruing the Lord in holinesse and righteousnesse for as I said the testimonie of the spirit in the conscience is neuer contrarie to the testimonie of the spirit in the word neither doth it beare witnesse that those are in Gods loue and elected to saluation which the Scriptures witnesse to bee in Gods displeasure and in the state of condemnation namely all vnrepentant sinners continuing in their
this inward fight within our selues we may be assured that Christ is come to dwell in our hearts by his holy spirit and consequently that we are the children of God and heires of euerlasting life for as many as receiue him to them he giues power to be the sonnes of God Ioh. 1.12 euen to them that beleeue in his name as it is Iohn 1.12 § Sect. 7 The seuenth signe of the childe of God is new obedience The seuenth signe is new obedience 1. Ioh. 2.5 when as he applies his heart to the keeping of Gods commanmaundements desiring and indeauouring to serue the Lord in holinesse and newnesse of life for if any man keepeth Gods word in him is the loue of God perfect in deede and hereby we know that we are in him as it is 1. Iohn 2.5 And whosoeuer abideth in him sinneth not whosoeuer sinneth hath not seene him neither hath knowne him chap. 3. v. 6.10 as it is chap. 3. ver 6. So vers 10. In this are the children of God knowne and the children of the diuell whosoeuer doth not righteousnesse is not of God c. So that our new obedience is a signe of the child of God and the neglect thereof a marke of the child of darknesse But wee are not to vnderstand this of that exact obedience which is required in the Law for thereby none liuing can haue any assurance of their election and saluation but rather of reprobation and damnation but it is to be vnderstood of an euangelicall obedience which consisteth in an holie desire and earnest endeuour of keeping all Gods commandements with which the children of God are so wholy possessed that after their true conuersion it is impossible that they should fall into any knowne sinne with full consent of will and with their whole hearts And this is the obedience which the Gospell requireth and of which the Apostle speaketh and thus wee neuer sinne but keepe all Gods commandements namely in respect of our desire and earnest endeuour This is that righteousnesse which is accepted as though it were perfect before God who spareth vs as a man spares his sonne whom hee tenderly loueth Mal. 3.17 as hee professeth Mal. 3.17 and therefore measureth our obedience not according to our actions but according to our offections and accepteth of the will for the deed as before I haue shewed § Sect. 8 But yet that we may not deceiue our selues with a counterfeite shew The properties of true obedience first that it must be totall and entire wee are to know that this euangelicall obedience hath these properties first it must be totall and that both in respect of the subiect and of the obiect that is wee must not share our selues betweene God and the world giuing one the tongue the other the heart one our outward actions and the other our inward affections but we must perfourme our obedience with our whole hearts yea with the whole man bodie soule and spirit for though wee be regenerated and sanctified but in part yet is there no part of the whole man vnregenerate and vnsanctified howsoeuer the flesh and the corruption of nature be spread likewise and mixed therewith throughout the whole bodie soule And therfore though all our obedience sauour of the flesh and is mingled with manifold imperfections yet it doth proceede from the whole man bodie and soule because regeneration from which it proceedeth is not of any part alone but of the whole man So also it must be totall in respect of the obiect for it is not sufficient that with Herod we obserue many things if we nourish willingly any one sinne taking therein pleasure and delight but wee must desire and endeuour to forsake all our sinnes and to performe obedience vnto all Gods commandements for if we nourish one sinne in our hearts it will open a doore to let in more when wee are tempted vnto them as wee may see in the example of Herod and Iudas the one harbouring incest the other couetousnesse if we neglect willingly obedience to one precept of Gods law it wil so harden our harts and seare our consciences that soone after we shall neglect all If therefore we would haue our obedience acceptable vnto God we must with the Prophet Dauid Psal 119.6 haue respect vnto all Gods commandements Psal 119.6 Iam. 2.10 The second propertie that it must be perpetuall and constant for he that faileth in one is guiltie of all as it is Iam. 2.10 Secondly this obedience must be perpetuall continuing in a constant course from the time of our conuersion to the end of our liues for we are not to iudge of our selues or others by one or two or many actions whether they be good or euil but by the whole tenour and course of our liues so that he who in this respect is holie and righteous hee is so accepted before God notwithstanding his many falles and great infirmities he that in the course of his life is wicked and prophane is so esteemed of God although hee seeme to himselfe and others religious by fits and perfourmeth many excellent duties and good workes It is therefore not sufficient that we begin in the spirit Galat. 3.3 if we end in the flesh Gal. 3.3 It is not sufficient to professe and practise godlinesse in our youth if wee breake off in our age it is not enough that we enter into the Christian race and runne well in the beginning if wee stand still in the midst or before we come to the goale Matth. 24.13 Luk. 9.62 for he only that endureth to the end shall be saued as it is Matth. 24.13 As for him that laieth his hand on the plough and looketh backe hee is not fit for Gods kingdome as our Sauiour affirmeth Luk. 9.62 The third propertie that it must be grounded on Gods word and referred to his glorie Lastly our obedience must be grounded vpon Gods word and therefore perfourmed because the Lord hath enioyned such duties vnto vs it must proceed from faith which first purifieth the heart and then worketh by loue it must not bee done for any worldly respect but of a conscionable care of perfourming our duties and in a feruent zeale of Gods glorie which is magnified when as our lights shine before men which zeale will make vs goe forward in our course of godlinesse through euill report 2. Cor. 6.8 and good report honour and dishonour And if our obedience spring from these fountaines and be referred to this end that God thereby may bee glorified then will we make no lesse conscience of secret than of open sinnes then will wee be no lesse readie to serue God in the duties of pietie and righteousnesse when there is no witnesse of our actions than if all the world should looke vpon vs then will we be as fearefull to offend God in the breach of any of his commandements in our secret chambers in the darke night as in the
face to face True it is that our faith which is in it selfe weake and feeble and compassed about with the darkenesse of ignorance is mixt and turmoyled with much feare and doubting by reason of our naturall inclination vnto diffidence and incredulitie the manifold temptations of Sathan and the burthen of our sinnes lying heauie vpon our consciences which maketh Gods deere children to grone and complaine yea sometime to murmur and repine against God himselfe as though he were their enemie because he suffereth them thus to be vexed but still it riseth after it hath receiued a foyle and gathereth new strength against all new assaults vntill in the end it obtaineth full victorie so as all the faithfull may say with the Apostle 2. Cor. 4.8 We are afflicted on euery side 2. Cor. 4.8.9 yet are we not in distresse in pouertie but not ouercome of pouertie 9. We are persecuted but not forsaken cast downe but we perish not For though their faith be weake and their temptations vehement and violent yet this brused reede is not broken this smoking flax is not quenched for as the reede in a boysterous tempest is blowne downe euen to the ground but when the tempest is past riseth vp againe to his former estate so though the boysterous blasts of Sathans temptations beate vs downe euen to earth yet by faith we rise againe when the storme is ouerblowne § Sect. 4 Secondly How our faith though assalted with doubting may be certaine it may bee demaunded how the faith of Gods children can be said to be certaine seeing it is continually assaulted and often foyled with doubting which is opposed to the certaintie of faith To which we may easily answere if we know and remember that euery christian is divided into two parts the flesh and the spirit which continually fight and striue the one against the other and as they themselues are thus opposed so are their qualities and fruites for in the spirit is faith loue hope zeale ioy in the holy Ghost and such other sanctifying graces in the flesh is doubting and infidelitie hatred of God presumption and desperation coldnesse dulnesse yea deadnesse in religion feare horror and such like corruptions so as we may say with the Apostle I know that in my flesh that is in my vnregenerate part dwelleth no good thing Rom. 7.18 Rom. 7.18 Now as there is a continuall warre betweene the flesh and the spirit so also betweene their qualities and fruites for faith is continually assaulted with doubting and infidelitie loue of God with the hatred of God hope with presumption and desperation zeale with coldnesse and dulnes in religion the ioy in the holy Ghost with horror and feare of Gods anger the curse of the law and condemnation and sometimes the one sometimes the other hath the vpper hand both in the meane time retaining their nature and properties although as we say remissis gradibus not exercising them in that measure and degree as they doe when they haue victorie and giue the other the foyle For example when in some grieuous affliction the hatred of God doth assault the loue of God in our hearts and doth so foyle and wound it that wee can scarce discerne that it breatheth or retaineth life yet notwithstanding the loue of God euen at that instant is not turned into hatred nor receiueth any properties thereof but still retaineth his owne nature and properties which againe cleerely appeare and shew themselues when the conflict is ended The like may be said of our hope zeale ioy in the holy Ghost and other graces when they are most foyled by the corruption of the flesh which fight against them so as they cannot possibly exercise their owne actions and functions yet doe they not receiue any carnall properties nor loose any of their owne but retaine still their owne nature which againe manifesteth it selfe when the assault is ended Euen as fire couered ouer with ashes retaineth still his owne nature of light and heate though then by reason of the ashes the light be not seene nor the heate felt but when the ashes are remooued and new matter added vnto it then it shineth and burneth and heateth as much as it did before so when the graces of Gods spirit are couered as it were vnder the ashes of our corruption they are not discerned by their properties and effects but when the corruptions are remooued by vertue of Gods spirit and the graces nourished with hearing of the word prayer holy conferences and such like spirituall exercises as it were with new matter added vnto them then doe they againe shine in their brightnesse and exercise their wonted strength in all good duties to God and our neighbour § Sect. 5 And as it is with all other graces Faith assalted with doubting retaineth his owne nature and properties so also with faith which is often assaulted with doubting and infidelitie and sometimes also so foyled that we can hardly discerne any breath or life in it but yet euen then it retaineth it owne nature and properties and doth not receiue the nature and properties of doubting but as the tree which is shaken with boysterous blasts of winde and is not ouerthrowne doth in the middest of the tempest liue and sucke nourishment out of the earth and still retaines his owne nature and properties so when our faith is shaken with the boysterous blasts of Sathans temptations and with our owne naturall doubting and infidelitie yet it still liueth and sucketh nourishment out of Gods gracious promises and still it retaineth his owne propertie of certaine perswasion though then it doe not exercise it in action so manisestly as before and after the conflict of temptations and as the shaking of the tree is not of the nature thereof for of it selfe it standeth firme and steadie but by outward accident namely the winde blowing vpon it so is not vncertaine wauering and vnconstant doubting of the nature of faith for of it selfe it is firme and certaine but it commeth by outward accident from the boysterous blasts of infidelitie and the temptations of Sathan which as it were violently blow vpon it which being past it remaineth like the tree firme and constant And as the graces of Gods spirit and the flesh and the corruptions thereof doe still retaine in themselues their owne nature and properties so also doe they most commonly shew themselues in their diuers fruites and effects and that oftentimes in the conflict and time of temptation so that the regenerate man may at the same time feele in himselfe contrarie affections and actions for the spirit acknowledging Gods goodnes mercie and truth in his promises is replenished with joy being in hope to inioy them on the otherside the flesh feeling present miserie and the sharpnes of afflictions sorroweth and grieueth The spirit apprehending and applying vnto it the sweete promises of the Gospell doth quietly rest vpon them the flesh seeing it owne corruption and the huge waight of
and striuing to mortifie the flesh and the corruptions thereof and to rise againe to newnes of life Our affections also were wholy corrupted and disordered so that we hated God and loued the world feared man and not the Lord trusted vpon the inferior meanes neuer regarding the fountaine of all goodnes in a word wee were giuen ouer to our owne harts lusts Rom. 1.24.26 and vnto vile affections as it is Rom. 1.24.26 but by the redemption wrought by Christ becomming his and being quickned and strengthened by his holy spirit wee haue crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof Gal. 5.24 as the Apostle speaketh Gal. 5.24 Lastly the members of our bodie were seruants to vncleanes and iniquitie to commit iniquitie Rom. 6.19 Rom. 6.19 our eyes full of adulterie our tongues forges of lies our feete swift to shed blood but our Sauiour Christ redeeming vs hath deliuered our bodies also from the thraldome of sinne and Sathan so as though sinne dwell yet it shall no longer raigne in our mortall bodies Rom. 6.12 that we should obey the lusts thereof as appeareth Rom. 6.12 In a word both body and soule were in miserable captiuitie to our spirituall enemies but our Sauiour hath bought vs with a price 1. Cor. 6.20 to the end we may glorifie God in our bodies and in our spirits for they are Gods as it is 1. Cor 6.20 And hath redeemed vs not with corruptible things as siluer and gold from our vaine couersation 1. Pet. 1.18.19 but with his owne most precious blood as Peter teacheth vs 1. Pet. 1.18.19 If therefore we are redeemed by Christ then our blind vnderstandings are inlightened by the preaching of the Gospell and we freed from our former ignorance our willes which were rebellious are inclined to obedience so as we earnestly desire to leaue our sinnes and to serue the Lord in the duties of sanctification and haue an endeauor of mortifying our sins and rising againe to newnes of life our affections also are purged from their corruptions so that we loue feare trust in hope and expect all good from him who is the fountaine of all goodnes our bodies which were giuen as seruants vnto sinne are now become the seruants of righteousnes vnto holines Rom. 6.29 vers 22. In a word both in bodie and soule we are freed from sinne and made seruants vnto God But if our vnderstandings are still blinde and ignorant our willes backward to imbrace any goodnes and most prone vnto all euill our affections as corrupt as euer they were and our bodies the readie instruments to act all sinne and wickednes then haue we as yet no fruite of the redemption wrought by Christ for it is not a titularie but a powerfull redemption which indeed and truth deliuereth vs euen in this life from our spirituall enemies so that though they may assault and grieuously vexe vs yet they shall neuer gouerne and raigne ouer vs and therefore whosoeuer feele not the redemption wrought by Christ powerfull in this life to free them in some measure from the rule and iurisdiction of sinne Sathan the world and the flesh shall neuer finde it fruitfull and effectuall to free and deliuer them from condemnation hell and destruction in the life to come CHAP. XVI Of those temptations which Sathan vseth against the faithfull concerning their redemption § Sect. 1 ANd thus much concerning those temptations which Sathan suggesteth into mens mindes to nourish in them carnall securitie That it is not repugnant to Gods iustice to punish Christ for vs. now we are to consider of those which he vseth to moue men to doubting and desperation First therefore he obiecteth that it is a thing vnreasonable and vtterly repugnant to Gods iustice that Christ who was innocent should be punished for vs who are guiltie that we should deserue the blame and he suffereth the stripes that the righteous should be condemned and the wicked acquitted that wee who like barrabas were cruell murtherers and wicked sinners should be let lose and the immaculate lambe of God in whom there was no fault should be deliuered vp to be crucified for what were this but to make the iust God like vniust Pilate what were this but to deny his owne word hauing said that the righteous should liue in his righteousnes Ezech. 18.20 and the sinner die in his iniquitie To which I answere first that it would not indeede haue stoode with Gods iustice to haue punished Christ as he was innocent and righteous nor to haue acquitted and absolued vs who were vnrighteous and wicked but he punished Christ in respect that he had taken vpon him the sins of all the faithfull and absolueth vs as we are freed from our sins clothed with his righteousnes and obedience He punished Christ not as he was most iust and free from sin but as he was our suretie who had taken vpon him to discharge our debt and to satiffie for our sinnes and thus the creditor may iustly require his debt of the suretie though in respect of himselfe he owed him nothing and thus he may nay ought to release the principall when the suretie hath allreadie discharged the debt Secondly I answere that it had bin iniustice in God if he had forced our Sauiour Christ who was iust and innocent to vndergoe the punishments which were due vnto vs who were malefactors and offenders for this were to condemne the righteous and to iustifie the wicked but our Sauiour Christ of his owne free accord did voluntarily offer himselfe to stand in our place and to discharge that debt which we owed and to make satissaction to his father by suffering that punishment which wee had deserued Ioh. 10.18 And this apeareth Ioh. 10.18 where our Sauiour saith that no man tooke his life from him but that hee laied it downe of himselfe And the Apostle telleth vs that he humbled himselfe Phil. 2.8 and became obedient vnto death Phil. 2.8 In which respect his death is called a sacrifice or free oblation which he voluntarily offered vnto his father Heb. 9.14 Heb. 9.14 and therefore the Lord might iustly take that which Christ freely gaue nay it had been crueltie and iniustice if he should haue refused the paiment of such a sufficient suretie when he voluntarily offered it for our discharge choosing rather still to haue kept vs in prison bound in the chaines of euerlasting death Lastly there might haue been some shew of rigor and iniustice if Christ the innocent had been ouerwhelmed in suffering the punishments which were due vnto vs who were the offendors but being not onely man which suffered but God also and therefore of infinit power and maiestie he was able to pay our great debt and yet is neuer the poorer to suffer death and ouercome it by suffering and by yeelding a while to the malice of our spirituall enemies he finally vanquished and gloriously triumphed ouer them all and therefore it
temptations whereby he laboreth to make it frustrate and vnprofitable vnto vs. For the first our vocation or calling is an effect of Gods election whereby our Sauiour Christ God and man doth by his kingly authoritie call and inuite vs whilst we liue here vnto the participation and imbracing of the inestimable benefit of our redemption that thereby we may attaine vnto euerlasting life And thus are we called sometimes sooner and sometimes later when it seemeth good vnto the Lord as appeareth in the parable of the householder who hired laborers into his vineyard some at the dawning of the day others at the third sixt and ninth howre Matth. 20. others at the eleuenth howre not long before the sunne setting as it is Matth. 20. A twofold calling generall and effectuall Moreouer this our calling is either commune and generall or els speciall and effectuall The general calling is whereby all indifferently good and bad elect and reprobate are outwardly inuited by the ministerie of the Gospell to imbrace the benefit of our redemption wrought by Christ which outward calling is vneffectuall to the wicked and reprobates because being inuited to the supper of the King they refuse to come that is they either altogether neglect the hearing of the heauenly ambassage of the Gospell or els contemne those inestimable benefits which are therein offered preferring before them the honors riches and pleasures of this life whereby it commeth to passe that the word of God findeth no place in their hearts but vanisheth away leauing nothing behinde it but the sauour of death to their more deepe condemnation § Sect. 2 The speciall and effectuall calling is VVhat our effectuall calling is that which is proper to Gods elect when as with the outward ministerie of the word wherein grace and saluation is offered to all beleeuers our Sauiour Christ ioyneth the inward operation of his holy spirit which openeth our deafe eares inlighteneth our blind vnderstandings and softneth and sanctifieth our hard and corrupt hearts so as we attentiuely heare truely vnderstand and by a liuely faith apply the doctrine of grace and saluation which is preached vnto vs whereby also we are separated from the world giuen to Christ and he to vs whereupon followeth that neere vnion whereby we being ingrafted into his body mistically doe become his members and he our head Effectuall calling proper to the elect That this effectuall calling is proper to those that are elected and shall be saued it appeareth by the parable of the supper where many outwardly inuited to the great supper of the king refuse to come Matth. 22.3.8 therefore are excluded from the mariage Mat. 22.3.8 And Rom. 8 30 the Apostle saith that whom he did predestinate them also he called and these also he iustifieth Rom 8.30 So Act. 13.48 it is said that as many as were ordained to euerlasting life beleeued at the preaching of Paul and Barnabas Act. 13.48 and therefore these onely were effectually called Ioh. 6.45 And Ioh. 6 45. our Sauiour saith that euery one who hath heard and hath learned of the father commeth vnto him So that outward hearing is not sufficient to bring vs to Christ vnlesse the father also inwardly instruct vs with his holy spirit opening our deafe eares inlightening our blynd vnderstandings inclining our willes and sanctifying our affections that we may attentiuely heare truely vnderstand and heartily imbrace the Gospell preached vnto vs. And this appeareth in the example of Lydia Act. 16.14 Act. 16.14 whose heart the Lord is said to haue opened that she might attend vnto the things which Paul spake and bee conuerted by which speech the holy Ghost implyeth thus much that her heart was as it were close shut and fast locked vp so as he could not receiue the word preached till the Lord had opened it by the inward operation of his holy spirit Which matter neede not seeme strange vnto vs seeing it is continually confirmed by our owne experience for how comes it to passe that many amongst vs heare the word preached from day to day and yeere to yeere and yet are neuer the nearer but still remaine as ignorant in their mindes as peruerse in their willes as corrupt in their affections as prophane in their liues as euer they were On the other side how hapneth it that some attentiuely heare Gods word treasure it vp in their memories and thereby haue their minds inlightned with the knowledge of God their wils inclined to holines and righteousnes their affections sanctified their liues reformed surely because the Lord doth ioyne in these the inward operation of his spirit with the outward ministerie of his word making it effectuall for their true conuersion whereas he leaueth the other to their owne corrupt affections and hardnes of heart And thus it appeareth that the elect onely are effectually called as for the wicked and reprobate though they heare the outward preaching of the word by which they are inuited vnto Christ yet they stubbornly refuse to come vnto him and reiect all the gracious promises of the Gospell to their eternall perdition because the Lord leaueth them to their owne lusts and corruption not opening their hard hearts nor inclining their peruerse willes nor sanctifying their corrupt affections § Sect. 3 In the next place let vs consider Of the parts of effectuall calling and first of our separation from the world the parts of our effectuall calling the first is our separation from the world of which in former time wee were citizens and true members that from henceforth we should be of Gods household and family for naturally we are meere worldlings dead in our sinnes and to euery good worke reprobate liuing without God and seruing Sathan the world and the corrupt lusts of our flesh vntill it please the Lord to make choyse of vs among many other calling and separating vs from this corrupt masse of mankind that he may make vs subiects first of his kingdome of grace and afterwards of his kingdome of glorie Of this our Sauiour speaketh Ioh. 15.19 Ioh. 15.19 If you were of the world the world would loue his owne but because you are not of the world but I haue chosen you out of the world therefore the world hateth you And the Apostle saith that after our calling and conuersion Eph. 2.19 we are no more strangers and forreners but citizens with the saints and of the household of God Now the Lord maketh this choyse of vs before others not for any respect of worthines or excellencie in vs more then in them but of his meere mercie vndeserued grace That the Lord calleth vs not for any respect of our own worthines and free good will neither doth he therefore intertaine vs into his Church and family because wee are alreadie or because hee knoweth we will bee hereafter holy and righteous but hauing freely called vs without any our deserts he doth also of his owne vndeserued
they handle is the argument which they handle and the end whereunto they tend For the subiect whereof they intreate are the great workes of the euerliuing God how hee exerciseth his mercie towards his children in sustaining defending and sauing them from all their enemies and his iustice towards the wicked in turning their counsailes to foolishnes in ouerthrowing their designes and purposes curbing in their rage and violence and in punishing and destroying them Now if you consider and peruse all other writings in the world besides you shall finde no such matter contained in them for some labour in polishing humane Arts some set out large histories of the actions counsailes successe policies enterprises and perturbations of men like themselues so that at the first sight wee may know that they are indited by the spirit of man seeing they are wholie spent in humane affaires neuer intermedling with any spirituall matter appertaining vnto God Moreouer the scriptures attribute the gouerning and wise disposing of all things to Gods al-ruling prouidence that he may haue the whole praise of his owne workes as when they speake of some famous victorie they doe ascribe it neither to the wisedome of the Captaine nor to the valour of the common souldier but vnto the Lord of hoasts alone neither doe they make poems in the praise of Moses Iosua Dauid Ezechias or any other of the Kings and Leaders but in the praise of the Lord who by his owne strong arme hath giuen his children victorie ouer their enemies Now whence can this proceed but from the spirit of God inditing them who contrarie to the nature of man which desireth rather all praise himselfe doth moue him to refuse all glorie attributed to himselfe that all the praise may bee ascribed vnto God So when they speake of any benefit receiued by the Church they doe not attribute it to worldly friends their good fortune or their owne industrie and labour but to the blessing of God proceeding of his meere mercie goodnesse towards them And contrariwise when they set downe the destruction of the wicked they doe not ascribe it to any want of their owne care and prouidence nor to the malice or power of their enemies nor to blind chance or other outward accident but to the hand of God exercising his iudgements vpon them and punishing them for their sinnes Now if you peruse all other writings you shall finde that they aime at nothing lesse than Gods glorie for some write to shew their eloquence others to extoll their wits and deepe learning others to aduance the praise of mortall men aboue the clowdes some for one end and some for another all aiming at their owne praise pleasure or profit neuer so much as once respecting Gods glorie in their least thought and hence it is that setting downe any victorie they ascribe it to the weaknesse or want of wit prouidence or courage of the aduerse part or to the fortitude of the Captains the resolutenesse of the souldiers the aduantages of the place Sunne winde and such like circumstances in the meane time excluding the God of battailes as though he had no stroke in this busines So likewise when they speake of any other affaires or accidents which fall out in the gouernment of the world they ascribe all to outward circumstances inferiour meanes and subordinate causes as though God had giuen ouer the gouernment of the earth and had committed the ruling of the sterne to blind fortune Now whence can this exceeding difference proceede that they should altogether aime at the glorie of God and these wholie at the praise pleasure profit of man that they should alwaies ascribe the gouernment and disposing of all things to the wise prouidence of God and these to outward accidents naturall causes and inferiour meanes Surely because they were indited by the spirit of God and therefore themselues are diuine sauouring wholie of the author of them and these by the spirit of man and therfore al contained in them is meerly humane carnall natural § Sect. 2 The ninth reason taken from the stile of the Scriptures The ninth reason may be taken from the stile and manner of penning the Scriptures in which they much differ from all other writings whatsoeuer for whereas men in their writings affect the praise of flowing eloquence and loftinesse of phrase the holie Ghost in penning the Scriptures hath vsed great simplicitie and wonderfull plainnesse applying himselfe to the capacitie of the most vnlearned in which low and humble maner of speech he doth notwithstanding set foorth the deepe wisedome of God and the profound mysteries of religion the bottome whereof the most wise and learned in the world can not search into and vnder the vaile of simple and plain speech there shineth such diuine wisedom and glorious maiestie that all the humane writings in the world though neuer so adorned with the flowers of eloquence and sharpe conceits of wit and learning cannot so deeply pearce the heart of man nor so forcibly worke vpon his affections nor so powerfully incline his will either to the imbracing of that which is good or auoiding of that which is euill as the word of God and whence can this proceed but from the vertue power and wisedome of the spirit of God who is the author of them Moreouer wee may obserue in the stile of the Scriptures a maiesticall authoritie aboue all other witings which onely beseemeth the glorious King and soueraigne commander of heauen and earth for they speake in the same manner and inioyne the like obedience to prince and people rich and poore learned and vnlearned without any difference or respect of person not vsing any arguments reasons or perswasions but absolutely commanding that dutie which is to be done and forbidding that sinne which should be left vndone and that vnder the promise of euerlasting life and blessednesse and the paine not of the gallowes racke or wheele but of eternall death and damnation and whom beseemeth it to promise euerlasting life or to threaten euelrasting death but him only who is himselfe eternall and euerlasting and who hath this absolute authoritie of commanding all without any difference but he who is Lord Creator and gouernour of the prince as well as the people Lastly this word of God doth not only extend it selfe to the outward actions and conuersation requiring onely the externall obedience which is in fact and outward behauiour which is the vttermost that humane lawes respect because the lawgiuers can see no further but the law of God requireth especially the obedience of the heart and forbiddeth not only consent to any euill but euen concupiscence and lust now who can make lawes for the heart and conscience or though he should be so fond to make them who could either reward the obedient or punish the disobedient but God alone who searcheth the heart and reines The stile therefore of the scriptures being peculiar vnto themselues shewing maiestie in lowlinesse
been said I might adde the testimony of heathen writers who in their seueral times haue in their writings made mention of the most principal things which are contained in the story of the Bible but as we neede not the helpe of a candle to see the sunne which more sufficiently sheweth it selfe by his own light so this glorious light of Gods truth is in it selfe so cleere and manifest that it needeth not the testimony of Infidels to confirme it vnlesse it be to those who farre exceede them in infidelitie And that noble learned and religious Gentleman Philip Mornay in his bookes of the Trunesse of Christian Religion hath eased me of this labour from whose neuer wasting candle I haue borrowed the chiefest part of my light in the handling of this question CHAP. XXI That the testimony of Gods spirit doth onely perswade vs that the Scriptures are the word of God ANd these are the arguments whereby all gainesaiers may be conuinced who deny the Scriptures to be the word of God and his infallible trueth but though they are sufficient for the conuiction of all opposers and for stopping the mouthes of all Atheists Epicures and meere naturals yet notwithstanding not any of these nor al these are in themselues sufficient to beget faith in the heart of any or to perswade him with full assurance to beleeue that the Scriptures are the word of God vnlesse there be adioyned vnto thē the testimony of Gods spirit which doth not only conuince but also throughly perswade vs of this truth and this alone in it selfe is al-sufficient though we neuer heard any other of the former reasons for the working of faith in vs and a full perswasion of this truth § Sect. 1 That all other arguments are insufficient without the testimony of Gods spirit That all other arguments are without this vnsufficient hereby it is more then manifest in that not many wise nor many learned in the world doe beleeue the Scriptures which is the cause why they doe not submit themselues to the obedience thereof whereas if faith might be wrought in men by force of arguments or naturall reason Matth. 11.25 they who best conceiue them would most easily be perswaded by them but contrariwise we see that these things are hid from the wise and prudent and are reuealed vnto babes not by meanes of naturall reason but by the testimony of Gods spirit For naturally we are all blind in spirituall things neither can the naturall man discerne the things of the spirit of God neither can he know them 1. Cor. 2.14 because they are spiritually discerned as it is 1. Cor. 2.14 and therefore though the Scriptures be the glorious light of Gods truth shining as bright as the sunne in the firmament to those whose eyes are inlightened with Gods spirit yet to those who continue in their naturall blindnesse and were neuer annoynted with the precious eye-salue of Gods spirit this glorious light appeareth not no more than the sunshine to those who want their sight and hence it is that they grope at noone dayes And as the poore woman of whom Seneca speaketh being suddainely in the night stricken with blindnesse desired the next day to vndraw the curtaines and open the windoes that shee might see whereas the cause of her not seeing was not want of light but want of eyes So these men who are stricken with naturall blindnesse complaine that they cannot see the glorious light of Gods truth shining in his word and therefore desire to haue it cleered by taking away the clouds of obiections which seeme to shadow it and by adding vnto it the light of humane reason but the truth is the fault is not in this glorious light which alwaies shineth but in their blindnesse who cannot discerne it and yet such is the pride selfe loue and vaine opinion which euery one hath of his owne gifts that they will sooner imagine that the sunne wanteth light than they eyes to looke vpon it § Sect. 2 True it is that by the former reasons they may be conuinced Other arguments conuince but not perswade so that they haue nothing to obiect and perhaps they may bee brought to haue a good opinion of the Scriptures to a doubtfull conceite that they are the word of God in deede they may with the two Disciples which trauailed to Emaus when they heare the Scriptures interpreted haue their harts burne and throb within thē imagining that which they heare to be more than the word of mortall man and as the blind man in the Gospell when his eyes were a little illuminated by our Sauiour discerned men not as men but as moouing trees so they may in some confused manner know and acknowledge the Scriptures to be the word of God but before Christ hath fully opened their eyes and by the precious eye-salue of his spirit hath dispelled their naturall blindnesse they wil neuer certainely be perswaded nor assuredly beleeue that the Scriptures are not the word of man but the infallible truth of God For it is not in mans power to beget faith in any neither is it grounded vpon any natural reasons or perswasions but it is the supernaturall gift of Gods spirit who illuminates our vnderstanding and inclines our will so that we see and stedfastly beleeue that trueth which it deliuereth as appeareth Ephes 2.8 2. Thes 1.11 Ephes 2.8 2. Thes 1.11 And when we haue this testimony of Gods spirit in our hearts it will certainely perswade vs of this truth Gods spirit fully perswadeth vs of this truth 1. Cor. 2.15 though we had no other reason as appeareth by testimonies of Scripture and by our owne experience For the first it is said 1. Cor. 2.15 That the spirituall man that is he who is indued with Gods spirit iudgeth all things and yet himselfe is iudged of no man So 1. Iohn 2.27 But the annoynting which ye receiued of him 1. Ioh. 2.27 dwelleth in you and ye neede not that any man teach you but as the annointing teacheth you all things and verse 20. Vers 20. But ye haue an oyntment him that is holy and ye haue knowne all things Where by hee vnderstandeth the spirit of God 1. Cor. 2.10.12 which searcheth all things euen the deepe things of God which spirit is giuen vnto vs that we might know the things which are giuen vnto vs of God as it is 1. Cor. 2.10.12 So our Sauiour promiseth to send a comforter vnto vs Ioh. 16 7.13 as it is Iohn 16.7.13 And in deede who is more fit then the spirit of God to confirme vs in the assurance of that truth which he himselfe hath indited and inspired or who can better iudge of the things of God then the spirit of God who can better informe vs in this truth then hee who is the spirit of truth And therefore if we haue the testimony of Gods spirit in vs we shall neede no other witnesse nor any
seuen diuels or in Matthew and Zacheus the Publicanes or in Paul who persecuted the Church of God In a word what worthines is in any of Gods saints before the Lord by the preaching of his word made effectuall by the inward operation of his spirit hath called and conuerted and pulled them out of their sins and corruptions in which they wallowed and indued them with some measure of his sanctifying and sauing graces § Sect. 2 Secondly That our vnfitnesse to heare should not make vs neglect hearing whereas he obiecteth our vnfitnes to heare because our eares are dull our eyes blind our hearts hard and our wils affections and all the powers and faculties of our bodies and soules wholy corrupted and disordered this must not moue vs to neglect the hearing of Gods word but to become hearers thereof with more care and diligence for it is the two-edged sword of the spirit which will pearce and make way for it selfe to enter and will builde a lodging for it selfe to dwell in it is not onely a light to guide those that see but a precious eye-salue to giue sight vnto those who were borne blinde it is not onely the heauenly deaw which maketh Gods graces to spring in vs but also that diuine seede which giueth them being and rooting in our hearts it is not onely the foode of our soules to preserue and increase that strength which wee alreadie haue but also that immortall seede by which wee are first begotten vnto God and borne againe who before were dead in our sinnes and that excellent physicke of our soules by which they are purged from their corruptions and restored vnto health which before were deadly sicke in sinne it maketh vs first to will that which is good and then further to desire it it giueth vs life who before were dead in our sinnes and then preserues this life it begets and begins faith sanctification and all other graces in vs and being begotten and begun it strengtheneth increaseth them and therefore let not Sathan disswade vs from the hearing of Gods word because of our sinnes vnworthinesse and vnfitnesse for as it is a notable meanes ordained of God for the increasing of grace where it alreadie is so is it no lesse effectuall for the begetting of grace where it neuer was There is no wise man that will neglect his trade and liue idely because he is poore but rather this will moue him to be more painfull therein as being the meanes whereby hee may become rich neither doe men refuse all nourishment because they haue emptie and hungrie stomackes but doe more earnestly desire meate that they may be filled and satisfied yea euen those whose stomackes are weake doe not altogether refuse their foode but eate something to sharpen their appetite and so by little and little in vsing their stomackes they get stomacks let vs follow the like practise and when we â—â—rceiue our beggerlinesse in Gods graces let vs more earnestly â—â—bour after this heauenly treasure and precious pearle that we may be made rich wheÌ„ we feele our emptines of all vertue aâ—â— goodnesse let vs more eagerly hunger after this spirituall Mâ—â—na that we may be filled and satisfied when we finde our appetite weake and our stomacks indisposed to eate of this heauenly foode let vs a little force our selues against the appetite or 〈◊〉 all good meanes to quicken and sharpen it and so wee shall finde that the oftner we eate the oftner we shall desire the more wee heare the word of God the more wee shall desire to heare and the greater benefit wee shall receiue by it Whereas neglect of hearing will make vs euery day more vnfit to heare euen as long abstinence doth quite spoyle the stomack CHAP. XXVI How wee must arme our selues against Sathans temptations whereby he laboureth to make the word of God fruitlesse § Sect. 1 ANd these are the temptations which Sathan vseth to disswade vs from hearing the word That Sathan tempteth vs to carelesse negligence in hearing but if we breake these snares and cannot bee withheld from frequenting Gods holie assemblies then hee will labour by all meanes to make the word of God which we heare fruitlesse and vneffectuall for our conuersion and saluation and to this end hee will labour to work in vs a negligent carelesnesse in hearkening to those things which are deliuered and this is vsually accompanied with dulnesse of spirit drowsinesse and sleepinesse or if wee set our selues to heare the word with any care and conscience to profit thereby then he wil seeke to distract our mindes with wandring thoughts either by offring and suggesting to our consideration and memorie the world and the vanities thereof as our affaires and businesse and those pleasures wherewith wee are most delighted or if this will not preuaile by casting into our mindes things in their owne nature good and religious if they were thought vpon in time conuenient to the end that wee may be distracted and be made vnfit to heare the word with profit That to resist Sathan we must prepare our selues before we heare Which temptations we are to withstand as being most dangerous and pernicious and to this purpose there is something required at our hands to be perfourmed before our comming to Gods assemblies and something afterwards Before wee come to the hearing of the word there is required due preparation whereby our mindes are made fit vessels to receiue the spirituall treasure and foode of our soules For if we come into the congregation of the faithfull without any premeditation reuerence or regard of the action which we are to take in hand if we present our selues rashly and vnaduisedly as if we went to a play or to dispatch some worldly businesse we shall hardly keepe our minds from negligent wandring and worldly distractions which will make the word of God fruitlesse and vnprofitable § Sect. 2 Now this preparation doth principally consist first in the purging of our corrupt affections VVherein this preparation consisteth Eccl. 4.17 to which duty the wise man exhorteth vs Eccl. 4.17 Take heed to thy feete when thou entrest into the house of God that is be carefull to purge thine affections which are the feete of thy soule And this was typically signified by the outward washing of the Israelites before the promulgation of the law Exod. 19.10 Exod. 19.10 where by the washing of their clothes and bodies the purging of the secret corruptions of the heart was signified and represented Which dutie is necessarily to be performed of al those who will heare the word with profit for as the most pure liquor is defiled and made vnprofitable for vse if it bee put into a polluted and stinking vessell so the pure liquor of Gods word is defiled and made fruitlesse vnto al those who receiue it into an heart polluted with vncleane affections As therefore Moses was enioyned by God to put off his shooes from his feete before he
might tread on that ground made holy by Gods presence or receiue the Lords ambassage to his people so hee requireth of vs that we put off the shooes that is the corruption of our affections before we tread vpon the holy ground of his Church there to heare the glad tidings of the Gospell concerning our euerlasting deliuerie out of the bondage of our spirituall enemies What these affections are the Apostle Iames partly sheweth Iam. 1.19 namely wrath Iam. 1.19 1. Pet. 2.1 filthinesse malitiousnesse to which Peter addeth dissimulation and hypocrisie enuie and euil speaking 1. Pet. 2.1 And to these also wee may adde all other like vnto them § Sect. 3 Secondly VVe must banish all forestalled opinions of the minister wee must banish out of our mindes all preiudice forestalled opinions and sinister conceits of the minister of Gods word whom wee are to heare whereby men are either carried away with a vaine admiration of his gifts and in the meane time make no conscience of feeding vpon that foode which is offred like vnto them who in steede of drinking of the wine stand wondring at the curious workmanship of the cup or els with a preiudicate opinion of his insufficiencie in gifts or imperfections of life whereby they are so forestalled that they thinke nothing which hee can deliuer will be worth the hearing VVe must expell all worldly cogitations Thirdly we must expell out of our cogitations the remembrance of all worldly busineses pleasures delights least they distract our mindes in the hearing of the word and so choaking this heauenly seede make it fruitlesse for as the vessell which is alreadie full will receiue no more and whatsoeuer is powered into it spilleth vpon the ground so the minde that is full of worldly meditations is not fit to receiue the word of God but as soone as it offereth to enter it is kept backe and so perisheth for God and Mammon the holy word of God and the cares and vanities of the world can neuer dwel at the same time together but as soone as one entreth it expelleth the other As therefore men purposing to write a sermon doe make cleane their writing tables by blotting out that which was written in them before for otherwise there would be such a mixture confusion that nothing would be legible so whē we purpose to carry away a sermon faire writtē in the tables of our memories we must first blot out all worldly affaires and businesses otherwise there will be nothing but confusion and we shall not be able to recall any thing to our remembrance § Sect. 4 Fourthly We must examine our sins and wants before the hearing of the word wee must search and examine our hearts both concerning our sinnes and corruptions as also concerning our wants and imperfections for the first we must consider to what sins we are most addicted and with what temptations we are most easily subdued to the end wee may bring our sinnes to bee slaughtered and mortified with the sword of Gods spirit being otherwise vnable to ouercome them our selues and that we may also thereby so strongly arme all parts both of our bodies and foules so as they shall not in time to come bring vs againe vnder their dominion And as citizens being besieged with their enemies doe learne by their assaulting which part of the citie is most weake and so with more care and labour fortifie it with men and munition trenches and bulworkes so when we who are continually besieged by our spirituall enemies doe learne by their assaulting of vs where we are weakest and the enemie most like to enter then we must goe into Gods armorie and prouide sufficient weapons and munition whereby we may be enabled to hold out and make resistance So also we are to consider of our wants and imperfections that so we may be stirred vp with an earnest desire to haue them supplied and hereby may be moued with more care to apply vnto our selues such foode as shall be most fit to supply these our wants and amend our imperfections for as men who hunger earnestly desire to be satissied with wholesome foode neither will they willingly without any difference eate of all meates especially if they haue weake stomackes but of that which is most fit and best agreeth with them so those who finde their spiritual wants earnestly desire to be satisfied and to haue their defects supplyed and for as much as all foode contained in Gods word is not fit for this purpose nor agreeable to their stomackes to the end that Gods graces may be nourished in them therefore they will wisely make choyse of that which best agreeth to their present state and apply it vnto themselues accordingly For example he who findeth his heart hard and secure must feede vpon the threatnings of the law to the end he may be humbled and his heart molified and resolued into teares of vnfained repentance he that is of a broken heart and contrite spirit must feede vpon the sweete and gracious promises of the Gospell he that is ignorant must hunger after milke and desire to be instructed in the principles of religion he that hath a good measure of knowledge may desire stronger meate that is attend vnto the more deepe poynts of diuinitie in a word euery man is to examine his particular state and to search out his greatest wants that so comming to heare the word he may more diligently apply such doctrines instructions and exhortations as shall bee most fit for his vse and benefit for that which is foode to one is poyson to another and that salue which is fit to heale one sore doth make another to fester and ranckell and one part of the word of God being applied to men of diuers estates doth worke diuers effects one it feedeth another it poysoneth one it healeth another it woundeth to one it is the sauour of life vnto life and to another it is the sauour of death vnto death and therefore before we come to the hearing thereof we are to examine our states that we may apply and make profitable vse to our selues of that which is most fit to nourish and strengthen vs in Gods graces Lastly and most especially we are to vse earnest and harty prayer vnto the Lord that he may open our blind eyes We are to vse earnest praier Ps 119.18 so as we may see the wonderfull things of his law that he will take away our stonie harts and giue vs fleshly hearts in which his word may more easily be imprinted that hee will with the cyle of his grace bow our stubborne willes and make them flexible and inclinable to perfourme obedience to his wil reuealed in his word that he wil sanctifie our affections and purge them from their naturall corruptions that hee will distill the heauenly dew of his holy spirit into our mindes and barraigne harts that so the seede of his worde being watred there by may
not know his time but as the fishes which are taken in an euill nette and as the birds that are caught in the snare so are the children of men snared in the euill time when it falleth vpon them suddainly when the euill seruant shal say in his heart my maister doth deferre his comming and shall beginne to smite his fellowes and to eate and drinke and to be drunken that seruants maister will come in a day when he loketh not for him and in an howre that he is not aware of and will cut him off and giue him his portion with the vnbeleeuers as our sauiour hath taught vs. Luke 12.45.46 And we know what hapned to the rich man who saide vnto his soule soule thou hast much goods laid vp for many yeeres liue at ease eate drinke and take thy pastime euen the same night God said vnto him O foole this night will they fetch thy soule from thee and then whose shall those things be which thou hast prouided Luke 12.19.20 § Sect. 4 Moreouer how many may we obserue in our owne experience who haue deferred their repētance frō day to day thinking to repent either in their old age or in the time of their sickenesse That many purposing to repent in old age are cut of in the meane time by Gods iudgment and haue beene preuented and cut of by Godes iudgment doe we not see that many haue beene taken away with suddaine and violent deaths many depriued of the vse of their sences memorie and vnderstanding in the time of their sicknesse and haue so dyed mad franticke and sensles many who come to their old age and yet are further from repentance then in the time of their youth And this cōmeth to passe by the iust iudgment of God for what can be more righteous then that the Lorde should contemne them at the houre of death who haue contemned him their whole life that they should loose their memorie and vnderstanding in the time of sickenes who haue continually abused them to the dishonour of God in the time of their health that they should dye impenitent who haue liued in impenitencie that they should forget God when they are readie to goe out of the worlde who would neuer remember him whilst they were in the worlde that God should withdraw his grace when they are sicke which being often offered they despised when they were in health And this the Lord threatneth Pro. 1.24 Because I haue called and yee haue refused I haue stretched out mine hand none would regard v. 25. but ye haue despised all my counsayle and would none of my correction v. 26. I will also laugh at your destruction mocke when your feare cōmeth v. 27. when your feare commeth like suddaine desolation and your destruction shall come like a whirlewind c. and v. 28. then shall they call vpon me but I will not answere they shall seeke me early but they shall not find mee v. 29. because they hated knowledge and did not choose the feare of the Lorde So Zachar 7.11.12.13 the prophet saith that because the people refused to harken pulled backe their shoulder and stopped their eares that they should not heare but made their hearts as an Adamant stone least they should heare the words of the lord sent in his spirit by the ministerie of the former prophets therfore came a great wrath from the Lord of hostes whereof it came to passe that as hee cried and they woulde not heare so they cried and the Lord would not heare their crie And therefore when the Lord calleth let vs answere Lorde I come let vs not delay our conuersion from day to day but seeke the Lord whilest he may be found and call vpon him whilest he is neere let the wicked now forsake his wayes and the vnrighteous his owne imaginations and returne vnto the Lord and he will haue mercy vpon him and to our God for he is very ready to forgiue as it is Esay 55.6.7 But if we contemne the ministerie of his worde and when God calleth to refuse answere if wee harden our hearts against the meanes of our conuersion quench the good motions of his spirit when he putteth them into our mindes surely it will come to passe that as we neglect the Lord so he will neglect vs and though hee call vs today yet he will not call againe to morrow but will let vs die in our sinnes without repentance Let vs remēber the fearefull example of Esau who contemning his blessing and birthright afterwards when he would haue inherited the blessing was reiected for he found no place to repentance though he sought it with teares as it is Hebr. 12.16.17 And of the 5. foolish virgins who neglecting the opportune time of prouiding oile for their lamps afterwards went to buy when it was too late Matth. 25. for the bridegrome passed by and they were shut out of dores Call to mind the fearefull example of Pharaoh who still hardening his hart against Gods word sent vnto him and confirmed by many miracles and wonders at last was destroyed with his whole armie So Herode hauing hard Iohn Baptist willingly and perfourmed obedience to some things which he had learned yet because he did not turne to the Lord with his whole heart nor repented of his incest was neuer after called againe but left of God to his owne hardnesse of hart the like may be said of Pilate Agrippa Foelix Iudas Demas Iulian the Apostata who hauing not harkened to the Lords call but quenched the good motions of his spirit afterwards were giuen ouer of God to a reprobate sense to their euerlasting ruine and destruction So likewise when as the Lord gaue the false prophetesse Iesabel a time to repent Apoc. 2.21.22 and shee repented not he threatneth his heauie iudgements against her in a word this is manifest in the examples of carnall secure men in these dayes who hauing abused Gods mercy and long suffering and deferred their conuersion from day to day at last they are taken away in Gods heauie displeasure and as they liued like beastes so commonly they die like beastes and therefore as wee loue the saluation of our soules let vs harken when the Lord calleth and not harden our hearts against the good motions of his spirit for if we be like these men in our wicked practise there is no hope we should be vnlike them in fearefull punishments § Sect. 5 Thirdly we are to consider that our conuersion and turning vnto godly vnfained and true repentance The 3. motiue because repentance is Gods gift is the gift of God from whom euery good and perfect gift descendeth as it is Iam. 1.17 And therfore we are to accept of this gift whē he offereth it vnto vs for God doth not promise his giftes and graces with condition that we may receiue them when we list but when he offereth them Psal 95.7 To day if yee will heare his voice harden not
your hearts he doth not giue vs respite till to morrow now God calleth and inuiteth vs to to come vnto him now he knocketh at the dore of our harts desiring to enter that he may dwell in vs by his holy spirit and if we refuse to let him enter how know we whether he will euer knocke againe if he doe not what gainest thou but the pleasures of sinne for a season and in the end eternall death and what loosest thou no lesse a thing then euerlasting life and an eternal waight of glory in Gods kingdome well yet Christ knocketh at the dore of our hearts and if we will open he wil be our guest and suppe with vs bringing his cheere with him Apoc. 3.20 euen an heauenly banquet of all his spirituall graces but if wee rudely shut the dores against him what hope can we haue that he will come againe when he findeth such rude and vnciuill entertainement and then what will follow but that eyther wee shall neuer seeke after him and then our case wil be most miserable Cant. 5. or with his spouse in the Canticles we shall long seeke him but not find him without great difficultie yea perhaps wee may seeke him as Esau sought his blessing with teares and neuer find him CHAP. XXVIII Of the fourth motiue taken from difficultie of repenting caused by delayes § Sect. I That the lōger we defer repentance the more hardly we shal repent THe fourth motiue to perswade vs to speedy repentance and turning vnto God is that the longer we deferre it the harder wee shall find it for the difficultie thereof wil be much increased by delay 1. Because sinne will growe customable and our selues also who are vnfit today will be more vnfit to morrow the reasons hereof are many first because by continuall sinning wee get a custome and habite of sinning and if a custome which is but affected be hardly left what shall we say of a custome which is confirmed by nature or what is nature strengthened by custome who knoweth not that the drunkard is more easily reclaimed frō his drunkennesse when he first falleth to this vice then when he hath long liued in it that the swearer the longer hee vseth and inureth his tongue to swearing the more hardly can hee forbeare it and the couetous man as he increaseth in yeeres increaseth also in couetousnesse and the like may be sayd of all other vices Neyther neede this seeme strange vnto vs seeing it is a thing apparent in reason and in experience for the longer the disease hath possessed the body the more hardly it is cured and therfore that counsaile is good Venienti occurrite morbo preuent the disease before it hath seased on thee or presently after it hath taken place remoue it The longer the sore is neglected the more it festreth the greater difficultie there is to heale it the lōger the tree groweth the deeper root it taketh and the more harde it is to pull it vpp the enemie is more easily kept from scaling the walls then beaten backe when he is entred into the middest of the citie so it is with sins and vices facilius repelluntur quam expelluntur they are more easily kept from entrance then beaten out as therfore you would condemne him of extreame folly who would not regard his sickenesse till it had ouerthrowne nature and then thinke to cure it or who would neglect to applie any salue to a greisly wound till it were festred and then thinke the better to heale it or that should assay to pull vp a young plant and being vnable should deferre it till it were growne to a great tree thinking then more easily to plucke it vp by the rootes or that would let the enemie quietly enter into the citie with a purpose then to expell him with more facilitie and lesse losse so alike nay much more foolish is hee who finding it nowe a hard matter to turne vnto God and to forsake his sinnes deferreth it for many yeares togither till the corruptition of nature haue receiued double strength by long custōe imagining that then hee can very easily attaine vnto his purpose let vs therefore breake of our sinnes by vnfained repentance and take heed of confirming our naturall corruptions by long custome August for as one sayth Dum consuetudini non resistitur fit necessitas whilst custome is not broken it becommeth necessitie and as another Basil Sicut non potest aliquis dediscere maternam linguam sic vix longam peccati consuetudinem as a man cannot easily forget his mother tongue so neither can he leaue customable sinne So it is said Iob 20.11 that the wicked mans bones are full of the sinnes of his youth and that they shall lie downe with him in the dust whereby it is implied that as diseases after they are entred into the marrow bones are incurable in so much as they goe with mē to their graues so sinnes and vices which are the sicknesses of the soule hauing seased and taken fast hold of a man by long and continuall custome from his youth will most hardly leaue him in his age but will hang fast on till the day of his death And hence it is that the Lord by his Prophet doth note it to bee a thing impossible in respect of humaine power to leaue those sinnes which are customablely commited Ier. 1323. Can the blacke more change his skin or the leopard his spotts then may yee also doe good that are accustomed to doe euill and therefore if euer we meane to leaue our sinnes to turne vnto God it is best to beginne before the corruptions of nature bee confirmed by custome § Sect. 3 Secondly while wee liue in our sinnes wee continue in Sathans thraldome and he hath full possession of vs 2. Because Sathan will more hardly be cast out of his possession when he hath long held it which possession the longer he holdeth the more hardly will he be cast out for as those who haue a long time quietly inioyed their houses and lands though their title be but weake yet are more hardly dispossessed then if at their first entrance their right had bene called into questiō both because long custome hath in it the nature of a law and the parties themselues will bee more earnest in vsing all meanes to retaine their possessions which they haue long held time hauing worne out al doubting of their right so sathan is more hardly thrust out of his possession when he hath long kept it because his long houlding of vs in his thraldom maketh him imagine that he hath right to hould vs still and hee is most earnest in vsing all his strength and pollicie to hould that which he hath already gotten and long kept in his possession We know that when a souldier in fight hath taken another captiue at first he vseth al meanes to breake from him as hauing better opportunitie when they are
if they bee not supported and freed from this burthen by our sauiour Iesus Christ But such as these are not called by our sauiour neither will he ease them though their burthen be neuer so intollerable but he inuiteth those onely who are heauie laden and finding their burthen irkesome are wearie of it and desire to be eased he harkeneth only vnto those who from their harts cry out with Dauid psal 38.4 mine iniquities are gone ouer my head and as a waighty burthen they are to heauie for me 6. I am bowed and crooked very sore I goe mourning all the day He respecteth only those who are of a broken heart and contrite spirit Psal 51.17 Esay 66.2 for these only perfourme the condition of the couenant and consequently to them alone the promises contayned in the couenant doe appertaine § Sect. 3 The condition of the couenant is faith and repentance That hee who feeleth not his sinnes hath neither faith nor repeÌ„tance neither of which doth hee performe who doth not see nor feele the burthen of his sinnes for wee will neuer rest vpon Christ for our saluation vnlesse wee see that wee haue no meanes of our owne to escape condemnation wee will neuer seeke vnto Christ to be our redeemer vnlesse wee perceiue that we are the bondslaues of sinne and Sathan wee will neuer labour to obtaine the riches of his righteousnesse vnlesse we discerne our owne nakednesse and beggerie we will neuer come vnto Christ to be washed and purged from the pollution of our sinnes and corruptions with his bloud vnlesse we see our naturall filthinesse wee will neuer desire to be eased of the heauy burthen of our sinnes vnlesse wee feele the waight of them we will neuer intreat Christ to be our Physition vnlesse wee find that our soules are sicke in sinne we will neuer goe vnto him who is the author of life vnlesse we see that we are dead in our sinnes in a word we will neuer intreat Gods mercy vntill wee feele our owne miserie If therefore without this sense of sinne we will neuer come vnto Christ then consequently without it we shall neuer be eased for heâ—â—â—â—th those onely from condemnation who relie themselues wholy vpon him for their saluatioÌ„ he came to be their redeemer alone who feele their miserable captiuity and earnestly desire to be released he wil not inrich any but those who perceiue their owne beggery and craue reliefe he will not wash any with his precious bloud but those who see their pollution and filthinesse and come vnto him intreating him to purge and cleanse them he will not ease any but those who finding their sinnes to be a heauie burthen are wearie and come vnto him to be freed from them he came into the world to be a physition not to those who feele no infirmitie but to those who are sicke and diseased he came to giue life to those alone who are dead in their sins and trespasses neither will the Lord shew mercy vnto any but vnto those alone who perceiue their estate to bee most wretched and miserable For who can imagine that the Lord who is most infinite in wisedome should vnaduisedly bestow his benefits vpon such as finding no want of them do not desire them when they are without them nor esteeme them though they had them and consequently will neuer be truely thankefull for that which they neither want desire nor esteeme who can in reason conceiue that he will offer himselfe to bee a Sauiour to such as doe not thinke themselues lost and condemned or to be their redeemer who will not acknowledge that they are in captiuitie or that he will bestow the riches of his righteousnesse vpon such proud beggers as find no need thereof being righteous inough themselues in their owne conceipts that hee will vainely spend his precious bloud in washing of those who thinke themselues cleane already and need no such purging that he will in compassion ease those of the burthen of their sinnes who were neuer troubled with bearing of them that hee will offer them any physicke who will not acknowledge themselues sicke or to giue life to those who will not confesse that they are dead in sinne and who can imagine that the Lord will euer shewe to those his mercy who will neuer shew to the Lord their wretched miserie Whosoeuer therfore haue not a true sense and feeling of the heauie burthen of their sinnes they wil neuer come vnto Christ neither can they euer haue any assurance that he will ease theÌ„ consequently they are destiture of a true faith which is the chiefe condition of the couenant of grace but as they want faith so also they can neuer attaine vnto true repentance For so long as they haue not the sense of their sinnes they are not grieued with them neither doe they desire to leaue and forsake them and as those who bearing a burthen and are not vexed with the waight they are not wearie of bearing it nor desirous to leaue it so those who being loaded with the vnsupportable burthen of their sinnes and haue no sense of the waight they are not grieued with wearinesse nor desirous to be freed from it and consequently they are destitute of true repentance which is nothing els but an harty griefe and a true sorrow for our sinnes past and an earnest desire and indeuour to leaue and forsake them in the time to come § Sect. 4 So that whosoeuer haue not a true sense and feeling of the vnsupportable waight of sinne The former point prooued by particular testimonies they are destitute of true faith and repentance and therefore the promises of the gospell being made onely to the faithfull repentant sinners doe not appertaine vnto them Which may more euidently appeare if wee consider some of the particulars Esay 61.1 It is said that our sauiour Christ was sent to preach glad tidings vnto the poore to bind vp the broken harted to preach libertie to the captiues and to them that are bound the opening of the prison 2. To comfort all that mourne and to giue vnto them beautie for ashes the oyle of ioy for mourning and the garment of gladnesse for the spirit of heauinesse Math. 9.13 our sauiour saith that he came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance and the apostle witnesseth of him that he came into the world to saue sinners 1. Tim. 1.15 If therfore we be not poore in spirit and broken harted if we be not miserable captiues heauie mourners wretched sinners our sauiour Christ was not sent to preach the glad tidings of the gospell vnto vs hee will not giue vs libertie nor affoord vs any comfort hee came not to call vs neither will hee saue vs. So our Sauiour professeth Math. 18.11 that he came to saue that which was lost and to fetch home the wandring sheepe If therefore wee bee not lost in our selues wee shall neuer bee found of Christ if wee doe
are flatly repugnant to the worde of God and testimonie of the spirit wee are to assure our selues that they are the temptations of Sathan eyther immediately suggested by himselfe or mediately by his messenger our corrupt fleshe Seeing then these suggestions come from Sathan who is our malicious enemie Ioh. 8.44 Sathan either lyeth or else speaketh the truth to deceiue and a lyar from the beginning yea the father of lies we are not to beleeue thē nay rather we may gather certaine assurance that the contrarie is true for the speaketh onely lyes or if at any time hee speake the trueth it is to this ende that hee may deceiue vs. For example hee telleth the secure carnall may that hee is in the state of grace and highly in Gods fauour but vnto the humbled sinner hee saith that he is a reprobate shal most certainly be damned vnto the worldly secure man hee saith that God is most mercifull then the which nothing can bee more true but doth not speake this in his conscience because hee would haue him to tast thereof but to lull him a sleepe with this sweete syren song to his eternall perdition On the other side when hee hath to deale with the brused heart and contrite spirite hee telleth him of nothing but of Gods exact iustice to the ende that hee may plunge him into vtter desperation In a word whatsoeuer hee speaketh in the conscience of man it is eyther false in it selfe or if true in them yet false in hypocrisie if true in the generall yet false in the particular application As what can bee more true then that God is iust and what more false then that hee will excercise his iustice in punishing repentant and humbled sinners what can be more true then that God is most merciful and what more false then that he wil shew this his mercy is sauing those who liue and die in their sins without repentance yet it is most vsuall with Sathan to affirme both the one and the other lying in both because hee doth misapply them And therefore seeing Sathan doth neuer speake the truth or else doth falsly apply it in respect of our estate let vs acquaint our selues with his false language and so by hearing his lies wee may bee the better assured of the truth for example when hee telleth vs that our sinnes are vnpardonable that it is now too late to turne vnto the Lord that wee are reprobates and damned wretches wee knowing that our malicious enemie by his lies doth continually seeke our destruction are contrariwise to assure our selues that Gods mercie and Christes merites farre exceed our sinnes that nowe is the acceptable time and day of saluation if we will turne vnto God and hearing his voice not harden our heartes that wee are in the state of saluation the vessels of mercie and beloued children of God § Sect. 4 Lastly those who are heauie laden with the burthen of their sinnes The last argument taken from the experience of Gods mercy in pardoning others and first of whole cities and nations may gather vnto themselues assurance of the forgiuenesse of them by the consideration of Gods mercie extended vnto other repentant sinners for there was neuer any from the beginning of the world to this day were their sinnes neuer so hainous or innumerable who haue not beene receiued to mercie and pardoned of our gratious God whensoeuer they did vnfainedly turne vnto him And this may appeare whether wee consider whole cities or nations or else particular men Of the first wee haue a notable example in the Israelites which liued in the time of the iudges who though they did many times negligently forget the greate mercies and inestimable benefites of God shewed to their forefathers of which also themselues had beene partakers though they forsooke the Lorde not once or twise but very often euen then when he most bound them vnto him with multiplying vpon them the benefitts of peace and plentie and though they let the raines loose vnto all wickednesse yea which was most abhominable and odious in the sight of God though they worshiped and serued Baal and Asteroth and other idolls of the cursed nations for which horrible idolatrie God had cast out the nations before them yet whensoeuer they turned vnto the Lorde hee pardoned their sinnes receiuing them into his former loue and fauour and deliuered them out of the handes of all their enemies So likewise in the time of the prophet Esay The example of the Israelits in the time of the prophet Esay Esay 1.5 to the 16. to what a notorious height of wickednesse were the same people growne as the Lord by his prophet doth decipher and describe them in the first chapter of that prophecie In the 2. ver he calleth heauen and earth to witnesse their horrible rebellion in the 3. verse hee sheweth that their vnthankfulnesse for all his mercies far exceeded the vngratitude of bruite beasts in the 4. verse hee exclaymeth out against them calling them a sinfullnation a people laden with iniquitie a seed of the wicked corrupt children who had for saken the Lord and prouoked the holy one of Israell to anger In the 5. and 6. verses he sheweth their hardnesse of heart and obstinacie in their rebellion which was so great that though the Lord sent afflictions chastize mentes vpon them yet they were no whit reformed but waxed worse and worse and that this was not the case of some few but of al the whole body of the people for the whole head was sicke and the whole heart was heaute and that from the soule of the foote to the crowne of the head there was nothing sound therein but wounds and swellings and sores full of corruption the cure whereof they vtterly neglected In the 10. verse hee matcheth the sinnes of both prince and people with those crying sinnes and outragious wickednesse of Sodome and Gomorah which brought down from heauen fire and brimstone to consume them In the 11.12.13 and 14. verses he complaineth of their filthie hypocrisie in Gods outward worship ioyned with the vtter neglect of true godlinesse and his spirituall seruice which caused the Lord to detest al their sacrifices sabbothes and newe moones So that their could not bee imagined greater wickednesse in any people respecting those notable meanes which the Lorde continually graunted vnto them aboue all other nations for their owne conuersion and therefore who would not haue thought their state to be most desperate who would not haue looked dayly that the Lorde should haue consumed them with fire and brimstone or haue caused the earth to haue swallowed them vp aliue as it did Corah and his assotiats but behould the infinite mercies of our gratious God euen when they wallowed in this filthie sinke of all impietie the Lord calleth them to repentance and when as they had forsaken him and fled from him desiring nothing lesse then to make or meddle with him the Lord
we are not true branches of this vine for if we can call to mind that euer in former times we haue brought forth any right and kindly fruites of sanctification and true godlinesse we are true branches of the vine Christ which hee will lop and prune and againe make fruitfull for out of him we could neuer haue brought forth such fruites and those who are once ingrafted into him can neuer possibly be plucked away by Sathan the world or al the powers of hell Ioh. 15.4 Ioh. 10.28 though as I said they may for a time bee nipped and shrewdly weather beaten CHAP. XXXVIII Sathans tentations obiecting to the weake christian vnrepentancie and hardnesse of heart answered § Sect. 1 ANd so much for answering that generall temptation of Sathan How Sathan perswadeth the weake christan that he hath no repentance whereby he laboureth to rob and depriue the poore humbled sinner of all the hope and comfort which hee might reape in applying vnto himselfe the gratious promises and sweete comforts contayned in the gospell by perswading him that hee is not effectually called Wherewith if hee cannot preuaile hee descendeth from the generall to the particulars and hauing as it were a farre off discharged his shott of dangerous temptations without inflicting desired hurt and destruction he approcheth neerer and fighteth against the poore christian with handie blowes that thereby hee may beate him downe into deepe desperation Let it bee graunted will bee say that thou are called yet it followeth not hereof that thou art elected and shalt bee saued for Christ Iesus himselfe hath saide that many are called but few are chosen and why maiest not thou bee in the greater number neither is the calling thou speakest of sufficient to make a christian vnlesse it bee accompanied with vnfained repentance and a liuely faith And the promises of the gospell wherein thou vainely hopest are not made vnto all those who are called but vnto those who are indued with a true iustifying faith which is alwaies ioyned with the fruite thereof vnfained repentance But if thou examine thy selfe aright thou shalt find that both these are wanting in thee for to beginne first with repentance which is most sensible and to be discerned with greatest ease if thou search thine hart without any affectionate partialitie or vaine conceipt thou shalt find that thou are altogeather destitute thereof For is not thy hart so obstinately hard and so stubbernely rebellious that thou canst not bewaile thy sinnes with any vnfained sorrow nor scarce with much strayning force one teare whereas for any worldly losse or temporarie affliction which indeed toucheth thee with true griefe thou canst without any difficultie weepe more bitterly then the apostle Peter and shed as many teares as Marie Magdalene Besides wheras those who repent turne from their sinnes with a trueand vnreconcilable hatred of them and spend the rest of their life that remaineth in the seruice of God whereas they haue their hard stonie harts mollified and turned into harts of fleshe which are flexible vnto holy obedience and full of alacritie and chearefulnesse in performing seruice to God thou through thy hardnesse and heart that cannot repent liuest still in thy sinnes and spendest a great part of thy time in vanitie and worldly delightes thy heart as hard as the adamāt is ready sooner to breake then to bowe to Gods will and when thou forcest thy selfe hereunto thou canst not but discerne the blindnes of thy vnderstanding in spiritual thinges which is so sharpe and eagle sighted in matters concerning the world thy spirits so dull blockish thine affectiōs so glutted tyred in performing seruice vnto God which are so ful of life alacritie in following worldly vanities And therefore it is impossible that thou shouldest haue any true repentance for how can repentance and hardnes of hart a hart of flesh an hart of stone be atonce in thee § Sect. 2 Against which tentation of Sathan if we would arme our selues For the answering that former tentation 2. extreames to be avoyded it behoueth vs to bee verie carefull that wee doe not runne into two dangerous extreames the one whereof is securely to flatter our selues with an opinion of our good estate when as in turth it is most dangerous and damnable the other that we doe not too much suffer our selues to bee deiected and cast downe thoughe wee haue not as yet attained to so greate perfection as our hearte desireth Two sortes of hardnesse of hart 1. that which is insensible And to this purpose we are to know that hardnesse of heart is of two sortes the first is of them who being most hard harted notwithstanding doe not feele nor perceiue it the other of those who feeling their hardnesse of heart are greeued therewith and desire to haue it mollified softened and euen resolued into teares of vnfained repentance The first sort is damnable or at least most daungerous for it lulleth vs asleepe in carnall securitie it taketh away all sense of sinne and consequently all sorrow whereby we should bewaile it it scareth and brawneth the conscience couering it as it were on all sides with a thicke hard skinne which will neuer or most hardly be pearced either by Gods iustice and threatnings to cause vs to fear least we incurre his wrathful displeasure or by his mercies and gratious promises to moue vs to loue him and to bring forth the fruits of our loue in acceptable obediencd it repelleth all the good motions of Gods spirit filleth the soule with such drowsie dulnes and blockish deadnesse that it is altogether vnfit to perfourme any seruice vnto God and most apoto entertaine any of Sathans tentations And this insensible hardnesse of heart which is the spirituall lethurgie of the soule is of two kindes The insensible hardnesse of hart is of two sortes The first ioyned with obstinacie the first is ioyned with wilfull obstinacie and affected rebellion whereby men aduisedly and contemptuously withstand the outward ministerie of the word and the inward motions of Gods spirit with all other meanes which might mooue and muite them to serious repentance an example whereof wee haue in Pharaoh who hardened his heart against the Lord opposing himselfe against his ambassage deliuered vnto him by Moysos and confirmed by so many miracles and also obstimately and with an high hand of rebellion checked and quenchen the good motions of Gods spirit whereby he was sometimes moued to confesse his sinne and to acknowledge the Lord righteous As also in Saul who against his conscience persecuted Dauid because the Lord loued had made choise of him to succeed in his place and howsoeuer sometimes by occasion of some notable fruite of Dauids innocencie hee was moued to condemne himselfe and to iustifie him yet presently hee hardned his heart againe and raged against him with wonted malice And thus likewise were those Israelites hardened and frozen stiffe in the dregs of their sinnes
Esay 28.15 of whom the Prophet Esay speaketh Esay 28.15 Yee haue said saith he wee haue made a couenam with death and with hell wee are at agreement though ascourge runne ouer and passe through it shall not come at vs for we haue made falsehood our refuge and vnder vanitie are we hid And those also of whom the Prophet Zacharie complaineth Zach. 7.11 who obstinately refused to harken Zach. 7.11 and pulled away the shoulder and stopped their eares that they should not heare yea and made their hearts as an Adamant stone least they should heare the law and the words which the Lord of hostes sent in his spirit by the ministerie of the Prophets And so also many of the Scribes and Pharisies hardened their hearts against our Sauiour Christ obstinately contemning the gratious and powerfull words which proceeded out of his mouth and quenched the good motions of Gods spirit occasioned by his wonderfull miracles and admirable workes which none could performe but he who was the very true and only begotten sonne of God Now we are to know that this hardnesse of hart is most damnable and whosoeuer are possessed therewith they can neuer escape Gods fearefull iudgements and euerlasting condemnation in the life to come § Sect. 3 Of that hard nesse of hart which proceedeth from carelesse retchlesnesse The other kind of insēsible hardnesse of heart proceedeth from carelesse retchlesnesse and carnall worldlinesse when as men hauing their vnderstādings blinded doe not perceiue their filthie corruptions prophane wickednesse extreame misery nor feele the burthen of their sinnes though they be growne to an intollerable waight but flatter themselues with a vaine opinion of their good estate in themselues without any other helpe as though they needed not the meanes appointed of God for their conuersion which others vse And therefore they neglect the ministerie of the word as knowing and practizing inough already or if they heare it they remoue farre from them the threatnings of the law denounced against impaenitent sinners as not appertaining to them and checke all the good motions of Gods spirit which are commonly ioyned with the publike ministerie of the word and the priuate admonitions of godly men or with the example of Gods iudgement on others or with the sense of their owne afflictions and so returne to their old prophanesse and lie wallowing in the dregs of their sinnes without any remorse or hatred of euill or any true loue of that which is good Vntill at length their harts are so hardned and their consciences so scared with customable sinning and by often repelling and beating backe the meanes of their conuersion the outward ministery of the word and the inward motions of Gods spirit that they proceed from carelesse senselesnesse and negligent securitie to wilfull prophanesse and obstinate rebellion And this hardnesse of heart is most commonly incident vnto worldings and is nothing els but carnall securitie whereby they rest contented with their miserable and wretched estate neither louing that which is good nor hating that which is euill nor vsing any means to better themselues because they either thinke they are good inough or at least neuer enter into consideration of their estate nor come to the sense and feeling of their euill corruptions in which they are wholy plunged ouerwhelmed Yea sometimes and in some measure this befalleth the deare children of God through their carelesse negligence and want of the due examination of themselues as may appeare in the example of Dauid who many moneths together liued in his sinne of adulterie and murther without any serious and sound repentance till it pleased the Lord to rouze him out of this spirituall lethurgie by the ministerie of the Prophet Nathan but yet the Lord doth not finally leaue them but by the preaching of the word godly admonitions and reprehensions and also with the inward motions and secrete operation of his holy spirit he pulleth them out of this wretched estate giuing vnto them a sight or feeling of their sins and mollifying their hard hearts working in them an hatred and detestation of their sinnes and an earnest desire to be vnburthened of them But howsoeuer this may befall the children of God yet this can be no incouragement vnto any to continue still in this wretched case for howsoeuer they may be indeed the children of God yet assuredly they can neuer haue any true assurance in their consciences that they are his children and in his fauour till their harts be mollified and resolued into the teares of vnfained repentance at least in some measure And therefore let euery one beware of carnall security and of hardening their harts through carelesse negligence and by committing sinnes against their knowledge and conscience let them beware of resisting the ministerie of the word and of quenching the good motions of Gods spirit for though the conscience at the first be most tender and the hart so soft that euery sinne will pricke and pearce it and euery gentle admonition will make it relent yet in continuance of time through customable sinning and resisting the meanes of our conuersion and saluation the conscience is so seared that it becommeth senselesse though it be oppressed and surcharged with a heauy masse of outragious wickednesse and the heart groweth to such Adamantiue hardnesse that the thundring Canon threatnings of the law and of Gods fearefull and imminent iudgements cannot batter or bruise it nor make any breach whereby true repentance may enter In which respect the conscience is not vnfitly compared to the eye which of all other partes of mans body is most tender impatient of the lightest touch so that the smallest mote vexeth it and the least pricke causeth incredible torment but if once it be affected with a disease called of Oculists scirrhosis oculi which ouercouereth it but a hard fleshy skinne it becommeth of all other partes most insensible so the conscience of man is most tender of all other partes and at the first small sinnes vexe torment it but if through custome in sinning it be ouerspread with a Callum or thicke skinne it becōmeth insensible and nothing will wound it CHAP. XXXIX Of that hardnesse of heart which is ioyned with sense and feeling thereof § Sect. I Of hardnesse of hart ioyned with sense and feeling thereof THe second sort of hardnesse of hart is that which is ioyned with sense and feeling when as we see and with sorow feele our dulnesse and blockishnesse in Gods seruice our obdurate inflexiblenesse to holy obedience our hardnesse of heart which at the hearing either of the terrible threatnings of the law or sweet promises of the Gospell cannot relent nor resolue it selfe into the teares of vnfained repentance and this hardnesse of heart is commonly incident vnto Gods deare children being at the same time in the state of grace and is a part of that inbred corruption and fleshly old man which before our calling wholy possesseth and
nor any reformation at all of their former sinfull liues and therefore they thinke that they heare the worde of God without any profit nay that the more they heare it the more wicked and rebellious they are and that for this cause it were much better not to heare the worde at all for as much as it will but agrauate their sinnes and in crease their condemnation for hee that knoweth his maisters will and doth it not Luk. 12.47 shal be beaten with many stripes § Sect. 3 But let not such poore mourning soules depriue themselues of that true comfort which of right belongeth to them Consolations for such as complaine of their imperfections in hearing the word and to this end let them know first that this is a vsuall complaint of those children of God which profit most in hearing of the word though in truth they doe therein deceiue themselues for in cōplaining that they profit not they shew they profitt For whereas men naturally blinded with selfe loue and carnall securitie neuer discerne any such want and corruption in themselues and therefore though they profit nothing by hearing the worde of God yet it neuer troubles them nay they imagine that it is sufficient to present their bodies into Gods assemblies and to heare Gods worde with their outward eares though they vnderstand it not nor retaine it in memorie nor bring forth any fruits thereof these humbled soules by the hearing of the worde are freed from this selfe loue and carnall securitie and haue the blind eies of their vnderstandings opened so as they see their faultes and corruptions and haue their harde hartes softened so as they are grieued and displeased with them their wills also are in some good measure sanctified so that they earnestly desire to be freed from their corruptions and to heare the word of God with more profit whereby it appeareth that though they cannot profit so much as they desire yet they haue made a good progresse and the Lord in his good time will perfect that good worke which hee hath begun in them and the same spirit of God which hath wrought in them this desire of profitting by hearing the word will also accomplish it so open their dull eares and soften their hard harts that they shall profit and reape manifould fruites of the seede of the word which is sowed in the furrowes of their hearts In the meane while the Lorde may in his heauenly wisedome feed them for a time with a sparing hand to the end that hee may truly humble them vnder the sight and sense of their corruptions and that he may hereby so sharpen their appetites that they may with more hungering desire and earnest indeauour feed vpon the heauenly manna of his word but as this should increase their diligence so it should not decrease their hope and comfort for most assuredly when the Lorde hath a while whetted their stomacke and by pulling backe his hande mooued them more earnestly to desire and more highly to esteeme this precious foode of their soules he will fully satisfie their hungring desire nourish them in all spirituall graces and make them who are but babes strong men in Christ In the mean time let them not faint but wait vpon the Lorde bee strong and trust in him and hee will surely comfort their heartes as the psalmist speaketh Psal 27.16 § Sect. 4 Secondly wheras they complaine that they doe not after the hearing of the word Consolations for such as bewaile their want of feeling the fruits of their hearing perceiue in themselues any increase of knowledge faith or any sauing grace they are to knowe that howsoeuer no man ought to rest contented in this estate but are to laboure more and more not only to haue but also to discerne an increase of grace in them and a progresse in al vertue and godlinesse for otherwise though they may be the children of god who for a time liue in such a case yet they can not attaine vnto the assurance thereof nor feele the comfort of it in there owne consciences neuertheles there is no reasō why they shoulde despaire or bee vtterly discouraged for though they find no fruits of their hearing yet if in obedience to Gods commaundement they will with care and diligence continue still hearers of the word they shal vndoubtedly in the ende attaine vnto their desire and discerne in themselues a greate increase of grace and godlinesse Wee knowe that the seede doth not presently bringe foorth fruite when it is cast into the ground but first it seemeth to rott and perish and then it sprouteth vp in a greene blade and then it beareth an eare and a great increase and much fruite and so it fareth oftentimes in hearing the worde of God for at first it seemeth quite lost and perished being sowne in some groundes and yet afterwardes it bringeth foorth not onely a faire greene blade of an outward profession but also a greate increase of the ripe fruites of true godlinesse So also the sicke patient taking soueraigne physicke is not presently cured nay in stead of feeling any ease thereby hee is made much more sicke in his owne sense and feeling and yet after the physick hath a while wrought with him and purged him of some superfluous and hurtfull humours hee findeth some amendment and so by little and little hee is restored to his former health and so it is also with the spirituall sicke patient hee doth not alwaies presently find ease and quiet peace of conscience nay many times hee is tormented and vexed after hee hath receiued the spiritual phisicke of the soule the word of God more then euer in former times but yet notwithstanding in processe of time when this phisicke hath effectually wrought with him it purgeth him from his filthie corruptions and strengtheneth him in all grace and godlinesse And therefore though we feele presently no profitable fruits of hearing let not this discourage vs from hearing nay rather let it serue as a sharpe spurre to pricke vs forwarde to more diligence and let vs ioyne therewith hartie prayer desiring the Lord to water the seed of his word sowne in our hearts with the dew of his holy spirit and then vndoubtedly the Lord in the end will heare vs and to our exceeding comfort shew vnto vs the plentifull fruits of all our labours § Sect. 5 Thirdly whereas they complaine that the more they heare the greater are their sinnes and rebellion against God Consolations for such as complaine that the more they heare the more they abound in sin in this they much deceiue themselues for the worde of God doth not make them more sinfull but whereas heretofore they liued in carnall securitie and hardnesse of heart hauing their vnderstandings darkned and their consciences seared so as they could neither see nor feele their sins though they were manifould and grieuous now the worde of God made effectuall by the inward operation of his
sinne as we ought till we haue some assurance of Gods mercy and loue in Iesus Christ for otherwise though our sorrow be neuer so great yet it is not so much for sinne as for the punishment thereof not so much because wee haue thereby displeased God as for those torments of conscience which we presently indure and the torments of hell which for the time to come we feare And therefore this desperate sorrow is it selfe to be sorrowed for as being seuered from faith and therefore sinnefull Rom. 14.23 and not proceeding from any loue of God or hatred of sinne but from the feare of punishment and condemnation Why teares are not numbred amongst the signes of vnfained repentance But it may bee demaunded why amongst the signes of true repentance I haue not numbred teares and weeping for our sinnes to which I answeare because howsoeuer it is a notable fruite of vnfained repentance vnto which euerie christian with true compūction of hart is to accustome himselfe yet notwithstanding it is not an inseparable propertie thereof for often times there is teares wheras their is no true repentance and there is true repentance whereas there is few or no teares For the first wee may plainely perceiue by continuall experience that teares proceede from diuers other causes then from true repentāce sometimes frō excessiue ioy whereby the pores and passages of the eyes are loosed and opened and sometimes from naturall and worldly sorrowe whereby the said passages are constringed and straightned Somtimes from furious anger sometims from cōpassion and pity and in spirituall things sometimes these teares flow from vnfained repentance sometimes from desperat sorrow conceiued vpon the apprehension of Gods horrible wrath or of the fearefull torments and eternall condemnation prepared for them Wherefore it commeth to passe that in the abundance of their teares they vtter from a heart full of raging malice horrible blasphemies against God And example heareof wee haue in Esau who in the middest of his weeping and howling comforted himselfe with the remembrance of his fathers death and of that most wicked murther which he intended vnto his innocent brother Gen. 27.41 Gen. 27 41. So the rebellious Israelites being discouraged with the newes which the spies brought who were sent to search the land are said to haue cried and wept yet in the middest of their lamentation to haue murmured against God his seruants Moses and Aaron num 14.1.2 So that simplie teares are not a signe of true repentance vnlesse they issue from a broken heart and contrite spirit from a true hatred of sinne and from hartie sorrowe conceiued because wee haue offended our gratious God On the other side if wee be in sinceritie of heartt ruely sorrie for our sinnes in these respects because we hate our sinnes and loue God and are displeased with our selues because we haue displeased our gratious father indeauouring to forsake our sinnes and to leade a newe life in holinesse and righteousnes then though wee can seldome or neuer shed teares which is the ease of some of Gods dearest children yet our repentance is true and vnfained for in this action the broken and contrite hart is more to be respected then the blubred eyes howsoeuer most commonly they goe togeather And so much concerning the signes of true repentāce which if after due examination wee can finde in our selues we may be assured that we are truely paenitent nay I will say more for the comfort of all humbled sinners if after diligent search they find not in their owne sense and feeling these signes of true repentance in them at al or at least in very smal measure yet if they earnestly desire and sencerely indeuour to attaine vnto true repentance vsing those good meanes ordained of God for this purpose they may assure themselues that they haue truely repented in the sight of God who accepteth of the will for the deed and of the affection for the action as before I haue shewed § Sect. 6 And thus may we repell the tentation of Sathan and receiue comfort vnto our owne soules when hee laboureth to perswade vs that our repentance is not true and vnfained That the assurance of the remission of sinnes dependeth not on the dignity of ourrepentāce but false and hypocriticall but if the tempter cannot thus preuaile in the next place hee will tel vs that our repentance though if be true yet it is not sufficient neither is there any proportion betweene our small repentance and our great sinnes as Gods iustice doth require To which we must answeare that the remission of our sinnes and reconciliation with God dependeth not vpon the dignitie or quantitie of our repentance but vpon the righteousnesse and full satisfaction of our Sauiour Iesus Christ neither doe wee repent to the end that thereby wee may in whole or in part satisfie for our sinnes for though it could bee imagined that the whole substance of our bodies should be resolued into teares yet woulde they not all of them satisfie and appease Gods wrath for one breach of any of his commandements neither is it the water of our eyes no nor yet the bloud of our harts wounded deepely with sorrow which will purge vs from our sinnes either in respect of the guilt punishment or corruptions themselues but it is the water and bloud which flowed from our crucified Lord which cleanseth our guiltie soules from the filchie spotts of sinne being applied vnto vs by a true and liuely faith And therefore let vs not with the popish rabble foolishly imagine that wee can by our repentance meritt any thing at Gods hand or satisfie his iustice for our sinnes for so shall wee rob our Sauiour Christ of the glorie due vnto him for our saluation and spoile our soules of all true comfort but let vs repent and vnfainedly turne vnto God in obedience to his commaundement and to the ende that thereby we may approue our faith before God the world our owne consciences to be true by this liuely and vndoubted fruit thereof For it cannot bee if we haue attayned to the assurance of Gods loue and the remission of our sins for the merits and satisfaction of Christ but that we will loue God againe and this loue cannot be idle but will shew it selfe in a feruent zeale of Gods glorie and this zeale will make vs abhorre sinne whereby our gratious God is dishonoured and loue righteousnesse whereby his holy name is glorified and euen sorrow with bitter greefe when as we are ouertaken with our corruptions and fall into sinne seeing our Sauiour Christ hath not spared his pretious bloud to purge vs whē as nothing els could make vs cleane Seeing therefore our repentance doth not satisfie Gods iustice nor purge away any sinne let vs not be perswaded by Sathan that reconciliation with God and the remission of our sinnes dependeth on the dignitie or quantitie of our repentance but let vs assure our selues
them and the warme sunshine of Gods loue and fauour againe appeareth to them The sire is sometime so couered with ashes that it sendeth forth neither light nor heate and therefore in outward sense and appearance it seemeth quite extinguished but when the ashes are remooued and more wood added to it it bursteth out into a great flame and makes all the standers by to perceiue his heate and light and so the graces of Gods spirite are sometimes so couered with the ashes of our corruptions that there appeareth no sparke of them nor yet any heate of true comfort but when our corruptions are remoued with vnfained repentance and a new supplie of grace ministred vnto them by Gods spirite then doth their light appeare vnto vs and warme our harts with true cōfort and not to vs alone but euen those about vs see our shining light and glorifie our heauenly father A man hath not alwaies the vse of his senses reason and vnderstanding as in his sleepe but because we cannot sensibly discerne these faculties shall wee therefore conclude that this man who is a sleepe is senselesse vnreasonable and without vnderstanding it were most absurd for if wee but expect a while till hee be throughly awakened our argument will appeare manifestly false and so sometime the poore christian is ouertaken with the sleepe of drowsie securitie and is ouerwhelmed for a time with hardnesse of harte and dulnesse of spirite so as none of those spirituall graces which are in him can sensibly be discerned by himselfe or others but shall he or we conclude or beleeue Sathan so concluding that he neuer had them or now is depriued of them why it were as absurd as the other For when hee is awaked out of his drowsie sleepe by the voice of the Lorde sounding in his eares and by the good motions of his holy spirite his faith loue zeale and all other vertues and graces shew themselues in their fruits and actions as manifestly as in former times § Sect. 3 Seeing then those arguments which are taken from sense and feeling so often faile That we must not conclude that we haue not faith because we doe not sensibly discerne it let vs not be perswaded by sathans tentations to beleeue that we are destitute of faith and other sanctifying graces of Gods holy spirit because at sometimes we cānot sensibly discerne them for though now our soules seeme so sicke in the sense of sinne that there appeareth no signe of life yet the Lord wil rayse vs vp againe restore vs to perfect health though now wee see no fruites of faith whilest wee are nipped with the winter of tentations yet the Lord will water vs with his holy spirit warme our frozen hearts with the liuely beames of his loue and fauour so as we shal bring forth aboūdant fruits in due time seasō though now there appeare not a spark of grace in vs by reasō al is couered with the ashes of our corruptiōs yet the Lord wil surely ad a fresh supply blow vpon vs by his holy spirit so that our light and heate shall appeare to our selues others though now our spirits be oppressed with drowsie dulnesse yet the Lord in his good time will cause vs to awake by hearing his voice sounding in our eares out of his holy word and will againe quicken and reuiue vs with his holy spirit so as after this sleepe wee shal be enabled to follow with chearefulnesse our labours and workes both which concerne his seruice and those duties also which concerne our brethren onely let vs not tempt the Lord in prescribing him a time but waite his leasure he will surely helpe vs. CHAP. XLIIII How the weake Christian is to comfort himselfe when he is depriued of the sense of faith and sensibly feeleth the contrary corruptions § Sect. 1 BVt thou wilt say how is it possible that my soule should receyue any comfort That the Christian in the want of present sense must comfort himselfe with his former feeling or that I should preserue my selfe from falling into vtter desperation seeing I cannot feele in me any good thing nor discerne any sparke of grace what hope remaineth when as I plainely discerne in steed of faith doubting and infidelitie in stead of the loue of God hatred and rebellion in stead of zeale coldnesse and drowsie dulnesse and in stead of all sanctifying graces nothing els but a heauy masse of filthy corruptions I answere that when thou hast no comfort in thy present sense and feeling then thou must call to thy remembrance the times past in which thou hast by faith apprehended Gods loue mercy and goodnesse towards thee and brought foorth the fruits of thy faith in the workes of holinesse appertaining to Gods seruice and the workes of Christian righteousnesse belonging to our brethren for we may assure our selues that if euer wee haue truly discerned these graces of Gods spirit by the fruits of sanctification in vs they are not taken from vs for the gifts and calling of God are without repentance Rom. 11.29 as it is Rom. 11.29 And where he hath begunne a good worke their he will finish it and bring it to perfection As the Apostle speaketh Phil. 1.6 Phil. 1.6 Wee know that the woman being with childe feeleth no life nor motion of the child diuers moneths together after the time of her conception and after that she hath felt it stirre and moue oftentimes there is an intermission wherein she feeleth not the motion there of a good space together and yet notwithstanding because informer times she hath felt it she is perswaded that a liue child is in her and cōfortably hopeth to haue happy trauaile And thus it fareth with Gods children oftentimes after that by the seed of the word faith is begotten and conceiued in them they feele no life motion nor vndoubted signes thereof a long while and after that they haue the remission of their sinnes and are reconciled vnto God they haue not the feeling and sense of pardon and reconciliation diuers moneths yea sometimes many yeares together which the Lord in his wisedome and mercy doth that he may moue them hereby vnto more serious repentance and earnestly to hunger after a greater measure of faith carefully vsing the meanes ordained for this purpose and that they may more esteeme and be more thankefull for his inualuable benefits after that they haue full assurance of them And after they haue a feeling of faith and other spirituall graces by their motions and fruits oft-times againe they are depriued of it either because they haue wounded their consciences by falling into some knowne sinne or for that it pleaseth the Lord to excercise their faith and manifest his power in their weakenesse moouing them hereby to denie themselues and to rest wholy vpon him yeelding vnto him the whole glorie and praise of their saluation What therefore is to bee done in such a case Surely they
alreadie plainely proued though we neuer haue any speciall reuelation And therefore without any such particular reuelation we may attaine vnto the certaine assurance that we are iustified in Gods sight Thirdly that which the Gospell assureth vs of we neede not to make any doubt thereof or once call it into question but the Gospell assureth vs that whosoeuer beleeueth in Christ Iesus and truely repent them of their sinnes shall be made partakers of all the gracious promises of life and saluation therein contained So Ioh. 3.16 Ioh. 3.16 God so loued the world that he hath giuen his onely begotten sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life And chap. 5.24 Ioh. 5.24 Verely verely I say vnto you he that heareth my word and beleeueth him that sent me hath euerlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but hath passed from death to life Matth. 11.28 And Matth. 11.28 Come vnto me all ye that labour and are laden and I will ease you And therefore whosoeuer beleeue in Iesus Christ approuing their faith to the world and their owne consciences to bee true and vnfained by the fruite thereof vnfained repentance he may assure himselfe of all the gratious promifes of the Gospell and consequently of the remission of his sinnes and his iustification for the merits and righteousnesse of Iesus Christ Lastly the Lord hath not onely after a generall manner propounded these promises vnto vs and left vs to our owne libertie to beleeue or not to beleeue them but hee hath bound vs to the performance of this dutie by his expresse commaundement Mark 1.15 1. Ioh. 3.23 Mark 1.15 Repent and beleeue the Gospell And 1. Ioh. 3.23 This is his commaundement that we beleeue in his sonne Iesus Christ that is that we doe not onely after a generall manner beleeue that he is the sauiour of mankinde but that we beleeue that he is our sauiour who hath redeemed iustified and wil most perfectly saue vs and rest wholy vpon him alone for our saluation And he that thus beleeueth needeth no other arguments to assure him that he is iustified and shall be saued for he hath the witnesse in himselfe euen the testimonie of Gods spirit crying in his heart Abba father and bearing witnesse vnto his spirit that he is the childe of God and not to beleeue this is to make God a lyer because wee will not beleeue the record that hee hath witnessed of that his sonne 1. Ioh. 5. 10. as the Apostle speaketh 1. Ioh. 5.10 Yea as before I haue shewed at large he hath added vnto the hand writing of his word which containeth also his oath for our better confirmation his sacraments whereby he particularly conuayeth and giueth vnto euery beleeuer as it were proper possession of Christ Iesus and all his benefits to the end that there should bee no place left to doubting nor any neede of any particular reuelation for our further assurance § Sect. 2 Secondly Sathan will suggest that those who are iustified are made iust That we are made iust not by infusion but by imputation of righteousnes and those who are made iust doe continually the workes of righteousnesse but thou will he say to the humbled sinner continuest still in thy corruptions and thy wickednesse cleaueth fast to thee and compasseth thee about and in stead of doing the workes of righteousnesse thou continually heapest vp the full measure of thy sinnes yea thy best actions are so stained with imperfections and so full of infirmities that they iustly prouoke Gods wrath against thee To which we must answere that indeede whosoeuer is iustified is made iust but not by infusion of inherent righteousnesse into our selues but by imputation of Christs most perfect righteousnesse as before I haue shewed for hereby our sinnes are pardoned he hauing taken them vpon himselfe and satisfied Gods iustice by suffering those punishments which wee had deserued and also he hath perfectly fulfilled the law that hee might make vs partakers of his actiue obedience and so imputing both vnto vs hath made vs perfectly iust and righteous in Gods sight So that now the Lord doth not require obedience to his law at our hands to the end that wee should be iustified in whole or in part by our owne righteousnesse neither are we to this end to obserue Gods commandements that we may offer vnto God our workes and inherent righteousnesse desiring thereby to be iustified for as I haue shewed our best righteousnesse is imperfect and mingled with manifold corruptions so as it would rather condemne vs then iustifie vs if the Lord should examine it according to the exact rule of his most perfect iustice but we offer vnto God for our iustification the most perfect righteousnesse and full satisfaction of Iesus Christ which by his merits and sufferings he hath once made for vs desiring thereby wholy and onely to be iustified and saued § Sect. 3 As for our workes and inherent righteousnesse That our works are not causes but effects of our iustification they are not causes but effects and fruites of our iustification neither is it possible that we should doe any good worke acceptable in Gods sight till we are iustified and reconciled vnto God in Iesus Christ for our workes cannot please him till our persons please him and whatsoeuer we doe before faith hath purified the heart it is sinne and odious in the sight of God but as soone as we haue faith begotten in vs presently it apprehendeth Christ and his righteousnes whereby we are iustified and then being iustified faith worketh by loue and bringeth forth in vs the fruites of sanctification which though they bee mingled with much corruption and manifold imperfections yet God in Christ accepteth of them as perfect and will crowne them with glorie and immortalitie That now the Lord doth not require of vs perfect righteousnesse Neither doth the Lord now require of vs that wee perfectly at once shake off all our corruptions but that we labour as much as in vs lieth to mortifie and subdue them according to the measure of his grace and holy spirit which he hath bestowed on vs he doth not straightly commaund that we should instantly banish and expell sinne from dwelling in vs but that we doe not suffer it to raigne in vs nor willingly obey the flesh in the lusts thereof submitting our selues vnto sinne as seruants and vassals to their Lord and maister he doth not inioyne vs that we should wholy vanquish our corruptions and obtaine a full victorie ouer them but that we proclaime open warres against them and manfully fight and striue vnder the conduct of his spirit against the flesh and the sinfull lusts thereof and when we are taken captiue of sinne that we labour to attaine vnto our former freedome in the meane time sorrowing and groning vnder the heauie waight of our corruptions and crying out with the Apostle Rom. 7. wretched man that
I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death and that we confesse our miserable estate vnto our captaine and leader Iesus Christ desiring him to assist vs with the power of his holy spirit that thereby we may be freed out of the hands of these our spirituall enemies whose bondage and captiuitie is so irksome and grieuous vnto vs. Neither doth the Lord now require that we performe absolute and perfect obedience to his commaundements but that to will be present in vs that we consent and approue his law to be good and delighting in it concerning the inner man that we desire and indeauour to performe that good we cannot and forgetting that which is behinde indeauour our selues to that which is before and follow hard towards the marke Phil. 3.13.14 though we cannot attaine vnto the end of our race till wee come to the end of our liues Finally the Lord doth not require of vs a whole haruest of goodnes and righteousnes but the first fruites thereof he doth not stand so much vpon our actions as vpon our affections vpon the perfection of our workes as vpon the alacritie of our willes and integritie of our hearts the righteousnes which he requireth is an humble confession of our vnrighteousnesse a sincere hatred of our sinnes a holy indeauour in the vse of the meanes to mortifie our corruptions and to rise from the death of sinne to holinesse and newnes of life which whosoeuer can offer vnto God they may assure themselues that they shall be accepted through Christ as righteous in Gods sight notwithstanding their manifold imperfections and corruptions The end of the second Booke THE THIRD BOOKE INTREATING OF SANCTIFICATION AND PERSEVERANCE as also of Sathans temptations which he suggesteth against them both and of such answeres wherewith the Christian may refute and repell them CHAP. I. Of Sanctification and the causes thereof § Sect. 1 ANd so much for the answering of such temptations of Sathan as concerne our iustification That God is the principall efficient of our sanctification Now wee are to speake of our sanctification which is the next effect of Gods election and inseparably ioyned with our iustification wherein I will obserue my former order first setting downe the doctrine of sanctification and then answering those temptations of Sathan which doe most impugne it Sanctification what is it For the first Sanctification is an action of the whole Trinitie whereby the beleeuer already iustified is by little and little renued according to Gods image in holinesse and righteousnesse by the mortification of the flesh with the corruptions thereof and the quickening of the spirit And this is our sanctification which is expressed in the Scriptures by diuers names and phrases for it is called regeneration the new birth renouation the putting off or mortifying of the old man and the putting on or quickening of the new man and such like The efficient cause of our sanctification is God himselfe who as he alone iustifieth vs and freeth vs from the guilt and punishment of sinne so he onely sanctifieth vs and deliuereth vs from the tyrannie of sinne so that it shall no longer raigne in our mortall bodies freeing vs in such measure as pleaseth him from our naturall corruptions Leuit. 20.8 which heretofore wholy ouerswayed vs. And this appeareth by plaine testimonies of holy Scriptures Iohn 1.13 Iohn 1.13 It is said that the faithfull are borne not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God Ephes 2.10 So Ephes 2.10 we are said to be Gods workemanship created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes which phrase the Apostle vseth to note vnto vs that as God onely did create vs so he onely doth renue and regenerate vs. The Lord likewise doth appropriate this worke vnto himselfe as belonging to another Ezech. 36.26 Ezech. 36.26 and 34.28 A new heart will I giue you and a new spirit will I put into you and I will take away the stony heart out of your body and I will giue you an heart of flesh And hence it is that the Apostle desiring the sanctification of the Thessalonians beggeth it at Gods hand 1. Thes 5.23 The very God of peace sanctifie you throughout 1. Thes 5.23 Psalm 51.13 And Dauid finding the want hereof in himselfe hath his recourse vnto God Psalm 51.10 Create in me a cleane heart O God and renue a right spirit within me So that as God doth begin in vs this worke of sanctification so likewise he doth accomplish and finish it And therefore as we are wholy to ascribe vnto God our election vocation and iustification so also our sanctification that he may be all in all in the worke of our saluation For as he onely formed vs so he onely can reforme vs as he is the author of our naturall generation Gen. 1.28 for by his blessing we haue our being so also of our spirituall regeneration for by his spirit onely wee are renued Neither must we imagine that it is in mans power to renew himselfe no more than to beget himselfe for as well may the Blackmoore change his skinne or the Leopard his spots as wee doe good who are accustomed to doe euill Ierem. 13.23 Ierem. 13.23 yea as easily may the dead man raise himselfe as wee may raise our selues from the death of sinne to newnesse of life Eph. 2.1 Eph. 2.1 It is onely the water of Gods spirit that can wash away our Ethiopian blacknesse and turne our spotted vncleannesse into snowie whitenesse it is onely the God of life that can make vs rise from the death of sinne to newnesse of life But here it may be demaunded that if sanctification bee wholie the worke of God and not in our owne power why doe the Scriptures exhort vs to sanctifie our selues to mortifie our sinnes and to walke in newnesse of life I answere that though sanctification bee wholy from God yet these exhortations are necessarie for hee worketh this worke in vs not as in stocks and stones but as in reasonable creatures of whom he requireth consent of will desire and endeuour in the vse of the meanes ordained of God for the beginning and perfecting of this worke of sanctification in vs. And although this will desire and endeuour be his work likewise yet these exhortations to godlinesse are to good purpose for with the exhortation God ioyneth the operation of his spirit and whilest he commandeth vs he giueth power also to performe that which he commandeth whilest he exhorteth vs to sanctification hee himselfe sanctifieth vs with his spirit § Sect. 2 Now further wee are to know That the work of sanctification is common to the three persons in Trinitie T it 3.5 Eph. 2.4.5 Heb. 9.14 that as all other workes of God which he exerciseth towards his creatures so this work of sanctification likewise is common vnto the three persons in the Trinitie for first God
most horrible and outragious sinnes if not in hope to ouercome vs yet at least to vexe and trouble vs. As we may see in the example fo the holy man Iob whom he spared not to tempt vnto fearefull blasphemie But though we cannot keepe the diuell from assaulting vs let not this discourage vs hay rather let vs be moued hereby with more care and watchfulnesse to withstand him for if we resist him he will flee from vs. Iam 4.7 Iam. 4.7 But in this our resistance two things especially must be obserued the first is the meanes whereby we must giue him the repulse which is partly by the sword of the spirit the word of God whereby we beate backe the temptation by prouing the wickednesse thereof by some testimonie of scripture according to our Sauiours example and partly by lifting vp our mindes vnto God in prayer desiring strength to withstand the temptation Secondly we must take heede that we doe not reuolue the temptation in our mindes but presently repell it least these hellish sparkes taking hold of the tindar of our corruptions doe at length inflame vs with horrible wickednesse which at their first falling might easily haue been extinguished And if we thus speedely repell these horrible blasphemies suggested by Sathan they shall neuer be imputed vnto vs but vnto him from whom they proceede and that both in respect of the fault and punishment CHAP. XII Arguments to proue the certaintie of our perseuerance grounded vpon Gods will and immutabilitie § Sect. 1 ANd thus haue I answered Sathans temptations which concerne our sanctification Sathans temptation mouing the christian to doubt of his perseuerance Now in the last place wee are to intreate of our perseuerance which he impugneth with no lesse subtiltie and violence For though the christian man haue attained to some assurance that he is elected called iustified and sanctified yet Sathan will not giue him ouer but laboreth to perswade him that notwithstanding all this he may finally fall away and become a reprobate Let it be graunted will he say that thy state now is such as thou supposest yet thou art in no safetie neither canst thou promise vnto thy selfe any assurance of attaining vnto euerlasting life and happinesse seeing those onely which continue vnto the end shall be saued Matth. 24.3 whereas thou hast no assurance of thy perseuerance nay contrariwise thou art in respect of thy frailtie and mutabilitie certaine of nothing more then thine vncertaintie Call to thy remembrance the example of thy first parents who were perfectly righteous and holy more accomplished in all graces than any of their posteritie more strong and able to indure and resist all temptations as being indued with free-will and therefore able both to chuse the good and refuse the euill who notwithstanding all this were ouercome and of the children of God made the slaues of sinne and Sathan Did they therefore fall who were perfectly righteous and canst thou who are most imperfect hope to stand were not they who were full of all graces able to indure the incounter in the day of triall and canst thou hope to make resistance who art full of sinne and corruption were they vanquished who were strong champions and dost thou who art weake and feeble hope for victorie were they allured by Sathans temptations to commit sinne and fall from God who could freely will the good and nill the euill and canst thou hope to perseruer and continue constant whose will is captiued and ouerruled by thy corruption Consider further thy mutabilitie and vnconstancie thy exeeding weaknesse and frailtie thy corruptions and imperfections and on the other side set before thee the mightie power the subtill pollicie the vigilant watchfulnesse and vnwearied diligence of thy spirituall enemies who continually assault thee and then thinke with thy selfe if there be any possibilitie that thy weaknes should withstand their power thy ignorant simplicitie their prudent wisedome and thy carelesse negligence their carefull diligence Lastly call to minde the manifold examples which thou hast both read and seene of such as haue been of greater gifts and graces and made a much fairer shew then thou of holinesse towards God and righteousnesse towards men who notwithstanding haue finally fallen away and become reprobates and therefore why maiest not thou be one of this number Seeing then the case thus standeth doe not foolishly flatter thy selfe with a vaine hope that because thou art elected called iustified and sanctified therefore thou shalt be saued for though now thou art elected yet hereafter thou maiest become a reprobate though today thou art a childe of God and in his fauour yet to morrow thou mayest through thy sinnes bee a childe of the diuell and in Gods displeasure be reiected though now thou art a member of Christ thou maiest become a limme of Sathan and though now thou art indued with the spirit of God and with all the graces and gifts thereof yet by thy sinne thou mayst easily loose both it and them and bee wholy and finally giuen ouer to run on thy former wickednes vnto eternall death and condemnation § Sect. 2 And thus doth Sathan perswade the christian man to doubt of his perseuerance The generall meanes to strengthen the christian against the former temptation the which temptations if we would withstand it behoueth vs not to ground the certaintie of our perseuerance vpon our owne resolution strength and graces which we haue receiued for these are altogether insufficient to vphold vs against the assaults of our spirituall enemies who are farre more stronger then we but wholy distrusting in our owne abilitie let vs rest and rely wholy vpon the Lord for as it is he alone who hath bestowed vpon vs all the gifts and graces which we haue receiued so also haue wee our growth and perseuerance in them from him onely And so we may be assured of our perseuerance notwithstanding our owne weakenesse and inconstancie for it is God which stablisheth vs in Christ 2. Cor. 1.21 as it is 2. Cor. 1.21 Though in respect of any thing that is in vs we might euery hour fall away yet we are sure to continue in those graces which we haue receiued mauger the malice and power of all our enemies for wee stand not in our owne strength but are kept by the power of God through faith vnto saluation 1. Pet. 1.4 as the Apostle speaketh 1. Pet. 1.4 Though we should euery day loose euerlasting life and happinesse through negligence or sell it away for the vanities of the world and pleasures of sinne if it were in our owne hands yet all this is not sufficient to disinherit vs of our heauenly pattrimonie for it is not at our own disposition but our life is hid with Christ in God Col. 3.3 as it is Col. 3.3 And therefore though in ourselues we are as weake as reedes and as vnconstant and changeable as the wind and weather yet are we tenne thousand times
be able to separate them from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. § Sect. 7 But against this it may be obiected An obiection against the former reason ansivered that the sinnes of the faithfull doe prouoke the Lord vnto anger and mooue him to cast them off in his iust displeasure and to withdraw from them his wonted loue and fauour and therefore seeing sin separateth them from Gods loue it may also plunge them into condemnation To which I answere that indeede the sinnes of the faithfull doe in themselues deserue the euerlasting wrath of God and eternall death if they were not taken away by Christ who hath by his precious bloudshed satisfied his fathers iustice and that euen now they so offend by their sinnes their gracious father that they had neede to renew their faith and repentance before they can haue any sensible assurance that they are reconciled vnto him and receiued into his loue and fauour It is most true that God is displeased with the sinnes of his children according to that Esa Esa 64.5 How God is said to be angrie with his children 64.5 Behold thou art angrie for we haue sinned But this anger doth not exclude them out of his loue seeing it is not the anger of an enemie but of a gracious father who is not angrie with their persons to destroy them but with their sins to conuert and saue them As therefore children with their faults prouoke their parents to anger and mooue them to turne their fatherly smiles into bitter frownes and the fruits of their loue into the effects of hatred in outward shew as namely seuere countenances sharpe reproofes and rigorous chastizements and in respect of these outward signes and effects of their anger they are vsually said to be out of fauour and in their fathers displeasure howsoeuer in truth at the same time they intirely loue them and vse all this holesome seueritie not because they hate but because they would reforme them So Gods children when by their sinnes they do offend him and prouoke his anger against them are said to be out of his fauour not that God doth euer change his fatherly affection or purposeth vtterly to reiect them but because hee changeth the effects of his loue into the effects of hatred in outward shew as when inwardly hee suffreth them to be vexed with the terrors of conscience and with the apprehension of his anger and displeasure and outwardly whippeth and scourgeth them with temporarie afflictions all which he doth not for any hatred to their persons for he neuer hateth those whom hee hath once loued in Christ but for the hatred of their sinnes and loue of the sinner whom by this meanes hee bringeth by the rough and vnpleasant way of repentance vnto the eternall pleasures of his kingdome § Sect. 8 And thus it appeareth that Gods loue and anger may stand together Our perseuerance proued by Gods immutabilitie in his gifts and that notwithstanding his momentanie displeasure his loue may be eternall Now secondly wee are to know that as God is immutable in his loue so also in his gifts as faith repentance hope affiance charitie c. according to that Rom. 11.29 Rom. 11.29 The gifts and calling of God are without repentance But yet this is to bee vnderstood with diuers cautions for first it is not to be vnderstood of all the gifts of God not of temporarie gifts nor of the gifts of the spirit which are common to the wicked with the godly for these being not essentiall to a Christian nor necessarie to saluation the Lord giueth or taketh away as in his infinite wisedome he thinketh best neither yet are we to vnderstand it of all gifts of the spirit which are proper to the elect for some also of these being not of the essence of faith but only effects and fruites thereof he taketh away from his children for a time as namely the puritie of their conscience and the peace which doth accompanie it the sense and feeling of Gods loue and fauour Psal 51.9 10 11 12 15. cheerefulnes of spirit ioy in the holie Ghost patience the gift of prayer and such like because his loue and the saluation of the faithfull may stand with the want of these gifts for a time Neither are wee to vnderstand this of the actions and sensible fruites of Gods graces for these also haue their intermissions the graces themselues notwithstanding remaining for as the Sunne doth alwaies shine and yet sometimes the beames thereof are not discerned being hindred from spreading themselues by the interposition of the clowds or of the earth and the fire doth continue light and hot in it selfe and yet being couered with ashes doth giue neither light nor heate to the standers by so these graces of Gods spirit faith hope affiance loue and such like may in respect of their substance habitually remaine in vs and yet for a time not send foorth the light and heate of ioy comfort peace and the rest and though they retaine their nature still yet they may be hindred from exercising their actions and functions as namely when as the conscience is wounded with some wilfull sinne committed against the knowledge or in the spirituall conflict of temptations as before I haue shewed at large Lastly this is not to be vnderstood of their measure and degree for these graces haue their full and waine their ebbe and tide their perfect strength and their faint languishing but of their substance and true being in which respect they neuer vtterly faile but continue without intermission vnto the end for as the gift of faith so all other the like graces are the worke of God as our Sauiour teacheth vs Iohn 6.29 and we may assure our selues of this Iohn 6.29 That he that hath begunne this good worke in vs will also finish and perfect it vntill the day of Iesus Christ Phil. 1.6 as the Apostle speaketh Philip. 1.6 CHAP. XIII Of the fourth and fifth reason to proue the certaintie of our perseuerance grounded vpon Gods power and truth § Sect. 1 THe fourth reason may be taken from Gods omnipotencie and almighty power The fourth reason grounded vpon Gods omnipotencie for if God in respect of his infinite loue bee willing that we shall bee saued and perseuere in the meanes of our saluation and bee immutable also and vnchangeable in his loue and will and likewise in respect of his power infinit and almighty able to effect whatsoeuer hee willeth then surely being assured that we are in the state of grace and in Gods loue and fauour there is no doubt but we shall bee saued and perseuere in the meanes which are inseparably ioyned with our saluation But as the Lord in respect of his loue is most willing so in respect of his power hee is able continually to vpholde vs in the state of grace and to frustrate and defeate all the malice and might of all our