bounty of god in his promises which god would haue vs as we may perceiue by by his commanding of vs to beleeue to giue free and full consent vnto As for the conditions they speake of we tell theÌ„ that are adioyned to the promises not as to make the promises more strong in themselus or as in respect of God for so they are alwaies sure and certain but the better to seale vp the faithfull performance of them in our hearts while wee are inabled by God in some measure to accomplish performe the same we assuring our owne hearts that sith we cannot perfectly fulfill theÌ„ our selues yet being fulfilled by another for vs we shal in his absolute accomplishment therof righteousnes haue a plentifull supply for all our defects whatsoeuer we knowing further that if many a compassionate man in the world doe not take all aduantages of breach of couenants or conditions that another hath made with him God who is compassion it selfe will not deale so with his seruantes whome he hath singled out vnto himselfe and separated to eternall life notwithstanding their weakenesse and wants And conditions in this case God propoundeth none vnto vs by the Gospell but to repent and beleeue the gospel both which are wrought in vs in some measure by his owne hand and grace and therfore we comfort our selues that being his owne work he wil not reiect it but accept it rather notwithstanding our weakenesses and wants by reason of the remainders of our corruption adioyned thereto As for the explanation or exposition following it hath receiued a full aunswere before and therfore we let it passe and come to a second exception that they make against this trueth thus We are not sure say they whether we performe these conditions that is whether we sufficiently repent vs of our sinnes or doe sufficiently beleeue the promises of God and therefore that wee are not assured concerning Gods promises But this we aunswere is the same poyson that hath beene propounded in some of their arguments before put downe and answered whether we might remit the reader How be it in a word or two we will saye somewhat And first we giue them to vnderstand that their consequent were good and forcible if they had prooued or could prooue that the trueth certâ—inetie of gods holy and heauenly promises did depend vpoÌ„ the sufficiencie of our faith repentance but that being not prooued is of no importance Nay we say further that it caÌ„not be prooued because God in his word hath not prescribed a limited and determined measure of faith and repentance which whosoeuer hath not attained vnto he cannot be certified or assured of gods grace and his owne saluation but therin onely requireth at our hands faith and repentance both which graces as all other fruits of the spirite are in some more and in some lesse according to the measure thereof giuen vnto men from God And this may appeare because Christ simply and plainely saith He that beleeueth in me hath euerlasting life not expressing how much or how litle faith is requisite to that worke so it be sound and true And we are taught in the Scriptures to pray for augmentation and increase of faith and to vse all good meanes whereby we may bee builded vp therein and so proceed from faith to faith c. So may we yea so ought wee to pray for increase of repentance other fruits of graces of the spirit and yet when we haue attained through Gods goodnesse towards vs a good measure yet wee shall haue our lacks And what can be more plaine then that Christ saith to the woman Luke 7. thy saith hath saued thee although wee doubt not the place and circumstances of it considered to affirme that she had not sufficient either faith or repentance And therefore we may safely conclude that though we beleeue weakelie yet so it be truely and rightly al our sinnes are forgiuen vs for Iesus Christ sake we made partakers of all the fruites and merits of his death and passion Besids what an absurditie will follow this conceit of sufficiencie of faith and repentance for sith no man liuing can either sufficiently bee sorrowfull for his sinnes or make any answer or satisfaction vnto god for them or surely determine concerning the sufficiencie of his faith and repentance because God hath reuealed no such thing in his word and to fetch it from his owne head or heart will not be fit for that is deepe and deceitfull aboue all things it will follow that no man should hope for saluation but rather despaire of it which besides that it is absurde is both ungodly and vncomfortable also But if they will yet further obiect and say that no man knoweth whether he doth truly repent and beleeue or els whether he ascribe vnto himselfe the things he hath not We answer that it is an vntrue assertion to say that no man can tell whether he doe truely repent beleeue c. For though the scripture haue not taught vs to knowe whether our faith is sufficient or our repentance weighty ennough yet hath it giuen vs certaine infallible notes by which we may discerne and iudge of the sinceritie and trueth both of our faith and repentance For as alll the fruites of our faith generally are sure seales and pledges of the trueth that is in vs and more particularly our holy prayers to God according to that which is said Rom. 10. How shall they call vpon him in whome they beleeue not so in the fruits and effects following our repentance seales vp also the sinceritie and soundnesse thereof in our seuerall soules Nowe what these are we may see largely recited 2. Cor. 7. as great care clearing of our selues indignation feare desire zeale reuenge c. And why should we not or may we not say that if in the little light of nature that remaineth in vs vntainted we may be able to discerne of some sinnes we may by the light of the word and spirit beginning and aduauncing our regeneration be able in some measure to iudge of our owne faith repentance c. That a beleeuing man may know that he doth beleeue the Apostle me thinketh doth plainely shewe it in his own example when he saith 2. Tim. 1.2 I know whom I haue beleeued And when Philip Act. 8. said vnto the Eunuch if thou doest beleeue with all thy heart c. and he answered I beleeue that that Iesus Christ is that sonne of God did not the Eunuch both know and feele faith The Apostle telleth vs. Rom. 10. that with the heart wee beleeue to iustification and with the mouth make confession to saluation And 2. Cor. 13. why doth the Apostle commaund or exhort to trye our selues whether we be in the faith Surely he would not haue enioyned or prouoked men to this duetie vnlesse they might through the power and grace of the holie ghost in some measure and manner certainely know it
sound and steadfast faith there followeth a certaine sense and feeling of comfort and ioy according to which it is said 2. Chro. 20. Put your trust in the Lord your god and yee shall be assured And these motions senses or feelings are not certainely of humane reason or of flesh and blood as we say for then they should be in all men alike or els nature should be an vnequall distributer of her fauours and they should be propped also vp with some outward experiēce but that is not so for they are staied vpon the word promise of God that not only without respect of outward and naturall things but euen contrary to the reason of nature and flesh which as we may see in the sufferings of the Saintes and Martyrdome of Gods people who rūne through fire and water being supported with the power of a mighty perswasion from God of which the wise mē of this world know nothing or vnderstād so we may behold it likewise in Abraham the friend of God and the father of the faithful who not once and away as we say in the matter of his owne withered body and his wife Sarahs barren wombe cōceiued hope of hauing a sonne according to promise Rom. 4.19.8 but also in the offering of Isaac his sonne he beleeuing that God was able to raise him vp from the dead from whence after a sort he receiued him as the Apostle noteth in the 11. chap. of his epistle to the Hebrewes verse 19. 13 There remaineth the thirteenth or last argument which they vsually make for the maintenance of their corrupt doctrine touching doubting which though it come in the last place hath as little force as any of the former if not lesse And they frame it after this māner The doctrine that begetteth or brinforth carnall carelesnesse and fleshly security is not to be commonly propounded and deliuered to the people The doctrine that teacheth certainty and assurance of saluation and Gods grace concerning the same and manifold fauours besides in very many begetteth and bringeth forth carnall security therefore though it were true in it selfe yet it is not to deliuered vnto the people We aunswere first vnto the maior that look what doctrine in and of it selfe breedeth or bringeth forth such badde effects it should at no hand be deliuered because men through their corruption and Satans malice prone ready enough to sinne and condemnation should not by false erronious opinions in themselues or by dangerous consequences from them be thrust headlongly into eternal iudgement As for example the doctrine of mens merites amongst Papists and the satisfying of sinne deliuerie of soules specially out of purgatory by masses diriges trentalles c. because in their owne nature they make men presumteous and carelesse also whilest by other mē their sinnes may be answered Gods iudgement satisfied should not be either publikely or priuatly propounded and the same may we affirme of all other doctrines of the like nature But if there be any true and holy doctrine vpon which this blame lighteth or is said through the malice and transgression of men or by occasion as we say or through the fault negligence or ignorance of them that abuse it or are offended at it or by it there is no reason it should be silent or dumme as we may say then that the sunne should be taken from vs because it annoyeth sore eyes yea sometime increaseth th infectiō of the plague by reason of the badde bodies that be tainted therewith or that meate and drinke should be with held from all because some eate to surffetting and drinke to drunkennesse To make this plain by some examples out of the word What is more sweete then the doctrine of Gods grace And yet because some turne it into wantonnesse as in the Apostles time and our daies shall it not therefore be heard sound in the Churches of God what is more comfortable then the doctrine of forgiunesse of sinnes through Christs obediēce And yet because some then and nowe adaies also hearing this that where sinne hath aboūded there grace hath abounded much more did and doe shamelesly and gracelesly vtter these wordes let vs continue in sinne that grace may abound shall not therefore this be propounded vnto the people The like may we saie of this point controuerted It were to much indignity and dishonour offered vnto God to make his truth subiect vnto mēs corruption And it were to much iniury and iniustice to men specially to the Godly and amongst them to those that mourne in Sion to haue with held from their eies eares and hearts the very life of their soules and the better halfe as we may say of the gospel the doctrine I meane of the forgiuenesse of sinnes For as this is true that the abusing of true doctrine doth not abolish the doctrine it selfe because it is sure and permanent euen as God the author thereof is cānot be bettered or made worse be humane corruption specially as in regard of it owne nature so this is certē also that in al godly wisdome and vnderstanding rather the abuse of it should be taken away then the doctrine it selfe with held or if that cannot be yet the same deliuered with such holy cautions as in respect of the vngodly that they be charged in the name of the Lord Iesus but to lay vncleane or violent handes vpon the sacred trueth of God not belonging vnto them and such comfort to the godly that it should rather speake in a cleare and loud voice then be mute and dumbe as we say in the Church And this besides that it is gods owne ordinance and therfore should preuaile it is more equall in all vpright iudgement and therefore also to be imbraced To the minor affirming that the doctrine teaching certenty of saluation c. maketh men secure and carelesse we answere that it is not so if they consider the doctrine either as it commeth from God or in it selfe or owne nature for so it giueth great glory vnto God to whome alone belongeth mercy and forgiuenesse of sinnes and ministreth much cōfort vnto vs whilest the assurance of these things as we see by the truth of the doctrine dependeth not vpon our selues but vpon God alone otherwise if they regard it in the fault of men abusing the same as we will not deny but that some there are that so abuse it so yet we cannot consent vnto this that for this their foule fault and sinne other men that haue better grace should be punished with the wante or lacke of this trueth of God no more then we would approoue of this that because in some great persons house one is giuen to drunkennesse and another to gourmandise therfore they that soberly and temperatly vse the plēty of the family should not haue meate or drinke or that daiely alloweance which they were wont to inioy But indeed it were much more safe and equall either to expell them that
doe so sinne in superfluitie least their euill example might infect others or else to haue some when they eate and drinke to put them in minde to put a knife vnto their throats or to allowe them lesse that so they might not by abusing of Gods creatures increase their owne sinne and hale iudgement vpon the whole house And the like maye wee affirme of the doctrine of God which is or at the least should bee the spirituall foode and drinke of our soules And thus hitherto wee haue not onely largelie but truelie I am sure aunswered whatsoeuer they haue obiected at the least wise the most materiall and forcible argumentes that they make either to vpholde their owne vanitie or errour or to assault the inuiolable and inuincible trueth of God Nowe there remaineth an aunswer to such places as they cite or quoate out of the auncient Fathers or Doctours of the Church which labour specially as in regard of the ignorant who are not well acquainted with their writinges wee might verie well spare were it not that wee would glady stoppe the mouthes of their aduersaries in all that they do or can bring for themselues whether it be in substance or shew How be it herein to put downe euery particular place doctor that they vse or abuse rather I minde not for besides that it would bee infinitely tedious it would bee also vnnecessarie or superfluous for the aunswering of one or two all the rest saying nothing at the least-wise for matter though now and then they varie in the manner but what others haue said shall be the answering of them all And therefore it shall be best herein to be as short as wee may conueniently yet as plaine as possiblie we can that so the trueth of the Lord may breake forth and be imbraced in her glorie 1 The first father that they doe alleadge is Augustine and out of him a place in his 23. tractat vpon Iohn wher he saith The minde is tossed betweene hope and despaire It is to be feared least hope hurt or kill thee that whilest thou hopest much concerning gods mercy thou shouldst fall into his iudgement And againe it is to be feared least desperation should destroy thee that whilest thou thinkest the great and grieuous sinnes vvhich thou hast committed are not pardoned thou shouldst not repent and so incurre his iudgement We may frame diuerse aunswers to this place As for example when he saith it is to be feared least hope hurt thee c. He vseth the name of hope not in his good and naturall meaning as it is both vsed and pressed vpon vs in the holie Scripturs but by abusion as S. Iames doth the word of faith in his second chapter or else according to that conceit or imagination that these secure men had of that which in themselues they tooke to be hope And though this bee true and may sufficiently aunswer the place yet further I say that Augustin in these words doth not speak simply against christian hope for that had beene to haue condemned that which the holy ghost hath commended and to haue disprooued that which he approoueth in many places of the word but against such a conceited hope if I maye giue it the name of hope or idle conceit rather swimming imagination as maketh men secure carelesse and negligent in the obedience or keeping of gods commaundements For first this is Augustins drift and purpose namely to admonish men of boldnes or licenciousnes in sinning which ariseth in men either frō a false hope of easily obtaining pardon or els frō the contrary that is distrust of saluation or from imagination that sinne is but some light and trifling thing And that this is his meaning indeed it may appeare by some speaches that goe not much before these that our aduersaries alleadge as whē he saith wherefore from either of them that is to say both hoping and despairing which are contrarie affections men are in daunger By hoping a man is deceiued when he saieth God is good God is mercifull I will doe whatsoeuer pleaseth me or liketh me I will giue my lusts the reines and lay the bridle in their necke Why so because God is mercifull gracious c. These men are in daunger of hope As they on the other side of desperation who when they haue fallen into grieuous sinnes c. as it followeth in the father By which we may see what manner of hope it is that he condemneth not the certainetie which wee according to the Scriptures teach is to bee fixed in Christ alone and his merits or Gods mercie through him and which for the certainetie and assurednesse of it is said in the word to bee as it were the anchor of the soule both sure and stedfast but such a one as al they that abuse Gods grace vnto wantonnes and sinne do wickedly forge frame vnto themselues To bee short he shutteth vp in this place or matter with the wordes of Christ vnto the adulterous woman Neither doe I condemne thee But beeing made sure for that which is past be heedy for things to come neither will I cōdēne thee for some smale good that thou hast omitted keep that which I haue cōmaūded thee that so thou maist haue performed that which I haue promised thee By which wordes appeareth that he mindeth not here to establish doubting or distrustfulnesse touching saluation neither yet to deliuer any thing against the assured hope of our soules for if he had done so he had spoken against the trueth of God and his word but that he laboureth to remooue the one and indeed to establish confirme the other whilest he assaieth as to humble the hard stony harted so to instruct the tender and afflicted conscience which he would not or could not haue done if he had meant to haue approoued of distrust or doubting for how can the conscience buffeted and beaten with feare receiue consolation thereby 2 Secondly they alleadge another saying which the same Augustine hath in his second booke of the city of god chap. 12. Where he saith speaking euen of good and holie men as it should seeme who though they be assured of the reward of their perseuerance yet are become vncertaine concerning perseuerance it selfe For vvhat man is he that knoweth he shall continue in the action of vvelldoing and proceeding in righteousnesse vnto the ende vnlesse by some speciall or particular reuelation he be thereof certified from him who in his iust iudgement doeth not instruct all men concerning this matter and yet for all that faileth or deceiueth none Here say our aduersaries Augustine plainely denieth that the Saints are sure of their perseuerance and continuance euen vnto the ende But none shall be saued but he that continueth vnto the ende Augustine therefore denieth that men are or can be assured concerning their saluation To all this we aunswer that Augustine speaketh here of such an vncertaintie and ignorance as is opposite not vnto
bodie vnto the edifying of it selfe in loue And Cor. 2. We are rooted built in him and stablished in faith whereof all the body furnished and knit togeather by ioints and bandes increaseth with the increasing of God Lastly in as these sinnes doe not raign in me or ouer rule by that but that they are mastered and beaten downe by the grace of the spirit plentifully shed abroad in into my heart and powerfully prevailing against my corruption one while whilest it doth in a notable measure subdue iniquitie present in me and another while whilest after sinne committed it raiseth me vp to repeÌ„tance and amendement so that I lie not sleeping and snorting in sinne as the wicked but theese sinnes are through the mightie operation and working of the holy Chost daily by little and little more and more purged in me scoured from me in this life by beginning if I may so say here and by consummation perfection in the life that is to be reuealed 4 And therefore the assault that he maketh against vs is by an argumeÌ„t framed thus Innumerable men and women perish and are condemned as whom Christ and righteousnes doth no whit at all profit but thou art of that number as appeareth by this because thou art no whit better then they that worsest rather therefore thou art damned Hereunto I answer that the truth of this proposition I willingly consent vnto namely that innumerable persons perish and are condemned but yet with this exception that the cause thereof is not in any impotencie or weaknes of Christs death and righteousnes for that is of most large yea of infinite merit as hath bin shewed alreadie but by reason that they themselues doe not beleeue Fos as that is true in the faithfull which our Sauiour vttereth in a most vehement affirmation saying Ioh. 5. Verily verily I saie vnto you he that heareth my word and beleeueth in him that sent me hath euerlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but hath passed from death vnto life So that againe must be verified in the vnbeleeuers which he saith els where Ioh. 3.18 He that beleeueth not is coÌ„demned alreadie because he hath not beleeued in the name of the onely begotten sonne of God And for the minor I charge it with two faults first that it is false as when he saith thou art one of that number and very vncerten in the other words or if thou wilt reason of the assertion because thou art no whit better then they but worse rather For first when he saith I am one of them he doth not onely euill as in regard of himselfe taking Gods office vpon him to whom alone as vengeance so all true sound iudgement appertaineth but affirmeth falsly that which he can neuer prooue nay the contrarie whereof I am able to shewe and that not onely by mine owne iudgement which happily might be suspected in mine owne cause and yet speaking the truth I see no reason why I should not as well be beleeued for my selfe as Satan against me but euen from the testimonie and witnes of Gods holy word I know I am faithful and I am confirmed in the truth and certentie of the perswasion because I doe not in an euil or idle opinion but in true and certen faith lay hold of Christ and stay and settle my selfe wholly and onely vpon him This no heatheÌ„ Idolater can doe because he is not only without Christ but without God in the worlde This no Mahometist or Iewe can performe because they denye him and defie him from their heartes This no counterfeited or corrupt christian can accomplish For the false christian as papistes ioyne their workes at the least with him and the carnall professour in the corrupt course of his conuersation denies his power to mortification and sanctification Therefore I separated from all and euerye one of them in strength of perswasion in particular application and the fruites of faith and blessed obedience cannot perish But maye truelye and effectuallye saye that Christ Iesus dwelling in my hearte and making me fruitefull to good workes and I againe beeing thereby in him there is no condemnation to me nor anye such yea I am throughly and certainelye perswaded That neither life nor death heigth nor breadth thinges present nor thinges to come are able to separate me from the loue of God tovvards me vvhich is in Christ Iesus As for the vncertaintie of the coÌ„firmation it is apparant by this that though Sathan knowe vs all to bee tainted in AdaÌ„ yet he knoweth not in whom the power of corruption preuaileth most or more The wicked cannot discerne of them of another no not one of them well of their hearts as we see euen particularly by this that many times they are not only blind but senselesse also and yet a man would thinke that they should be as wel able either to know the heigth and hainousnesse of one anothers corruption or their owne as Sathan should bee acquainted with theirs And if Sathan cannot tell whether I bee worse then they he lesse knoweth whether I bee in anye measure of mercie better then they for by reason of the fulnesse of his owne corruption he can much better discerne of euill then any whit at all of good by reason of his aduersnesse and waye-wardnesse and vnto wardnesse thereto But be it as it may be we will yeeld him the hardest that I am such a one to wit by nature yet am I another man by grace and adoption which varieth the state And though I were in my selfe of my selfe no whit better then others nay I will say more worse then others if god be pleased to account otherwise of me what is that to Sathan sith God will haue mercy vpon whomsoeuer he will haue mercy wil cause me and others to feele and finde that true in our selues that the Apostle saith in the generall doctrine of the word where sin hath abounded there grace hath ouer abounded and freelye confesseth of himselfe that God had mercie on him the chiefe of all sinners And therfore I am so farre of from despâ—ire in my selfe though it be true that in that respect I may couer my face with shame that I may rather greatly comforte my selfe because in this life Gods fauour and good will doth not in any thing so plainely appeare as in the forgiuenesse of my sinns But Sathan will yet againe presse and vrge this further thus The faithfâ—â— verily are not damned but saued by Christ But thou art not faithfull or hast not faith therefore thou canst not be saued by Christ but must notwithstaÌ„ding for the want of thy faith remaine stil vnder condemnation For aunswer whereto I say still notwithstanding all thy oppositioÌ„s Sathan that I haue faith and doe beleeue And if thou wilt aske how I know it or can be assured of it I will shew thee Christ our Sauiour telleth vs that we shall know the tree by the fruite from the effects