from the world and ingrafted as liuely members into the bodie of Christ Iesus Motiues to perswade to the diligent hearing of Gods word The first motiue Let vs therefore strongly arme our selues against this temption as being most pernitious vnto our owne soules and to this end let vs briefly consider of some reasons whereby wee may be stirred vp diligētly to frequent Gods holy assemblies to be made partakers of this heauenly ambassage First therefore were are to know that the ministerie of the word is Gods owne ordinance which he hath instituted and ordained for the gathering together of the Saints and building the bodie of his Church Eph. 4.11.12 as appeareth Eph. 4.11.12 Neither doth he vse ordinarily any other meanes especially where this is to bee had for the true conuersion of his children and for the working of the sanctifying graces of his spirit in them And therefore though he could by extraordinary meanes haue sufficiently instructed the Eunuch in the waies of saluation yet he would not but rather vseth his owne ordinance and sendeth Philip to preach vnto him Act. 8. Though hee could haue illuminated the eyes and vnderstanding of Paul Act. 8. Act. 9.6.17 by the immediat worke of his spirit yet hee chose rather to send him to Ananias Act. 9.6.17 Though hee could by the ministerie of his Angel haue sufficiently infourmed Cornelius in things necessarie to saluation yet he would not offer so great disparagement to his owne ordinance Act. 10.5.6 and therefore he causeth him to send for the Apostle Peter Act. 10.5.6 And therefore if wee would haue any assurance of our effectual calling and true conuersion vnto God let vs with all care all diligence heare the word of God preached vnto vs. The second motiue Secondly let vs consider that it is euen God himselfe who speaketh by the mouthes of his Ambassadours and that they come not in their owne names but in Christs stead to intreate vs that we would be reconciled vnto God 2. Cor. 5.20 as it is 2. Cor. 5.20 that though they bee but earthen vessels yet they bring from the world and is yet hid to those that perish 2. Cor. 4.7 2. Cor. 4.7 And hēce it is that the Prophets being to pronounce their prophecies still begin with The word of the Lord and Thus saith the Lord and God himselfe sending Ieremie to preach saith that he had put his words into his mouth Iere. 1.9 Iere. 1.9 Whosoeuer therefore refuse to heare the word of God preached refuse to heare the Lord himselfe as our Sauiour plainly affirmeth Luk. 10.16 He that heareth you heareth me Luk. 10.16 and he that despiseth you despiseth me and what hope can they haue of comming vnto God who cannot endure to heare his voyce calling them vnto him § Sect. 3 Thirdly The third motiue 2. Cor. 5.18 the titles which are giuen vnto the word in the Scriptures may serue as strong arguments to moue vs carefully to heare the same for it is called the ministerie of reconciliation whereby we are reconciled vnto God 2. Cor. 5.18 and therefore without it there being no other ordinarie meanes of reconciliation we remaine still Gods enemies It is called the Gospell of peace Eph. 6.15 Eph. 6.15 without which wee haue neither peace with God nor the peace of conscience It is called the word of grace Act. 14.3 and 18.32 because it is the meanes whereby the Lord deriueth vnto vs his grace and mercie Act. 14.3 and all the spirituall graces of his sanctifying spirit Phil. 2.16 Act. 13.26 It is called the word of life Phil. 2.16 and the word of saluation Act. 13.26 because it is the meanes wherby we are saued out of the hands of spirituall enemies and are certainly assured of euerlasting life and happinesse Matth. 13.44 It is called the kingdome of God Matth. 13.44 because thereby we are brought first into the kingdom of grace and afterwards into the kingdome of glorie It is that heauenly seede whereby we are begotten vnto God in which respect the ministers thereof are called spiritual fathers 1. Cor. 4.15 1. Cor. 4.15 and therefore without it wee can neuer be regenerated and borne vnto God It is the foode of our soules euen milke for babes 1. Cor. 3.2 Heb. 5.12 and strong meate for men of ripe yeares 1. Cor. 3.2 Heb. 5.12 whereby we are nourished vnto euerlasting life and therefore let vs not refuse this heauenly foode like waiward children when our heauenly father offreth it vnto vs for so our soules being hunger-starued nothing can follow but eternall death and destruction It is the phisicke of our soules whereby being sicke in sinne they are cured and restored for as Christ is our heauenly physition so is his word the potion which hee giueth to purge vs from our corruptions and the preseruatiue which confirmeth vs in health and preserueth vs from the leprous infection of sinne yea this physick is so soueraigne that though with Lazarus were haue lien dead in our graues foure daies that is continued long in our naturall corruptions yet this physicke being applied will raise vs vp to newnesse of life and therefore those who neglect this diuine physicke are subiect to all infection of sinne and being infected can neuer attaine to their health againe It is the square and rule of our liues from which we must not decline neither on the right hand nor on the left Deut. 5.32 Deut. 5.32 and therefore without it our workes must needs be crooked in Gods sight It is a lanthorne to our feete Psal 119.105 and a light vnto our paths Psal 119.105 whereby wee are guided in the waies of holinesse and righteousnesse which leade vs to euerlasting happinesse which being taken away we shall walk in darknesse and be euery step readie to fall into sin and eternall destruction It is the sword of the spirit wherewith we defend our selues and offend our spirituall enemies Eph. 6.17 Eph. 6.17 which being neglected or not skilfully vsed we shall lie open to all thrusts and blowes and be easily ouercome In a word it is profitable for all vses as being the onely ordinarie meanes ordained to conuey vnto vs all good and to preserue vs from all euill and therefore great folly it is for any man to contemne it or to preferre before it vaine pleasures or trifling commodities which also are momentanie and vncertaine § Sect. 4 Fourthly The fourth motiue the manifold benefits which by the word of God are deriued vnto vs may serue as a strong argument to stirre vs vp to the diligent and carefull hearing thereof for first thereby we become true members of the Church out of which there is no saluation and being ingrafted into the body of Christ are made partakers of all his benefits And this appeareth Eph. 4.11.12 Eph. 4.11.12 where the Apostle sheweth that the end of the ministerie is for the gathering together
his best aduantage if not in the whole course of their liues yet at the houre of death when as they shall be able to make no resistance Promises made to those that fight Apoc. 2. 3. Secondly if wee fight against these enemies and valiantly ouercome the Lord hath promised to giue vs to eate of the tree of life which is in Paradice and the Manna that is hid and that he will write our names in the booke of life Apoc. 2 and 3. that is he will in this life bestow on vs all his spirituall graces and in the life to come replenish vs with such ioyes as neither eye hath seene 1. Cor. 2.9 nor eare heard nor heart of man conceiued 1. Cor. 2.9 Let vs therefore striue that wee may ouercome Nam breuis est labor praemium verò aeternum Our labour is but short but our reward shall be eternall On the other side if wee consider Sathans pay which he giueth vnto his souldiers we shall finde that it is nothing but the pleasures of sin for a season and in the end euerlasting death and destruction of bodie and soule For the wages of sinne is death as it is Rom. 6.23 Who therefore is so slothfull and cowardly that would not be encouraged Rom. 6.23 to fight the Lords battailes against our spirituall enemies with such promises made by him who is truth it selfe and cannot deceiue vs Who is so desperate and foole-hardie as to fight vnder Sathans banner seeing the pay which he giueth is euerlasting death and vtter confusion § Sect. 3 The third reason to moue vs to this fight The honor that will accompany our victorie is the honour which will accompanie this victorie for if earthly souldiers will purchase honour with the losse of life which is nothing els but the commendation of the Prince or applause of the vaine people what hazard should we not vndergo in fighting the spirituall combat seeing our grand Captaine the Lord of hoasts infinite multitudes of blessed Angels look vpon vs and behold our combat whose praise and approbation is our chiefe felicitie What peril should we feare to obtaine a crowne of glorie which is promised to all that ouercome and to become heires apparant of Gods kingdome On the other side the shame and confusion of face which shall ouertake them who cowardly forsake the Lords standerd and yeeld vnto Sathan when as they shall not dare to looke the Lord in the face whose cause they haue betrayed should serue as a strong motiue to encourage vs to the fight § Sect. 4 The fourth reason to perswade vs The necessitie of vndertaking this warfare is the necessitie of vndertaking this combat There is no man so cowardly that wil not fight when there is no hope in flight no mercie to be expected in the enemie no outrage and crueltie which will not be committed But such is our enemie that we cannot possiblie flee from him his malice is vnreconcilable his crueltie outragious for hee fighteth not against vs to the end that hee may obtaine soueraigntie alone abridge vs of our libertie spoyle vs of our goods but he aimeth at our death and destruction of bodie and soule if therefore wee so carefully arme our selues against carthly enemies who when they haue done their vttermost rage can but shorten a miserable life how much more carefully should we resist this enemie who seeketh to depriue vs of euerlasting life and to plunge vs into an euerdying death Secondly this fight is necessarie because in our Baptisme we haue taken a militarie sacrament and promised faithfullie vnto the Lord that wee will continue his faithfull souldiers vnto the end fighting his battailes against the flesh the world and the diuell There wee haue giuen our names vnto Christ to whom wee owe our selues and liues by a double right both because he hath giuen them vnto vs and also restored them the second time when wee had lost them There wee are put in minde of his bloudshed for our redemption which should encourage vs to fight couragiously that wee may be preserued from falling againe into the cruell slauerie of sinne and Sathan Thirdly vnlesse wee fight this spirituall combat and in fighting ouercome wee shall neuer be crowned with the crown of glory for it is not giuen vnto any to triumph who haue not fought valiantly and subdued their enemies The euerlasting peace of Gods kingdome is not promised to such cowards as neuer entred the field or being entred haue presently yeelded themselues to be the captiues of Sathan but vnto those that fight couragiously and gloriously ouercome If any man saith the Apostle striue for a maisterie he is not crowned except he striue as he ought to doe 2. Tim. 2.5 So the Apostle Iames chap. 1. vers 12. pronounceth the man blessed that endureth tentation for when he is tried or rather as the words are when by triall he shall be found approued he shall receiue a crowne of life which the Lord hath promised to them that loue him Whereby it appeareth that none are crowned vnlesse they striue as they ought and therefore much lesse they which striue not at all that none are blessed but those who are tempted and being tempted endure the temptation that first we must be tried and by triall approoued before were we can receiue the crowne of life § Sect. 5 Lastly Those that will fight against our spirituall enemies are sure of victorie wee may be encouraged to this fight by certaine hope of victorie for we fight vnder the standerd oof Christ Iesus who alone is mightier then all our enemies that assault vs. If wee did indeede regard our enemies strength and our owne weaknes onely wee might well be discouraged from vndertaking this combat but if wee looke vpon our grand Captaine Christ whose loue towards vs is no lesse then his power and both infinite there is no cause of doubting for he that exhorteth vs to the fight will so helpe vs that we may ouercome August Deficientes subleuat vincentes coronat When wee faint he sustaineth vs and crowneth vs when wee ouercome He hath alreadie ouercome our enemies to our hand and hath cooled their courage and abated their force He hath brused the serpents head so that he shall not be able to ouercome the least of his followers well may he hisse against them but he cannot hurt them for his sting is taken away Sathan was the strong man who possessed all in peace but our Sauiour Christ who was a stronger then he comming vpon him hath ouercome him and taken from him all his armour wherein he trusted and diuided his spoiles Luk. 11.21 22. We fought against mightie enemies and great potentates Eph. 66.12 but our Sauiour hath spoiled principalities and powers and hath made a shew of them openly and hath triumphed ouer them vpon the crosse Col. 2.15 and so through death hath destroyed him that had the power of death that is
an idle oath or his Sabbaoths by following their pleasures or by doing the workes of their callings and yet the same men after they haue fallen into wicked companie who haue inticed them by their words and euil examples to taste of the world and the vanities therof will not sticke to sweare with the swearer and follow their pleasures on the Lords Sabbaoth with the most prophane so hard a thing it is to resist the world when it fauneth on vs. § Sect. 2 But how hard soeuer it seemeth to flesh and bloud How we must resist the temptations of prosperitie yet must wee oppose our selues against this enemie also for without a fight wee can neuer obtaine victorie and without victorie we shall neuer receiue the crowne of glorie And to the end that we may be prouoked to fight against the world and the vanities thereof we are to know that though it faune vpon vs yet it is our mortall enemie though it flatteringly professe it selfe our friend yet in truth it fighteth against our soules vnder Sathans banner for hee is the prince thereof Ioh. 12.31 though it haue hony in the mouth Ioh. 12.31 yet there is deadly poyson in the taile for the end thereof bringeth destruction though it offer vs many pleasing things to allure vs yet they are but baites which intice vs to come within the compasse of Sathans nets of perdition Let vs consider that though it maketh a shew and seemeth a pleasant place like the paradise of God yet it is a Sodome of sinne which one day the Lord will destroy with fire and brimstone Gen. 13.10 and therfore let vs with righteous Lot haste out of it neuer turning back with a desire to enioy the vanities thereof for the world wholy lieth in wickednesse as it is 1. Ioh. 5.19 1. Ioh. 5.19 Let vs remember that it is impossible to serue God and this Mammon Matth. 6.24 1. Ioh. 2.15 Mat. 6.24 to loue the world and God also For if any man loue the world the loue of the father is not in him 1. Ioh. 2.15 and as the Apostle Iames telleth vs The amitie of the world is enmitie with God and whosoeuer will be a friend of the world Iam. 4.4 maketh himselfe the enemie of God Iam. 4.4 Neither let vs desire the loue of the world for it loueth those onely which are her owne as for those whom Christ hath chosen out of it Ioh. 15.19 those the world hateth nay therefore hateth them because Christ hath chosen them as it is Ioh. 15.19 Let vs remember that it wil be to smal purpose to enioy these worldly pleasures of sinne for a season and in the end plunge our selues into euerlasting death that the worlds musicke is but the Syrens song which allureth vs to make shipwrack of our soules on the rockes of sinne and while it tickleth the eare it woundeth vs to the very heart that though the cup which it offereth be of gold and the drinke sweete in taste yet it is deadly poyson in operation for they that drinke thereof are so lulled asleepe in pleasures and securitie that they neuer awake out of their spirituall lethargic or if they doe yet like Sampson without strength to resist the spirituall Philistines after the world like Dalila hath lulled them a while in her lap of carnall pleasures Let vs remember that they who drinke of this cup of voluptuous vanities must afterwards drinke of that cup spoken of Psal 75.8 that is Psal 75.8 that is the cup of Gods wrath and shall be tormented in fire and brimstone for euermore Apoc. 14.10 as it is expounded Apoc. 14.10 Let vs remember that the worlds chiefe good is vncertaine in getting and momentanie and mutable in the possession it being euery day readie to leaue vs or wee to leaue it Lastly let vs remember that for this short inconstant and vaine ioy we lose an eternall waight of vnspeakable glorie and plunge our selues into grieuous and endlesse miserie What therefore will it profit vs to gaine the whole world and lose our owne soules as our Sauiour speaketh Mark 8.36 Mark 8.36 And if wee haue these meditations continually running in our mindes then shall we easily stop our eares at the first hearing of this Syrens song then shall we constantly go forward in our pilgrimage towards our heauenly home and though honours stand before vs riches on the one hand pleasures on the other alluring vs to enter into the broad way which leadeth to destruction yet shall we not forsake the straight path which leadeth vnto life euerlasting how vnpleasant soeuer it seemeth to flesh and bloud § Sect. 3 But if the world cannot thus preuaile then doth she turne her smiles into frowns How the world tempteth by aduersitie her allurements into threats her beds of pleasures into miseries and afflictions her glorious offers of honours and riches to proude menacings of pouertie and ignominie all which being terrible in the eyes of flesh and bloud so farre preuaile with some that they moue them to make shipwracke of faith and a good conscience and being wearie in trauailing through this desart and vnpleasant wildernesse vnto the land of promise they desire to returne back into the bondage of the spirituall Pharaoh that they may quietly sit by the flesh-pots of Egypt Numb 11.5 and glut themselues with the cucumbers and pepons of carnall pleasures that is they chuse rather to walke in the broad way which leadeth to destruction because it is delightfull than in the narrow way which leadeth to euerlasting life because they must passe through the briars of affliction and thornes of tribulation before they can receiue the crowne of glorie they preferre the pleasures of sin for a season before the recompence of reward which God hath promised euen the eternall ioyes of the kingdome of glorie So vnpleasant a thing it is for flesh and bloud to denie it selfe and to take vp the crosse and follow Christ But though the world be farre more terrible to looke vpon when it frowneth then when it fawneth yet is it farre lesse dangerous For oftentimes this poyson of aduersitie is so tempered and corrected with those holesome preseruatiues of faith hope patience and humilitie that in steed of killing vs it doth but purge away our corrupt humours of sinne though the world whip vs yet thereby it correcteth vs and makes vs better though it burne vs in the fire of afflictions yet it doth not consume but rather refine vs from our drosse though like a stormie winde it shaketh vs yet in steed of blowing vs downe it causeth vs to take more deepe roote in all vertue and goodnes in a word as it plaieth the schoolmaster in scourging vs so also in instructing teaching vs to know God and to know our selues to know the vanitie of the world and to labour after a more permanent felicitie § Sect. 4 Notwithstanding How we are to
Sathan before spoken of whereby hee laboureth to draw vs from one vice to his contrarie extreame And so like valiant souldiers we shall not onely auoide the daunger and violence of Sathans strokes but also wee shall giue Sathan the foyle with his owne weapon yea and make him afraide to assault vs againe with his temptations least when hee prouoketh vs vnto sinne we take occasion thereby to serue God and more constantly to imbrace vertue § Sect. 3 Fiftly The fift meanes to withstand temptations when they are first suggested we are most carefully to withstand Sathans temptations when they are first suggested and to giue him the repulse as soone as wee perceiue that he is but beginning to make an entrance For this gliding serpent if he can but thrust in his head will easily make roome for his whole bodie and therefore we must nip and bruse him in the head and vse his temptations like the serpents broode which if men desire to kill they doe not tread vpon their tailes for so they would turne againe and sting them but vpon their heads and then they haue no power to hurt them So wee are not fondly to thinke that we can without hurt vanquish Sathans temptations in the end when wee haue long entertained them for vnlesse they be nipped in the head and withstood in the beginning they will mortally poyson vs with the sting of sinne For as theeues comming to breake into a house if they can but finde roome for the point of their wrench to enter will easily by turning and winding about the vice make the doores though very strong flie open and giue them entrance so if this cunning theefe Sathan can finde any entrance for his first temptations so as wee can be content to thinke vpon them and reuolue them in our mindes with any liking hee will easily burst open the gates of our soules and entring further will rob vs of all Gods graces Let vs therefore if wee would resist Sathan follow the aduice of the heathen Poet in a farre different matter Principijs obsta serò medicina paratur Cum mala per longas conualuêre moras Or rather the counsell of the Apostle giuen vs in this selfesame respect Eph. 4.27 Giue no place to the diuell Eph. 4.27 And as wise citizens being besieged doe not let their enemies scale their walles and enter the towne with a purpose then to repell and beate them backe againe but they withstand them as soone as they giue the first assault and keepe them if they can from approching neere their walles with sconces and bulwarkes so we are not to suffer Sathan our enemie and the troupes of his temptations to enter into our hearts but to giue them the repulse at their first approching least it be too late afterwards when they haue surprized and wounded vs with sinne Blessed are they therefore who take this Babylonish brood of Sathans temptations and dash them euen whilest they are young against the stones Psal 137.9 least waxing old and strong they furiously fight against vs and leading vs captiue in the chains of sinne grieuously afflict and vex vs. § Sect. 4 Sixtly The sixt means is after one temptation is past to prepare our selues for another if we would not be surprized and foiled by Sathan we must after we haue resisted him in one temptation be readie prepared to withstand another and after we haue once or twice giuen Sathan the repulse wee are not securely to giue our selues to rest as though the warre were at an end but we must continually expect his returne with fresh supplies and prepare our selues for a new assault vsing the time of Sathans intermission as a breathing time to recouer strength against the next encounter And as souldiers besieged after they haue sustained one assault and giuen their enemies the repulse doe not securely giue themselues to idlenes and sleepe but prepare all things readie for the next conflict mending the breaches and repairing those places which in the time of fight they found to be most weake so when wee haue withstood some of Sathans temptations and giuen him the repulse we are not to giue our selues to rest sleeping in retchlesse securitie as though our enemies were quite ouercome but rather in the intermission of the spirituall combat we are to prepare our selues for the next assault vsing all meanes to confirme our selues where wee discerned in the time of fight that wee were most weake and more strongly to arme our felues with the shield of faith and the sword of the spirit against those temptations which wee found most forcible to preuaile against vs. 1. Pet. 5.8 For our enemie like a roring lion continually raungeth about seeking whom hee may deuoure his malice will neuer let him rest but euen then when he seemeth to entertaine a truce hee is most busie in plotting meanes whereby he may worke our finall destruction and therefore wee are neuer more carefully to stand vpon our guard than when this enemie seemeth to proclaime a peace or when he fleeth away as though he were vanquished for when he talketh of peace he maketh himselfe readie for the battaile and this wicked Parthian doth more hurt in flying than in fighting Here therefore the Christian souldier must auoide two dangerous euils the one that hee doe not faint or yeeld in the time of the fight the other that he doe not after one victorie waxe insolent and secure but when he hath once ouercome he is so to behaue himselfe as though he were presently againe to be assaulted For Sathans temptations like the waues of the sea doe follow one in the necke of the other and when one is past another is readie to ouerwhelme vs if like skilfull Pilots we be not readie as well to breake the violence of that which followeth as of that which went before Neither must we look for any sound truce or firme peace till we haue the euerlasting peace in Gods kingdom for as long as wee continue in this life our spirituall enemies will continually assault vs and therefore let vs neuer be secure vntill by death we haue obtained a finall victorie Reasons to perswade vs to perseuere in fighting this spirituall battaile And to the end that wee may the rather be perswaded to continuall care and Christian perseuerance in this spirituall fight vnto the end of our liues let vs consider that Gods promises and the crowne of victorie are not promised to those that enter into this spirituall fight but vnto those that continue fighting till they haue obtained a full victorie ouer their enemies To him that ouercommeth will I giue to eate of the tree of life Apoc. 2.7.10.11.17 and 3.5.21 Reu. 2.7 Be thou faithfull vnto the death and I will giue thee the crowne of life Vers 10. He that ouercommeth shall not be hurt of the second death Vers 11. To him that ouercommeth will I giue to eate of the Manna that is hid
nature of an earnest to which the measure of grace here receiued is compared But wherein doth this measure of grace and chiefe perfection of a Christian consist in this life Surely not in their workes for they are all imperfect and so full of corruptions that they are odious in Gods sight being considered in themselues and examined by the rule of his exact iustice neither in their inherent righteousnes and begun sanctification for when they are at the holiest they are polluted with the reliques of originall corruption which bring foorth the fruites of actuall transgressions and make vs vnable to doe the good we would in that manner and measure which we should and therefore those which are most righteous are not in this respect acceptable to God but herein the perfection of a christian consisteth when as seeing his imperfections wants and sinnes he is grieued and truly humbled with the sight and sense of his owne miserie and wretchednesse and disclaiming and reiecting his owne righteousnes and good workes doth flee vnto our Sauiour Christ hungring after his righteousnes and by a liuely faith applying vnto his wounded soule his merit and obedience doth looke for saluation in him alone and lastly when as in obedience to his commandement and in true thankfulnes for his infinite mercies he hath an earnest desire to glorifie his name by a godly and Christian life striuing and endeuouring continually to forsake his sinnes to mortifie his corruption and to attaine vnto more and more perfection in righteousnes and holines For Maxima pars Christianismi est toto pectore velle fieri Christianum It is the greatest part of Christianitie to desire with the whole heart to become a Christian § Sect. 5 If therefore we doe keepe the couenant of the Lord nay if we but thinke vpon his commandements to the end we may doe them the louing kindnes of the Lord shall endure for euer vpon vs as it is Psal 103.17.18 if we can from our harts say with good Nehemiah Nehem. 1.11 Nehem. 1.12 O Lord I beseech thee let thine eare now hearken to the prayer of thy seruant and to the prayer of thy seruants who desire to feare thy name the Lord will heare vs indeed and graunt our requests If with the Prophet Dauid we haue but a respect to Gods commandements with a care to fulfill them we shal not be confounded Psal 119.6 as it is Psal 119.6 If wee but desire to obey Gods commandement the Lord will accomplish our desire and quicken vs in his righteousnes 40. though we be dull yea dead vnto all goodnesse as it is vers 40. Rom. 7. If with the Apostle Paul wee doe the euill which we would not and consent to the law that it is good delighting therein in the inner man then though we are with him led captiue vnto sinne yet it is not wee that offend but sinne that dwelleth in vs that is our old man our corrupt and vnregenerate part That neither the name nor actions of the flesh can properly be ascribed to the spirituall man which cannot fitly be called by our name because it is mortified alreadie in some measure and shall be fully abolished by the spirit of God neither doth it liue the same spirituall life with vs seeing it is not quickened by the same spirit and therefore as those who haue diuers soules which giue vnto them life and motion are themselues diuers and also called by diuers names so the new and old man liuing as it were by diuers soules the one being quickned with Gods spirit the other by Sathan whereof it commeth to passe that the more the one liueth the other dieth the more strong the spirit is the weaker is the flesh and the actions of both are quite contrarie therefore they may fitly be called by diuers names neither can the actions of the flesh bee ascribed to the spirit properly seeing they are contrarie the one to the other For as if a science of a crab tree and another of a pepin tree being grafted into the same stocke doe both bring foorth their seuerall fruites the one crabs the other pepins it may fitly be said this tree bringeth foorth either pepins or crabs because they grow in the same stocke but yet it cannot bee truly said that the crab tree science bringeth foorth pepins or the pepin science crabs so because the flesh and the spirit are ioyned together in the same bodie and soule we may in this respect say that this man sinneth or doth that which is good but yet whē we speak of the regenerate or carnall man properly and seuerally as we cannot truly say that the flesh doth any good so neither can we truly affirme that the spirit and regenerate man doth commit that which is euill but as the Apostle speaketh sin which dwelleth with him And though the flesh be the farre greater part yet doth it not denominate giue the name to the christian his actions because it is partly mortified partly in mortifying and partly to be mortified that is deputed and destinated to death and destruction and also because it is the worse and more vnworthie part without compare and consequently not to giue the name for as wine mixt with water is called still wine though the water exceede the wine in quantitie because it is the more excellent substance so the flesh being mixt with the spirit though it be in greater quantitie it doth not giue the name to vs and our actions but the spirit as being our most excellent and worthie part and of it wee are called spirituall regenerate and new men though the least part be spirituall regenerate and renewed If therefore we are regenerate and haue in vs the spirit of God and the graces thereof in the least measure wee may boldly say with Paul that it is no more we that do offend God but sinne that dwelleth in vs neither shall we receiue punishment but the flesh that is our vnregenerate and corrupt part which shall be mortified and fully abolished by the spirit of God as for the spirituall and regenerate part it shall daily bee more and more strengthened and confirmed in the spirituall life and the more punishments afflictions and torments the flesh hath inflicted on it the more shall the spirituall man grow vp in grace and goodnes till our corruption being by little and little mortified and in the end fully abolished by death we shall be perfect men in Christ liuing a spirituall and euerlasting life in all glorie and happines in his kingdome When therefore the Lord suffreth Sathan to afflict vs in our goods bodies and in our soules and consciences as hee did Iob it is not because hee hath forsaken vs and giuen ouer his whole interest hee hath in vs to this wicked spirit but as the Apostle speaketh in another matter he deliuereth vs vnto Sathan to be afflicted for the destruction of the flesh 1. Cor. 5.5 that the
lusts thereof and to serue the Lord in holinesse and newnesse of life and if we beleeue in Iesus Christ resting vpon him for our saluation or though presently we feele not this faith and repentance yet if euer in former time wee haue discerned it in vs that then we are receiued into Gods loue and fauour and therefore shall haue his loue continued vnto vs vnto the end be made partakers of his gratious promises heires of euerlasting life for the promises of the gospell are not restrayned to those who feele their faith but to those that haue faith not to those who feele that they doe beleeue but vnto those who doe beleeue § Sect. 4 That conclusions grounded vpon our sense are often false Neither is the not feeling of Gods loue and fauour a good argument to proue that wee are out of his loue and fauour or the apprehension of his wrath and anger in our sense and feeling a sound reason to perswade vs that wee are subiect to his wrathfull displeasure seeing the being of a thing and the sensible discerning of the thing to be are diuers and therefore howsoeuer at sometimes they concurre yet oftentimes they are seuered and disioyned so that the conclusion which is inferred negatiuely from the senses to proue the not being of their obiect is not onely commonly false but also oftentimes absurd and ridiculous for example sometimes we see not the beames of the sunne as in the night season or whē it is couered with some thicke blacke cloud but shal we herehence cōclude that the sunne shineth not nor wil euer againe appeare vnto vs So the bright beames of Gods loue and fauour are sometimes hidden from vs in the night of tentations and so shadowed with the cloud of our grieuous sinnes that we cannot sensibly discerne them but shall wee hence inferre that there is no grace and mercy to be found with God or that he will neuer againe make them shine vpon vs The one is as absurd as the other and both grosly false So sometimes the Sunne is eclipsed by the interposition of the Moone so as we cannot discerne his light or very dimly but if any man should conclude from hence that it were quite taken away or that we were depriued vtterly of his life-preseruing influence the experience of two or three howers would shew the sottish weakenesse of his sensible argumēt and so in like manner Gods fauour and loue are sometimes so ecclipsed with the interposition of some great afflictions that wee cannot discerne them for a time or but very dimly but if we shall inferre hereof that they are quite taken from vs and that they cast forth no comfortable influence on vs our present preseruation from being swallowed vp into vtter destruction and the speedy returne of woonted ioy and consolation by the apprehension of Gods loue and goodnesse towards vs will euidently shew that this argument taken from the senses is void of reason § Sect. 5 That Gods dearest children haue not at all times sensibly discerned Gods loue and the graces of his spirit in thē Lastly it appeareth by the examples of Gods children from time to time that though they haue bene indued with a great measure of faith and in a high degree of fauour and loue with almighty God yet sometimes in their owne sense they haue found in them in stead of faith nothing but doubting diffidence and infidelitie and for Gods loue and fauour they haue apprehended nothing in their present feeling but the wrathfull anger of God and his greeuous displeasure Looke vpon the holy man Iob who by Gods owne testimonie was the iustest man vpon earth and highly in Gods loue and fauour and you shal find that sometimes he sheweth in his grieuous afflictions no signe of faith but grosse doubting and in outward apparance vtter despaire of Gods mercy and loue for he curseth the day of his natiuitie and wisheth that he had neuer beene borne he complaineth that God was his enemy and had made him as a marke whereat hee shot venimed arrowes that Gods terrors did fight against him and that hee did hide his louing countenance from him So the Prophet Dauid a man according to Gods owne hart sheweth plainely that sometime he hath no sense and feeling of the graces of Gods spirit in him Psal 51.10 as when he desireth the Lord to create in him a cleane hart and to renew a right spirit within him to restore him to the ioy of his saluatiō to stablish him with his free spirit sometimes he apprehendeth in his present sense feeling in stead of Gods loue and fauour nothing but his wrath and displeasure and therefore complaineth as one reiected and forsaken of God So Psal 22.1 My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee Psal 22.1 77.7 88.14 and art so farre from my health and from the words of my roaring 2. O my God I crie by day but thou hearest not and in the night and haue no audience And Psal 77.7 he thus complaineth will the Lord absent himselfe for euer and will he shew no more fauour 8. Is his mercy cleane gone for euer doth his promisse faile for euermore 9. hath God forgotten to be merfull hath he shut vp his tender mercies in displeasure 10. And I said this is my death c. So Psal 88.14 Lord why doest 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 The Prophet Ieremy likewise being grieuously afflicted in body and mind Ier. 20.14.15 was for a time depriued of the sense of Gods loue and fauour apprehending nothing but present miserie and in stead of faith affiance in God peace of conscience and other sanctifying graces he bewraieth his doubting diffidence and impatiencie cursing the day of his birth and euen the man that brought first newes hereof to his father and wishing that his mother had bene his graue or her wōbe a perpetuall conception As appeareth Ierem. 20.14.15 c. The like may be said of the Apostle Peter for where I pray you was the sense feeling of his faith affiance in God zeale of his glorie loue feare and other sanctifying graces when as he shamefully denied his maister yea forswore him with bitter cursing and yet wee must eyther graunt that Peter at this time was indued with a liuely faith or els that the prayer of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ was not effectuall for hee had praied for him that his faith might not faile as appeareth Luk. 22.32 Luke 22.32 But what should I insist in the examples of these the seruants of God seeing the alone example of Christ himselfe is sufficient to cleare this point for though hee were the onely begotten and best beloued Sonne of his heauenly father yet in his
cause of our mortification which is the vertue and efficacie of Christs death and buriall Rom. 6.4.5 communicated and applied vnto vs by the spirit of God whereby wee are ingrafted into the body of Christ and so made partakers of the power and vertue of Christs death which being deriued vnto vs doth not onely take away the guilt and punishment of sinne but also doth mortifie and kill our naturall corruptions which heretofore wholy ruled and ouerswaied vs. Secondly the forme manner and progresse of this worke is here expressed namely the weakning subduing and killing of our corruption by little and little so that this worke is not perfected at once and in an instant but by degrees first it is weakned and the power thereof somewhat abated so as though it beare sway in vs yet it doth not wholy ouerrule vs without resistance as it was vsed to doe in the time of our ignorance then being further enabled by vertue of Gods spirit working in vs we preuaile against it so that though it often rebell yet doe we subdue it and obtaine victorie Lastly obtaining a greater measure of the spirit we mortifie and kill it that is though we doe not vtterly depriue it of life and motion yet we giue it such a deadly wound that it neuer recouereth his former strength but still pineth and languisheth till with the death of the bodie it also dieth and is wholy abolished Now whilest it is in this consumption and neere vnto death hauing a long time before been weake oftentimes it seemeth to recouer strength and to offer some violence vnto the regenerat part but this must not discourage vs as though now it were on the mending hand and like to be restored to it former health and strength for as it fareth with those that lie vpon their deathbead so it is with our sicke flesh and the corruptions thereof after that nature seemeth spent and the power thereof wholy decayed oftentimes falling into some grieuous fit wherein there is a fight betweene life and death their strength seemeth redoubled and farre greater than euer it was but bee of good comfort it is no signe of health but a pange of death which neare approacheth And thus you see the death of sinne and our naturall corruption Now as in the death of the body there is a certaine progresse therein namely when the dead carcase is also buried so also there is not only a death of sinne Rom. 6.4 Col. 2.12 and 3.3.5 but also a buriall the which is wrought by the vertue of Christs buriall applied vnto vs by Gods spirit whereby it commeth to passe that sinne which is already slaine and dead doth so remaine and continue so that this buriall of sinne is nothing else but the further progresse and continuance of our mortification Of this the Apostle speaketh Rom. 6.4 Rom. 6.4 We are buried then with him by baptisme into his death c. So Col. 2.12 § Sect. 3 And thus haue I shewed what our mortification is That the worke of mortification is hard and necessarie which as it is a worke most hard so also most necessary the difficulty appeareth by the name which is borrowed from the practise of Chirurgeons who before they cut off any member doe first mortifie it that after they may take it away with lesse sense of paine And this is implyed by our Sauiour Christ whereas hee inioyneth vs if our right hand or eye offend vs to cut it off and plucke it out and plainely expressed by the Apostle Paul Col. 3.5 Mortifie therefore your members which are in the earth fornication vncleanenesse Col. 3.5 the inordinate affection euill concupiscence and couetousnesse c. where calling these sinnes by the name of members he intimateth thus much that they are as deare vnto vs as the members of our body and also that it is as vnpleasant and painefull vnto vs to forsake our naturall corruptions as to be depriued of the hand eye or foote But though this worke be most hard yet it is most necessary for the best things that are in the flesh and vnregenerate part euen the wisedome thereof is death and enmitie against God Rom. 8.6 7 8. because it is not subiect to the lawe of God neither in deede can be Rom. 8.6 7. neither can we doe any thing pleasing vnto God so long as we are in the flesh as it is verse 8. Lastly if we liue after the flesh we shall dye euen the euerlasting death of body and soule but if wee mortifie the deeds of the body by the spirit wee shall liue euen the life of holinesse and righteousnesse vpon earth and the life of glory and eternall happinesse in Gods kingdome And therefore if it be necessary to be in amitie with God whose louing kindnesse is better than life Psalm 63.4 or to performe obedience vnto the lawe of God or to doe any thing pleasing in his sight or to escape death and damnation or to inioy life and eternall saluation then is it also necessarie to mortifie the flesh and the lusts thereof how hard and vnpleasant soeuer this worke seemeth vnto vs. So that the difficulty must not discourage vs but rather double our diligence and because it is a paine intollerable to part with our sinnes so long as they remaine like liuely members of the body of our flesh therefore as Chirurgians to make the paine tollerable to the patient doe first vse meanes to mortifie themember which they purpose to cut off so let vs vse all good meanes to weaken the strength of sinne and to mortifie our carnall affections and then we shall suffer them to be quite cut off and taken from vs without any extraordinarie passion or sense of paine § Sect. 4 And so much concerning our mortification Of Viuification what it is and the causes thereof wherein the spirit of God communicating and applying vnto vs the vertue and efficacie of Christs resurrection doth raise vs vp from the death of sinne to holinesse and newnesse of life The cause of our viuification is the vertue and efficacie of Christs resurrection applied vnto vs by Gods spirit the which vertue flowing from his deitie was first powerfull in his owne flesh raising it out of graue and giuing it victorie ouer sinne and death and being deriued from our head and communicated vnto vs who are members of his body it doth also reuiue vs who were dead in our sinnes and inableth vs to leade a new life in holinesse and righteousnesse according to the rule of Gods word This appeareth Rom. 6.4 where he saith that we are buried with him by baptisme into his death that like as Christ was raised vp from the dead by the glory of the father so we also should walke in newnesse of life Phili 3.10.11 So Philip. 3.10 11. where Paul desireth not onely to bee clothed with the righteousnesse of Christ applied by faith for his iustification but also to know and
hath reconciled vs vnto himselfe in his sonne and therefore let vs not by our sinnes make him our enemie nor againe build vp this wall of separation which Christ our Sauiour hath broken downe Col. 1.21.22 Eph. 2.14 He hath adopted vs in Christ to be his sonnes and heires of euerlasting life and therfore seeing we are the sonnes of God let vs yeeld obedience to our heauenly father and not liue in our sinnes like the slaues of Sathan least prouoking his iust displeasure against vs by our rebellious wickednesse wee should bee disinherited of our heauenly patrimonie He hath granted vnto vs the peace of conscience and ioyes in the holy Ghost and therefore let vs not by our sinnes disturbe our peace and wound our consciences turning our sweete ioy and comfort into griefe and bitter heauinesse Finally he hath added vnto these spirituall gifts innumerable temporarie benefits health wealth libertie foode apparell and therefore let vs not abuse his gifts by prophaning them with our sinnes but rather vse them as incouragements whereby we may be moued with all cheerefulnes to serue so bountifull a master In a word as the gifts of God are infinite which concerne this life and the life to come so are the reasons drawne from them infinite which may serue to restraine vs from sinne and containe vs in the course of holie obedience the which if wee continually retaine in memorie euen those benefits which are common to all true Christians and those which euery one receiueth in his particular place and calling wee will not vnlesse our vngratefulnes bee intollerable easily hearken to Sathans temptations nor for the vaine pleasures vncertaine riches and momentanie honours of this wicked world be hired to commit sinne which we know to be displeasing and odious in the sight of God who in his endlesse loue hath bestowed vpon vs such innumerable benefits § Sect. 6 Thirdly when wee are tempted vnto sinne The third reason taken from the death and suffrings of our Sauiour Christ let vs call to minde the death and suffring of our Sauiour Christ and say vnto our owne soules Hath Christ my redeemer paid for my redemption euen his dearest bloud and shall I sell my soule to sinne againe for this vaine pleasure or base commoditie Hath he not spared to powre out the full streames of his most precious bloud that in this pure lauer I might be purged and cleansed from the filthie spots of sinne and shall the world cause me with her Syrens songs to leape againe into this filthie puddle Should he suffer himselfe to be crucified that by his death he might kil sin and shall I now put life into it againe reuiuing that which hee hath mortified Did he in his infinite loue giue himselfe for me and shall I trample this precious gift vnder foote preferring before it the trifling vanities of this wicked world Should honour allure me to commit sinne seeing the glorious sonne of God hath abased himselfe and vndergone ignominious shame to free me from it Should pleasures intice me to breake Gods cōmandements seeing my Sauiour Christ left the bosome of his father at whose right hand there is fulnes of pleasures ioyes for euermore and endured the griefe and miseries of a wretched life and cursed death that thereby hee might satisfie Gods iustice for my transgressions Should I be perswaded to commit sinne with the base hire of vncertaine riches seeing Christ hath redeemed me 1. Pet. 1.18.19 not with siluer or gold or any other corruptible thing but with the inestimable price of his most precious bloud Should my sensuall taste and curious pallate moue me to sinne in drunkennesse and gluttonie seeing Christ to redeem me hath hungred and thirsted and in steed of drink had offred vnto him gall vineger Shall I be moued to sinne by anger and to seeke vniust reuenge seeing Christ being iniured opened not his mouth Esa 53.7 but like an innocent lambe suffred himselfe to be led to the slaughter Farre be from me such a desire nay rather because my Sauiour Christ hath suffred all this for me to redeeme me out of my spirituall bondage I will resolue rather to be depriued of all worldly benefits and endure patiently the greatest miseries and afflictions than by wilfull falling into sinne make my selfe again the slaue of Sathan And thus haue I shewed how the remembrance of Christs death and passion is a notable corrasiue to kill our corruptions and as men are accustomed to shew vnto Elephants the iuyce of the Grape or Mulberie to make them more fierce and encourage them to a more couragious fight so haue I by offring to our view the precious bloud of this immaculate Lambe endeuoured to redouble our valour in fighting this battell of temptations against our spirituall enemies § Sect. 7 Fourthly The fourth reason taken from the vnion which is betwixt Christ and vs. let vs remember the vnion that is between Christ and vs whereby he is become our husband we his spouse he our head and wee his members The consideration whereof may serue as a forcible argument to restraine vs from falling willingly into any sinne for if wee bee the spouse of Christ farre be it from vs to behaue our selues like Sathans strumpets prostituting our soules to sinne that we may receiue the gaine of some worldly vanities and to incurre the grieuous displeasure of our most louing husband for the pleasing of our carnall lusts sensuall appetites if we be the members of Christs bodie farre be it from vs to make his members the instruments of sinne and seruants of vnrighteousnesse 1. Cor. 6.15 for what were this but as much as in vs doth lie to draw our holy head into the communion of our sinnes and wickednesse and to make our Sauiour who in himselfe hath wholy vanquished and gloriously tryumphed ouer sinne and Sathan in his members to receiue a foyle Nay rather seeing we are the spouse of Christ let vs labour to adorne our selues with the glorious goulden garment of holinesse and righteousnesse and though we haue some spots of our naturall infirmities in our outward parts yet let vs in a glorious manner decke our selues within with integritie and vprightnesse of heart and so the King our heauenly husband shall take pleasure in our beautie Psal 4.5 and place vs at his right hand in his kingdome of eternall glorie Seeing also we are the members of Christs body therefore let vs endeauour to conforme our selues to the holinesse of our head and by our righteous liues and conuersations make it manifest that we are quickned and led by the same spirit § Sect. 8 Lastly The fist reason taken from the spirit of God dwelling in vs. 1. Cor. 3.16 Eph. 2.21.22 let vs cal to minde that our bodies are the temples of the holy Ghost which once were polluted and vncleane but now sanctified and purged by this our holy guest that they may be fit habitations for
arme our selues against aduersitie howsoeuer by the grace and blessing of God aduersitie the worlds churlish sonne oftentimes worketh these good effects yet in it selfe it is a temptation and that a strong one to draw vs from God by causing vs to murmure and repine yea as Sathan said of Iob to curse God to his face to enuie all who seeme vnto vs more happie then our selues to despaire of Gods mercie and to vse vnlawfull meanes that thereby we may better our estate And therefore it behoueth vs to arme our selues against the violence of this enemie also least building our houses vpon the sands of securitie they be ouerturned when the winds of afflictions and floods of aduersitie and persecution blow and beate against vs. And to this end we are to remember first that these fatherly corrections are euident testimonies to assure vs that we are not bastards but Gods deare children whom he gently chastiseth that wee may not be destroyed with the world Heb. 12.6 7 8. that now Christ hath chosen vs out of the world seeing the world hateth vs Ioh. 15.19 that now wee are the friends of God when the world Sathans eldest sonne becommeth our enemie for so long as we are of the world the world loueth vs for it loueth her owne Secondly let vs continually remember the recompence of reward then shal we with Moses volūtarily chuse rather to suffer aduersitie with the people of God Heb. 11.25.26 than to enioy the pleasures of sin for a season esteeming the rebuke of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt as it is Heb. 11.25 26. Thē shall we endure to be tried and purified in the fornace of afflictions if we know that after we are found to be pure gold the Lord will lay vs vp in his treasurie of euerlasting happines Lastly let vs remember that eternall blessednesse is promised to those that mourne with a godly sorrow and eternal woe denounced against those who pamper themselues with worldly delights Matth. 5.4.10 Matth. 5.4 Blessed are they that mourne for they shall be comforted So vers 10. Blessed are they which suffer persecution for righteousnes sake for theirs is the kingdome of heauen Luk. 6.21.25 Luk. 6.21 Blessed are ye which hunger now for ye shall be satisfied blessed are ye that weepe now for ye shall laugh And vers 25. Woe be vnto you that are full for ye shall hunger woe vnto you that now laugh for ye shall waile and weepe And least the tediousnesse of our troubles should discourage vs or the waight of them presse vs downe the Apostle telleth vs that they are but light and momentanie causing notwithstanding vnto vs a farre most excellent and eternall waight of glorie 2. Cor. 4.17 2. Cor. 4.17 Why therefore should this little spot of foule way cause vs to stand still or goe out of our course which leadeth to euerlasting happines CHAP. VII Of the flesh and the strength thereof § Sect. 1 ANd so much concerning the world The second enemie which assisteth Sathan against vs is the flesh which is that inborne traytor which wee nourishing in our selues doth opē a gate in our soules into which Sathan and the world may easily send whole troupes of temptations to enter and surprize vs. By the flesh we are not to vnderstand the bodie alone and the flesh thereof VVhat the flesh is but that corruption of nature which hath defiled both bodie and soule being spread and mixed with euery part of both euen as the light is mingled with darknes in the twilight or dawning of the day whereby wee are made prone to all sinne and readie to entertaine all temptations which promise the satisfying of any of the lusts thereof This secret traytor conspiring with Sathan and the world to worke our destruction doth entertaine and further all their temptations it fighteth and lusteth against the spirit it rebelleth against the law of our mindes and leadeth vs captiue to the law of sinne it hindreth vs from doing the good we would and maketh vs commit the euill which wee hate as it is notably set downe Rom. 7. So Gal. 5.17 Rom. 7. Galat. 5.17 The flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh and these are contrarie the one to the other so that ye cannot doe the same things that ye would This enemie the holy Ghost in the Scriptures deciphereth by diuers names for it is called the old man the old Adam the earthly carnall and naturall man the sinne which is inherent and dwelleth in vs the adioyning euill the law of the members the lusts of the flesh which fight against the soule by all which is signified our corruption of nature which is deriued from our first parents whereby wee are made backward vnto all good and prone vnto all euill vnapt to entertaine any good motions of Gods spirit but most readie to receiue and imbrace all the suggestions and temptations of the world and the diuell as the waxe the print of the seale or the tindar fire And this the Apostle Iames sheweth chap. 1.14 Euery man is tempted when he is drawne away by his owne concupiscence and is enticed Iam. 1.14.15 15. Then when lust hath conceiued it bringeth foorth sinne and sinne when it is finished bringeth foorth death So that as Sathan is the father so the flesh is the mother of sinne which receiuing Sathans temptations as it were into a fruitfull wombe doth conceiue nourish and bring forth sinne which no sooner is borne but like a deadly stinging serpent it bringeth death to bodie and soule vnlesse the poyson thereof be ouercome and taken away by the precious bloud of Christ § Sect. 2 And thus you see what the flesh is The treacherie of the flesh and how it conspireth with Sathan in seeking our destruction whereby appeareth the treacherie and dangerousnes of this our enemie The treacherie thereof is hereby manifest in that being in outward shew a deare friend and more neere than an alter idem another selfe it notwithstanding aideth Sathan to our owne ouorthrow So as wee may complaine with Dauid Psal 41.9 My familiar friend whom I trusted Psal 41 9. which did eate my bread hath lift vp the heele against me For this Iudas which daily followeth vs and eateth drinketh and sleepeth with vs doth betray vs into the hands of those enemies who seeke our life and that when it seemeth louingly and kindly to kisse vs. And as it is most treacherous so also most dangerous and hard to be ouercome for as much as it is in our self and the greatest part of our selfe and therefore we cannot forsake it vnlesse we forsake our selues Mark 8.34 That the flesh is a most dangerous enemie we cannot fight against it vnlesse we raise intestine and ciuill warres in our owne bowels we cannot vanquish it vnlesse wee subdue our selues and if we seeke to runne away from it wee might as easily flee
not in all that is written in the booke of the law to doe it Galat. 3 10. Rom. 8.8 Gal. 3.10 that they who liue according to the flesh cannot please God Rom. 8.8 that the burthen of sinne cannot be light seeing it pressed out of Christ himselfe a bloudie sweate c. On the other side if hee aggrauate the hainousnes of our sins to the end hee may draw vs into despaire of Gods mercie let vs say Ezec. 18.23.32 it is written I will not the death of a sinner saith the Lord but that he repent and liue Ezech. 18.23.32 And that Iesus Christ came into the world to saue sinners 1. Tim. 1.15 Matth. 9.13 1. Tim. 1.15 And that he came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance Matth. 9.13 Ioh. 3.16 If he tempt vs to the loue of the world and to the seruice of this vnrighteous Mammon let vs answer him Matth. 6.24 that it is impossible to serue two masters of such contrarie disposition as it is written Matth. 6.24 That if wee loue the world 1. Ioh. 2.15 Iam. 4.4 the loue of the father abideth not in vs 1. Ioh. 2.15 That the amitie of the world is enmitie against God Iam. 4.4 Contrariwise if renouncing the world and endeuouring to serue the Lord in vprightnes and in truth hee seeke to draw vs from our integritie by threatning afflictions and persecution wee are to strengthen our selues and resist him with the sword of the spirit remembring that they are blessed which suffer persecution for righteousnes sake Matth. 5.10 1. Tim. 3.12 for theirs is the kingdō of heauen Mat. 5.10 That all that will liue godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer persecutiō 1. Tim. 3.12 That whosoeuer loseth any thing for Christs sake Matth. 19.29 shall receiue in recompence an hundreth fold more and haue euerlasting life to boote Matth. 19.29 If he tempt vs to the neglect of Gods word wee are to tell him that all Christs sheepe heare his voyce and follow him Ioh. 10.27 Ioh. 8.47 Ioh. 10.27 That whosoeuer is of God heareth Gods words Ioh. 8.47 that they who know God heare his ministers whereas he that is not of God heareth them not 1. Ioh. 4.6 And if he obiect that wee cannot heare it without great labour and cost wee are to remember that whosoeuer is a wise Merchant fit for the kingdome of God will rather sell all he hath to buy this precious pearle than be without it Matth. 13.44 45 46. Mat. 13.44.45 On the other side if he tempt vs to content our selues with the bare hearing thereof neglecting obedience thereunto we are to tell him that not the hearers of the word Rom. 2.13 but the doers thereof shall be iustified Rom. 2.13 that they who are hearers of the word and not doers also doe deceiue themselues Iam. 1.22 if they thinke hereby to haue any assurance of eternall life Iam. 1.22 That not euery one who saith Lord Lord that is Matth. 7.21 maketh a goodly profession of religion shall enter into the kingdome of heauen but he that doth the will of the father who is in heauen Matth. 7.21 So when he tempteth vs to pride wee are to say vnto him Sathan I may not yeeld vnto thy temptation for it is written God resisteth the proude but giueth his grace to the humble 1. Pet. 5.5 1. Pet. 5.5 If he tempt vs to couetousnes we are to resist him saying it is written 1. Tim. 6.10 that the desire of money is the roote of all euill 1. Tim. 6.10 If to carking care wee are to tell him that the Apostle exhorteth vs to cast all our care on the Lord for he careth for vs 1. Pet. 5.7 1. Pet. 5.7 If to vnthriftie mispending of Gods gifts and carelesse consuming of our estates wee are to tell him that he that prouideth not for his familie 1. Tim. 5.8 is worse than an Infidell 1. Tim. 5.8 § Sect. 3 And thus may we repell the violence of all Sathans temptations and giue him the soyle if wee will take vnto vs the sword of the spirit That it behooueth vs to be skilfull in handling the sword of the spirit and skilfully vse the same in the fight for it is not sufficient that we haue this sword lying by vs nor to be able to shew the goodnes thereof in discourse if in the meane time we neuer draw it out to fight the spirituall combat but let it rust in the scabberd but we must alwaies haue it readie for the combat and as it were naked in our hands that wee may strike home and cut off all the temptations of Sathan and the lusts of our owne flesh when they doe assault vs. And to this end we must be skilfull in the vse thereof for though a man haue an excellent weapon yet if he know not how to vse it it will little helpe him either to defend himselfe or offend his enemie so if a man haue this two edged sword of Gods word and haue no skill to rule it he will strike flatlong and not cut and sometime wound himselfe in stead of hurting his enemie yea so politike a warriour is Sathan against whom we fight that if wee be not skilfull in the vse of this sword he will turne the edge and point thereof against our selues and so in stead of defending vs it will like the sword of Goliah be readie for the enemie to cut off our owne head And therefore it behooueth vs to come into Gods schoole continually that there we may learne how to vse and handle this sword of Gods word so cunningly that wee may resist Sathan in all his assaults and giue him no aduantage in the fight Otherwise he will vse it to our own ouerthrow for if hee durst fight against our Sauiour Christ with his owne weapon the word of God whose knowledge was exquisite and without measure saying It is written how much more busie will he be in vsing it against vs who haue not attained vnto the least part of his skill The folly of those who neglect this spirituall weapon Whereby appeareth first the carnall retchlesnesse of many men who as though there were no enemie to assault them haue not this weapon in their houses at all or if they haue yet they bestow more time in prophane exercises than in studie how to vse the sword of the spirit for their owne defence or at least trusting to their owne skill as sufficient in it selfe they seldome come to the Lords schoole where they might learne to vse the weapon of Gods word for their best aduantage Secondly hereby appeareth the wicked practise of the enemies of Gods truth who take from Gods people this sword of the spirit which the Lord hath giuen vnto all for their defence Neither doth the Apostle in this place exhort onely the Clergie to take this weapon but all Christians whatsoeuer who are assaulted with their
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
times in all Epicurisme and fensuality § Sect. 9 Lastly The manifold euils which accompanie our doubting of Gods loue and the benefits which follow our perswasion thereof our doubting and distrusting of Gods loue doeth ouerthrow our patience in the time of affliction and causeth vs to murmure and repine against God blaspheming him to his face it hindereth all Christian resolution in suffering any thing for the Name of Christ for how should we suffer any thing patiently for his sake of whose loue we are not assured It maketh the day of death horrible when as we are not perswaded that we shall render vp our soules into the hands of a gracious father but into the hands of a seuere iudge whereas on the other side when we are throughly perswaded of Gods loue then may we patiently yea ioyfully suffer all afflictions because wee know that they are but gentle trials and fatherly chastisements which our gracious God doth inflict on vs for our euerlasting good when we are persecuted for our profession of the Gospel we will triumph with ioy because we are thought worthy to suffer any miserie for the Name of Christ who hath laid downe his life for our sake Act. 5.14 when the day of our departing approacheth we reioice because we desire nothing more than to be dissolued Phil. 1.23 and to be with Christ who so tenderly loueth vs. In a word come prosperitie come aduersitie come affliction come persecution come fire come sword come life come death nothing can come amisse nothing can dismay or discourage vs if wee be once fully assured of Gods loue in Christ both because our loue of God which by his loue is wrought in vs will make the heauiest and most tedious burthen seeme light and momentanie which it shall please our heauenly father to lay vpon vs Rom. 8.28 and also because we know that all things euen miseries afflictions persecutions yea death it selfe worke together for the best vnto them that loue God As it is Rom. 8.28 CHAP. II. That our sinnes and vnworthinesse should not make vs doubt of Gods loue § Sect. 1 SEeing therefore that our doubting and distrusting of Gods loue towards vs is both iniurious vnto God and pernicious vnto our selues let vs in no case admit of Sathans temptations whereby he laboureth to perswade vs that the Lord hateth vs. But forasmuch as there is no perswasiō without knowledge and faith neither can we know and beleeue that we are in Gods fauour vnlesse we haue some ground and warrant out of Gods word whereupon we may cast our wauering mindes and confirme our fainting faith against the boysterous blasts of Sathans temptations therefore let vs examine Sathans reasons whereby he goeth about to perswade vs that we are not beloued of God by the touchstone of Gods word and waigh his obiections in the scoles of the sanctuarie to see if they be of any waight or substance or els but frauthie light and of no sound consequence Answere to Sathans temptations grounded vpon our vnworthines First therefore whereas Sathan obiecteth that we are miserable sinners vnworthie altogether of Gods loue and most worthie of his wrath and heauie displeasure that God is infinitly iust and therefore cannot nor will not loue vs being notoriously wicked we are to answere that indeede we are in our selues vnworthie the least dram of Gods loue by reason of our originall corruption and actuall transgression and therefore if our assurance of Gods fauour had no other foundation but our owne deserts we had great reason not onely to doubt but also vtterly to despaire of Gods loue towards vs. But the loue of God is not grounded vpon our worthines which is nothing Gods loue not grounded on our worthines but vpon his owne good will and pleasure which is infinit as himselfe is infinit and therefore though in our selues we are most miserable and wretched yet this is no reason why we should distrust or in the least degree doubt of Gods loue seeing it ariseth not from any thing in vs but from himselfe who is vnchangeable The truth hereof manifestly appeareth by the scriptures where it is said that the Lord hath loued vs not for our excellencie and worthinesse but of his free grace and louing kindnesse So Hos 14.5 I will heale their rebellion Hos 14.5 I will loue them freely c. And the Apostle Iohn telleth vs that herein Gods loue appeareth in that when we loued not him he so deerely loued vs 1. Ioh. 4.10 that he sent his sonne to be a reconciliation for our sinnes 1. Ioh. 4.10 And Paul saith that hereby God setteth out his loue towards vs seeing that whilest we were yet sinners Rom. 5.8.10 Christ died for vs and when we were enemies God reconciled vs vnto himselfe by the death of his sonne Rom. 5.8.10 If therefore the Lord loued vs when we were enemies vnto him and dead in our sinnes how much more will he loue vs now being reconciled in Christ and in some measure purged from our corruption and quickned by his spirit to newnesse of life If when we were most vnworthie he freely shewed such exceeding fauour towards vs how much more hauing by his spirit and the graces thereof made vs more worthie will he continue his loue vnto vs If he hath hetherto loued vs not for any deserts of ours but of his free mercie because he is loue it selfe as Iohn calleth him 1. Ioh. 4.8 1. Pet. 5.10 1. Ioh. 4.8 and the God of grace as Peter maketh him 1. Pet. 5.10 why should we doubt of Gods loue in respect of our vnworthinesse seeing his loue hath not his ground vpon our worthinesse but vpon his owne nature which is immutable and therefore whom he once loueth he loueth them vnto the end though in themselues they are miserable and wretched Ioh. 13.1 Ioh. 13.1 § Sect. 2 But as the Scriptures shew that God hath loued vs freely from all eternitie so also doe they as plainely declare that God hath manifested this loue in the worke of our saluation freely and without any respect of our worthines as may appeare in the seuerall causes thereof Gods election not grounded on our works and worthines Rom. 11.5 6. As first he hath elected vs of his owne free loue and good will and not for any of our deserts and therefore it is called the election not of vertue and works but of grace Rom. 11.5 Nay it is flatly opposed to workes in the verse following And if saith the Apostle it be of grace it is no more of works or els were grace no more grace but if it be of works it is no more grace or els were worke no more worke So that our election is not grounded vpon our worthinesse but on Gods grace and goodwill and therefore it cannot be ouerthrowne by our vnworthinesse so we wholy rely vpon Gods free mercie in Christ Our worthinesse is not the condition of
the takeing away of his precious life by a cruell and shamefull death but also inwardly in his soule he sustained farre more heauie crosses thē that which he outwardly carried on his shoulders though the waight thereof caused him to faint for wearines for to say nothing of Sathans temptations and the power of hell which was set against him let vs consider of that bitter agonie which he sustained in the garden where the burthen of Gods anger for our sinnes was so heauie vpon him that it pressed out of his blessed body a sweate of water and blood neither was he presently cased of this vnsupportable waight but he was faine to beare it euen vnto his crosse neither was he comforted in minde when the panges of death had taken hold of his body but euen then he was so vexed with the sense of his fathers displeasure that in bitternesse of soule he crieth out my God My God why hast thou forsaken me Not that he despaired vtterly of Gods loue and assistance or thought himselfe a reprobate and castaway for he calleth him stil his God but the deitie hauing for a time withdrawne it selfe to the end the humane nature might suffer that punishment which we had deserued euen vnto death it selfe which otherwise it could not haue been subiect vnto he vttereth this speech truely according to his present sense and apprehension Now if we consider who it is that was thus grieuously afflicted both in body and minde we shall finde that it was not one hated of God but his onely begotten and best beloued sonne in whom he professeth himselfe to be well pleased Matth. 3.17 Matth. 3.17 Seeing therefore our Sauiour Christ who was the natural sonne and heyre of God and so tenderly beloued of his heauenly father that in him hee loueth all his children did notwithstanding indure not only grieuous afflictions of body but the intollerable burthen of his fathers displeasure in his soule also Why should we imagine that either our outward or inward afflictions are any signes or argumēts that God hateth or hath reiected vs especially considering that he hath predestinated vs to be made like to the image of his sonne not only in his glory but also in his afflictiōs so that first we must suffer with him after raigne with him Rom. 8.29 2. Tim. 2.12 Obiection 1. Pet. 2.22 as it is Ro. 8.29 2. Tim. 2.12 But it may be obiected that our Sauiour Christ suffered all this not for any sinne that was in himselfe for he did no sinne neither was their guile found in his mouth 1. Pet. 2.22 but he was wounded for our transgressions he was broken for our iniquities as it is Esa 53.5 Esa 53.5 And therefore considering that the Lord did thus hate sinne euen when his dearely beloued sonne did take it vpon him how much more will he hate it in vs Answere 1. Pet. 3.18 if he so seuerely punished his deare darling when he had taken the sinnes of others vpon him how fearefull punishments are prepared for the sinners themselues I answere that indeede Christ who was iust did suffer for vs who were vniust as it is 1. Pet. 3.18 and that sinne is so odious to Gods eyes that rather then it should not be punished he would punish it in his deerely beloued sonne the consideration whereof should make vs also to hate and fly from it as the greatest euill but yet this should be so farre of from discouraging vs or from making vs doubt of Gods loue that nothing in the world doth more assure vs thereof no consolation can be imagined more comfortable for what greater testimonie of Gods loue can be imagined then that whē we were strangers yea enemies to God Rom. 5.10 he should send his deare beloued son to die for vs to the end that by this meanes his iustice might be satisfied his wrath appeased and we being receiued into grace fauour might be made heires of euerlasting life what greater assurance can we haue that our sins are forgiuen vs then that they are alreadie punished in Christ it being against the iustice of God to punish the same sinnes twice What stronger argument can be brought to proue that we shall neuer be subiect to Gods wrath nor be cast away in his heauie displeasure than that our Sauiour hath borne his fathers anger to the end hee might reconcile vs vnto him and therefore though our Sauiour suffered these outward and inward afflictions not as he was the dearely beloued sonne of God who was free from sinne but as he was our mediator who had taken vpon him our sinnes to the end he might satisfie his fathers iustice yet seeing he indured these things in our stead to the end we might be freed from them hence ariseth vnto every true christian sound comfort and certaine assurance of Gods loue and goodnes towards him ¶ Sect. 7. A daungerous temptation grounded vpon our not-profiting by affliction But the tempter will further vrge his obiection after this manner let it be graunted will he say that God doth chastise sometime his children whom he loueth both with outward and inward afflictions and that they suffer euen the same miseries which thou indurest yet seeing they are sometimes punishments also which he inflicteth vpon the wicked hence thou canst not gather that they are fatherly chastisements and signes of his loue to thee nay contrariwise thou maiest assure thy selfe that they are fearefull punishments and signes of Gods hatred which God in iustice inflicteth on thee for thy sinnes that others may bee warned by thine example For if they were chastisements and fatherly corrections then would they indeede correct thee that is reforme and amend thee for this is the end why God inflicteth them on his children and his end cannot be frustrate but in thee there is no reformation wrought nor any increase of patience whereas in the faithfull tribulation bringeth forth patience Rom. 5.3 as euen by the Scriptures it is manifest Nay contrariwise when the hand of God is vpon thee thou bewraiest great impatiencie and vtterest inconsiderate speeches which tend to Gods dishonor giue offence to the world and wounde thine owne conscience And therefore howsoeuer to other these are fatherly chastizements yet to thee they are seuere punishments which mooue thee rather to despare than assure thee of Gods loue That it is no fit time to iudge of our spirituall graces in the conslict of temptations To this we answer that it cannot be denied but that Gods corrections doe correct and amend his children and that afflictions serue to the encreasing of their patience faith and other graces but yet let vs know that Sathan playeth the false deceauer when he moueth vs to looke for the assurance of Gods loue and for our amendment increase of Gods grace in the very time when the hand of God is vpon vs whilest the conflict lasteth and the temptation grieuously shaketh and battereth vs
not the cause of Gods election for Gods election was from all eternitie and the cause of Christs merits which were in time and the effects of Gods election and therefore that which came after could not be the cause of that which was from all eternitie neither can the effect produce the cause but the cause the effect Moreouer we are not said in the scriptures to be chosen for Christ but in Christ Eph. 1.4 And the Apostle Iohn affirmeth that Gods eternall loue was the cause which moued the Lord to send his sonne to redeeme vs by his death and not that his death was the cause of his loue Ioh. 3.16 And so much concerning the efficient cause of our election The materiall cause thereof was the purpose or counsaile of God himselfe whereby hee determined to elect vs. The formall cause was the seuering and setting apart of certaine men which were to bee saued § Sect. 2 selected from the rest who were reiected The end of Gods election was two-fold the first and chief end was the glorie of God set forth by manifesting his grace and mercie in the saluation of the faithfull And this the Apostle plainly expresseth Rom. 9.23 namely that the end of Gods election is that he might declare the riches of his glorie in the vessels of mercie which he hath prepared vnto glorie And Eph. 1.4 5 6. he saith that he hath chosen vs in Christ and predestinated vs to the praise of the glorie of his grace The second end which is inferiour and subordinate to the other is the saluation of the elect and this also is expressed by the Apostle Rom. 9.23 where hee saith that the elect are prepared vnto glorie And Act. 13.48 the holy Ghost saith as many as were ordained to eternall life thereby implying that the saluation of the elect is the end of Gods election And these are the causes of Gods election The effects which inseparably follow-hereupon are Christ the Mediatour and the whole worke of his mediation and our redemption wrought by him our adoption effectuall calling iustification sanctification and glorification and these are the degrees and meanes of our election which are as well contained in Gods decree as our saluation it selfe The subiect in which we are elected is Christ Iesus our Mediatour and head not in regard of his deitie alone for so he is the efficient cause nor in respect of his humanitie alone but as he is God and man And wee are therefore elected in him both because in our selues we were not capable of such glorious dignitie as also because hee alone is a fit Mediatour in whom we should be elected seeing with our election there is an vnion coniunction of vs with God who hath elected vs. The obiect of Gods election are all those who are preordained vnto euerlasting life and whom the Lord will eternally saue which being considered in themselues are a great number but yet in respect of the number of the reprobates but a small and little flocke for though many be called yet few are chosen as Christ himselfe affirmeth Matth. 22.14 The last thing which also is expressed in the definition are certaine properties attributed to Gods election namely that it is eternall free and immutable That this decree is eternall it appeareth Eph. 1.4 He hath chosen vs in him before the foundation of the world So Rom. 9.11 Secondly that it is free and of his meere grace it is manifest Rom. 9.18 He hath mercie on whom he will and whom he will he hardneth So Eph. 1.11 In whom we are chosen when wee were predestinate according to the purpose of him which worketh all things after the counsaile of his owne will Lastly that it is immutable and most firme and certaine it plainly appeareth 2. Tim. 2.19 The foundation of God remaineth sure and hath this seale the Lord knoweth who are his Where we may obserue that this immutabilitie and certaintie of Gods decree doth not depend vpon vs or our perseuerance but vpon Gods good pleasure and foreknowledge for it is a foundation in it selfe firme and stable and hath not the seale of our worthinesse or perseuerance in grace but of Gods foreknowledge whereby he knoweth who are his CHAP. V. Sathans temptations concerning Gods election answered and first those wherewith he assaulteth carnall worldlings § Sect. 1 Sathans temptation whereby he perswadeth worldlings that all in the end shall be saued answered NOw concerning this decree of election and the assurance thereof there are two sorts of Sathans temptations the first he suggesteth into the minds of carnall worldlings to nourish in them fond presumption and carnall securitie the other into the minds of weak christians whereby he moueth them to doubt despaire of their electiō to euerlasting life The worldly man he assaulteth with two principal temptations first he perswadeth him that there is no election at al or reprobation but that all in the end shall be saued Which grosse absurditie that hee may make more plausible and probable hee setteth before them the infinite mercie of God and the generall promises and consolations in the Gospell Ezech. 13. and 18. 1. Tim. 2.4 as that he will not the death of a sinner and that he will that all men shall be saued in both places cunningly dissembling that which followeth for to the first place is added but that he repent and in the latter that they who shall be saued must also come to the knowledge of the truth But this temptation is so palpably absurd that it becommeth not Sathans policie to vse it to any but those onely whose hearts are hardned their eyes blinded their consciences seared and who hauing not beleeued and loued the truth are giuen ouer of God to beleeue strong delusions and therfore I will not spend much time in answering this temptation onely let such men as are seduced with Sathans lyes know thus much that Gods mercie is a iust mercie as his iustice is a mercifull iustice that God is infinite in both and no lesse glorified in the manifestation of the one than of the other Let them know that there are no promises of the Gospell so generall which are not limited with the condition of faith and the fruite thereof vnfained repentance Let them know that God who is not onely mercifull but also true yea truth it selfe hath in his word reuealed his will as well concerning the eternall death and destruction of the wicked as the saluation of the godly he hath said Matth. 22.14 and 7.13 that many are called and few chosen that the gate of heauen is so straight that there are few who finde it that he will say to the workers of iniquitie Goe your waies I know you not 23. that hee will make a separation betweene the sheepe and the goates and as hee saith to the one Come ye blessed of my father inherit ye the kingdome prepared for you from the foundations of the world Mat. 25.34.41
Sauiour and Redeemer namely Christ Iesus who only saueth vs from our sinnes as it is Matth. 1.21 Neither is there saluation in any other as it is Act. 4.12 Matth. 1.21 Act. 4.12 For as there is but one God so there is but one Mediatour between God and man which is the man Iesus Christ as it is 1. Tim. 2.5 1. Tim. 2.5 And by him alone we haue redemption through his bloud euen the forgiuenesse of sinnes and that without any respect of our worthinesse but according to his rich grace Eph. 1.7 Eph. 1.7 Luk. 1.68 And though we do not exclude God the Father from the worke of our redemption for he is the author and first cause who hath so loued vs that hee sent his sonne to saue and redeeme vs nor the holy Ghost who applieth vnto vs the merits and efficacie of Christs death making them effectuall for our saluation yet if we speake properly our Sauiour Christ onely can be called our Redeemer and that in these respects first because he alone was ordained and deputed to perfect the worke of our redemption secondly because he onely was God and man both which were necessarily required in our Mediatour and Redeemer that hee might haue full right and abilitie to redeeme vs thirdly because hee alone gaue himselfe to bee the price of our redemption and lastly because in him onely there is perfect redemption as being our head who not only hath saluation in himselfe but also deriueth it to all the members of his bodie Thirdly I set downe the captiuitie it selfe out of which wee were redeemed namely not the captiuitie of Egypt or Babylon nor out of the slauerie of the Turke Spaniard or any other earthly Tyrant whose thraldome might well be bitter but not long because our liues are short and grieuous to the bodie but extendeth not to the soule but Christ hath deliuered vs out of the bondage of sinne Sathan hell and death in which we should haue been enthralled and fearefully tormented for euer and euer not in bodie alone but in soule also § Sect. 2 Fourthly 1. Pet. 1.18 How Christ is said to haue bought vs with a price I shew the price which hee hath giuen for our redemption namely not siluer and gold or any corruptible thing but himself euen his bodie to be crucified and his bloud to bee shed that so his fathers iustice being satisfied and his wrath appeased wee might be set free out of the thraldome of our spirituall enemies But it may be demaunded how it can truly be said that Christ hath redeemed vs by paying the price of our redemption seeing the scriptures testifie that by his power hee hath forcibly deliuered vs out of the hands of our spirituall enemies So Heb. 2.14 it is said that Christ destroyed him who had the power of death that is the diuell And Col. 2.15 the Apostle sheweth that hee hath spoyled principalities and powers and hath led them openly and triumphed ouer them And Luk. 11.22 hee is compared to a valiant champion who hath thrust the strong man Sathan out of his possession by which it may appeare that our Sauiour hath not redeemed vs by giuing a price after a legall manner but by force and as it were by conquest I answere that Christ hath both paid the price of our redemption and also hath deliuered vs forcibly by his power for hee paid the price vnto God to whom hee offered the sacrifice of himselfe that it might be a full satisfaction for sinne and a sufficient price to redeeme vs out of the captiuitie of our spirituall enemies and to purchase the fauour of God and our heauenlie inheritance in his kingdome and therefore in respect of God the Father to whom our Sauiour offred himselfe hee is said to haue redeemed vs by giuing a ransome for vs. But when Gods iustice was fully satisfied Christ dealt not with our spirituall enemies by intreatie much lesse offred hee this price of our redemption to Sathan for if no sacrifice might lawfully bee offered vnto any saue God alone much more vnlawfull was it that this sacrifice of Christs bodie should be offred vnto the diuell but by his almightie power hee ouercame the power of darknesse vanquished Sathan subdued death and broke open the prison of the graue and so by strong hand set all Gods elect at libertie For after that the debt of our sinnes was discharged our ransome paid and the handwriting of ordinances cancelled and nailed vnto the crosse these our spirituall enemies had no iust interest vnto vs nor any thing to alledge why they should longer hold vs in their captiuitie but yet the strong man who had taken possession would not willingly lose it vnlesse hee were ouercome with a greater strength and therefore our Sauiour Christ hauing bought vs of his father and so become our true owner buckled with our spirituall enemies ouercame these principalities and powers triumphed gloriously ouer them and freed vs out of their tyrannicall iurisdiction But it may bee obiected that wee were captiues vnto Sathan and therefore the price of redemption was to be paied vnto him and not vnto God the father who held vs not in his captiuitie I answere that though Sathan held vs in his captiuitie yet not in his owne right for wee had not sinned against him to whom we were not bound to performe obedience nor were indebted vnto him but wee had sinned against God whose seruants wee were by right of creation and had infinitly runne into his debt which we were altogether vnable to pay and therefore like a iust iudge he condemned vs to the perpetuall prison of death and committed vs to the custodie of Sathan as vnto a iaylor to be kept in his bondage till we had satiffied for our sinnes and discharged our debt which being impossible to vs our Sauiour Christ hauing assumed our nature and become our suretie and mediator payed that we owed and suffered that which we had descrued and so fully satisfying his fathers iustice hath purchased our redemption so as now Sathan had no more anthoritie to retaine vs in his captiuitie then the iaylor hath of holding him in prison who by the iudge is released or the executioner of hanging him whom the iudge hath acquitted or pardoned And therefore tyrannically exercising still his iurisdiction our Sauiour by strong hand ouercame him and all the power of hell that so he might set vs at libertie whom his fathers iust sentence had acquitted and his mercie pardoned The last thing to be considered is the end of our redemption namely that we should no longer serue sinne and Sathan out of whose bondage wee are released but become the seruants of Christ who hath redeemed vs seruing him in holines and righteousnes all the daies of our liues that so glorifying him here on earth he may glorifie vs in heauen and make vs partakers of those euerlasting ioyes which by his death and bloodshed he hath purchased for vs. CHAP.
in other places the vnbeleeuers and such as continue in their wickednes are flatly excluded from the participation of them Ioh. 3.18 He that beleeueth in him shall not be condemned Ioh. 3.18 but he that beleeueth not is condemned alreadie vers 36. And vers 36. He that beleeueth in the sonne hath euerlasting life and he that obeyeth not the sonne shall not see life Rom. 2.9 but the wrath of God abideth on him So Rom. 8.9 If any man haue not the spirit of Christ the same is not his and consequently it followeth that if he be not Christs then Christ and his benefits belong not vnto him 1. Ioh. 3.8 And the Apostle 1. Ioh. 3.8 plainely affirmeth that he who committeth sinne that is he who liueth in sinne without repentance is of the diuell and that he who is borne of God that is regenerate by his spirit sinneth not that is liueth not in his sins neither committeth them with full consent of will And Paul willeth Timothie to instruct his hearers 2. Tim. 2.26 that they might come to amendment out of the snare of the diuell whereby it is manifest that those in whom sinne raineth are not of Christ but of Sathan and that notwithstanding Christs death they are still in the snare of the diuell til they come to amendment of life because the blood of Christ is not effectual to free any out of their spirituall bondage till it be applied vnto them by a liuely faith § Sect. 3 And thus it appeareth by plaine testimonies Reasons to proue that redemption is not vniuersall that the redemption wrought by Christ belongeth onely to the faithfull which also by vertue of Christs death bloodshed haue their sinnes and corruptions in some measure mortified and not vnto the wicked who liue and die in their sinnes without repentance Now I will also confirme this truth by strong reasons First those who were neuer knowne of Christ that is acknowledged for his were neuer redeemed by his precious bloodshed neither is it probable that the father would giue his welbeloued sonne and that the sonne would giue himselfe for the redemption of those whom in his eternall councell he had decreed to reiect or as all confesse whom he foresaw should perish but our Sauiour will professe to the workers of iniquitie that he neuer knew them Matth. 7.23 Matth. 7.23 and therefore he neuer gaue himselfe for their redemption Secondly for whomseouer Christ hath offered a sacrifice vnto his father for them also he maketh intercession and is become their aduocate neither is it probable that Christ would die for those for whome he will not intreate and that he would offer the sacrifice of his body for those for whom he would not offer the sacrifice of his lips Besides it was the office of the same high priest to offer sacrifice and to pray for the people and consequently of our Sauiour Christ 1. Ioh. 2.1.2 as appeareth 1. Ioh. 2.1.2 where he is said as well to be our aduocate as the propiciatory sacrifice for our sinnes and the Apostle Paul Rom. 8.35 saith Rom. 8.35 that as Christ died for vs so he maketh intercession for vs but our Sauiour Christ flatly excludeth from all participation of the fruite of his intercession all those who are of the world that is Ioh. 17.9 all meere worldlings Ioh. 17.9 I pray not for the world but for them which thou hast giuen me and the Apostle saith that as he perfectly saueth Heb. 7.25 so also he maketh intercession for those who come vnto God by him that is true beleeuers onely and therefore for them alone he hath offered himselfe a sacrifice vnto his father Thirdly Christ hath died for those alone in whom he hath attained vnto the end of his death for whatsoeuer attaineth not his end is done in vaine which argueth want of wisedome or power in the agent and efficient neither of which without blasphemie can be ascribed vnto Christ who is in both infinit but the end of Christs death that is the eternall saluation of those for whom he died is attained vnto onely in the elect and faithfull Mark 16.16 Ioh. 3.36 for as it is Mark. 16.16 He that shall beleeue shall be saued but he that will not beleeue shall be damned And Ioh. 3.36 He that beleeueth in the sonne hath euerlasting life and he that obeyeth not the sonne shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him And therefore Christ hath died for those alone who beleeue and bring forth the fruites of their faith in obedience and not for the vnbeleeuers and disobedient Forthly if all were redeemed by the death of Christ then should they also be saued for what should hinder them from saluation who are redeemed seeing they haue receiued the pardon and remission of their sinnes as appeareth Ephes 1.7 In whom we haue redemption through his blood Eph. 1.7 Col. 1.14 euen the remission of our sinnes Col. 1.14 And consequently whosoeuer are redeemed are iustified and also heires of eternall blessednes for blessed are those whose iniquitie is forgiuen Psal 32.1 and whose sinne is couered as it is Psal 32.1 Seeing also Christ who hath redeemed vs is stronger than Sathan and all the power of hell and therefore al their spiritual enemies conioyned together cānot pluck those whom he hath redeemed out of his hand violently and against his will neither can we with any probable shew of reason imagine that he would willingly lose those whom he hath redeemed with the inestimable price of himselfe neither will it stand with the iustice of God to impute the sinnes of any to their condemnation for which Christ hath fully satisfied nor to exact that debt againe which hee hath paid and therefore if Christ had died for all God in his iustice could not chuse but saue all and Christ might well say to his father to what purpose haue I died if thou destroyest those whom I haue saued what profit is in my bloud if thou condemnest those whom I haue redeemed Lastly if hee died and by his death redeemed all then also he died for and redeemed the Pagans Turkes Atheists and Epicures who were out of the Church and couenant of grace and so iustification redemption and saluation should be out of the Church and be extended to those whom God neuer receiued into his couenant which is quite contrarie to the whole course of the scriptures where it is said that all who are saued are also added vnto the Church Act. 2.47 and that Christ hath giuen himselfe onely for his Church Act. 2.47 Eph. 5.25 Eph. 5.25 Yea if Christ died for all and by his death redeemed them then it must necessarily follow that hee had redeemed euen those damned soules who were in hell before his comming which is most absurd to be imagined for if they were redeemed how did they againe fall into condemnation seeing they being once become
was not iniustice in God to suffer our Sauiour Christ to vndergoe that which he was sure to ouercome but vnspeakable mercie towards vs in sending his sonne to pay that debt which we could neuer haue discharged and to suffer punishments for a time which otherwise wee should haue endured for euer By this then it appeareth that God might iustly receiue the price of our redemption which Christ freely offered But seeing by the lawes of redemption there is required not onely that the redeemer pay a price or ransome but also that he haue right to that which he doth redeeme it may be demaunded what right our Sauiour had ouer vs that hee should pay this price for vs. I answere that as our Sauiour Christ consisteth of two natures so also he had a twofold right vnto vs for as he was God he had the right of proprietie was our true owner he was our Lord and therefore had right to redeeme his owne seruants he was our King and therefore had right to redeeme vs who were his subiects yea he was our creator and therefore he had more right then any Lord or King to redeeme vs who were his creaturs as he was a man he was our kinseman flesh of our flesh and bone of our bone yea he was our brother as it is Heb. 2.11.12 and Ioh. 20.17 Heb. 2.11 12. Ioh. 20.17 Leuit. 25.25 and therefore had also the right of propinquitie which was required by the law of redemption Leuit. 25.25 § Sect. 2 Secondly That Christ hath offered a sufficient price for our redemption Sathan may obiect that the death of Christ is not a sufficient price for our redemption for how could the death of one be a sufficient satisfaction for the sinne of al the faithful seeing euery one by their innumerable sinnes had deserued innumerable deaths and how could the temporary and short punishment which Christ indured Act. 20.28 free vs all that beleeue from the euerlasting punishments of hell fire seeing the iustice of God requireth that there should be some proportiō between the punishment which we deserued and the satisfaction which Christ made and offred I answere that Christ who suffered for vs was not man only but God also in which respect it is said that God purchased his Church with his blood not that God hath blood but because he that shed his blood was not onely man but also God and therefore his short sufferings were of more worth vertue and valew than the euerlasting suffrings of al the world for they should euer haue suffred but could therby neuer haue satisfied because our sins deserued infinite punishments in that we had by them offended the infinit iustice and maiesty of God which because finit creatures could not beare Gods iustice required that they should be infinit in time and euerlasting seeing they could not be infinite in measure but the suffrings of Christ though short in time yet were they infinit in valew worth and merit because he was not man alone but God also and therfore at once he put away sin by the sacrifice of himself Heb. 9.26 by his one oblation he took away the sins of many as it is Heb. 9.26 28. As therefore Adams sinne which in it selfe was finit as proceeding from a finit creature notwithstanding deserued infinit punishment because God whom by his sin he offended was infinit so contrariwise Christs suffrings were but of short continuance in respect of time but yet of infinit merit and worth because he that suffered was not man alone but also God and therefore infinite § Sect. 3 Lastly That Christs death and merits belong to euery particular beleeuer the tempter will obiect that Christs death and merits though they be in themselues a sufficient price for our redemption yet they do not belong vnto vs neither wil be effectuall for our saluation Let it be graunted will he say that the death and merits of Christ are sufficient for the saluation of all yet what comfort canst thou receiue hereby seeing thou canst haue no assurance that they belong vnto thee or will be effectuall for thy redemption for either he hath redeemed all or but some only if all then some who are redeemed may perish notwithstanding seeing the scriptures shew that the greater part of the world are the children of destruction and it is not vnlikely but that thou art in the greatest number But if he haue redeemed some only how canst thou conclude that thou art one of these whom he hath redeemed seeing out of mere particular propositions thou canst not inferre any sound consequence For example if thou dost thus conclude some men are redeemed by Christ but I am a man therefore I am redeemed thou mightest as wel reason thus some men are kings but I am a man therefore I am a king To this wee must answere that though Christ hath only redeemed some yet wee may after a more sound manner conclude that we are in this number not vsing the helpe of sathans absurd fallacions but inferring our conclusion out of generall propositions grounded vpon Gods word after this manner whosoeuer beleeue in Christ those he hath redeemed and will saue for this is the voyce and promise of Christ in the Gospell but I may euery faithfull man say doe truely beleeue in Christ and therefore I am redeemed and shall eternally be saued § Sect. 4 But against this particular application of Christ his merits vnto vs the tempter vrgeth diuers obiections first Sathans temptations against the particular application of Christs merits answered Eph. 5.25.27 that Christ only saueth and redeemeth his own body which is his Church and that this his Church is glorious without spot or wrinkle holy and vnblameable as it is Ephes 5.25.27 and therfore wil he say what hope of redemption or saluation canst thou haue who art defiled not onely with originall corruption but also with innumerable actuall transgressions To this we must answere that the Apostle saith not that the Church which Christ redeemeth and saueth is now already without spot or wrinkle but that he hath by giuing himself for it redeemed it that hereby he might wash and clense it from all spots and might make it holy and without blame either by his merits and righteousnes imputed vnto it which is done in this life or by freeing it altogether from corruptions and the filthy spots of sinne wherewith naturally it is defiled which is begunne in this life but shall not be perfected vntill the life to come Secondly he obiecteth Our falling into sinne no reason to proue that we are not redeemed Col. 1.14 that if Christ had redeemed vs out of the thraldome of sinne then wee should not still be ouercome therby nor so often will we nill we transgres Gods commandements To which we are to answere that our Sauiour Christ hath deliuered vs from our sins first in regard that for his merits and satisfaction sake
seruice of our youth as well as the seruice of our old age for he requireth this as well as the other nay before the other and this was signified vnder the types of the old law where the Lord requireth that they should offer vnto him the principall of the flocke and such beasts as were whole and sound yong and without blemish So Leuit. 3.1 the Lord requireth that the sacrifice which they offered should be without blemish and 22.20 Ye shall not offer any thing that hath a blemish for that shall not be acceptable for you And Deut. 15.21 if there be any blemish therein as if it be lame or blind or haue any euill fault thou shalt not offer it vnto the Lord thy God And for transgressing this law the Lord reprehendeth the people by his Prophet Mal. 1.8 And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice is it not euill and if ye offer the lame and sicke is it not euill offer it now to thy Prince will he be content with thee or accept thy person saith the Lord of hoastes And vers 14. Cursed be the deceiuer which hath in his flocke a male and voweth and sacrificeth to the Lord a corrupt thing Now did the Lord regard the beasts and hath he made so many lawes that he might haue the best of them surely this is not Gods mayne end but hee would thereby teach vs to offer and dedicate vnto his seruice euen our best things as the prime of our youth our flourishing age for was the Lord greatly offended when as men reserued the best of the flocke to themselues and offred the old blind and lame vnto him and will he be well pleased that we should dedicate our youth and the strength of body and soule vnto Sathan and our owne lustes and reserue for him onely our old decrepit lame and withered age when as our bodies are full of diseases and our mindes of infirmities will any Prince accept of vs if we spend the whole time of our youth and strength in the seruice of his enemies and when we are sicke old lame blind offer him our seruice and will the Prince of Princes thinke hee be well pleased if he be thus vsed if Sathan and the world haue all the pure wine will he be contented with the lees and dregs if they haue the ripe fruite will God haue that which is rotten and putrified If they haue our health wil he haue our sicknesse surely it is not likely for the Lord who hath created vs redeemed vs and doth preserue vs doth looke to be serued with our youth health and strength which he hath bestowed on vs. § Sect. 3 a. Motiue taken from the momentany shortnesse of mans life The second argument to mooue vs to hasten our repentance and turning vnto God is taken from the momentanie shortnesse and the mutable vncertainty of our liues in respect of the shortnesse of our liues they are compared to a pilgrimage to the flower and grasse of the field to the wind a cloud smoke vapour to a dreame a tale tould a spanne shadow and the passage of the weauers shuttle yea it is called vanitie it selfe And therefore seeing our liues are so short surely they are al to little though they were wholy spent in Gods seruice but seeing wee haue spent a great part of this short time euen our whole life before our conuersion after the lusts of the gentiles let vs thinke that inough yea farre too much to be so ill bestowed and from hence for ward let vs liue as much time as remaineth in the flesh not after the lusts of men but after the will of God as the apostle admonisheth vs. 1. Pet. 4.2.3 But though our life were short yet if this short time were certain there were some more shew of reason why we should defer our conuersion but as it is short so is it most vncertaine for wee haue not assurance that wee shall liue one hower wee are tenants at will in these earthly tabernacles neither doe wee know how soone our great landlord will turne vs out of them wee are the Lords stewards here on earth and we know not how soone our Lord and master will call vs to a reckoninge and therefore it behoueth vs to haue our accompts alwayes perfect and the bookes of our consciences made vp in readinesse We are vncertaine when death will arrest vs and carry vs to iudgment and therefore we should be prepared for it all times when wee goe to bed we are so to lay vs downe as though we were neuer to rise til we rise to receiue our last sentence when we rise vp in the morning wee are so to spend that day as though it were the last of our liues for how many haue gone well to bed who haue beene dead before the morning how many haue risen as they thought in perfect health and yet haue beene attached by death before the euening and therefore it behooueth euery one who hath any regarde of the eternall saluation of his soule to turne speedily vnto God and while today they heare his voice not to harden their heartes Men vsually delaie matters of least waight and in the first place dispatch businesse of greatest importance and therefore vnlesse we thinke the preseruing of our bodies and soules from the eternall torments of hell fire and the assurance of euerlasting happinesse and blessednesse in Gods kingdome to be matters of lesse importance then the obtaining of some vain pleasures vnconstant honours or base commodities let vs turne vnto the Lord betimes by vnfained repentance and according to our sauiours aduise Matth. 6.33 Let vs first seeke the kingdome of God and the righteousnesse therof and then worldly necessaries shal be cast vnto vs as a vantage in this maine bargaine If our houses were on fire we would seeke first to preserue those things which are most deare and pretious vnto vs good houshould stuffe before lumber Iewels before stuffe and children before Iewels but our liues are dayly in a consumption et dum crescimus vita decrescit whilst wee grow and increase our liues decrease and therefore in the first place let vs seek to preserue our soule which is our chiefe Iewel and not suffer it to perish through impenitencie whilst we gaine some earthly vanities But most lamentable is the practise of most who liue as though they were neuer to die or as though they had taken of God a long lease of their liues which is to expire at a certaine appointed time and this makes them deferre their repentance and to put the euill day far from thē til at last death attacheth them carrieith them to iudgment and this appeareth by the scripturs and continual experience Iob speaking of earnal secure men saith that they take the tabret harpe reioyce in the sound of the organs they spend their days in wealth suddainly they go downe to the graue Iob 21.12.13 So Eccl. 9.12 man doth
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
still in the field then he can hope for after wheÌ„ he is carried away and clapt vp in prison and as he hath lesse meanes so also he hath lesse desire to escape after that by coÌ„tinuance of time his captiuitie is made more familiar vnto him and we commonly see that a bird as soone as shee is taken fluttereth and striueth to get away but after shee hath beene a while in the cage shee is content to stay there still though the doore be open and so it is in our spirituall thraldome at the first wee haue best meanes to escape and most desire also for after wee are inured to sathans captiuitie wee are content to remaine his bondslaues still And if wee desire to escape hee would more disdaine that wee should striue and oppose our selues against him after he hath long time had vs at commaund and ruled vs at his becke then when at the first we fell into this cruell slauerie § Sect. 4 Thirdly the longer that sinne hath dominion ouer vs the more it increaseth in strength 3. By continuance the strength of sinne increaseth and the more hardly it is subdued for it is the nature of sinne as soone as it is entertained to make way and roome for more and those worse then it self as wee may see in the example of Dauid for when hee was ouercome of idlenesse it made way for adulterie and adulterie for murther So Herod entertained incest and that opened a doore in his heart to let in murther and both these made open way for all hellish impietie so Iudas retayninge still his couetousnesse was mooued thereby to betray his maister and this sinne brought him first to desperation then to hange himselfe yea the Apostle Peter after that he ioyned himselfe in companie with the wicked seruantes of the more wicked high Priest at first was mooued hereby to denie his maister Matth. 26. and when hee had gone thus farre then hee denieth him againe with an oath and when hee had thus farre proceeded in the course of sinne hee maketh no conscience of redoubling his oathes cursing himselfe if hee knew the man so that the longer wee let sinne haue dominion in vs the more it will increase it selfe in strength and number till our heartes bee full of sinne and wickednesse As therefore those citizens were to bee accounted most foolish who when they saw an hundred enemies entred into the citie should deferre the beating of them out or killing of them till they had opened the gate to let in ten thousand more better armed and more strongly prouided thinking then to haue better opportunitie and more abilitie to giue them the repulse so alike foolish are those who finding it hard and defficult to subdue some few sinnes to which they are now giuen doe deferre it till the time to come when as they are increased in huge multituds imagining then to doe it with more ease Sinne it is the poyson of the soule as therfore poysons being drunke are presently to be cast vp againe otherwise they disperse themselues in the vaines and so going to the hart cause death so this poyson of sinne if it be long kept in vs it will disperse it selfe ouer the whole bodie and soule and seasing vpon the heart wil plung vs into euerlasting death and destruction Sinne it is an heauie burthen and vpon whomsoeuer it lieth it will presse them downe vnto hell as therefore the way to ease a man of his burthen is not to adde more vnto it but to cast it of so the way to ease vs of the heauie burthen of sinne is not to increase the waight by adding still more and more vnto it but by casting it of speedily for when by this continuall addition our sinnes are growne to an vnsupportable wayght they will sooner presse vs downe then we shall cast them of Fourthly the longer wee liue in sinne the more vnpleasant will vertue and godlinesse be vnto vs and the more wee are delighted in the fulfilling the lustes of the flesh the more bitter it wil be to mortifie them and to imbrace any strict course of sanctification seing these are contrary the one to the other he that hath long continued in darknesse cannot indure the light of the sunne hee that neuer tasted any thing but sweet and pleasant meats cannot abide to feed vpon those which are sowre and bitter hee that was borne and bred in hote countries is not able to brooke those which are cold and so those who haue accustomed themselues to sinne wil hardly be euer brought to imbrace vertue and godlinesse these being as contrarie one to another as light and darkenesse sweet and sower hote and cold especially considering that sinne is as delightful to the tast of a natural man as drink when hee is extreamely thirstie or meat when he is ready to pine for hunger § Sect. 5 Fiftly 5. Because the longer we delay the more we are disabled the longer we liue in our sins and deferre our coÌ„uersion vnto God the more are our vnderstandings darkned our wils peruerted our affections more corrupted our harts hardned and our consciences seared all the powers and faculties of our bodies and soules are more and more disabled for as the longer that sicknesse hath continued the more it weakneth the body maketh it vnfit for any worke or actioÌ„ so the longer sinne which is the sicknesse of the soule hath seased on vs the more vnable we are to shake it off and the weaker it maketh vs to performe any good actions When men at first fall into vnusuall sinnes their consciences checke them and they feare least the Lord will poure vpon them his heauie iudgements but when they haue committed the same sinnes againe and againe and yet are not punished then like theeues who hauing escaped after one robberie committed are ready to commit another so they hauing not tasted of Gods iudgements threatned thinke that they shall neuer be inflicted on them and therefore are readie to sinne againe vntill by long custome in sinning their hearts are hardned and their consciences seared as it were with a hote iron so as noâ—e without any checke or remorse yea with all pleasure and delight they cannot commit those sinnes which in former times they would haue trembled to haue entertained into their secrets thoughts § Sect. 6 Sixtly 6. Because the meanes grew vnessectuall by delayes the longer wee deferre our repentance the more vneffectuall will the meanes be of our conuersion for the word of God will either soften our hearts like waxe or harden them like clay either it wil be the sauour of life vnto life or the sauour of death to our deeper condemnation as is 2 Cor. 2.16 If it once goe out of Gods mouth it shall not returne vnto him voyde but it shall accomplish that which he will and it shall prosper in the thing whereto he sendeth it whether it be for the conuersion or hardening of those
vs mooue vs to rebellion and impietie towards him and because hee is gratious and long suffering shall we therfore the more offend him and as it were whet the edge of his wrath against vs be it farre from vs. Nay rather if God be gratious and mercifull let vs bee ashamed to offend so gratious and mercifull a God and though wee shoulde bee so hard harted as not to feare his iustice and fearefull iudgementes yet euen in common humanitie let vs blush for shame to offende him in consideration of his infinite loue and mercie If wee had a friende who by reason of the loue hee beareth vs would hardly bee displeased or mooued to anger against vs would wee make this vse of his loue and patience still to prouoke him with new iniuries Nay if their bee any good nature and ciuilitie in vs would not his loue towardes vs mooue vs to loue him againe and woulde not this loue worke in vs a care and feare not to displease him yes assuredly O let not then the Lordes loue patience and long suffering who is our friend of frindes make vs to take occasion of offending and displeasing him but rather let the consideration thereof bee a forcible and stronge motiue to mooue vs to repentance Lastly though the Lorde bee so gratious Rom. 2.4 §. Sect. 5. The last motiue because repentance in time of sicknes is often vnsound and mercifull that he is ready to receiue vs into his loue and fauour whensoeuer wee vnfainedly repent and truely turne vnto him yet forasmuch as hee extendeth his mercy to those onely who are truely penitent seing the repentance of the most is fained and hypocriticall which then onely beginneth when death or some extreame daunger approacheth this should bee a stronge motiue to perswade vs to repent and turne vnto the Lorde when wee are in our perfect health strength and prosperite that so wee may haue assurance that our conuersiō is sincere and vnfained and not forced or dissembled Wee knowe that Pharaoh himselfe when hee was vexed with Gods fearefull plagues Exod. 9.27 10.16.17 could say I haue sinned and promise amendment And Saul when God threatned to cut him off and to take the kingdome from him could acknowledge his wickednesse and pretend a desire to worship the Lord. And Ieroboam could shewe more contrition for the losse of his hand Sam. 15.14.25 then he euer shewed for the losse of his soule And wicked Achab when he heard heauie iudgments denounced against him could outwardly humble himselfe 1. King 13.6 21.27 put on sackeloth fast and goe demurely And who may not obserue in his owne experience how many there are who in the time of their sickenesse make godly shewes of repentance promising goulden mountaynes and vowing if they recouer that they will leade a newe life forsaking their sinnes and indeuouring to serue the Lorde in the duties of holinesse and righteousnesse and yet the same men being restored to their heath with the dogge returne to their vomit and with the sowe to wallowe againe in the filthie puddle of sinne becomming as prophaine wicked irreligious and negligent in all duties of christianitie as euer they were which is a most vndoubted signe that there repentance was but faigned and dissembled and that they were mooued thereunto not for any loue of God or hatred of sinne but for feare of Gods iudgmentes and eternal condemnation and therefore as soone as the cause of their feare is a little remooued their repentance also ceaseth Moreouer wee knowe that true repentance is the gifte of God and that we haue it not at our owne beck and call but when he offereth and vouchsaueth it vnto vs and therefore it is no maruaile if they who haue scorned this gratious gift all the whole course of their liues should be denied it at the time of death left so to the hardnes of their harts that though with Esau they seeke repentance with teares yet they shall neuer find it And though with the fiue foolish virgins they desire to buy oyle for their lamps yet the time of grace being past they shall be shut out of doores and excluded from the mariage Neither doth the Lord ordmarily beget faith Eph 4.11.12 repentance and other sanctifying graces in any man but by the vse of the meanes which he hath ordayned for this purpose now the meanes ordained of God are not sicknesse or the infirmities of old age but the ministerie of his word made effectuall by the inward operation of his spirit for our conuersion sanctification and therefore if the Lord hath oftentimes graūted vs this meanes and they haue not beene effectuall for our conuersion if hee haue often called vs in the preaching of the word and wee haue refused to come what hope can we haue that wee should turne vnto God John 6.44 without this meanes in the time of sickenesse who by the continuall hearing of the word haue not beene conuerted in the time of our health seeing not any come vnto Christ but whom the father draweth and the meanes whereby he draweth vs vnto him is not sickenesse or the approching of death ordinarily but the ministerie of his word for when the sheepe heare Christs voyce and thereby knowe him to bee the true sheepheard then and not before they follow him as it is Iohn 10.27 So that though we were sicke and certainely assured wee should die to morrow yet for all this wee are neuer the neerer our conuersion faith and repentance then we were before as appeareth in the example of the Epicures 1. Cor. 15.32 Let vs eate and drinke say they for to morrow we shall die a man would thinke they should rather haue sayd let vs fast and pray for to morrow we shall die but this plainly sheweth that we are neuer the neerer our conuersion vnto God and true repētance though we are certaine that death approcheth it is onely the worke of Gods spirite which ordinarily worketh not by the means of sicknesse or feare of death but by the ministerie of the word which is Gods owne ordināce Eph. 4.11.12 instituted of God for the gathering together of the Saints and for the edification of the body of Christ And therefore whilest the Lord calleth vs in the preaching of the word let vs harken vnto his voice and turne vnto him by vnfained repentance for if Gods owne ordinance is not effectuall for our conuersion assuredly there is no hope that euer we will be conuerted by sicknes or any other extraordinarie meanes whatsoeuer It is an admirable miracle wrought by the infinite wisedome and almighty power of God that a poore sinner should be conuerted vnto him by the preaching of the word for hereby we who were dead in sinne are raised vp to newnesse of life we who were borne blind are indued with sight our hearts more hard then the Adamant are made flexible and soft as waxe to receaue any impression
fort we had bestowed his rich treasures therefore in his iustice he sent his sergeant death to arest vs and to cast vs in the prison of vtter darkenes there to remaine in the custody of sathan our most malitious iaylor till we had fully discharged our debt and made full satisfaction to his iustice which wheÌ„ we were altogeather vnable to perfourme it pleased our sauiour Christ in his infinite loue towards vs to become our suerty and to take vppon him the answering of our debt which he fully discharged in as exact a manner and measure as the iustice of God required for whereas wee are bound to performe perfect obedience to the lawe he performed it for vs where as wee for our disobedience were subiect to the sentence of condemnation the curse of the law and death of body and soule he was condemned for vs and bore the curse of the lawe and dyed in our stead an ignominious death whereas we deserued the anger of God and to bee kept prisoners in the graue vnder the dominion of death he endured his fathers wrathfull displeasure and himselfe was for a time held captiue of death in the graue that so he might reconcile vs to his father and set vs at libertie In a word whatsoeuer we owed Christ discharged whatsoeuer wee deserued hee suffered if not in the selfe same punishments for hee could not suffer the eternall torments of hell yet in proportion the dignity of his person giuing value vnto his temporarie punishments and making them of more valew and worth then if all the world should haue suffered the eternal torments of hell Seing therefore our Sauiour Christ hath fully discharged our debt and made full satisfaction to his fathers iustice God cannot in equitie exact of vs a second payment no more then the creditours may iustly require that his debt should be twice payd once of the suerty and againe of the principal Neither now hath Gods iustice any thing to shew against vs for the lawe which was the hand writing of ordinances which made against vs and as it were a bond whereby wee were obliged and bound to God the father either to performe obedience or to vndergoe the penaltie euen euerlasting death and condemnation is now cancelled taken away and fastened to the crosse of Christ as the Apostle affirmeth Col. 2.14 So that now the Lord cannot in his iustice put vs in suite nor recouer any debt of vs seeing our sauiour Christ our good and all sufficient suerty hath vndertaken the matter in our behalfe discharged our debt to the vtmost farthing cancelled the handwriting or bond in which wee were obliged and by the law acquitted vs of all paimentes which Gods iustice by vertue of the law might require of vs. and therefore if we turne vnto God by vnfained repentance and lay hould vpon our sauiour Christ and his merites by a liuely faith we haue our quietus est and generall acquittance which God himselfe hath pronounced from heauen in the presence of many witnesses saying This is may welbeloued son in whom I am well pleased that is in whome I am delighted restfully satisfied wel coÌ„tented Mat. 3.17 CHAP. XXXIIII Of the third Argument grounded vpon Gods truth § Sect. 1 THe third argument Of Gods truth in his promises whereby all those who repent and beleeue may bee assured of the pardon remission of their sins is grouÌ„ded vpon Gods truth for the Lorde is most true yea truth it selfe and all his promises in Christ are yea and amen 2. Cor. 1.20 Apoc. 1.7 hee is a faithfull and true witnesse and whatsoeuer hee hath spoken shall be accomplished so that though the heauens decay and waxe olde like a garment though the sunne loose his light and the moone be turned into bloud though the earth tremble and quake and the foundations of the mountaines bee mooued and shake yea though heauen and earth and all things therein contained perish and passe away Matth. 5 1â— yet shall not one iote or title of his word fal to the ground vnaccomplished And therefore whatsoeuer the Lord hath promised in his worde that he wil most vndoubtedly performe for he is Iehoua who hauing his essence and being in and from himselfe alone giueth being vnto all things else especially to his worde and promises But hee hath promised to all beleeuers and repentant sinners that hee will in Christ Iesus pardon al their sins and will receiue them into his grace and fauour and therfore if wee beleeue and rest vppon our Sauiour Christ alone for our saluation truly repenting vs of all our sinnes wee may assure our selues that though our sins be neuer so many and grieuous yet the Lord will receiue vs to mercy and pardon and forgiue them § Sect. 2 But that the poore soule wounded with sin and groning for wearines vnder this vnsupportable burthen That Gods regal stile assureth vs of mercie and forgiuenesse may haue some ground whereupon to rest when it is ready to faint some spirituall weapons whereby it may defend it selfe and beate backe the violence of Sathans tentations I will make choise of some amongst many of the comfortable promises of the gospell made vnto all repentant sinners First therefore let vs consider that when the Lorde like a mightie monarch would set out his owne stile as it were in faire text letters to be read of all his subiectes he thus proclaymeth it Exod. 34.6 The Lorde the Lord strong mercifull and gracious slowe to anger and aboundant in goodnesse and truth 7. Reseruing mercy for thousands forgiuing iniquitie and transgression and sinners wher we may obserue that the greatest part of his stile coÌ„sisteth of his mercy gratiousnes long suffering goodnes readines to forgiue the iniquities of repentant sinners as therfore wee cannot offer a greater disgrace to a mightie prince then to denie or call into question any part of his tytles or regall stile so we cannot more dishonour the prince of princes and soueraigne king of heauen earth then by doubting of or denying any of these his titles which in his owne stile hee hath attributed vnto himselfe seeing then he professeth and proclaymeth himselfe to bee a gratious mercifull long suffering God who is alwaies readie to forgiue repentant sinners when they implore his mercie let vs not offer God that disgrace to rob him of any part of his glorious titles nor depriue our soules of that true comfort which the Lorde by them in his infinite goodnesse hath graunted vnto vs. § Sect. 3 Moreouer this is one maine part of the couenant of grace That Gods â—ouenant assureth vs of the remission of our sinnes which the Lord professeth that he will make with his church and people namely that he will forgiue their iniquitie and remember their sinnes no more Ier. 31.34 the counterpaine of which couenant we haue Heb. 10.16.17 and therefore if we on our part performe the condition of this couenant
who would not laugh at such ridiculous follie for therefore he should more earnestly desire and more thankfully accept of his friendes offred courtesie because himselfe is tyred pressed downe and altogether vnable to beare this intollerable waight but such and greater follie doe they commit who being pinched and oppressed with the heauie burthen of their sinnes doe through their infidelitie refuse the healpe of Christ offering himselfe to release and ease them vnder this pretēce because their burthen is ouer heauie for because to them it is intollerable therefore they should rather goe vnto Christ and ernestly desire to be eased and released seeing hee is not onely able for his power is omnipotent but also most willing for he hath most gratiously promised and freely offred his helpe That the price which Christ hath paid for our redemption farre exceedeth all our sinnes Moreouer we need not to doubt of the sufficiencie of the price which our Sauiour hath paid for our redemption for it is of infinite value and of more vertue and power to iustifie and saue then all the sinnes of the world to condemne and destroye so that though wee were the greatest sinners that euer liued yea though the waight of all sinne which euer in the world hath beene cōmitted did lie vpō vs yet the meritts of Christ and the price which hee paid for our redemption doe farre exceede them and if we come vnto him by a liuely faith resting vpon him alone for our saluation hee will surely ease vs of this intollerable burthen And therefore though the grieuousnesse of our sinnes shoulde increase our repentance yet they should not diminish our faith and assurance of pardon and forgiuenesse for though our debt were neuer so great our suerty Christ Iesus hath paid it to the vttermost farthing though our sinnes are neuer so many and grieuous our Sauiour hath borne them all vpon the crosse in his owne bodie and fully satisfying Gods iustice for thē 1. Pet. 2.24 hath freed and deliuered vs from this heauie burthen Though wee were neuer so deepely inthraled in the bondage of our spiritual enemies yet our almightie redeemer hath freed vs out of captiuitie hath paid a sufficient price for our raunsome and though we had no right or interest in the kingdome of heauen yet our sauiour hath dearely purchased it for vs by his precious death and bloudshed and therefore seeing in Christ we haue fully satisfied Gods iustice and fully merited the pardon of our sinnes seeing in him wee haue not onely paied our debt but also giuen a sufficient price for the purchasing of eternall happinesse wee neede not to make any doubt of the pardō of our sins and of possessing of our heauēly inheritance for the Lord cannot in iustice hold that from vs which of right appertaineth vnto vs nay we may assure our selues that though he could yet he would not for who can imagine that the Lord who of his bountious liberallitie giueth vnto vs more then wee can deserue or desire will keepe from vs that which of right appertayneth to vs that he for his own names sake without any respect of our works or worthinesse freely multiplieth his benefites vpon vs should with hould our rightfull inheritance in his heauenly kingdome from vs which our sauiour Christ hath purchased for vs by his pretious death bloudshed and therefore seeing wee haue vndoubted right to the pardon of our sins because Christ Iesus hath satisfied for them iust title to our heauenly inheritāce which our Sauiour hath purchased for vs with so deare and all-sufficient a price let vs in the name of Christ goe bouldly vnto the throne of grace desiring a generall acquittance of that debt which is alreadie paid nay let vs not feare to approach the throne of Gods seuere iustice and to claime our heauenly inheritance which Christ hath so dearly purchased § Sect. 4 Furthermore we are to consider that our sauiour and redeemer is so gratious and bountifull so rich in mercy That Christs power mercy and merites is more manifested by forgining greeuous sinners and so full of all power vertue and perfection that our sinnes should not discourage vs from comming vnto him for the more miserable wretched sinful we are the more fitt subiects we are whereupon he may exercise and shew the infinite riches of bounty mercy vertue and all sufficiencie If we were but a little soyled with sinne it were not so great a matter to make vs cleane but when wee are most filthily defiled and our polution is ingrayned in vs as it were with a scarlet die when our vncleane corruptiō sticks as fast to our soules as the Ethiopian blacknesse to their skins then is the vertue of the excellent lauer of Christs bloud sufficiently manifested when as he purgeth vs and maketh vs cleane washing away all our filthy corruptions and making our scarlet sinnes as white as snow Our sauiour Christ is our spiritual physitiō who can as easily cure desperate diseases euē the remediles consumptiō the dead apoplexie the filthy leprosie of the soule as some small maladie or little faintnes neither is he only able but also as willing to vndertake such desperate cures as the least infirmities because his skill will be the more manifest and his praise the more extolled for the more desperate the disease is the more it argueth his cūning who helpeth it and the more cōmendations he shal receaue who effecteth such a cure And therefore though our diseases are most daungerous desperate yet let vs resort to this our heauenly physitiō for the more desperate the cure is the more fitt occasion shall he haue of shewing his neuer failing skill and of aduancing his immortall praise He is our heauenly surgeon euen the good Samaritane which powreth the soueraigne oyle of his grace and the pretious baulme of his bloud into our woūded soules therfore the more greisly our wounds are the more praise and glory he getteth in curing them the more is the vertue of the soueraigne salue of his bloud manifested to all the world by healing of them Though therefore our soules are most filthy polluted yet if we come to Christ he will surely wash purge vs for to this purpose he suffered his precious water and bloud to issue out of his side that thereby as with a liuing and cleare streame issuing from a most pure fountaine he might cleanse vs from al our sins and wash away all our filthy corruptions though we are most desperatly sicke let vs come vnto our spirituall physition for he can cure the most remedilesse diseases as perfectly and as speedily as the most small infirmitie and faint weaknesse though our soules are wounded euen to the death with the deepe pearcing and deadly impoysoning sting of sinne yet let vs seeke helpe of this our heauenly surgeon who with the precious baulme of his bloud can as easily heale the most dangerous woūds as small
intollerable to my afflicted conscience I am filled with shame and confusion because by my former sinnes I haue dishonoured my gratious God and shal I continue more to dishonour him by doubting of and denying his mercy iustice and truth in his promises I haue heretofore with Iudas betrayed my Sauiour Christ vnto the death yea and with my sinnes I haue whipped mocked and crucified him and now hee hauing made full satisfaction for my sinnes and called me vnto him that he may ease me of this intollerable burchen should I with Iudas refuse to come desperately cast of al hope of mercie and become mine owne hangman be it farre from mee nay as I hate all other sinne so let me hate this aboue all the rest as being more hainous then al the rest as I desire to be eased and freed from the heauie burthen of other my wickednesse so I will with all my power resist Sathan when he seeketh to loade me with this loade of desperation as being farre more intollerable heretofore I haue dishonoured God by my sins but now I will giue him glorie in beleeuing and acknowledging his infinite mercie goodnesse iustice and truth in his promises and seeing by my sinnes I haue crucified the Lorde of life I will not ad hereunto this outragious wickednesse to trāple his pretious bloud vnder my filthie feete as a thing vnholy and of no worth neither will I through my vnbeleefe make it to be spilt in vaine but now with all care and conscience I will gather it vp as a most precious balme and with the hand of faith apply it to those greisly gashes and deepe woundes which sinne hath made in my soule and conscience and with this spirituall lauer I will washe my poluted soule till it bee throughly purged from all vncleanesse And seeing I haue depriued my soule of that inherent righteousnesse wherewith it was indued by creation now I will apply thereunto a farre more excellent righteousnesse by the hand of faith euen the righteousnesse of Iesus Christ God and man wherewith being adorned I may boldly offer my selfe into the presence of my heauēly father receiue the blessing of euerlasting happines § Sect. 6 Lastly we are to consider that as desperation is a sinne in it owne nature most grieuous That desperation is a sin most pernitious so also it is vnto our selues most pernitious for whereas other sinnes make vs worthy of the torments of hell and eternall condemnation this as it aboue al the rest intitleth vs vnto the right of this hellish inheritance so also it entreth vs into the most certaine and present possession thereof euen whilest we liue vpon the earth For what are the torments of a despairing conscience but the flashings of hell fire and what are their blasphemies which they vtter against God and their impatient cursinges of their accursed selues but the yelling cries of damned soules And therefore if we would not cast our selues into the iawes of hell if wee would not whilest we liue beginne to die an euerlasting death let vs in no case suffer our selues to bee plunged with the violence of Sathans tentations into this bottomelesse pitt of vtter desperation § Sect. 7 Yea will the afflicted soule say but how should I auoyde it That wee must hope against hope beleeue against beliefe seeing I am forcibly pressed into it with the intollerable waight of my sinnes and with the sense and apprehention of Gods fearefull wrath and displeasure feeling no comfort nor assurance that euer I shall receiue pardon to which I answere that yet in no case they are to despaire but to hope against hope and to beleeue against beliefe and as it were from the bottome of hell to cast vp the eye of faith into heauen laying hold of Gods mercies and Christs merites knowing that faith is of things not seene neither with the bodely eye nor with the eye of reason and that the Lord seemeth often to hate those whome in truth hee dearely loueth For so long as wee beleeue Gods promises and haue some hope that our sinnes are eyther pardoned or at least pardonable there is certaine comfort but when as all hope is cast of and that we reiect all Gods promises through vnbeliefe and fall into vtter desperation there nothing remaineth but most certaine destruction when sinne lieth vpon vs it no question exceedingly vexeth vs with the torments of conscience but if we despaire we presently in stead of obtaining ease cast our selues into the torments of hell the panges of conscience caused by the sense of the heauy burthen of sinne are a good meanes to bring vs to Christ that we may be eased of this burthen but despaire stayeth vs in the midway and vtterly debarreth vs from euer being partakers of Christ or any of his benefits And therefore though the burthen of sinne be neuer so irkesome and grieuous yet let vs be contented to beare it till we come vnto Christ for ease let vs beware in any case that we doe not faint through impatiencie and want of hope and so fall into desperation for so shall wee but increase the waight of our sinnes in exceeding measure which already we thinke an intollerable burthen and consequently our horrour of conscience so shall we bring our selues from a doubtfull or rather hopeful state to most certaine and present destruction so shall wee change our temporarie griefe for that which is euerlasting and the terrours of conscience for the torments of hell so shall that which wee most feare and flee presently ouertake and ouerwhelme vs for whilest in an horrible maner we feare the paines of hell we cast our selues into them by falling into vtter desperation as if a man for feare of death should cut his owne throate or for feare of hanging should drinke some deadly poyson whereby they are presently tormented with that which they fearefully abhorred and choose rather to bee oppressed with the euill they feared then any longer to indure the feare it selfe Which howsoeuer it may carry some shew of reason in vndergoing a momentany and temporarie death wherein oftentimes the feare is more intollerable then the paine feared yet it is extreame madnesse to plunge a mans selfe body and soule into the eternall torments of hell rather then for a time to indure the horrour thereof seeing this horrour and feare is but a small fleabiting in respect of those hellish punishments and as it were but a smoke of that eternall fire CHAP. XLVI Sathans tentations concerning smalnesse and weaknesse of faith answered § Sect. 1 ANd so much for answering those tētations There is no such perfect faith which is not assaulted with doubting wherby Sathan laboureth to perswade the afflicted Christians that they haue no faith wherewith if he cannot preuaile in the next place hee will tell them that their faith is so small if it be any at all so ouerwhelmed with doubting so vnfruitfull and so mixt with imperfections that it will
the Father sanctifieth vs by giuing vs his sonne and sending his spirit and therefore this work is ascribed vnto him Tit. 3.5 Eph. 2.4.5 God the sonne sanctifieth vs by mortifying our sins by vertue of his bloud purging our consciences from dead workes that wee may serue the liuing God and by vertue of his resurrection raising vs also from the death of sinne to newnesse of life and lastly by his death hath merited for vs Gods spirit and rising againe hath sent him vnto vs whereby wee are regenerate and therefore hee also is said to haue sanctified vs and God is said to haue sanctified vs in him Eph. 5.26 1. Cor. 2.11 Eph. 5.26 1. Cor. 2.11 God the holy Ghost also sanctifieth vs by applying the vertue of Christs death and resurrection vnto vs and so immediatly beginneth continueth Ioh. 3.5 6. Act. 11.16 Tit. 3.5 and perfecteth this worke in vs and therefore most vsually in the Scriptures this worke is ascribed vnto him Ioh. 3.5 6. Act. 11.16 Tit. 3.5 And thus it appeareth that God himselfe is the principall and onely efficient cause of our sanctification vpon which point I haue the longer insisted to the end that wee should not in this worke rest vpon our owne strength for then wee shall be subiect to many discouragements and lie open to innumerable temptations grounded vpon our small measure and slow progresse in our sanctification as also vpon the great difficulties and manifolde discouragements which both stay vs in the birth and hinder our full growth in true godlinesse all which in respect of our owne power prooue this worke not onely hard but euen impossible for vs to be perfected and accomplished But rather that wee relie our selues vpon the Lords infinite power and gracious promises whereby wee are assured notwithstanding our owne exceeding weaknesse that he will not onely begin but also finish and perfect this good worke in vs. § Sect. 3 And thus much concerning the principall efficient cause of our sanctification The motiue cause Gods sole mercie the motiue cause which mooued the Lord to sanctifie vs was his owne mercie and Christs merits The first is expressed by the Apostle 1. Pet. 1.3 whereas it is said 1. Pet. 1.3 that God according to his abundant mercie hath begotten vs again c. The other is implied by Paul Eph. 2.5 where hee saith that God hath quickened vs in Christ Ephes 2.5 who by his death merited not onely the remission of sinne for vs but also Gods spirit whereby wee are sanctified So that it was not any good inclination vnto holinesse in vs or any thing els wherein we excelled others which moued God to sanctifie vs Eph. 2.1.3 for wee were all alike the children of wrath and dead in our sinnes but onely his owne boundlesse mercie and the alsufficient merits of Christ our Sauiour were the onely causes which moued the Lord to giue vs his spirit whereby we are regenerate and raised from the death of sinne to holinesse and newnesse of life And therefore let vs not arrogate the praise of our sanctification in whole or in part vnto our selues but ascribe all the glorie to God who is the sole author and finisher of it § Sect. 4 The instrumentall causes of our sanctification Of the instrumentall causes of our sanctification Ioh. 15.3 and 17.17 Iam. 1.18 1. Pet. 1.23 are either externall or internall the external are first the word of God of which our Sauiour speaketh Ioh. 15.3 Now are you cleane through the word which I haue spoken vnto you And cap. 17.17 Sanctifie thē with thy truth thy word is truth So the Apostle Iames chap. 1.18 Of his owne will begat he vs with the word of truth c. And the Apostle Peter affirmeth that we are borne anew not of mortall seede but of immortall by the word of God c. The word of God therefore is an instrumentall cause of our sanctification In which respect also the Ministers by whose ministerie wee are conuerted and regenerate are said to be our spirituall fathers who haue begotten vs vnto God 1. Cor. 4.15 Philem. v. 10. as appeareth 1. Cor. 4.15 and Philem. vers 10. in both which places Paul chalengeth this title vnto himselfe Another externall cause of our sanctification are the Sacraments especially the Sacrament of Baptisme whereof it is that Ananias saith vnto Paul Act. 22.16 Arise and be baptized wash away thy sins Act. 22.16 Eph. 5.26 So Eph. 5.26 it is said that Christ gaue himself for his Church that he might sanctifie it and cleanse it by the washing of water through the word The which places as they are to be vnderstood principally of the washing of iustification wherby we are purged from the guilt and punishment of sinne so also of the washing of sanctification whereby we are cleansed from the sinnes and corruptions themselues The internall instrument of our sanctification is a liuely faith without which the other outward instruments are vneffectuall in those who are of yeeres neither must we think that the bare action of hearing or the outward washing take away our sins and corruptions vnlesse the word and things signified in the Sacraments bee applied vnto vs by a true faith For the word which we heare profiteth not vnlesse it be mixed with faith in those that heare it Heb. 4.2 Heb. 4.2 And vnlesse those that are capable of faith beleeue with all their heart Act. 8.37 it is to no purpose to be baptized Act. 8.37 and therefore vnto the other we must ioyne this instrument of a liuely faith if wee would attaine vnto true sanctification For faith purifieth the heart and is fruitfull in the workes of loue Act. 15.9 Gal. 5.6 as the Scripture speaketh § Sect. 5 And thus haue I set downe the efficient causes of our sanctification Of the manner how our sanctification is wrought in the next place let vs consider of the manner how this worke is wrought in vs. For the vnderstanding whereof we are to know that wee being vnited vnto Christ principally by Gods spirit and instrumentally by a liuely faith and so made members of his mysticall bodie doe participate the vertue of his death buriall and resurrection whereby not onely our iustification but also our sanctification is deriued vnto vs. For first by vertue of his death our sinnes are mortified and our corruptions crucified together with him as appeareth Rom. 6.6 Knowing this Rom. 6.6 that our old man is crucified with him that the bodie of sinne might be destroyed that hencefoorth we should not serue sinne Secondly by vertue of his buriall this death of sinne is as it were further continued and thereby our sinnes and corruptions are more and more subdued and kept vnder that they cannot rise and rebel against the spirit And of this the Apostle speaketh Rom. 6.3 where he saith Rom. 6.3 that we are buried with Christ into his death Thirdly by vertue of
euery part and facultie of bodie and soule And therefore whosoeuer would bee assured that he hath attained true sanctification he is to labour to compose and frame the whole man his minde and imagination his will and affections his outward actions life and conuersation according to the exact rule of Gods law in all of them mortifying the old man and his inbred corruption and imbracing the contrarie duties of holinesse and righteousnesse Otherwise if our sanctification be not of the whole man and euery part in their seuerall measure it will in the end be vaine and fruitlesse for as it is to no purpose for citizens being besieged to fortifie one place of the wall and leaue another part vnfortified or to keepe strait watch at some of the gates and leaue others open so it will not auaile vs to fortifie some parts against the power of sinne and to leaue others weake and naked nor to garde some of the outward passages of the senses and neglecting some other suffer them to lie as an open entrance to let in our spirituall enemies for so they will easily surprise vs and leade vs captiue vnto sinne but if we would be in any safetie in this strait siege we must set a strong garde and a carefull watch ouer euery part and facultie of our bodies and soules § Sect. 3 The obiect of our sanctification about which it is exercised Of the obiect and time of our sanctification is sinne and corruption and holinesse and righteousnesse that we may flie the one and imbrace the other mortifie the flesh and the lusts thereof and be quickned in the spirit that we may be conformable in all holy obedience vnto the law of God auoyding that which he hath forbidden and labouring to performe that which hee hath commaunded The time when sanctification is wrought in vs is presently after we are effectually called and iustified for as soone as the vertue and power of Christs obedience death and resurrection is applied vnto vs by a liuely faith it doth not onely free vs from the guilt and punishment of sinne but also mortifie the flesh with the corruptions thereof and quickneth vs in the inner man enabling vs to forsake our former sinnes and to serue the Lord in holinesse and newnesse of life But howsoeuer our sanctification bee begun presently after our conuersion yet it is not so soone finished but as the seede being cast into the ground doth first take roote and then is scarcely discorned afterwards shooteth forth into a blade and so springeth vp by little and little till it bringeth forth an eare and lastly it ripeneth and yeeldeth to the sower plentifull increase so when first the seedes of sanctification are sowne in vs by vertue of Gods spirit they haue a time to take rooting when as they make little or no shew to our selues or others but afterwards they send forth as it were a blade of a holy profession and the ripe fruites of godlinesse Notwithstanding these fruites in this life are not purely cleane and without mixture but as in the fairest field there is amongst the cleanest wheate some tares and cockell so in those that are most sanctified there are many corruptions of the flesh mixed with the good fruites of the spirit Apoc. 22.11 the which the christian is still in weeding and plucking vp by the rootes so long as he liueth but yet can neuer ouercome this great worke till the winter of death wholy nippeth and killeth these weedes of sinne We must not therefore presently after our conuersion dreame of a perfection in sanctification no nor yet at the first estimate the truenesse thereof by the greatnesse of the measure for as it is in the naturall generation and growth of the body so also in spirituall regeneration all is not finished at the first but perfected by degrees As soone as we are conuerted we are but babes in Christ Heb. 5.14 and in respect of our infancie in knowledge faith and other graces such as haue neede rather of milke than of strong meate Rom. 8.29 in the rest of our life we grow vp from strength to strength till we come to mans estate vnto which age we cannot properly be said to haue attained till by death we wholy lay aside the old man and the corruptions thereof and lastly we attaine to our consummation and full perfection when at the latter day wee shall rise againe and both in body and soule bee indued with perfect holinesse whereby we shall be enabled to performe obedience to Gods will in that degree which his iustice requireth CHAP. III. Of the parts of Sanctification § Sect. 1 THe parts of sanctification are two That sanctification containeth two parts mortification and viuification mortification and viuification the which also are said to be the parts of true repentance but in a diuerse sense for they are attributed vnto sanctification as they are the worke and action of God who by his holy spirit doth mortifie and quicken vs and is the sole author and cause of our sanctification and vnto repentance as they haue reference vnto vs who being regenerate and indued with Gods spirit doe labour in the mortification of our corruptions and indeauour to serue the Lord in newnesse of life for Spiritu sancto acti agimus we being first moued and set a worke by Gods spirit doe worke together with him This diuision hath it ground and warrant in many places of holy Scriptures in which it is expressed in diuers phrases and formes of speech Psal 34 14. and 37.27 Esa 1.16.17 Rom. 5.11.18 Eph. 4.22.23 Psal 34.14 Escew euill and doe good Esa 1.16.17 Cease to doe euill learne to doe well Rom. 6.11 likewise thinke ye also that ye are dead to sinne but are aliue to God in Iesus Christ our Lord. And v. 18. Being free from sin ye are made the seruants of righteousnesse Ephes 4.22 That ye cast of concerning the conuersation in time past the old man which is corrupt through the deceiuable lusts 23. And be renewed in the spirit of your minde 24. And put on the new man which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse So Rom. 7.4.8.13 1. Cor. 5.7 Col. 2.12.3.9 Gal. 5.16 1. Pet. 2.24.3.11 By al which places and many others it is cleere and manifest that our sanctification consisteth of these two parts the mortifying of the flesh and the quickning of the spirit § Sect. 2 Mortification is the first part of sanctification Of Mortification what it is and how it is wrought wherein the spirit of God applying vnto vs the vertue and power of Christs death and buriall doth by little and little weaken subdue and kill in vs our naturall corruption the flesh and the lusts thereof so that they are not so powrfull as in times past to stirre vp in our mindes euill motions which are contrarie to the will and word of God In this description is set downe first the
our selues with these cartropes of iniquitie Gods fearefull plagues and heauie iudgements It is true indeede that God is long suffering and slow to anger but if hereby wee take occasion to continue in our sinnes and doe delay our repentance what doe we else but treasure vp against our selues wrath against the day of wrath Rom. 2.5 and the declaration of the iust iudgement of God It is most certaine that God is not easily prouoked to wrath and anger but let not this incourage vs to continue in our sinnes for if it be once inflamed it is so fierce and terrible that with the heate thereof it drieth vp the seas and so powerfull that he maketh therewith the earth to tremble and the mountaines to melt like waxe in his presence and the voyce of his furie doth breake and rent in sunder the ceaders yea the mightie strong ceaders of Libanus as the scripture speaketh As therefore fire doth burne more hotly in such solid matter as is long in kindling then in flaxe or straw which is soone inflamed and soone extinguished so the anger of God is not easily inflamed but if it be once kindled it burneth so furiously that nothing will quench it but the blood of Christ applied by faith and the streaming teares of vnfained repentance Seeing then Gods iudgements are so fearefull and his anger so terrible let vs carefully take heede of prouoking his wrath against vs by our sinnes He 2.10.31 for it is a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of the liuing God § Sect. 4 Fourthly let vs meditate vpon the day of iudgement The fourth reason taken from them day of iudgement when as we must giue an account not onely of our words and workes but also of our secret thoughts before a most iust iudge who with the all-seeing eye of his diuine knowledge searcheth and beholdeth the very heart and reynes in the presence also of men and Angels And this will restraine vs from falling into sinne though it may be so secretly acted that we neede not to feare in this life either shame or punishment For let it be supposed that we can hide our sinnes from the sight of all men yet what wil this benefit vs if God against whom we sinne and before whom as our supreme iudge we must giue an account doe looke vpon vs what will it profit vs though time weare our offences out of mans remembrance if God keepe a faithfull register of them and ingraue our reckoning with a penne of yron what will it helpe vs if by our cunning conueyances we can hide our sinnes and auoyde shame or with an impudent forehead can face them out without blushing if our nakednesse be discouered and our shame proclamed in the presence of God and all his Saints and Angels What will it auaile vs to be exempted from punishment in this life through our great power and vncontrouleable authoritie or to escape the penaltie of humaine lawes by the intercession of friends or by corrupting the iudge or by procuring the princes pardon if againe we must be arraigned before such an vpright iudge as respecteth no persons receiueth no rewards and being found guiltie be condemned vnto the eternall torments of hell fire When therefore we heare the voyce of Sathans temptations alluring vs to commit sinne let vs also haue the voyce of the Archangell sounding in our eares Arise ye dead and come vnto iudgement when the world tempteth vs vnto sinne on the one side by intising promises of honors pleasures and riches and on the otherside by terrifying threatnings of losse daunger or punishment let vs call to minde the day of iudgement when either we must heare the sentence of saluation Matth. 25. Come ye blessed of my father and inherit the kingdome prepared for you c or the sentence of condemnation Depart ye cursed into hell fire which is prepared for the diuell and his angels and then shall not the momentanie vanities of the world so forcibly draw vs into the snares of sinne 2. Pet. 3.11 Iude. 14.15 as the remembrance of the heauenly ioyes prepared for vs in Gods kingdome will retaine vs in holy obedience then will not the worlds threats of temporarie miseries so strongly vrged vs to wound our consciences with the sting of sinne as the feare to heare the definitiue sentence of eternall condemnation will restraine vs from it § Sect. 5 Lastly The fifth reason taken from the manifold euils of sinne let vs call to minde the manifold euils wich sinne causeth both to body and soule in this life and the life to come and so though the vglinesse of it selfe will not make vs to flee from it yet the miserable effects which it produceth may moue vs to abhorre it Consider therefore that there is no euill vnder the sunne in this life or afterwards which is not a fruit of this cursed roote it subiecteth the bodie to sicknesse and diseases hunger and thirst cold and wearinesse the minde to ignorance and blindnesse the will to peruersnesse the affections to all preposterous disorder it ruinateth the estate and bringeth a man to pouertie and extreame miserie it maketh the whole man obnoxious to the curse of the law the anger of God and all those innumerable euils which euer accompanie them In this world it bringeth the body to death and corruption and in the world to come both body and soule to condemnation and endlesse destruction it depriueth vs of our heauenly inheritance and the euerlasting ioyes of Gods kingdome and plungeth vs into the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone In a word there is no euill which can be imagined which doth not proceede from this euill of sinne and therefore though it seeme neuer so sweete to our carnall appetites yet being mixed with this gall and wormewood of innumerable euils let vs loath and abhorre it when the vaine and vncertaine benefits which it promiseth moue vs to imbrace it let the miserable euils which accompanie it and the most assured and surpassing ioyes which it depriueth vs of make vs to auoyde it as a deadly stinging serpent CHAP. VI. Of some speciall meanes whereby we may be preserued from falling into sinne § Sect. 1 ANd these are the reasons whereby euery one may be armed against Sathans suggestions The first meanes is to auoyde the occasion of sinne tempting him vnto sinne and be moued vnto a christian resolution of possessing body and soule in holinesse and puritie now we are to speake of some speciall meanes whereby the christian thus resolued may be preserued from falling into such grieuous sinnes as wound the conscience and hinder him in the course of sanctification 1. Thes 5.22 First he that would auoyde sinne must carefully also auoyde the occasions thereof which are strong inducements to draw him vnto sinne for as it is great folly for a man who dreadeth burning to be alwaies medling with fire and gunpowder so is it no lesse
vnto vs. with Sathans temptations drawne from the reliques of our sinnes the strength of our corruptions and the imperfections and small measure of our sanctification let vs further consider first that these reliques of sinne shall not bee imputed vnto vs nor come in iudgement before God to our condemnation because by faith we are vnited vnto Christ and so made partakers of the vertue and merits of his death and passion whereby he hath satisfied Gods iustice for our sinnes so that they cannot now condemne vs nor draw vpon vs any punishment and likewise wee are made partakers of his perfect righteousnesse and obedience to the law which as a rich robe doth couer and hide our patched ragges of imperfection So then though we see the reliques of sinne and our manifold imperfections let vs not be discouraged hereby from labouring in the worke of sanctification but rather striue and endeuour to mortifie our sinnes and aspire to more and more perfection And if besides our purpose wee be led captiue of sin let vs remember that we haue an aduocate with the father Iesus Christ the iust 1. Ioh. 2.1.2 and that he is the reconciliation for our sinnes so that though they make vs condemne our selues in our own consciences yet they shall neuer condemne vs before God And this the Apostle Paul sheweth vnto vs for hauing in the seuenth chapter of his epistle to the Romanes declared that the faithfull haue remaining in them the flesh and reliques of their old corruptions which powerfully hinder them from doing the good they would and moue them to commit the euill which they would not least any hereby should be discouraged in the sight and sense of his corruptions hee presently addeth in the beginning of the eighth chapter that notwithstanding the flesh and the corruptions therof which before he had spoken of remained in vs yet there was no condemnation to those who were in Christ Iesus and hee yeeldeth this reason because the law of the spirit of life which is in Christ Iesus had freed them from the law of sinne and of death that is because the power and vertue of the spirit of God which is the author of life by vniting vs as members vnto the bodie of Christ in whom we liue and by sprinkling our consciences with his precious bloud had deliuered them from the force and power of sinne and death so that now it could not condemne them nor oblige and binde them to guilt and punishment as in former times Seeing therefore the sting of sinne is taken away that it cannot condemne vs let vs not so feare it as that it should moue vs desperately to cast away our weapons not daring to encounter it for though this our enemie may assault vs yet it cannot ouercome vs though it may wound vs yet it cannot kill vs though it may giue vs a foyle yet in the end wee are sure of victorie if we manfully resist and labour to subdue it § Sect. 6 Secondly let vs consider that the Lord doth not require of vs vnder the Gospel such exact and perfect righteousnes That the Lord in the Gospell requireth not perfect obedience to the law as was required vnder the Law which is altogether impossible to our corrupt nature and was neuer to be found in any man our Sauiour Christ excepted but onely that wee striue and labour to attaine vnto it he doth not require of vs that we should at once free our selues from the flesh and the corruptions thereof but that we endeuour to mortifie it according to the measure of grace and strength which wee haue receiued from him he doth not require of vs that wee be without sinne but that sinne doe not rule in our mortall bodies that wee should like slaues obey it willingly in the lusts thereof and that also wee hating and abhorring it doe continually make warre against it and subdue it by little and little seeing we cannot at once wholy vanquish it He doth not now require of vs that we should performe perfect obedience to the law which Christ hath performed for vs but that we doe our best endeuour and though we cannot attaine to our desire Rom. 7.12.22 yet at least that wee be delighted in the law of God concerning the inner man and consent vnto it that it is good holy and iust In a word this is the Christian mans righteousnes which God requireth that he hate sinne and loue godlines that hee desire and endeuour to mortifie the flesh and corruptions thereof and labour to leade a new life in holy obedience and if contrarie to his desire and purpose he doe the euill which hee hateth or leaue vndone the good which hee loueth that he sorrow and grieue for his sinnes and imperfections and making confession hereof before the throne of grace doe implore mercie and forgiuenesse in Christ Iesus And if wee offer vnto God this righteousnesse it will be acceptable vnto him notwithstanding our manifold imperfections for hee measureth our deede by our will and esteemeth more of our affections than of our actions August Nec intuetur Deus quantum quilibet valeat sed quantum velit quicquid vis non potes Deus factum computat He respecteth not what we can doe but what we would do and that which we could performe and cannot he esteemeth it as though it were performed So that hee reputeth him righteous who earnestly desireth and laboureth to be righteous and him perfect who acknowledging and bewailing his imperfections striueth to attaine to more perfection Wherein he fitly may be compared vnto a tender louing father who esteemeth of the least endeuours of his beloued sonne more than of the best actions of a seruant because hee regardeth not so much the excellencie of the action as the person and cheerefull will of the agent § Sect. 7 Now the reasons why the Lord being perfectly iust will notwithstanding accept of our imperfect righteousnesse VVhy the Lord accepteth of our imperfect righteousnesse is first because we being made members of Christs bodie our persons are acceptable vnto him and therefore our workes also not in their own worthines or for their own merit but in and for Christ are accepted the corruptions and staines of them being washed away in his bloud and the imperfections of them being couered with Christs perfect righteousnesse And thus being adorned in the garment of our elder brother Christ Iesus we obtaine the blessing of our heauenly father Secondly our righteousnesse and holinesse doth proceede from the spirit of God dwelling in vs and from hence our workes being imperfect in themselues doe receiue their dignitie excellencie and estimation in Gods sight as being the fruites of his own spirit howsoeuer mingled with our corruptions § Sect. 8 Thirdly let vs remember that our sinnes and corruptions which we hate and labour to mortifie will neuer mooue the Lord to reiect and cast vs out of his loue and fauour That
and the Lord withdraweth his assisting hand from the proud to the end that hee may learne to be more humble by his grieuous falles yea he resisteth him and therefore how is it possible that he should stand but contrariwise he giueth grace to the humble and filleth him who acknowledgeth his own emptinesse with good things 1. Pet. 5.5 Luk. 1.53 but the proud who is full in his owne conceit he fendeth emptie away § Sect. 14 That we may be moued to rest on Christ alone Secondly he leaueth in vs corruptions and imperfections to the end that wee should not rest in our owne righteousnes for our iustification and saluation which though it were as great as Adams in the state of innocencie yet it were no sure ground to rest vpon but in the alone righteousnesse of Christ Iesus which is all-sufficient and a foundation so vnremoueable that all the power of hell cannot ouerturne it nor any that are built vpon it Vpon which sure pillar wee would hardly relie so long as we haue in our hand the reede of our owne righteousnesse wee being naturallie inclined rather to seeke for saluation in our selues than elsewhere § Sect. 15 That we may be exercised in the Christian warfare Thirdly he leaueth in vs these spirituall enemies that wee may exercise our selues in fighting against them and so bee kept from idlenesse the mother and nurse of all euill and as he would not at once cast out the Canaanites before the Israelites but by little and little least the land should grow vnto a wildernesse and the wilde beasts should multiplie against them so he would not suddenly cast out our spirituall enemies but suffreth vs to preuaile against them by little and little least giuing our selues vnto idlenesse when there is no opposition made against vs there grow in vs as in a wildernes the noysome weeds and thornes of sin and the wild beasts of all outragious wickednesse which would deuoure and vtterly destroy vs. Whereas contrariwise when wee are assaulted outwardly with the forces of sathan and the world and inwardly with the flesh and our natural corruptions we haue enemies against whom wee may exercise our faith affiance hope patience courage and all other graces which we haue receiued and by exercise increase them wee fight the Lords battailes like his valiant souldiers and being assisted by his holie spirit wee obtaine victorie and with our conquest a more excellent crowne of eternall glorie Reuel 2.26.27 and 3.21 as appeareth Reuel 2.26 27. and 3.21 § Sect. 16 Lastly he suffereth vs to be molested and vexed with the reliques of our sinnes That we may be moued to loath the world and to long for eternall life that hereby he may make vs to loath this world and vale of miserie wherein we can doe nothing but breake the commaundements of our deare louing father and may be moued to desire that heauenly life in Gods kingdome when hauing laid aside all corruption we shall be indued with all perfection and be fully enabled to performe such obedience vnto God as he requireth For seeing sinne is not fully vanquished till it be subdued by our death nor we euer at rest and free from the assaults thereof till we rest in the graue therefore the children of God are content to forsake the world because they can no otherwise forsake their sinnes and desire rather to indure death than they would haue sinne to liue with them as appeareth in the example of the Apostle Paul Phil. 1.22.23 Phil. 1.22.23 § Sect. 17 And thus haue I shewed the wisedome and power of God who turneth euen the sinnes of his children to their good The conclusion of the former point which are in their owne nature euill and therefore though we are continually to bewaile them to desire by al meanes to be freed from them yet we are not desperatly to sinke vnder them not daring to encounter them seeing now they cannot condemne vs nay not so much as hurt vs but rather are so ordered by Gods all-wise prouidence that they serue for the manifestation of his glorie and furthering of our saluation so that we doe not with willing delight nor slauish feare yeeld vnto them but to the vttermost of our power make resistance and desire and indeauour to ouercome them § Sect. 18 Now in the fist and last place let vs consider The last consolation taken from our assured victorie against sinne that though our flesh be neuer so strong and the innumerable corruptions thereof seeme vnresistable and though on the other side our spirituall man seeme neuer so weake and feeble yet we are not hereby to be discouraged seeing the regenerate part shall most certainely obtaine the victorie in the end though in the conflict it receiueth many foyles And though this little Dauid seeme in the eyes of a carnall Saul to be farre to weake and altogether vnable to encounter that great Goliah the flesh with the powerfull lusts thereof yet in the end it will most certainly preuaile and get the conquest because the spirit is the Lords champion which goeth out in the name of the Lord to sight against his enemies the flesh the diuels souldier who is Gods enemie That is strengthened and supported with the power of God which being insinit is vnresistable this by the power of Sathan and the world whose power is finite and so restrained and ouerruled by Gods might that they cannot stirre without his leaue and permission Vnlesse therefore we would blasphemously imagine that the flesh and his assistants are of greater power than God himselfe or that God will suffer this disgrace that his champion should be ouerthrowne by his professed enemies we may most certainely assure our selues that we shall get the day and obtaine a famous victorie And therefore let not Sathan discourage vs by setting before our eyes our owne weaknesse and the mightie oppositions which are made against vs but arming our selues with the christian armour and trusting wholy in the power of Gods might let vs valiantly incounter our spirituall enemies and neuer giue ouer fighting till by death we haue giuen vnto them a finall ouerthrow and so shall we be crowned with an vnualuable crowne of immortall glorie CHAP. VIII Sathans temptations drawne from our slow progresse in sanctification answered § Sect. 1 ANd so much for answering Sathans temptations Sathans temptation grounded vpon our little profiting in christiantie drawne from the reliques of sinne which remaine in vs and the small measure of our sanctification the second temptation whereby he laboreth to discourage the weake christian from going forward in his course of true godlinesse he taketh from his slow progresse and slacke proceedings in sanctification vpon which occasion he thus assaulteth him Thou laborest much will he say and toylest thy selfe with intollerable paines that thou maiest become a sanctified man but all in vaine for though thou hearest the word often and readest much