these words that thy faith faile not or if you wil this being the end that Christ aimed at in his praiers or the fruit effect that followeth thē in all Christ shewing that is through his most feruent and continual praiers that the whole Church and the particular members of it are so vpheld that they do neuer vtterly nor neuer shall vtterly fal away from the faith which thing spoken here as it should seeme particularly to of Peter and yet notwithstanding in truth vprightnes to be extended to all the faithfull because there is in their measure manner a like cōsideratiō of them in al euery faithfull person is more at large described prooued in the 17. of Iohn Where we may see that Christs praier was frō the beginning is now and shal be to the end of the worlde the very foundation and groundwork of the stability and continuance of the Church of God Another sore assault that after the former yea and indeede at the least wise in outward shew vpon the former Satan maketh against vs or giueth vnto vs is this If thy sinnes harm thee not neither indeed cā hurt thee as thou saiest thou maiest after thou beleeuest once sinne without feare of punishment Thou dealest Sathan like a Sathan now that in a double respect first in the end of thy temptations labouring euery way if it may be to ouerthrow my faith and obedience In the former thou didst assaye to drawe me to despaire In this latter thou labourest to throwe me headlong into securitie So that thou effect my ruine thou carest not by what meane by either of these or by both of them together or by any other God hath discouered this vnto me I hūblie thanke him hoping that he that hath giuen me grace to espie thy subtletie wil also graunt me strength to ouercome it Secōdly herein thou shewest thy selfe an aduersary in that thou doest falsifie peruert my words Where did I say simply that sinne could not hurt or harme This I beleeue in my heart haue and will confesse it vnto the end with my mouth that being ingrafted into Christ my sinnes past or present cannot condemne me no more then they haue done the faithfull which haue gone before me in the flesh and in faith And what haue I saide here but that which the Scripture speaketh euery where The Apostle telleth vs. Rom. 8. in termes that cannot be corrupted with false glosses there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus That againe that the spirit speaketh out of the Prophet Ieremie as a parte and peece of the newe couenant Hebrewes 8. tendeth to the same ende saying I will be mercifull to their vnrighteousnes I will remember their sinnes their iniquities no more That our sinnes offend our most gracious heauenly father that they grieue the holy ghost within vs yea that we by thē not only as it were with cartrops but with gable ropes pul vpon vs though not eternall yet tēporary corporall punishments so indeed do harme hurt vs I neuer denied nor will deny because the truth and certenty of al euery one of these things is propounded vnto vs in the worde of God But in what sense I haue saide thus I haue shewed before and let that suffise As for that that thou woldst haue me to infer thervpon namely that therefore I might liue as I list sinne without controulment it is most false in it self most irreligious before God most vnseasonable in the sight iudgement of men Doth not the Apostle tell vs Rom. 8 that they that are led by the spirit of God are the childēr of God what meneth he thereby any thing els but this that they that are by the grace of God through the worke of regeneration in the power of the spirit and the exercises of the word freed frō sinne do not remaine or continue therein And is not the same that he expresseth in an other place in other tearmes saying our olde man is crucified with Christ that the bodie of sinne might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serue sinne If we knowe any thing in Christ or of Christ we knowe this that so many as are iustified from their sinns by faith in his blood are also by the spirit of Christ sāctified vnto obedience of his wil for these are the two fruits that we haue in by the death and rising againe of our Sauiour from whēce also there followeth this comfort to the faith full that they doe many times in some good measure withstand and ouercome sinne not in others only but in themselues principally And sure we are of these that that sanctification which we haue in and from Christ by obedience of his will can no more be seperated from free iustificatiō from all our vnrighteousnesse through his blood then heat from fire or light and warmeth from the body of the sunne And therefore euen this declareth Satā that thou art a falsifier of all good words and workes But besides I tel thee that sith we may by effects gather arguments to our selus touching the saluation of our soules that therfore thou canst not or shalt not herein shake my faith I take it to be the generall drift of the Apostle 2. Cor. 13. to prooue that by effects we may iudge of our owne and other mens good estates before God Sith therfore God giueth vs that leaue it behoueth vs with all careful indeauour as to vphold these good things in vs so carefully to see whether we can truely finde them in our selues or no or the more in number the more great and excellent in qualitie and the more assured we shall after due examination finde them to be in vs the more assured we may be concerning our owne saluatiō so much the more valiantly oppose our selues against Sathat in this same dangerous combate Whereof also as seemeth to me there is great reason For if our sinnes which are from Sathans malice or our owne corruption do grieue vs possesse our hearts with feare why shall not the fruits of our faith and obedience which are from God yeeld vs comfort fill our hearts with hope not because they are in vs for so we doe many times weaken them at the lest if not impaire or hurt them but as they are in vs from God who we are sure will accept of his owne good workes and graces vouchsafed vnto vs. Lastly I say that as we abstaine not from meate and drinke and other necessarie aides of naturall life because we knowe that the tearme and time of the said life is limited by God so there is no man vnles he be wittingly and wilfully wicked that therefore will giue himselfe ouer to sinne because he is assured of his owne saluation for that were to turne the grace of God into wantonesse to abuse the best grace that euer God gaue vs nay rather a good mā wil therefore the more heedily beware of sinne abstaine frō it because he knoweth that sinne in it own nature grieueth god make the seperatiō between the Lord and vs and cleaue fast vnto righteousnes well doing because our forsaking euill or departing from it as also our accomplishment and performance of good thinges is a pledge of our electiō as the Apostle saith The strong foundation of God remaineth sure hauing this seale set vnto it first the Lord knoweth them that are his and secondly let euery one that calleth vpō the name of the lord Iesus Christ depart from iniquitie And there fore I tell thee Satan I cannot harken to any of thy voices much lesse to this by which thou labourest to thrust me headlong into loose life which wil prouoke god hurt mine owne soule and hinder other men from faith full obedience but detest thee and it wil by gods grace flie from these and all other corruptions whatsoeuer thou wouldst stirre me vnto FINIS
light of truth and smale strength of perswasion that God by his word outwardly and by his spirit inwardly hath bene pleased to worke in the hearts of them that belong vnto him And of this sort are their imaginations of iustification before God by workes of the Popes absolute supremacy authority ouer all of the sufficiency of the sacrifice of the masse of inuocation of dead Saints and Angels with a thousand such like abhominations and sinnes all which do both derogate and deface the excellency and sufficiency of our Sauiour Christs person nature offices names and all and also snare intangle mens mindes for whose safety and good they would seeme to prouide in this such other conceits of their owne forgery for though it be pleasant to flesh and blood to heare much of mans merits mans freewil and many such like that they hould all tending to puffe vp man that against God yet indeede to speake the truth what peace or coÌ„fort can there be in these things when man 's owne knowledge both before after regeneratioÌ„ shal within himselfe in others directly staÌ„d vp against the same To take one or two of theÌ„ that so by theÌ„ we may iudge of the rest What maÌ„ that knoweth or feeleth not onely his backwardnes to good things but his inclination ready good will to all euill and that not onely before inlightening but after also will so much as suppose that he can deserue any thing before god especially if he do well diligently obserue his owne waies workes in thoughts in desires in word in deed he euery day yea euery houre of a day yea I wil say more euery minute of an houre sinning highly and heinously all these waies Again what hope caÌ„ the heart haue in invocating any other theÌ„ the true euerliuing god Where first men knowe not whether they heare their praiers or no secondly they may doubt of their good will towards them as of a thing very vncerten thirdly be past al doubt of their ability to help And what vncertenty is this nay what a dangerous and deadly rocke is it to fling men vpon not only as in regard of things appertaining to this life which is much but as in regard of their soules that that is to come which is more And yet of all other most heauy for a Christian man as in regard of his owne particular to thinke vpon this is one that they teach all men in euery place to doubt of their iustification and saluation As though forsooth mans heart were not â—o much inclined to diffidence distrustfulnes either by their own corruption or Satans malice against them but that these as the deuills bellowes and blowefiers must make it to burne and to flame out euen to the vtter wasting what in theÌ„ lieth of all those that are infected with this poison And least they should seeme to be madde without reason and to thrust an other into spirituall madnes also they alleadge scriptures lash out reasons pretend authority of fathers and doctours and I cannot tell what as though with a mightie voice of great waters they would carrie all downe hand smooth as we say before them These things when I considered I did not onely in holy zeale against the common adversary but in care of the peace for mine owne soule and in love towards other men thinke vpon some thing that might serue for the confutation of the aduersarie and for the confirmation and establishing of vs in the present truth And though it be true that the ouerthrowe of errour and falshood be in some sort the vnderpropping of truth and veritie yet haue not I assaied for the staâ—e of my selfe and others onely to supplant corruption an vntruth but also to defend that truth that God hath propounded in his word and we heare sounded in our Churches namely that euery faithfull man ought to be certenly assured of his free iustification and euerlasting saluation through Christ And herein I haue purposed and mind through Gods goodnes to performe and obserue this order following that is first to answere whatsoeuer they say and obiect against this truth And then afterwards to ratifie and confirme it And this I take to be necessarie not onely because our aduersaries forces being weakened yea vtterly ouerthrown our own may be found to be the more strong and better able to staÌ„d in the day of a newe assault if euer the aduersary should dare to attempt the giuing thereof but also because euill and corruption being first remooued out of the heads hearts of men the truth tendered might finde the better entertainment there For euen as a good gardiner or husbandman laboureth first to fit the ground for seed and hearbe by digging and tilling of it and in rooting out noysome and bad things assaieth to make it meet for the good seed â—e purposeth to sow or set there So must we doe then when we offer or mind to make fruitful in meÌ„s mindes the seede of the truth and word of God not onely doing what we can to remooue and take away the naturall blindenesse and ignorance of God and good things that is in men yea and that same seede of errour and heresie that Satan by himselfe and his supposts in malice against God and mischiefe towards men hath cast and spread abroad in the world but also to plant cause to thriue the word of truth and life All our aduersaries arguments are drawne either from diuine authoritie as the holy scriptures and word of God foulie wrested and misvnderstood as when we come to the handling of the places which they obiect shall I doubt not through Gods goodnes plainely appeare or els froÌ„ humane testimonies and reason of which sure we need make no great reckoning not onely because they are as easily reiected as alleadged but also because we acknowledge no other obiect or ground of our consciences to stay ourselues vpon but the holy scriptures or writteÌ„ word of God And therefore sauing that we would haue all to vnderstand yea euen the very adversaries themselues that they are not able for the defence of falshood through the malice of Satan and their owne corruption to alleadge any thing which through the grace of God shed abroad into our hearts and the light of truth vouchsafed vnto vs we are not able both plainely to discrie and sufficieÌ„tly to coÌ„fute we might let al that passe without any maÌ„ner of touch at all we wil begin first with those things they alleadge out of scriptures because they onely indeed are materiall so afterwards come to humane authorities Nowe because the scriptures of God are not vnrightly deuided into the old and newe Testament and they alleadge somewhat out of both for the maintenance of this corrupt point we will first answere the places of the old Testament and after of the newe Places out of the old Testament They commonly alleadge from thence such places as
effect of the sight and sense of vnworthines in the Saints of God but hastening rather vnto the Lord that so in him that accounteth them worthy of euery thing and froÌ„ him alone they may bee replenished with his aboundant mercy Onely that word sufficiently worthily which here els where they vrge so much in the sense that they vse it to the purpose that they apply it we vtterly mislike for the grace of God in our iustification saluation c. doth not depend vpon our sufficiency worthines which indeed is none if we respect our selus as we haue heard sundry times already but vpoÌ„ the free gracious promise of god vpoÌ„ the absolut infinite merite of Christs obedience For therefore indeed are the promises published and therefore also is the sonne of God become made our mediatour intercessour because we are vtterly vnworthy of al or any fauour whereas if we had worthines in and of our selues these things had bin needles that for his sake through his obedience the father might declare himself to be gracious mercifull vnto vs according vnto which it is said Romaines the 8. There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus c. So that we may see that a godlie hart will easilie confesse yea ought indeed to acknowledge both that he is vnworthie which he cannot choose but doe if he consider well Gods iustice his owne daylie and hourely transgressions euerie manner of way c. and that yet notwithstanding he ought stedfastly to beleeue the promises of the Gospell and namely this that beeing truely penitent wee are for Christs sake receiued into fauour whereof if he respect gods faithfulnesse Christs obedience his owne comfort and good thereby he cannot but be rightly and assuredly perswaded of the same 10 Their tenth argumeÌ„t they frame thus where there is infirmitie and weakenesse of faith there cannot be an assured perswasion hope and boldnesse But in them that are turned to God there is great infirmitie and weakenesse of faith therefore men cannot be assuredly certified of Gods fauour the forgiuenesse of their sinnes eternall saluation c. We cannot but deny the maior proposition of this sillogisme And least we should seeme to do it without good cause why I beseech you marke that that followeth Weaknes of faith and certainety of faith are not opposite or contrary for weakenesse and certaintie of one and the selfe same thing may be in one and the selfe same subiect at one and the selfe same time because they are diuerse and not contrarie but the opposite or contrarie to infirmitie and weakenes is strength The father of the childe that hath a dumbe spirite whome the disciples could not cast out and Christ told him that if he could beleeue al things were possible vpon the speach of Christ cried out with teares and as he confessed the weakenes of his faith so he earnestly prayed for vnderpropping and vpholding of it said Lord I beleeue helpe my vnbeleefe Mark the ninth And of the same nature is the praier that the Apostles make when they praye and saye Lord increase our faith c. For though faith in it selfe bee alwaies one as there is but one god one faith one Baptisme c. Ephesians the fourth And that it hath but one obiect to wit God as he hath reueâ—led himselfe in his word and in the face of his Sonne Iesus Christ yet as in regard either of the dailie increases of it through the powerfull working of Gods holie spirite or the cooling or weakening of it by the remainder of our owne sinnes or Satans malice against vs wee may be said sometimes to bee strong and sometimes to be weake in it and sometimes to grow in it and sometimes to be at a stand as it were And this is that that the Apostle saieth The iust proceedeth from faith to faith and againe the spirite of and withstanding Satan saieth Whom resist strong in faith As also this that the Apostle Saint Paule saieth of Abraham the father of the faithfull and friend of God that he not weake in faith c. Romaines the fourth Yea one and the selfe same godlie man as in respect of sundrie times and diuerse occasions may be said to be strong in this holie vertue and weake also What a faith was this in Peter by Christs comfortable wordes not onely to expell feare but in the strength and power of Christs speach vnto him and saying Come to vvalke vpon the vvater And yet what weakenesse was this in seeing of a winde to be afraied c. God making vs in him to beehold this trueth that while wee looke vpon him through Christ we are strong and bold as a lion but when we leaue vpon our selues or the arme of flesh and blood or regard calamities wee are as weake as water and readie to sinke Therefore in the maior proposition wee may well and easilie perceiue that they neither deale plainely with the cause For as in that behalfe they should not haue vsed infirmitie or weakenes of faith but doubting because the question is not of weakenes and wants in Gods Saints which they carrie about with them not onely in their faith but in all other good graces besides but of doubting and distrustfulnesse which indeede is wickednesse and euill these two differing as much as good and badd light and darkenesse and that not onely in their manner and natures but in their effects also Weakenesse working in vs running vnto God for strength and doubting driuing vs for the time and in some measure from him to others that indeed can not steed vs though it may bee wee may deeme otherwise I say they neither deale plainely with the cause it selfe nor with the trueth of religion and the word For faith or coÌ„fidence in God through Iesus Christ whether it be firme or vnfirme strong or weake may be assured and certainlie determine concerning Gods grace forgiuenesse of sinnes and eternall saluation though not as in regard of the strength or certainetie of it selfe yet as in respect of the strength power and assurance of the obiect whereabout it is occupied to wit gods mercie manifested in his Sonne Iesus Christ and declared by the sweete and comfortable promises of the word the reason is because faith though weake doeth laye hold of as much and appropriate or apply as much as a firme or strong faith that is Iesus Christ wholie with all his benefits and merits though it doe not so stronglie or as we may say somewhat more weakely apprehend and applie him So that the difference is not in the certainetie and assurance of faith for he that is weake therein may for 〈◊〉 measure bee as well and certainely assured as he that is strong but for the manner or measure of apprehending or applying Iesus Christ Therefore as he that layeth fast hold of a thing though it bee but weake or feeble is yet for himselfe as well assured
sound or that god may not distribute his graces as he will to some more to some lesse to none all it were somewhat But these things being as they are Hieroms collection cannot be very good But let it be as may be wee say nothing to deface him or to puffe vp our selues but to shewe that the aduersaries haue not nor cannot any maÌ„ner of way haue such hold of him or from him as they suppose And the like may we say of al the rest whose authorities we cease further to answer as we because that which hath beene said to these will suffice to satisfie the other as also because we would auoid tediousnesse not onely in matter vnnecessarie but euen also in that which is necessary and so make hast to more materiall points and matter of more weight and importance Hitherto wee haue bin busied and I hope not vnprofitably in aunswering whatsoeuer our aduersaries haue beene able to alleadge either out of Scripture or from reason or fathers against the certainetie of faith in the fauour of God touching our saluation c. or for the maintenance and vpholding of that doubtfulnesse and distrust which they hold in themselues and would obtrude or thrust vnto others By all which it plainely and euidently appeareth that that doctrine of theirs concerning doubting is not conteined in the word of God or the writings of the fathers rightly vnderstood or is grounded vpon anie sound or religious reason and that therefore indeede it is not to be accounted a Scripture doctrine or a doctrine conteined in the bookes and writinges of holie men indued with sound and vpright iudgement but is taken rather as a dreame and fantasie of their owne which together with with them will vanish awaye they beeing so farre of their preiudising the trueth which they haue seemed to oppugne and impugne that they haue rather established and confirmed the same so true here and else where euen in all respects must that be that the Apostle Saint Paule speaketh in the second to the CorinthiaÌ„s the thirteene where he saith We cannot do any thing against the truth but for the trueth Now we are in as few words as possiblie wee can to declare that this their doctrine of doubting directly striueth against gods holy word the writings of the founder fathers religions reason and whatsoeuer else we can recken vp that so when wee see it hath not onely nothing for it but all against it wee may cast it away with bissing and so more soundlie cleaue and stick to the truth of God and his word 1 This doctrine of the papists concerning doubting of Gods grace our owne saluation c. is first directlie contrarie to two sorts of testimonies contained in the holie Scriptures or writinges of God The first sort is of them that doe manifestlie and plainely instruct vs coÌ„cerning the assurednesse of faith and the certainetie confidencie and boldnes of beleeuers shewing also withall that by faith and the sound fruites thereof we may safelie iudge and determine concerning election specially our owne The second sort is of them in which God himselfe by his word and spirite hath sharpely reprooued and iustly condemned doubting concerning himselfe his goodnesse power word promises therin contained To put downe all the particular places of both kindes in the verie words of the text would bee tedious and indeed vnnecessarie because the trueth of the doctrin of the word standeth not in the multitude and conformitie of places but vpon God and that sufficient credit in it selfe that God hath giuen to it Notwithstanding wee will touch some and by quotation onely referre the godlie and studious reader to the the rest that we thinke meet for this purpose and to his continuall reading of the word by which we may doubtlesse add many more of the like nature In the epistle to the Hebreues there are two worthy places The 1. is chap. 4. v. 16. where he saith Let vs boldly go therefore vnto the throne of grace that we may receiue mercie and finde grace to help in time of neede Wee may perceiue that it is an exhortation inferred vpon the premises containing in them a reason of this our christian boldnes namely this that howsoeuer Christs priesthood was farre more excellent and glorious then that of Aaron because he is the sonne of God placed in heauen c. Yet that glorie of his should not hinder vs from approching vnto him but rather further vs indeed not onely because he hath the fulnes of all power in his hand as v. 14. but also because he is our eldest brother and is not onely sensibly touched with the feeling of out infirmities and miseries but accounteth them all euen as his owne and therefore wee may come with coÌ„fidence and boldnes vnto him The 2. place is chap. 10. ver 22. where he saith Let vs draw neere with a true heart in assurance of faith our harts being pure from an euill conscience It is an exhortation as the former drawne indeed froÌ„ the maiestie dignitie of Christs priesthood set out and described verse â—â— in which the Apostle sheweth not onely how that all sufficient sacrifice which Christ hath offred once for al vpon the altar of the crosse may be applyed vnto vs to wit by a liuely stedfast faith which he câ—leth here assuraÌ„ce of faith but also how we may be persuaded we haue that faith namely through the sanctification of the spirit which he meaneth by hauing our hearts purged from an euill conscience c. all which causeth vs also assuredly to hope and trust in god and to be assured of his grace because wee see we haue not receiued his grace in vaine To which wee may adde a place out of the first epistle of Peter chap. 1. ver 15. Wherefore gird vp the loynes of your minde bee sober and trust perfectly on that graâ—â— that is brought vnto you in the reuelation of Iesus Christ In which words we may not onely see a transition from one vertue to another that is from faith which he had spoken of before to hope which he now dealeth with they being indeede inseparable companions such as go arme in arme as we may 〈◊〉 but also he doeth very briefly declare what manner of hope that is that we should haue namely that it should be sound sincere continuall and to our vttermost perfect yea he teacheth vs whereon that hope staieth it selfe or what it respecteth grace saith he either the grace of the fauour of God in Christ or els free saluation reuealed vnto vs in the Gospell which also is called grace because it proceedeth from the free fauour and grace of God which is wrought vnto vs in this life through Christ manifested in his word and shall be fully accoÌ„plished when he that is our head shal appear for to ether of these or both of these may these words of the reuelation of Christ be referred though I thinke principally to the
there to be found for the weake safe and assured securitie and the rest vnlesse it be in the woundes of our sauiour I doe so much the more safely remaine and dwell there by howe much he is the more mighty to saue and deliuer And in his sermon concerning the fragments of the seuen mercies in his thirde sermon I consider or behold saith he three things in which all my hope consisteth gods grace or loue of addoption the trueth of his promise and his power to yeeld and performe it Nowe let my foolish thought and immagination murmure as much as it can or will saying who art thou or hovve great is that glory or by what merit hopest thou to obtaine these things But I for my part will confidently answere I knowe whoÌ„e I haue beleeued and againe I aunswere that in exceeding charitie or loue he hath adopted me that he is true and faithfull in all his promises and most mightie in performance of what soeuer pleaseth him If we would stand vpon testimonies out of the fathers touching this point we might make a volume By these men may iudge of the rest and plainely conclude against our aduersaries that their doctrine of doubting is as well directly against the writings of the fathers as the holie Scriptures and that therefore it is not a doctrin of the true auncient Church but a new inuention deuise growing in and preuailing vpon as other corruptions when the maister of iniquity beganne to worke or was growne to his heigth And so by all this treaty or discourse framed written against this popish opinion or doctrine of doubâ—ing wee maye plainely perceiue what wee are to thinke or iudge concerning the same namely as of a pointe directly opposite and contrarie both to the trueth of the worde of God written and also to the iudgement of the sounder sorte of diuines and therefore vtterlie to be refused and reiected as a loathsome and poysonfull thing against our soules and bodies For that which is not onely not contained in the holy Scriptures of God and the sounde writinges of the fathers in what respect I ioyne them together I haue declared before and therefore desire men not to bee offended therewith but also doeth openlye and manifestly contradict the same it may not nor ought not to be accounted for the doctrine of the Scriptures or sounder sort of fathers of the Scripture I say expressely because I am sure that proceeding from one god and written by one blessed and holy spirite euen the spirite of trueth it cannot deliuer contradictorie thinges howsoeuer other writers and men may but false and not onely vnsauoury but vnsound and therefore not onely not to be receiued in the Church but to be driuen and banished as farre from it as possibly may bee Hithereto wee haue dealte against our popish aduersaries blindelye and wickedlye maintaining doubting of Gods grace of the forgiuenesse of our owne sinnes and of eternall saluation wherein surely it is greatlye to bee lamented that through their waye-wardnesse wee haue beene constrained to spende so manye wordes in a matter which is not onely plainely testified and set out vnto vs in the holie Scriptures but a sorte as it were assuredly written and ingrauen in the hearts of men And were it not indeed that wee knowe the weake had need to be strengthned and the ignorant inâ—tructed rather for any good we hope will come of the confutation answering of our aduersaries we might well inough haue spared this labour and paine And yet because in this point of doctrin ther is contained a principall foundation of christian consolation we trust it is not labour mispent as wel these that are not so well exercised in it as they ought to be may be the better instructed as also that those that are weake may the more be comforted and strengthned And yet we cannot but say that this for the most part standeth in speculation and contemplation rather then in practise appoint that in this dissolute senselesse age of the world would be more regarded pressed vpon men though withall we denie not but that ther is a profitable vse both of the one and the other according to the diuersities of states and times wherein God is pleased to place his children For as speculatioÌ„ or contemplation is good for the chaunging of the state of our darkenesse and ignorance into light and knowledge so practise is good for the altring of our senselesse or careles condition into christian care and feeling That to wit speculation beloÌ„geth wholy to the minde and vnderstanding and it aimeth as at his generall buâ—â— or 〈◊〉 at general knowledge and comprehensions And this is the reasoning or disceptation of the heart and prepared principally for consolation and comforte that is to say yeeldeth to such consciences as are terrified and afflicted in temptations in the combat against sinne and the sense and feeling of Gods wrath against them for the same some spirituall ioy and consolation Both are necessarie in this Church and yet â—â—â—s latter of speciall vse for comforte Whereof though so manie stand not in need as of instruction because there are more ignoraunt and carelesse in the congregation then humbled and afflicted yet because their case is more hard and heauie for a wounded spirite who can be are it somewhat also would be said as in that behalfe Wherein sâ—â—h we our selues are not ignorant of the sleights and suggestions of Sathan and sith God hath furnished vs with spirituall armour and weapons to beat back the fierie darts of Sathan and hath reueiled himselfe in knowledge and comforte vnto vs not for our selues onely but for others that they with vs might be made partakers of the manifold graces of God let vs assaye from our owne feelings to doe good vnto others and what we can comforte and succour all those that are afflicted Satans suggestions are as a man may say innumerable and therefore let no man thinke we will or can deale with them all Such as we take to be principall and haue our selues beene most buffered and beaten withall wee will touch and aunswere as wee can Againe Sathan is the prince of darkenesse and confusion and therefore wee can hardlie followe any method in aunswering his temptations The course therefore that wee will keepe in this behalf shal be this take them as they come one after another and consider what he obiecteth and so accordinglye as God shall be pleased to assist and direct frame out of the worde of God seuerall and particular aunswers 1 In the first place Sathan commonly setteth before vs two strong temptations or if you will doth on both sides assault vs. For one while he obiecteth against vs our sinnes and another while the exceeding great and fearefull iustice of God reasoning or concluding thus against vs â—o He that is a sinner he is vnworthie to be saued yea most worthie eternally to perish for the vvages or hire of sinne is
iust will haue his iustice satisfied either by them themselus that should doe it and happily are not able or els by some other that are fit for the purpose or worke That God is exceedingly iust no man will deny it His nature proueth it vnto vs and his word propoundeth the same He looketh also that his iustice should be absolutely satisfied why it is done and that not by such a one as I haue appointed for the purpose for it might be he might be misliked as well by reason of my blindenesse to make choise as by reason of my partiality to preferre one in mine own cause but by such a one as he himselfe hath sanctified and set apart for that purpose that is the imaculate and vnspotted lambe of God Christ Iesus who is become not onely my baile and surety and is made a fit Mediatour betwixt me and God but hath fully paid my debt also in so much that there is not a mite behind but al is satisfied and the debt booke or obligation cancelled He hauing in my name and as it were for my sake offered and presented himselfe before God the father to be punished for my trāsgressions yea he was broken for our iniquities the chastisment of our peace was vpon him and with his stripes we are healed And the Apostle saith Rom. 3. That God hath set him forth to be a reconciliation through faith in his bloode to declare his righteousnes by forgiuenes of sinnes that are passed And in another place he hath made him that knewe no sinne to wit our Sauiour Iesus Christ to be sinn for vs that we through him might be made the righteousnes of God Besides al this I say Sathan that sith God is exceedingly iust it cannot stand with his iustice which neither willeth or can will any thing that is vniust that one and the selfe same debt should be twise paide Men in the world that carry any account or conscience of their dealings will not doe or deale so grossely And therefore doubtlesse it is farre off from the iust iudge of all the world yea it should be quite and cleane contrary yea manifestly repugning with his most absolute and vpright iustice which Christ indeede by an infinite obedience vnto his maiestie hath aunswered vnto God for all my sinnes of which if any man should doubt let him but for his better satisfaction and stay therein consider these places of scripture Rom. 5. the Apostle saieth As by one mans disobedience many were made sinners so by that obedience of that one shall many also be made righteouse And againe Romans 8. verse 1. These is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus and verse 34. of that chapter vvho shal condemne it is Christ which is dead yea or rather which is risen againe who is also at the right hand of God and maketh request likewise for vs. Gal. 3. Christ hath redeemed vs from the curse of the lavve beeing made a curse for vs. And 1. Pet. 3. Christ hath once suffered for sinners the iust for the vniust And therefore it cannot be that my sinnes should again come into reckoning before God sith that by the blood of Christ they are quite done away and blotted out as the Apostle sheweth in the 2. chapter of his Epistle to the Coloss And sith I knowe this seruice and honour is to be performed vnto God namely to beleeue the promises of his Gospell I may neither accuse god of a lie for that were blasphemy be being the onely trueth indeede nor contemne my Mediatour and his obedience which I knowe to be euen as himselfe absolute and perfect And one of these two I must needs doe if I should yeeld to this suggestion of Sathan But it Sathan will proceede and say for such a wrangling and cruell aduersarie will hardly be answered Thou notwithstanding all this art subiect to many afflictions in this life and in the end to death also therfore god hath not pardoned thy sinnes but is stil angry with thee for afflictions and death entred into the world by meanes of sinne and are indeede tokens of the wrath and displeasure of god as the Apostle sheweth Rom. 5.12 and Eph. 5.16 I aunswere and reply againe that though afflictions and death did at the first through sinne enter into the world for indeede had not sinne beene none of them had euer fallen out and though in their owne nature still they cannot but bring forth the like sowre fruits bitter effects that yet nowe through the power of God that bringeth light out of darknesse and through the spirit of sanctification in his seruants whome he exerciseth with such afflictions and calamities they doe not alwaies sort to this effect For first concerning afflictiōs god in thē doth not alwaies regard this either to punish vs as a seuere iudge or to condemne vs for our sinnes no more then a father mindeth when he chastiseth his child to cast him away but as a most mercifull God and louing father he doth it either to try vs that so by that meanes our faith patience constancy and other good fruites in it might be made known in the world as it is manifested in the history of Iob and other holy mens examples and appeareth by sundry places of scripture and namely Iames 1. where the spirit saith brethren count it exceeding ioy when ye fall into diuers temptatiōs knowing that the trying of your faith bringeth forth patience c or els correcteth vs to this ende that we should not perish with the wicked world but rather that by this meanes we might learne more more to hate sinne seeing we are punished for it or to contemne the world wherevnto otherwise happily we might be to fast glued or else that wee should the better learne to knowe our selues wee growing quickly into forgetfullnesse and securitie and might so much the more earnestly call vpon God the daies of our trouble beeing a meet season yea our troubles themselus good meanes to fit vs thereto And of euerie one of these doth the Scripture speake in diuers places as 1. Corinthians 11. wee are chastened of the Lord that we should not be condemned with the world and Dauid in the Psalme 119. It is good for me O Lord that I haue beene afflicted for before I vvas afflicted I vvent astraye but novve I haue learned to keepe thy lavve See further for this purpose and pointe in the Psalme 32. verses 4.5.6 and 2. Corinthians 6. ver 9. but specially 2. Sam. 7 where it is saide If he sinne I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the plagues of the children of men but my mercie shall not depart away from him c. or else that making vs an example vnto others he may bring thē to some goodnesse and frame and fashion vs vnto the image of his owne sonne as the Apostle sheweth in plaine tearmes Romaines 8.29 That so beeing like vnto him in his suffrings we