cause by reason of their badd dealing to suspect feare doubt doubting there or thē can not be said to be sinne or euil yet as in respect of God who not onely in his owne nature is alwaies like vnto himself free from the least shaddow or shew of turning that may be but as in regard of his action and practise towards all his people in all ages hath manifested himselfe powerful and faithful as their is no reason to doubt so wee cannot doe it but with dishonour to his maiesty and so by consequent also with sinne to our owne soules But let vs proceed 12 Their 12. argument is this No man can certainely conclude that the holy ghost hath kindled or wrought in him faith and other vertues the reason is because they may likewise spring from humane reason Therefore no man can certainely determine that he is in Gods fauour or that he pleaseth God The antecedent of this Enthymeme or imperfect syllogisme as also the confirmation or proofe of the same adioyned thereto are as false as possible may be and as directly thwarting the light and trueth of the word as can bee for out of the word we may reason thus first cōcerning faith It is either the gift of God or it is of nature because betweene there is no meane but it is not of nature for then all men should haue it though not happilie all alike because there is now and then some defect in nature but that is false as the Apostle sheweth 2. Thess 3. saying all men haue not faith therefore it is naturall or of nature and then by consequent it must needs be of God which yet also is warranted vnto vs by plaine texts of Scripture as Philipp 1. Vnto you it is giuen for Christ that not onely yee should beleeue in him but also suffer for his sake And againe Rom. 10. where he saith how they call on him in vvhome they haue not beleeued hovv shall they beleeue in him of vvhome they haue not heard how shall they heare without a preacher c. And if faith from whence all good works flow be the gift of god then must also good workes themselues come from him also because if the first be from him the second likewise And yet least we should thinke that this were not Gods owne and according to his truth but a humane inuention the Scripture that attributeth the worke of faith vnto God ascribeth also al other vertues in vs vnto him For that must euer be true the Apostle speaketh Philip. 2. It is God who worketh in vs both the will the deed according to his good pleasure and Ephes 2. We are his workemanshippe created in Christ Iesus vnto good works which god hath ordained that we should walke in thē For otherwise if we respect our selues in this behalfe I meane of doing good works as from nature wee must say as the Psalmist saith there is none that doeth good no not one they are become all corrupt and abhominable or as the Apostle saith else where not that we are sufficient of our selues to thinke a good thought which is the beginning of a good work but all our sufficiēcy is from god Nay which is more when God hath begunn good thinges in vs wee doe what wee can through the remainders of our corruption either vtterly to deface them or so by imperfectiōs cleauing vnto them to taint them that were they not ouershadowed with the absolute righteousnes of Christ we and they both might iustly be reiected from god And there fore he that knoweth either nature or grace God or man his word or the world cannot but certenly conclude that faith and all other vertues are from God by his spirite and not from man in his nature euen as Saint Iames chap. 1. in a generall sentence affirmeth it Euerie good giuing and euerie perfect gift is from aboue and commeth downe from the father of lights And the proofe or confirmation adioyned to this proposition it selfe for neuer was it heard in the schoole of god or among sound christians that faith and good works might spring frō humane reason For which purpose notable is that speach of our Sauiour Christ vnto Peter after the worthy confessiō that he had made saying thou art that Christ that sonne of the liuing God vnto whome Christ saieth againe Blessed art thou Simon the sonne of Ionah for flesh and blood hath not reuealed this vnto thee but my father which is in heauen Matth. 16. To the same ende also tendeth that that the Apostle saith 1. Corinth 2. But the naturall man perceiueth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishnesse vnto him neither can he know them because they ar spiritually discerned And what should Saint Paule meane else when Rom. 8. he sayeth the wisdome of the flesh is death and againe the wisdome of the flesh is emnitie against god for it is not subiect to the lawe of God neither indeed can be but that it is not in the vnderstanding will or power of man to knowe loue or obey the good things of god till he be inlightned strengthened and inabled from aboue And if it were so that these good thinges doe spring from humane reason why doe we not refuse or forsake the worde and resist the working of gods holy spirit as thinges needlesse and vnnecessarie or why doe we say the Heathen and Gentiles are voide of faith and good workes seeing they haue as much of nature and humane reason as we or any other And besides the obseruatiō of our own hearts will shewe vs the vanity falshood both of the propositiō cōfirmatiō of it for in our cōuersiō to god or repētāce we sensibly feele both the one the other namely faith without which we could not convert it sealing vp in our hearts the forgiuenes of our sinnes for Christs sake the holy ghost quickening stirring vs vp as to that so to other good works besides according to which S. Paul faith Rom. 5 that beeing iustified through faith we haue peace towards God And Rom. 8. The spirit that is the holyghost witnesseth vnto our spirits that we are the children of god And therefore Augustine though indeed I doe not greatly delight in allegation of humane authorities in a certaine place saith well he that beleeueeth knoweth that he beleeueth to witte whilest that in the feares terrours of his heart and conscience God is pleased to make him feele consolation and comfort for they that acknowledge and consent vnto the trueth of Gods word and by serious thinking vpon and cōfortable feeling of the promises of the Gospel vphold their hearts and hope they in whatsoeuer estate or disteesse they be yea though they walke in the valley of the shadowe of death or as we say in the middest of death it selfe they haue experience of and sensibly feele consolation Whereby we may see that when a man hath an assured perswasion or a
may be comfortable also vnto him in glorie or else that we if it seeme so good vnto him being made as a maÌ„ may say gasing-stocks to men and angells and all the world he might declate in vs what is the wonderfull power and efficacy of the holy ghost in fraile and weake vessels which as it is many waies made manifest so doeth it appeare in the crowne of martyrdome suffering for trueth and in the strength of temptations we being more then conquerouts through him that loued vs and washed vs in his blood See 2. Cor. 4. ver 7. and 12. ver 9. and also Col. 1.24 And the like may we saye touching death which through the death of Christ is so sanctified vnto mee that I doe not onely triumph ouer it saying death where is thy sting hell where it thy victorie but find it to be a speedie passage and ready way for me vnto eternal life Therfore so farre of am I from beeing hindred by afflictions and death that I know these things as all other shall work vnto my good shall serue for the furthering yea for the perfecting of my saluation Rom. 8.28 I also assuring my heart that Christ hath deliuered me from the power of death and that I shall in and through Christ escape from death and passe vnto euerlasting life euen as he himselfe plainely affirmeth Ioh. 5.14 2 Secondly he obiecteth thus It is not sufficient that thy sinnes are satisfied and aunswered for by another or that thine iniquities are pardoned but besides it is of necessitie required that thou be righteous and doest perfectly obserue the law of God that is that thou doest perfectly loue god and thy neighbour For vnlesse thou haue this righteousnes indeed thou caÌ„st not escap the wrath curse of God but this righteousnes thou hast not nether caÌ„st haue indeed in this life therfore thou must of necessitie be vnder condeÌ„natioÌ„ We cannot aunswer to this temptation but euen as to the former yea and indeed almost to all other also that is hauing respect vnto Christ who hath not onely indured the punishment due vnto me for my sinnes but also performed perfect righteousnes yea and the same such as the very law doth require that not for himselfe because he needed none but for me hath he done all that he did fullfilled euen the whole law Which if any man doubt of or call into question let him but consider Christs own words Mat. 3. no doubt but he will giue glorie to God and confesse it Christ there saying let be now for thus it becommeth vs to fullfill all righteousnesse or els that saying in Ro 8. That that was impossible to the law in as much as it was weake because of the flesh God sending his owne sonne in the similitude of sinfull flesh and for sin condemned sinne in the flesh that that righteousnes of the law might be fulfilled in vs vvhich walke not after the flesh but after the spirit And tell me Satan Shall the power of Christs death be effectuall to take away transgression deny this if thou canst or darest And shall not the absolute might infinitnesse of his obedience be strong to make me stand as righteous in the sight of God What was there in all the â—â—we that he hath not absolutly accomplished EueÌ„ his very enimies he hath so hartily perfectly loued that he hath not only prayed for theÌ„ as appeareth in the history of his death but also for numbers of them hath susteined the wrath indignatioÌ„ of God that so he might reconcile theÌ„ to his heauenly father Oh how sweet not onely for the proofe of this point but for the heart conscience of all faithful is that of the Apostle Ro. 5. God setteth out his loue towards vs that whilest we were yet sinners Christ died for vs. Much more theÌ„ being nowe iustified by his blood we shall be saued froÌ„ wrath through him For if when we were enimies vve were reconciled to God by the death of his sonne much more being reconciled vve shall be saued through his life And this absolut righteousnesse of Christ is through Gods goodnesse imputed vnto me and by faith laid hold of and applied to my selfe with which being clothed as with the precious and sweet garmentes of my elder brother I cannot but please God and stande righteousse in his light as the brother of Christ yea as one of gods heirs yea which is more an heire annexed with Christ himselfe And therefore may truely comfortably say as the Apostle doth in the same place of Ro. 8. Hath not God spared his owne sonne but giuen him for vs al to death how shall he not with him giue vs all thinges also If all things vvhy not then also absolute righteousnes who shall lay any thing to the charge of gods chosen It is god that iustifieth vvho shall condemne c. as followeth most comfortably Yea but it may bee that Sathan will yet further vrge this pointe what can another mans righteousnes auaile or profit thee seeing that the law presseth this vpon thee thou shalt loue thy neighbour c. Thou shalt not couet thy neighbours house c. And the Scripture telleth vs the soule that sinneth that shall die the death Ezec. 18. And again there shall be wrath and indignation vpon euerye soule of euerie man that doth euill and breaketh the law Ro. 2. vers 9. To this we aunswere though that which hath beene said before concerning the imputation of Christs righteousnesse and gods acceptation of it may serue for an aunswer yet we further adioyne and say It is true that law doth require of euery man his owne righteousnes or hauing failed his satisfaction Herein Sathan is not a lyer but this is it that he faileth in the end of vrging this not of ignoraÌ„ce in himselfe for surely he knoweth it but of malice against vs to bring vs if it could bee to death and damnation What is the ende why the law requireth it or God in his lawe doth demaund the same It is to intimate that there is or can be in vs anye such thing no verily but to cause vs to go out of our selues and to seeke it else where where it may be found And in this respect particularly amongst many other is it that the law is and may be said to be schoolemaister to bring vs and to guide vs to Christ And indeede this is a misterie which beeing either manye ages together much hidden or else not so plainely discouered as now it is is laid open and reueiled vnto vs by the gospell to wit that where mankind was not able to satisfie in his own person the law of God and yet the law might not be destroyed or ouerthrowne God hath made a translation of the lawe into another person which might doe that for mankinde that it could neuer performe for it selfe that is absolutely obserue yea and fullfill the whole lawe Which person because
election is approoued to others and sealed vp in our selues and sith this is the onely waie into Christs eternall kingdome of which he speaketh verse 11. surely it will well beseeme and become vs to be wholie carried this way vnlesse we will be counted either fearefull contemners of grace and goodnes or else desperate casters away of our selues Now what is there here that may serue to allow of doubting or rather may not be turned the other waie to vphold assurance of heart and of hope And the like may we say for the words which of them is it that will yeeld them any strength The word brethren is a word of loue and no doubt ministreth much comfort and assurance to a godly mind and therfore no doubt when they see themselues so reputed and taken of them that are indeed godly and in some measure very well able to discerne in both which respects Peter no doubt of it was a rare man and therefore that terme could not but consolate If they will presse the terme diligence who seeth not the marueilous difference betweene this and that that they would haue should bee meant thereby who euer heard diligence vsed for distrust or doubting it implieth laborious care and industrie in about the thing we would obtaine which commonly also because it is of commendatiō addeth an edge vnto mens striuings whereas distrustfulnes or doubt maketh them either vtterly to desist leaue of or else to striue with such faintings as there ar many times easily ouercome For calling election making sure they are quite and cleane contrarie as all which indeed are from God and therefore are of the same nature that he is vnchangeable which causeth the Apostle Paule in another place to say the gifts and calling of God are such as he can not or will not repent him self of Rom. 11. The worde of making sure is not as in respect of God for all thinges that he hath determined from before all times are certaine and sure shall be accomplished in time but as in respect of other men and of our selues who may easilie be drawne but whether well yea or no that is the question to suspect our selues and to pronounce hard sentence against others in the sinnes we commit the Apostle shewing that this is one good meane either quite and cleane to remooue that temptation or so to mitigate it as it shall neuer master vs studiously carefully and diligently to follow sanctification and holines without which no man shall see God VVherefore rather certainly then doubting may be crawne and gathered out of this place For if faithfull people should diligently and carefully labour to make their vocation and election sure and certen which they are inioyned here they may then make it sure and certaine yea no doubt they do in some measure make it sure and certē which they doe indeed when they proceed in piety and grow vp in godlines the soūd knowledge steadfast faith and vnfained obedience to Gods holy will For looke how much the more throughly they enter into the kingdōe of Christ or as the scripture saith are ingrafted into Christ with so much the more earnest study desire diligence they growe in grace prosper in the points of gods religion christian life Now where we say they make it sure we must vnderstand still as we haue already touched it in respect of God whose purpose according to ellection is sure and so remaineth as the Apostle saith Rom. 9.11 But as in respect of our selues and our neighbours For by the workes that God commandeth in his lawe of which no doubt of it the Apostle Peter treateth in this place we may as vpon outward testimonies fruites and effects certenly conclude concerning faith and by faith determine touching the spirit of God that dwelleth in vs and so by consequent also concerning our calling election For which purpose see Romans 5.9.14 1. Iohn 3 24. and contrariwise also as appeareth Mat. 7.16.17 c. Indeed I cōfesse that this proofe and confirmation of them is not the first or principall for that is the inward testimony of the holy Ghost bearing record vnto our spirits that we are the sōnes of God but yet it is a secondarie one as I may say by which we may not onely probably but charitably gather of others that beleeue and certenly conclude and determine concerning our selues in as much as our own hearts and the sinceritie thereof and our own fruits and the soundenes of the same are or should be better known vnto vs thē to all the world beside We see then that that which in the handes of our aduersaries hath not so much as the semblance of a sword to scarre vs beeing turned vpon them is of steele and verie pearcing to runne through the sides of that corrupted cause which they vphold but such iudgements must they fall into that labour to obscure Gods glorie and to dismaye and discourage the minds of Gods people that they in the soule should be in the same state either that the Midianites were of whome we read in the booke of Iudges that the Lord set euerie mans sword vpon his neighbour and vpon all the host or else as Saul did namely take a sword and fall vpon it and kill themselues 4 The last place is out of the first epistle of S. Iohn chap. 3. verse 21. If our heart condemne vs not thē haue we boldenesse towards God Out of which they reason by the contrary thus then must it needes followe that if our hearts doe condeme vs we haue not bolnesse towards God and if not boldnesse then doubting and distrust But we answere that the inferrence vpon the contrary is not right for as boldnesse and not boldnesse are opposite so we cannot alwaies safely inferre vpon not hauing boldnesse distrust or doubting because there are many things besides as reuerence of the partie with whome we haue to deale feare and shamefastnesse in our selues and loathsomnesse that standers by many times should be acquainted with our states or suites and sundry such like which may for a time dash vs in our selues yet not take a way frō vs for euer al hope to speed which in deede is doubting or distrust But to the place it selfe The purpose of the Apostle is as I take it that the grace of adoption and newenesse of life which God vouchsafeth vnto vs must be testified by good workes and particularly by sound charitie and loue towardes our brethren which as he commendeth for many respects so specially for sundry good effects it hath as first that thereby we vnderstand that we are indeede God children and his is in the first part of verse 19. Secondly thereby we may haue a peaceable and quiet conscience and this is in the last part of verse 19. And this boldnesse and quietnesse of conscience which is the second effect of sound loue he commendeth by the cōtrary namely trembling of heart with which
though that this may suffice for full answere vnto all yet it liketh vs a little further to inlarge our selues herein If our iustification before God and reconciliation with God did depend either of the lawe it selfe or of the dignitie and worthinesse of our workes then the maior proposition should of necessitie be true but that cannot be because the lawe is not giuen to iustifie but to condemne rather and we knowe that all our righteousnes is as a defiled cloath so indeed we should neuer surely conclude with our selues touching our saluatiō or finde peace of conscience at home in our hearts So that neither of those beeing true the maior or propositiō cannot be soūd or right But sith our iustificatiō before God reconciliation with God is not of the law or of the dignitie of our workes but is from Christs absolute obediēce the holy gospell which euery where teacheth that Christ was therefore sent and came into the world that he might saue sinners and redeeming vs from the curse of the lawe might make vs righteouse through faith in him The maior or proposition separated as we see it is from Christ and vnderstood as it must be and may appeare by the minor not of Christs but of our obedience can not be true Besids sith the worde generally and more particularly the Gospel a speciall part of it euery where instructeth vs not to respect our owne dignity or worthinesse which indeed is none but all manner of vnworthines nor yet to beholde our owne vnworthinesse otherwise then to humble vs before God and in our selues and to make vs to runne vnto Christ and to his righteousnes more earnestly speedily then we do but sendeth vs vnto Christ and to his merite and worthinesse that so for his sake we may be reconciled vnto God that is to say both iustified and sanctified before him and receiued vnto eternall life there is no reason to receiue but much and greate reason to refuse this minor as vnsound insufficient either vtterly excluding or els no whit at all mentioning Christ who of god is made vnto vs wisdome righteousnes sanctification and saluation and in whome being iustified through faith we haue peace towards god c. Yea we say further that sith by the lawe righteousnes cannot come vnto men as the Apostle sheweth in many places of his writings and namely in his epistles to the Romanes and Galathians the doctrine of the Gospell was therefore made manifest that both it might discouer vnto vs a meane a manner yea and matter of iustification that in the lawe could not be found out and also teach vs howe to appropriate and apply the same vnto our owne hearts Lastly concerning the minor we answere and say that no man hath in himselfe as of himselfe that perfect and obediēce of the lawe that they speake of Howebeit we are assured that all that haue Christ haue it because they doe by faith lay hold of Christ and his perfect obedience the want or lacke of then owne in themselues being so farre of frō hindring Christs righteousnes to them and in them that it rather furthereth them thereto For he that is filled with his owne can haue no part of Christs the reason is because he that is full though it be but of airy and windie matter or as we say bad repletions can hardly or not at all till he be purged of that admit any more but also because there is such a flat opposition betweene Christs righteousnesse and mans that they cannot both be at one and the selfe same time in one and the selfe same subiect but the hauing of the one is the priuation of the other as the Apostle sheweth in many places of his writings and namely Rom. 10. verse 3. and also Rom. 11. verse 5.6 Psal 3.6 And this me thinketh might satisfie any reasonable mā yea stoppe his mouth from barking or bellowing against the trueth of God Howebeit our aduersaries yet presse this point further and obiect saying Christ saith in the Gospell If any man loue me he will keep my commandements or sayings or wordes But no man keepeth his word therefore say they no man knoweth whether God loue him yea or no. First for the forme of the syllogysmo and then for the matter In the conclusion there is more then is in the promises For whereas the maior teacheth vs that obedience to Christs word is a signe vnto other and a pledge vnto our selues of some loues that God hath wrought in our hearts towards him the conclusion turneth it vp side downe and saith no man can know whether God loue him yea or no as though our loue Gods loue were all one or as though God loued not many I will not say vnto eternall life for that loue onely belongeth to the elect but in many outward respects from which also as it should seeme Christ himselfe Math. 5. inferreth this doctrine loue thē that hate you c. And maketh this comfortable vse of it that you may be the children of your heauēly father who can set his sunne to shine his raine to raine vpon the iust and vniust Nowe to the matter All the doubt resteth in the true and naturall meaning of this phrase keepe my words and sayings That our sauiour should meane thereby absolute obedience and performance thereof there is no likelyhood for he that knewe the hearts of al knew also that euen in the best there were great defects and wants and to haue deliuered such a speech I meane in that sense and meaning had beene by his owne wordes to haue crossed and thuarted his owne knowledge and to haue spoken more indeede then truth was Why thē what is it that he would signifie and set out vnto vs therby surely this much that the care and conscience that the faithfull had to obey his will and these good beginnings and proceedings that they had made therein by his spirit he would accept them as absolute and couered with the fulnes of righteousnes and obedience that was and is in himselfe and so present them in the sight of his heauenly father Neither doth that dislike me that one aunswere hereto namely that this beeing a sentence or saying of the Gospell must not be vnderstood of the perfect fulfilling of the lawe of God for that is a manner of speech belōging rather to the law then to the Gospell but of faith and a good conscience or as we haur heard already the beginning and grooth in goodnesse that god by his word and spirit hath wrought in the heart of the regenerate For in this sentence as it is a part and peece of the voice of the gospell these tearmes to keepe Christs saying or word signifie nothing els but by faith to imbrace and to hold fast the trueth and puritie of that doctrine that in the Gospell is commended vnto vs concerning Christ and as sound members of the Church to professe it openly and as faithfull