Gods couenant Secondly the couenant betweene God and vs wherein he professeth himselfe our God and taketh vs for his people and heires of his promises is not the couenant of workes but the couenant of grace in which hee offereth freely in Christ his grace and mercy to all who will receiue it by the hand of a liuely faith And this the Lord himselfe expresseth Ierem. 31.31 Beholde the dayes come saith the Lord that I will make a new couenant with the house of Israel that is my Church Ierem. 31.31 32. Not according to the couenant which I made with their fathers that is the couenant of workes the which my couenant they breake c. but this shall be my couenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those daies saith the Lord I will put my law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and will be their God and they shall be my people So the Apostle Paul saith that the promise made to Abraham and his seede was not giuen through the lawe but through the righteousnesse of faith Rom. 4.13 Rom. 4.13 and that it was therefore by faith that it might come by grace and the promise might be sure to all the seede For if the couenant were of workes and not of faith of deserts and not of grace we should continually disanull and make it of no effect § Sect. 3 Thirdly Our redemption not caused by our worthinesse Eph. 1.7 8. as we are elected before all times so were we in time redeemed freely and without respect of our owne worthinesse of the meere mercy and loue of God although our Sauiour Christ payed the full price of our redemption vnto God his father for vs and this appeareth Ephes 1.7 By whom we haue redemption through his blood euen the forgiuenesse of sinnes according to his rich grace 8. Whereby he hath been abundant towards vs in all wisedome and vnderstanding So that our redemption was not free vnto our Sauiour Christ for it cost him the inestimable price of his most precious bloud but it was free vnto vs without any respect of our workes and worthinesse For we were like desperate debters deeply ingaged vnto God and not able to pay the least farthing and therefore were cast into the prison of euerlasting death there to be detained till we had discharged the whole debt which being impossible vnto vs it pleased our Sauiour Christ of his meere pitie and free goodwill to become our suretie and to make full satisfaction to his father euen to the least mite that so we might be released and set free We were all of vs miserable captiues held in the thraldome of sinne Sathan and death vnable to deserue in any measure to be set at libertie for wee were the children of wrath who were not sick only but euen dead in our sinnes Eph. 2.1.5 as it is Eph. 2.1.5 But our Sauiour Christ of his vndeserued loue did pay the price of our redemption and set vs out of our captiuitie quickning and raising vs vp from sinne to newnesse of life as the Apostle setteth it downe Eph. 2.3 And you were by nature the children of wrath as well as others Eph. 2.3.4 4. But God which is rich in mercie through his great loue wherewith he loued vs 5. Euen when we were dead by sinnes hath quickened vs together in Christ by whose grace ye are saued 6. And hath raised vs vp together in heauenly places in Christ Iesus 7. That he might shew in ages to come the exceeding riches of his grace through his kindnesse towards vs in Christ Iesus So that there is no worthinesse in our selues which the Lord respected for we were all alike the children of wrath and dead in our sinnes but onely of his free mercie and great loue he hath redeemed vs by Christ § Sect. 4 Fourthly Our worthines no cause of our calling as the Lord hath freely redeemed vs so also hee hath freely called vs to the knowledge of the mysterie of our redemption wrought by Iesus Christ and chosen vs amongst all nations to be his Church and peculiar people and that of his meere grace and free goodwill without any respect of our worthines as appeareth 2. Tim. 1.9 Who hath saued vs 2. Tim. 1.9 and called vs with an holy calling not according to our workes but according to his owne purpose of grace which was giuen vs through Christ Iesus before the world was So Moses telleth the children of Israel that the Lord had called and made choise of them aboue all other nations to bee his Church and people not for any respect of themselues or their owne worthinesse but of his free loue and vndeserued mercie Deut. 7.7.8 as it is Deut. 7.7.8 Psal 44.3 Our works and worthinesse no causes of our iustification Fiftly as the Lord hath freely called vs so being called he hath freely iustified vs not for any inherent righteousnesse in our selues but of his owne grace and goodwill through the righteousnesse and obedience of Iesus Christ which he imputeth vnto vs. And this is euident Rom. 3.24 where it is said that we are iustified freely by Gods grace Rom. 3.24 through the redemption which is in Christ Iesus And Tit. 3.7 where the Apostle saith that we are iustified by his grace Tit. 3.7 And least wee should ioyne with Gods grace our owne workes and worthines he telleth vs that Abraham himselfe though a most righteous and holy man in respect of his sinceritie and integritie of heart was notwithstanding not iustified by his workes but Abraham beleeued God Rom. 4.3.5 and that was imputed vnto him for righteousnesse Rom. 4.3 ver 5. he flatly excludeth works from being any causes of our iustification To him saith he that worketh not but beleeueth in him that iustifieth the vngodly his faith is counted for righteousnesse So that wee are freely iustified of Gods grace and goodwill without any respect of our owne works and worthinesse as being any causes of our iustification although they are necessarie and inseparable fruites thereof For the same death and bloudshed of Christ whereby we are freed from the guilt and punishment of sinne and euerlasting death doth free vs also from the death of sin to newnesse of life and doth not onely iustifie but also sanctifie vs as the Apostle plainly sheweth Tit. 2.14 Who gaue himselfe for vs that he might redeeme vs from all iniquitie Tit. 2.14 that is free vs from the guilt and punishment of sinne to which we were subiect and purge vs to be a peculiar people vnto himselfe zealous of good workes Sixtly our sanctification and inherent righteousnesse it selfe what is it els but the free gift of God begun increased and finished by his gracious spirit That our sanctification is the free gift of God what are the graces in vs but Gods free and vndeserued gifts what are our best works but the fruites of his
enemies who labour to hinder our saluation for he is omnipotent and mighty to saue Esa 63.1 as it is Esa 63.1 And though through our frailety and weakenesse we might continually bee vanquished and drawne from God yet now there is no doubt hereof seeing we doe not stand in our owne strength 1. Pet. 1.5 but are kept by the power of God through faith vnto saluation as it is 1. Pet. 1.5 though in our selues wee are impotent and feeble yet we are strong in the Lord and in the power of his might and being armed with the armour of God Eph. 6.10 11. we are inabled to stand against the assaults of the diuell as the Apostle speaketh Ephes 6.10 11. Though wee are of little force in regard of our owne strength and able to doe nothing yet are we able to doe all things through the helpe of Christ which strengthneth vs as it is Philip. 4.13 though we be weake in faith Phil. 4.13 and vnable to stand yet being the seruants of God we shall be established for God is able to make vs stand Rom. 14.4 In a word Rom. 14.4 though our spirituall enemies are stronger than we yet shall they not bee able to plucke vs from Christ For the father which gaue vs to him is greater than all Ioh. 10.28 29. and none is able to take vs out of the fathers hand as our Sauiour reasoneth Iohn 10.28 29. And therefore when we are discouraged and ready to faint in the sight and sense of our owne weakenesse and our enemies mighty power let vs comfort our selues in the Lord saying with the Apostle I knowe whom I haue beleeued 2. Tim. 1.12 and I am perswaded he is able to keepe that which I haue committed to him against that day as it is 2. Tim. 1.12 § Sect. 2 The fifth reason is grounded vpon Gods truth and fidelitie The fifth reason groundad on Gods truth in his couenant Apoc. 1.5 2. Cor. 1.20 Luke 16.17 which is so infallible that whatsoeuer hee hath spoken promised or couenanted that he will most certainely performe for God is a faithfull and true witnesse Apoc. 1.5 and all his promises in Christ are Yea and Amen 2. Corinth 1.20 So that it is more easie that heauen and earth should passe away than that one title of Gods word should fall vnaccomplished Luke 16.17 But the Lord in his word hath assured all that beleeue that hee will vpholde them and preserue them vnto euerlasting life against all the furie of their enemies as may appeare both by his couenant which he hath made with his Church in generall and also by particular promises made to all the faithfull Concerning the first the Lord maketh this couenant with his Church Esa 59.21 I will saith hee make this my couenant with them Esa 59.21 my spirit that is vpon thee and my words which I haue put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seede nor out of the mouth of the seede of thy seed saith the Lord from henceforth euen for euer If therefore Gods spirit neuer departeth from them and they for euer confesse and professe his word and truth then certainely they can neuer fall away nor loose their heauenly inheritance For Rom. 8.11 if the spirit of him that raised vp Iesus from the dead dwell in vs hee shall also quicken our mortall bodies because his spirit dwelleth in vs as it is Rom. 8.11 Rom. 8 11.14.â—7 And as many as are led by the spirit of God they are the sonnes of God vers 14. And if we be children we are also heyres c. vers 17. So Ierem. 32.38 I will bee their God and they shall be my people â—er 32.38 39 â—0 Vers 39. And I will giue them one heart and one way that they may feare me for euer for the wealth of them and of their children after them 40. And I will make an euerlasting couenant with them that I will neuer turne away from them to doe them good but I will put my feare in their hearts that they shall not depart from me c. If therefore the Church and people of God shall feare him for euer if his couenant be euerlasting if he will neuer depart from them nor they from him then certainely there is no doubt of their perseuerance â—er 31.31.32 And chapter 31.31.32 The Lord saith that he will make a new couenant with his Church not according to the couenant which he made with their fathers 33. But this shall be the couenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those dayes saith the Lord I will put my lawe in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and will be their God and they shall be my people c. And I will forgiue their iniquitie and I will remember their sinnes no more In which words the Lord couenanteth that his law should euer remaine so deepely ingrauen in their hearts that nothing should blot it out that they should continually meditate and delight themselues therein Rom. 2.15 2. Cor. 3.2 for thus this phrase of writing in the heart is vsually taken in the Scriptures So likewise he assureth them of the perpetuall pardon of their sinnes so that their sinnes should neuer make frustrate that couenant which he had made with them Hos 2.19.20 So Hos 2.19 And I will marrie thee vnto me for euer yea I will marry thee vnto me in righteousnesse and in indgement and in mercy and compassion 20. I Will marrie thee vnto me in faithfulnesse and thou shall knowe the Lord. If therefore the Church of God shall bee married vnto him for euer in righteousnesse and faithfulnesse and in mercy and compassion then can neither their faith and righteousnesse towards God nor his mercy and compassion towards them fayle but both shall continue vnto the end Seeing then the couenant which is betweene God and vs doth assure vs of the continuance of his loue and mercy and of our perseuerance in his feare and holy obedience we neede not to doubt either of the ceasing of his loue or our falling away For though the mountaines remoue and the hils fall downe yet shall not his mercie depart from his children neither shall the couenant of his peace fall away As the Lord himselfe protesteth Esa 54.10 Esa 54.10 § Sect. 3 And thus haue I proued the certaintie of our perseuerance An obiection taken from our faltinesse answered by the couenant of grace which God hath made with his Church for whatsoeuer the Lord promiseth to the whole body of the Church that he also promiseth to euery particular member thereof seeing the whole containeth all his parts so that whatsoeuer belongeth to the whole body that also belongeth to all the members But it may be obiected that howsoeuer this couenant on Gods part is firme and eternall yet by our fault and transgression it may
Christ euen the righteousnesse which is of God through faith Phil. 3.9 and Gal. 3.10.11 Phil. 3.9 Gal. 3.10.11 Hee affirmeth that as many as rest in the workes of the law are vnder the curse and that no man is iustified by the law in the sight of God it is euident because the iust shall liue by faith So Rom. 4.5 To him that worketh not but beleeueth in him that iustifieth the vngodly his faith is coūted for righteousnesse Rom. 4.5 And our Sauiour Christ teacheth vs to say and acknowledge when we haue done all to our vttermost power which is commaunded vs that we are still vnprofitable seruants Luk. 17.10 Luk. 17.10 § Sect. 4 But vnto these and such like manifest places it is answered that the Apostle speaketh not of the works of the morall law That the former places are to be vnderstood of the works of the morall law and not of the ceremonies onely but of the ceremonies onely to which againe wee reply that no such friuolous distinction can be gathered out of the Apostles wordes nay the plaine contrary euidently appeareth by his maine scope and drift in his whole discourse of our iustification and also by some particular places His chiefe scope is to beate downe the pride of all both Iewes and Gentiles to the end that the whole glory and praise of our iustification and saluation might be ascribed to the free mercy grace and goodnesse of God alone now it is most certaine that the morall duties are in themselues farre more excellent then the ceremoniall and consequently more fit to puffe vs vp with a spirituall pride and to make vs to rest in our selues for our iustification ascribing at least some part of the praise vnto our owne workes and vertues so that if the Apostle had onely spokē of the works of the ceremoniall law mans pride should not bee beaten downe neither should God haue the whole praise of our saluation and so his discourse should be vaine as not tending to prooue inforce that for which end and purpose hee chiefly vndertakes it Againe this should nothing concerne neither the Gentils in former times nor any true Christians since the comming of Christ forasmuch as they did not nor doe not neither were nor are bound to obserue the ceremoniall law cōsequently could neuer once dreame of obtayning righteousnesse by fulfilling the ceremonies but they would rather ascribe the glorie of their iustification to their morall duties to which they found themselues bound by the law of nature written in their harts or doe find themselues bound by the morall law of God written in his worde and therfore it was necessarie for the beating downe of their pride and that they might ascribe the whole glory vnto God of their iustification and saluation that the apostles in this discourse should proue that they were not iustified neither by obseruing the law of nature written in their hartes nor yet the morall law of God reuealed in his word Whereby it manifestly appeareth that howsoeuer the Apostle excludeth the workes of the ceremoniall law from being causes of iustification yet not them alone but the workes of the morall law also § Sect. 5 But this may more manifestly appeare by particular places wherein the Apostle plainly sheweth that he speaketh not onely of the ceremoniall law The former point prooued by particular testimonies but of the morall law also In the second chapter of the Epistle to the Romanes he plainly disputeth as well of the law of nature to the obedience whereof the Gentiles were obliged as of the law giuen by Moses Rom. 3.19.20 Chap. 3.19.20 Hee sayth that all the world are made culpable before God and therefore by the works of the law shal no flesh be iustified in his sight Now if this consequence be good he speaketh not onely of the ceremoniall but of the moral duties for the former belonged not to the gentiles and therefore the neglect of them did not make them culpable nor debarre them of being iustified by their owne workes Rom. 10.5.6 Gal. 3.11.12 21.22.24 Secondly Rom. 10.5.6 and Gal. 3.11.12.21.22.24 The Apostle putteth a plaine difference betweene the righteousnesse which is by the law and the righteousnesse which is by faith and maketh a flatt opposition in the acte of iustification not betweene morall ceremonial duties but betweene doing and beleeuing Eph. 2.8.9 faith and workes Thirdly hee saith Eph. 2.8.9 that wee are saued by grace through faith not of our selues nor of workes least any man should boast himselfe If hee had spoken only of workes they might though foolishly haue wrested it to ceremonies only seeing the Ephesians were not bound to the ceremoniall law as being strangers to the common wealth of Israel as himselfe speaketh ver 12. but whē he saith also not of our selues vers 12. he excludeth al whatsoeuer is in vs from being the cause of our saluation not onely ceremoniall but also morall duties So writing to Titus he saith Tit. 3.5 Titus 3.5 Not by the workes of righteousnes which wee had done but according to his mercy hee saued vs in which place we are necessarily to vnderstand the works of the morall law for Titus being a Grecian was not bound to obserue the ceremoniall law and therefore he was not so much as circumcised as the apostle plainely affirmeth Gal. 2.3 Gal. 2.3 Fourthly Paul speaketh of that law by which wee come to the knowledge of sinne Rom. 3.20 and 7.7.8.9 as appeareth Rom. 3.20 and 7.7.8.9 But the knowledge of sinne came especially by the morall law and therefore of this law the Apostle speaketh Lastly the Apostle speaking of the workes of the law alleadgeth these sentences Gala. 3.10 Gal. 3.10 As many as are of the workes of the law are vnder the curse for it is written cursed is euery man that continueth not in all thinges which are written in the booke of the law to doe them So that he speaketh not of the ceremoniall law alone but of the whole law of Moses and of all things contayned in it and ver 12. ver 12. And the law is not of faith but the man that shall doe those things shall liue in them Which cannot be vnderstoode of the ceremoniall law alone but of the workes of the morall law yea of them especially That the Apostle excludeth as well the workes of the regenerate as of the vnregenerate Secondly it is answered that the apostle speaketh only of the workes of those who are not regenerate nor indued with faith and not of the regenerate and faithfull Which shifting cauill the apostle clearly taketh away not only by applying his speeches vnto all men without any limitation but especially in that example of Abraham which he bringeth for this purpose who though hee were long before regenerate indued with faith and exceeding plentifull in good workes yet hee flatly excludeth all his workes from being any causes of
Matth. 6. our praiers are odious and Pharisaicall Matth. 6. Thanksgiuing is an excellent dutie but if with the Pharisie wee giue thankes rather to boast of our gifts then to shew true thankfulnes to the giuer Luk. 18. we shall not be approoued of God Giuing of almes is a worke acceptable vnto God for it is a sacrifice wherewith he is well pleased Heb. 13.16 Heb. 13.16 but if they be not giuen in simplicitie of heart but in hypocrisie that we may be seene of men it shall haue the hypocrites reward Matth. 6. In a word Matth. 6. this truth and simplicitie of heart is so necessarie that without it whatsoeuer we doe it is not regarded for God is a spirit Ioh. 4 24. and he will be worshipped in spirit and in truth Ioh. 4.24 According to that Iosh 24.14 Feare the Lord Iosh 24.14 and serue him in vprightnes and in truth Which if wee perfourme our seruice of God will be acceptable in his sight though perfourmed in great weaknes and mingled with many imperfections otherwise though wee offer thousands of rammes and whole riuers of oyle that is omit no outward cost and labour in Gods worship Mich. 6.7.8 yet will it be abominable in his eyes Mich. 6.7.8 Let vs therefore with our Sauiour pray vnto God Ioh. 17.17 that wee may bee sanctified with his truth that not onely whatsoeuer wee doe may be grounded on Gods truth but that woe may doe it in truth and vprightnes of heart CHAP. XI Of the breast-plate of righteousnes and Gospell of peace § Sect. 1 THe second part of our armour is the breast-plate of righteousnes whereby we are to vnderstand a good conscience true sanctification and a godly life which also we are to put on according to the example of our grand Captaine Christ Esa 59.17 He put on righteousnes as an habergeon Esa 59.17 and an helmet of saluation vpon his head The excellencie of this breast-plate of righteousnes And then shall not Sathans darts pearce vs so long as we are armed with a good conscience and a godly and innocent life Yea as long as our breasts and hearts are armed with righteousnes though our other members fall into sinne our wounds shall not be mortall for as the breast-plate doth defend the breast and vitall parts of a souldier so the studie and holie endeuour of a Christian to liue in righteousnesse and true sanctification doth so arme his minde that Sathan cannot deadly wound the heart with any of his temptations True it is that the Saints doe receiue wounds and foyles when as Sathan hath drawne them to commit sinne but they are not wounded at the heart because they doe not sinne with full consent of will for they allow not that which they doe neither doe they what they would but what they hate and they delight in the law of God concerning the inner man Rom. 7.15.22 when the flesh leadeth them captiue to the law of sin And hence it is that Paul saith he did not transgresse Gods law Rom. 7.17 1. Ioh. 3.9 and vers 6.8 but sinne that dwelled in him Rom. 7.17 And the Apostle Iohn affirmeth that they who are borne of God sinne not 1. Ioh. 3.9 and that they who are in Christ sinne not and that whosoeuer sinneth is of the diuell vers 6.8 Not that Gods children are exempted from all sinne but because they sinne not with the full consent and swinge of their will and when they doe fall their hearts are defended with the breast-plate of righteousnes that is with an holie endeuour and desire of seruing God Dauid a man according to Gods owne heart may be a notable example hereof for euen after he was indued with the knowledge of the truth and had this godlie endeuour of seruing God he notwithstanding fell grieuously many times and was wounded often with Sathans darts but his wounds were not mortall neither did they pearce the heart because he was armed with the breast-plate of righteousnes for he kept Gods law in his heart and it was sweeter than honey vnto his mouth Psal 119. he meditated therein and sought after it continually as appeareth Psal 119. Would we therefore be preserued from the deadly wounds of Sathans darts of temptation then let vs studie and labour after true holines let vs keepe a good conscience and howsoeuer wee fall often through infirmitie yet let the heart alwaies be armed with the breast-plate of righteousnes that is with an earnest desire and holie endeuour of seruing God and so shall Sathan neuer mortally wound vs. § Sect. 2 But on the other side That the lacke of this armour is most pernicious if we once lay aside the breast-plate of righteousnes not so much as endeuouring to serue the Lord in holines of life but imbrace sinne with full consent of will we shall lay our breasts open and naked to all Sathans thrusts yea and as it were put swords in his hands wherewith hee may wound and murther vs for vntill wee disarme our selues and put weapons into the hands of Sathan by our sinnes he cannot hurt vs as wee may see in the example of our first parents who whilest they continued in their righteousnes and integritie Sathan could not offer them any violence by assault and force and therefore he allured them to entertaine a treacherous parley wherein hauing inticed them to disarme themselues of this breast-plate of righteousnes by wilfull transgressing Gods commandement hee inflicted on them deadly wounds pearcing them through to the verie heart and so like Ioab whilest he seemed louingly to imbrace them he did most treacherously stab them The consideration whereof should make vs repell most carefully all Sathans temptations whereby he inticeth vs to sinne but especially let vs neuer bee allured to put off the breast-plate of righteousnes and then though Sathan wound our soules with sinne yet his wounds will not be mortall so long as wee doe not fall into sinne with full consent of will but through infirmitie in the meane time loathing the sinne which wee commit and delighting our selues in the law of God in respect of the inner man for though we fall yet the Lord will raise vs vp by vnfained repentance so that though sinne dwell in vs yet shall it neuer raigne in vs. CHAP. XII Of the preparation of the Gospell of peace § Sect. 1 THe third part of our Christian armour is VVhat the Gospell of peace is that wee haue our feete shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace where he alludeth to the custome of souldiers in former times who going into the field strongly armed their legges and feete with legge-harnesse wargreaues or buskins to preserue them from the iniurie of the weather the pearcing of briars thornes and such other things as might hurt them in their way as they marched and from the violence also of their enemies blowes when they were incountred for all which
sâ—…cts or rob the Church of her liuings that is God himselfe of his right He commeth to Magistrates and Iudges and offreth vnto them great bribes if they will peruert iustice and so purteth out their eyes that they cannot see right from wrong for Deut. 16.19 reward blindeth the eyes of the wise and peruerteth the words of the iust as it is Deut. 16.19 If he see one in office couetous he promiseth great reuenewes and stately houses if hee will deceiue the Prince of their right and oppresse the subiect with grieuous extortion and the like offers he maketh to couetous gentlemen if they will build their houses with the blood of their tenants and by grinding the faces of the poore and by inhaunsing their rents and increasing their fines to such vnreasonable rates that the poore tenant can scarce with the sweate of his face earne his bread Neither doth hee angle with this baite in the Court and countrie onely but he thinketh it fit for the citie also for he commeth to the couetous Merchant and promiseth him that in such a countrie he shall haue good trafficke if hee will dissemble his religion that is denie Christ before men he offereth to the shop-keeper increase of wealth if hee will vse false waights measures and false lights or els sell such wares as are neither profitable for the Church nor Common-wealth or adulterate and falsifie his stuffe by mixing bad with good or aske double the price swearing that it cost him more than afterwards himselfe is contented to take in a word if in buying and selling he will vse fraud lying swearing and forswearing hee promiseth to make him a rich man though oftentimes hee deÌ„ceiueth him for in stead of increasing in wealth by these vngodly practises oftentimes he becomes bankerupt the Lord laying his curse on those wicked meanes without whose blessing the builder buildeth and the labourer laboureth but in vaine as it is Psal 127. 1.2 Psal 127.1.2 So also he commeth to the Artificer and telleth him that if he will be rich he must make sale ware and what is that such as is sleight and altogether vnfit for vse as though that were most fit for sale which is sleight and altogether vnprofitable And so common nowadaies is this fault that no greater dispraise can be giuen than to say it is sale ware as though now nothing which is good and substantiall were fit to be sold And with these and such like snares doth Sathan intangle those that are couetous and haue set their hearts vpon the earthly Mammon which I haue the longer stood vpon because it is a temptation most dangerous neither doth Sathan by any meanes more easily sacke our soules and spoile vs of Gods graces than when hee ascendeth by these golden ladders or maketh a breach in our hearts with these rich bullets § Sect. 3 If Sathan see men proud and vaine-glorious How Sathan tempteth the vaine-glorious to sinne then he inticeth them to sinne by offring them gorgeous attire farre vnfitting their state and callings and so causeth them to commit a great absurditie for whereas our Sauiour Christ saith that the bodie is of more worth than raiment they make their raiment of more worth than their bodies in other mens iudgement and preferre gay apparell before the health of their soules in their owne estimation for that they may iet it out in rich attire they vse vnlawful meanes either by iniuring and oppressing their inferiours or at least by keeping the poore from their right for their superfluitie of wealth was not giuen them to spend in such excesse but that they should like the Lords Almners relieue the poore with their surplussage and by both they wound their soules with sinne and without repentance plunge them into euerlasting death So also Sathan taketh aduantage of our complexion and temperature by tempting the Sanguine to pleasure and lust the Flegmaticke to idlenes and sloth the Melancholicke to enuie and malice the Cholericke man he prouoketh to quarrels and braules and inticeth him to take reuenge by aggrauating the iniurie and suggesting that it will be great disparagement to put vp such a wrong In a word Sathan carefully obserueth to what sinne we are most prone by nature custom or occasion and to that he eggeth vs forward vnto which our owne lusts leade vs changing his temptations as we change our affection And therefore the Apostle Iames telleth vs that whosoeuer is tempted Iam. 1.14 is drawne away by his owne concupiscence because Sathan neuer assaulteth vs but he is sure that the flesh will further him in his temptations § Sect. 4 And thus haue I discouered Sathans first stratagem which he vseth in tempting vs to sinne Of the meanes to defeate Sathans former policies which if wee would withstand and defeate we are as carefully to obserue our own nature and disposition that wee may finde to what vices we are most prone and so with greater watchfulnes we may auoide them For as when a citie is besieged the inhabitants will most strongly man that place which by nature is most weake and assaultable because they know that the enemie will giue the onset there where he is like to finde the easiest entrance so wee being besieged with our spirituall enemies are most carefully to obserue where our soules are weakest to make resistance and ouer that part wee are to watch with greatest diligence assuring our selues that there Sathan will plant all his engines of batterie that hauing made a breach hee may enter and surprize vs. Ierem. 17.9 And because the heart of man is deceitfull aboue all things and none but God know it let vs summon it often before the throne of Gods iudgement and examine it by his law that thereby wee may see our secret corruptions and after labour to kill and mortifie them If we finde that wee be ambitiously affected wee are to vse all good meanes that true humilitie may bee wrought in our hearts and whensoeuer honours being offred we are tickled with ambitious and aspiring thoughts let vs suspect that vnder honour Sathan hath hid a hooke to catch vs. And therefore before wee accept it wee are to examine our selues whether we be fit for so high a place and whether we can attaine thereto by honest and lawfull meanes and whether the place it selfe be such that therein we may glorifie God benefit his Church and keepe a good conscience So if we finde that we are addicted vnto pleasures wee are with all care to studie and practise true mortification and when any pleasures are offred vs wee are to looke narrowly into them that we may discerne if Sathan hath not laid vnder them a snare to intrap vs either by tempting vs to pleasures which are vnlawfull or to the immoderate vse of those which be lawfull and as we loue the saluation of our soules let vs auoide the baite when we see the snare In like manner if wee finde that we
from the loue of Christ vers 35. from the loue of God in him Whosoeuer therefore with Paul beleeueth that Christ died for him that God freely iustifieth him through Christs merits and that our Sauiour fitteth at the right hand of his Father to make intercession for him he may be assured of Gods loue and consequently of his election Secondly Paul speaketh this not of himselfe alone but also of all the faithfull and therefore he vseth the plurall number I am perswaded that nothing shall be able to separate vs. So Eph. 3.12 the Apostle saith that wee haue through Christ boldnesse and entrance with confidence by faith in him Eph. 3.12 Heb. 4.16 and 10.22 And Heb. 4.16 he exhorteth vs to goe boldly vnto the throne of grace that wee may receiue mercie c. And chap. 10.22 Let vs draw neere with a true heart in assurance of faith c. But I would faine know what entrance with confidence what boldnesse and assurance of faith when we draw neere vnto God and present our selues before his throne of maiestie if we remaine doubtfull of his loue and our election So Heb. 6.19 he saith that our hope is a sure and stedfast anchor of the soule Heb. 6.19 but what certaintie or stedfastnes is there in it if it wauer and stagger through doubtfulnes so often as wee looke vpon our sinnes and vnworthinesse The Apostle Peter also doth tell vs that the trust which we haue through Iesus Christ must be perfect 1. Pet. 1.13 that is entire and perpetuall till we enioy the thing which we hope for 1. Pet. 1.13 And 2. Pet. 1.10 he exhorteth vs to vse all diligence that we may make our calling and election sure which if we could not doe he should perswade vs to the vndertaking of a needelesse labour Nay he plainely assureth vs that if we doe these things to wit if we ioyne vertue with our faith and with vertue knowledge and with knowledge temperance and with temperance patience and with patience godlinesse and with godlinesse brotherly kindnesse and with brotherly kindnesse loue we shall neuer fall because these are effects and vndoubted signes of our election And the Apostle Iohn would not haue it a matter doubtfull whether we are elected and shall be saued or no but certainely knowne and vndoubtedly beleeued and therefore he aimeth principally at this marke and propoundeth this as the chiefe end of his epistle namely to shew how we might know ordinarily and be fully assured that we are beloued of God 1. Ioh. 3.14 elected and shall be saued So 1. Ioh. 3.14 We know that we are translated from death to life because we loue the brethren And therefore in the latter end of his epistle he saith that he had written it to this end that we might know that we haue eternall life chap. 5.13 and 5.13 Seeing then the Scriptures doe commend vnto vs a stedfast and assured faith whereby we particularly are assured and perswaded of our election and saluation notwithstanding our sinnes and vnworthinesse therefore let not the tempter perswade vs to cast away this certaine perswasion and to wauer in doubting but let vs say with the Apostle Paul 2. Tim. 1.12 2. Tim. 1.12 Though I am vnworthie yet I know whom I haue beleeued and I am perswaded that he is able to keepe that which I haue committed to him § Sect. 5 But against that which hath been said the tempter obiecteth An obiection grounded vpon the indefinitnesse of Gods promises answered that the promises of the Gospell are generall and indefinit and therefore no man can gather out of them any certaine assurance of his particular election I answere that this consequence is false for out of a generall and indefinit proposition we may truely and by the lawes of reason gather and inferre a particular conclusion though not contrariwise For example if I thus conclude all men are reasonable creatures but I am a man therefore I am a reasonable creature it is rightly and truely inferred Though therefore the promises of the Gospell be contained in generall propositions yet may euery faithfull man as certainely conclude that they belong vnto him as if they were particularly applied vnto him by name Ioh. 3.16 For when the Lord by his ambassadors maketh this generall proposition in the preaching of the word whosoeuer truely beleeue in Christ they are all elected vnto euerlasting life the faithfull hearer maketh this assumption in his minde but I by the grace of God and by the preaching of his word made effectuall by his spirit haue a true faith begotten in me whereby I beleeue in Christ my Sauiour and therefore Gods promise of life and saluation belongeth vnto me And thus also doth the conscience of man out of the generall curses of the law conclude that he is accursed for when the law deliuereth this proposition in generall Cursed is euery one who abideth not in all things which are written in the booke of the law to doe them Deut. 27.26 Gal. 3.10 euery particular man maketh this assumption in his owne conscience but I haue not continued in all to doe it nay in stead of doing all I haue neglected all in sted of continuing in obedience I haue been continually disobedient in sted of doing the duties commaunded I haue committed the sinnes forbidden and therefore by the sentence of the law I am accursed So that though both the threatnings of the law and the promises of the Gospell be generall and indefinit yet doth euery mans conscience truely informed by Gods word gather out of them most certaine particular conclusions § Sect. 6 But here the tempter will obiect further That we may be assured that we are the faithfull vnto whom the promises of the Gospell are made it is true indeede that euery faithfull man may apply the generall promises of the Gospell vnto himselfe but all the question is whether thou canst know that thou hast faith or no seeing many who continue in their infidelitie bragge most of their faith I answere that it cannot be denied but that many are deceiued by contenting themselues with their carnall securitie in stead of a liuely faith but hence it followeth not that because many are deceiued with an opinion of faith therefore those that beleeue indeede cannot be assured that they haue faith no more then this followeth some men dreame that they are rich and are not so indeede when they awake therefore no man knoweth whether he be rich or no for what is their secure opinion but an idle dreame of their owne braines which hath no warrant out of Gods word where as faith certainely and euidently perswadeth and like a candle doth not only manifest other things but also it selfe appeareth by his owne light So that as a man who seeth and feeleth the fier and the heate thereof doth certainly know that hee seeth and feeleth it so he that beleeueth in Christ doth know that he
beleeueth indeede yea as much more certaine is this knowledge as the knowledge of faith grounded vpon Gods word which is infallible is more certaine than the knowledge of the senses which are often deceiued Furthermore if we could not be assured that we haue faith then to what purpose serues the admonition of the Apostle 2. Cor. 13.5 2. Cor. 13.5 Try your selues whether you are in the faith examine your selues know you not your owne selues how that Iesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobates In which words the Apostle plainely implieth that we may know that we haue a true and liuely faith or els this triall and examination were vaine nay hee plainely saith that we may know that Christ is in vs except we be reprobates and consequently that we haue faith for this onely is the hand whereby we apply Christ vnto vs and all his benefits 1. Cor. 11.28 So 1. Cor. 11.28 the Apostle willeth vs to examine our selues before we come to the Lords table that so we be not vnworthie guests in which examination the chiefe thing which we are to respect is whether we haue a true faith for this is the mouth of the soule whereby we feede vpon the body and blood of our Sauiour Christ and therefore vnlesse we can know whether we haue faith when we are truely indued therewith this admonition of the Apostle were to no purpose neither can we haue any assurance to our owne soules that we are worthie guests of the Lords table and consequently we rest doubtfull whether we receiue the Sacrament to our spirituall good and saluation or to our iudgement and condemnation Thirdly we are assured of this by Gods word that whatsoeuer is not done of Rom. 14.23 faith is sinne Rom. 14.23 Heb. 11.6 And without faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11.6 If therefore we cannot be assured that we haue faith we can haue no assurance that our best actions our calling vpon Gods name our hearing of his word and all other duties of pietie and iustice are any better than sinnes and odious in Gods sight whereof it must needes follow that these actions how good so euer in themselues will be done of vs in doubting because we know not whether they be done in faith and being done doubtingly they become sinnes indeede and therefore displeasing in Gods sight Lastly if I can know whether I beleeue a man vpon his word and whether I trust and rely my selfe vpon his promise or no why may I not much more know whether I beleeue Gods gracious promises made vnto all repentant sinners and amongst the rest vnto my selfe namely that for the obedience and merits of Christ I shall haue remission of my sinnes and euerlasting life seeing this faith is not out of our selues but a gift of God wrought in vs by his holy spirit which is not idle in vs for it puâ—ifieth the heart and worketh by loue it mooueth vs to hate and flie from those sinnes we haue loued and to imbrace and loue that holinesse and righteousnesse of life which heretofore hath been loathsome vnto vs. As therefore the fier is knowne by his heate the sunne by the light the good tree by his fruites so when our cold hearts are inflamed with the loue of God and a feruent zeale of his glorie when our blinde vnderstandings are inlightned with the knowledge of God and of the true religion when we bring forth the fruites of our profession in a godly and christian life then may we certainely know that we are indued with a true and liuely faith § Sect. 7 But here the tempter will take occasion to perswade the weake christian and the troubled conscience A temptation grounded vpon our assurance of faith answered that he hath no faith seeing he doth not certainely know that he hath it nor discerneth these signes and fruites of faith in himselfe To this suggestion we are to answere that we doe not say that the weake christian may be assured at all times that he hath faith by his present sense for first when we are newly conuerted and the seedes of faith are sowne in our hearts we doe not presently discerne it but as the corne which is cast into the ground is for a time couered and after springeth vp the blade and then the eare so faith being sowen in our hearts which first like fallow grounds are plowed vp and as it were harrowed and broken with the threatnings of the law and apprehension of Gods anger due vnto our sinnes doth in the time of our humiliation and contrition lie couered so as we cannot discerne it till being more and more watered with the water of the spirit and the heauenly promises of the Gospell which in the preaching of the word like sweete dewes and pleasant showers distill vpon it it sendeth forth the blade namely an holy desire and earnest indeauour to serue God and afterwards the fruite euen a plentifull haruest in godlinesse and righteousnesse of life And secondly sometime after that faith is begun in vs and we haue seene the frutes thereof to our comfort it is after hid from vs againe as when either we wounde our conscience by committing some grieuous sinne against knowledge wittingly and willingly or when it pleaseth the Lord to exercise vs in the spirituall conflict of temptations for then sometimes it commeth to passe that our faith for a time lieth hid vnder the ashes of our corruptions and the cloude of our sinnes and the apprehension of Gods anger doth so ouershadow the eyes of our vnderstanding that we cannot discerne the beames of Gods loue and fauour shining vpon vs although when the conflict is ended our faith againe flameth out in the loue of God and zeale of his glorie and the louing countenance of the Lord shineth graciously vpon vs when these cloudes of temptations are ouerpast And therefore though we do not certainely know our faith by the fruites therof either soone after our conuersion or in the time of temptation yet this must not discourage vs because these are no fit times to iudge thereof onely when we want this knowledge and full assurance let vs vse all good meanes ordained of God that we may attaine thereunto if we neuer had it or recouer and againe renew it if after we haue once had it we lose the sense and feeling thereof either by falling into hainous sinnes or by the violence of Sathans temptations CHAP. VII That we may be assured of our election prooued by diuers arguments § Sect. 1 ANd thus haue I shewed by plaine testimonies of scriptures First because the Gospell manifestly sheweth that we are elected that we may infallibly be assured of our election now I will also prooue the same by strong arguments drawne from the same fountaine First therefore we may thus reason Whatsoeuer is manifestly shewed vnto vs in the Gospel that we are bound to beleeue and of that we may be assured but
this inward fight within our selues we may be assured that Christ is come to dwell in our hearts by his holy spirit and consequently that we are the children of God and heires of euerlasting life for as many as receiue him to them he giues power to be the sonnes of God Ioh. 1.12 euen to them that beleeue in his name as it is Iohn 1.12 § Sect. 7 The seuenth signe of the childe of God is new obedience The seuenth signe is new obedience 1. Ioh. 2.5 when as he applies his heart to the keeping of Gods commanmaundements desiring and indeauouring to serue the Lord in holinesse and newnesse of life for if any man keepeth Gods word in him is the loue of God perfect in deede and hereby we know that we are in him as it is 1. Iohn 2.5 And whosoeuer abideth in him sinneth not whosoeuer sinneth hath not seene him neither hath knowne him chap. 3. v. 6.10 as it is chap. 3. ver 6. So vers 10. In this are the children of God knowne and the children of the diuell whosoeuer doth not righteousnesse is not of God c. So that our new obedience is a signe of the child of God and the neglect thereof a marke of the child of darknesse But wee are not to vnderstand this of that exact obedience which is required in the Law for thereby none liuing can haue any assurance of their election and saluation but rather of reprobation and damnation but it is to be vnderstood of an euangelicall obedience which consisteth in an holie desire and earnest endeuour of keeping all Gods commandements with which the children of God are so wholy possessed that after their true conuersion it is impossible that they should fall into any knowne sinne with full consent of will and with their whole hearts And this is the obedience which the Gospell requireth and of which the Apostle speaketh and thus wee neuer sinne but keepe all Gods commandements namely in respect of our desire and earnest endeuour This is that righteousnesse which is accepted as though it were perfect before God who spareth vs as a man spares his sonne whom hee tenderly loueth Mal. 3.17 as hee professeth Mal. 3.17 and therefore measureth our obedience not according to our actions but according to our offections and accepteth of the will for the deed as before I haue shewed § Sect. 8 But yet that we may not deceiue our selues with a counterfeite shew The properties of true obedience first that it must be totall and entire wee are to know that this euangelicall obedience hath these properties first it must be totall and that both in respect of the subiect and of the obiect that is wee must not share our selues betweene God and the world giuing one the tongue the other the heart one our outward actions and the other our inward affections but we must perfourme our obedience with our whole hearts yea with the whole man bodie soule and spirit for though wee be regenerated and sanctified but in part yet is there no part of the whole man vnregenerate and vnsanctified howsoeuer the flesh and the corruption of nature be spread likewise and mixed therewith throughout the whole bodie soule And therfore though all our obedience sauour of the flesh and is mingled with manifold imperfections yet it doth proceede from the whole man bodie and soule because regeneration from which it proceedeth is not of any part alone but of the whole man So also it must be totall in respect of the obiect for it is not sufficient that with Herod we obserue many things if we nourish willingly any one sinne taking therein pleasure and delight but wee must desire and endeuour to forsake all our sinnes and to performe obedience vnto all Gods commandements for if we nourish one sinne in our hearts it will open a doore to let in more when wee are tempted vnto them as wee may see in the example of Herod and Iudas the one harbouring incest the other couetousnesse if we neglect willingly obedience to one precept of Gods law it wil so harden our harts and seare our consciences that soone after we shall neglect all If therefore we would haue our obedience acceptable vnto God we must with the Prophet Dauid Psal 119.6 haue respect vnto all Gods commandements Psal 119.6 Iam. 2.10 The second propertie that it must be perpetuall and constant for he that faileth in one is guiltie of all as it is Iam. 2.10 Secondly this obedience must be perpetuall continuing in a constant course from the time of our conuersion to the end of our liues for we are not to iudge of our selues or others by one or two or many actions whether they be good or euil but by the whole tenour and course of our liues so that he who in this respect is holie and righteous hee is so accepted before God notwithstanding his many falles and great infirmities he that in the course of his life is wicked and prophane is so esteemed of God although hee seeme to himselfe and others religious by fits and perfourmeth many excellent duties and good workes It is therefore not sufficient that we begin in the spirit Galat. 3.3 if we end in the flesh Gal. 3.3 It is not sufficient to professe and practise godlinesse in our youth if wee breake off in our age it is not enough that we enter into the Christian race and runne well in the beginning if wee stand still in the midst or before we come to the goale Matth. 24.13 Luk. 9.62 for he only that endureth to the end shall be saued as it is Matth. 24.13 As for him that laieth his hand on the plough and looketh backe hee is not fit for Gods kingdome as our Sauiour affirmeth Luk. 9.62 The third propertie that it must be grounded on Gods word and referred to his glorie Lastly our obedience must be grounded vpon Gods word and therefore perfourmed because the Lord hath enioyned such duties vnto vs it must proceed from faith which first purifieth the heart and then worketh by loue it must not bee done for any worldly respect but of a conscionable care of perfourming our duties and in a feruent zeale of Gods glorie which is magnified when as our lights shine before men which zeale will make vs goe forward in our course of godlinesse through euill report 2. Cor. 6.8 and good report honour and dishonour And if our obedience spring from these fountaines and be referred to this end that God thereby may bee glorified then will we make no lesse conscience of secret than of open sinnes then will wee be no lesse readie to serue God in the duties of pietie and righteousnesse when there is no witnesse of our actions than if all the world should looke vpon vs then will we be as fearefull to offend God in the breach of any of his commandements in our secret chambers in the darke night as in the
diuine nature both which are most necessarie for life and saluation is wrought for vs by vertue and power of the Deitie but it is deriued and communicated vnto vs by the humane nature of Christ According to that Ioh. 6.54 Ioh. 6.54 Whosoeuer eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud hath eternall life and I will raise him vp at the last day And this is the vnion which is betweene Christ our head and vs his members by vertue whereof we haue sure interest and iust title both to Christ and all his benefits his obedience death and merits by which we are iustified sanctified and saued And so much concerning the parts of our effectuall calling the meanes whereby the Lord thus calleth vs Of the meanes of our effectual calling are first on Gods part the preaching of the word which is made effectuall by the inward operation of his spirit first to mollifie our hard hearts and truly to humble vs by setting before vs our sinnes and corruptions and this is done by the preaching of the law and after wee see our inabilitie and insufficiencie of working our owne saluation we are thereby brought out of our selues to seeke for saluation in Christ Iesus applying him and his merits vnto vs by a true and a liuely faith and this is done by the preaching of the Gospell The meanes on our part is the sauing hearing of the word whereby our hard hearts are mollified and we truly humbled and brought out of our selues to seeke for saluation in Christ whereby also true faith is begot in vs wherewith wee applie Christ vnto vs and relie vpon him alone for our saluation And thus haue I shewed what our vocation is and the means therof Now let vs consider of those temptations which Sathan suggesteth into mens minds in respect of their vocation to the end hee may hinder them from the participation and fruition of Christ and his benefits whereunto in the preaching of the word they are called and inuited And these are of two sorts first those wherewith he assaulteth them who are not called secondly those wherewith he assaulteth them who are truly called and conuerted CHAP. XVIII Sathans temptations whereby he seeketh to make our calling vneffectuall answered § Sect. 1 THose who are not called hee tempteth diuers waies that he may hinder their effectuall calling Of the necessity of our effectual calling and first he laboureth to perswade them to neglect this their calling as a thing not necessarie and to contemne the ministerie of the word which is the meanes whereby we are effectuallie called But we are to withstand these temptations and to this end wee are first to know that before our effectuall calling wee are not true members of the Church though wee may outwardly thrust our selues into this societie for what els is the Church but that companie or congregation which is truly called and selected out of the world and from hence it hath it name for it is called Ecclesia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the calling thereof vnlesse therefore we be called we are not members of the Church and if wee bee out of the Church there is no saluation for our Sauiour gaue himselfe for his Church alone and he is the Sauiour of his owne bodie Eph. 5.23.25 Act. 2.47 as it is Eph. 5.23.25 and he addeth daily vnto the Church such as shall be saued as it is Act. 2.47 Moreouer vnlesse we be truly called we shall neuer be truly iustified and without iustification there is no glorification Rom. 8.30 for this is the goldē chaine of our saluatiō as appeareth Rom. 8.30 Lastly wee can neuer come vnto Christ nor communicate with him in any of his benefits nor receiue any sanctifying and sauing grace of Gods spirit till by the grace of God wee are made partakers of this holie calling for naturally wee are meere worldlings destitute of all grace and goodnesse and so we remaine till by this holy calling we are separated from the world and ingrafted into the bodie of Christ by whose spirit we are quickened who were dead in our sinnes and haue sanctifying graces begotten nourished and increased in vs. Seeing therefore this our effectuall calling is so necessarie let not Sathan perswade vs to neglect it neither let vs when the Lord inuiteth vs to this royall feast pretend excuses one that he must goe see his farme Matth. 22. Luk. 14. another that hee must goe trie his oxen a third that he must goe about his merchandize and a fourth that he is hindred by a carnall mariage for if we will not come when the Lord inuiteth vs like vnworthie guests we shall be shut out of the doores and not suffred to be partakers of this banquet of eternall blessednesse Psal 95.7.8 Whilest today we heare his voyce let vs not harden our hearts for hee hath not promised that he will call againe to morrow whilest now he standeth at the doore and knocketh and calleth for entrance let vs hearing his voyce open the doore of our hearts that he may come in and sup with vs and we with him Reuel 3.20 for if vnkindly wee denie him entertainment we can haue no assurance that hee will returne againe to such churlish and vngratefull hoasts In a word seeing the Lord passing by many other in the world maketh choise of vs calling and inuiting vs to the participation and fruition of eternall blessednesse and happinesse let no worldly businesse though it seeme as necessarie as the burying of our deare father Matth. 8.21 hinder vs from harkening and obeying this heauenly call let no transitorie trifle stay vs from comming to God when hee offreth to make vs good assurance of his royall kingdome for though many things bee conuenient yet one thing is necessarie and thrice happie are they which make choise of the better part § Sect. 2 Sathans temptations whereby he moueth vs to neglect the meanes of our effectuall calling But it is impossible that euer we should be truly called vnles we carefully vse the meanes when the Lord offreth them vnto vs and attentiuely listen vnto the Lords voyce when hee inuiteth vs to come vnto him and therfore Sathan laboureth not so much to perswade vs that our vocation is in a thing vnnecessarie vnto saluation seeing this is manifestly repugnant to plaine testimonies of scriptures as to mooue vs to neglect the meanes whereby we are called namely the ministerie of Gods word partly working vpon our inbred corruption which not conceiuing the things of God condemneth them of foolishnes and not being delighted with those things which it vnderstandeth not they seeme irksome and tedious and partly inticing vs with the commodities and pleasures of the world which are more pleasant to carnall men than their meate and drinke hee causeth vs to spend that time in our earthly businesses or vain delights which we should bestow in the hearing of Gods word whereby we should be effectually called that is separated
they handle is the argument which they handle and the end whereunto they tend For the subiect whereof they intreate are the great workes of the euerliuing God how hee exerciseth his mercie towards his children in sustaining defending and sauing them from all their enemies and his iustice towards the wicked in turning their counsailes to foolishnes in ouerthrowing their designes and purposes curbing in their rage and violence and in punishing and destroying them Now if you consider and peruse all other writings in the world besides you shall finde no such matter contained in them for some labour in polishing humane Arts some set out large histories of the actions counsailes successe policies enterprises and perturbations of men like themselues so that at the first sight wee may know that they are indited by the spirit of man seeing they are wholie spent in humane affaires neuer intermedling with any spirituall matter appertaining vnto God Moreouer the scriptures attribute the gouerning and wise disposing of all things to Gods al-ruling prouidence that he may haue the whole praise of his owne workes as when they speake of some famous victorie they doe ascribe it neither to the wisedome of the Captaine nor to the valour of the common souldier but vnto the Lord of hoasts alone neither doe they make poems in the praise of Moses Iosua Dauid Ezechias or any other of the Kings and Leaders but in the praise of the Lord who by his owne strong arme hath giuen his children victorie ouer their enemies Now whence can this proceed but from the spirit of God inditing them who contrarie to the nature of man which desireth rather all praise himselfe doth moue him to refuse all glorie attributed to himselfe that all the praise may bee ascribed vnto God So when they speake of any benefit receiued by the Church they doe not attribute it to worldly friends their good fortune or their owne industrie and labour but to the blessing of God proceeding of his meere mercie goodnesse towards them And contrariwise when they set downe the destruction of the wicked they doe not ascribe it to any want of their owne care and prouidence nor to the malice or power of their enemies nor to blind chance or other outward accident but to the hand of God exercising his iudgements vpon them and punishing them for their sinnes Now if you peruse all other writings you shall finde that they aime at nothing lesse than Gods glorie for some write to shew their eloquence others to extoll their wits and deepe learning others to aduance the praise of mortall men aboue the clowdes some for one end and some for another all aiming at their owne praise pleasure or profit neuer so much as once respecting Gods glorie in their least thought and hence it is that setting downe any victorie they ascribe it to the weaknesse or want of wit prouidence or courage of the aduerse part or to the fortitude of the Captains the resolutenesse of the souldiers the aduantages of the place Sunne winde and such like circumstances in the meane time excluding the God of battailes as though he had no stroke in this busines So likewise when they speake of any other affaires or accidents which fall out in the gouernment of the world they ascribe all to outward circumstances inferiour meanes and subordinate causes as though God had giuen ouer the gouernment of the earth and had committed the ruling of the sterne to blind fortune Now whence can this exceeding difference proceede that they should altogether aime at the glorie of God and these wholie at the praise pleasure profit of man that they should alwaies ascribe the gouernment and disposing of all things to the wise prouidence of God and these to outward accidents naturall causes and inferiour meanes Surely because they were indited by the spirit of God and therefore themselues are diuine sauouring wholie of the author of them and these by the spirit of man and therfore al contained in them is meerly humane carnall natural § Sect. 2 The ninth reason taken from the stile of the Scriptures The ninth reason may be taken from the stile and manner of penning the Scriptures in which they much differ from all other writings whatsoeuer for whereas men in their writings affect the praise of flowing eloquence and loftinesse of phrase the holie Ghost in penning the Scriptures hath vsed great simplicitie and wonderfull plainnesse applying himselfe to the capacitie of the most vnlearned in which low and humble maner of speech he doth notwithstanding set foorth the deepe wisedome of God and the profound mysteries of religion the bottome whereof the most wise and learned in the world can not search into and vnder the vaile of simple and plain speech there shineth such diuine wisedom and glorious maiestie that all the humane writings in the world though neuer so adorned with the flowers of eloquence and sharpe conceits of wit and learning cannot so deeply pearce the heart of man nor so forcibly worke vpon his affections nor so powerfully incline his will either to the imbracing of that which is good or auoiding of that which is euill as the word of God and whence can this proceed but from the vertue power and wisedome of the spirit of God who is the author of them Moreouer wee may obserue in the stile of the Scriptures a maiesticall authoritie aboue all other witings which onely beseemeth the glorious King and soueraigne commander of heauen and earth for they speake in the same manner and inioyne the like obedience to prince and people rich and poore learned and vnlearned without any difference or respect of person not vsing any arguments reasons or perswasions but absolutely commanding that dutie which is to be done and forbidding that sinne which should be left vndone and that vnder the promise of euerlasting life and blessednesse and the paine not of the gallowes racke or wheele but of eternall death and damnation and whom beseemeth it to promise euerlasting life or to threaten euelrasting death but him only who is himselfe eternall and euerlasting and who hath this absolute authoritie of commanding all without any difference but he who is Lord Creator and gouernour of the prince as well as the people Lastly this word of God doth not only extend it selfe to the outward actions and conuersation requiring onely the externall obedience which is in fact and outward behauiour which is the vttermost that humane lawes respect because the lawgiuers can see no further but the law of God requireth especially the obedience of the heart and forbiddeth not only consent to any euill but euen concupiscence and lust now who can make lawes for the heart and conscience or though he should be so fond to make them who could either reward the obedient or punish the disobedient but God alone who searcheth the heart and reines The stile therefore of the scriptures being peculiar vnto themselues shewing maiestie in lowlinesse
faire volume of the creatures so as none can behold them but he must needes know and acknowledge it yet that this God being one in nature should be distinguished into three persons the Father Sonne and holy Ghost without any diuision of substance or confusion of persons mans reason cannot conceiue though the Lord hath reuealed it and much lesse could inuent it seeing now it cannot comprehend it So that the world and the creatures therein contained were created the light of nature sufficiently teacheth vs seeing they haue an end and therefore had a beginning a time of corruption and therefore a time of generation also and as is the nature of euery seuerall part so is the nature of the whole vniuersall seeing also one effect brings vs to his cause and that cause to a superiour cause and that to another vntill we come to the highest and supreame cause which is God who hauing his being of himselfe giueth being to all things but that all this goodly order should bee brought out of confusion this light out of darknes that al these excellent creatures should be created of nothing by the alone word of their omnipotent Creator it passeth the conceit of humane reason therefore his inuention also So that we are wretched and full of miserie not only our reason but euen our senses can teach vs but how wee should be freed out of this miserie and attaine vnto euerlasting happinesse is a thing aboue the reach of mans wisedome And that we are vnable to performe those duties we ought and leaue those sinnes vndone which we should omit and by both offend God the law of nature written in our hearts and the checks and feares which euery one feele in their owne consciences doe sufficiently teach vs but the meanes whereby wee should be reconciled vnto God whom we haue offended as they are set down in his word namely that the second person in Trinitie should take vpon him mans nature and be borne of a pure virgin that in this nature hee should for vs perfourme perfect obedience to Gods law and suffer affliction miserie yea death it selfe to reconcile vs to his Father and procure his loue to free vs from euerlasting death and damnation and to purchase for vs euerlasting life and happinesse and that his obedience and merits should become ours by reason of that vnion whereby hee becommeth our head and wee his members which vnion is made principally by his spirit and instrumentally by faith doe all seeme strange yea absurd to humane reason and therefore the Apostle saith that the natural man perceiueth not the things which are of the spirit of God 1. Cor. 2.14 for they are foolishnes vnto him neither can hee know them because they are spiritually discerned as it is 1. Cor. 2.14 And if he cannot know and conceiue them when in the preaching of the Gospell they are reuealed vnto him how much lesse could hee inuent them hauing neuer heard of them or who can imagine that in policie he would haue deuised such a religion to keep the world in awe and obedience as to euery worldly man seemeth foolish and absurd yea contrary to his nature For what can be more against the haire than to deny our selues and to take vp our crosse and follow Christ than to reiect our owne workes and worthinesse and to seek for iustification in Christs death and obedience alone than to imagine that manifold afflictions and great miserie is the high way that leadeth to glorie and endlesse felicitie and that pleasures honours and riches make vs vnfit to enter into Gods kingdome And therefore seeing the doctrine of the Scriptures are not onely aboue the reach of humane reason but also flat contrary to naturall wisedome it plainly prooueth that they are not the inuention of mortall man for then the effect would bee like the cause but the word of the euerliuing God which sauoureth of his hidden and spirituall wisedome § Sect. 5 The eluenth argument The eleuenth reason taken from the prophecies of holy Scriptures to proue that the Scriptures were indited not by man but by Gods spirit are the prophecies therein contained which were fulfilled in their due time as that there should be enmitie betweene the seed of the woman and the seed of the Serpent and that the promised seede Christ Iesus should vanquish the diuell that the posteritie of Cham should be accursed that Abraham should haue a sonne by his wife Sarah when they were both old and she past the time of child-bearing that his posterity should be bond men in Egypt foure hundred yeres foretold before hee had Isaac of whom they came that Iudaes posteritie who was but the fourth sonne should haue soueraigntie and dominion ouer the rest that the scepter should not be taken from him till the Messias should come that the tribe of Ephraim should excell the tribe of Manasses that hee who should ree difie Iericho after it was destroyed Iosh 6.26 should be punished with the death of his sonnes as appeareth Iosh 6.26 which was fiue hundred yeeres after fulfilled in Hiel the Bethelite 1. King 16.34 as it is 1. King 16.34 that Iosias by name should destroy idolatrie and the idolaters and restore the true religion 1. King 13.1.2 2. King 22. and 23. foretold almost 300 yeeres before he was borne 1. King 13.1 2. 2. King 22. and 23 that the people of Israel should bee led captiue into Babylon and be set free by Cyrus by name Esa 44.26.27.28 prophecied of aboue an hundred yeeres before Cyrus was borne Esa 44.26 27 28. And to these we may adde the prophecies of Ieremy concerning the taking of Ierusalem and their captiuitie into Babylon and the time of seuentie yeeres limited for their abiding there the prophecies of Daniel concerning the foure Monarchies which are so cleere and perspicuous as if hee had seene them in his time the prophecie of Christ concerning the destruction of Ierusalem the prophecies contained in the Reuelation of S. Iohn many of which we see fulfilled in our time especially that concerning the Antichrist of Rome his manner of comming his increasing his workes seate and place of residence and which are so manifestly and plainly described as if the Apostle had written an historie and not a prophecie Which plainly proueth that the Scriptures were not deuised by man but penned by the inspiration of Gods spirit who by his prouident wise dome foreseeth all things and by his wise prouidence ruleth all things § Sect. 6 But here Sathan will be readie to obiect That the Scriptures were penned by the holie men of God which are in them mentioned and not forged in their names by some polititian that we are not able to prooue that these prophecies were written by any such Prophets and holy men as are mentioned in the Scriptures so long before the things contained in them were done and that for ought wee know they might be forged
and foysted in by some cunning fellow after the things were come to passe The like obiections also he maketh against the rest of the Scriptures as that either there was not any such Moses or if he were that he was but some cunning fellow who writ of miracles and wonders neuer done to gaine credit to his law which he had published or if he wrote nothing but truth in his time yet we know not whether these books which goe vnder his name are perfect as he left them or depraued and corrupted hauing many things altred added detracted according to the pleasure of those who haue had the keeping of them And so also hee obiecteth against the other parts of holy Scriptures To this I answere that as it were great absurditie to call in question the writings of Cicero Seneca Plutarch and other Heathen men whether they were penned by any such men or no because the next age receiued them from the authors themselues and deliuered them to the next insuing and so by tradition from hand to hand they are come vnto vs so it is no lesse absurditie to call into question whether the scriptures were written by the Prophets and Apostles who liued in their seuerall times seeing the Church hath receiued them from time to time and deliuered them to their successors to this day Moreouer the law published by Moses was not in secret or in a corner before some few witnesses but in the presence of sixe hundred thousand men besides women and children and the strange miracles and workes of God full of wonder which hee wrought for the better confirmation of his law giuen were done and perfourmed in the presence of many thousands who made relation of them to their posteritie and they to theirs to this day Neither was it easie to be corrupted altred or changed seeing the lawgiuer did straightly charge all men that they should not adde detract or alter any thing vpon paine of present death in this world and euerlasting death in the life to come who therefore would incurre the danger of such fearfull punishment for the satisfying of his fruitlesse phantasie Moreouer this book of the law was safely kept in the Tabernacle and after in the Temple in the Arke which was placed in the holy of holiest and diuers authenticall copies written out of it for euery one of the twelue tribes which were euery Sabbaoth day read and expounded in their Sinagogues yea so familiar were these writings with the Iewes that they were written in their houses and vpon their garments so as it was not possible for any man to falsifie them but it would presently bee espied Yea will the tempter say but though they could not be depraued or corrupted yet they might at first bee inuented by some more subtill than the rest and so thrust vpon men vnder the authority of God himselfe as being the writings of his Prophets and Apostles To which I answere that there is no probabilitie of truth in this obiection for I would faine know in what age this man should write In the time of Moses how then could he write the historie of the Iudges who succeeded him In the time of the Iudges how then could he write the historie of the Kings What then could he write these things in the time of the Kings and so faine a relation of such things as went before why then it is necessarie that hee should haue liued in the time of the last Kings or els he could not haue penned their historie also but before this time there were many copies abroad of the Scriptures in diuers nations by reason that the Iewes were scattered abroad through their captiuitie where they as constantly professed their religion as in their owne countrey Besides if these writings had been fained in what age could they come to light but men diligently inquiring into them as being matters importing no lesse than their eternall saluation or condemnation would haue found them counterfeit For if they had been penned in the same age wherein the things were done who would haue beleeued them if they did not assuredly know that they contained nothing but certaine truth If in an after age who would haue straight subscribed vnto them vnlesse they had by tradition from their ancestors bin assured that such things were done in former times Furthermore it is not probable but that the Iewes would haue made mentiō of such an author if they had known him or if they had by some accident found them written in this forme it is not likely that they would haue been so simple as to haue built their faith so firmely vpon them that they would rather chuse to suffer all torments than be brought to denie any one part of them § Sect. 7 Lastly it is obiected that in the time of Antiochus That the books of holy Scripture perished not in the time of Antiochus the books of the Scriptures were by his tyrannie and extreame crueltie wholy abolished and these which we haue afterwards inuented by the Iewes to grace their religion To which I answere that this obiection is so sotrishly foolish that it sauoureth not of common sense much lesse of any force of reason for seeing now there were extant almost innumerable copies of the Scriptures what meanes could be inuented by with and rage vtterly to suppresse them especially seeing the Iewes made farre more precious account of them than of their liues so that for the profession of this truth they were content to suffer euen in this tyrants time cruell deaths Besides if they had been all destroyed and abolished in his time how came it to passe that presently after his death they were againe as it were pulled out of the ashes and reuiued Or how could others be put in their place seeing innumerable men liued before and after his persecution who had the sight and perusing of the same bookes before they were suppressed and afterwards againe when they came to light Lastly though it should be granted that all the bookes of holy Scriptures had bin vtterly defaced in al the dominions of Antiochus yet this were nothing for the tempters purpose for the Iewes were now scattered far and wide and had their Sinagogues and schooles in sundrie nations where he had no authoritie therfore though he had destroyed all the copies of the Scriptures in all places of his kingdome yet there were many in other places where hee bare no sway Neither were they now in the Hebrew tongue alone but also translated into the Greeke by the 70 Interpreters at the request of Ptolomey Philadelphus and the translation carefully kept in his Librarie long before the time of this Antiochus By al which it is more then manifest that the Scriptures are the same which were penned by the Prophets and holy men of God inspired with his diuine spirit confirmed with so many and wonderfull miracles and sealed with the bloud of innumerable Martyrs To this which hath
reasons inuented by mans wit to confirme vs in this truth that the Scriptures are the word of the euerliuing God Gods spirit perswadeth vs of this truth by our owne feeling and experience For whosoeuer are indued with Gods spirit doe also by their owne experience sensibly feele by the effects and operation of the scriptures in themselues that they are not the word or inuention of mortall man but the word of the almightie and most wise God for when they perceiue that the eyes of their vnderstanding are illuminated which before were blind and full of darkenes that their will is inclined to the obedience of Gods commaundements which before was stubborne and rebellious that their heart is become soft and tender so as like the heart of Iosias it melteth at the preaching of the law which before was obdurate and more hard then the Adamant that their conscience which was dead and seared is now readie to checke controule them when they commit any sinne and to allow and approue all good actions that their affections are cast in a new mould so that whereas heretofore they loued nothing but the world and worldly things now their loue is fixed on the Lord and those things that are aboue and whereas nothing was more odious in former times then vertue and godlines nothing more pleasing then finne and the delights thereof now contrariwise nothing is more lothsome then sinne nothing more sweete and delightfull then obedience to Gods commaundements and when they further consider that this great alteration is made in them onely by the hearing of Gods word preached they neede no further perswasions nor other instructor to teach them that the scriptures were penned by the diuine operation of Gods spirit seeing the word of mortall man could neuer make such a change in them nor any thing else but the word of the euerliuing God which at the first was alone sufficient for their creation and generation and now onely of power sufficient for their regeneration and new birth Ioh. 9. As therefore the blind man reasoned with the Pharisies Iohn 9 not with any farre fetcht reason but from his owne experience to proue that our Sauiour was not a notorious sinner as the Pharisies accused him but some great Prophet sent from God saying doubtles this is a maruelous thing that ye know not whence he is and yet he hath opened mine eyes and if this man were not of God he could haue done nothing so may we reason with those who affirme that it cannot be knowne whence the scriptures came from God or man vsing this argument taken from our owne experience saying doubtles this is a meruelous thing that ye doe not know whence the scriptures are seeing they haue opened mine eyes which were blinde from my birth inclined my wil to obedience which before was rebellious softned my heart and sanctified and quite changed mine affections so that I now loue that good which before I hated and hate that euill which before I loued and am delighted with those holy exercises which heretofore did most displease me and am displeased with those vaine pleasures and filthie sinnes which in times past did most delight me and therefore if it were not of God it could haue done no such thing if it were not inspied and indited by his holy spirit and made effectuall by the vertue and power thereof it could neuer haue wrought in me such strange alterations CHAP. XXII Sathans temptations suggested against the translations of holy Scriptures answered § Sect. 1 ANd somuch for answering Sathans second temptation whereby he laboreth to make men neglect the hearing of Gods word That the Scriptures are truly translated that so they may neuer be effectually called Now thirdly if he cannot perswade men that the Scriptures are not the word of God that so he may take away all the authority thereof then he will take exceptions against the translation suggesting into their minds that though the Scriptures bee the word of God as they were penned in their own proper languages by men inspired by his spirit yet for ought they know being vnlearned the Scriptures may be corruptly translated altered from their first originall and things added and detracted at the translators pleasure To this I answere that not onely professors of religion but also Pagans Infidels Epicures and Atheists who are euen the very limmes of the diuell haue been skilfull and learned in these languages and therefore if the translations were not neere the originall who could stop their mouthes from inueighing against such falsehood Who could restraine them from declaiming against such corruption seeing they so hate and abhor this truth as that they wish the vtter extirpation thereof and with extreame malice oppose themselues against it persecuting and murthering to their vttermost power whosoeuer imbrace and professe it Moreouer we knowe that the Iewes who more malitiously maligne Christians and christianity than the Turkes and Pagans doe notwithstanding agree with vs in the translation of the old Testament and can take no exception against the new Thirdly there hath been euer since Christs comming many sectaries and heretikes who for the maintenance of their opinions haue but sought to corrupt some few places of the Scriptures but still God hath raised vp some godly learned in the originall tongues who haue confuted them and cleered the text how therefore in such diuision and vehement discord should such a thing be concealed How should any corrupt the whole Scriptures or any principall places seeing there is such controuersies from time to time about euery letter and syllable Lastly this truth of the Scriptures hath been sealed and confirmed with the blood of many Martyrs who haue been excellently learned in the originall tongues and who can imagine that they would haue been so foolish as to haue giuen their liues for the maintaining that truth which is contained in the Scriptures as we haue them translated if they thought them corrupted and falsified in the translation § Sect. 2 But the tempter will obiect that the translations exceedingly differ one from another Of the difference of translations and therefore some of them must needs bee false and who would ground his faith vpon any vntill hee know which is the best and truest I answere that though there be diuers translations and one better than another yet euen that which is most corrupt and imperfect is sufficient to instruct vs in the knowledge of God and in the principles of Christian religion neither is there amongst them all many errors which concerne the articles of our faith or come neere the substance of doctrine which we are bound to beleeue for all the translatours haue laboured to conforme their translations according to the analogy of faith and though they haue not in all places deliuered the proper sense yet they haue endeauored to come as neere it as they can and where they haue fayled it is rather in circumstances than in
might tread on that ground made holy by Gods presence or receiue the Lords ambassage to his people so hee requireth of vs that we put off the shooes that is the corruption of our affections before we tread vpon the holy ground of his Church there to heare the glad tidings of the Gospell concerning our euerlasting deliuerie out of the bondage of our spirituall enemies What these affections are the Apostle Iames partly sheweth Iam. 1.19 namely wrath Iam. 1.19 1. Pet. 2.1 filthinesse malitiousnesse to which Peter addeth dissimulation and hypocrisie enuie and euil speaking 1. Pet. 2.1 And to these also wee may adde all other like vnto them § Sect. 3 Secondly VVe must banish all forestalled opinions of the minister wee must banish out of our mindes all preiudice forestalled opinions and sinister conceits of the minister of Gods word whom wee are to heare whereby men are either carried away with a vaine admiration of his gifts and in the meane time make no conscience of feeding vpon that foode which is offred like vnto them who in steede of drinking of the wine stand wondring at the curious workmanship of the cup or els with a preiudicate opinion of his insufficiencie in gifts or imperfections of life whereby they are so forestalled that they thinke nothing which hee can deliuer will be worth the hearing VVe must expell all worldly cogitations Thirdly we must expell out of our cogitations the remembrance of all worldly busineses pleasures delights least they distract our mindes in the hearing of the word and so choaking this heauenly seede make it fruitlesse for as the vessell which is alreadie full will receiue no more and whatsoeuer is powered into it spilleth vpon the ground so the minde that is full of worldly meditations is not fit to receiue the word of God but as soone as it offereth to enter it is kept backe and so perisheth for God and Mammon the holy word of God and the cares and vanities of the world can neuer dwel at the same time together but as soone as one entreth it expelleth the other As therefore men purposing to write a sermon doe make cleane their writing tables by blotting out that which was written in them before for otherwise there would be such a mixture confusion that nothing would be legible so whē we purpose to carry away a sermon faire writtē in the tables of our memories we must first blot out all worldly affaires and businesses otherwise there will be nothing but confusion and we shall not be able to recall any thing to our remembrance § Sect. 4 Fourthly We must examine our sins and wants before the hearing of the word wee must search and examine our hearts both concerning our sinnes and corruptions as also concerning our wants and imperfections for the first we must consider to what sins we are most addicted and with what temptations we are most easily subdued to the end wee may bring our sinnes to bee slaughtered and mortified with the sword of Gods spirit being otherwise vnable to ouercome them our selues and that we may also thereby so strongly arme all parts both of our bodies and foules so as they shall not in time to come bring vs againe vnder their dominion And as citizens being besieged with their enemies doe learne by their assaulting which part of the citie is most weake and so with more care and labour fortifie it with men and munition trenches and bulworkes so when we who are continually besieged by our spirituall enemies doe learne by their assaulting of vs where we are weakest and the enemie most like to enter then we must goe into Gods armorie and prouide sufficient weapons and munition whereby we may be enabled to hold out and make resistance So also we are to consider of our wants and imperfections that so we may be stirred vp with an earnest desire to haue them supplied and hereby may be moued with more care to apply vnto our selues such foode as shall be most fit to supply these our wants and amend our imperfections for as men who hunger earnestly desire to be satissied with wholesome foode neither will they willingly without any difference eate of all meates especially if they haue weake stomackes but of that which is most fit and best agreeth with them so those who finde their spiritual wants earnestly desire to be satisfied and to haue their defects supplyed and for as much as all foode contained in Gods word is not fit for this purpose nor agreeable to their stomackes to the end that Gods graces may be nourished in them therefore they will wisely make choyse of that which best agreeth to their present state and apply it vnto themselues accordingly For example he who findeth his heart hard and secure must feede vpon the threatnings of the law to the end he may be humbled and his heart molified and resolued into teares of vnfained repentance he that is of a broken heart and contrite spirit must feede vpon the sweete and gracious promises of the Gospell he that is ignorant must hunger after milke and desire to be instructed in the principles of religion he that hath a good measure of knowledge may desire stronger meate that is attend vnto the more deepe poynts of diuinitie in a word euery man is to examine his particular state and to search out his greatest wants that so comming to heare the word he may more diligently apply such doctrines instructions and exhortations as shall bee most fit for his vse and benefit for that which is foode to one is poyson to another and that salue which is fit to heale one sore doth make another to fester and ranckell and one part of the word of God being applied to men of diuers estates doth worke diuers effects one it feedeth another it poysoneth one it healeth another it woundeth to one it is the sauour of life vnto life and to another it is the sauour of death vnto death and therefore before we come to the hearing thereof we are to examine our states that we may apply and make profitable vse to our selues of that which is most fit to nourish and strengthen vs in Gods graces Lastly and most especially we are to vse earnest and harty prayer vnto the Lord that he may open our blind eyes We are to vse earnest praier Ps 119.18 so as we may see the wonderfull things of his law that he will take away our stonie harts and giue vs fleshly hearts in which his word may more easily be imprinted that hee will with the cyle of his grace bow our stubborne willes and make them flexible and inclinable to perfourme obedience to his wil reuealed in his word that he wil sanctifie our affections and purge them from their naturall corruptions that hee will distill the heauenly dew of his holy spirit into our mindes and barraigne harts that so the seede of his worde being watred there by may
not confesse with the Prophet Esay that wee haue gone astray like wādring sheepe Esay 53.6 he will neuer seeke vs nor cary vs on his blessed shoulders to the sheepfould of eternall happinesse In a word as without the sense of sinne we can neuer attaine vnto faith and repentance so without faith and repentance we can neuer haue any assurance of any of the promises of the Gospell § Sect. 5 And therefore it behooueth vs as we tender our saluation that wee labour after the sight and sense of our sinnes The meanes whereby wee may attaine so a true sight of our liues 2. King 22.19 Act. 2.37 that with good Iosias our hearts melt within vs and euen resolue themselues into the teares of vnfained repentance that we euen rent our heart with true compunction as the Prophet exhorteth Ioel. 2.13 and that with the Iewes wee haue our hearts prickt within vs when we come to the sight of our sinnes and all this not so much in regard of the punishment we haue deserued as that by our sinnes wee haue displeased our good God and gratious father and haue caused our sauiour Christ who is the Lord of life to be put to a shamefull and painefull death Zach. 12.10 And that wee may attaine vnto this sense and feeling of our sinnes 1. Meanes prayers there are diuers meanes to be vsed effectuall for this purpose as first we are to haue our recourse vnto God by earnest and feruent prayer desiring and intreating that he will annoint the blind eyes of our vnderstandings Reuel 3.17.18 with the pretious eye salue of his holy spirit that we may see our owne wretchednesse miserie pouertie blindnesse and nakednesse and that hee will soften our hard hearts with the oyle of his grace and so beate these stonie rockes that out of thē may flow plentiful streams of vnfained repentance Secondly 2. Meditating in the law we are oftentimes to set the law as a glasse before vs that so we may see our deformities and to examine our liues thereby as it were by a rule or square that so wee may know both how often we haue erred transgressed it in the time past and how vnable we are to performe it for the time to come in that exact maner which God requireth For as the deformities and spots in the face though they be great and many cannot be descerned of those who haue them vnlesse they looke themselues in a glasse and though euery one els doth plainly see thē yet the party himselfe doth least of all perceiue them so though our spirituall deformities and filthy spots of sinne appeare most vgly and odious in the eies of God men so that euery one seemeth to point at them yet wee our selues will neuer discerne them vnlesse we set the looking glasse of the law before vs. Thirdly 3. Meditating of the iustice and truth of God Iob 4.18 15.15 Esa 64.6 we are often and earnestly to meditate vpon the iustice and truth of God in whose presence the heauens are not cleane and the Angels themselues are vnable to abide the rigour of his iustice and how much more is man abominable and filthy who drinketh iniquitie like water In whose sight out best righteousnesse is like a polluted cloth and how much more filthy then are our sinnes and wickednesse moreouer as he is most iust so as he cannot let sinne goe vnpunished so also hee is most true yea truth it selfe neither can any of those threatnings fall to the ground vnexecuted which he hath denounced against those who liue in their sinnes and therefore there is no meanes to escape his fearfull iudgements vnlesse we turne from our sinnes and meete the Lord by vnfained repentance Fourthly let vs continually remember that we must once appeare before Gods tribunall seate of iudgement 4. Meditation of the last iudgement there to render an accompt not onely of our words and workes but euen of our secret thoughts when as the Lord himselfe who searcheth the hearts and reignes shal be our iudge who will not acquit the guilty nor respect the person of man neither will he be satisfied with faire pretences and smooth excuses nor corrupted with brides and gifts 1. Cor. 11. And therefore let vs iudge our selues that we may not be iudged of the Lord and in bitternesse of soule and remorse of conscience let vs condemne our selues to be miserable sinners that the Lord may acquite vs and make vs tast of his mercy 5. Remembrance of those punishments due to the wicked Lastly let vs seriously meditate on those fearefull punishments which are prepared for those who liue and die in their sinnes for they shall for euer be seperated from the presence of God the ioyes of heauen and the sweete companie of the Saints and Angels and be cast into eternall darknes where they shall for euer and euer be tormented in flames vnquenchable all which horrible punishments are due vnto all Gal. 3.10 who continue not in all which is written in the booke of the law to doe them and therefore how shall we escape who in stead of continuing in obedience to all Gods commandements haue continualy brokē them aland done the clean contrary if we do not in the sense of the heauy burthen of our sinnes humble our selues before God by vnfained repentance and come vnto Christ by a true and liuely faith that we may bee eased of this intollerable waight and adorned with his righteousnesse and obedience § Sect. 6 And so much concerning the first signe whereby those may be discerned whom Christ calleth The 2. thing required is that our sins be irksome greeuous vnto vs. namely the sight and sense of their sinnes But it is not sufficient that we feele our sinnes like a heauie burthen pressing vs down if we be contētto bear it stil but it must seeme irksom and grieuous vnto vs and make vs exceeding weary of bearing it we must with the Apostle Peter thinke it sufficiēt that we haue spent the time past of our liues after the lust of the Gentiles in abominable sinnes and for the time to come we are to liue after the will of God dedicating our selues wholy to his worship and seruice Otherwise though we haue neuer so exquisite a sight and sense of our sins yet if they seeme vnto vs a sweet burthen which we are content still to beare without any great wearinesse nay with pleasure and delight if wee bee like the rich miser who though his backe should be almost broken with the waight of his owne gold yet would not thinke it any trouble nay would esteeme it for his chiefe felicity because his burthen pleaseth him so if we feeling that our sinnes are an huge and massy burthen are neuerthelesse not troubled nor wearie of bearing them but rather take our chiefe delight in being so loded because the burthen is exceeding sweet and delightfull to vs we may
both which are mentioned Act. 20.21 witnessing repentance towardes God and faith towards Iesus Christ For repentance is nothing but a turning from our sinnes a returning to God faith causeth vs to goe out of our selues vnto Christ seeking saluation in him alone So that our comming to Christ is to beleeue in him for thus Christ himselfe expoundeth it Iohn 6.35 Hee that commeth unto mee shall not hunger and he that beleeueth in me shall neuer thirst So chap. 7.37.38 If any man thirst let him come vnto me and drinke He that beleeueth in mee as saith the scriptures out of his bellie shall flow riuers of the water of life This then doth Christ only require of all penitent sinners who are wearie and heauie laden with the burthen of their sinnes that they beleeue in him that is that by a liuely faith they doe apply vnto themselues Christ Iesus and all his benefites and assure themselues that whatsoeuer he hath done in the worke of mediation and redemption hee did it for their sakes namely that hee left the boosome of his father and taking vpon him our flesh became the sonne of man that hee might make vs the sonnes of God and heyres of his euerlasting kingdome that hee was conceiued by the holy Ghost to sanctifie our conception that hee here suffered hunger cold wearinesse and other miseries of this life that hee might make vs partakers of all happinesse in the life to come that hee performed perfect obedience to the law that hee might decke and adorne vs with the rich robe of his righteousnesse that notwithstanding hee was most iust and innocent yet hee was condemned to death before an earthly iudge that we who were wicked and vniust might bee acquitted and absolued before the iudgement seate of God that he died vpon the crosse to preserue vs from euerlasting death of hell that hee indured his fathers anger that wee might bee reconciled vnto him that hee bore the cursse of the law that he might cansell the hand-writing of ordinances which made against vs that hee rose againe and ascended into heauen that hee might bee the first fruites of them that slept and by his entrance into heauen might make way for vs also that hee sitteth at the right hand of God to make intercession for vs and to protect and defend vs against all our enemies that hee shall come to iudge both the quicke and the dead to the end he may giue vnto vs perfect redemption and crowne vs with euerlasting glorie And if wee thus beleeue in Christ and applie him with all his benifites vnto vs we may assure our selues that he will ease vs of the heauie burthen of our sins cloth vs with the glorious aray of his righteousnesse and giue vnto vs the eternal possession of those euerlasting ioies which by his death and bloudshed he hath dearely purchased for vs. CHAP. XXXII Of Sathan tentations which he vseth against those which are called to bring them to despaire § Sect. 1 ANd somuch concerning those tentations of Sathan How Sathan tēpteth these which are called to despaire wherewith hee assaulteth them who are not yet effectually called to the ende that hee may keepe them from turning vnto God by vnfained repentance and comming vnto Christ by a true and liuely faith now wee are to speake of those tentations which he vseth against those who are called And first when as he perceiueth that he can no longer blind them with ignorance nor keepe them still in carnall worldinesse presumptuous securitie when as he seeth that they are resolued no longer to deferre their repentance and comming vnto Christ by a true faith neither can be perswaded to content themselues with such faith and repentance as are false and counterfait then and not before he appeareth in his owne likenesse and sheweth himselfe a diuell indeed for then he accuseth them of their manifold and outragious sins where in they haue long continued then he telleth them of their sinnes past and present corruptions whereby they are readie to fall into the like againe then hee reuealeth vnto them their sinnes of ignorance and calleth to their remembrance those sinnes which they haue cōmitted against their knowledge and conscience then will hee aggrauate their sinnes which in themselues are but too too hainous and set before them the iustice of God the fearefull threatnings and terrible curse of the law the wrath of God and the intollerable and eternall torments of hell fire which by their sinnes they haue iustly deserued all which terrblie sights being in one view represented to their already timorous thoughts he taketh occasion of them al to moue them to distrust of Gods mercies and Christes merites and so to plunge them into vtter desperation Wouldest thou now vile wretch will hee say turne vnto God hoping to bee receaued to grace and mercy why assure thy selfe it is too late for are not thy sins in number numberlesse and in their qualitie and nature most haynous and outragious and hast thou not continued in this thy rebellion against God a long time refusing to come vnto him though he hath often called and carelessy neglecting all the meanes of thy saluation when thy God hath gratiously offered them vnto thee Now therefore the acceptable time and day of saluation is past neuer againe to be recalled and though with Esau thou seekest repentance with teares yet shalt thou neuer find it Moreouer to the consideration of thy horrible rebellion adde the remembrance of Gods iustice which can in no wise suffer sinne to goe vnpunished the terrible curse of the law denounced by God who is trueth it selfe against those who continue not in all that is written in the booke of the law to doe it the fearefull torments of hell prepared for sinners amongst which number thou art one of the chiefe and therefore doe not flatter thy selfe with hope of mercy but rather expect those fearefull iudgements and endlesse torments which are due vnto thee for thy rebellious wickednesse and thus doth Sathan labour to bring the poore Christian to deepe desperation and to fill his conscience with horrour and feare which if he can accomplish he resteth not there but like a cruell coward who can neuer be at quiet till he see the death of his enemie so our malitious enemie is neuer satisfied till he see our death and vtter destruction And therfore when he hath grieuously vexed the Christians consciences with fearefull horrour and tormented him euen with the flashings of hell fire in the next place he will perswade him to seeke some ease of his present torments by imbruing his hands in his owne bloud and putting himselfe to some violent death which is nothing els but as the Prouerb is to leape out of the frying pan into the fire and in seeking to ease his terrours of conscience to plunge himselfe into the torments of hell § Sect. 2 Against which tentations whosoeuer would be strengthened and enabled to
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
our stonie hartes and giueth vs hartes of flesh as hee promiseth Ezec. 11.19 And breaketh vp these fallow grounds fit in themselues to bring forth no fruite but weedes and thistles that so they may bee prepared to receiue the seed of his word and bee made fruitfull in all grace And thus our stubborne rebellious hartes are softened when as we particularly apply vnto our selues the doctrine of the law wherby first wee come to the knowing and acknowledging of our finnes original and actual Secondly our hartes are pricked and our consciences wounded by apprehending and applying to our guiltie soules the curse of the lawe the anger of God and those feareful punishments prepared for the wicked Thirdly seeing this our miserie and finding no means of our owne how wee may come out of this wretched estate wee are brought to despaire of our own strength righteousnesse and satisfaction finding them of no vertue for our iustification By all which being throughly humbled and cast downe in our selues the Lorde by the preaching of the gospel doth reueale vnto vs a way how we may escape out of this miserable estate by applying vnto our selues Christ Iesus and all his meritts and obedience by a true and liuely faith after which the humbled sinner seeing his owne wants and miserie by the lawe and perceiuing that our sauiour Christ is so rich in meritts that hee can cansily supply all his defects and so gratious and powerfull that hee can and will free him out of his wretchednesse he doth plainely discerne that hee standeth exceedingly in need of Christ Iesus and his righteousnesse After which sense of his owne wantes there is begott in him an carnest and hungring desire to bee made partaker of Iesus Christ his righteousnesse meritts obedience and of all those inestimable benefitts which are purchased by them And lastly hee is mooued to appeale from the sentence of the law to the throne of grace pleading not his owne righteousnesse or satisfaction but Christs meritts and obedience The third and last meanes of our effectuall calling is a true and liuely faith The 3. meanes whereby we apprehend Christ Iesus and all his benefitts giuen and applyed vnto vs by Gods spirite resting vpon him alone for our iustification and saluation .. § Sect. 4 That all 〈◊〉 find the former meanes powerfull in them are effectually called And these are the meanes of our effectuall calling which whosoeuer hath found powerfull working in themselues for their conuersion after the manner before spoken of they may most certainely assure themselues that they are effectually called and are alreadie partakers of Iesus Christ and all his benefites If therefore the Lorde whilest wee did lye frozen in the dregs of our sinnes without all desire of grace or meanes to escape our sinnes without all desire of grace or meanes to escape out of our miserie hath vouchsafed vnto vs the misterie of his holy word if by the law hee hath reuealed our sinnes vnto vs and the punishmentes due vnto them and if by the gospell hee hath shewed vs the way how we may come out of this miserie if by the inward cooperation of his holy spirit he hath opened our deafe cares and with this precious eyesalue hath annointed the blinde eies of our vnderstandings so that we haue attentiuely heard and in some measure vnderstoode those principles of our christian religion which haue in the misterie of the worde beene deliuered vnto vs if our hartes haue beene softened and pearced and our consciences wounded with the sight and sense of our sinnes if disparing in our owne strength righteousnesse and all other meanes of our owne wee haue gone out of our selues and rested and relied vpon Christ Iesus alone for our iustification and saluation then are wee without all doubt effectually called and are in the number of Gods church and people to whom the promises of grace doe appertaine § Sect. 5 That we may know that we are effectually called by considering the seuerall parts thereof Secondly we may come to the knowledge of our effectuall calling by considering the seuerall parts thereof The first is our selection and separation out of the corrupt masse of mankind whereby it commeth to passe that though wee be in the world yet we are not of the world and therefore wee neither loue it nor the world vs and this our Sauiour sheweth Ioh. 15.19 If saith he hee were of the world the world would loue his owne but because yee are not of the worlde but I haue chosen you out of the world therefore the world hateth you 1. Ioh. 2.15 and the apostle Iohn affirmeth that if any man loue the worlde the loue of the father is not in him 1. Ioh. 2.15 and the apostle Iames telleth vs that the amitie of the world is enmitie with God Iam. 4.4 and therefore whosoeuer will bee a friend of the worlde maketh himselfe the enemie of God If therefore our loue and affectiōs be weaned in some good measure from the world and fixt on spirituall and heauenly things if wee cease to be citizens of the world Phil. 3.29 and begin to haue our conuersation in in heauen from whence wee looke for a sauiour euen the Lorde Iesus Christ and if the world beginne to hate and scorne vs then may we be assured that wee are seuered from the world and intertained into Gods church and familie § Sect. 6 Sathans tentation answered whereby he perswadeth the christian that he loueth the world and the world him But here the tempter will obiect that by this it plainely appeareth that wee are not yet effectually called nor seperated from the world because we still loue the world affecting and desiring the vaine pleasures honoures riches thereof yea and also loue those who are meere worldlings and on the other side the world also loueth vs giuing vs good countenance and performing other duties vnto vs. For the answering of which suggestion we must distinguish betweene our selues and our selues for whilest we continue in this life wee are partly flesh and partly spirit and as there is great enmitie betweene the spirit and the world so is there great amitie betweene the world and the flesh So farre forth therefore as wee are still carnall and corrupt fleth the world loueth vs but as much as is spirituall and regenerate so much the world hateth and abhorreth Moreouer we may generally be considered as men or more specially as we are Christian men in the first respect the world that is wicked worldlings may loue vs for some naturall partes or meere morall vertues or els in common humanitie as members of the same ciuill or politicke body but as wee are Christians who haue giuen our names vnto God diuoted our selues to his worship and seruice the world hateth vs and our profession religion and all the fruits and exercises of sanctification and holinesse so that though in other naturall worldly and more ciuill respects
Esay 28.15 of whom the Prophet Esay speaketh Esay 28.15 Yee haue said saith he wee haue made a couenam with death and with hell wee are at agreement though ascourge runne ouer and passe through it shall not come at vs for we haue made falsehood our refuge and vnder vanitie are we hid And those also of whom the Prophet Zacharie complaineth Zach. 7.11 who obstinately refused to harken Zach. 7.11 and pulled away the shoulder and stopped their eares that they should not heare yea and made their hearts as an Adamant stone least they should heare the law and the words which the Lord of hostes sent in his spirit by the ministerie of the Prophets And so also many of the Scribes and Pharisies hardened their hearts against our Sauiour Christ obstinately contemning the gratious and powerfull words which proceeded out of his mouth and quenched the good motions of Gods spirit occasioned by his wonderfull miracles and admirable workes which none could performe but he who was the very true and only begotten sonne of God Now we are to know that this hardnesse of hart is most damnable and whosoeuer are possessed therewith they can neuer escape Gods fearefull iudgements and euerlasting condemnation in the life to come § Sect. 3 Of that hard nesse of hart which proceedeth from carelesse retchlesnesse The other kind of insēsible hardnesse of heart proceedeth from carelesse retchlesnesse and carnall worldlinesse when as men hauing their vnderstādings blinded doe not perceiue their filthie corruptions prophane wickednesse extreame misery nor feele the burthen of their sinnes though they be growne to an intollerable waight but flatter themselues with a vaine opinion of their good estate in themselues without any other helpe as though they needed not the meanes appointed of God for their conuersion which others vse And therefore they neglect the ministerie of the word as knowing and practizing inough already or if they heare it they remoue farre from them the threatnings of the law denounced against impaenitent sinners as not appertaining to them and checke all the good motions of Gods spirit which are commonly ioyned with the publike ministerie of the word and the priuate admonitions of godly men or with the example of Gods iudgement on others or with the sense of their owne afflictions and so returne to their old prophanesse and lie wallowing in the dregs of their sinnes without any remorse or hatred of euill or any true loue of that which is good Vntill at length their harts are so hardned and their consciences so scared with customable sinning and by often repelling and beating backe the meanes of their conuersion the outward ministery of the word and the inward motions of Gods spirit that they proceed from carelesse senselesnesse and negligent securitie to wilfull prophanesse and obstinate rebellion And this hardnesse of heart is most commonly incident vnto worldings and is nothing els but carnall securitie whereby they rest contented with their miserable and wretched estate neither louing that which is good nor hating that which is euill nor vsing any means to better themselues because they either thinke they are good inough or at least neuer enter into consideration of their estate nor come to the sense and feeling of their euill corruptions in which they are wholy plunged ouerwhelmed Yea sometimes and in some measure this befalleth the deare children of God through their carelesse negligence and want of the due examination of themselues as may appeare in the example of Dauid who many moneths together liued in his sinne of adulterie and murther without any serious and sound repentance till it pleased the Lord to rouze him out of this spirituall lethurgie by the ministerie of the Prophet Nathan but yet the Lord doth not finally leaue them but by the preaching of the word godly admonitions and reprehensions and also with the inward motions and secrete operation of his holy spirit he pulleth them out of this wretched estate giuing vnto them a sight or feeling of their sins and mollifying their hard hearts working in them an hatred and detestation of their sinnes and an earnest desire to be vnburthened of them But howsoeuer this may befall the children of God yet this can be no incouragement vnto any to continue still in this wretched case for howsoeuer they may be indeed the children of God yet assuredly they can neuer haue any true assurance in their consciences that they are his children and in his fauour till their harts be mollified and resolued into the teares of vnfained repentance at least in some measure And therefore let euery one beware of carnall security and of hardening their harts through carelesse negligence and by committing sinnes against their knowledge and conscience let them beware of resisting the ministerie of the word and of quenching the good motions of Gods spirit for though the conscience at the first be most tender and the hart so soft that euery sinne will pricke and pearce it and euery gentle admonition will make it relent yet in continuance of time through customable sinning and resisting the meanes of our conuersion and saluation the conscience is so seared that it becommeth senselesse though it be oppressed and surcharged with a heauy masse of outragious wickednesse and the heart groweth to such Adamantiue hardnesse that the thundring Canon threatnings of the law and of Gods fearefull and imminent iudgements cannot batter or bruise it nor make any breach whereby true repentance may enter In which respect the conscience is not vnfitly compared to the eye which of all other partes of mans body is most tender impatient of the lightest touch so that the smallest mote vexeth it and the least pricke causeth incredible torment but if once it be affected with a disease called of Oculists scirrhosis oculi which ouercouereth it but a hard fleshy skinne it becommeth of all other partes most insensible so the conscience of man is most tender of all other partes and at the first small sinnes vexe torment it but if through custome in sinning it be ouerspread with a Callum or thicke skinne it becōmeth insensible and nothing will wound it CHAP. XXXIX Of that hardnesse of heart which is ioyned with sense and feeling thereof § Sect. I Of hardnesse of hart ioyned with sense and feeling thereof THe second sort of hardnesse of hart is that which is ioyned with sense and feeling when as we see and with sorow feele our dulnesse and blockishnesse in Gods seruice our obdurate inflexiblenesse to holy obedience our hardnesse of heart which at the hearing either of the terrible threatnings of the law or sweet promises of the Gospell cannot relent nor resolue it selfe into the teares of vnfained repentance and this hardnesse of heart is commonly incident vnto Gods deare children being at the same time in the state of grace and is a part of that inbred corruption and fleshly old man which before our calling wholy possesseth and
his iustification So Rom. 4.2 Rom. 4.2 If Abraham were iustified by works he had wherein to reioyce but not with God and ver 3. and ver 3.4 Abraham beleeued God and it was counted vnto him for righteousnesse 4. Now to him that worketh the wages is not counted by fauour but by debt 5. But to him that worketh not but beleeueth in him that iustifieth the vngodly his faith is counted for righteousnesse § Sect. 6 And so much cōcerning the testimonies of scripture which manifestly proue that we are not iustified by our works Reasons to proue that w◠are not iustified by our workes Rom. 8.1.33 34. The reasons which may be brought to the same purpose are exceeding many but I wil briefly touch some few only First iustification is manifestly opposed to cōdemnation they are both iudiciall words vsed in ciuill courts therefore to be vnderstood both iudicially not after a diuers maner But to condēne signifieth not to infuse any fault or crime in to the person cōdēned but to pronoūce him guiltie faulty And therfore to iustifie signifieth not to infuse righteousnes into the person iustified but to declare pronoūce repute him as iust righteous Secondly by the same meanes whereby we obtaine the remission of our sins we are also iustified made righteous but wee obtaine the remission of our sinnes not for our workes or inhaerent righteousnes or any vertue that is in our selues but by and for the alone merites obedience and full satisfaction of Christ apprehended and applyed vnto vs by a liuely faith as appeareth Rom. 3.25 And therefore by this meanes alone we are also iustified Rom. 3.25 Thirdly whosoeuer are iustified freely by grace they are not iustified by their owne merits works or inhaerent righteousnesse Rō 3.23.24 but the scriptures testifie that all the faithfull are iustified freely by Gods grace as appeareth Rom. 3.23.24 All haue sinned and are depriued of the glorie of God Eph. 1.7 2.8 And are iustified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus So Eph. 1.7 By whom we haue redemptiō through his bloud euen the forgiuenesse of sinnes according to his rich grace Tit. 3.5.7 and 2.8 By grace are you saued through faith and that not of your selues it is the gift of God and Tit. 3. not by the works of righteousnesse which we had done but according to his mercy he saued vs c. 7. That we being iustified by his grace should be made heires according to hope of eternall life And therefore none are iustified by their owne merits workes or inhaerent righteousnesse Lastly the apostle Paul himselfe gathereth many absurdities which would follow this doctrine of iustificatiō by works first that our faith should bee vaine and the promisse of God voide Rom. 4.14 Rom. 4.14 Secondly that Christ Iesus should die in vaine if we haue righteousnesse by the law Gal. 2.21 Gal. 2.21 Thirdly that wee should haue cause of boasting and glorying in our selues Eph. 2.9 Eph. 2.9 for if a man were iustified by his owne inhaerent righteousnesse hee should haue whereof to glory and so God should be robbed of the whole praise of our saluation Rom. 4.2 Rom. 4.2 But the Lord of purpose hath iustified vs freely of his grace and not for our workes and inha rent righteousnes that all glorying in our selues might be excluded as appeareth Rom. 3.27 Eph 2.9 Rom. 3.27 Eph. 2.9 Fourthly it would follow hereupon that we should still be vnder the curse of the law which is denoūced against all who continue not in all that is written in the booke of the law to do them as the Apostle reasoneth Gal. 3.10 Gal. 3.10 Fiftly that the obedience and satisfaction of Christ should be maymed and imperfect vnlesse it were patched vp with our owne righteousnesse the contrary whereof the Apostle affirmeth Heb. 7.25 namely that hee is able perfectly to saue all them who come vnto God by him Lastly Heb. 7.25 hereupon it would follow that wee should continually wauer in doubting in respect of our manifold corruptions and imperfect righteousnesse and should haue our soules depriued of that peace of conscience which followeth iustification by faith as it is Rom. 5.1 Rom. 5.1 Lastly with the Iewes we shall bring our selues into most certaine daūger of being reiected and cast of from being the people and Church of God if with them we goe about to stablish our owne righteousnesse in the meane time not submitting our selues to the righteousnesse of God Rom. 10.4.6 which is of faith in Iesus Christ as it is Rom. 10.4.6 CHAP. L. That faith alone iustifieth § Sect. 1 ANd thus much concerning the first point How it is to be vnderstood that faith alone iustifieth namely that wee are nor iustified by workes the second is that we are iustified by faith alone whereby we are not to vnderstand that faith by it owne vertue or as it is a facultie habite worke or action in vs doth iustifie vs but as it is the alone instrument whereby we doe apprehend apply vnto vs Christ Iesus his righteousnesse obedience by which onely righteousnesse which is out of our selues in Christ as the proper subiect thereof being offered in the word and Sacraments and applied by faith we are iustified in Gods sight Phil. 2.9 as appeareth Phil. 2.9 Secondly whereas we say that faith alone iustifieth we do not vnderstand such a faith as is alone without workes charitie and other sanctifying graces which were nothing els but imaginarie dead and but as it were a carkase of faith which breatheth not but that amongst all other graces vertues faculties of the soule faith alone and not any of thē is the instrument whereby we apply Christ Iesus vnto vs who being thus applied doth iustifie vs. That though workes do not iustifie vs yet they are necessarily required as fruits of our iustification Otherwise we affirme that other graces of Gods spirit and euen good workes which is a fruite of them all doe necessarily accōpany our iustification not as instruments or causes thereof but as inseparable effects and fruits thereof So that howsoeuer we exclude workes from the act of iustifying yet wee necessarily require them in the subiect or person iustified we affirme that faith alone iustifieth but wee denie that such a faith which is alone doth iustifie vs we maintaine that we are iustified by faith alone without works but with all we affirme that faith which is without workes doth not iustifie vs as being dead false and imaginarie This may bee made plaine by some similitudes to the being of an honest man there is necessarily required honest actions not as causes but as effects neither are his honest actions the cause of his honesty but his honesty the cause of his honest actions to a liuing man there is necessarily required as well breathing which is an action or effect