commandement Iam. 2.10 is guiltie of all as it is Iam. 2.10 And therefore it behooued the Apostle and al others not to seeke for iustification in themselues and their owne righteousnesse but in the righteousnesse and obedience of Christ which wee may boldly present before Gods exact iudgement seate and there bee accepted as righteous And of this iustificatiō the Apostle speaketh not doubtfully or timorously but boldly and certainly Rom. 5.1 Being iustified by faith we haue peace towards God through our Lord Iesus Christ 2. Rom. 5.1.2 By whom also we haue accesse through faith vnto his grace wherein we stand and reioyce vnder the hope of the glorie of God So Rom. 8.33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen it is God that iustifieth 34. Rom. 8.33 Who shall condemne it is Christ who is dead yea rather which is risen againe c. § Sect. 8 Moreouer Ioel 2.14 Amos 5.15 they obiect these places to moue vs to doubt of our election and saluation Ioel 2.14 Who knoweth if he will returne and repent and Amos 5.15 It may be that the Lord God of hoasts will be mercifull vnto the remnant of Ioseph And Ion. 3.9 Who can tell if God will turne and repent Ionas 3.9 and turne away from his fearce wrath that wee perish not To which I answere that the Prophets in these places doe not speake of the election or eternall saluation of those that truly repent but of their deliuerie from outward afflictions and temporarie calamities threatned against them for their sinnes which sometimes the Lord doth inflict on his children after their true repentance either for their chastizement that they may therby hate sinne for the time to come when they feele the smart of it or els for their triall and sometimes also the Lord after hee hath threatned them against the wicked doth notwithstanding hold backe his hand and as it were put vp his sword of iustice againe into the scabberd which he had drawne out to punish their sinnes vppon on their outward humiliation and fained repentance that hee may shew hereby how highly hee esteemeth the true repentance of his children as appeareth in the example of the Nineuits and of Ahab 1. King 21.29 1. King 21.29 And therefore seeing the Lord keepeth no certaine course in these temporarie chastizements but sometimes inflicteth them vpon the repentant whom hee dearely loueth and sometime spareth the wicked when they but outwardly humble themselues before him therfore the Prophets speak doubtfully and exhort to repentance referring the euent to Gods wise and gracious prouidence And thus doubtfully doth Dauid speake in this respect 2. Sam. 12.22 2. Sam. 12.22 and 16.12 Who can tell said he whether God will haue mercie on me that the child may liue and chap. 16.12 It may be the Lord will looke vpon mine affliction and yet though hee were doubtfull whether hee should be freed from these temporall crosses hee was notwithstanding certainly perswaded of his election and saluation Psal 16.11 as hee professeth Psal 16.11 So that these places speaking of temporarie chastizements make nothing against the certaintie of our election § Sect. 9 And like vnto these Act. 8.22 is that which they alledge to the same purpose Act. 8.22 where Peter exhorteth Simon Magus to repent of his wickednesse and to pray vnto God that if peraduenture the wicked thought of his heart might be forgiuen him To which I answere first that the originall word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is translated if peraduenture and in our Bibles if it be possible somtimes also signifieth that truly and in this sense it maketh nothing for doubting Secondly though wee vnderstand it as a speech of doubting yet it maketh not for their purpose for it is not to bee referred vnto God as though it were doubtfull whether he would forgiue the sinnes of the Magician if he did truly repent and call vpon him for hee hath certainly assured vs by his gracious promise that whosoeuer truly repenteth him of his wicked waies Ezech. 33.11 he will receiue him to mercie Ezech. 33.11 But it is to be referred to Simon Magus of whose repentance and liuely faith Peter might well doubt least either they would be none at all or els fained and hypocriticall seeing his heart was not right in the sight of God but in the gall of bitternesse and bond of iniquitie Lastly though it should be a doubtfull speech and bee referred also to God yet it maketh nothing against the certaintie of faith for the Apostle seeing him in the gall of bitternesse and bond of iniquitie thought it not fit to raise him vp suddenly by applying vnto him the sweete promises of the Gospell nor to cast those pretious pearles before such a filthie swine vnlesse first hee preserued them as it were in the casket of a doubtsull and perplexed speech from being trampled vnder his bemired feete till hee had washed them in the teares of vnfained repentance Moreouer he thus doubtfully speaketh to giue him a more cleere insight of the hainousnesse of his sinne as though it might bee well doubted of whether the Lord would forgiue it or no that so his minde hereby being least perplexed might by the consideration of his horrible sinne bee beaten downe and truly humbled and because those things which are hardly obtained are more earnestly sought therefore Peter intimateth vnto him by this doubtfull speech that it was no easie matter to obtaine forgiuenesse for such outragious wickednesse that hee might hereby work in the Magician more earnest hearty repentance incite him to call vpon the Lord for mercie with more vehemencie and feruencie of spirit It is not therfore the Apostles meaning to ouerthrow the certaintie of faith or to call into question Gods mercie whether hee will extend it or no to hainous offenders who truly repent of their sinnes and beleeue for this were contrary to the whole course of the Gospell but he vseth this doubtfull speech to this desperate sinner that he might not make the soueraigne salue of Gods gratious promises base and contemptible by applying it to the festred sores of a filthy dogge which were neuer cleansed with the sharpe corrasiues of the law and also for the good of this malitious sinner for he doth not absolutely assure him of mercie and forgiuenes that hee might be stirred vp with more earnestnesse and care to seeke it for the easinesse of obtaining maketh the suiter carelesse and negligent in seeking and suing neither doth hee absolutely exclude him frō all hope of grace least hee should neuer labour after it but desperately run on in his wickednes for when hope is cut off the desire also fainteth and therefore he vseth a perplexed and wise tempered speech which on the one side might preserue him frō secure presumption and on the other side from falling into hellish desperatiō § Sect. 10 Lastly Eccles 5.5 they obiect that
The which may minister vnto euery penitent sinner most sweet consolation for when they see that God is angry by reason of their sins that he doth greeuously afflict them euen bring them as it were to the gates of hell this must not make the to cast of al hope to fal into vtter desperatiō but they must remember that these are not the Lords proper works but strange vnto him which he doth to this end that he may bring to passe his owne proper works which are agreeable to his nature that is that he may againe shew vnto vs the glorious beames of his louing coūtenance in more full brightnesse bring vs frō death to life frō affliction to ioy from the gates of hell to the kingdome of heauen According to that 1. Sam. 2.6 the Lord killeth maketh aliue he bringeth downe vnto hell and bringeth vp againe As therefore when we see carpenters pulling downe a ruinous building our minds do not rest there because we know that this they doe is not their proper worke but we goe further in our cogitation thinking of a new house which they will build in the place of the old for as much as wee know that it is not their proper worke to race downe but to build or to race downe that they may build so when wee see the Lord angry and inflicting corrections let vs not rest here but with the like foresight of mind let vs consider that he doth these his strange and improper works that afterwards he may do those which are proper and naturall that is that he afflicteth that he may bring the more true cōfort that he bringeth vs to the gates of hell to the end hee may rayse vs vp to bee partakers of the ioyes of heauen But let vs consider of some more testimonies of Gods infinite mercies As the Prophet Dauid likewise saith Psalm 103.8 that the Lord is full of compassion and mercy slow to anger and of great kindnesse and Psal 86.5 Thou Lord art good and mercifull and of great kindnesse vnto all them that call vpon thee So the prophet Ioel 2.13 testifieth of the Lorde that hee is gratious and mercifull slow to anger and of great kindnesse And the apostle saith that he is rich in mercie Eph. 2.4 and 2. Cor. 1.3 He calleth him the father of mercies and God of all cōfort § Sect. 4 Seeing then mercie is one of Gods attributes That God is delighted in exercising his mercie therefore it is also of his essence and being for there is not in Godes most perfect nature any qualities or accidentes but whatsoeuer is in God is God so that God is mercie it selfe and consequently to shew and excercise his mercie is to shew and exercise his owne nature Now wee know that naturall actions are not troublesome norirksome neither is the sunne troubled with giuing lighte nor the fire with giuing heate nor the tree with yeelding fruite nor the beast with nourishing his young nor man with receiuing nourishment and sleepe because it is their nature to be excercised in these actions and therefore seeing mercie is of Gods essence it is not painefull and troublesome to excercise it towardes all repentant sinners bee their sinnes neuer so many and hanious no more then it is troublesome to exercise his iustice in punishing of those who are obstinate and rebellious nay it is not onely not troublesome and painefull but also pleasant and delightfull for God to shewe mercie vnto all those who truely turne vnto him and contrariwise it should bee troublesome and irksome if I may so speake for God not to shew and exercise his nature and mercie towardes repentant sinners for as the eye is delighed with seeing and to bee restrayned there from is grieuous vnto it as the care is delighed with hearing and is much molested if it be stoped and as euerie part and facultie of the bodie and soule are delighted in excercising their seuerall actions and functions and are much vexed and cumbred if by any meanes they should bee hindred so is the Lord delighted and well pleased in shewing and excercising his owne nature and attributes as his power and prouidence in gouerning the world his iustice in punishing wicked obstinate and rebellious sinners and his mercy in pardoning and remitting the sinnes of those who are of an humble spirite and broken heart and are wearie of this intollerable burthen desiring nothing more then to bee eased and freed from it And not to thus excercise his nature and attributes woulde rather that I may speake after the manner of men bee vnto the Lord tedious and troublesome Of this pleasure and delight which the Lorde taketh in pardoning repentant sinners the Prophet Micha speaketh chap. 7.10.18 who saith he is a God like vnto thee that taketh away iniquitie and passeth by transgression of the remnant of his heritage he retaineth not his wrath for euer because mercie pleaseth him So the prophet Dauid Psal 147.11 saith that the Lord is delighted in them that feare him and attend vpon his mercy euen as though he reioyced much to haue an occasion offered of excercising his mercy and goodnesse towardes those who earnestly desiring it wait vpon him that they may bee made partakers of of it For the obiect of Gods mercy about which it is exercised is mans miserie and the action thereof is to pittie and helpe him out of his wretched and miserable estate and therefore if there were no miserie and wretchednesse and no sinne to be forgiuen there would be wanting that external obiect about which Gods mercy should be exercised and manifested to all the world And hence it is that the Lorde willingly permitted the fall of our first parentes to the ende that hee might make a way for the manifestation of his mercie in pardoning repentant sinners and his iustice in punishing the contemners of his grace And as the apostle saith Rom. 11.32 God hath shut vp all in vnbeleefe that hee might haue mercie on all that is to say on all the elect both Iewes and Gentiles Seeing therfore God delighteth himselfe in excercising manifesting his mercy to the praise of the glorie of his grace by pardōing forgiuing repentant sinners let not any who are grieuously laden grone for wearines vnder the heauie burthen of their sinnes feare to come vnto the Lorde and to implore his mercy for the forgiuenes of their sinnes though neuer so grieuous and manifould neither let them doubt least God will reiect their suite and refuse to receiue them into his grace and fauoure because of their great rebellions and vnworthinesse For although there were not as in truth there is not any thing to bee respected in vs sauing that wee are the creatures of God and worke of his handes yet the Lorde will haue compassion vpon vs euen for his owne sake because hee is exceedingly delighted in shewing mercy to all those who turne vnto him And this the Lord
himselfe professeth Esa 43.25 I euen I am he that putteth away thine iniquities for mine owne sake and will not remember thy sinnes And therefore the prophet Daniel calling vpon the Lord for mercy in the behalfe of himselfe and the people disclaimeth their owne righteousnesse and all respect of their owne merits and worthinesse saying wee do not present our supplications before thee for our own righteousnesse but for thy great tender mercies O Lord heare O Lord forgiue O Lord consider and doe it deferre not for thine owne sake Dan. 9.18.19 § Sect 5 But here sathan will be ready to obiect vnto the afflicted conscience labouring vnder the burthen of sinne That the grieuousnesse of sinne cannot debarre the repentant sinner of Gods mercy that God indeede is mercifull but yet he will neuer extend his mercy towards such haynous offenders whose sinnes are in number numberlesse and in qualitie and nature most grieuous and outragious For answering of which tentation we are to know that though our sinnes bee neuer so innumerable and hainous yet this should not discourage vs from comming to God by vnfained repentance with assured hope of forgiuenesse for though our sinnes be great his mercies are infinite and consequently though it were imagined that all the sinnes which were euer committed in the world were ioyned together yet in comparison of Gods mercy they are without all comparison lesse then a mote in the Sunne to all the world Neither is God like vnto man whose bounty mercy are limited in some straight bounds which they will not passe and therefore they are soone weary both in giuing to those who want and forgiuing those that offend but his bounty is endlesse and his mercies infinite and therefore he can and wil as easily forgiue vs the debt of ten thousand millions of pounds as one pennie and as soone pardon the sinns of a wicked Manasses as of a righteous Abraham if we come vnto him by vnfained repentance and earnestly desire and implore his grace and mercy And this our Sauiour Christ sheweth in the parable of the poore Publicāe whose hainous sinnes the Lord presently forgaue vpon his true conuersion Luke 7.41 And in the parable of the two debters where the lender our bountifull God as easily forgaue the 500. pence as the fiftie that is innumerable great sinnes as well as few and lesse And the Apostle Paule teacheth vs that where sinne hath abounded there grace hath much more abounded Rom. 5.20 That we must not so aggrauate our sins that we derogate from Gods mercy Seeing therfore Gods mercy is infinite and without al limites let not vs restraine it neither let vs so aggrauate our sinnes as that in the meane time wee derogate from Gods mercy If a Prince should send his generall pardon vnto a number of offendors without any exception or limitation and one amongst the rest should say this pardon doth not appertaine vnto me because I am so great an offender and therefore I will still stand in doubt of my Princes mercy and suspect his word who would not accuse such an one both of folly in refusing his pardon and of vngratefulnes and diffidence in distrusting his gratious Prince calling his great mercy and truth in his promisse into question Who would not thinke this offence greater then all the rest but the Lord who is infinite in mercy hath sent his generall pardon to all repentant and beleeuing sinners without all exception why therefore should wee make question of his mercy because of our hamous sinnes why should we vnto our others sinnes adde this which is more hainous then all the rest indoubting and distrusting his word and promise and in extenuating his infinite and endlesse mercies For if wee thinke our debt so great that God will neuer forgiue it what doe we els but detract from Gods rich bounty and liberality if we suppose our sinnes may not bee for giuen because of their greatnesse what do we els but imagine that they surpasse Gods infinite mercy which is a most horrible blasphemy once to conceiue § Sect. 6 The mercy of the Lord extendeth it selfe to the beasts of the field That Gods mercy is ouer all his works and hee gratiously feedeth the Rauens and young Lions which in their brutish maner implore his helpe shal he not extend his mercies to reasonable creatures that seeke after them Psal 36.6 104.21.27 147.9 145.9 Yea the Lord is good to all and his mercies are ouer all his workes as it is Psal 145.9 and will not the Lord be gratious to man who is his most excellent workemanship created according to his owne image if hee sue vnto him for grace and desire to be partaker of his mercy His goodnesse stretcheth it selfe vnto his obstinate enemies for he causeth his rayne to fall and his Sunne to shine both vpon the euill and the good on the iust and vniust Matth. 5.45 And shall it be restrained frō his repentant seruants he multiplieth his mercies in temporall benefits vpon the wicked and reprobate and shall it be scanted towards his elect he is very gratious to malitious rebels and will he denie grace to humble suers for mercy and repentant sinners He shewed his goodnesse and long suffering vnto wicked Achab vpon his fained and hypocriticall humiliation and will he not extend it towards those who being truely penitent vnfainedly turne vnto him Yes assuredly for though hee bee good to all euen senselesse creatures brute beasts and rebellious sinners yet he is in especiall maner good to those who are of the houshold of faith § Sect. 7 But if we cannot behold Gods mercies in their owne glorious brightnesse That euen man is mercifull towards the penitent and therefore much more God who is infinite in mercy let vs looke vpon them in some small resemblance and little counterfaite if we cannot comprehend them in their owne infinite nature yet let vs view them in a small modell Euen man himselfe who hath but a sparke of this mighty flame and a small drop of this bottomlesse Ocean spareth his sonne when he offendeth pardoneth his seruant when he desireth forgiuenesse yea is oftentimes reconciled to his enemie who hath many waies wronged him when he sueth for reconciliation and confesseth his faults shall therefore man who hath receaued a little sparke from this euer burning flame of Gods goodnesse a small drop of this endlesse and bottomlesse Ocean and but a little modell of this infinite greatnesse whose greatest mercy compared with Gods is but sauadge and barbarous cruelty shall hee I say bee readie to spare his Sonne forgiue his seruant and bee reconciled vnto his enemy and shall not God spare forgiue and bee reconciled vnto those who turne from their sinnes by vnfained repentance and earnestly sue for grace shall wee see and acknowledge the mercies of man and shall wee doubt of the mercies of God which is the plentifull fountaine from which like a pirling
repentant and beleeuing sinners let vs vnfainedly turne vnto the Lord and apply Christ and his meritts vnto vs by a true liuely faith and then we may assure our selues that he will pardon and forgiue vs al our sinnes and receaue vs gratiously into his loue and fauour § Sect. 5 But against this which hath beene alleaged That al Gods promises are made indefinitely to all that beleeue Sathan wil be ready to obiect to the afflicted conscience that these promises were made to the prophets apostles and holy men of God but not to such haynous and rebellious sinners who haue most iustly deserued that God should poure out vppon them the violls of his wrath and those fearefull punishments threatned in the law because of the innumerable number of their sinnes and the outragiousnesse of their wickednesse and therefore such haue nothing to doe with the sweet promisses of the Gospell but are to apply vnto themselues the terrible threatnings denounced in the law against such grieuous sinners For the answering of which tentation wee are to know that the Lords promises made in the Gospell are general indefinite and vniuersall excluding none who turne from their sinnes by vnfained repentance and beleeue in Christ Iesus resting on him alone for their saluation Neither is there any limitation or exception of this or that sinne for be they neuer so greiuous and manifold yet if wee performe the condition of faith and repentance the Lord will make good his promises vnto vs. For the first namely that the promises of the gospell are indefinite and generally made to al who repent and beleeue it shall manifestly appeare if wee consider the particulars Esa 55.1 the Lord calleth all vnto him indefinitly saying to euery one who thirsteth come to the waters and yee that haue no siluer come buy and eate Come I say buy wine and milke with out siluer and without money so that though we haue no worthinesse and righteousnesse of our owne yet if we thirst after the mercy of God and righteousnesse of Christ and come vnto God by vnfained repentance and vnto our sauiour by a liuely faith our thirst shall be satisfiyed and all our wantes supplyed So Ezech. 33.11 the Lord solemnely sweareth that hee will not the death of a sinner but that they turne from their wicked wayes and liue where hee speaketh not of this or that sinner but of all without exception who turne vnto him Our sauiour Christ likewise maketh this indefinite promise Marke 16.16 that whosoeuer shal beleeue and be baptised shal be saued and Iohn 3.14 he saith that as Moses lift vp the serpent in the wildernesse so must the sonne of man be lift vp 15. that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue eternal life So that as al who were stunge of the fyrie serpent were healed if they looked vpon the brasen serpent neither was their any exceptiō or distinctiō between those who were deeply or but a little pearsed with the sting for if they were stūg they died if they vsed not the remedy ordained of God though their wound were but small and shallow but if they looked vp to the brasen serpent according to God ordināce they were cured though their wound were neuer so deadly and desperate so those who looke not vpon Christ Iesus hanging on the crosse with the eye of faith are sure to fall into euerlasting death and damnation bee their sinnes neuer so few and on the other side they who lay hould vpon Christ and beleeue in him are sure to bee saued though their sins bee neuer so many and grieuous So in the 16. verse it is said that God so loued the world that hee hath giuen his onely begotten sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life and ve 36. He that beleeueth in the sonne hath euerlasting life c. So that here is no exception of sinnes for the promises are made indefinitely to all that beleeue In like maner our Sauiour hath promised Iohn 6.37 That whosoeuer come vnto him hee will not cast them away and ve 40. he assureth vs that it is the will of his father who sent him that euery man who beleeueth in him should haue euerlasting life And the Apostle Peter Actes 10.43 saith that vnto our Sauiour Christ giue all the prophets witnesse that through his name all that beleeue in him shall haue remission of sinnes And the Apostle Iohn likewise saith 1. Ioh. 2.1 that if any man sinne wee haue an aduocate with the father Iesus Christ the righteous and hee is the propitiation for our sinnes and not for ours onely but also for the sinnes of the whole world that is for whosoeuer repent and beleeue of euery kingdome countrey and nation So that by all these places it is cleare and euident that none are excluded from being partakers of Gods mercifull promises but those who exclude themselues through their infidelitie and vnrepentancie § Sect. 6 Neyther is there any sins so innumerable in multitude so hainous grieuous which will debarre vs from receiuing the benefit of Gods mercie and Christs merites so wee repent and beleeue That our sins cannot debarre vs of Gods mercy so we repent and beleeue as may appeare also by plaine testimonie Esay 1.18 the Lord thus speaketh to the Iewes whom hee had described to bee rebellious and most outragiously wicked Come now saith the Lord let vs reason together though your sinnes were as crimson they shal be made white as snow though they were red as scarlet they shal be as wooll The Apostle Paul likewise witnesseth Tit. 2.14 that our sauiour Christ gaue himselfe for vs that he might redeeme vs from all iniquitie And the Apostle Iohn saith that the bloud of Christ cleanseth vs from all sinne and if wee acknowledge our sinnes he is faithfull and iust to forgiue vs our sinnes 1. Ioh. 17.9 and to cleanse vs from all vnrighteousnesse So that here is no mention made of any sinnes which are excepted or which exclude vs from Gods mercy Christs merits so that we repent beleeue neither are the promises of the Gospell limited or restrained in respect of the number or greeuousnesse of our sinnes so we performe the conditiō of faith and repentance for whosoeuer is hartily sorie for his sinnes past and purposeth for the time to come to leaue and forsake them whosoeuer doth beleeue Gods promises and resteth vpon Christ Iesus alone for his saluation by a true and liuely faith he may be certainly assured that the Lord hath pardoned and forgiuen all his sinnes and receaued him into his grace and fauour though his sinnes be neuer so many and hainous and on the other side whosoeuer continueth in his vnrepentancie and infidelitie shal be condemned though his other sinnes be neuer so few and small neither will all our other sinnes debarre vs of Gods mercy vnlesse they bee ioyned with vnrepentancie and vnbeliefe for obserue
are flatly repugnant to the worde of God and testimonie of the spirit wee are to assure our selues that they are the temptations of Sathan eyther immediately suggested by himselfe or mediately by his messenger our corrupt fleshe Seeing then these suggestions come from Sathan who is our malicious enemie Ioh. 8.44 Sathan either lyeth or else speaketh the truth to deceiue and a lyar from the beginning yea the father of lies we are not to beleeue thē nay rather we may gather certaine assurance that the contrarie is true for the speaketh onely lyes or if at any time hee speake the trueth it is to this ende that hee may deceiue vs. For example hee telleth the secure carnall may that hee is in the state of grace and highly in Gods fauour but vnto the humbled sinner hee saith that he is a reprobate shal most certainly be damned vnto the worldly secure man hee saith that God is most mercifull then the which nothing can bee more true but doth not speake this in his conscience because hee would haue him to tast thereof but to lull him a sleepe with this sweete syren song to his eternall perdition On the other side when hee hath to deale with the brused heart and contrite spirite hee telleth him of nothing but of Gods exact iustice to the ende that hee may plunge him into vtter desperation In a word whatsoeuer hee speaketh in the conscience of man it is eyther false in it selfe or if true in them yet false in hypocrisie if true in the generall yet false in the particular application As what can bee more true then that God is iust and what more false then that hee will excercise his iustice in punishing repentant and humbled sinners what can be more true then that God is most merciful and what more false then that he wil shew this his mercy is sauing those who liue and die in their sins without repentance yet it is most vsuall with Sathan to affirme both the one and the other lying in both because hee doth misapply them And therefore seeing Sathan doth neuer speake the truth or else doth falsly apply it in respect of our estate let vs acquaint our selues with his false language and so by hearing his lies wee may bee the better assured of the truth for example when hee telleth vs that our sinnes are vnpardonable that it is now too late to turne vnto the Lord that wee are reprobates and damned wretches wee knowing that our malicious enemie by his lies doth continually seeke our destruction are contrariwise to assure our selues that Gods mercie and Christes merites farre exceed our sinnes that nowe is the acceptable time and day of saluation if we will turne vnto God and hearing his voice not harden our heartes that wee are in the state of saluation the vessels of mercie and beloued children of God § Sect. 4 Lastly those who are heauie laden with the burthen of their sinnes The last argument taken from the experience of Gods mercy in pardoning others and first of whole cities and nations may gather vnto themselues assurance of the forgiuenesse of them by the consideration of Gods mercie extended vnto other repentant sinners for there was neuer any from the beginning of the world to this day were their sinnes neuer so hainous or innumerable who haue not beene receiued to mercie and pardoned of our gratious God whensoeuer they did vnfainedly turne vnto him And this may appeare whether wee consider whole cities or nations or else particular men Of the first wee haue a notable example in the Israelites which liued in the time of the iudges who though they did many times negligently forget the greate mercies and inestimable benefites of God shewed to their forefathers of which also themselues had beene partakers though they forsooke the Lorde not once or twise but very often euen then when he most bound them vnto him with multiplying vpon them the benefitts of peace and plentie and though they let the raines loose vnto all wickednesse yea which was most abhominable and odious in the sight of God though they worshiped and serued Baal and Asteroth and other idolls of the cursed nations for which horrible idolatrie God had cast out the nations before them yet whensoeuer they turned vnto the Lorde hee pardoned their sinnes receiuing them into his former loue and fauour and deliuered them out of the handes of all their enemies So likewise in the time of the prophet Esay The example of the Israelits in the time of the prophet Esay Esay 1.5 to the 16. to what a notorious height of wickednesse were the same people growne as the Lord by his prophet doth decipher and describe them in the first chapter of that prophecie In the 2. ver he calleth heauen and earth to witnesse their horrible rebellion in the 3. verse hee sheweth that their vnthankfulnesse for all his mercies far exceeded the vngratitude of bruite beasts in the 4. verse hee exclaymeth out against them calling them a sinfullnation a people laden with iniquitie a seed of the wicked corrupt children who had for saken the Lord and prouoked the holy one of Israell to anger In the 5. and 6. verses he sheweth their hardnesse of heart and obstinacie in their rebellion which was so great that though the Lord sent afflictions chastize mentes vpon them yet they were no whit reformed but waxed worse and worse and that this was not the case of some few but of al the whole body of the people for the whole head was sicke and the whole heart was heaute and that from the soule of the foote to the crowne of the head there was nothing sound therein but wounds and swellings and sores full of corruption the cure whereof they vtterly neglected In the 10. verse hee matcheth the sinnes of both prince and people with those crying sinnes and outragious wickednesse of Sodome and Gomorah which brought down from heauen fire and brimstone to consume them In the 11.12.13 and 14. verses he complaineth of their filthie hypocrisie in Gods outward worship ioyned with the vtter neglect of true godlinesse and his spirituall seruice which caused the Lord to detest al their sacrifices sabbothes and newe moones So that their could not bee imagined greater wickednesse in any people respecting those notable meanes which the Lorde continually graunted vnto them aboue all other nations for their owne conuersion and therefore who would not haue thought their state to be most desperate who would not haue looked dayly that the Lorde should haue consumed them with fire and brimstone or haue caused the earth to haue swallowed them vp aliue as it did Corah and his assotiats but behould the infinite mercies of our gratious God euen when they wallowed in this filthie sinke of all impietie the Lord calleth them to repentance and when as they had forsaken him and fled from him desiring nothing lesse then to make or meddle with him the Lord
not in all that is written in the booke of the law to doe it Galat. 3 10. Rom. 8.8 Gal. 3.10 that they who liue according to the flesh cannot please God Rom. 8.8 that the burthen of sinne cannot be light seeing it pressed out of Christ himselfe a bloudie sweate c. On the other side if hee aggrauate the hainousnes of our sins to the end hee may draw vs into despaire of Gods mercie let vs say Ezec. 18.23.32 it is written I will not the death of a sinner saith the Lord but that he repent and liue Ezech. 18.23.32 And that Iesus Christ came into the world to saue sinners 1. Tim. 1.15 Matth. 9.13 1. Tim. 1.15 And that he came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance Matth. 9.13 Ioh. 3.16 If he tempt vs to the loue of the world and to the seruice of this vnrighteous Mammon let vs answer him Matth. 6.24 that it is impossible to serue two masters of such contrarie disposition as it is written Matth. 6.24 That if wee loue the world 1. Ioh. 2.15 Iam. 4.4 the loue of the father abideth not in vs 1. Ioh. 2.15 That the amitie of the world is enmitie against God Iam. 4.4 Contrariwise if renouncing the world and endeuouring to serue the Lord in vprightnes and in truth hee seeke to draw vs from our integritie by threatning afflictions and persecution wee are to strengthen our selues and resist him with the sword of the spirit remembring that they are blessed which suffer persecution for righteousnes sake Matth. 5.10 1. Tim. 3.12 for theirs is the kingdō of heauen Mat. 5.10 That all that will liue godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer persecutiō 1. Tim. 3.12 That whosoeuer loseth any thing for Christs sake Matth. 19.29 shall receiue in recompence an hundreth fold more and haue euerlasting life to boote Matth. 19.29 If he tempt vs to the neglect of Gods word wee are to tell him that all Christs sheepe heare his voyce and follow him Ioh. 10.27 Ioh. 8.47 Ioh. 10.27 That whosoeuer is of God heareth Gods words Ioh. 8.47 that they who know God heare his ministers whereas he that is not of God heareth them not 1. Ioh. 4.6 And if he obiect that wee cannot heare it without great labour and cost wee are to remember that whosoeuer is a wise Merchant fit for the kingdome of God will rather sell all he hath to buy this precious pearle than be without it Matth. 13.44 45 46. Mat. 13.44.45 On the other side if he tempt vs to content our selues with the bare hearing thereof neglecting obedience thereunto we are to tell him that not the hearers of the word Rom. 2.13 but the doers thereof shall be iustified Rom. 2.13 that they who are hearers of the word and not doers also doe deceiue themselues Iam. 1.22 if they thinke hereby to haue any assurance of eternall life Iam. 1.22 That not euery one who saith Lord Lord that is Matth. 7.21 maketh a goodly profession of religion shall enter into the kingdome of heauen but he that doth the will of the father who is in heauen Matth. 7.21 So when he tempteth vs to pride wee are to say vnto him Sathan I may not yeeld vnto thy temptation for it is written God resisteth the proude but giueth his grace to the humble 1. Pet. 5.5 1. Pet. 5.5 If he tempt vs to couetousnes we are to resist him saying it is written 1. Tim. 6.10 that the desire of money is the roote of all euill 1. Tim. 6.10 If to carking care wee are to tell him that the Apostle exhorteth vs to cast all our care on the Lord for he careth for vs 1. Pet. 5.7 1. Pet. 5.7 If to vnthriftie mispending of Gods gifts and carelesse consuming of our estates wee are to tell him that he that prouideth not for his familie 1. Tim. 5.8 is worse than an Infidell 1. Tim. 5.8 § Sect. 3 And thus may we repell the violence of all Sathans temptations and giue him the soyle if wee will take vnto vs the sword of the spirit That it behooueth vs to be skilfull in handling the sword of the spirit and skilfully vse the same in the fight for it is not sufficient that we haue this sword lying by vs nor to be able to shew the goodnes thereof in discourse if in the meane time we neuer draw it out to fight the spirituall combat but let it rust in the scabberd but we must alwaies haue it readie for the combat and as it were naked in our hands that wee may strike home and cut off all the temptations of Sathan and the lusts of our owne flesh when they doe assault vs. And to this end we must be skilfull in the vse thereof for though a man haue an excellent weapon yet if he know not how to vse it it will little helpe him either to defend himselfe or offend his enemie so if a man haue this two edged sword of Gods word and haue no skill to rule it he will strike flatlong and not cut and sometime wound himselfe in stead of hurting his enemie yea so politike a warriour is Sathan against whom we fight that if wee be not skilfull in the vse of this sword he will turne the edge and point thereof against our selues and so in stead of defending vs it will like the sword of Goliah be readie for the enemie to cut off our owne head And therefore it behooueth vs to come into Gods schoole continually that there we may learne how to vse and handle this sword of Gods word so cunningly that wee may resist Sathan in all his assaults and giue him no aduantage in the fight Otherwise he will vse it to our own ouerthrow for if hee durst fight against our Sauiour Christ with his owne weapon the word of God whose knowledge was exquisite and without measure saying It is written how much more busie will he be in vsing it against vs who haue not attained vnto the least part of his skill The folly of those who neglect this spirituall weapon Whereby appeareth first the carnall retchlesnesse of many men who as though there were no enemie to assault them haue not this weapon in their houses at all or if they haue yet they bestow more time in prophane exercises than in studie how to vse the sword of the spirit for their owne defence or at least trusting to their owne skill as sufficient in it selfe they seldome come to the Lords schoole where they might learne to vse the weapon of Gods word for their best aduantage Secondly hereby appeareth the wicked practise of the enemies of Gods truth who take from Gods people this sword of the spirit which the Lord hath giuen vnto all for their defence Neither doth the Apostle in this place exhort onely the Clergie to take this weapon but all Christians whatsoeuer who are assaulted with their
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
saying Eccles 5.5 which they thus reade De propitiato peccato noli esse sine metu neque adijcias peccatum super peccatum That is be not without feare concerning sinnes forgiuen neither adde sinne vnto sinne To which first I answer that this book is not canonicall scripture and therfore not to bee alledged for the determining of questions in controuersie nor for the confirming of doctrines of faith Secondly I answere that they haue corruptly translated the originall text for hee willeth vs not to feare concerning our sinnes forgiuen but concerning the forgiuenesse of them before they are remitted least wee should securely adde sinne vnto sinne because forgiuenesse is promised whensoeuer wee repent and so abuse the mercie and long suffring of God to our iust condemnation So that he forbiddeth not to beleeue certainly that our sinnes are remitted when God hath pardoned them but he forbiddeth vs to runne on in sinne securely presuming vpon forgiuenes as plainly appeareth by the originall text and the whole drift and scope of the place For in the verse going before he vseth this speech Say not I haue sinned and what euill hath happened vnto me for the Lord is long suffring but yet he will not dismisse or acquit thee and in this verse hee biddeth vs not to be without feare concerning the forgiuenesse of sinne adding sinne vnto sinne that is we must not goe on in sinne presuming vpon forgiuenesse and vers 6. Doe not say that his mercie is great he will forgiue my manifold sinnes 7. For mercie and wrath are swift with him but vpon sinners his indignation shall rest 8. Doe not deferre to turne vnto the Lord neither put it off from day to day for suddenly the wrath of the Lord shall breake foorth and in thy securitie thou shalt be destroyed and thou shalt perish in the time of vengeance In all which words hee doth not take away the assurance of the forgiuenesse of our sinnes after we haue truly repented of them but carnall securitie and vaine presumption whereby men deferre their repentance vpon hope of mercie and forgiuenes whensoeuer they repent Lastly though this place were to be vnderstood concerning sinnes forgiuen yet the scope thereof is not to hinder our assurance of forgiuenesse when we haue truly repented but only that we doe not after wee haue obtained remission of our sinnes take occasion thereby of falling into sinne againe and so abuse the mercie and goodnesse of God vsing it as an argument to mooue vs to goe on in sinne because the Lord vpon our repentance is alwaies readie to receiue vs to mercie CHAP. XII The reasons alledged against the assurance ofour saluation answered § Sect. 1 ANd so much concerning the testimonies of scripture That it is not arrogancie or presumption to be assured of our saluation which are alledged against the certaintie of faith now let vs consider their reasons First they obiect that it is proud arrogancie and hereticall presumption for a miserable sinner without all doubting to assure himselfe that he is elected and shall be saued To which I answere that if with the pharisaicall papists and proud iusticiaries we did build our assurance vpon our owne merits and worthinesse it were indeede intollerable arragancie and proud presumption not onely certainely to beleeue but euen to doubt whether we are elected and shall be saued for where as doubting is there is some hope also whereas the scriptures peremptorily conclude that they who looke for righteousnesse and saluation by the law are vnder the curse Gal. 3.10 Galat. 3.10 Rom. 3.20 and that by the workes of the law shall no flesh be iustified in Gods sight Rom. 3.20 and that we are iustified not by our deserts in whole or in part but freely by Gods grace through the redemption which is in Christ Iesus as it is vers 24. But seeing we wholy disclaime our owne righteousnesse and humbly acknowledging our owne miserie and wretchednesse doe wholy rely our selues vpon the gracious promises of God and the merits of Christ Iesus seeing we become nothing in our selues in the worke of our saluation that God may be all in all seeing we cast away all glorie from our selues that we may wholy glorie in the Lord according to that Ierem. 9.24 Let him that glorieth Ier. 9.24 glorie in this that hee vnderstandeth and knoweth me This is not proud arrogancie nor hereticall presumption but christian humilitie which giueth all glorie vnto God leauing nothing to our selues but the comfort which is wrought in our hearts by the assurance we haue of Gods promises Nay the more vndoubtedly we trust in Gods promises the greater is our humilitie for the more wretched we are in our owne eyes the more we see our imperfections yea our nothing in Gods sight and hereby we are moued to goe out of our selues to seeke for saluation onely in Gods free grace and Christs merits and to rest in them with full assurance as being in themselues all sufficient without our workes and worthinesse On the otherside the more we doubt of our saluation in respect of our vnworthinesse the more is our pride and arrogancie for we would not doubt in regarde of our vnworthinesse vnlesse we looked for saluation by our worthinesse and therefore we come so farre short in faith and hope as we finde our selues short in merits and whence can this proceede but from arrogancie and pride which maketh men to looke for saluation in themselues and to doubt of Gods mercie and Christs merits vnlesse they finde that they haue deserued them by their owne workes and worthinesse Let vs therefore abhorre this proud humilitie of the papists which maketh them doubt of Gods mercifull promises and consequently of his truth 1. Ioh. 5.10 for as it is 1. Ioh. 5.10 He that beleeueth not God hath made him a lyer and also of the sufficiencie and valew of that inestimable price which Christ Iesus hath giuen for our redemption as though it were imperfect in it selfe vnlesse it be eitched and patched vp with our owne merits and worthinesse and though we are most abiect wretched and in a desperate case in respect of our selues yet let vs haue assured trust and confident bouldnesse yea a triumphant boasting and glorying in respect of our Sauiour Christ as the Apostle speaketh Ephes 3.12 Rom. 5.2 Notable is the saying of Austine to this purpose Eph. 3.12 Rom. 5.2 Serm. 28. deuerbis domini Omnia tibi peccata tua dimissa sunt Ideo praesume non de operatione tua sed de christi gratia presume therefore saith he not of thine owne working but of Christs grace for ye are saued by grace saith the Apostle therefore here is no arrogancie but faith to shew what thou hast receiued it is not pride but deuotion So in another place In Psal 88. Hoc dixit deus hoc promisit si parum est hoc iurauit The Lord hath said this he hath promised it and if this be not
from the world and ingrafted as liuely members into the bodie of Christ Iesus Motiues to perswade to the diligent hearing of Gods word The first motiue Let vs therefore strongly arme our selues against this temption as being most pernitious vnto our owne soules and to this end let vs briefly consider of some reasons whereby wee may be stirred vp diligētly to frequent Gods holy assemblies to be made partakers of this heauenly ambassage First therefore were are to know that the ministerie of the word is Gods owne ordinance which he hath instituted and ordained for the gathering together of the Saints and building the bodie of his Church Eph. 4.11.12 as appeareth Eph. 4.11.12 Neither doth he vse ordinarily any other meanes especially where this is to bee had for the true conuersion of his children and for the working of the sanctifying graces of his spirit in them And therefore though he could by extraordinary meanes haue sufficiently instructed the Eunuch in the waies of saluation yet he would not but rather vseth his owne ordinance and sendeth Philip to preach vnto him Act. 8. Though hee could haue illuminated the eyes and vnderstanding of Paul Act. 8. Act. 9.6.17 by the immediat worke of his spirit yet hee chose rather to send him to Ananias Act. 9.6.17 Though hee could by the ministerie of his Angel haue sufficiently infourmed Cornelius in things necessarie to saluation yet he would not offer so great disparagement to his owne ordinance Act. 10.5.6 and therefore he causeth him to send for the Apostle Peter Act. 10.5.6 And therefore if wee would haue any assurance of our effectual calling and true conuersion vnto God let vs with all care all diligence heare the word of God preached vnto vs. The second motiue Secondly let vs consider that it is euen God himselfe who speaketh by the mouthes of his Ambassadours and that they come not in their owne names but in Christs stead to intreate vs that we would be reconciled vnto God 2. Cor. 5.20 as it is 2. Cor. 5.20 that though they bee but earthen vessels yet they bring from the world and is yet hid to those that perish 2. Cor. 4.7 2. Cor. 4.7 And hēce it is that the Prophets being to pronounce their prophecies still begin with The word of the Lord and Thus saith the Lord and God himselfe sending Ieremie to preach saith that he had put his words into his mouth Iere. 1.9 Iere. 1.9 Whosoeuer therefore refuse to heare the word of God preached refuse to heare the Lord himselfe as our Sauiour plainly affirmeth Luk. 10.16 He that heareth you heareth me Luk. 10.16 and he that despiseth you despiseth me and what hope can they haue of comming vnto God who cannot endure to heare his voyce calling them vnto him § Sect. 3 Thirdly The third motiue 2. Cor. 5.18 the titles which are giuen vnto the word in the Scriptures may serue as strong arguments to moue vs carefully to heare the same for it is called the ministerie of reconciliation whereby we are reconciled vnto God 2. Cor. 5.18 and therefore without it there being no other ordinarie meanes of reconciliation we remaine still Gods enemies It is called the Gospell of peace Eph. 6.15 Eph. 6.15 without which wee haue neither peace with God nor the peace of conscience It is called the word of grace Act. 14.3 and 18.32 because it is the meanes whereby the Lord deriueth vnto vs his grace and mercie Act. 14.3 and all the spirituall graces of his sanctifying spirit Phil. 2.16 Act. 13.26 It is called the word of life Phil. 2.16 and the word of saluation Act. 13.26 because it is the meanes wherby we are saued out of the hands of spirituall enemies and are certainly assured of euerlasting life and happinesse Matth. 13.44 It is called the kingdome of God Matth. 13.44 because thereby we are brought first into the kingdom of grace and afterwards into the kingdome of glorie It is that heauenly seede whereby we are begotten vnto God in which respect the ministers thereof are called spiritual fathers 1. Cor. 4.15 1. Cor. 4.15 and therefore without it wee can neuer be regenerated and borne vnto God It is the foode of our soules euen milke for babes 1. Cor. 3.2 Heb. 5.12 and strong meate for men of ripe yeares 1. Cor. 3.2 Heb. 5.12 whereby we are nourished vnto euerlasting life and therefore let vs not refuse this heauenly foode like waiward children when our heauenly father offreth it vnto vs for so our soules being hunger-starued nothing can follow but eternall death and destruction It is the phisicke of our soules whereby being sicke in sinne they are cured and restored for as Christ is our heauenly physition so is his word the potion which hee giueth to purge vs from our corruptions and the preseruatiue which confirmeth vs in health and preserueth vs from the leprous infection of sinne yea this physick is so soueraigne that though with Lazarus were haue lien dead in our graues foure daies that is continued long in our naturall corruptions yet this physicke being applied will raise vs vp to newnesse of life and therefore those who neglect this diuine physicke are subiect to all infection of sinne and being infected can neuer attaine to their health againe It is the square and rule of our liues from which we must not decline neither on the right hand nor on the left Deut. 5.32 Deut. 5.32 and therefore without it our workes must needs be crooked in Gods sight It is a lanthorne to our feete Psal 119.105 and a light vnto our paths Psal 119.105 whereby wee are guided in the waies of holinesse and righteousnesse which leade vs to euerlasting happinesse which being taken away we shall walk in darknesse and be euery step readie to fall into sin and eternall destruction It is the sword of the spirit wherewith we defend our selues and offend our spirituall enemies Eph. 6.17 Eph. 6.17 which being neglected or not skilfully vsed we shall lie open to all thrusts and blowes and be easily ouercome In a word it is profitable for all vses as being the onely ordinarie meanes ordained to conuey vnto vs all good and to preserue vs from all euill and therefore great folly it is for any man to contemne it or to preferre before it vaine pleasures or trifling commodities which also are momentanie and vncertaine § Sect. 4 Fourthly The fourth motiue the manifold benefits which by the word of God are deriued vnto vs may serue as a strong argument to stirre vs vp to the diligent and carefull hearing thereof for first thereby we become true members of the Church out of which there is no saluation and being ingrafted into the body of Christ are made partakers of all his benefits And this appeareth Eph. 4.11.12 Eph. 4.11.12 where the Apostle sheweth that the end of the ministerie is for the gathering together
not know his time but as the fishes which are taken in an euill nette and as the birds that are caught in the snare so are the children of men snared in the euill time when it falleth vpon them suddainly when the euill seruant shal say in his heart my maister doth deferre his comming and shall beginne to smite his fellowes and to eate and drinke and to be drunken that seruants maister will come in a day when he loketh not for him and in an howre that he is not aware of and will cut him off and giue him his portion with the vnbeleeuers as our sauiour hath taught vs. Luke 12.45.46 And we know what hapned to the rich man who saide vnto his soule soule thou hast much goods laid vp for many yeeres liue at ease eate drinke and take thy pastime euen the same night God said vnto him O foole this night will they fetch thy soule from thee and then whose shall those things be which thou hast prouided Luke 12.19.20 § Sect. 4 Moreouer how many may we obserue in our owne experience who haue deferred their repētance frō day to day thinking to repent either in their old age or in the time of their sickenesse That many purposing to repent in old age are cut of in the meane time by Gods iudgment and haue beene preuented and cut of by Godes iudgment doe we not see that many haue beene taken away with suddaine and violent deaths many depriued of the vse of their sences memorie and vnderstanding in the time of their sicknesse and haue so dyed mad franticke and sensles many who come to their old age and yet are further from repentance then in the time of their youth And this cōmeth to passe by the iust iudgment of God for what can be more righteous then that the Lorde should contemne them at the houre of death who haue contemned him their whole life that they should loose their memorie and vnderstanding in the time of sickenes who haue continually abused them to the dishonour of God in the time of their health that they should dye impenitent who haue liued in impenitencie that they should forget God when they are readie to goe out of the worlde who would neuer remember him whilst they were in the worlde that God should withdraw his grace when they are sicke which being often offered they despised when they were in health And this the Lord threatneth Pro. 1.24 Because I haue called and yee haue refused I haue stretched out mine hand none would regard v. 25. but ye haue despised all my counsayle and would none of my correction v. 26. I will also laugh at your destruction mocke when your feare cōmeth v. 27. when your feare commeth like suddaine desolation and your destruction shall come like a whirlewind c. and v. 28. then shall they call vpon me but I will not answere they shall seeke me early but they shall not find mee v. 29. because they hated knowledge and did not choose the feare of the Lorde So Zachar 7.11.12.13 the prophet saith that because the people refused to harken pulled backe their shoulder and stopped their eares that they should not heare but made their hearts as an Adamant stone least they should heare the words of the lord sent in his spirit by the ministerie of the former prophets therfore came a great wrath from the Lord of hostes whereof it came to passe that as hee cried and they woulde not heare so they cried and the Lord would not heare their crie And therefore when the Lord calleth let vs answere Lorde I come let vs not delay our conuersion from day to day but seeke the Lord whilest he may be found and call vpon him whilest he is neere let the wicked now forsake his wayes and the vnrighteous his owne imaginations and returne vnto the Lord and he will haue mercy vpon him and to our God for he is very ready to forgiue as it is Esay 55.6.7 But if we contemne the ministerie of his worde and when God calleth to refuse answere if wee harden our hearts against the meanes of our conuersion quench the good motions of his spirit when he putteth them into our mindes surely it will come to passe that as we neglect the Lord so he will neglect vs and though hee call vs today yet he will not call againe to morrow but will let vs die in our sinnes without repentance Let vs remēber the fearefull example of Esau who contemning his blessing and birthright afterwards when he would haue inherited the blessing was reiected for he found no place to repentance though he sought it with teares as it is Hebr. 12.16.17 And of the 5. foolish virgins who neglecting the opportune time of prouiding oile for their lamps afterwards went to buy when it was too late Matth. 25. for the bridegrome passed by and they were shut out of dores Call to mind the fearefull example of Pharaoh who still hardening his hart against Gods word sent vnto him and confirmed by many miracles and wonders at last was destroyed with his whole armie So Herode hauing hard Iohn Baptist willingly and perfourmed obedience to some things which he had learned yet because he did not turne to the Lord with his whole heart nor repented of his incest was neuer after called againe but left of God to his owne hardnesse of hart the like may be said of Pilate Agrippa Foelix Iudas Demas Iulian the Apostata who hauing not harkened to the Lords call but quenched the good motions of his spirit afterwards were giuen ouer of God to a reprobate sense to their euerlasting ruine and destruction So likewise when as the Lord gaue the false prophetesse Iesabel a time to repent Apoc. 2.21.22 and shee repented not he threatneth his heauie iudgements against her in a word this is manifest in the examples of carnall secure men in these dayes who hauing abused Gods mercy and long suffering and deferred their conuersion from day to day at last they are taken away in Gods heauie displeasure and as they liued like beastes so commonly they die like beastes and therefore as wee loue the saluation of our soules let vs harken when the Lord calleth and not harden our hearts against the good motions of his spirit for if we be like these men in our wicked practise there is no hope we should be vnlike them in fearefull punishments § Sect. 5 Thirdly we are to consider that our conuersion and turning vnto godly vnfained and true repentance The 3. motiue because repentance is Gods gift is the gift of God from whom euery good and perfect gift descendeth as it is Iam. 1.17 And therfore we are to accept of this gift whē he offereth it vnto vs for God doth not promise his giftes and graces with condition that we may receiue them when we list but when he offereth them Psal 95.7 To day if yee will heare his voice harden not
which the Lord wilimprint in them and wee are moued to denie our selues and to cast away our owne righteousnesse and to rest and relye vpon Christ Iesus alone for our iustification and saluation which is quite contrarie to our naturall disposition but it were a miracle of miracles that all these things should be wrought in vs by sicknesse which the Lord hath not ordayned for this purpose when as the meanes appointed by God himselfe the ministerie of his word which is Gods owne ordinance could neuer worke them in vs. It may bee indeed that Gods hand lying heauy vpō vs in the time of sicknesse and fearing worse iudgements in the life to come we may be moued hereby to make a goodly shew and to vowe great reformation if we might bee restored to our health It may be that with Pharaoh we may make a fained confession of our sinnes and promise to amend if this iudgement may be remoued or that we may with Achab outwardly humble our selues before God to the end we may escape those fearefull punishments which are threatned in his word but it is a thousand to one if we then truly repent who haue liued our whole time in impenitency or then turne vnto God if wee were not before that time effectually called and conuerted for as wee liue so wee commonly die neither is it likely that hauing led our liues like wicked Balaam we should die the death of the righteous that hauing alwaies hitherto been thornes and thistles we should now bring forth sweet figges and pleasant grapes when wee are ready to be cut downe and to be cast into the fire that hauing all our life sowed the seedes of wickednesse we should at our death reape the fruit of godlinesse And therefore as the Apostle exhorteth let vs not be deceiued God is not mocked for whatsoeuer a man soweth that shall he also reape for he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reape corruption but he that soweth to the spirit shall of the spirite reape life euerlasting as it is Gal. 6.7.8 Let vs now turne vnto God while he calleth vs and graunteth vs the meanes of our conuersion the ministerie of his word now is the acceptable time now is the day of our saluation and if wee will now turne vnto God and truly repent whilest we might continue in our sinnes we may be assured our repentance is true and vnfained and not pressed out of vs with sence of present paine nor forced with feare of future punishment and that turning to God wee shal be receaued to grace and mercy seeing we then offer to serue him when wee might haue serued Sathan the world and our owne corrupt flesh CHAP. XXX Two letts which hinder worldlings from speedy repentance remooued § Sect. 1 ANd so much concerning these Motiues whereby wee may bee perswaded to speedie repentance The first let is the misaplying of Gods mercy and gratious promisee all which the worldly secure man wardeth and beareth of with a double fence so as they can neuer beate him downe with true humilitie nor pearce his heart with vnfained sorrow for sinne the one is by alleadging Gods mercy manifestly declared vnto vs in the sweet promises of the Gospel the other by obiecting the example of the conuerted thiefe who though hee had spent his whole life in sinne and wickednesse yet at the last hower was receiued to mercy For the first Ezech. 13.32 33.11 Math. 9.13 Math. 11.28 hath not the Lord will they say protested in his word that he desireth not the death of a sinner but that he turne from his way and liue hath not our Sauiour tould vs that he came not to cal the righteous but sinners to repentance and doth he not inuite such vnto him as labour vnder the heauie burthen of sinne promising that hee will ease them And hath not the Apostle Paul taught vs 1. Tim. 2.4 that Gods will is that all men should be saued and come to the knowledge of his trueth Seeing therefore God is so mercifull why should we doubt of our saluation Why should we feare to deferre our repentance follow our pleasures and delights for a time seeing the Lord will receiue vs to mercy whensoeuer we turne vnto him The first let remoued I answere first that though al this were certaine true and not to bee doubted of yet it is a most vnthankefull part and horrible ingratitude against our gracious God and louing father to take occasion of his mercie the more to offend him as before I haue shewed Secondly I answere that as God hath shewed his mercy in the gratious promises of the Gospell so also he hath as plainely declared his iustice in the seuere threatnings of the law and he is as true in the one as in the other And therefore all the question is who shal tast of his mercy and who of his iustice seing that is promised to some and this threatned against others or rather in truth it is without all question for the Lord hath plainely shewed in his word that hee will extend his mercy to all repentant sinners and to them onely and that he will declare his iustice in powring out his iust iudgements vpon the wicked who liue in their sinnes and especially vpon those who take occasion of Gods mercie to continue in their vnrepentancie despising the riches of his bountifulnes his patience long suffering for hereby they heape vnto themselues wrath against the day of wrath and the declaration of the iust iudgmēt of God as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 2.4.5 Though then there be neuer so many sweet promises in the gospel yet they who continue in their sinnes without repentance can reape no true comfort by them because they are not made to them but to repentant sinners and on the other side though there be neuer so many terrible threatnings denounced in the law yet the paenitent sinner need not to feare them seeing they are threatned onely against those who continue in their impaenitencie though God be of infinit mercy let not the wicked man who liueth in his sinnes presume seeing it is sufficiently declared in pardoning the sinnes of repentant sinners Neither let him who is truly paenitent despaire because God is of infinite iustice seeing it is sufficiently manifested in punishing the sinnes of those who continue in their vnrepentancie let not him who is turned vnto God from his wicked waies feare Gods iustice for it is fully satisfied in Christ and therefore it shall neuer attach him neither let him who continueth in his sinnes without repentance hope in Gods mercy for it doth not belong vnto him nor yet in the sweet promises of the Gospell which though they be neuer so generall yet are they alwaies to be restrained to the condition of the couenant of grace faith and repentance And this is manifest in the places before alleaged which worldly men so much abuse to nourish in them carnall
the condition of the promises faith and repentance and all the promises of the Gospell belong vnto thee though thou were the greatest sinner that euer liued For whereas it may be obiected that the sinne against the holy Ghost is vnpardonable we are to know it is not so much in regard of the hainousnesse of the sinne as that because it is alwaies seuered and disioyned from faith and repentance God denying these his graces to those who vpon desperate malice haue made a generall Apostasie and haue persecuted the knowne truth So that if it were possible for them to repent and beleeue it were possible also that they should be saued Seing therefore the promises of the Gospell are generall excluding none let not any man who is laden with the burthen of his sinnes exclude himselfe through his want of repentance and infidelitie for though their other sinnes are grieuous yet this is more hainous and damnable then all the rest For whereas the Lord saith that he wil extend his mercy vnto all who come vnto him if wee reply no he will not extēd it vnto me because I am a grieuous sinner what do we els but contradict the Lord and giue truth it selfe the lie not giuing credit to his word and promises And therefore let vs take heed that wee do not so aggrauate our sinnes as that in the meane time wee extenuate and derogate from Gods infallible truth CHAP. XXXV Of other arguments drawne from the persons in the Trinity § Sect. 1 ANd these are the arguments which are drawne from the nature of God Reasons drawne from the first person God the father whereby we may be assured of the remission of our sinnes there may also other arguments bee drawne from euery person of the Trinitie First God the father hath created vs of nothing euen according to his own image and when wee had defaced this his image in vs and made our selues slaues to Sathan he so tenderly loued vs his poore miserable creatures that he spared not his dearely beloued onely begotten Sonne but sent him into the world to take our nature vpon him that therein he might suffer all misery and affliction and lastly the cursed and bitter death of the crosse that so he might satisfie his iustice for our sinnes perfect the worke of our redemption And this the Euangelist witnesseth Iohn 3.16 Al which loue the Lord shewed vnto vs euen for his owne names sake when we neither deserued it nor yet desired it for we were bondslaues vnto Sathan and well contented to liue in his bondage wee were children of wrath and dead in our sinnes yea wee were enemies vnto God and all goodnesse And therefore if our mercifull God so loued vs whilest we were in loue with our sinnes at league with his enemie Sathan at enmitie with him that hee sent his dearely beloued and onely begotten Sonne to dye for vs that by his death and bloudshed hee might redeeme and saue vs out of this miserable estate how much more will he now receiue vs to mercy and pardon and forgiue our sinnes if we seeke and sue for grace if hee loued vs so dearely when we hated him and sought al means of reconciliation when wee were professed enemies against him how much more will hee receaue vs into his fauour when as we earnestly desire to be reconciled If he so loued vs that he sent his Sonne to die for our sinnes how much more will he remit those sinnes for which hee hath satisfied when as with harty sorrow we doe bewaile them and earnestly desire to be freed from them if he hath giuen his Sonne to mankind to this end that hee should saue and redeeme repentant sinners why should any doubt of their redemption and saluation if they turne vnto him by vnfained repentance and lay hould on Christ by a liuely faith and if he haue giuen vs his chiefe Iewell hiw onely begotten and best beloued Sonne and that when wee were his enemies what will he denie vs when in Christ we are reconciled vnto him and become his friends And thus the Apostle reasoneth Rom. 5.8 God saith he setteth out his loue towards vs seeing that whilest we were yet sinners Christ died for vs. 9. much more then being now iustified by his bloud we shal be saued from wrath through him 10. For if we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Sonne much more being reconciled we shal be saued by his life § Sect. 2 Secondly wee may drawe most firme argumentes to strengthen our assurance of the remission of our sinnes from the second person in trinitie our Sauiour Iesus Christ Reasons drawne from the 2. person God the sonne for first hee is our Sauiour and redeemer 1. Because he came into the world to saue sinners who therefore came into the world that hee might saue and redeeme vs out of the captiuitie of our spirituall enemies sinne death and the diuell and that hee might satisfie his fathers iustice obtaine the remission of our sinnes and reconcile vs vnto him Though then our sinnes be many and grieuous this should not hinder vs from comming to Christ by a true faith and firme assurance that in him wee shall haue the remission of our sinnes and be receaued into Gods loue and fauoure nay rather this should bee a forceible argument to mooue vs to seeke his helpe when wee find our selues in a desperate case destitute of all meanes whereby wee may attaine vnto saluation seeing our Sauiour Christ came into the world to saue such as were lost in themselues and inthralled in the miserable bondage of sinne and Sathan And this is euident by the scriptures Matth. 9.13 our Sauiour professeth that he came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance and Luke 19.10 The sonne of man is come to seeke and to saue that which was lost 1. Tim. 1.15 This is a true saying and by all meanes worthie to bee receiued that Iesus Christ came into the worlde to saue sinners the apostle also affirmeth that our Sauiour Christ hath quickned vs who were dead in our sins trespasses Eph. 2.1.5 And our sauiour Christ Matth. 11.28 doth not only call vnto him smal sinners but those who are heauy ladē with an intollerable waight or sin promising that he will ease them Seeing therefore hee came into the world to saue and redeeme grieuous and hainous sinners and to giue life vnto those who were euen starke dead in their sinnes seeing also hee calleth and inuiteth such vnto him as are heauily laden with an intollerable waight of wickednesse and promiseth to ease them let vs not excuse our selues from comming because our sinnes are hainous and grieuous but therefore let vs the rather goe vnto Christ because wee had need of his helpe If a man being loded with a waightie burthen should refuse the helpe of a friend both able and willing to ease him because his burthen is very heauie
and reape comfort vnto themselues by these holy duties In the meane time such are to support themselues from falling into vtter desperation by calling to their remēbrance their state and condition in times past for if euer they haue had any delight in the holy exercises of religion prayer hearing the word godly conferences if euer they could discerne in themselues any faith by the true fruits of sanctification they may take comfort thereby assuring themselues that they shall againe be restored vnto their former estate for the gifts and calling of God are without repentance Rom. 11.29 Ioh. 13.1 and those whom he hath once loued he loueth vnto the end An example hereof we haue in Dauid who being troubled and full of anguish in his spirit his soule refusing all comfort and being so astonished that he could not speake yet hee considered the daies of old and the yeares of ancient time Psal 77.2.3.4 hee called to remēbrance his former songes in the night occasioned by the great benefits which the Lord had bestowed vpon him so knowing that the Lord was vnchangeable in his mercy and goodnesse he releeued his poore soule which was ready to faint vnder the heauy waight of present afflictions And thus also Iob being brought through the violence of those heauie crosses which the Lord laied vpon him euen to the brinke of desperation so that hee spared not to vtter in the bitternesse of his souie fearefull curses and most impatient speaches comming neere vnto blasphemie oftentimes comforteth himselfe by calling to minde his former integritie and righteousnesse whose example if the poore humbled soules will follow they may rayse themselues with true comfort when they are sunke downe vnder their heauie burthen of present corruptions CHAP. XLI How the weake Christian may bee assured that his repentance is true and vnfained § Sect. 1 ANd so much for answering Sathans tentations drawn from hardnesse of hart Of the signes of true repentance first of the seuerall degrees therof whereby he laboureth to perswade poore humbled sinners that they are vtterly destitute of of repentance but if hee faile of his purpose then hee will indeauour to make them beleeue that though they haue some shew of repentance yet it is not such as God requireth for either hee will affirme that it is hypocriticall and dissembled rather for feare of punishment then for hatred of sinne or true loue of God or if it bee true yet it is not sufficient as being in verie small measure and in no proportion answearable to our hainous sinnes Against both which tentations it behooueth the humbled sinner to arme himselfe that he may repell them when they are suggested and to this purpose that hee may proue his repentance true and vnfained hee is to take a true search of his owne heart and conscience and to examine his repentance according to some vndoubted signes which may serue as touchstones to discouer whether it be true and vnfained or dissembled hypocriticall The first vndoubted signe of vnfained repentance is when wee can obserue in our selues the seuerall degrees or partes thereof as they haue beene wrought in vs by Gods spirit for from the enumeration of all the parts we may conclude that wee haue the whole The first degree is that by the law we come to the knowledg and acknowledgment that we are haynous and greeuous sinners who haue broken transgressed all Gods cōmaundements Secondly from this knowledge acknowledgment of our sinnes proceedeth a true sense and feeling of them and the punishments due vnto them and an apprehension and applying to our selues the anger of God the curse of the law and eternall condemnation due vnto vs for our sinnes Thirdly from this sense of our miserable estate there ariseth in our consciences feare and horror of being ouertaken and ouerwhelmed of those iudgments of God and fearefull punishments which hang ouer our heads for our sins Fourthly from this feare and anguish of mind proceedeth sorrow and bitter greefe because wee haue thus hainously sinned and made our selues obnoxious to all these euills and also in the same respects a true hatred of sinne which still hangeth vpon vs and an earnest desire to be freed from it Fiftly Act. 2.27 this hatred of sinne and desire to be freed from it maketh vs earnestly to seeke and inquire after some meanes whereby wee may attaine vnto our desires that beeing freed from all those feareful euils which oppresse our consciences with the waight of them we may obtaine Gods loue and fauour and the assurance of our saluation Sixtly thus inquiring and searching wee finde by the preaching of the Gospell that our gratious God hath sent his sonne into the world to the end that he might saue and deliuer vs out of this miserable estate if we beleeue in him and also hath commaunded vs to beleeue Which being made effectuall by the inward operation of Gods holy spirit we haue true faith begott in vs wherby we are assured of Gods mercy in Iesus Christ and of the full remission of all our sinnes the consideration whereof doth comforte and rayse vs vp from falling into desperation and vtter destruction Seuenthly after this assurance of Gods loue and of the forgiuenesse of our sinnes there followeth first a true hatred of sinne because it is sinne an vnfained sorrow not so much in regarde of the punishment which by our sinnes wee haue iustly deserued as that because we haue offended our so gratious a God and tender louing father Secondly this sorrow will not suffer vs to hide excuse 2. Cor. 7.11 or extenuate our sins 2. Cor. 7.11 but moueth vs in all humilitie to prostrate our selues before Gods mercie seate and in greefe of soule to confesse them acknowledging that confusion and condemnation is due vnto vs which by no meanes wee can escape but by Gods mercie and the merites and righteousnesse of Iesus Christ Thirdly being assured of the pardon of our sinnes past wee labour and striue for the time to come to leaue and forsake them and to mortifie the flesh and corruptions thereof whereby we are led captiue vnto sinne also we indeauour with a feruent zeale of Gods glorie to serue the Lorde in holinesse and righteousnesse that so by our godly liues wee may glorifie him and expresse our thankfulnesse for all his inestimable benefites Fourthly if at any time besides or contrary to our purpose we be ouertaken by our corruption and fall into sinne there followeth in vs an holy anger and indignation with our selues because wee did not more carefully looke to our waies which godly anger preceedeth to the taking of a holy kind of reuenge to the end that thereby our sinnes may be subdued and our corruptions mortified For example hee that hath offended through gluttonie and drunkennesse being truly penitent and angry with himselfe for his sinne will also tame the fleshe by punishing the same through fasting and abstinence He
apostle speaketh 1. Tim. 2.4 where he saith that it is the will of God that all men should bee saued 1. Tim. 2.4 and come to the acknowledging of the truth that is to the knowledge of the truth of God and assenting therunto The 2. degree a perswasion that our sins are pardonable The second degree is an assurance that our sinnes are pardonable which is wrought in vs by the knowledge and due consideration of Gods infinite mercy and Christs inualuable merites and indefinite promises of the Gospell made with out exception to ill repentant and belieuing sinners from whence also ariseth a generall hope that we shall receaue the pardon and remission of our sinnes which hope is nourished and increased by this consideration that the Lord hath placed vs in his church and gratiously granted vnto vs the outward meanes wherby we may be brought vnto vnfained repentance and haue a liuely faith wrought in vs euen the ministerie of the word and administration of the sacraments vpon which onely condition the couenant of grace and all the sweete promises of the Gospell are made and assured vnto vs. § Sect. 4 The third degree is a hungring desire after grace that is not onely to be made partakers of Gods mercy The 3. ddegree an hungring desire after grace and Christs meritts and righteousnes by which we are iustified reconciled vnto God and receaue the pardon and remission of all our sinnes but also after the meanes and instrumentall causes whereby the assurance of Gods mercy and Christs merits is deriued vnto vs namely true faith and vnfained repentance and the rest of the graces of Gods sanctifying spirit The which desire of grace is the beginning of grace neyther can wee desire it till in some measure it be wrought in vs for regeneration and sanctification is begunne at the same time in all the parts and faculties of our bodies and foules so that he who is truely regenerate many facultie or part is also regenerate in the whole man And therefore whosoeuer hath his will renewed and sanctified to desire that which is good is also sanctified and renewed in his vnderstanding affections and in all the powers and faculties of body and soule Moreouer as before I haue deliuered at large our desire of grace faith and repentance are the graces themselues which we desire at least in Gods acceptation who accepteth of the will for the deed and of our affections for the actions And therefore if we earnestly desire to repent beleeue we doe repent and beleeue in Gods sight and the Lord hath made the like gratious promises to this earnest desire of grace which hee hath made to those who find themselues plentifully indued with the graces themselues So Matth. 5.6 Blessed are they which hunger and thirst for righteousnesse for they shal be filled So the virgin Marie saith in her song Luk. 1.53 Luke 1.53 That the Lord filleth the hungrie with good things and sendeth away the rich emptie And our Sauiour Christ calleth vnto him such as thus hunger and thirst promising that he will satisfie them Iohn 7.37 Reuel 21.6 and 22.17 Ioh. 7.37 Lastly whosoeuer feeleth this desire in him ioyned with a carefull and continuall vse of the meanes whereby his desire may be satisfied he may assure himselfe that the Lord who hath wrought in him the will to desire will also in his good time worke in him abilitie to perfourme and the graces which hee so earnestly desires for hee will fulfill the desire of them that feare him he will also heare their crie and will saue them As it is Psal 145.19 So Psal 10.17 Psal 145.19 10.17 Lord thou hast heard the desire of the poore thou preparest their heart and bendest thine eare vnto them And therefore if in the middest of our afflictions and grieuous tentations wee can crie out with the Prophet Dauid Psalm 38.9 Lord I powre my whole desire before thee Psal 38.9 and my sighing is not hid from thee We may be assured how miserable soeuer wee are in our owne sense and feeling that wee are in the state of grace and shall haue our desires satisfied for he that hath begunne this good worke in vs Phil. 1.6 will also in his good time finish and perfect it as the Apostle speaketh Phil. 1.6 § Sect. 5 The fourth degree is an approaching vnto the throne of mercy that we may in all humilitie confesse our sinnes The 4. degree an approching to the throne of grace Heb. 4.16 and acknowledge that wee are guiltie of death and condemnation and also that wee may in the name and mediation of Christ obtaine the pardon and remission of them And of this the Apostle speaketh Heb. 4.16 Let vs therefore goe bouldly vnto the throne of grace that wee may receiue mercy and find grace to helpe in time of need And the Prophet Hosea cap. 14.2 O Israel returne vnto the Lord thy God for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity 3. Take vnto you words and turne vnto the Lord and say vnto him take away all iniquitie and receiue vs graciously so will we render the calues of our lips An example hereof we haue in the Prophet Dauid Psal 32.5 Then saith he I acknowledge my sinne vnto thee Psal 32.5 neyther hid I mine iniquitie for I thought I will confesse my wickednesse vnto the Lord and thou forgauest the punishment of my sinne So likewise the prodigall Sonne hauing attained vnto the sight of his sinne and to a desire of forgiuenesse resolueth to goe vnto his father and to say Luk. 15.18.19 Father I haue sinned against heauen and before thee am no more woorthie to be called thy sonne make mee as one of thy hired seruants Luke 15.18.19 § Sect. 6 The fift degree is a specially perswasion wrought in vs by Gods spirit whereby we particularly apply vnto vs the sweete promises of the gospell The 5. degree a special application of the promises and are assured of Gods loue and fauour of the remission of our sinnes for the merits righteousnesse and obedience of Iesus Christ resting vpon him alone for our saluation An example whereof wee haue in the Apostle Paul Gal. 2.20 Gala. 2.20 Thus saith he I liue yet not I now but Christ liueth in me and in that I now liue in the flesh I liue by faith in the sonne of God who hath loued mee and giuen himselfe for mee And this perswasion ought to goe before sense and experience for first wee beleeue and are perswaded of the truth of Gods promises and resist diffidence and doubting and afterwardes followes ioyfull sense and experience of Gods mercy truth and goodnes towards vs. And hence it is that the Apostle defineth faith to bee the ground of things which are hoped for and the demonstration or euidēce of things not seene Heb. 11.1 Ioh. 20 29. Heb. 11.1 to this purpose our sauiour Christ saith to Thomas
but exceedingly grieued that by his sinne hee hath displeased God and seeing his owne weaknesse and infirmities doth bewaile them and fleeth vnto God by feruent prayer desiring the assistance of his holy spirit whereby hee may be enabled to mortifie his flesh and the corruptions thereof which hee deadly hateth and to serue God in holinesse and newnesse of life such a one may assure himselfe that hee walketh not after the flesh but after the spirit and that hee is in Christ Iesus and hath escaped condemnation though through his infirmitie and strength of his inbred corruptions hee falleth often into sinne § Sect. 5 The differences betweene the sinnes of the regenerate man and the vnregenerate Though therefore the sanctified man sinneth yet this doth not prooue that he is still in the flesh and vnregenerate seeing there is great difference betweene his sinnes into which he now falleth and those which hee committed before hee was sanctified or those which they commit which still liue in the flesh For first the vnregenerate man doth continuallie sinne heaping vp one wickednesse vpon another the man regenerate but sometimes when hee is ouercome by his corruptions the wicked man committeth sinne with greedinesse the godly man with some kinde of irksomnesse and after a sort vnwillingly the one drawes sinne vnto him as it were with cartropes Esa 5.18 the other is violently drawne to sinne with the strength of his corruptions the one hunteth after sinne and the occasions thereof the other is hunted by sinne and Sathans temptations till being out of breath and fainting for wearinesse hee is ouertaken and led prisoner The carnall man sinneth with full consent of will and with pleasure and delight the spirituall man doth not yeeld without some resistance of the regenerate part and as it were grudgingly and with the misliking of the spirit he that is vnregenerate suffreth sinne to raigne in him and yeeldeth vnto it such willing and heartie obedience as the loyall subiect doth to his lawfull King but the sanctified man obeyeth it as though it were an vsurping tyrant repiningly and by cōstraint rather drawne with force than moued by any loue or liking The wicked man committeth sinne vpon deliberation aduisedly and of set purpose but the regenerate man for the most part suddenly besides his purpose and contrary to his resolution The vngodly mans heart and conscience seldome or neuer controules him for his sinne or if it doe yet it suddenly vanisheth like a flash of lightning but there is a fight in the hart of the godly man the carnall part drawing one way and the spirituall part another When the carnall worldling offendeth hee is in his common way for hee maketh an occupation of committing sinne but when the regenerate man sinneth hee is out of his course and is neuer at rest till he commeth into his way of righteousnesse again when the wicked man hath committed one sinne that is an argument to moue him to commit another Eccl. 8.11 because iudgement is deferred and hee hath escaped punishment but the true Christian like one who runneth a race for some great wager if he stumble and fall when he riseth againe he doth more carefully looke to his feete and striueth to runne the more swiftly in the way of righteousnesse that so he may redeeme with more than vsuall speed the lost time wherein he was hindred by his fall Finally the vnregenerate man being fallen into the puddle of sinne doth wallow therein with pleasure and delight and neuer striues to rise againe by amendment of life but the man regenerate though hee fall yet he riseth vp againe by true repentance and neuer resteth till hee haue throughly washed his polluted soule with the bloud of Christ applied vnto him by a liuely faith The one remembreth his sinnes which he hath committed with gladnesse and reioycing yea bragging and boasting of his outragious wickednesse the other neuer thinketh vpon them but with griefe and sorrow neither is there any thing in the world whereof he is more ashamed than of his sinnes Seeing therefore there is such great and manifold differences betweene the sinnes of the sanctified and those who are vnsanctified let not Sathan perswade vs that wee are still in the flesh and vnregenerate because will we nill we we often fall into sinne if in our manner of sinning wee can finde these differences which we neuer discerned in former times CHAP. X. Sathans temptations taken from particular sinnes into which we haue fallen answered § Sect. 1 That sins committed after repentance exclude vs not from pardon ANd so much concerning those temptations which Sathan suggesteth in respect of our sinnes in generall now we are to speake of such as concerne particular sinnes and these are of two sorts for either Sathan seeketh to ouerthrow our faith and to discourage vs from going forward in our course of godlinesse by setting before vs and exceedingly aggrauating those sinnes which indeede wee haue committed or by perswading vs falsely that we haue committed such sinnes as being vnpardonable are not incident to the childe of God The former sort of temptations are taken either from some hainous sin once committed or from the often falling into the same sin Concerning the first he aggrauateth the sinnes of the faithfull two especiall waies either because they haue been committed after repentance or voluntarily against knowledge and conscience In the former respect he is ready to suggest that the children of God doe not commit any sinne after they haue truly repented of it and if any doe either he neuer truly repented or if he did yet after his fall there is no place to a second repentance nor hope of Gods mercie For answering whereof wee are to know that howsoeuer the state of those who thus sinne is somewhat dangerous and they more hardly recouered than others euen as those diseases are perilous and hardly cured into which wee fall by a relapse after the recouerie of health yet this is incident to the children of God who haue truly repented and notwithstanding this grieuous kinde of falling they are not debarred of Gods mercie in Christ Iesus And this appeareth partly by reasons and partly by examples For first the gracious promises of the Gospell concerning the remission of sinnes are indefinite and without limitation of time or sinnes whether committed before or after repentance So Matth. 11.28 Come vnto me all ye that labour and are heauie laden Matth. 11.28 1. Ioh. 2.1 2. and I will ease you and 1. Iohn 2.1 2. If any man sinne we haue an aduocate with the father c. In which and in many other places the Lord assureth vs that he will receiue to mercy all repentant sinners of what nature and qualitie soeuer their sinnes are Secondly in the lawe were sacrifices appoynted for the sinnes of the people not onely those who were newly receiued into the Lords couenant for their sinnes past but also for those sinnes which were
be assured of our election 235 CHAP. XI The obiections alledged against the assurance of our election answered and first those which are grounded vpon testimonies of scriptwre 248 That feare and distrust in our owne weaknesse and assurance of our election may well stand together 253 CHAP. XII The reasons alledged against the assurance of our election answered 261 That not assurance but doubting of our election proceedeth from pride and presumption 261 Our vnworthines no cause why we should doubt of our electiō 263 That weaknesse of faith and certaintie of assurance may well stand together 264 That a weake faith doth as truly assure vs of our election as a stronger 265 How our faith though assaulted with doubting may bee certaine 266 That the sight of our imperfections is no cause why wee should doubt of our election 272 That this doctrine openeth no way to security presumptiō 272 CHAP. XIII Of our redemption what it is by whom from what with what price and to what end we are redeemed 274 CHAP. XIIII Sathans temptations concerning our redemption whereby he moueth the worlding to presumption answered 278 Sathans temptation grounded vpon the doctrine of vniuersall redemption answered 279 That Christs redemption is not vniuersall but only of Gods elect proued by testimonies of Scripture 279 The same point proued by diuers reasons 281 Obiections alledged against the former doctrine answered 283 In what sense Christ is said to haue died for all men 283 CHAP. XV. That al who are redeemed by Christ are also by him sanctified 287 Sathans temptation perswading worldlings to liue licenciously because they are redeemed and shall therefore be saued answered 288 Of the three degrees of our redemption wrought by Christ and how the follow one another 292 CHAP. XVI Of those temptations which Sathan vseth against the faithfull concerning their redemption and how they may answere them 295 That it is not repugnāt to Gods iustice to punish Christ for vs. 296 That Christ hath offered an all-sufficient price for our redemption 297 Sathans temptations against the particular applicatiō of Christs merits answered 299 Our falling into sinne no reason to proue that we are not redeemed 299 That God is not angry with the faithful though he seemeth so 301 Sathans assaulting vs no reason to proue that we are not redeemed from his power 302 That though we die yet we are redeemed from death 304 That those who are once redeemed cannot againe be brought into bondage 307 CHAP. XVII Of our vocation what it is and the kindes thereof 308 Of the parts of our effectuall calling and first of our separation from the world 310 Of the second part of our effectuall calling namely the reciprocall donation of Christ to vs and vs to Christ 312 Of the third part namely our vnion with Christ 312 CHAP. XVIII Sathans temptations whereby he seeketh to make our calling vneffectuall answered 314 Of the necessitie of our effectuall calling 314 Sathans temptations whereby hee moueth vs to neglect the meanes of our effectuall calling 316 Motiues to perswade vs to the diligent hearing of Gods word 316 CHAP. XIX Sathans temptation whereby he perswadeth men that the Scriptures are not Gods word answered 323 Seuen reasons to proue that the Scriptures were indited by Gods spirit 324 CHAP. XX. Foure other reasons to proue that the Scriptures are the word of Gods Where also diuers obiections are answered 330 CHAP. XXI The last argument to proue the former point taken from the testimonie of Gods spirit 342 CHAP. XXII Sathans temptations suggested against the translations of the the holy Scriptures answered 346 CHAP. XXIII Sathans temptations taken from the euill liues of the ministers of the word answered 348 That the wicked liues of the Ministers should not make vs neglect their ministerie 353 CHAP. XXIIII Sathans temptations taken from sundrie opinions sects and religions answered 354 How the vnlearned may discerne the true religion from that which is false 356 CHAP. XXV Sathans temptations taken from our vnworthinesse and vnfitnes to beare Gods word answered 360 CHAP. XXVI How we must arme our selues against Sathans temptations whereby he laboreth to make the word of God fruitles 363 How we must prepare our selues before we heare Gods word 363 Of the duties which we must performe in hearing 371 Of the duties which we must performe after we haue heard the word 373 CHAP. XXVII Sathans temptations whereby he perswadeth men to delay their repentance answered 375 Of three motiues whereby we may be perswaded to hasten our repentance 376 CHAP. XXVIII Of the fourth motiue taken from the difficultie of repenting caused by delayes 383 That the time of sicknes and the hower of death is most vnfit for repentance 390 CHAP. XXIX Of fiue other motiues to inforce the former point 393 CHAP. XXX Two lets which cause worldlings to deferre their repentance remoued 402 The first taken from an abuse of Gods mercie 403 The other grounded on the example of the conuerted theefe 405 CHAP. XXXI Sathans temptations mouing men to rest in a counterfait repentance answered 408 Of diuers things required vnto true repentance 409 1. Knowledge and sight of sinne 410 Of the meanes whereby we may attaine to a true sight of sin 414 2. That our sinnes be irkesome and grieuous vnto vs. 416 3. An earnest desire to be freed from sinne 417 4. That we come to Christ for this purpose 418 CHAP. XXXII Sathans temptations which he useth against those which are called to bring them to despaire answered 421 Reasons to perswade the weake christian of the forgiuenes of his sins The first whereof are grounded on Gods owne nature 424 The first argument grounded vpon Gods infinit mercie ibid. CHAP XXXIII Of the second reason to perswade the weake christian of the forgiuenes of his sinnes grounded vpon Gods iustice 434 CHAP. XXXIIII Of the third reason grounded vpon Gods truth 437 CHAP. XXXV Of other reasons to proue the forgiuenes of sinne taken from the first Person in Trinitie 445 Of other reasons to proue the former point taken from the second Person in Trinitie 446 Reasons takē frō the office of Christ to proue forgiuenes of sin 451 Reasons taken from the third Person in Trinitie to proue the same point 459 CHAP. XXXVI Diuers other reasons produced to the same purpose 460 1. Because it is an article of our Creed 460 2. Taken from the testimonie of Gods faithfull Ministers 461 3. From the contrarie testimonie of Sathan 462 4 From the experience of Gods mercie in pardoning others 464 CHAP. XXXVII Sathans temptation whereby he suggesteth that the christian is not effectually called answered 470 How we may know whether we be effectually called and of the meanes of effectuall calling 471 Sathans temptation answered whereby he perswadeth the christian that he loueth the world and the world him 475 CHAP. XXXVIII Sathans temptations obiecting to the weake christian vnrepentancie and hardnes of hart answered 482 Of the diuers sorts of hardnes of hart and
benefits at Gods hand but hauing obtained them we must be as readie to giue him thankes and to ascribe the glorie of all vnto him who is the author and bestower of all vertue and grace which is in vs and so calling vpon God with all manner of prayer he will be continually readie to assist vs in our spirituall combat The third thing required is that we pray in or by the spirit for the word here vsed may signifie both First therefore we must pray in the spirit to which is required first that we pray with vnderstanding in which respect the ignorant Papists offend who pray in an vnknowne tongue and the ignorant Protestants also who though they pray in their owne language yet know not the sense and meaning of that they speake Secondly that we pray with attentiue mindes ioyning our hearts with our tongues and thoughts with words to which is opposed the prayer of the lippes alone when as wee draw neere vnto God with our mouthes our hearts in the meane time being farre from him Esa 29.13 as it is Esa 29.13 Which kinde of prayer is odious and abominable vnto God for what more grosse discord than when the tongue and heart disagree from one another which should be tuned in vnisone And as the carcasse being seuered from the soule is presently corrupt and stinketh so the prayer of the lips being seuered from the prayer of the heart which is the life and soule of it is but a dead carcasse of prayer and stinketh in Gods nostrels Thirdly that we pray with a pure conscience and faith vnfained lifting vp pure hands to God 1. Tim. 2.8 without wrath or doubting as it is 1. Tim. 2.8 to which is opposed prayer proceeding from a polluted conscience when as men liue in their sinnes without any true sorrow for those which are past or any sincere purpose to forsake them in the time to come which prayers must needes proceede from an heart full of incredulitie seeing they haue no promise in the word whereupon they may ground their faith nay contrariwise it is said that God heareth not sinners Ioh. 9.31 that is Ioh. 9.31 such as go on in their sinnes without repentance hauing no purpose of heart to leaue and forsake them And thus you see what it is to pray in the spirit which wee cannot perfourme vnlesse we pray through and by the spirit of God which helpeth our infirmities and teacheth vs to pray as wee ought yea it selfe maketh request for vs with sighes which cannot be expressed Rom. 8 26. §. Sect. 4. Of watchfulnes Matth. 26. as it is Rom. 8.26 The fourth thing required is watchfulnes which dutie is required ioyntly with prayer in many places Our Sauiour three times ioyneth them together saying Watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation Matth. 26. And the Apostle Peter 1. Epist 4.7 saith Now the end of all things is at hand 1. Pet. 4.7 Be ye therefore sober and watching vnto prayer As though hee should say your enemie the diuell as a roring lion walketh about seeking whom he may deuoure and therefore it behooueth you at all times like valiant and carefull souldiers who are still in daunger to be assaulted by their enemies to be sober and watch 1. Pet 5.8 as it is 1. Pet. 5.8 but now more especially seeing the end of all things is at hand for Sathan knowing that his time is but short will redouble all his forces to work our destruction euen as souldiers will most fiercely assault a town when as they cannot long lie at the siege either by reason of winter drawing on or the approching of new forces to relieue the towne or raise the siege Seeing therefore Sathan redoubleth his force and care in working our destruction let vs redouble our care and watchfulnes in seeking to preuent his force and malice For if Sathan watch continually that he may murther vs shall not wee be watchfull in withstanding his assaults He is continually in armes to ouerthrow vs and shall not wee watch night and day in our Christian armour that we may defeate his forces and obtaine victorie Now this our watchfulnes is partly of the bodie and partly of the soule The bodily watching is the abstaining from naturall sleepe to the end that wee may giue our selues vnto prayer Psal 6.6 Psal 88.1 when as with Dauid we water our couch with teares Psal 6.6 and call vpon God not onely in the day but in the night also as it is Psal 88.1 And whē as euen at midnight we rouze vp our selues to giue thankes vnto God for his mercie and benefits Psal 119.62 as it is Psal 119.62 The watchfulnes of the soule is when as wee doe not sleepe in our sinnes being rocked in the cradle of carnall securitie but shake off our drowsines by vnfained repentance rising vp to newnes of life And to this watchfulnes the Apostle exhorteth vs Eph. 5.14 Awake thou that sleepest Eph. 5.14 and stand vp from the dead and Christ shall giue thee light c. for wee are dead in our sinnes till Christ by his spirit mortifie them and reuiue vs Eph. 2.1 raising vs vp to newnes of life as it is Eph. 2.1 Though therefore wee take our rest and sleepe in that measure which nature requireth 1. Thess 5.6 yet let vs not sleepe as doe other to wit in carnall securitie but let vs watch and be sober as it is 1. Thess 5.6 because in this respect it is time that we should arise from sleepe for the darke night of ignorance is past and the bright sun-shine day of the Gospel is come Rom. 13.12 c. let vs therefore cast away the workes of darknes and let vs put on the armour of light So that we walke honestly as in the day not in gluttony and drunkennes neither in chambering and wantonnesse nor in strife and enuying but putting on the Lord Iesus Christ taking no thought for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof as it is Rom. 13.12 13 14. And this is the Christian watch which we are to ioyne with prayer but as I would not haue vs put our whole confidence in the spirituall armour so much lesse in our owne care and watchfulnes for wee must relie our selues vpon God onely desiring him to watch ouer vs while we sleepe but yet with the Lords assistance wee must ioyne our endeuour and not drowsily and sleepely receiue his aide and as the godly husbandman expecteth the fruites of the earth from the blessing of God and yet notwithstanding vseth all paines care and diligence in plowing harrowing and sowing his ground so we are to seeke deliuerance from the force and malice of our spirituall enemies of God alone but yet wee are to ioyne our good endeuour carefully and diligently vsing all the good meanes which are ordained of God for this purpose § Sect. 5 The fift thing required is perseuerance in prayer Of
callings then are our mindes fit groundes to receiue the seedes of Sathans temptations and to nourish them till they bring forth the fruites of sinne and if Sathan finde vs like emptie houses cleane swept and voyde of all holy meditations and godly exercises he will easily enter and if himselfe be not strong enough he will take vnto him seuen other spirits worse than himselfe Matth. 12.45 that so he may be more strong to keepe possession If therefore we would not be ouercome by Sathans temptations let vs beware of idlenes for when the minde is emptie of that which is good it is most fit to receiue that which is euill But if Sathans temptations be at any time entertained into our mindes let vs most carefully take heede that we doe not suffer them as it were to take vp their lodging That we must not reuolue in our mindes Sathans temptations but rather meditate on the contrarie preseruatiues by reuoluing them in our thoughts not to meditate too earnestly on them but rather on the preseruatiues which may strengthen vs against their violence neither are we so seriously to thinke on Sathans obiections as that in the meane time we forget how to answere them For example when he setteth before our eyes the haynousnesse of our sinnes we are not to bend all our thoughts to meditate and call to minde all our sinnes both new and old both which we haue fallen into through infirmitie and which we haue willingly committed for so the huge cloude of our sinnes being neere our eyes will hide from our sight the shyning beames of Gods mercie and Christs merit though they are without comparison greater but as soone as we cast one eye vpon our sinnes for our humiliation let vs cast the other presently vpon Christ Iesus who hath payed the price of our redemption and suffered all the punishment which we by our sinnes had deserued For if when this fierie serpent Sathan hath stung vs with the sting of sinne we spend our time in looking vpon the wound and neuer thinke vpon the remedie euen the true brasen serpent Iesus Christ hanging on the crosse the poyson of sinne will so inflame our consciences that the wound will proue mortall which at the first might easily haue been cured if we would haue applied thereunto the precious balme of our Sauiours blood So when Sathan setteth before our eyes our owne wickednes and infirmities to the end we may despaire of victorie as being neuer able to withstand such strong temptations we are not to spend our time in thinking hereupon but presently to call to minde the almightie power of God who hath promised vs his assistance in this spirituall fight So when he obiecteth vnto vs the iustice and wrath of God in punishning of sinne and the curse of the law and torments of hell prepared for the damned we are not ouer seriously to reuolue these things in our mindes but presently to call to minde Gods infinit mercie and Christs merits whereby Gods iustice is fully satisfied his wrath appeased the curse of the law cancelled and we made of fire brands of hell heires of heauen And thus if as soone as Sathan inflicteth the wound we apply the cure it will neuer be mortall vnto vs but if we let the poyson of his temptations runne in our mindes and neuer thinke of any remedie though at the first it seemed but a small scratch it will so inflame our consciences with scorching heate that they will afterwards very hardly admit of any cure When therefore Sathan doth cast into our mindes his temptations let vs repell them and indeuour to quench them whilest they be but small sparkes for our corrupt mindes are like vnto tinder and Sathans temptations like the fire and therefore if in stead of putting them out we blow vpon them though they be but as a small sparke at the first within a while they will increase to an vnquenchable flame which will torment our consciences with scorching heate neither is there any thing but the blood of Christ and the water of the spirit which will extinguish this wilde-fire when once it hath taken deepe hold on vs. CHAP. XXIII How the christian being foyled by Sathans temptations may be raised againe § Sect. 1 ANd these are the meanes whereby the christian souldier may be strengthened and encouraged to stand in the combate of temptations But sometimes it commeth to passe that by reason they neglect these meanes or else doe not so carefully vse them as they should they are foyled by Sathan ouercome by his temptations and led captiue vnto sinne How therefore must the christian thus ouertaken behaue himselfe surely he is not desperatly to cast away all hope of victorie and cowardly to yeelde himselfe to be the slaue of Sathan lying contentedly in the chaines of sinne without any desire or indeauour of comming out of his captiuitie but being fallen he is to labour and striue that he may rise againe and being taken prisoner by sinne and Sathan he is not willingly to remaine in their bonds but earnestly to desire his freedome and libertie Now the meanes whereby being fallen he may rise againe is by vnfained repentance when as he is hartily sorie for his sinne because thereby hee hath displeased his louing and gracious father and stedfastly purposeth for the time to come to leaue and forsake those sinnes into which by the malice of Sathan and his owne infirmitie he is fallen and by a liuely faith when as he doth apply vnto himselfe all the mercifull promises made vnto all repentant sinners For though faith in nature goe before repentance yet the act and frute of faith whereby we are assured of Gods mercie in the free forgiuenes of our sinnes alwaies commeth after A difference betweene the child of God and the wicked Where by the way we may note a difference betweene the state of Gods children and the wicked both fall into sinne very often both also commit heynous and grieuous sinnes yea sometimes the child of God falleth into more fearefull and horrible sinnes than a meere worldling but herein the chiefe difference betweene them consisteth that the child of God after his fall is vexed and grieued and laboreth to rise againe by leauing and forsaking the sinne which is odious vnto him but the wicked man after his fall neuer soroweth nor grieueth but rather resolueth to liue still in his sinne and to commit it againe and againe with greedines and delight when he hath any occasion offered § Sect. 2 But here the weake christian whose soule is oppressed with the heauie waight of sinne will say vnto me The complaint of the weake christian alas this is small comfort vnto me which you speake neither can I hereby haue any assurance that I am the childe of God for after I am fallen into sinne such is the hardnes of my heart that I cannot bewaile nor be sorie for it and whereas euery small worldly
spirit working in vs for by nature wee are dead in our sinnes and the children of wrath as well as the vnbeleeuing heathen or most prophane worldling Eph. 2.1.3 Eph. 2.1.3 By nature we are not able so much as to thinke a good thought or to will that which is good no more than those who remaine in the state of condemnation as appeareth 2. Cor. 3.5 Phil. 2.13 but it is our Sauiour Christ 2. Cor. 3.5 Phil. 2.13 Eph. 3.25.26 who so loued his Church that he gaue himselfe for it that he might sanctifie it and cleanse it by the washing of water through the word c. as it is Eph. 5.25.26 So that when we haue attained to the highest measure of sanctification that wee can possibly attaine vnto we must in all humilitie confesse with Paul 1. Cor. 15.10 that by the grace of God we are that we are as it is 1. Cor. 15.10 Neither must wee attribute any thing in the worke of our saluation vnto our sanctification and good workes but ascribe all to the free grace and vndeserued loue of God in Christ whereby we are sanctified and stirred vp to new obedience who were altogether polluted yea dead in our sinnes so that our sanctification and worthinesse is not the cause of Gods loue and mercie towards vs but his loue and free goodwill is the cause of our sanctification and maketh vs who were vnworthie in our selues worthie in Christ of his loue and fauour And therefore we must not measure Gods loue by our worthines and abundance of grace as being a cause thereof nor despaire of his fauour and mercie when wee see our vnworthines and weaknes in sanctifying graces for these are no causes of his loue but effects and consequently when wee want them altogether though there be no cause of hope whilest we remaine in this state yet wee are not vtterly to despaire for the time to come seeing the Lord in his good time may begin his good worke in vs and when it is begun and we haue receiued the least measure of sanctification euen a desire and holie endeuour to liue in holinesse and righteousnesse wee may be assured that it is Gods worke which he hauing begun will finish and accomplish Phil. 1.6 according to that Phil. 1.6 In the meane time let vs possesse our soules with patience and with a quiet and peaceable minde labour after the increase of grace vsing all good meanes ordained of God for this purpose submitting our selues in regard of the measure of grace which wee doe desire to his good will and pleasure who will dispose of all so as shall be most for his glory and our good And in any case let vs beware that wee doe not so impatiently and violently desire encrease of more grace as that in the meane time we forget to be thankfull to God for that wee haue turning our songs of praise for Gods great benefits into murmuring and repining Let vs not be like vnto rich misers who haue their mindes so intent vpon the getting of that riches they haue not as that they forget to enioy and take comfort of that they haue let vs not resemble those vnthankful men who when they haue receiued many benefits doe still desire more and when their desires are not presently satisfied vngratefully murmure against their benefactors as though they had receiued nothing but let vs make vse of those graces which we haue receiued to Gods glory our comfort let vs desire more that we may more glorifie him with his own gifts and though our desires be not presently satisfied let vs not fall into impatiencie but submit our selues vnto his goodwill and pleasure and be truly thankfull for that portion of grace which it hath pleased him of his abundant mercie to bestow vpon vs. § Sect. 6 Lastly Our owne worthinesse no cause of our saluation Rom. 6.23 Eph 2.8 Tit. 2.11 our saluation it selfe dependeth not vpon our owne worthinesse but vpon Gods free mercy and vndeserued loue for saluation is the free gift of God and not the wages of our owne worthinesse as death is the wages of sinne as appeareth Rom. 6.23 And wee are saued by grace through faith and that not of our selues it is the gift of God as it is Eph. 2.8 And the Apostle telleth vs Tit. 2.11 that the grace of God bringeth saluation and teacheth vs to denie vngodlinesse and worldly lusts and that wee should liue soberly and righteously and godly in this present world so that our forsaking sinne and imbracing holinesse and righteousnesse is not the cause of our saluation but the grace of God by which all these effects are also wrought in vs. But most plaine is that of the Apostle 2. Tim. 1.9 where he excludeth our owne workes and worthinesse 2. Tim. 1.9 to the end he might ascribe the whole worke of our saluation to Gods grace and goodwill Who hath saued vs saith he not according to our workes but according to his own purpose and grace So Tit. 3.5 Not by the works of righteousnesse which we had done Tit. 3.5 but according to his mercie he saued vs by the washing of the new birth and renuing of the holy Ghost Seeing therefore Gods loue is not grounded vpon our owne worthinesse seeing he electeth redeemeth calleth iustifieth sanctifieth and finally saueth vs of his meere mercie and free goodwill without any respect of our owne merits or good workes let vs not restraine the infinite loue of God to our deserts nor measure his vnmeasurable goodwill by the short ell of our owne merits but as the Lord hath freely loued vs so let vs acknowledge his free and vndeserued loue and relie wholy thereupon notwithstanding our vnworthinesse seeing our worthinesse is no cause of his loue but it is his loue which maketh vs and will surely make vs worthie to be beloued if we rest wholy vpon him in Christ by a true and liuely faith For so much as we despaire in respect of our own vnworthinesse so much would wee ascribe to our owne worthinesse and looke how much we attribute vnto our selues in the worke of our saluation so much wee detract from Gods free mercie and Christs merit and therefore let vs humbly acknowledge our owne vnworthinesse and become nothing in our own eyes that we may wholy rely vpon God that hee may bee all in all For well worthie are we to thirst if wee leaue the fountaine of liuing waters and dig vnto our selues broken cesternes which will hold no water Iere. 2.13 well worthie are we to fall into the gulfe of despaire if we forsake the firme pillar of our saluation Gods mercie and Christs merit relying and resting vpon the broken staffe of our owne righteousnesse well worthie are we to be damned if wee enuie the Lord the praise and glorie of our saluation desiring rather to ascribe it vnto our selues § Sect. 7 But here the tempter wil obiect that God is iust and
not the cause of Gods election for Gods election was from all eternitie and the cause of Christs merits which were in time and the effects of Gods election and therefore that which came after could not be the cause of that which was from all eternitie neither can the effect produce the cause but the cause the effect Moreouer we are not said in the scriptures to be chosen for Christ but in Christ Eph. 1.4 And the Apostle Iohn affirmeth that Gods eternall loue was the cause which moued the Lord to send his sonne to redeeme vs by his death and not that his death was the cause of his loue Ioh. 3.16 And so much concerning the efficient cause of our election The materiall cause thereof was the purpose or counsaile of God himselfe whereby hee determined to elect vs. The formall cause was the seuering and setting apart of certaine men which were to bee saued § Sect. 2 selected from the rest who were reiected The end of Gods election was two-fold the first and chief end was the glorie of God set forth by manifesting his grace and mercie in the saluation of the faithfull And this the Apostle plainly expresseth Rom. 9.23 namely that the end of Gods election is that he might declare the riches of his glorie in the vessels of mercie which he hath prepared vnto glorie And Eph. 1.4 5 6. he saith that he hath chosen vs in Christ and predestinated vs to the praise of the glorie of his grace The second end which is inferiour and subordinate to the other is the saluation of the elect and this also is expressed by the Apostle Rom. 9.23 where hee saith that the elect are prepared vnto glorie And Act. 13.48 the holy Ghost saith as many as were ordained to eternall life thereby implying that the saluation of the elect is the end of Gods election And these are the causes of Gods election The effects which inseparably follow-hereupon are Christ the Mediatour and the whole worke of his mediation and our redemption wrought by him our adoption effectuall calling iustification sanctification and glorification and these are the degrees and meanes of our election which are as well contained in Gods decree as our saluation it selfe The subiect in which we are elected is Christ Iesus our Mediatour and head not in regard of his deitie alone for so he is the efficient cause nor in respect of his humanitie alone but as he is God and man And wee are therefore elected in him both because in our selues we were not capable of such glorious dignitie as also because hee alone is a fit Mediatour in whom we should be elected seeing with our election there is an vnion coniunction of vs with God who hath elected vs. The obiect of Gods election are all those who are preordained vnto euerlasting life and whom the Lord will eternally saue which being considered in themselues are a great number but yet in respect of the number of the reprobates but a small and little flocke for though many be called yet few are chosen as Christ himselfe affirmeth Matth. 22.14 The last thing which also is expressed in the definition are certaine properties attributed to Gods election namely that it is eternall free and immutable That this decree is eternall it appeareth Eph. 1.4 He hath chosen vs in him before the foundation of the world So Rom. 9.11 Secondly that it is free and of his meere grace it is manifest Rom. 9.18 He hath mercie on whom he will and whom he will he hardneth So Eph. 1.11 In whom we are chosen when wee were predestinate according to the purpose of him which worketh all things after the counsaile of his owne will Lastly that it is immutable and most firme and certaine it plainly appeareth 2. Tim. 2.19 The foundation of God remaineth sure and hath this seale the Lord knoweth who are his Where we may obserue that this immutabilitie and certaintie of Gods decree doth not depend vpon vs or our perseuerance but vpon Gods good pleasure and foreknowledge for it is a foundation in it selfe firme and stable and hath not the seale of our worthinesse or perseuerance in grace but of Gods foreknowledge whereby he knoweth who are his CHAP. V. Sathans temptations concerning Gods election answered and first those wherewith he assaulteth carnall worldlings § Sect. 1 Sathans temptation whereby he perswadeth worldlings that all in the end shall be saued answered NOw concerning this decree of election and the assurance thereof there are two sorts of Sathans temptations the first he suggesteth into the minds of carnall worldlings to nourish in them fond presumption and carnall securitie the other into the minds of weak christians whereby he moueth them to doubt despaire of their electiō to euerlasting life The worldly man he assaulteth with two principal temptations first he perswadeth him that there is no election at al or reprobation but that all in the end shall be saued Which grosse absurditie that hee may make more plausible and probable hee setteth before them the infinite mercie of God and the generall promises and consolations in the Gospell Ezech. 13. and 18. 1. Tim. 2.4 as that he will not the death of a sinner and that he will that all men shall be saued in both places cunningly dissembling that which followeth for to the first place is added but that he repent and in the latter that they who shall be saued must also come to the knowledge of the truth But this temptation is so palpably absurd that it becommeth not Sathans policie to vse it to any but those onely whose hearts are hardned their eyes blinded their consciences seared and who hauing not beleeued and loued the truth are giuen ouer of God to beleeue strong delusions and therfore I will not spend much time in answering this temptation onely let such men as are seduced with Sathans lyes know thus much that Gods mercie is a iust mercie as his iustice is a mercifull iustice that God is infinite in both and no lesse glorified in the manifestation of the one than of the other Let them know that there are no promises of the Gospell so generall which are not limited with the condition of faith and the fruite thereof vnfained repentance Let them know that God who is not onely mercifull but also true yea truth it selfe hath in his word reuealed his will as well concerning the eternall death and destruction of the wicked as the saluation of the godly he hath said Matth. 22.14 and 7.13 that many are called and few chosen that the gate of heauen is so straight that there are few who finde it that he will say to the workers of iniquitie Goe your waies I know you not 23. that hee will make a separation betweene the sheepe and the goates and as hee saith to the one Come ye blessed of my father inherit ye the kingdome prepared for you from the foundations of the world Mat. 25.34.41
so hee will say to the other Depart from me ye cursed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the diuell and his angels Let them know that neither fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers nor wantons nor buggerers not theeues nor couetous 1. Cor. 6.9.10 nor drunkards nor railers nor extortioners nor any that liue in the like sinnes without repentance shall inherit the kingdome of God for truth it selfe hath spoken it 1. Cor. 6.9.10 but they shall haue their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone Reu. 21.8 which is the second death as it is Reuel 21.8 And therefore let not Sathan bewitch them by setting before their eyes Gods mercie for as sure as God is iust and true of his word so surely shall such as continue in their sinnes without repentance bee eternally condemned neither is it any impeachment to Gods mercie if hee exercise his iustice in inflicting due punishment vpon obstinate and rebellious sinners seeing it is sufficiently manifested in the saluation of those who repent and beleeue § Sect. 2 The second temptation which Sathan suggesteth into the minds of carnall men to the end they may runne on in their desperate courses and wallow still in the pleasing filth of their corruptions hee thus frameth Why enioyest thou not saith he thy pleasures why art thou afraid to satisfie all thy desires what needest thou to take any paines in perfourming Gods worship and seruice Sathans temptation grounded vpon the vnchangeablenesse of Gods predestination and to what purpose shouldest thou forsake thy pleasing sinnes studying and striuing after mortification and newnesse of life which is so bitter and vnpleasant vnto thee for Gods decree of predestination is sure and most vnchangeable as himselfe is without change and therefore if thou art elected of God thou maiest follow thy delights goe on in thy sinnes liue as thou list yet surely thou shalt be saued and he will giue thee repentance though it be deferred to the last gaspe But if on the other side thou art a reprobate reiected of God in his eternall councell then take what paines thou wilt make thy throte horce with praying and thy bagges emptie with giuing almes be neuer so diligent in Gods seruice neuer so carefull in mortifying thy sins yet all is in vaine for those whom he hath reprobated shall be condemned And therefore much better were it to take thy pleasure and to follow thine owne desires whilest thou art in this life for the punishments of the life to come will be enough though thou addest no torments of this life vnto them That the former temptation is both foolish and ridiculous false and impious And thus doth Sathan reason in the minde of a carnall man partly to continue and increase his securitie in the course of sinne and partly to discredit the holy doctrine of Gods eternall predestination as though it opened a dore to all licentiousnesse But if we consider of this temptation aright and sound it to the bottome we shall finde first that it is most foolish and ridiculous secondly that it is most false and impious That it is most foolish it will easily appeare if we vse the like manner of reasoning in worldly matters for it is all one as if a man should thus say thy time is appointed and the Lord in his counsaile hath set downe how long thou shalt liue if therefore it be ordained that thy time shall be short vse what meanes thou wilt of phisicke and good diet yet shalt thou not prolong it one day but if God hath decreed that thou shalt liue to olde age take what courses thou wilt runne into all desperate daungers vse surfetting and all disorder of diet nay eate no meate at all and yet thou shalt liue till thou art an old man Or as if he should say God hath decreed alreadie whether thou shalt be rich or poore and if he hath appointed thee to be poore take neuer so much paines follow thy calling as diligently as thou wilt abstaine from all wastfulnesse and prodigalitie yet shalt thou neuer get any wealth but if thou art preordained to be rich sell all thou hast and scatter it abroade in the streetes spend thy time in gaming drinking and whoring neuer troubling thy head with care nor thy hands with worke yet shalt thou be a welthie man Now who would not laugh at such absurd manner of reasoning if any should vse it because euery man knoweth that as God hath decreed the time of our life so he hath decreed also that we should vse the meanes whereby our liues may be preserued so long as he hath ordained that we should liue namely auoyding of daungers good diet and phisicke and as he hath decreed that a man should be rich so he hath decreed also that he should vse all good meanes of attaining vnto riches namely prouidence and paines in getting and care and frugalitie in keeping that he hath gotten and whosoeuer vse not the meanes doe make it manifest that they were not ordained vnto the end Although indeede because the Lord would shew his absolute and almightie power he doth not alwaies tie himselfe vnto meanes but sometimes crosseth and maketh them vneffectuall to their ends and sometime he effecteth what he will without or contrarie to all meanes and hence it is that some quickly die who vse all meanes to preserue health and some become poore who vse al meanes of obtaining riches whereas others being depriued of the meanes attaine vnto long life and riches by the immediate blessing of God But ordinarily the meanes and end goe together and therefore it is fond presumption to imagine or hope without the vse of the meanes to attaine vnto the end And thus it is also in spirituall matters appertaining to euerlasting life those whom God hath elected he hath ordained also that they should attaine vnto and vse all good meanes tending thereunto namely faith repentance sanctification and newnesse of life and therefore it is as absurd for any to imagine that they shall be saued continuing in their ignorance infidelitie vnrepentancie and filthie corruptions as it is for a man to thinke that he shall liue to be old and yet runneth into all daungers forsaketh phisicke yea and foode also whereby his life should be sustained For the spirituall meanes of saluation are as well nay much more contained in Gods decree as the corporall meanes of preseruing life for it hath been heard-of that some haue liued in the middest of daungers and in the absence of meate for a long time but it was neuer heard that any haue attained vnto euerlasting life without faith repentance and sanctification for euen the thiefe vpon the crosse beleeued in Christ and shewed the fruites of his faith in acknowledging his owne sinne reproouing his fellow in confessing our Sauiour Christ euen then when his Apostles denied and forsooke him in calling vpon his name and desiring by his meanes euerlasting life § Sect.
subiect and not as being ready to fall vpon vs for this difference is betweene the feare of the wicked and Gods children they like malefactors which are led out to punishment are filled with horror and feare when they thinke of the torments which they are to indure but yet did neuer feare to commit such crimes as descrued the punishments and though they should escape yet this would be no warning for the time to come but Gods children seeing the iudgements which are exercised vpon the wicked doe feare not least they should be inflicted vpon them presently but least they should so offend and deserue the like punishments first auoyding sinne that they may not receiue the wages thereof And this sonne-like feare is commended vnto vs in the scriptures as being a part of the honour and seruice which we owe vnto God as appeareth Mal. 1.6 Mal. 1.6 A sonne honoureth his father and a seruant his maister if I be a father where is mine honour if I be a maister where is my feare saith the Lord Psalm 34.9 and 112.1 So Psalm 34.9 Feare the Lord yee his saints for nothing wanteth to them that feare him And Psalme 112.1 Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord and delighteth greatly in his commaundements In which places we are not to vnderstand a seruile and slauish feare but an ingenuous and sonne-like feare which drawes vs backe from falling into sinne and incites vs to performe all good duties of holinesse and righteousnes to God and our brethren because we would not incurre the displeasure of our heauenly father but do those things which are acceptable in his sight Lastly whereas the Apostle Peter 1. epist 1.17 exhorteth vs to passe the time of our dwelling here in feare 1. Pet. 1.17 hee doth not vnderstand such a feare as maketh vs to doubt of our election and saluation but such an one as prouoketh vs to obey Gods commandements and restraineth vs from wallowing and defiling our selues in sinne for with this feare in the verse following he ioyneth certaine knowledge of our redemption and consequently of our election and saluation knowing saith he that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as siluer and gold from your vaine conuersation c. but with the pretious bloud of Christ. So that this feare doth not take away the certaine knowledge of our election and redemption but this knowledge causeth vs to feare least we fall into sinne after we are assured of this great benefit of our redemption and thereby displease our gracious God and defile our soules after they are purged with the pretious bloud of Iesus Christ § Sect. 6 Besides these places there are others also obiected Other places obiected answered Iob. 9.21 as that Iob. 9.21 Though I were perfect yet I know not my soule therefore I abhorre my life To which I answere that Iobs scope and drift in this place is to shew that euen the most iust and holie man cannot stand before Gods iudgement seate in his owne righteousnesse and holinesse which is polluted and imperfect and that therefore it behooueth euery one to despaire in himselfe and his legall righteousnesse as not being able to iustifie him in Gods sight in respect of whose puritie euen the very heauens are vncleane that so he may wholy rely vpō Gods mercy and Christs merits and this appeareth vers 2.3 I know verely saith he that it is so that is Iob. 9.2 that God is iust and all men are sinners who are righteously punished for their demerits as Bildad had reasoned in the former chapter and therefore how should man compared vnto God be iustified 3. Verse 3. If he would dispute with him hee could not answere him one thing of a thousand And vers 20. If I would iustifie my selfe Verse 20. mine owne mouth should condemne me if I would bee perfect hee shall iudge me wicked 21. And though I were innocent or perfect that is though I seemed iust in mine own eyes and knew nothing by my selfe yet I know not mine owne soule nor what secret corruptions may lurke in it and therfore I will not hereby looke to be iustified nay in this respect I abhorre my life and cast mine owne righteousnesse from me as a polluted cloute By which manner of reasoning hee confuteth Bildads obiection who affirmed that Iob and his sonnes were punished of God for their sinnes and that iustly and therefore they were not so iust and innocent as they had seemed to this Iob answereth that it is true indeede he could not iustifie himselfe in respect of his owne righteousnesse if hee compared himselfe with Gods exact iustice but must needes condemne himselfe for a wretched sinner yet hence it followed not that therfore God thus afflicted him seeing this was the state not of him onely but of all men whatsoeuer and therefore this could not be the onely cause of his extraordinarie afflictions So that this place makes nothing against the assurance of our saluation which is grounded vpon Gods free mercy and Christs merits but against that presumption which relieth it selfe in whole or in part vpon our owne legall righteousnesse § Sect. 7 The like place to this is that saying of Paul which they obiect 1. Cor. 4.3 4. 1. Cor. 4.3 4. I iudge not mine own selfe for I know nothing by my selfe yet am I not thereby iustified but he that iudgeth me is the Lord. For answering whereof we are to know that there were diuers in the Church of Corinth who censured Pauls ministerie and disgraced his gifts a gainst which detractations he bendeth his speech and maketh an apologie for himselfe saying that hee would not take vpon him to iudge himselfe concerning the excellencie and worth of his ministerie and gifts but would leaue the iudgement and approbation thereof vnto God whose ambassadour hee was and though he knew nothing which might bee obiected against him in regard of his ministerie yet hereby hee would not looke to bee iustified in Gods presence So that if this be the sense of the words as appeareth by the coherence and the drift of the place it maketh nothing for popish doubting But let it bee granted that Paul speakes not of his ministerie but of his righteousnesse and obedience to the law yet this maketh nothing against the certaintie of our election for the Apostle speaking of his owne righteousnesse and innocencie doth disclaime it from being any cause of his iustification neither doth he say that in regard therof he doubteth as the Papists would expound him but he affirmeth directly that he is not thereby iustified and rendreth this as a reason that it is God who iudgeth him and therfore though he were vnblameable before men yea though he knew nothing by himselfe yet hee could not hereby be iustified before the iust iudgement seate of God who requires such perfection and exact obedience as can be found in no man liuing for he that but once breaketh but one
and that to them alone this speech was directed the Apostle plainely taketh away this cauill for setting downe the words of institution for the vse of the whole Church of Corinth hee willeth euery one indefinitly to examine himselfe and so to eate of this breade and drinke of this cuppe 1. Cor. 11.28 1. Corinth 11.28 And thus if wee studie and meditate in Gods word wee shall find most cleere manifest places for the confirmation of the truth and confutation of all sects errors and heresies But what if this meanes be taken away from vs of reading studying the scriptures either because they are onely to bee had in an vnknowne language as in the time of popery or because we cannot reade and haue no body to teach vs What if both reading and studying them we finde many doubts and difficulties and diuers places which seeme to fauour diuers and opposite opinions and religions how the must we quit our selues out of this laberinth of ambiguitie and doubtfulnesse seeing it is preiudiciall to appeale to the iudgement of either faction I answere that in these dayes the meanes of knowledge are not so scant but that they may inioy them that labour for them for either they may obtaine the vse of the Scriptures in their owne language where they dwel or else in some other place by remouing their habitation though they cānot reade yet it is no hard matter to learne to those who will vse paines and diligence or at least to get the helpe of others to supplie their want and defect in this behalfe But let it bee granted that we were abandoned of all these meanes or that vsing them there were some doubt remaining of which we cannot be resolued are we therefore destitute of helpe and forsaken of all meanes whereby wee might attaine vnto the knowledge of the truth No surely For if when allother meanes faile vs we haue our recourse vnto God by earnest effectual prayer instantly crauing his holy spirit to guide and direct vs we haue a mercifull promise that he will heare our request and graunt vnto vs his holy spirit as it is Luke 11.13 Luke 11.13 and that thereby he will illuminate the blinde eyes of our vnderstanding inlighten our minds with the knowledge of the truth and take away from vs all preiudice of opinion and forestalled iudgement so as we shal discerne truth from falsehood and Gods true religion from errors and lies sects and heresies Iohn 16.13 For this spirit of truth will leade vs into al truth as it is Ioh. 16.13 He searcheth al things 1. Cor. 2.10.12 euen the deepe things of God and to this end we receiue him that we may knowe the things which are giuen vnto vs of God as it is 1. Cor. 2.10.12 He is that precious eye-salue wherewith being annointed we see Reuel 3.18 who before were blinde Reuel 3.18 And if once wee haue receiued this annoynting we neede not that any man should teach vs 1. Ioh. 2.27 for this annoynting teacheth vs all things as it is 1. Ioh. 2.27 Though therefore we were abandoned of all other meanes yet let not Sathan perswade vs to neglect all religion because we cannot discerne the true religion from that which is false for if we earnestly and sincerely labour after the knowledge of the truth and with good Cornelius continually implore the assstance and direction of Gods spirit wee shall bee sure to obtaine our desire for the Lord hath promised it and hee will vndoubtedly be as good as his word CHAP. XXV Sathans temptations taken from our vnworthinesse and vnfitnesse to heare answered § Sect. 1 ANd so much concerning the temptations of Sathan That our sins and vnworthinesse should not hinder vs from hearing Gods word which he draweth from the Ministers to discredit the Gospel and to diswade men from the hearing thereof but if he cannot thus preuaile he will leaue the Ministers and come to the parties themselues suggesting into their minds that they are vnworthy in respect of the innumerable number of their sinnes to be hearers of the Gospell which is so pure and excellent and that their corruptions are so great their vnderstandings so blind their memories so slippery their wils so peruerse their heart and affections so wicked and prophane that it is to be feared in regard of this their vnfitnes to heare that the word of God which in it selfe is the sauour of life vnto life will become vnto them the sauour of death to their more deepe condemnation For the answering of which temptation wee are to know first that our sinnes and vnworthinesse should be so farre from hindring vs frō the hearing of Gods words that they should rather serue as forcible arguments to moue vs more attentiuely and diligently to heare it because it is the meanes ordayned of God to pull vs out of our sins to purge vs from our corruptions to worke in vs true sanctification and to make vs of the sonnes of wrath the children of God Moreouer though we want faith and all other sanctifying graces yet we are to heare the word of God for therefore the Lord hath ordained the ministery of the word not onely to increase grace where it is begun but also to beget and begin it where it is wanting so that we must not only heare because we are fit but also that we may be made fit who before were vnfit Neither are we to imagine that faith and other graces goe before hearing but follow after as fruits and effects thereof Rom. 10.14.17 as the Apostle plainely sheweth Rom. 10.14 But how shall they call on him in whom they haue not beleeued And how shall they beleeue in him of whom they haue not heard And how shall they heare without a Preacher And verse 17. Faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of God If then there be no faith without hearing nor no grace without faith it must needs follow that before we heare we are destitute of faith all sauing grace and that by hearing they are wrought in vs God preuenting vs with his grace and calling vs vnto himselfe not only when we had no deserts to merit his mercy but also not so much as any grace to desire it And hence it is that the Apostle saith 2. Tim. 1.9 That God hath called vs with an holy calling not according to our works 2. Tim. 1.9 but according to his own purpose and grace which was giuen vnto vs through Christ Iesus before the world was The truth hereof may appeare in all the examples of Gods saints who before their calling were so far from deseruing any grace at Gods hand that rather they deserued confusion vtter destruction For example what worthines was in Abraham before his conuersion who liued in grosse idolatry what worthines in Rahab the harlot in Manasses a cruell tirant a wicked sorcerer an horrible idolater what worthines in Marie Magdalene possessed by
and perishe though for a time it haue made a flourishing shewe as our Sauiour Christ hath taught vs in the parable of the Sower Mat 13. And therefore it behooueth euery one of vs to take no lesse paines after the hearing of the word to keep it from deuouring and to preserue and nourish it that it may take deep roote and bring forth much fruit then we did in the time of preparation and in the time when we receiued it for as the carefull husbandman taketh great paines in stirring vp his fallow grounds and preparing it for the seed as also in the seed time in sowing it in the ground thus prepared and yet all this were to no purpose if hee did not afterwards harrowe it and couer it in the ground so though we take greate paines in breaking vp and preparing the fallowe grounds of our hearts and also in receiuing the seed of Gods word yet if we be not as carefull after all this to couer and hide this seed in the furrowes of our heartes that it may take deepe rooting it will neuer bring forth any fruite of true godlinesse Now the meanes to preserue and nourish this heauenly seed of Gods word is first serious mediation wherby wee call to mind that which wee haue heard in which it it is very requisite that wee examine the doctrines which were deliuered according to the touchstone of Gods word and turne ouer the bible to those proofes which we remember alledged as most principall for the confirmation of the doctrines which were deliuered a notable example whereof we haue in the noble men of Berea Actes 17.10.11 Who though with great readinesse they receiued that doctrine which Paul had deliuered yet when they came home they searched the scriptures to see if those things which they hard were consonant and agreeable with them or no. Secondly we must vse holy and Christian conference one with another about those matters which we haue heard for hereby it will come to passe that what one did not obserue or hath forgotten the other remembreth and repenteth and so likewise the other helpeth out in another point where his neighbourfaileth till at last they recall al the material points to their remembrance euen as many meeting together at a feast do euery one cast in his shot til the reckoning be made so many ioyning their heads together for the recalling of a sermon to mind one repeateth a little and another as much more till at last all be repeated And secondly this benefit redoundeth hereof that all which euery one remembreth by this repetition is more surely imprinted in his memorie and is not afterwards easily forgotten Lastly the best and surest way to imprint things in our memorie neuer after to be blotted out is vpon all occasions to practise it in our liues and cōuersation for as we only truly know that in christianitie that which we practise so likewise that is onely well remembred which is well practised CHAP. XXVII Sathans tentations whereby he perswadeth men to delay their repentance answered § Sect. 1 The tentation alluring to deferre repentance ANd so much concerning the subtill tentations of Sathan whereby he laboureth to make the word of God fruitlesse and vneffectuall for our conuersion wherewith if he cannot preuaile being repelled by the meanes before spoken of if men by their hearing of the word haue learned thus much knowledge that their cōuersion and turning to God is necessarie to saluation then he will in the next place labour to perswade them to deferre their repentance for a time till they haue better opportunitie and are more fit for this purpose Let it be graunted will he say that it is necessarie that thou shouldest repent turne vnto God yet thou mayest deferre thy repentance vntill thine old age or at least till the time of sicknesse for then thou wilt be more fitte to perfourme this dutie then in the flowrishing prime of thy youth when as the exercises of religion are so tedious and vnpleasant and the pleasures of the world so sweet and delightfull neither needest thou to feare any in conuenience which will come hereby for God is so gratious that whensoeuer thou returnest vnto him he will receiue thee to mercy for he hath promised in his word that whensoeuer a sinner repenteth him of his sinnes he will blot all his wickednes out of his remembrance And therfore thou mayest inioy both the pleasures of this life and the life to come thou mayest repent time inough hereafter and liue a strict and religious life when the heate of youth is past and old age drawes on which is farre more fit for these exercises for what folly is it so to dote vpon the heauenly ioyes to come as that thou shouldest depriue thy selfe of those worldly pleasures which are present seeing thou maiest inioy both This tentation most dangerous Against which tentation it behoueth euery man most carefully to arme himselfe as being in it selfe most daungerous and pernicious to great multitudes as may appeare by too too lamentable experience for when as Sathan can no longer hudwinke their eyes with the vayle of ignorance but that they plainly see that it concerneth their eternall saluation to harken vnto the Lord calling them to repentance then not withstanding thus farre he preuaileth with them that they are content to delay their conuersion and turning vnto God either vntill the time of sicknesse or till their old age And therefore it shall not be amisse to set downe briefly some waighty arguments whereby euery Christian may be moued to speedy repentance and not to deferre their conuersion from day to day Motiues to perswade vs to hastenour repentance but to turne vnto the Lord when he first calleth them § Sect. 2 The first motiue to perswade vs to the hastening of our conuersion is Gods commandement whereby he inioyneth vs speedily to turne vnto him that we may doe him seruice all the daies of our life to which end he hath created and redeemed vs and doth continuall preserue vs. Psal 95.7.8 To day if you shall heare his voyce harden not your hearts so as he chargeth vs not to resist his calling no not till to morowe for if today we will not harken vnto him he hath not promised to call vs againe vnlesse it be to iudgment So Eccl. 12.1 Remember now thy creatour in the dayes of thy youth whiles the euill dayes come not nor the yeeres approch wherein thou shalt say I haue no pleasure in them that is their old age as afterwards he expoundeth himselfe And Esa 55.6 Seeke yee the Lord whilest he may be found call yee vpon him whilest he is neere Matth. 3.2 Repent for the kingdome of heauen is at hand Act. 3.19 And our sauiour Christ doth inioyne vs first to seeke the kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof Matth. 6.33 If therefore we wil not wittingly and wilfully breake Gods cōmaundement let vs offer vnto him the
securitie for whereas the Lord saith Ezech. 33.11 That he will not the death of a sinner he addeth in the next wordes but that he turne from his way and liue so that the Lord speaketh not of all sinners but of those who turne vnto him from their wicked waies So our sauiour Christ saith Math. 9.13 that hee came not to call the righteous that is those who are iust righteous in their owne conceipts but sinners to repentance so that whosoeuer are called vnto Christ that in him they may haue saluation are called also to repentance And Math. 11.28 our sauiour doth not call all sinners vnto him without difference but those onely who are wearie and heauy laden that is who find their sinnes irksome and grieuous vnto them and desire nothing more then to be freed of this vnsupportable burthen And the Apostle Paule likewise 1. Tim. 2.4 doth not say simply that God would haue all men to besaued but that he would also 〈◊〉 haue them come to the knowledge of the truth that is to the knowing acknowledging beleeuing of the principles of Christian religion cōcerning God themselues and the worke of redemption wrought by Christ Let therefore no carnall secure man take occasion to presume vpon Gods mercy in regard of the sweet and gratious promises of the Gospell for vnlesse they turne vnto God from their euill waies and truely repent them of their sinnes vnlesse they are wearie and heauie laden desiring nothing more then to be eased of their heauie burthen vnlesse they come out of their blind ignorance and attaine to the knowledge of the truth the gratious promises of the Gospell do not appertaine vnto them § Sect. 2 Secondly whereas they alleadge the example of the thiefe conuerted at the hower of death we are to know that this is but one particular act of Gods mercy The 2. let is presumption vpon the example of the conuerted thiefe and therefore we can make thereof no generall rule especialy seeing to this one we may oppose many thousands of those who hauing deferred their repētance to the last hower haue beene taken away in their sinns and impaenitencie It is true indeed that if with this thiefe we truelyturne vnto the Lord by vnfained repentance and shew our faith by the like liuely fruites he wil pardon our sinnes and receaue vs to mercy according to his gratious promises but this faith and repentance are not in our owne power but the free gifts of God which hee very seldome bestoweth on those at the hower of death who haue neglected contemned them their whole liues sometimes indeed hee calleth and conuerteth some at the last hower to shew the infinite riches of his mercy but most commonly he leaueth those who haue deferred their repentance to die in their impaenitencie that they may be examples of his iustice And to this purpose Austine speaketh well there is saith hee mention made in the Scriptures of one whome the Lord receaued to mercy that none might despaire and but of one that none might presume It is the maner of princes to send their gratious pardon sometimes to those who are led out to execution but if any will wilfully offend in hope hereof or hauing offended wil deferre to sue for his pardon to the last hower surely he is well worthy to be hanged both for his offence and also for his presumption so the Lord mercifully pardoneth some few when death is ready to cease vpon them and to transport them into the eternall torments of hell fire to shew the riches of his grace but if any shall take occasion hereby the more to offend against his maiestie or hauing offended deferreth to sue for pardon by powring out the teares of vnfained repentance vntill his last hower hee is vndoubtedly vnworthy of any grace and mercy and in all likelihood he shall be deliuered vp to suffer eternal torments Moreouer as this act of mercy in receiuing this thiefe to grace was very extraordinary so was it reserued as being most fit for the time of Christes passion for as great Princes at the time of their coronation pardon such notorious offences the like whereof they wil hardly euer after remit to the end that their clemencie and mercy may appeare to all so our Sauiour Christ the glorious king of heauen and earth being ready to lay downe the forme of a seruant and to take vpon him the crowne of endlesse glory and maiesty gaue his gratious pardon to this greeuous offender that his infinite mercy and goodnesse might be manifested vnto al men that so they might breake of their sinnes by vnfained repentance and by a liuely faith come vnto him looking and expecting for life and saluation onely in this their sauiour and redeemer and as cunning Surgeons hauing made a soueraigne salue do vpon the next occasion make experiment thereof by curing some griesly and desperate wound that so they may commend it to all who shal haue need to vse it so the Lord hauing made a pretious plaister and soueraigne salue to cure all soules who being wounded with sinne will apply it vnto them by a liuely faith presētly tooke occasion of curing there with this poore theefe grieuously wounded with sinne that all others in his state seing the vertue thereof might more earnestly desire it and more carefully seeke after and apply it to their wounded soules And therefore seeing the occasion of this cure was altogether extraordinary the action is not like to bee ordinarie the occasion being remooued and the mercy of God and vertue of Christes death and bloodshed being sufficiently manifested to al the world Thirdly we are to know that the estate of these men is farre vnlike and much more desperate then the state of the conuerted theefe for hee was in all likelihood neuer before this time called and presently he harkeneth vnto the voyce of Christ and willingly intertaineth the good motions of his spirit but these men being often called haue refused to come and haue quenched the good motions of Gods spirit he persisted in his sin ignorantly hauing not heard the doctrine of the Gospell whereby he might be inuited to come vnto Christ by a liuely faith and might turne vnto God by vnfained repentance these haue often heard these glad tidings and haue neglected and contemned them hee continued in his sinnes through ignorance neither did hee vngratefully resolue to serue the diuell his whole life reseruing the time of his old age and sicknesse for the seruice of God only for his own aduantage but these men hauing bin oftē instructed in the law of God and wayes of godlinesse notwithstanding wittingly and wil fully persist in their sinns presuming vppon repentance and hope of mercy at the last houre intending then to turne vnto God not for any loue they beare him but for feare of hel torments and eternall damnation lastly his repentance was most vnfayned and exceeding earnest and his faith brightly shined presently after his
withstand their force and violence That if wee will withstand the former tentation wee must not rest on our owne righteousnesse they must not rest in themselues desiring in whole or in part to be iustified by their legall righteousnesse neither must they measure out vnto themselues Gods mercies according to their owne merites and worthinesse they must not looke onely vpon Gods iustice and vppon that exact obedience which the law requireth of them nor yet vpon those fearefull punishments which by their sinnes they haue iustly deserued for then Sathan will easily attaine vnto his purpose and speedily bring them to desperation and vtter destruction But they must goe out of themselues and reiecting their owne righteousnesse as altogether imperfect insufficient they are to rest and relie themselues vppon the alone righteousnesse and obedience of Christ Iesus as being in it selfe all sufficient both for our iustification and saluation And as they haue one eye on Gods iustice to keepe them from secure presumption so they must haue the other firmly fixt on his infinite mercy to preserue them from falling into desperation as they haue one eye on the law to humble them and to bring them out of themselues to Christ so they must haue the other eye on the sweet and comfortable promises of the Gospell to comfort and rayse them vp Finally as on the one side they behold the curse of the law and the eternall torments prepared for the wicked so on the other side they must stedfastly looke vpon the righteousnesse death and obedience of Christ and also vpon those euerlasting ioyes which by his precious bloudshed hee hath purchased for them And if thus being truely humbled and brought to vnfained repentance they goe out of themselues and reiect their owne righteousnesse resting and relying vpon the alone righteousnesse of Christ for their iustification saluation they may most certainly assure themselues that they haue in Christ satisfied Gods iustice are by his death reconciled vnto him that they are freed from the curse of the law and from the wrath of God that their scarlet sins are made as white as wooll all their imperfections perfected by Christs righteousnesse and obedience that they are acquitted from the sentence of condemnation and deliuered from the fearefull torments of hell § Sect. 3 But forasmuch as those who labour vnder the burthen of their sinnes Reasons to perswade the weake Christian of the forgiuenesse of his sinnes and are continually vexed and mooued to desperation by Sathans most subtiland violent tentations are not so easily perswaded that their sins are forgiuen them they reconciled vnto God in Christ therfore I will set down some arguments whereby all those who truly repent that is sorrow for their sinnes past and desire and indeauour to forsake them in the time to come and withall going out of themselues doe earnestly hunger after Christ and his righteousnesse and rest and relie vpon him for their saluation may haue full assurance that their sinnes are forgiuen them and that they are in Christ reconciled vnto God and receiued into his loue and fauour The first argument drawne from Gods mercy The first argument to assure all of the pardon and forgiuenesse of their sinnes who will come vnto him may be drawne from his mercy which is one of his properties and attributes so often attributed vnto him in the scriptures Exod. 34.6.7 God thus describeth himselfe The Lord the Lord strong mercifull and gracious slow to anger and abundant in goodnesse truth 2 reseruing mercy for thousands forgiuing iniquitie transgression and sinne Out of which place that famous godly learned man H. Zanchius hath obserued matter fit for our purpose Zanch. de Attrib l. 2. cap. 1. q. 2. therefore it shall not be amisse to set downe his owne words For besides saith he that the essence of God is only one that eternal most simple most perfect liuing immortall inuisible incorruptible infinite omnipotent most wise he is also wholy most good in whom nothing is wanting a louer of men most meeke most gentle slow to anger most ready to forgiue iniuries most patient most true most righteous most iust most faithfull in performing his promises finally hee is nothing els then the soueraigne goodnesse and the chiefe clemencie as he hath described and liuely deciphered himselfe Exod. 34. and elsewhere And therefore we must note although anger be attributed vnto God yet notwithstanding it is in God nothing els but the chiefe goodnesse and iustice whereby he abhorreth euill and according to his iust iudgement doth at length punish it if it be not amended by his long suffering and patience This herehence manifestly appeareth because speaking of reuenge or taking punishment which is an effect of anger he doth not say that he doth presently inflict punishment or that hee is so ready to inflict it as to shew mercy but hee saith that hee is slow to anger Sign fying by this maner of speach that he is of his owne nature alwayes most ready to shew mercy to graunt pardon to be beneficiall but not so ready to take punishment but is forced here vnto as of himselfe vnwilling through our impenitencie Hereunto also appertaineth that ancient forme of prayer O Lord whose propertie is alwaies to haue mercy and forgiue Esa 28.21 2. Sam. 5. 1. Chro. 14. Ios 10. Herehence also we read in Esai ch 28.21 The Lord shall stand as in mount Perazim hee shal be angry as in the valley Gibeon That he may doe his worke his strange worke that he may effect his act his strange act that is he shall inflict the like punishments in his iust anger vpon his rebellious people which hee exercised vpon his wicked enemies the Philistines in mount Perazim when as he ouerthrewe them by his seruant Dauid and vpō the Amorites in the valley of Gibeon when as he smote them with stones from heauen Where the Prophet maketh a twofold kind of Gods workes his proper and strange works The proper worke of God is to shew mercy and to spare or forgiue his strange worke is to be angry and to punish And therefore whereas hee calleth that the proper worke of God and this his strange worke he plainely teacheth that mercy goodnesse long suffering are according to the nature of the deitie but that to be angry is diuers from Gods nature Yea which is more hee maketh it not his worke that is to say he is angrie that afterwards he may bring his worke to passe that is that he may haue mercie and preserue for whilest saith the Apostle wee are iudged of the Lord we are chastened that we should not be comdemned with the world 1. Cor. 11.32 And what doe these things teach vs but that the nature of God is nothing els then goodnesse 1. Cor. 11.32 mercy loue especially of men patience benignitie and most farre and remote from all vniust seueritie cruelty tyrannie and pride
fort we had bestowed his rich treasures therefore in his iustice he sent his sergeant death to arest vs and to cast vs in the prison of vtter darkenes there to remaine in the custody of sathan our most malitious iaylor till we had fully discharged our debt and made full satisfaction to his iustice which wheÌ„ we were altogeather vnable to perfourme it pleased our sauiour Christ in his infinite loue towards vs to become our suerty and to take vppon him the answering of our debt which he fully discharged in as exact a manner and measure as the iustice of God required for whereas wee are bound to performe perfect obedience to the lawe he performed it for vs where as wee for our disobedience were subiect to the sentence of condemnation the curse of the law and death of body and soule he was condemned for vs and bore the curse of the lawe and dyed in our stead an ignominious death whereas we deserued the anger of God and to bee kept prisoners in the graue vnder the dominion of death he endured his fathers wrathfull displeasure and himselfe was for a time held captiue of death in the graue that so he might reconcile vs to his father and set vs at libertie In a word whatsoeuer we owed Christ discharged whatsoeuer wee deserued hee suffered if not in the selfe same punishments for hee could not suffer the eternall torments of hell yet in proportion the dignity of his person giuing value vnto his temporarie punishments and making them of more valew and worth then if all the world should haue suffered the eternal torments of hell Seing therefore our Sauiour Christ hath fully discharged our debt and made full satisfaction to his fathers iustice God cannot in equitie exact of vs a second payment no more then the creditours may iustly require that his debt should be twice payd once of the suerty and againe of the principal Neither now hath Gods iustice any thing to shew against vs for the lawe which was the hand writing of ordinances which made against vs and as it were a bond whereby wee were obliged and bound to God the father either to performe obedience or to vndergoe the penaltie euen euerlasting death and condemnation is now cancelled taken away and fastened to the crosse of Christ as the Apostle affirmeth Col. 2.14 So that now the Lord cannot in his iustice put vs in suite nor recouer any debt of vs seeing our sauiour Christ our good and all sufficient suerty hath vndertaken the matter in our behalfe discharged our debt to the vtmost farthing cancelled the handwriting or bond in which wee were obliged and by the law acquitted vs of all paimentes which Gods iustice by vertue of the law might require of vs. and therefore if we turne vnto God by vnfained repentance and lay hould vpon our sauiour Christ and his merites by a liuely faith we haue our quietus est and generall acquittance which God himselfe hath pronounced from heauen in the presence of many witnesses saying This is may welbeloued son in whom I am well pleased that is in whome I am delighted restfully satisfied wel coÌ„tented Mat. 3.17 CHAP. XXXIIII Of the third Argument grounded vpon Gods truth § Sect. 1 THe third argument Of Gods truth in his promises whereby all those who repent and beleeue may bee assured of the pardon remission of their sins is grouÌ„ded vpon Gods truth for the Lorde is most true yea truth it selfe and all his promises in Christ are yea and amen 2. Cor. 1.20 Apoc. 1.7 hee is a faithfull and true witnesse and whatsoeuer hee hath spoken shall be accomplished so that though the heauens decay and waxe olde like a garment though the sunne loose his light and the moone be turned into bloud though the earth tremble and quake and the foundations of the mountaines bee mooued and shake yea though heauen and earth and all things therein contained perish and passe away Matth. 5 1â— yet shall not one iote or title of his word fal to the ground vnaccomplished And therefore whatsoeuer the Lord hath promised in his worde that he wil most vndoubtedly performe for he is Iehoua who hauing his essence and being in and from himselfe alone giueth being vnto all things else especially to his worde and promises But hee hath promised to all beleeuers and repentant sinners that hee will in Christ Iesus pardon al their sins and will receiue them into his grace and fauour and therfore if wee beleeue and rest vppon our Sauiour Christ alone for our saluation truly repenting vs of all our sinnes wee may assure our selues that though our sins be neuer so many and grieuous yet the Lord will receiue vs to mercy and pardon and forgiue them § Sect. 2 But that the poore soule wounded with sin and groning for wearines vnder this vnsupportable burthen That Gods regal stile assureth vs of mercie and forgiuenesse may haue some ground whereupon to rest when it is ready to faint some spirituall weapons whereby it may defend it selfe and beate backe the violence of Sathans tentations I will make choise of some amongst many of the comfortable promises of the gospell made vnto all repentant sinners First therefore let vs consider that when the Lorde like a mightie monarch would set out his owne stile as it were in faire text letters to be read of all his subiectes he thus proclaymeth it Exod. 34.6 The Lorde the Lord strong mercifull and gracious slowe to anger and aboundant in goodnesse and truth 7. Reseruing mercy for thousands forgiuing iniquitie and transgression and sinners wher we may obserue that the greatest part of his stile coÌ„sisteth of his mercy gratiousnes long suffering goodnes readines to forgiue the iniquities of repentant sinners as therfore wee cannot offer a greater disgrace to a mightie prince then to denie or call into question any part of his tytles or regall stile so we cannot more dishonour the prince of princes and soueraigne king of heauen earth then by doubting of or denying any of these his titles which in his owne stile hee hath attributed vnto himselfe seeing then he professeth and proclaymeth himselfe to bee a gratious mercifull long suffering God who is alwaies readie to forgiue repentant sinners when they implore his mercie let vs not offer God that disgrace to rob him of any part of his glorious titles nor depriue our soules of that true comfort which the Lorde by them in his infinite goodnesse hath graunted vnto vs. § Sect. 3 Moreouer this is one maine part of the couenant of grace That Gods â—ouenant assureth vs of the remission of our sinnes which the Lord professeth that he will make with his church and people namely that he will forgiue their iniquitie and remember their sinnes no more Ier. 31.34 the counterpaine of which couenant we haue Heb. 10.16.17 and therefore if we on our part performe the condition of this couenant
who would not laugh at such ridiculous follie for therefore he should more earnestly desire and more thankfully accept of his friendes offred courtesie because himselfe is tyred pressed downe and altogether vnable to beare this intollerable waight but such and greater follie doe they commit who being pinched and oppressed with the heauie burthen of their sinnes doe through their infidelitie refuse the healpe of Christ offering himselfe to release and ease them vnder this pretēce because their burthen is ouer heauie for because to them it is intollerable therefore they should rather goe vnto Christ and ernestly desire to be eased and released seeing hee is not onely able for his power is omnipotent but also most willing for he hath most gratiously promised and freely offred his helpe That the price which Christ hath paid for our redemption farre exceedeth all our sinnes Moreouer we need not to doubt of the sufficiencie of the price which our Sauiour hath paid for our redemption for it is of infinite value and of more vertue and power to iustifie and saue then all the sinnes of the world to condemne and destroye so that though wee were the greatest sinners that euer liued yea though the waight of all sinne which euer in the world hath beene cōmitted did lie vpō vs yet the meritts of Christ and the price which hee paid for our redemption doe farre exceede them and if we come vnto him by a liuely faith resting vpon him alone for our saluation hee will surely ease vs of this intollerable burthen And therefore though the grieuousnesse of our sinnes shoulde increase our repentance yet they should not diminish our faith and assurance of pardon and forgiuenesse for though our debt were neuer so great our suerty Christ Iesus hath paid it to the vttermost farthing though our sinnes are neuer so many and grieuous our Sauiour hath borne them all vpon the crosse in his owne bodie and fully satisfying Gods iustice for thē 1. Pet. 2.24 hath freed and deliuered vs from this heauie burthen Though wee were neuer so deepely inthraled in the bondage of our spiritual enemies yet our almightie redeemer hath freed vs out of captiuitie hath paid a sufficient price for our raunsome and though we had no right or interest in the kingdome of heauen yet our sauiour hath dearely purchased it for vs by his precious death and bloudshed and therefore seeing in Christ we haue fully satisfied Gods iustice and fully merited the pardon of our sinnes seeing in him wee haue not onely paied our debt but also giuen a sufficient price for the purchasing of eternall happinesse wee neede not to make any doubt of the pardō of our sins and of possessing of our heauēly inheritance for the Lord cannot in iustice hold that from vs which of right appertaineth vnto vs nay we may assure our selues that though he could yet he would not for who can imagine that the Lord who of his bountious liberallitie giueth vnto vs more then wee can deserue or desire will keepe from vs that which of right appertayneth to vs that he for his own names sake without any respect of our works or worthinesse freely multiplieth his benefites vpon vs should with hould our rightfull inheritance in his heauenly kingdome from vs which our sauiour Christ hath purchased for vs by his pretious death bloudshed and therefore seeing wee haue vndoubted right to the pardon of our sins because Christ Iesus hath satisfied for them iust title to our heauenly inheritāce which our Sauiour hath purchased for vs with so deare and all-sufficient a price let vs in the name of Christ goe bouldly vnto the throne of grace desiring a generall acquittance of that debt which is alreadie paid nay let vs not feare to approach the throne of Gods seuere iustice and to claime our heauenly inheritance which Christ hath so dearly purchased § Sect. 4 Furthermore we are to consider that our sauiour and redeemer is so gratious and bountifull so rich in mercy That Christs power mercy and merites is more manifested by forgining greeuous sinners and so full of all power vertue and perfection that our sinnes should not discourage vs from comming vnto him for the more miserable wretched sinful we are the more fitt subiects we are whereupon he may exercise and shew the infinite riches of bounty mercy vertue and all sufficiencie If we were but a little soyled with sinne it were not so great a matter to make vs cleane but when wee are most filthily defiled and our polution is ingrayned in vs as it were with a scarlet die when our vncleane corruptiō sticks as fast to our soules as the Ethiopian blacknesse to their skins then is the vertue of the excellent lauer of Christs bloud sufficiently manifested when as he purgeth vs and maketh vs cleane washing away all our filthy corruptions and making our scarlet sinnes as white as snow Our sauiour Christ is our spiritual physitiō who can as easily cure desperate diseases euē the remediles consumptiō the dead apoplexie the filthy leprosie of the soule as some small maladie or little faintnes neither is he only able but also as willing to vndertake such desperate cures as the least infirmities because his skill will be the more manifest and his praise the more extolled for the more desperate the disease is the more it argueth his cūning who helpeth it and the more cōmendations he shal receaue who effecteth such a cure And therefore though our diseases are most daungerous desperate yet let vs resort to this our heauenly physitiō for the more desperate the cure is the more fitt occasion shall he haue of shewing his neuer failing skill and of aduancing his immortall praise He is our heauenly surgeon euen the good Samaritane which powreth the soueraigne oyle of his grace and the pretious baulme of his bloud into our woūded soules therfore the more greisly our wounds are the more praise and glory he getteth in curing them the more is the vertue of the soueraigne salue of his bloud manifested to all the world by healing of them Though therefore our soules are most filthy polluted yet if we come to Christ he will surely wash purge vs for to this purpose he suffered his precious water and bloud to issue out of his side that thereby as with a liuing and cleare streame issuing from a most pure fountaine he might cleanse vs from al our sins and wash away all our filthy corruptions though we are most desperatly sicke let vs come vnto our spirituall physition for he can cure the most remedilesse diseases as perfectly and as speedily as the most small infirmitie and faint weaknesse though our soules are wounded euen to the death with the deepe pearcing and deadly impoysoning sting of sinne yet let vs seeke helpe of this our heauenly surgeon who with the precious baulme of his bloud can as easily heale the most dangerous woūds as small
scratches or little cutts Neither is he more able then willing for hereby his vertue and power his loue and bountie is the more manifested to his endlesse and immortall prayse That those who doubt of the remission of their sinnes derogate from the vertâ—â— of Christs merites But if we thinke our soules so filthy that he cannot purge them what doe wee els but derogate from the vertue of his bloud if we will not goe to this heauenly Phisition to craue his helpe because our sicknesse is grieuous and dangerous what doe we els but call his skill into question If wee will not shew our wounds because they are griesly what doe we els but notably detract from the cunning of this our spirituall surgeon and doubt of the vertue and efficacie of the pretious baulme of his bloud Whereas on the other side if we see our polluted filthinesse and yet goe vnto Christ that we may be washed and cleansed we acknowledge the vertue and excellencie of the spirituall lauer of his bloud if wee plainely discerne that our sicknesse is desperate and yet goe to our soules Physition not doubting of recouery we thereby extoll our Physitions skill if our woundes be in themselues griesly and incurable yet we resort to our heauenly Surgeon to be healed of them wee cannot more commend his all sufficient cunning And therefore seing it is in these our extremities to our Sauiour Christ most honorable and acceptable and to our selues most profitable and full of comfort if we come vnto Christ not doubting of his helpe let vs not pretend excuses eyther because we are vnfit vnworthy or in a desperate state for by thus aggrauating our owne remedilesse misery we extenuate and call into question Gods mercy and Christs al-sufficiency wee spoyle him of his honour glorie our owne soules of all ioy consolation § Sect. 5 Secondly we may gather firme assurance of the pardon of our sinnes from the offices of Christ That the offices of Christ giue vs assurance of the remission of our sinnes And first in that he is our Prophet for first he is our prophet who hath reuealed vnto vs all the will and counsayle of his father he hath declared vnto vs the mysterie of our redemption and the meanes of our saluation how we may attaine vnto the remission of our sinnes and how wee may come out of that miserable and wretched estate in which we are by nature and attaine vnto eternall happinesse he it is who by the bright beames of his word doth illuminate our vnderstandings and by the operation of his holy spirit doth cause the seales of ignorance to fall from our eyes Giuing knowledge of saluation to his people by remission of sinnes He is that glorious and bright shining day starre which from an highe hath visited vs to giue light vnto them who sit in darkenesse and in the shadow of death and to guide our feete into the way of peace If therefore we will walke in the way which he sheweth vs and vse those meanes which hee reuealeth vnto vs in his Gospell namely turne vnto God by vnfained repentance and beleeue in him by a liuely faith wee shall not need to feare our sinnes though neuer so grieuous and manifold for this our heauenly Prophet hath truely reuealed vnto vs a plaine way how wee may come out of our sinnes and be reconciled vnto God how we may be adorned with the glorious robe of his righteousnesse and bee made partakers of all his merites how we may become of the children of wrath and firebrands of hell the children of God and heires of heauen And therefore let vs walke in this way and assure our selues that wee shall come to the iourney end of our desires for truth it selfe is our guide so that we need not to doubt of the way § Sect. 6 Secondly our sauiour Christ is our high priest ReasoÌ„s drawn from Christes priesthood who hath offered vp vnto his father an all-sufficient sacrifice and full satisfaction for our sinnes whereby Gods iustice is fully satisfied and his wrath appeased who also sitting at the right hand of his father continually maketh intercession for vs. The sacrifice which this our high priest offered was himselfe as the apostle testifieth Heb. 9.26 euen his body to be crucified and his bloud to be shed for the putting away of our sinnes the which oblation was offred on the altar of his diety which sanctified the sacrifice gaue vnto it such sufficieÌ„cy and valew that it was a perfect price ful satisfaction for the sins of al the faithful as the apostle witnesseth 1. Ioh. 2.2 Hee is the propitiation for our sinnes and not for ours only but for the sinnes of the whole world Seeing therefore this our high priest hath giuen himselfe for vs euen his body to be crucified and his bloud to be shed to this end that it might bee a propitiatorie sacrifice and full satisfaction for our sinnes and seeing he was once offered to take away the sinnes of many as the Apostle speaketh Heb. 9 28. wee need not doubt of the remission of our sinnes if wee come vnto him by a liuely faith for to this end hee hath shed his bloud that he therby might offer vnto God a full satisfaction for our sinnes and purge away all our wickednesse and therefore if hee should not attaine vnto his end that is if hee should not satisfie Gods iustice and appease his wrath by purging and takeing away all our sinnes his precious bloud should be shed in vaine § Sect. 7 Moreouer he is our mediatour and intercessour ReasoÌ„s drawn from Christer intercession who continually sitteth at the right hand of his father making intercession for vs by shewing and pleading his owne meritts righteousnesse and obedience whereby hee pacifieth his fathers displeasure and worketh vs into his loue and fauour And this the apostle witnesseth Rom. 8.34 It is Christ which is dead yea or rather which is risen againe who is also at the right hand of God and maketh request for vs. So also Heb. 9.24 it is said that our high priest Iesus Christ is entred into heauen to appeare in the sight of God for vs. and the Apostle Iohn sayth 1. Ioh. 2.1 If any man sinne wee haue an aduocate with the father Iesus Christ the iust and hee is the propitiation for our sinnes neither need wee to doubt of his effectuall dealing for vs for if hee loued vs so dearely that hee spared not to giue his precious life for vs there is no question but he wil be exceeding earnest in making request for vs neither will hee be sparing in wordes who hath not spared his dearest bloud And therfore seing our high priest doth continually make intercession for vs wee need not to doubt but that hee will obtaine his suite and procure the pardon of our sinnes and his fathers loue and fauour Especially considering that hee intreateth nothing which hee hath not deserued
calleth vnto them and hee in whose power it was euery minute vtterly to destroy them first of all desireth a parley he who might well abhorre to vouchsafe them his presence earnestly desireth conference with them saying ver 18. Come now and let vs reason together saith the Lord though your sinnes were as crimson they shall bee made as white as snow though they were red like searlet they shall be as wool § Sect. 6 The example of the Israelites in the time of our sauiour Christ In like manner in the time of our sauiour Christ the same Iewes most wickedly rebelled against the Lorde for when the Lord in his rich mercy sent the promised Messias to deliuer them out of the handes of their enemies they would not receiue him nay they continually afflicted and persecuted him they mocked and reuiled him they haled him before the iudgment seate and caused him to bee condemned who came to iustifie and acquite them they buffeted and whipped him and preferred a wicked murtherer before him who preferred their saluation before his owne life lastly in most ignominious sort they crucified and killed him After all which outragious wickednesse offered against the Lord of life they continued in their hardnesse of heart and impaenitencie neuer acknowledging their fault not desiring pardon nay rather as they had persecuted the head our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ so when they could offer no more wrong vnto him in his owne person they were ready to satisfie and glutt their malicious rage in persecuting his poore members Now what more hellish impietie was euer committed what more outragious sinne was euer heard of who would euer haue imagined that there was any hope of pardon for such rebellious bloudy wretches but O the infinite and bottomelesse depth of Gods mercy whilest their wickednesse was fresh in memorie and their hands still imbrewed in the guiltlesse bloud of this innocent Lambe when as they continued in their course and ran headlong forward in their wickednes without any sence of sin or desire of pardon the Lord sent his apostles vnto them to bring them to repentance and to assure them that their sinnes were pardoned Act. 2.38 Seeing therefore these obtained the remission of their sinnes who needs to doubt of pardon who earnestly desires it for did the Lord gratioussy offer forgiuenesse to such rebellious wretches and will hee not graunt it to lesse offenders if they desire it did he offer them mercy before they sought it and will he denie mercy vnto any who earnestly seeke and sue for it Doth hee seeke to draw men to repentance and to turne vnto him and will he not receiue them when they doe repent was he so exceeding mercifull in times past and shall we now thinke his arme shortned or his mercy abated Nay assuredly he is immutable euer like himselfe one and the same most gratious most merciful full of all goodnesse and compassion towards all them that come vnto him And therefore if we turne from our sinnes by vnfained repentance wee may assure our selues though they be neuer so many and grieuous they shal be pardoned and we receaued into Gods loue and fauour § Sect. 7 To these examples of whole multitudes Particular examples of Gods mercy we may ad the examples of particular sinners who haue beene receyued to mercy and obteined pardon though their sinnes haue beene many and grieuous as Matthew Zacheus Leui who were sinfull Publicans that got their liuings by pilling polling oppression and extortion men so notoriously wicked that Publicans and sinners are ioyned together as though they were sinners by profession and therefore as Synonima or diuers words of one signification they interprete one another And yet such was the riches of Gods mercy that euen these professed sinners were conuerted and receiued remission of all their outragious wickednesse The like may bee said of Mary Magdalene who though shee had beene a woman of lewde behauiour and loose life though she were possessed of many diuels and commonly noted for an infamous and notorious sinner yet vpon her true repentance obtained the remission of her sinnes and whilest she washed the feet of our sauiour Christ with her teares hee purged and cleansed her body and soule from the filthy leprosie of sinne with his owne most pretious bloud whilest she wiped them with the haires of her head he beautified and adorned her with the rich robe of his righteousnesse Yea she was receiued into an high degree of fauour with our sauiour Christ so as shee had in some things the preheminence before his chiefe Apostels for after Christes rising againe he first vouchsafed her his presence and vsed her as his messenger to certifie the rest of his resurrection So likewise the Apostle Paul before his calling was not onely no louer but a bitter and fierce persecuter of the truth and of all the professours thereof imprisoning stoning and cruelly murthering the Saints of God but behold and admire the wonderfull mercy of God euen whilest his imbrued hands were yet red with the bloud of Gods faithfull children and whilest his heart was so full of burning rage that hee breathed out still threatnings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord it pleased God wonderfully to conuert him to assure him of the remission of all these his horrible sinnes and to make him of a bloudie persecuter a most excellent preacher of his Gospell and of a rauenous deuouring wolfe a most vigilant and painefull shepheard To these wee might adde the example of the theefe who though he had spent his whole life wickedly prophanely yet was conuerted at the howre of death and receauing the pardon of his sinnes was presently assured of euerlasting happinesse But I shall not need to heape vp many particulars onely I can not passe that notable example of Manasses one of the most outragious sinners and prophanest wretch that euer liued as the holy Ghost hath described him in the 21. 2. Kings 21. chap. of the 2. booke of the Kings For there he affirmeth of him that he was a most horrible idolater a most malitious enemy and cruell persecuter of Gods truth a defiler of Gods holy temple a sacrificer of his owne children vnto idols that is diuels a notable witch and wicked sorcerer a bloudy murtherer of exceeding many the deare Saints and true Prophets of the Lord one who did not runne headlong alone into all hellish impietie but also ledd the people vnder his gouerment out of the way to doe more wickedly then did the Heathen people whom the Lord distroied before the children of Israel and in a word wrought more abominations and outragious wickednesse then the cursed Amorites and Cananites of whom notwithstanding the land surfetted and spued them out for their crying sins And yet this Manasses this wretch more like a diuell incarnate then a Saint of God repenting him of his sinnes from the bottome of his heart was receaued I cannot speake
them and the warme sunshine of Gods loue and fauour againe appeareth to them The sire is sometime so couered with ashes that it sendeth forth neither light nor heate and therefore in outward sense and appearance it seemeth quite extinguished but when the ashes are remooued and more wood added to it it bursteth out into a great flame and makes all the standers by to perceiue his heate and light and so the graces of Gods spirite are sometimes so couered with the ashes of our corruptions that there appeareth no sparke of them nor yet any heate of true comfort but when our corruptions are remoued with vnfained repentance and a new supplie of grace ministred vnto them by Gods spirite then doth their light appeare vnto vs and warme our harts with true cōfort and not to vs alone but euen those about vs see our shining light and glorifie our heauenly father A man hath not alwaies the vse of his senses reason and vnderstanding as in his sleepe but because we cannot sensibly discerne these faculties shall wee therefore conclude that this man who is a sleepe is senselesse vnreasonable and without vnderstanding it were most absurd for if wee but expect a while till hee be throughly awakened our argument will appeare manifestly false and so sometime the poore christian is ouertaken with the sleepe of drowsie securitie and is ouerwhelmed for a time with hardnesse of harte and dulnesse of spirite so as none of those spirituall graces which are in him can sensibly be discerned by himselfe or others but shall he or we conclude or beleeue Sathan so concluding that he neuer had them or now is depriued of them why it were as absurd as the other For when hee is awaked out of his drowsie sleepe by the voice of the Lorde sounding in his eares and by the good motions of his holy spirite his faith loue zeale and all other vertues and graces shew themselues in their fruits and actions as manifestly as in former times § Sect. 3 Seeing then those arguments which are taken from sense and feeling so often faile That we must not conclude that we haue not faith because we doe not sensibly discerne it let vs not be perswaded by sathans tentations to beleeue that we are destitute of faith and other sanctifying graces of Gods holy spirit because at sometimes we cānot sensibly discerne them for though now our soules seeme so sicke in the sense of sinne that there appeareth no signe of life yet the Lord wil rayse vs vp againe restore vs to perfect health though now wee see no fruites of faith whilest wee are nipped with the winter of tentations yet the Lord will water vs with his holy spirit warme our frozen hearts with the liuely beames of his loue and fauour so as we shal bring forth aboūdant fruits in due time seasō though now there appeare not a spark of grace in vs by reasō al is couered with the ashes of our corruptiōs yet the Lord wil surely ad a fresh supply blow vpon vs by his holy spirit so that our light and heate shall appeare to our selues others though now our spirits be oppressed with drowsie dulnesse yet the Lord in his good time will cause vs to awake by hearing his voice sounding in our eares out of his holy word and will againe quicken and reuiue vs with his holy spirit so as after this sleepe wee shal be enabled to follow with chearefulnesse our labours and workes both which concerne his seruice and those duties also which concerne our brethren onely let vs not tempt the Lord in prescribing him a time but waite his leasure he will surely helpe vs. CHAP. XLIIII How the weake Christian is to comfort himselfe when he is depriued of the sense of faith and sensibly feeleth the contrary corruptions § Sect. 1 BVt thou wilt say how is it possible that my soule should receyue any comfort That the Christian in the want of present sense must comfort himselfe with his former feeling or that I should preserue my selfe from falling into vtter desperation seeing I cannot feele in me any good thing nor discerne any sparke of grace what hope remaineth when as I plainely discerne in steed of faith doubting and infidelitie in stead of the loue of God hatred and rebellion in stead of zeale coldnesse and drowsie dulnesse and in stead of all sanctifying graces nothing els but a heauy masse of filthy corruptions I answere that when thou hast no comfort in thy present sense and feeling then thou must call to thy remembrance the times past in which thou hast by faith apprehended Gods loue mercy and goodnesse towards thee and brought foorth the fruits of thy faith in the workes of holinesse appertaining to Gods seruice and the workes of Christian righteousnesse belonging to our brethren for we may assure our selues that if euer wee haue truly discerned these graces of Gods spirit by the fruits of sanctification in vs they are not taken from vs for the gifts and calling of God are without repentance Rom. 11.29 as it is Rom. 11.29 And where he hath begunne a good worke their he will finish it and bring it to perfection As the Apostle speaketh Phil. 1.6 Phil. 1.6 Wee know that the woman being with childe feeleth no life nor motion of the child diuers moneths together after the time of her conception and after that she hath felt it stirre and moue oftentimes there is an intermission wherein she feeleth not the motion there of a good space together and yet notwithstanding because informer times she hath felt it she is perswaded that a liue child is in her and cōfortably hopeth to haue happy trauaile And thus it fareth with Gods children oftentimes after that by the seed of the word faith is begotten and conceiued in them they feele no life motion nor vndoubted signes thereof a long while and after that they haue the remission of their sinnes and are reconciled vnto God they haue not the feeling and sense of pardon and reconciliation diuers moneths yea sometimes many yeares together which the Lord in his wisedome and mercy doth that he may moue them hereby vnto more serious repentance and earnestly to hunger after a greater measure of faith carefully vsing the meanes ordained for this purpose and that they may more esteeme and be more thankefull for his inualuable benefits after that they haue full assurance of them And after they haue a feeling of faith and other spirituall graces by their motions and fruits oft-times againe they are depriued of it either because they haue wounded their consciences by falling into some knowne sinne or for that it pleaseth the Lord to excercise their faith and manifest his power in their weakenesse moouing them hereby to denie themselues and to rest wholy vpon him yeelding vnto him the whole glorie and praise of their saluation What therefore is to bee done in such a case Surely they
with the godly instructions profitable exhortations and sweete consolations of those who are more stronge and therefore the Apostle Paul exhorts those who had attayned vnto agreat measure of faith that they admitt such as were weake into their companie to be made partakers of their Christian conferences to the ende that hereby they might be more and more strengthened and confirmed Rom. 14.1 Rom. 14.1 The 4. means the vse of the sacraments The fourth meanes is the holy vse of the sacraments for the Lord hath added them as seales to the handwriting of his couenant of grace to confirme our faith in the full assurance of his promises and to take away all doubting For whereas the weake conscience might make some scruple in respect that the promises of the gospell in the preaching of the word are deliuered indefinitely and after a generall manner in the vse of the sacraments they are assured vnto them particularly and as it were by name and that not after some obscure and hidden maner but most familiarly by such common signes are are subiect to the senses and within the reach of the shallowest capacitie The 5. means good workes A fift meanes to confirme our faith is to be continually conuersant in good workes and to bring forth the fruites of holy obedience for hereby our faith is exercised and by exercise strengthened and increased whereas contrariwise the neglect hereof doth wound the conscience and so quench the liuely heate of faith that though it bee not quite extinguished yet it will not sensibly be discerned As therefore the strength of the bodie is increased by exercise and for want thereof waxeth faint and languisheth and as the stomacke is by outward exercise of the bodie made more fitt to performe his dutie of concoction so our faith being exercised in good workes is made more strong and fitt to performe his dutie in applying Christ and the sweete promises of the gospel vnto vs and without this spirituall exercise it waxeth faint and the strength thereof abateth The 6. means feruēt prayer The last meanes to strengthen and increase our faith is continuall and feruent prayer for faith is not in our owne power but it is the free gift of God as the Apostle teacheth vs Ephe. 2.8 neither can any man come vnto our Sauiour Christ by a liuely faith except it be giuen him of the father Ephe. 2.8 as himselfe speaketh Ioh. 6.65 Ioh. 6.65 And therefore when wee see the small measure of our faith we are with the apostles to pray vnto the Lord that hee will increase it Luk. 17.5 Luk. 17.5 And when wee perceiue that it is grieuosly assaulted with doubting and infidelitie we are in feruencie of spirit to crie out with the father of the possessed childe Lorde I beleeue helpe my vnbeleefe Mark Mark 9.24 9.24 And then we may be assured that the Lord will heare vs and satisfie our godly desires making vs to growe vp from faith to faith till at length wee attaine vnto such a fulnesse of perswasion that wee shall bee able truely to say with the Apostle I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall bee able to seperate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. as it is Rom. Ro. 8.38.39 8.38.39 § Sect. 3 And these are the meanes which properly tende to the strengthening and increasing of our faith Of the means whereby we may be preserued from doubting and desperation which whosoeuer carefully and conscionably vse they shall assuredly find them effectuall for this purpose Now wee are to speake of those meanes whereby wee may bee preserued from doubting and desperation of which I shal not neede to speake much seeing the most of these points are handled before The 1. means The first meanes to preserue vs from desperation is to cal continually vnto our remembrance that the promisses of the gospell are generall and indefinite excluding none how vnworthie and sinnefull soeuer they be if they doe not exclude themselues through their owne infidelitie Mat. 11.28 So Mat. 11.28 our Sauiour calleth all humbled and repentant sinners without exception saying Come vnto me all yee that labour and are heauie laden and I will ease you Ioh. 3.16 and Ioh. 3.16 God so loued the world that he sent his only béloued son that as many as beleue in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life Mat. 9.13 So Matth. 9.13 our Sauiour saith that hee came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance either then refuse the name of repentant sinner or acknowledge that he came to saue thee and Ioh. 6.40 our sauiour saith that it is his fathers will who sent him that euery man who beleeueth in him should haue euerlasting l fe Seeing therefore God taketh no exception nor excludeth any let vs not exclude our selues through our want of faith and infidelitie The 2. means Secondly we are to consider that the Lord hath not onely propounded his gratious promises vnto vs but also hath commaunded vs to beleeue them Mark 1.15 1. Ioh. 3.23 So Mark 1.15 Repent and beleeue the gospell and 1. Ioh. 3.23 This then is his commaundement that wee beleeue in the name of his sonne Iesus Christ c. now to beleeue in Christ is not onely to beleeue that he is a sauiour for this euē the diuels beleeue also but to beleeue that he is our sauiour to rest wholy vpō him for our saluatiō to say with the Apostle Paul Gal. 2.20 Gal. 2.20 I liue by the faith in the sonne of God who hath loued me and giuen himselfe for me And to the end that wee may be armed against doubting and enabled to perfourme this commaundement it hath pleased the Lord to adde vnto his word his oath Heb. 6.18 that by two immutable things wherein it is impossible that God should lye wee should haue strong consolation as the apostle speaketh Heb. 6.18 Yea he hath also vnto his word and handwriting annexed his Sacraments as seales that there might be no place left for doubting Seeing therefore the Lord hath expresly commaunded vs to beleeue and vsed al meanes to enable vs to perfourme his commaundement let vs not now dispute the question whether we are worthy to beleeue or no or whether such grieuous sinners are bound to this dutie but setting all excuses aside let vs beleeue in obedience to Gods commaundement The 3. means Thirdly we must not alwaies set before vs the innumerable multitude and huge waight of our sins but withal cal to our remembrance the infinite mercies of God and merits of Christ who hath offered vnto his father a propitiatorie sacrifice and full satisfaction for all our sinnes 1. Iohn 2.2 and not for ours onely but for the sinnes of all the world
intollerable to my afflicted conscience I am filled with shame and confusion because by my former sinnes I haue dishonoured my gratious God and shal I continue more to dishonour him by doubting of and denying his mercy iustice and truth in his promises I haue heretofore with Iudas betrayed my Sauiour Christ vnto the death yea and with my sinnes I haue whipped mocked and crucified him and now hee hauing made full satisfaction for my sinnes and called me vnto him that he may ease me of this intollerable burchen should I with Iudas refuse to come desperately cast of al hope of mercie and become mine owne hangman be it farre from mee nay as I hate all other sinne so let me hate this aboue all the rest as being more hainous then al the rest as I desire to be eased and freed from the heauie burthen of other my wickednesse so I will with all my power resist Sathan when he seeketh to loade me with this loade of desperation as being farre more intollerable heretofore I haue dishonoured God by my sins but now I will giue him glorie in beleeuing and acknowledging his infinite mercie goodnesse iustice and truth in his promises and seeing by my sinnes I haue crucified the Lorde of life I will not ad hereunto this outragious wickednesse to trāple his pretious bloud vnder my filthie feete as a thing vnholy and of no worth neither will I through my vnbeleefe make it to be spilt in vaine but now with all care and conscience I will gather it vp as a most precious balme and with the hand of faith apply it to those greisly gashes and deepe woundes which sinne hath made in my soule and conscience and with this spirituall lauer I will washe my poluted soule till it bee throughly purged from all vncleanesse And seeing I haue depriued my soule of that inherent righteousnesse wherewith it was indued by creation now I will apply thereunto a farre more excellent righteousnesse by the hand of faith euen the righteousnesse of Iesus Christ God and man wherewith being adorned I may boldly offer my selfe into the presence of my heauēly father receiue the blessing of euerlasting happines § Sect. 6 Lastly we are to consider that as desperation is a sinne in it owne nature most grieuous That desperation is a sin most pernitious so also it is vnto our selues most pernitious for whereas other sinnes make vs worthy of the torments of hell and eternall condemnation this as it aboue al the rest intitleth vs vnto the right of this hellish inheritance so also it entreth vs into the most certaine and present possession thereof euen whilest we liue vpon the earth For what are the torments of a despairing conscience but the flashings of hell fire and what are their blasphemies which they vtter against God and their impatient cursinges of their accursed selues but the yelling cries of damned soules And therefore if we would not cast our selues into the iawes of hell if wee would not whilest we liue beginne to die an euerlasting death let vs in no case suffer our selues to bee plunged with the violence of Sathans tentations into this bottomelesse pitt of vtter desperation § Sect. 7 Yea will the afflicted soule say but how should I auoyde it That wee must hope against hope beleeue against beliefe seeing I am forcibly pressed into it with the intollerable waight of my sinnes and with the sense and apprehention of Gods fearefull wrath and displeasure feeling no comfort nor assurance that euer I shall receiue pardon to which I answere that yet in no case they are to despaire but to hope against hope and to beleeue against beliefe and as it were from the bottome of hell to cast vp the eye of faith into heauen laying hold of Gods mercies and Christs merites knowing that faith is of things not seene neither with the bodely eye nor with the eye of reason and that the Lord seemeth often to hate those whome in truth hee dearely loueth For so long as wee beleeue Gods promises and haue some hope that our sinnes are eyther pardoned or at least pardonable there is certaine comfort but when as all hope is cast of and that we reiect all Gods promises through vnbeliefe and fall into vtter desperation there nothing remaineth but most certaine destruction when sinne lieth vpon vs it no question exceedingly vexeth vs with the torments of conscience but if we despaire we presently in stead of obtaining ease cast our selues into the torments of hell the panges of conscience caused by the sense of the heauy burthen of sinne are a good meanes to bring vs to Christ that we may be eased of this burthen but despaire stayeth vs in the midway and vtterly debarreth vs from euer being partakers of Christ or any of his benefits And therefore though the burthen of sinne be neuer so irkesome and grieuous yet let vs be contented to beare it till we come vnto Christ for ease let vs beware in any case that we doe not faint through impatiencie and want of hope and so fall into desperation for so shall wee but increase the waight of our sinnes in exceeding measure which already we thinke an intollerable burthen and consequently our horrour of conscience so shall we bring our selues from a doubtfull or rather hopeful state to most certaine and present destruction so shall wee change our temporarie griefe for that which is euerlasting and the terrours of conscience for the torments of hell so shall that which wee most feare and flee presently ouertake and ouerwhelme vs for whilest in an horrible maner we feare the paines of hell we cast our selues into them by falling into vtter desperation as if a man for feare of death should cut his owne throate or for feare of hanging should drinke some deadly poyson whereby they are presently tormented with that which they fearefully abhorred and choose rather to bee oppressed with the euill they feared then any longer to indure the feare it selfe Which howsoeuer it may carry some shew of reason in vndergoing a momentany and temporarie death wherein oftentimes the feare is more intollerable then the paine feared yet it is extreame madnesse to plunge a mans selfe body and soule into the eternall torments of hell rather then for a time to indure the horrour thereof seeing this horrour and feare is but a small fleabiting in respect of those hellish punishments and as it were but a smoke of that eternall fire CHAP. XLVI Sathans tentations concerning smalnesse and weaknesse of faith answered § Sect. 1 ANd so much for answering those tētations There is no such perfect faith which is not assaulted with doubting wherby Sathan laboureth to perswade the afflicted Christians that they haue no faith wherewith if he cannot preuaile in the next place hee will tell them that their faith is so small if it be any at all so ouerwhelmed with doubting so vnfruitfull and so mixt with imperfections that it will
that he purged it with the bloud of Christ from all sinne and adorned it with the rich robe of his righteousnesse The Apostle likewise saith that it is God who iustifieth him who in himselfe was vngodly Rom. 4.5 and 8.33 It is God who iustifieth who shall condemne The reason hereof is manifest because it is the Lord against whom we haue sinned as Dauid speaketh Psal 51.4 And he alone is our supreame iudge who hath authoritie to absolue or condemne vs and therefore he onely can giue vnto vs the pardon and remission of our sinnes and accept of vs as iust and righteous And this worke is not peculiar vnto any one person but is commune to the whole trinitie For God the father being fully satisfied by the full satisfaction righteousnesse and obedience of Christ the sonne applied vnto vs by the holy spirit doth pardon and forgiue vs all our sinnes and pronounceth and accepteth of vs as innocent and indued with perfect righteousnesse The motiue or impulsiue cause which moued the Lorde thus to iustifie vs was not any thinge in vs or out of him selfe but of his meere mercy and free good will wherewith hee hath loued vs from the beginning as it manifestly appeareth Rom. 3.24 Rom. 3.24 Where the Apostle sayth that we are iustified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus and Tit. 3.5.7 Tit. 3.5.7 Not by the workes of righteousnesse which we had done but according to his mercie he saued vs by the washing of the new birth and renewing of the holy ghost 7. That being iustified by his grace we should bee made heyres according to the hope of eternal life The instrumentall causes are of two sorts first on Gods part the word and the sacraments whereby the Lord offreth conuaigheth sealeth and assureth vnto vs his mercie grace Christ Iesus with his merites righteousnesse and obedience the remission of our sinnes and euerlasting life Secondly on our part a true and liuely faith whereby wee receiue and apply vnto our selues the mercy of God Christ Iesus all his benefits resting vpon him alone for our saluation § Sect. 2 The materiall cause of our iustification is the actiue and passiue righteousnesse and obedience of Iesus Christ The material cause his inhaerent holinesse his fulfilling of the law his death sacrifice and full satisfaction So that we are not iustified by the essentiall righteousnesse of the godhead nor by our owne workes ioyned with Christs merites nor by any inhaerent righteousnes infused of God through the merites of Christ or by any other thing in our selues or any other meere creature but by the alone righteousnesse of our mediatour Iesus Christ God and man which is out of our selues and in Christ as the proper subiect thereof and not belonging to vs till by the spirite of God and a liuely faith it be applyed vnto vs and so becommeth ours Of the formall cause The formall cause of our iustification is a reciprocall imputation or transmutation of the sinnes of the beleeuer vnto Christ and of his righteousnesse vnto the beleeuer whereby it commeth to passe that the faithfull man hath not his sinnes imputed vnto him nor the punishment due vnto them inflicted on him because Christ hath taken vpon him the guilt and punishment and by making ful satisfaction vnto his fathers iustice hath obtayned the pardon and remission of al his sinnes And also is clothed with the glorious robe of Christ Iesus righteousnesse and so appearing before God both free from all sinne and indued with perfect righteousnesse hee is iustified reconciled and eternally saued And of this imputed righteousnes the apostle speaketh Rom. 4.5 Rom. 4.5 But to him that worketh not but beleeueth in him that iustifieth the vngodly his faith is counted for righteousnesse 6. Euen as Dauid declareth the blessednesse of the man vnto whom God imputeth righteousnesse without workes saying 7. Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiuen and whose sinnes are couered 8. blessed is the man vnto whom the Lord imputeth not sinne and 2. Cor. 5.19 2. Cor. 5.19 For God was in Christ and reconciled the world vnto himselfe not imputing their sinnes vnto them c. 21. For hee hath made him to bee sinne for vs which knewe no sinne that wee should be made the righteousnesse of God in him And the Apostle affirmeth 1. Cor. 1.30 That Iesus Christ is made vnto vs of God wisdome 1. Cor. 1.30 righteousnesse sanctification and redemption So that now Christs righteousnesse is our righteousnesse his obedience our obedience his merits our merites as certainely perfectly and effectually euen as if we our selues had bene most innocent fulfilled the law or made full satisfaction to Gods iustice By which it appeareth that in respect of our selues wee are iustified freely of Gods meere mercy grace without any respect of our owne righteousnes or worthinesse but yet through Christ and for his righteousnesse and obedience imputed puted to vs Rom. 3.23.24 both which are signified by the Apostle Rom. 3.23.24 where he said that all in themselues are wretched sinners without difference and thereby are depriued of the glory of Gods kingdome 24. and are iustified freely of his grace through the redemption which is in Christ Iesus § Sect. 3 The finall cause The finall cause of our instification is two fold the chiefe and principall is the glory of God for hereby the Lord hath most notably manifested his infinite iustice and mercy his iustice in that he would rather punish our sinnes in his onely begotten Sonne then he would suffer them to goe vnpunished his mercy in that for our sakes hee spared not his best beloued Sonne but gaue him to suffer death yea the death of the crosse that by his one oblation he might make full satisfaction for our sinnes and purchase for vs euerlasting life and also in that he vouchsafeth vnto vs the outward means of his word and Sacraments and the inward assistance of his holy spirit whereby wee are vnited vnto Christ and haue a liuely faith begotten in vs which apprehending Christ his righteousnesse and merits wee are iustified sanctified and eternally saued And this end is signified by the Apostle Rom. 3.24.25 where hee saith that God hath iustified vs freely by his grace Rom 3.24 5.21 through the redemption which is in Christ Iesus to declare his righteousnesse by the forgiuenesse of sinnes and might shew himselfe iust by iustifying him who is of the faith of Iesus And cap. 5.21 he saith that as vnder the law sinne had raigned vnto death so now grace raigneth by righteousnesse vnto eternall life through Iesus Christ our Lord. Ephe. 2.5.6.7 So Eph. 2.5.6.7 hee affirmeth that God hath quickned vs in Christ who were dead in our sins hath raysed vs vp in him that hee might shew in the ages to come the exceeding riches of his grace through his kindnesse towards vs in Christ Iesus The