ministers to publish it spread it abroad and all as men mindeful of and carefull for the glory of our God to addorne and beutifie it and to doe what we can in holy life to make it honourable And so is it that Christ saith and meaneth also Ioh. 17. where speaking of his Apostles he affirmeth That they kept the word of his heauenly father And therefore also to such as after this manner imbrace the doctrine of the Gospell and professe it beleeue it and obey it in some measure are very large and excellent graces promised as iustification sanctification and glorification c. not because imperfect workes can merite or deserue any more at Gods handes then grosse corruptions for as in regard of his absolute iustice no imperfect thing can please him but because that God through his mercie and Christs obedience is pleased as to forgiue and forget our defects so to crowne his owne graces in vs and by these large promises and performances also to whett vs vnto perfection in this life though indeed we can neuer here attaine thereto Now the maior beeing thus expounded and these words to keep Christs sayings beeing taken in this sense in the minor or assumption we doe not denie the minor as vntrue because Christ saieth of his Apostles Iohn 17. They haue kept thy word and all that they haue and doe in sort as before is expressed imbrace and hold fast the doctrine of the gospell keeping faith and a good conscience as the Scripture saith may rightly bee termed in their measure to keep Christs sayings though he will not or dare not affirme they do it so well and in such a large measure as the Apostle did 7 Another argument they frame as followeth He that by the Gospell cannot know whether wee haue sufficient repentance for his sinnes he cannot be assured touching iustification or the grace of God towards him or concerning saluation for God in the gospell requireth repentance of vs. But no man by the gospell can tell whether he haue sufficient repentance yea or no therefore no man no not by the Gospell knoweth or can knowe concerning Gods grace towards him his owne saluation There are many things in the maior proposition that had need of explanation First that word of sufficient repentance is not onely ambiguous and doubtfull but full of vnsoundnesse as though forsooth our iustification before god or reconciliation with him stood vpon the dignitie sufficiēcie and merite of our repentance that is of our contrition faith and new obedience whereas we know it dependeth not vpon all or any of these things but vpon the absolute obedience of our Sauiour Christ which as it is sufficient indeede to take away all sinne so it is much more powerfull to supply the defect of the fruits of our faith Or as though againe we could sufficiently and inough sorrow for our sinnes whereas if we weigh not onely all our sinnes but any of them in it owne nature and according to the grieuous effects it bringeth forth or the heauie iudgement of god against vs for the same we shall finde in our consciences and in truth before god that though wee would or could do nothing else all the daies of our liues but repent vs of that one yet wee could not sufficiently performe it therefore Or as though we had some sufficiēcie in our selues to all or any good thing whereas the Apostle telleth vs in plaine euident tearms that vve are not sufficient of our selues as of our selues to thinke anie thing much lesse sufficiently to repēt but that all our sufficiencie is of god who worketh in vs both the will and the deed according to his good pleasure Secondlie wheras the maior affirmeth that vnles a man haue sufficient repentance for his sinnes he cannot be assured of iustification c. Wee aunswer that is false For though as in regard of that which is wanting in himselfe he cānot be assured yet as in regard of that which for him is supplied by another and accepted of him to whome that supplie was due he may conceiue comfort and certainty also for euen as when the debt that a man oweth is satisfied by his brother the partie to whome it was due acknowledgeth himselfe contented and paid he that ought the debt neede not doubt much lesse distrust so is the case betweene god and vs through the death obedience of Christ his sonne our elder brother For God confesseth cōtentment and acknowledgeth satisfaction when he saith This is my wellbe loued sonne in whome I am vvell pleased c And Christ hath paied the debt because he hath put out the hand vvriting of ordinances that vvas against vs vvhich was contrarie to vs he euen tooke it out of the way and fastened it vpon the crosse and hath spoiled principalities and powers and hath made a shevv of them openly and hath triumphed ouer them in the same crosse And why then should we distrust or doubt vnles we would suspect the suffiencie of Christs obedience or the absolutenes of gods worke in giuing him to the death for vs all Thirdly this is faulty in the maior that it maketh it a principall part of the office of the Gospell to certifie mens hearts of repentance whereas the chiefe duetie of the gospell is to publish forgiuenesse of sinnes and by consequent eternall life also for where the first is the latter cannot choose but followe in the name and obedience of Iesus Christ And though we will not or cannot denie but that repentance is a part of the gospell and ioyned with the remission of sinnes yet is not therefore annexed therevnto that in the worthines or suffiencie of it we might merite assurance but that in the hauing of it it might pledge vp in our hearts the forgiuenesse of all our transgressions and yet not as though it were of our selues though it be in our selues but as it is Gods worke in vs he giuing this glorie to his owne worke to testifie this fauour vnto our hearts of reconciliation and peace Indeede if repentance were of and from man it were somewhat that they say but beeing simplie and onely from God who if he doe not effectually batter mens stonie and hard hearts they cannot return vnto him they cannot think or speake thus but with great sinne against God and their owne soules Lastly concerning the cōfirmation of the proposition in these words For God in the gospell requireth repentance of vs we confesse the truth of the sentēce but not in their sense for that God demaundeth it no man I thinke will denie because euerie where almost it is said repent and beleeue the Gospell But he that requireth it for these ends purposes that these men imagine as namely that it should puffe vs vp in pride and presumption of merit that we should thinke we haue it of our selues and so therein assure our hearts that is most false but rather because it commeth from
so fall out that he hath some hidden or vnknowne sinne through which he hath displeased God But no man knoweth or vnderstandeth all his sinnes this assumption they prooue by a place of the Prophet Psal 19. where he saieth who can vnderstand hi◠faults therefore no man can tell whether he be in the grace and fauour of god please him yea or no. To this we aunswer that the proposition or maior as we call it should be true if either god did for Christs sake forgiue the beleeuers their knowne transgressions onely and not their vnknowne and hidden sinnes also or else if the worke of our reconciliation with God did depend either vppon our dignitie or worthines or the suffiencie of our contrition and sorrowefulnes for sinne But God we know the Scripture in plaine tearmes teacheth vs that God forgiueth in Christ to his children al their sinnes knowne and vnknowne in which respect euen in the place by them alleadged the Prophet presently saith Clense me from my secret faults of which if there had not beene remission he would not haue praied for it for praier made according to faith for a thing implieth that the same thing is to be obteined or els were christian praier not onely lipp labour but lost labour Saint Iohn saith the bloud of Christ clenseth vs from all sinne and againe that he is the reconciliation not for our sinnes onely but also for the sinnes of the whole world And as for our reconciliation to God it hangeth not vpon any worthinesse that we haue as of our selues or vpon the suffiency of any thing we do or can do for we confesse as the faithfull haue done before vs that all our righteousnesses before God are as filthy and stained clouts saie vnfeinedly as our Sauiour himselfe hath taught vs when we haue done al that we can doe we are vnprofitable seruants So that we may say and say safely the propositiō or maior is false and that not onely for that which hath beene alleadged already but also because that the Scripture in many places for the cōfort of the children of God in the multitude of their sinnes knowne or not known felt or not felt in themselues confessed or not confessed before God hath put downe many worthy and general comforts as Isaiah the 1. Though your sinnes were as crimosin they shall be white as snovv though they vvere redd as scarlet they shall be as wooll and in the newe Testament Paule saith where sinne aboundeth there grace aboūdeth much more And though they add a reason or confirmation of it yet that helpeth it not neither For we knowe that all sinnes in their owne nature doe displease God and not onely hidden sinnes And if God vouchsafe mercie in the forgiuenes of all sinnes and hidden sinnes in all our iudgements be sinnes why should the conscience more doubt of the forgiuenesse of those that it knoweth not or cannot remember then it doth of those that are euer before vs sith this is vsuall in all men to haue their most high and heinous trāsgression in the sting of their harts presented before them which being assured of that they are remitted before God the lesse and the secret much more As for the minor or assumption we will graunt it them and yet they neuer a whitt nearer their purpose because remission of sinnes the comfort following therevpon against the doubtfulnes of our hearts standeth not in knowing or feeling all and euery particular or speciall sinne that men haue committed but in the liuely apprehension of the free fauour of god declared in the heauēly promises of his word not imputing vnto vs our transgression nay which is more imputing vnto vs through faith that take hold thereof the innocency holines obedience of Christ with which being clothed as with a garment we stand free from the force of his wrath against all sinnes knowne or not knowne and haue hope assured for reconciliation and attonement And as for the proofe of this assumption by the place of Psal 19. it was more then needes and brought to confirme that which neuer was controuerted for who euer called this into question that good men may doe commit infinite more sinnes then they doe or can remember But this rather whether this effect of doubting will follow thervpon in which they are more mute then fishes speaking where or what they should not might well haue spared this labour 2 A second argument they frame thus He that only knoweth the heart he only knoweth the certety assurednes of our saluatiō But God only knoweth the heart searcheth the reines therefore he onely knoweth the certenty and assurednesse of our saluation All the feare strength of this reason resteth in the maior or proposition as we call it in the large or narrow significatiō of this word knower of the heart Wherfore hauing answeared or satisfied that all the rest will be found weaker then water I meane for the strength and maintenance of this matter God is so the onely searcher and knower of the heart that yet notwistāding he hath in some measure euen communicated that grace vnto diuers of his children though happely not as in respect of others so much yet as in regard of euery particular faithful mans owne estate For as this that God is onely wise onely iust c. doth not euacuate or ouerthrowe the wisdome iustice c. that from that infinite fountaine that is in him is conveied ouer vnto men specially his children so that he alone knoweth mans heart hindreth not this but that other men may knowe though not other mens yet their owne hearts reasonable well for this of searching the heart is as also the former aboue named are of that sort of attributes in or to God which though they be in him in all absolute fulnesse and without measure yet are they communicated to the godly especially and that in such measure as he seeth to be fit for them and yet he hauing neuer a whit the lesse in himselfe And this is that in some sort and sense which Salomon saith in the Prouerbes The thoughts of mans heart are as deepe fountaines but a man of vnderstanding will drawe them drie But more plainely and particularly the Apostle saith No man knoweth the things of a man but the spirit of a man which is within himselfe but Gods spirit maketh the spirituall man able to iudge and discerne all things yet he himselfe to be iudged of no man So that we may see that the maior propositiō is not simple here but must of necessitie be vnderstood with a condition or exception thus He that alone is the knower of the hearts yea of all things he onely is assured or certenly knoweth our saluation vnles it haue pleased him in his word to reueale somthing concerning that vnto vs and would haue vs thereby to be assured thereof For then hauing communicated that knowledge which in himselfe is
cause by reason of their badd dealing to suspect feare doubt doubting there or thē can not be said to be sinne or euil yet as in respect of God who not onely in his owne nature is alwaies like vnto himself free from the least shaddow or shew of turning that may be but as in regard of his action and practise towards all his people in all ages hath manifested himselfe powerful and faithful as their is no reason to doubt so wee cannot doe it but with dishonour to his maiesty and so by consequent also with sinne to our owne soules But let vs proceed 12 Their 12. argument is this No man can certainely conclude that the holy ghost hath kindled or wrought in him faith and other vertues the reason is because they may likewise spring from humane reason Therefore no man can certainely determine that he is in Gods fauour or that he pleaseth God The antecedent of this Enthymeme or imperfect syllogisme as also the confirmation or proofe of the same adioyned thereto are as false as possible may be and as directly thwarting the light and trueth of the word as can bee for out of the word we may reason thus first cōcerning faith It is either the gift of God or it is of nature because betweene there is no meane but it is not of nature for then all men should haue it though not happilie all alike because there is now and then some defect in nature but that is false as the Apostle sheweth 2. Thess 3. saying all men haue not faith therefore it is naturall or of nature and then by consequent it must needs be of God which yet also is warranted vnto vs by plaine texts of Scripture as Philipp 1. Vnto you it is giuen for Christ that not onely yee should beleeue in him but also suffer for his sake And againe Rom. 10. where he saith how they call on him in vvhome they haue not beleeued hovv shall they beleeue in him of vvhome they haue not heard how shall they heare without a preacher c. And if faith from whence all good works flow be the gift of god then must also good workes themselues come from him also because if the first be from him the second likewise And yet least we should thinke that this were not Gods owne and according to his truth but a humane inuention the Scripture that attributeth the worke of faith vnto God ascribeth also al other vertues in vs vnto him For that must euer be true the Apostle speaketh Philip. 2. It is God who worketh in vs both the will the deed according to his good pleasure and Ephes 2. We are his workemanshippe created in Christ Iesus vnto good works which god hath ordained that we should walke in thē For otherwise if we respect our selues in this behalfe I meane of doing good works as from nature wee must say as the Psalmist saith there is none that doeth good no not one they are become all corrupt and abhominable or as the Apostle saith else where not that we are sufficient of our selues to thinke a good thought which is the beginning of a good work but all our sufficiēcy is from god Nay which is more when God hath begunn good thinges in vs wee doe what wee can through the remainders of our corruption either vtterly to deface them or so by imperfectiōs cleauing vnto them to taint them that were they not ouershadowed with the absolute righteousnes of Christ we and they both might iustly be reiected from god And there fore he that knoweth either nature or grace God or man his word or the world cannot but certenly conclude that faith and all other vertues are from God by his spirite and not from man in his nature euen as Saint Iames chap. 1. in a generall sentence affirmeth it Euerie good giuing and euerie perfect gift is from aboue and commeth downe from the father of lights And the proofe or confirmation adioyned to this proposition it selfe for neuer was it heard in the schoole of god or among sound christians that faith and good works might spring frō humane reason For which purpose notable is that speach of our Sauiour Christ vnto Peter after the worthy confessiō that he had made saying thou art that Christ that sonne of the liuing God vnto whome Christ saieth againe Blessed art thou Simon the sonne of Ionah for flesh and blood hath not reuealed this vnto thee but my father which is in heauen Matth. 16. To the same ende also tendeth that that the Apostle saith 1. Corinth 2. But the naturall man perceiueth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishnesse vnto him neither can he know them because they ar spiritually discerned And what should Saint Paule meane else when Rom. 8. he sayeth the wisdome of the flesh is death and againe the wisdome of the flesh is emnitie against god for it is not subiect to the lawe of God neither indeed can be but that it is not in the vnderstanding will or power of man to knowe loue or obey the good things of god till he be inlightned strengthened and inabled from aboue And if it were so that these good thinges doe spring from humane reason why doe we not refuse or forsake the worde and resist the working of gods holy spirit as thinges needlesse and vnnecessarie or why doe we say the Heathen and Gentiles are voide of faith and good workes seeing they haue as much of nature and humane reason as we or any other And besides the obseruatiō of our own hearts will shewe vs the vanity falshood both of the propositiō cōfirmatiō of it for in our cōuersiō to god or repētāce we sensibly feele both the one the other namely faith without which we could not convert it sealing vp in our hearts the forgiuenes of our sinnes for Christs sake the holy ghost quickening stirring vs vp as to that so to other good works besides according to which S. Paul faith Rom. 5 that beeing iustified through faith we haue peace towards God And Rom. 8. The spirit that is the holyghost witnesseth vnto our spirits that we are the children of god And therefore Augustine though indeed I doe not greatly delight in allegation of humane authorities in a certaine place saith well he that beleeueeth knoweth that he beleeueth to witte whilest that in the feares terrours of his heart and conscience God is pleased to make him feele consolation and comfort for they that acknowledge and consent vnto the trueth of Gods word and by serious thinking vpon and cōfortable feeling of the promises of the Gospel vphold their hearts and hope they in whatsoeuer estate or disteesse they be yea though they walke in the valley of the shadowe of death or as we say in the middest of death it selfe they haue experience of and sensibly feele consolation Whereby we may see that when a man hath an assured perswasion or a
and performed how be it in that time that he had appointed with himselfe from before all times and which he seeth to be most fit for his glorie the good of them that belong vnto him For we know and beleeue him to bee both willing and true in his word that he will and almigtie in his power that he can performe the good things promised for the Lords hand is not shortned that it cannot saue neither is his eare heauy that it cannot heare Isay 59. And is there not reason we should depend vpō his good pleasure power and prouidence for the time to performe his promise in as for the grace and goodnesse promised Surely there is for as all things are free in God and nothing drawne from him by constraint so sith he seeth and knoweth what and when and where is better for vs then we our selues vnlesse wee will be ouer saucie malepert with the Almightie we must needs in this respect also depend vpon him To make this plaine by one particular the forgiuenes of sinnes is promised and in some measure performed in this life but the full fruition of that grace in all the partes and peeces of it and the fruits following of it is reserued for the worlde or life to come Howbeit he performeth it here euē so soone as we beginne to beleeue as appeareth Rom. 1. But he will giue vs perfect righteosnesse eternall saluation when the time fit for it shal be for nowe we are saued by hope Romans 8. and 1. Iohn 3. Now are we the sonnes of god but yet it is not manifested what we shall be and we knowe that when he is manifested we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is But inough against these exceptions let vs come to and proceede in the recitall of other absurdities that insue vpon this doctrine of doubting which our aduersaries would so stiffely defend 4 Fourthly this doctrine of doubting generally concerning al Gods fauour and more particularly concerning the forgiuenesse of our sinnes doth directly thwart and crosse those praiers that Gods people make and powre forth before God and that according to his will for the comfortable feeling and assured attainment of that singular grace First Christs commandement saying After this manner pray ye and amongst vs the rest teacheth vs to say forgiue vs our debts trespasses or sinnes sheweth vs what we should do to which if we adioyne the practise of Gods people we shall yet more and more see our selues led thereto Dauid a man approued of God Psal 32. saith Therfore or for this thing that is to say because thou shewest thy selfe euery manner of way to be such a one to me specially in the forgiuenesse of my sinnes shall euery one that is godly make his praier vnto thee that is performe praier and other obedience And the wordes of the Publicane Luk. 18. shewe the same O God be mercifull to me a sinner Now as in all things that God hath promised vs and at all times confidēce and assured hope is most necessary so in praier especially and the rather because therein we doe not onely deale with God aloofe or a far of as we say but in many particularities And God we knowe hath commanded not onely that we should pray vnto him but also hath forbidden vs in out prayers or while we are calling vpon him to doubt either of him that hath the fulnesse of power good will in him for his owne glory and for our good or els receiuing the things that we shal aske according to his word Therefor Iames 1. it is said If any lacke wisdome let him aske of God which giueth to all men liberally and reprocheth no man but let him aske in faith and wauer not for he that wauereth is like a waue of the sea tost of the winde and caried away neither let him thinke that he shall receiue any thing of the Lord. And to the same intendeth 1. Ioh. where he saith this is that assurance which we haue in him that if we aske any thing according to his will he heareth vs. And if we know that he heareth vs whatsoeuer we aske we knowe that we haue the petitions that we haue desired of him the faithfull and godly people therefore ought to beleeue and not doubt both that their sinnes are forgiuen them before God for Christs sake in whome they beleeue and that they may safely pray for the same in assured confidence that faith they aske nothing but in the faith of Gods word and promise they shall not be sent away emptie handed 5 This doctrine also thwarteth the doctrin of the word which propoūdeth Christ vnto vs as our Mediatour and intercessour as 1. Tim. verse 15. This is a true saying and by al means worthy to be receiued that Christ Iesus came into the worde to saue sinners And againe in the second chapter of the same epistle There is but one God and one Mediatour betweene God and man which is the mā Iesus Christ And Romanes 8. It is Christ which is dead or rather which is risen again who is also at the right hand of god and maketh request for vs. And if any man list to behold any more places let him see Heb. 7. specially verse 24.25.26 c. as also Heb. 9. verse 24.25 And sundry such other places For wherefore was he borne in to the world wherefore did he liue vpon the earth wherfore did he preach amongst men and worke maruailes and miracles infinite and incomprehensible why did he die and rise againe the third day according to the scriptures wherfore is he ascended vp into heauē why sitteh he at the right hand of God to make cōtinuall intercession for vs but by remoouing of the doubtfulnesse and distrustfulnesse that we haue in our selues by reasō of the remainders of our sinnes and the high and heynous iniquities that we doe commit he might minister vnto vs strong hope and assured comfort For this we must make reckoning of that either we beleeue so are vnder hope of grace and saluation or els we beleeue not so are vnder cōdemnation because as our sauiour Christ saith he that beleeueth not is cōdemned already for there is no meane betwixt these two Now if we would beleeue our aduersaries doctrine then all these things in and by Christ must be done in vaine or causlesly for surely he that remaineth in doubting cannot assure his heart that the sonne of God is become his Mediatour and therefore also cannot yeeld him his due honour For as the Apostle saith hovve shall they call vpon him in whome they beleeue not So may we say how shal they trust him whē their hearts are full of vnbeleefe distrust or doubting 6 Againe the scripture euery where deliuereth vnto vs doctrine concerning the comfort of the godly and the peace of conscience that the faithful finde in them after they haue felt the remission and forgiuenesse
James 3. in many things we sinne all Howebeit we see a maruelouse difference betweene their setting my sinnes before me and Gods word propounding it vnto me Thou doest it of a deadly malice to drawe me into desperation and by meanes thereof into condemnation and therfore no reason that I should listen vnto thee so deadly hating me as thou doest attempting such morall dangers against me as the death and destruction of my soule and body But the Lord setteth them before me to humble me at the feete of his goodnes that so in forgiuing me also so greate a debt I might learn both to loue him that hath dealt so bountifully with me and beware of falling into the like mischiefes againe by meanes of my sinns Besides I answere further for my selfe that I am not so much to regard my slips falls as how or with what affection I haue offended God hath kept me from sinning presūpteously with a high mind howsoeuer to make me see my selfe to be more circumspect against transgression I haue fallen of humane infirmitie and weaknesse And if this and such like considerations mittigat sinnes amongst men why should it not also in some sort doe so before God who is better able to discerne and iudge both of actions and affections then all the people of the worlde that either haue beene be or shall be Moreouer that is false that thou doest inferre that falling into sinne doth vtterly spoile Gods people of faith in themselues and of all grace and fauoure from God for if that were so howe could any of gods children that haue gone before vs or liue presently with vs or which shall succeed vs euen to the ende of the world al and euery one whereof some one way some another haue beene fearefully ouertaken be raised vp againe to repentance and amendment of life And this we may see as by many examples of holy men in the worde in the world so by the doctrine of the holy scriptures and amongst the rest Ioh. 3. who soeuer is borne of god sinneth not that is to say either the sinne that is vnto death or lieth not wallowing swinelike as the vngodly of the world doe in the filth and puddle of their transgressions And of this assertion he rendreth a reason very strong and forcible saying for his seede remaineth in him that is the holy ghost with his graces shed abroad into his heart will not let him lie still but laboureth his raysing vp againe And as though this had not beene sufficient he addeth neither can he sinne to wit in sort as before is expressed and why because he is borne of God who besides that he is stronger then all and therefore can and will performe his owne will doth not beginne in his people any good worke but bringeth it one daily more and more according to the measure that he seeth to be good for all and euery one of thē to perfectiō And this grace I find from God that as I see my sinne for my humiliation so I behold the precious gift of faith and many great graces of God for my exaltation and therfore haue not lost as thou wouldst haue me beleeue Sathan all sense feeling of God and godlinesse but haue that seed and the annointing by which I shall be inabled to stand and if I doe fall shall yet notwithstanding be raised vp againe and set vpon my feete more staied and confirmed then euer before and that not onely by reason of the circūspectiō and meanes that is wrought in me thereby but also by the strength that is communicated vnto me from aboue which in succeeding time breaketh forth and therefore I am not vtterly fallē from grace as thou forgest and fainest Satan neither haue made frustrate Gods election concerning my selfe because that as a strong foūdation remaineth vnmoueable and vnchangeable for he abideth alwaies faithfull and cannot denie himselfe whether it be executing of his wrath vpon the wicked or in the displaying and exercising of his mercies vpon the godly Besides euē from this I gather infallible comfort that hauing in a true and diligent search of mine owne soule but once in my life found faith in selfe I cannot vtterly lose faith and the fauour of God And why so it is because I haue it no but because the gift and callings of God are such as God will neuer repent him of Ro. 9. And vpon this and nothing els doe I assure my heart Wherefore I feare not to affirme and say that though my faith may be sore shaken and euen as in regard of the fruits of it as if it were broken of for a time or rather lie hid a little while vntill I be inabled by the power of Gods blessed spirit to gather my spirits vnto my selfe yet I am sure the seed therof remaineth in me and shall againe beeing raised vp by the spirit of God breake out in as full force as before As we may see first in Dauid notwithstanding his fearefull falls of adulterie murther c. and then in Peter notwithstanding his carnall counsell giuen to his Master and his shamefull denying yea abiuring and forswearing of him in whome it lay hidden as it were fire in or vnder the ashes and the sunne vnder a darke or thicke cloud it being stirred vp in Dauid by the ministrie of Nathan the Prophet sent vnto him by God to reprooue him put him in mind of his sinne and in Peter as by the crowing of the cocke so by Christs looking backe vnto him So gracious is God towards his children and so powerfull in his owne worke that rather then his people should perish his mercies should allure them his iudgements shal terrifie them his word shal humble them yea and raise them vp also his spirit shal draw them that which seemeth to be no meane shal be an effectuall powerfull instrument to manifest his glory and to worke their good through Christ And that this is false that thou saist Satan that the faithful by their sins loose faith it selfe and the graces of the spirite may appeare by two places of Scripture The 1. is out of Psal 51. where the Prophet praieth that god would not take his holy spirit frō him Which if it had bin quite lost by his former trāsgression he could not haue praied for because it was gone before but rather shoulde haue praied that the Lord would haue restored his holy spirite vnto him because taking away implieth restoring and praying not to take it awaye declareth that it was there still howsoeuer in his owne feeling and falls he supposed he had iustly deserued 〈◊〉 be depriued thereof The second is the wordes of our Sauiour to Peter Luke 22. saying I haue praied for thee that thy faith faile thee not Which words as they containe in thē a protestation of Christs vnfeined care and loue so he saith I haue praied for thee so do they comprehēd a faithful promise in
these words that thy faith faile not or if you wil this being the end that Christ aimed at in his praiers or the fruit effect that followeth thē in all Christ shewing that is through his most feruent and continual praiers that the whole Church and the particular members of it are so vpheld that they do neuer vtterly nor neuer shall vtterly fal away from the faith which thing spoken here as it should seeme particularly to of Peter and yet notwithstanding in truth vprightnes to be extended to all the faithfull because there is in their measure manner a like cōsideratiō of them in al euery faithfull person is more at large described prooued in the 17. of Iohn Where we may see that Christs praier was frō the beginning is now and shal be to the end of the worlde the very foundation and groundwork of the stability and continuance of the Church of God Another sore assault that after the former yea and indeede at the least wise in outward shew vpon the former Satan maketh against vs or giueth vnto vs is this If thy sinnes harm thee not neither indeed cā hurt thee as thou saiest thou maiest after thou beleeuest once sinne without feare of punishment Thou dealest Sathan like a Sathan now that in a double respect first in the end of thy temptations labouring euery way if it may be to ouerthrow my faith and obedience In the former thou didst assaye to drawe me to despaire In this latter thou labourest to throwe me headlong into securitie So that thou effect my ruine thou carest not by what meane by either of these or by both of them together or by any other God hath discouered this vnto me I hūblie thanke him hoping that he that hath giuen me grace to espie thy subtletie wil also graunt me strength to ouercome it Secōdly herein thou shewest thy selfe an aduersary in that thou doest falsifie peruert my words Where did I say simply that sinne could not hurt or harme This I beleeue in my heart haue and will confesse it vnto the end with my mouth that being ingrafted into Christ my sinnes past or present cannot condemne me no more then they haue done the faithfull which haue gone before me in the flesh and in faith And what haue I saide here but that which the Scripture speaketh euery where The Apostle telleth vs. Rom. 8. in termes that cannot be corrupted with false glosses there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus That againe that the spirit speaketh out of the Prophet Ieremie as a parte and peece of the newe couenant Hebrewes 8. tendeth to the same ende saying I will be mercifull to their vnrighteousnes I will remember their sinnes their iniquities no more That our sinnes offend our most gracious heauenly father that they grieue the holy ghost within vs yea that we by thē not only as it were with cartrops but with gable ropes pul vpon vs though not eternall yet tēporary corporall punishments so indeed do harme hurt vs I neuer denied nor will deny because the truth and certenty of al euery one of these things is propounded vnto vs in the worde of God But in what sense I haue saide thus I haue shewed before and let that suffise As for that that thou woldst haue me to infer thervpon namely that therefore I might liue as I list sinne without controulment it is most false in it self most irreligious before God most vnseasonable in the sight iudgement of men Doth not the Apostle tell vs Rom. 8 that they that are led by the spirit of God are the childēr of God what meneth he thereby any thing els but this that they that are by the grace of God through the worke of regeneration in the power of the spirit and the exercises of the word freed frō sinne do not remaine or continue therein And is not the same that he expresseth in an other place in other tearmes saying our olde man is crucified with Christ that the bodie of sinne might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serue sinne If we knowe any thing in Christ or of Christ we knowe this that so many as are iustified from their sinns by faith in his blood are also by the spirit of Christ sāctified vnto obedience of his wil for these are the two fruits that we haue in by the death and rising againe of our Sauiour from whēce also there followeth this comfort to the faith full that they doe many times in some good measure withstand and ouercome sinne not in others only but in themselues principally And sure we are of these that that sanctification which we haue in and from Christ by obedience of his will can no more be seperated from free iustificatiō from all our vnrighteousnesse through his blood then heat from fire or light and warmeth from the body of the sunne And therefore euen this declareth Satā that thou art a falsifier of all good words and workes But besides I tel thee that sith we may by effects gather arguments to our selus touching the saluation of our soules that therfore thou canst not or shalt not herein shake my faith I take it to be the generall drift of the Apostle 2. Cor. 13. to prooue that by effects we may iudge of our owne and other mens good estates before God Sith therfore God giueth vs that leaue it behoueth vs with all careful indeauour as to vphold these good things in vs so carefully to see whether we can truely finde them in our selues or no or the more in number the more great and excellent in qualitie and the more assured we shall after due examination finde them to be in vs the more assured we may be concerning our owne saluatiō so much the more valiantly oppose our selues against Sathat in this same dangerous combate Whereof also as seemeth to me there is great reason For if our sinnes which are from Sathans malice or our owne corruption do grieue vs possesse our hearts with feare why shall not the fruits of our faith and obedience which are from God yeeld vs comfort fill our hearts with hope not because they are in vs for so we doe many times weaken them at the lest if not impaire or hurt them but as they are in vs from God who we are sure will accept of his owne good workes and graces vouchsafed vnto vs. Lastly I say that as we abstaine not from meate and drinke and other necessarie aides of naturall life because we knowe that the tearme and time of the said life is limited by God so there is no man vnles he be wittingly and wilfully wicked that therefore will giue himselfe ouer to sinne because he is assured of his owne saluation for that were to turne the grace of God into wantonesse to abuse the best grace that euer God gaue vs nay rather a good mā wil therefore the more heedily beware of sinne abstaine frō it because he knoweth that sinne in it own nature grieueth god make the seperatiō between the Lord and vs and cleaue fast vnto righteousnes well doing because our forsaking euill or departing from it as also our accomplishment and performance of good thinges is a pledge of our electiō as the Apostle saith The strong foundation of God remaineth sure hauing this seale set vnto it first the Lord knoweth them that are his and secondly let euery one that calleth vpō the name of the lord Iesus Christ depart from iniquitie And there fore I tell thee Satan I cannot harken to any of thy voices much lesse to this by which thou labourest to thrust me headlong into loose life which wil prouoke god hurt mine owne soule and hinder other men from faith full obedience but detest thee and it wil by gods grace flie from these and all other corruptions whatsoeuer thou wouldst stirre me vnto FINIS