The Christian Warfare Part 1

CHAP. XX. Of three other stratagems which Satan useth.

[§. Sect. 1] A Fourth policy which Satan useth to entrap us in his secret ambushments is this. When by the violence of his temptations he cannot altogether restrain us from doing that which is good: then he will tempt us to do good actions to bad ends. In giving of alms he will move men to propound this end that they may be seen of men; in doing of good works, he will tempt them to forget God's glory, and to set before them as their main end of all their good actions, the meriting of heaven; and if men will needs appear virtuous and religious, he will entice them to use outward virtues as a cloak to hide their inward vices, and religion as a fair vizard to cover their foul impiety. And thus he tempteth men to use all outward shows of humility, to the end they may the better disguise their hidden pride and ambition, as we may see in the example of Absalom; and all complements of courtesy and love, as a mask to hide their envy and malice. And thus he allureth men to profess religion, hear sermons, and use glorious speeches, that they may (seeming religious and men of good consciences) have their shoppes the better customed, and their words credited, and so have the fitter opportunity of deceiving them who for their profession repose trust in them.

[§. Sect. 2] A fifth policy whereby he seeketh to surprise us is by tempting men to use wicked means for the accomplishing of good ends, and to do evil th •• good may come thereof; and thus he tempted Saul to transgress God's commandment in reserving the fat of the cattle to the end he might sacrifice therewith unto the Lord; and Isaac to say that Rebecca was his sister to save his life; and Peter to use dissimulation that he might not offend the Jews. And thus he tempteth men to tell officious and profitable lies for the avoiding of greater evils; he moveth servants to give their masters goods to the poor without their privity or liking, and so to commit theft that they may give alms; he tempteth nonresidents to possess many livings that they may keep good hospitality, and so starve the foul to feed the body; and citizens to use all fraud and deceit that they may provide for their family. Which policies of Satan are exceeding dangerous; for hardly can we escape them both, namely doing good things to bad ends, or using of evil means for the achieving of good purposes: but the more difficult the thing is, the greater must be our care; the more secret and dangerous Satan's ambushments are, the more diligent and watchfulness must we use in avoiding them. In all our actions therefore let us be careful to propound unto our selves good ends, and use good means for the accomplishing of our honest and godly purposes; for if we neglect the first, we shall bewray our hypocrisy and impiety, if the latter we shall pollute a fair work with filthy tools, and show our diffidence in God in not dairing to use those godly and honest means which he hath commanded and commended us, unless we bolster and prop them up by our own foolish inventions, and wicked practices. And whensoever we are moved to propound evil ends of our good actions, or to use evil means for the accomplishing of good ends, let us assure our selves, that they are not the motions of God's spirit, but the suggestions of Satan, at least so far forth as we are tempted to the evil of the end or means; and therefore we are to purge the wheat from the chaff, the pure gold from the dross, and to do the works of God for those ends, and by those means, which he hath appointed.

[§. Sect. 3] A sixth policy which Satan useth, is to take advantage of our virtues to plunge us headlong into vice; for example when we have mortified our sins, and are plentiful in all good works, he taketh occasion thereby to puff us up with pride, and a pharisaical conceit that we are not as other men are; yea if we be so humble that he cannot make us proud of anything else, he will labor to make us proud of our humility. Let us not therefore be reckless and secure, but have an eye to our hearts, even in our good actions: and when we entertain any excellent virtue, let us take heed least pride thrust in with it, seeing most commonly it attendeth upon virtue, and taketh up his standing where it lodgeth, for we are not quite at liberty, and out of the danger of Satan's thralldom, so long as pride like a iaylour attendeth on us.

CHAP. XXI. Of the manner of Satan's fight.

[§. Sect. 1] A Nd so much concerning Satan's stratagems and warlike policies: now let us consider of the manner of his fight. In which we are first to observe that it is most cruel and cowardly, for he observeth no complements of true valor, but then most violently assaulteth us when we are least provided; if he cannot prevail when we are waking, he will set upon us while we are sleeping; if he cannot hurt us when we are ready in the field armed with the complete armor of a Christian, the girdle of verity, the breast-plate of righteousness, the shield of faith, the sword of the spirit, &c. he will watch a time when he can spy us unarmed, and then he will assail us; if he cannot overcome us in the time of prosperity, when God hath hedged us in with his blessings, as it is Job. 1.10. then he will watch till we be cast down with some adversity, and then he will lay load on us whilst we are under foot; and whereas all our hope of victory is in the Lord's assistance, he will persuade us to yield unto him, for as much as the Lord is become our enemy.

Now if we would resist Satan, we must so prepare our selves that he do not hurt us by this his dastardly fight. Seeing therefore he useth to set upon us on all advantages, we are always to be so provided as that we give him no advantage; being awake, we are always to stand upon our guard, ready armed with the graces of God's spirit; being to sleep, we are to desire the Lord to watch over us, and to command his angels to pitch their tents about us, that so we may be defended from Satan's fury; seeing he is ready to assault us when he seeth us disarmed, we are always to keep the coatearmour of a Christian buckled unto us: lastly, seeing in the time of prosperity he is ready to puff us up with pride, and in the time of adversity to plunge us into despair, let us humble our selves when God exalts us, by thinking of our unworthiness to receive the least of God's mercies; and comfort our selves in the time of our affliction, by remembering that it is the portion of all that will live godly in Christ Jesus, and that whosoever suffer with Christ, shall also reign with him, 2. Tim. 3.12. and 2.12.

The second thing to be observed in his manner of fight, is, that he setteth upon us when we are most secure, and then soundeth the alarm to battle, when we most flatter our selves with hope of peace, and that not drowsily and faintly, but with all celerity and speed, whereby he overcometh oftentimes, or at least foyleth us, before we can arm or prepare our selves to make any resistance. And thus he assaulted our first parents in paradise, when they securely promised unto themselves the continuance and increase of their happiness; and David also after all his troubles when he was reckless and idle, sleeping in the day, and after walking on his house top, letting his eyes wander after pleasures.

If therefore we would withstand Satan, let us shake off all drowsy and carnal security, and continually watch, standing on our guard to resist his encounters whensoever he setteth upon us: and as in calm weather the careful Mariner provideth all things against a tempest, and the valiant soldier doth arm and furnish himself with all necessaries before the assault; so when Satan seemeth to offer us a time of truce, let us therein prepare our selves more strongly against the day of battle; for when this raging lion seemeth to sleep as though he did not regard us, then if through retchlesnesse we give him the least advantage, he will suddenly run upon us and devour us, if he get us within his cruel paws.

[§. Sect. 3] The third thing to be observed, is his indefatigable pains in tempting and assaulting us, for he never taketh rest, but still goeth about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour; and this is evident by his own confession, Job. 1.7. where he professeth that he had been compassing the earth to and fro, and walked from place to place. So that he omitteth no pain nor labor in seeking our destruction. And though he overcome us not at the first, but retire foiled, yet he will gather his forces again and again, and incessantlie set upon us. And therefore if we would obtain victory, we must not think much of our labor, but use all pains, diligence and watchfulness in repelling his assaults. And seeing Satan is so vigilant and painful in seeking our destruction, let us think no pains too great in seeking our preservation; and considering that Satan after one, or two, or twenty foils is as ready to set upon us again as at the first, let us never faint, but like valiant fouldiers always stand ready in the field to endure his encounters. But alas, the practice of most is far otherwise, for they watch and drudge night and day to attain unto riches and preferment, and in the mean time little regard this dangerous foe, but to the end they may attain unto their worldly desires, they entangle themselves in the snares which he hath laid to entrap them to their utter destruction.

[§. Sect. 4] The fourth thing to be observed in Satan's fight, is his often changing of his temptations, and taking as it were into his hand another weapon, when he perceiveth the first woundeth not. For example, he will tempt us to the contempt of God's word; if he cannot so prevail, he will entice us at least to neglect it; and if thus he cannot hurt us, he will, if he can, choke the seed of God's word with the thorny cares of the world, and so make it unfruitful. He will move us to think that Christ was no Savior; if he cannot persuade us to this, then he will tell us he is not our Savior. Yea so shameless is this tempter, that he will now tempt us to believe one lie of his coining, and presently after when he seeth we give no credit to that, he will tell us the clean contrary. For example, he will sometimes tell us that we are such grievous sinners that there is no way but damnation: and if we withstand this assault, he will soon after persuade us to an overweening conceit of our own excellency, and to a pharisaical opinion that we are not as other men are. Sometimes he will move us to doubt of our election, and if he cannot thus prevail, he will presently persuade us to think our election so sure, that though we follow our own lusts, and give our selves over to all outrageous wickedness, yet in the end we shall be saved. In a word, this wicked Protheus will transform himself into a thousand diverse shapes, and in a short space will vary many ways his temptations, that if he cannot prevail by one means, he may overcome us by another. And therefore it behooveth us, if we will withstand him, to arm our selves, not on one side alone, nor to be prepared against two or three assaults of our spiritual enemy, but we must be ready to answer all objections, and not so wholly incline to one side and to the defending one part, as that in the mean time we leave the other naked to be wounded with Satan's blows. And to the end we may the rather be encouraged to stand constantly in our defense, we are to know that when Satan doth so often shift his temptations, and in a short distance of time doth seek to bring us into quite contrary vices, it is a manifest sign that he doth not yet prevail: for as no enemy is so foolish as will after that he hath made one sufficient breach for entry, or forced one gate of the city, go from that to another, but rather enter where the way is made; so Satan laying siege to our souls, would not seek to make a new battrie with his temptations, if the former had made way for him to enter and surprise us; he would not tempt us to pride and presumption, if he had overcome our faith and plunged us into despair; he would never transform himself into an angel of light, if he could have overcome us in his own likeness; he would never tell us of God's mercy, if he had already overwhelmed us with the sight of our sins, and consideration of God's justice; nor yet of God's justice, if he could keep us in carnal security, by setting before us his mercy: but that way whereby he perceives he any whit prevails, he will follow and continue earnest in the same pursuit, till he perceive he cannot catch us. As therefore when the fit of the ague shifteth from time to time, it is a good sign that our nature waxing strong doth prevail against the disease; so when Satan's temptations in a short time often change, and that from one contrary to another, it is a sign that God's spirit being strong in us, doth resist Satan and putteth him to these shifts, whereas he would hold on a constant course if he prevailed against us.

[§. Sect. 5] The fifth thing to be observed in the manner of Satan's fight, is, that sometimes he setteth upon us immediately in his own person, & sometimes mediately using for his instruments the world & the flesh. Of the first we have an example 1. Chr. 21.1. where it is said that Satan provoked David to number Israel. So John. 13.2. the Evangelist showeth that the devil did put in the heart of Judas Iscariot to betray Christ. And the Apostle Peter Act. 5.3. telleth Ananias that Satan had filled his heart with his suggestions that he should lie unto the holy Ghost. And thus also he tempted our Savior Christ immediately forty days together in the wilderness, Mat. 4. When he thus fighteth against us in his own person, he giveth the assault either in his own likeness, or else transformeth himself into an angel of light. When he incountreth us in his own likeness and like a devil indeed, then he doth as it were proclaim open wars, tempting us not only to those sins which, having some apparance of good in them, our corrupt conscience doth approve of, or at least can without any great terror wink at, but also to all outrageous wickedness and hellish impiety, which even a civil worldling would abhor to think of; namely, to Atheism, Idolatry, contempt of all religion, blasphemies against God, perjury, sacrilege, persecuting the known truth, heresy, murder, adultery, and such like: all which at the first sight may easily be discerned to be the suggestions of Satan, because this hellish brood do resemble their wicked father in their very countenance and outward appearance. And therefore Satan who subdueth more with the serpents wiles than with the lions force, doth seldom use this fight against any which have but the civil restraining grace of God, unless he entice them thereunto by degrees (as before I have shown) or except he find them exceeding ignorant, to the end he may make them believe that his suggestions are their own thoughts; but he practiseth these temptations, for the most part, against those who have even sold themselves to work wickedness, having their hearts hardened and consciences seared with their customable sinning.

[§. Sect. 6] And therefore most commonly he transformeth himself into an angel of light tempting us to sin, by using friendly persuasions, and making liberal offers of pleasure, profit or preferment, or else minsing those sins to which he tempteth us as though they were nothing, or masking them under the vizard of virtue. Neither doth he often move us to commit those sins which nature (restrained by God's common grace, or sanctified by his spirit) doth abhor and tremble to think of; unless it be either to vex God's children with such suggestions, rather than for any hope of overcoming them; or else that whilst their minds are wholly intent in withstanding his outward violence, he may more cunningly entrap them in his secret ambushments, which they regard not: but otherwise he usually tempts us to commit such sins, as through our corruption we are prone unto, as not thinking them to be sins, or but small, or rather never entering into any consideration of them at all; as namely, carnal security, hardness of heart, infidelity, impenitence, neglect of God's word, profaning of his Sabbaoths, covetousness, ambition, pride, neglect of the general duties of Christianity and special duties of our callings; all which are not much less heinous in the sight of the Lord than the other gross outward sins, and much more dangerous unto us, as being Satan's secret snares which he layeth to entrap us at unawares; in which when we are caught we are content to lie bound, because they do not so much pinch and torment the conscience as the other outward sins, they being not seen, or not regarded. As therefore those diseases which by disturbing the brain do take away all sense of pain, are of all others most desperate, namely, the dead paulsie, the falling sickness, and sleepy lethargy, and in other diseases the patient is most dangerously sick when he hath no feeling thereof; so there is no sickness of the soul so desperate and dangerous, as those that afflict not our consciences with any sense of pain, to wit, carnal security, hardness of heart, and the rest above named.

[§. Sect. 7] And thus have I shown Satan's disguised and subtle manner of fight, wherein like a Pirate he hangeth out flags of truce, to signify peace and friendship, till he have gotten us within his reach and command: and then he grapleth with us, and ransacketh us of all God's graces, and casteth us over board into the sea of destruction. And therefore it behooveth us with no less care to withstand Satan when he fawneth, than when he frowneth; when he fighteth by ambushment, than when he assaulteth us by open violence; when he offereth to stab us to the heart, than when he doth but (as it were) prick a vain, letting us blood to death without sense of pain; when he tempteth us to outrageous sins, than when he enticeth us to secret and hidden sins; when he allureth us like a friend to commit sin, by offering pleasure, riches, or honors, than when like an enemy a roaring lion, or cruel dragon he raungeth about and rageth against us; Nam cum delectabile proponit, molestum supponit, & dum vngit pungit; He propoundeth things delightful to bring us to grief and misery, he fawneth on us that he may bemire us, and killeth while he embraceth us. Neither doth man know his time, but as the fishes which are taken in an evil net, and as the birds which are caught in the snare, so are the children of men snared in the evil time, when it falleth upon them suddenly, as it is Eccles. 9.12. Nay, seeing this fight is far more dangerous, because he covereth his hook with an alluring bait; and those snares of sin more pernicious which lie hidden, than those which lie in open view; seeing we are more easily tempted to those sins which are secret and disguised in the habit of virtue, than unto those gross sins which have their names as it were branded in their foreheads; seeing also we can more hardly repent of them, both because they do not appear so horrible and grievous unto us, as the other open and outward sins, and also because they work in us no shame after we entertain and live in them, neither can any of our Christian brethren admonish or rebuke us for them, they being secret & unknown: therefore is Satan made more audacious to tempt us, and we more bold to admit of his temptation, and after we are fallen we lack means to raise us up again by unfeigned repentance, for our selves do approve our sins, and our brethren know them not: which Bernard well discerning, uttereth this speech fit for this purpose: Extimesco magis occulta peccata quae clam committo quam manifesta quae perpetro palam, clam enim si pecco nemo me redarguit. Vbi autem reprehensio non metuenda est, ibi tentatori patet aditus liberrimus, & peccatum cum voluptate admittitur. I am more afraid (saith he) of my secret, then of my open sins; for if I sin secretly there is no man to reprove me; and where reprehension is not feared, there the tempter hath most free access and the sin is entertained with pleasing delight. In a word, seeing we are more easily drawn into these sins; and after we are enthralled with them, make no hast to get out of our captivity: therefore let us be much more wary and heedful in discovering and avoiding these hidden snares and secret sins, into which we do most commonly fall unwittingly, and being fallen, do most willingly continue in them.

[§. Sect. 8] Secondly, Satan assaulteth us sometimes by his deputies and instruments; especially he employeth in these services, the world and the flesh. In the world he doth not only make choice of our enemies and profane irreligious men, which he stirreth up to afflict and persecute us, to the end we may be discouraged from the profession and practice of true godliness; but also of our dear friends and acquaintance and our near kindred: sometime our brother or sister, our parents and children, yea sometimes a man's wife which lieth in his boo some, playeth the part of the tempter. As we may see in the example of Job, who was not so much vexed by all his outward afflictions, as by the temptation of his wife, and three friends. The same is evident in the example of Eve, whom Satan used as his instrument to entice Adam to the breach of God's commandment: and Jezebel who was the devils deputy, in provoking her husband to oppression and horrible murder. Neither doth he only use to these ends our carnal friends, but also our spiritual kindred in Christ, who are of the same religion, and make the same profession with us; and thus by the old Prophet, he enticed the young Prophet to transgress God's commandment. 1. King. 13. And thus he tempted our Savior Christ to neglect the work of our redemption, using the Apostle Peter as his instrument; and therefore because he supplied the devils place, our Savior calleth him by his name saying, Get thee behind me Satan, thou art an offense to me, Matth. 16.23. And thus nowadaies he useth professors, yea preachers of the Gospel, as means to tempt men to sin, both by their words and evil examples: which temptation is far more dangerous and of greater force, then if all worldlings should combine themselves together, and labor both by persuasion and example to seduce them; for when they can say I am a professor as well as thou, I am a servant of God who make conscience of my ways as well as thou, I am a Prophet as well as thou, and therefore thou needest not to make any doubt or scruple in following my council or example; it is a most strong temptation to entice us to sin: for like sheep we are most apt to follow after when any of our own company lead us the way. And therefore if we would resist this temptation, we must labor after true knowledge, that we may not depend upon others for our direction, but upon the word of God alone, and not live by example, but by precept; for the straightest rule that ever was of the most holy man's life (our Savior Christ excepted) is often and in many places crooked (for who is it that hath not erred and gone astray?) and therefore if we always follow their examples in all particulars, we shall err with them besides all our own errors.

[§. Sect. 9] So also he useth the help of our own flesh to betray the spirit, and lead us captive into sin; and that so cunningly, that we can hardly discern between Satan's suggestions and our own corrupt motions and desires: for being a spirit, he doth not appear in a corporal shape and persuade us to sin with real words, which are conveyed to the heart by the ear, but he cometh to us after a spiritual manner, and suggesteth secretly his temptations into the heart and mind directly and immediately, so as we can seldom distinguish his motions from our own thoughts. For as the spirit of God doth so move us to all virtuous and holy actions, as that in the mean time we would think his motions to be our own godly cogitations, but that we are sufficiently instructed out of God's word, that we cannot of our selves so much as think a good thought unless it proceed from God; so much less can we discern between the suggestions of Satan and our own fleshly thoughts, because they are both corrupt and alike wicked. By reason whereof it cometh to pass that Satan wanteth no opportunity of circumuenting us, because we can put no difference between his temptations and our own carnal desires: and therefore he having gotten (as it were) our own watchword, we are ready to open the gates of our souls when he offereth to enter, and to yield to his temptations as soon as he assaulteth us; where as no man almost is so outrageously desperate that would wittingly and willingly entertain Satan's suggestions, whom he knoweth to be a common enemy to mankind, continually seeking their destruction, though he should entice him hereunto by offering much riches and great preferments. Yea hence it is that after Satan hath many times deceived and circumvented us, yet cannot we beware of him, nor avoid his deceits. For whereas if a man do give us evil counsel, or any way cousin us, yet after once or twice he come unto us, we can take heed of him, and though he make fair shows of honesty and friendship, we will notwithstanding be very jealous and suspicious least again he ouerreach us; when Satan cometh to us this day and tempteth us to such gross wickedness, that we cannot choose but discern them to be his suggestions, yet this is no impediment to him but that he may come again tomorrow, and deceive us with some more subtle policy, because we cannot discern between his suggestions and our own thoughts, and therefore do acknowledge no other author of his temptations but our selves.

Hence also it is that he will not stick to tempt the most godly unto the grossest impiety, and the most learned and sound in judgment, to entertain the absurdest heresy or error. For if he prevail (which sometime he doth as we may see in the example of David whom he tempted to adultery and murder, though he were a man according to God's own heart; and of Peter whom, he tempted to deny and forswear Christ, though he were a most worthy Apostle) then he getteth a great victory, and giveth them a singular foil; but if he be repulsed, yet this is no hindrance unto him, why he may not entrap them in some more secret ambushment. Hence it is that though he begin his fight with cunning policy, taking upon him the person of a friend, and transforming himself into an Angel of light, yet this is no impediment but that he may afterwards again appear and violently assault us in his own likeness; as he assaulted our Savior, first with subtle and secret temptations, like a friend and welwiller; and when he could not so prevail, he doth not stick to appear like himself, tempting him to outrageous gross idolatry, saying, all this will I give thee if thou wilt fall down and worship me. And contrariwise though he begin his assault like a devil and professed enemy, this is no hindrance but that he may end it like an Angel of light, and a flattering treacherous friend. So when he hath enticed us to one extreme and prevaileth not, this is no impediment but that soon after he may allure us to the clean contrary; because though we think the first motion to be his suggestion, yet we may imagine the other to be our own thought, or (as I said) the motion of God's spirit, because it is quite contrary to the former.

[§. Sect. 10] Seeing therefore the matter standeth thus; how may we resist Satan, considering that we cannot discern his suggestions from our own cogitations? I answer; we must be skillful in God's word, and thereby able to judge what is good and what is evil, to discern what is virtue and what is vice, what God hath commanded and what he hath forbidden, which be the motions of God's spirit, and which the suggestions of Satan, and the thoughts of our corrupt flesh; and then are we carefully to embrace that which our conscience approveth as good, being informed by God's word, and to avoid and reject those motions which we know to be evil, whether they do proceed from Satan or from our selves; for it is not greatly material to know who is the author of them, so we are assured that they are evil and wicked; neither is it any dangerous error to ascribe Satan's suggestions to our corrupt flesh; or to attribute the wicked thought of our own flesh unto Satan: for though he be not the next and immediate cause, yet he is the first and principal cause of all sin and wickedness. And hence it is that in the Scriptures the same wicked motion and action is sometimes ascribed to man, and sometimes to Satan indifferently as appeareth, Act. 5.3.5 where first Peter affirmeth Satan to be the author of Ananias sin, by filling his heart with his suggestions, whereby he was tempted to lie unto the holy Ghost, and after he saith that Ananias had conceived this lie in his own heart.

[§. Sect. 11] But though most commonly it be very hard to discern between the suggestions of Satan, and of our corrupt flesh, yet sometimes they may be distinguished by apparent differences; as first when the temptations are so cunning and exceeding subtle, that it is not possible they should be the thoughts of a seely ignorant man, but the apparent suggestions of the old wily serpent.

Secondly, when as the suggestion is urged with great force and violence, and leaveth behind it a deep impression, which seemeth to bring a necessity of doing that which is even contrary to natural reason, whereas the suggestions of the flesh do rather lead and entice us then draw and enforce us unto sin.

Thirdly, the temptations of Satan move us oftentimes to such outrageous wickedness, and hellish impiety, that even nature corrupted doth condemn as abhominable, and even trembleth with fear and horror, when they are first suggested.

Fourthly, rhe flesh taketh occasion of things present and subject to the senses to entice us unto sin; but Satan's suggestions sometimes are far fetched and so strange unto us, that before the instant they are suggested we never thought or so much as dreamed of them.

Lastly, the things whereunto we are tempted by the flesh, are always delightful and pleasing unto us; but Satan tempteth us also to those things which are irksome and grievous: as namely to superstitious abstinence whereby the body is almost starved; to punishing of our own bodies, as he tempted the Baalitish priests, to cut and launce themselves before their idol; and the supersttious papists to whip themselves before their images, and to take upon them tedious and dangerous pilgrimages to idols and relics of Saints; and the idolatrous heathen to burn in sacrifice their dear children. So also he tempteth some to despair of God's mercy and so torment themselves with horror and fear; yea sometimes to lay violent hands upon themselves, murthering and taking away their own life, which by nature is so deer and precious unto them. All which being contrary to our natural inclinations and the desires of the flesh, manifestly appear to be the suggestions of Satan.

And these are the chief differences between the temptations of Satan and the flesh; otherwise they are commonly so like one to the other that they can hardly be discerned: and therefore let us not be so careful, curiously to distinguish them, as to avoid or resist them; knowing that Satan is the captain general, and the flesh and the lusts thereof Satan's chief aides and assistants, which continually fight against the spirit and labor to plunge both body and soul into everlasting destruction.

CHAP. XXII. Of the general means whereby we may be enabled to withstand our spiritual enemies.

[§. Sect. 1] A Nd so much concerning the manner of Satan's fight: now we are to speak of the conflict it self; wherein (as I have shown) the parties assaulting and oppugning are the devil and his assistants the world and the flesh; the party defending and resisting is the Christian soldier. The cause of the fight is not for lands and dominions, nor for riches and mines of gold; for these would Satan be content to give if he had them in his possession, if we would renounce God's service, and fall down and worship him; but for the everlasting salvation of our souls which Satan laboreth by all means possible to hinder, and to plunge us into endless destruction. The weapons which the assailants use in this fight are not the sword & spear, or any other carnal furniture, but spiritual temptations, whereby they seek to entice, draw, and provoke man to sin, that consequently he may receive the wages thereof everlasting death. The weapons which the Christiā soldier useth to defend himself and repel his enemies, is the spiritual armor before spokē of, namely, the girdle of verity the breast-plate of righteousness, the knowledge & profession of the Gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, the sword of the spirit, and fervent and effectual prayer.

[§. Sect. 2] Now in this conflict of temptations, there are first two common affections or general properties to be considered of; the Christian soldiers manfull resistance, or else his fainting and receiving the foil; for either he courageously standeth upon his defense, armed with the graces of God's spirit, and putteth Satan to flight by withstanding his temptations; or else being surprised at unawares, whilst he is disarmed of these spiritual weapons and Christian armor, he is soiled by his spiritual enemies, yielding unto their temptations and falling into sin.

That we may withstand our spiritual enemy valiantly in all his temptations, and obtain a final victory, there are certain general means to be used; which may serve as strong forts and bulworkes, unto which we may retire our selves as often as we faint, and be ready to receive any disadvantage in the fight. First, we are continually to have in memory the commandment of our chief captain Christ Jesus, whereby he inciteth us to a continual fight without fainting or yielding. So Eph. 6.10.11. Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against all the assaults of the devil. And 1. Pet. 5.8. Your adversary the devil as a roaring lion walketh about seeking whom he may devour. Whom resist steadfast in the faith.

Secondly, let us be encouraged to withstand our spiritual enemies with assured hope of victory; for we fight the Lord's battles under the standard of Jesus Christ, whose power is omnipotent, and therefore able to defend us, & to overthrow our enemies with a word of his mouth; who also is our head and we his members, and therefore we may assure our selves that he hath no less will than power to succor us. As also let us always have in mind the crown of victory promised to all that overcome, even a crown of glory and everlasting happiness in God's kingdom, Apoc. 2.7. & 3.5.12.21. And this will make us resolve never to faint in the battle, nor cowardly yield unto Satan's temptations, though he should entice us to sin by offering us the whole world, because we would not thereby hazard the loss of this eternal weight of glory.

Thirdly, we are always to stand in readiness armed with the Christian armor, the graces of God's spirit, and to use all good means that we may be more and more strengthened & confirmed in them: but yet when we are at the strongest, we are not to presume upon our own strength, but to rely our selves wholly upon the Lord's assistance, and when we are tempted and assaulted, we must continually implore his help, that being armed with the power of his might, we may withstand the temptation and obtain victory.

Fourthly, when we are assaulted by our spiritual enemies and tempted unto any sin, we must not only abstain from committing thereof, but also take occasion thereby of doing the contrary virtue. For example, whē we are tempted to unlawful pleasures, we must not only abstain from thē, but also we are somewhat to abridge our selves of those that be lawful, and the more feriously and painfully to follow the works of our lawful callings; when we are tempted to covetousness, we must the more carnestly exercise the works of mercy and Christian liberality; when we are tempted to ambition, we must not only refrain frō vainglorie, but we must labor after true humility and mortification, refusing not only unlawful honors, but those also which are lawful, so oft as we have just cause to fear that Satan will (taking occasion of our corruption) hereby cause us to forget God; when we are tempted to neglect the hearing of God's word on the Lord's Sabbath, we are the more diligently to hear it, not only then, being bound hereunto by God's commandment, as being one of the chief means of sanctifying this day consecrated to God's service; but also on the week days, if the Lord give us fit opportunity, when as we might lawfully be exercised in the duties of our callings. In a word, when we are tempted to any vice, we are to take occasion thereby of doing the contrary virtue; in the mean time carefully avoiding the policy of Satan, before spoken of, whereby he laboreth to draw us from one vice to his contrary extreme. And so like valiant soldiers we shall not only avoid the danger and violence of Satan's strokes, but also we shall give Satan the foil with his own weapon, yea and make him afraid to assault us again with his temptations, least when he provoketh us unto sin, we take occasion thereby to serve God, and more constantly to embrace virtue.

[§. Sect. 3] Fifthly, we are most carefully to withstand Satan's temptations when they are first suggested; and to give him the repulse as soon as we perceive that he is but beginning to make an entrance. For this gliding serpent if he can but thrust in his head, will easily make room for his whole body: and therefore we must nip and bruise him in the head, and use his temptations like the serpents brood, which if men desire to kill, they do not tread upon their tails, for so they would turn again and sting them, but upon their heads, and then they have no power to hurt them. So we are not fondly to think that we can without hurt vanquish Satan's temptations in the end when we have long entertained them: for unless they be nipped in the head, and withstood in the beginning, they will mortally poison us with the sting of sin. For as thieves coming to break into a house, if they can but find room for the point of their wrench to enter, will easily by turning and winding about the vice make the doors, though very strong, fly open and give them entrance; so if this cunning thief Satan can find any entrance for his first temptations, so as we can be content to think upon them, and reuolue them in our minds with any liking, he will easily burst open the gates of our souls, and entering further will rob us of all God's graces. Let us therefore if we would resist Satan, follow the advice of the heathen Poet in a far different matter: Principijs obsta: sero medicina paratur, Cum mala per longas conualuêre moras. Or rather the counsel of the Apostle given us in this selfsame respect, Eph. 4.27. Give no place to the devil. And as wise citizens being besieged, do not let their enemies scale their walls and enter the town, with a purpose then to repel and beat them back again; but they withstand them as soon as they give the first assault, and keep them, if they can, from approaching near their walls with sconces and bulwarks: so we are not to suffer Satan our enemy and the troupes of his temptations to enter into our hearts, but to give them the repulse at their first approaching, least it be too late afterwards when they have surprised and wounded us with sin. Blessed are they therefore who take this Babylonish brood of Satan's temptations and dash them even whilst they are young against the stones, least waxing old and strong they furiously fight against us, and leading us captive in the chains of sin, grievously afflict and vex us.

[§. Sect. 4] Sixthly, if we would not be surprised and foiled by Satan, we must after we have resisted him in one temptation, be ready prepared to withstand another, and after we have once or twice given Satan the repulse, we are not securely to give our selves to rest, as though the war were at an end: but we must continually expect his return with fresh supplies, and prepare our selves for a new assault, using the time of Satan's intermission, as a breathing time to recover strength against the next encounter. And as soldiers besieged after they have sustained one assault, and given their enemies the repulse, do not securely give themselves to idleness and sleep, but prepare all things ready for the next conflict, mending the breaches, and repairing those places which in the time of fight they found to be most weak; so when we have withstood some of Satan's temptations, and given him the repulse, we are not to give our selves to rest, sleeping in reckless security, as though our enemies were quite overcome, but rather in the intermission of the spiritual combat, we are to prepare our selves for the next assault, using all means to confirm our selves, where we discerned in the time of fight that we were most weak, and more strongly to arm our felues with the shield of faith and the sword of the spirit, against those temptations which we found most forcible to prevail against us. For our enemy like a roaring lion continually raungeth about seeking whom he may devour; his malice will never let him rest, but even then when he seemeth to entertain a truce, he is most busy in plotting means whereby he may work our final destruction: and therefore we are never more carefully to stand upon our guard, than when this enemy seemeth to proclaim a peace, or when he fleeth away as though he were vanquished; for when he talketh of peace, he maketh himself ready for the battle, and this wicked Parthian doth more hurt in flying than in fighting. Here therefore the Christian soldier must avoid two dangerous evils: the one, that he do not faint or yield in the time of the fight; the other, that he do not after one victory wax insolent and secure: but when he hath once overcome, he is so to behave himself as though he were presently again to be assaulted. For, Satan's temptations like the waves of the sea do follow one in the neck of the other, and when one is past, another is ready to overwhelm us, if like skillful Pilots we be not ready as well to break the violence of that which followeth, as of that which went before. Neither must we look for any sound truce or firm peace, till we have the everlasting peace in God's kingdom; for as long as we continue in this life our spiritual enemies will continually assault us: and therefore let us never be secure, until by death we have obtained a final victory.

And to the end that we may the rather be persuaded to continual care and Christian perseverance in this spiritual fight unto the end of our lives; let us consider that God's promises and the crown of victory are not promised to those that enter into this spiritual fight, but unto those that continue fighting, till they have obtained a full victory over their enemies. To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, Reu. 2.7. Be thou faithful unto the death, and I will give thee the crown of life. Vers. 10. He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death. Vers. 11. To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the Manna that is hid, &c. Vers. 17. He that overcometh shall be clothed in white array, and I will not put out his name out of the book of life. cap. 3.5. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I overcame and sit with my father in his throne. As it is verse. 21. So that it is not sufficient that we enter the lists and sustain the first and second encounter, if afterwards we shamefully forsake the standard of Christ and cowardly run away, or else traitorously yield unto sin and Satan: but if we would be made partakers of God's promises, we must overcome, that is, obtain a full victory over the flesh, the world, and the devil. There is none triumpheth for making his enemies once or twice to retire, or for getting the better in some skirmish; because they may gather their dispersed forces, and join with them new supplies, and so giving a fresh assault, obtain victory: but those only triumph who obtain a full victory; neither shall any triumph in the kingdom of glory, who resist Satan in one temptation only or bridle one lust of the flesh, but they who subdue them finally and wholly not once alone, but unto the end of their lives; for as it falleth out in worldly wars, oftentime the enemy doth retire back, and counterfeiteth a flight, to the end the other may pursue him securely and disorderly with full assurance of victory; and then he makes a stand and reuniting all his forces doth overcome his reckless enemy: so oftentimes Satan feigneth himself to be put to flight, to the end we may conceive an opinion of his great weakness, and our own invincible strength, and so be brought to negligence and security; and then he knits together all his force, and overthroweth us when we are retchlesly secure fearing no danger. Yea sometimes he is in truth foiled, but yet not so as that he will surcease his fight; for if he cannot prevail one way, he will try another, so long as our continuance in this earthly weak tabernacle giveth him any hope of overcoming or foiling us: and therefore we are always to stand upon our guard, and to keep our standing continually, watching and preparing our selves against the fresh assaults of our spiritual enemies. If Job had been secure after he had resisted Satan's first temptation, in taking away his oxen, asses and sheep, surely those which followed would have made him blaspheme God as Satan imagined, but like a good soldier after that he had received one blow, he did not cast away his shield of faith and patience, as though he had no further need of it, but still held it up expecting more, till the combat was ended; whose example we must imitate, if we would obtain victory, and enjoy the crown of victory everlasting happiness in God's kingdom. Otherwise if we sleep in security after we have given Satan one overthrow, we shall be sure to be assaulted and surprised before we be aware; for as one saith, Diabolus victus quoque vincit, even whilst the devil is vanquished, he obtaineth victory; and therefore non victor magis quàm victus est extimescendus. Nam saepo se prostratum afflictumque simulat, vt acriùs insurgat; fugit vt in insidias pertrahat & incautos adoriatur; palam cedit vt clam vincat: he is no more to be feared when he overcometh, than when he is overcome; for oftentimes he feigneth himself to be foiled that he may the more fearcely renew the assault, he flieth that he may draw us into his ambushments, and assail us at unawares; he retireth openly that he may secretly overcome.

[§. Sect. 5] Seventhly, if we would not be circumvented by Satan, we must not give any credit unto him whether he lieth or speaketh true, whether he accuseth or flattereth, whether he indeauoreth to puff us up with pride and self conceit, or whether he laboreth by aggravating our sins to plunge us into the gulf of hellish despair; for he abode not in the truth because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie he speaketh of his own, for he is a liar and the father thereof, as it is, John. 8.44. And if at any time he speak the truth, it is to the end he may be the better credited when he lieth, Nam verum dicit vt fallat, blanditur vt noceat, bona promittit vt malum tribuat, vitam pollicetur vt perimat, he speaketh the truth that he may deceive, he flattereth that he may hurt us, he promiseth good things that he may give us evil, he promiseth life that he may kill us. And therefore we are not to believe the truth it self, because he speaks it, but because it is grounded on God's word; nor to receive it from his mouth as his assertion, but from the mouth of God, and his holy Prophets and Apostles, guided and inspired with his spirit; for either he speaketh the truth to gain credit unto his lies, or propoundeth true promises that he may sophistically gather out of them false conclusions. And hence it is that our Savior Christ did reject his testimony though true, and enjoined him silence when he confessed him to be the holy one of God, Mark. 1.24.25. And the Apostle Paul would not suffer the divining maid to give them her approbation though she spake truth, in confessing them the servants of the most high God, which did show unto us the way of salvation. Act. 16.17.18. because Satan did it, either to this end, that by his testimony and approbation he might cause them the rather to be suspected and reputed imposters and deceivers, who did their miracles by telling this truth, be the rather credited when he did bely and slander them.

[§. Sect. 6] Eighthly, if we would withstand all Satan's temptations, we must avoid two extremes, the one to despise them, the other too deeply to apprehend and too greatly to fear them. For if we securely contemn Satan's temptations, we will never arm and prepare our selves to make resistance, and so he will overcome us before we be aware; if we take them too much to heart continually meditating upon their strength and violence, and upon our own infirmity and weakness, they will fill us with fear, and plunge us into despair; if we despise the temptation, Satan will easily subdue us: for there is no enemy so weak and feeble which will not prevail against those who securely contemn them, though exceeding mighty; because they neglect all means of their preservation, and never stand upon their guard for their defense; and therefore much more will Satan prevail against us, if we regard not his temptations, he being strong and mighty, and we feeble and weak. On the other side if we so fear his temptations as that we despair of victory, Satan shall not need to fight against us, for we will overcome our selves, fainting before the fight, and casting away our weapons as soon as Satan doth but muster his forces and march against us. And therefore let us so much fear the temptations, as that we do not securely contemn them; and not so much fear them as that we should despair of victory: let us fear them so much as that thereby we be stirred up with more care & diligence to resist and overcome them; but not so much as that we should cowardly faint, distrusting God's help: let us fear them in respect of our weakness and their violence, but let us boldly strive against them, trusting in God's almighty power & merciful promises of his aide and assistance, being hereby assured of certain victory.

[§. Sect. 7] Lastly, if we would withstand Sathā, we must object our Savior Christ against all his temptations: for if we apply him unto us by a lively faith, he will be our sheeld and buckler to defend us from all Satan's blows. For example, if Satan tell us that we are miserable sinners, and therefore in the state of damnation: we are to answer that our Savior Christ came into the world to save sinners, & that he was wounded for our transgressions & broken for our iniquities &c. and with his stripes we are healed, and so he which knew no sin, was made sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. If he say that we are subject to the curse of the law; we are to answer that Christ hath redeemed us frō the curse of the law when he was made a curse for us. If he object that we are subject to God's wrath, we are to tell him that Christ did bear his fathers displeasure, that he might make our peace: and whereas we were strangers and enemies, because our minds were set on evil works, he hath now reconciled us in the body of his flesh through death. If he tell us that we are his bondslaves, we are to answer, that we were so indeed in time past, but our Savior christ hath paid unto his father the price of our redemption, & hath set us free. If he affirm that we are unjust and therefore shall be condemned before God's judgment seat; we are to answer that Christ who was innocent was condemned, that we who are guilty might be acquitted; that though we are wicked in our selves, yet we are most just being clothed with his righteousness; that he that came to save us shall come to judge us, and therefore we need not doubt of mercy, if we plead his merits forsaking the plea of our own righteousness and renouncing all self confidence. If he say that we shall be held captive of death and never rise to take possession of our heavenly inheritance, we are to answer that our Savior Christ hath broken the bonds of death and led captivity captive; that he is risen again, being the first fruits of them that slept, and is ascended into heaven, to prepare us a place there. If he object that Christ and all his benefits do not appertain unto us, for every man shall live by his own righteousness, and the soul that sinneth shall die the death; we are to answer that by the spirit of God and a lively faith, Christ is become our head and we his members, so that he is ours and we his, and our sins he hath taken upon him, & bestowed on us his righteousness, he is become our husband and we his spouse, and therefore as he hath communicated himself unto us, so likewise all his benefits, his merits, righteousness, sanctificatiō, & everlasting happiness.

[§. Sect. 8] But if Satan will not thus be answered, we are not to entertain any further disputation with him, but to send him to our Savior Christ who hath taken upon him to be not only our redeemer and our mediator and intercessor unto God his father, but also our advocate to plead our cause and to answer all suites made against us both by God's justice and the handwriting of the law, and also by Satan and all his adherents. as it is, 1. John. 2.1. Seeing therefore our Savior Christ who is the wisdom of his father hath taken upon him the defense of our cause in all our suites, let not us our selves be over busy in disputing with this wrangling sophister, but send him for an answer to our Savior Christ who hath fully satisfied his fathers justice, in all, which it had against us, and cancelled the handwriting of the law, whereby we were obliged and bound, and therefore much more able is he to answer all accusations which this cauelling accuser hath against us. Neither are we to doubt but that our Savior will be our advocate to plead our cause, especially considering that it doth principally concern himself, and his own glory and sufficiency. For the questions and causes controuersall between us and Satan, are not about our own worthiness, merits, righteousness, and satissactions, all which we renounce and cast away from us as polluted cloths, in respect of being any causes of our justification and salvation: but concerning Christ's righteousness, merit, and the sufficiency and efficacy of his death and obedience, for the salvation of all repentant sinners which do apply them unto themselves by a lively faith: and therefore we may assure our selves he will defend his own cause against all Satan's objections and imputations.

[§. Sect. 9] But if Satan continue his importunity, and will admit of no answer, we are as much as in us lieth to banish his temptations out of our minds, and not to think and meditate on them: and to this end we are continually to exercise our selves in fervent prayer, desiring the Lord's gracious assistance whereby we may be enabled to withstand all the assaults of our enemy, as also to hear read and meditate in God's word, and diligently to use holy conferences with our Christian brethren, and painfully to employ our selves in the works of our callings, that so we may have no leisure to entertain Satan's temptations. For as a vessel which is already full can receive no more, and whatsoever is poured thereinto spilleth upon the ground: so when our minds are replenished with holy thoughts, and occupied in godly and honest exercises, there is no room left for Satan's suggestions and therefore as soon as they offer to enter, we presently reject them. Whereas on the other side if we spend our times in idleness, and do not diligently exercise our selves in the duties of christianity, and of our several callings; then are our minds fit grounds to receive the seeds of Satan's temptations, and to nourish them till they bring forth the fruits of sin: and if Satan find us like empty houses clean swept and void of all holy meditations and godly exercises, he will easily enter, and if himself be not strong enough he will take unto him seven other spirits worse than himself, that so he may be more strong to keep possession. If therefore we would not be overcome by Satan's temptations, let us beware of idleness; for when the mind is empty of that which is good, it is most fit to receive that which is evil.

But if Satan's temptations be at any time entertained into our minds, let us most carefully take heed that we do not suffer them (as it were) to take up their lodging, by reuoluing them in our thoughts, not to meditate too earnestly on them, but rather on the preservatives which may strengthen us against their violence; neither are we so seriously to think on Satan's objections, as that in the mean time we forget how to answer them. For example, when he setteth before our eyes the heinousness of our sins, we are not to bend all our thoughts to meditate and call to mind all our sins both new and old, both which we have fallen into through infirmity, and which we have willingly committed, for so the huge cloud of our sins being near our eyes, will hide from our sight the shining beams of God's mercy and Christ's merit, though they are without comparison greater: but as soon as we cast one eye upon our sins for our humiliation, let us cast the other presently upon Christ Jesus who hath paid the price of our redemption, and suffered all the punishment which we by our sins had deserved. For if when this fiery serpent Satan hath stung us with the sting of sin, we spend our time in looking upon the wound, and never think upon the remedy, even the true brazen serpent Jesus Christ hanging on the cross: the poison of sin will so inflame our consciences, that the wound will prove mortal, which at the first might easily have been cured if we would have applied thereunto the precious balm of our Saviors blood. So when Satan setteth before our eyes our own wickedness and infirmities, to the end we may despair of victory, as being never able to withstand such strong temptations, we are not to spend our time in thinking hereupon, but presently to call to mind the almighty power of God who hath promised us his assistance in this spiritual fight. So when he objecteth unto us the justice and wrath of God, in punishning of sin, and the curse of the law and torments of hell prepared for the damned; we are not over seriously to reuolue these things in our minds; but presently to call to mind God's infinite mercy and Christ's merits, whereby God's justice is fully satisfied, his wrath appeased, the curse of the law cancelled, and we made of fire brands of hell heirs of heaven. And thus if as soon as Satan inflicteth the wound we apply the cure, it will never be mortal unto us; but if we let the poison of his temptations run in our minds and never think of any remedy, though at the first it seemed but a small scratch, it will so inflame our consciences with scorching heat that they will afterwards very hardly admit of any cure. When therefore Satan doth cast into our minds his temptations, let us repel them, and endeavor to quench them whilst they be but small sparks: for our corrupt minds are like unto tinder, and Satan's temptations like the fire, and therefore if instead of putting them out we blow upon them, though they be but as a small spark at the first, within a while they will increase to an unquenchable flame which will torment our consciences with scorching heat: neither is there anything but the blood of Christ, and the water of the spirit which will extinguish this wildefire when once it hath taken deep hold on us.

CHAP. XXIII. How the Christian being foiled by Satan's temptations may be raised again.

[§. Sect. 1] A Nd these are the means whereby the Christian soldier may be strengthened and encouraged to stand in the combat of temptations. But sometimes it cometh to pass that by reason they neglect these means, or else do not so carefully use them as they should, they are foiled by Satan, overcome by his temptations, and led captive unto sin. How therefore must the Christian thus overtaken behave himself? surely he is not desperately to cast away all hope of victory and cowardly to yield himself to be the slave of Satan, lying contentedly in the chains of sin, without any desire or endeavor of coming out of his captivity: but being fallen he is to labor and strive that he may rise again, and being taken prisoner by sin and Satan, he is not willingly to remain in their bonds but earnestly to desire his freedom and liberty.

Now the means whereby being fallen he may rise again, is by unfeigned repentance, when as he is heartily sorry for his sin, because thereby he hath displeased his loving and gracious father, and steadfastly purposeth for the time to come to leave and forsake those sins, into which by the malice of Satan and his own infirmity he is fallen; and by a lively faith, when as he doth apply unto himself all the merciful promises made unto all repentant sinners. For though faith in nature go before repentance, yet the act and fruit of faith, whereby we are assured of God's mercy in the free forgiveness of our sins, always cometh after.

Where by the way we may note a difference between the state of God's children and the wicked: both fall into sin very often, both also commit heinous and grievous sins; yea sometimes the child of God falleth into more fearful and horrible sins, than a mere worldling; but herein the chief difference between them consisteth, that the child of God after his fall is vexed and grieved, and laboreth to rise again by leaving and forsaking the sin which is odious unto him; but the wicked man after his fall never soroweth nor grieveth, but rather resolveth to live still in his sin, and to commit it again and again with greediness and delight when he hath any occasion offered.

[§. Sect. 2] But here the weak Christian whose soul is oppressed with the heavy weight of sin will say unto me; alas this is small comfort unto me which you speak, neither can I hereby have any assurance that I am the child of God; for after I am fallen into sin, such is the hardness of my heart that I cannot bewail nor be sorry for it; and whereas every small worldly loss or cross maketh me mourn, weep and wail, when by my sin I have offended God, I cannot shed a tear nor show any true sign of hearty sorrow; and such is mine untowardness and corruption that instead of forsaking my sin, I am ready to fall again upon the next occasion. And therefore I cannot have any faith or full assurance of God's promises made in Christ, seeing they are all limited and restrained to those sinners which repent and amend.

That therefore these mourning souls may receive some comfort, let them know first, that if they have an earnest desire of repentance, faith, and the rest of God's graces; if they have a good purpose to leave and forsake their sins, and to spend their lives in the service and worship of God: if they are displeased with their corruptions, and according to the measure of grace given, pray unto God, desiring the assistance of his holy spirit, whereby they may more and more mortify the old man, and crucify the flesh, and the lusts thereof: if they hate the sin they commit, and love the good which they cannot do: if they can grieve because they are no more grieved for their sins, and be displeased with themselves, because their sins do no more displease them: then may they be assured that they are God's children, who are acceptable unto him in Jesus Christ. For he respecteth not so much our actions as our affections; nor our works, as our desires and endeavors: so that he who desires to be righteous is righteous; he that would repent, doth repent; he that striveth to leave and forsake his sins, he rep • teth of him, as if he had left and forsaken them; they that would never fall, nor be foiled by their spiritual enemies, God esteemeth as his invincible soldiers, and valiant worthies, who were never vanquished. For the Lord accepteth the desire for the deed; and if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that a man hath not, as it is. 2. Cor. 8.12. So he is accounted blessed, not who hath attained unto perfect inherent righteousness indeed, but he who hungereth after righteousness, Matth. 5.6. that is, who hath a sense and feeling of his wants and imperfections, and withal an earnest desire to have his wants supplied.

[§. Sect. 3] But yet we must not imagine, that every flickering and unconstant desire, proceeding from sudden passion, and some extraordinary occasion, is pleasing unto God; for so every worldling might imagine himself to be in the state of grace: but unto this desire I speak of, there are diverse things required. As first, that this desire be joined with an holy endeavor, and earnest striving and laboring in the use of the means, whereby we may attain unto those graces which we do desire: for it is not sufficient that we wish for faith, repentance, and other graces, unless we endeavor to attain unto them, and to this end carefully use all good means ordained of God for the obtaining our desires.

Secondly, this desire must not be sudden like a flash of lightening, vanishing away as soon as it entereth into us, but we must constantly persevere in it, till it be satisfied.

Thirdly, it must not be a slight, and indifferent desire, as though we would have these graces, if we could easily attain unto them, otherwise we do not greatly care whether we have them or no: but it must be very earnest, at least sometime, though not always: So as we may say with David: My soul longeth after thee, O Lord, as the thirsty land. Psal. 63.1. And, As the Hart brayeth for the rivers of water, so panteth my soul after thee, O God: as it is Psal. 42.1.

Fourthly, this desire is true, and pleasing unto God, when as it proceedeth from a sense of our own want and penury, in regard whereof we are truly humbled. And hereof it is compared to hungering and thirsting; in which two things concur, first, a sense of want which afficteth us, and, a desire to have it supplied.

Fifthly, it is not sufficient that we have a continual and earnest desire of our salvation, unless we desire as earnestly the subordinate causes and means tending thereunto; namely, vocation, justification, sanctification, faith, repentance, and the rest of the graces of God's spirit: for even Balaam himself did wish that he might die the death of the righteous, but his desire was not acceptable to God, because he wished not also to live their life: he desired to die like them, that he might be saved; but he desired not to serve the Lord in holiness and newness of life, whereby he might have been assured of salvation.

If therefore we would have our desires acceptable to God, they must be joined with an holy endeavor to obtain those spiritual graces which we do desire, they must be constant, earnest, and proceed from a true sense and feeling of our own want, and be referred as well to the means, as to the ende, and then the desire of grace is the grace it self; the desire of faith is faith; the desire of repentance is repentance; not in it own nature, but in God's acceptation, who accepteth the will for the deed.

[§ Sect. 4] And in truth this is the chief perfection of our righteousness, when as we feel our imperfections, and labor earnestly after more perfection: for, Christiani sumus potius affectu quàm effectu: We are Christians rather in our affections and desires, than in our works and abilities: neither doth the Lord bestow upon his children the full measure of his spirit and the graces thereof in this life, but only the first fruits, which are as it were but an handful of corn in respect of the whole field; and the earnest to assure us of the rest, which is but as a penny in respect of many thousands, which are confirmed unto us thereby, as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 8.23.2. Cor. 1.22. and 5.5.

True it is indeed that God bestoweth his spirit and the graces thereof upon some of his children in greater measure, and upon some in less, even as the first fruits may be a greater or lesser handful, and the earnest is sometimes a penny, and sometimes a shilling, sometimes more and sometimes less; but yet the greatest measure which any receive, is but as an handful of the first fruits, and an earnest penny in respect of the main sum and full measure, which the Lord hath hereby assured us that he will bestow upon us in his kingdom: and he that hath received the least earnest, hath as full and perfect assurance of the whole bargain, which God hath covenanted to make good unto us, as he who hath received the greatest, according to the nature of an earnest, to which the measure of grace here received is compared.

But wherein doth this measure of grace and chief perfection of a Christian consist in this life? Surely, not in their works, for they are all imperfect, and so full of corruptions that they are odious in God's sight, being considered in themselves, and examined by the rule of his exact justice; neither in their inherent righteousness, and begun sanctification, for when they are at the holiest they are polluted with the relics of original corruption, which bring forth the fruits of actual transgressions, and make us unable to do the good we would, in that manner and measure which we should, and therefore those which are most righteous are not in this respect acceptable to God: but herein the perfection of a Christian consisteth, when as seeing his imperfections, wants and sins, he is grieved and truly humbled with the sight and sense of his own misery and wretchedness, and disclaiming and rejecting his own righteousness and good works, doth flee unto our Savior Christ, hungering after his righteousness, and by a lively faith applying unto his wounded soul his merit and obedience, doth look for salvation in him alone; and lastly, when as in obedience to his commandment, and in true thankfulness for his infinite mercies he hath an earnest desire to glorify his name, by a godly and Christian life, striving and endeavoring continually to forsake his sins, to mortify his corruption, and to attain unto more and more perfection in righteousness and holiness. For, Maxima pars Christianismi est toto pectore velle fieri Christianum; It is the greatest part of Christianity to desire with the whole heart to become a Christian.

[§ Sect. 5] If therefore we do keep the covenant of the Lord, nay, if we but think upon his commandments, to the end we may do them, the loving kindness of the Lord shall endure forever upon us, as it is Psal. 103.17.18; if we can from our harts say with good Nehemiah, Nehem. 1.11. O Lord I beseech thee let thine ear now hearken to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants who desire to fear thy name, the Lord will hear us indeed and grant our requests. If with the Prophet David we have but a respect to God's commandments, with a care to fulfill them, we shall not be confounded, as it is Psal. 119.6. If we but desire to obey God's commandment, the Lord will accomplish our desire, and quicken us in his righteousness, though we be dull, yea dead unto all goodness, as it is verse. 40. If with the Apostle Paul we do the evil which we would not, and consent to the law that it is good, delighting therein in the inner man; then though we are with him led captive unto sin, yet it is not we that offend, but sin that dwelleth in us, that is, our old man, our corrupt and unregenerate part, which cannot fitly be called by our name, because it is mortified already in some measure, and shall be fully abolished by the spirit of God; neither doth it live the same spiritual life with us, seeing it is not quickened by the same spirit: and therefore as those who have diverse souls, which give unto them life and motion, are themselves diverse and also called by diverse names; so the new and old man living as it were by diverse souls, the one being quickened with God's spirit, the other by Satan (whereof it cometh to pass, that the more the one liveth the other dieth, the more strong the spirit is, the weaker is the flesh; and the actions of both are quite contrary) therefore they may fitly be called by diverse names: neither can the actions of the flesh be ascribed to the spirit properly, seeing they are contrary the one to the other. For as if a science of a crab tree, and another of a pepin tree being grafted into the same stock do both bring forth their several fruits, the one crabs, the other pepins, it may fitly be said this tree bringeth forth either pepins or crabs, because they grow in the same stock; but yet it cannot be truly said that the crab tree science bringeth forth pepins, or the pepin science crabs: so because the flesh and the spirit are joined together in the same body and soul, we may in this respect say that this man sinneth, or doth that which is good; but yet whē we speak of the regenerate or carnal man properly and severally, as we cannot truly say that the flesh doth any good, so neither can we truly affirm that the spirit and regenerate man doth commit that which is evil, but (as y ^e Apostle speaketh) sin which dwelleth with him. And though the flesh be the far greater part, yet doth it not denominate & give the name to the Christian & his actions, because it is partly mortified, partly in mortifying, and partly to be mortified, that is, deputed and destinated to death and destruction; and also because it is the worse and more unworthy part without compare, and consequently not to give the name: for as wine mixed with water is called still wine, though the water exceed the wine in quantity, because it is the more excellent substance; so the flesh being mixed with the spirit, though it be in greater quantity, it doth not give the name to us and our actions, but the spirit, as being our most excellent and worthy part; and of it we are called spiritual, regenerate and new men, though the least part be spiritual, regenerate and renewed.

If therefore we are regenerate, and have in us the spirit of God, and the graces thereof in the least measure, we may boldly say with Paul, that it is no more we y ^t do offend God, but sin that dwelleth in us, neither shall we receive punishment but the flesh, that is, our unregenerate and corrupt part, which shall be mortified and fully abolished by the spirit of God; as for the spiritual and regenerate part, it shall daily be more and more strengthened and confirmed in the spiritual life, and the more punishments, afflictions and torments the flesh hath inflicted on it, the more shall the spiritual man grow up in grace and goodness, till our corruption being by little and little mortified, and in the end fully abolished by death, we shall be perfect men in Christ, living a spiritual and everlasting life in all glory and happiness in his kingdom. When therefore the Lord suffereth Satan to afflict us in our goods, bodies, and in our souls and consciences as he did Job, it is not because he hath forsaken us and given over his whole interest he hath in us to this wicked spirit, but, as the Apostle speaketh in another matter, he delivereth us unto Satan (to be afflicted) for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus, 1. Cor. 5.5.

[§ Sect. 5] It may be that the work of mortification and regeneration doth go slowly forward, and the Lord may for a time let our corruptions bear great sway in us, to the end he may hereby truly humble us with the sight of our infirmities, and take away from us all self-confidence, presumption and cause of boasting, and cause us wholly to rely upon his mercy and Christ's merits: but though it go on slowly, yet it shall go surely, because it is not begun and continued by our selves, for we cannot so much as think a good thought; but all our sufficiency is of God, as it is 2. Cor. 3.5. neither can we so much as will and desire that which is acceptable in God's sight, for it is he that worketh in us the will and the deed, even of his good pleasure, as it is Phil. 2.13. And therefore these holy desires, which are the beginnings and first fruits of regeneration, being the work of God's spirit; he will finish and perfect that which he hath begun, till at last we be fully freed from our corruption, and endued with unspotted holiness and sanctification. According to that Phil. 1.6. I am persuaded of this same thing, that he who hath begun this good work in you, will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. For as with the Lord himself there is neither change nor shadow of change, I am. 1.17. Mal. 3.6. so also are his gifts and calling without repentance: as it is Rom. 11.29.

[§. Sect. 7] If therefore we have but a desire to forsake our sins, and to attain unto true sanctification, this desire is God's work, which he will finish & accomplish, according to that Psal. 145 19. He will fulfill the desire of them that fear him. For if the Lord do even press upon us whilst we do not desire his company; if he stand waiting and knocking at the door of our hearts, calling and crying unto us that we will open and give him entrance: when his holy spirit hath inflamed us with true love of him, and opened our hearts with an earnest desire to have him enter, will he now think you go away and refuse to come in when we invite him? Nay assuredly, for he hath promised the contrary, Revel. 3.20. Behold (saith he) I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in unto him and sup with him, and he with me; that is, I will make him a rich banquet of my heavenly graces, and give him to drink the water of life, of which whosoever drinketh shall never be more a thirst, but it shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life, as our Savior speaketh John. 4.14. So our Savior Christ calleth such as thirst unto him, If any man thirst, let him come to me and drink: And, I will give to him that is a thirst of the well of the water of life freely. If therefore we have a thirsting desire after God's spirit and the graces thereof, we shall in God's good time be satisfied, and filled with the full measure of them. And in the mean time though our infirmities be never so great and manifold, yet in Christ God will be well pleased with us, when as our corruptions do displease our selves, so that we earnestly desire to be freed from them, and to serve the Lord in righteousness and holiness of life. For the Lord esteemeth more of our will than of our deeds, and of our holy endeavor, than of our best works, because this is the service and sacrifice of our hearts, wherewith above all other things he is most delighted: and therefore, Da cordi Deo & sufficit, Give thy heart to God and it sufficeth, Prov. 23.26.

For the Lord is our most gracious father, whose love far exceedeth the love even of tender mothers, Esa. 49.15. Look therefore what affection the tender father or mother beareth and showeth towards their child: and such, nay infinite more will the Lord show towards us, as himself professeth Mal. 3.17. And I will spare them, as a man spares his own son that serveth him. Now we know that if a child endeavor to to his duty, and strive to do his best, though through want of power or skill he is not able to do as he would, those things which his father enjoined him; there is no loving father but will wink at his imperfections, and accept his will; commending his obedience and dutiful endeavor, though the work in itself deserve no commendations: how much more therefore will our heavenly father, whose love is infinite and without all compare, be well pleased with us in the midst of our infirmities, if we have a desire and care to serve him?

The Lord is our shepherd, and we his flock and the sheep of his pasture; as it is Psal. 23.1. and John. 10. Now if a sheep be entangled in the briars, so as he cannot follow the shepherd, though he hear his voice calling unto him, yet if he struggle and strive to come out to the uttermost of his power, and bleat for the shepherds help, when he cannot help himself, hereby it appeareth that he is one of his flock, which the good shepherd will not suffer to be lost; whereas indeed if he want not power alone, but will also to be freed and to follow after, it is clear that he belongeth to another sheepfold: so if when we are entangled in the briars of our corruptions, and so hindered with our imperfections, that we cannot follow the great shepherd of our souls Jesus Christ in the path of righteousness, which leadeth to the sheepfold of everlasting happiness, though we hear his voice calling unto us; yet if with the silly sheep we struggle and strive to be freed from the snares of sin, and when we cannot free our selves by our power, do as it were bleate, and after our sheepish manner implore the help of our careful shepherd; crying out with the Apostle Paul, (that blessed sheep of Christ) Wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death, as it is Rom. 7.24. then will our loving shepherd Jesus Christ in his good time come and loose us, and if with struggling in the briars of sin we are so disabled that we cannot go, he will take us like the straied sheep upon his shoulders, and carry us by the ways of righteousness into his sheepfold of everlasting happiness. Neither can it possibly be that our heavenly shepherd, who of purpose came into the world to seek us whilst we were lost, and spent three and thirty years in following and finding us, who were wandering and straied sheep, crying and calling unto us even till he became hoarce with loud cries, and passing thorough the thorny ways of troubles and persecution, till he had shed his precious blood, and finally laid down his life for our sakes; should now turn away his eyes and stop his ears when his sheep desire to follow him, and earnestly implore his help, finding their own weakness and vnabilitie to come so swiftly to him as they should.

The Lord is our Savior and Redeemer, who hath not spared his own precious blood, but hath given it to his father as the price of our redemption, that we might be delivered out of the captivity of the devil, in which we were detained, as it is 1. Tim. 2.6. If therefore we have a sense of our captivity, and a desire to be set at liberty, being weary of our misery, and unwilling to stay any longer in this cruel bondage; our Savior Christ will redeem us, for to this end he came into the world, as appeareth Luk. 4.18. And though like unto poor captives who (having long time been clogged with heavy bolts, and galled with strong chains) have their limbs so benumbed and sore, that they cannot go after they are freed out of prison; so we after we have long been detained in Satan's captivity, fettred with chains of sin, and clogged with the heavy bolts of our corruptions, be so galled and benumbed, that we cannot swiftly follow Christ our Redeemer in the ways of righteousness unto his kingdom of glory, but halt and stumble every step through our infirmity and weakness; yet if we have an earnest desire of coming after him, then surely he that hath given this inestimable price for our redemption, will not now leave us in the hands of his and our enemies; but will feed us with the food of his word and Sacraments, & strengthen and support us with his holy spirit, enabling us with the graces thereof to follow his steps, till having obtained full liberty we arrive at his kingdom of everlasting glory.

[§. Sect. 8] Lastly, that I may fit the similitude to the spiritual conflict whereof we speak. If we have an earnest desire of overcoming our spiritual enemies, and withstanding their temptations, whereby they labor to draw us to sin: we may be assured we are Christ's soldiers, how weakly soever we fight when we come to the encounter. For though a soldier through sickness be so enfeebled that he cannot weld his weapon against the enemy: yet if he march forward, and show a courageous heart and earnest desire to overcome, it will hereby plainly appear that he is faithful to his Captain, and therefore he shall receive his pay, though at the first onset his limbs should faint under him. And so if through sin we have our spiritual man so weakened, that he is ready to faint at the first encounter with our spiritual enemies, yet if we march under Christ's standard, and fight the battles of the Lord of hosts, having an earnest desire even above our strength to overcome our enemies, surely Christ our grand Captain will acknowledge us for his soldiers, and will give us our pay, even a crown of victory: and seeing his power is omnipotent and his love incomprehensible, we may make sure account that if in the fight we receive a foil, he will stand over us to defend us with the shield of his providence and raise us up again; yea if we be taken prisoners and led away captive by sin and Satan, he will rescue and deliver us. There is no discredit accreweth to a soldier by receiving wounds, or by being by irresistible violence taken prisoner; nay rather it argueth his valor, and showeth that the invincible courage of his mind doth far surpass the weak force of his body; but rather hereby is a soldier disgraced, if either he dare not march into the field, or being entered the battle doth shamefully flee away, or cowardly yield unto the enemy: so in this spiritual warfare it is no dishonor to receive foils and wounds of our spiritual enemies, for the most valiant soldiers that ever fought the Lord's battles, have sustained the like: nay if in the fight they be taken prisoners, yet so they resist to the uttermost of their power, and show an earnest desire to be out of the captivity of sin and Satan, this is acceptable to their captain Christ, and he will in pity and compassion restore them to liberty. But if rather than they would endure the danger of the fight, they profess themselves friends to sin and Satan; or if having professed themselves Christ's soldiers, they at the first encounter of their spiritual enemies tempting them to any sin, do forsake Christ's standard shamefully, or cowardly yield to sin and Satan, voluntarily living in their slavery without desire of liberty: then either they show themselves notable cowards, worthy to be cassered out of God's campe: or traitorous rebels, who though outwardly they made a profession that they were Christ's soldiers, yet in heart they desired to serve Satan.

[§ Sect. 9] Here therefore is encouragement for the weak Christian, who is discouraged and ashamed to look his Redeemer Jesus Christ in the face, because of the manifold foils which he receiveth in this spiritual combat; for howsoever before the fight of temptations he resolveth manfully to make resistance and to overcome, yet when the devil strongly assaulteth, the world flattreth or frowneth, and the flesh treacherously betrayeth him, fighting secretly with whole legions of unlawful lusts against the spirit, then is he foiled and often taken captive of sin: But let such to their comfort know, that if they continue their earnest desire of fighting still the Lord's battles, and overcoming their spiritual enemies, they are accepted of Jesus Christ, and in the end he will give them strength to obtain a final victory.

And that their manifold foils and griesly wounds which they receive of sin and Satan may not discourage them; let them consider that never any entered the battle (our chief captain Christ excepted) but they have been subject to the like. Adam who was the strongest champion in his own strength that ever entered the lists, was overthrown at the first encounter, and taken captive of sin: in which bondage he should ever have remained, had not Christ redeemed him. Noah was overcome with drunkenness; and Lot added thereunto incest. David a notable soldier in fighting the Lord's battles, was made a slave to his own lusts. Peter a stout champion, ran away and forsook his master. In a word there was never any that lived, who have not been foiled by Satan, and wounded with sin. One perhaps receiveth more and deeper wounds, or is longer held captive in the chains of sin than another; but none have escaped altogether. And those who have received the most grievous hurts, so they have an earnest desire to have those wounds healed which sin hath made in their consciences, to the end they may be enabled to renew the fight against their spiritual enemies; may assure themselves that Christ the good Samaritan and their most careful captain, will power the oil of his grace and mercy, and the precious balm of his blood into their wounds, which will as easily cure them, though they be many and greisly, as if they were but few, and (as it were) but small scratches.

[§. Sect. 10] And so much concerning the first consolation which may serve for the comforting and raising up of those who are fallen. In the second place we are to consider that Satan foyleth us and causeth us to fall into sin, not at his pleasure nor by his own absolute power, but because the Lord hath said, thou shalt thus prevail, for the further manifestation of my glory: for therefore the Lord doth leave his children sometimes to themselves, so that being assaulted by Satan they fall into sin, and bewray their infirmities and corruption; to the end he may show hereby and declare the riches of his power, mercy, and goodness, which otherwise would not so manifestly appear. And this the Apostle plainly showeth, 2. Cor. 12.8.9.10. where he saith that he besought the Lord thrice that he might be delivered from the prick in the flesh and the messenger of Satan, which did buffet him: but the Lord returned him this answer, my grace is sufficient for thee, for my power is made perfect through weakness; after which answer received, the Apostle quieteth himself, notwithstanding his infirmities, nay glorieth in them, rather than in his revelations, as he professeth saying, Very gladly therefore will I rejoice rather in mine infirmities, that the power of Christ may dwell in me.

Though then our infirmities be great and our falls many, yet are we not to be altogether discouraged thereby, seeing it is the will of God that we should thus bewray our infirmities and corruptions, to the end his power mercy and goodness, may be made the more manifest, and that both unto our selves, and unto others. For such is our spiritual blindness and secret pride, that if we should always alike withstand the temptations of Satan, without receiving any foil, and never fall into any sin, we would be ready to think that we stood by our own strength, and so ascribe the praise of victory to our selves, thereby robbing God of the honor due unto him: and also for the time to come, we would rely upon our selves rather than on the Lord's assistance; than the which nothing could be more dishonorable unto God, nor pernicious unto our own souls. But when as in the spiritual combat of temptations, we sometimes stand and sometimes fall, sometimes resist those assaults which are strong and violent, and another time faint and yield in the lightest trials: this maketh it apparent that it is not our own power, which in it self is not much unlike at all times; but the power of God, which sustaineth us sometimes, that we may not be wholly discouraged; and sometimes withdraweth it self, that we may by receiving foils learn to know our infirmities, and wholly to rely our selves on the Lord's assistance, returning all the praise of victory to the Lord, who only hath sustained us. As therefore our infirmities in respect of our selves, should serve to abate our pride, and to work in us true humiliation and utter despare in our own strength: so in respect that they show unto us the Lord's power supporting us, they should the rather encourage us to fight the spiritual combat, with assured hope of victory, seeing it is manifest that we stand not by our own power, which like a broken staff or cracked weapon would fail us when we did most trust and rely upon it, but by the almighty power of God, against which neither Satan nor the gates of hell can any jot prevail. And in this regard we may well rejoice in our infirmities with the Apostle Paul, because by reason of them it more manifestly appeareth that the power of Christ dwelleth in us, which is able to defend us from Satan's malice and violent rage, not only when we stand manfully in the encounter, but also when we are foiled and put to the worst.

[§. Sect. 11] Yea in this respect the more weak and full of infirmities the poor Christian is, the more is the praise of God's glorious might manifested and magnified; for when Satan, who is so malicious puissant and pollitike an enemy, hath long time assaulted a seely weak man or owman, and yet cannot wholly prevail, but returneth away foiled and overcome; it must needs be confessed that they are assisted and strengthened by some superior power which far excelleth Satan in strength and policy: whereas it seemeth no such wonder when as the strong Christian, who hath obtained a great measure of knowledge, faith, and other graces, giveth Satan the repulse; neither are men so ready to ascribe the praise of victory to the Lord, because his immediate power and helping hand doth not so manifestly appear; although in truth their victory also cometh wholly from him, for without his gifts and graces, they were as feeble and unable to stand as the weakest; but yet the weaker and smaller the means are, the more manifest is the Lord's power and wisdom, who hereby doth accomplish things which are above the power of men and Angels. For example; the power and goodness of God appeareth great, when as he provideth for us food convenient, and giveth strength thereto to nourish and sustain us; and yet it is more manifest, when as he so strentheneth us by virtue of one meal that we need no more in forty days, as he did Elias; but then it shineth as it were in his full strength, when as he sustaineth us without any food at all, as he did Moses and our Savior Christ. So it is made manifest when as he giveth us victory over our enemies, though there be some equality in the numbers, and other preparations, for it is he that teacheth our hands to war and our fingers to fight: but it is more evident when as our number is small, as when he delivered the Israelites by Gideon and his three hundred men, from an innumerable army; and overcame the whole host of the Philistines, by the weak means of Jonathan and his armor-bearer: but then it is most clear and manifest, when as he ourcommeth our enemies by his own immediate power, as he did the Egyptians in the red sea, and the host of Sennacherib at the siege of Jerusalem. And so when he giveth the strong Christian who is full of grace, victory over Satan, his power appeareth; for unless he were strengthened with his graces, he could not stand: but when one who seemeth in his own eyes destitute of grace, and full of sin and corruption (so, that he plainly seeth that he is altogether unable to withstand the least assault) is notwithstanding so supported by God's almighty hand, and immediate power, that he doth not only stand in the battle, but in the end obtaineth victory; hereby the power and goodness of God most clearly appears to themselves and all the world. Seeing then our sins and falls do show unto us our own infirmities & weakness, and these do declare God's irresistible power and might, which notwithstanding our feebleness doth uphold us: therefore let us so despair in our selves, as that thereby we may be moved to rely wholly upon the Lord, having so much more hope of victory, as the strength of God excelleth the strength of man; let us be so humbled with a true sense, and sorrow for our own infirmities and corruption, as that in the mean time we may receive more sound consolation and true joy, because we stand not by our own strength, which every hour would fail us, but by the power of God's might: and therefore though Satan and all the power of hell conspire and bande themselves against us, yet shall they not prevail; and though they foil us, yet shall they never finally overcome; for he that is with us is stronger than all they who are against us; and the greater our weakness is, the fitter occasion shall the Lord have of showing his omnipotent power in giving us victory.

But if having bewrayed thine infirmities, and gotten a foil in the spiritual conflict, thou presently be discouraged and despair of victory, surely it is a manifest sign that thou diddest trust too little in God's assistance, and too much in thine own strength, which because it hath failed, thou hast cast away all hope: and the greater thy horror and despair is which followeth thy fall, the greater was thyself-confidence, and the less thy affiance in God. For he that altogether relieth upon the Lord's assistance, and wholly distrusteth his own strength, when he falleth in the time of temptation, is not much astonished with any great wonder, knowing that through his own infirmity and weakness, he is most apt to fall when God leaveth him to himself; neither is he utterly discouraged and overwhelmed with despair, as though now there were no means to stand in the spiritual combat, and to obtain victory; but hating and with a peaceable and quiet sorrow mourning for his sin, because thereby he hath dishonored his God, and offended his divine majesty, he doth not abate his hope; but with less confidence in himself and more confidence in God, he renews the fight against his spiritual enemies, with undaunted courage; knowing that the Lord in whom he trusteth and wholly relieth will never fail him. And therefore let us no more rest in our selves, if ever we would enjoy the peace of conscience, or would have any assurance of the Lord's assistance; for he will be all in all, neither can he abide any sharing in the glory of the victory: and therefore so long as we trust in our own strength, and fight with our own forces, he will withdraw his help, till our often falls and foils have taught us to know our own infirmities and corruptions, that so despairing wholly in our own strength, we may peaceably rest wholly upon his almighty power, and promised assistance.

[§. Sect. 12] Lastly, let those who are truly humbled in regarded of those foils which they receive in the spiritual conflict, comfort themselves by the experience of God's love, care, and goodness, both in others and in themselves; for how many have been cast down as well as they, and yet have in the end been raised up? how many have sorrowed and mourned, that now rejoice and have received comfort? how many have taken notable foils and grievous falls in the spiritual conflict, and yet in the end have obtained victory? In a word, who hath depended upon the Lord, and hath been rejected? who hath been truly humbled, and hath not been comforted? who hath fought against their spiritual enemies, and hath not by the Lord's assistance overcome? And is the Lord's arm now shortened, or are his mercies come to an end? hath he forgotten to be gracious, or hath he shut up his loving kindness in displeasure? Nay rather say it is thine own infirmity, for the Lord is the same he was, without change or shadow of change, and therefore as he hath comforted and strengthened and given victory unto others, so will he comfort and strengthen and give unto thee a famous victory over thy spiritual enemies, if thou wilt depend upon him and wait his leisure.

But if this will not comfort thee when thou hearest of God's mercy and assistance in supporting others, yet at least let thine own experience confirm thee in the assurance of God's love and succor: for, hast thou not endured many assaults of thy spiritual enemies, and yet thou standest in the encounter? but I pray thee by whose strength? surely not thine own, for thou art weak and feeble, and thine enemies strong and mighty, and therefore able to destroy thee every minute, if the Lord did not support thee by his almighty power. Hast thou not also received many foils, and bewrayed notable corruptions, and yet thou art not quite overthrown nor swallowed up by thy sins? And who hath preserved thee? surely not thyself; for if thou canst not stand against Satan whilst thou art fighting, much less couldest thou rise up again when thou art cast down; but it is the spirit of the Lord who hath raised thee up by unfeigned repentance, and hath renewed thy strength, so that again thou art ready to withstand and resist Satan and his temptations. Why therefore shouldest thou fear least Satan will in the end overcome and destroy thee? why shouldest thou doubt of the Lord's assistance in the time to come, of which thou hast had sufficient experience in times past? seeing himself is unchangeable and his gifts without repentance, and therefore those whom he hath defended he will defend, those that he hath once raised up, he will ever raise up, and to whomsoever he hath given grace to withstand their spiritual enemies, to those he will continue and increase his grace, till in the end they have a final victory, and the crown of victory, everlasting glory.

CHAP. I. Answeres to those temptations of Satan, whereby he persuadeth carnal men of God's love.

[§. Sect. 1] A Nd so much concerning the common affections of the Christian conflict, namely his manfull withstanding Satan's encounters, and also his fainting and falling into sin. Now we are to speak of the special temptations themselves, and the means whereby we may be strengthened against them. Where first we are to consider that Satan's temptations are not always one and the same, neither impugn one or two points only of our faith and religion; but as the causes and the means of our salvation are manifold, so also doth he gather manifold objections against everyone of them, if they truly appertain unto us, that so he may impugn and race our faith; or else doth fill us with vain presumption, persuading us that all the causes and means of salvation concur together in us, when as in truth we are void and destitute of them all.

Let us therefore consider of the several causes of our salvation, and observe what temptations Satan suggesteth in our minds against everyone of them. The first and principal cause of our salvation is God's eternal love and immutable goodwill, wherewith he hath loved his creatures from before the foundations of the world were laid; the which love and goodwill in himself did move him to elect them to salvation, whom he so loved without any deserts in themselves: for how could they deserve anything at God's hath before they were? or what good could the Lord foresee in them, but that which in his eternal counsel he purposed to bestow and impart unto them?

First therefore we will speak of those temptations which concern the love of God toward us, which are of two sorts; the first leading us to vain presumption and carnal security; the other, to horror and desperation. For if Satan see men living in carnal security, frozen in the dregs of their sins, so as in truth there is no sign that they are beloved of God; he will persuade them that they are highly in his favor and love, and therefore though they run on in their wicked courses, yet they shall be saved. Doest thou not perceive (will he say) that God dearly loveth thee? Why, consider that he hath made thee one of his chiefest creatures, whereas otherwise he would have made thee a toad or serpent; he hath also like a tender father preserved and nourished thee from thy infancy, and which is more, he hath sent his dearly beloved son to die for thee, and he hath made choice of thee amongst many others to be a member of his Church, where thou inioyest the preaching of the Gospel, and the use of the Sacraments, to the end thou mayest be assured of thy salvation without all question or doubting. Never therefore take care nor trouble thyself concerning thy salvation, use not such strictness and preciseness of life, but take thy pleasure, and follow those delights which the Lord hath bestowed upon thee as pledges of his love; for thou art not now a slave but a son, and therefore mayest more freely follow thine own desire, and use thy liberty: cast away all servile fear, which maketh thee take such pains in using all means whereby thou mayest be assured of salvation; for thou art assured of the principal, namely of God's love, and therefore thou needest not to doubt of the rest, nor to debar thyself of thy pleasures, spending thy time in fear and care, to the end thou mayest get the assurance of that which thou needest not to call into question.

And thus doth the devil fill men with presumption, and lull them asleep in carnal security to their utter destruction; and therefore it behooveth us to arm our selves against him, that we be not circumvented. And to this end let us consider that God's love goeth not alone, neither is it idle in those whom he loveth: but as the first link of a chain draweth all the rest of the chain with it, so the love of God, which is the first cause of our salvation, is accompanied with all the other causes which are subordinate thereunto; for whom God loveth, them he electeth; whom he electeth, those in his good time he calleth; whom he effectually calleth, them he justifieth; and whom he justifieth, those he sanctifieth: if therefore we be not sanctified, we are not justified; if we are not justified, we are not called; if we are not called, we can have no assurance that we are elected, nor yet of God's love and favor; and consequently whosoever live in their blind ignorance, in their infidelity, and wallow themselves in the filthy puddle of their sins, without any true sorrow for those which are past, or any good purpose of heart to forsake them in the time to come; they can have no assurance of God's love, but are rather justly to fear least they are in the number of those whom the Lord hath eternally rejected, if they continue in this their miserable and desperate estate.

[§. Sect. 2] Neither let Satan bewitch them with that vain opinion of God's love towards them, because of those general benefits, which like the rain and Sun-shine are bestowed both upon the good and bad; for what in this respect can they promise more to themselves than Esau, and Saul? Were not they created men according to God's own likeness? were they not preseured and nourished by God, and that more liberally than many God's own children? For Esau had so much the he professed to his brother Jacob that he had enough, and was attended upon by four hundred men. And was not Saul a mighty King, who had all at command? Were not all these in the Church of God, and outwardly enjoyed the word and Sacraments as well as any other; and yet God himself saith that he hated Esau, and had rejected Saul. And therefore let us never brag of our assurance of God's love, because of these outward and common benefits which he indifferently bestoweth both upon the elect and reprobate; but if we would be assured indeed of God's love, let us look into our selves, and consider if he have bestowed upon us his spiritual graces, faith, hope, patience, love of him and our brethren, true repentance for our sins, and holiness of life and the rest; and then by the fruits of sanctification we may be assured that we are sanctified, and consequently justified, called, elected, and eternally loved of God.

[§. Sect. 3] And thus doth Satan falsely persuade the carnal man that he is highly in the love and favor of God: but contrariwise when he assaulteth the weak Christian, he changeth his copy, and goeth about to persuade him that he is not beloved of God, but subject to his wrath and heavy displeasure. And this he enforceth by two sorts of arguments: the one drawn from his manifold corruptions, whereby he is unworthy of God's love; the other from those grievous afflictions and crosses which the Lord in this life inflicteth on him; both which he thus urgeth against him. Canst thou vild wretch conceive the least hope that thou art beloved of God? Why, do but take a view of thyself, and thou shalt see that original corruption hath overspread both thy body and soul like a filthy leprosy; unto which thou hast added actual transgressions more in number than the hairs of thy head, or the stars of heaven; for daily, nay hourly thou omittest some duty which thy God hath commanded thee, and committest some sin which he hath forbidden. Can therefore the Lord, who abhorreth wickedness, love the wicked? canst thou obtain his favor, and yet doest nothing but displease him? He that loveth God keepeth his commandments; but thou by transgressing them all, doest show that thou lovest him not: and will the Lord love them who hate and rebel against him? Can justice it self love wickedness, and perfect holiness impure corruption? No verily; for in his word he hath threatened his wrath against all such notorious sinners, and he is no less true in his threatenings than in his promises.

But if all this will not persuade thee that the Lord abhorreth thee, yet at least be persuaded by thine own experienc. For, hath not thy just God begun already to make thee taste the cup of his wrath, of which hereafter thou shalt drink in full measure; hath he not spoiled thee of thy goods, taken away thy good name, made thee an abject amongst men, afflicted thee in body with grievous and continual sickness, and filled thy soul full of horror and despair? Is not thy conscience stung with sin, and hath not the poison thereof drunk up thy spirit? Doest thou not plainly apprehend his wrath, and is not thy soul as it were set upon the rack, so that there is not one part of thee, either of body and soul which is not full of misery and wretchedness. Do not therefore fondly flatter thyself with a vain opinion of God's love, but believe, if not my words, yet at least thine own senses; and seeing thou hast no hope of God's love, if thou beest wise love thyself, follow thy pleasures, eat and drink and cheer up thine heart, and do not vainly macerate and turmoyle thyself in laboring after impossibilities, and in striving for the assurance of God's love, of which, when thou hast done what thou canst, yet shalt thou never be assured.

[§. Sect. 4] And thus you see the manner of Satan's temptations, whereby he laboreth to persuade us that we are out of the love and favor of God; against which we must most carefully arm our selves, as being most odious and injurious unto God, and most pernicious unto our own souls. It is most injurious unto God, if we doubt of his love towards us, seeing he hath given us innumerable pledges and most certain testimonies thereof, and omitted nothing which might do us good. He hath created us after his own image, he hath continually preserved and sustained us, giving us our meat in due season, and oft time hath succoured and defended us before we craved his help; but which is more, he hath given his dearly beloved son to die a bitter death, to redeem us out of the hands of our spiritual enemies: and to the end we should be made partakers of Christ and all his benefits, he hath given us his word, and made his covenant with us, that in Christ he will be our God, and we his people, he our father, and we his children: And least yet there should be any place left to doubting, he hath added to his word, his sacraments, which like seals may assure us of his love and favor. What injury therefore shall we offer unto God, if notwithstanding all this we doubt of his good will, of which he hath assured us by so many pledges, testimonies and seals? We know that a kind friend will take it most vnkindely, if after he hath heaped upon a man innumerable benefits, and shown all testimonies of true love, he notwithstanding doubt of his good will, and suspect his friendship: and so surely the Lord will take it ill at our hands; and think himself much abused, if after he hath bestowed such infinite benefits, even his dearly beloved son to die for us, we now suspect his good will, and grow jealous of his love; if we doubt of his love, who is love it self, as the Apostle speaketh, 1. John 4.8.

[§. Sect. 5] But against this which I have said, there are two objections, the first is made by the worldling, the other by Satan. The worldly man will say, that the Lord hath made him also partaker of all these benefits, and therefore there is no cause why he should doubt of his love; nor any reason why he should be censured or condemned for his faith. I answer, that he is not reprehended for his persuasion of God's love, nor for his assurance of God's promises in Christ; but for his boasting of this faith, persuasion, and assurance, whereas there is nothing in him in truth but a dead carcase of faith, carnal security, and vain presumption. For true faith purifieth the heart, Acts 15.9. and worketh by love, Gal. 5.6. it is plentiful in good works, and provoketh us to perform all good duties to God and our neighbors: and it is impossible that we should be truly persuaded of God's love, and not love him again: it cannot be that we love God, if we show no care in glorifying his name, by letting our lights shine before men, nor any desire to perform obedience to his will. For as our Savior saith, He that loveth me keepeth my Commandments, and he that loveth me not, keepeth not my words, as it is John 14.23, 24. If therefore we live in our sins without repentance, if we make no conscience of our ways, and show no zeal in glorifying God's name; if our faith be destitute of the fruits of good works, then is our persuasion but fond presumption; our assurance, carnal security; our faith dead, and like a carcase which breatheth not, as James speaketh, chap. 2.26. We do not then reprehend any for being persuaded of God's love, gathering his assurance out of God's manifold mercies, and innumerable benefits bestowed on his Church: nay, contrariwise we affirm that notwithstanding all our sins and unworthiness, we are to be persuaded of God's love in Christ, yea, and to believe against belief, and to hope against hope, when as there is no ground or reason of either in our selves: but this we maintain, that whosoever hath this assurance and faith, in the least measure begun in him, doth truly love God again, and earnestly laboreth after mortification and newness of life; and whosoever is destitute of God's love, and liveth in his sins, without any sorrow for those which are past, or purpose to leave them for the time to come, he may well brag of his faith and assurance of God's love, but in very truth there is as yet nothing in him but carnal security and vain presumption.

[§. Sect. 6] Secondly, the tempter will object that the Lord hath given all these testimonies and pledges of his love unto his Church, and that it therefore may well be assured thereof; but as for particular men, they notwithstanding may justly doubt of his love, seeing they have no special reasons to persuade them that these testimonies and pledges were given unto them. But I answer that this is a fond of objection. For what is the Church, but the whole company of God's saints? What is it but a body consisting of many members, which are particular Christians? how therefore can the whole Church be persuaded of God's love, if all the several members doubt thereof? How can anything belong to the whole, which belongeth not to the particular parts? as though a whole city could be assured of the Princes favor, and yet all the particular men in the city should think themselves in his displeasure. Saint Paul teacheth us another lesson in his own person, saying; Gal. 2.20. Who hath loved me and given his life for me: he saith not, who hath loved and given his life for the Church, but for himself. Neither doth the Apostle here speak this by revelation, whereby he might extraordinarily be assured of God's love: but he useth for his argument a reason common to all Christians; namely, that God loved him, because he had given himself to death for him: whosoever therefore believeth with Paul that Christ died for him, may be assured also with him of God's love.

[§. Sect. 7] Secondly, if we do not believe that God loveth us, we make him a liar, for he hath professed his love, and given us many testimonies thereof in his word, neither doth he require any condition at our hands but that we believe him. For his merciful promises do not exclude any for their unworthiness, but for their unbelief: according to that, John 3.16. So God loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life. Seeing then there is no other condition required but faith, for the assurance of God's love and everlasting life; surely most desperately do we sin against our own souls, and most blasphemously against God, if we will not believe his word confirmed by his seal, no not his oath whereby he hath ratified his covenant between him and us, but make him, who is truth it self, a liar, a covenant breaker, yea, a perjured person. For so the Apostle speaketh, 1. John 5.10. He that believeth not God, hath made him a liar, because he believed not the record, that God witnessed of his Son. Though therefore we sin, yet let us not thus blaspheme; though we be grievous sinners, and unworthy God's love, yet let us not add this to all our other sins and unworthiness, to distrust God's truth in his gracious promises: for if we put all our other sins into the one scole, and this alone into the other, yet will it weigh down all the rest; neither are we damned for our other sins, if we do not add unto them infidelity. For whereas the precious baulme of our Saviors blood is a sovereign salve to cure all other sores of sin; yet this it cannot help, because it doth refuse the cure, and as it were pulleth off this precious plaster when it is laid on it.

[§. Sect. 8] But as this distrusting and doubting of God's love is injurious unto him, so also it is pernicious unto our own souls. For first, it tormenteth our minds, and setteth our consciences upon the rack, when as we have no other assurance of God's love, but only so far forth as we find our selves worthy of it: for so often as we fall, and the sight of our sins cometh before our eyes, having no other ground of God's love but our own deserts, we doubt and stagger like a ship tossed with the billows of the sea, and in the end sink into the gulf of despair, being over balanced and too heavily laden with the unsupportable weight of our sins; whereas if we were thoroughly persuaded of God's free love and goodwill, grounded on his own good pleasure, and not on our worthiness, if we did fall we would be grieved in deed even at the very heart, because we had displeased our gracious God and loving Father; but yet our sins would not make us despair or doubt of his love towards us, because it hath not it ground on our worthiness, but upon God's own free mercy, grace, and good will.

Secondly, if we doubt and distrust of God's love towards us, we shall never love him from our hearts: for who loveth him entirely, of whose love he is not persuaded? or who can perform the duties of love to such an one as hateth and abhorreth him? Cos amoris amor, Love is the whetstone of love. And if this be true amongst men, then much more between God and us: for we love him because he loved us first, as the Apostle saith, 1. John. 4.19. As therefore the cold stone can of it self cast forth no heat, till it be first warmed by the Sun beams, and then it reflectsth again some of the heat which it received: so no more can our cold hearts cast any beams of hearty love towards God, till they be warmed with the apprehension of his love towards us, and then they begin to return some sparks of love towards God, after they are inflamed with the beams of his love clearly shining in them. Unless therefore we be assured of God's love we cannot love him, and consequently cannot perform any duty of love in obedience to his will: for as love is the fulfilling of the Law, as it is, Rom. 13.8. so the want of love is the transgressing of all the commandments: for all consist in the love of God, which is the fountain of all true obedience; and in the love of our neighbor, which as a spring issueth from it. Nay, when we despair of God's love, then do we despair of our salvation, and therefore having no hope of happiness in the life to come, we are ready to seek all the pleasures and delights which this life will afford unto us, giving our selves over to the satisfying of all the filthy lusts of the flesh, and spending our times in all Epicureanism and fensuality.

[§. Sect. 9] Lastly, our doubting and distrusting of God's love doeth overthrow our patience in the time of affliction, and causeth us to murmur and repine against God, blaspheming him to his face; it hindereth all Christian resolution in suffering anything for the Name of Christ; for how should we suffer anything patiently for his sake of whose love we are not assured? It maketh the day of death horrible, when as we are not persuaded that we shall render up our souls into the hands of a gracious father, but into the hands of a severe judge: whereas on the other side, when we are thoroughly persuaded of God's love, then may we patiently, yea, joyfully suffer all afflictions, because we know that they are but gentle trials, and fatherly chastisements, which our gracious God doth inflict on us for our everlasting good: when we are persecuted for our profession of the Gospel, we will triumph with joy, because we are thought worthy to suffer any misery for the Name of Christ, who hath laid down his life for our sake: when the day of our departing approacheth we rejoice, because we desire nothing more than to be dissolved, and to be with Christ, who so tenderly loveth us. In a word, come prosperity, come adversity, come affliction, come persecution, come fire, come sword, come life, come death, nothing can come amiss, nothing can dismay or discourage us, if we be once fully assured of God's love in Christ, both because our love of God, which by his love is wrought in us, will make the heaviest and most tedious burden seem light and momentary, which it shall please our heavenly father to lay upon us: and also because we know that all things (even miseries, afflictions, persecutions, yea death it self) work together for the best unto them that love God. As it is Rom. 8.28.

CHAP. II. That our sins and unworthiness should not make us doubt of God's love.

[§. Sect. 1] S Eeing therefore that our doubting and distrusting of God's love towards us, is both injurious unto God and pernicious unto our selves; let us in no case admit of Satan's temptations whereby he laboreth to persuade us that the Lord hateth us. But forasmuch as there is no perswasiō without knowledge and faith, neither can we know and believe that we are in God's favor, unless we have some ground and warrant out of God's word, whereupon we may cast our wavering minds, and confirm our fainting faith against the boisterous blasts of Satan's temptations: therefore let us examine Satan's reasons, whereby he goeth about to persuade us that we are not beloved of God, by the touchstone of God's word; and weigh his objections in the scoles of the sanctuary, to see if they be of any weight or substance, or else but frauthie, light, and of no sound consequence.

First therefore whereas Satan objecteth that we are miserable sinners, unworthy altogether of God's love, and most worthy of his wrath and heavy displeasure; that God is infinitely just, and therefore cannot nor will not love us being notoriously wicked: we are to answer, that indeed we are in our selves unworthy the least dram of God's love, by reason of our original corruption, and actual transgression; and therefore if our assurance of God's favor, had no other foundation but our own deserts, we had great reason not only to doubt, but also utterly to despair of God's love towards us. But the love of God is not grounded upon our worthiness which is nothing, but upon his own good will and pleasure, which is infinite as himself is infinite; and therefore though in our selves we are most miserable and wretched, yet this is no reason why we should distrust or in the least degree doubt of God's love, seeing it ariseth not from anything in us, but from himself who is unchangeable.

The truth hereof manifestly appeareth by the scriptures, where it is said that the Lord hath loved us not for our excellency and worthiness, but of his free grace and loving kindness. So Hos. 14.5. I will heal their rebellion; I will love them freely, &c. And the Apostle John telleth us that herein God's love appeareth, in that when we loved not him, he so dearly loved us, that he sent his son to be a reconciliation for our sins; 1. John. 4.10. And Paul saith, that hereby God setteth out his love towards us, seeing that whilst we were yet sinners, Christ died for us, and when we were enemies God reconciled us unto himself by the death of his son. Rom. 5.8.10. If therefore the Lord loved us when we were enemies unto him and dead in our sins; how much more will he love us now being reconciled in Christ, and in some measure purged from our corruption, and quickened by his spirit to newness of life? If when we were most unworthy, he freely shown such exceeding favor towards us: how much more having by his spirit and the graces thereof made us more worthy, will he continue his love unto us? If he hath hitherto loved us not for any deserts of ours, but of his free mercy, because he is love it self, as John calleth him, 1. John. 4.8. and the God of grace, as Peter maketh him, 1. Pet. 5.10: why should we doubt of God's love in respect of our unworthiness, seeing his love hath not his ground upon our worthiness, but upon his own nature which is immutable, and therefore whom he once loveth, he loveth them unto the end, though in themselves they are miserable and wretched. John. 13.1.

[§. Sect. 2] But as the Scriptures show that God hath loved us freely from all eternity; so also do they as plainly declare, that God hath manifested this love in the work of our salvation freely, and without any respect of our worthiness: as may appear in the several causes thereof. As first he hath elected us of his own free love and good will, and not for any of our deserts; and therefore it is called the election not of virtue and works but of grace. Rom. 11.5. Nay it is flatly opposed to works in the verse following. And if (saith the Apostle) it be of grace it is no more of works, or else were grace no more grace: but if it be of works it is no more grace, or else were work no more work. So that our election is not grounded upon our worthiness, but on God's grace and goodwill: and therefore it cannot be overthrown by our unworthiness, so we wholly rely upon God's free mercy in Christ.

Secondly the covenant between God and us, wherein he professeth himself our God, and taketh us for his people and heirs of his promises, is not the covenant of works, but the covenant of grace: in which he offereth freely in Christ, his grace and mercy to all who will receive it, by the hand of a lively faith. And this the Lord himself expresseth Ierem. 31.31. Behold the days come saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel (that is, my Church. ) 32. Not according to the covenant which I made with their fathers (that is, the covenant of works) the which my covenant they break, &c. but this shall be my covenant that I will make with the house of Israel, after those days 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 seed, was not given through the law, but through the righteousness of faith, 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 seed. For if the covenant were of works and not of faith, of deserts and not of grace, we should continually disannul and make it of no effect.

[§. Sect. 3] Thirdly, as we are elected before all times, so were we in time redeemed freely, and without respect of our own worthiness, of the mere mercy and love of God; although our Savior Christ paid the full price of our redemption unto God his father for us: and this appeareth, Ephes. 1.7. By whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins, according to his rich grace. 8. Whereby he hath been abundant towards us in all wisdom and understanding. So that our redemption was not free unto our Savior Christ, for it cost him the inestimable price of his most precious blood; but it was free unto us, without any respect of our works and worthiness. For we were like desperate debtors, deeply engaged unto God, and not able to pay the least farthing; and therefore were cast into the prison of everlasting death, there to be detained till we had discharged the whole debt: which being impossible unto us, it pleased our Savior Christ of his mere pity and free goodwill to become our surety, and to make full satisfaction to his father, even to the least mite, that so we might be released and set free. We were all of us miserable captives, held in the thralldom of sin, Satan and death, unable to deserve in any measure to be set at liberty; for we were the children of wrath, who were not sick only, but even dead in our sins, as it is Eph. 2.1.5 But our Savior Christ of his undeserved love did pay the price of our redemption, and set us out of our captivity, quickening and raising us up from sin to newness of life; as the Apostle setteth it down Eph. 2.3. And you were by nature the children of wrath as well as others. 4. But God which is rich in mercy, through his great love wherewith he loved us, 5. Even when we were dead by sins, hath quickened us together in Christ, by whose grace ye are saved, 6. And hath raised us up together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. 7. That he might show in ages to come the exceeding riches of his grace, through his kindness towards us in Christ Jesus. So that there is no worthiness in our selves which the Lord respected, for we were all alike the children of wrath, and dead in our sins; but only of his free mercy and great love, he hath redeemed us by Christ.

[§. Sect. 4] Fourthly, as the Lord hath freely redeemed us, so also he hath freely called us to the knowledge of the mystery of our redemption wrought by Jesus Christ, and chosen us amongst all nations to be his Church and peculiar people, and that of his mere grace and free goodwill, without any respect of our worthiness, as appeareth 2. Tim. 1.9. Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose of grace which was given us through Christ Jesus before the world was. So Moses telleth the children of Israel, that the Lord had called and made choice of them above all other nations to be his Church and people, not for any respect of themselves, or their own worthiness, but of his free love and undeserved mercy, as it is Deut. 7.7.8. Psal. 44.3.

Fifthly, as the Lord hath freely called us, so being called he hath freely justified us: not for any inherent righteousness in our selves, but of his own grace and goodwill, through the righteousness and obedience of Jesus Christ which he imputeth unto us. And this is evident Rom. 3.24. where it is said, that we are justified freely by God's grace, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus. And Tit. 3.7. where the Apostle saith, that we are justified by his grace. And least we should join with God's grace our own works and worthiness, he telleth us that Abraham himself, though a most righteous and holy man in respect of his sincerity and integrity of heart, was notwithstanding not justified by his works, but Abraham believed God, and that was imputed unto him for righteousness, Rom. 4.3: & ver. 5. he flatly excludeth works from being any causes of our justification; To him (saith he) that worketh not, but believeth in him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. So that we are freely justified of God's grace and goodwill, without any respect of our own works and worthiness, as being any causes of our justification, although they are necessary and inseparable fruits thereof. For the same death and bloodshed of Christ, whereby we are freed from the guilt and punishment of sin and everlasting death, doth free us also from the death of sin to newness of life, and doth not only justify but also sanctify us, as the Apostle plainly showeth, Tit. 2.14. Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, (that is, free us from the guilt and punishment of sin to which we were subject) and purge us to be a peculiar people unto himself, zealous of good works.

Sixthly, our sanctification and inherent righteousness it self, what is it else but the free gift of God, begun, increased, and finished by his gracious spirit? what are the graces in us but God's free and undeserved gifts? what are our best works but the fruits of his spirit working in us? for by nature we are dead in our sins, and the children of wrath as well as the unbelieving heathen or most profane worldling, Eph. 2.1.3. By nature we are not able so much as to think a good thought, or to will that which is good, no more than those who remain in the state of condemnation, as appeareth 2. Cor. 3.5. Phil. 2.13. but it is our Savior Christ, who so loved his Church, that he gave himself for it, that he might sanctify it and cleanse it, by the washing of water through the word, &c. as it is Eph. 5.25.26. So that when we have attained to the highest measure of sanctification that we can possibly attain unto, we must in all humility confess with Paul, that by the grace of God we are that we are, as it is 1. Cor. 15.10. Neither must we attribute anything in the work of our salvation, unto our sanctification and good works, but ascribe all to the free grace and undeserved love of God in Christ, whereby we are sanctified and stirred up to new obedience, who were altogether polluted, yea dead in our sins; so that our sanctification and worthiness is not the cause of God's love and mercy towards us, but his love and free goodwill is the cause of our sanctification, and maketh us, who were unworthy in our selves, worthy in Christ of his love and favor. And therefore we must not measure God's love by our worthiness and abundance of grace as being a cause thereof; nor despair of his favor and mercy, when we see our unworthiness and weakness in sanctifying graces; for these are no causes of his love but effects, and consequently when we want them altogether, though there be no cause of hope whilst we remain in this state, yet we are not utterly to despair for the time to come, seeing the Lord in his good time may begin his good work in us; and when it is begun, and we have received the least measure of sanctification, even a desire and holy endeavor to live in holiness and righteousness, we may be assured that it is God's work, which he having begun will finish and accomplish, according to that Phil. 1.6. In the mean time let us possess our souls with patience, and with a quiet and peaceable mind labor after the increase of grace, using all good means ordained of God for this purpose, submitting our selves, in regard of the measure of grace which we do 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 us beware that we do not so impatiently and violently desire increase of more grace, as that in the mean time we forget to be thankful to God for that we have, turning our songs of praise for God's great benefits, into murmuring and repining. Let us not be like unto rich misers, who have their minds so intent upon the getting of that riches they have not, as that they forget to enjoy and take comfort of that they have; let us not resemble those unthankful men, who when they have received many benefits, do still desire more, and when their desires are not presently satisfied, ungratefully murmur against their benefactors, as though they had received nothing: but let us make use of those graces which we have received, to God's glory & our comfort; let us desire more, y ^t we may more glorify him with his own gifts; and though our desires be not presently satisfied, let us not fall into impatiency, but submit our selves unto his goodwill and pleasure, and be truly thankful for that portion of grace, which it hath pleased him of his abundant mercy to bestow upon us.

[§ Sect. 6] Lastly, our salvation it self dependeth not upon our own worthiness, but upon God's free mercy and undeserved love; for salvation is the free gift of God, and not the wages of our own worthiness, as death is the wages of sin, as appeareth Rom. 6.23. And we are saved by grace through faith, and that not of our selves; it is the gift of God, as it is Eph. 2.8. And the Apostle telleth us, Tit. 2.11. that the grace of God bringeth salvation, and teacheth us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and that we should live soberly and righteously and godly in this present world: so that our forsaking sin and embracing holiness and righteousness is not the cause of our salvation, but the grace of God, by which all these effects are also wrought in us. But most plain is that of the Apostle 2. Tim. 1.9. where he excludeth our own works and worthiness, to the end he might ascribe the whole work of our salvation to God's grace and goodwill. Who hath saved us (saith he) not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace. So Tit. 3.5. Not by the works of righteousness which we had done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of the new birth, and renewing of the holy Ghost.

Seeing therefore God's love is not grounded upon our own worthiness, seeing he electeth, redeemeth, calleth, justifieth, sanctifieth, and finally saveth us of his mere mercy and free goodwill, without any respect of our own merits or good works, let us not restrain the infinite love of God to our deserts, nor measure his immeasurable goodwill by the short ell of our own merits; but as the Lord hath freely loved us, so let us acknowledge his free and undeserved love, and rely wholly thereupon, notwithstanding our unworthiness, seeing our worthiness is no cause of his love, but it is his love which maketh us, and will surely make us worthy to be beloved, if we rest wholly upon him in Christ by a true and lively faith. For, so much as we despair in respect of our own unworthiness, so much would we ascribe to our own worthiness; and look how much we attribute unto our selves in the work of our salvation, so much we detract from God's free mercy and Christ's merit: and therefore let us humbly acknowledge our own unworthiness, and become nothing in our own eyes, that we may wholly rely upon God, that he may be all in all. For well worthy are we to thirst if we leave the fountain of living waters, and dig unto our selves broken cesternes which will hold no water; well worthy are we to fall into the gulf of despair, if we forsake the firm pillar of our salvation God's mercy and Christ's merit, relying and resting upon the broken staff of our own righteousness; well worthy are we to be damned, if we envy the Lord the praise and glory of our salvation, desiring rather to ascribe it unto our selves.

[§ Sect. 7] But here the tempter will object that God is just,and therefore in his justice cannot love, elect, justify and save us who are unworthy his love, polluted with sin, and destitute of righteousness. I answer, that God doth not love, elect, justify and save us in our selves, but in our savior Christ, in whom being unworthy of our selves we are made worthy; being unjust in our selves, we are made just, after we are adorned with the rich robe of his righteousness; being in our selves the children of wrath and firebrands of hell, we are made children of God and heirs of heuaen. For he is made unto us of God, wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption, that he who rejoiceth might rejoice in the Lord, as it is 1. Cor. 1.30.31. And therefore the Apostle teacheth us, that God hath given his grace, not simply unto us, who were altogether unworthy thereof, but in Jesus Christ, 1. Cor. 1.1.4. and that in all things we are made rich in him, as it is verse. 5. So he telleth us, that grace doth reign by righteousness unto eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord, Rom. 5.21. And that he hath shown the exceeding riches of his grace, through his kindness towards us in Christ Jesus, Eph. 2.7. And as God is gracious to us in Christ, so hath he declared this his love towards us in Christ only, as may appear in the several causes and means of our salvation. For in him God hath elected us to salvation, as appeareth Eph. 1.5. In him is made the covenant of grace, as being that seed of Abraham in whom all the nations of the earth are blessed, and to whom all the promises were made, as it is Gal. 3.16. In him are we called and gathered together into one body, whereof he is the head, as it is Eph. 1.9.10. 2. Tim. 1.9. In him are we justified, as appeareth Rom. 5.18.19. Esa. 53.5. 1. Cor. 1.30. In him we are reconciled unto God, Col. 1.20.21. Eph. 1.6. and 2.12.13.14. &c. In him we are adopted to be the sons of God, Gal. 4.4.5.6.7. Eph. 1.5. In him we are sanctified, 1. Cor. 1.30. In a word, in him we are saved, as appeareth 1. John. 5.11. God hath given us eternal life, and this life is in his son. Though therefore the Lord could not in his justice bestow upon us these his benefits, because we were unworthy of the least of them, and most worthy of all his judgments and punishments: yet in Christ we have fully satisfied his justice, & performed perfect obedience, and therefore even in his justice he could not but bestow these his mercies and graces upon us, because in him we deserved his love, though in our selves we have deserved eternal shame and confusion.

And therefore not trusting in our own worthiness, nor yet distrusting in God's mercy and free love in regard of our unworthiness, let us cast off all self-conceit and opinion of our own righteousness, so that we may put on the righteousness of Christ; and acknowledging our own weakness, yea our nothing, let us nevertheless be strong in the grace which is in Christ Jesus, as the Apostle exhorteth 2. Tim. 2.1. In his name let us go boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and find help in time of need: for though in our selves we are the childre of wrath, yet are we reconciled and accepted of God, as his beloved in his best beloved, as it is Eph. 1.6.

CHAP. III. That temporal afflictions are rather signs of God's love, than of his hatred.

[§. Sect. 1] T He second argument whereby Satan seeketh to persuade us that we are out of the favor of God, is taken from the manifold afflictions which are laid upon many of God's children, whilst they remain in this vale of misery. But it is easy to answer this objection, if we be but a little cōuersant in the book of God; for there we may learn that afflictions and crosses are rather signs of God's love than of his hatred; and marks rather of our election and adoption, than of reprobation and eternal damnation. For the Lord hath foreshowed us that his childrē should mourn when the world shall rejoice; that they should be hated and persecuted for his name sake; that all who will live godly in Christ Jesus, shall suffer persecution and affliction, 2. Tim. 3.12. That they who will be conformable to him in glory, must also be conformable unto him in his sufferings, Rom. 8.29. That this short and momentary affliction, shall cause unto us a far most excellent and eternal weight of glory, 2. Cor. 4.17. That if we suffer with Christ, we shall also reign with him, 2. Tim. 2.12. That whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth: and scourgeth every son that he receiveth, as it is Heb. 12.6. That those whom he doth not thus correct, are bastards and no sons, verse. 8. And to these we may add the examples of God's children from time to time, as of Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, David, Job, the Apostles, but especially our Savior Christ himself, who was hungry, harborless, despised, scoffed, reviled, buffeted, spit upon, crowned with thorn, and lastly crucified; and yet even whilst he suffered all these afflictions, he was the only begotten and best beloved son of his heavenly father.

[§. Sect. 2] So that both by testimonies and examples it is manifest, that afflictions are signs rather of God's love, than of his hatred; and marks of the children of God, rather than of the children of wrath. But here the tempter will demand how this can be, considering that the Lord promiseth to his children all good things; whereas afflictions are evils, and punishments inflicted on the wicked. To this we may answer, that though in their own nature they be evil, yet through the wisdom and gracious providence of our God, they turn to the good of his children; and though to the wicked they are plagues and punishments, yet to the godly they are but trials and fatherly chastisements; for all their sins are punished in Christ, neither will it stand with God's justice to punish them again in the faithful: and therefore there is no other end of them but the manifestation of God's glory, and our spiritual good and everlasting salvation. For as they are trials they serve to show unto all the world, and especially to our selves, our faith, hope, patience, obedience, constancy, and the rest of the graces of God's spirit, to the praise of his glory who hath bestowed them, and to the comfort of our own souls who have received them. And as they are chastisements they serve for sharp eye-salves to clear our dim sight, so as we may see our sins, and truly repent of them. They serve for sour sauces, to bring us out of love with our sweet sins, and for fire and files, whereby we are purged and scoured from the dross and rust of our corruptions. They are sharp pruning knives, to lop and trim us, that we may bring forth plentiful fruits in godliness. They are spurs to prick us forward in the Christian race, and hedges to keep us from wandering out of the way. They are sharp salves to draw out our secret corruptions, and bitter potions to cure our desperate diseases. They are that wormwood, whereby the Lord weaneth us frō the love of the world, whose pleasing delights we would ever suck without weariness, if our mouths were not distasted with some afflictions. They are rods, wherewith being scourged, we are made more circumspect in our ways, and more careful to perform obedience unto all the commandments of our heavenly Father. In a word, they are the straight path which leadeth to everlasting happiness, and a bridle to restrain us from running headlong in the broad way, which leadeth to endless woe and misery. And therefore seeing our momentary afflictions do serve for the manifesting of God's glory, for the increasing of spiritual graces, and the furthering of our eternal salvation, let not Satan persuade us that we are out of God's love and favor because of our afflictions, but rather let us repute them as they are indeed signs of his gracious providence and fatherly care which he hath over us.

[§. Sect. 3] But here the tempter will object that this I speak is true of the outward afflictions of the body, for thereby the flesh is mortified and subdued, and the spiritual graces of God's spirit exercised and increased in us; but thy afflictions (will he say) are far different, for thy soul is filled with horror and fear, thy conscience is mortally stung with sin, and the weight thereof ouerwhelmeth thee; thou seest thyself subject to the curse of the law, and art already tormented with the pains of hell; thy God who looketh upon his children with an amiable countenance, frowneth upon thee like a severe Judge, and thou tastest of nothing but of his heavy wrath and displeasure; in a word, thou hast not one spark of true consolation wrought in thee by God's spirit, with which those that are God's children are fully replenished, and whereby they are encouraged patiently to abide all afflictions, but thy inward vexations are the torments of an evil conscience, and the flashings of hell fire wherewith hereafter thou shalt eternally be burned.

To this temptation we must answer, that it cannot be denied but that the afflictions of the mind are far more grievous than the afflictions of the body; and that the torments of conscience caused by the weight of sin, and the apprehension of God's fearful wrath, are as it were God's three-stringed whip, in respect of the gentle rod of outward afflictions; for a sorrowful mind drieth up the bones, as it is Pro. 17.12. and the spirit of a man may sustain his other infirmities, but a wounded spirit who can bear, as the wise man speaketh, Prov. 18.14. Nevertheless, though these corrections are more sharp and grievous, than the outward afflictions of the body, yet it cannot be denied but that these also are the chastisements which our heavenly Father inflicteth upon his children: sometimes for his own glory, and sometime for their trial or chastisement, when more light correction will not reclaim them. For first those places of scripture before quoted, are spoken generally of all afflictions whatsoever, and therefore are not to be restrained to the outward afflictions of the body, seeing they extend themselves also to the afflictions of the mind; neither doth our heavenly Father correct all alike, but some he rebuketh only by his word, and goeth no further when as this reclaimeth them; but if this will not prevail, he goeth a step further, and chastizeth them with gentle correction, as with outward crosses and afflictions; but if this will not reform them, he taketh his whip into his hand, wherewith he grievously scourgeth them, to the end they may more sensibly taste of his displeasure, and amend that which is amiss; and this he doth by making them feel the weight of sin, and appehend his wrath and heavy displeasure, which by their sins they have justly incurred; and yet notwithstanding all this he still remaineth their gracious Father, who seeketh not their destruction but their reformation. Neither need this dealing of our heavenly Father seem strange unto us, seeing earthly parents take the same courses with their children whom they tenderly love; for when they offen them, they first seek their amendment by words and fatherly admonitions; and when this will do no good they proceed to blows, and in a gentle manner do correct them; and if this prevail not with them, then they use more sharp and severe chastisement; but if all this be to no purpose, then will they disguise their fatherly affection under the vizard of wrath and heavy displeasure; they banish out of their countenance all signs of love, and assume terrible looks and bitter frowns; yea they will sometimes thrust them out of doors, and reject them a while, leaving them to shift for themselves, and to endure all misery. And whence proceedeth all this? surely not from hatred, but from love and tender care which they have over them for their good. And this maketh them use the bridle of correction, to restrain them from running into all licentiousness; this causeth them to pretend wrath in the countenance, that they be not by their lewdness forced to entertain it into their hearts; this moveth them to reject them for a time, that they may reclaim and retain them forever. Neither doth our heavenly Father, who is infinite in love, deal otherwise with his disobedient children; he useth but his word if his word will suffice; he goeth no further then gentle chastisement if that be enough; but if he sharply scourge us, yea if he look upon us with a frowning countenance, and show nothing in outward appearance but his wrath and heavy displeasure; if he seem to reject us for a time, and to give us over to be tormented by Satan: yet undoubtedly all this proceedeth from his love and that fatherly care he hath over us, for our everlasting good and salvation; he seeketh not our destruction, but amendment; he frowneth on us for a time, that he may look graciously on us forever; he seemeth to reject us for a while, that like the prodigal son we may return again, and be received into his everlasting love and favor.

[§. Sect. 4] Secondly, the Lord sendeth afflictions to mortify in us the old man, the flesh and unregenerate part: now the flesh is not only in our body, but also in our soul and every part and faculty thereof, and therefore the Lord doth not afflict the body alone with outward calamities, but even the soul also with grief of mind and horror of conscience, with the weight of sin and sense of his wrath, to the end that our corruptions both in body and soul may be mortified, the old man with the lusts thereof crucified, and in the end fully abolished. And therefore doth the Lord break our hard and stony hearts, therefore doth he plow and tear them up like fallow ground, to the end that the seed of his grace being sown in them may take root, fructify and bring forth a plentiful harvest of godliness, to his glory and our comfort. It is not therefore for want of love, that our heavenly father doth thus bruise us and even crush us in pieces; it is not because he will reject us and cast us of: but when we are truly humbled, when our hard hearts are softened, and our spirits broken and made contrite, then will he regard us and show his tender love and merciful kindness unto us as he hath graciously promised. Matth. 12.20. The bruised reed will he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench. So Psal. 51.17. The sacrifices of God are a contrite spirit, a contrite and broken heart O God thou wilt not despise. And the Prophet telleth us that our Savior Christ was sent into the world to preach glad tidings unto the poor, to bind up the broken hearted, &c. to comfort all that mourn, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of gladness for the spirit of heaviness &c. as it is Esa. 61.1.2.3. Luk. 4.18.

[§. Sect. 5] Lastly, that the afflictions of the mind, the apprehension of God's wrath, the sting of sin, and torments of conscience, are not any true and certain signs of God's hatred, hereby it plainly appeareth: in that the most dear children of God have been subject to them, and that in great measure. For example, Job who by God's own testimony was the iustest man that lived on the earth, Job. 1.8. notwithstanding was so grievously afflicted both in body and mind, that he bursteth out into these grievous complaints, Job. 6.4. The arrows of the almighty are in me, the venom whereof doth drink up my spirit, and the terrors of God fight against me. And chap. 9. verse. 17. He destroyeth me with a tempest and woundeth me without cause. 18. He will not suffer me to take my breath, but filleth me with bitterness. So, c. 13.24. Wherefore hidest thou thy face and takest me for thine enemy? And v. 26. Thou writest bitter things against me, and makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth. And c. 16.9. His wrath hath torn me, and he hateth me and gnasheth upon me with his teeth; mine enemy hath sharpened his eyes against me. And. c. 19.11. He hath kindled his wrath against me and counteth me as one of his enemies.

Look also upon the example of the Prophet David, who though he were a man according to God's own heart, yet was he made to drink a deep draught in this cup of inward afflictions, and was vexed not only outwardly in his estate, goods, and body, but also in his soul, with the sense of God's wrath, with the weight of sin, and the terrors and torments of conscience, which make him to utter these and such like pitiful complaints in the book of the Psalms. Psal. 6.3. My soul is also sore troubled: but Lord how long wilt thou delay? And v. 6. I fainted in my mourning: I cause my bed every night to swim, and water my couch with my tears. So Psal. 38.2. Thine arrows have light upon me, and thine hand lieth upon me. 3. There is nothing sound in my flesh, because of thine anger: neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin. 4. For mine iniquities are gone over mine head, and as a weighty burden they are too heavy for me. &c. And Psal. 88.7. Thine indignation lieth upon me, and thou hast vexed me with all thy waves. And v. 14. Lord, why dost thou reject my soul, and hidest thy face from me? 15. I am afflicted and at the point of death: from my youth I suffer thy terrors, doubting of my life. 16. Thine indignations go over me, and thy fear hath cut me off. So in the 77 Psalm he taketh up this lamentable complaint. verse. 7. Will the Lord absent himself forever? and will he show no more favor? 8. Is his mercy clean gone forever? doth his promise fail for evermore? 9. Hath God forgotten to be merciful? hath he shut up his tender mercies in displeasure? 10. And I said, this is my death. Look also upon the Apostle Paul, who though he were a chosen vessel, whom God had separated from his mothers womb to carry his name before the Gentiles, and is is Act. 9.15. Gallat. 1.15; yet was he afflicted grievously, not only outwardly in body, as he professeth 2. Corinth. 6.4.5.6.7.8. &c. but also in mind; for the messenger of Satan was sent to buffet him, and he had a long time a prick in the flesh, from which he could not be freed, though he often begged this favor at God's hand, as appeareth, 2. Cor. 12.7.8. And the burden of sin grievously afflicting his conscience, forced him to cry out Rom. 7.24, O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of his death?

[§. Sect. 6] So that by these and many such like examples, that is manifest unto our comforts which the Apostle speaketh, 1. Cor. 10.13. There hath no temptation taken you but such as appertaineth to man; for the same afflictions (which we suffer) are accomplished in our brethren which are in the world, as it is, 1. Pet. 5.9. Yea the same and far greater were endured by our head Jesus Christ himself, who received deep and grisly wounds, in respect of those small scratches which we suffer, and drunk the full cupe of God's heavy displeasure, of which we only sip or taste; for he was not only in his outward state dejected and reputed as an abject amongst men, nor persecuted by his cruel enemies alone, even to the takeing away of his precious life, by a cruel and shameful death; but also inwardly in his soul he sustained far more heavy crosses thē that which he outwardly carried on his shoulders, though the weight thereof caused him to faint for weariness. for to say nothing of Satan's temptations and the power of hell which was set against him, let us consider of that bitter agony which he sustained in the garden, where the burden of God's anger, for our sins was so heavy upon him, that it pressed out of his blessed body a sweat of water and blood; neither was he presently cased of this unsupportable weight, but he was fain to bear it even unto his cross; neither was he comforted in mind when the pangs of death had taken hold of his body, but even then he was so vexed with the sense of his fathers displeasure, that in bitterness of soul he crieth out my God, My God why hast thou forsaken me: Not that he despaired utterly of God's love and assistance, or thought himself a reprobate and castaway, for he calleth him still his God: but the deity having for a time withdrawn it self, to the end the human nature might suffer that punishment which we had deserved even unto death it self, which otherwise it could not have been subject unto, he uttereth this speech truly according to his present sense and apprehension. Now if we consider who it is that was thus grievously afflicted both in body and mind, we shall find that it was not one hated of God, but his only begotten and best beloved son, in whom he professeth himself to be well pleased. Matth. 3.17. Seeing therefore our Savior Christ who was the natural son and heir of God, and so tenderly beloved of his heavenly father that in him he loveth all his children, did notwithstanding endure not only grievous afflictions of body, but the intolerable burden of his fathers displeasure in his soul also. Why should we imagine y ^t either our outward or inward afflictions are any signs or arguments that God hateth or hath rejected us? especially considering that he hath predestinated us to be made like to the image of his son, not only in his glory, but also in his afflictions; so that first we must suffer with him, & after reign with him, as it is Ro. 8.29. 2. Tim. 2.12.

But it may be objected that our Savior Christ suffered all this not for any sin that was in himself, for he did no sin, neither was their guile found in his mouth. 1. Pet. 2.22. but he was wounded for our transgressions, he was broken for our iniquities, as it is Esa. 53.5. And therefore considering that the Lord did thus hate sin, even when his dearly beloved son did take it upon him; how much more will he hate it in us? if he so severely punished his dear darling when he had taken the sins of others upon him, how fearful punishments are prepared for the sinners themselves? I answer, that indeed Christ who was just did suffer for us who were unjust, as it is 1. Pet. 3.18. and that sin is so odious to God's eyes that rather then it should not be punished, he would punish it in his dearly beloved son; the consideration whereof should make us also to hate and fly from it as the greatest evil: but yet this should be so far of from discouraging us, or from making us doubt of God's love, that nothing in the world doth more assure us thereof, no consolation can be imagined more comfortable, for what greater testimony of God's love can be imagined, then that whē we were strangers yea enemies to God, he should send his dear beloved son to die for us, to the end that by this means his justice might be satisfied, his wrath appeased, and we being received into grace & favor, might be made heirs of everlasting life? what greater assurance can we have that our sins are forgiven us then that they are already punished in Christ? it being against the justice of God to punish the same sins twice? What stronger argument can be brought, to prove that we shall never be subject to God's wrath, nor be cast away in his heavy displeasure; than that our Savior hath borne his fathers anger, to the end he might reconcile us unto him? and therefore though our Savior suffered these outward and inward afflictions, not as he was the dearly beloved son of God who was free from sin, but as he was our mediator, who had taken upon him our sins, to the end he might satisfy his fathers justice; yet seeing he endured these things in our stead, to the end we might be freed from them, hence ariseth unto every true Christian sound comfort, and certain assurance of God's love and goodness towards him.

But the tempter will further urge his objection after this manner: let it be granted (will he say) that God doth chastise sometime his children whom he loveth, both with outward and inward afflictions, and that they suffer even the same miseries which thou indurest; yet seeing they are sometimes punishments also which he inflicteth upon the wicked, hence thou canst not gather that they are fatherly chastisements and signs of his love to thee: nay contrariwise thou mayest assure thyself, that they are fearful punishments and signs of God's hatred, which God in justice inflicteth on thee for thy sins, that others may be warned by thine example. For if they were chastisements and fatherly corrections, then would they indeed correct thee, that is, reform and amend thee; for this is the end why God inflicteth them on his children, and his end cannot be frustrate: but in thee there is no reformation wrought, nor any increase of patience; whereas in the faithful, tribulation bringeth forth patience, as even by the Scriptures it is manifest. Nay contrariwise when the hand of God is upon thee, thou bewraiest great impatiency, and utterest inconsiderate speeches, which tend to God's dishonor, give offense to the world and wound thine own conscience. And therefore howsoever to other these are fatherly chastizements, yet to thee they are severe punishments, which move thee rather to despare, than assure thee of God's love.

To this we answer, that it cannot be denied, but that God's corrections do correct and amend his children, and that afflictions serve to the increasing of their patience, faith and other graces; but yet let us know that Satan playeth the false deceauer, when he moveth us to look for the assurance of God's love, and for our amendment & increase of God's grace, in the very time when the hand of God is upon us, whilst the conflict lasteth, and the temptation grievously shaketh and battereth us: as if he should come to a man who hath endured much and tedious sickness and should say unto him, thou diddest imagine thyself awhile ago very beautiful and exceeding strong, but thou wast much deceived, for if thou lookest in a glass thou shalt presently perceive that thou art lean, pale, and deformed, and if thou makest trial of thy strength, thou shalt find that it is scarce sufficient to sustain the weight of thine own body. Now who would not deride such fond reasoning? who could not easily answer, that judgment is not to be taken of the beauty and strength of the body in the time of sickness, but in the time of health? but this is the very like case, and thus sottishly doth Satan conclude, or rather delude God's children in the time of temptation; for he saith thus unto them, thou diddest persuade thyself that thou art the child of God, and in his love and favor, that thou art endued with faith, patience, and other graces, and daily increasest in them; but now thou art come to the trial it proveth far otherwise; for thy faith is turned into doubting or infidelity, and thy patience to impatiency, and therefore there is no likelihood that thou art beloved of God, for then thou wouldest profit by afflictions, and increase in grace and strength, whereas thou bewrayest nothing but thy manifold corruptions. But we are to know that we are not to judge of our grace and strength, in the time of temptation, and of the spiritual conflict, when as our souls are grievously sick with the sense of sin and apprehension of God's heavy displeasure incurred thereby, when as the fire of God's spirit is covered with the ashes of our corruptions, and the fruits and graces thereof nipped with the could winter and boisterous blasts of temptations, but we are to look into our selves when the fit is past and the conflict ended, and then shall we find our patience by experience of God's love confirmed, our faith renewed, all other graces strengthened and increased: and then shall we clear •• y discern the bright beams of God's love and favor, shining upon us, when the clouds of temptation are past away which did hide them from us.

[§ Sect. 8] But if in the time of trial and temptation we judge according to our present sense and feeling, we must needs be deceived: for it cannot be denied but that even the dear children of God who have received a great measure of grace, when the hand of God is upon them do doubt of his love and favor, and when they are grievously afflicted do bewray their corruption, and show their impatience by uttering inconsiderate speeches; for while we continue in this life, we have the relics of sin hanging on us, and we are partly flesh and partly spirit, yea the flesh is the stronger part, and therefore it is no marvel if the flesh being pinched in the time of temptation doth complain, and being lanced deeply with the razor of sharp afflictions doth cry out for pain, complaining of the Surgeon that he dealeth too rigorously with him. And if men through bodily sickness have their judgments blinded, their understanding dasled and misled, their memory overthrown, so that they can put no difference between their friends and their enemies, but even rail upon those whom in the time of their health they dearly loved, and think none so much their enemy as their physician, raving and inconsiderately speaking they know not what; what wonder is it if the like effects follow the sickness of the soul, when it is as it were set upon the rack, pressed with the burden of sin, and tormented with the apprehension of God's anger, considering that these kind of afflictions are fair more grieous and without comparison more intolerable, for a man may sustain his infirmities, but a wounded spirit who can bear? as it is Pro. 28.14. What marvel then is it if they take God for their enemy, when they feel his sharp medicines, though in truth he be their loving Physician, who by this means cureth them of their diseases of sin and corruption? what wonder is it if they utter raving speeches when the sense of pain presseth them so sore? how is it possible but that they should doubt of God's gracious love and favor, when as they presently taste of nothing but his rigor and justice?

[§ Sect. 9] We must not therefore judge of our state while the cross is upon us, for so should we condemn the generation of the just to be most wicked, then should we imagine those who have excelled in patience to be most wayward and impatience. Look upon Job who is renowned for patience, and you shall find that while the hand of God was upon him, he bewrayeth the corruption of the flesh and showeth notable impatiency, cussing the day of his nativity, and wishing that he had never been borne, or else that he had presently after his birth been swallowed up in the laws of death, Job. 3. So chap. 6.8.9. he thus crieth out like a man utterly desperate. O that I might have my desire, and that God would grant me the thing that I lung for 9. That is, that God would destroy me: that he would let his hand go and cut me off. 10. Then should I yet have some comfort, though I burn with sorrow, let him not spare &c. Where Job seemeth to deal with God as a condemned malefactor with a just & severe judge, who seeing the anger of the judge incensed against him for his crime, hath no hope that he can by entreaty and persuasions move him to revoke his sentence of death, and therefore only desireth a mitigation of the tortures, and that he may quickly be dispatched and rid out of his pain; nam misericordae genus est cito occidere, it is a kind of mercy to be speedy in execution. So Job having no hope to be freed from his miseries, desireth only this favor at God's hands, that he would not (as it were) corment him piece meal, but make a quick dispatch of him by laying on a greater weight of afflictions, till by their unsupportable burden the breath were pressed out of his body. And chap. 10.18. Wherefore hast thou brought me out of the womb? Oh that I had perished, and that none eye had seen me! 19. And that I were as I had not been, but brought from the womb to the grave. Look upon the Prophet David who was a man according to God's own heart, endued with a steadfast faith and constant patience; and you shall perceive that God's love, and the graces of God's spirit in him, were so shadowed with the grievousness of his present afflictions, that he could not discern them. For he complaineth like a man utterly cast off and rejected of God. Psal. 88.14. Lord why dost thou reject my soul, and hidest thy face from me? 16. Thine indignation is gone over me, and thy fear hath cut me off. The like complaint he taketh up. Psal. 77.8.9.10. Neither had the Prophet in these times always the spirit of supplication and prayer, but sometime the grievousness of his pain did shut his mouth so as he could not confess his sin, nor humble himself before his God; though through the weight of affliction, his bones were consumed, and he roared for grief all the day long, as appeareth Psalm. 32.3.4. So Jeremiah seeing the word of God contemned, and himself who was God's ambassador despised, could not bear it but bursteth out into great impaciencie, cursing the day of his birth, and even the man that brought news thereof to his father, because he was borne to see labor and sorrow, and that his days should be consumed with shame. Ierem. 20.14, 15.18. If therefore we judge of Job, David, and Jeremiah, according to their outward behavior, and their own inward feeling in the time of afflictions, and in the combat of temptations; we should think them void of faith, impatience, and destitute of all assurance and hope of God's love and favor: but the Scriptures teach us otherwise, propounding them unto us as patterns of patience and true godliness; and themselves also at other times do show their singular faith, patience, and the rest of the graces of God's spirit. Seeing then this is not our case alone, but the state of God's dearest children, let us not believe the tempter telling us that we are not God's children because we see not God's graces so plainly in the time of temptation and trial, but contrariwise bewray our impatiency and other corruptions: but let us be truly humbled in the sight of our infirmities, laboring and striving to reform them; and judge of our state, not as we find it in the time of the conflict, but as it was or is before or after the combat is ended.

[§. Sect. 10] Lastly, the tempter objecteth, and hath stirred up his wicked instruments the enemies of God's truth to defend, that though we are not wholly to despair of God's love, yet we must doubt thereof: and to this purpose they allege that saying Eccles. 9.1. which they read thus: I have handled all these things in my heart that I might curiously understand: Just and wise men and their works are in the hand of God; and notwithstanding, a man knoweth not whether he be worthy of love or hatred, but all things are kept uncertain for the time to come &c. I answer, that if God's love or hatred did depend upon our own unworthiness, we might well doubt; nay I will say more, we might justly despair of his grace and goodwill, and certainly assure our selves that we were hated and abhorred of God; for this, if anything, we have deserved. But the truth is, that as Satan tempting our Savior, and quoting scripture for his purpose, left out that which made against him; so here by his instruments assaulting his members, he addeth to the scriptures that which maketh for him: for neither in the Hebrew, which is the original, nor in the Greek translation is there any one word of our worthiness or unworthiness; but thus it is in the text as it is truly translated in our Bibles; No man knoweth either love or hatred of all that is before them: and whereas they read the words following thus; But all things are kept uncertain for the time to come, they most grossly deprave the text, which is thus to be read as we have it translated; All things come alike to all, and the same condition is to the just and the wicked; and thus also doth Arias Montanus one of the most learned amongst themselves translate it.

Neither will their corrupt translatiō stand with the sense and truth of the place: for, as he saith, no man knoweth whether he be worthy of love, so also, that no man knoweth whether he be worthy of hatred: but this is utterly false; for so should we say that we could not know whether the Sodomites for their filthiness, the Canaanites for their idolatry, Julian for his apostasy were worthy to be hated of God; whereas the scriptures witness the clean contrary, and even they themselves do confess, that they who desperately give over themselves into all sin and wickedness, are not to doubt but that they are worthy of God's anger and heavy displeasure; why therefore on the other side may not those who are truly converted unto God, and endued with a lively faith which worketh by love, be assured of God's love and favor, seeing he hath assured them hereof in his word? Nay in the same chapter verse. 7. their corrupt exposition is overthrown; for there he biddeth us to eat our bread with joy, and to drink our wine with a cheereful heart, for God now accepteth our works. Now, though God did indeed accept ourworkes, yet we could not be moved to joy and cheerfulness of heart hereby, unless also we might be assured of his acceptation.

But let us examine these words and show the true sense of them. There are two expositions given, which may stand with the analogy of faith and the circumstances of the text. For some understand these words not of God's love or hatred, but of man's love towards those things he desires, and of his hatred towards those things he flieth; and then this is the sense of the place; A man knoweth not whether those things which he loveth, as pleasures, honors and riches, or those things which he hateth, namely crosses and afflictions shall happen unto him, because they are not disposed by his own power, but by the providence of God who giveth these outward things indifferently to all both just and unjust. So that if the words are thus to be understood, there is no show of reason in the Papists exposition.

Secondly, let it be granted that it is to be understood of God's love towards us, yet it will make nothing for their purpose: for then this is the plain sense of the words; no man can know whether he be loved or hated of God by these common outward things which happen alike to all, and in respect whereof there is the same condition to the just and the wicked, and to the pure and polluted, to those that worship God and those that worship him not: there is no judgment that can be given, either of our selves or others in respect of our outward state, for sometime the just are poor, the vniustrich, the wicked advanced to honor, and the godly afflicted and persecuted. For example, Esau enjoyed his delights and plenty of all things, Jacob like a poor pilgrim went into a strange country, having no other riches but his clothes on his back and his staff in his hand, & when he was come amongst his friends he endured tedious labors, & many miseries; and so David was persecuted, whilst Saul did sit on the throne; yea our Savior Christ himself was arraigned at the bar and condemned, whilst Pilate and the chief Priests and Pharisees sat in the seat of justice, ouerswaying all at their own pleasures: and yet at the same time, Jacob was beloved, Esau hated; David chosen of God, Saul rejected; our Savior Christ the dear son of his heavenly father, and his enemies the instruments and limbs of Satan. So that it is most true that Solomon speaketh, namely, no man can have assurance of God's love and favor by these outward benefits bestowed both upon the godly and wicked; neither by his adversities and afflictions can gather that the Lord hateth him: for these befall all indifferently, as it pleaseth God to punish the reprobate, or to chastise his own children.

But though we can gather no sound argument from these outward things of God's love, yet it followeth not that there is no other means to assure us hereof: for by the same reason we may conclude that man is no better than brute beasts, and that there is no immortality of the soul, because it is said, Eccles. 3.19. that the condition of the children of men and the condition of beasts is the same. But as the Wiseman speaketh there of their outward mortality alone, and not absolutely in all respects; and therefore he saith that they are alike to see to, that is, in outward appearance, verse. 18. and explaineth himself in the words following; for (saith he) as one dieth so dieth the other: so he doth not mean here simply that there is no assurance of God's love, but only in respect of these outward things, and therefore he addeth, that in these outward respects all things come alike to all, and the same condition is to the just and the wicked.

Though then there is no assurance of God's love to be gathered out of our worldly estate, yet it cannot hence be concluded that therefore there is no means whereby we may be assured hereof: for the Lord hath given unto us his word and merciful promises, he hath given unto us his holy spirit crying in our harts Abba father, and witnessing to our spirits that we are the sons of God, Rom. 8. He hath manifested his love by giving us his only son, and begetting in us by his word and spirit a lively faith, whereby we may apply him and all his benefits unto us. Whosoever therefore believeth truly in Jesus Christ, he may be assured of God's love and everlasting life, according to that John. 3.16. So God loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

If therefore we believe in Jesus Christ, we need not to despair, no nor to doubt of God's love and favor towards us; notwithstanding our unworthiness, nor yet in regard of the manifold afflictions which God inflicteth on us, neither in respect of those manifold infirmities which we bewray whilst the hand of God is upon us: but we may soundly and assuredly conclude with the Apostle Paul, Rom. 8.38. I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor Angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39. Nor height nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

And so much concerning the first cause of our salvation, namely God's love and goodwill, and also the temptations of Satan, whereby he laboreth to impugn our assurance thereof: the second cause is God's free election, which proceedeth from the other; for whom he loveth, those he electeth unto everlasting life and happiness, it being an inseparable fruit of love to seek the good and felicity of the party beloved.

Election therefore is that part of God's eternal and immutable decree, whereby of his free love and undeserved grace he hath preordained some in Christ unto salvation, and to the use of the means tending thereunto, for the praise of the glory of his grace.

CHAP. IIII. Of God's election, the causes, subject, object, and properties thereof.

I N this definition is set down first the efficient cause or author of our election, namely God himself, the Father, the Son and the holy Ghost; and this appeareth Eph. 1.4. He hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy &c. And John. 15.16. Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you that ye go and bring forth fruit, &c.

Secondly, the motive or impulsive cause of God's election is expressed, namely, God's free love, mere goodwill and undeserved grace. And this also is manifest Luk. 12.32. Fear not little flock, for it is your fathers pleasure to give you a kingdom. And Eph. 1.5. who hath predestinated us to be adopted through Jesus Christ unto himself, according to the good pleasure of his will.

Here therefore are excluded all other causes, wherewith diverse have imagined God was moved to elect us; as namely our own will, the foreseeing of our works worthiness or faith, and the merits of our Savior Christ. And that these were not the causes which moved the Lord to elect us, it may be proved by manifest testimonies of scripture. First, our own will is expressly excluded, Rom. 9.16. It is not in him that willeth or runneth, but in God that showeth mercy. Secondly, not the foresight of our own works, for the Apostle plainly affirmeth Rom. 9.11.12. that before the children were borne, and when they had neither done good or evil, that the purpose of God might remain according to election, not by works, but by him that calleth. 12. It was said unto her, the elder shall serve the younger, 13. As it is written, I have loved Jacob and hated Esau. And chap. 11.5.6. he saith, that God's election is of grace, and if it be of grace it is no more of works, or else were grace no more grace. Thirdly, not the foresight of any worthiness in us more than in others; For there is no difference, for all have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God: as it is Rom. 3.23. And the Apostle affirmeth both of himself and others, that they were all dead in their sins, and by nature the children of wrath as well as others, Eph. 2.1.3. Fourthly, the Lord respected not our faith as an impulsive cause moving him to elect us, but only as an effect of our election; neither was the Lord merciful unto us in making choice of us to be partakers of everlasting happiness, because we were faithful, but, that we might be faithful, as Paul professeth of himself 1. Cor. 7.25. And the holy Ghost affirmeth, Act. 13.46. that as many of the Gentiles as were ordained unto eternal life believed. Lastly, although the merit of Christ was the only meritorious cause of our salvation, yet it was not the cause of God's election, for God's election was from all eternity, and the cause of Christ's merits, which were in time and the effects of God's election, and therefore that which came after could not be the cause of that which was from all eternity, neither can the effect produce the cause, but the cause the effect. Moreover, we are not said in the scriptures to be chosen for Christ, but in Christ, Eph. 1.4. And the Apostle John affirmeth, that God's eternal love was the cause which moved the Lord to send his son to redeem us by his death, and not that his death was the cause of his love, John. 3.16. And so much concerning the efficient cause of our election. The material cause thereof was the purpose or counsel of God himself, whereby he determined to elect us.

The formal cause was the severing and setting apart of certain men which were to be saved, [§ Sect. 2] selected from the rest who were rejected.

The end of God's election was twofold: the first and chief end was the glory of God, set forth by manifesting his grace and mercy in the salvation of the faithful. And this the Apostle plainly expresseth Rom. 9.23. namely, that the end of God's election is, that he might declare the riches of his glory in the vessels of mercy, which he hath prepared unto glory. And Eph. 1.4, 5, 6. he saith, that he hath chosen us in Christ, and predestinated us, to the praise of the glory of his grace.

The second end which is inferior and subordinate to the other, is the salvation of the elect, and this also is expressed by the Apostle Rom. 9.23. where he saith, that the elect are prepared unto glory. And Act. 13.48. the holy Ghost saith, as many as were ordained to eternal life: thereby implying that the salvation of the elect is the end of God's election. And these are the causes of God's election. The effects which inseparably follow-hereupon, are Christ the Mediator, and the whole work of his mediation and our redemption wrought by him, our adoption, effectual calling, justification, sanctification, and glorification; and these are the degrees and means of our election, which are as well contained in God's decree as our salvation it self.

The subject in which we are elected, is Christ Jesus our Mediator and head; not in regard of his deity alone, for so he is the efficient cause; nor in respect of his humanity alone, but as he is God and man. And we are therefore elected in him, both because in our selves we were not capable of such glorious dignity, as also because he alone is a fit Mediator in whom we should be elected, seeing with our election there is an union & conjunction of us with God who hath elected us.

The object of God's election are all those who are preordained unto everlasting life, and whom the Lord will eternally save; which being considered in themselves are a great number, but yet in respect of the number of the reprobates but a small and little flock; for though many be called, yet few are chosen, as Christ himself affirmeth, Matth. 22.14.

The last thing, which also is expressed in the definition, are certain properties attributed to God's election; namely, that it is eternal, free and immutable. That this decree is eternal, it appeareth Eph. 1.4. He hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world. So Rom. 9.11.

Secondly, that it is free and of his mere grace, it is manifest Rom. 9.18. He hath mercy on whom he will, and whom he will he hardeneth. So Eph. 1.11. In whom we are chosen when we were predestinate, according to the purpose of him which worketh all things after the counsel of his own will.

Lastly, that it is immutable and most firm and certain, it plainly appeareth 2. Tim. 2.19. The foundation of God remaineth sure; and hath this seal, the Lord knoweth who are his. Where we may observe, that this immutability and certainty of God's decree, doth not depend upon us or our perseverance, but upon God's good pleasure and foreknowledge, for it is a foundation in it self firm and stable, and hath not the seal of our worthiness or perseverance in grace, but of God's foreknowledge whereby he knoweth who are his.

CHAP. V. Satan's temptations concerning God's election answered, and first those wherewith he assaulteth carnal worldlings.

[§. Sect. 1] N Ow concerning this decree of election and the assurance thereof, there are two sorts of Satan's temptations: the first he suggesteth into the minds of carnal worldlings, to nourish in them fond presumption and carnal security: the other, into the minds of weak Christians, whereby he moveth them to doubt & despair of their electiō to everlasting life. The worldly man he assaulteth with two principal temptations: first, he persuadeth him that there is no election at all or reprobation, but that all in the end shall be saved. Which gross absurdity that he may make more plausible and probable, he setteth before them the infinite mercy of God, and the general promises and consolations in the Gospel: as, that he will not the death of a sinner, and that he will that all men shall be saved, 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 saved must also come to the knowledge of the truth.

But this temptation is so palpably absurd, that it becometh not Satan's policy to use it to any, but those only whose hearts are hardened, their eyes blinded, their consciences seared, and who having not believed and loved the truth, are given over of God to believe strong delusions; and therefore I will not spend much time in answering this temptation: only let such men as are seduced with Satan's lies know thus much, that God's mercy is a just mercy, as his justice is a merciful justice; that God is infinite in both, and no less glorified in the manifestation of the one than of the other. Let them know that there are no promises of the Gospel so general, which are not limited with the condition of faith, and the fruit thereof unfeigned repentance. Let them know, that God who is not only merciful but also true, yea truth it self, hath in his word revealed his will, as well concerning the eternal death and destruction of the wicked, as the salvation of the godly: he hath said, that many are called and few chosen; that the gate of heaven is so straight, that there are few who find it; that he will say to the workers of iniquity, Go your ways I know you not; that he will make a separation between the sheep and the goats, and as he saith to the one, Come ye blessed of my father, inherit ye the kingdom prepared for you from the foundations of the world, so he will say to the other, Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire, which is prepared for the devil and his angels. Let them know that neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor wantons, nor buggerers, not thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor railers, nor extortioners, nor any that live in the like sins, without repentance, shall inherit the kingdom of God, for truth it self hath spoken it, 1. Cor. 6.9.10. but they shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the second death, as it is Revel. 21.8. And therefore let not Satan bewitch them, by setting before their eyes God's mercy; for as sure as God is just and true of his word, so surely shall such as continue in their sins, without repentance, be eternally condemned; neither is it any impeachment to God's mercy, if he exercise his justice in inflicting due punishment upon obstinate and rebellious sinners, seeing it is sufficiently manifested in the salvation of those who repent and believe.

[§. Sect. 2] The second temptation which Satan suggesteth into the minds of carnal men, to the end they may run on in their desperate courses, and wallow still in the pleasing filth of their corruptions, he thus frameth; Why enioyest thou not (saith he) thy pleasures? why art thou afraid to satisfy all thy desires? what needest thou to take any pains in performing God's worship and service, and to what purpose shouldest thou forsake thy pleasing sins, studying and striving after mortification and newness of life, which is so bitter and unpleasant unto thee? for God's decree of predestination is sure and most unchangeable as himself is without change, and therefore if thou art elected of God thou mayest follow thy delights, go on in thy sins, live as thou list, yet surely thou shalt be saved, and he will give thee repentance, though it be deferred to the last gasp. But if on the other side thou art a reprobate, rejected of God in his eternal council, then take what pains thou wilt, make thy throat horce with praying, and thy bags empty with giving alms, be never so diligent in God's service, never so careful in mortifying thy sins, yet all is in vain, for those whom he hath reprobated shall be condemned. And therefore much better were it to take thy pleasure and to follow thine own desires whilst thou art in this life: for the punishments of the life to come will be enough, though thou addest no torments of this life unto them.

And thus doth Satan reason in the mind of a carnal man, partly to continue and increase his security in the course of sin, and partly to discredit the holy doctrine of God's eternal predestination, as though it opened a door to all licentiousness. But if we consider of this temptation aright, and sound it to the bottom, we shall find first that it is most foolish and ridiculous, secondly that it is most false and impious. That it is most foolish it will easily appear, if we use 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 counsel hath set down how long thou shalt live; if therefore it be ordained that thy time shall be short, use what means thou wilt of physic and good diet, yet shalt thou not prolong it one day; but if God hath decreed that thou shalt live to old age, take what courses thou wilt, run into all desperate dangers, use surfeiting and all disorder of diet, nay eat no meat at all, and yet thou shalt live till thou art an old man. Or as if he should say; God hath decreed already whether thou shalt be rich or poor, and if he hath appointed thee to be poor, take never so much pains, follow thy calling as diligently as thou wilt, abstain from all wastfulnesse and prodigality, yet shalt thou never get any wealth: but if thou art preordained to be rich, sell all thou hast and scatter it abroad in the streets, spend thy time in gaming, drinking and whoring, never troubling thy head with care, nor thy hands with work, yet shalt thou be a welthie man. Now who would not laugh at such absurd manner of reasoning if any should use it? because every man knoweth, that as God hath decreed the time of our life, so he hath decreed also that we should use the means, whereby our lives may be preserved so long as he hath ordained that we should live, namely avoiding of dangers, good diet, and physic; and as he hath decreed that a man should be rich, so he hath decreed also that he should use all good means of attaining unto riches, namely providence and pains in getting, and care and frugality in keeping that he hath gotten; and whosoever use not the means, do make it manifest that they were not ordained unto the end. Although indeed, because the Lord would show his absolute and almighty power, he doth not always tie himself unto means, but sometimes crosseth and maketh them ineffectual to their ends, and sometime he effecteth what he will, without or contrary to all means; and hence it is that some quickly die who use all means to preserve health, and some become poor who use all means of obtaining riches, whereas others being deprived of the means attain unto long life and riches by the immediate blessing of God. But ordinarily the means and end go together, and therefore it is fond presumption to imagine or hope, without the use of the means, to attain unto the end. And thus it is also in spiritual matters appertaining to everlasting life; those whom God hath elected, he hath ordained also that they should attain unto and use all good means tending thereunto, namely faith, repentance, sanctification, and newness of life: and therefore it is as absurd for any to imagine, that they shall be saved continuing in their ignorance, infidelity, vnrepentancie, and filthy corruptions, as it is for a man to think that he shall live to be old, and yet runneth into all dangers, forsaketh physic yea and food also whereby his life should be sustained. For the spiritual means of salvation are as well (nay much more) contained in God's decree, as the corporal means of preserving life: for it hath been heard-of, that some have lived in the midst of dangers, and in the absence of meat, for a long time; but it was never heard that any have attained unto everlasting life without faith, repentance, and sanctification: for even the thief upon the cross believed in Christ, and shown the fruits of his faith in acknowledging his own sin reproving his fellow, in confessing our Savior Christ even then when his Apostles denied and forsook him, in calling upon his name and desiring by his means everlasting life.

[§. Sect. 3] But as this temptation is foolish, so also it is false; for whereas he saith that though we live in our sins without repentance, yet we may be elected and therefore shall be saved; and though we take never so great pains in God's service, and most carefully endeavor to spend our lives in holiness and righteousness, yet we may be reprobates and therefore shall be condemned; this is utterly untrue: for, whomsoever the Lord hath ordained to everlasting life, those also he hath ordained to use the means whereby they may be saved, and consequently whosoever carefully use these means may be assured of their salvation, whosoever neglect and despise these means they manifestly declare that they are not in the number of the elect, so long as they continue in their neglect and contempt: for the end and the means tending to the end, are inseparably joined in God's decree; so that they who use the one shall obtain the other, they who neglect and contemn the means shall never attain unto the end.

Now the end of God's election is twofold. The chief and principal is his own glory, as appeareth Ephes. 1.5.6. Who hath predestinate us to be adopted through Jesus Christ unto himself, according to the good pleasure of his will; to the praise of the glory of his grace. And this end the Lord will not suffer to be frustrate: for his glory shall shine in all his elect, and therefore we also are most carefully to labor that we may further this end; for the more that the praise of God's mercy doth shine in us, the better assurance we have of our election. And seeing God is most glorified when as our lights shine brightest before men in a godly and Christian life, therefore let us be most careful to spend our time in holiness and righteousness, that thereby we may glorify our heavenly father, and also make our own election sure; for he hath chosen us that we should be holy, and therefore if we be holy it is a most certain sign that he hath chosen us.

The second end of God's election is the salvation of his elect; for the just accomplishing whereof, he hath preordained diverse subordinate causes or means, which are the inseparable effects and fruits of his election; all which are so linked one with another, as that the precedent means is the cause of that which next in order followeth, and God's decree the cause of all. The effects of God's election, which are the subordinate causes or means of our salvation, are principally three; Vocation, Justification, and Sanctification. By vocation we are separated from the world, made members of the Church, & engrafted in to the body of Christ; and this is ordinarily done by the preaching of the word being made effectual by the inward operation of God's spirit, or extraordinarily by some other means, or immdiately by the illumination of the holy Ghost. In our justification we have the pardon and remission of all our sins by virtue of Christ's merit, and are adorned with his righteousness imputed unto us: and this is done, principally by God himself, & instrumentally by a lively faith. Our sanctification consisteth in our dying to sin, and rising up to newness of life; which is begun, increased, and finished in us by God's spirit. Whosoever therefore are predestinate to salvation, they also are effectually called, that is separate from the world▪ and engrafted into the body of Christ; and this they attain unto by diligent and attentive hearing of the word. Whosoever are effectually called, are also justified; and therefore have obtained a true and lively faith. Whosoever are justified are also sanctified, that is, die unto their sins, and rise again to newness of life, and consequently whosoever are still mere worldlings and no true members of Christ's body (as all those are who make no conscience of hearing God's word diligently, reverently, and attentively, nor of treasuring it up in their hearts) they are not truly called; whosoever have not Christ's righteousness and obedience imputed and applied unto them (which none have that are destitute of a true and fruitful faith) are not justified; whosoever live in their sins, without repentance, without any earnest desire and hearty endeavor of serving the Lord in holiness and righteousness of life are not sanctified; and whosoever are not called, justified and sanctified, shall never be saved; for the end and the means tending thereunto are joined together in God's predestination. So that where the one is, there the other is; where the one never is, there the other shall ever be wanting. And therefore as by our sanctification, justification, and vocation, we may certainly conclude that we are elected and shall be saved; so if we be without these, we may as certainly infer that we are rejected, and shall be condemned if we live and die in this state.

Seeing then this is God's truth, let not Satan lull us in security with that sophistical cavil; if we be elected we shall be saved live how we list; if we be reprobates we shall be condemned, be we never so earnest in laboring after godliness: for these principles may well stand together, it is impossible that the elect should perish, and as impossible also that any who believe not in Christ, and bring not forth the fruits of their faith in a godly and Christian life should be saved; it cannot be that the reprobate should attain unto everlasting happiness, and that any should not attain thereunto, who desireth and endevoreth to serve and fear the Lord: because predestination and salvation are so coupled together with the means that come between them, that they cannot possibly be severed from one another, nor the means from either of them, nor yet amongst themselves; even as the first lincke of a chain is joined with the last by those which are between them, and these which are in the middle one with another.

CHAP. VI. Satan's temptations whereby he moveth the weak Christian to doubt of his election, answered.

[§. Sect. 1] A Nd these are the temptations where with Satan assaulteth the worldling: but if he have to deal with a true Christian, who is indeed elected of God, and showeth the fruits of his election, by desiring and endeavoring to serve the Lord in holiness and righteousness, then he persuadeth him to doubt of his election, and to hang as it were wavering in the air, sometime lifted up with hope, sometime dejected and cast down with fear, till at last he being weary and tired with his doubtful thoughts, and having nowhere to rest himself, is swallowed up of desperation: like unto a silly bird which flieth over the main Ocean, and one while hopeth to attain unto the land, another while feareth seeing no place where to light, till at last being so weary that she can fly no further, she falleth down and is drowned in the sea. So these one while hope, and soon after finding their own infirmities, and not seeing where they may rest their wavering minds, doubt and fear, till at last through weariness they sink down and are swallowed up in the gulf of desperation, where they are drowned and destroyed, if it do not please the Lord to lift them up again, and to show them the firm Rock Jesus Christ, whereupon they may rest their weary minds and refresh their fainting souls; which he always doth perform to those that belong to his election; for it is impossible that any of them should perish, though Satan and all the power of hell seek their ruin and destruction.

But at this mark Satan aimeth though he never hitteth it, and though he never finally prevail, yet to this doubting, and in the end despairing, he laboreth to persuade the true Christian; neither doth he content himself with the forces of his own temptations, but he joineth with him the world, which is as ready as Satan himself to oppugn the certainty of our election, and our own traiterous flesh which is easily moved to doubting and despair, when as it seeth nothing in it self whereupon it may rest. In the world he maketh his choice not of silly ignorant men, but of the most subtle Sophisters and learned Doctors, the true successors of the Scribes and Pharisees, even the whole rabble of the Popish clergy; who stand on Satan's part stoutly fighting his battles, being persuaded and overcome by that temptation which our Savior Christ withstood, All this will I give thee. For to what end (I pray you) do these great Doctors so stiffly stand in the defense of Satan's cause, persuading men might and main to doubt of their election, and consequently of their salvation? Surely that by emptying men's minds of all true comfort, they may fill their own chests, and get the treasures of the earth into their possessions. For when the weak conscience wauereth and doubteth of his election, and not finding any true consolation whereupon it may rest, cometh unto them for some comfort and better assurance; they behave themselves like unto ungracious Surgeons, who intending to make a pray of their patients, and to get their gains out of their pains and tortures, do one day heal, and the next day hinder the cure, making the wound worse than it was whē they took it in hand, til at last they have so poisoned the sore that it is past their cure, whereas they could easily have healed it, if they had not regarded their profit more than their own credit, or their patients health: or like unto deceitful Lawyers, who sometimes speak in their clients cause, and sometimes betray it, going about in a tedious circuit, whereas the direct way lieth open before them, that so their clients cause being made more doubtful & tedious, & themselves impatient of delays, are fain to double and treble their fees, and yet oftentimes to no purpose, because the more they receive, the fitter they think them to be their perpetual Clients. So do these Popish Surgeons and Romish counsailers deal with their Pacient and Client; for showing his wounded conscience, and desiring some comfort at their hands, they will not make any sovereign salve of the simples which they might gather out of God's word, whereby he might soon be healed, for then their cure, and consequently their gains were at an ende: but they hold him in suspense, and increase his disease of doubting, applying thereunto poisons instead of salves, whereby at last his wound is made desperate. Thou canst not (will they say) attain unto any certain assurance of thine election, for that were fond presumption; but thou art to hope well: and that thou mayest confirm thy hope, thou must make vows and go on pilgrimage, to invocate and offer unto these and these saints, thou must do these works of supererogation, build such a Monastery, repair such a Church, give so much money to such a Cloister, buy these Indulgences, whereby thou mayest receive pardon for thy sins; and for more surety sake, thou shalt at thy death bequeath so much money to the Priests, for Masses, Trentals and Dirges, that if it happen thou go into Purgatory, thou mayest speedily be delivered: but all this while they speak not a word of God's undeserved grace and free election, not a syllable of Christ's death and satisfaction for our sins; no, this were too sovereign a salve, and would too soon heal the wounded conscience, and so mar the market of these mount-banks, making their Vowes, Pilgrimages, Masses, Dirges, Indulgences, and other trumpery-ware not worth the cheapning.

[§. Sect. 2] But let us consider the state of the question between us and Satan, with his Doctors and Proctors, whom he feeth with worldly riches to plead his cause. We hold that a man truly converted, endued with a lively faith and sanctified, may ordinarily be assured that he is the child of God, elected to salvation: but they affirm that it is presumption for such to have any certain assurance hereof, unless it be by extraordinary revelation; he may hope indeed that he is elected and shall be saved, but this hope must he tempered with fear, and mixed with doubting; and this doubting they call humility, which they do not account an infirmity, but rather a virtue which doth commend their faith, esteeming firm assurance to be but heretical confidence and damnable presumption, and pronouncing him accursed in their council of Trent, who affimeth that we are to believe without doubting the remission of our own sin and everlasting life in particular.

And because they cannot but confess, that doubting and believing, in themselves are opposed one against another; they teach, that their faith is assured of God's mercy and Christ's merits, as in themselves infinite and sufficient; but it doubteth (in respect of our unworthiness and manifold imperfections) to apply them particularly unto our selves: so that when we look upon God and Christ, there is cause of firm assurance, but when we look upon our selves, there is nothing but matter of doubting, there is in deed some place left to their staggering hope, but none to assurance of faith: as though our faith were grounded on our own worthiness, and not upon God's free mercy and Christ's merits; and as though resting upon these alone, it could not have certain assurance of our election and salvation, notwithstanding our unworthiness and corruptions. But let us arm our selves against this their doctrine, which containeth nothing else but principles whereupon Satan may ground his temptations, whereby he persuadeth us first to doubting, and afterwards to despairing of our election and salvation; for when the troubled conscience hath no other assurance of God's love and his own election, but that which is gathered from his own worthiness and works, he still doubteth whether yet he be worthy, or have fulfilled the measure of works required; and then further examining himself to clear his doubt, and finding his best works exceeding imperfect, and that his sins and corruptions are innumerable, then is his conscience set upon the rack, and his soul plunged into deep despair, having no other stay but the broken staff of his own righteousness, which most deceiveth him when he most trusteth to it.

[§. Sect. 3] And that we may be confirmed against Satan's temptations, and the subtle sophistry of these his Doctors, I will handle this point at large, and will plainly prove, first, that the child of God being converted, justified and sanctified, may be certainly assured of his particular election, and that without any special revelation after an ordinary manner. Secondly, I will show the means whereby we may attain unto this assurance; and the infallible signs of our election. Lastly, I will answer such objections as are made against it by Satan and his adherents.

Concerning the first, namely, that we may be certainly assured of our election and salvation, it may be proved by testimonies of Scriptures, and also by infallible reasons grounded upon them. For we must not think that we can have this assurance, by ascending into heaven, and there searching into God's secret decree, but we must gather it out of God's word, wherein the Lord hath revealed his will unto us: and in regard hereof, though God's will in it self be secret, so that we may ask who hath known the will of the Lord? yet seeing the Lord hath revealed his hidden will in his word, we may say with Paul, that we have known the mind of Christ. Now this knowledge of God's will concerning our election, is not to be gathered out of the law, as the Papists would have it; for by reason of the condition annexed to the promise of everlasting life (Do this and live) it leaveth our consciences in perpetual doubting, nay, rather in utter desperation, because we know that we are far from the exact obedience thereof: but out of the gracious promises of the Gospel, freely made to everyone who believeth, without any condition of our own works and worthiness. And therefore if we believe the promises of the Gospel made in Christ, we may be assured of our election and salvation, though in our selves we are miserable sinners, who have transgressed all God's commandments: for the covenant and promises of God made to Abraham and his seed, was not through the law, but through the righteousness of faith, as it is Rom 4.13. and therefore it is by faith, that it might come by grace, and the promise might be sure, not in self only, and in respect of the sufficiency of God's mercy and Christ's merits, as the Papists dream; but to all the seed, that is, to all that believe, and be the children of Abraham, who was the father of the faithful both Jew and Gentill. For otherwise we should have no better assurance of salvation by the Gospel than by the Law; for even the promise of the Law was most sure in it self and on God's part, yet not sure to us who could not perform the condition: and therefore the Lord made a new covenant, not of works but of grace, only on the condition of faith; that so the promise might be sure, not only in it self and on God's behalf, but also unto us who are Abraham's seed, that is, true believers, as appeareth Rom. 4.16. And this also notably appeareth Heb. 6.17.18. where the Apostle saith, that God willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the stablenes of his counsel, bound himself by an oath, 18. That by two immutable things wherein it is impossible that God should lie, we might have strong consolation, which have our refuge to hold fast the hope that is set before us, 19. Which we have as an anchor of the soul both sure and steadfast. In which words the Apostle plainly showeth, that the Lord hath added his oath to his promise, not to the end that in itself it should be confirmed, or needed any confirmation on God's part (for his bare word is yea and Amen, so infallible and sure, that though heaven and earth pass away and perish, yet not one jot or title of his word shall fail till all things be fulfilled ) but to the end that we to whom the promises are made, might be assured of the stableness of his counsel, and thereby receive strong consolation, and might rest our souls in the tempests of temptations upon firm hope, as it were upon a steadfast and sure anchor. Now what stability, what strong consolation, what steadfastness of hope, if we are still uncertain of our election, sometimes hoping, as when we look upon God's mercy and Christ's merits, and sometimes doubting, as when we look upon our own sins and unworthiness? For what is this but to be shaken from our anchor hold, and to be tossed up and down with the waves of doubting, till at last we dash against the rocks of despair, and so make shipwreck of our souls?

[§. Sect. 4] And thus you see that the covenant of grace was therefore made with us, that we might be assured of our election, and that the whole Gospel is nothing else but God's ambassage, whereby he certifieth us of his free and undeserved love in Jesus Christ: but let us further consider of some special testimonies whereby this assurance is confirmed. Rom. 5.1. it is said, that being justified by faith, we have peace towards God through our Lord Jesus Christ. But what peace can we have, if we be not assured of our election, but have our minds distracted and racked between faith and doubting, hope and despair? Rom. 8.38. the Apostle professeth, that he is persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, &c. nor any other creature should be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. It is true (will the tempter say) that Paul had this assurance of his election and salvation, but it was by some special revelation, and nor ordinarily; and therefore it followeth not hereof that every particular Christian can have this assurance. I answer, that the Apostle groundeth not his faith on revelations in that place, but on a foundation common to him with all true Christians, namely on the death of Christ, verse. 32. on God's free justification, ver. 33. and upon Christ's intercession, ver. 34. and from hence he confirmeth his and our resolution, that nothing should separate us from the love of Christ, verse. 35. from the love of God in him. Whosoever therefore with Paul believeth that Christ died for him, that God freely justifieth him through Christ's merits, and that our Savior fitteth at the right hand of his Father to make intercession for him, he may be assured of God's love, and consequently of his election. Secondly, Paul speaketh this not of himself alone, but also of all the faithful, and therefore he useth the plural number, I am persuaded that nothing shall be able to separate us. So Eph. 3.12. the Apostle saith, that we have through Christ boldness and entrance with confidence by faith in him. And Heb. 4.16. he exhorteth us to go boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy &c. And chap. 10.22. Let us draw near with a true heart in assurance of faith, &c. But I would fain know what entrance with confidence, what boldness and assurance of faith, when we draw near unto God, and present our selves before his throne of majesty, if we remain doubtful of his love and our election? So Heb. 6.19. he saith that our hope is a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul; but what certainty or steadfastness is there in it, if it waver and stagger through doubtfulness, so often as we look upon our sins and unworthiness? The Apostle Peter also doth tell us, that the trust which we have through Jesus Christ must be perfect, that is, entire and perpetual, till we enjoy the thing which we hope for, 1. Pet. 1.13. And 2. Pet. 1.10, he exhorteth us to use all diligence that we may make our calling and election sure: which if we could not do, he should persuade us to the undertaking of a needless labor. Nay he plainly assureth us, that if we do these things (to wit if we join virtue with our faith, and with virtue knowledge, and with knowledge temperance, and with temperance patience, and with patience godliness, and with godliness brotherly kindness, and with brotherly kindness love) we shall never fall; because these are effects and undoubted signs of our election. And the Apostle John would not have it a matter doubtful, whether we are elected and shall be saved or no; but certainly known and undoubtedly believed: and therefore he aimeth principally at this mark, and propoundeth this as the chief end of his epistle, namely to show how we might know ordinarily, and be fully assured that we are beloved of God, elected, and shall be saved. So 1. John. 3.14. We know that we are translated from death to life because we love the brethren. And therefore in the latter end of his epistle he saith, that he had written it to this end, that we might know that we have eternal life. chap. 5.13. Seeing then the Scriptures do commend unto us a steadfast and assured faith, whereby we particularly are assured and persuaded of our election and salvation, notwithstanding our sins and unworthiness: therefore let not the tempter persuade us to cast away this certain persuasion, and to waver in doubting; but let us say with the Apostle Paul 2. Tim. 1.12, Though I am unworthy yet I know whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him.

[§. Sect. 5] But against that which hath been said the tempter objecteth, that the promises of the Gospel are general and indefinite, and therefore no man can gather out of them any certain assurance of his particular election. I answer that this consequence is false: for out of a general and indefinite proposition, we may truly and by the laws of reason gather and infer a particular conclusion, though not contrariwise. For example, if I thus conclude; all men are reasonable creatures: but I am a man; therefore I am a reasonable creature: it is rightly and truly inferred. Though therefore the promises of the Gospel be contained in general propositions, yet may every faithful man as certainly conclude, that they belong unto him, as if they were particularly applied unto him by name. For when the Lord by his ambassadors maketh this general proposition in the preaching of the word; whosoever truly believe in Christ, they are all elected unto everlasting life; the faithful hearer maketh this assumption in his mind, but I by the grace of God, and by the preaching of his word made effectual by his spirit, have a true faith begotten in me, whereby I believe in Christ my Savior; and therefore God's promise of life and salvation belongeth unto me. And thus also doth the conscience of man out of the general curses of the law conclude that he is accursed; for when the law delivereth this proposition in general, Cursed is everyone who abideth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them; every particular man maketh this assumption in his own conscience, but I have not continued in all to do it, nay instead of doing all, I have neglected all, in stead of continuing in obedience, I have been continually disobedient, in stead of doing the duties commanded, I have committed the sins forbidden, and therefore by the sentence of the law I am accursed. So that though both the threatenings of the law, and the promises of the Gospel be general and indefinite, yet doth every man's conscience truly informed by God's word, gather out of them most certain particular conclusions.

[§. Sect. 6] But here the tempter will object further; it is true indeed that every faithful man, may apply the general promises of the Gospel unto himself, but all the question is whether thou canst know that thou hast faith or no, seeing many who continue in their infidelity, brag most of their faith. I answer that it cannot be denied but that many are deceived, by contenting themselves with their carnal security, instead of a lively faith; but hence it followeth not, that because many are deceived with an opinion of faith, therefore those that believe indeed cannot be assured that they have faith; no more then this followeth, some men dream that they are rich, and are not so indeed when they awake, therefore no man knoweth whether he be rich or no; for what is their secure opinion, but an idle dream of their own brains, which hath no warrant out of God's word? where as faith certainly and evidently persuadeth, and like a candle doth not only manifest other things, but also it self appeareth by his own light. So that as a man who seeth and feeleth the fire and the heat thereof, doth certainly know that he seeth and feeleth it, so he that believeth in Christ doth know that he believeth indeed: yea as much more certain is this knowledge, as the knowledge of faith grounded upon God's word which is infallible, is more certain than the knowledge of the senses, which are often deceived. Furthermore if we could not be assured that we have faith, then to what purpose serves the admonition of the Apostle 2. Cor. 13.5. Try yourselves whether you are in the faith, examine yourselves: know you not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobates? In which words the Apostle plainly implieth, that we may know that we have a true and lively faith, or else this trial and examination were vain: nay he plainly saith that we may know that Christ is in us, except we be reprobates, and consequently that we have faith; for this only is the hand whereby we apply Christ unto us and all his benefits. So 1. Cor. 11.28. the Apostle willeth us to examine our selves before we come to the Lord's table, that so we be not unworthy guests; in which examination the chief thing which we are to respect, is whether we have a true faith; for this is the mouth of the soul, whereby we feed upon the body and blood of our Savior Christ; and therefore unless we can know whether we have faith when we are truly endued therewith, this admonition of the Apostle were to no purpose; neither can we have any assurance to our own souls, that we are worthy guests of the Lord's table, and consequently we rest doubtful whether we receive the Sacrament to our spiritual good and salvation, or to our judgment and condemnation. Thirdly, we are assured of this by God's word that whatsoever is not done of faith is sin. Rom. 14.23. And without faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11.6. If therefore we cannot be assured that we have faith, we can have no assurance that our best actions, our calling upon God's name, our hearing of his word, and all other duties of piety and justice, are any better than sins and odious in God's sight: whereof it must needs follow that these actions, how good so ever in themselves, will be done of us in doubting, because we know not whether they be done in faith; and being done doubtingly they become sins indeed, and therefore displeasing in God's sight. Lastly, if I can know whether I believe a man upon his word, and whether I trust and rely myself upon his promise or no; why may I not much more know whether I believe God's gracious promises made unto all repentant sinners, and amongst the rest unto myself, namely, that for the obedience and merits of Christ, I shall have remission of my sins and everlasting life? seeing this faith is not out of our selves, but a gift of God wrought in us by his holy spirit, which is not idle in us, for it pu • ifieth the heart, and worketh by love; it moveth us to hate and fly from those sins we have loved, and to embrace and love that holiness and righteousness of life which heretofore hath been loathsome unto us. As therefore the fire is known by his heat, the sun by the light, the good tree by his fruits, so when our cold hearts are inflamed with the love of God, and a fervent zeal of his glory, when our blind understandings are enlightened with the knowledge of God, and of the true religion, when we bring forth the fruits of our profession in a godly and Christian life, then may we certainly know that we are endued with a true and lively faith.

[§. Sect. 7] But here the tempter will take occasion to persuade the weak Christian and the troubled conscience, that he hath no faith, seeing he doth not certainly know that he hath it, nor discerneth these signs and fruits of faith in himself. To this suggestion we are to answer, that we do not say that the weak Christian may be assured at all times, that he hath faith by his present sense; for first when we are newly converted, and the seeds of faith are sown in our hearts, we do not presently discern it; but as the corn which is cast into the ground, is for a time covered and after springeth up the blade, and then the ear; so faith being sown in our hearts, which first like fallow grounds are plowed up, and as it were harrowed and broken with the threatenings of the law, and apprehension of God's anger due unto our sins, doth in the time of our humiliation and contrition, lie covered so as we cannot discern it, till being more and more watered with the water of the spirit, and the heavenly promises of the Gospel, which in the preaching of the word, like sweet dew and pleasant showers distill upon it, it sendeth forth the blade, namely an holy desire and earnest endeavor to serve God, and afterwards the fruit, even a plentiful harvest in godliness and righteousness of life.

And secondly, sometime after that faith is begun in us, and we have seen the fruits thereof to our comfort, it is after hid from us again, as when either we wound our conscience by committing some grievous sin against knowledge wittingly and willingly, or when it pleaseth the Lord to exercise us in the spiritual conflict of temptations; for then sometimes it cometh to pass that our faith for a time lieth hid under the ashes of our corruptions; and the cloud of our sins, and the apprehension of God's anger, doth so overshadow the eyes of our understanding that we cannot discern the beams of God's love and favor shining upon us; although when the conflict is ended, our faith again flameth out in the love of God, and zeal of his glory, and the loving countenance of the Lord shineth graciously upon us when these clouds of temptations are overpast. And therefore though we do not certainly know our faith by the fruits thereof, either soon after our conversion, or in the time of temptation, yet this must not discourage us, because these are no fit times to judge thereof: only when we want this knowledge and full assurance, let us use all good means ordained of God that we may attain thereunto if we never had it; or recover and again renew it, if after we have once had it, we lose the sense and feeling thereof, either by falling into heinous sins, or by the violence of Satan's temptations.

CHAP. VII. That we may be assured of our election, proved by diverse arguments.

[§. Sect. 1] A Nd thus have I shown by plain testimonies of scriptures, that we may infallibly be assured of our election; now I will also prove the same by strong arguments, drawn from the same fountain. First therefore we may thus reason; Whatsoever is manifestly shown unto us in the Gospel, that we are bound to believe, and of that we may be assured: but it is manifestly declared in the Gospel, that we are elected unto everlasting life: and therefore we are bound to believe it, and may be assured that we are elected. The proposition or first part of this reason containeth two branches: the first is, that we are bound to believe whatsoever the Gospel revealeth; the second, that we may be assured of it; both which are evident truths. For that which Christ commandeth, that we are bound to perform: but he commandeth us to believe the Gospel, Mar. 1.15. Repent and believe the Gospel. So this is his commandment that we believe &c. 1. John. 3.23. The breach of which commandment is punished with everlasting death. For he that will not believe shall be damned, as it is Mar. 16.16. And as we are bound to believe it, so we may also come to be assured thereof; seeing the Gospel commandeth us nothing, which it doth not also by the inward and ordinary cooperation of God's spirit enable us to perform. For this difference is between the commandments of the Law and the commandments of the Gospel: the Law showeth us the duties which we should perform, but ministers unto us no power whereby we may be enabled to perform them; but the Gospel being assisted with the operation of God's spirit, doth command and withal giveth us ability to perform the commandment, for the words of the Gospel are spirit and life, as our Savior speaketh, 6.63. and with the preaching thereof the spirit inwardly worketh, quickening and strengthening us to perform that which it enjoineth. The assumption or second part of the reason is also clear, namely, that the Gospel manifesteth unto us our election; for what else is the whole Gospel but a declaration of God's love, and of our election and redemption in and by Jesus Christ? what is it else but the ambassage whereby God reconcileth us unto himself? what else is contained therein, but God's merciful promises of life and salvation, made on no other condition but on the condition of faith, which we need not fear to perform, seeing it is commanded us of God? and therefore though we had no other reason to believe, yet we should believe in obedience to God's commandment, seeing, he commandeth nothing which is not good in it self, tending to his own glory and our salvation; and if we do believe, though our unworthiness be never so great, yea though our faith be never so weak and small, yet may we thereby be assured of our election and salvation; for this is God's will, that whosoever believeth in his son shall have everlasting life, as it is John. 6.40. So John. 3.36. He that believeth in the son hath everlasting life. But most notable is that place 1. John. 5.10. He that believeth in the son of God, hath the witness in himself: that is, they need no other reasons to persuade them, that the testimony which God hath given of his son (namely, that whosoever believe in him shall have everlasting life) is true; for they have full and sufficient assurance hereof by their faith. Whosoever therefore can be assured that they believe in Jesus Christ (as all may who bring forth the fruits of faith in sanctification and holiness of life, or at least desire and endeavor to serve the Lord in the duties of piety and righteousness) they may be assured, nay they are bound by God's express commandment, undoubtedly to believe they are elected and shall be saved, because all the promises of the Gospel are made unto them without any other condition.

[§. Sect. 2] Secondly, whosoever are bound to believe that Jesus Christ is their Savior and Redeemer, they are also undoubtedly to believe and may also be assured of their election; but every Christian is bound by God's express commandment to believe that Jesus Christ is their Savior and Redeemer, as appeareth 1. John. 3.23. and therefore they are undoubtedly to believe and may be assured of their election. The proposition is manifest, seeing all those and those only are saved and redeemed by Christ, who are elected to salvation in God's eternal decree. The assumption is most certain, for whereas God commands us to believe in Jesus Christ, he doth not only enjoin us to believe that he is a Savior of his Church in general, or of the Patriarchs, Prophets, and Apostles alone, for this also the devils believe as well as we; but we are to believe that he is our Savior and Redeemer, and to apply all the promises of life and salvation made in him, particularly unto our selves; for otherwise how should we have that assurance of faith and that bold confidence when we approach unto the throne of grace, which the Apostle requireth of us, Heb. 4.16. and 10.22. if we cannot be assured that he is our Savior and Redeemer, in whom God loveth and hath elected us?

[§. Sect. 3] Neither must this faith and assurance of our election and salvation be mixed with doubting, as the Papists would bear us in hand, who make doubting not an infirmity, but a commendable virtue of their faith: for faith & doubting though they are often mixed in God's children, yet in respect of their own natures they are opposed in the scriptures one against the other. So it is said of Abraham, that he doubted not of God's promise through unbelief, but was strengthened in the faith, Rom. 4.20. where the Apostle showeth, that doubting is a fruit of unbelief and not a commendable virtue; nay, he opposeth it to faith, saying, that he doubted not of the promise, but was strengthened in the faith. So the Apostle James chap. 1.5. saith, If any man lack wisdom, let him ask in faith and waver not; where he opposeth faith to wavering or doubting. And our Savior Christ also maketh this opposition, Matth, 21.21. saying, If ye have faith and doubt not. So that though faith and doubting are not opposed in respect of the subject wherein they are, for even the most dear children of God have their faith often mixed with doubting, they being partly flesh and partly spirit; yet these two in their own natures are opposed one against the other; and even in respect of their subject they thus far disagree, that though they have their subsistence in the same subject, yet not in the same part; that is, though they be in the same man, yet not in the same part, for faith is in the regenerate and spiritual part, doubting in the unregenerate or fleshly part.

Doubting then is no virtue of faith, but opposed thereunto as a fruit of unbelief; it proceedeth not from the spirit but from the flesh, and as a fruit of the flesh it is condemned in God's word, though the Papists highly commend it. So Matth. 14.31. our Savior reprehendeth Peter for his doubting; O thou of little faith, wherefore diddest thou doubt? And Luk. 12.29. he telleth us that we must not stand in doubt, or (as the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifieth) be not like unto meteors which are carried about in the air with every wind. And the Apostle James chap. 1.7. compareth him that wauereth or doubteth, to a wave of the sea tost of the wind and carried away. And Paul is so far from commending doubting for a virtue, that he doth not only condemn it as a sin in it self, but also as a cause which maketh our actions which are indifferent or good in themselves to become sins. So the eating of this or that meat is a thing indifferent and lawful if it be recciued with prayer and thanksgiving, but yet the Apostle telleth us Rom. 14.23. that he who doubteth is condemned if he eat; and he rendereth this reason, because he eateth not of faith, and whatsoever is not of faith is sin. So that by this he showeth, that he who doubteth, eateth not of faith; and that whatsoever is not done of faith is sin. Seeing therefore doubting is opposed unto faith, and is in it self not only a sin, but also a cause of sin; let us not entertain it though it bring letters commendatorie from the Pope and all his shavelings; but labor to banish it out of our harts, and strive after faith and full assurance of our election and salvation in Christ Jesus; and though we find our great unworthiness of the least of God's mercies, and cannot see any reason in our selves why we should believe that we are elected and shall be saved, yet let us hope against hope, and believe against belief, for it is not a thing left to our choice but enjoined us by God, as the chief and main duty required in the Gospel: and therefore laying aside all reasoning and disputing, let us resolve to believe in obedience to God's commandment; and then though we are never so full of corruptions, yet will this faith purify us; though we are most backward in performing any good work, yet will it be fruitful in us, and will work by love; though we be most unworthy, it will make us more worthy, by applying unto us the righteousness of Christ and the merits of his death and bloodshed, which will not only free us from the guilt and punishment of sin, but will also purge us from the vices and corruptions themselves.

[§. Sect. 4] Thirdly, the certainty of our election may be proved, by an argument drawn from the nature of faith: which is not a doubtful opinion, but a certain persuasion; not a general notion, but a particular assurance, whereby we do apply and appropriate unto our selves those things which we do believe. Whosoever therefore hath true faith, he doth certainly believe and is particularly assured of his election, justification and salvation. That faith is a certain persuasion, it may appear first by those properties and names which are given unto it in the word. Heb. 11.1. faith is said to be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , that is, a subsistence or present being of things hoped for; so that hope waiteth for them in time to come, but faith enjoyeth them as being present, namely in respect of the certain assurance and particular application of the promises unto ourselves: and therefore the Apostle saith, that hereby we may know (not that we shall have, but) that we have eternal life, 1. John. 5.13. not in possession but in assurance of faith. It is called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in the same place, which word is quite contrary to doubting, as signifying a manifest demonstration which doth not only show a thing probably, but also doth convince with strong arguments, and make that truth clear and manifest, which was otherwise obscure and secret, and therefore in the text it is called a demonstration of things not seen. So there is ascribed unto it fullness of persuasion, Heb. 10.22. Let us draw near with a true heart, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , in full assurance of faith: and also boldness with confident trust, Eph. 3.12. by whom we have boldness and entrance with confidence (not by extraordinary revelations, but) by faith in Christ: which full assurance, boldness and confidence we could not have, if we were not assured of God's love and our election, but remained doubtful whether we were beloved of God and elected or no.