A Golden Chain, Declaration – To the reader 5
A DECLARATION OF CERTAINE SPIRItuall Desertions, seruing to terrifie all drowsie Protestants, and to comfort them which mourne for their sinnes.
AMong all the works of Gods eternal counsel, there is none more wonderfull then is Desertion: which is nothing els but an action of God forsaking his creature.
Furthermore, God forsakes his creature, not by withdrawing his essence or beeing from it: for that cannot be, considering God is infinite; and therefore must needes at all times be eueryevery where: but by taking away the grace and operation of his Spirit from his creature.
Neither must any thinke it to be crueltie in God to forsake his creature which he hath made: for he is soueraigne Lord ouer all his works: and for that cause he is not bound to any; and he may doe with his owne whatsoeuer he will. And this his will is not to be blamed: for men are not to imagine, that a thing must first be iust, and then afterward that God doth will it: but contrariwise, first God wills a thing, and thereupon it becomes iust.
Againe, sinne is so wretched a thing in the eyes of God, that he vtterly forsakes his creature for a punishment thereof. Now eueryevery thing, so farre forth as it is a chastisment or punishment, is good; considering that the inflicting therof is the execution of iustice.
And God neuer forsakes the creature against the will thereof: but in the very time of Desertion, it voluntarily forsaketh and refuseth grace, and chooseth to be forsaken: wherefore if any hurt or miserie insue thereof, let the creature blame it selfe and praise the Lord.
Desertions thus described are of two sorts, eternall and temporarie.
Eternal desertions are those, wherby God vponupon iust causes known to himselfe forsakes his creature wholly and for euer. Thus the deuill with his angels, and that part of mankinde which is prepared to destruction, is forsaken. For first, God before all worlds, did decree according to the purpose of his owne will to refuse them without the graunt of any merciemercy. Secondly, after they are created and liue in the world, he giueth them no Sauiour. For Christ is onelyonly the redeemer of the Elect, and of no more: which may thus appeare. For whō Christ makes no Intercession, for thē he hath wrought no Redemption. But for them onelyonly which are elected & shall beleeue in him, he makes intercession. I pray (saith he) not for the world, but for them which thou hast giuen me. And againe,Ioh. 17.9,20… I pray not for these alone, but for them also which shal beleeue in me through their word. Wherefore Christ is a redeemer to none but to the Elect. Thirdly, he reserueth them to eternall damnation for their sinnes; which is a totall separation from God, and the accomplishment of all other Dese…tions.
For the effecting of this, God exerciseth wicked men and reprobates in this life with diuers particular desertions, and that after this maner. He bestoweth all sorts of benefits on them as on his owne seruants: but yet so, as that he withdraweth that part of his benefit, which hath the promise of life eternal annexed to it in the word. And in this matter he dealeth as a mā that sets many trees in his orchard, but so as he takes away the heart or the pith thereof. And this the Lord doth either in temporall or spirituall benefits.
I. For temporall benefits, as wealth, honour, libertie, outward peace, the Lord dealeth very bountifully with them:Math. 5.45. He makes his sunne to shine vponupon the iust and vniust: he fills their bellies with his hid treasures: and as Dauid saith, I fretted at the foolish, when I saw the prosperitie of the wicked: for there is no bondes in their death, but they are lustie and strong, they are not in trouble as other mē, neither are they plagued as other men. Ps. 73.4,5.But yet he holdes backe that which is the principall thing, and the very glorie of these benefits, that is,Dat legitin…um. 1. lege permissum, sed … sanctum vsum. Tit. 2. 15. the right vse of them. For that a man may purely vse Gods creatures, two things are required. First, his person must stand iust and sanctifieed before God by faith in Christ. For vntill a mans person please God, his worke shall neuer please him. Secondly, he must vse the same creatures purely: which is done partly by inuocation of Gods name, and partly by referring them to their set and appointed ende…; which are Gods glorie, a mans owne and his neighbours good. But all this is flat contrarie in the vngodly man. For first, he is forth of Christ, so that his person standes vniust before God. And therefore all his actions (euen those which otherwise are lawfull and good) in him are meere sinnes. Secondly, he vseth Gods gifts and blessings with an euill conscience. For by reason of his want of grace to beleeue, he cannot resolue himselfe, that God as his father doth bestow his blessings on him as his beloued child in Christ; yet as a theefe and an vsurper, against his conscience he vseth them. Adde further, the creatures are vsed of him without inuocation: for such an one can not pray; and therefore he doth but as the swine in the …orrest, which feedeth on the mast, but neuer looketh vp to the tree whence it falleth. Thirdly, he vseth Gods gifts to eui…l endes: because either he makes an idol of them by setting his heart on them, or els he imploieth them to riot, pride, and the oppression of godly men. A master of musick hath his house furnished with musicall instruments of all sorts: and he teacheth his owne schollers artificially to vse them, both in right tuning of them, as also in playing on them: there comes in straungers, who admiring the faide instruments, hauehave leaue giuen them of the master to handle them, as the schollers doe: but when they come to practise, they neither tune them aright, neither are they able to strike one stroke as they ought… so as they may please the master and hauehave his commendation. This world is as a large & sumptuous pallace, into which are receiued, not onelyonly the sonnes and daughters of God, but also wicked and vngodly men: it is furnished with goodly creatures in vse more excellent then all musicall instruments: the vse of them is common to all: but the godly man taught by Gods spirit, and directed by faith, so vseth them, as that the vse thereof is acceptable to God: as for the impure and vnbeleeuing, indeede they enioy the creatures and gifts of God, but the pure vse is wanting: for they cannot but abuse them: and therefore the wicked and the reprobate, though they should commit no other sinnes in the world, yet for the vse of their wealth and honour, for their very eating and drinking (which in themselues are most lawful) shal be damned.
II. Concerning spirituall blessings, first God ceaseth to graunt so much as an outward calling to many men. For how many nations since the beginning of the world, much more particular men, hauehave their bin, are, & shall be, which neuer heard the preaching of the Gospell; nay not so much as the name of Christ, God is knowne in Iurie, (saith Dauid) and he hath not done so to any nation. And often in Moses and the Prophets it is mentioned that the couenant was in former times made peculiar to the Iewes. And Paul in the Acts saith,Act. 14. 16. that God suffered the Gentiles in former times to walke in their owne waies: and of the Ephesians, before their calling he saith,Eph. 2.2. that they were strangers from the promises, and without God in the world.
III. He graunts the outward meanes of saluation, namely the Word, Praier, Sacraments, Discipline abundantly: but yet he quite withdraweth the operation of his spirit, whereby a conuersion might be wrought. For they neuer hauehave that pearcing of the eare which Dauid mentioneth,Psal. 40. 6. Act. 16. 14. Ioh. 6. 45. nor the opening of the heart with Lydia, nor that teaching of God, when they are drawne of the father to Christ. And in so doing indeed, onelyonly he offreth grace, but doth not exhibite and conferre it: not that he mocketh any, but that in so doing he may eueryevery way conuince and bereaue them of excuse. As the Lord speaketh to Esay,Esa. 6. 9,10. Goe and say to this people, ye shall heare indeede, but ye shall not vnderstand: ye shall plainly see, but not perceiue: make the heart of this people fat, make their eares heauie, and shut their eyes, least they see with their eyes, and heare with their eares, and vnderstand with their hearts, and conuert, and he heale them. If our Gospell be hid (saith Paul) it is hid in them that perish. Men that hauehave long liued vnderunder the preaching of the Gospel,2. Cor. 4. 5. and yet still remaine ignorant and impenitent, let them beware and take heede of this desertion; and they are with trembling to lay to their hearts, that which the holy Ghost speaketh of Hophni and Phinehas,1. Sam. 2.25 They obeyed not the voice of their father, because the Lord would destroy them.
IIII. To goe further, he bestoweth on them many worthie properties of faith. As first, a knowledge of the diuine truth in the Law and the Gospel. Secondly, an assent to the said truth. Thirdly, a ioyfull reioycing and boasting in speaking and hearing of it. Fourthly, an outward profession of it for a time. But he doth not bestow that qualitie and vertue of faith, which is, as it were, the very soule of it: without which faith is dead and saueth none, namely, the inward assurance and certificate of his louelove and fauour in Christ, with a sense and feeling of the same in heart. Neither are the former duties of faith perpetuall and sound in them, for the reprobate is not induced to them by any assurance of Gods merciemercy, but by other sinister occasions, as are: First, desire of knowledge in diuine mysteries. Secondly, a delight in it. Thirdly, praise and commendation among men. Fourthly, the maintaining of wealth and honor. Fiftly, the getting of wealth or honour. Sixtly, a desire to be at vnitie and concord with the Nation or people where the Gospell is preached. Therefore when these ends and occasions of their beleeuing cease, then also their faith & profession cease. In this kind of desertion, it is to be feared, that most men are. All in our Church will professe faith in Christ: yet seeing the sound conuersion to God, and the sinceritie of life and doctrine is very rare, we may presume that, that maine propertie of faith which is the receiuing and apprehension of Christ, is wanting in most: therefore let eueryevery man looke to himselfe and betime labour to turne his temporarie faith (if he finde it in himselfe) into a true sauing faith, wherfore he must striue first to feele his extreame need of Christ and his merits. Secondly, to hunger and thirst after him, as after meate and drinke. Thirdly, to be nothing in himselfe, that he may be all in all out of himselfe in Christ. Fourthly, to be able to say that he liueth not, but Christ liueth in him by faith. Fifthly, to loathe his owne sinnes with a most vehement hatred, and to prize and value Christ and the least drop of his blood aboue a thousand worlds.
V. Againe in repentance he bestoweth, first, a sight of sinne: secondly, a kinde of sorrow for it: thirdly, a confession of it: fourthly, a resolution for a time to sinne no more. But that part of repentance which hath the promise of merciemercy annexed, that is, a conuersion of the whole man to God he neuer giueth it.
Dat spiritū reprimentē, non renovā tem.VI. Lastly, God giueth to the reprobate his spirit, but so farre forth as it shall not any whit regenerate or renew his nature: but onelyonly in the outward action represse the act of sinne: so as thereby without any inward change he shall be as ciuily iust & vpright in outward conuersation, as any in the world.
Thus much of those desertions which befall the deuill and his angels and all reprobates: now follow those wherewith God exerciseth euen his owne elect children: for the blessings that God bestoweth on them are of two sorts, either positiue or priuatiue: positiue, are reall graces wrought in the heart, by the spirit of God:Privativa gratiae sunt plures quam positiva. priuatiue are such meanes whereby God preserues men from falling into sinne: as crosses, desertions. And these in number exceed the first, as long as men liue in this world.
Before it can be declared, what these desertions are, this conclusion is to be, laid down: He which is once in the estate of grace shall be in the same for euer. This appeareth in the 8. of the Rom. 30. where Paul sets downe the golden chaine of the causes of saluation that can neuer be broken; so that he which is predestinate shall be called, iustified, glorified. And a little after he saith, Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect? and, Who shal seuer vsus from the louelove of Christ? and, I am perswaded that no creature shall be able to seuer vsus frō the louelove of Christ: which he would not hauehave saide, if men beeing in the estate of grace, might fall quite frō grace. And how should they which are iustified hauehave peace with God, if they were not sure to perseuer righteous before God to the end? And how shall it be said, that hope maketh not ashamed, because the louelove of God (wherewith Gods loues his elect) is shed abroad in their hearts, by the holy Ghost which is giuen them, if any may vtterly fall from that louelove? How should the testimonie of the spirit, which testifieth to the elect, that they are the children of God, be true and certen, if it may be quite extinguished? Lastly, how shall that of Iohn be true, They went out of vsus, becanse they were not of vsus: if they had beene of vsus, they should hauehave remained with vsus, if a man may wholly fall from Christ which hath once bin made a true mēber of him? Our Sauiour Christ saith,Ioh. 10.27. and 6.37. My sheep heare my voyce: and I know them, and they follow me: and I giuegive life eternall to them, and no man shall take them out of my hand, or out of my fathers hand, and whatsoeuer my father giueth me shall come vntounto me, and whosoeuer commeth to me, I will not cast out. And if any of the elect beeing effectually called might wholly fall from grace, then there must be a second insition or ingrafting into the mysticall bodie of Christ, and therefore a second Baptisme: nay for eueryevery fall a new infition, and a new Baptisme; which must in no wise be graunted: wherefore they which are predestinate to be in the state of grace, are also predestinate to perseuer in the same to the ende.
Hereupon it followeth that the desertions of Gods elect, are first of all partiall, that is, such as wherein God doth not wholly forsake them but in some part. Secondly,Esa. 54. 10. temporarie, that is for some space of time, and neuer beyond the compasse of this present life. For a moment (saith the Lord in Esay) in mine anger I hid my face from thee for a little season, but with euerlasting merciemercy hauehave I had compassion on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer. And to this purpose Dauid well acquainted with this matter,Psal. 119. 8. praieth, forsake me not ouer long.
This sort of desertions, though it be but for a time, yet no part of a Christian mans life is free from them; and very often taking deepe place in the heart of man, they are of long continuance. Dauid continued in this dangerous fall about the space of an whole yeare before he was recouered. Luther confesseth of himselfe, that after his conuersion, he lay three yeares in desperation. And common experience in such like cases can make record of longer time.
The manner, God vseth in forsaking his owne seruants, is of two sorts; the first is by taking away one grace & putting another in the roome: the second, by hiding his grace as it were in a corner of the heart.
God takes away his grace, and puts another in the roome, diuers waies.
I. First, he bereaueth his owne children of outward prosperitie, yea he will loade them with crosses; and yet he will make a good supplie by giuing patience. Dauid is driuen out of his kingdome by his owne sonne: a heauy crosse: yet the Lord ministreth an humble and patient spirit, so as he was content to speake, c2. Sam. 15. 26.If the Lord thus say, I hauehave no delight in thee: behold here I am, let him doe to me as seemeth good in his eyes. So likewise Christian Martyrs are bereaued of all outward safetie, and laid open to the violence and persecution of tyrants; yet inwardly they are stablished by the power of the might of God, when they are most weake they are most strong, and when they are most foiled, then they obtaine victorie.
II. Secondly, the Lord cuts off the daies of this life, and for recompence to his owne elect giues life eternall,dEsa. 57.1. The righteous is taken away for the euill to come. This is manifest in Iosias, of whom it is said, e2. Reg. 22. 20.Behold, I will gather thee to thy fathers, and thou shalt be put in thy graue in peace, and thine eyes shall not see all the euill which I will bring vponupon this place.
III. Thirdly, God takes away the feeling of his louelove, and the ioy of the holy Ghost for a season: and then in the roome thereof he kindles an earnest desire and thirsting with grones and cryings vntounto heauen, to be in the former fauour of God againe. This was Dauids case, when he complained and saide, fPsal. 77. 1, 2,3.My voice came to God when I cried, my voice came to God and he heard me: in the day of my trouble I sought the Lord, my sore ranne and ceased not in the night: my soule refused comfort. I did thinke vponupon God and was troubled: I praied and my spirit was full of anguish. Selah. The like was the estate of the Church making her mone vntounto God in Esay,gEsa. 63. 17 O Lord, why hast thou made vsus to erre from thy waies? and hardened our hearts from thy feare? Returne for thy seruants sake, and for the tribes of thine inheritance.
IV. Fourthly, God graunts his seruants the holy meanes of saluation, namely preaching, praier, sacraments, and holds backe the efficacie of his …pirit for a time. In this case they are like the corne field that is plowed & sowed with good corne: but yet for a time, it neuer giues rooting beneath, nor so much as a shew of any blade appeares aboue. Thus the spouse of Christ, whē shee comes into his wine-seller, shee falls into a swowne; so as shee must hCant. 2.4, 5.be staied with flaggons, and comforted with apples, because shee is sicke of louelove.
V. Fiftly, God giueth his children a strong affection, to obey his will, but he lets them faile in the act of obedience it selfe, like as the prisoner who hath escaped the hand of his gayler, hath an affection to runne a thousand miles eueryevery houre; but hauing happily his bolts on his legges, he can not for his life but goe very softly, gauling and cha…ing his flesh; and with much griefe falling againe into the handes of his keeper. This is it, that Paul complaineth of when he saith, iRom. 7.22, 23,24.I delight in the law of God, concerning the inner man: but I see another law in my members, rebelling against the law of my minde, and leading me captiue to the law of sinne, which is in my members. O wretched man that I am, who shal deliuer me from this bodie of death?
The second maner of Gods forsaking his Elect is, when he hides his graces for a time: not by taking them quite away, but by couering them and by remoouing all sense and feeling of them. And in this case they are like the trees in the winter season, that are beaten with winde and weather, bearing neither leafe nor fruit, but looke as though they were rotten and dead, because the sap doth not spread it selfe, but lies hid in the roote. Dauid often was in this case, as namely when he saith, kPs. 77.78.Will the Lord absent himself for euer? And will he shew no more fauour? is his merciemercy cleane gone for euer? doth his promise faile for euermore? Hath God forgotten to be mercifull? Hath he shut vp his tender mercies in displeasure? Selah.
Cuncta Dei opera sunt in medys contrarys.This comes to passe, because the Lord very often in and by one contrarie works another. Clay and spittle tempered togither in reason should put out a mans eies: but Christ vsed it as a meanes to giuegive sight to the blinde. Water in reason should put out fire: but Elias when he would shew that Iehoua was the true God, poures water on his sacrifice, and fils a trench therewith to make the sacrifice burne. The like appeareth in the worke of grace to saluation. A man that hath liued in securitie, by Gods goodnes hath his eyes opened to see his sinnes and his heart touched to feele the huge and loathsome burden of thē, and therefore to bewaile his wretched estate, with bitternes of heart. Hereupon he presently thinkes that God will make him a firebrand of hell: whereas indeede the Lord is now about to worke, and frame in his heart sanctification and sound repentance neuer to be repented of. The man which hath had some good perswasions of Gods fauour in Christ, comes afterward vponupon many occasions to be troubled and to be ouerwhelmed with distrustfulnes & grieuous doubtings of his saluation, so as he iudgeth himselfe to hauehave beene but an hypocrite in former times, and for the time present a cast-away. But indeed hereby the Lord exerciseth, fashioneth, and increaseth his weake faith. In one word, marke this point, That the graces of God peculiar to the elect, are begunne, increased, and made manifest in or by their contraries.
A man in this desertion cap discerne no difference betweene himselfe and a cast-away: and the rather if with this desertion be ioyned a feeling of Gods anger: for then ariseth the bitterest temptation that euer befell the poore soule of a Christian man, and that is a wrastling and strugling in spirit and conscience, not with the motions of a rebelling flesh, nor the accusations of the deuill, which are oftentimes very irksome and terrible, but against the wrath of a reuenging God. This hidden and spirituall temptation more tormenteth the spirit of man, then all the rackes or gibbets in the world can doe. And it hath his fittes after the manner of an ague, in which euen Gods own seruants ouercarried with sorrowe may blaspheme God, and crie out that they are dā ned. Iob was in this estate: as he testifieth, aIob. 22.3.4Oh that my griefe were waied (saith he) and my miseries were laid togither in the ballance: for it would be heauier then the sand of the sea: therefore my words are swallowed vp; for the arrowes of the Almightie are in me: the venome therof doth drink vp my spirit, and the terrours of god fight against me. And further he complaines that the Lord is bIob. 13.24.his enemie, that he writes bitter things against him, and that he cIob. 16.12.sets him as a But to shoote at. This was Dauids tēptation when he said,dPsal. 61.2. 3,4. O Lord rebuke me not in thy anger, neither chastise me in thy wrath, hauehave mercy vponupon me O Lord, for I am weake: O Lord heale me, for my bones are vexed, my soule is also sore troubled: but Lord howe long wilt thou delay? Returne O Lord, deliuer my soule, saue me for thy mercies sake.
Hence it follows, that when any that hath beene a professour of the gospel shall despaire at his end; that men are to leaue secret iudgements to God, and charitably to iudge the best of them. For example,eSee the books written of his death. one Master Chambers at Leicester of late, in his sicknes grieuously despaired, and cried out that he was damned, and after died: yet it is not for any to note him with the blacke marke of a reprobate. One thing which hee spake in his extremitie (O that I had but one drop of faith) must mooue all men to conceiue well of him. For by this it seemeth that he had an heart which desired to repent & beleeue; & therefore a repentant and beleeuing heart indeed. For God at all times, but especially in temptation, of his great mercy accepts the will for the deed. Neither is it to be regarded that he said he was damned; for mē in such cases speak not as they are, but as they feele themselues to be.
Yea, to goe further, when a professour of the gospell shall make away himselfe, though it be a fearfull case, yet stil the same opiniō must be carried. First, Gods iudgements are very secret. Secondly, they may repent in the very agony for any thing we know. Thirdly, none is able to comprehend the bottomlesse depth of the graces and mercies which are in Christ.
Thus much of the manner which God vseth in forsaking his elect; Nowe followe the kindes of desertion, which are two: desertion in punishment, desertion in sinne.
Desertion in punishment is, when God deferreth either to mittigate or to remooue the crosse and chastisement which hee hath laid vponupon his children. This befell Christ on the crosse,fMat. 27. 46. My God (saith he) my God, why hast thou forsaken me? This was the complaint of Gedeon, Did not the Lord bring vsus out of Egypt? But now the Lord hath forsaken vsus, and deliuered vsus into the hands of the Midianites. Iudg. 6. 13.gFox. Act. Mon. 1555 Septemb. Master Robert Glouer Martyr at Couentrie, after he was condemned by the Bishop, and was nowe at the point to bee deliuered out of the worlde, it so happened, that two or three daies before his death, his heart beeing lumpish and desolate of all spirituall consolation, felt in himselfe no aptnesse nor willingnesse, but rather a heauinesse and dulnesse of spirit, full of much discomfort to beare the bitter crosse of martyrdome ready now to be laid vponupon him: whereupon he fearing in himselfe, least the Lord had withdrawn his wonted fauour from him, made his mone to one Austine his friend, signifying vntounto him how earnestly he had praied day & night vntounto the Lord, and yet could receiue no motion nor sense of any comfort from him, vntounto whome the said Austine answered againe, willing him patiently to waite the Lords pleasure, and howesoeuer his present feeling was, yet seeing his cause was iust and true, he exhorted him constantly to sticke to the same, & to play the man, nothing doubting but the Lord in his good time would visit him, & satisfie his desire with plentie of consolation, &c. The next day when the time came of the martyrdome, as he was going to the place, and was now come to the sight of the stake, although all the night before praying for strength and courage, he could feele none, suddenly hee was so replenished with the holy Ghost, that he cried out clapping with his handes to Austine, & saying with these wordes; Austine, he is come, he is come, &c. and that with such ioy and alacritie, as one seeming rather to be risen from some deadly danger to libertie of life, then as one passing out of the world by any paines of death.
Desertion in sinne, is when God withdrawing the assistance of his spirit, a man is left to fall into some actuall and grieuous sin. And for all this no man is to thinke that God is the author of sin, but onelyonly man that falleth, & Satan. A resemblance of this trueth we may see in a staffe: which, if a man shall take & set vpright vponupon the ground, so long as he holds it with his hand, it stands vpright; but so soone as he withdrawes his hand, though he neuer push it down, it falls of it selfe. In this desertion was the good king Hezechiah, of whom the holy Ghost speaketh thus:2. Chr. 32. 31.32. Hezechiah prospered in all his waies, therefore dealing with the Ambassadours of the Princes of Babel which set to him to enquire of the wonder which was done in the land, God left him (namely, to the pride of his heart to exalt himselfe) in tempting him, that hee might trie out all that was in his heart. To this place appertaine, Noes drunkennes, Dauids adulterie, Peter deniall of Christ. The reason of such desertions may be this. If a patient shal be grieuously sicke, the phisition will vse all manner of meanes that can be deuised to reco…er him, & if he once come to a desperate case, the phisition rather then hee will not restore him, will imploy all his skill; he will take poyson, and so temper it, and against the nature thereof he will make a soueraigne remedie to recouer health. The elect children of God, are diseased with an inward, hidden, and spirituall pride; whereby they affect themselues, and desire to bee something in themselues forth of Christ: and this sinne is very dangerous: first… because when other sinnes die in a man, this secret pride gets strength: for Gods grace is the matter of pride, in such wise, that a man will be proude, because he is not proud: for example, if any shall be tempted of the deuill to some proud behauiour, and by Gods grace get the victorie; then the heart thus thinketh, Oh thou hast done well, thou hast foiled the enemie, neither pride nor any other sinne can preuaile against thee; such and such could neuer hauehave done so: and a very good man shall hardly be free from such kinde of motions in this life. Secondly, there is no greater enemie to faith then pride is: for it poisoneth the heart and maketh it vncapable of that grace, so lōg as it bereth any sway: for he that will beleeue in Christ must be annihilated, that is, he must be bruised and battered to a flat nothing, in regard of any liking or affection to himself, that he may in spirit mount vp to heauen, where Christ sits as the right hand of the father, & as it were with both the handes of faith graspe him with all his blessed merits, that he may be wisdome, righteousnes, sanctification, redemption, life, good works,1. Cor, 1.30. Ioh. 15.2. Gal. 2.20. & whatsoeuer good thing he is, neither in, nor by, nor for himself; but eueryevery way forth of himself in Christ. Now, this blessed cōditiō of a beleeuing heart, by naturall selfe-louelove and self-liking is greatly hindered. God therefore in great mercy to remedie this dangerous corruption, lets his elect seruantes fall into trouble of mind and conscience, & if they happily be of greater hardnes of heart into some actuall sinne: and so declaring his wonderfull merciemercy in sauing them, he is faine against his merciemercy to bring them to his merciemercy, & by sinne to saue them from sinne. By this meanes the Lord, who can bring light out of darknes, makes a remedie of sinne to slay pride, that inuincible monster of many heads, which would slay the soule.
Though this be so, yet none must hereupon venter to commit any sinne against Gods commandements, least in so doing they cast awaie their soules. For the godly man, though he fall into sinne, yet it is against his purpose, and it makes his heart to bleede: and the course of his life shall bee alwaies vpright and pleasing vntounto God: because he is led by the spirit of God.
The ends for which god vseth desertiōs are three, the first is the chastismēt of sins past in the former part of mans life, that he may search them out, consider thē, & be hartily sorrowfull for thē: for this end was Iobs triall.Iob. 13.26. Trou writest (saith he) bitter things against me, & makest me to possesse the sins of my youth.
The second end is, that God may make triall of the present estate of his seruants: not that he is ignorant what is in man, but because hee would hauehave all men know themselues. To this effect saith Moses.Deut. 8.2. & 13.3. And thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee in the wildernesse for to humble thee, and to prooue thee, to knowe what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldst keepe his cō mandements or no. This also was the end why the Lord left Ezechias to proue and trie what was in his heart.
This trial by desertion serueth for two purposes: for otherwhiles the Lord vseth it for the manifestation of some hidden sin, that the godly may be deeplier humbled, and craue more earnestly pardon of that and other sins. For as the begger is alwaies mending and peecing his garment, where he findes a breach: so the penitent and beleeuing heart must alwaies bee exercised in repairing it selfe where it findes a want.
Againe, ofttimes this triall serues to quicken and reuiue the hidden graces of the heart, that men may be thankefull for them, and feele an increase of thē in the heart. The good husbandmā cuts the branches of the Vine, not that he hath a purpose to destroy them,Ioh. 15.2. but to make them beare more fruit. In the Cā ticles when Christ left his spouse, then shee riseth out of her bed, shee opens the doore,Cant. 5. her hands drop mirrhe on the barre of the doore: then further she seekes & calls for him, and praiseth him more then euer before. Dauid testifieth the like of himselfe:Psal. 30.6. In my prosperitie I said I shall neuer be mooued, &c. but thou didst hide thy fa…e and I was troubled. Then cried I to thee, O Lord, & praied to my Lord. Lastly, men that liue in the Church, beeing for a time left of God, become so impenitent as that they must be giuen vp to Sathan; yet for no other cause, but that the flesh may be killed,1. Cor. 5.5. and the spirit made aliue in the daie of the Lord.
The third end is the preuēting of sin to come. This appeareth in Paul; Least (saith he) I should be exalted out of measure through the aboundance of reuelations, there was giuen vntounto me a pricke in the flesh, the messenger of Sathan to buffet me because I should not be exalted out of measure. 2. Cor. 12.17, 8.In the former times when the Lord among many others had set out Cranmer for the maintenance of his blessed trueth against his and Gods enemies, hee left him for a while to fall from his religion, and to make a dangerous recantation: but so as thereby he preuented many sinnes, and prepared him to a glorious martyrdom. As some of his own wordes may testifie which he spake a little before his end: And now (saith hee) I come to the great thing that so much troubleth my conscience more then any thing that euer I did or said in all my life, & that is the setting abroad of a writing contrarie to the trueth, which nowe here I renounce as things written with my hand cōtrary to the trueth which I thought in my heart, & that for feare of death and to saue my life, &c. and for as much as my hand offended writing contrary to my heart, my hand shall be first punished therefore: for may I come to the fire it shall be first burned. Answerablie, when he was at the fire, first he burnt his right hand which subscribed; his body suffered the flame with such constancy & stedfastnes as he neuer almost mooued: his eies lift vp to heauen often he repeated his vnworthy right hand. Thus, death which he most feared, he most desired, that he might take reuenge of himselfe for his sinne.
The vse that all good Christian heartes are to make of these their desertions, is manifold. First,Act. 9.31. Ro. 11.20. if they hauehave outward rest and walke in the feare of God, & be filled with the ioy of the holy Ghost, let them not be high minded, but feare, least a forsaking follow. Secondly, if in any temptation they iudge themselues forsaken, let them consider this wonderfull worke of spirituall desertions which God exerciseth vponupon his own children very vsually: and then it may please the Lord, they shal find it to be a restoratiue against many a quame & swoune of spirit and conscience into which otherwise they would certainly fall. Thirdly, seeing God for their triall doth often withdraw himselfe from them, let thē againe draw neere to God and presse vntounto him; euen as a man that shiuers of an agne is alwaie creeping to the fire. If it be demaunded howe a man should come neere God, the answer is, by the vse of his worde and praier. For by his word he speakes to thee, and by praier thou speakest to him. Lastly, seeing by desertions God wil take experience of his seruants,Iam. 3.10. Psa. 119.50 Act. 24. 16. Psal. 26.1,2 let eueryevery man try & searc… his waies, and euer be turning his feete to the waies of Gods commandements: let him endeauour to keepe a good conscience before God & before all men, that so hee may with Dauid say, Iudge me O Lord, for I hauehave walked in mine innocencie: my trust hath bin alwaies in the Lord: I shal not slide: prooue me, O Lord, and trie me, examine my raines and my heart.
FINIS.
A CASE OF CONSCIENCE, THE GREATEST THAT EVER WAS; HOW A MAN MAY KNOW whether he be the child of God, or no.
Resolued by the word of God.
Whereunto is added a briefe Discourse taken out of Hier. Zanchius.
2. Pet. 1.10. GiueGive all diligence to make your Election sure, for if ye doe these things ye shall neuer fall.
Printed for Thomas Man, and Iohn Porter. 1600.
To the godly Reader.
IN Gods Church commonly they who are touched by the spirit, & begin to come on in Religion, are much troubled with feare that they are not Gods children; and none so much as they. Therefore they often thinke on this point: and are not quiet till they finde some resolution.
The spirit of God, (as best knowing the estate of Gods children) hath penned two parcels of holy scripture, for the full resoluing of this case; namely the 15. Psalme and …he first Epistle of Saint Iohn.
And for the helping of the simple and vnlearned, who desire to bee informed concerning their estate, I hauehave propounded these two parts of scripture, in the forme of a Dialogue: and hauehave ioyned thereunto a little discourse concerning the same matter, penned in Latin by H. Zanchius, a learned Diuine, and now englished.
Vse this labour of mine for thy benefite and comfort: & the Lord increase the number of them which may reioyce that their names are written in heauen.
W. Perkins.