Cases of Conscience Part 1, Question 2
II. Question.
THe next generall Question touching man as he is a Christian is, How a man may be in conscience assured, of his owne saluation?
For answer to this Question, diuers places of scripture are to be skanned; wherein this case of conscience, is fully answered and resolued.
The first place is Rom. 8. 16. And the spirit of God testifieth together with our spirits, that we are the sonnes of God. In these words are two testimonies of our adoption set downe; the Spirit of God dwelling in vsus, & testifying vntounto vsus, that we are Gods children: and our Spirit, that is, our conscience, sanctified and renewed by the holy Ghost.
Here put the case, that the testimonie of the spirit be wanting: then I answer, that the other testimonie, the sanctification of the heart, will suffice to assure vsus. VVe know it sufficiētly to be true, and not painted fire, if there be heare, though there be no flame.
Put the case againe, that the testimonie of the spirit be wanting, and our sanctification be vncertaine vntounto vsus, how then may we be assured? The answer is, that we must then hauehave recourse to the first beginnings, and motions of sanctification, which are these. First, to feele our inward corruptions. Secondly, to be displeased with our selues for them. Thirdly, to begin to hate sinne. Fourthly, to grieue so oft as we fall and offend God. Fiftly, to auoid the occasions of sinne. Sixtly, to endeauour to doe our dutie, and to vse good meanes. Seuenthly, to desire to sinne no more. And lastly, to pray to God for his grace. Where these and the like motions are, there is the spirit of God, whence they proceede: and sanctification is begunne. One apple is sufficient to manifest the life of the tree, and one good and constant motion of grace, is sufficient to manifest sanctification. Againe, it may be demaunded, what must be done, if both be wanting? Answ. Men must not dispaire, but vse good meanes, and in time they shall be assured.
The Second place is, the 15. Psalme. In the first verse whereof, this question is propounded, namely, VVho of all the mēbers of the Church, shall hauehave his habitation in heauen? The answer is made in the verses following: and in the second verse, he sets downe three generall notes of the said person. One is, to walke vprightly in sinceritie, approouing his heart and life to God: the secōd is, to deale iustly in all his doings: the third is for speech, to speake the truth from the heart; without guile or flatterie. And because we are easily deceiued in generall signes, in the 3, 4, and 5. verses, there are set downe seauen more euident and sensible notes of sinceritie, iustice and trueth. One is in speech, not to take vp or carrie abroad, false reports and slanders. The second is, in our dealings not to doe wrong to our neighbour, more then to our selues. The third is in our companie, to contemne wicked persons worthy to be contemned. The fourth is in our estimation we hauehave of others, & that is, to honour thē that feare God. The fift is in our wordes, to sweare and not to change: that is, to make conscience of our word and promise, especially if it be confirmed by oath. The sixt is in taking of gaine, not to giuegive money to vsurie, that is, not to take increase for bare lending, and to lend freely to the poore. The last is, to giuegive testimonie without briberie or partialitie. In the fift verse, is added a reason of the answer: he that in his indeauour doeth all these things, shall neuer be mooued, that is, cut off frō the Church as an hypocrite.
The Third place of scripture, is the first Epistle of Iohn: the principall scope whereof, is to giuegive a full resolution to the conscience of man, touching the certainty of his saluation. And the principall grounds of assurance, which are there laid down, may be reduced to three heads.
The first is this. He that hath communion or … 5▪ 11.fellowship with God in Christ, may be vndoubtedly assured of his saluation. This conclusion is propounded, Chap. 1. v. 3. 4. Where the Apostle tels the Church, that the end of the preaching of the Gospel vntounto them was, that they might hauehave fellowship, not onelyonly mutually among themselues, but also with God the father, and with his Son Iesus Christ. And further, that hauing both knowledge, and assurance of this heauenly communion, to be begun in this life, and perfected in the life to come, their ioy might be full. that is, they might thence reape, matter of true ioy and sound comfort, vntounto their soules and consciences. Now whereas it might be haply demaunded by some beleeuers, how they should come to this assurance? S. Iohn answers in this Epistle, that the certainty thereof may be gathered by foure infallible notes. The first is Remissiō of sins. For though God be in himselfe, most holy and pure, and no mortall man, being vncleane & polluted by sinne, can hauehave fellowship with him: yet God hath shewed his mercy, to those that beleue in him, and hath accepted of the blood of Iesus Christ his sonne, whereby they are clensed from all their corruptiōs, v. 7. If here it be asked, how this pardon and forgiuenes may be known? It is answered, by two signes. one is Hūble & heartie Confession of our sins vntounto god; for so saith the Apostle, If we confesse our sins, he is faithfull and iust to forgiue vsus our sins, and to clense vsus from all iniquitie, v. 9. The other is the pacified Conscience; for being iustified by faith we hauehave peace Rom. 5. ….with God: and, If our heart condemne vsus not: that is, if our conscience in respect of sinne doth not accuse vsus, then hauehave we boldnesse towards God, Chap. 3. v. 21. The secōd note of fellowship with God, is the sanctifying Spirit, whereby we are renewed in holines and righteousnes: Hereby we know that he abideth in vsus, euen by the Spirit which he hath giuen vsus, Chap. 3. v. 24. The third is, holines & vprightnes of heart & life. To this end the Apostle saith, If we say that we hauehave fellowship with him, and walke in darknes, we lie & doe not truely: but if we walke in the light, as he is in the light, we hauehave fellowship one with another, &c. Chap. 1. 6. 7. The fourth is, perseuerāce in the knowledge and obedience of the Gospel. So the same Apostle exhorteth the Church: Let therfore abide in you that same doctrine cōcerning Christ, which ye hauehave heard from the beginning. If that which ye hauehave heard from the beginning, remaine in you, that is, if ye beleeue and obey it; you also shall continue in the same, and in the father. Chap. 2. 24.
The second Ground. He that is the adopted sonne of God, shall vndoubtedly be saued. This point the Apostle plainely declareth, when he saith: Beloued now are we the sonnes of God. Chap. 3. v. 2.—And we knowe, that is, we are vndoubtedly assured by faith, that when Christ shal appeare in glory, we shal be like vntounto him, for we shall see him as he is. That the latter part of these words, is thus to be expounded, I gather out of Chap. 2. 28. as also by comparing this text with that of S. Paul, where he saith, When Christ which is Col 3 26.our life shall appeare, then shall we also appeare with him in glory. And againe, If we be sonnes, we are also heires, euen the heires of God, and Rom. 8. 19.heires annexed with Christ, if so be that we suffer with him, that we may also be glorified with him. Nowe put the case, that the conscience of the beleeuer, will not rest in this, but desires to be further resolued, touching the certainetie of his adoption? Then I answer, that he must hauehave recourse vntounto the signes, whereby a sonne of God may be discerned from a child of the deuill: and these are principally three. First is, truely to beleeue in the name of the sonne of God: for those that hauehave God for their father, are made the sonnes of God, by faith in Iesus Christ. AndGal. 3. 2…. this faith shewes it selfe by obedience. For hereby we are sure that we knowe Christ, that is, that we beleeue in him, and apply him with all his benefits vntounto our soules, If we keepe his commandements. Nay further, He that saies, I knowe him, and keepes not his commandements, is a liar, and the trueth is not in him, chap. 2, 3, 4. The second signe is, a heartie desire, and earnest indeauour to be clensed of his corruptions. EueryEvery sonne of God that hath this hope, purifieth himselfe, euen as Christ is pure, chap. 3. vers. 3. The third is, the louelove of a Christian, because he is a Christian: for hereby saies the Apostle, are the children of God known from the children of the deuill: because the sonnes of Satan doe hate their brethren, (as Cain did his brother Abel) euen for the good workes which they doe. On the other side, Gods adopted sonnes, may hereby know themselues to be translated from death to life, because they louelove the brethren, Chap. 3. 10, 11, 12, &c.
The third Ground. They that are assured, of the louelove of God to them in particular, may also be certainely assured of their owne saluation. This doctrine followes necessarily vponupon the Apostles words, chap. 4. v. 9. For those whome God hath loued from all eternitie, to them he hath manifested his louelove, by sending his onelyonly begotten sonne into the world, that they might liue through him eternally. But howe may a man be assured of Gods speciall louelove and fauour? The same Apostle answers, by two notes; The first is the louelove of our brethren: and that according to Gods commandement, wherein it is commanded, that he that loues God, should louelove his brother also 4. 21. Andif any man say, I louelove God, and hate his brother, be is a liar. For howe can he that loueth not his brother, whome he hath seene, louelove God whome he hath not seene? 4. 20. Nowe that a man deceiue not himselfe in the louelove of his brother; Saint Iohn giues three rules: One, that Christian brotherly louelove, should not be, for outward respects or considerations, but principally, because they are the sonnes of God, and members of Christ: EueryEvery one that loueth him which did beget: that is god the father, loueth him also which is begotten of him. 5. 1. Another is, that it must not be outward, in shew onelyonly, but inward in the heart. Let vsus not louelove in word or in tongue onelyonly, but in deede and in trueth. 3. 18. Lastly, that it be not onelyonly in time of prosperitie, but vvhen hee stands in most neede of our louelove. For whosoeuer hath this worlds good, and seeth his brother hauehave neede, and shutteth vp the bovvels of compassion from him, howe dvvelieth the louelove of god in him? 3. 17. The second note of Gods louelove vntounto vsus is, our louelove of god. For those whome God loueth in Christ, to them hee giues his grace, to louelove him againe: And this louing of him againe, is an euident token of that louelove, wherewith he loueth them. So saith the Apostle, We louelove him, because hee loued vsus first, 4. 19. If it be demaunded, howe a man may be assured that he loueth God? the answer is, hee may knowe it by two things; first by his conformitie to him in holinesse. The child that loues his father, will be willing to tread in the steppes of his father: and so in like manner, he that loueth God, will indeauour euen as hee is, so to be in this world. 4. 17. But howe is that? not in equalitie and perfection, but in similitude and conformitie, striuing to be holy, as he is holy, and indeauouring to doe his will in all things. Secondly, by the vveaning of his affection from the things of this world, yea from all pleasures and delights of this present life, so farre forth, as they are seuered from the feare, and louelove of God, LoueLove not this vvorld, nor the things that are in the world: if any man louelove this world, the louelove of the father is not in him. 2. 15.
The Fourth place, is in the second of Timothie, 2. 19. The foundation of God remaineth sure, and hath this seale, The Lord knoweth who are his, and let eueryevery one that calleth vponupon the name of the Lord, depart from iniquitie. In these wordes, Paul goeth about to cut off an ofsence, which the Church might take, by reason of the fall of Hymenaeus and Philetus, who seemed to be pillars, and principall men in the Church. And to confirme them against this offence, he saith; The foundation of God, that is, the decree of Gods election, stands firme and sure: so as those which are elected of God, shall neuer fall away, as these two hauehave done. And this he declares by a double similitude; First of all he saith, the election of God, is like the foundation of an house, which standeth fast, though all the building be shaken. Secondly he saith, that election hath the seale of God, and therefore may not be chāged; because things which are sealed, are thereby made sure and authenticall. Nowe this seale hath two parts: the first concerns God, in that eueryevery mans saluation is written in▪ the booke of life, and God knoweth who are his. And because it might be said, God indeede knowes who shall be saued, but what is that to vsus? we knowe not so much of our selues. Therfore Saint Paul to answer this, sets downe a second part of this seale, which concerns man, and is imprinted in his heart and conscience; which also hath two branches▪ the gift of invocation, and a watchfull care, to make conscience of all & eueryevery sinne, in these words, And let eueryevery one that calleth vponupon the name of the Lord, depart from iniquitie. VVhereby he signifieth, that those that can call vponupon God, & giuegive him thanks for his benefits, and withall, in their liues make conscience of sinne, hauehave the seale of Gods election imprinted in their hearts, and may assure themselues they are the Lords.
A Fift place of scripture, touching this question is, 2. Pet. 1. 10. GiueGive all diligence to make your election sure, for if you doe these things, you shall neuer fall. Which words containe two parts: first, an Exhortation, to make our election sure, not with God, for with him all things are knowne, but to ourselues, in our owne hearts and consciences. Secondly, the Meanes whereby to come to this assurance, that is, by doing the things before named, in the 5, 6, and 7. verses; & that is nothing else, but to practise the vertues of the morall law, there set downe, which I will briefly shewe what they are, as they lie in the text.
To faith, adde vertue] by faith he meaneth true religion, and that gift of God, whereby we put our trust and confidence in Christ. By vertue, he meaneth no speciall vertue, but (as I take it) an honest and vpright life before men, shining in the vertues and workes of the morall law. By knowledge, he meanes a gift of God, whereby a man may iudge, how to carrie himselfe warily, and vprightly before men. By temperance, is vnderstood a gift of God, whereby we keepe a moderation of our naturall appetite, especially about meate, drinke, and attire. By Patience, is meant a vertue, whereby we moderate our sorrowe, in induring affliction. Godlines▪ is another vertue, whereby we worship God, in the duties of the first table. Brotherly kindnesse, is also that vertue, whereby we imbrace the Church of God, & the members thereof with the bowels of louelove. And in the last place, LoueLove, is that vertue, wherby we are well affected to all men, euen to our enemies. Now hauing made a rehearsall of these vertues: in the tenth verse he saith, If ye doe these things, ye shall neuer fall, that is to say, If ye exercise your selues in these things, you may hereby be well assured and perswaded, of your election and saluation.