Of Nature and Grace, Book 2 · Part 7

Of Nature and Grace · Book 2 · Part 7

p. 141Of the certaintie of grace and ſaluation by faith & hope in euerie particular man.

NOwe then being iuſtified by faith,Rom. 5.1.Rom 5:1 we hauehave peace toward God, through our Lord Ieſus Chriſt. For ſo the Apoſtle inferreth to the Romaines vponupon former debating p. 142of the ſelfe ſame truth vponupon the ſelf ſame groundes of iuſtification, whereof we ſpake laſt. So that neceſſarily the man iuſtified by his faith, by faith alſo hath he the good fruites, that growe vp withall. i. peace with his God, quiet in his ſoule, and firme poſſeſſiō of aſſured ſaluatiō in a certaine hope.

Whereof M. Stapletō ſpeaking with the ſame ſpirite, that Tertullus did in the Acts,Act. 24.2.Acts 24:2 tearmeth this doctrine a peſtilent, & a pernicious teaching, tēding only to preſumptiō, pride, & ſecurity. M. Stapl. you ſpeake your pleaſure out of the aboundance of a choloricke harte. If we preſume, God be praiſed,Preſumere de gratia Christi non eſt arrogantia, ſed fides. Aug. Serm. 28. de ver. dom. 2. Sam. 6.14.2 Sam 6:14 we preſume not of our ſelues as you do, and if we be proude of Gods euerlaſting fauour, it is a godly pride, and in ſecuritie thereof we leape, and daunce with an holy ioy, as Dauid did before the arke, thogh you like Michaol deride vsus as fooles & reproch vsus therfore. Sir, ill words do neither proue a good matter, nor diſproue a bad. Wherfore to let paſſe the rage of your heate, let vsus a litle conſider the weight of certaine reaſons you would ſeeme to produce: you ſay, the certainty of ſaluation by faith is common to ſundrie heretikes,1 Lib. 9. cap. 9. contrary p. 143to the feare of God,2 3 4 repugnant to the order of praying, and againſt the nature of the Sacraments.

1. The firſt of your foure allegations is that heretikes alſo aſſure them ſelues in a vaine perſwaſion that their opinions are moſt true, & that thereby they ſhal attaine euerlaſting blis, & yet be deceaued, & ther fore that there is no certaine ſaluation by faith. We ſpeake of the faithfull, & you of heretiks, we of faith, & you of fancie, we of a verity & the truth, & you of a pertinacy in pretēding truth. And how then can you conclude from the one againſt the other? notwithſtāding,The abuſe of thinges doth not aboliſh the neceſſarie & good vſage of thē. if heretiks could be faithfull, & alſo heretikes, which is impoſſble, yet being by faith well perſwaded, ſuppoſe they were hereticks withall, we muſt not refuſe the good they hauehave, becauſe in other reſpects they be not good. For then belike (I will vſe an eaſie example & but one) when the Philiſtines tooke away the Lordes arke, & had it in their keeping, becauſe the Philiſtins hauehave it, Iſrael ſhoulde not long to hauehave it againe, or when it was brought home, receue with ioy. But in very deed vnbeleuers, & perfect heretiks in capital pointes, as they hauehave no faith, ſo hauehave p. 144they not the good perſwaſion of the end of faith, 1. Pet. 1.9.1 Pet 1:9which is ſaluatiō of their ſoules. For they ſhall neuer be able, either to take frō vsus, or to kepe in thē ſelues the arke of a quiet cō ſciēce. And albeit they be ſuffred ſomtimes to reioyce in the light for a ſeaſon, and to grow greene in the filde, yet all this is but a glimſe, and in the ende to their greater ſorrow, as it were by a ſlender taſt, to let them know what perfit ioyes the faithfull man feeleth in him ſelfe, and feedeth on in his ſoule to euerlaſting life. But now if your ſaying concerning the perſwaſion of heretickes were true, yet were your reaſon naught, but your ſaying being falſe, your reaſon is to to bad.

2. Secondly you ſay that this perſuaſiō is contrarie to the feare of God, verily we teach, and no men more either with better words in ſpeaking, or in more due manner in thinking rightly of the fear of God, that it is the roote of all wiſedom, and whē we woulde expreſſe the enormities of any place or perſons, we ſpeake with the ſcripture, and as Abraham and Dauid did, and as we take it, with the wordes of greateſt diſpraiſe:Gen 20.11 Pſal. 36.1.Gen 20:11Ps 36:1 The feare of God is not in this place, or the feare of God is not before their eyes. p. 145Wherfore we exhort them to ſtand in aw, and ſinne not. The feare of God expelleth ſinne. Mater timidi nunquam plorat: the timerouſe childe is warie in all his wayes & loth to venter further, then is behoouefull, and therefore ſeldom cauſeth the carefull mother to wet her eye for him.

But we ſpeake of the feare of God in his children,The diuers acception of the word Feare. Mal. 1.6.Mal 1:6 & his feare in them is twofold: either a reuerence of the worthineſſe of his omnipotent maieſtie: If I be your father, where is my louelove? If I be your Lord, where is my feare? or elſe the feare of God is taken for the dreading of his iuſtice againſt ſinne & iniquitie:Prou. 3.7.Prov 3:7 Feare God & depart from euill. But theſe & the like feares, which are lawful & profitable, & are required, certes, the certainty of faith doth eſtabliſh them and they it.

There are other feares of other ſortes: a feare of the enemy, a feare of mans power, … feare of death, hell, & damnation, &c. in regard wherof we teach on this wiſe. Fear …our owne captaine, feare not thine, and his enemy. I will not feare, what man can do to me. HaueHave a confidence, Ioh. 16.33. 1. Ioh. 5.4.John 16:331 John 5:4I hauehave conquered the world, ſaith Chriſt. This is your victorie euen your faith, which ouercommeth not in p. 146one or two skirmiſhes, or cōquereth ſome one part, but getteth the vpper hād of the whole worlde. Wherefore quite your ſelues like mē, & truſt in the Lord. O death where is thy ſting? Hell gates ſhal not preuaile againſt you, There is no condēnatiō to thē, that are in Chriſt Ieſus. If God be with vsus, what can be againſt vsus? & why ſhould we feare any thing but him? & yet not him otherwiſe then before I ſhewed, not as the dog the whip: the ſlaue his maiſter, or the thiefe the gallowes, but as an honorable Lord, a reuerēd father, & a iuſt but a good God withall. Whom we muſt ſerue (as Zacharies ſong is) in al reſpects in holynes & righteouſnes al the dayes of our life, without ſeruile feare: nothing diſtruſting leaſt happily he ſhoulde not keepe promiſes where he once promiſeth. For this kinde of feare of all others directly oppugneth hope, & hope it, is flat againſt faith, & faith againſt it. If you meane ſuch a feare, we graunt faith is cōtrarie to it, and laboreth ſtill more & more to root it out. This we graunt. Faine woulde we heare what you or any of yours cā ſay herein, without dallying in the diuerſe acceptiōs of the word (feare) directly to the contrarie.

p. 1473. In the third place you ſay, the aſſurāce of faith ouerthroweth the vſe of praying. For what need mā pray that he be not lead into temptation, if his faith be aſſured that he ſhall be ſaued notwithſtanding temptation? O M. Stapleton, wil you tēpt God? The Lordes determination, cōcerning the endes in thinges doth not take away meanes and duties in the mid way of perfourming all that is commaunded to man. My life is fixt, and the boundes & limits therof certaine: Shall I therfore in reſon therof refuſe ordinary meat & drink, and dayly food, or phyſick in time of ſicnes? what a folly were it, beſide an extream fault, contēning the Lords ordināce? Likewiſe God ſuffreth no man to be tempted aboue meaſure.1. Cor. 10.131 Cor 10:13 Therefore becauſe there is a meaſure ſet, ſhall no man power furth his prayers in that reſpect. Paul teacheth a better way. Pray alwaies, & Chriſt willeth: Watch & pray that ye enter not into temptation. And yet none can not be tempted neither with inward, nor outward temptation aboue his meaſure, & how thē doth the certainty of Gods defence therin aboliſh mās duty, that he ſhould not pray therfor?Iam. 1.6.Jas 1:6 I pray ſhew vsus more at large, or rather briefly in p. 148plainer maner if you cā. We teach no prayer is good but that which is made in faith & why thē doth the certainty of faith take away the office of praying.

4. In the laſt & fourth place, you ſay the certainty of faith peruerteth the doctrine of the Sacramēts. Well, I ſee either you do not ſee, which is groſſe ignorāce, or of a frowardnes you wil not vnderſtand what we mean by the aſſurāce of faith. We tell you, our ſaluatiō is built vponupon a ſure groūd, the Lord doth know who are his, & they who are the Lords, they know they are his. This is a firme foundation: the ſcripture & writing of the houſe of Iſrael, that the faithful are regiſtred in the booke of life, & this aſſuredly we doe beleeue. But that there be no other helps to aſſure our faith we neuer denied. For herein as the word is a known writing to vsus, ſo the ſacramēts are the ſeals to double our aſſurāce, as Pharao ſaw two dreames to aſcertaine him one thing,Gen. 51.25 neither doth the aſſurāce that muſt be by faith deſtroy the helps that farther that aſſurāce in faith, nay the aſſurāce that ſhold be therin is proued the rather by the helps therto.

But now as we hauehave hard your tale (M. Stapl.) ſo giuegive vsus a litle leaſure to ſhew our p. 149own euidēces for our own ſelues. It is God that promiſeth, & al his promiſes ar yea & amen. Then if he promiſe why ſhould we doubt? againe the ſpirit doth teſtifie to our ſpirit, that we are his children. Shall we extinguiſh the ſpirit, & abādon theſe motiōs? again if we be faithful, faith is no waue, no watriſh ſlippery matter (as Nazianz. word is) & why thē ſhould we not be aſſured?In Orat. de Paſc. if we be Chriſts houſe, we hold faſt,Heb. 3.6.Heb 3:6 the glory & confidence of hope, but if confidēce, then no doubting, if glory & gladnes then no paine, & ſo no feare, much leſſe diſpair. The Papiſt doubteth not to ſay he can merite, and why ſhoulde we more doubt in faith to beleeue and with mouth to confeſſe, to the glorie of God that we hauehave founde merciemercy? Forſooth they ſay, becauſe debt is certaine and merciemercy is vncertaine: and when a thing is deſerued, it may be chalēged. They ſay well: for debt is certaine, if it be due debt, and if it be lawfully demaunded, it muſt be payed without queſtion. To the confutation of which proude folly, I hauehave ſpoken ſufficientlie before in the queſtion of meriting. Concerning merciemercy, and the vncertaintie thereof, if we ſpeake of man, that can p. 150change his minde, and whoſe will is variable, it is true. But God is alwayes the ſame, his giftes are without repentance, whom he loueth he loueth vntounto the ende, and yet if his merciemercy were kept in ſecret, in his owne boſom, and not made known to the ſonnes of men, they might be vncertaine. But being ſolemnly made by promiſe, fayrely drawen furth in autentick ſcripture, openly publiſhed by proclamation, and preaching, confirmed by the oth of him that can not lie, ratified by the beſt rites that can be deuiſed, ſealed with holy ſacramentes, and with the holy ghoſt, and after all this fully finiſhed by will and teſtament, why ſhoulde we yet doubt, as if the matter were not certaine enough?

You reply,Lib. 9. c. 10.1 that all this aſſurance is generall and condicionall, generall & therefore not ſure in particuler,2 condicionall, & therefore vncertaine depending vponupon a doubtful expectation. I wil aunſwer both theſe cauils.

1. Firſt, as for generall ſuppoſels without their truth in particulars it is a meere toye in Philoſophie, and in Diuinitie it hath no ſence. For God doth not promiſe generally at auentures, katch who catch can, but directly & in ſpeciall to all that receaue.

As ſoundes & colours are open abroad in the aire, and yet in the ſences of hearing and ſeeing are made particular, and in ſpeciall both harde, and ſeene, ſo Gods promiſes are vttered generally to all, but of the receauers, and beleeuers are they particularly apprehended, or elſe not apprehē ded at all. For generall apprehenſions are dreames & no apprehending. If I beleeue remiſſion of ſins in a cōmon generality & no more, without ſpecial applicatiō to my ſelf, what availeth that: Wherefore Chriſt ſaith: My ſonne hauehave a confidence: thy ſins are forgiuen thee. Hold faſt that,Matth. 9.2.Matt 9:2 for there is the comfort, and there ariſeth the certainty of faith and hope. And generall promiſes why are they made to all, but to the end they may be beleeued of eueryevery one in ſpeciall?

If a mortal Prince vnderunder ſeale & writing proclaime a generall pardon, there is no ſubiect that hath offended, but wold craue a particularitie in the generall, litle doubting therof for the ſafty of himſelfe & pardō of his offence: or were he wiſe, or in his p. 152wits that when the prince had pardoned all that woulde receaue the pardon, notwithſtanding woulde ſtande amazed diſtruſting ſtill whether he be one of the number, of that all which ſhould be pardoned in ſpecial? If thou be a ſcholler, I ſay to thee in thine own tearmes, when thou heareſt a generall Maior out of the worde of God, examine whether thou canſt finde the minor in thine own conſcience, and then doubt not, but the concluſion will follow neceſſarily vponupon thine owne ſelfe. As for example for the ſimplers capacitie: all beleeuers ſhall be ſaued: art thou a beleeuer? then conclude, thou ſhalt be ſaued.

2. The other cauill was, that theſe promiſes were made vnderunder cōdition & in ſome meaning, your ſaying is not amiſſe. For the promiſes are made with condicion, If we beleeue, and if we beleeue not, be the promiſes neuer ſo generall, yet the…e can neuer profitte vnbeleeuers. Euen as when the Sunne is in his greateſt ſtrength as bright, as bright maie be, yet the blinde man receaueeth neither light, nor comforte, for all that: ſo be the promiſes neuer ſo fayre p. 153cleare, and large, yet if the eye of faith be wanting, the faithleſſe infidel hath no benefit by all this.Eſay. 7.9Isa 7:9 Wherefore the Prophet Eſay foretold Ahaz ſpecially of this fault and defect of faith: If you beleeue not, you ſhall not be eſtabliſhed. Wee miſlike not this condition. But you meane that Gods promiſes are cōdicional in an other ſence, and that not onelyonly in reſpect of them, to whom the promiſes are intended,God is not changed nether in eſſence nor elſe in his purpoſes & doings. but on Gods part that maketh the promiſe, as if he reſerued an alteratiō to be made if need were. Which aſſertion and ſpeech is perfit blaſphemie, flat againſt Sainct Paule, that ſayth, Gods gifts are without repentance and therfore abſolute, and ſo not condicionall: and full contrarie to S. Iames that ſaith, that there is no variableneſſe,Iam. 1.7Jas 1:7 nor ſhadow of turning, with the father of lights, that is, of turning now vp, now downe, nowe riſing, now falling, now one way, now an other, of promiſing and vnpromiſing, &c. our God omniſcient that made the eye, ſeeth, & forſeeth all at the firſt view what is beſt, ſo that he need not appoint with cō dition to change his minde, and repeale his purpoſes, vppon better deuiſe or aduiſe, afterward taken. What he determineth p. 154ſhal ſtand, and what he promiſeth, he will perfourme. I am God, and am not changed. Whence followeth a good argument, if he could be changed, he were not God, I ſaye, if he could be changed, either in the eſſence of his being, either in the decrees and purpoſes of his own deuiſing.

Common Philoſophie taught the Heathen that principle, Eternall thinges ſuffer not contrarie paſſions. And ſhall Chriſtians imagine the Eternall God to bee ſubiecte to varieties, that ſtand vppon the fickleneſſe of vncertaine conditions? Heauen and earth ſhall paſſe, but neither God nor his worde, which is as firme as is him ſelfe ſhall paſſe. And how then ſayeth Maiſter Stapleton, Gods promiſes are ſo condicionall, as that they maie bee vncertayne in reſpecte of God that promiſeth? And doeth he not know but thus much, that the greateſt difference betweene the faithfull and faithleſſe man conſiſteth herein, that the godly hauing receaued of God any promiſe, are thereby reſolued, that comming he will come, & ſhew his ſauing health in time cō uenient. For he is righteouſe & neuer diſapointeth any, that truſt in him: but the p. 155wicked, are not ſo ſatisfied, and therefore when God ſpeaketh, ſomtimes they look to the right hande, ſomtimes on the lefte, ſometimes before, and ſometimes behind, ſomtimes into thēſelues, when they ſhold onelie and ſtedfaſtlie direct theyr hope and faith to God alone that will not faile?Pſal. 78Ps 78 Can God prepare a table in the wilderneſſe? Can he giuegive them bread? Or is he able to prouide fleſh for his people? For his people, being in nomber ſo manie thouſandes? bread and fleſh in the wilderneſſe, a place ſo barren and voide of plentie? Theſe and the like promiſes either temporall or eternall, are vnlikely in the eyes of fleſh that are dull of ſight. And no maruell. For might we perceaue neare at hand the way, and the meanes, then were there no triall of Faith, nor exerciſe of hope. For faith and hope are of thinges that are not ſeene. But when the matter paſſeth our reache, and we iudge it not poſſible, then is God glorified, if we beleeue.

And to this end, concerning your exā ples are vſed the wordes: Siforte: if happely, by Daniell to Nabuchadnezzer, & Peter to Simon Magus in their exhortations, p. 156to equitie, almes deedes, prayers, or in the like caſes: not that anie ſhould beleeue, and beleeuing remaine doubtfull, of the remiſſion of their ſinnes, but that forecaſting the difficulty of ſuch a great chāge to be made in their cōuerſion, they ſhould be rauiſhed with a longing deſire thereafter, and be enflamed the more, and ſo if it were poſſible beleeue, and in beleeuing then no more to doubt.

VVhen this will not ſerue,1. Cor. 4.41 Cor 4:4 you bring foorth the example of Paule, whome you ſaie doubted and durſt not iudge himſelfe. VVee ſhall conſider the circumſtances of your allegation, and of the text it ſelfe. There were amongſt the Corinthians, that by odious and friuolouſe compariſons facciouſlie held ſome with ſome, ſome with others, as if Chriſt were deuided in the miniſtration of his ſeruauntes, and of Paule a preciouſe veſſel of chiefe choiſe, they eſtemed leſſe then either his office required, or was expedient for their ſaluation. VVhom Paule in effect ſchooleth on this wiſe: for mine own part as I am not altogether careleſſe, ſo yet I paſſe not greatly to be iudged of you. Nay I iudge not my ſelf much leſſe ſhould you. And albeit I know nothing by p. 157my ſelfe concerning my miniſterie (for therof was the queſtion) yet am I not therin in this, he ſaith not, in any thing elſe, but in this I am not iuſtified. He that iudgeth is the Lorde. Therefore iudge not you, and that before the time of iudgemēt. Now I aske wherin and why Paule would not iudge him ſelfe? He ſpeketh of his function, and therein to claime that which ſome of them gaue to ſome that deſerued happilie litle or leſſe then he, in ſuch ſort & in ſo high a degree, he told them flat, albeit he were better then the beſt, and not guilty to him ſelfe of default in this behalfe, yet he would not iudge nor iuſtifie him ſelfe. VVhy? for iudgement belongeth to an other perſon, and to an other time, and not to be vſurped either of thē or of him, by the way of deciding definitiuely like a iudge. But God whoſe waies are not mans waies, and who ſeeth farther into man, then man into him ſelfe, in that day ſhall lighten things, that were hid in darkneſſe, & make the councels of hearts manifeſt, And then ſhall eueryevery man hauehave praiſe of God: which laſt words of praiſe to be had then, ar no trembling words of a doutfull minde, but a ioyfull good remembrance full of comfort, & p. 158of an infallible expectation. And all this vponupon occaſion againſt them,2. Cor. 10.122 Cor 10:12 that woulde needes in contempt of Sainct Paul ſet the garland vponupon their heades, that were leaſt worthie to weare it, if all were knowne, as one day it ſhall appeare.Lib. 9. cap. 6 But Maiſter Stapleton and before him the cenſure of Collon, Andradius, Hoſius and others, & our new notes nowe,Rhem. notes 1. Cor. 44. vrge this: S. Paule would not iudge, nor iuſtifie him ſelfe: and who is comparable to Paule? ergo there is no iudgement now, no certainty of conſciēce in this world. But ſtay & know, vponupon a particular in one kind, you may not infer wel, no not a generall in the ſame kinde: much leſſe comprehend thoſe things, that are of another ſort. For not out of a generality of one ſort, may you inferre a particuler in an other kind. Wherfore of the vncertainty of all mens facts, God examining them in the day of triall, you may not conclude the vnſtableneſſe of faith, which is of another propertie, and founded, not in workes, but on God himſelfe, which can not fail. If I wold iuſtifie my ſelfe (ſaith holy Iob) mine own mouth ſhall condemne me:Iob. If I were perfit, he ſhall iudge me wicked. In conſideration of works & worthineſſe of deedes. p. 159Iob renounceth all, and ſtandeth in feare therein to com to the touchſtone.Malac. 3.6Mal 3:6 For there can be no certainty built vponupon the ſand of them. But in conſideratiō of hope in God, he will truſt in him, though he kill him: and concerning the life to come, he ſtaggereth not at all, but is moſt aſſured: I knowe my Redeemer liueth. So Paule when he had treated of ſaluation,Iob. how it depended vppon God, ſhutteth vp the whole matter, with full aſſurance of a thorough perſwaſion, that neither death, which is a bitter hearb to many, nor life which moſt men much louelove, nor celeſtiall ſpirites, nor the greateſt powers of heauen, nor height,Rom. 8Rom 8 nor depth, nor things preſent, nor thinges to come, nor any creature ſhalbe of ability to ſeuer him from the louelove of God which is in Chriſt Ieſus the Lorde. For in him is the roote, of all bliſſe, and the ſure bonde, and certaine ſeale of this aſſurance. The wordes of Scripture herein are ſo plain, ſo vehement, ſo reſolute, that they can be neuer aunſwered without infinite ſhifting. Let the reader turne to the viij. chapter of the Epiſtle to the Romaines, and conſider what goeth before and what cometh after, 38. ver. with begineth with certus ſum, I am p. 160ſure, as their owne tranſlations are. And withall to the places, where ar mencioned the obſignation, the crie, the pledge, the earneſt penie of the ſpirit in the faithfull, &c. and then let him on Gods name iudge of all that hath bene or ſhall be brought, either of the aduerſaries, or elſe of vsus.

Firſt of all, the chapter of Trent doth nothing but rage and ſtorme at the matter,Conc. Trid. as the maner of it is euer, in ſo much that as a man may knowe a Lion by his pawe, or a bird by her fethers, ſo is that councell diſcerned by nothing more then by banning and curſing.Controu. Ratiſb. lib. 2 Pigghius better bethinketh him ſelfe, & calleth his wittes about him, or rather calleth a coūſell of all his fancies, and at length deuiſeth foure aunſwers and neuer a one againſt that we teach.1 Either S. Paule ſpake not of all the faithfull, or not of euerie faith,2 3 or not of him ſelfe at all times,4 or, but of him ſelfe with condition if he him ſelfe perſeuered.

1. Not of all the faithfull? yes. For thoſe who were predeſtinate before all times, called and iuſtified in time, God alſo had glorified, (ſaith Paule) wherupon I note, both the word (Thoſe) to comprehend al, that ſhall be ſaued and glorified, and then p. 161that the Apoſtle ſaith: you hath God glorified, vſing the preter tence, becauſe of the certaintie of that which ſhal folow as ſurely, as if it were alreadie paſt. And perſonally beginning with him ſelfe, I am ſure, he endeth, with ſhall ſeuer vsus, including others, aſwell as him ſelfe. And elſwhere he ſaith generallie, writing to a whole church proue your ſelfe, whether you be in faith or no, 1. Cor. 13.51 Cor 13:5Know you not that Chriſt is in you, except ye be caſtawayes, counting it a great abſurdity in Chriſtianitie, not to be aſſured in particuler knowledge of eueryevery mans own ſtate.

2. Secondly Paule ſpeaketh not of euerie faith. Doth he ſpeake of a true faith? of ſuch a faith wee meane. The pretiouſe fayth of the Sainctes which is like in all. But let vsus agree vppon this, that there is a certaintie by ſome fayth. Wherein as you agree with vsus, meaning a good faith, ſo yet you diſagree both with the coūſel of Trēt, and likewiſe with Lyndan a great ſtickler on your ſide, who auoucheth that the certainetie of euerlaſting life, quae eſt ex fide, which is by faith, neuer happened,Lind. panop lib. 3. ca. 21 non modo Chriſtianis omnibus verè credentibus, ſed nec ipſis Apoſtolis in hac vita vnquam. Not onelyonly not to Chriſtiās truly beleeuing, but p. 162not to the Apoſtles themſelues at any time in this life. Yet wee had rather take Pigghius graūt, being reaſonably vnderſtood, & ſo leaue Lindan to them, that like him better.

3. Thirdly Paul doth not ſpeake of him ſelfe, howe he felt him ſelfe at all times. Perhaps ſo, and yet no man knoweth what was in Paule, but the ſpirit of Paule that was in him. We denie not but that the degrees of faiths aſſurance may be variable, not onelyonly in diuerſe men, but in one & the ſame man at diuers times. Yet more or leſſe in a degre doth not aboliſh the nature of faith, nor quite extinguiſh her properneceſſarie qualities, wherof aſſurāce is the chief. Which though it be eclipſed as it were by an interpoſition, ſometimes of groſſe and heauie fleſh, which the beſt carie about with them, yet in the end faith wil returne to her courſe, ſhewe her face, and breake out againe, neither can ſhe be euer fruſtrat of the effect of aſſurance. For ſorowe maie lodge with vsus for a night, but mirth will returne in the morning.

As the wicked may feele ſome ioye a while, that they may hauehave a greater feeling of ſorrowe in the end: ſo ſometimes the p. 163godlie maye ſuffer euen the anguiſh, and terroures, as it were of caſt awayes, therebie afterwardes to encreaſe their ioyes the more. And this is a ſure doctrine worthie to be embraced of all, that albeit wee ſtumble, yet he will not ſuffer his to fall, or if to fall, not finallie to fall awaye, if God wound he will heale, if he kill, he will reuiue, and if he breake downe the walles of thy faith, that they ſeme to ſhake and totter, and fall, doubt not, he wil build them vp, he wil turne all to the good of his children, and if he darken thine eye, that is fixed vponupon him ſelfe, be aſſured he will not do it out, neither will he take his holie ſpirit from the holy and faithfull, as he did the Spirit of the Regiment and fortitude from Saule. No, though he bring thee to hell, he will not leaue thee there. Why then? What if faith be much aſſaulted, and ſometimes brought into narrower ſtraightes then ſome, God knoweth beſt howe long it is beſt to hold his own vppon the rack, & it is the teachers dutie, and it is Sainct Paules endeuour thereby to giuegive out doctrine of comfort, and not therebie to empaire the faithfull mans aſſurance as Pigghius doth.

p. 1644. Fourthly he ſaith Sainct Paules faith, & confidēce is with condition of his owne perſeuering to the end, if he perſeuered. No For without ifs as of douting, though not without condition of duetie, the Apoſtle proueth that God will not alter, nor diſcō tinue his euerlaſting fauour to his dear children, and in the recitall of ſundry thinges, he ſaith that neither thinges preſent, nor things to come would diſioyne Gods louelove. Wherefore in reſpect of the future time to come, he religiouſlie is moſt confident of Gods goodneſſe, and his own finall ſaluatiō. Wherin to end, thus brieflie we ſe Pigghius obiections are litle worth.

Now let vsus heare how Maſter Stapletō can helpe out the matter.Lib. 9. c. 13 Who being inſtructed of the Coloniſtes ſaith, that when Sainct Paul ſaid, he was ſure (for that place troubleth them much, and if they coulde anſwer that, they would wrangle in like maner with other ſcriptures as they could) by his aſſurance he meaneth a certain kind of hope not certaine any otherwiſe thē but as a charitable man may and muſt morally conceaue one of an other, as Paul himſelfe did of Timothie, and of the Romans. This is ſtraunge and inopinable. For did not p. 165Paule know him ſelfe better, then he knew others, or if he did (as do doubt he did) did not his greater knowledg therin aſſure him ſelfe more of him ſelfe then of others.Rhem. not. Rom. 8.38Rom 8:38 The men of Rhemes to perſwade vsus herein ſay, the Greek word foreign doth import only a probable perſwaſion: & yet they could not but fumble in their tale, & adde withal that which they foūd in Hoſius, that the Apoſtle might hauehave ſome ſpeciall extraordinary reuelation, but they ſee euidently that the Apoſtle in that place ſpeaketh of no reuelations, but of ordinarie doctrine to the Romanes, or if he had a reuelation ſpecial, it maketh more for his owne aſſuraunce, and nothing againſt the aſſuraunce of others. Wherefore they ſeeme to fancie the other opinion more, that Sainct Paule was but probablie perſwaded, and vncertainly certaine. I might alleadg that where their vulgar Latin is certus ſum, I am ſure, or certaine. Hierom vſeth, I am confident.Gr. Mar. di ſeo. cap. 12 For that this aſſurance was not a probabilitie, but a certaintie, and a confidence, which is more. But let vsus rather reaſon the matter. Is Paule perſwaded, and but probably perſwaded? A man would thinke the Apoſtles perſwaſiō in ſuch a caſe were p. 166ſure enough a very ſtanding light, & no fading flaſh, as it were of lightning.

Yong ſcholers are taught and it is true, that there are probabilities of ſundry ſorts, either wherunto a man may anſwer indifferentlie yea or no, becauſe of the vnaparent notice of them, for they may be or theye may not be, and whether parte a man holdeth, it ſkilleth litle. For both parts maye be mainetayned with like reaſons. If they meane ſuch a probabilitie to be in Sainct Paule, he that defied boeth high and lowe, will little paſſe for ſuch dreaming coniecturals, in reſpect of his knowledge of the marke that he ſhotte at, or of the infallible means to attaine therūto.

There are probabilities of an other kind abſque formidine oppoſiti, prooued and approued without feare and doubting of the contrarie vppon due triall, and iuſte examination premiſed. If you meane, (but you are farre from ſo good a meaning,) ſuch a probable perſwaſion, you hitte vppon the Apoſtles meaning, who vppon former diſcourſe is certaine and moſt certaine, and vppon the beſt certainties well perſwaded. For thus he argueth, If God be with vsus, who can be againſt vsus, with vsus p. 167by his election, vocation, iuſtification, &c. who can be againſt vsus? who ſhall laie to the charge of his choſen? who ſhall condemne, who ſeuer? and reckoning manie hard aſſaults, yet againſt all, he is ſure that the elect, that is, the faithfull in all theſe become more then conquerours foreign. more then conquerours, & common conquerors, whom they hauehave throughly conquered, they are not probably nor halfe a feard of them, and then commeth in his perſwaſion, I am perſwaded, I am certain, I am ſure, I am confident. Take which interpretation they wil, vponupon the proofs premiſed, that neither principalities nor powers (and therefore not a ſort of vncertaine Papiſticall diſtinctions) can remoue from the eternal louelove of God in Chriſt the lord. But were our ſaluation no more certaine, then are their anſwers, then were their anſwers ſomewhat, and our ſaluation verie vncertaine.

As for the old obiection out of the book of the Preacher,Eccl. 9.2Eccl 9:2 it hath bene aunſwered, and waſhed cleane out longe ago. In deede Maiſter Stapleton hath latelye done the part of a diligent Papiſt,Lib. 9. cap. 8 that ſeeketh all meanes to deceaue him ſelfe, p. 168and ſauing that hee wanteth the oyle of truth, he hath ſet a fewe freſh colours theron, then euer yet I could ſet eye on in anie other, as I well remember, facing vsus out that Salomon firſt putteth it downe generallie, that there is no certaintie, and that al things are vncertain, & that man knoweth not whether he bee in caſe of louelove or hatred. And wheras we ſhewe out of the text, that it is ment that there is no certaintie touching the euent of our affaires, he telleth vsus that that is a ſeconde ſayinge, and a particuler confirmation, and no reſtraint of the former generall vntounto ſuch caſualtyes as maye beefall a man either in this life, or in the kinde of his death. Againe where wee euidentlye proue that a man maye aſſure him ſelfe of the hatred of God (who hateth ſinners) if he be a ſinner. And therefore where Salomon ſayeth a man knoweth not whether he be hated or no, he reſpecteth neceſſarilie not the ſence and touch of an inwarde conſcience, either of the louelove of God, if he be faythfull, or of his hatred, if he be ſinnefull, and faythleſſe, Maiſter Stapleton ſayeth, the certaynetie of louelove, and hatred are not a like, and therefore p. 169that there is mention made of hatred, becauſe when a mā beginneth to queſtio whether he be to be beleeued ſtraight waie in that verie moment, he miſdeemeth whether he be not worthy of hatred alſo.

VntoUnto all this I aunſwer brieflie. But in the meane ſeaſon well we perceiue that, (as the wiſeman ſayth) a dead flie maie marre the good ſmell of the ſweete ointment, ſo a curſed gloze may corrupt the faireſt text. But I anſwer and aske: are all thinges detained in an vncertainty? he that ſayth all, ſeemeth verily to excepte nothing, and nether can any thing be exempted, which is ſubiect to that all, which he meaneth that ſaith al. But that al things ſhould be vncertaine with euer (either in ſence, or in faith, whereof Chryſoſtom ſaith, though ſenſe may be deceaued,Orat. 9. in 10. c. Heb. yet can not faith) is farre from Solomons thoughtes in this place. So that he maketh no abſolute generall ſaying, and then afterwarde commeth in with a particular matter of externall euentes, he proueth a generall vncertaintie thereof and in that kinde, and yeldeth the cauſe why, which muſt needes be as large as the effects, and p. 170the cauſe of like compaſſe with the effects, eo quod, becauſe all thinges fall out alike to the iuſt and vniuſt, to the good, and to the bad, &c. And verely this is onelyonly the wiſe mans intent to ſhewe the vanitie of mortal euents vnderunder the ſun, & therwithal to teach mē not to decide by the outward face of things concerning Gods fauor. For had he meāt to ſpeake generally without exception of any thing, or ſpecially to exclude the aſſurāce of faith, a particular allegation of the euēts of afflictiōs or the like, had bene but a colde cōcluſiō or a ſlender proof. Wherfore (M. Stapl.) if you will argue an vncertainetie of faith, which we denie, and diſproue the certainety thereof, which we affirme, you muſt ſhewe an vncertaintie to be in God the promiſer, or in the holy Ghoſt the confirmer, or in the like groundes, whereupon we build, and not diſpute of common euents, which fall out indifferently to the one, and the other, either good or bad, and ſometimes in heauier ſort, as it may ſeeme to the godly, thē to the wicked man. For among the good the beſt, or among the beſt, the very beſt: or among the bad the better, and the leſſe bad may be in the ſame caſe outwardly, as p. 171may be the worſt. Whereof onelyonly, Solomon treateth, and not in generall againſt al knowledg. For if he meane that nothing cā be known, how knew he that he knew nothing? But we know of Solomōs know ledge the ſcriptures ſpeake much, & that of M. Stapletons vncertainty in knowledge, and no aſſurance in faith, they are altogeather ſilent, and ſpeake nothing at all, no more then they do of that which he telleth vsus verie impertinentlie to the text in Solomon, that when a man examineth his ſtate, whether he be in the louelove of God immediatly euer the doubt of hatred commeth alwayes to minde. What fraile fleſh will doe, is not our queſtion. What faith ought to do is that, which we cōtend for. But if fleſh doubt, yet muſt faith reſolue all doubt. Thy fleſh will ſuggeſt & bring into thy memorie thy many ſinnes, but incō tinētly thy faith muſt recorde the mercies of God, that are more in number, & greater in value, and moſt certaine to this vſe to pardon and remit ſinnes. The worlde doth ſtorme, the fleſh oppreſſe, the Diuell ly in waite, yet the Chriſtian which is foūded on the rock which is Chriſt, cā not fall. Bernard ſaith well, Ego fidenter, quod p. 172ex me mihi deeſt; Bern. Serm. 61. ſuper Cant.vſurpo mihi ex viſceribus Domini. Looke what is wanting of my ſelf vntounto myſelfe, with confidence I vſurpe that vntounto my ſelfe, out of the bowels of the Lorde. An excellent ſentence full of cōfort, and ſpeciall confidence. M. Stapleton would qualifie it, but can not, & therfore thought it better to miſreporte it otherwiſe then he found it in Bernard him ſelfe,Lib. 9.14. and firſt of all he miſquoteth the place 6. for 61. but that may be the negligence of his Printer, and ſo woulde I eaſily thinke, if there were no ill dealing otherwiſe. Secondly he ſayth this confidence is taken not for a confidence, but ſo farre furth, as it is oppoſed to an aſtoniſhment, as if when I did a thing confidently, I did it only not with aſtoniſhmēt. Wheras a man aſtoniſhed is paſt doing, but doing confidentlie, is doing, and doing with great boldnes. Thirdly for fidenter he ſaith fideliter, changing Bernardes worde, and fourthly he ſaith fideliter-dico, as if Bernard ſpake of faithfull ſpeaking, and not of cō fident vſurping and taking, ſpecially in the ſinguler number ego, I, and properly mihi, to my ſelfe, take from the bowels of Chriſt, what is wanting to my ſelfe. The p. 173reaſons of this his aſſurance Bernard yeldeth elſwhere,Serm. 3. de frag. ſeptē. vponupon three ſtrōg cōſideratiōs, of the louelove of Gods adoptiō, the truth of his promiſſe, and abilitie to performe, and thē he pronounceth that he knoweth whom to beleeue, & in beleeuing how to be aſſured.

In truth, if we either reſt or reckon of your ſelues, ſo as M. Stapleton requireth, we caſt the anker of our hope in an vnſtable place, and not vpward into heauen, (as the Apoſtle teacheth) and then no meruaile, if hope be no hope, & fayth, not faith. For what ſcripture euer teacheth vsus to hope or beleeue in our ſelues? Accurſed is he that maketh fleſh his arme, or putteth his truſt in man, either in himſelfe or in an other man: in him ſelfe, for that is a daungerous pride, in an other, that is as Auguſtines word is, an inordinate humilitie: inordinate humilis non leuatur, Hom. 84. de temp.periculoſe ſuperbus praecipitatur, The proude man wil hurle down himſelfe hedlong, but the inordinate humble no man can hold vppe. Wherefore pride, diſpaire, and folly be far from vsus. Our hope, faith, and helpe, is only in the name of the Lorde. We are aſhamed of our ſelues, & of men like our ſelues, p. 174but not of the hope, which is in vsus toward him.

The matter is weightie, yet would I be loth to be ouer long, I will ende with remembrance of a ſtorie out of the booke of Nombers,Numb. 13.Num 13 where Ioſue ſent certaine to ſuruaie the lande of Chanaan, who vponupon their returne, reported of the goodnes of the lande much, but more of the ſtrength of the people, of the crueltie of the inhabitants, of their ſtature like giāts, and in compariſon that Iſraell were but graſhoppers, their towns meruelouſly defenſed, and that euerie way it was impoſſible to goe vp, and preuaile againſt it. But Caleb, whom the Lorde had indued with a better ſpirite comforted the people on the contrarie ſide and ſaide cheerfullie: Come let vsus go vppe, vndoubtedlie we ſhall poſſeſſe it, litle conſidering the ſtrength of the people, or their crueltie, or the wals of ther cities, but onelyonly reſted vponupon the promiſes of God, and therein he ſtayed him ſelfe, and would oft hauehave ſtilled Iſraell. Semblably notwithſtāding the force of all the worlde, the difficulties of fleſh and bloude, the ſubtelties of ſinne, the arguments that certaine aduerſaries p. 175like Ioſues ſpies make againſt vsus, yet if we hauehave Ioſues faith, we muſt relie vponupon the Lorde, and in the ende we ſhall obtaine a better land, then the land of Chanaan, euen the land of the liuing, with the liuing God.

He that ſomtime doubteth may remē ber he is a mā, but becauſe he is alſo a faith full man, he muſt not cōtinue therein but ſhake away diſtruſt, & cōquere al doubts, & be well armed with the ſhild of faith againſt all aſſalts. The faithles they are at an other pointe, & they ame vncertainly without a marke, beat the aire, bath themſelues in the pleaſures of the worlde for a while, & in the end they dy as they liued, they liued without hope, & periſh euerlaſtingly. But we who are beleuers, & know we ar beleuers (as Auguſt. ſpeaketh). For faith is no fancy, as we are riſen againe in newnes of life in this life, ſo ſhall we be receaued againe to life eternall in the life to come, our conuerſation and trafficke is aboue, our hartes are ſet on heauen & heauenlie thinges, we are frindes with God, diſtance of place, diuerſities of periles, and doubtes of daungers can not diſioyne or cauſe diſtruſt, for we alſo ſhall finally dye p. 176as we liued, we liued in his feare, and reuerence, we dye in his faith: he is our God, God, and therefore able: our God, and therefore willing to bring his promiſes all to paſſe one daie, and in the meane ſeaſon there can happen nothing neither inwardly, nor outwardely, but it may be patientlie borne, quietly diſgeſted, and with ſuffrance paſſed ouer, knowing alwayes (as the Prophet ſaith) that the time ſhall come, either in this worlde, or in the worlde to come, when all ſhall confeſſe: verily of a truth, there is frute for the righteous, doubtles there is a God,Pſal. 58.11Ps 58:11 that iudgeth the earth. The teeth of the cruell, the iawes of the Lion, the arrowes, and all the argumentes of proude imaginations ſhall come to nothing, & we ſhal certainely be ſaued.