Seven Treatises, Treatise 6 · Chapter 5
CHAP. 5. Of a ſecond branch of the third priuiledge.
ANother branch of this priuiledge or honour, that Chriſtians hauehave aboue other men, (which though it neceſſarily accompanie the former, yet becauſe it beſt appeareth, when it is particularly laide open, and helpeth much to ſtrengthen the weake, and to comfort the beſt) is this:They may be kept from great fals. Pro. 19.23. that they may be kept and preſerued from great and reprochfull euils, that ſeldome or not at all (if it be expedient) they ſhall be ouercome of them: which the Apoſtle would neuer ſo often and earneſtly hauehave exhorted the godly vntounto, ſaying: See that yee walke vnblameable and without rebuke; and in another place: Walke not offenſiuely towards them that are without; except he had ſeene, how they might hauehave attained thereunto. Therefore the prophet ſaith:Pſ. 119.10.11. I hauehave hid thy word in my heart that I might not ſinne against thee; and againe: Let me not wander from thy commandements; and againe: I ſwarued not from thy precepts: Pſal. 119.110.they are the ioy of my heart. And the ſame ſpirit guiding Gods people, they are like minded to him; and would not wander nor ſwarue from his will. And the cauſe of this muſt be conſidered, which is this: they count preciouſly of gods worde, and therefore lay it vp in their heart; and are perſwaded, that it is the greateſt gaine to folow the doctrine of it: and therefore they count it not tedious to abſteine from the ſinnes which other cannot be drawne from; but willingly forſake them, which other men with tooth and naile hold faſt, and continue in.
Enoch, Abraham, Moſes, Ioſua after Moſes death, Samuell, Daniell, Iob, Examples thereof in the old Teſtament.with others many in the former ages of the world, how doe ſtories report of them? After they had any neere acquaintance with God, they committed not any ſuch heinous treſpaſſes as were common ſtaines and blots in the liues of others,Iob. 1.2. (I ſpeake not now of their vertues) but they departed and withdrew thēſelues from euil, euen as God had choſen them out of the world; to verifie that which is written:Heb. 11.13. All theſe liued and died in faith? The Apoſtles after they had receiued more fulneſſe and greater meaſure of the ſpirit, were farre from the ſcandals and offences, which before were vſuall, and daily rebuked in them, and committed of them. Yet to ſhew what need the beſt hauehave to be kept by God continually, ſometime the deuill preuailed, as to make breaches amongſt them; though we ſeldome finde any of them to hauehave beene thus deceiued.
Examples in the new. Act. 16.1.So, ſome of the churches hauehave beene commended to vsus to hauehave beene ſo farre off from ſhamefull falles (as the Theſſalonians, the churches of Smirna and Pergamus) that they were good examples and lights to others. So, ſundry perſons in the new Teſtament, as Timothy, Demetrius, Priſcilla and Aquila, who were well reported of. All which with others, as they are ſet foorth for vsus to follow: ſo who doubteth, but that they found in their liues more ſweetneſſe and delight then others,The freer from ſinne, the freer from puniſhment. who were alſo Gods children as well as they, but not ſo free from manifeſt crimes and open ſinnes as they? Now when they are thus kept from grieuous and ſhamefull falles, it followeth moſt neceſſarily, that euen thereby they be kept alſo from ſore and great puniſhments, as Pſal. 91.11. foraſmuch as theſe alwaies follow them.
By this that hath beene ſaid, it may without any difficultie be gathered, what great liberties the true Chriſtian hath giuen him of God. But ſeeing ſuch as hauehave not experience of that which I ſay, do hardly thinke it to be true, it ſhall be neceſſarie for ſuch to know another thing; and that is this: That God hath made ſuch a way to the performing of all this that I hauehave ſpoken of,They may ſerue God with ioy and delight. that he ſheweth vsus, how this may be done with delight (which, we know, putteth away tediouſneſſe:) both the practiſing of the Chriſtian life which I ſpake of before, and the renouncing of the contrary ſinnes which I now ſpeake of. And this maketh both the braunches of this priuiledge to be of exceeding value and excellencie:The want of delight makes godlineſſe weariſome. that whereas godlineſſe is ſo vnſauorie, yea weariſome to the moſt, yea euen vntounto many ſuch as will talke much of it, and preach it alſo; in the meane while, this ſhould be inioied of any by the grace and goodneſſe of God: That they may turne from their old ſinnes; and contrarily, ſerue him with delight. And that the true Chriſtian may reioice in the doing of the will of God:Iohn 4.34. our Sauiour Chriſt, who in all obedience to the commandements was willing to be an example to vsus, profeſſing to his diſciples that it was his meat and drinke to doe his fathers will, taught vsus alſo who are his members and one with him, that we ſhould endeuour after the ſame, and may obteine to make it our meat and drinke to doe that which is pleaſing to God. And although I am not ignorant, that we cannot hauehave the fulneſſe of reioiceing in doing good duties: yet if there were not much graunted vntounto vsus in that behalfe,Mat. 11.29. (for all our ſtrength of ſinne that remaineth in vsus) the Lord would not hauehave ſaide, that he hath made his yoke, that is, obedience to his worde, eaſie for vsus, and his burthen (as the fleſh counteth it) to be gentle and light to vsus. Which Saint Iohn interpreting ſheweth how; ſaying:1. Ioh. 4.5. All gain-ſaying power of the deuill himſelfe is reſiſted by faith; that is, while we beleeue, that God will giuegive vsus ſtrength and victory againſt the ſame.
Againe, if we might not be able to finde ſweetneſſe and pleaſure in this walking with God, why would the Lord himſelfe ſay in Deuteronomy:Deut. 12.18. Reioice before the Lord in all that thou ſhalt ſet thy hand vntounto, that is, goe about throughout the day? and in another place: why would he reprooue Iſraell for not ſeruing him in ioyfulneſſe and gladneſſe?Deu. 28.47.48. In all kindes of particular callings. whereby God teacheth that this grace ſhould be laboured after in our particular callings: that the huſbandman, artificer, magiſtrate, and preacher ſhould and may walke in their vocation with chearefulneſſe; who yet, if they doe their duties as it behoueth them, ſhall moſt hardly doe it of all the reſt: and the ſame I ſay of the poore man, and the ſeruant and of all that walke in a lawfull calling, ſeeing they ſerue in Gods worke. Which would not a little repaire their liues and increaſe their comfort, ouer it is now with the moſt of them who goe to their worke as ſlaues, and as the horſe and oxe onelyonly for their bellies ſake, and not ſeruing God in doing their worke to men. So that we knowing this,Col. 3.23. that we may be mery, and euen finde delight in the heauenly life, and in flying the corrupt behauiour and bad example that is in the world (and that, with much more contentation and freedome from feare, then the carnall goſpeller in all that his eie coueteth, or his ſoule longeth after) what would we deſire more? Euen as the pſalmiſt ſaith, what greater pleaſure would we wiſh, or better thing deſire?Pſ. 119.14. All the pleaſures of the earth are not to be compared with this wiſdome,Luc. 1.75. to be perſwaded, that Gods ſeruice is perfect freedome, and that it is ſound pleaſure to walke with him. And to ſay the trueth, our life muſt needs be mopiſh and tedious, if it were not thus: and all that we doe ſhould goe vntowardly forward, as the froward ſeruant which is ſent againſt his will, goeth awkely about his buſineſſe. But God making it delight and pleaſure to vsus, we may ſet our hearts thereupon, not by fits, but minde it wholly for the moſt part, and principally aboue all other matters, which yet (when we knew no better) did wholly take vsus vp and affect vsus: for where the treaſure is, there is the heart;Mat. 6.21. and looke what a man delighteth in, that will oft and eueryevery while come to remembrance and be thought vponupon: and by that meanes it is no more tedious and weariſome, as ſometime it was, but the cheefeſt matter of al other that poſſeſſeth vsus. Therefore the prophet of God when he would in a certaine place ſpeake of the delight that he had in the ſtatutes of God, he addeth this as a fruit thereof:Pſ. 119.16. That he had them continually in remembrance, and did not forget them.
And thus it commeth to paſſe, that many of Gods ſervants may be ſeene to be drawen vp vntounto God, and in their ſpeech, behauiour and whole courſe to bend this way more then other, to minde heauenly things,Hebr. 11.6. in ſuch wiſe as other maruell thereat; the cauſe is this: They be reſolutely perſwaded, that their labour is not loſt that way, yea rather that it is the pleaſanteſt eſtate, and they finde delight therein. And therefore they need not be as others, whoſe hearts are ſtrongly carried after ſtrange deſires, but through Gods guiding of them they may be ſet on things heauenly, ſeeing they hauehave made them their delight and ioy.
Oh weigh what an exceeding priuiledge this is, that both praier and practiſe of duty whereto we were ſometime not vntoward onelyonly but euen rebellious againſt it, ſhould willingly be taken in hand now, and become pleaſure in ſtead of deadly toile? yea, what a freedome and liberty is it, that we ſhould make it our trade to aime at the ſeruing of God in all things, ſo farre as our knowledge ſerueth vsus? And as the godly way is become eaſie to them and daily regarded of them, after that it once waxeth pleaſant to them: euen ſo their old delights, I meane the luſts of their ignorance, grow loathſome, which they once thought impoſſible. And yet concerning rebellion and contradiction,The Godly much troubled with rebellion, though they ſerue God with ioy. they are not void of them for all their liberty and inlargement; but are holden captiues thereof in great part againſt their will, as ſhall be ſaid afterwards (for elſe they ſhould hauehave their heauen heere, which may not be:) but as they eſpy it, they giuegive it no reſt, but with hearty miſlike, they oppoſe themſelues and fight againſt it: and becauſe they hauehave ſweetneſſe and pleaſure in in the Chriſtian life, therefore the gaineſaying luſts, which rebell againſt that courſe, and ſtriue to hold them from it, are neither ſo forceable as they hauehave beene; neither doe ſo long time, as they were wont, hold them vnderunder.
But this which I hauehave ſaid of the remainder of ſinne and of rebellion of nature abiding ſtill in the beſt of Gods ſeruants, I would hauehave well to be marked, for that many will be ready to take occaſion otherwiſe to cauill and quarrel againſt that which I hauehave ſaid, namely, that God hath giuen this priuiledge and liberty to ſerue him with delight.Obiection. For thus they reaſon: If you can goe forward thus eaſily in a Chriſtian life that you can take pleaſure in it, which to ſo many Godly people is toile, it ſeemeth that you are not hindered, nor clogged with the rebellion of the old man, which is our corrupt nature, but that his force and ſtrength is extinguiſhed and killed: whereas the ſcriptures tell vsus farre otherwiſe;Pſ. 51.5. Rom. 7.23.24. and the beſt men that euer were borne after the maner of men, felt it, ſmarted by it, and complained of it. Therefore (ſay they) you ſet before vsus ſuch a Chriſtian as is no where to be found.
Anſwere.But to all this I anſwere ſomewhat more fully than I did before: that if it were not for the ſtirring and rebellion of the old man, and the corruption and naughtineſſe that cleaueth faſt vntounto vsus, we ſhould by many degrees farre exceed the greateſt meaſure of holineſſe, which we can now poſſibly reach vntounto; although we denie not, but that through the grace of God we hauehave attained to ſomwhat already. For as we ſerue God with delight now, and may (God be glorified) do ſo for the moſt part: ſo we ſhould (but for the ſinne that ſticketh faſt in vsus) doe ſo, perfectly and continually without intermiſſion and contradiction,Ioh. 8. as the heauenly ſpirits do. And as our Sauior Chriſt, ſeeing he could neuer be conuicted of any ſinne when he was heere vponupon earth (as his words prooue, Which of you can accuſe me of ſinne?) therefore when the Prince of this world (namely, the Deuill) came, he found nothing in him which he looked for, namely, ſinne: euen ſo ſhould it likewiſe be with vsus but for this fountaine of ſpirituall leproſie, whereas now we finde through the vncleanneſſe of our hearts, that there is imperfection and weakneſſe euen in our beſt actions, that I ſay nothing of thoſe which are common.
And although with delight we goe forward in duty both to God and men; yet through weake knowledge, faith, memorie, &c. through ſubiection to ſinne and Sathan, euen the beſt eſtate that we can attaine to, is with much infirmitie, and with iuſt cauſe of crying out as the Apoſtle by his example taught the perfecteſt in this world to doe, ſaying: O wretched man that I am, Rom. 7.24.who ſhall deliuer me from the body of this death? So that the olde man is not killed, nor his ſtrength extinguiſhed: we ſay no ſuch thing, but abated indeed and weakned much, aſwell as pardoned, through the grace and power which wee receiue dailie from our Lord Ieſus Chriſt by faith. And this for anſwere vntounto the former obiection: whereby it may clearely be ſeene, what I meane, when I ſay, that God hath giuen power to vsus, if we acknowledge and beleeue it, to leade a Chriſtian life with delighting in it: which though it be not without change, full and abſolute; yet, in that it is ſo great libertie as it is, it ceaſeth not to be worthily accounted a moſt great priuiledge, as I hauehave ſaid before. For is it a ſmall thing to finde pleaſure and the greateſt reioycing, in the ſubduing of our euill hearts, and in the forgoing of our vnlawfull liberties, which other men fight for with tooth and naile, and would count their life worſe than any death except they might inioy them?
Nay, is it not an high degree of honour, that we may from day to day be admitted to reioyce before the Lord in the duties which we doe, euen all that we ſhall ſet our hand vntounto: when yet others are ſo farre off from it,Note. that they would chuſe to lie in priſon all the daies of their life, rather than they would be thus yoked, as they account of it? O therefore, praiſe the Lord, all ye ſeruants; the Lord I ſay, who doth ſo wonderfull things for his: for in this is that Scripture fulfilled, which ſaith: Honourable things are reported of thee, that is,Pſ. 87.3. which thy God hath done for thee, O thou citie, or people, of God. And if it were not ſo, that the Lord hath done ſo great good things for his people, how could that be true which is ſaid in another place, of their happie eſtate; that it is better to be a doore-keeper in Gods houſe,Pſ. 84.11. becauſe we are there in his ſeruice and vnderunder his gouernment, than to dwell in the tents of the vngodlie whereſoeuer, yea though it were in the palace of Princes?
If it be further demanded: Where are ſuch as inioy this prerogatiue in their liues? I ſay, I know no cauſe, why Gods people, which hauehave an acquittance and diſcharge againſt the day of iudgement and the wrath to come, and hauehave ſound knowledge and aſſurance of their ſaluation, and of Gods fatherly care ouer them while they liue here; I ſay, I know no cauſe why all they ſhould not hauehave ſome good and liuely reſemblance of ſuch perſons. For did they holde faſt this perſwaſion, that God hath giuen this libertie vntounto them, the Deuill (who it is, which iniuriouſly deteineth it from them) ſhould deceiue and defeat them no longer in the groſſe ſort and maner that he doth. But this I muſt adde (becauſe it is a common bait whereby they are ſnared:Note.) earthly pleaſures and profits (yea, though lawfull) muſt be in meaner reckoning with them. They are too eager and greedy in their dealings, and their hearts eſpecially muſt be pruned of much droſſe & rubbiſh: as, vnwillingneſſe, vntowardneſſe in the vſing of thoſe helps by the which men may wait vponupon God with eaſe from time to time.
Alſo men muſt thinke it the greateſt libertie, to hauehave their hearts readilie framed and diſpoſed to their ſeuerall duties; and be perſwaded, that nothing is better for them then thus to bridle the vnruly affections,Vnruly affections interrupt eueryevery good courſe entred into. which are eueryevery while ready to breake off the beſt courſe that can be entred into of them. And if we thinke it much to be inioined thus to curbe vp the old man which moſt hindreth from going forward with delight and readineſſe, conſider what iniury we offer to the Almighty,By not curbing the old man we offer wrong not to our ſelues onelyonly, but alſo to the Maieſtie of God. that whereas nothing goeth forward well that is vnwillingly gone about: ſo neither ſhould this worke of the Lord doe in vsus, except we ſhould prouide ſo, that much vntowardneſſe and awkeneſſe in Gods ſeruice (which is wont either to breake it off, or to be the greateſt hinderance therein) be remoued or at leaſt reſiſted. Which ſhall not be hard to doe, if we daily conſider, that he hath promiſed to make vsus fitte for that which he ſets vsus about; and that we beleeuing his ſaid promiſe, ſhall finde the trueth of it in vsus, our hearts incouraged, our backewardneſſe and ſlougth repelled or much abated, as Ioſua and other his faithfull ſeruants hauehave done: which grace if it may be obtained of vsus (and who doth not ſee cleerely that it may?) I meane, that all true Chriſtians may obtaine willingneſſe and cheerefulneſſe in their daily duties doing, and to be much freed from the contrary vntowardneſſe and vnfitneſſe, which is the greateſt let that can ſtand in their way: if (I ſaie) God hauehave prouided ſo mercifully for his, that they may with delight walke in his waies, ſet themſelues to watch againſt their infirmities, and ſo in their common dealings and actions practiſe a godly and innocent life, and that they may doe earthly buſineſſe with heauenly minds,An vnualuable priuiledge, to forme earthly buſineſſe with: heauenly minds. (which the vnreformed cannot in the leaſt manner attaine vntounto) I conclude this priuiledge as the former, that the Lord hath in giuing this gift vntounto his children, beſtowed an vnualuable bleſſing and prerogatiue vponupon them: and let vsus waite for and inioy it; and when we faile moſt, acknowledge ſuch weakneſſe, that we may find releaſe of it from God: and if any of his finde it not, neither ſee it to be ſo, it is their vnbeleefe which depriueth them of ſuch a treaſure; but when they enter into Gods ſanctuary, they ſhall ſee it farre otherwiſe.
This were worthy to be harkened after (ſome perhaps will ſay) if we might indeed attaine heereto. But what triumph call ye this ouer ſathan and ſinne, when the beſt of vsus are priuy to this, that we are carried by them both, to doe that which we know to be diſpleaſing vntounto God? For beſides this that ſome perticular ſinnes doe draw vsus through the deceitfull inticements thereof, (the diuill changing himſelfe into an angell of light to winde vsus in the more ſubtilely) there are alſo ſtrong corruptions which breake out in vsus, preuailing dangerouſly to the hindring of vsus from many good duties, and that often times: as in the examples of Iob, Dauid and Peter it may appeare. Theſe two obiections (of great waight doubtleſſe) I muſt firſt anſwere, before I goe further. And firſt of the formoſt: though they, I meane the Godly, be not voide of the ſinnes which I hauehave ſpoken of, yet that hindreth not the honour, which God hath ſet them in and giuen vntounto them.The godly finde a ſtrife between the fleſh and the ſpirit for three cauſes. For there is left in the moſt holy a ſtrife betwixt the ſpirit and the fleſh, and that for this purpoſe, by the lord himſelfe euen in his elect, (as the Apoſtle teacheth by his owne example) not that they ſhould periſh; but partly, leſt they ſhould looke to triumph before the victory (which ſathan would moſt of all wiſh;) partly, that the beſt men being priuy to their owne weaknes (and that throughout their life) might not reſt vponupon their owne ſtrength, but alwaies depend vponupon God: yea and further alſo, for this cauſe he doth it, that the more hard the combat is and their ſtrife with ſathan & ſinne the more vehement, the more glorious might the victory appeare. And therefore as it is in warre and battels fought amongſt men, we doe not meaſure the victory by any thing done one either ſide whiles they are contending or skirmiſhing, for the vhemency of the one or the remiſſeneſſe of the other; neither will we count him a coward, who ſhall be grieuouſly wounded, no although he ſometime giuegive backe like one which is ouercome, ſo as he doe afterwards take heart and courage to himſelfe againe: euen ſo in this ſpirituall fight & conflict,No Chriſtian while he fighteth with ſinne and ſatan, though he receiue many and great wounds, yet not giuing ouer, can be ſaid to be vanquiſhed. when we ſhal ſee the good Chriſtian to be ouer-matched, as it were, & for the time driuen to hard diſtreſſe by ſuſtaining the ſhame and reproch of ſome euill action committed, or ranke rebellion nouriſhed, which is no leſſe then if a man ſhould in war looſe ſome member of his body; yet muſt we not thinke that the ſpirit hath yeelded it ſelfe vntounto the fleſh, neither hath beene ouercome of it, though ſore and greuiouſly wounded, if it ſhall by the feeling of the ſmart which it tooke by the ſinne committed, gather againe greater heart of deteſtation againſt it, and ſtrength and courage by ſpirituall armour to repell ſathans poiſoned dartes for heereafter.
Now of the examples: and firſt of Iob, yee will ſay:Examples. How could he cry out as he doeth in the third chapter againſt the day of his birth; crie out I ſay, yea howle, and charge God, but he muſt needs ſhew himſelfe to be ouercome of the fleſh? There is no doubt (I graunt) but that his aduerſary the deuill did now make full reckoning, that he ſhould fall into very loathſome blaſphemy, and vtter deſperation: and it cannot be denied, but that he was caried verie farre out of the way. But yet, as he is not to be freed from all fault; ſo he is not to be further charged then he gaue iuſt cauſe, foraſmuch as the Lord himſelfe doeth ſo determine the controuerſie in the end (whoſe ſentence no man doubteth, but that it was moſt righteous:) that although he reprooue him, yet of his ſingular goodneſſe he doth not make his fault ſo heinous, but chargeth his three friends as the chiefe prouokers of him to that euill which he did, and crowneth him as it were, for that in ſo great a combat by his valiant wreſtling he had preuailed: yet for our further edification, let vsus ſee ſomewhat more particularly into this action, directing our ſelues by that which the Lord hath ſaid of him. I ſay therefore, that Iob ſinned many waies, but yet through humane frailty.Iob ſinned of frailtie, not of ſet purpoſe. For his intemperate ſpeech proceeded not from a ſetled and conſtant purpoſe of the mide, but was wrung from the exceeding greatneſſe of his griefe and paine, which hindred for the time all ſenſe and light of faith & iudgement in him. For in that he thought, he could by no other meanes be deliuered from thoſe ſo great euils which he ſuffered, but by death; it ſhewed that he did not throughly nor ſufficiently weigh the power and might of God. In that he wiſhed either that he had neuer beene borne, or together with his birth to hauehave died, it muſt needs be granted, that it was a ſpeech of a man little conſidering what he ſaid; but which had forgotten what great mercies he had receiued, yea what he himſelfe had ſometime vttered (.i. If we hauehave receiued proſperitie from the Lord, why ſhould we not ſuffer aduerſitie?) in that he earneſtly wiſhed deliuerance from his ſuffrings, but asked it not of God, it bewraied a minde in him ſore troubled. And laſtly, in that he had regard onelyonly to his owne quiet and eaſe, and thought at that time, death to be the finiſher of his ſorrowes; it might hauehave ſeemed to giuegive him place among the Epicures (who take their pleaſure whiles they liue, looking for nothing after death) but that he declared himſelfe at other times, to be of a contrary minde. But all theſe (as I hauehave ſaid) proceeded from mans frailty, as we may afterwards heare Iob himſelfe to confeſſe. For who doth not maruell, in that ſo great trouble and anguiſh of his, that he vttered not one word either againſt his wife, or againſt his friends dealing ſo vnwiſely with him, and ſo ſore prouoking him, as furious and raging men are wont to doe in ſuch a caſe? So that we ſhould not ſo much maruell,The weightineſſe of Iobs affliction conſidered, argueth his patience to be greater then his impatience. that he could be moued to any impatience at all, being ſtricken downe with ſo many and weighty blowes of ſorrow; as that he could keepe any meaſure therein, that he neither brake out into rage againſt them which ſo vexed him, nor into blaſphemie againſt God (which ſathan laboured moſt eſpecially to hauehave brought him vntounto.) Neither is he to be counted an impatient man, who doth not by and by reſiſt and ouercome all vexations of body and torments of minde, with ſuch ſtrength and conſtancie as were to be wiſhed; but he, who ſo goeth to worke, that the helliſh ſpirit in the end preuaileth ouer him and hath the vpper hand. Therefore, moſt wiſely and fitly to this purpoſe,Iam. 5. doth the apoſtle Iames admoniſh: that in iudging about Iobs conflict, we conſider not ſo much, what came to paſſe in the combat and fight, as we marke the end of the battell, that is to ſay, that God did inwardly vphold his ſeruant, and pronounced him an happie man: and though he ſuffered him to be very grieuouſly tempted, yet neuer beyond his ſtrength, which he in moſt fit time and ſeaſon did ſupport him with. And what one among all the Saints of God hath not prooued and found this true, if we marke and conſider their words and their liues? Let thus much be granted therefore, that the fleſh raged in Iob, and ſo, that he offended grieuouſly; and no maruell, for he was a man: but yet (God himſelfe being iudge of this matter) he neuer wholly gaue place to the fleſh: but (although it was not without manie wounds receiued in the battell) yet the ſpirit preuailed, and had the vpper hand in him.
Of Peter likewiſe this is to be ſaid: As the Lord Ieſus had done much for him, and giuen him many priuiledges, euen as to other of the Apoſtles he had done; yet in that dangerous plunge of his, being the greateſt downefall (a man would think) that euer any good man might ſuſteine, he neither ſinned againſt the Holy Ghoſt, neither was wholly drawen from his holde, and ſubdued by Sathan.Peters deniall of Chriſt was onelyonly in word, his heart not conſenting. The cauſes of it were two: Raſhneſſe and feare of danger. For although he denied in word, that he knew Chriſt, yea and that with a curſe called for vponupon himſelfe, if he knew him; I ſay more, though his conſcience did burne within him at the ſame time, yet did not his minde goe with his mouth, neither did he change his iudgement with his ſpeech: but he was brought vntounto it, partly by that raſhneſſe of his, which was too readie at hand with him in many of his actions; and partly, by the feare of that danger which was at hand, if he had confeſſed Chriſt. But in the meane ſeaſon, that ſpirit which had taught him that Chriſt was the ſonne of the liuing God; and ſo taught it him, that he loued nothing more dearely than his maſter: that ſpirit (I ſay) dwelling ſtill in him, was not caried to ſuch outrage, but either was ſilent in him not conſulted withall (as in heady and boiſterous affections it cōmeth to paſſe;) or els, it ſecretly rebuked the tongue, though no ſuch thing appeared. And ſo likewiſe the faith,Peters faith neuer loſt. for which Chriſt praied that it might not faile nor be ouercome, was not extinct in him, nor vtterly loſt. For if it had beene ſo, he would hauehave ioyned himſelfe in familiarity with the Iewes, and hauehave complained, that he had all that while beene deceiued of his maſter: whereas on the other ſide, he went forth and wept bitterly, and declared many waies how deeply he was diſpleaſed with himſelfe for that his offence. Neither yet doe I ſpeake this of Peter, as though I went about to make his ſinne ſmall and light; which (ſurely) I am perſwaded, did deſerue eternall death a thouſand waies: but that if any hauehave ſinned of infirmity or in any ſuch maner, as Peter did, (and yet, beſides the vnpardonable ſinne, one would thinke that none could be greater) yet that they ſhould not caſt away all hope, and ſo deſpaire; but that they ſhould be perſwaded, that the way is open to ſaluation, if they hauehave the faith and repentance which Peter had.
Of Dauid and others, the like may be ſaid; but I hauehave ſtaied too long in theſe examples. I will returne now to the priuiledges and liberties which the ſeruants of God hauehave proper vntounto themſelues from other men, that they may not coldly and vnwillingly deſpiſe the world, and cleaue to the Lord without fainting. I truſt, now the hardeſt obiection is anſwered which can be brought againſt their welfare and proſperitie, and that it cannot be taken from them by any ſubtiltie or malice of the adverſarie; as it is written:Matt. 16. The gates of hell ſhall not preuaile againſt them: and therefore I may be bold to affirme,Luc. 10. that they hauing their names written in heauen already, and this being teſtified of them by the Lord himſelfe, That they ſhalbe kept ſafe vntounto the reſurrection day, & that none ſhall take them out of his hands; that they are in great account with him, and highly eſteemed of him, as was ſaid before. And howſoeuer the world thinke and ſpeake of them, becauſe they know them not:They that are honored of God are moſt honourable. yet is their eſtate moſt honourable, becauſe they are honoured of the Almighty, and from the greateſt feare of danger they are deliuered. Is a valiant and noble gentleman in diſgrace, becauſe (whiles he goeth vnderunder great perils for his countrey, & hazardeth his life for his Prince, and goeth thorow many hard aduentures) he is reported of to be confederate with the enemie: when yet he is beloued and renowmed (and that for iuſt cauſe) of Prince and Peeres? No more is the ſeruant of God to be reputed vile, and his eſtate contemptible, for that (whiles he goeth about to honour his God, and in his life to expreſſe his exceeding kindneſſe) he is both then and therefore ſet againſt by the deuill and his miniſters, and by their malice and ſubtiltie drawen into ſome action, which might cauſe ill report and breed a doubt of his godlineſſe, when yet his faithfulneſſe is approoued of the Lord his God. Was Paul, becauſe he was buffited by the meſſenger of Sathan, that is, after great exaltation and glory a little before, now immediatly not only depriued of the feeling of it, but brought to ſo contrarie an eſtate, that he was deeply aſhamed to thinke he had beene ſo high; was he therefore depriued of that which yet he was made to hope for? Nay, therefore the Scripture putteth it out of all doubt, ſaying after: That he triumphed ouer ſathan in token that he had found nothing in him to ouerthrow him,2. Tim. 4.7.8. as he ſaith himſelfe: I hauehave fought a good fight, I hauehave finiſhed my courſe, I hauehave kept the faith: from henceforth is laid vp for me a crowne of righteousneſſe. Therefore we ſee, how God keepeth his from ſhamefull euils, while they beleeue that he will do ſo, and maketh an holy and Chriſtian life their comfort. And yet all theſe and other ſuch excellent priuiledges which appertaine vntounto them,This and all other priuiledges are no more, then eueryevery Chriſtian hath need of to paſſe through this vale of teares. are no more then God did ſee they ſhould ſtand in need of (as I ſaid in the former priuiledge) to helpe them beare the burden of tribulation, reproch and other diſcouragements which heere meet with them: which would ſhake them ſo, as they would make them to faint vtterly if they were not vpholden with props and ſtaies moſt mighty.