Seven Treatises, Treatise 6 · Chapter 13
CHAP. 13. Of the ninth priuiledge: That the beleeuers ſhall perſeuere vntounto the end.
NOw out of this proceedeth another as neceſſarily, as it ſelfe ariſeth out of the former; and that is, Perſeuerance vntounto the end, and continuance in faith and repentance. For as he which groweth to excell himſelfe in all goodneſſe, muſt firſt of neceſſitie make a beginning, & be rooted & wel ſetled therein▪ ſo he which increaſeth daily more and more, ſhall at length make a good end, proportionable at leaſt vntounto his courſe of life. For the faithfull Chriſtian hauing obtained of the Lord a delight in his ſeruice,The godly ſhall continue to the end in a good courſe. Pſ. 37.37. and by the ſame a proceeding from grace to grace; he maketh an eaſie way for him to perſeuerance, graunting this vntounto him as another priuiledge: That he ſhall not reuolt and turne aſide with the workers of iniquitie, but ſhall holde out in this holy courſe vntounto his end. This appeareth to be true by the Scripture which ſaith:Phil. 1.6. Hee which hath begun this good worke in his, will alſo finiſh and make an end of the ſame. Agreeable heerunto is that ſaying of our Sauior:Ioh. 6.39. & 10.28. This is the Fathers wil which hath ſent me, that of all which he hath giuen me, I ſhould loſe nothing, but ſhould raiſe it vp againe at the laſt day. And againe: None ſhall take them out of my hands. Therefore if God will finiſh the worke that he hath begun in his children, if he will keepe them ſafe vntill all danger be paſt; that is, to the day of the reſurrection; and if none ſhall take them out of his hands: it is manifeſt that all ſuch as are grafted into Chriſt by faith, and who hauehave beene effectually called into the number of Gods children through the preaching of the Goſpell vntounto the ſure and certaine hope of eternall life, ſetting their faces daily toward the ſame; ſhall be ſafely conducted home, and abide in the ſame eſtate vntounto the end.
But as great a benefit as it is, That they ſhall continue to the end;God letteth them know it that they ſhall: yet if the Lord would hide it from them, and keepe them from the knowledge of it, it ſhould be much leſſer: and therfore this is further to be added, that they which know themſelues to be the Lords; may alſo know, that they ſhall be preſerued and kept ſafe againſt all aduerſarie power of the deuill and his inſtruments, and ſo perſeuere vntounto the end. For although it ſeeme to be a myſterie and a ſecret, that the determinate will and counſell of God concerning this matter ſhould be knowen;Though it be a ſecret to the world. 2. Cor. 4.3. Pſ. 25.14. Ioh. 15.15. yet it is a ſecret vntounto ſuch only as lie in darkeneſſe & in the ſhadow of death, which through vnbeleefe are not able to ſee into it becauſe it is a myſtery: but the ſecret of the Lord is not hidden from his owne ſeruants, but ſhall in time be reuealed vntounto them; whom becauſe he calleth his friends, therefore he ſheweth them his will and minde in the moſt precious ſecrets which it is expedient for them to know. For by often hearing the doctrine of perſeuerance plainly preached vntounto them, God draweth their hearts to beleeue it: that as they heare the Lord will perfect the good worke which he hath begunne in his people, and withall doe know themſelues to be his people; ſo they hold this in perſuaſion, though they ſee not how by any thing in themſelues,Reaſons why they ſhall know it: The firſt. 1. Pet. 1.4.5. that he will continue his fauour towards them vntounto their end. For they which know that they ſhall hauehave eternall life, muſt needs alſo know that they ſhall be kept by God in this preſent world from all power of the diuell which might hinder them from it. But all beleeuers may and ought to know, that they ſhall hauehave eternall life,1. Iohn 5.13. 1. Theſſ. 5.9. as Saint Iohn teacheth: I write vntounto you that beleeue, that ye may know that ye hauehave eternall life: therefore they may know, that they ſhall be kept to the end that they may alſo inioy the ſame.
The ſecond.Furthermore to perſwade this point more ſtrongly to Gods children, (of whom many are long held in doubting of the ſame) and for that it is by the church of Rome flatly denied: we ought not to doubt of this, but that as God hath been with other of his ſeruants in all ages;Ioſ. 1.5. ſo he will be with vsus which are his in this age, or which ſhall be his heerafter. And therefore as he hath giuen them a good end of their pilgrimage, although not without many combats and conflicts: ſo will he do alſo vntounto vsus which remaine, after we hauehave ſuffered a little,1. Pet. 5.9. as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh. Euen as Moſes, Caleb, and Ioſua with others, ſuffered many things after they firſt became faithfull vntounto the Lord; yet becauſe he had choſen them, and had promiſed to be with them, therefore he alſo did gather them vp to their fathers, and they finiſhed their courſe in peace.
The third reaſon.Beſides this, all ſuch as in whom the Lord maketh his worde to take roote, framing their hearts to be good and honeſt to receiue the ſame into them, and ſo to be fit to all Chriſtian duties;Luc. 8.15. Heb. 3.6. they through patience continue and holde the confidence and reioicing of their hope vntounto the end, (euen as the good ground yeeldeth her harueſt in due ſeaſon:) when in the meane while, ſundry giuegive ouer, recoile and faint, who ſeemed for a time to be as forward as the beſt. And to conclude theſe reaſons: what is he amongſt the people of God, who for any long time hath had proofe of Gods fatherly kindneſſe, in granting him increaſe of knowledge, faith, peace of conſcience, and the like, but in his firſt entrance into the Chriſtian courſe he thought it wonderfully vnlike, that he ſhould euer attaine to any ſuch meaſure of the gifts of God as he now inioyeth? nay, it ſeemed vntounto him vtterly impoſſible. And yet being nouriſhed vp by the Lord vnderunder a good diet,Note. and once learning to know by what helps and meanes he doth cauſe his to goe forward, he hath growen vp to ſetledneſſe and conſtancie, he hath found much libertie and eaſe (as I may ſay) in the true worſhipping of God: euen ſo, it ſeemeth not a ſmall matter (doubtleſſe) to any of Gods faithfull ſeruants when they deeplie conſider of it, to thinke that they ſhall paſſe ſafely thorow all temptations and tribulations, eſpecially ſeeing they finde within themſelues many wants and weakneſſes, many feares and likelihoods of fainting and giuing ouer; and doe ſee without them, ſundrie diſcouragements, allurements, perſwaſions, threatnings, and both by the deuill and world, many hinderances from going ſtill forward: I ſay, it ſeemeth not an eaſie and ſmall matter to them, to thinke, that they ſhall ſee a good end of their conflicting daies; yea ſurely it may be truly affirmed, that they who are not troubled about this or hauehave not beene, neuer made any good beginning. But yet when Gods children ſet a deepe and due conſideration of the mightie power of God againſt their owne timorouſnes and frailtie, and againſt the ſtrength of the deuill and world; againe,How they perſwade themſelues of a good end. when they weigh the force of Gods promiſe, who hath warranted a good end vntounto them, and the many helps by which God hath prouided to bring them well home; they reſt quietlie, caſt their care vponupon him, and truſt that he which hath ſaid it, will alſo do the ſame.
The which perſwaſion when they hauehave once faſtened vponupon,4 The fruit of the knowledge of perſeuerance. (and the ofter they thinke on it, the more ſurely they ſhall hold it) it is hard to ſay, how it reuiueth and gladdeth their hearts: it is a treaſure inualuable, when they once ſoundly know it (as they can beſt tell the price and value of it, who hauehave ſometimes doubted of it and hauehave felt extreame anguiſh thereby:) who, if they might hauehave been aſſured of it in ſome former feares and diſtreſſe, would hauehave preferred it before the greateſt commodities.
Theſe therefore, when they once know and beleeue it, receiuing it with ſuch ioy as I hauehave ſaid, doe not (as carnall men imagine they will) abuſe this precious libertie to looſeneſſe and licentiouſneſſe, as not caring what they do, or how careleſly they looke to themſelues, ſeeing they hauehave a promiſe from God, that they ſhall perſeuere in his fauour and in a godly life vntounto their end. They doe not (I ſay) by this occaſion waxe ſlouthfull, worldly, idle, vaine,The ſecond fruit of it. or any other way ſeeke to ſhake off the Lords yoke, as weary of the ſame: (and yet I denie not, but that this doctrine is thus abuſed of many:) but as they know that perſeuerance commeth not but by daily good proceeding, ſo they gather ſtrength and incouragement from thence to goe forward more cheerefully; yea, they goe about all duties which they know to perteine to them, and the meanes alſo which helpe thereto much more willingly and readily, becauſe they are perſuaded they ſhall not loſe their labour, being aſſured that God hath ordeined the varietie of helps that they ſhould grow thereby. And indeed ſo they do: for the ſame meanes being daily continued with reuerence, by which they hauehave attained to any meaſure of Gods grace alreadie, they become faſter ſetled in the Chriſtian life, and waxe more ſound and conſtant; as alſo more fruitfull in faith, louelove, patience, obedience, &c. and withſtand all hinderances on the contrarie: and thus make an end of their life accordingly.
It muſt needs the leſſe appeare (I grant) how glorious the death of manie good Chriſtians is,5 We muſt not alwaies iudge of men by the maner of their death. becauſe they do not liue vnderunder the ordinarie preaching of the Goſpel; who, except God doe worke in them the more extraordinarilie, muſt needs die with leſſe ſignification of faith, patience and comfort: neither doth he grant to all a like ending of their daies, nor to ſhew the like tokens of an happie departure; neither ought we to iudge of men thereby. But this is more certaine and ſufficient to vphold vsus; that of a good life commeth a good death, according to the ſaying of the Pſalmiſt: Marke the end of the righteous, Pſ. 37.37.and ye ſhall ſee that the end of them is peace. And ſo it ſhall goe well with the people of God, howſoeuer any of them may as a fatherly correction, and for the example of others, receiue ſuch a maner of death, as might breed queſtion and doubt of the fauour of God and of an happie end: as the Prophet of God which came from Iuda to Bethel to rebuke the idolatrie of king Ieroboam, for that he was not obedient to the commandement of the Lord, but did eat bread in that place which was forbidden him; and therefore was ſlaine by a Lion in the way.1. King. 13.24. And Ioſia the good king of Iuda, who for his raſh going out to fight with Pharaoh Nechoh king of Egypt, 2. King. 23.29.was ſlaine of him. So it may pleaſe God for cauſes beſt knowen to him (but yet alwaies iuſt and moſt certainely for his owne glory) to take away ſome of his good ſeruants ſuddenly: and to viſit ſome other of them with loſſe of their inward ſenſes, vnderſtanding, of the vſe of reaſon, memory, &c. for ſuch effects ſome kinde of deaſeaſes doth worke; ſo that, in that eſtate they ſhall ſpeake they wot not what. In the which condition it may be,A good Chriſtian may poſſibly offer violence to himſelfe, not knowing what he doth. that ſathan may (euen as he doth in the time of ſleepe occupy their braine, and delude them ſometime with fearefull dreames, ſometime with filthy and deceitfull:) ſo (I ſay) he may when they are waking and whiles they walke about, draw them to that, which in good aduiſedneſſe they would not for the worlds good be brought vntounto; namely, to lay violent hands vponupon themſelues, by drowning, by knife, or any ſuch like way.
Which I doe not ſpeake, as minding in the leaſt manner to mooue men to thinke, that it is but a light and ſmall matter to cut off vnnaturally the naturall life,He that doth ſo aduiſedly, is a murtherer in the higheſt degree. which God as a moſt ſingular earthly benefit hath giuen: for as it is fearefull ſo much as to heare it named; ſo all they that doe it, being in perfect remembrance and knowing what they doe, ſhall be ſure to ſmart for it, as for committing the higheſt degree of murther.
But as no man blameth a yong infant, nor rateth it for caſting the hat or coat into the fire, as he would a childe of fiue or ſixe yeeres of age; the one hauing ſufficient diſcretion to know it doth euill, the other not: ſo it is with the two kindes of people, which may poſſibly depriue themſelues of life: the one knoweth what he doth, and therefore ſhall be ſure to pay deare for it; the other doth not: and hauing before that pange and diſtraction in times paſt witneſſed an holy and chriſtian heart by an vnrebukeable conuerſation, he is not to be iudged according to that one action, the which he alwaies abhorred when he had perfect and ſound remembrance; and when he did it, did he knew not what.
And if we doe what we can to comfort him, which againſt his will and through the malice and tyranny of the diuill, was ſuddenly forced to vtter ſome blaſphemous word againſt the maieſty of God; and thinke that by good right we ought to doe ſo: how much more ought we to hauehave a charitable iudgement of him, who hauing euer ſince he firſt gaue profeſſion to the goſpell, beene well reported of the brethren and of the trueth it ſelfe; hath at one time when he wanted his right and ſound iudgement, fallen into this hainous treſpaſſe?
And thus I hauing anſwered that which might ſeeme to breed greateſt queſtion of the perſeuerance of the godly in the fauour of God, (which caſe through Gods goodneſſe doth not fall out very oft:) I may much more boldly affirme of any other of Gods children, that he will neuer forſake any of his: no, although he load them with ſome hard burden of ſorrow and paine, yet will he not forget them (they being deare vntounto him;) neither doth he forget himſelfe in bringing a more ſore death vponupon any of them, but theereafter he maketh their conſolations to increaſe alſo.2. Cor. 6.1. &c And whereas perſecution amongſt all kindes of death is counted moſt grieuous, yet it is our weake faith that driueth vsus to that opinion. For neither is any death more happy,Mat. 5.10. then to ſuffer for righteouſneſſe ſake: and the paine of body vponupon the death bed hath beene found farre to exceed it.
But if corrupt and ſlougthfull fleſh ſhould thinke it great gaine to accept of life in that danger through denying Chriſt and renouncing the trueth,No cauſe to deſire to liue, when we muſt needs diſhonor God. we ſhould conſider, what anguiſh we ſhould liue in and what a hell, when we hauehave depriued our ſelues of all comfort from God, as hauing renounced him; and when we could not liue but with thoſe, who ſuppreſſing and perſecuting godlineſſe, muſt needs make our life more tedious and vncomfortable then any death: which being conſidered, what ioy (thinke we) is this to a godly ſoule, to ſee that day when an end of all miſeries is come? when he ſeeing that his departure is at hand, may ſay: This day is that,Eccleſ. 7.1. which is better to me then all that are paſt, ſeeing I am now going into euerlaſting glory?
Laſtly it ought to be conſidered, that as the three children ſaid: We hauehave a God that can deliuer vsus: but if he doe not, yet we will fall into his hands, and commit our ſelues vntounto him, as vntounto a faithfull keeper, not being vnmindefull of his promiſe, which is: Call vponupon me in the time of need, and I will deliuer thee:Pſ. 50.15. And againe: When they ſhall draw you before rulers, for my ſake, Mat. 10.19.beyce not carefull what yee ſhall ſay; for it ſhall be giuen you in that moment, what ye ſhall ſpeake: And this which the Lord ſaith of his preſent helpe in our neceſſity, he will moſt certainly performe, we beleeuing his promiſe, and waiting for the accompliſhing and fulfilling of the ſame.
So that in the partaking and inioying of all our priuiledges, we ſee, that this faith is required to be as the hand by which we ſhould receiue them, and whereby we hold and poſſeſſe them and all the comfort that commeth with them: and without it, we hauehave no part nor portion in any of them; neither thoſe which more eſpecially concerne the life to come, as the ſaluation of our ſoules; neither this preſent life, as the other fruites of the ſpirit, which I hauehave already ſpoken of; ſeeing the word which propoundeth theſe from God vntounto vsus, muſt be mixed with faith: for we hauehave not more vſe of the aire,Heb. 4.2. fire nor water, then we hauehave of it.
Heere therefore I thinke very meet to admoniſh the reader of this one thing: that ſeeing the diuill hath no greater aduantage againſt vsus in our weakeneſſe, diſgrace and feare, then by ſetting before our eies the terrible conceit and cogitation of perſecution and cruell death thereby:Reaſon 1. therefore ſtore and ſtuffe thy ſelfe with ſtrong munition, I mean, variety of thoſe ſcriptures which may animate thee, and which hauehave inabled the worthy and holy Martyrs of God to ſet light by the fearefulleſt torments; particularly theſe:Mat. 10.28. Feare not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the ſoule; but rather feare him which is able to deſtroy both body & ſoule in hell: And againe:2. King. 6. we hauehave more with vsus then againſt vsus: And: Greater is he that is in vsus, then he that is in the world: And that in the epiſtle to the Corinthians: There hath no temptation taken you, 1. Cor. 10.13.but ſuch as appertaineth to man: and God is faithfull, which will not ſuffer you to be tempted aboue that yee be able, but will euen giuegive the iſſue with the temptation, that yee may be able to beare it. Theſe laid together doe mightily preuaile (we beleeuing withall,1. Theſſ. 5.25. that he is faithfull who hath promiſed, and calleth vsus heereto, who will alſo doe the ſame) to quicken vsus to the bearing of the burden, though otherwiſe heauy and in it ſelfe intollerable.
2. Reaſon. Rom. 8.18. 2. Cor. 4.13.Alſo in another ſort theſe: The afflictions of this preſent life, are not worthy of the glory which ſhall be ſhewed vntounto vsus: And againe: Our light affliction which is but for a moment, cauſeth vntounto vsus a farre more excellent and eternall weight of glory, while we looke not on the things temporall which are ſeene, but on things not ſeene, Rom. 8.17.which are eternall: Alſo: If we ſuffer with Chriſt, we ſhall alſo be glorified with him. All which duely conſidered, with the like, are able to make vsus bow to the bearing of ſuch difficulties, as our mercifull father ſhall ſee meet to try vsus with.
The examples of our Sauiour, his Apoſtles, and other holy martirs, whom we count bleſſed which hauehave ſuffered for a good conſcience, hauehave no ſmall force to perſwade vsus. Of our Sauiour it is ſaid, when the holy Ghoſt wiſheth Chriſtians to run with patience the race that is ſet before them:Heb. 12.2. &. 3 Looke to Ieſus the author and finiſher of your faith: who for the ioy that was ſet before him, indured the croſſe, and deſpiſed the ſhame, and is ſet at the right hand of the throne of God. Conſider therefore him that indured ſuch ſpeaking againſt of ſinners, leſt yee ſhould be wearied and faint in your mindes. Of the Apoſtles, Paule writeth this: We are afflicted on eueryevery ſide, 2. Cor. 4.8.9.10.yet are we not in diſtreſſe; we are perſecuted, but not forſaken; caſt downe, but we periſh not; alwaies deliuered to death for Ieſus ſake, that the life of Ieſus may be made manifeſt in our mortall fleſh:2 Cor. 6.9. &. 10 And againe: Chaſtened, but not killed; ſorrowing yet alwaies reioicing; as poore, yet making many rich; as hauing nothing yet poſſeſsing all things. Heb. 11.36.37 38.Of the Martyrs this is ſaid: They were tried with mockings and ſcourgings yea moreouer by bonds and impriſonment; they were ſtoned, they were hewen aſunder, they were ſlaine with the ſword, they wandred vp and downe in ſheepe skinnes and in goat skinnes, being deſtitute, afflicted and tormented: whom the world was not woorthy of; they wandred in wilderneſſes, and mountaines, and dennes and caues of the earth. Oh how ſhould theſe glorious examples, with thoſe who ſuffred death ioifully in our remembrance for the goſpell: I ſay, how ſhould they draw our hearts, and incourage vsus to ſet light by our liues, when the Lord will require them at our hands!
And to adde the fourth and laſt kind of perſwaſions, to ſet vsus forward in this worke of the Lord, which is hindred in vsus not a little, by thinking what we forgoe and leaue behinde vsus, (if we ſhould be ready to ſuffer perſecution for Chriſts ſake) as our pleaſures, profits, preferments, friends: to this I anſwere: Beſides that our Sauiour ſaith (Whoſoeuer forſaketh houſe, or brethren, or ſiſters, or father, Marc. 10.29.or mother, or wife, or children, or lands for my ſake and the goſpels, ſhall receiue an hundredfold now at this preſent, and in the world to come life euerlaſting:) I ſay, beſide this, alas what a poore life is this that we lead heere? where few hauehave any great ſtore of pleaſures and commodities if they be religoius: yet, if they hauehave, they hauehave them with much ſorrow, feare and vnquietneſſe, though they hauehave lawfully come by them. And yet, beſides the vncertainty of them and of life it ſelfe, with reproch, vnkindneſſes, malice, ill will and diſdaine of our betters, the lewd tongues of our inferiors, and the repining and emulation of our equals, and the wearyings of vsus by all ſorts, vntounto the which we are ſubiect; why ſhould there be ſuch ſhrinking and going backe at the hearing of perſecution and death? I confeſſe, if it were not for the communion of Saints which we hauehave in this world with God and his church, there is nothing of any weight to mooue a Chriſtian to deſire to liue heere, eſpecially when the Lord calleth him hence: and yet the forgoing of Gods preſence in this world, is recompenced largely with the inioying of it in the life to come, which is alwaies to be preferred before the beſt eſtate that may be heere inioied. Oh, it is not the leaſt peece of our miſery, that we ſeeing what little good may be done of vsus heere, but contrarily, how great cauſe of complaining we hauehave, for that we are led by the law of our members ſo many waies to euill; that we be not for all this, able to ſay eueryevery day, Come lord Ieſus, come quickely: Reu. 22.20.we deſire to be diſſolued and to be with Chriſt.
But to end this diſcourſe, ſeeing God hath taught his children to prouide for the hardeſt, and how they may perſeuer in a good courſe vntounto the end, euen through great tribulations and perſecutions, and much more, when they hauehave an eaſier paſſage without them; let this be holden as the greateſt of all the reſt, that they hauehave this as a ſingular prerogatiue granted them of God,Ro. 8.38. and that thereby they may ſay in reuerence and confidence: Nothing ſhall ſeparate vsus from God, neither life nor death, neither things preſent nor things to come. And let not this honor and liberty be loſt, which all the goods of the world cannot redeeme nor buy againe. And therefore let vsus nouriſh daily the hope of this perſeuerance: Firſt by keeping in vsus a willingneſſe to die, as ſometimes we doe, and ſo ſhall we be fit to liue.
Secondly, that we vſe oft to meditate of the vanity of all things, and of the contempt of the world, and ſet our mindes on things heauenly;Col. 3.1. &. 2. that ſo we may preſerue and continue that liberty.
Thirdly, that we hold faſt our reioicing in Chriſt daily.1. Cor. 5.31.
Fourthly, that we mortifie all ſinne, and keepe it out of louelove with vsus:Col. 3.5. which is a plucking out of the ſting of ſinne.
Fiftly, that we inure our ſelues to beare ſmaller afflictions,Lam. 3. which is a part of denying our ſelues: ſo we ſhall welcome and goe vnderunder greater when they come, yea euen death it ſelfe. And let vsus know, that he who indeauours not to hold faſt theſe, is like to finde any other eſtate harder and full of wearineſſe.
And thus much be ſaid of this priuiledge, Of the perſeuerance of the godly vntounto their end: and ſo of all the other which are inioied in this life. All which although they be of ſo ſingular price as I hauehave declared, yet if they had not other adioined vntounto them which are immortall and perpetuall, and ſhould then be inioied, when theſe temporary prerogatiues ſhall be at an end; our liues ſhould be but miſerable, as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh, when he ſaith:1. Cor. 15.19. If in this life onelyonly we hauehave hope of Chriſt, we are of all men the moſt miſerable; and yet both together, vnmatchable.