The Marks of the Children of God and their Comforts in Affliction, Chapter 3
How euerie member of the Church ought to applie vntounto himſelfe the tokens of it, to aſſure himſelfe of his adoption and ſaluation.
CAP. 3.
NOw, although the tokens before mentioned are certaine to aſſure vsus that wee are the children of God: yet there are two ſorts of temptations, which aboue all other tend to ſhake vsus. The one proceedeth of our ſelues, either for lacke of applying to our ſelues the teſtimonies, which God giueth to the members of his Church to aſſure them of their ſaluation: or through the feeling of a want (as wee thinke) but rather, of the ſmalnes or weaknes of thoſe tokens of adoption here aboue alledged. The other temptation commeth vntounto vsus frō ſome other where, and cōſiſteth ſpeciallie in two points. To wit, in the reuolt of ſome hauing made profeſsion of the true religion: and in the grieuous and long afflictions which are ordinarie to thoſe that followe the doctrine of the Goſpell. Now, as there is nothing of greater importance than the ſaluation of the ſoule: ſo there is nothing that doth more grieuouſlie afflict and trouble the tender conſciences deſirous of eternall life, than the doubts & feares not to be the child of God, getting to themſelues hereby ſuch ſorowes and anguiſhes, as none are able to comprehend, but thoſe that hauehave themſelues felt and tried them. To helpe then, to the conſolation of the ſoules ſo daungerouſlie, and ſo mightelie afflicted: firſt it is to be noted, that this diſeaſe cōmeth to many of this, that they pretend to reſolue themſelues of their ſaluation, examining themſelues whether they be worthie to be the children of God or no. And as there is none that is, or can bee worthie, ſo this is at the laſt to turne doubts into deſpaire. Other diſcourſe, whether they bee of the number of the elect, and whether their names bee written in the booke of life, to wit, if God louelove them, and hold them for his children. But it is not ſo high, that we muſt mount, but in the doctrine of the Goſpell it is, where we ſhould ſearch the reuelation hereof, and reſolue our ſelues if God hath loued vsus, if he doo louelove vsus, and will hold vsus for his childrē in Ieſus Chriſt. For as a man if he be of credite, maketh the hid thoughts of his heart to bee knowne by ſpeaking: euen ſo God, who is the trueth it ſelfe, reuealeth vntounto vsus, by the preaching of the Goſpell, his counſell, and his will touching our adoption & ſaluation: and confirmeth this reuelation by the vſe of the holie Sacraments. But we muſt note, that this reuelation of the will of God in the Goſpel comprehēdeth firſt two poynts: to wit, that there is perfect & entire ſaluation in one only Ieſus Chriſt, and that the meane to obtaine it, is to beleeue in him. Moreouer, when this Goſpell is preached vntounto vsus, GOD reuealeth vntounto vsus yet two poynts more: firſt, that he will make vsus partakers of this ſaluation in Chriſt. Secondlie, that he will hauehave vsus to beleeue the teſtimonie that he hath giuen vsus of this his will, to the end that we might bee ſaued. Now, the difficultie of beleeuing lieth in the perſwaſiō of theſe two laſt points, which notwithſtanding are certaine and true. Behold, ſaith S. Iohn, 1. Ioh. 5.11the teſtimonie of God, which he hath giuen vsus of euerlaſting life, and this life is in his ſonne, he ſaith not onelie that the life is in his ſonne, but ſaith further, that he giueth vsus this life, & that the Goſpell is the witnes. And hauing proteſted a little before, that he which beleeueth not this teſtimonie of God,1. Ioh. 5.10 maketh him a lier: he ſheweth ſufficientlie that he will that wee ſhould beleeue it. The Apoſtle to the Hebrues paſſeth further, & ſaith; that God,Heb. 6.17. willing to ſhew the immutable ſtablenes of his counſell to the heires of the promiſe, interpoſeth himſelfe by an oth, that by two things immutable in which it is impoſſible that God ſhould lie, wee might hauehave firme conſolation, wee, I ſay, who hauehave our refuge to the hope that is ſet before vsus, the which we hold as the ancker of the ſoule ſure & ſtable, pearcing euen into the ſanctuarie of heauen, where Ieſus Chriſt our forerunner is entered for vsus. By this he teacheth vsus firſt, that when we heare the Goſpell, wee ought to hold for certaine, that the counſell of God which was hid in his heart, touching his will to ſaue vsus, and to take vsus for his children, is there made manifeſt vntounto vsus. Secondly, that he will that wee beleeue it, ſeeing he confirmeth it by two things immutable, in which he cannot lie, to wit, his word and his oth, to the end that wee might hauehave firme conſolation, which cannot bee in vsus, if we beleeue not. Moreouer, he calleth the reuelation of his counſell, the hope ſet before vsus. Speaking then to vsus, he would that we ſhould hauehave hope: yea and he will that this reuealing of his counſell ſhould be vntounto vsus a ſure anchor of the ſoule, to ſhewe, that as a ſhip is held faſt by the anchor, that it might not be carried away of the wind: ſo God would that this reuealing of his coū ſell by the doctrine of the Goſpell ſhould hold vsus faſt, & aſſure vsus againſt all doubts of our adoption, yea and to pearce euen into the verie heauens with aſſurance, whereof our forerunner Ieſus Chriſt hath taken poſſeſsion both for himſelfe, and for vsus. See then one place ſhewing very expreſlie, that when thou heareſt the Goſpell, God declareth and reuealeth vntounto thee, that it is his will to ſaue thee by his ſonne Ieſus Chriſt. And to this end he will further, that thou beleeue it. And indeed when S. Paule ſaith,Ro. 10.17. that faith commeth by hearing the Goſpell, he ſheweth that thou canſt not beleeue, except that thou heare. Now, faith is a knowledge and certaintie, that it is the will of God to ſaue thee, & to take thee for his welbeloued child in Ieſus Chriſt. Then it followeth, that the Goſpell which is preached vntounto thee, and which thou heareſt, conteineth the reuealing and teſtimonie: firſt, that it is the will of God to ſaue thee by Chriſt: ſecondlie, that thou ſhouldeſt beleeue this teſtimonie which he giueth thee, that thou maieſt hauehave euerlaſting life. Who now is he, that ought or can doubt? Seeing alſo he is not content to ſay in generall,Ioh. 3.36. he that beleeueth hath euerlaſting life: but he commandeth thee to beleeue. Beleeue (ſaith he) the Goſpell.Mar. 1.15. Alſo, This is his commandement, ſaith S. Iohn, 1. Ioh. 3.23that wee beleeue in the name of his ſonne Ieſus Chriſt. Now, to beleeue the Goſpell, or in the name of Ieſus Chriſt, is not onelie to beleeue that there is ſaluation in Chriſt, and that he that beleeueth in him hath life euerlaſting. For the diuell himſelfe beleeueth that, and yet he beleeueth not the Goſpell, neither in the name of Ieſus Chriſt. But this is to beleeue, that he hath ſaluation in Chriſt for thee, as Eſai ſaith: A child is borne to vsus, a ſonne is giuen to vsus.Eſay. 9.5. And ſo ſpeaketh the Angell to the ſhepheards. This day is borne vntounto you a ſauiour. Alſo,Luk. 2.11. that it is the will of God that thou ſhouldeſt be his child, and thou ſhouldeſt beleeue it ſo. The which thing the diuell cānot beleeue for himſelfe: neither is the Goſpell offered vntounto him. Now, when GOD reuealeth vntounto thee his good will and louelove towards thee, wherefore doubteſt thou? He is true, he neither will, nor can either lie or deceiue. And whē he commaundeth thee to beleeue it, muſt thou examine thy ſelfe whether thou bee worthie or no? Thou art bound to obey, & ſo to beleeue, that he doth louelove thee, and that thou art his child by Chriſt. Call to mind that which is writtē,Ioh. 3.16. whoſoeuer beleeueth (what manner a one, or whoſoeuer it be) he hath life euerlaſting. Neither is it preſumption ſo to beleeue, and that conſtantly, but it is to him obedience moſt acceptable. And indeed it is an honour that he requireth of thee to beleeue his word, and ſo to put to thy ſeale that he is true. It is verie true that in preaching the Goſpell, hee ſaith,Ioh. 3.39. not, I am come to ſaue Simon Peter, Cornelius the Centurion, Marie Magdalen, and ſo of others. He nameth no man by his name that was giuen him by men, either at their circumciſion, or at their baptiſme, or otherwiſe: for ſo might we yet doubt of our ſaluatiō, thinking that it might be ſpokē not of vsus, but of ſome other that ſhould hauehave the ſame name. But when thou heareſt that Ieſus Chriſt is come to ſaue ſinners: either renounce the name of a ſinner,Matt. 9.13. 1. Timo. 1.15. or confeſſe that hee ſpeaketh to thee, and that hee is come to ſaue thee. Make then boldly this concluſion: Ieſus Chriſt is come to ſaue ſinners, I acknowledge my owne name, for I am a ſinner: therefore he is come to ſaue me. And alſo when he ſaith: Come vntounto men all ye that trauaile & are heauilie laden,Math. 11.28. and I will refreſh you: Thou muſt marke well theſe words, all ye; for ſeeing he ſaith, all ye, he ſpeaketh to all thoſe that trauaile and feele the heauy burthen of their ſinnes. Wherfore ſhouldeſt thou doubt then, whether hee ſpeake to thee? Conclude rather on this manner, ſeeing he ſaith, all ye, he ſpeaketh then alſo to me, promiſing to comfort me. And to this purpoſe ſaith S. Paule, that there is no differēce of men before GOD,Rom. 10.12. but the ſame who is Lord ouer all, is rich towards all thoſe that call vppon him: HaueHave thou then recourſe vntounto him, and beleeue in him, & thou art aſſured that he will alſo be rich in merciemercy euen vntounto thee. If there were two or three hundred inhabitants of ſome towne baniſhed for ſome offence, and after a generall pardon ſhould be publiſhed, that all the baniſhed of ſuch a towne ſhould hauehave free libertie to returne thether, with all aſſurance to enter againe vppon all their goods and honors: ſuppoſe that thou wert one of thoſe baniſhed, and that he that hath giuen the pardon were a faithfull and true Prince: wouldeſt not thou beleeue, that thou wert comprehended in the pardon, although thy name were no more expreſſed, than the names of the other baniſhed, and that returning to the towne thou ſhouldeſt againe bee placed in thy goods? Now,Gen. 3.24. we hauehave bin baniſhed from the kingdome of heauen by the tranſgreſsion of Adam. Ieſus Chriſt dying for theſe baniſhed perſons, cauſeth a generall pardon to bee publiſhed by the preaching of the Goſpell, with permiſsion, yea with commandement to returne into heauen. He is a true King, yea the trueth it ſelfe: and the aboliſhing of this baniſhment, & the reentrie into heauē hath coſt him verie deere,1. Pet. 1.19. euen the ſhedding of his moſt precious bloud. What occaſion then haſt thou to doubt of thy pardon, & returne into heauen? For, although thy Chriſtian name bee not expreſſed; yet if thou be of the number of the baniſhed, he ſpeaketh to thee, behold thy name, thou art there comprehended. Beleeue that he ſpeaketh in trueth, and that his wil is ſuch towards thee, as he declareth to thee by his word. But let vsus paſſe further to the Sacraments, which ſerue greatlie to reſolue vsus to beleeue that wee are the children of God. The Sacraments are (as it were) a viſible word,Auguſt. in Ioan. hom. 19. repreſenting the grace of the Goſpel. But more then that, they are communicated to thee, and thou receiueſt thē. Is not this to put thee, as it were, into reall poſſeſsion of thine adoption, and to giuegive thee aſſurance of euerlaſting life? The Paſtour preacheth vntounto all, the grace of the Goſpell in the name of Chriſt. But in thy Baptiſme he directeth his ſpeach to thee by name, to aſſure thee of the forgiuenes of thy ſinnes, and of thine adoption, as S. Paule ſaith, that thoſe that are baptiſed hauehave put on Chriſt, and that ſo they are the children of God.Gal. 3.27.26. And it is as if a Prince hauing called backe againe all the baniſhed, amongſt whō thou ſhouldeſt be one, calling vntounto thee by name, amongſt the other baniſhed, by a letter ſealed of thy pardon, and of reeſtabliſhing thee in thy goods. Should not this be to aſſure thee? As touching the holy ſupper, Ieſus Chriſt, hauing publiſhed by his Miniſter, that his fleſh is meate indeed and his bloud drinke, addeth, that whoſoeuer eateth his fleſh and drinketh his bloud,Ioh. 6.55.56. he hath life euerlaſting: He calleth thee among others to his table, and giueth thee of the bread and wine, namelie, to aſſure thy perſon, that he died for thee, and that he giueth thee his bodie & his bloud, yea himſelfe all whole, and all his benefites, that thou ſhouldeſt bee with him, the child of God, and an inheritour of life euerlaſting. If the diuell or thy conſcience trouble thee, to doubt of thine adoption, aſſure thy ſoule againſt ſuch a temptation, by the communication of the holie ſupper. Say boldlie, Satan, canſt thou denie that I hauehave been at the holie ſupper, & that I hauehave receiued bread and wine? I hauehave ſeen, touched and taſted it, thou canſt not denie it. Further, canſt thou denie that this bread and wine were giuen me for ſeales and ſure pledges of my communicating with the body and bloud of Chriſt?1. Cor. 10.16. Saint Paule ſaith plainlie, that the bread which I hauehave receiued, is the communiō of the bodie of leſus Chriſt. Seeing then thou canſt not denie, but that I hauehave receiued the bread and wine: and that the bread and wine are the communion of the body & of the bloud of Chriſt, I hauehave then communion with the bodie and bloud of Ieſus Chriſt, & thou canſt not denie it. True it is that there are ſome, who being outward members of the church, baptiſed in it, hearing the word, and communicating at the holie ſupper, ſhewe themſelues after hypocrites, declaring that they were neuer indeede the children of God. But wee cannot ſay therefore, that the reuelation and teſtimonie of the will of God cōtained in his word, and ſealed by the Sacraments, are doubtfull or vncertaine. For GOD, who offereth his grace in his word, and hath ſealed it by the Sacraments, is faithful and ſpeaketh truelie, reuealing vntounto vsus and aſſuring vsus that he will take vsus for his welbeloued children in Ieſus Chriſt. And he can neither lie nor deceaue, as is alreadie ſaid. But theſe are vnfaithfull men, who reiecting the teſtimonies of the will of GOD towards them, depriue themſelues by their incredulitie of the grace which was offered vntounto thē, doing this diſhonor to Chriſt, to cōpt him a lier.1. Ioh. 5.10 As the Sunne then ceaſeth not to giuegive light and brightnes, although ſome man ſhutteth his eyes that he may not ſee it, nor bee lightened: and as meate ceaſeth not to bee good and nouriſhing, although it be receiued without profite of a ſtomack euill diſpoſed: So, if manie vnwilling to beleeue that the will of GOD is ſuch, as he hath declared by his word, reiecting (by their incredulitie) the grace which GOD offereth them; ſhould their incredulitie make thee call in doubt the trueth of God, and the teſtimonie of his good will towards thee? If ſome few among theſe baniſhed, not truſting the pardon publiſhed by a true and faithfull Prince, doo him this diſhonor to compt him as a deceiuer or lier: acknowledge thou that iuſtlie and by good right they remaine baniſhed. But thou, ſeeing that faithfull Prince Ieſus Chriſt hath ſent to pronounce vntounto thee a generall pardon, and namelie, hath giuen thee his letters ſealed by the Sacraments, commaunding thee to beleeue, and promiſing thee, that it ſhall bee vntounto thee according to thy faith: Aſſure thy ſelfe,Matt. 9.29. that his will is that thou ſhouldeſt be his child, and heire of euerlaſting life. See how euerie one ſhould aſſure himſelfe, by the preaching of the Goſpell, and the vſe of the Sacraments, the true markes of the Church: that (being a member of it) he is the child of God: and conſequentlie, an inheritour of his euerlaſting kingdome. True it is, that faith is the gift of GOD, yea proceeding from the operation of the mightie power of his ſtrength,Phili. 1.29. Ephe. 1.19. as S. Paule ſpeaketh. And this is it which he maketh vsus to feele in this difficultie of apprehēding (by an aſſured faith) ſo manie, ſo cleare and ſo certaine teſtimonies of his good will towards vsus, touching our adoption. It is therefore needfull that he worke farther with vsus by his holie ſpirit, which (without ceaſing) asking of him in the name of Ieſus Chriſt, we are aſſured by his promiſe, that he will giuegive vsus, and that, ſo ioyning with the power and efficacie of his ſpirit, the preaching of his Goſpell, and the vſe of the Sacraments, he will giuegive vsus grace to applie vntounto our ſelues (by a true and liuelie faith) the teſtimonies which he hath giuen vsus of our adoption, to our ſaluation and euerlaſting life.