The Marks of the Children of God and their Comforts in Affliction, Chapter 5
That the Apoſtacie and reuolt of ſome hauing made profeſſion of the true religion, ought not to make vsus call in doubt neither our religion nor our adoption.
CAP. 5.
WE hauehave vnderſtood here before how we may and ought to reſiſt the doubts of our adoption, proceeding from our ſelues. Now, we muſt ſhewe how wee may ouercome the temptatiōs which come from others. There are two things principallie, which trouble the conſciēces of many, to make them doubt whether they be the children of God, and in the way of ſaluation & of eternall life, or no. Firſt, the horrible offence or ſtumbling blocke of thoſe which abandon this church, renouncing the doctrine of it, and returning to the puddle of idolatrie: and ſpeciallie when any perſons hauing ſometimes held any honorable place in the Church do reuolt, and become perſecutors of the doctrine which they hauehave before taught and maintained. For thereof the diuell gathereth two conſequences, no leſſe daungerous than falſe: either that our Church is not the true Church, & ſo that we are not the children of God: or that there is no aſſurance of perſeuerance in the faith, & conſequently no certaintie of being the childrē of God, which hauehave had & borne in aparance the markes of adoption. The other offence conſiſteth in the grieuous & long afflictiōs which we indure: for the proſperitie of the wicked, deriding our miſeries, & the apprehenſion of our own troubles, giuegive occaſion to doubt whether God care for vsus, or whither he louelove vsus or no. And this ordinarie condition to thoſe that make profeſsion of our religiō, cauſeth many to condēne it, & hauehave it in deteſtatiō, as the mother & nurſe of al calamities. As touching the 1. point, cōcerning thoſe that reuolt,Of the certaintie of the doctrine notwithſtanding the reuolts. it is a ſmall ſtūbling block to trouble vsus: for this was foretold vsus, and it is a diſeaſe wherwith the church hath alwaies bin afflicted. Many ſhall be called, ſaith Ieſus Chriſt, but few choſen. And the parable of the ſeed falling in diuers ſorts of earth ſheweth,Matt. 20.16 that with much a doo the 4. part of thoſe that ſhal heare & profeſſe the Goſpel,Matth. 13. ſhall cōtinue to the end. S. Paule hath foretold expreſlie,1. Tim. 4.1. that in the latter times many ſhal fall from the faith.Act. 20.30. And he aduertiſeth the Ephe. that euen frō among themſelues there ſhould riſe vp mē that ſhould teach peruerſe things. And the Cor. that there ſhall be in the church not only diuiſiōs,1. Cor. 11.19. but alſo hereſies.2. Pet. 2.1. Saint Peter ſpeaketh yet more largelie: As there hath been (ſaith he) falſe prophets among the people of Iſrael, ſo ſhal there be falſe teachers amongſt you, which ſhall ſecretlie bring in damnable errours, and manie ſhal follow their damnable waies, by whom the way of trueth ſhall bee blaſphemed. Now, we muſt thinke the accompliſhing of ſuch prophecies ſo much the leſſe ſtrange, becauſe ſuch hath bin the condition of the church of God at all times.Gen. 6. What reuolt was there in the houſe of God before the flood, eight perſons onlie being foūd ſaued in the Arke, and yet amongſt them one hypocrite, who after was caſt off and accurſed.Gen. 9.25. Now, the church of God being inlarged in the poſteritie of Sem, againe there was ſeene ſuch a reuolt,Gen. 12. that the church of God was onlie found in the familie of Abraham, himſelfe being pulled out of idolatrie. In the time of Elias the reuolt was ſo great in Iſrael, 1. Reg. 19.10.that hee thought he had bin left alone. At the comming of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, the Apoſtacie was ſo generall, that almoſt all the Church, at the leaſt the principal members of it, lift vp themſelues againſt the Sonne of GOD, and crucified him. When Ieſus Chriſt had gathered manie Diſciples, he was forſaken of the moſt part of them: yea,Iohn. 6.66 Iudas alſo the Apoſtle fellfrom him, ſold him, and betraied him.Mat. 26.14 Mat. 26.65 Mat. 26.69 2. Tim. 1.15 Ieſus Chriſt being taken priſoner by his enemies, all his A poſtles fled away and forſooke him. Saint Peter himſelfe denied him thrice. Saint Paule complaineth, that all they of Aſia had reuolted,2. Tim. 4.16 And ſaieth in an other place, that all had forſaken him. He noteth Alexander the Copper Smith, Hymenaeus and others,2. Tim 4.14 who hauing beenethe chiefe members of the Church, were become heretikes, and enemies of the truth, Now it is the ſame Church, and we muſt no more be aſtoniſhed at ſuch reuolts, than at a man hauing rheums all his life (whereby hee caſteth out of his bodie aboundance of humours) that ſhoulde continue in the ſame diſeaſe ſtill euen in his olde age: Herein rather we ought to acknowlege the holines of God, wherewith alſo he would his Church ſhould be adorned. For he purgeth his Church, not being able to indure that hipocrits ſhould any l̄og time keepe the place and title of his childrē aproching to his Maieſtie. And hereunto we may aplie that which Moſes ſaith,Leuit. 10.3 whē he ſaw the fire had deuoured Nadab and Abihu the ſonnes of Aaron, for offering before the Lorde ſtrange fire: This is it which the Lorde hath ſpoken, ſaying; I will be ſanctified in thoſe that approch vntounto me, & will bee glorified in the preſence of all the people: ſhewing therby, that the nearer mē approch vntounto him by honorable offices in his church, and profeſsion of his worde, ſo much the leſſe will hee ſuffer their corruptions, but puniſheth them more ſharply, to the end, that as the nearer the peece of wax approcheth to the fire, ſo much the more the heat of it appeareth in melting it. In like maner the holines of God may better be knowne in the reuolt of hypocrites approching vntounto him, & ſo he may be the more glo rified of the people in ſuch iudgements. This is alſo the cauſe why manie, who before they had the knowledge of the goſpell, ſeemed in outward apparance very good people. Aſterward being ioined to the church, become wicked and diſſolute in their liues, & very perſecutors. It is the vengeāce of god that purſueth thē, puniſhing their ingratitude, their louelove of the world and of the fleſh, which they brought & nouriſhed in the church, and the contempt of the honor that God did them, when he made thē aproch vntounto him, receiuing thē into his houſe, ſpeaking to them by the preaching of his word, & preſenting vntounto thē vponupon his holy Table, his own Sonne Ieſus Chriſt for the foode of their ſoules. So farre off is it then, that we ſhould be troubled for ſuch reuolts, that on the contrary, ſeeing that they are the vengeances of GOD, wee ought ſo much the more to feare, and to continue the more conſtantly & holily in the church of GOD.Pſal. 101. And indeede if wee did at this day ſee Dauid execute that proteſtation which hee did make of purging his houſe from vicious and wicked perſons, would we (thinke you) depart from it, doubting of the holineſſe of it? Shall we not rather be confirmed to tarrie there ſtil, deſiring to liue holilie? But more, what damage receiueth the Church in ſuch reuolts? The glorie of it before God conſiſteth not properlie in the greatneſſe of the number, but in the holineſſe of them. The health of a man conſiſtethnot in the abundance of humors, which will cauſe ſome deadlie diſeaſe at the laſt: for euen they that areladen with them, take medicines to purge them, that they might bee the more whole.Eſay. 1.22 This is it which God, hauing ſpoken of his Church of Iſrael, that her ſiluer was turned into droſſe, & her wine mingled with water, added for a great benefit, that he would take cleane away al her ſcomme, and remoue al her lead from her: and that hauing reſtored the Iudges and Counſellers, ſo as they had bene at the beginning, it ſhoulde be called the righteous and faithful Citie. Experience ſheweth, that in the proſperitie & peace of the church many thruſt in themſelues, ſul of auarice, ambition, pride, and of other corruptions and vanities; to be ſhort it hapneth euen as in a ſweet & rainie ſeaſon, that many weeds come vp amongeſt the good hearbes, which ſhould bee choaked of them, if the Gardeiner pulled thē not out. Thē, when ſuch people departe from the Church, returning to their vomit, it is as if God gaue a purgatiō to it, to make it more holy, & more acceptable to her bridegrome. Let vsus further conſider the cauſes of reuoltes. If this hapned then when the Church was in peace & proſperitie, it ſhold ſeeme there were more occaſion to call into dout our doctrine: But it is in the time of perſecution, that theſe reuolts are ſeen; & ſo, it is feare to leeſe their goods, their dignities, their parents, their country, their liues, that cauſeth them to reuolt. It is then the fleſh, it is the world, it is the miſtruſt of God, and not the allowing of the Papiſticall doctrine, that maketh them to change their religion.2. Tim. 4.10 As alſo S. Paule ſaith, that Demas had forſaken him, hauing loued this preſent worlde. And indeed did this miſerable Iohn Haren reuolt during the proſperous eſtate of the towne of Bruges, wherein he was miniſter? By no meanes. But perceiuing the danger, although he might yet hauehave exerciſed his miniſterie, he began to ſeeke the meanes as a hireling, to forſake his flocke. He knoweth what letters I writ vntounto him, reprouing his ſlothfulnes, his crafts and euill conſcience in the reaſons which he put forth, to hauehave ſome colour to withdraw himſelf. He knoweth alſo what reproofes he had receyued by the letters of others, that he ſhould not defile his miniſterie in intermedling ſo erneſtly in the matters of war & of policie. After the Towne of Bruges was rēdred to the enemy, he withdrew him ſelfinto Zeland & Holand. Where perceiuing that hee began (as good reaſon was) for many conſiderations to bee ſuſpected in our churches, and in no reputation, he gote him out of the countrie. So feeling in his conſcience ſmall apparance to be eſtabliſhed in his Miniſtery againe, hauing no hope of preferment in any other vocation, and being purſued by the iuſt iudgement of God falling vponupon euil conſciences; he reuolted, thinking happilie that hee ſhould receiue ſome recompence for the offence that he had offered againſt the holie Miniſterie, and at the leaſt to enter againe into the poſſeſsion of his goods. This then is not the chaunging of doctrine, which mooued him, but (as wee hauehave ſaide) it is the fleſh, and the world: it is enuie that maketh the Monke. It is ambition the mother of hereſie, as ſaint Augustine ſayth: It is an euill conſcience, the rocke that maketh the ſhippewracke of Faith, as Saint Paule ſayth,1. Tim. 1.19 which hath made him to chaunge his profeſsion. To be ſhort, GOD could no longer ſuffer ſuch an hypocrite in his church, nor ſuch a filth in his holie temple: hee woulde bee ſanctified in taking vengeance vponupon him, who ſo inordinately approched vntounto him. Hee hath ſet him foorth for an example of his iudgements, that thoſe that make profeſsion of Religion, and chieflie the Miniſters of the worde, may ſtudy more and more to walke with a good conſcience to keepe themſelues in their vocation, to renounce the paſsions of the fleſh, & the illuſions of the world, and ſo with feruent praiers to continue conſtantly in the grace of the Lorde. Furthermore, let him make as manie ſhewes as he wil, let him ſweare, let him lift vp his hands, and his eies to heauen, let him weare a great paire of beads, let him goe oft and deuoutlie to the maſſe; yet ſhall hee not eaſily make the Ieſuites (who are cunninger than he) to beleue, that hee dooth it indeede and from his heart. For thoſe who among them hauehave any little more wit than the common ſort, vnderſtand well enough if they wold confeſſe it, that the change of the holy Supper into the Maſſe, the worſhipping of bread in it, the fiery purgatory after death, the opinion of meriting paradiſe by workes, ſpecially thoſe of ſupererogation; the ſetting foorth of God the father, who is an inuiſible and eternal ſpirit, vnderunder the figure of an old man: the worſhipping of images, the inuocation of Saints departed, candles lighted at noone dayes, & borne in proceſsion, the great beads hanging at their neckes, and other ſuch idolatries & ſuperſtitions, are either ſo abhominable or ſo manifeſtly contrary to the word of God, yea, or ſo abſurd, that he that hath once knowne them by the light of the goſpell can neuer allow thē in his heart. But be it, that by the inchantment of ſatan, and iudgement of God, he were indeed become a Papiſt, and that S. Paule himſelf ſhuld reuolt, preaching another goſpell; we ought, as he himſelfe proteſteth, to holde him accurſed,Gal. 1. and not to be mooued to doubt of our faith. For our religion & ſaith is not founded vpō the conſtancie or ſtedfaſtneſſe of men, but vponupon the truth o our God, and vppon the teſtimonie of the holy Ghoſt in our hearts. If men be vnfaithfull, ſaith S. Paule, 2. Ti. 2.13.he remaineth notwithſtanding faithfull, and can not denie himſelfe. When Ieſus Chriſt forſaken of his Diſciples, ſhould aske vsus, if wee alſo would leaue him: we are taught to anſwer with the Apoſtles; Lord,Ioh. 6.67. whether ſhall wee goe, thou haſt the words of eternall life. The faithfull Paſtormuſt (without being aſtoniſhed at the reuolt of manie) ſay with Eſai, Eſai. 8.18.Behold I & my children which god hath giuen me, are for ſignes and wonders. The horrible and fearfull vengeance, which waighteth on, and followeth theſe curſed apoſtates at the verie heeles, ſhould make vsus to tremble, & to reſolue to renounce all that is vppon the earth, that we may get and hold faſt all that is in heauen: & ſo leauing theſe poore reuolters to the iudgement of God, to caſt our eyes vppon thoſe, who euen in our time hauehave indured ſo conſtantlie the loſſe of their goods, reproaches, priſons: to be ſhort, who chearfullie hauehave entered into the flaming fire, & by eruell death mounted into the kingdome of heauen; to the ende that ſuch autentique ſeales of the heauenlie doctrine, may confirme our hearts to continue conſtantlie, & chearfullie to follow their ſteps, and ſo be their companions in glorie.Of the aſſu rāce of our adoption, notwithſtanding the reuolts. We ought not to be troubled at theſe reuoltes, as if we were not aſſured to continue in the faith, whereby alſo it ſhall come to paſſe, that wee ſhall be in doubt whether we are, or ſhal continue the Children of GOD. For as the markes of our adoption ſet foorth here before are of two ſorts: the one inward before God, and the other outward before men: they which hauehave the inward markes, which conſiſt in the teſtimonie of the holy Ghoſt in our hearts, in the peace of our conſciences, and in the holy deſire of our ſoules, feele theſe graces, which aſſureth them that they are the children of GOD, choſen to eternal life: yea more certainly than we are aſſured by the light of the Sunne that we ſee, & by the heat that we feele, that the Sun ſhineth. And in deed they hauehave the white ſtone, whereof mention is made in the reuelation,Reue. 2.17. & in that ſtone a new name of the childe of god writtē, which none can know but he that receiueth it. The world, ſaith Chriſt, cānot receiue the ſpirit of truth, becauſe it hath not ſeen him, neither hath known him: Ioh. 14.17.but ye know him, ſaith hee to his Apoſtles, for hee abideth with you, and ſhall be in you. As touching the outwarde marke of beeing a member of the viſible Church, it is alſo verie certaine in reſpect of God, inaſmuch as ſpeaking to vsus, and ſealing his words by the ſacraments, he neither wil, nor can deceiue or lie. But if mē hearing his word, & cōmunicating at the Sacraments, reiect in their hearts the ſpirituall graces which are offered vntounto them, and ſo abide vnfaithfull, and wicked within (when notwithſtanding they are helde for faithfull and the childrē of god, becauſe of the outward profeſſion:) it is no meruaile if God at the laſt do diſcouer them, & caſt them off: ſhewing therin, that they wer neuer his. And this is it that S. Iohn ſaith of ſuch;1. Ioh. 2.19 They went out frō amongſt vsus, but they were not of vsus; for if they had bin of vsus, they would hauehave tarried with vsus. But this is, that it might appeare that all are not of vsus. They that are once grafted in Chriſt, can not periſh: for the giftes of God are without repentance.Ro. 11.29. But euerie plant,Matt. 15.13 ſaith Ieſus Chriſt, which my father hath not planted, ſhall bee pulled vp.Matt. 13. The parable of the ſeede falling into diuers ſortes of earth, teacheth vsus two points to this purpoſe. Firſt, that manie ſhal heare the goſpel, but without frute. Secondlie, that it ſhall be their own falt. For if entring into the Church, they bring their cares and louelove to the world, without hauing will to forſake them, ſo as it like thornes, choake the good ſeede of the word.2. Tim. 2.19. And ſo hauing no moiſture of the grace of God, they wither at the firſt ſunne of perſecution; a man may ſee the cauſe of their reuolte, to wete, becauſe they were not the children of God. Saint Paule hauing ſaid, that God knoweth who are his, addeth: and whoſoeuer calleth vponupon the name of Chriſt, let him depart from all iniquitie: ſhewing thereby, that if there bee anie which ioyne themſelues to the Church, calling vponupon the name of Chriſt, and doo not depart frō iniquity; they diſcouer thereby that God neuer tooke them for his. Which thing is good to be noted. For manie thinke, that to be of our Church nedeth nothing, but to chāge the maſſe to the preaching, and to the communicating at the Lords ſupper. And when they vnderſtand, that to be the childe of God, is required to renoūce themſelues to leaue couetouſnes, ambition, drunkenneſſe, the world, and all pompes: to be ſhort, that they muſt put off the olde man, and be a new creature: not beeing diſpoſed to do this, they leaue the preaching, and returne to the Maſſe. Now be theſe the children of God that reuolt, that they ſhould make thoſe that are in deed and continue to doubt? Nay, rather they are the children of the world, who hauing brought the world in with them, hauehave alſo carried the world away with them. They therefore that hauehave once beleeued, who alſo beleeuing, feele a deſire to liue according vntounto god, are aſſured that they cannot periſh. He that beginneth this good work in them,Phil. 1.6. wil accōpliſh it, euen vntounto the day of chriſt. And to this purpoſe ſaith S. Auguſtine verie wel,Aug. de cor rect. & gra. ca. 12. to. 7. He which made vsus good, maketh vsus alſo to perſeuer in goodnes: but they that fal and periſh, were not of the number of the predeſtinate. It remaineth, that conſidering in the fall of hipocrites, the double merciemercy of god toward vsus. Firſt, that he hath receiued vsus into the number of his children. Secondly, that he will continue this grace towards vsus euen to the ende: there remaineth, I ſay, that we feele our ſelues double bound to practiſe the exhortation of S. Paule, beſeeching vsus by the mercies of God, to offer our ſelues a liuing ſacrifice, holy & pleaſing to God,Rom. 12.1. & not to be faſhioned like this wicked world: but rather endeuouring to this, that being tranfformed by the renuing of our vnderſtanding, we may approoue and follow, the good and perfect will of God. And let vsus remember that which S. John ſaith,1. Iohn 3.3. That they that hauehave hope to liue with Ieſus Chriſt, and to ſee him as hee is, do purifie themſelues as he is pure.