The Sum of Christian Religion 2, Part · Subpart 2 · Section · Subsection 3
OF THE TRVE COMFORT of the Godlie.
THE ſcope and ende of this doctrine is, that wee may hauehave ſure comfort both in our life & at our death. And that wee may hauehave this, wee are eſpeciallie to learne the doctrine of Chriſtianitie. Now the ſumme of this comfort doth conſiſt in this, that wee are the members of Chriſt: that is, that we are engraffed into Chriſt by faith, that he is carefull of vsus: and that by him wee are loued of God, reconciled to God, and conioyned with him. This comfort the diuel goeth about to take from vsus after this maner. 1. Thou art a ſinner: therefore thou art not acceptable in the ſight of God.
Anſwere. But Chriſt hath made ſatisfaction for me with his precious blood. 2. But thou muſt die the death. Anſwere. But Chriſt hath deliuered me from the power of death, and I know that by Chriſt I ſhall ſcape out of the hands of death. 3. But how if thou leeſe the grace of Chriſt? For thou maiſt fall and periſh; becauſe it is a long way to heauen. Anſwere. Chriſt hath not onelyonly merited his benefites for mee, but alſo beſtoweth them on me, and preſerueth them in mee, and giueth mee perſeuerance, that I may not fall from grace. 4. But what if theſe thinges appertaine not vntounto thee? and how knoweſt thou that thou art Chriſtes? Anſwere. 1. Becauſe I hauehave the teſtimonie of the holie Ghoſt within me. 2. Becauſe the generall promiſe appertaineth to all the faithful. If I hauehave faith therefore, that promiſe appertaineth vntounto me. But I know I hauehave faith by the effectes of faith. 1. Becauſe I hauehave a will to obey and beleeue God, albeit I am but weake. 2. Becauſe I hauehave good woorkes, which are ſignes of true faith. Therefore I hauehave true faith, and by a conſequent, Chriſt and his benefites appertaine vntounto mee.
This comfort is neceſſarie. 1. For our ſaluation: that we deſpaire not. 2. For the woorſhipping of God. For that wee may woorſhip God, wee muſt come out of ſinne and death: not ruſh into deſperation, but bee ſuſteined with a ſure comfort vntounto the ende. This comfort, though other ſectes promiſe, yet can they not make performance thereof, becauſe their conſcience and experience oftentimes goeth againſt them. The doctrine of the Church alone maketh performance of it, ſo that mens conſciences are at reſt, becauſe this alone ſheweth the fountaine of all miſeries, vntounto which mankind is ſubiect: and this alſo alone preſcribeth the waie of eſcaping them.
The partet of this comfort are, 1. Our reconcilement to God by Chriſt, to which Chriſt alone we belong: and therefore wee are not at our own libertie, ſo that wee may freelie ſin, neither lieth our ſaluation in our handes or power. For if it were ſo, we ſhould leeſe it eueryevery moment. 2. The maner of our reconcilement, euen by the blood of Chriſt. 3. Our deliuerie from miſeries. 4. The preſeruation and maintenance of our reconcilement and deliuerie:Mat. 10.30. ſo that not ſo much as an haire may fal from our head, without the will of our heauenly father. Obiection. But the godly are daily ſlaine. Aunſwere. Theſe things do not hurt, but helpe forward our ſaluation.Rom. 8.28. All thinges worke together for the beſt vntounto them that louelove God. 5. The teſtimonie of the holie Ghoſt woorking true comfort in our hartes and true conuerſion vntounto God. By this teſtimonie of the holie Ghoſt wee know that wee are Gods, after wee are once deliuered from theſe miſeries. For the holy ghoſt, which is the ſureſt pledge of this thing, doth witnes in our hartes that they trulie belong vntounto vsus. For hee maketh vsus to ſerue God without feare. Luk. 1.74. Gal. 4 6.And this Spirit of Chriſt, which God hath ſent foorth into our hartes, crieth Abba Father. 6. Our certaintie of euerlaſting life. This part differeth from the fifth: becauſe that is the certaintie of the thinges themſelues: but this is our certaintie, by which wee know theſe thinges to be certaine. And this is the beginning of faith.
Three things to bee obſerued for the attaining vntounto this comfort. 1 The knowledge of our miſerie. 2 Our deliuerie. 3 Our thankfulnes.That we may attaine vntounto this comfort, three thinges are to bee conſidered of vsus. 1. The knowledge of our miſerie, that we may deſire deliuerance, and be thankful to God. 2. Our deliuerance: without which we hauehave not comfort. 3. Our thankfulnes, without which wee are not deliuered. Herein is conteined the ſumme and purpoſe of the whole ſacred Scripture. And theſe doe plainly accord with the diuiſion of the Scripture, or Catholicke doctrine, into the Law and Goſpel, and with the differences of theſe parts. For vntounto thoſe three members are the Law and the Goſpel referred: to the firſt and third apperteineth the Decalog or tenne commandementes, becauſe there is a double vſe of the Law, the knowledge of our ſinne, and the rule of our life. To the ſecond member appertaineth the Creede, becauſe this ſpeaketh of our deliuerie, and is the ſum of the Goſpel: The Sacramentes likewiſe are to be referred vntounto the ſecond part, becauſe they ſeal that which is taught in the Goſpel. They are thoſe appurtenances as it were adioyned to the promiſe of grace, and the ſeals of iuſtification by faith. Praier belongeth vntounto the third part, that is, to thankfulnes: becauſe praier is the chiefeſt part of thankfulneſſe.
Out of theſe ariſe foure queſtions. 1.From theſe ariſe fower quaeſtions. 1 Quaeſtion. For what cauſe theſe three are neceſſarie for our obtaining of comfort. 2. Whence we may knowe theſe three: euen out of the Lawe and the Goſpel. 3. How. 4. Wherefore.
The knowledge of our miſerie is neceſſarie for our obtaining of comfort. 1. Becauſe if we knew not our miſerie,Why theſe three are neceſſarie for the obtaining of our comfort. Why the knowledge of our miſery is neceſſarie. Mat. 11.28. Iſaie. 57.15. and euen the greatnes of it, we ſhould not know the greatnes of our happines, neither ſhould we deſire deliuerie out of euils. If wee deſire not deliuerie out of euils, wee doe not ſeeke it: if wee ſeeke it not, we obtaine it not: becauſe God giueth deliuerie only to thoſe who ſeeke it: it is opened onlie to him that knocketh: and ſo hath God his ende in them, euen his worſhip. Bleſſed are they who thirſt after righteouſnes. Come vntounto me al ye that labor. I dwel in a contrite ſpirit. That which wee hauehave now ſaid, is confirmed alſo by this ſyllogiſm, or form of argument. That which is neceſſarie for to ſtir vp in vsus a deſire of deliuerance, that is neceſſarie for our comfort: But the knowledge of our miſerie is neceſſarie for the deſire of ſaluation, or deliuerance: Therefore the knowledge of our miſerie is neceſſarie for the obtaining of our comfort: yet not for the comforting of vsus: for we are terrified by this knowledge of our miſerie. But this terror is good for vsus, becauſe, except we know our miſerie, we deſire not deliuerie. And they that deſire not deliuerie, receiue it not.
2 The knowledge of our miſerie is neceſſarie for the obtaining of our comfort: becauſe wee ſhould be vngratefull if we were ignorant out of how great miſeries wee were deliuered and drawen: For how much the more wee feele the greatnes of our euil, ſo much the more deſire wee and with for a remedie, and ſo much the more thankfull are wee towards God, becauſe he gaue vsus a remedie againſt ſin. 3. Becauſe by the preaching of the Lawe, is made a preparation to the preaching of grace: otherwiſe there followeth carnal ſecuritie, and our comfort is made vnſtable. Whereof it appeareth, that we drawe the knowledge of our miſerie chiefly out of the Law, & that therfore we muſt begin frō the preaching of the Law, as the Prophets and Apoſtles hauehave done, and that to the end that mens conſciences and hearts may be caſt downe before God, and prepared to repentance, and to the receiuing of the goſpel. Except this be done, men wil become more careles and ſtubburne, and pearles ſhal be throwen to ſwine to be trodden vnderunder feet.
Why the knowledge of our deliuerie is neceſſarie. Igno… nulla cupido.The knowledge of our deliuerie is neceſſarie for our comfort. 1. Becauſe a good thing, not knowen, is not deſired: according to that, There is no coueting after an vnknowen thing. When wee hauehave found it alſo, if wee knowe not what it is, wee deſire it not, and therefore doe not obtaine it. Yea that verie meanes, by which wee attaine vntounto our deliuerie, requireth the knowledge of our deliuerie. For thou ſhalt er in the deſire of thy deliuery, except thou know what, and of what qualitie it is, and after what manner it is receiued. Furthermore, wee are made by faith partakers of this deliuerie. But faith is not without knowledge. Wherefore the knowledge of our deliuerie is neceſſarie, both that we may obtaine it: & alſo becauſe the mean & inſtrument it ſelfe, by which we do obtaine it, cannot bee without the knowledge of our deliuerie. 2. A good thing not knowen doth not comfort: that therefore it may comfort thee, thou muſt knowe how great and what maner a good thing it is. 3. The knowledge of our deliuerie is neceſſarie, that we may be thankeful: becauſe for a thing not knowen to be good wee vſe not to giuegive thankes, for that we make light account of it: and if we wil be indeed grateful, al the circumſtances of that good thing are knowen and deſired of vsus. We know our deliuerie, out of the goſpel. 1. By hearing it. 2. By learning it. 3. By aſſenting vntounto it, and that out of the goſpel: becauſe the Goſpel alone doth promiſe deliuerie vntounto thoſe that beleeue in Chriſt. Now wee muſt diligently alſo obſerue the maner of our deliuerie, that wee doe not our ſelues imagine, or receiue imagined by others any maner of deliuerie to the reproch of Gods name, and hazard of our owne ſaluation.
The knowledge of our thankefulnes is neceſſarie for our comfort. Why the knowledge of our thankfulnes is neceſſarie.1. Becauſe no man can doe anie thing gratefull vntounto God, except he firſt know what is grateful vntounto him: For he wilbe worſhipped, and hauehave vsus gratefull vntounto him, not after that maner which wee will but which himſelfe hath preſcribed. Except therefore thou knowe, what is gratefull vntounto him, thou ſhalt reape thence no comfort. 2. Becauſe there is firſt of all true conſolation, where there is thankfulnes: for except thou be thankful, thou canſt not applie vntounto thy ſelfe the merit of the Sonne of God. For it is offered and applied onelyonly to vsus being thankful: now thou canſt not ſhewe thankfulneſſe, except thou knowe after what maner the Lord beſtoweth on vsus his benefites. 3. The knowlege of our thankfulneſſe is required neceſſarily, becauſe it is the chiefe ende and ſcope of our deliuery:1 Iohn. 3.8. for this purpoſe appeared the Sonne of God, that he might deſtroie the workes of the diuel. 4. That we may know that thoſe thinges which we doe are no merit, but onelyonly a declaring of our thankfulnes. And what thou giueſt thankes for, that thou knoweſt that thou haſt not deſerued. 5. By this thankfulnes our faith & comfort is confirmed in vsus. Obiection. That which of it ſelfe followeth, is not neceſſarie to be taught. But thankfulnes muſt needes follow of it ſelfe: Therefore it is not neceſſarie to be taught. Aunſwere. Thankfulnes followeth deliuerie. But not the maner of thankfulnes likewiſe: for of this we are to bee inſtructed out of the word of God. Furthermore that propoſition is not vniuerſally true: for a thing may be taught, which of it ſelfe doth greatlie followe, for greater and fuller knowledge and confirmation. Now thankfulnes it ſelfe we know, 1. Out of the Goſpel; becauſe it promiſeth deliuerie, with a condition of repentance. 2. Out of the Law, becauſe the Law in ſpeciall doth declare and determine the kindes of obedience. Seeing that then the true, ſure and onelyonly comfort of the faithful is the ſcope of the whole doctrine of chriſtianity: & ſeeing that to that comfort theſe three are neceſſarily required, that is, The conſideration of mans miſerie, of his deliuerie, and of his thankfulnes: it appeareth that theſe three are the chiefe partes of Chriſtian doctrin. And therfore we wil intreat of thē hereafter in order.