An Exposition Upon Colossians, Biblical commentary 2 · Chapter 2 · Verse 5
VERS. 5.
For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, reioycing and beholding your order, and the stedfastnes of your faith in Christ.
These words depend vponupon the former, as the answer of two obiections; First they might say, How doth he know our estates? to which he answers in the first words, That though it were true, that he were absent, in respect of the flesh, yet it was also true, that he was present in the spirit, both in that his affection, carried him to a daily thought of them, and so to a willingnes vponupon all occasions to take notice of their estate: and besides, as some thinke, hee was acquainted with their estate extraordinarily, by reuelation of the spirit. And thus also he secretly giues them notice to looke to their waies: for hee takes notice of all that passed amongst them. How carefull should we be in all our courses, as well as they? For we hauehave the spirit of God in vsus, and the people of God round about vsus. Heere also Ministers may take notice of their duties: their spirits should cleaue to their people, and their daily thoughts and cares should runne vponupon them, they should still obserue them, and watch ouer them in the Lord.
Ob. 2. But might some one say, Is it charitie in the Apostle, being thus ab…sent, to entertaine surmises and hard thoughts of vsus, as if wee were falling away, &c. Now to this he answers, that though he wrote this to exhort them and to warne them, yet he did greatly reioice to know so much as hee did of their order of life, and stedfastnesse of faith. Many are so diseased, that they thinke, if a man reproue them or admonish them, that then he hates them altogether, and likes nothing in them: but the Apostle to preuent that, acknowledgeth the praise of their life and faith. A holy minde can reioice in the good things of those he warneth or reproueth.
Your orders] Order hath originall in God, he is the God of order a1. Cor. 14.33, a all disorder and confusion is of the deuill. Order is that wonderfully commends whatsoeuer it is in. There is a kinde of seed of order sowen in the creatures. This order in man is their eutaxie or well disposing of themselues.
The Apostle might commend their order generally, both in relation to the common-wealth, and to the Church, and in their families, as also in their particular conuersation.
That there might be order in Common-wealths,Of order in the common wealth. God hath set man in au…thoritie, (for by him Kings raigne and hauehave their power bProu. 8. Rom. 13.) and hath communi…cated a part of the honour of his owne diuine lawes to their ciuill lawes, viz. That they should binde mens consciences so farre as they are not disagreeing from his word. Besides, hee hath recorded threatnings against the disobedient, and acknowledgeth Magistrates to beare his image, to be as it were Gods by representation, and hee guides them by his spirit for the time, many times qualifying them with gifts, and guiding their mouthes in iudgement, (for a …uine sentence in the mouth of a King) yea hee himselfe drew a plat-forme of rules for Common-weales, to giuegive them a taste of gouernment.
Now that men may attaine to this Eutaxie and good order in Common-weales, they must reade the law of God, and let that be a generall guide to them, and they must propound sanctitie as well as felicitie as the end of their gouernment; and in calling to office, they must be carefull not to set the feet where the head should be, but to chuse men that feare God and hate couetousnesse, and are men of courage. The feare of God and courage is wonderfully wanting in all sorts of Magistrates. And as for courage, in respect of the people, what are they the better if they hauehave a good man, that will doe no good, then if they had euill men, that would doe no euill? Yet in truth Magistrates, whether good or euill men, doe much euill by suffering euill to be vnpunished. But to returne to the point, Magistrates that would preserue order, must giuegive good example themselues, and mend the disorders of their own housholds, and bring such a sympathie and louelove of the people, as they should both preserue their authoritie, and yet remember that they rule their brethren. And in their gouernment they cannot obserue order, vnlesse they punish vice as well as command or prouide for vertue and wealth. Besides, they must take away the persons or places that are occasions of disorder, and they must charge and remunerate as well as punish. Finally, the people out of the obligation of conscience must striue to liue in order, with reuerence and feare yeelding ready obedience and furtherance to those that are placed in authoritie ouer them.
Order in the Church.There is order also in the Church: and thus there is order, in doctrine, for milke must be propounded before strong meat, or with sufficient reference to the parties to be taught. There is order also to be obserued in the time, places, and manner of celebration of Gods worship. There is order also to be respected in the vse of things ecclesiastically indifferent. There is order in the subordination of persons, in the ministerie, some to rule, some to teach, some to exhort, some to distribute. There is order also to be obserued in the discipline of the Church, proceeding by degrees with offenders, so long as they are cureable.
Order in the family.Neither may our families be without order; order I say, not only in the duties that concerne the maintenance of the familie, but also in the exercises that concerne religion and the seruice of God in the familie. In families there must be a care also of reformation: especially that openly profane persons, only for temporall aduantage, be not retained or admitted there. In the familie also there must be a daily exercise of patience, humilitie, knowledge, and all other Christian graces, that concerne mutual edification. What should I say? There is a mutuall relation in all the members of the familie one to another, and the discharge of their seuerall duties one to another is charged with a daily care of order.
But I thinke the Apostle commends the order of holy life vntounto which eueryevery Christian is bound. It is certaine we can neuer soundly proceed in godlinesse without a care of a settled frame and order of liuing. Wee may not liue at a venture in religion. Tis not enough to doe good now or then, by flashes. There is an order in holy conuersation. We must walke by rule dGal. 6.16.. There is an holy disposing of our waies required ePsal. 50. vlt.. It is required of vsus that we should ponder the pathes of our feet fPro. 4.26.. We must order our affaires with discretion gPsal. 112.5.. This is called the way of prudence or vnderstanding. There is a guiding of our feet vntounto the waies of peace iLuke 1.79.. Tis a wonderfull curse to be left to our securitie to walke in darke and vncertaine waies: and contrariwise the vision of the saluation of God is promised to such as dispose of their waies aright kPsal. 51. vlt.. And to be carefull o… an orderly course of life, is to keepe our soules lPro. 19.16., and peace shall be vntounto such. But alas, men hauehave corrupted their waies, and their vnderstandings are darkened, and they are strangers from the life of God: neither will men cease from their rebellious waies. The ciuillest men walke after the way of their owne hearts, yea the most men hate those that are right in their waies, and are like Dan, that would bite the heeles of such as endeuour to walke in sinceritie. Some hypocrites there are that will know the way of the Lord, and aske of him the ordinance of iustice, as if they would be carefull to please God; but alas they were neuer washed from their old sinnes, and they quickly returne with the dogge to their vomit, and corrupt their waies, being of purpose set on by the deuill, to make a clamorous profession, that so their fall might more dishonour the glorie of an exact and circumspect conuersation. Alas, what should I say? There is wonderfull want of order in the very liues of Gods children. Scarce the tithe of professors of sinceritie of the Gospell, that hauehave gathered a catalogue of holy duties, and obserued out of the word that frame and order of settled holy conuersation.
Ten helpes of order in conuersation.There are 10. helpes of order in holy life: 1. knowledge, 2. vprightnesse, that is, an vnfained resolution to shew respect to all Gods Commandements; 3. constant diligence, 4. watchfulnesse, 5. contemplation or meditation, 6. praier, 7. reading the word daily, 8. frequent hearing of the Gospell preached in the power of it, 9. a tender conscience, 10. societie and fellowship with gracious Christians in the Gospell.
There are many impediments of an orderly conuersation:Nine lets of order. 1. Men are not reconciled to God, and so not being in Christ, they receiue not influence of grace from Christ to enable them to walke in an holy course. 2. In others tis negligent mortification; the staine of former sinnes being not washed away, there remaines in them an ill disposition to sinne. 3. Many are insnared with euill opinions, either in doctrine, (and so errour of life is the scourge of errour in opinion) or else about practise, as that such strictnesse is not required, or it is impossible, or none doe liue so. 4. Many know not what order to appoint vntounto themselues. 5. Many are confirmed in a heart accustomed to euill, and they louelove some one sinne, wherein they especially breake order. 6. Satan striues aboue all things to keepe men in a dead sleepe, that they might not awake to liue righteously, or expresse the power of godlinesse. 7. Many are so set in the way of the vngodly, that their very euill societie chains them downe to a necessitie of dissolutenesse. 8. Many are put out of all order by their daily distempers and disorders in their families. Lastly, some faile and fall through very discouragement, receiued either from opposition, or contempt, or scandall.
Now if any be desirous to know in generall what he should doe to bring his life into order,Rules for bringing our liues into order. I shall profitably aduise fiue things: First, that hee doe resolutely withdraw himselfe from the sinnes of the times, and keepe himselfe vnspotted of the world, in respect of them. Now the sinnes of the times are apparant, pride of life, contempt of the Gospell, coldnesse in faith and religion, swearing, profanation of the holy Sabbath, domesticall irreligiousnesse, contention, vsurie, whordome, drunkennesse, and drinkings, oppression and speaking euill of the good way. Secondly, that hee obserue the more vsuall corruptions of the calling of life he liues in, and with all heedfulnesse shunne them, whether he be Magistrate, Minister, or priuate person. Thirdly, that he especially striue against and subdue the euils that by nature he is most prone vntounto. Fourthly, he shall doe wonderfully profitably, if hee would get a catalogue of duties out of the whole law,Vse of catalogues. that directly concerne himselfe in particular, which is very easie (especially by the helpe of some that are experienced) to bedistinctly gathered, labouring to shew all good faithfulnesse in duties of pietie as well as righteousnesse, and to striue for inward pietie as well as outward, resoluing to continue, as well as once to begin. Hence it is, if wee marke it, that the holy Ghost in diuers Scriptures drawes for the people of those times diuers catalogues, either of grace which specially tended to their praise, or of duties that most fitted their state, or of sinnes that they must most carefully auoid, as being most commonly committed: yea it could not but be of excellent vse, if we did taske our selues to the more strict obseruation of some of those catalogues, either of grace, or sinnes, or duties, as wee might perceiue they most fitted vsus.
But if euer we would goe about the order of our liues,More rules. wee must in generall 1. labour to weaken the louelove of earthly things. 2. We must resolue to keepe our hearts with all diligence, I meane we must with all care and conscience striue against inward sinnes. 3. We must put on a minde to liue by faith, whatsoeuer befall vsus. 4. If we fall, we would speedily recouer our selues by confession and praier, and not accustome our selues to sinnes either of omission or commission.
VponUpon the consideration of all this,Vses. what should we doe, but euen pray the Lord that he would make his way plaine mPsal. 5.8.before our face, and direct the workes of our hands nPsal. 90. vlt.and hold vp our goings in his pathes oPsal. 17.5., that our steps doe not slide? And to this end we should eueryevery one be peecing and amending his waies, making his paths straight, being ashamed and confounded for all the disorder of our liues past. But if thou goe about this, bee not foreign, a man that hath two hearts, for then thou wilt be vnstable in all thy waies; either goe about it with all thy heart, or else let it alone. What shall I say but this, let vsus all learne the way of God more perfectly.
Thus of order.
The second thing hee commends is their faith, which hee praiseth for the stedfastnesse of it.
The stedfastnesse of their faith.] Concerning stedfastnesse of faith, I propound fiue things to be considered of. 1. That it may be had, and ought to be sought. 2. What the nature and properties of it are. 3. What is the cause why the faith of many is not stedfast. 4. What we must doe to attaine it. And lastly concerning vnstedfast faith.
That stedfastnesse of faith may be had.For the first, that it may be had, is manifest: for God that giueth the earnest of his spirit, and sealeth and anointeth vsus in Christ, doth stablish vsus in him p2. Cor. 1.21.22. There is a sure foundation of God q2. Tim. 2.19. Matt. 7.24., vponupon which we may found our affiance. And God willing more abundantly to shew vntounto the heires of promise the immutabilitie of his counsell, interposed himselfe by an oath to confirme his promise, that by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might hauehave strong consolation, which slie for refuge to lay hold vponupon the hope set before vsus: which hope we hauehave as an anchour of the soule both sure and stedfast rHeb. 6.17.18. And wee are commanded to resist stedfast in the faith s1. Pet. 5.9.. And wauering is secretly threatned and disgraced by the Apostle Iames, after he had charged that wee should pray in faith without wauering tIam. 1.6..
The properties of the man stedfast in faith.Now for the second, there are many excellent properties and praises in a stedfast faith: for a man that is indeed settled and stedfast in his faith, knowes both the truth and the worth of the louelove of ChristuEph. 3.17.19; hee is able to contemne and denie the allurements, examples, customes, and glorie of this world *1. Ioh. 5.4. Gal. 6.14.; hee can beare aduersitie with singular firmnesse of heart, without hasting to euill meanes xRom. 5.4. Isa. 26.16., or limiting God for the manner, or time, or instruments of deliuerance; he can stand in the combat against frequent and fierie tentations, and goe away without preuailing infection; he can beleeue without feelings yRom. 4.. The promises of God are not yea and nay z2. Cor. 1.18.19., but alwaies a sure word and vndoubted. He hath a kinde of habituall peace and contentation in his conscience, with easefull delights and refreshings in the ioyes of Gods fauour. Hee hath a kinde of spirituall boldnesse and confidence when he approacheth to God and the throne of his grace. Lastly, he can looke vponupon death and iudgement, with desire to be dissolued.
The causes of vnsettlednesse.And for the third thing, the reasons why many men shew not this vnmoueablenesse, and stedfastnesse, are diuers: some hauehave not faith at alla2. Thess. 3.2., some hauehave not a true iustifying faith, but either rest vponupon common hope, or an historicall or temporarie faith. In many the presumption of certaintie doth hinder stedfastnesse it selfe. Some want powerfull meanes, that should establish them; and some hauing the publike meanes, are iustly blasted in their faith because of their daily neglect of the priuate meanes. And this reason may be giuen also why some of the better sort are not yet stablished, namely because they are so hardly excited and perswaded seriously to trie their owne estates, by the signes of Gods fauour, and markes of saluation. And for the worser sort, they shun triall, because they know before hand their state is not good, and besides they liue in some one master sinne or other, which they cannot be perswaded to forsake, and therefore resolue at least for a time to liue at a venture, and referre all to the vnknowne merciemercy of God.
The means of stedfastnesse.4. If we would be established in beleeuing, 1. we must be much in the meditation of the promises of God. 2. we must be much in prayer, and the acknowledgment of secret sinnes, obseruing the comforts of Gods presence, and keeping a record of the wonders of his presence, and striuing to retaine constantly the assurance, wee sometimes feele in prayer. 3. wee must cast about, how to be more profitable in well doing: An orderly life, especially fruitfulnesse in our places, doth maruellously though secretly, establish and settle a mans heart in faith 1. Cor. 15.58. whereas it is almost impossible, that a barren life should hauehave much stedfastnes, of assurance; againe, would wee yet further know, how it comes to passe, that some men get such a stedfastnesse aboue many others? Obserue then and you shall finde, that when they finde the pearles of grace, and the meanes, they will sell all to buy them: Now the louelove to the meanes, is like death or Ielousie, that cannot be resisted, there is in them a constant coueting of the best things, with a true hunger and thirst after them, and if they offend God they cannot be quiet, till they returne and confesse their sinne, and get fauour: they will not liue dayes and weeks in a voluntarie neglect of communion with God, and therefore reape this vnmoueablenesse, as the fruit of their daily conuersing with God.
Thus of stedfastnes in it selfe.
Now in the contrarie, concerning an vnstedfast faith, I propound two things to be considered, 1. The effects or consequences, and concomitants of it: And then the kinds of vnsetled faith.
Not Scripture onelyonly, but vsuall experience shew the many inconueniences that attend such as are not stablished in the faith.
1. They want the many comforts,The inconueniences of an vnstedfast faith. the stedfast faith feeleth. 2. They are disquieted with eueryevery crosse. 3. They are tost with the winde of contrarie doctrine, yea the very truth is sometimes yea with them, and sometimes nay: sometimes, they are perswaded, and sometimes, they are not. 4. They finde a secret shunning of the ordinances of God, when any approach should be made vntounto God. 5. The feare of death is almost inseparable. 6. They are sometimes frighted with feares of perseuerance, besides their daily danger to be foyled, by the baites of Sathan and the world.
Vnstedfastnesse may be considered three wayes.Vnstedfastnes of faith three wayes. 1. as faith is weake. 2. as faith is weakned. 3. as stedfastnes is lost.
For the first, in the first conuersion of a man vntounto God, while they lye yet in the cradle of godlinesse, They are assayled with much doubting and many feares, &c.
Quest. But what might some one say,How weake faith may be discerned. How can faith then be discerned in the midst of so many doubts and feares? Answ. The truth of their faith and grace appeares, 1. By their earnest and constant desire of Gods fauour. 2. By the tendernes of the conscience in all their actions, and their daily feare of sinning. 3. By their frequent complaints of vnbeleefe, and secret mourning for it. 4. By the lowlinesse of their cariage, euen towards the meaner sort of those that truly feare God. 5. By their desire after the sincere milke of the word. Lastly, by their indeuour to walke inoffensiuely.
Quest. But seeing their faith is true,Causes of the vnsetlednes of faith weake. what is the cause of the vnsetlednesse of it? Answ. They are vnsetled, partly because they hauehave yet but a small measure of sauing knowledge: and partly because they discerne not the consolations, offered to them: and partly for want of application of particular promises, that belong vntounto them: and sometimes it is for want of some of the meanes: and in some it is, because they see a greater power in some of their corruptions, then they thinke can stand with true grace.
Now for the remedies of this vnsetlednes;Remedies for faith weake. This weake faith will grow setled more and more, if they continue vpright in the vse of the meanes, especially as their reformation and victorie ouer sinne increaseth, and as they grow more and more confirmed in the diuorce from the world, and carnall companie, and they grow more expert in the word of righteousnesse, especially after the Lord hath refreshed them, with the frequent comforts of his promises, and presence, besides conuersing with the faithfull and established Christians: And all this the sooner, if they doe propound their doubts, and by asking the way, seeke daily direction, especially if they resigne ouer their soules to the ministerie of some faithfull and mercifull man of God, who as a nurse shall daily feed them, with distinct and particular counsell and comfort.
Thus of the vnstedfastnes that accompanieth faith weake.
Now there is an vnstedfastnes accompanieth faith weakned, that is such a faith as was sometimes stronger; For the clearer vnderstanding hereof, I consider three things. 1. The causes of this weaknes of faith. 2. The signes to discerne it. 3. The remedies.
There may be diuers causes or meanes to weaken strong faith.Causes of faith weakned 1. Losse of meanes. 2. secret sinnes ordinarilie committed, not lamented, not reformed. 3. Presumptuously to vse ill meanes to get out of aduersitie. 4. Relapse to the louelove of the world.
The signes to discerne it,Signes of faith weakned. are 1. the sleepinesse of the heart. 2. feare of death. 3. constant neglect or secret contempt of fellowship with the godly. 4. The ceasing of the sensible working of Gods spirit within. 5. Raigning discontentment. 6. Securitie vnderunder knowne sinne.
Remedies for faith weaknedThe remedies are 1. A serious and sound examination of the wants and faults, which by this weaknes they are fallen into. 2. A constant and daily iudging of themselues, for their corruptions, till they recouer tendernesse of heart, and some measure of godly sorrow for them. 3. It will be expedient that they plant themselues vnderunder the droppings of a daily powerfull ministerie. 4. The meditation of their former feelings. 5. The vse of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper; this is a meanes to confirme faith both weake and weakned. Lastly, they must hold a most strict watch ouer their hearts and liues, till they be re-established in a sound course of reformed life.
Thus of faith weakned.
3. Stedfastnes may be lost, note that I say stedfastnes of faith may be lost, I say not that faith may be lost that is true faith; this stedfastnes was lost in Dauid, Salomon, and it is likely in Iob too.
Causes of the losse of stedfastnes.The causes of this losse of stedfastnes are diuers; in some it is the invndation of afflictions, violently and vnresistably breaking in vponupon them, especially raising the fierce perturbation of impatiencie, thus it was in Iob. 2. In some, it is some horrible sinne, I say horrible sinne, either because it is some foule transgression, as in Dauid and Salomon; or made horrible by long continuance in it.
Now into this euill estate,Steps in falling away. some fall suddenly, some by degrees, commonly it begins at spirituall pride, and proceeds after from the carelesse vse of the meanes, to the neglect of them, and from thence to a secure disregard of the inward daily corruptions of the heart, ioyned with a bold presumption of some infolded merciemercy of God, till at length they fall into some speciall sinne or wilfull relapse.
The effects.The effects and concomitants of this relapse, and losse of stedfastnes, are diuers, and fearefull, as 1. The ceasing of the comforts of the spirit, the spirit being a sleep, and in a manner quenched. 2. The heart is excommunicated from the power of Gods ordinances, as they may feele when they come to vse them. 3. Spirituall boldnes or incouragement to come vntounto God is lost with it. 4. They are secretly deliuered to Satan to be whipped and buffeted with tentations many times of blasphemie or atheisme, or otherwise through his spirituall wickednesse, held in internall vassalage. 5. Most an end, the outward prouidence of God is changed towards them, yea some times they are scourged with horrible crosses. 6. Many times they are giuen ouer to be punished with other sinnes.
Yet for the morefull vnderstanding hereof,Distinctions about apostasie. it will be profitable to consider of some distinctions, both of the persons, and the cause, and the effects. For of these that fall from their stedfastnes, some are sensible of it, some are insensible: Those …hat hauehave their hearts wakened after this losse, doe vsually feele a strong conflict of terrors, the conscience being wearied with the tortures that their wounded spirit is tormented withall, vnderunder the sense of Gods fierce anger, and in many of these their terror is renued vponupon eueryevery crosse, yea almost at eueryevery word of God, so doth the conceit of Gods fighting against them preuaile with them.
Now in the insensible, the speciall effect is a spirituall slumber or lethargie, with the rest of the ill effects before in common propounded.
Secondly, a distinction must be made of the cause, for the sinne is sometimes secret, sometimes open: now the consequents or fruits of open falling, by open sinne is diuers, vsually the fall thereof is great, it makes a wonderfull noyse in the Church, besides it wounds the hearts of Gods children, and breeds exceeding great distaste in them. Further their falls makes them wonderfull vile before the world, the mouth of eueryevery beast will be open to raile against them: wicked men will keep the assise for them, yea the banks of blasphemie in wicked men will be broken downe, so as they will with full mouth speake euill of the good way of God; besides it cannot be auoided but many will bee defiled by it, and wonderfully fired and confirmed in sinning.
Againe, we must distinguish of effects or consequents, for some are ordinarie, some extraordinarie: for sometimes besides the ordinarie euents, the Lord scourgeth those falls with satanicall molestations, either of their persons or houses, yea sometimes they are smitten with death.
1. Quest. But doe all these come alwaies for sinne?
Answ. Not alwaies, but where sinne is presumptuous they doe.
2. Quest. But doe all these things befall all such as fall into presumptuous sinne? Answ: The iudgments of God are like a great depth, and he afflicts how he will, but these are his rods, he may vse all of them, or any of them as pleaseth him.
3. Quest. But are these things found in those that loose their stedfastnes by the violence of crosses? Answ: Though many of them are, when the crosse hath a mixture with any speciall impatiencie, as in Iobs case: yet properly they are rods for presumptuous sinnes.
Obiect. But is it not better may some say, to continue as we are, then to acknowledge and make profession and be in this danger to fall into so euill an estate? Soint. Is it best to liue and die a begger, because some one great heire through his owne default hath ruined for a time his house? Or is the condition of a begger better then a Prince, because Nabuchadnetzar was seuen yeers like a beast?
4. Q. But if his losses be thus many and miserable is there any thing left in him? Answ. There is. 1. His seede abides in him, the holy seede of the word can neuer be rooted out of him wholy. 2. He hath faith though it bee in a trance. 3. Grace is aliue in him, though hee bee in the state of a palsie man, or as one that hath a dead palsie, and yet is aliue. 4. Hee hath the spirit of God in him, but he is locked vp and taken prisoner.
Now for the remedies of this losse of stedfastnesse,Remedies for the losse of stedfastnesse. they must know that there is required of them, a speciall humiliation, note that I say a speciall humiliation: For they must in priuate afflict their soules before the view of their speciall sinnes, and Gods feirce wrath, with strong cries and sighes vnspeakable making their moane before God, They must cry vntounto God out of the deepe, as the Psalmist saith. Besides they must shame themselues openly by making themselues vile before the people of God, so did Dauid and Salomon and Paul; yea they must voluntarily resigne ouer themselues vntounto Gods scourging hand, being so desirous to be cleansed of their sins, as to be contented God should wash them throughly though it were with many crosses. And further they must be reuenged of their owne flesh, by streitning and curbing themselues in their lawfull desires and delights. Thus of their speciall humiliation: Now secondly, they must take speciall paines to recouer their faith in God; and to get pardon of their sinnes, They must crie daily vntounto God, they must search againe and againe in the records of Gods promises, especially waiting vponupon the preaching of the Gospell, to see when the Lord will returne and hauehave mercy by reuiuing of their hearts with the comforts of his presence. And for this they must be wonderfull careful of the spirit of grace, to stir it vp by daily prayer, and to obserue with all watchfulnesse the stirring of it, resoluing with al thankfulnes to acknowledge any measure of the reuiuing of the spirit.
Lastly when they are in any measure recouered, they must looke to two things. 1. They must forsake all appearance of euill. 2. They must vse a continuall watchfulnesse, and with feare and iealousie looke to their hearts, euen in their best actions: least Sathan beguile them, and they reuolt againe, and then their case of reciduation be worse then the former, blessed is the man that feareth alwaies.
Thus of the losse of stedfastnesse, especially, as it is in the cureable, for there is a losse of stedfastnes, and the ioy of Gods saluation euen in the elect, which in this life is incureable; Of this I can say little, because the Scripture is in this point exceeding sparing, and because the iudgements of God especially of this kinde are exceeding deep, who can wade into them? only a word or two of it. This losse is incureable two wayes, sometimes in the crosse or iudgement it brought vponupon the offender, sometimes in the vnstedfastnesse it selfe; for sometimes though the Lord restore inward ioy and assurance, yet hee will not remooue the outward signe of his wrath, sometimes hee drawes backe the outward affliction, but doth not restore the inward comfort, or not in so great a measure, so as some of Gods children, may die without the sense of the ioy of Gods saluation till they come to heauen, yea they may die in great terror and despaire: yet the Lord may be reconciled, and they may truely repent, though these terrors or iudgements bee not released: because God many times will thereby purge the publike scandall and cleere his owne iustice: Besides, such spectacles doe giuegive warning to a carelesse world, to let them know that God hath treasures of wrath for sinne if they repent not. Thus of the doctrine of stedfastnesse of faith, and vnstedfastnesse also; now briefely for some vses of it.
Vses.It may serue for great reproofe, of the great neglect of seeking this stedfastnesse of faith. We may complaine aswell of the common Protestant, as of the Papists heerein, for they are alike aduersaries to the assurance of faith; let such as are touched with feare of God and desire to beleeue, trauell more and more for attainement heereof, and to this end cleaue to the sure word of the Prophets and Apostles, and labour in the practise and exercise of all holy and Christian graces.
And for particular consideration of the troubles and losses of Gods children, we may note 1. That it is a wonderfull fearfull thing to fall into Gods hands, and that the promises of God yeeld no protection to a willing offender: woe vntounto prophane beasts; if sinne make God angry towards his owne children, and make them also vile before men, then where shall those beasts that wallow in sinne appeare? if they bee iustly abased that fall once into one sinne, what shall be the confusion of face and heart in those men, when all the sinnes they euer committed, shall be reuealed before Gods Angels, and men at the last day? 2. They that stand hauehave great reason to take heede lest they fall from their stedfastnesse, Psal. 56.9. & 116.7.and bee carried away with the errour of the wicked. 3. We should be wonderfull thankefull, if God hath kept vsus from falling, it is his singular grace to keepe the scot of his Saints.