The Christian Warfare Part 1, Book 2 · Chapter 34
CHAP. XXXIIII. Of the third Argument grounded vponupon Gods truth.
§. Sect. 1 THe third argument,Of Gods truth in his promiſes. whereby all thoſe who repent and beleeue may bee aſſured of the pardon & remiſſion of their ſins, is groūded vponupon Gods truth; for the Lorde is moſt true yea truth it ſelfe, and all his promiſes in Christ are yea, and amen. 2. Cor. 1.20. Apoc. 1.7.hee is a faithfull and true witneſſe. and whatſoeuer hee hath ſpoken ſhall be accompliſhed; ſo that though the heauens decay and waxe olde like a garment, though the ſunne looſe his light, and the moone be turned into bloud, though the earth tremble and quake, and the foundations of the mountaines bee mooued and ſhake, yea though heauen and earth and all things therein contained periſh and paſſe away,Matth. 5.1…. yet ſhall not one iote or title of his word fal to the ground vnaccompliſhed. And therefore whatſoeuer the Lord hath promiſed in his worde that he wil moſt vndoubtedly performe, for he is Iehoua, who hauing his eſſence and being in and from himſelfe alone, giueth being vntounto all things elſe, eſpecially to his worde and promiſes. But hee hath promiſed to all beleeuers and repentant ſinners, that hee will in Chriſt Ieſus pardon al their ſins, and will receiue them into his grace and fauour, and therfore if wee beleeue and reſt vppon our Sauiour Chriſt alone for our ſaluation, truly repenting vsus of all our ſinnes, wee may aſſure our ſelues that though our ſins be neuer ſo many and grieuous, yet the Lord will receiue vsus to mercy, and pardon and forgiue them.
§. Sect. 2 But that the poore ſoule wounded with ſin and groning for wearines vnderunder this vnſupportable burthen,That Gods regal ſtile aſſureth vsus of merciemercy and forgiueneſſe. may hauehave ſome ground whereupon to reſt, when it is ready to faint, & ſome ſpirituall weapons whereby it may defend it ſelfe, and beate backe the violence of Sathans tentations, I will make choiſe of ſome amongſt many of the comfortable promiſes of the goſpell, made vntounto all repentant ſinners. Firſt therefore let vsus conſider, that when the Lorde like a mightie monarch would ſet out his owne ſtile as it were in faire text letters, to be read of all his ſubiectes, he thus proclaymeth it, Exod. 34.6. The Lorde, the Lord, ſtrong, mercifull and gracious, ſlowe to anger, and aboundant in goodneſſe and truth. 7. Reſeruing mercy for thouſands, forgiuing iniquitie, and tranſgreſſion, and ſinners. wher we may obſerue that the greateſt part of his ſtile cōſiſteth of his mercy, gratiouſnes, long ſuffering, goodnes & readines to forgiue the iniquities of repentant ſinners; as therfore wee cannot offer a greater diſgrace to a mightie prince, then to denie or call into queſtion any part of his tytles or regall ſtile, ſo we cannot more diſhonour the prince of princes, and ſoueraigne king of heauen & earth, then by doubting of or denying any of theſe his titles which in his owne ſtile hee hath attributed vntounto himſelfe, ſeeing then he profeſſeth and proclaymeth himſelfe to bee a gratious, mercifull long ſuffering God, who is alwaies readie to forgiue repentant ſinners when they implore his merciemercy, let vsus not offer God that diſgrace to rob him of any part of his glorious titles, nor depriue our ſoules of that true comfort which the Lorde by them in his infinite goodneſſe hath graunted vntounto vsus.
§. Sect. 3 Moreouer this is one maine part of the couenant of grace,That Gods …ouenant aſſureth vsus of the remiſſion of our ſinnes. which the Lord profeſſeth that he will make with his church and people, namely that he will forgiue their iniquitie and remember their ſinnes no more. Ier. 31.34. the counterpaine of which couenant we hauehave Heb. 10.16.17. and therefore if we on our part performe the condition of this couenant betweene God and vsus, that is, if we truely and vnfainedly repent vsus of our ſinnes, and a reſt and rely on Ieſus Chriſt for our ſaluation by a liuely faith, wee may be aſſured that God on his part will not goe one iote from his word, nor breake the couenant which he hath made with vsus. For he hath not onelyonly made this his couenant with vsus by word of mouth, but he hath alſo committed it to writing, and not contenting himſelfe herewith that there might be no place left to doubting, hee hath confirmed and ratified his hand writing by adding thereunto his ſeales which are the Sacraments; as firſt the ſeale of Baptiſme, whereby he aſſureth vsus that being outwardly receiued into the body of the Church, and inwardly ingrafted into the body of Chriſt, wee hauehave all our ſinnes and filthy corruptions waſhed away with his precious bloud, as the outward filth of the body is waſhed and purged by the waſhing of water. The vertue of which ſpirituall waſhing is not limited and reſtrained to the time paſt or preſent, as though it waſhed away onelyonly our originall corruption, as ſome hauehave fooliſhly imagined, but extendeth it ſelfe to the whole courſe of our liues; So that if falling into many and greeuous ſinnes we vnfainedly repent vsus of them, and apply Chriſt Ieſus and his merites vntounto vsus by a true and liuely faith, we may be aſſured of the pardon and forgiuenes of them all, for this was promiſed ſealed, and confirmed vntounto vsus in our Baptiſme. Secondly, the Lord hath further cō firmed this his couenant by the Sacrament of his Supper, for he hath therefore inſtituted and ordained it, that thereby we ſhould be put in mind of our ſauiour Chriſtes death and ſuffrings, to the end that we may gather more and more aſſurance, that our Sauiour gaue his bleſſed body to be crucified and ſhed his moſt pretious bloud, that hee might take away the curſe of the law, and naile it vntounto his croſſe, free vsus frō his fathers anger by bearing it himſelfe, and by his death deliuer vsus from euerlaſting death, and by his bloudſhed waſh away all our ſinnes and corruptions. And hence it is that the Apoſtle calleth the wine in the Lords ſupper, the new Teſtament in Chriſtes bloud,1. Cor. 11.25. becauſe thereby the new Teſtament is ſealed and confirmed vntounto vsus. And therefore whenſoeuer wee receaue the Sacrament of the Lords ſupper, the Lord doth thereby certainly aſſure vsus that our ſinnes in Chriſt are pardoned and forgiuen, and that he hath receaued vsus into his louelove and fauour, yea the Lord hath not onelyonly ratified & confirmed his couenant with vsus, concerning the remiſſion of our ſinnes with his owne hand writing and ſeales annexed, but alſo by his oath; For God willing more abundantly to ſhew vntounto the heires of promiſe the ſtableneſſe of his counſaile, bound himſelfe by an oath: that by two immutable things wherein it is impoſſible that God ſhould lye, we might hauehave ſtrong conſolation; as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh, Heb. 6.17.18. And therefore vnleſſe wee would conceiue of God that hee is vntrue of his word, a couenant breaker, yea a periured perſon (which were moſt horrible blaſphemie once to imagine) we may vndoubtedly aſſure our ſelues that he will pardon and forgiue vsus all our ſinnes, be they in number neuer ſo innumerable nor ſo hainous in their nature and qualitie, if wee will turne vntounto him by vnfained repentanee, and lay hould vponupon Chriſt Ieſus our ſauiour, by a true and liuely faith.
§. Sect. 4 But let vsus more particularly conſider of ſome of the ſpeciall promiſes of God,Of particular promiſes whereby wee may be aſſured of the remiſſion of our ſinnes. contained in the couenant of grace, that ſo we may gather vntounto our ſelues more full conſolation and firme aſſurance of the pardon and forgiueneſſe of our ſinnes. The Prophet Dauid who had in himſelfe often experience of Gods mercy telleth vsus, Pſal. 32.10. that whoſoeuer truſteth in the Lords mercy ſhall compaſſe him. The Prophet Eſay exhorteth the wicked to forſake his wayes, and the vnrighteous his owne imaginations, and to returne vntounto the Lord, aſſuring them that he will hauehave mercy vponupon them, for he is very ready to forgiue. Eſay. 55.7. The Lord himſelfe alſo doth make this gratious promiſe Ezech. 18.21. But (ſaith he) if the wicked will returne from all his ſinnes which he hath committed, and keepe all my Statutes, and doe that which is lawfull and right, he ſhall ſurely liue and not dye. 22. All his tranſgreſſions that he hath committed ſhall not bee mentioned vntounto him, but in his righteouſneſſe that he hath done he ſhall liue. 23. HaueHave I any deſire that the wicked ſhould dye ſaith the Lord God? or ſhall he not liue if he returne from his wayes? verſ. 32. For I deſire not the death of him that dieth ſaith the Lord God; cauſe therefore one another to returne and liue yee, and cap. 33. ver. 11. As I liue ſaith the Lord I deſire not the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turne from his way and liue. So Mal. 3.17. the Lord profeſſeth that hee will ſpare his people and children, as a man ſpareth his owne Sonne that ſerueth him. Now we know that a louing father is ready to forgiue, & to receaue into his grace and fauour his repentant Sonne, though he hath very often offended him: & ſo ſurely the Lord who is infinitely rich in mercy, wil much more forgiue his children when they turne vntounto him; nay he is not onelyonly ready to receaue them into his grace and fauour, but it filleth him (as I may ſay) with exceeding ioy and delight, when his repentant children forſake their ſinnes and euill wayes, and turne vntounto him by vnfained repentance, as it appeareth moſt euidently in the parable of the prodigall Sonne, of the ſtrayed ſheepe, and the loſt groat. Moreouer our Sauiour Chriſt had his name Ieſus giuen him of God by the miniſter of an Angell, becauſe hee ſaueth his people frō their ſinnes: as appeareth Math. 1.21. & he therfore came into the world, not to cal the righteous but ſinners to repentance. As it is Matt. 9.13. and he inuiteth and calleth vntounto him all thoſe who are wearie and heauie laden with the burthen of their ſinnes, promiſing that hee will eaſe them. Matt 11.28. yea ſo certaine it is that they ſhal hauehave remiſſion of their ſinnes and euerlaſting hapineſſe who truly repent and beleeue, that our ſauiour Chriſt ſaith they hauehave it already as though they were in preſent poſſeſſion. Iohn 5.24. Verily, verily I ſay vntounto you, he that heareth my word and beleeueth in him that ſent me, hath euerlaſting life, and ſhall not come into condemnation but hath paſſed from death to life. So chap. 6.47. and chap. 11.26. whoſoeuer liueth and beleeueth in mee ſhall neuer die. The apoſtle Peter alſo plainly affirmeth that God would hauehave no man to periſh, but would hauehave all men to come to repentance. Seeing therefore the Lord hath made ſo many gratious promiſes in the Goſpel to all repentant and beleeuing ſinners, let vsus vnfainedly turne vntounto the Lord, and apply Chriſt and his meritts vntounto vsus by a true & liuely faith, and then we may aſſure our ſelues that he will pardon and forgiue vsus al our ſinnes, and receaue vsus gratiouſly into his louelove and fauour.
§. Sect. 5 But againſt this which hath beene alleaged,That al Gods promiſes are made indefinitely to all that beleeue. Sathan wilbe ready to obiect to the afflicted conſcience, that theſe promiſes were made to the prophets, apoſtles and holy men of God, but not to ſuch haynous and rebellious ſinners who hauehave moſt iuſtly deſerued that God ſhould poure out vppon them the violls of his wrath, and thoſe fearefull puniſhments threatned in the law, becauſe of the innumerable number of their ſinnes and the outragiouſneſſe of their wickedneſſe; and therefore ſuch hauehave nothing to doe with the ſweet promiſſes of the Goſpell, but are to apply vntounto themſelues the terrible threatnings denounced in the law againſt ſuch grieuous ſinners.
For the anſwering of which tentation, wee are to know that the Lords promiſes made in the Goſpell, are general, indefinite and vniuerſall, excluding none, who turne from their ſinnes by vnfained repentance, and beleeue in Chriſt Ieſus, reſting on him alone for their ſaluation. Neither is there any limitation or exception of this or that ſinne, for be they neuer ſo greiuous and manifold, yet if wee performe the condition of faith and repentance, the Lord will make good his promiſes vntounto vsus.
For the firſt, namely that the promiſes of the goſpell are indefinite, and generally made to al who repent and beleeue it, ſhall manifeſtly appeare if wee conſider the particulars. Eſa. 55.1. the Lord calleth all vntounto him indefinitly, ſaying, to eueryevery one who thirſteth come to the waters, and yee that hauehave no ſiluer come, buy and eate; Come I ſay buy wine and milke with out ſiluer and without money; ſo that though we hauehave no worthineſſe and righteouſneſſe of our owne, yet if we thirſt after the mercy of God and righteouſneſſe of Chriſt, and come vntounto God by vnfained repentance, and vntounto our ſauiour by a liuely faith, our thirſt ſhall be ſatiſfiyed and all our wantes ſupplyed. So Ezech. 33.11. the Lord ſolemnely ſweareth that hee will not the death of a ſinner, but that they turne from their wicked wayes and liue; where hee ſpeaketh not of this or that ſinner, but of all without exception who turne vntounto him. Our ſauiour Chriſt likewiſe maketh this indefinite promiſe Marke 16.16. that whoſoeuer ſhal beleeue and be baptiſed ſhalbe ſaued. and Iohn 3.14. he ſaith, that as Moſes lift vp the ſerpent in the wilderneſſe, ſo must the ſonne of man be lift vp 15. that whoſoeuer beleeueth in him ſhould not periſh but hauehave eternal life. So that as al who were ſtunge of the fyrie ſerpent were healed if they looked vponupon the braſen ſerpent, neither was their any exceptiō or diſtinctiō between thoſe who were deeply, or but a little pearſed with the ſting, for if they were ſtūg they died, if they vſed not the remedy ordained of God, though their wound were but ſmall and ſhallow, but if they looked vp to the braſen ſerpent according to God ordināce, they were cured though their wound were neuer ſo deadly and deſperate, ſo thoſe who looke not vponupon Chriſt Ieſus hanging on the croſſe with the eye of faith, are ſure to fall into euerlaſting death and damnation, bee their ſinnes neuer ſo few, and on the other ſide, they who lay hould vponupon Chriſt and beleeue in him, are ſure to bee ſaued though their ſins bee neuer ſo many and grieuous. So in the 16. verſe it is ſaid, that God ſo loued the world, that hee hath giuen his onelyonly begotten ſonne, that whoſoeuer beleeueth in him ſhould not periſh but hauehave euerlaſting life. and ve. 36. He that beleeueth in the ſonne hath euerlaſting life. &c. So that here is no exception of ſinnes, for the promiſes are made indefinitely to all that beleeue. In like maner our Sauiour hath promiſed Iohn 6.37. That whoſoeuer come vntounto him hee will not caſt them away. and ve. 40. he aſſureth vsus that it is the will of his father who ſent him, that eueryevery man who beleeueth in him ſhould hauehave euerlasting life. And the Apoſtle Peter Actes 10.43. ſaith that vntounto our Sauiour Chriſt giuegive all the prophets witneſſe, that through his name all that beleeue in him ſhall hauehave remiſſion of ſinnes. And the Apoſtle Iohn likewiſe ſaith, 1. Ioh. 2.1. that if any man ſinne wee hauehave an aduocate with the father Ieſus Chriſt the righteous, and hee is the propitiation for our ſinnes, and not for ours onelyonly but alſo for the ſinnes of the whole world, that is for whoſoeuer repent and beleeue of eueryevery kingdome, countrey, and nation. So that by all theſe places it is cleare and euident that none are excluded from being partakers of Gods mercifull promiſes, but thoſe who exclude themſelues through their infidelitie and vnrepentancie.
§. Sect. 6 Neyther is there any ſins ſo innumerable in multitude & ſo hainous & grieuous, which will debarre vsus from receiuing the benefit of Gods merciemercy and Chriſts merites ſo wee repent and beleeue,That our ſins cannot debarre vsus of Gods mercy, ſo we repent and beleeue. as may appeare alſo by plaine teſtimonie, Eſay. 1.18. the Lord thus ſpeaketh to the Iewes whom hee had deſcribed to bee rebellious and moſt outragiouſly wicked. Come now (ſaith the Lord) & let vsus reaſon together, though your ſinnes were as crimſon, they ſhalbe made white as ſnow: though they were red as ſcarlet, they ſhalbe as wooll. The Apoſtle Paul likewiſe witneſſeth. Tit. 2.14. that our ſauiour Chriſt gaue himſelfe for vsus, that he might redeeme vsus from all iniquitie; And the Apoſtle Iohn ſaith, that the bloud of Chriſt cleanſeth vsus from all ſinne, and if wee acknowledge our ſinnes he is faithfull and iuſt to forgiue vsus our ſinnes, 1. Ioh. 17.9.and to cleanſe vsus from all vnrighteouſneſſe. So that here is no mention made of any ſinnes which are excepted, or which exclude vsus from Gods mercy & Chriſts merits, ſo that we repent & beleeue; neither are the promiſes of the Goſpell limited or reſtrained in reſpect of the number or greeuouſneſſe of our ſinnes, ſo we performe the conditiō of faith and repentance, for whoſoeuer is hartily ſorie for his ſinnes paſt, and purpoſeth for the time to come to leaue and forſake them, whoſoeuer doth beleeue Gods promiſes and reſteth vponupon Chriſt Ieſus alone, for his ſaluation by a true and liuely faith, he may be certainly aſſured, that the Lord hath pardoned and forgiuen all his ſinnes, and receaued him into his grace and fauour, though his ſinnes be neuer ſo many and hainous; and on the other ſide whoſoeuer continueth in his vnrepentancie and infidelitie, ſhalbe condemned though his other ſinnes be neuer ſo few and ſmall; neither will all our other ſinnes debarre vsus of Gods mercy, vnleſſe they bee ioyned with vnrepentancie and vnbeliefe, for obſerue the condition of the promiſes, faith and repentance, and all the promiſes of the Goſpell belong vntounto thee though thou were the greateſt ſinner that euer liued. For whereas it may be obiected that the ſinne againſt the holy Ghoſt is vnpardonable, we are to know it is not ſo much in regard of the hainouſneſſe of the ſinne, as that becauſe it is alwaies ſeuered and diſioyned from faith and repentance, God denying theſe his graces to thoſe who vponupon deſperate malice hauehave made a generall Apoſtaſie, and hauehave perſecuted the knowne truth. So that if it were poſſible for them to repent and beleeue, it were poſſible alſo that they ſhould be ſaued.
Seing therefore the promiſes of the Goſpell are generall excluding none, let not any man who is laden with the burthen of his ſinnes, exclude himſelfe through his want of repentance and infidelitie, for though their other ſinnes are grieuous, yet this is more hainous and damnable then all the reſt. For whereas the Lord ſaith, that he wil extend his mercy vntounto all who come vntounto him; if wee reply, no he will not extēd it vntounto me becauſe I am a grieuous ſinner, what do we els but contradict the Lord, and giuegive truth it ſelfe the lie; not giuing credit to his word and promiſes. And therefore let vsus take heed that wee do not ſo aggrauate our ſinnes as that in the meane time wee extenuate and derogate from Gods infallible truth.