The Christian Warfare Part 1, Book 2 · Chapter 36
CHAP. XXXVI. Other reaſons to perſwade the weake Christian of the remiſſion of his ſinnes.
§. Sect. 1 ANd theſe are the reaſons which may be drawn from eueryevery of the perſons of the Trinitie,1. That wee are to beleeue the remiſſion of our ſinnes, becauſe it is an article of our Creede. to aſſure vsus of the remiſſion of our ſinnes; to which we may ad diuers others. Firſt, the beleeuing of the remiſſion of our ſinnes in an article of our Creede, which we doe daily confeſſe and profeſſe, which is not left vntounto our choiſe to beleeue or not to beleeue, but as we confeſſe it with the mouth, ſo we are boūd to beleeue it with the heart, if we would be reckoned in the number of Chriſtians. Why then ſhould we doubt of that which we are bound to performe; and if wee doe not wee grieuouſly ſinne through infidelitie, which is more daungerous & damnable then all our other ſins whatſoeuer? And therefore though there were no other reaſon to mooue vsus, though our hainous and manifold ſinnes ſhould make it ſeeme vntounto vsus neuer ſo incredible, yet let vsus ſet aſide all impediments and breake through the violence of all obiections, and beleeue in obedience to Gods commaundements, and becauſe it is our dutie, the performance whereof is very acceptable vntounto God, and the neglect whereof is a ſinne moſt daungerous and damnable. Which that we may perfourme, let vsus carefully obſerue the condition of the couenant of grace, that is, let vsus reſt and rely vponupon Chriſt Ieſus alone for our ſaluation by a liuely faith, and turne vntounto God by vnfained repentance, and then there is no place left to doubting of that which in dutie we are bound to beleeue.
§. Sect. 2 Secondly the afflicted ſoule labouring vnderunder ſinne may receiue no ſmall aſſurance by the teſtimonie of Gods faithfull miniſters;2. The teſtimonie of Gods faithfull miniſters. Matth. 16. for the keyes of the kingdome of heauen are committed vntounto them, and they hauehave power giuen them of God here on earth to bind and looſe; not as though they could by their owne authoritie and in their owne name giuegive pardon of ſinnes to whom they liſt (as the papiſts teach and practiſe, for this is proper and peculiar vntounto God alone, as euen the Phariſes well knew whereof it was, that ſeeing our Sauiour Chriſt take vponupon him to forgiue ſinnes whom they imagined to bee a meere man, they affirmed that he blaſphemed. For who (ſay they can forgiue ſinne but God onelyonly) but they hauehave authoritie giuen them of God vponupon due examination and tryall of their faith by the fruites thereof vnfained repentance, certainely to declare and pronounce vntounto them that their ſinnes are forgiuen. Whoſoeuer therefore hauehave this teſtimonie of Gods faithful miniſters who are well acquainted with their eſtates giuen vntounto thē, they may aſſure themſelues that it is vndoubtedly true and moſt certaine; for who is it that dare oppoſe himſelfe and contradict the teſtimonie of Gods ſpirite in the mouth of ſo many his faithfull ambaſſadours? who dare bee ſo preſumptuous as to take vppon him the diſcerning of his ſtate better then the miniſters of God, who being appointed of God to this function are indued with a great meaſure of his ſpirit, whereby they are inabled to diſcerne and iudge of mens eſtates better then they themſelues? for he that is ſpiritual diſcerneth all things, and is made acquainted with the mind of Chriſt, as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh 1. Cor 2.15.16. And therefore if diuers of Gods faithfull miniſters with one conſent pronounce vntounto any paenitent ſinner the remiſſion of their ſinnes, and aſſure them after the examination of their eſtate that they are in the louelove and fauour of God, it ſhould be vntounto them ten thouſand times more forcible an argument to perſwade thē & to confirme their faith in the aſſurāce of Gods louelove, then the cōtrarie teſtimonie of Sathan or their timorous vnbeleeuing fleſh to moue them to doubting thereof, if our bodies be ſicke we committ our ſelues to the skill and care of the phiſition, and good reaſon, becauſe wee knowe he is better able to diſcerne of our eſtate then we our ſelues, and beleeuing his iudgment to bee good wee ſuffer him to applie ſuch remedies as hee thinketh moſt fitt; why then ſhould wee not committ the diſcerning of our eſtate to the phiſition of the ſoule no leſſe careful, and in this reſpect much more skilful? for the others rules in ſome patients may faile him, but the grounds whereupon the ſpirituall phyſition buildeth, are moſt infallible being the vndoubted truth of God. Why ſhould we not rather beleeue their often approoued iudgment then our owne timorous phantaſies, or Sathans teſtimonie who is our malitious enemie?
§. Sect. 3 Thirdly the afflicted ſoule may gather aſſurance of the remiſſion of ſinnes from the contrarie teſtimonie of the diuel.The 3. Reaſon drawne from the contrarie teſtimonie of Sathan. For when ther is any ſuggeſtion caſt into our mindes which is repugnant to the word of God and the teſtimonie of Gods ſpirit in the heartes of the faithfull, we may aſſure our ſelues that it is the ſpeech of Sathan or of our corrupt fleſhe the meſſenger of Sathan both which come to one end; but thoſe motiues and ſuggeſtions, that God will not receiue vsus to merciemercy, that our ſinnes are vnpardonable, that wee are reprobates and caſtawayes, that now it is too late to turne vntounto God, proceed not from Gods ſpirit, for they are quite contrarie to that which the ſcriptures teach vsus, namely that the mercies of God are infinite, and hee alwaies readie to receiue vsus to grace when we turne vntounto him; that if we wil earneſtly repent and in the mediation of Chriſt ſue for merciemercy, hee will make our ſcarlet ſinnes as white as ſnow, that it is neuer to late to turne vntounto God, for if wee repent hee hath promiſed to remit our ſins, and to receiue vsus into his fauour. Neither are wee to imagine that the teſtimonie of Gods ſpirit in our conſciences is contrarie to the teſtimonie of the ſame ſpirit in the holy ſcriptures, and therefore ſeeing theſe ſuggeſtions are flatly repugnant to the worde of God and teſtimonie of the ſpirit, wee are to aſſure our ſelues that they are the temptations of Sathan, eyther immediately ſuggeſted by himſelfe or mediately by his meſſenger our corrupt fleſhe.
Seeing then theſe ſuggeſtions come from Sathan who is our malicious enemie,Ioh. 8.44. Sathan either lyeth or elſe ſpeaketh the truth to deceiue. and a lyar from the beginning yea the father of lies we are not to beleeue thē, nay rather we may gather certaine aſſurance that the contrarie is true; for the ſpeaketh onelyonly lyes, or if at any time hee ſpeake the trueth it is to this ende that hee may deceiue vsus. For example hee telleth the ſecure carnall may that hee is in the ſtate of grace, and highly in Gods fauour, but vntounto the humbled ſinner hee ſaith, that he is a reprobate & ſhal moſt certainly be damned; vntounto the worldly ſecure man hee ſaith that God is moſt mercifull, then the which nothing can bee more true, but doth not ſpeake this in his conſcience, becauſe hee would hauehave him to taſt thereof but to lull him a ſleepe with this ſweete ſyren ſong to his eternall perdition. On the other ſide when hee hath to deale with the bruſed heart and contrite ſpirite, hee telleth him of nothing but of Gods exact iuſtice, to the ende that hee may plunge him into vtter deſperation: In a word whatſoeuer hee ſpeaketh in the conſcience of man, it is eyther falſe in it ſelfe or if true in them yet falſe in hypocriſie, if true in the generall, yet falſe in the particular application. As what can bee more true then that God is iuſt? and what more falſe then that hee will excerciſe his iuſtice in puniſhing repentant and humbled ſinners? what can be more true then that God is moſt merciful? and what more falſe then that he wil ſhew this his mercy is ſauing thoſe who liue and die in their ſins without repentance? & yet it is moſt vſuall with Sathan to affirme both the one and the other, lying in both becauſe hee doth miſapply them. And therefore ſeeing Sathan doth neuer ſpeake the truth or elſe doth falſly apply it in reſpect of our eſtate, let vsus acquaint our ſelues with his falſe language; and ſo by hearing his lies wee may bee the better aſſured of the truth; for example, when hee telleth vsus that our ſinnes are vnpardonable, that it is now too late to turne vntounto the Lord, that wee are reprobates and damned wretches, wee knowing that our malicious enemie by his lies doth continually ſeeke our deſtruction, are contrariwiſe to aſſure our ſelues that Gods merciemercy and Chriſtes merites farre exceed our ſinnes, that nowe is the acceptable time and day of ſaluation, if we will turne vntounto God and hearing his voice not harden our heartes, that wee are in the ſtate of ſaluation, the veſſels of merciemercy, and beloued children of God.
§. Sect. 4 Laſtly thoſe who are heauie laden with the burthen of their ſinnes,The laſt argument taken from the experience of Gods mercy in pardoning others. and firſt of whole cities and nations. may gather vntounto themſelues aſſurance of the forgiueneſſe of them, by the conſideration of Gods merciemercy extended vntounto other repentant ſinners; for there was neuer any from the beginning of the world to this day, were their ſinnes neuer ſo hainous or innumerable who hauehave not beene receiued to merciemercy, and pardoned of our gratious God whenſoeuer they did vnfainedly turne vntounto him. And this may appeare whether wee conſider whole cities or nations, or elſe particular men. Of the firſt wee hauehave a notable example in the Iſraelites which liued in the time of the iudges, who though they did many times negligently forget the greate mercies and ineſtimable benefites of God ſhewed to their forefathers, of which alſo themſelues had beene partakers, though they forſooke the Lorde not once or twiſe but very often, euen then when he moſt bound them vntounto him with multiplying vponupon them the benefitts of peace and plentie, and though they let the raines looſe vntounto all wickedneſſe, yea (which was moſt abhominable and odious in the ſight of God,) though they worſhiped and ſerued Baal and Aſteroth and other idolls of the curſed nations, for which horrible idolatrie God had caſt out the nations before them; yet whenſoeuer they turned vntounto the Lorde hee pardoned their ſinnes, receiuing them into his former louelove and fauour, and deliuered them out of the handes of all their enemies.
So likewiſe in the time of the prophet Eſay,The example of the Iſraelits in the time of the prophet Eſay. Eſay 1.5. to the 16. to what a notorious height of wickedneſſe were the ſame people growne as the Lord by his prophet doth decipher and deſcribe them in the firſt chapter of that prophecie. In the 2. ver. he calleth heauen and earth to witneſſe their horrible rebellion, in the 3. verſe hee ſheweth that their vnthankfulneſſe for all his mercies, far exceeded the vngratitude of bruite beaſts, in the 4. verſe hee exclaymeth out againſt them calling them a ſinfullnation, a people laden with iniquitie, a ſeed of the wicked corrupt children who had for ſaken the Lord, and prouoked the holy one of Iſraell to anger. In the 5. and 6. verſes he ſheweth their hardneſſe of heart and obſtinacie in their rebellion which was ſo great that though the Lord ſent afflictions & chaſtize mentes vponupon them, yet they were no whit reformed but waxed worſe and worſe, and that this was not the caſe of ſome few but of al the whole body of the people, for the whole head was ſicke and the whole heart was heaute. and that from the ſoule of the foote to the crowne of the head there was nothing ſound therein, but wounds, and ſwellings, and ſores full of corruption, the cure whereof they vtterly neglected. In the 10. verſe hee matcheth the ſinnes of both prince and people, with thoſe crying ſinnes and outragious wickedneſſe of Sodome and Gomorah which brought down from heauen fire and brimſtone to conſume them. In the 11.12.13. and 14. verſes he complaineth of their filthie hypocriſie in Gods outward worſhip ioyned with the vtter neglect of true godlineſſe and his ſpirituall ſeruice, which cauſed the Lord to deteſt al their ſacrifices, ſabbothes, and newe moones. So that their could not bee imagined greater wickedneſſe in any people, reſpecting thoſe notable meanes which the Lorde continually graunted vntounto them aboue all other nations for their owne conuerſion; and therefore who would not hauehave thought their ſtate to be moſt deſperate, who would not hauehave looked dayly that the Lorde ſhould hauehave conſumed them with fire and brimſtone, or hauehave cauſed the earth to hauehave ſwallowed them vp aliue as it did Corah and his aſſotiats? but behould the infinite mercies of our gratious God, euen when they wallowed in this filthie ſinke of all impietie the Lord calleth them to repentance, and when as they had forſaken him and fled from him, deſiring nothing leſſe then to make or meddle with him, the Lord calleth vntounto them, and hee in whoſe power it was eueryevery minute vtterly to deſtroy them, firſt of all deſireth a parley, he who might well abhorre to vouchſafe them his preſence, earneſtly deſireth conference with them, ſaying. ver. 18. Come now and let vsus reaſon together ſaith the Lord; though your ſinnes were as crimſon, they ſhall bee made as white as ſnow; though they were red like ſearlet, they ſhall be as wool.
§. Sect. 6 The example of the Iſraelites in the time of our ſauiour ChriſtIn like manner in the time of our ſauiour Chriſt the ſame Iewes moſt wickedly rebelled againſt the Lorde; for when the Lord in his rich mercy ſent the promiſed Meſſias, to deliuer them out of the handes of their enemies, they would not receiue him, nay they continually afflicted and perſecuted him, they mocked and reuiled him, they haled him before the iudgment ſeate, and cauſed him to bee condemned who came to iuſtifie and acquite them; they buffeted and whipped him, and preferred a wicked murtherer before him, who preferred their ſaluation before his owne life, laſtly in moſt ignominious ſort they crucified and killed him. After all which outragious wickedneſſe offered againſt the Lord of life, they continued in their hardneſſe of heart and impaenitencie, neuer acknowledging their fault not deſiring pardon, nay rather as they had perſecuted the head our Lord and Sauiour Ieſus Chriſt, ſo when they could offer no more wrong vntounto him in his owne perſon, they were ready to ſatiſfie and glutt their malicious rage in perſecuting his poore members. Now what more helliſh impietie was euer committed? what more outragious ſinne was euer heard of; who would euer hauehave imagined that there was any hope of pardon for ſuch rebellious bloudy wretches? but O the infinite and bottomeleſſe depth of Gods mercy, whileſt their wickedneſſe was freſh in memorie, and their hands ſtill imbrewed in the guiltleſſe bloud of this innocent Lambe: when as they continued in their courſe, and ran headlong forward in their wickednes without any ſence of ſin or deſire of pardon; the Lord ſent his apoſtles vntounto them to bring them to repentance, and to aſſure them that their ſinnes were pardoned.Act. 2.38. Seeing therefore theſe obtained the remiſſion of their ſinnes, who needs to doubt of pardon who earneſtly deſires it? for did the Lord gratiouſſy offer forgiueneſſe to ſuch rebellious wretches, and will hee not graunt it to leſſe offenders if they deſire it? did he offer them mercy before they ſought it, and will he denie mercy vntounto any who earneſtly ſeeke and ſue for it? Doth hee ſeeke to draw men to repentance and to turne vntounto him; and will he not receiue them when they doe repent? was he ſo exceeding mercifull in times paſt, and ſhall we now thinke his arme ſhortned or his mercy abated? Nay aſſuredly he is immutable euer like himſelfe one and the ſame moſt gratious, moſt merciful, & full of all goodneſſe and compaſſion, towards all them that come vntounto him. And therefore if we turne from our ſinnes by vnfained repentance, wee may aſſure our ſelues though they be neuer ſo many and grieuous they ſhalbe pardoned, and we receaued into Gods louelove and fauour.
§. Sect. 7 To theſe examples of whole multitudes,Particular examples of Gods mercy. we may ad the examples of particular ſinners, who hauehave beene receyued to mercy and obteined pardon, though their ſinnes hauehave beene many and grieuous, as Matthew, Zacheus, Leui, who were ſinfull Publicans that got their liuings by pilling & polling, oppreſſion and extortion, men ſo notoriouſly wicked, that Publicans and ſinners are ioyned together, as though they were ſinners by profeſſion, and therefore as Synonima or diuers words of one ſignification they interprete one another. And yet ſuch was the riches of Gods mercy, that euen theſe profeſſed ſinners were conuerted, and receiued remiſſion of all their outragious wickedneſſe. The like may bee ſaid of Mary Magdalene who though ſhee had beene a woman of lewde behauiour and looſe life, though ſhe were poſſeſſed of many diuels, and commonly noted for an infamous and notorious ſinner, yet vponupon her true repentance obtained the remiſſion of her ſinnes: and whileſt ſhe waſhed the feet of our ſauiour Chriſt with her teares, hee purged and cleanſed her body and ſoule from the filthy leproſie of ſinne with his owne moſt pretious bloud, whileſt ſhe wiped them with the haires of her head, he beautified and adorned her with the rich robe of his righteouſneſſe. Yea ſhe was receiued into an high degree of fauour with our ſauiour Chriſt, ſo as ſhee had in ſome things the preheminence before his chiefe Apoſtels, for after Chriſtes riſing againe he firſt vouchſafed her his preſence, and vſed her as his meſſenger to certifie the reſt of his reſurrection. So likewiſe the Apoſtle Paul before his calling was not onelyonly no louer but a bitter and fierce perſecuter of the truth, and of all the profeſſours thereof, impriſoning, ſtoning, and cruelly murthering the Saints of God; but behold and admire the wonderfull mercy of God, euen whileſt his imbrued hands, were yet red with the bloud of Gods faithfull children, and whileſt his heart was ſo full of burning rage, that hee breathed out ſtill threatnings and ſlaughter againſt the diſciples of the Lord, it pleaſed God wonderfully to conuert him, to aſſure him of the remiſſion of all theſe his horrible ſinnes, and to make him of a bloudie perſecuter, a moſt excellent preacher of his Goſpell, and of a rauenous deuouring wolfe, a moſt vigilant and painefull ſhepheard. To theſe wee might adde the example of the theefe, who though he had ſpent his whole life wickedly & prophanely, yet was conuerted at the howre of death and receauing the pardon of his ſinnes, was preſently aſſured of euerlaſting happineſſe. But I ſhall not need to heape vp many particulars, onelyonly I can not paſſe that notable example of Manaſſes one of the moſt outragious ſinners and prophaneſt wretch that euer liued, as the holy Ghoſt hath deſcribed him in the 21.2. Kings 21. chap. of the 2. booke of the Kings. For there he affirmeth of him that he was a moſt horrible idolater, a moſt malitious enemy and cruell perſecuter of Gods truth, a defiler of Gods holy temple, a ſacrificer of his owne children vntounto idols, that is diuels, a notable witch, and wicked ſorcerer, a bloudy murtherer of exceeding many the deare Saints and true Prophets of the Lord, one who did not runne headlong alone into all helliſh impietie, but alſo ledd the people vnderunder his gouerment out of the way to doe more wickedly then did the Heathen people whom the Lord diſtroied before the children of Iſrael, and in a word wrought more abominations and outragious wickedneſſe then the curſed Amorites and Cananites, of whom notwithſtanding the land ſurfetted and ſpued them out for their crying ſins. And yet this Manaſſes, this wretch, more like a diuell incarnate then a Saint of God, repenting him of his ſinnes from the bottome of his heart, was receaued (I cannot ſpeake it without rauiſhing wonder of Gods bottomleſſe & neuer ſufficiently admired mercy) was receaued I ſay, to grace, and obtained the pardon of all his horrible ſinnes and moſt abominable wickedneſſe. Now all theſe examples are written for our learning, and are recorded by the holy Ghoſt, to the end that wee may continually laud and prayſe the Lord for his endleſſe and infinite mercies, and gather vntounto our ſelues aſſurance, that though our ſinnes were as grieuous and hainous as any of theirs before named, yet if with them wee turne from our ſinnes by vnfained repentance, and goe vntounto Chriſt by a liuely faith, wee ſhall alſo with them receaue the pardon of our ſinnes, and be entertained into Gods louelove and fauour.
§. Sect. 8 And thus hauehave I ſet downe moſt infallible reaſons,That vnrepentant ſinners hauehave nothing to doe with the former conſolation. vponupon which as vponupon immoueable firme grounds, the afflictted conſcience may lay the foundation of ſound comfort; now if any abuſe the Goſpel of Ieſus Chriſt, and gather out of this heauenly doctrine this diueliſh vſe, that becauſe Gods mercies abound therefore they will abound in their ſinnes without repentance, and ſtill more and more prouoke the wrath of the Lord againſt them, to theſe I anſwere with the Apoſtle that their damnation is iuſt, in that they abuſe Gods mercy, as an occaſion to ſinne, which ſhould ſerue as a forcible argument to lead them to repentance, neither let ſuch flatter themſelues with vaine hope of Gods mercy, for deſpiſing the riches of his boūtifulneſſe, patience, & long ſuffering, & cōtinuing in their hardneſſe of hart & vnrepentancy, they treaſure vp vntounto themſelues wrath againſt the day of wrath, and of the declaration of the iuſt iudgemēt of God. As the apoſtle plainely ſpeaketh Rom. 2.4.5. Neither let thē fooliſhly boulſter vp themſelues in their ſinnes, by putting vnderunder their elbowes, the ſweet ſoft pillowes of Gods mercifull promiſes, for as there is none ſo ſpeciall which doe exclude the moſt hainous ſinner that repenteth & beleeueth, ſo is there none ſo generall which do extend themſelues to thoſe who continue in their vnrepentancie and vnbeliefe; and therefore though there be no ſinne ſo grieuous, which being repented of and forſaken will condemne vsus if wee reſt and relie vponupon our Sauiour Chriſt for our ſaluation by a liuely faith; ſo there is no ſinne ſo ſmall and veniall which will not plunge vsus into the bottome of hell, if we liue therein without repentance and doe not deſire to leaue and ſorſake it. And therefore ſo long as wee liue in our ſinnes, and doe not ſeriouſly turne vntounto the Lord by vnfained repentance, let vsus not in vaine arrogate and miſapply vntounto our ſelues the mercy of God, the merites of Chriſt, and the ſweet promiſes of the Goſpell, for vntounto ſuch appertaine the fearefull threatnings of the law as being ſtill the children of wrath, dead in their ſinnes, and ſubiect to Gods heauie wrath and diſpleaſure.