The Christian Warfare Part 1, Book 2 · Chapter 5
CHAP. V. Sathans temptations concerning Gods election anſwered, and firſt thoſe wherewith he aſſaulteth carnall worldlings.
§. Sect. 1 Sathans temptation whereby he perſwadeth worldlings that all in the end ſhall be ſaued, anſwered.NOw concerning this decree of election and the aſſurance thereof, there are two ſorts of Sathans temptations: the firſt he ſuggeſteth into the minds of carnall worldlings, to nouriſh in them fond preſumption and carnall ſecuritie: the other, into the minds of weak chriſtians, whereby he moueth them to doubt & deſpaire of their electiō to euerlaſting life. The worldly man he aſſaulteth with two principal temptations: firſt, he perſwadeth him that there is no election at al or reprobation, but that all in the end ſhall be ſaued. Which groſſe abſurditie that hee may make more plauſible and probable, hee ſetteth before them the infinite merciemercy of God, and the generall promiſes and conſolations in the Goſpell:Ezech. 13. and 18. 1. Tim. 2.4. as, that he will not the death of a ſinner, and that he will that all men ſhall be ſaued, in both places cunningly diſſembling that which followeth; for to the firſt place is added, but that he repent, and in the latter, that they who ſhall be ſaued muſt alſo come to the knowledge of the truth.
But this temptation is ſo palpably abſurd, that it becommeth not Sathans policie to vſe it to any, but thoſe onelyonly whoſe hearts are hardned, their eyes blinded, their conſciences ſeared, and who hauing not beleeued and loued the truth, are giuen ouer of God to beleeue ſtrong deluſions; and therfore I will not ſpend much time in anſwering this temptation: onelyonly let ſuch men as are ſeduced with Sathans lyes know thus much, that Gods merciemercy is a iuſt merciemercy, as his iuſtice is a mercifull iuſtice; that God is infinite in both, and no leſſe glorified in the manifeſtation of the one than of the other. Let them know that there are no promiſes of the Goſpell ſo generall, which are not limited with the condition of faith, and the fruite thereof vnfained repentance. Let them know, that God who is not onelyonly mercifull but alſo true, yea truth it ſelfe, hath in his word reuealed his will, as well concerning the eternall death and deſtruction of the wicked, as the ſaluation of the godly: he hath ſaid,Matth. 22.14. and 7.13. that many are called and few choſen; that the gate of heauen is ſo ſtraight, that there are few who finde it; that he will ſay to the workers of iniquitie, Goe your waies I know you not; 23.that hee will make a ſeparation betweene the ſheepe and the goates, and as hee ſaith to the one, Come ye bleſſed of my father, inherit ye the kingdome prepared for you from the foundations of the world, Mat. 25.34.41▪ſo hee will ſay to the other, Depart from me ye curſed into euerlaſting fire, which is prepared for the diuell and his angels. Let them know that neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor wantons, nor buggerers, not theeues, nor couetous, 1. Cor. 6.9.10.nor drunkards, nor railers, nor extortioners, nor any that liue in the like ſinnes, without repentance, ſhall inherit the kingdome of God, for truth it ſelfe hath ſpoken it, 1. Cor. 6.9.10. but they ſhall hauehave their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone, Reu. 21.8.which is the ſecond death, as it is Reuel. 21.8. And therefore let not Sathan bewitch them, by ſetting before their eyes Gods merciemercy; for as ſure as God is iuſt and true of his word, ſo ſurely ſhall ſuch as continue in their ſinnes, without repentance, bee eternally condemned; neither is it any impeachment to Gods merciemercy, if hee exerciſe his iuſtice in inflicting due puniſhment vponupon obſtinate and rebellious ſinners, ſeeing it is ſufficiently manifeſted in the ſaluation of thoſe who repent and beleeue.
§. Sect. 2 The ſecond temptation which Sathan ſuggeſteth into the minds of carnall men, to the end they may runne on in their deſperate courſes, and wallow ſtill in the pleaſing filth of their corruptions, hee thus frameth; Why enioyeſt thou not (ſaith he) thy pleaſures? why art thou afraid to ſatisfie all thy deſires? what needeſt thou to take any paines in perfourming Gods worſhip and ſeruice,Sathans temptation, grounded vponupon the vnchangeableneſſe of Gods predeſtination. and to what purpoſe ſhouldeſt thou forſake thy pleaſing ſinnes, ſtudying and ſtriuing after mortification and newneſſe of life, which is ſo bitter and vnpleaſant vntounto thee? for Gods decree of predeſtination is ſure and moſt vnchangeable as himſelfe is without change, and therefore if thou art elected of God thou maieſt follow thy delights, goe on in thy ſinnes, liue as thou liſt, yet ſurely thou ſhalt be ſaued, and he will giuegive thee repentance, though it be deferred to the laſt gaſpe. But if on the other ſide thou art a reprobate, reiected of God in his eternall councell, then take what paines thou wilt, make thy throte horce with praying, and thy bagges emptie with giuing almes, be neuer ſo diligent in Gods ſeruice, neuer ſo carefull in mortifying thy ſins, yet all is in vaine, for thoſe whom he hath reprobated ſhall be condemned. And therefore much better were it to take thy pleaſure and to follow thine owne deſires whileſt thou art in this life: for the puniſhments of the life to come will be enough, though thou addeſt no torments of this life vntounto them.
That the former temptation is both fooliſh and ridiculous falſe and impious.And thus doth Sathan reaſon in the minde of a carnall man, partly to continue and increaſe his ſecuritie in the courſe of ſinne, and partly to diſcredit the holy doctrine of Gods eternall predeſtination, as though it opened a dore to all licentiouſneſſe. But if we conſider of this temptation aright, and ſound it to the bottome, we ſhall finde firſt that it is moſt fooliſh and ridiculous, ſecondly that it is moſt falſe and impious. That it is moſt fooliſh it will eaſily appeare, if we vſe the like manner of reaſoning in worldly matters; for it is all one as if a man ſhould thus ſay: thy time is appointed, and the Lord in his counſaile hath ſet downe how long thou ſhalt liue; if therefore it be ordained that thy time ſhall be ſhort, vſe what meanes thou wilt of phiſicke and good diet, yet ſhalt thou not prolong it one day; but if God hath decreed that thou ſhalt liue to olde age, take what courſes thou wilt, runne into all deſperate daungers, vſe ſurfetting and all diſorder of diet, nay eate no meate at all, and yet thou ſhalt liue till thou art an old man. Or as if he ſhould ſay; God hath decreed alreadie whether thou ſhalt be rich or poore, and if he hath appointed thee to be poore, take neuer ſo much paines, follow thy calling as diligently as thou wilt, abſtaine from all waſtfulneſſe and prodigalitie, yet ſhalt thou neuer get any wealth: but if thou art preordained to be rich, ſell all thou haſt and ſcatter it abroade in the ſtreetes, ſpend thy time in gaming, drinking and whoring, neuer troubling thy head with care, nor thy hands with worke, yet ſhalt thou be a welthie man. Now who would not laugh at ſuch abſurd manner of reaſoning if any ſhould vſe it? becauſe eueryevery man knoweth, that as God hath decreed the time of our life, ſo he hath decreed alſo that we ſhould vſe the meanes, whereby our liues may be preſerued ſo long as he hath ordained that we ſhould liue, namely auoyding of daungers, good diet, and phiſicke; and as he hath decreed that a man ſhould be rich, ſo he hath decreed alſo that he ſhould vſe all good meanes of attaining vntounto riches, namely prouidence and paines in getting, and care and frugalitie in keeping that he hath gotten; and whoſoeuer vſe not the meanes, doe make it manifeſt that they were not ordained vntounto the end. Although indeede, becauſe the Lord would ſhew his abſolute and almightie power, he doth not alwaies tie himſelfe vntounto meanes, but ſometimes croſſeth and maketh them vneffectuall to their ends, and ſometime he effecteth what he will, without or contrarie to all meanes; and hence it is that ſome quickly die who vſe all meanes to preſerue health, and ſome become poore who vſe al meanes of obtaining riches, whereas others being depriued of the meanes attaine vntounto long life and riches by the immediate bleſſing of God. But ordinarily the meanes and end goe together, and therefore it is fond preſumption to imagine or hope, without the vſe of the meanes, to attaine vntounto the end. And thus it is alſo in ſpirituall matters appertaining to euerlaſting life; thoſe whom God hath elected, he hath ordained alſo that they ſhould attaine vntounto and vſe all good meanes tending thereunto, namely faith, repentance, ſanctification, and newneſſe of life: and therefore it is as abſurd for any to imagine, that they ſhall be ſaued continuing in their ignorance, infidelitie, vnrepentancie, and filthie corruptions, as it is for a man to thinke that he ſhall liue to be old, and yet runneth into all daungers, forſaketh phiſicke yea and foode alſo whereby his life ſhould be ſuſtained. For the ſpirituall meanes of ſaluation are as well (nay much more) contained in Gods decree, as the corporall meanes of preſeruing life: for it hath been heard-of, that ſome hauehave liued in the middeſt of daungers, and in the abſence of meate, for a long time; but it was neuer heard that any hauehave attained vntounto euerlaſting life without faith, repentance, and ſanctification: for euen the thiefe vponupon the croſſe beleeued in Chriſt, and ſhewed the fruites of his faith in acknowledging his owne ſinne reproouing his fellow, in confeſſing our Sauiour Chriſt euen then when his Apoſtles denied and forſooke him, in calling vponupon his name and deſiring by his meanes euerlaſting life.
§. Sect. 3 But as this temptation is fooliſh,Sathans temptation grounded vponupon the vnchangeableneſſe of Gods decree falſe and impious. ſo alſo it is falſe; for whereas he ſaith that though we liue in our ſinnes without repentance, yet we may be elected and therefore ſhall be ſaued; and though we take neuer ſo great paines in Gods ſeruice, and moſt carefully indeauour to ſpend our liues in holineſſe and righteouſneſſe, yet we may be reprobates and therefore ſhall bee condemned; this is vtterly vntrue: for, whomſoeuer the Lord hath ordained to euerlaſting life, thoſe alſo he hath ordained to vſe the meanes whereby they may be ſaued, and conſequently whoſoeuer carefully vſe theſe meanes may be aſſured of their ſaluation, whoſoeuer neglect and deſpiſe theſe meanes they manifeſtly declare that they are not in the number of the elect, ſo long as they continue in their neglect and contempt: for the end and the meanes tending to the end, are inſeparably ioyned in Gods decree; ſo that they who vſe the one ſhall obtaine the other, they who neglect and contemne the meanes ſhall neuer attaine vntounto the end.
The end of Gods election two fold. Eph. 1.5.6.Now the end of Gods election is two fould. The chiefe and principall is his owne glorie, as appeareth Epheſ. 1.5.6. Who hath predeſtinate vsus to bee adopted through Ieſus Chriſt vntounto himſelfe, according to the good pleaſure of his will; to the praiſe of the glorie of his grace. And this end the Lord will not ſuffer to be fruſtrate: for his glorie ſhall ſhine in all his elect, and therefore we alſo are moſt carefully to labour that we may further this end; for the more that the praiſe of Gods merciemercy doth ſhine in vsus, the better aſſurance we hauehave of our election. And ſeeing God is moſt glorified when as our lights ſhine brighteſt before men in a godly and chriſtian life,Mat. 6.16. 1. Pet. 2.21. therefore let vsus be moſt carefull to ſpend our time in holineſſe and righteouſneſſe, that thereby we may glorifie our heauenly father, and alſo make our owne election ſure;Eph. 1.4. for he hath choſen vsus that we ſhould be holy, and therefore if we be holy it is a moſt certaine ſigne that he hath choſen vsus.
The ſecond end of Gods election.The ſecond end of Gods election is the ſaluation of his elect; for the iuſt accompliſhing whereof, he hath preordained diuers ſubordinate cauſes or meanes, which are the inſeparable effects and fruites of his election; all which are ſo linked one with another, as that the precedent meanes is the cauſe of that which next in order followeth, and Gods decree the cauſe of all. The effects of Gods election, which are the ſubordinate cauſes or meanes of our ſaluation, are principally three; Vocation, Iuſtification, and Sanctification. By vocation we are ſeparated from the world, made members of the Church, & ingrafted in to the body of Chriſt; and this is ordinarily done by the preaching of the word being made effectual by the inward operation of Gods ſpirit, or extraordinarily by ſome other meanes, or immdiately by the illumination of the holy Ghoſt. In our iuſtification we hauehave the pardon and remiſſion of all our ſinnes by vertue of Chriſts merit, and are adorned with his righteouſneſſe imputed vntounto vsus: and this is done, principally by God himſelfe, & inſtrumentally by a liuely faith. Our ſanctification conſiſteth in our dying to ſin, and riſing vp to newnes of life; which is begun, increaſed, and finiſhed in vsus by Gods ſpirit. Whoſoeuer therefore are predeſtinate to ſaluation, they alſo are effectually called, that is ſeparate from the world▪ and ingrafted into the body of Chriſt; and this they attaine vntounto by diligent and attentiue hearing of the word. Whoſoeuer are effectually called, are alſo iuſtified; and therefore hauehave obtained a true and liuely faith. Whoſoeuer are iuſtified are alſo ſanctified, that is, die vntounto their ſinnes, and riſe againe to newnes of life, and conſequently whoſoeuer are ſtill meere worldlings and no true members of Chriſts bodie (as all thoſe are who make no conſcience of hearing Gods word diligently, reuerently, and attentiuely, nor of treaſuring it vp in their hearts) they are not truly called; whoſoeuer hauehave not Chriſts righteouſneſſe and obedience imputed and applied vntounto them (which none hauehave that are deſtitute of a true and fruitfull faith) are not iuſtified; whoſoeuer liue in their ſinnes, without repentance, without any earneſt deſire and hartie endeuour of ſeruing the Lord in holineſſe and righteouſneſſe of life are not ſanctified; and whoſoeuer are not called, iuſtified and ſanctified, ſhall neuer be ſaued; for the end and the meanes tending thereunto are ioyned together in Gods predeſtination. So that where the one is, there the other is; where the one neuer is, there the other ſhall euer be wanting. And therefore as by our ſanctification, iuſtification, and vocation, wee may certainly conclude that we are elected and ſhall be ſaued; ſo if we be without theſe, wee may as certainly inferre that wee are reiected, and ſhall be condemned if wee liue and die in this ſtate.
Seeing then this is Gods truth, let not Sathan lull vsus in ſecuritie with that ſophiſticall cauill; if wee be elected we ſhall be ſaued liue how wee liſt; if we be reprobates wee ſhall be condemned, be we neuer ſo earneſt in labouring after godlineſſe: for theſe principles may well ſtand together, it is impoſſible that the elect ſhould periſh, and as impoſſible alſo that any who beleeue not in Chriſt, and bring not foorth the fruites of their faith in a godly and Chriſtian life ſhould bee ſaued; it cannot bee that the reprobate ſhould attaine vntounto euerlaſting happineſſe, and that any ſhould not attaine thereunto, who deſireth and endeuoureth to ſerue and feare the Lord: becauſe predeſtination and ſaluation are ſo coupled together with the meanes that come betweene them, that they cannot poſſibly be ſeuered from one another, nor the meanes from either of them, nor yet amongſt themſelues; euen as the firſt lincke of a chaine is ioyned with the laſt by thoſe which are betweene them, and theſe which are in the middle one with another.