The Christian Warfare Part 1, Book 3 · Chapter 13
CHAP. XIII. Of the fourth and fifth reaſon to proue the certaintie of our perſeuerance, grounded vponupon Gods power and truth.
§. Sect. 1 THe fourth reaſon may be taken from Gods omnipotencie and almighty power:The fourth reaſon grounded vponupon Gods omnipotencie. for if God in reſpect of his infinite louelove, bee willing that we ſhall bee ſaued, and perſeuere in the meanes of our ſaluation; and bee immutable alſo and vnchangeable in his louelove and will; and likewiſe in reſpect of his power infinit and almighty, able to effect whatſoeuer hee willeth: then ſurely being aſſured that we are in the ſtate of grace, and in Gods louelove and fauour, there is no doubt but we ſhall bee ſaued, and perſeuere in the meanes which are inſeparably ioyned with our ſaluation. But as the Lord in reſpect of his louelove is moſt willing, ſo in reſpect of his power hee is able, continually to vpholde vsus in the ſtate of grace, and to fruſtrate and defeate all the malice and might of all our enemies, who labour to hinder our ſaluation; for he is omnipotent and mighty to ſaue, Eſa. 63.1.as it is Eſa. 63.1. And though through our frailety and weakeneſſe we might continually bee vanquiſhed and drawne from God, yet now there is no doubt hereof, ſeeing we doe not ſtand in our owne ſtrength,1. Pet. 1.5. but are kept by the power of God through faith vntounto ſaluation, as it is 1. Pet. 1.5. though in our ſelues wee are impotent and feeble, yet we are ſtrong in the Lord, and in the power of his might, and being armed with the armour of God,Eph. 6.10, 11. we are inabled to ſtand against the aſſaults of the diuell, as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh, Epheſ. 6.10, 11. Though wee are of little force in regard of our owne ſtrength and able to doe nothing, yet are we able to doe all things through the helpe of Christ which ſtrengthneth vsus, as it is, Philip. 4.13: though we be weake in faith,Phil. 4.13. and vnable to ſtand, yet being the ſeruants of God we ſhall be establiſhed; for God is able to make vsus ſtand, Rom. 14.4. In a word,Rom. 14.4. though our ſpirituall enemies are ſtronger than we, yet ſhall they not bee able to plucke vsus from Chriſt; For the father which gaue vsus to him is greater than all, Ioh. 10.28, 29.and none is able to take vsus out of the fathers hand, as our Sauiour reaſoneth, Iohn 10.28, 29. And therefore when we are diſcouraged and ready to faint, in the ſight and ſenſe of our owne weakeneſſe, and our enemies mighty power, let vsus comfort our ſelues in the Lord, ſaying with the Apoſtle, I knowe whom I hauehave beleeued, 2. Tim. 1.12.and I am perſwaded he is able to keepe that which I hauehave committed to him against that day, as it is 2. Tim. 1.12.
§. Sect. 2 The fifth reaſon is grounded vponupon Gods truth and fidelitie,The fifth reaſon groundad on Gods truth in his couenant. Apoc. 1.5. 2. Cor. 1.20. Luke 16.17. which is ſo infallible, that whatſoeuer hee hath ſpoken, promiſed, or couenanted, that he will moſt certainely performe: for God is a faithfull and true witneſſe, Apoc. 1.5. and all his promiſes in Christ are Yea and Amen, 2. Corinth. 1.20. So that it is more eaſie that heauen and earth ſhould paſſe away, than that one title of Gods word ſhould fall vnaccompliſhed, Luke 16.17. But the Lord in his word hath aſſured all that beleeue, that hee will vpholde them and preſerue them vntounto euerlaſting life, againſt all the furie of their enemies; as may appeare both by his couenant which he hath made with his Church in generall, and alſo by particular promiſes made to all the faithfull. Concerning the firſt, the Lord maketh this couenant with his Church, Eſa. 59.21. I will (ſaith hee) make this my couenant with them; Eſa. 59.21.my ſpirit that is vponupon thee and my words which I hauehave put in thy mouth, ſhall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy ſeede, nor out of the mouth of the ſeede of thy ſeed, ſaith the Lord, from henceforth euen for euer. If therefore Gods ſpirit neuer departeth from them, and they for euer confeſſe and profeſſe his word and truth, then certainely they can neuer fall away nor looſe their heauenly inheritance. For,Rom. 8.11. if the ſpirit of him that raiſed vp Ieſus from the dead dwell in vsus, hee ſhall alſo quicken our mortall bodies, becauſe his ſpirit dwelleth in vsus, as it is Rom. 8.11.Rom. 8.11.14.…7 And as many as are led by the ſpirit of God, they are the ſonnes of God, verſ. 14. And if we be children, we are alſo heyres, &c. verſ. 17. So Ierem. 32.38. I will bee their God, and they ſhall be my people. …er. 32.38, 39, …0Verſ. 39. And I will giuegive them one heart and one way, that they may feare me for euer, for the wealth of them and of their children after them. 40. And I will make an euerlasting couenant with them, that I will neuer turne away from them to doe them good, but I will put my feare in their hearts, that they ſhall not depart from me, &c. If therefore the Church and people of God ſhall feare him for euer, if his couenant be euerlaſting, if he will neuer depart from them, nor they from him, then certainely there is no doubt of their perſeuerance.…er. 31.31.32. And chapter 31.31.32, The Lord ſaith that he will make a new couenant with his Church, not according to the couenant which he made with their fathers. 33. But this ſhall be the couenant that I will make with the houſe of Iſrael after thoſe dayes (ſaith the Lord) I will put my lawe in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts, and will be their God, and they ſhall be my people, &c. And I will forgiue their iniquitie; and I will remember their ſinnes no more. In which words the Lord couenanteth, that his law ſhould euer remaine ſo deepely ingrauen in their hearts, that nothing ſhould blot it out, & that they ſhould continually meditate and delight themſelues therein;Rom. 2.15. 2. Cor. 3.2. for thus this phraſe of writing in the heart is vſually taken in the Scriptures. So likewiſe he aſſureth them of the perpetuall pardon of their ſinnes, ſo that their ſinnes ſhould neuer make fruſtrate that couenant which he had made with them.Hoſ. 2.19.20. So Hoſ. 2.19. And I will marrie thee vntounto me for euer, yea, I will marry thee vntounto me in righteouſneſſe and in indgement, and in mercy and compaſſion. 20. I Will marrie thee vntounto me in faithfulneſſe, and thou ſhall knowe the Lord. If therefore the Church of God ſhall bee married vntounto him for euer in righteouſneſſe and faithfulneſſe, and in mercy and compaſſion, then can neither their faith and righteouſneſſe towards God, nor his mercy and compaſſion towards them fayle, but both ſhall continue vntounto the end. Seeing then the couenant which is betweene God and vsus doth aſſure vsus of the continuance of his louelove and mercy, and of our perſeuerance in his feare and holy obedience we neede not to doubt either of the ceaſing of his louelove, or our falling away. For though the mountaines remoue and the hils fall downe, yet ſhall not his merciemercy depart from his children, neither ſhall the couenant of his peace fall away. As the Lord himſelfe proteſteth Eſa. 54.10.Eſa. 54.10.
§. Sect. 3 And thus hauehave I proued the certaintie of our perſeuerance,An obiection taken from our faltineſſe anſwered. by the couenant of grace which God hath made with his Church; for whatſoeuer ye Lord promiſeth to the whole body of the Church, that he alſo promiſeth to eueryevery particular member thereof, ſeeing the whole containeth all his parts: ſo that whatſoeuer belongeth to the whole body, that alſo belongeth to all the members. But it may be obiected that howſoeuer this couenant on Gods part is firme and eternall, yet by our fault and tranſgreſſion it may be made voyde and fruſtrate. I anſwere that ſo likewiſe the couenant made with the Iſraelites was firme on Gods part, but made fruſtrate by their ſinnes, but the Lord hath made a new couenant with vsus, not of workes but of grace, vponupon the condition of faith and repentance, which being obſerued on our part our ſinnes and vnworthineſſe cannot make it fruſtrate and of none effect; as before I hauehave ſhewed more at large.
§. Sect. 4 Secondly, we are aſſured of our perſeuerance,Of the particular promiſes of our perſeuerance. Pſal. 1.3. Ezech. 47.12. by Gods particular promiſes made to his faithfull ones. Pſal. 1.3. it is ſaid of the righteous man, that he ſhall be like a tree planted by the riuers of waters that will bring forth her fruites in due ſeaſon, whoſe leafe ſhall not faid, &c. As therefore the tree planted by the riuer ſide doth not wither, becauſe continually it ſucketh moyſture, whereby it is quickned and refreſhed: ſo the righteous man perſeuereth in his righteouſneſſe, becauſe he is continually reuiued and quickned with that ſpirituall moyſture, which he ſucketh from Chriſt who is the liuely roote, whereof he is a branch. Pſal. 15.5,Pſal. 15.5. Pſal. 37.24. He that doth theſe things ſhall neuer be moued. Pſal. 37.24, Though (the righteous man) fall, he ſhall not be caſt off; for the Lord putteth vnderunder his hand. Pſal. 112.6, Surely he ſhall neuer be moued, Pſal. 112.6.but the righteous ſhall be had in euerlaſting remembrance. And verſ. 9.Verſ. 9. Pſal. 125.1. His righteouſneſſe remaineth for euer. Pſal. 125.1, They that truſt in the Lord ſhall be as mount Syon, which cannot be remoued, Ioh 4.14.but remaineth for euer. Ioh. 4.14. Whoſoeuer drinketh of the water that I ſhall giuegive him, ſhall neuer be more a thirſt, but the water which I ſhall giuegive him ſhall be in him a well of water, ſpringing vp to euerlaſting life. Where by this water we are to vnderſtand the holy Ghoſt,Ioh. 7.38, 39. as appeareth Ioh. 7.38. He that beleeueth in me as ſaith the ſcripture, out of his belly ſhall flow riuers of the water of life. 39. This (ſaith the Euangeliſt) ſpake he of the ſpirit which they that beleeued in him ſhould receiue. So that to drinke of this water is through faith in Chriſt to be made partakers of the holy Ghoſt, whom whoſoeuer receiueth ſhall retaine him vntounto the end. As therefore he that hath a liuing fountaine continually ſpringing in him cannot be a thirſt; ſo they who hauehave this fountaine of life perpetually ſpringing in them, they ſhall neuer thirſt any more, but it ſhall continually refreſh and quicken them, till they hauehave attained vntounto euerlaſting life.Ioh. 6.35.37. ….54. I am the bread of life, he that commeth to me ſhall not hunger, and he that beleeueth in me ſhall neuer thirſt. And verſ. 37. All that the father giueth me ſhall come vntounto me; and him that commeth to me I caſt not away. And verſ. 51. I am the liuing bread which came downe from heauen, if any man eate of this bread he ſhall liue for euer. And verſ. 54. Whoſoeuer eateth my fleſh and drinketh my blood, hath eternall life, and I will raiſe him vp at the laſt day, &c. Now whoſoeuer beleeue in Chriſt, they eate his fleſh and drinke his blood; for faith is the mouth of the ſoule whereby we feede on this heauenly foode; and therefore all the faithfull ſhall hauehave euerlaſting life; nay as he ſaith they hauehave it alreadie and ſhall not come into condemnation, but hauehave paſſed from death to life, Ioh. 5.24. and 10.28.as it is Ioh. 5.24. and Ioh. 10.28. I will giuegive vntounto them eternall life, and they ſhall neuer periſh, neither ſhall any plucke them out of my hand. 29. My father which gaue them me is greater than all, and none is able to take them out of my fathers hand. In which words he both ſheweth his will in his promiſe, and his power to performe it, and therefore whoſoeuer are the ſheepe of Chriſt, they cannot be taken from him, neither for a time nor eternally, for ſo it ſhould follow if Chriſts reaſon be of any force, that they who tooke them from him ſhould be ſtronger than Chriſt and his father, which were a horrible blaſphemie for any to imagine.
§. Sect. 5 But here it is obiected that theſe promiſes are made to all the faithfull ſo long as they continue faithfull,An obiection tending to fruſtrate the former promiſes, anſwered. and to the ſheepe of Chriſt ſo long as they are his ſheepe, who abide in his word and follow him. But when they ceaſe to beleeue and to be his ſheepe, they doe not appertaine vntounto him, for they onelyonly remaine the Diſciples of Chriſt who abide in his word, and hauehave his word abiding in them, Ioh. 8 31.Ioh. 8.31. and 15.7. and 15.7. To which I anſwere that this is an idle trifling in a circular diſputation, and a vaine begging of the queſtion in controuerſie. For the queſtion is, whether the faithfull may be aſſured of their perſeuerance in faith, whether a member of Chriſt may be aſſured to continue a member of Chriſt, whether a ſheepe of Chriſt may aſſure himſelfe that he is to remaine for euer a ſheepe of Chriſt; we hold the affirmatiue part and proue it by diuers teſtimonies; they deny that theſe promiſes are abſolute, but on this condition, that we are aſſured none can plucke vsus from Chriſt, ſo long as we continue and retaine the nature of the members and ſheepe of Chriſt. But I would faine know what it is to be plucked from Chriſt, but to ceaſe to bee a member or ſheepe of Chriſt, and to looſe their nature: and what it is to be a ſheepe of Chriſt but to heare his word and to follow him. When as then our Sauiour Chriſt promiſeth that none ſhall plucke his ſheepe from him, he promiſeth that none ſhall be able to make them ceaſe to be his ſheepe, nor depriue them of their nature which is the eſſentiall forme which maketh them to be ſheepe, rather than other who neither heare his word nor follow him. Whereas therefore they affirme, that theſe promiſes doe aſſure vsus to perſeuere, ſo long as we continue and retaine the nature of the ſheepe and members of Chriſt, what is it but idly to repeate the ſame thing? namely that Gods promiſes doe aſſure vsus to perſeuere, ſo long as wee doe perſeuere; that we ſhall not be plucked from Chriſt ſo long as we remaine with Chriſt; that we ſhall continue the members and ſheepe of Chriſt, ſo long as we continue to be his ſheepe and members; that we ſhall not looſe our faith ſo long as we continue faithfull. And what is it to ſay that the ſheepe of Chriſt ſhall ſo long continue to be his ſheepe as they retaine their nature, but to graunt alſo that they may looſe their nature, & conſequently ceaſe to be Chriſts ſheepe, and ſo be plucked from him which is quite contrarie to his promiſe?