The Christian Warfare Part 1, Book 3 · Chapter 14
CHAP. XIIII. Of eight other reaſons which proue the certaintie of our perſeuerance.
§ Sect. 1 THe ſixt reaſon to aſſure vsus of our perſeuerance may be taken from the interceſſiō of Chriſt for vsus to God the father.The ſixt reaſon taken from Chriſts interceſſion. For whatſoeuer Chriſt himſelf maketh requeſt for in the behalfe of his faithfull, that without doubt the father graunteth vntounto him,Ioh 11.42. for God heareth him alwaies, Ioh. 11.42. But he continually maketh requeſt for them that their faith faile not,Luk. 22.32. Ioh. 17.9.11.15.21. as appeareth Luk. 22.32. He prayeth for them, Ioh. 17.9. that the father would keepe them in his name whom he had giuen vntounto him; That they may be one, as he and the father are one, verſ. 11; That he would preſerue them from euill, verſ. 15; and what greater euill than to fall from grace and God alſo? That they all may be one, as the father is in Chriſt and Chriſt in him, verſ. 21. That they be with Chriſt where he is, and may behold his glorie, Verſ. 24.verſ. 24. He maketh alſo interceſſion for all thoſe whom he hath redeemed, that they may be ſaued, notwithſtanding their ſinnes into which they fall through the ſtrength of their corruptions,1. Ioh. 2.1.2. as appeareth 1. Ioh. 2.1.2. And therefore all theſe things are graunted vntounto him by the father, for the faithfull. So that now they may ſay with the Apoſtle Rom. 8.33. It is God that iuſtifieth. 34. Who ſhall condemne? Rom. 8.33, 34, 35.It is Chriſt which is dead, yea or rather which is riſen againe, who is alſo at the right hand of God and maketh requeſt for vsus. 35. Who ſhall ſeparate vsus from the louelove of God &c.? And though our corruptions be many and our weakeneſſe great yet we neede not doubt of our perſeuerance to euerlaſting life. For we hauehave an high prieſt who is able perfectly to ſaue them that come vntounto God by him, ſeeing he euer liueth to make interceſſion for them, as it is Heb. 7.25.Heb. 7.25.
§. Sect. 2 The ſeuenth reaſon may be taken from that vnion which is betweene Chriſt and the faithfull,The ſeuenth reaſon taken from our vnion with Chriſt. whereby he becommeth their head, and they his members. For there is no head that will willingly permit any of it members to bee rent and torne from it, becauſe then it ſhould hauehave a maimed and vnperfect body. But Chriſt Ieſus is the head of all the faithfull, and they the members of his body.Eph. 5.30. Epheſians. 5.30. And therefore hee will not ſuffer any of them to bee pulled from him, and ſo periſhing make a maime in his body, ſeeing hee is alſo omnipotent and able to ſaue all thoſe who depend vponupon him. Moreouer ſeeing our Sauiour Chriſt who is our head, hath paſt all daungers, and now liueth and raineth with God his father, wee are alſo aſſured that we ſhall liue and raigne with him. For he hath obtained this eternall glorie, not for himſelfe alone, but alſo for all the members of his body, as appeareth Ioh. 17.21.24. and therefore now there is no doubt of periſhing,Ioh. 17.21.24. ſeeing our life is hid with Chriſt in God, as it is Col. 3.3; and conſequently no leſſe ſafe than his who now raigneth and triumpheth ouer his enemies.Col. 3.3. Whereof it is that they are ſaid in reſpect of the certaintie of their aſſurance, to hauehave alreadie euerlaſting life, and to hauehave paſſed from death to life,Ioh. 5.24. 1. Ioh. 3.14. Ioh. 5.24. 1. Ioh. 3.14.
§. Sect. 3 The eight reaſon may be taken from the ſpirit of God dwelling in vsus; for ſo long as it hath his abiding with vsus,The eight reaſon taken from the ſpirit of God dwelling in vsus. we muſt needs perſeuer in grace; neither is it poſſible we ſhould fall away, ſeeing it is the fountaine and roote from which all graces flow and ſpring, and ſeeing it continually fighteth againſt and ſubdueth the fleſh and the luſts thereof. But after we hauehave receiued the ſpirit of God it continually dwelleth and abideth with vsus; for this is that ſpirituall water of which whoſoeuer drinketh ſhall neuer be more a thirſt, Ioh. 4.14. and 7.39.but it ſhall be a well of water ſpringing vp into euerlaſting life, as it may appeare by comparing Ioh. 4.14. with chapt. 7.39. So Ioh. 14.16.Ioh. 14.16. I will pray the father and he ſhall giuegive you another Comforter, that hee may abide with you for euer. 17. Euen the ſpirit of truth, 1. Ioh. 2.27.whom the world cannot receiue, becauſe it ſeeth him not, neither knoweth him; but ye know him, for he dwelleth with you and ſhall be in you. 1. Ioh. 3.9.And 1. Ioh. 3.9. Whoſoeuer is borne of God ſinneth not, (that is, with full conſent of will) for his ſeede remaineth in him; neither can he ſinne, becauſe he is borne of God: where the ſpirit is called the ſeede of God, becauſe by vertue thereof wee are begotten vntounto God. If therefore by vertue of this ſpirit wee are ſo preſerued that wee cannot ſinne with full conſent of will, nor hauehave it raigning in vsus as it did before our regeneration, then certainly wee ſhall bee preſerued thereby from falling away, and notwithſtanding our ſinnes wee ſhall perſeuere in grace to euerlaſting life.
§. Sect. 4 The ninth argument may be taken from the effects of the ſpirit dwelling in vsus;The ninth reaſon taken from the effects of the ſpirit. 1. Ioh. 2.20.27 Rom. 8.14.17. for firſt it teacheth and guideth vsus in the way of Gods truth, as appeareth 1. Ioh. 2.20.27. And as many as are led by the ſpirit of God, they are the ſonnes of God, Rom. 8.14: and thoſe that are ſonnes are alſo heires, euen the heires of God, and coheires with Chriſt, verſ. 17. Neither is it poſſible that thoſe who are guided with the ſpirit ſhould ſinne with full conſent of will, much leſſe fall away. For whoſoeuer is borne of God ſinneth not, namely after this manner, neither can euer their ſpirituall enemies finally preuaile againſt them; for he that is begotten of God keepeth himſelfe, and the wicked one toucheth him not, 1. Ioh. 5.18.as it is 1. Ioh. 5.18. Secondly, the ſpirit of God witneſſeth to our ſpirits that wee are the ſonnes of God,Rom. 16.17. and conſequently heires of his kingdome, as it is Rom. 16.17. and his teſtimonie is true and infallible. It alſo is the earneſt of our inheritance, and a pledge to aſſure vsus that God will make good his promiſes vntounto vsus, Eph. 1.14. 2. Cor. 1.22. and thereby alſo wee are ſealed vntounto the day of redemption, Eph. 1.14. 2. Cor. 1.22. Eph. 4.30.Epheſ. 4.30. And therefore ſeeing the Lord hath confirmed our aſſurance by the teſtimonie of his ſpirit, by this earneſt, pledge, and ſeale, we neede not to feare our falling away or to doubt of our perſeuerance. But of this I hauehave alreadie written at large in treating of the certaintie of our election.
§. Sect. 5 The tenth reaſon may be taken from Gods continuall aid in all trials and temptations;The tenth reaſon, taken from Gods continual aide. for if hee be alwaies readie to ſtrengthen and ſupport vsus, wee can neuer finally bee ouerthrowne, but though wee fall, yet we ſhall not fall away, but ſhall be raiſed vp againe in deſpite of all our enemies. For God is faithfull, and will not ſuffer vsus to be tempted aboue our power, but will giuegive a good iſſue with the temptation, 1. Cor. 10.13.that we may be able to beare it, as it is 1. Cor. 10.13.2. Pet. 2.9. And he knoweth to deliuer the godly out of temptation, as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh 2. Pet. 2.9. And therefore be our weakneſſe neuer ſo great, yet let vsus not feare our finall falling away, but knowing whom we hauehave beleeued, let vsus perſwade our ſelues of our perſeuerance, knowing that hee is able to keepe that which we hauehave committed vntounto him, 2. Tim. 1.12.as it is 2. Tim. 1.12.
§. Sect. 6 And theſe are the reaſons drawne frō Gods nature in himſelf and his actions towards vsus,The eleuenth reaſon taken from the nature of faith. wherby we may vndoubtedly be aſſured of our perſeuerance. The ſecond ſort of arguments may bee taken from our ſelues, and firſt from the nature of true faith wherewith wee are endued, which is not temporarie but conſtant and permanent. For he that hath a true and liuely faith, is like the houſe builded vponupon the rock, which neither the raine nor floods nor windes could ouerthrow, Matth. 7.24, 25:Matth. 7.24.25. and 16.18. neither ſhall the gates of hell ouercome him, chap. 16. verſ. 18: he is like the good ground in which the ſeede falling is not ſtollen away, nor choked vp, nor withereth for want of root, but he receiueth the ſeed and keepeth it, and bringeth foorth fruite with patience, Luk. 8.15.as it is Luk. 8.15. And contrariwiſe it is a moſt vndoubted marke of an hypocrite who neuer was indued with a true faith, when as his faith is temporarie, and hee falleth away, according to that 1. Ioh. 2.19. They went out from vsus, but they were not of vsus; 1. Ioh. 2.19.for if they had been of vsus they would hauehave continued with vsus. But this commeth to paſſe that it might appeare that they are not all of vsus.
§. Sect. 7 The ſecond reaſon may bee taken from the example of thoſe who hauehave grieuouſly fallen, and yet hauehave continued in the ſtate of grace,The twelfth reaſon, taken from examples. Pſal. 51.10.11 and hauehave been raiſed and reſtored againe by vnfained repentance: and thus did Dauid fall and that moſt grieuouſly, and yet was not depriued of Gods ſpirit, as appeareth Pſal. 51.10.11. Thus did Peter fall by denying his maſter, Noah by drunkenneſſe, Lot by inceſt, and yet they were not depriued of thoſe graces which they had receiued; howſoeuer for the time they were much eclipſed and weakened, neither were they reiected by God, but vponupon their true repentance were receiued into his former louelove and fauour.
§. Sect. 8 The laſt reaſon may be taken from the weakneſſe and inabilitie of the cauſes which ſhould hinder our perſeuerance and make vsus fall away.The laſt reaſon, taken from the inabilitie of the cauſes which ſhould hinder our perſeuerance. Rom. 1.35. For there is nothing in the world ſo powerfull, but it is altogether too weake to worke this defection. For firſt, afflictions cannot depriue vsus of grace, nor hinder our perſeuerance, as it is Rom. 8.35: for though they are the firie trial, yet they do not burne vsus, but refine vsus from our droſſe, neither doe they hinder our ſaluation, but rather cauſe vntounto vsus a farre moſt excellent and et ernall waight of glorie, as it is 2. Cor. 4.17:2. Cor. 4.17. nor yet our fleſh, for though it be neuer ſo ſtrong, yet the ſpirit of God dwelling in vsus, will in the end mortifie and ſubdue it. Not the world, for our Captaine Chriſt hath ouercome it, not onelyonly for himſelfe but alſo for his members, Ioh. 16.33: yea and hee enableth vsus alſo by his holy ſpirit to ouercome it.Iohn 16.33. 1. Ioh. 5.4. For all that is borne of God ouercommeth the world, and this is the victorie that ouercommeth the world, euen our faith, as it is 1. Ioh. 5.4. Not the diuell, for if wee reſist him, Iam. 4.7. 1. Ioh. 5.18.he will flee from vsus, Iam. 4.7. And he that is, borne of God keepeth himſelfe, and the wicked one toucheth him not, 1. Ioh. 5.18. Not our ſinnes, for they are puniſhed and fully ſatisfied for in Chriſt; and if we ſin, we hauehave an aduocate with the father, 1. Ioh. 2.1, 2.&c. 1. Ioh. 2.1, 2. And for the corruption of ſin, though it dwell in vsus, yet it ſhall not raigne in vsus, Rom. 6.12. Though we fall into it,Rom. 6.12. 1. Ioh. 3.9. yet not with full conſent of will, 1. Ioh. 3.9 for the regenerate man ſinneth not, but his corrupt fleſh dwelling in him;Rom. 7. as it is Rom. 7. Not any temptation, for the Lord is faithfull, and will not ſuffer vsus to be tempted aboue our power, 1. Cor. 10.13but will giuegive a good iſſue vntounto it, 1. Cor. 10.13. Not any thing in the world,Rom. 8.38.39. Rom. 8.38.39, for all things whatſoeuer ſhall be ſo diſpoſed by the wiſe prouidence of God, that though they bee neuer ſo hurtfull in their owne nature, and apt to draw vsus from God, yet they ſhall worke together for the beſt vntounto them which louelove God, as it is Rom. 8.28.
And thus hauehave I prooued the certaintie of our perſeuerance, both by plaine teſtimonies of Scripture, and alſo infallible reaſons: I had purpoſed (as in the other points going before) to hauehave anſwered ſuch obiections as are commonly ſuggeſted by Sathan, and ſtifly vrged by his inſtruments the Popiſh rabble againſt this truth, and accordingly had almoſt finiſhed that which I intended; but diuers reaſons moued me to deſiſt from my purpoſe, as firſt and eſpecially his earneſt deſire who is at the chiefe charge of printing theſe my labours, who fearing that the greatneſſe and deareneſſe of the booke might be a hindrance to the ſale thereof, intreated me to forbeare the publiſhing of this controuerſie, which being ſomewhat long, would hauehave increaſed the volume and conſequently the price. To whoſe requeſt I more willingly condeſcended, partly becauſe the controuerſie before handled, of the certaintie of faith and aſſurance of our ſaluation, is of the like nature, ſo that the proouing of the one is the confirming of the other, and the anſwering of thoſe obiections which are made againſt the certaintie of our aſſurance, is a ſufficient refutation of thoſe which are obiected againſt our perſeuerance, many of the teſtimonies of Scriptures and other reaſons which are alledged againſt both, being the very ſame: And partly becauſe I vnderſtand, that my godly learned and moſt deare brother, purpoſeth preſently to publiſh his Lectures vponupon the 15 Pſalme, wherin this controuerſie is largely and much more excellently handled and determined, than I was any waies able to hauehave written of it. Notwithſtanding, if my book ſeeme maimed in reſpect of this defect, & if I ſee it be deſired that it ſhould be intire and full in it ſelf, I will hereafter moſt willingly ſupplie that which yet is wanting, if I perceiue that my labours are approoued as profitable for the Church of God. In the meane time I commend them to Gods bleſſing, who onelyonly is able by the aſſiſtance of his holy ſpirit to make them effectuall for thoſe ends for which I intended them, he being the ſole fountaine of all true comfort and conſolation: deſiring the Chriſtian reader who ſhal finde fruite and profit by theſe my labours, that as I hauehave not been wanting vntounto him in my paines and beſt endeuours; ſo he will not be wanting to remember me in his prayers vntounto Almightie God, for the continuance, increaſe, and holie vſe of all his gifts and graces which hee hath beſtowed on me. To this God moſt wiſe, moſt gracious, and moſt infinite in all perfections, the Father, Sonne and Holie Ghoſt, be aſcribed all glorie, praiſe, power and dominion both now and euermore, Amen.
FINIS.