Catholic Theology Plain Pure Peaceable, Conference 11 · Chapter 11
CHAP. XI. Whether a Juſtified man ſhould be afraid of becoming unjuſtified?
L…b.
THis fear of loſing our juſtification, which you teach men, is moſt injurious to Gods free grace and immutability, and a rack for Conſcience to deſtroy mens peace.
P.
I have ſaid ſo much of this before about Perſeverance and Aſſurance, as forbiddeth me tedious repetitions. Here needeth no more but this explication of the matter which you confound:
1. Fear is either Cauſeful or Cauſeleſs.
2. Fear is either ſuch as hindereth comfort, or ſuch as helpeth it.
3. Fear is either a Duty, or an unavoidable natural paſſion, or a ſin of unavoidable infirmity, or a more deadly or heinous ſin.
4. It's one thing to cauſe and cheriſh Fear, and another thing to teach men that cannot avoid it, how to deal by it. And now I aſſert,
1. Too many are confident that they are juſtified, who ought not only to Fear that they are not, but to know it.
2. Too many that are Juſtified fall into ſuch decayes of Grace, and heinous ſin, as that it becometh thereupon their duty to fear leſt their hearts ſhould deceive them, and they prove unjuſtified, till they riſe by repentance and revived Faith. The uncertainty becoming unavoidable, ſome Fear in an uncertain perſon is a duty, without which he would ſhew a contempt of God and his ſalvation.
3. Too many Juſtified perſons have Grace ſo weak and unactive, and ſin ſo ſtrong, as that in that caſe, both uncertainty and fears are unavoidable to them: A Certainty beyond fear, ſuppoſeth a very high proportionable degree of all other Graces; (For the new creature in the chief parts uſeth to increaſe or decreaſe together:) But few have ſuch high degrees of Grace.
4. A fear of particular great and heinous ſins (which muſt be Repented of, if you will be ſaved) muſt be moderately feared by all Chriſtians; none being certain that they ſhall eſcape them.
5. A believing lively apprehenſion of the dreadfulneſs of Gods Judgement, as he is a conſuming fire, and one that can caſt ſoul and body into Hell, with ſo much as is neceſſary to vigilancy and labour for prevention, is all mens duty, Luke 12. 4, 5. Heb. 12. 28, 29. And on this conſideration if we will ſerve God acceptably, it muſt be with reverence and godly fear. And we muſt keep under our bodies (with Paul) and bring them into ſubjection, leſt having preached or profeſſed, we ſhould yet be caſt awayes.
6. Needful cleanſing, repenting and preventing fear, doth ſecure and further our comforts, by removing the ſin and danger that would hinder them.
7. All our enemies and dangers are not overcome till the end. And danger muſt be eſcaped by moderate fear. God who brings his ſervants over all their dangers, will ſave them by a ſober fear and vigilancy, and not by fearleſneſs of the evil.
8. But all that fear which includeth error or unbelief, or diſtruſt of Chriſt, is ſinful, and to be reſiſted with all our care; And the more diſtruſt, the greater is the ſin.
9. All Fear that driveth from Chriſt, and faith, and hope, and love, and true conſolation we cry down daily, as injurious to God and man.
10. We teach all Chriſtians to contend with utmoſt diligence, to get up to the higheſt Truſt, Love, Joy, Thanksgiving and Praiſe, as the proper Evangelical excellency, neareſt Heaven: and to get as faſt as they can above that fear which hath torment, which is caſt out as love groweth perfect: and to pray and ſeek for the Spirit of Adoption, of Power, and Love, and a ſound mind, inſtead of the Spirit of fear and bondage: And not to place too much of their Religion in that very fear which in its ſeaſon is a duty, much leſs in hurtful ſinful fear: But alwayes and in all things to Rejoyce in the Lord, with Love and Gratitude, and confidently to caſt all their cares on him.
11. But as all men here are imperfect in Holineſs, Faith and Aſſurance, and in their doubts, ſome fear of the event (beſides meer reverence of God) is their duty, ſo we teach men how ſo to live in an uncertain fearing ſtate, as ſafelieſt to get above it.
12. And we know that ſin, wickedneſs, preſumption, ſelf-deceit and pride are ſo common in the world, that Fear is very needful to the moſt; and we have cauſe to call with Paul to many proud Profeſſors, Be not high minded, but fear (even leſt God ſhould cut them off as he did the Jews); and Having a promiſe of entring into his reſt, let us fear leſt any of us come ſhort of it, Heb. 4. 1. And Chriſt thrice over reciteth his urgent exhortatory words, Luke 12▪ 4, 5. I ſay to you my friends—I will tell you whom you ſhall fear—Fear him who when he hath killed, hath power to caſt into Hell; yea, I ſay unto you (the third time) fear him: Is not this authority full, and theſe words plain and very earneſt, even to his friends?
13. And it is not fit to make ſuch a Doctrine a fundamental certainty, which we find none of all the Churches of Chriſt held from the Apoſtles dayes for many and many hundred years (that ever I could read or hear of,) I mean that [all the Juſtified perſevere]. Be it never ſo clear to you, that which now is, and ſo long was thought ſo far from clear and ſure to the Churches of Chriſt, as it is no fit foundation for the Churches Concord, ſo neither for a Chriſtians everlaſting hopes, to be ſo much laid on it, as by ſome they are.