over his church, paganism to domineer in all places as it doth,
heresies to multiply, such enormities to be committed, and so many such
bloody wars, murders, massacres, plagues, feral diseases! why doth he
not make us all good, able, sound? why makes he [6790]venomous
creatures, rocks, sands, deserts, this earth itself the muck-hill of
the world, a prison, a house of correction? [6791]Mentimur regnare
Jovem, &c., with many such horrible and execrable conceits, not fit to
be uttered; Terribilia de fide, horribilia de Divinitate. They cannot
some of them but think evil, they are compelled volentes nolentes, to
blaspheme, especially when they come to church and pray, read, &c.,
such foul and prodigious suggestions come into their hearts.
These are abominable, unspeakable offences, and most opposite to God,
tentationes foedae, et impiae, yet in this case, he or they that shall
be tempted and so affected, must know, that no man living is free from
such thoughts in part, or at some times, the most divine spirits have
been so tempted in some sort, evil custom, omission of holy exercises,
ill company, idleness, solitariness, melancholy, or depraved nature,
and the devil is still ready to corrupt, trouble, and divert our souls,
to suggest such blasphemous thoughts into our fantasies, ungodly,
profane, monstrous and wicked conceits: If they come from Satan, they
are more speedy, fearful and violent, the parties cannot avoid them:
they are more frequent, I say, and monstrous when they come; for the
devil he is a spirit, and hath means and opportunities to mingle
himself with our spirits, and sometimes more slyly, sometimes more
abruptly and openly, to suggest such devilish thoughts into our hearts;
he insults and domineers in melancholy distempered fantasies and
persons especially; melancholy is balneum, diaboli, as Serapio holds,
the devil's bath, and invites him to come to it. As a sick man frets,
raves in his fits, speaks and doth he knows not what, the devil
violently compels such crazed souls to think such damned thoughts
against their wills, they cannot but do it; sometimes more continuate,
or by fits, he takes his advantage, as the subject is less able to
resist, he aggravates, extenuates, affirms, denies, damns, confounds
the spirits, troubles heart, brain, humours, organs, senses, and wholly
domineers in their imaginations. If they proceed from themselves, such
thoughts, they are remiss and moderate, not so violent and monstrous,
not so frequent. The devil commonly suggests things opposite to nature,
opposite to God and his word, impious, absurd, such as a man would
never of himself, or could not conceive, they strike terror and horror
into the parties' own hearts. For if he or they be asked whether they
do approve of such like thoughts or no, they answer (and their own
souls truly dictate as much) they abhor them as much as hell and the
devil himself, they would fain think otherwise if they could; he hath
thought otherwise, and with all his soul desires so to think again; he
doth resist, and hath some good motions intermixed now and then: so
that such blasphemous, impious, unclean thoughts, are not his own, but
the devil's; they proceed not from him, but from a crazed phantasy,
distempered humours, black fumes which offend his brain: [6792]they are
thy crosses, the devil's sins, and he shall answer for them, he doth
enforce thee to do that which thou dost abhor, and didst never give
consent to: and although he hath sometimes so slyly set upon thee, and
so far prevailed, as to make thee in some sort to assent to such wicked
thoughts, to delight in, yet they have not proceeded from a confirmed
will in thee, but are of that nature which thou dost afterwards reject
and abhor. Therefore be not overmuch troubled and dismayed with such
kind of suggestions, at least if they please thee not, because they are
not thy personal sins, for which thou shalt incur the wrath of God, or
his displeasure: contemn, neglect them, let them go as they come,
strive not too violently, or trouble thyself too much, but as our
Saviour said to Satan in like case, say thou, avoid Satan, I detest
thee and them. Satanae est mala ingerere (saith Austin) nostrum non
consentire: as Satan labours to suggest, so must we strive not to give
consent, and it will be sufficient: the more anxious and solicitous
thou art, the more perplexed, the more thou shalt otherwise be troubled
and entangled. Besides, they must know this, all so molested and
distempered, that although these be most execrable and grievous sins,
they are pardonable yet, through God's mercy and goodness, they may be
forgiven, if they be penitent and sorry for them. Paul himself
confesseth, Rom. xvii. 19. He did not the good he would do, but the
evil which he would not do; 'tis not I, but sin that dwelleth in me.
'Tis not thou, but Satan's suggestions, his craft and subtlety, his
malice: comfort thyself then if thou be penitent and grieved, or
desirous to be so, these heinous sins shall not be laid to thy charge;
God's mercy is above all sins, which if thou do not finally contemn,
without doubt thou shalt be saved. [6793]No man sins against the Holy
Ghost, but he that wilfully and finally renounceth Christ, and
contemneth him and his word to the last, without which there is no
salvation, from which grievous sin, God of his infinite mercy deliver
us. Take hold of this to be thy comfort, and meditate withal on God's
word, labour to pray, to repent, to be renewed in mind, keep thine
heart with all diligence. Prov. iv. 13, resist the devil, and he will
fly from thee, pour out thy soul unto the Lord with sorrowful Hannah,
pray continually, as Paul enjoins, and as David did, Psalm i. meditate
on his law day and night.
Yea, but this meditation is that mars all, and mistaken makes many men
far worse, misconceiving all they read or hear, to their own overthrow;
the more they search and read Scriptures, or divine treatises, the more
they puzzle themselves, as a bird in a net, the more they are entangled
and precipitated into this preposterous gulf: Many are called, but few
are chosen, Matt. xx. 16. and xxii. 14. with such like places of
Scripture misinterpreted strike them with horror, they doubt presently
whether they be of this number or no: God's eternal decree of
predestination, absolute reprobation, and such fatal tables, they form
to their own ruin, and impinge upon this rock of despair. How shall
they be assured of their salvation, by what signs? If the righteous
scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and sinners appear? 1 Pet.
iv. 18. Who knows, saith Solomon, whether he be elect? This grinds
their souls, how shall they discern they are not reprobates? But I say
again, how shall they discern they are? From the devil can be no
certainty, for he is a liar from the beginning; if he suggests any such
thing, as too frequently he doth, reject him as a deceiver, an enemy of
human kind, dispute not with him, give no credit to him, obstinately
refuse him, as St. Anthony did in the wilderness, whom the devil set
upon in several shapes, or as the collier did, so do thou by him. For
when the devil tempted him with the weakness of his faith, and told him
he could not be saved, as being ignorant in the principles of religion,
and urged him moreover to know what he believed, what he thought of
such and such points and mysteries: the collier told him, he believed
as the church did; but what (said the devil again) doth the church
believe? as I do (said the collier); and what's that thou believest? as
the church doth, &c., when the devil could get no other answer, he left
him. If Satan summon thee to answer, send him to Christ: he is thy
liberty, thy protector against cruel death, raging sin, that roaring
lion, he is thy righteousness, thy Saviour, and thy life. Though he
say, thou art not of the number of the elect, a reprobate, forsaken of
God, hold thine own still, hic murus aheneus esto, let this be as a
bulwark, a brazen wall to defend thee, stay thyself in that certainty
of faith; let that be thy comfort, Christ will protect thee, vindicate
thee, thou art one of his flock, he will triumph over the law, vanquish
death, overcome the devil, and destroy hell. If he say thou art none of
the elect, no believer, reject him, defy him, thou hast thought
otherwise, and mayst so be resolved again; comfort thyself; this
persuasion cannot come from the devil, and much less can it be grounded
from thyself? men are liars, and why shouldst thou distrust? A denying
Peter, a persecuting Paul, an adulterous cruel David, have been
received; an apostate Solomon may be converted; no sin at all but
impenitency, can give testimony of final reprobation. Why shouldst thou
then distrust, misdoubt thyself, upon what ground, what suspicion? This
opinion alone of particularity? Against that, and for the certainty of
election and salvation on the other side, see God's good will toward
men, hear how generally his grace is proposed to him, and him, and
them, each man in particular, and to all. 1 Tim. ii. 4. God will that
all men be saved, and come to the knowledge of the truth. 'Tis a
universal promise, God sent not his son into the world to condemn the
world, but that through him the world might be saved. John iii. 17. He
that acknowledged himself a man in the world, must likewise acknowledge
he is of that number that is to be saved. Ezek. xxxiii. 11, I will not
the death of a sinner, but that he repent and live: But thou art a
sinner; therefore he will not thy death. This is the will of him that
sent me, that every man that believeth in the Son, should have
everlasting life. John vi. 40. He would have no man perish, but all
come to repentance, 2 Pet. iii. 9. Besides, remission of sins is to be
preached, not to a few, but universally to all men, Go therefore and
tell all nations, baptising them, &c. Matt. xxviii. 19. Go into all the
world, and preach the Gospel to every creature, Mark xvi. 15. Now there
cannot be contradictory wills in God, he will have all saved, and not
all, how can this stand together? be secure then, believe, trust in
him, hope well and be saved. Yea, that's the main matter, how shall I
believe or discern my security from carnal presumption? my faith is
weak and faint, I want those signs and fruits of sanctification,
[6794]sorrow for sin, thirsting for grace, groanings of the spirit,
love of Christians as Christians, avoiding occasion of sin, endeavour
of new obedience, charity, love of God, perseverance. Though these
signs be languishing in thee, and not seated in thine heart, thou must
not therefore be dejected or terrified; the effects of the faith and
spirit are not yet so fully felt in thee; conclude not therefore thou
art a reprobate, or doubt of thine election, because the elect
themselves are without them, before their conversion. Thou mayst in the
Lord's good time be converted; some are called at the eleventh hour.
Use, I say, the means of thy conversion, expect the Lord's leisure, if
not yet called, pray thou mayst be, or at least wish and desire thou.
mayst be.
Notwithstanding all this which might be said to this effect, to ease
their afflicted minds, what comfort our best divines can afford in this
case, Zanchius, Beza, &c. This furious curiosity, needless speculation,
fruitless meditation about election, reprobation, free will, grace,
such places of Scripture preposterously conceived, torment still, and
crucify the souls of too many, and set all the world together by the
ears. To avoid which inconveniences, and to settle their distressed
minds, to mitigate those divine aphorisms, (though in another extreme
some) our late Arminians have revived that plausible doctrine of
universal grace, which many fathers, our late Lutheran and modern
papists do still maintain, that we have free will of ourselves, and
that grace is common to all that will believe. Some again, though less
orthodoxal, will have a far greater part saved than shall be damned,
(as [6795]Caelius Secundus stiffly maintains in his book, De
amplitudine regni coelestis, or some impostor under his name) beatorum
numerus multo major quam damnatorum. [6796]He calls that other tenet of
special [6797]election and reprobation, a prejudicate, envious and
malicious opinion, apt to draw all men to desperation. Many are called,
few chosen, &c. He opposeth some opposite parts of Scripture to it,
Christ came into the world to save sinners, &c. And four especial
arguments he produceth, one from God's power. If more be damned than
saved, he erroneously concludes, [6798]the devil hath the greater
sovereignty! for what is power but to protect? and majesty consists in
multitude. If the devil have the greater part, where is his mercy,
where is his power? how is he Deus Optimus Maximus, misericors? &c.,
where is his greatness, where his goodness? He proceeds, [6799]We
account him a murderer that is accessory only, or doth not help when he
can; which may not be supposed of God without great offence, because he
may do what he will, and is otherwise accessory, and the author of sin.
The nature of good is to be communicated, God is good, and will not
then be contracted in his goodness: for how is he the father of mercy
and comfort, if his good concern but a few? O envious and unthankful
men to think otherwise! [6800]Why should we pray to God that are
Gentiles, and thank him for his mercies and benefits, that hath damned
us all innocuous for Adam's offence, one man's offence, one small
offence, eating of an apple? why should we acknowledge him for our
governor that hath wholly neglected the salvation of our souls,
contemned us, and sent no prophets or instructors to teach us, as he
hath done to the Hebrews? So Julian the apostate objects. Why should
these Christians (Caelius urgeth) reject us and appropriate God unto
themselves, Deum illum suum unicum, &c. But to return to our forged
Caelius. At last he comes to that, he will have those saved that never
heard of, or believed in Christ, ex puris naturalibus, with the
Pelagians, and proves it out of Origen and others. They (saith
[6801]Origen) that never heard God's word, are to be excused for their
ignorance; we may not think God will be so hard, angry, cruel or unjust
as to condemn any man indicta causa. They alone (he holds) are in the
state of damnation that refuse Christ's mercy and grace, when it is
offered. Many worthy Greeks and Romans, good moral honest men, that
kept the law of nature, did to others as they would be done to
themselves, as certainly saved, he concludes, as they were that lived
uprightly before the law of Moses. They were acceptable in. God's
sight, as Job was, the Magi, the queen of Sheba, Darius of Persia,
Socrates, Aristides, Cato, Curius, Tully, Seneca, and many other
philosophers, upright livers, no matter of what religion, as Cornelius,
out of any nation, so that he live honestly, call on God, trust in him,
fear him, he shall be saved. This opinion was formerly maintained by
the Valentinian and Basiledian heretics, revived of late in
[6802]Turkey, of what sect Rustan Bassa was patron, defended by
[6803]Galeatius [6804]Erasmus, by Zuinglius in exposit. fidei ad Regem
Galliae, whose tenet Bullinger vindicates, and Gualter approves in a
just apology with many arguments. There be many Jesuits that follow
these Calvinists in this behalf, Franciscus Buchsius Moguntinus,
Andradius Consil. Trident, many schoolmen that out of the 1 Rom. v. 18.
19. are verily persuaded that those good works of the Gentiles did so
far please God, that they might vitam aeternam promereri, and be saved
in the end. Sesellius, and Benedictus Justinianus in his comment on the
first of the Romans, Mathias Ditmarsh the politician, with many others,
hold a mediocrity, they may be salute non indigni but they will not
absolutely decree it. Hofmannus, a Lutheran professor of Helmstad, and
many of his followers, with most of our church, and papists, are stiff
against it. Franciscus Collius hath fully censured all opinions in his
Five Books, de Paganorum animabus post mortem, and amply dilated this
question, which whoso will may peruse. But to return to my author, his
conclusion is, that not only wicked livers, blasphemers, reprobates,
and such as reject God's grace, but that the devils themselves shall be
saved at last, as [6805]Origen himself long since delivered in his
works, and our late [6806]Socinians defend, Ostorodius, cap. 41.
institut. Smaltius, &c. Those terms of all and for ever in Scripture,
are not eternal, but only denote a longer time, which by many examples
they prove. The world shall end like a comedy, and we shall meet at
last in heaven, and live in bliss altogether, or else in conclusion, in
nihil evanescere. For how can he be merciful that shall condemn any
creature to eternal unspeakable punishment, for one small temporary
fault, all posterity, so many myriads for one and another man's
offence, quid meruistis oves? But these absurd paradoxes are exploded
by our church, we teach otherwise. That this vocation, predestination,
election, reprobation, non ex corrupta massa, praeviso, fide, as our
Arminians, or ex praevisis operibus, as our papists, non ex
praeteritione, but God's absolute decree ante mundum creatum, (as many
of our church hold) was from the beginning, before the foundation of
the world was laid, or homo conditus, (or from Adam's fall, as others
will, homo lapsus objectum est reprobationis) with perseverantia
sanctorum, we must be certain of our salvation, we may fall but not
finally, which our Arminians will not admit. According to his
immutable, eternal, just decree and counsel of saving men and angels,
God calls all, and would have all to be saved according to the efficacy
of vocation: all are invited, but only the elect apprehended: the rest
that are unbelieving, impenitent, whom God in his just judgment leaves
to be punished for their sins, are in a reprobate sense; yet we must
not determine who are such, condemn ourselves or others, because we
have a universal invitation; all are commanded to believe, and we know
not how soon or how late our end may be received. I might have said
more of this subject; but forasmuch as it is a forbidden question, and
in the preface or declaration to the articles of the church, printed
1633, to avoid factions and altercations, we that are university
divines especially, are prohibited all curious search, to print or
preach, or draw the article aside by our own sense and comments upon
pain of ecclesiastical censure. I will surcease, and conclude with
[6807]Erasmus of such controversies: Pugnet qui volet, ego censeo leges
majorum reverenter suscipiendas, et religiose observandas, velut a Deo
profectas; nec esse tutum, nec esse pium, de potestate publica
sinistram concipere aut serere suspicionem. Et siquid est tyrannidis,
quod tamen non cogat ad impietatem, satius est ferre, quam seditiose
reluctari.
But to my former task. The last main torture and trouble of a
distressed mind, is not so much this doubt of election, and that the
promises of grace are smothered and extinct in them, nay quite blotted
out, as they suppose, but withal God's heavy wrath, a most intolerable
pain and grief of heart seizeth on them: to their thinking they are
already damned, they suffer the pains of hell, and more than possibly
can be expressed, they smell brimstone, talk familiarly with devils,
hear and see chimeras, prodigious, uncouth shapes, bears, owls,
antiques, black dogs, fiends, hideous outcries, fearful noises,
shrieks, lamentable complaints, they are possessed, [6808]and through
impatience they roar and howl, curse, blaspheme, deny God, call his
power in question, abjure religion, and are still ready to offer
violence unto themselves, by hanging, drowning, &c. Never any miserable
wretch from the beginning of the world was in such a woeful case. To
such persons I oppose God's mercy and his justice; Judicia Dei occulta,
non injusta: his secret counsel and just judgment, by which he spares
some, and sore afflicts others again in this life; his judgment is to
be adored, trembled at, not to be searched or inquired after by mortal
men: he hath reasons reserved to himself, which our frailty cannot
apprehend. He may punish all if he will, and that justly for sin; in
that he doth it in some, is to make a way for his mercy that they
repent and be saved, to heal them, to try them, exercise their
patience, and make them call upon him, to confess their sins and pray
unto him, as David did, Psalm cxix. 137. Righteous art thou, O Lord,
and just are thy judgments. As the poor publican, Luke xviii. 13. Lord
have mercy upon me a miserable sinner. To put confidence and have an
assured hope in him, as Job had, xiii. 15. Though he kill me I will
trust In him: Ure, seca, occide O Domine, (saith Austin) modo serves
animam, kill, cut in pieces, burn my body (O Lord) to save my soul. A
small sickness; one lash of affliction, a little misery, many times
will more humiliate a man, sooner convert, bring him home to know
himself, than all those paraenetical discourses, the whole theory of
philosophy, law, physic, and divinity, or a world of instances and
examples. So that this, which they take to be such an insupportable
plague, is an evident sign of God's mercy and justice, of His love and
goodness: periissent nisi periissent, had they not thus been undone,
they had finally been undone. Many a carnal man is lulled asleep in
perverse security, foolish presumption, is stupefied in his sins, and
hath no feeling at all of them: I have sinned (he saith) and what evil
shall come unto me, Eccles. v. 4, and Tush, how shall God know it? and
so in a reprobate sense goes down to hell. But here, Cynthius aurem
vellit, God pulls them by the ear, by affliction, he will bring them to
heaven and happiness; Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be
comforted, Matt. v. 4, a blessed and a happy state, if considered
aright, it is, to be so troubled. It is good for me that I have been
afflicted, Psal. cxix. before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I
keep Thy word. Tribulation works patience, patience hope, Rom. v. 4,
and by such like crosses and calamities we are driven from the stake of
security. So that affliction is a school or academy, wherein the best
scholars are prepared to the commencements of the Deity. And though it
be most troublesome and grievous for the time, yet know this, it comes
by God's permission and providence; He is a spectator of thy groans and
tears, still present with thee, the very hairs of thy head are
numbered, not one of them can fall to the ground without the express
will of God: he will not suffer thee to be tempted above measure, he
corrects us all, [6809]numero, pondere, et mensura, the Lord will not
quench the smoking flax, or break the bruised reed, Tentat (saith
Austin) non ut obruat, sed ut coronet he suffers thee to be tempted for
thy good. And as a mother doth handle her child sick and weak, not
reject it, but with all tenderness observe and keep it, so doth God by
us, not forsake us in our miseries, or relinquish us for our
imperfections, but with all pity and compassion support and receive us;
whom he loves, he loves to the end. Rom. viii. Whom He hath elected,
those He hath called, justified, sanctified, and glorified. Think not
then thou hast lost the Spirit, that thou art forsaken of God, be not
overcome with heaviness of heart, but as David said, I will not fear
though I walk in the shadows of death. We must all go, non a deliciis
ad delicias, [6810]but from the cross to the crown, by hell to heaven,
as the old Romans put Virtue's temple in the way to that of Honour; we
must endure sorrow and misery in this life. 'Tis no new thing this,
God's best servants and dearest children have been so visited and
tried. Christ in the garden cried out, My God, my God, why hast thou
forsaken me? His son by nature, as thou art by adoption and grace. Job,
in his anguish, said, The arrows of the Almighty God were in him, Job
vi. 4. His terrors fought against him, the venom drank up his spirit,
cap. xiii. 26. He saith, God was his enemy, writ bitter things against
him (xvi. 9.) hated him. His heavy wrath had so seized on his soul.
David complains, his eyes were eaten up, sunk into his head, Ps. vi. 7,
his moisture became as the drought in summer, his flesh was consumed,
his bones vexed: yet neither Job nor David did finally despair. Job
would not leave his hold, but still trust in Him, acknowledging Him to
be his good God. The Lord gives, the Lord takes, blessed be the name of
the Lord, Job. i. 21. Behold I am vile, I abhor myself, repent in dust
and ashes, Job xxxix. 37. David humbled himself, Psal. xxxi. and upon
his confession received mercy. Faith, hope, repentance, are the
sovereign cures and remedies, the sole comforts in this case; confess,
humble thyself, repent, it is sufficient. Quod purpura non potest,
saccus potest, saith Chrysostom; the king of Nineveh's sackcloth and
ashes did that which his purple robes and crown could not effect; Quod
diadema non potuit, cinis perfecit. Turn to Him, he will turn to thee;
the Lord is near those that are of a contrite heart, and will save such
as be afflicted in spirit, Ps. xxxiv. 18. He came to the lost sheep of
Israel, Matt. xv. 14. Si cadentem intuetur, clementiae manum protendit,
He is at all times ready to assist. Nunquam spernit Deus Poenitentiam
si sincere et simpliciter offeratur, He never rejects a penitent
sinner, though he have come to the full height of iniquity, wallowed
and delighted in sin; yet if he will forsake his former ways, libenter
amplexatur, He will receive him. Parcam huic homini, saith
[6811]Austin, (ex persona Dei) quia sibi ipsi non pepercit; ignoscam
quia peccatum agnovit. I will spare him because he hath not spared
himself; I will pardon him because he doth acknowledge his offence: let
it be never so enormous a sin, His grace is sufficient, 2 Cor. xii. 9.
Despair not then, faint not at all, be not dejected, but rely on God,
call on him an thy trouble, and he will hear thee, he will assist,
help, and deliver thee: Draw near to Him, he will draw near to thee,
James iv. 8. Lazarus was poor and full of boils, and yet still he
relied upon God, Abraham did hope beyond hope.
Thou exceptest, these were chief men, divine spirits, Deo cari, beloved
of God, especially respected; but I am a contemptible and forlorn
wretch, forsaken of God, and left to the merciless fury of evil
spirits. I cannot hope, pray, repent, &c. How often shall I say it?
thou mayst perform all those duties, Christian offices, and be restored
in good time. A sick man loseth his appetite, strength and ability, his
disease prevaileth so far, that all his faculties are spent, hand and
foot perform not their duties, his eyes are dim, hearing dull, tongue
distastes things of pleasant relish, yet nature lies hid, recovereth
again, and expelleth all those feculent matters by vomit, sweat, or
some such like evacuations. Thou art spiritually sick, thine heart is
heavy, thy mind distressed, thou mayst happily recover again, expel
those dismal passions of fear and grief; God did not suffer thee to be
tempted above measure; whom he loves (I say) he loves to the end; hope
the best. David in his misery prayed to the Lord, remembering how he
had formerly dealt with him; and with that meditation of God's mercy
confirmed his faith, and pacified his own tumultuous heart in his
greatest agony. O my soul, why art thou so disquieted within me, &c.
Thy soul is eclipsed for a time, I yield, as the sun is shadowed by a
cloud; no doubt but those gracious beams of God's mercy will shine upon
thee again, as they have formerly done: those embers of faith, hope and
repentance, now buried in ashes, will flame out afresh, and be fully
revived. Want of faith, no feeling of grace for the present, are not
fit directions; we must live by faith, not by feeling; 'tis the
beginning of grace to wish for grace: we must expect and tarry. David,
a man after God's own heart, was so troubled himself; Awake, why
sleepest thou? O Lord, arise, cast me not off; wherefore hidest thou
thy face, and forgettest mine affliction and oppression? My soul is
bowed down to the dust. Arise, redeem us, &c., Ps. xliv. 22. He prayed
long before he was heard, expectans expectavit; endured much before he