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The speciall and particular errours in iudgement, which hinder men from resoluing to leade a godly life, are innumerable; and therefore I will content my selfe to set downe heere some few of them, and but slightly to
touch them, because the bare naming of them, in respect of their inuali∣dity and weakenesse, is a sufficient confutation. First then, out of an er∣roneous iudgement concerning God, they falsly conceiue, that hee is so mercifull, that either he will saue all men, or at least, them who performe some kinde of seruice vnto him, though they bee not like others, strict in their courses, but giue liberty to the satisfying of their sensuall lusts, and to leade such a life as best pleaseth them. Whereby they make an Idoll of Gods mercy, in separating it from his iustice and truth, which hath de∣nounced death and condemnation against all that neglect his seruice, and liue in their sinnes without repentance. So they thinke that God will ac∣cept of their good meaning, though being ignorant, they know not how to serue him as hee hath required, notwithstanding that the Lord in innu∣merable places of holy Scriptures, professeth his hatred to superstition and all will-worship. That he will accept of vs, if wee goe to the Church according to the Princes Lawes like other men, and offer vnto God the outward seruice of the body, in hearing the Word, and praying with the Congregation, and receiuing the Sacrament at Easter, although all bee done in meere formality and hypocrisie without any zeale and deuotion, or desire to serue and please God, or to profit by these spirituall exercises for the increasing of his graces in vs, notwithstanding that God in so ma∣ny places reiects these heartlesse sacrifices, lip-labour, and hypocriticall formalities, and being a Spirit, doth require of vs such a seruice as is per∣formed in Spirit and truth. Thus they thinke that God is serued in an ac∣ceptable manner, when they repeate the Lords Prayer, though they doe not vnderstand any one Petition in it, and when they rehearse the Beliefe and the ten Commandements, which they also vse in stead of Prayer, not vnderstanding aright any one article of their faith, nor any precept of the Decalogue; and that they haue by this repetition blessed themselues suf∣ficiently for the day following, though a little child, who is destitute of all sauing knowledge, is able to performe this taske as well as they. That they may liue in their sinnes without repentance vnto old age, or the day of sickenesse and death, and that God is so gracious that he will forgiue all their sinnes, if before they depart this life, they haue but leasure to say; Lord, haue mercy vpon me, though the Scriptures teach vs, that he who tur∣neth away his eare from hearing the Law, his prayers are abominable; that God abhorreth euen the very sacrifices of the wicked; and that those who stop their eares when God calleth, shall not be heard when they call and cry vnto him. Fi∣nally, they suppose that they can repent when they list, though it be a free grace of God, which must be accepted when he offereth it, and cannot be reasonably expected, if it be refused and reiected when he tendreth it vnto vs. In respect of the Christian life it selfe, and the graces and duties requi∣red vnto it, they doe all delude themselues with a false and erroneous iudgement. For they cannot perswade themselues that the godly life is best and most blessed, nor that there is such necessity of it, as Preachers would beare them in hand; but that they may take heere their full swindge in pleasure, and set their hearts vpon riches and other worldly vanities, and yet bee assured of heauenly happinesse, as well as those who are most scrupulous and precise; though the Scriptures tell vs that
wee cannot serue God and Mammon; that if wee loue the world, the loue of the Father is not in vs, because the loue of the one, is enmity against the other; that without holinesse we cannot see God and that the way to heauen is narrow, and the gate so straight, that without much striuing wee cannot enter into it. Thus they imagine, that they neede not to take such paines in hearing many Sermons, seeing the Preacher can tell them no more then they know already, namely, that they must loue God aboue all things, and their neighbours as themselues; that the best faile in this, and that wee are all sinners, and must be saued onely by Iesus Christ: Though the Scriptures truely preached, are not onely the spirituall seed to beget vs, but the food also to nou∣rish vs, the strong power of God to saluation to all that beleeue, and the sword of the Spirit, to defend our selues, and beate backe our enemies: Our heauenly Schoole-master to teach vs the way, and the meanes also whereby wee may be enabled to walke in it, and finally, our guide to direct and leade vs by the hand, and our comforter to support vs when wee are ready to faint in our iourney. That it is sufficient, if wee leade a ciuill life, and be no heynous malefactours, as murthe∣rers, theeues, adulterers and such like; and that wee are good Chri∣stians, if wee doe no man harme, if wee doe no good, though he who hid his talent in the earth, and did not increase it, was cast into outer darkenesse; Diues tormented in hell, because he releeued not Lazarus; And though our Sauiour professeth, that hee will re∣iect at the day of Iudgement, not onely oppressours, theeues and mutherers, but those also who haue not fed the hungry, and clo∣thed the naked. Thus they thinke that they haue abundantly dis∣charged their dutie, if they haue, for worldly ends, had some re∣spect to some duties of the second Table, as keeping their word, and dealing iustly, and giuing now and then an almes, howsoeuer they haue wholy neglected the duties of the first Table, and haue made no conscience of Gods seruice and Sabbaths; though piety be the ground and foundation of all obedience, without which, Iustice and morall honesty haue no true subsistance. That they neede not to la∣bour after the knowledge of God and his will, because they are vn∣lettered and vnlearned, though without knowledge of the maine principles of Religion, there can be no Faith, and without Faith, no Saluation. That they haue good hearts towards God, though their speeches be filthy and prophane, and their actions wicked and mischieuous, notwithstanding that our Sauiour hath told vs, that the tree is knowne by its fruit, and that such as the fountaine is, such also are the streames that flow from it. That wee are all sinners, and full of infirmities and humane frailties, and therefore they must be excu∣sed, when wittingly and wilfully they fall into grieuous sinnes; though the Apostle telleth vs, that he who thus sinneth, is not borne of God, but that he is of the deuill, if with full swinge of will, he doe him seruice. That they are in Christ, and therefore haue escaped condemnation, though the Apostle saith, that all who are in him, walke not after the flesh, but after the Spirit, and that all who haue put on Christ, are become new
creatures, and being ingrafted into this Vine, doe bring forth fruits in him. Thus they erroneously alleadge, that because Christ came to saue sinners, therefore though they continue still in sinne, they may haue their part in this saluation, whereas this comfort onely belong∣eth vnto repentant sinners, who labour and grone vnder their sinnes, as vnder an heauie burthen, and being weary of it, doe flee vnto Christ for ease. Thus they abuse Gods eternall decree of predesti∣nation, concluding, that because he hath decreed and ordained all men, either to life and saluation, or to death and destruction; and his counsell must stand, being immutable and vnchangeable; therefore it is no matter how they liue, for if they be ordained to life, they shall be saued, liue how they list; or if to destruction, they cannot attaine to saluation, though they take neuer so much care and paines in Gods seruice. The which their conceit is quite contrarie to the Scrip∣tures, which teach vs, that God hath, in his decree of predestination, included the meanes with the end, so that it is not possible to be con∣demned, if wee conscionably vse the meanes, of attayning to salua∣tion; or to be saued, if wee neglect these meanes and walke in the wayes of wickednesse which leade to destruction. For whom he hath predestinated to saluation, those also he calleth, iustifieth and sanctifieth. Those whom he hath chosen, he hath also ordained, that they should be holy and without blame before him in loue, and hath elected them, through sanctification of the Spirit, vnto obedience, and sprinkling with the blood of Christ. Those whom he hath ordained vnto glory, he hath pre∣destinated them to be conformed to the Image of his Sonne, and hath created them in him to good workes. And therefore if wee be effectually called, iustified and sanctified, we may thereby be assured, that we are elected to saluation; but if none of these can be found in vs, wee still conti∣nue in the state of reprobation, seeing the meanes and end doe inse∣parably goe together. Finally, when as the Scriptures teach vs, that Faith alone iustifieth, as being the onely instrument that applieth vn∣to vs Christ our righteousnesse; loose Libertines doe hence conclude, that that Faith which is alone, iustifieth; and therefore, so they beleeue in Christ, they haue liberty to liue as they list, and need not to take any paines to serue & please God in the duties of a godly life. Wheras the Apostle plainly telleth vs, that we shalbe iudged according to our works, whether they haue bin good or euill. And our Sauiour hath taught vs, that he will pronounce the last sentence according to the workes of mercy, ei∣ther performed or neglected by vs, as being the signes and vndoubted euidences of our Faith, whereby it is approued as sound and sincere, or condemned as counterfet & hypocriticall. And the Apostle Iames ex∣presly affirmeth, that Faith without works is dead, & like a carkase without breath or life. And therefore, though good workes are not required as causes to the act of iustification, yet they are necessary as effects to the party iustified; though they doe not merit euerlasting happines, seeing it is a gracious inheritance, & Gods free gift, yet they are the way that leadeth vnto it, in which we must necessarily walke, if we wil be saued, for without holinesse we shall neuer see the Lord; as the Apostle telleth vs.
Esa. 49. 13.
Mat. 15. 8.
Ioh. 4. 24.
Pro. 28. 9. & 15. 8. & 1. 24. 28. Zach. 7. 11, 12.
Matth. 6. 24. 1. Ioh. 2. 15.
Iam. 4. 4. Heb. 12. 14. Matth. 7. 12.
Rom. 1. 16.
Matth. 7. 18. & 15, 18, 19.
1. Iob. 3. 8, 9.
Rom. 8. 1. 2. Cor. 5. 17.
Iob. 15. 2.
Matth. 9. 13. & 11. 28.
Rom. 8. 30.
Eph. 1. 4.
1. Pet. 1. 2.
Rom. 8. 29. Eph. 2. 8.
2. Cor. 5. 10.
Matth. 25. 34, 35, 36.
Iam. 2. 17, 26.
Matth. 25. 34. Rom. 6. 23.
Heb. 12. 14.