him seeing hee knowes he loues him dearely Min. Many say they feare God and yet doe but lye against the truth how know you that yours is this true childe-like feare of God Con. First as I haue 6 Notes of the true feare of God said because it followes vpon the former signe of saluation namely the loue of GOD and is an inseparable companion thereof as another Ruth i Ruth 1.16.17 hanging vpon her mother Naomie for loue in feare and feare in loue is a sound testimony of the true feare of GOD. Secondly it worketh in me maruellous humiltie towards God and causeth mee in awfull respect vnto his glorious maiestie to abase my self as sinnefull dust and ashes before his blessed presence as Iacobs feare of his brother Esau made him humble himselfe k Ge. 3.3 bow to the ground 7. times before him Thirdly it makes mee afraid of sin to flee from it as l Exo 4.3 Moses fled from his rod when it became a serpent it makes me feare to commit sinne secretly as well as openly for though no eye doe see me m Ps 16.8 I set the Lord alwaies before me as it kept n Ge. 39.9 Ioseph from committing foly though hee might haue done it closely and couertly enough Fourthly it makes me hate sinne for o Pr. 8.13 The feare of the LORD saith Salomon is to hate euill yea inward corruptions which sticke in the cranies of the soule and cannot be descried but but a very narrow search it causeth my heart to rise vp against rebellious lusts which lie lurking within as secret Atheisme pride vaine-glory hypocrisie enuy and the like Fiftly it makes mee p Pro. 3.7 depart from euery euill way and from iniquity to breake off the practise of sinne in the course of my life to be a discontinuer in the q Psal 1.1 way of sinners and a resident in the paths of righteousnesse Sixtly this true feare of God dispelleth so farre as it preuaileth in me all other false feares as feare of men of pouerty of disgrace of death c whereas men voide of the feare of God are full of fond and foolish feares they feare the crossing of an Hare the howling of a Dog the crying of a Rauen Fairies yea fancies and their owne shadowes as therefore the wicked man may iustly feare euery thing because hee feares not God so contrariwise the righteous man needs fear nothing else because hee feares him This one thing then wil I fear that I may feare nothing but GOD and that I may rightly feare him O knit my heart so neer vnto thee O Lord that I may feare thy Name Min. I am glad to see you so well stored of this diuine grace and rare cōmodity the fear of God oh I would many thousands had more of this good ware in their store-houses their hearts But how else are you assured that you shall be saued Con. The Lord of his goodnes hath giuen mee to taste of the first fruits of the heauenly Canaan already as a pledge of the plenarie possession thereof heereafter he hath giuen me that spiritual ioy which is a heauen vpon earth And like as the r Num. 13.23 cluster of grapes broght from the Brooke Eshcol with other fruits was an Earnest to Israel of the future inheriting of the earthly Canaan euen so is this ioy to me of inheriting that goodly that heauenly Land whereof this is some of the right fruit the kingdome of glory The twelfth signe of Saluation taken out of 1 Pet. 1.8.9 and I can bring St. Peter to be bound for my truth in this point for thus hee speakes of them that reioyce with this ioy vnspeakable and full of glory that they shall receiue the end of their faith euen the saluation of their soules Min. True Ioy I hold well is a good pledge of heauen but how proue you that yours is true ioy for who seeme more merry more frollicke or iocund than ignorant worldly yea vngodly men they seeme to haue as light hearts as any and indeed in my iudgement too light to be poized and settled with the weight of grace in a word too light to be good Con. Well haue you said that they seeme so ioyfull and now haue you spoken the best you can of them for indeed they seeme and doe but onely seeme so their ioy is like the laughing of a man in his sleepe who dreaming of some very pleasing delights reioyceth in his imagination thereat but when hee awaketh hee findeth no such cause euen such is the ioy of the wicked they doe but laugh in their sleep and the diuell shall giue them such a greeting and good-morrow one day as shall make it manifest And therefore well saith Salomon of such ſ Pr. 14.13 Euen in laughter the heart is sorrowfull and the end of that mirth is heauinesse Now therfore 6 Notes of the true ioy that mine is not this base-borne ioy but of a nobler descent but sound and good I proue it thus 1. Because shee is an hand-maide to the right noble and renowned Lady Faith she neuer goes alone but is alwaies following her For first I beleeue through faith that I am reconciled to GOD and then heereupon I reioyce being thus at peace with him and for this cause it is called t Phi. 1.25 the ioy of Faith 2. It issueth out of the right veyne and fountaine it springeth out of the bitter root of godly sorrow and griefe of heart for sinne neither can any come to drinke of this water of life this heauenly Ioy till they haue first drunke of the waters of Marah bitter yet godly sorrow as our Sauiour tells his Disciples u Ioh. 16.20 your sorrow shall bee turned into ioy 3. It is fastned vpon the right obiects for I chiefly reioyce in heauenly and spirituall things as in God himselfe I can say with the Prophet He is * Ps 43.4 my exceeding ioy and x Psal 4.7 Lord lift vp the light of thy countenance vpon me hereby thou hast put gladnesse in my heart I reioyce also in the word of God as one that findeth a great spoile yea it is the very y Ier. 15.16 ioy and reioycing of my heart yea then when it searcheth me euen to the quicke herein I finde an hony-combe I reioyce in the grace of God wrought in me and others as also in my own and their z Ps 51.12 saluation I reioyce in the a Rom. 5.2 hope of the glory of God in the comfortable vse b 2 Chro. 30.21 of the sacraments in prayer christian conference in Psalmes and spirituall songs making melodie to the Lord. I am glad when they say vnto me let vs goe into the house of the Lord. I reioyce in the welfare of Sion yea I can prefer Ierusalem aboue my chiefe ioy 4. It is the fruit of c Ga. 5.22 the Spirit not of the flesh as
off by sunne-set will not fit him down or lay himself to sleep but get on horse-backe and be riding onward on his way and he that hopes to liue long will not starue himselfe but vse the best diet for preseruing his life 4. It makes me fit my selfe by holinesse for that which I hope for namely the full fruition of the glorious ous presence of the perfectly-pure and holy God in heauen according to that of the Apostle Å¿ 1 Ioh. 3.3 Euery one that hath this hope in him purifieth himselfe euen as God is pure not vnlike to one who hoping to get accesse into the presence of the King with his petition doth addresse himselfe in all sutabe manner both in apparell behauiour and speech for the presence of his Soueraigne Min. It appeares your hope is found and good euen that t Rom. 5.4 which maketh not ashamed and the God of hope fill you therewith and grant that you may abound therein through the Holy Ghost But by what other signe doe you know that you shall bee saued Con. I finde in my heart a true loue of God now I haue learned out of the word that the Lord hath promised the crowne of life to them that loue him c. I make no question but hee will bee as good as his word who neuer failed therein since the world began therefore I know that the crowne of life is mine Min. All say they loue God and professe great friendship to him neuerthelesse most flatter him with their mouth and lye vnto him with their tongues for their heart is not right with him How know you then that you loue him in truth Con. 7. Notes of true loue of God Whereas there are three things in loue affection to the thing beloued a desire of coniunction with it and a well-pleasing contentment taken in the enioying of it all these I find in some measure in mee toward my God so that I know I loue him truly which I further proue by these notes First because I prize and estimate him aboue all worldly things yea mine owne life so that I can truely say with that blessed Martyr Ignatius Eus l. 2. c. 36. I esteeme no visible thing nor yet inuisible so that I may haue Christ u Phil. 3.8 yea doubtlesse I count all things but losse in comparison of him and do count them but dung that I may winne him Neither is this a mercenarie loue hired with the wages of reward for though there were no heauen O Lord I would loue thee but seeing there is a heauen I will account of it and labour to obtaine it yet still will I loue thee for thy goodnesse sake O Lord for thou thy selfe art reward enough though there were no more Secondly I am carefull and vnfainedly desirous to please the Lord in all things euen as we see that men are loth to crosse or displease those whom they entirely loue and affect Heerupon I giue my selfe to loue that which hee loueth and to hate that which he hateth * Ps 45.7 He loueth righteousnes and hateth wickednes and so doe I though not in equality for that is impossible yet in similitude and conformity for it is required and expected as the Prophet saith * Ps 9.10 They that loue the Lord hate euill thus I endeuour my selfe y 1 Ioh. 4.17 as God is euen so to bee in this worldr Thirdly a man may knowe his loue to any thing by the zeale and heat of affection whereby he is carried to that thing which hee loueth Thus euery man is transported and as it were eaten vp with one zeale or other some with the zeale of pleasure as Esau was who for a messe of pottage sould his birth-right some with the zeale of honour as Absalom was who for to gette a kingdome sought to draw bloud of his owne father some with the zeale of money as Iudas was who for his thirty peeces sold his Lord Sauiour By my zeale I know my loue to God for tho I bee not eaten vp with zeale as z Ps 69 9. Dauid was oh I would I were so too yet I feele it burning within mee as a Ier. 20.9 Ieremiah did my heart is hot within me and the fire kindled my zeale carrieth mee to God Fourthly I loue his b Ps 119.97 Qui diligit legem diligit regem word and sacraments prayer and all other holy exercises whereby as I haue gracious intercourse and heauenly conference with the blessed Trinity so in especiall with Christ my wel-beloued who therin causeth mee to heare his sweet voyce and to see his louely countenance for which cause I also loue the house of God so that I can no lesse heartily than merrily sing the note of the Prophet Dauid O Lord I haue loued the habitation of thine house and the place where thine honour dwelleth and another of the same O Lord of Hostes how amiable are thy tabernacles my soule longeth yea euen fainteth for the Courts of the Lord my heart and my flesh cryeth out for the liuing GOD. Fiftly I loue his c Mat. 10.40 messengers and embassadors the Preachers of his word which are sent vnto mee from God to treat about conclusions of peace beseeching mee in Christs stead to bee reconciled to God O how beautifull are the feete of him that bringeth these good tidings that publisheth peace that bringeth good tidings of good that publisheth saluation to me Sixtly I long for the comming of Christ not as though I could no longer beare for impatiencie the miseries of this life which are but light in comparison of the weight of glory but that I might bee married for euer vnto Christ my Loue in perfect ioy and harts delight being now but espoused onely to him and that I might be perfectly freed from all sinne whereby I grieue both him and my selfe and alwaies praise his name in heauen How long Lord how long thou hast d Re. 22.20 said Surely I come quickly Amen Euen so come Lord Iesus Min. Thus it appears that the loue of God will warrant a man as it doth you no les than heauen but what say you now of loue to Gods people may not that bee ranked among the euidences of your saluation Conuert Yes without doubt For The tenth signe of saluation taken out of 1 Ioh 3.14 heereby we know saith S. Iohn that he haue passed from death vnto life because we loue the brethren these doe I loue that is the children of God and such as are godly and these will I loue for euer knowing that loue is such a debt as I shall be alwaies owing and yet I must and will bee euer paying I will striue to be rather a creditour than a debtor heerin and will not only returne to the Saints of God the loue of loue the same measure that I receiue from them but euen vsury and aduantage of loue and I would to God there
gaines and pleasures hee fetcheth vs in againe then hee begins to hamper and shackle vs with sundry crosses to keepe vs better within compas to make vs minde home better and to make vs better husbands for our soules that so wee may thinke of him in time of aduersity who had almost forgotten him in time of prosperity sometimes hee sees that wee trust to the arme of flesh and leane too much to some outward meanes then by a crosse he takes it away that so wee might wholly and onely relie on him Manifold corruptions and much filth of sinne doe wee gather by walking in this dirty world the Lord doth vse the waters of affliction as a bath to cleanse purge vs from those corruptions in bringing vs thereby to a sight thereof and humiliation for the same in these the like respects well may affliction bee tearmed Gods purging physicke Sometimes he also vseth it for strengthning physick when as he doth afflict his seruants for their triall for the strengthning of their faith patience loue zeale holy desires c. for these and the like graces the more they are exercised the more they are confimed and the stronger they grow and euen inward afflictions of the minde serue greatly to these good ends O blessed rod of God that dost so much good Did I thinke the Lord loued mee not because his rod lay on mee oh how could I bee without it Surely it is as needfull for mee as my meat and drinke and much more needfull too * Hic vre his seca vt in aeternum pareas domine Aug. O scourge mee and launce me here O Lord that thou maiest spare mee for euermore hereafter Sixtly as touching outward calamities I haue learned at length a little wisedome by Gods word for the right demeaning of my selfe therein not to looke downeward on the rushing and roaring streames of miseries and troubles which run so swiftly vnder mee for then I should bee taken with a giddinesse in the head which would make mee thinke and speake an aduisedly of Gods dealing and my owne estate and so I should bee in hazard of being drowned and ouerwhelmed therein but this I doe I fasten my eies vpon the sure stay by which I am vpheld that is God all-sufficient and stedfastly behold his promise in the middest of all miseries thus I praise God I passe ouer many a dangerous deep h Ps 42.6 when one deepe calleth another or the noise of the water-spouts when one trouble comes on the necke of another I passe ouer or wade through safe sound Seuenthlie as I desire to prepare for affliction before it commeth so do I resolue in like manner aforehand to hold fast my assurance of the loue of God and so to beare it as comfortably as may bee when it shall come obseruing that it is the work of Sathan to make mee vtterly discomfortable in tribulation that heauen our country and holinesse the way thereto might both be brought out of credit by my meanes that others beholding my vncomfortablenes might bee discouraged from entring or proceeding in the happy way to life By the grace of God Sathan shall not make mee his scar-crow in the way to heauen to keep others out nay rather by my sweet and lightsome deportment of my selfe therein I will allure others what I may rather to choose the way of the crosse the way to the kingdome than for fear of the crosse to lose and forgoe the kingdome Min. It is a good resolution and surelie it is not for any ill-will that the Lord corrects his children whether with inward afflictions of minde or outward of bodie friends children goods good name or howsoeuer else his loue is neuer the lesse vnto them and he is neuer the further from them and though they greatly feare sometimes yet they haue no more cause to feare than the Disciples had when Christ came walking to them vpon the sea thinking that they had seen a spirit to whom our Sauiour answered i Math. 14 26.27 Bee of good cheere it is I bee not affraid euen so when the raging windes and blustering stormes of afflictions doe cause an earthquake in our hearts the Lord sends forth a calme quiet voyce to the comfort of his children It is I bee not affraid which all they may easilie heare that will but lay their eare to the word of God and listen thereunto for so hee speakes vnto them therein Now if there be any other matter that troubles your minde alledge it if you will for conclusion of all lest I bee also one of them that trouble you Con. Doubting proceeding from feare of death answered Why then if you thinke good wee will end with that that shall end our liues namely death I greatly feare sometimes that I am not as I should bee because I finde in my selfe such strugling w i th the thoghts of death and that I am so affraid yea and vnwilling to die Min. How do you to repell and ouercome this assault Con. First I consider that they which are truly in Christ by faith and liuing members of him may haue and haue all of them some feare of death for all that though it can do them no harm like as man that seeth the sting of a serpent plucked out before his eyes therefore knowes it can not hurt him yet hath some fearefulnesse in him to handle it and put it into his bosome because of that naturall enmitie and antipathie that is between him and it the sting of death is sinne which Christ hath pluckt out in being made sinne for vs and satisfying fully for it so that well may we say O death where is thy sting and yet we are affraid of the very lookes of death but more affraid to come nigh it because wee naturally hate death this therefore is no good reason to make mee thinke my selfe none of Christs because I haue some feare of death no more than it is to proue a man no man or reasonable creature because hee is loth to put a snake in his bosome when the sting is pluckt out Secondlie I take vp such meditations as may make mee better and more familliarly acquainted with death and may make mee better conceited of it and to take better liking to it as first that it is the common lot of k Heb. 9.27 all the sonnes of Adam none exempted no not the Worthies of the world and holie Patriarcks and should I then desire to bee exempted Death hath his warrant to take hold of euery sinner therefore none can bee spared for all haue sinned but before hee comes himselfe hee sends forth many summons to warne men to appeare at Court before God euery ache paine sicknes faintnesse wearinesse yea euery wrinkle or gray haire or dead coarse is deaths summons to warne vs appearance but because we are too regardlesse make too light hereof at length hee comes personally with a special Writ from the