this our Sauiours hands such an absolute and powerfull authoritie as that no power either in earth or hell is able to withstand doth sinne incumber thee art thou inwrap ped in the chaines therof bound with the gables of thâ—ne owne iniquities Fly then to Christ for hee it is that is able alone and onely to breake these bands in sunder and to set thy soule at libertie For being a Michael as a mighty Captaine to subdue our enemies hee hath power also to redeeme vs home and to reduce vs from the feare of bondage And as for death and hell the fearfullest feares that euer were vnto the sinfull soule there is no cause at all to feare them seeing that sinne the sting of both is by Christ so conquered and taken away Obiect But thou wilt haply say These things I finde indeed to bee so as is said but yet to me it is not so For these graces which you haue spoken of belong to to the righteous as for me my sinnes as a mighty floud haue ouerrunne my soule testifying as a thousand witnesses that these things doe not appertaine to mee but rather all those curses threats and iudgements that are denounced in the Law Answ Hereunto I answere that you are altogether in one song being as it appeareth intentiue wholly and onely on your sinnes and nothing else Was Physick euer ordained I pray you for him that is in health Is Chirurgery appointed for him that hath no sores or wounds Howsoeuer you iudge in this case Christ I am sure is of another iudgement and telleth you otherwise that they which are whole haue no need of the Physition but they that are sick And that he came not to call the righteous Mat. 9.13 Luke 19.10 but sinners to repentance And that the Sonne of man is come to seeke and saue that which was lost And doe you not remember that sweet compellation lately mentioned Come vnto mee all yee that are weary and heauy laden and I will ease you Who are these weary and who are the heauy laden are they not which was the third part I obserued in that call made by Christ such as are tyred and ouerburthened with the heauy load and burthen of their sinnes Yes no doubt You see then that it is not of any force or moment which you haue obiected to the contrary Again consider I pray you what was the cause that our heauenly Father did lay those three seuerall offices before touched on the person of his Sonne Was it not for sinne and that of vs that are his sinfull creatures And was it not in the wisdome of God deuised as a remedy and recouery against our sinnes If Adam had persisted and continued still in that purity and innocencie in the which hee was first created what needed Christ so to haue abased himselfe and to haue suffered so many shamefull and cruell things as he did It appeareth therefore that whatsoeuer Christ is vnto vs it is all to take away our sinne to reconcile vs into the fauour of God and to make vs with him inheritors of his euerlasting Kingdome If sinne had neuer entred no doubt the greatest part of Christs office had beene frustrate and to no purpose There is no cause then to alledge our sinnes as a cause to make his grace to be vneffectuall in vs vvhich was the first thing whereunto it was appointed entered and tooke effect And therefore we should rather thus reason dispute to the contrary I am a sinfull and a great transgressor Christ on the other side is a Sauiour to saue his people from their sinnes and therefore I know and am assured that the fruit and effect of his precious bloudshedding doth appertaine and belong vnto me To that which hath been heretofore said in this behalfe I may adde the saying of the Apostle 1. Tim. 1.15 This is a true saying and worthy of all men to be receiued that Christ came into the world to saue sinners Of the Prophet Esay affirming that he was wounded for our transgressions Esay 53.5 and broken for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was vpon him and with his stripes we are heale and many such like places to that same effect but I hope these shall suffice CHAP. VI. Against the assault of the weaknes and want of Faith Obiect BVt here it is commonly obiected by the person thus disquieted and troubled in minde Indeed these things I doe know and confesse to bee so but yet I remember what is also written that is that although Christ came to be a Sauiour and a Redeemer vnto sinners and was indeed sent to preach good tydings vnto the poore Esay 61.1 to bind vp the broken hearted to preach libertie vnto the captiues and to them that are bound the opening of the prison to comfort all that mourne to cloath them with the garments of saluation to couer them with the robe of righteousnes yet in them onely shall this his comming and death be effectuall which by a true and a liuely faith take hold and depend vpon him For it is written So God loued the world Iob. 3.16 that he gaue his onely begotten Sonne to the end that all that beleeue in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life but as for those which haue not faith it after followeth that they are so farre from grace that they are coÌ„demned already Iob. 3.18 because they beleeue not in the onely begotten Sonne of God This assault 2. Sorts of men assaulted with the want of Faith although for the most part it neuer ensueth after the assault of sinne before touched yet it is diuersly disposed in respect of the diuers subiects wherein it worketh For some are such as are but newly begunne to be regenerate and renewed in whom faith doth but beginne to take roote and to bee sowed and ingrafted and these hauing lyen alwaies beforetime as it were dead in sinne haue neuer felt to their knowledge the liuely pulse of faith at any time to beat within them And againe 1. The newly regenerate others there be that being before called and being indued with the gift of faith yet the flesh resisting against the Spirit and the spirituall graces 2. More ancient Christians remaining for the time both dull and weake in them they seeme to haue clean lost that which they had before and thereupon fall to doubting and distrust within themselues as though their faith were but a dead faith which seemeth for the time to bee so quickly wasted and decayed Against these two seuerall estates of men wee are to apply seuerall medicines as is most conuenient First touching him that is but yong and very tender in the womb of regeneration and not fully formed and become a renued creature in Christ No maruell if he thinke strange of this distrust within himselfe or if that he complaine of the weaknes and want of faith in himselfe For you must
in iniquity liuing in hypocrisie dying in misery and damned for euer But why doe I thus striue to open and vnfold the greatnesse of these extremities For were their griefe weighed and their miseries layd together in the ballance it would bee heauier then the sand of the sea Were I able to conceiue them as others sometime feele them and to thinke them as others often finde them in themselues yet could I neuer sufficiently describe them Well I may in some sort touch them but they onely can sound the depth and reach the bottom of these extremities which haue sometimes tasted and in some measure felt the bitternesse of this gall and wormewood Notwithstanding as by the outward appearance of the wound the inward paines may bee coniectured and by the externall strugglings we may ghesse the internall conflicts The greatnesse of these extremities discerned in part by the effects so likewise by the effects that come from the sorrow of sinne appearing outwardly in the body we may in some sort learne how great that griefe and anguish is that possesseth the heart within For besides the plaints before set downe he oftentimes bedeweth his face with teares and weeping The body also oftentimes waxeth leane and wan fretteth away and wasteth as pained with some grieuous and consuming sicknesse not vnlike as touching the outward appearance to those pangs which Dauid a man after Gods owne heart did feele in himselfe crying out and saying Psal 6.6 Psal 38.3 I fainted in my mourning Psal 6.6 There is nothing sound in my flesh because of thine anger neither is there rest in my bones by reason of my sinnes My reines are full of burning and there is nothing sound in my flesh I am weakned and sore broken I reare for the very griefe of mine heart And againe My heart panteth my strength faileth mee and the light of mine eyes euen they are not mine owne CHAP. II. The principall causes of a troubled conscience THe causes of these griefes 1 Cause some inconsiderately haue referred vnto melancholy Is the sight of sinne wheras indeed it is nothing else but sinne For experience teacheth that this is a passion happening oftentimes to those which by the disposition of their bodies are for the most part free from melancholy though many times I also grant that melancholy pastions are ioyned and doe concurre with it Was it melancholy thinke you Mat. 26.75 that made Peter so suddenly to single out himselfe from the rabble of the high Priests seruants and sobbing full of heauinesse to vtter out the bitternesse of his griefe with teares Shall we thinke of Dauid that when hee was taken and troubled with like perplexities that the same did proceed and come of melancholy Nay the Prophet confesseth and telleth vs plainely that it was sinne Psal 38.3 Psal 51.3 And therefore prayeth earnestly vnto the Lord Psal 38.3 Psal 51.9 to hide his face from his sinnes and to put away all the iniquities of him the same Prophet Dauid Psal 51.9 This I meane this sinne is it that maketh the heart to mourne and the inward parts to fret and burne with griefe This is it that causeth the broken soule to breathe out so many sighing plaints and to bee ready to swound and burst in sunder with so many fearfull and despairing thoughts For while hee sitteth so seuere a Iudge vpon himselfe and while hee prieth so narrowly nay too too narrowly into the disordered course and manner of his life laying the triall of his deeds to the touch-stone of the Law of God and weighing altogether in the balance with God his denounced iudgements hee thinketh euery word a sentence euery threat a thraue of iudgements and euery period to containe in it an exceeding masse and hell of miseries and woes This pricketh his heart in such sort that hee knoweth not what to doe and maketh him to cry with Paul though not with the like hope O wretched man that I am Rom. 7.24 who shall deliuer me from this body of sinne and death Vnto this sight of sinne is added the weaknesse 2. The second cause is the weaknesse or want of faith and many times the want of faith For when they see and remember the sweet and comfortable promises of grace and mercy contained in the Gospell when they call to minde that precious medicine and soueraigne confection of the bloud of Christ able to heale vp the most pestilent sores and to cure the most contagious and deadly wounds of sinne And withall looking into themselues and finding there a defect and want to receiue and apply the same vnto themselues be they neuer so sweet and precious because they haue not faith which is the onely hand to retaine and hold them they are more distressed and affrighted then if they neuer heard or thought vpon them Insomuch that as Satan is ready alwayes to cast something in their way thereby to further them in the way of desperation so are they as ready so soone as it shall bee offered to catch it and accept it at his hands And therefore neuer thinking of Gods order and course of calling which is in some sooner in some later and not alike in all because they feele not the present working of the Spirit within them and the pulse of faith to moue and beat in their hearts they sticke not peremptorily and without exception to conclude vpon themselues saying I haue no faith I cannot beleeue and therefore I cannot be saued my sins cannot be pardoned I am but a reprobate and a damned castaway So that this motion is not onely found in such as haue an vtter defect and want of faith but also oftentimes in those which haue a faith who although as I haue sayd they haue a faith in deede yet it is but a weake and a faint faith and such an one as for infirmity is not able to mooue and stirre it selfe For as the man that is in a swound Such whose faith is weake compared to a man in a swound or he whose parts are benummed with some extreme cold or sudden stroke though there bee a life still remaining in them yet such is their infirmity that they seeme as dead and are vnable to performe the functions that belong vnto a liuing body euen so this faith though in truth it be a faith and hath a life in it yet it is so benummed with the chilling cold of sinne and astonied with the stroke of our naturall imperfections that it seemeth to bee dead and vtterly voyd of vitall motion So that sinne vnto this weake and wauering soule is euen as meat is oftentimes to him that surfeteth Hee eateth it with delight and taketh pleasure in it yet when his stomake commeth to digest and worke vpon it the strength of nature beeing not able to ouercome the abundance of vnconcocted humors the whole body is sicke and weakened in euery part and facultie So the soule that is glutted and
3. He must not so much consider the greatnes of the measure as the truth of his repentance that with good aduice what the thing is wherat we do ayme and which we labour especially to search after and to finde out in this tryall and examination for euen in this point also there is oftentimes errour found by reason whereof amongst men there ariseth no small inconuenience The thing therefore that herein we are to haue a speciall eye vnto is not the great measure and quantitie but rather the truth of repentance For although it bee neuer so slender and weake in our conceit yet if it bee true and from the heart we shall thereby finde euen in the middest of sorrow sufficient cause of great and exceeding comfort It may be that the Spirit sometime may appeare vnto vs to be as ye would say but very weake in working And faith also may seeme to be faint and feeble in shewing forth the fruits of true repentance in such aboundant and plentifull manner as thou haply doest dreame of yet doth not this let any thing at all but that both thy faith and thy repentance may be true and therefore such whereupon thou mayst settle and ground thy selfe and whereby thou mayst assure thy selfe that thou art the child of God And if his child then surely freed from condemnation and made an heyre euen a coheyre with Christ our head of euerlasting glory For GOD is so farre from reiecting and casting off such small and slender beginnings that he is rather giuen to nourish and increase the same in his children Esay 42.3 The brused Reede he will not breake Mat. 12.20 and the smoking Flaxe he will not quench And therefore if thou findest neuer so great imperfections in this thy repentance so that it seemeth to be crazed like a broken Reede and almost extinguished as the Flaxe that doth but sinoke yet herein is there no cause of discomfort First for that as faith so likewise true repentance is the gift of God who is not to bee prescribed and appointed in what mcasure hee should giue the same to euery one and secondly for that it pleaseth him to bee so gracious and fauourable as to accept these imperfections in good part at thy hands for the which thou art not onely to be thankefull to him at all times but hast also a reason offered thee He must consider what he is by nature and know that he shall neuer be free from imperfections whilest he liueth here to moue thee continually to pray to God for the good increase of these his gifts in thee Fourthly thou art to consider diligently with thy selfe and to looke well vpon thine own estate I meane what thou art of thy selfe and by nature which if thou doe thou shalt surely finde that thou art one of Adams brood one that hast sucked corruptions Psal 51.5 and that in great measure from the brests of thy first Parents as well as other For not onely thy life Psal 51.1 but also thy Conception and Birth will be found and proued to be in sinne Since then that thou art a man and therefore by nature subiect to all kinde of infirmities as well as others during the time of thy continuance in this corrupted Tabernacle doe not deceiue thy selfe but be thou assured that thy flesh will neuer giue ouer but still will be found to bee a flesh that is a rebellious and a grieuous enemy continually rebelling contending and striuing against the Spirit vntill such time as it shall by Gods appointment either receiue the stroke of death to subdue it and put an end to the rebellions thereof Or that wonderfull and sudden change be made at the last day 1. Cor. 15.53 When this corruptible shall put on incorruption this vile body shall be changed that it may be fashioned like vnto the glorious bodie of Christ Since now the state standeth so with thee thou art to make none other reckoning but that thou must and shalt of necessitie finde although it be to thy great griefe many infirmities and imperfections in thy flesh so long as thou shalt haue thine abode here on earth as well as others Yet can it not therefore bee therupon inferred and concluded that the same imperfections should exclude thee from the couenant of grace and shut thee out from the number of Gods elected children Nay it is so farre off from working or compassing this euill vnto thee that I may say vnto thee with the Apostle Rom. 5.20 Where sinne abounded there grace abounded much more So that as no doubt vpon thy true repentance thou shalt easily finde the further that thy sinne extendeth it selfe as thou supposest to thy condemnation the further also this mercy and grace of God doth stretch forth it selfe in giuing remission of thy sinne to thy saluation But here beware and take heed of Satan lest hee deceiue thee by bringing thee into this vaine and wicked conceit as though this remistion were due vnto thee by merit of thy workes when as it is onely of Grace For of this bee thou assured that if thou haddest neuer so great a measure of vprightnes and integritie if thou liuedst neuer so holily if thou leadest as pure a life as euer did any of the faithfull seruants of God that haue beene since the fall of Adam Christ Iesus onely excepted yet as those faithfull seruants could neuer finde saluation in their owne deeds but did cleane forsake themselues and cleaue fast to the grace and mercy of God So thou also although thou seeke it shalt neuer finde saluation in thine owne workes merits thereof but must be content with the godly to renounce thy selfe and leane fast to the grace of God in Christ in whom surely thou must seeke it in seeking thou shalt finde it and finding thou shalt doubtlesse possesse it Quest Whereunto then wilt thou say doe serue the fruits of Repentance Answ No doubt to very good and comfortable purpose For these said fruits are as Signes and Seales to testifie they are no causes to procure and effect saluation and life vnto thee Quest But thou wilt say againe Seeing the case is thus it is no matter how I line and how I doe here behaue my selfe Answ God forbid that any such motion should euer creepe into the hearts of Gods Elect or that any man should hereby take occasion to become secure and carelesse to shew forth his Christian duty For though in our selues wee cannot indeede finde any possibilitie to deserue life but possibilitie too much to merit death yet are wee bound to exercise our selues in these fruits for these causes following First The first cause of shewing godly lise for that God himselfe commandeth it in wonderfull many places of the Scriptures Secondly that thereby his glory might be manifested Mat. 5.16 Thirdly 2.3 Causes for that by them man is in his conscience assured of his Election and Vocation
beene smitten of GOD and plagued and euen in earth to haue receiued the very sentence of eternall death vpon themselues But this manner of iudgement must bee suspended for notwithstanding these externall and outward accidents befalling their bodies they rested and continued still the Elect and Chosen of the Lord euen vnto the death the cup whereof in defence of their Masters cause they most gladly tasted of how grieuous soeuer the torments and afflictions were which their bodies suffered and endured And againe if thou dost vouchsafe with an vpright heart and void of all blind affection to compare together thine and their afflictions I doubt not but that both for the cause and also for the matter and manner of them euen in thine owne iudgement thou wilt be found and prooued nothing comparable but farre inferiour vnto them For they were afflicted for the testimonie of Christ but thou for sinne they at the hands of Satans instruments in most cruell manner and thou at the hands of God after a Fatherly way They vnto death and the same most extreme but in thee thy life is preserued a time of repentance is granted which is surely a great Argument of Gods great loue and fauour towards thee So that now thou maist see this my Position to bee true and that to thy great comfort that others haue tasted and drunke as deep of the cup of afflictions nay much deeper then thou hast done So insatiable a Serpent is Satan and so obstinate in his peruerse opinion that nothing bee it neuer so truely vttered can satisfie him and content him For although this which hath been said concerning this Position and the ouerthrow of Satans coloured reasons doe greatly qualifie and allay the matter yet through Satans suggestions the broken soule is not with all this contented For the enemy hath now found out another muse and starting-hole to auoid the danger of this sound doctrine and to intrap the weake conscience whose death he greedily thirsteth after within the compasse of his subtilty as by this his reason doth appeare CHAP. XXII Of the fourth Position LET it bee graunted saith this our cruell Enemy that many of Gods Elect and Chosen are found to haue suffered these A fresh assault of Satan and such like afflictions and say they haue gone beyond thee in extremities yet this helpeth not the matter neither doth it serue thy purpose at all For reade and see and thou shalt finde and that quickely a great difference for the miseries which they endure are but short and momentany with them there may bee trouble and heauinesse for a night Psal 30.5 but toy commeth in the morning But experience telleth thee that thy troubles contrary wise are of long continuance Againe when they cry and call for help and succour God doth soone release them and putteth an end vnto their troubles for hee hath so promised vnto those that are his Children Call vpon me in time of trouble and I will deliner thee Psal 50.15 And therefore wee shall also finde that Dauid a man which was so much experienced in afflictions God was alwaies ready and at hand to saue and deliuer him as hee himselfe doth witnesse saying I cryed vnto the Lord and hee heard mee c. But with thee thou seest it is not so for thou hast cryed and called a long time and yet thou art not heard thou pravest but thou canst not preuaile Cease therefore to reason what grieuous torments the children of God haue suffered for it will not satisfie nor suffice thy turne For if thou hadst beene one of Gods elect and chosen Children hee would surely haue heard thee long yer this Hee would not haue stopped his eares at so many cries nor passed ouer so many plaints without compassion shewing In this new and fresh assault of Satan made vpon the weake conscience we are to consider how that to make his reason to carry the greater shew of probability he doth make a double amplification thereof Partly by the enumeration of some examples of such persons as haue beene afflicted but yet for a short time whose cry the Lord hath quickly heard and granted their request saying Lo and see such and such an one the Saints Seruants of God indeed that haue suffered great and grieuous torments but behold and see againe how soone and quickly they were deliuered And partly by the recitall of Gods exceeding mercy and compassion vnto his Seruants alledging that his eyes are alway fixed on them his eares are euer open to their cryes that hee is tender and carefull ouer them as the Hen ouer her Chickens or the Mother ouer her yong and tender Babe and as mindfull of them as the Bride is of her Ornaments in the day of Marriage and hereupon laboureth to infer this Conclusion against the afflicted soule to driue him into despaire That it cannot be possible that God being so pittifull so louing and so compassionate should so long and in such sort deferre and put off his helping hand from him if hee were reputed in the number of GODS Elect and Chosen This reason of Satan thus amplyfied the more subtilly that it is by him couched the more forcibly it prcuaileth with the weake and distressed soule to the dangerous ouerthrow thereof For whereas it hath beene before shewed that both the Elect and Reprobate are in deed partakers of afflictions Satan by this his reason would perswade that the continuance of afflictions in respect of time and the delay vsed of God in shewing forth his helpe are vndoubted differences and plaine markes whereby the one from the other may very easily be discerned known And to further him in this his purpose he taketh no small aduantage of the imbecility and weakenesse which is found in man who so long as his wounds are but fresh and greene can the better tolerate and abide the bearing of them because hee conceiueth some hope of some quicke and speedie deliuerance But when after long expectation he perceiueth his hope to bee frustrated and after long tryall seeth hee can finde no ease although hee hath vsed all possible meanes for the same then hee beginneth to despaire of himselfe and to make a question and doubt of his estate Wherein hee is found to be like vnto a sicke man which hauing tryed all the helps of Physick and yet finding no helpe for the curing of his disease beginneth then to distrust of life whereas before such tryall made hee suspected little danger of death in himselfe To preuent Satan of his purpose and for the strengthening of the weake Christian it shall not be amisse nay I thinke it necessary as before of the other reasons of the Aduersarie so of this likewise to shew the weakenesse and insufficiencie that it being knowne wee may see and perceiue the better how little faith is to bee giuen to his perswasions In which doing as a counter-blast against this temptation of Satan I thinke it good heere
thou didst well consider of the thing indeed thou shouldst easily find that thou hast very small reason to moue thee to hope after this time thou dream'st of whē as if it were longer then commonly is allotted vnto any yet it would bee found little enough to be imployed for the good benefit of thy soule And why then shouldst thou thinke that God will bee thus gracious to bestow this thing vpon thee in a time that is most vnfit when thou so vnthankefully didst put off and neglect the same being offered vnto thee so often before in a time conuenient Doe not thinke that thou hast God at command take his offer with thankfulnes vse it as thou oughtest to his glory and thy good and do not in any wise presume to prescribe vnto him a time or a manner how hee shall deale with thee at thine end If thou marke well without flatterie of thy selfe what thou hast deserued thou hast a great and a iust cause also to feare lest for thy carelesse neglect of this which in mercy hee offereth thee in iustice hee strike thee suddenly and at vnawares If therefore I might giue counsell in this so dangerous a case I would aduise euery childe of GOD to lay aside this vnchristian hope and to renew his Testament yeerely nay monethly or oftner that so he may be in a readinesse when death commeth rather then to post off all to bee performed in the time of sicknesse for by this deferring it commeth oftentimes to passe which is a lamentable thing for euery Christian heart and eye to thinke vpon and see that the man pressed with sickenesse and lying as yee would say at the point of death when hee should haue his heart and minde wholly set and fixed on heauen and heauenly things is so clogged and fettered in the cares of this life and such as concerne his house and Family that though his will be made according to his meaning his goods ordered and disposed accordingly and all things finished and ended to the knowledge of men yet with this sick man himselfe it is not so fully dispatched but that these worldly affaires wherewith his head hath been thus of late busied wil not so be rooted out but that a man shall heare him often euen in his greatest agonies to mutter and to talke of nothing else but these as though his head and thoughts were bent vpon nothing else And this many do with such vehemencie and earnestnesse that thereby they giue occasion vnto many that heare them to iudge that not onely the taste and feeling but also the very thought and inward meditation of heauenly ioyes and comforts seeme for the time to bee barred and excluded from hauing any place of rest and harbour in his heart and soule Wherefore if thou wilt not bee hindred from this taste of heauenly ioyes and pleasures at thy death and end of this thy naturall life haue a care in health in this sort to prouide for death lest the cares of this life bee a cause to hold and keepe these endlesse comforts from thee Follow the example of Abraham who in his life time when hee was in strength and health disposed of his goods While thou art yet sound and lustie haue thy Scpulchre in a readinesse with Ioseph of Arimathea that is let all things be prouided and set in such a readinesse as though alwayes and euery houre thou wert prepared and readie to descend into the graue Let neither thy youthfull yeeres nor yet thy strength flatter thee two deceitfull baites to breed securitie as though thou hadst long to liue and mightst continue yet many yeeres and so thou put off the time to make this preparation But while it is to day while thou hast time and season deferre it not but accept and vse well the time that God hath offered and giuen vnto thee CHAP. XXVI Of the second part of the preparation vnto death THE other and as I may well call it the Spirituall preparation vnto death belonging vnto the soule is found to be of two sorts that is either such as is to bee had and vsed at all times and throughout the whole course order of our life or such as concerneth the time of our sickenesse and death Of the first sort Salomon warneth vs very wisely 〈◊〉 1◠1 bidding vs Remember our Creator in the dayes of our youth while the euill dayes come not and the yeeres approach wherein wee shall say I haue no pleasure in them And our Sauiour Christ lesus putteth vs in minde hereof also both by diuers exhortations in the Scriptures and also by the Parable of the ten Virgines Mat. 25.1 c. bidding vs to watch and pray that wee may bee alwaies in a readinesse with Oyle in our Lampes to enter with the Bridegroom into the Wedding whensoeuer hee shall come In this Preparation the first thing required is alwaies to thinke with our selues and to remember that wee must die according to that saying Remember thy end and thou shalt neuer doe amisse This is an incuitable necessity imposed vpon all estates and conditions of men and of all to bee had in continuall remembrance This the Prophet Dauid calleth a numbring of our dayes saying Psal 90.12 Teach vs so to number our dayes that wee may apply our hearts vnto wisedome Where is to bee noted what a serious cogitation and remembrance this must bee euen so and such an one as may breed in vs a wise and a carefull heart and minde to doe the will of God for that is it which heere the Prophet meaneth by applying our hearts to wisedome or as the Hebrew hath it by bringing a wise heart into vs. For they that liue lewdly and loosely giuing themselues ouer as slaues vnto sinne howsoeuer they seeme wise in their owne conceit or in the iudgement of men yet in the sight and iudgement of God they are accounted for no better then fooles and as men that walke vnwisely But this is too generall for our purpose for this remembrance of our death as a preparation vnto this last and finall combate must not onely thinke of death and meditate thereof but must thinke of it as of such a time wherein wee must haue a dangerous and fierce assault made vpon vs and that by all these great and perillous Enemies Satan the World and the Flesh ioyning hand in hand and force with force against vs. If this doe once sinke deepely into our hearts it will make vs to haue a speciall care indeed and to look well about vs that we may be throughly prouided and in all parts well furnished and appointed against this heauy Day and time of Tryall And that so much the rather also if withall we consider and remember that the time when this assault shall bee is short and sudden vncertaine and vnknowne and therefore it lyeth vs vpon to watch continually that wee may be alwaies and euery moment in a readinesse that
our Sauiour Christ Mat. 5.11 12. saying Blessed are yee when men reuile you and persecute you and say all manner of euill against you for my sake falsely Reioyce and be glad for great is your reward in Heauen Of this is that of Iames to be vnderstood Iam. 1.2 when he exhorteth the brethren to account it an exceeding ioy when they fall into diuers temptations For it cannot bee but that they that are possessed with that former ioy in the promises of grace vnder hope of glory but that they should also triumph and reioyce in afflictions that besall vnto them for Iesus sake Hereupon it is that the Apostles being beaten and scourged are said to depart Act. 5.41 reioycing that they were accounted worthy to suffer rebuke for the name of Christ Thus also the Martyrs of God are said to account it a crowne of glory euen their death and martyrdome which they indured in the cause of Christ To this doing no doubt they were stirred and moued because as Paul speaketh they did know certainly and beleeue that those momentany and light afflictions doe cause a more excellent and eternall weight of glory Or else because they are fully instructed and taught in the true vse and fruit of their afflictions Ro. 5.3 4 5. and doe know that tribulations bring forth patience and patience experience and experience hope and hope maketh not ashamed But it is far otherwise with the hypocrites For their time or rather vntimely faith in stead of triumphing and reioycing as one finding fit matter whereon to worke doth waste and melt away at the heate of these tribulations euen as the snow before the Sunne Well it may appeare to flourish awhile in time of peace and to shoote out the blade but when the parching sunne of afflictions doth shew forth his beames when the time of persecutions the time of tryall is come it then falleth and withereth away as though it neuer had beene For howsoeuer they seeme to approoue and like well of Religion yet doe they not delight in this Iewell that will cost so deare as eyther goods or life and therfore doe vtterly fall and shrinke away from it seeing it cannot be had held without such trouble and disquiet And that thou mayst the better know and discerne the true reioycing from the counterfet ioy of hypocrites I would wish thee to consider well of the Apostles words before recited out of Romanes 5.3 4 5. Ro. 5.3 4 5. where the Apostle doth maruellously illustrate the same First by certaine effects which proceed therefrom one vpon anothere by degrees and secondly from the speciall cause thereof The effects are First Patience which consisteth in quiet suffering and abiding the Lords corrections without any repining murmuring or grudging against the Lord for the same Secondly experience which is that assurance of Gods care and fauour towards them in their afflictions who although hee hath laid the same vpon them yet he will sustaine and vphold them so that they shall not shrinke or fall vnder this heauy burthen of tribulations and that the Lord in his good time for a testimonie of his loue will deliuer them Thirdly from these ariseth hope that hauing had experience of Gods loue heretofore in deliuering of them they are thereby also put in hope that his louing care ouer them is not now ended but shall still be continued towards them And fourthly this hope bringeth forth a boldnes to persist in confidence and still to depend vpon him without shame as knowing assuredly that in time conuenient hee will not faile them Secondly the cause or foundation whereupon this triumphant reioycing accompanied with these effects is grounded is the loue of God spred in their hearts because their hearts and soules finde and feele the loue of God to be so great and exceeding towards them in Christ Iesus that they are thereby perswaded that whatsoeuer he doth permit and suffer to befall them shall by Gods working turne to their great good and benefit Strengthening themselues with this reason of the Apostle elsewhere alledged That seeing GOD hath not spared his owne Sonne Rom. 8.32 but gaue him for vs all to death how shall hee not with him giue vs all things also For in this sort and after this order by this fruitfull meditation of grace in Christ and in his death and Passion is that same sheading and spreading abroad of Gods loue towards his children performed And therefore the Apostle euen immediately vpon the same annexeth the remembrance of the Passion of our Sauiour Rom. 5 6. For Christ saith hee when we were of no strength at his time dyed for the vngodly The fift effect of Faith The fift effect of Faith whereby as a marke thereof it is to bee knowne is loue not that loue before spoken of for that was in regard of vs a passiue loue beeing the Loue God whereby hee loueth vs. But this loue whereof wee now speake is actiue in regard of our selues euen that loue which we extend to others Gal. 5.6 for faith worketh by loue so that if thou hast a liuing and a working Faith thou shalt also haue a loue attending on it for else it cannot worke at all Now this loue in regard of the double obiect is found to bee of two sorts that is the loue which wee owe vnto God principally and aboue all and secondly the loue which we owe ought to beare towards our neighbour And these two kindes of loue although they greatly differ the one from the other yet they are alwayes so linked and inseparably coupled and tyed together that they cannot in any wise bee parted or seuered the one from the other For how can he saith Iohn 1. Ioh. 4.20 that loueth not his brother whom he hath seene loue God whom hee hath not seene And againe this commandement haue wee of him that hee which loueth God should loue his brother also And therefore the same Apostle in the same Epistle maketh the one to bee a signe and token vvhereby a man may know if hee haue the other In this we know saith Iohn that we loue the children of God 1. Ioh. 5.2 when we loue God and keepe his Commandements Hereupon now it may bee very well concluded that if thy faith bee true and liuely thou shalt easily finde these two kindes of loue to bee in thee the loue of GOD and the loue of thy Christian brethren My meaning is that thou wilt haue a Christian care so farre forth as thou shalt bee enabled by the Spirit of God 1. Ioh. 5.3 to performe and doe the will of God For this is the loue of God saith Iohn that we keepe his commandements And also wilt bee carefull ready and willing to thy power to performe and doe the duties of loue and charitie vnto thy Christian brother in helping cherishing counselling and comforting of him to thy power in matters concerning both the good