Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	lord_n	love_n	love_v	2,989	5	6.7075	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A10394	Saint Pauls triumph, or cygnea illa & dulcissima cantio that swan-like and most sweet song, of that learned and faithfull seruant of God, Mr. Iohn Randall, bachelor of diuinitie: vttered by him (in an eleauen sermons, vpon the eight chapter of St. Pavl his epistle to the Romans, vers. 38.39.) lately before his death, in the time of his great and heauy affliction, and vpon the Communion-dayes, either altogether, or for the most part. And now published for the glory of God, the edification of his church and people, and the hononrable [sic] memoriall of the author, by William Holbrooke, preacher of the word of God.	Randall, John, 1570-1622.; Holbrooke, William.	1623 (1623)	STC 20678; ESTC S102568	146,192	249

his lone It is the loue of God to his that gathers all true beleeuers together vnto Iesus Christ he being their Captaine and they his Souldiers to serue vnder his Colours Oh this is a sweet seruice to serue and to fight vnder the Colours and Banner of the loue of God in Iesus Christ Iohn 3.16 God so loued the world that he gaue his onely begotten Sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue eternall life God hath giuen vs his Sonne Iesus Christ that by faith wee might beleeue in him and haue Communion with him and hee that doth beleeue in him shall neuer perish but haue eternall life And whence is all this from his loue there is no bond to tye God to doe this for vs but onely his loue to vs God so loued the world c. Iohn 17.23 I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one and that the world may know that thou hast sent me and hast loued them as thou hast loued mee That Christ is in vs and God in Christ and that all the faithfull haue a perfect Communion with God in Christ These are plaine Euidences to the eye of the world that God hath sent his Sonne to vs and that he hath loued vs in some measure as he loues Christ himselfe and that this loue was the cause why he did all this for vs So much for proofes of Scripture to confirme this point Secondly by Reasons The Reasons of the Doctrine are these First all Reason 1 the good that euer God doth to all or any of his creatures it is meerely of his owne loue and good will towards them therefore this Communion which God affords the faithfull to haue with him is much more from his loue That all the good that euer God doth to any of his creatures comes from his loue we may see Psal 145.16 Thou openest thy hand and fillest all things liuing of thy good pleasure then much more this Communion I say much more for the Reason ariseth vpon many aduantages First if all the good he doth to the other creatures comes from his loue much more the good hee doth to man must come from his loue Man being the choise and prime of the creatures Secondly if to men in generall of loue then much more to true beleeuers being the prime and choise of men in Gods estimation Thirdly if all the good God doth to true beleeuers comes from his loue then much more this blessed Communion which is the Prime and Choise and indeed the very Summe of all the good wee receiue from God so that the reason stands very strong Reason 2 The second Reason is drawne from the nature or kinde of this Communion What is that It is such a Communion as is betwixt the Father and the Child 2 Cor. 6.18 I will be your Father and you shall be my Sonnes and Daughters saith the Lord Almighty Now betwixt the Father and the Childe the case stands thus so long as the Father loues his Child so long he doth well by him and delights to do him good when his loue failes then the good he doth him failes too that which binds the Father to doe his Childe good is his loue towards him Now Isay 49.15 can a Mother forget her childe and not haue compassion on the Sonne of her wombe though shee should yet will not the Lord forget his Children The loue of a father to his child is changeable but Gods loue to his children is vnchangeable that bond may be broken and so all flies in sunder but this cannot be broken and therefore we cannot be sundred from God Againe it is such a Communion as is betwixt the head and the members Ephe. 4.15.16 and wee know that it is from a louing respect that the head carries to the members of the Body whereby the members receiue life and sense and motion from the head they are knit together in loue as in the 16. verse as that being the knitter of the members amongst themselues and to their head and therefore consequently of the head to the members as the Apostle makes the matter very cleare in that place Againe it is such a Communion as is betwixt the husband and the wife Hosea 2.19 and loue is all in all in that Communion First it brings them together then it knits them together and it holds them fast together to the death so it is betwixt God and vs looke into the booke of Canticles with a spirituall eye and there we shall see this Communion of the beleeuing soule with Christ compared to the Communion that is betwixt man and wife and we shall finde that there is neuer a stitch nor passage in it but is from loue Ephesians chap. 5. verse 25. Husbands loue your wiues as Christ loued his Church All that euer is done betwixt man and wife must be in loue and so it is betwixt CHRIST and his Church Reason 3 The third Reason there is no moouing cause in vs why the Lord should thus ioyne vs and tye vs vnto himselfe therefore it is of his meere loue there is no moouing cause on our part for what did or could the Lord see in vs whereby he might be induced to doe this for vs Is it our multitude that should moue God Oh no saith Moses Deut. 7.7.8 The Lord did not set his loue vpon you or chuse you because you were more in number then any people for you were the fewest of all people but because the Lord loued you c. What is it then our Beauty that should moue God to draw vs and bind vs in Communion with himselfe No we were in our blood when God set his loue vpon vs and entred into Couenant with vs Ezek. 16.7.8 What then was it our Righteousnesse No neither Titus 3.5 Not by the workes of Righteousnesse which we had done but according to his mercy he hath saued vs What was it because we loued him first No saith the Apostle 1 Iohn 4.10 Heerein is loue not that we loued him but that he loued vs and sent his Sonne c. No I will adde this further for the strengthening of this Reason that we are so farre from hauing any thing in vs of our selues to induce God to this to make vs one with his blessed Maiesty as that all that is in vs of our selues is vtterly against this Communion all of vs are sinners so farre are we off from hauing Righteousnes we were sometimes enemies to God so far are we from louing God we haue deserued to be ioyned in Communion with the Diuels in hell so farre off are we in our selues from deseruing to be ioyned with God Wee are vgly and deformed in our selues by our wickednesse so farre off are we from hauing any beauty whereby God should set his loue vpon vs We are running away from God as the lost child so farre off are we from drawing neere vnto God All these are

liuely and quicke to vs and therefore let our thankefulnesse be so to him Thirdly hence we learne this Dutie to take comfort Dutie 3 in this loue of God It may comfort thee in afflictions in sicknesse in pouerty at the houre of death Many times God brings vs to the gates of death yet let vs know that God loues vs and then our state is happy we shall haue a sweet and comfortable passage through death to life So it may comfort vs against all the disgraces and scornes of the world the world accounts vs as of-scourings yet here is our comfort that howsoeuer the world accounts of vs yet God loues vs and then it is no matter though the whole world hate vs. Againe this may comfort vs in our prayers which we make to God If wee can come to God and pray Lord remember mee in thy loue can the Lord choose but heare vs If we can come to God with a sound perswasion in our hearts that God loues vs then our prayers shall ascend as a sweet perfume to God and God will surely heare them and that quickly The fourth Dutie we learne hence is to keepe our Dutie 4 selues in this loue of God Iude 21. It is the richest Iewell that euer we can haue and hee that changeth this state of Gods loue for any other hee changeth heauen for hell Therefore doe not prouoke God to breake off his loue from thee displease him not breake not his Lawes resist not his Spirit of grace grieue not his Children neglect not Prayer the Word nor the Sacraments nor other meanes of grace but obserue him duely and be ruled by him and so thou shalt keepe in his loue aboue all things turne not backe to thy olde Sinnes and if thou dost sinne as who doth not presently humble thy selfe make thy peace with him by vnfained Repentance and prayer and faith in the Mediator Iesus Christ renew thy Couenant in him and thus doing thou shalt be sure to keepe in his loue for this is the mercy and goodnesse of God to vs he remembers whereof wee be made and that we cannot but fall yet such is his mercy that if we returne vnto him hee will loue vs still Dutie 5 Fiftly here wee must learne this Duty to recompence our God with loue againe If a man of any fashion loue vs we were very hard-hearted if we would not loue him againe If God loue vs therefore wee must much more loue him againe In many things we cannot recompence God againe God is mercifull to vs we cannot be mercifull to him againe and so in other things But God is louing to vs and wee may recompence him and loue him againe for his loue to vs Our loue to him indeed comes farre short of his loue to vs yet it is that which God requires and which hee will accept and that loue which wee cannot shew to God let vs peece it vp with our loue to his Children and to his Gospell and to his Ministers and thus we may in some sort recompence Gods loue which he shewes to vs. Vse 3 The third Vse It teacheth vs how to esteeme of this great loue of God Ephes 2.4 which passeth knowledge Ephes 3.19 How Why thus As the originall and procuring Cause of all the good that euer we receiue at the hands of God 1 Ioh. 3.1 Wee are the Sonnes of God saith the Apostle What doth he rest there No Behold saith he What loue the Father hath giuen to vs that wee should be called the Sonnes of God Gods loue is the cause of our adoption If you aske why God chooseth vs iustifies vs sanctifies and glorifies vs the answere is because he loues vs But if you aske why hee loues vs There can be no reason giuen of it but because he loues vs. This is the Bond of all it comprehends all the rest of the good that God doth for vs but is not comprehended of any of them This Loue is God and God is Loue. Lastly this shewes vnto vs the Excellency of that Vse 4 Communion which true Beleeuers haue with God The excellency of a true Beleeuers communion with God manifested in foure things 1 Neerenesse because it is bound vp and tyed fast within the vnbounded limits of Gods loue Psal 144.15 Blessed are the people that be so yea blessed be the people whose God is the Lord Consider the Excellency of it in these particulars First the neerenesse of this Communion it is of loue and therefore it is most neere Loue doth transanimate vs as it were and makes of two one as it is betwixt man and wife or as the Heathen man said of two friends that they had one soule and two bodies and so Gods loue makes vs one with God not as if God hereby were become man or man God in proper and precise tearmes but as in a Communion betwixt a man and his wife they are not one man or one wife but one flesh so the loue of God to vs in this Communion makes vs not one God or one man but one Spirit 1 Cor. 6.17 2. Freenesse Secondly consider the Freenesse of this Communion Hosea 14.5 I will loue them freely saith God Luke 1.28 freely beloued God loues vs freely as when a father adopts a Childe for his owne freely As if one of you should see a Childe goe vp and downe the streetes and you should take him into your House and freely adopt him and make him your Childe so doth God he loues vs freely and out of his free loue takes vs into his House and adopts vs to be his Children 3. Surenesse Thirdly consider the Surenesse of this Communion the Bond of it is Gods loue and his loue is euerlasting Ier. 31.3 no time can weare it out and Can. 8.6.7 Loue is strong as Death much water cannot quench Loue It is so betwixt man and woman much more betwixt God and vs It is not our sinnes can quench his loue no loue couers a multitude of sinnes 4. Sweetnesse Lastly consider the Sweetnesse of this Communion betwixt God and vs if it be from the loue of God then it is most sweet Cant. 1.1 Thy loue is better then Wine If a man haue but a sparkle of this loue in him it cannot but quicken him yea it will rauish him Psal 63.3 thy loue is better then life All the blessings that we inioy whether they be spirituall or temporall are no blessings to vs except they be sweetened with this loue of God our meate our drinke our life yea Heauen it selfe is no blessing vnlesse it be sweetned to vs by this Loue of God what good did heauen to the Angels that fell wanting this loue of God Oh the loue of God to a Sinner What is it It is the heart of our hearts the life of our liues and happinesse of our Soules Worldly men let them haue what the world can affoord them wealth and honours and the like they can

Testament And so in the latter Testament Rom. 8 36. For thy sake are we killed all the day long we are counted as sheepe for the slaughter there is the state of the latter Testament See how eligantly the holy Ghost in the mouth of the Prophet in the former Testament and in the mouth of the Apostle in the latter doth chaine both Churches in the same bond and condition of afflictions The Prophet saith in the person of the former Church for thy sake are we slaine all the day long c. and the Apostle in the person of the latter Church retaines it as a truth for thy sake c. No difference in their words nor no difference in their portion of afflictions And therefore when wee reade it in the former Testament know that this was the portion of Gods Church and children from the worlds beginning and when you reade it in the latter Testament know that this shall be the portion of all Gods children to the worlds end We may see this in the cloud of witnesses Hebr. 11.35 to 38. The Church in the former Testament what was their portion They were rackt and would not be deliuered they knew it was their portion Others were tryed by mockings scourgings by bonds and imprisonment they were stoned hewen asunder slaine with the sword c. What can be imagined that is not here to be vnderstood Looke to answer this in the words of the Apostle in the new Testament see how the estate of the Church is vnder that 1 Cor. 4.9 For I thinke saith he the Lord hath set forth vs the last Apostles as men appointed to death for we are made a gazing to the world to Angels and to men The Apostle makes it his owne case 2 Cor. 11.23 to 27. He was in labours aboundant in stripes aboue measure in prison plenteously in death often And so in 2 Cor. 4.8 and 2 Cor. 6.4 to the 10. And so we see the point proued by Scripture The Reasons to proue it are these First our former sinnes deserue it should be so Lam. 3.39 Reasons Why is the liuing man sorrowfull Man suffereth for his sins The Lord himselfe makes the question there and the Lord himselfe answeres it Will you know a true cause why the liuing man is sorrowfull his sinnes are the cause of it our sinnes haue pluckt all the world about our eares by our sinnes wee incense God against vs by our sins we haue incensed all the creatures against vs how can we chuse but haue many afflictions on euery side Many men in the world cry out of the multitude and greatnes of their afflictions but let vs learne a better lesson when we are in distresse let vs cry out of the greatnesse and multitude of our sinnes that deserue and haue brought these heauy and manifold afflictions vpon vs and yet we must not thinke that euery particular affliction is answerable to euery particular sinne but there is a generall reference in all and this vse we are to make of them pray that they may not be laid vpon vs in way of punishment for reuenge but for chastisement in iudgement not in wrath Reason 2 The second Reason Our continuall corruptions are the cause of it our hearts are full of corruption and therfore our liues are full of afflictions If a man be wilde and vnruly he must be kept vp as it were in a prison to keepe him in order Our afflictions are as a ward or a prison to vs to keepe vs that wee breake not forth into sin Iob 7.12 Thou keepest me in ward Iob had an vnruly heart and therefore God kept him in ward or prison that hee should not breake out into sinne with the world Paul was a deare child of God yet he had an vnru●y heart ready to be lifted vp through the aboundance of Reuelations and therefore a messenger of Sathan was sent to buffet him that so he might not be lift vp aboue measure 2 Cor. 12.7 Reason 3 Thirdly our present state and condition exposeth vs to these multitude of troubles Iohn 16.33 In the world you shall haue afflictions What is our present state in this world Is it not a pilgrimage and doe not pilgrimes and strangers finde all hard measure in their trauailes Is it not a warfare and doe not Souldiers endure all dangers and all manner of hardnesse in the field A great many of our Brethren at this day can witnesse it by wofull experience Is not our present state our seede-time and doe not Seedes-men or Husband-men endure many stormes windes and tempests and many a hard brunt before the haruest come So must wee sow here in teares that we may reape in ioy Psalme 126 5. Fourthly Sathan our enemy hee labours it and Reason 4 procures it Reuel 2.10 The Diuell shall cast some of you into prison men doe it yea but the Diuell hee procures it Luke 22.31 Our Sauiour saith to Peter Simon Simon Sathan hath desired to winnow you c. His fingers itch at Gods children to be molesting them and he is malicious and his malice is neuer at an end When he had got a commission against Iob to afflict him in his Cattell Seruants and Children this would not serue his turne but hee sues to haue a new Commission to afflict his Body too Iob 2.4.5 His malice is vnsatiable and without end hee will surely bring vpon vs all the euils he can and hee can doe much where God giues way to him else he can doe nothing and hence it is that we meete with so many tryals Lastly God giues way to Sathans malice and that Reason 5 as for many iust causes best knowne to himselfe So for these Reasons knowne to vs. First to try vs not to see what is in vs for that he knowes well enough but so to try vs as that he purge the drosse out of vs therefore it is called a winnowing Luke 22.31 and fiery tryall 1 Pet. 4 12. Secondly to humble vs nothing annoyes a Child of God more then a proud heart and nothing puls it downe and humbles it more then affl●ction Iob 33.14 16.17 God speakes once or twice and one seeth it not then hee openeth the eares of men by their corrections which he hath sealed that he might abate the pride of man Thirdly to draw vs neere and close to himselfe It is with vs as it is with little children that when they are in the field with their father they runne abroad from him in the grasse carelesly but when they see a dog or a Snake comming towards them presently they runne to their father and cry for helpe So wee runne on in the world straggling from our Father and when some affliction or other takes hold on vs we runne to our Father and cry to him for helpe as the prodigall child did when he was hunger-bitten Luk. 15. Fourthly God giues way to it that so we may magnifie his mercy truth power and wisedome in

accompany a Christian life as Christ himself the Author of thy saluation But here some will pleade their priuiledges that they are exempted from this hard portion for they are loth to come vnder affliction as the child is to come vnder the rod First say they God loues vs therefore he will not afflict vs I say he loues thee therfore he will afflict thee Reu. 3.19 As many as I loue saith God I rebuke chasten Againe they say God is our Father and we are his children therfore he will not correct vs Nay therfore he wil correct vs Heb. 12.6 Whom the Lord loueth he chasteneth and scourgeth euery Sonne that he receiueth Again say they Christ hath suffered all for vs therfore we must not suffer any such things Nay therefore we must suffer Mat. 16.24 If any man will follow Christ he must take vp his Crosse and follow him vnlesse we doe thus we cannot be Christs disciples Iohn 15.20 It is true that these are sweet heauenly priuiledges and such as exempt vs from the euill of all afflictions but not from any one kind of them The second Vse is for Exhortation first to teach Vse 2 euery man to make account of afflictions to look for them continually Make account as duly of thy portion in the Cup of afflictions as of any part of thy daily bread which thou liuest vpon when we are in health and prosperity let vs looke for sicknes aduersitie But will some say what shall I look for these before-hand this is to vexe and trouble our selues without need for if the distresses we looke for do not come then we trouble our selues in vaine If they do come then they bring harme trouble enough with them Why should we sorrow before-hand I answere yet we must looke for them before-hand for if we do so then if they do not come as haply thy godly feare hath preuented them we haue cause to blesse God for it If they doe come then if wee haue made account of them before the smart of them wil be much easier vnto vs temptations troubles and losses when they come vnawares they do commonly lie very hard and heauy vpon vs but when we haue made account of them before-hand they are much lighter to vs. I will not deny but that we must vse all possible meanes to auoid afflictions we must pray against them preuent them what we can as our Sauiour prayed If it be possible let this cup passe from me Luk. 22. yet wee must make account of them before-hand These times wee liue in are such as call vpon vs to looke for afflictions they are the last dayes of the world and they are the worst and most dangerous times present troubles and miseries and imminent dangers and feares there were neuer more The Lord is abroad in Iudgement and carries his cup in his hand the Germans drinke of it first the French soone after the Polonians soone after them and haue not the English iust cause to feare that wee shall pledge them and that ere long we know not how soone Secondly againe this teacheth vs not onely to account of afflictions before-hand but also to prepare for them and to furnish our selues accordingly there is much good to be had by them and therefore we are to prepare for them and therefore doth God warne vs of dangers before-hand that we might be armed to beare them when they doe come Things to be laboured for that we may beare afflictions And that we may prepare for them we must labour for these things First wee must labour to get a resolution in vs to beare them and to stand it out to the death we must resolue with the Apostle Act. 21.13 not onely to suffer but to die with Christ Secondly we must season our hearts with the comforts of Gods promises before-hand to counteruaile our afflictions when they come as that he will neuer faile vs nor forsake vs that he loues vs and that the issue shall be good Thirdly esteeme basely and vildely of thy selfe deny thy selfe and so take vp thy Crosse and follow Christ Matth. 16.24 If we be choise and leaning to our selues we will neuer endure the Crosse compare Matth. 16.20 with Phil. 2.7 And fourthly we must labour to be well acquainted with the death of Christ this is Armour of proofe against all afflictions to know Iesus Christ and him crucified by sensible experience in our selues If I finde the life of Gods Spirit in me applying the death of Christ to mee and thereby subduing and crucifying my sinnes if we can finde this we shall be well armed against all afflictions We come here to receiue the Lords Supper in remembrance of Christs death then let vs desire to be made conformable to his death and then afflictions will be sweet vnto vs. Againe let vs labour for the assurance of Gods loue and fauour for that is it that makes the Apostle thus boldly to beare vp himselfe against all afflictions The last Vse teacheth vs Pacification euen in our Vse 3 greatest distresses let vs sit downe and say this is my portion and therefore will I beare it Many are ready to complaine and cry out and to say when they are afflicted especially when Gods hand lies heauy vpon them Oh my affliction is great and strange my case is not like vnto other mens no man is so hardly handled as I am as the Church Lam. 1.12 but this is the frowardnesse of our corrupt hearts Whatsoeuer it is it is thy portion and therefore be pacified and contented It is no otherwise with thee then it is with all Gods children euery one hath his portion of them 1 Pet. 4.12 It is no strange thing 1 Pet. 5.9 It is the same afflictions that are accomplished in our Brethren 1 Cor. 10.13 No temptation doth befall vs but such as appertaine to man and therfore let vs be content and pacifie our selues looke not so much on thy afflictions but looke vp to God It is his Ordinance that euery one of vs should beare his portion of affliction whatsoeuer thou dost endure it is but thy portion thy draught Shall I not drinke of the Cup which my Father giues me to drinke of saith our Sauiour Ioh. 18.11 This is it our Sauiour comforts himselfe and his Disciples withall and let this comfort thee It is thy Fathers Cup and therefore thou must drinke of it And secondly let vs looke vpon others of Gods children some of them are equall with thee in afflictions others come short but many goe beyond thee and thy afflictions are but little to some of theirs and those that are at more ease now may be in great distresses hereafter and wilt not thou be content to beare that which all Gods children beare and must beare more or lesse first or last All of vs haue sinned Christ onely excepted but none are exempted from the rodde not Christ himselfe And is it not a

maruell then if wee haue so little assurance Lastly Motiues to moue vs to looke that our assurance be true sound seeing this assurance is of such excellent Vse 4 vse then let vs labour to see that the assurance wee haue be true and sound and to presse vs hereunto consider these things First that thy assurance must beare a great burthen it must beare all thy afflictions in life and in death therefore see it be true and sound If the principalls of a house be not sound timber the house must fall Thou art sure to be sifted and tryed to the vttermost either liuing or dying therefore see that thy assurance that must beare these trialls be sound and good A man that hath good euidences for his Land dare bide tryall of his Title against all enemies but if they be counterfeit hee dare not bide the triall And so if our assurance be sound and good we dare bide the triall of all afflictions if not we will neuer stand to the triall Secondly consider Sathans pollicy when he cannot draw vs away from seeking sound assurance then he will put a tricke vpon vs he will labour to make vs beleeue wee haue it when indeed wee haue it not And therefore let vs see that it be true and sound and let vs take heed wee mistake not the Diuels assurance for Gods a shamefull mistake Yea but how shall I know that my assurance is sound and true or no 4. Wayes how a man may know whether his assurance be true and sound I answer thou shalt descerne it clearely by these foure obseruations First by the cause of our assurance Secondly by the Rise of it Thirdly by the nature of it And fourthly by the fruit of it First by the cause of our assurance how it was wrought in thee Was it wrought by the word and by the spirit Hath God made thee well acquainted with his promises reuealed in his word that hee will neuer faile thee nor forsake thee Doest thou finde the spirit of God to incline thine heart to remember them and to beleeue them to rest vpon them and to apply them to thine owne heart as the vndoubted truth of God and that heauen and earth shall faile but not one tittle of them shall faile Doest thou find that thou hast thy part in them and that they do belong to thee being in Christ as well as to any beleeuer If it be so with thee then thy assurance is sound and good else it is not sound except it arise from this cause for Gods word is the word of truth his spirit is the spirit of truth and they teach and worke no lye but looke whatsoeuer grace they teach and worke the same is a true grace without exception therefore if thy assurance arise from these it is sound and good Psal 119.49 Remember thy promise made to thy seruant wherein thou hast caused me to trust When the Lord acquaints vs with his word and promises and causeth vs by his spirit to put our trust in them this is a sound and true assurance that shall stand in remembrance before God for euer The contrary counterfeit assurance and vaine presumption is fetcht and doth arise from other causes as maintenance welfare in outward things selfe-loue Sathans flattery soothings vp of men and such like but this is presumption and neuer comes from the word and spirit An hypocrite may say he doth apply the promises of God to himselfe and that his assurance ariseth from thence and may haue some places of Scripture running in his head sometimes tending to that effect yet indeed he mis-vnderstands the word and mis-applyes the promises and they are not seconded by Gods spirit in their hearts causing them to put their trust in the promises Secondly looke into the Rise of our assurance and what is that It is when our assurance is gotten and doth arise vpon and after hearty and vnfained repentance for sinne and vpon hearty praier to God oh when a poore sinnefull soule findes that hee is ouerladen with sinne and hath the sence of the burthen thereof in his heart and goes to God and humbles himselfe for it throughly before the Lord with sighes and groanes vnspeakeable and hath bedewed himselfe with the teares of a troubled head and a broken heart and hath pleaded effectually the pardon of all his sinnes in the death of Christ and the grace of reformation by his spirit then is that soule in a fit case to receiue this assurance And vsually in this case God stirres vp the heart to begge this assurance and in this case vsually God giues it Psal 51.1.2.3.8.12 Dauid pleads hard for the forgiuenesse of his sinnes for iustification and sanctification and he addes this petition more Restore to me the ioy of thy saluation stablish mee with thy free spirit and vpon this petition God gaue it him Counterfeit assurance and vaine presumption hath no such rise but it ariseth from a benummed conscience and from a dead spirit I neuer doubted say some but haue good assurance of Gods loue in Christ and all shall goe well with mee True because thou hast a dead conscience and art past feeling and art not sensible of thy danger as a dead man feeles no hurt because he is dead and so it is with thy dead and benummed conscience Thirdly we may know whether our assurance be sound good from the nature of it True assurance is humble and lowly and stands not vpon its owne strength but it stands vpon the strength power and goodnesse of God They came about me like Bees saith the Prophet Psal 118.11.12 but in the name of the Lord I shall destroy them Dauid neuer makes mention of his owne strength but of Gods Goliah was confident in himselfe but hee had a shamefull fall Dauid was confident in God and had a glorious victory Let vs therefore humble our selues in the consideration of our owne weakenesse and let vs rest vpon the strength of God in Christ and that is true assurance Lastly let vs looke vpon the fruit of our assurance Is it ioyned with a godly life The same spirit that is the spirit of adoption to assure vs of our saluation is also the spirit of sanctification to renew vs and to make vs liue a godly life and none can haue this assurance but he that leads a godly life 1. Iohn 3.3 He that hath this hope in him purgeth himselfe If therefore thou sayest thou hast this assurance and art not purged from thy sinnes thou art a lyer When we sinne especially against conscience our assurance much decayes as fire when water is cast vpon it But if thou beest purged from thy sinne it will make thee more sure 2 Pet. 1.9 10. Hee that hath not these things c. hath forgotten that hee was purged from his olde sinnes but he that doth these things he that endeauours to leade a godly life and to stand it out to death he shall neuer

was one of Sathans chiefe bolts that he shot at Iob Iob 2.4 Skin for skin and all that euer a man hath will he giue for his life These are the dangers of life and death great dangers horrible dangers well yet whosoeuer is the childe of God is in safety vnder Gods protection against all these Therefore the second point is to know how farre the children of God are in safety against all these dangers They are not exempted from any of these dangers in respect of the matter of them for so all things fall out alike to all to the iust and to the wicked Preach 9.2 There are some dangers of life and some of death and they fall alike to good and bad yea but the faithfull are in safety from the euill of all these dangers Iob 5.19 Hee will deliuer thee in sixe troubles and the euill of the seauenth shall not touch thee Troubles shall be vpon them but the euill of the troubles shall not touch them Psalm 23.4 Though I should walke in the valley of the shadow of death I will feare no euill Dauid might walke in the valley of the shadow of death as well as others but God is with him therefore he shall not feare the euill of the shadow of death And this is as much as our Sauiour prayed for and obtained for vs Iohn 17.15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world but that thou shouldest keepe them from euill and therfore this is as much as we must or can looke for But what are these euils that we are subiect to in these dangers of life and death I answere Foure euils Gods people are freed from in affliction there are foure speciall euils in the dangers of life and death which all Gods children are freed from and which all the wicked fall into The first is losse of graces the second is the hardening of the heart by sinne the third is the furtherance of eternall damnation the fourth is the reuenging hand of God First losse of graces the seeming graces of the wicked may be and vsually are lost in their troubles and dangers their seeming faith their seeming repentance and their seeming obedience Luke 8.13 In time of temptation they fall away their faith is lost but Gods children can neuer loose their graces by their afflictions they may decay in some graces and the brightnesse of them may be dimbd and their edge blunted by the extremity of their afflictions but they can neuer be vtterly depriued of them Nay so farre off are Gods children from loosing their graces by their afflictions that they are gayners in grace by them by their afflictions their sinnes and corruptions are purged and they come forth like the pure gold as Iob speakes Iob 23.10 He tryeth me but I shall come forth like the gold The second euill is the hardening of the heart in sinne the wicked are hardened by their afflictions in sinne let Pharaoh be in danger of Gods iudgements and he will harden his heart in his sinnes but let Iosiah bee in danger of Gods iudgements and his heart will melt at them and he will humble himselfe before the Lord and so Iob 23.16 For God hath softened mine heart and the Almighty hath troubled me Iobs troubles softned Iobs heart and made him to feare the Lord. Thirdly the furtherance of eternall damnation that is another euill in these dangers to the wicked the tryals which they endure here are the beginnings of hell All these fearefull passages that befell Kaine in his life Iudas in his death were the beginnings of their passage into hell and condemnation but it is contrary with Gods children in their afflictions for all their afflictions are preuentions of condemnation 1 Cor. 11.32 When we are iudged wee are chastened of the Lord because we should not be condemned with the world Yea they are furtherances vnto heauen 2 Cor. 4.17 Our light afflictions which are but for a moment cause vnto vs a farre more excellent and eternall waight of glory Looke how it was with the Israelites and the Egyptians in the red Sea so it is with the wicked and the godly in their dangers of life and death they were both in the Sea together but the Israelites they passe safe through it and the Sea was as a wall to them on the right hand and on the left and a high way to helpe them forward in their passage from Egypt towards Canaan but the Egyptians were ouerwhelmed of it and it became their graue and they sunke to hell in it So the sea of all the troubles both of life and death are matters of vtter desolation to the wicked to further their damnation But all that befall Gods children in this passage of life and death are helpes and furtherances to the heauenly Canaan matters that further their saluation The fourth and last euill in these dangers is the reuenging wrath of God and this is the euil of all euils the true cause of all the former when God afflicts the wicked hee doth it to bee reuenged of them for their sins as a wrathfull Iudge But when he afflicts his children if it be in anger it is a fatherly anger and indeed it is rather a fatherly loue and a signe of his fauour Heb. 12.6 Whom the Lord loueth he chasteneth c. Iere. 10.24 Oh Lord correct me but in iudgement not in thine anger God corrects his children but he doth it not in anger fury no that is for the wicked Lay all these together First the children of God in all their troubles loose no grace no they are gayners by them secondly they do not harden their hearts in sin no their hearts are mollified by them thirdly their afflictions are not furtherances to hell but they further them to heauen Lastly they come not as the reuenging hand of God in fury vpon them but in loue as a father corrects his child and then see and say Oh how safe are all Gods children in all their dangers both of life and death So that we see the Doctrine is cleare that all true beleeuers are in good safety vnder Gods assured protection against all dangers of life and death For proofe of this point Proofes first consider life and death together and then consider them asunder and we shall find this to be true consider them together as Rom. 14.8 Whether we liue wee liue vnto the Lord or whether we die we die vnto the Lord whether wee liue therefore or die we are the Lords The persons there spoken of are true beleeuers wee and there are two things affirmed of them First their duty to God secondly Gods protection ouer them their duty to God in the former part of the verse in life and death whether we liue that is for the time of our life we liue vnto God that is we consecrate our bodies and soules our liues and all our endeauours to Gods seruice and to his glory or