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A09319 The sinners safetie, if heere hee looke for assurance by Richard Barnerd ... Bernard, Richard, 1568-1641. 1609 (1609) STC 1963.3; ESTC S1489 43,261 108

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hearts that they neuer depart from him Ier. 32. 40. Lastly we may establish our thoghts vpon the ground of a mans saluation The foundation of God remaineth sure his 2. Tim. 2 19. free mercie in Christ Iesus chusing some to euerlasting life no inducement in mā before we haue being our end is appointed nothing good foreseene in vs mouing God no way in vs is there cause at all of our happines but begun frō Gods free good pleasure and established in Christ out of whom wee may not suppose any least thing that may be beneficiall to worke mans saluation or to procure good to vs which is not freely giuen of God and obtained by Christ alone without any respect of vs at all Whence a penitent sinner may thus cōfortably reason Gods I was before I had my beeing in my beeing by corruption of nature hee found me his enemy yet did he not hate me but shewed his mercie vnto me he ordained me before the world that caused him in time to bring me into the world my sinnes did not hinder the passage of mercy because in Christ he would be satisfied for mee I will therefore surely conclude that God remaining one in mercie Christ Iesus alway wel-pleasing to his father the cause of my saluation beeing stil one and the same I will not doubt damnation for falles of infirmity when as Gods mercie and Christes merit preuented the same in mine obstinate standing in rebellion Thus by meditation may wee strengthen and settle our selues in assurance to be saued Praise the Lord. It pleaseth God to afford his childrē By diuine inspiration more in musing on heauenly comforts then when mens thoughts are bestowed vpon other things he aydeth them with his spirit who openeth our eies to see the secrets of the kingdome of God and to know the things that are giuen vs of God 1 Cor. 2. 12. Rom. 8. 10. who giueth testimony to our spirit that we are the children of God which witnes also is true and not lying as Iohn saith This is the spirit of adoption by which we are sealed and the earnest which he giueth when he taketh vs to be his Haue I then the spirit of Christ I am Christs and in him there is no cōdemnation Rom. 8. 1. Now least we be misled by Satans delusion and take it for the holy spirits inspiration By sanctification How to know the perswasion of Gos spirit from Sathans delusion see Rom. 〈◊〉 2. 5. 11. 15. 16. there is a third thing to be added that is sanctification For if we haue the spirit of God we are led by it wee walke not after the flesh but sauour the things of the spirit which quickneth our mortall bodies by it wee doe mortifie the deedes of the flesh by it we are without feare and dare come to God cry Abba father this spirit helpeth our infirmities in prayer it maketh request for vs with sighes that cannot be expressed This is the witnessing of Gods spirit with our spirit it is not a bare motion but a true perswasion from the effectuall graces which it worketh in vs causing vs to liue in newnesse of life This spirit witnesseth not to our spirit if it bee adulterous nor to our drunken spirit nor to our sweating lying blasphemous and rayling spirit nor to our prophane and mocking spirit if such we be that we are the sonnes of God no no for our conscience telleth vs that such are the sonnes of the Diuel and all perswasion of saluation is but Sathans deceiueable delusions to secure vs in sin The holie spirit will not say wee are coheires with Christ certaine of heauen whilst we walke on in wickednes hee teacheth in the scripture the contrarie and sheweth that there is no peace Esai 57. 21. Psal 9. 17. Mat. 25. to the wicked they shall go into hell and all the workers of in●quity Vse Therefore let vs not think otherwise but it is the spirit of Sathan and not the holy Ghost that worketh an imagination of any certaintie of sal●ation whilst wee liue vnsanctified in our thoughts vnchanged in our speech and vnreformed in our conuersation We see that assurnace may bee had by the foresaid meanes it must make vs striue by these means for it which if we obtaine O blessed are we saluation is come vnto vs the comfort of all comforts Through this assurāce thogh we fall we rise againe and doubt not of The benefits which arise vnto vs by hauing assurance mercie when we repent We ioy to heate of death because we are perswaded to be with Christ which is best of all we feare not man that onely can kill the bodie for that our soules are in safety This maketh vs desire to bee taken from hence and to be dissolued This maketh vs loue and long after the comming of the Lord Iesus saying how long Lord whē Lord O come Lord Iesus come quickly Reue. 6. 10. 22. 20. This to conclude freeth vs frō all dread of any euil that may befall vs from the rigour of the law it cānot condemne vs if it do Christ Iesus acquiteth vs frō terror of conscience it dare not accuse vs if it do Christ will speak for vs frō deaths sting dead stroke it hath not right to rule ouer vs if it do it s but a while Christ hath got the victory frō the fierce wrath of the Iudge in the last day when he shal be before vs Angels on one hand diuels on an other about vs the world burning in million● of thousāds conscience accusing crying out to the mountains to couer them hell gaping ready to deuoure all to whome Christ shall say Go ye cursed with the Diuell his angels Math. 25 But what terrour can this be to the penitent assured of life none at all The Diuels cannot daunt vs the repentant hath his pardon Angels will not disclaime vs they here haue waited vpon vs God will acknowledge vs we haue his spirit the assurance of his loue And can the Iudge Iesus Christ condemne vs who is our sauiour and hath by his death acquited vs Lastly we are freed from the horrour of hell where Diuels damned ghosts bee where paine is endless the place darknesse the persons punished with fire and brimstone remedilesse their noise is hydeous weeping and wayling for time lost and not recouerable howling lamentably crying for time present and paines intollerable they gnash with their teeth one vpon an other their conscience accusing cōntinually tormenting They languish with paine wishing to die but they shall remaine and euer bee though liueles●e that their torment may be endless Sithen assurance of saluation here deliuereth vs from the dread of these things what cause haue wee to vse all meanes to get so great and vnspeakable a good Oh let vs then meditate seriously pray for the spirit ardently and liue here conscionably that wee may bee therefore certaine of our saluation and
and vrge them with such arguments least they should bee wanting in this duety For indeed men are loath to lay good things to heart and more loath to practise Wee are like Balaam heauen can we wish O that we might die the death of the righteous but wee would not liue their life Flesh seeketh after ease the way to life is strait we would not be as Lazarus here but like Diues fare deliciously euery day and yet like Lazarus looke for heauen at our ending Therefore it is needfull for ministers to vrge and to set vs on forward to follow our sluggish nature with reason vpon reason as so many goades pricking our consciences to cause vs to stirre our feete and so go on in the way of saluation Bare narrations to slowe dispositions are of no force And if words take place without waight of reason it is either the worke of faith which is rare or leuity of affection which is too common and to which agreeth well the prouerb Soone ripe soone rottē A Iewish intertainment of Christ to day Hosannah to morrow Crucifie Let vs then say shew why that vnderstanding may be informed iudgement setled with reason Suspect the ground sandy where the house is built with sound of words a little storme will shake it and easily ouerthrow it Such as are won soūdly as a diseased mēber perfectly healed will abide constant And thus much for the Coherence The words diuide themselues into The diuision of the Text. two generall parts 1. An exhortation wherein note 1. The ground of it in the word Wherefore 2 The parties exhorted Brethren 3 The matter of the exhortatiō in the words following Giue diligence to make your calling and election sure 2 A reason wherin is contained a promise wherein note 1 The condition thereof If yee doe these things 2 The thing promised in these words Ye shall neuer fall Doctrine Of these as the words lie in order But first it is not to bee omitted that the Apostle vsing in this verse a reason to enforce the embracing of vertue as is aforesaid doth not barely set it downe as the former but deliuereth it by way of exhortation which argueth the Apostles affection in speaking desiring that this reason might not onely bee vnderstoode but also embraced with affection For exhortations are to enflame the affection to make men zealous as doctrine is to make them iudicious both necessarie to feede the soule Vnderstanding without feruencie of affection is cold entertainment such growe sooner full of policie then pietie the best is luke-warmenes a burthen that God cannot beare but must needes spue them out of his mouth Vse for either the Lord or Baal And if affection be alone it is but folly running into schisme or superstition Therefore must men be vrged to affect that which is taught Doctrine But in that the Apostle is so earnest in this reason that they may get assurance of saluation he commendeth vnto vs the waight of this argument chiefly of all other to bee affected And indeede if wee consider that without assurance wee are altogether comfortlesse who would not hereby be moued to embrace vertue and exercise himselfe therein Without assurance though we haue possession of the best good wee are not in perfect ioy Vncertainty of cont●nuance of happinesse in a happy estate maketh the same lesse comfortable the minde often charged with feare of too sodaine an end No man hireth but hee seeketh to know a certaine terme and hee that hath a Lease for many yeares would also make it his owne by purchase for better assurance Assurance is a salue to cure feare it is a stay in wauering and distrust the best safety against desperation that dreadfull soules miserie Vse Therefore let it moue vs to be vertuous that so wee may get assurance For assurance of Land wee will be at cost to pay money for certaine gaine wee do trauell farre to bee sure of promotion wee will serue long euen hard Masters in drudgery great men not without slauerie And is a vertuous life a seruice to the Almightie the father of mercy nothing worth is it so loathsom or irksome that we cannot indure it to haue assurance of heauen the gaine of Glory and the honour of Angels with Christ for euer Oh! hearken and consider the one and the other What is the assurance of all the world without hope of heauen The bodies blisse caryon the soules death damnation Now to the words Wherefore that is because vnles you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Paraphrase explaining the word for to raise the doctrine haue these vertues you shall be but idle professors fruitlesse blinde vnthankfull to God and without any assurance of saluation therefore giue diligence to liue vertuously and to make your calling election sure It is a word shewing how that which followeth doth depend on that which goeth before from which we learne That the discommodities The doctrine of the want of these vertues and the good insuing by them should make vs seeke to be endued with them To auoid danger bodily and to get Reasons to inforce it aduantage to our selues in earthly commodities wee are moued to seeke after those things by which wee may escape losse and gaine some good Men studie to become learned men labour for friends they trauel for riches and seeke for promotion onely for that the benefite of them is so much for mans welfare and the want thereof held so greatly hurtfull as without them men are but iudged miserable and yet learning and friends riches and honour are nothing at all either so auaileable to make him happy that hath them as hee that hath grace or so miserable that wanteth them as hee which is without grace Holy vertues are a pledge of Gods loue the fruits of the spirit the hand writing The benefit of ver●he benefit of vertues heauenly graces what they ●re of God in our hearts witnessing his loue and confirming his couenant with vs. They be so many staies from slyding in slippery prosperity so many potions purging out vices so many pull-backs from vanity and so many comforts in aduersitie They be marks of Gods children and pleasant flowers to decke vp sweetely our Temples the dwelling of the holy Ghost What comparison betweene humane learning and heauenly vertues betweene riches of the world and this wealth of the soule betweene these friends here and Gods good fauour between earthly greatnes spirituall grace none at all And is there any equality in the losse nothing lesse A man that hath grace and vertue may be and is happy though he want learning riches honour and friends But enioy all these without grace see the ende Hamans honour occasioned his hanging Absoloms beautie was his bane the young mans wealth held him from Christ Achitophels learning and wisedome was his destruction and all this came to passe through want of grace and these heauenly vertues To
wee be such it plainly appeareth that wee runne the way of death and walke in the path of perdition except we do amend Let such worldlings consider that the world they must leaue going as they came naked with nothing and thē receiue not as they were in wealth here a place there but as they were religious so shall they be rewarded And therfore sith this world vanisheth and cannot help but euen as wee haue sought the Lord so shall wee find comfort let vs be more diligent in seeking after that which will maks vs euer happy without alteration euerlastingly Againe the voluptuous liuer is nothing Voluptuous liuers lesse then of this minde to seeke diligently those things that are aboue but hee as a beast maketh his bellie his God and the satisfying of his lust his chiefest life Nothing sauours with him but pleasures therefore spendeth hee his daies in cursed delights and saith as the carelesse Rich man Soule liue at ease eat drinke and take thy Luke 12. 19 pastime when in his strength and in the midst of his pleasures hee thinketh of death he thereby stirs vp his minde the more to his euils saying as an Epicure and Atheist Let vs eate and drinke for 1 Cor. 15. to morrowe vve shall die hee maketh a league with death and a couenant with the graue if all die he dreameth to liue though God threaten damnation yet he will presume of mercie vntill the verie daies of euill come wherein he will be forced to say I haue no pleasure in them When sicknes hath sommoned him and feare of present death hath taken possession then happely wil he say Oh I haue sinned pray for me I haue spent my daies leudly what shall I doe and if in this agony conscience seaze vpon him then he will roare for feare of hell then houle and cry out in dread of damnation oh saue but none shall succour oh heare but God will not hearken woe is Pro. 1. 28. me for my wantonnesse wo is me that I haue wrought such wickednesse goodnes I regarded not I therefore now feele no comforts of grace oh that GOD would let me liue againe how would I then seek after him fie vpon filthy lust cursed pleasures a due vanitie of vanities and vexation of spirit Beloued if we but felt what men feele for sinne in trouble of conscience and without comfort we would not for the world be in their place wee escaping the danger would soone leaue sinne giue all diligence to doe good in which onely resteth all our comfort then with gladnes and alacrity of spirit wee would set forward to the worke of the Lord embrace goodnes and liue vertuously that wee might not come into the like miserie any more Therefore let the feare of it aforehād moue vs to giue all diligence to do wel that we may neuer taste of that dreadfull torment the apprehension of Gods wrathfull displeasure for which Christ sinneles for our sinnes sustaining fell into such an agony as in the garden hee swet drops of bloud wretched man remember thou this and on the crosse cryed My God my God vvhy hast thou forsaken Mat. 27. 46 me and shall we sinne rebelliously and presume of mercie shall hee forsaken as it were feare who was without sinne and that day and night sought after good things and may we be drowned in voluptuousnesse and carelesse of religion bee wholly without dread O vaine imagination Sathanicall delusion cursed presumption Let vs bee otherwise minded I beseech you think better of it There are also an other sort to conclude Carelesse professours cold Protestants who though as these forenamed they bee not wretchedly addicted to their wils running headlong into wickednesse and wholy careless of religion to the very end yet are they idle i● their profession and not carefull to vse their time so well as they might but will be content to let occasions offered slip and do thinke that men may be too curious too precise making more adoe then needeth that they can serue God and heare not the word twise on the Sabbaoth once a forthnight or once a moneth may content them that businesses may withdraw from these too sometime so as a little liketh them well yea and lesse then nothing now then shall not displease them But these worke not out their saluation with feare and trembling these doe forget how the fiue foolish virgins let their lamps go out for want of watchfulnesse and did knock too late when the gates were Mat. 25. 11 12. shut The spouse in the Canticles losing the Cant. 5. 3. 6. 7. present opportunity in her sluggish carelesse disposition had almost lost Christ who yet after sought him and found him but not without strokes and wounds giuen by the watchmen It will bee iust with God to punish our carelesnesse we haue the word offered we may enioy it bee not loathing of this Mannah be diligent in searching the soules safety It may come to passe that when we would we shall not haue it and whilst we seeke and happily find we shall haue no small trouble before wee enioy againe our peace We should followe religion and religious exercises in the compasse of our calling as Elisha did Eliah neither tarrie at Gilgall nor at Bethel nor at Iericho 2 Kings 2. though wee be entreated that is by no means nor by any occasion to leaue off for feare of losing the blessing if wee be but a while absent Let vs as Ruth protested to Naomi Ruth 1. 16 17. so say for religion wee wil not be intreated to leaue it nor depart frō it whither it goeth wee will go the Lord do so to vs and more also if ought but death depart it and vs. It is Eliah to double blessings vpon thee It is Naomi faire and beautifull to the soule though sometime Marah to the flesh Hence is it that Dauid Psa 1. 2. saith Blessed is he that meditateth in the lawe of God both day and night He was not of the minde of these vaine professours nor of their practise who not content with the day would rise vp at midnight to praise the Lord. The spirit of God in godly men hath taught them to thinke that they should giue all diligence to be religious that they should not content themselues with formal and customarie seruice nor at their leisure now or then from worldly businesse or carnall delights to thinke of heauen but daily were they in exercise of religion what estate calling so euer they were in Dauid a King did not neglect it Cornelius a Captaine was a deuout man and Act. 10. 2. 30 prayed God continually Hannah was in the Temple day and night Peter was in his holy meditation and prayers at noone and Daniel a great States-man Dan. 6. became so curiously precise in his holy deuotion and seruice vnto God that he would not in the perill of his
decline from the right way what trouble is in the recouery if euer we returne back at all Before we come to God sure wee are Iohn 8. Ephe. 2. 1. 2. 3. 2. Tim. 2. 26 the diuels no child so like his father as we be like Satan our grād fire who doth rule vs that as he pleaseth strong hold he hath of vs easily he wil not let vs go In our sauiours time he tormented rent tore the bodies of men whom he possessed before he would let go his hold so loth is he to lose vs not of loue but to deuoure vs. If thus he striue to keep possession of the body how hard it is to win out of his hands bodie and soule wherto if wee adde our owne madnes herein that we vnwillingly are deliuered rather resisting the meanes and persecuting the messengers sent to recouver vs that would bring vs into the state of grace then any way willingly yielding our selues for our bettering wee cannot but graunt it true that it is hard for vs to enter into the way of saluation We are naturally like wilde beasts Hard to win men to God loth to be tamed we can better away to be sauages to liue in our corruptions after our lusts then walke in any orderly course if vnpleasing to the flesh What adoe is there to winne men from their wickednes some of vs from our whordome some from drunkennesse some from blasphemous oathes some from greedy couetousnes some from superstition some from one thing some from an other but especially from our beloued personall sinne God may thunder from heauen against rebellious Israelites but they will not amend Christ may lay lode vpon the conscience of Iudas and tell him that it were better he had neuer beene borne then to bee a traytor to the sonne of man but it cannot stay him couetousnes so hath taken hold vpon him Iohn Baptist may call the Pharises a generation of vipers yet will they still eate out their Mothers side and keepe their conditions And he may perhaps by long and much labour bring Herod to doe this and that but Herodias will he not forsake So loue we to liue in sinne least Sathan should wholy lose v 〈…〉 nd God fully enioy vs. Wee neede n 〈…〉 her confirmation herein but the witnes of our owne hearts Many Sermons haue we heard some after one manner some after an other to bring vs into the right way our consciences haue accused vs often caused vs to feare wrath and destruction good exāples of other before vs Gods mercies motiues ouer vs his chasticemēts vpon vs the rule of reason within vs to reduce vs yet haue we not left off to doe wickedly as if wee had sworn with a high hand to resist both God and all good men to bring vpon our selues deserued damnation forlorne caitifs accursed wights may wee thinke our selues and hence condiscend to this infallible truth that it is very hard to begin to be good As it is not easie to enter into the Men hardly abide in the way when they are entred straite gate so is it a thing of no lesse difficultie to abide hauing set foote into that path of peace For we beeing in the state of grace though wee haue true graces yet are we not therein perfect and the imperfection of good argueth so much of corruption this affecteth corrupt things and pulleth vs from the desire of that which is holy Hence is it that a man findeth in him a continuall combat sometime the flesh preuailing sometime the spirit with faith is doubting with will is an vnwillingnes a pronesse to euill but to doe good is not present with vs whereupon it commeth to passe that we sinne often and euery sin interrupteth the comforts of a peaceable conscience which maketh vs call into question the assurance of saluation and worketh much sorrowe of heart so that euery man may with the Apostle cry out saying O miserable man that I am Rom. 7. who shall deliuer me from the bodie of this death Vpon this our imperfect state corruption Satan doth take aduantage hee layeth baites to allure vs and snares to entrap vs according to our personall infirmities from our natural disposition he maketh motions by internall suggestions or else prepareth externall obiects for the senses to drawe away the heart by both or either are wee deceiued hee tempting and wee either yielding or but weakely resisting Thus brought he out of the way perfect Adam iust Lot faithfull Abraham meeke Moses holie Aaron zealous Dauid strong Sampson and that wise Salomon What man was euer encountred and not ouercome if GOD did not aide the best graces with his second grace We then see it to bee as hard to abide as to make entrance into the way of saluation Easily wee slippe out of the way Hard to recouer after relapse hardly go wee on back can wee run fast but when wee are gone from home wee make small haste to returne againe long lay Dauid in his sinne ere hee recouered till the Prophet Nathan came and awoke him in these plaine tearmes saying thou art the man Sathan giueth such attendance 2 Sam. 12. 7 if a childe of God bee taken wandring as he can scarcely finde the way home againe He either bewitcheth vs so with pleasures that we cannot returne or affrigheth vs with feare as Adam that we dare not If we get out of his hands againe and by Gods good mercie outrunne him yet is it with such striuing as wee almost faint betweene feare to be held and hope to escape weighing Gods iustice with our sinne we dread damnation considering our back slyding scarcely dare we looke for mercy but with sighs grones teares wee come lamenting to the throne of grace confessing sometime with the prodigall sonne Father I haue sinned against Luke 15. heauen and against thee I am not worthy to be called thy sonne make mee as one of thy hyred seruants sometime confessing Luke 18. with the Publicane and crying Lord haue mercie vpon me a sinner acknoledging with Esra our vnworthinesse saying O my God I am confounded and ashamed Esdra 9. 6. 7 to lift vp mine eies vnto thee ô my God and praying with Dauid Haue Psal 6. 2. 4. mercie vpon me O Lord for I am weake O Lord heale me for my bones are vexed returne O Lord deliuer my soule saue me for thy mercies sake And thus it may be after many teares lowd cries bitter weeping and long sute made we find at the length fauour and pardon Hee that commeth the easiliest returneth with confession of vanity of vanities all is but vanitie in his mouth and with vexation of spirit in the heart but many cry and weepe powring downe many a salt teare from the eie for their former folly before they obtaine mercie Much trouble then and difficulty is in the recouery of a sinner To conclude many men of excellent
Many of singular note haue fallen and neuer could returne againe 2. Kings 9 10. gifts of great note in the Church famous for worthy acts haue falne neuer returned againe as appeareth in couragious and valiant Iehu a captaine for the Lord of hostes against the house of Ahab who slew two kings Iehoram and Ahaziah of Iuda and Israell by him was Iezabel cast downe that cursed Queene and the dogs did eat her in the gates of Isreel hee ouerthrew Baall his Priests and temple he was zealous for the Lord and tooke Ionadab to bee a witnesse thereof with him So Demas Col. 4. 14. intertained the Gospell accompanied the Apostle in his afflictions saluted the Saincts and was famous in Churches Ioash long liued religiously he honoured 2. Kin. 12. godly Iehotada and was counselled by him he repaired the Temple and did many things worthy praise Iudas was a follower of Christ three yeares he preached Christ in his name cast out diuels Mat. 10. and was an Apostle one of the twelue chosen by Christ out of all the world yet was not Iehu his heart vpright but he embraced Ieroboams calues and fell from God and claue to his Idolatrie yet did D●mas forsake the Gospell and entertained this present world and no mētion of his returne againe yet did Ioash fall to Idolatrie and cruelty ouerthrowing Gods worship and persecuting yea murthering his prophets without repētance And lastly Iudas became a miserable miscreant a thiefe a traytor and in horrour of mind so desperat as after the fact being hopelesse of mercy he hanged himself Who readeth feareth not who heareth and trembles not we see our beginning is it easie thence to conclude our ending Doe wee see such so qualified so famous men to fa●● vtterly shal we presume of a better end without any such tokens of grace Vse By all this which hath beene said it The● are deceiued that think assurance of saluation easily atteined is more then manifest that it is not easie to attaine assurance of saluation It is therefore altogether a fault in such as labor the least in this matter Of the world we feare to want heauen wee make no question of For the body here wee take care and doe vpon euery light occasion distrust fall to shifts in feare of want but for the soule wee make our selues sure that it is well albeit it doth want all the meanes of saluation and we our selues liue in our naturall corruption vnreformed What is this but carnall presumption it commeth from Sathans suggestion A motion from the diuine spirit it is not where this giueth hope of heauen there it moueth to goodnesse this teacheth that the assurance of things aboue after death is beyond reason and therefore more hard to bee attained then things belowe in this life present Many waies are here to make supply for the bodie in earthly things but one way for heauenly Men may bestow vpon thee for this time but God onely for the time to come Thine own labour here may procure thee maintenance and what thou canst not get other may giue thee but no man can redeeme a soule and giue life man must let that alone for euer here wee are led by sense but in the other by faith money can here purchase but onely mercy there man may deserue well of man but nothing can he merit of God We may be superiours amongst men and yet touching the future good of the soule may be worse then beasts Diues may fare deliciously euery day and yet bee so farre from assurance of life as that he is damned at his death All the world may we winne yet lose our owne soules Dauid can tell vs that hee neuer sawe the righteous forsakē touching the things of this life but the wicked flourishing yet come to a fearefull end The way is brode and the gate wide that leadeth to destruction and many runne that way but the gate to heauen is straight and the passage narrow leading to life and many seeke it but fewe finde it many set foote in the way few go on any time and of these fewe some turne back againe and a very small number perseuere to the end Of the world wee are and the world will loue her owne but we are vncapable of grace and enemies to goodnes so as God in iustice abhorreth vs. In the world we may liue thogh we haue offended in many things keeping them secret from men and neuer make satisfaction but in an other wee cannot if but one sinne be vnrepented of and God not satisfied and the price of blood payed to redeeme vs by faith in Christ Here offences committed may bee pardoned by many the King not taking notice of them but there is no euill in the soule though neuer so secret but the King of heauen is acquainted with the same and a pardon must be procured from his owne person and by none but by his own sonne else that offendor shall vtterly be condemned and pay the punishment duely for euer according to the trespasse Therefore if all these things be well considered and the weight of the reasōs seriously weighed we may rather suppose our selues to be deluded by imagination to thinke the assurance of saluation to be so easily attayned then to be the settlednes of our iudgement from a grounded perswasion And thus much for the first lesson Doctrine The second lesson is this that yet there is in this life a true assurance of saluation in a certaine measure to euery one in time ordained to be saued else the Apostle Peter here would not haue exhorted vs to labour for this assurance which the Apostle S. Paule attayned also Rom. 8. 38 vnto in this life which hee publisheth not onely singularly in the behalfe of himselfe but plurally for the rest of all those whom God loueth in Christ Iesus Neither doe I say that it is that fulnesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of faith but a certaine measure nor at once but by little and little nor to euery professour but to such as are ordained to eternall life And this is effected by How to get assurance By meditation meditation inspiration sanctificatiō To haue assurance we must meditate of Gods inchangeablenes both in his owne nature Iam. 1. 17. as also in his gifts and calling which are without repentance Rom. 11. 29 we must think vpon Gods euerlasting decree without alteration of his promises made irreuocably with the manner of deliuery in the time present Ioh. 3. 36 He that beleeueth Ioh. 3. 36. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the sonne hath euerlasting life to take away doubting and to establish our harts in an assured possession thereof No lesse gaine ariseth by remembring the Lords couenant which hee maketh with his how it is a couenant euerlasting Ier. 32. 40 not for a time and with such as he maketh it he giueth them grace putteth his feare in their
all and this is right Many men go vnder a good name by ciuil honesty either thorow restrayned nature or good education in commendable maners of ciuility who are farre from sanctification and the graces of the spirit They doe many actions of vertue either of a custome or by imitation or respectiuely for this or that person for this or that by-end but not for vertue it selfe neither doe they shew fruits of vertue other then may preserue common honesty their credit to liue amongst mē to procure them praise secret or lesse publick they regard not dueties of holinesse prayer reading the scripture sāctifying of the Sabaoth instruction of their family countenancing of the word preached and such like they be so farre from as they mock at men herein zealously affected for vices which they shunne they be such onely as be discōmodious or odious amongst men that haue but common honesty but to sweare in ordinary communication to be companions with men superiour in place how wicked soeuer they make no conscience of neither of many other euils which by the rule of godliness are odious to God and such as sincerely seeke him A sanctified spirit doth not thus shuffle things together neither maketh a mixture of that which cannot be compounded but they truly hate all vice are affected to euery good thing and become in their place after the measure of grace giuen them doers of these things But least naturall men should carp Preuentiō of obiection say Belike I wold haue men here without sinne or else to be without grace vnlesse we do all things we do nothing I answere It is not mine intendment to teach any such thing but that mē should leaue sin to the vtmost not dally with any that they should doe vertuously liue in purpose of heart and will without sinne Legal obedience is beyond what is legal obedience our power to performe which is after the exactnesse of the law the commanders holiness and mans perfection by creation which we haue lost and is not here in our owne persons recouerable whatsoeuer the Phari●a●cal Papists say to the contrary but I speake of obedience Euangelical obedience and vertuous liuing Euangelically which is an earnest endeuour in loue thankfulnes to God for his mercies in Christ in faith apprehending his merits in whom we be acceptable and wel-pleasing to God in truth and sincerity of heart to doe whatsoeuer we are commanded and is commended vnto vs which will appeare by our ioy in well Sig●es of 〈…〉 rity doing by our prayers and holy desires to doe well by our feare to offend by our sorrow when we faile in our dueties wherein stands the perfection of the best Christian wee can neither be equall to the lawe to fulfill it nor go beyond to do more any way to merit S. Paule in his Apostolical estate found imperfections And Hezechias could speak of vprightness but of no perfectiō And thus much for the condition of the promise Ye shall neuer fall Ye shall neuer s●ip or slide downe ye shall not come to any 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The exposition hurt the word here vsed is drawne from the bodie to the minde and is diuersly taken in scripture sometime for sinne Prou. 24. 16. therefore is the word so translated in the vulgar translation sometime for destruction 2. Sam. 3. 38. 1. Cor. 10. 8. sometime to be downe on a sodaine so as a standing and course is not kept which is the common signification thereof All these three may here very fitly stand Ye shall not sinne ye shall not be destroyed ye shall not decline from your standing to fall away from the state of grace whereunto ye are called And therefore here I wil speake of them all as reasons to spur vs on to a vertuous life which is the scope of the words Doctrine Ye shall not sinne Vertuous men sinne 1. Iohn 3. not He that committeth sinne is of the Diuel and he that is borne of GOD sinneth not yet he that saith hee hath 1. Iohn 1. no sinne ●s a ●yer and the truth is not in him It is true neuerthelesse that he which abideth in Christ sinneth not such do cōmit Psal 119. 3 none iniquity to wit first in Gods acceptation according to that saying He saw none iniquity in Iacob nor transgression How godly are said not to sin Num. 23. 21. Ier. 50. 20. in Israel their sins shall not bee found saith Ieremie and the reason is because the Lord will be mercifull vnto them secondly in Christs satisfaction in whom we are the righteousness of God and in him there is no condemnation Thirdly 2 Cor 5. 21 Rom. 8. 1 Rom. 7. in a godly mans will for as the Apostle saith good they would doe and wherein they doe euill they sorrowe and would not doe and herein the will stands for the deede Lastly in respect of time for as the child of God sinneth not wholly so neither finally for God hath put his feare into him that hee shall Ier. 32. 40. Ps 37. 24. neuer depart from him but if he fall he shall not be cast off for the Lord putteth vnder his hand Thus the vertuous sinne not and this grace shall be attained vnto by such as doe these things saith Peter Vse Now this reason hath great force to perswade vs to be vertuous to bee free from sinne is blessednesse as Dauid affirmeth in Psal 32. 1. 2. This blessing can we not better know then to consider What it is to sin and to liue therein what it is to sinne and to liue in it It is the state of corruption seruice to the Diuell contempt of Christs death the resistance of grace the racing out of Gods image the bearing vpon vs the D●uels likenesse it is cause of calamities the curse in our calling the eating canker in the soule the obiect of Gods wrath and deaths sting it breaketh the vnion betweene God and vs it maketh conscience to accuse and the lawe to condemne it maketh our life miserable death fearefull and the last day terrible and to conclude by it we lose heauen Angels attendance saincts society and all celestiall comforts eternally and we purchase hell fiends attend vs diuels accompany vs the cursed crue of damned soules abide with vs and we vtterly depriue our selues of all good liue in woe and paines euerlastingly This is to sinne this is to liue in sinne and not to sinne is to be acceptable to God in Christ righteous our will plyable to his bidding and our end comfortable as we to goodnes are conformeable Doctrine Ye shall not be destroyed The vertuous as they sinne not so they perish not Godliness hath the promise of this life and of the life to come there is no cause of feare then A great inducement to liue vertuously wee all naturally feare destruction we desire to preuent it no greater ioy then to be