Howsoeuer the matter bee coloured and in what manner soeuer he worketh the end is the destruction of man And to attaine vnto this end with the more facilitie hee will shew himselfe as hee is indeed a wyly Serpent yea a busie Aduersarie too letting nothing lightly slip and oucrpasse him whereby he may obtaine his purpose And that doing of his as in his obiections before so heere likewise it doth appeare 2. Sleights of Satan For in this his reason two especiall sleights of Satan doe euidently appeare The one in that hee presenteth before thee thy miseries and afflictions in the most grieuous manner that may be still exaggerating and amplifying them euen to the highest And all to this end that so hee may the rather appale and affright thee As though God would neuer thus and in such sort deale with those that are his Chosen as it is proued he dealeth with thee Secondly in the other he vseth very cunning shifts and crafty conueyance in setting before thee the miseries of Gods afflicted children which said miseries although they were neuer so grieuous neuer so intolerable and sauouring of neuer so great and sauage crueltie yet he doth extenuate them to the vttermost of his power that so they may appeare but light and slender If it so fall out that hee lacke a shift in this manner to lessen them then will hee bend his power and apply his wits vtterly to smother the remembrance of them that thou shouldest neuer thinke vpon them to thy comfort And therefore will be continually in this case to set before thee as a daily dish to feed vpon the examples of some such of Gods seruants as haue beene but lightly and easily afflicted by this meanes knowing or at least hoping so that hee shall adde a greater edge to this temptation Wherefore that wee may the better preuent Satan of his purpose aswell in this temptation as we haue done before in the other The third position Some of Gods children in former time haue beene as sore afflicted Let the third position bee remembred as an euerlasting Truth which is that be thy miseries and afflictions neuer so extreme and dangerous yet thou hast in bearing of them suffered in no such grieuous manner but it will easily bee prooued that some of the seruants of God at one time or other and in some one sort or other haue tasted and drunke as deepe of that cup as thou doest iudge thy selfe to haue done And therfore Satan in this his reason enlarging thine and extenuating the miseries of others doth prooue himselfe to be still as hee hath alwayes been from the beginning both a Lier a Murtherer That this may the rather appeare vnto thee search look but with a single eye into these thy troubles miseries and afflictions which thou endurest ransacke euery corner of them call them all to remembrance leaue not the least and lightest mite of them vnnumbred that so thy reckoning and grosse sinne may grow to the greatest yet I doubt not when all this is done that I can easily produce examples of those whom I know assuredly thou darest not deny to be the children chosen seruants of the Lord and yet haue suffered and endured if the matter bee weighed in iust and equall balance a great deale more then euer thou hast done Thou hast read or I am sure thou hast heard of that notable spectacle of all extremities I meane the patient Iob who being a man crowned with happinesse and maruelously blessed with abundance of worldly goods suddenly and in a very short time was depriued of them all his seruants were slaine his goods and chattels taken away his children killed his body stricken with so loathsome vlcers and byles that it was irksome to any to behold His friends which should haue beene as helps and comforts vnto him became as continuall corrosiues vnto his sorrowfull heart yea his wife in the iudgement of some which should haue beene a speciall comfort vnto him in this his most lamentable case was not behinde in bitter and scorning manner to the increase of his griefe to bid him Blaspheme God and die Doe but read and thorowly peruse the history and that booke of this seruant of the Lord and I doubt not but that thou shalt there finde miseries inflicted vpon this one person in such store that they are rather to be admired and wondred at then by any meanes to bee equalled Insomuch that his three friends which came of purpose to visit and see him with intent also to comfort him calling to minde the prosperous estate wherein hee before had liued and beholding the great misery whereunto he was now cast are sayd to sit all mute and amazed in seuen dayes silence not knowing what to speake or where to beginne Vnto this of Iob wee may annex the afflicted state of Dauid who in the booke of Psalmes setteth downe the greatnesse of his miseries by many significant and wofull termes while hee complaineth of the agonies and paines of his distressed body the want of safety dread of death distrust of life violence of foes and treachery of those whom hee esteemed to be his most trusty and faithfull friends But leauing these and many other such like examples of the Patriarks Prophets and Apostles of the Lord somewhat touched before if I should descend and come downe to the lower times and make relation of the great miseries of those faithfull Martyrs which suffered for the testimony of Christ most cruell torments in the primitiue age of the Church after the times of the Apostles it would I thinke force any heart though it were as hard as the Adamant to relent and melt with griefe when as without all regard of Sex care of age or regard of estate the virgin and the valiant man at armes the infant and the age the wife and the husband the father with his sonne and the mother with her tender and guiltlesse babes were condemned without all remorse and pity to the suffering of most brutish and cruell torments Some leauing all and forsaking their houses goods and substance were forced to flie into Desarts holes and caues of the earth for succour and reliefe Others not so escaping the Tyrants hands depriued of all their riches and estate were grieuously tormented Some whipped some buffeted some ratked some torne in pieces some hauing hands leggs and other members cut away their flesh lanced and gashed with kniues and razors their faces mangled their eyes some pricked with sharp quills and some quite pulled out some hanged some drowned some burnt to ashes at stakes others broyled on gredirons and rosted on spits some torne and rent with wilde horses and others thrown to most sauage and cruell beasts to be deuoured So that it cannot bee but that the Christian heart must needs be greatly grieued to read in seuerall the things that are recorded of them But lest these things mentioned thus in generall should seeme to you
of little importance and smally pertaining to the purpose I haue in hand Out of such an infinite number which haue in this sort endured such cruelty I thinke it good to make recitall of a few particulars wherby I trust my position will be sufficiently confirmed And yet before giuing you thus much to vnderstand and generally to obserue That during the heauy times of these persecutions besides the particular torments which euery one endured all and euery one that did but take vpon him to professe himselfe and say hee was a Christian had the whole State and Kingdome wherein hee liued bent against him his goods by the lawes in danger to bee confiscate in stead of a rightfull Iudge hee had not onely a Miscreant but also a most cruell Tyrant to decide his cause who rather busied his head to deuise torments then how to set downe the doome with equity His friends and worldly comforts would forsake him being such as no whit fauoured but most poisonfully maligned the cause of Christ Life could not be had but bailed with many miseries and death though wished for yet could not be attained vnto but through the troublesome outragious tempests of most extreme calamities So that if thou respect now the losse and want of these worldly comforts I perswade my selfe they can in no case be inferiour vnto thee But these are but light in respect of the particular tortures most wofull and lamentable which in the cause of Christ they endured whereof now God so permitting thou shalt haue a taste Romanus a Martyr Euseb lib. 8. cap. 20. It is storied of Romanus a constant Martyr how that he being condemned vnto the fire and being brought to the place of execution standing bound to the stake and in most cheerefull manner calling for fire to be put vnto him as one most ready and willing with so slight a torment to put an end to his life fraught with so many miseries the President caused him againe to be loosed adiudged him to the induring of another torment namely that the tongue of Romanus wherwith he had so stoutly defended the cause of Christ should bee cut out whereunto Romanus yeelding patiently hee held out his tongue as one most willing and ready to abide this new deuised torture which cruell sentence being performed hee was againe clapped fast in prison where hee was a long time cruelly tormented And when by the Emperours pardon all the other prisoners were set at liberty and deliuered hee alone was left still as a lamentable spectacle of woe and misery and judged as one altogether vnworthy of such a benefit had his feet stretched as the story noteth fiue spaces asunder and in fine with a cord or halter put about his necke was stifeled vnto death Apphianus Apphianus a Martyr Euseb lib. 8. cap. 22. a like constant and faithfull Martyr in no respect inferiour to the other being first apprehended and clapt into prison for his profession of Christ was in the same prison in pitifull manner tormented a whole day and a night with both his feet in the stockes stretched farre asunder on the third day hee was brought foorth before the Iudge and vtterly refusing to doe sacrifice as hee was enioyned had straight-way his sides rent by the Executioners or Hang-men with the lash of the whip yea and that not once or twice but oftentimes euen vnto the bone and inward bowels His face and necke also were so vehemently lashed that his face was swollen so exceedingly with the print of the stripes that they which beforetime had knowne him well and could haue discerned him from another by his countenance thenceforth missed of their marke and knew him not at all When his cruell enemies did see and perceiue that for all these manifold and grieuous torments he would not yeeld vnto their idolatrous and wicked religion For a further increase of his paines they wrapped his feet in flax oyled all ouer and set the same on fire whereof to vse mine Authors words what great and grieuous paines hee suffered I am not able to expresse It ranne ouer his flesh wasted and consumed the same and pierced euen vnto the marrow bred within the bones So that his whole body was therewith larded and distilled much like vnto dropping and distilling wax The Martyr hauing yet some breath left after all these exceeding torments was brought backe againe the second time to prison On the third day was presented againe before the Iudge and although by reason of his grieuous wounds he was past all hope of life yet by the sentence of the mercilesse and cruell Iudge hee was condemned to be cast into the raging sea and to bee drowned Porphyrius a Martyr Euseb lib. 8. cap. 29. To these if I adde the lamentable story of Porphyrius it shall not be amisse who being apprehended and confessing boldly himselfe to bee a Christian it was first commanded that hee should bee whipped and scourged to the very bones and bowels wherewith hee was so pittifully rent and mangled that as the Story noteth hee seemed to bee not a man couered in flesh and compast in a skinne but a picture made of stone or wood or some senselesse metall In which plight when hee bad continued a long time yet the Iudge perceiuing him to vtter no words of impatiencie but to continue still as one that suffered no great paine not as a man but as a beast without any compassion and voide of all humanitie made this direfull Decree that in a slack and slowe fire his bodie by little and little should be consumed and burnt to ashes Infinite are the like examples which the Stories do affoord vs but I had rather for a further search hereof to referre thee vnto those who haue faithfully recorded the same in our English tongue as they bee set downe in ancient Writers then to trouble this small Treatise with any further discourse of the same Hoping that these few are sufficient to set before thee and to giue some little taste what great and grieuous afflictions the Saints and seruants of God haue suffered and beene partakers of in this life Which if thou thinkest that thou canst possibly equall and match yet I am assuredly perswaded thou canst not surpasse and go beyond them Let Satans reason now be tryed by the Touchstone of these and such like examples and I trust it will manifestly appeare how little truth there is in his allegation when he would make the greatnesse and excessiue measure of afflictions to bee an argument and a signe of Gods reiection Dare any affirme that these were Castawaies which are so highly renowmed for Gods faithfull Seruants Saints and Martyrs which by their bloud-sheading sealed their Christian Profession Who euer I pray you suffered more extreme paines torments in their bodies then these Insomuch that if by the outward accidents wee might iudge of the finall estate of the soule you may iudge these of all other to haue
discoursed of diuers temptations wherewith the afflicted soule by the Enemy is assaulted and in discoursing haue somewhat met with Satans obiections and to my power vsed some reason to preuent the euill which may come thereof and after these paines taken am now drawing neere to an end and conclusion of this matter yet there is still one temptation remaining which in no wise is to be omitted and let passe for that it is many times attendant euen vpon many of Gods deare children and at that time especially when they approch and draw neerest vnto their end And that is the feare of death and the vnwillingnesse which they finde in themselues to die Vpon which feare and vnwillingnesse Satan taketh no small aduantage to further his wicked purpose and that in most earnest manner knowing that his time wherein he is to shew forth his malice against such a party is but short and therefore it behooueth him now to exercise his wits and to vse some reasons whereby hee may with the more facility driue such distressed soules into despaire This hee knoweth may be the better more easily effected because he findeth men to be so terrified appaled with the feare of death as that they are loth and most vnwilling to taste of the cup therof but haue rather a desire still to abide and continue in this vale of miseries wherein vexations troubles and disquiets doe greatly abound euen as though there were none other heauen but heere no blessednesse to be looked for and found but in this life Whereupon Satan seeing men in such sort affected and hauing such opportunity offered taketh occasion in this or some such like manner to make assault vpon the distressed soule First hauing mustred into the minde and remembrance of such fearefull and vnwilling persons all those things wherewith they haue beene most delighted and wherein they haue taken some great pleasure in this life as wife children kindred friends acquaintance companions lands goods cattell and such like Satan presenteth this earthly state before them in the most pleasant beautifull shew that may be Again he razing out and defacing as much as possibly he can the hope of heauenly ioyes and comforts bringeth death before them in as terrible and vgly shape as may be Whereupon it commeth to passe that men are so haled and drawne with affection on the one side and so appaled with feare on the other that nothing seemeth more lothsome and vnsauoury vnto their taste then the cup of Death This being once brought to passe and the enemy finding our desire and affection to the ioyes of heauen to be so dull and weake and knowing also how fearefull the sight of death is euen to Gods Children especially at this last gaspe and closing vp of life hee is then most busie with them to cast in their way all such motions as possibly he can to driue them as I haue sayd into despaire Heerupon it is that many dangerous and doubting motions through this subtilty of Satan doe arise in their mindes whether they bee of the number of Gods children members of Christs body or not hauing such vnsauoury fruits proceeding from them These thoughts sometimes in many of them by the crafty working of the Enemy become so forcible that they are as it were continually thundring out words of maruellous great extremity assirming indeede that they are none of Gods seruants haue no faith no hope of saluation and doe not appertaine to the Kingdome of God And that because for a time they find their hearts to be as it were benummed and dull in the sense and feeling of the heauenly and eternall comforts As in other temptations of Satan wee haue labored both to lay open the dangers of the same and to shew by what meanes they might bee auoyded and haue also set downe such comforts whereby both the parties afflicted and others also might bee strengthened against such assaults of the Enemy So likewise I purpose by the assistance of Gods Spirit to doe in this temptation also that so the poyson of Satans perswasions being descryed the dangers thereof may be the more easily auoyded This therefore in this case commeth first to be obserued for the comfort of the afflicted both present and which shall heereafter through the subtilty of the Enemy fall into such danger that these are no strange and vnwonted things but vsuall and common and such as haue and doe befall the children of God Insomuch that although many haue most willingly shaken hands and bidden adue to life and as it were embraced and saluted death in most cheerefull and courteous manner yet others on the contrary haue been greatly terrified euen with the mention of death haue been very loth to vndergoe the stroke therof Examples of this great vnwillingnes to die wee haue in King Dauid who being pained with sicknesse and feeling the hand of the Lord to be sore vpon him prayeth that the Lord would deliuer him and saue his soule from death adding also a reason Psal 6.5 For that In death there is no remembrance of the Lord and in the graue who shall praise him 2. Kin. 20.1 2 3 c. Ezekiah also that good and godly King when newes was brought vnto him by the Lords Propher that he should dy as one most loth and vnwilling heereunto he prayed sighed and that with many sobs and teares as the story mentioneth By the examples of these two such faithfull seruants of the Lord we may see that it is a thing euen by nature incident vnto man to feare death which is so contrary to his estate being the corruption of life whereof hee is so desirous For euery thing is naturally giuen to shun and flee his contrary And although it be so that very many of the Saints of God haue beene sayd most resolutely and willingly to haue yeelded themselues and to haue tasted of this cup by reason of certaine circumstances either attending on their liues as sicknesse pouerty and all kindes of crosses afflictions and miseries whereunto this life is subject and from the which men are found many times to be very desirous to bee eased and released although it be with death or els following and ensuing after death as the euerlasting and vnspeakable ioyes of heauen to the enioying whereof death is as a passage The earnest desire and longing that these haue to the enioying of these heauenly ioyes and this euerlasting blessednesse doth allay and qualifie very effectually the terrour and feare of death in them And yet if these two forts of men both the one and the other should consider death in it selfe without these circumstances being a thing so contrary to our nature it would clearely appeare that there would be found in them a certain feare vnwillingnes to die which fear and vnwillingnes is so much the rather the more increased in them when as it is in part attended with the cogitation or memory of those
to bee gazed on but that it should bee a memoriall to put him daily in minde of death and therefore we read not of any ouer-costly and curious trimming that Ioseph vsed hereabout If thus man could and would prouide for himselfe a Tombe or Sepulchre it were a blessed thing that it might serue to bee vnto him a continuall remembrance to put him in minde of death and of his departing hence But farre more blessed no doubt and thrice more happy should hee bee if with this good Disciple of Arimathea though not in the same manner hee could let Christ haue the first seasoning of his graue that is if through faith hope and comfort in Christ his Death and Passion he could prepare himselfe vnto his end But I haue digressed somewhat from my matter and yet I hope it be not much amisse the security and carelessenesse of our corrupted flesh being such as it is To returne therefore againe to that from the which I am digressed I would haue promised some reasons to perswade vs of the necessity of this preparation before I did come to set downe the manner and order how wee ought to prepare our selues to die but that in discourse and treaty of the one I shall haue occasion in some part to touch and include the other also This preparation in it selfe considered is in very deed a matter requiring a large and long discourse which manner of handling thereof I do leaue to others my purpose herein is onely to touch the principall points and those also so farre onely as they shall concerne my present purpose CHAP. XXV Of the first part of the preparation vnto death THE Preparation vnto death Preparation vnto death of two sorts is found to bee of two sorts either such as concerneth our goods and posterity or else such as respecteth our soules and the saluation thereof As touching that which concerneth our goods houshold and posteritie although it hath in it many branches and many things worthy the discoursing if it should bee fully handled yet for our present purpose I meane no further to entreate thereof then it is proued that the neglect thereof may bee a let and hinderance vnto vs in this spirituall combat at our latter end This kinde of Preparation wee finde to bee of great Antiquity and vsed of diuers renowmed Persons in the Scriptures Abraham Gen. 25.5 as it is recorded of him was mindefull of this and therefore although hee had diuers sonnes by Keturah whom hee tooke to wife after the death of Sara yet hee gaue all his goods before his death vnto Isaac his son Iacob also was not vnmindfull hereof Gen. 48.22 who as it appeareth did giue vnto his sonne Ioseph a speciall portion from his brethren Dauid also is noted 1. Kings 1.28 29 c. before his death although hee had many sons yet to leaue the Kingdome and Scepter to none but onely to Salomon borne of Bathsheba to his posterity This was giuen in charge euen from God himselfe 2. Kings 20.1 vnto King Hezekiah by the Lords Prophet commanding him to set his house in order for hee must die Experience in all ages yea and common sense also teacheth sufficiently how necessarie this kinde of preparation is what great commodities haue growne where the same hath beene daily vsed and contrariwife what great vexations and troubles in Law with a great number of other inconueniences haue followed vpon the neglect thereof So that hereby it easily appeareth that this dutie cannot bee neglected without great iniurie vnto thy seed and family that shall succeed after thee yea this also take by the way as a thing vndoubtedly true That as the vtter neglect hereof is thus hurtfull to thy seed and posterity so the deferring and putting off the same which is a very vsuall thing is very hurtfull and dangerous vnto thy selfe Therefore as it is requisite that we should haue a care in our life time to set all things straight and in good order both for the discharging of our selues of that heauy burden of these worldly cares and also for the stablishing of peace and quietnesse amongst those which are deare vnto vs whom we are to leaue to suruine vs So wee must consider that the principall thing that wee are to remember in it is that it is indeed a preparation that belongeth not so much vnto the time of infirmitie and sickenesse as it doth vnto the time of health And that it ought then doubtlesse to be performed when the Lord doth affoord vnto man strength of body and good memory and should not bee posted ouer vnto the latter end when sicknesse the messenger of death shall bee sent to call or cite vs vnto Deaths Court. For vpon this passing and posting ouer the matter from the time of health vnto sickenesse and in sicknesse time euen vnto the time almost when Death commeth to seyze vpon vs it commeth to passe that either the due order for the quiet estate of thy house is nor cannot be so well looked vnto and prouided for as it ought or that thy soule which is most to bee lamented in the time of thine agonies and sicknesses is little or nothing regarded But to eouer this vsuall fault in deferring this godly action from the time conuenient vnto the time indeed altogether inconuenient and vnmeet Satan hath ministred a cloake of excuse where with many are wonderfully blinded as though indeed God were bound of duty to order things after their prescription and to deale with them after their own hearts lusts Tush say they I hope well that God will giue mee time and space to prouide for both these things that is both for the setting of mine house in order and also for the good estate of my soule and that hee will not take mee out of this world in such a sudden manner but that I shall haue opportunity and good time allowed mee to set all things straight both for the orderly disposition of my goods and also for the carefull attending vpon the comforts requisite and needfull for the benefit and good of my soule Beware good Christian brother and sister who euer thou art that thus deceiuest thy selfe or rather yeeldest thy selfe to bee deceiued by Satan this is the crafty perswasion of thine vtter and most malicious enemy and therefore is none otherwise to be esteemed and iudged of but as a most extreme folly and point of dotage that I may so call it in this manner to dally with and to abuse the person of God for GOD hath giuen vnto thee a great time for doing hereof and thou neglectest it it argueth therefore a great folly and madnesse in thee It is in the vsuall and common Prouerbe While the Pig is proffered hold open the Poake God doth of goodnesse offer thee time to effect both these godly actions take it when it is offered and rest not thy selfe vpon vncertaine hope and expectation of the like againe heereafter If
of death and the exceeding fruits of life and ioy that doe arise and spring from death to vs together with all these seuerall comforts that haue beene before set downe against the seuerall assaults of Satan made against the Children of God For if thus and after this sort thou be carefull to furnish and prepare thy selfe in time of health Satans assaults in the time of sicknes shall soone bee beaten back the edge of his sharpe and cutting weapons shall be quickly blunted and all his attempts and practices shall bee made frustrate and void Hitherto of the first preparation in time of health against this last combate the which in the meane time also may very well nay should indeed serue euery Christian in withstanding all temptations throughout the whole care and course of his life CHAP. XXVII Of the preparation concerning the time of sicknes and death THe next part of Preparation is that which is to bee had at the time of sicknes and beeing ready to dye consisteth partly in the comfort which we are to receiue and haue from others and partly in our selues From others as spirituall counsell and Prayers And these others are either such as haue a more speciall charge hereunto as is the Pastor and Minister of the place who in this time of sicknes should bee sent for that hee might minister vnto the diseased spirituall counsell and aduice Or such as Christian dutie doth binde vnto it as kinsfolkes and neighbours and such as are about the sicke parties in the time of their sicknes For this indeed is a time wherin the chiefest loue that thou canst shew vnto thy brother and dearest friend is to labour by all meanes to arme him with patience against the terrours of death to draw him from the loue of the world and to breed in him a loue a liking vnto heauenly things in ministring as spirituall and heauenly comfort as thou canst vnto his soule and not to be ouer nice herein dianty of thy paines as many are which are loth to make any mention of death at all vnto the person diseased lest it should bring or breed any discomfort vnto his sick friend And so for feare of the losse of a little worldly comfort which is but vanity thou wilt depriue him of this spirituall comfort belonging to his soule It is good I confesse to bee carefull for the good of his body but it is far better and a greater argument and signe of true loue in thee to be carefull for the good of his soule Among these that thus art attendant at or in the time of sicknes the Physician also oftentimes hath his place Of whom wee might speake concerning many points if that our Treaty were generally respecting death and not particularly tyed vnto it as it is attended with such a dangerous conflict with so great and mighty enemies In him therfore as faithfulnes care and skill are requisite for the body So also it is behoouefull that hee should bee such an one as could withall knew how to apply some medicines of comfort vnto the soule But I leaue these and come now vnto thy selfe to shew what is requisite in thee in these extremities Thou hast all thy life time beene in the field for a Christian mans life is a continuall warfare wherein he lyeth in continuall leager against the Diuell But now thou art to fight a pitched battell wherein thine Enemy the Diuell hath mustered all his forces and therefore hath entred as it were in league with death that last and dreadfull Enemy to fight against thee These with mayne force and might doe assault thee on the one side and the world with her allurements lyeth in ambush on the other side with her subtilties to deceiue thee neither will the flesh bee idle but to the power thereof will put too her helping hand that so a conquest vpon thee might be had and that they might with the more ease triumph ouer thee It behooueth thee therefore to keepe a continuall watch and to looke well about thee that thou mayst the better preuent the euill and cut them short of their purpose This therefore I would aduise thee to doe Whensoeuer the warning piece is shot off that is as soone as sicknesse doth beginne to seaze vpon thee looke well and take a good view of thy selfe and prouide in time that thou mayst be on all parts armed with that Armour of proofe before mentioned See thou be girded with the girdle of Truth vpō thy loynes hauing on thee the Brest-plate of Righteousnes the Shooes of the preparation of the Gospell of Peace the Target of Faith in thy left hand the sword of the Spirit in thy right hand and the Helmet of Hope on thy head And ouer all these see there bee cast the Coat of Constancie and withall pray continually that the Lord would continually assist and strengthen thee in these dāgerous times and giue thee good successe against thine enemies Secondly let all thy thoughts and meditations be fixed and settled vpon heauenly things vpon those vnspeakeable and incomprehensible ioyes and comforts of the life to come and therewithall also vpon that All-sufficient sacrifice of Christ our Sauiour who by his death and Passion hath washed and redeemed vs from all our sinnes subdued death and purchased for vs immortall and euerlasting life Thirdly take heed that the cares and cogitations of the world creepe not on thee but cast off from thy shoulders the heauy burthen thereof For they are great and mighty hinderances in this last conflict as is before shewed Banish them therefore and barre them from thy heart as vnfit to muster with thee in this last and heauy conflict If the pleasures and delights of this life come before thee remember they are but vanities If the terrours and feares of death present themselues into thy sight thinke of them not as they appeare and seeme in show but as they bee indeed that is momentany and short and rather helping then hindering For they are the passage vnto life and vnto the ioyes of Heauen Therefore set downe thy Resolution that if these were past then all thy miseries were come to an end and dispatched For though Satan tell thee that death was ordained as a curse and punishment for sinne yet doe thou reply that Christ hath turned it and changed the nature of it and of a curse hath made it vnto Gods Children to be a blessing and the entrance into ioyes and the gate of life For by our Sauiour Iesus Christ his Resurrection the force of death is taken away and therefore the graue hell can make no conquest ouer them Although thou bee thus appointed yet doe not thinke that thou canst be so acquitted and discharged of thine enemies aforesaid but that Satan the principall of all other thine Aduersaries which is the Master of all mischiefe will still bee vrging thee to vexe and trouble thee to the vttermost And therefore vse continually the Armour
able to succour those that are tempted So this our Authour in that hee was himselfe afflicted in spirit and troubled in conscience through the suggestions of Satan and the temptations of the Deuill doubtlesse hee was inabled thereby as well out of his more vigilant and carefull obseruation of Satans practices as the sense and feeling of his owne extremities the better to discerne and discouer his Wiles and Stratagemes neither so alone but withall to apply vnto himselfe and to prescribe to others such comforts and remedies as out of his owne experience hee found to yeeld most ease and helpe And thus good Reader to detaine thee no longer from the perusall of the same beseeching the Lord to blesse it vnto thee I cease and shall euer rest Thine in the Lord Iesus I. M. The Contents of the seuerall CHAPTERS CHAP. I. OF the extremities and griefes of a troubled conscience FOL 1 CHAP. II. Wherein is contained the principall causes of a troubled conscience FOL 12 CHAP. III. Of the second or Assistant causes of a troubled conscience FOL 23 CHAP. IIII. A Cordiall against the assault of sinne FOL 28 CHAP. V. Soueraigne remedies against the wound of sin FOL 41 CHAP. VI. Against the assault of the weaknesse and want of faith FOL 60 CHAP. VII Of speciall things in mans conuersion FOL 81 CHAP. VIII Of another person troubled with the doubt of faith FOL 101 CHAP. IX Against the assault of the weaknes of repentance FOL 123 CHAP. X. Of the markes of true Repentance FOL 127 CHAP. XI An Admonition to the sorrowfull soule FOL 141 CHAP. XII Of loathing of sin the second marke of repentance FOL 145 CHAP. XIII Of the application of the former things to the comfort of the sorrowfull soule FOL 153 CHAP. XIIII How the man disquieted in conscience should in the same behaue himselfe FOL 168 CHAP. XV. Against afflictions and outward euents FOL 188 CHAP. XVI Of the first Position and the Obiections against the same FOL 119 CHAP. XVII Satans obiection against the former doctrine answered FOL 204 CHAP. XVIII Of the second Position and the Obiections against the doctrine thereof FOL 214 CHAP. XIX Satans Obiection against necessitie of afflictions ouerthrowne FOL 128 CHAP. XX. Other Obiections of Satan against the former doctrine confuted FOL 243 CHAP. XXI Of the third Position FOL 251 CHAP. XXII Of the fourth Position FOL 269 CHAP. XXIII Of the fift Position FOL 292 CHAP. XXIIII Against the feare of death and vnwillingnesse to die FOL 301 CHAP. XXV Of the first part of the preparation vnto death FOL 316 CHAP. XXVI Of the second part of the preparation vnto death FOL 326 CHAP. XXVII Of the preparation concerning the time of sicknesse and death FOL 343 CHAP. XXVIII That the Elect in time bee assured of their Election and how FOL 352 CHAP. XXIX Of the second Argument whereby the certainety of a mans election is proued FOL 359 CHAP. XXX Of the third Argument whereby the certainty of mans Election is proued FOL 366 CHAP. XXXI Of the Obiections against this doctrine of Assurance and knowledge of our Election FOL 370 CHAP. XXXII Of the essects whereby the truth of faith may bee knowne FOL 379 CHAP. XXXIII How the faithfull shall know that they haue the Spirit of Adoption FOL 397 CHAP. XXXIIII Of the true markes whereby the Spirit of Adoption may be knowne FOL 405 CHAP. XXXV Of the outward fruits of Regeneration FOL 415 CHAP. XXXVI Of the second Obiection FOL 423 A SOVERAIGNE COMFORT FOR A TROVBLED Conscience CHAP. I. Of the extremities and griefes of a troubled conscience INfinite and intolerable for the time seeme the extremities of a troubled and distressed mind that is throughly humbled and abased by reason of sinne In so much that were it possible that all temporall griefes whatsoeuer and paines arising from bodily diseases No temporall griefes like the distresses of a troubled conscience might or could bee heaped vpon one and the selfe same person yet would they bee found too light to weigh in the ballance with these perplexed agonies For as all riuers runne into the sea and as the man that is indebted if once hee fall into pouerty is so farre from comfort that hee hath all his creditors ready to tread and presse him downe neuer ceasing vntill they haue brought him to the Gaole and prison So likewise is the troubled minde A troubled mind is a receptacle for all griefes a receptacle for all griefes the enemies therof viz. Sinne Sathan Death and Hell are continually rushing in vpon it and triumphing ouer it writ vpon writ to attach this silly troubled conscience and by force and violence to draw it to the seat of Iudgement The multitude of sinnes doe amaze it and the intolerable weight of iudgement and of the anger of God doe continually affright it Within nothing but a most infinite masse and confused Chaos of despairing thoughts and without euery obiect is so terrible and full of feares that all things seeme to haue ioyned hands and giuen consent to increase his griefes and adde vnto his woes and miseries Great no doubt was the griefe of the wife of Phineas who hearing that the Arke of God was taken 1. Sam. 4. Ely her father in law was dead and Phineas her husband slaine with extremity of anguish fell in trauell and in her paines deceased And how was Dauid perplexed when hearing of the death of Absolon 2. Sam. 18.33 hee withdrew himselfe into his chamber howling out weeping and saying O my sonne Absolon my sonne my sonne Absolon would to God I had died for thee O Absolon my sonne my sonne But alas what is the wife of Phineas and who is Dauid that they should bee set forth as patternes to expresse this agony and distresse of a troubled soule The losses from whence these sorrowes of Phineas his wife and King Dauid did rise are farre inferiour and how is it then possible that their dolors should bee equall It is not the losse of the Arke of God that troubleth them but the losse of heauen and of all the ioyes prepared for Gods elect children Not the death of Ely but the departure of God himselfe in whose presence is the fulnesse of ioy Psal 16.11 and at whose right hand are pleasures for euermore They see him frowne which was sometime fauourable him terrible from whom they receiued comfort and him a Iudge who sometime was a louing Father It is not the death of Phineas an earthly husband but the losse of Christ the Spirituall Spouse euen that Iesus which saueth his people from their sinnes and is the onely Mediator betwixt God and Man Neither is it the death of Absolon a sonne but of a soule then the which what can be to a man more precious No maruell then if it sometime fare with these as it doth with persons lunatike For what is it that the terror of Gods eternall wrath and iudgement except
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
somewhat ouerlaid with sinne though concerning the outward man hee tooke delight and pleasure in it yet when it commeth to be receiued into the inward man and stomake of his soule that is when by due meditation he beginneth to worke and chewe vpon it such is the want of spirituall heat and such is the weakenesse of his faith that being not able to suppresse the surcharging terrours of wrath and iudgement that proceed there-from by reason of the Law of God hee beginneth many times to bee sicke with sorrow then the heart is troubled and euery part beginneth to droope and faint by reason of this despayring cruditie and sinfull sicknes of the soule For proofe hereof wee haue diuers examples in the Booke of God Faith not at al times alike strōg in the worthiest of the Saints Psal 38. Dauid no doubt had a faith yet such somtimes was the weakenes of it that when hee came to the ruminating and remembrance of his sinnes he fell into great extremities as it appeareth in the thirtie eight Psalme Peter also had a faith and yet when by weaknesse and frailetie hee had so lyed sworne forsworne himselfe against his Master how bitterly was he perplexed within himselfe And Paul a sanctified and selected vessell when he considered the doubtfull conflict betwixt the law of his members and of his minde and seeing how hee was led captiue vnto sinne his faith so much relented that standing as one amazed not knowing what to doe hee cryed out Rom. 7.24 Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death Now if the case were thus with these persons many other such which were so highly in the fauour of God so famous in the Church and indued with such an extraordinary measure and gift of faith as otherwise by their doings appeareth that sometime the exceeding surges of their faith did fall vnto so low an ebbe in the sight of sinne How can the weakeling chuse but bee greatly cumbred distressed through the weaknesse and imperfection of his faith The which sort of men Strong Christians do seldom grow to so great extremities as weake but their minds are much disordered and disquicted though they doe not alwayes grow to such extremities as did the former which through want of faith would peremptorily conclude their owne damnation yet is their minde for the most part disordered and out of frame hauing continually some wauering thoughts within them which continually vexe and wring their soules For though when they see and know their sinnes the fumes of their smoking faith not vtterly extinct ascending vp wil not seffer them to say without exception that they are castawaies yet can they not on the other side for the time be certified and assured of their life and safety but stand as doubtfull and in suspence betwixt them both Which their wauering doubtfulnesse by how much they consider it to bee contrary and repugnant vnto Faith by so much they are the more in minde troubled and distressed Insomuch that many times they are the rather giuen to iudge the worst of themselues And the suspition of death and condemnaetion seemeth vtterly to quell and ouercome the hope of life and saluation In which estate if happely at any time they fall to exact censuring and iudging of their liues according to the precise rule and Iustice of the Law of God it is a matter of no great difficultie to lead them on from step to step to the furthest point of Christian extremities I call them Christian extremities not for that it doth beseeme the profession of a Christian thus to doubt which is onely stayed in truth of Faith But I therefore call them Christian because they are such as may be had without the losse of Christ and finally fall from grace farre in very deed differing from the vnrecouerable estates of reprobates because that these extremities notwithstanding a man may still bee a vessell of mercie the chosen seruant of God and an vndoubted Christian The third thing which thus fretteth and disturbeth the broken Conscience 3 The third cause is the want and weaknes of repentance is the want and weaknesse of repentance when as either it findeth not in it selfe such a lothing and detestation of sinne as is required or such a readinesse and willingnesse vnto vertue and godlinesse as hee would and wisheth For whiles such an one looketh vpon the weakenes of his nature that is inclined to sinne Rom. 7.23 while hee seeth the Law of his members much rebelling and oftentimes preuailing against the Law of his minde And while hee considereth himselfe to be backward vnto Prayer and other such godly exercises as may tend to the seruice and honour of God Or at least not to haue so great delight and pleasure in them as is required and as oftentimes he findeth and seeth to haue been in other the true seruants of God then not onely in regard of his sinnes and sinfull life already passed but also in consideration of this his present state he groweth to a great mislike and seuere censuring of himselfe And thus or in some such like sort he reasoneth within himselfe saying If I were the Child of God The weake Christians manner of accusing and condemning himselfe if I were one of his seruants had I tasted of his Spirit which is the earnest penny of salutation then surely I should finde my selfe more affected and better minded vnto goodnes I should then be repentant for my sinnes and lothe and detest my former wickednes I should then more delight in goodnes and godlinesse then I doe But now alas I see I am a silly and sinfull castaway in whom abideth no goodnes and therefore I am an enemy to God and reprobated from grace and mercy Thus whether they consider their life past or present view and behold themselues either within or without still Satan that subtill Serpent and roaring Lyon is ready to trumpe something in their way whereby to make them stumble and fall Weake Christians resembled to little children or men weakened by sicknes By which his doings no maruell though many times hee much preuaileth Now these weake Christians are like the little child that hath learned but of late to goe or resemble those that haue beene greatly weakened with some continuall and excessiue sicknes who being newly come abroad by reason of their great infirmitie are not able to make a stedfast step but are ready to stumble in the plainest path So these either babes in faith and such as are but newly entered to walke in Christ or else weakened greatly with the continuall and dangerous assaults of sinne and Satan are not able to ouerstryde these stumbling blockes of temptations which by the enemie are continually cast in their way CHAP. III. Of the second or assistant causes of a troubled Conscience BEsides the aforesaid principall and inherent causes Other meanes whereby the extremities of
nay the very Angels in heauen cannot performe it Oh then sayst thou where is that vnsearchable wisdome that can attaine it And where is the endlesse reach of that exceeding skill and policy that can instruct me how to doe it Answ Though vnto thy selfe this bee admirable to nature a thing incomprehensible to man vnsearchable and euen to the Angels impossible yet doe thou not feare neither be thou any whit dismayd But remember alwayes that though these things both all and euery one and a thousand more beside should faile thee yet thou hast a Christ euen an anoynted Prophet that can and will helpe thee can and will instruct thee how thou mayst bee saued In him dwelleth all knowledge and wisdome in her full perfection Nay he is wisdome it selfe euen that eternall and euerlasting Wisdome of his Father He is the Angell of the great counsell that proceeded out of the hidden closet of his Fathers bosom And what is then so abstruse and intricate which hee is not able to attaine vnto Seeke therfore and sue vnto him and he will tell thee Obiect Hearken vnto him he will teach thee to thy eternall comfort But thou wilt say All this I know but what is that to the purpose when Christ hath taught and told mee am I then able to performe it I haue sinned and offended a thousand fold and on the other side God is iust and iustice must bee satisfied And which way is it euer possible that such a wretched sinfull and weake a creature as I should doe it Answ I grant indeed thou art of thy selfe vnable but now looke back againe to Christ and againe consider that as hee is an anointed Prophet as I told thee before Christ is a Priest to teach thee so he is also made a Priest vnto vs to offer vp and present vnto his heauenly Father that all-sufficient and euer-pleasing sacrifice to God his Father by vertue whereof be our sinnes innumerable yet with that one and onely paiment hee resteth himselfe fully satisfied and contented And the more to assure thee hereof it shall not bee amisse to produce vnto thee the testimony and witnes of the Holy Ghost and of God the Father witnesses both ancient and authenticall enough to content in this or any other such like case The Spirit speaking by the pen of his Apostle Paul telleth vs That it pleased the Father Col. 1.19 that in him should all fulnesse dwell and by him to reconcile vnto himselfe and to set at peace through the bloud of his Crosse both the things in earth and the things in heauen And the Father plainly hath giuen this testimonie of him Mat. 3.17 17.5 This is my beloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased To these you may adde the saying of the Sonne himselfe who plainely affirmeth of himselfe that hee came to giue his life and to bee made a ransome for many And to notifie vnto vs That all-sufficiencie of this ransome beeing ready to yeeld vp the Ghost Ioh. 19.30 he affirmed that all was finished A great number of such like places to the same effect might be produced out of the Booke of God but I hope these few will suffice to stop the mouthes of the gaine-sayers of this so comfortable doctrine Such as were stinged with serpents in the wildernes Numb 21. so long as they looked downward vpō themselues and vpon their wounds could finde no comfort to the curing of their griefe but casting their eyes vpon the brazen Serpent at the commandement of God erected by Moses they quickly had and found recouery So we so long as being wounded by that sinfull Serpent the Diuell wee cast our eyes and looke vpon our selues and vpon our sinnes onely wee can neuer finde any release But if wee lift vp the eyes of our faith and looke vpon Christ Iesus that was lifted vp in sacrifice vpon the Crosse as Moses lifted vp the Serpent in the wildernesse we shall out of doubt finde therin a present and a soueraigne remedy against all the infections of our sinnes For as it fared with the Iewes before the time of Christ that although they often sinned yet it was not permitted to themselues but the Priest must offer sacrisice to make the atonement so neither is it in our power to satisfie God against whom wee haue offended but Christ alone is onely our Priest to offer vp the sacrifice of satisfaction to put away his Fathers wrath Gen. 27.23 And therefore also as Iacob in getting the blessing from his Brother Esau was content to follow his mothers counsell and to remit the mitigating of his fathers wrath if haply hee were displeased vnto her carefull policy so we in treading the path and way to life and blessednesse must be content not onely to insist in that that Christ enioyneth vs but also for the satisfying of the wrath of GOD for our sinne committed which is not in our selues to doe we must still depend on Christ who is a thousand parts more skilfull and auailable to doe the same then euer was Rebecca to content the humour of her husband Isaac Insomuch as hee did not onely by his death once offer vp himselfe vnto God a sweet smelling oblation to doe away our sinnes but also by vertue of this his Priesthood hee continually remaineth an earnest intercessor for vs insomuch that hee no sooner seeth as it were a frowne of dis-fauour appearing in the countenance of his Father towards vs but straightway hee is ready to interpose himselfe to appease the same and to make a peace betwixt his Father and vs. As touching the third office wherevnto our Sauiour is anointed Christ is a King which is his Kingly Office there is no small comfort to be found therein also For although our enemies so many so great and mighty doe continually and euery day bend set themselues against vs and like rauening Wolues ramping roring Lyons most greedily gape and thirst after our destruction yet hath hee I meane our Sauiour Christ Iesus such a Kingly conquering and subduing power giuen vnto him that all our enemies Sinne Satan Death and Hell will they nill they must of necessitie stoope and be obedient thereunto And therefore what further scruple is there remaining for which thou canst not find a soueraine medicine in this comfortable Kingdome and royall souerainty of Christ our Sauiour Doth Satan make claime vnto thee or doth he plead a right interest vnto thy soule Haue recourse to Christ For though in thy selfe thou findess the euidence of Satan to be written with the sinfull letters of thine owne transgressions yet in Christ and in his death and bloudshed thou shalt finde them razed and cancelled and vnto him alone to be signed and sealed from his Father a sure and sufficient deed of gift as it were of thy selfe and of thy soule with sufficient warrant against Satan and all his complices In that our heauenly Father hath deliuered into
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
sinne so there is a help and remedy to be found in the Gospell whereby hee may be perfectly cured and restored if he were able to attaine vnto it 2. When he perceiueth this remedy reuealed by the Gospel to be in it selfe so full and all-sufficient A godly sorrow and considereth well thereof both in the originall that is the mercy and loue of God and also in the manner of it which was the death and bloud-shed of the best-beloued and onely Sonne of God then he beginneth againe through this glasse to behold sinne in the vgly visage therof and therby is constrained to mourne and sigh afresh for committing of that which could not by any meanes bee purified and clensed but by the precious bloud of that immaculate Lambe of God 2. Cor. 7.9 Christ Iesus And this mourning the Apostle iustly calleth a godly sorrow Which though indeed it be a part of true repentance in the truth and nature of it and therefore an effect of it yet because Faith is as yet but yong and weake and cannot be so easily discerned in the fulnesse of her motion it hath so many sparkes of doubting and distrust in the grieuous appearance of sinne that the broken-hearted Christian being thus pricked and perplexed hath nothing more common and vsuall in his mouth then condemnation Yea withall sometimes hee groweth so extreme and outragious in these distrustfull passions that no reason can satisfie and perswade him for a time but that hee wanteth Faith though indeed hee haue the truth of faith shewing it selfe in the fruits thereof within him Thirdly Faith now as I haue said hauing brought forth this godly sorrow to this end A hatred lothing of sinne that so wee might be truely humbled though for her weaknes being but lately sprung it is not able to keepe it vnder measure yet by little and little it groweth to some ripenes And therefore next vpon or rather iointly with this mourning it breedeth a hatred and lothing of sinne A desire and longing after the righteousnes of Christ Iesus that is so filthy and odious in the sight of God and so pernicious and dangerous vnto man and planteth a desire and longing after the righteousnesse of Christ Iesus And therefore is greatly encouraged to approch and draw neere vnto the Throne of Grace and to call and cry vnto God for mercy And all these are the notable and vndoubted fruits of Faith and most certaine arguments and euident tokens that true faith although not in her full perfection is surely seated in the heart of him that hath them A taste comfortable feeling of the grace of God Fourthly after all these they grow by little and little to haue some taste and comfortable feeling of the grace of God imparted to them by the inward working of Gods Spirit Insomuch that euery day more and more they grow to conquer subdue the despairing thoughts of the flesh and the motions thereof And the comfortable influence of the Spirit seemeth euery day more then other to haue a larger and freer passage in the chamber of their hearts in testifying vnto them the grace of God in the free remission of sinne and the performance of the worke of their Adoption Fiftly after all these ensueth that full assurance and most notable effect of Faith Peace of conscience euen the very peace of conscience For that now they are assuredly and fully resolued Weake Christians doubt they haue faith because they finde it not to be so strōg in themselues as they perceiue it to bee in others that all their sinnes are washed away in the bloud of Christ that by his death the wrath of God is appeased their ransome paid the righteousnes of Christ by imputation made theirs the feare of death and hell abolished and life eternall purchased After this doctrine in the course and manner of mans conuersion thus deliuered let vs now returne againe vnto the broken and afflicted soule which doubteth of the want of faith And withall let vs see and sift the reason why hee thus despayreth of his faith and thinketh and perswadeth himselfe that he hath no faith at all His reason is this Because hee doth not finde within himselfe as yet that certaintie and full assurance of saluation which he seeth and perceiueth to be in others This reason although it seeme to him very strong yet in it selfe it is but weake and beeing throughly examined cannot hold nor stand for good For this full assurance whereupon he groundeth his reason is not Faith as some haue defined faith saying Faith is a full assurance but rather one notable and vndoubted effect of faith And yet not alwayes so atttending vpon faith as though it should continually bee there euidently seene where faith is seated For a man may haue true faith and yet not feele this full assurance And my reason is because this assurance is not the first effect that faith euer bringeth forth in the heart of man when it is begun to be ingrafted in him But it hath many other excellent effects precedent and going before it As the true and hearty mourning for sinne that earnest lothing and hatred of sinne and a thirsting and longing after righteousnes c. which are often found in the Elect of God before such time as they receiue this caline and peace of conscience and ioy in the Holy Ghost by the full assurance of their saluation Now to proue these to be the fruits and attendants of true faith the rather to qualifie and allay the sharpe and bitter combate of the troubled soule let vs diligently consider First the principall efficient cause and worker of this sorrow and mourning which I spake of is the Spirit of Regeneration and Adoption For this cause the Apostle calleth it a sorrow that is of God 2. Cor. 7.9 10. Rom. 8.26 2. Cor. 7. And the Spirit is said Romans 8. to pray in vs with sighs that cannot be expressed This Spirit is onely had and retained of vs by the meanes of Faith Gal. 3.2 For it is receiued and dwelleth in cur hearts by faith Gal. 3.2 Wherupon it also followeth that of necessitie it can none otherwise be but where this earnest sorrow and earnest lothing and detestation of sinne is found there also faith should be ingraffed Because otherwise this Spirit of Adoption which effecteth these in vs could not be entertained in our hearts Secondly this sorrow Psal 51. which otherwise in regard of the subiect is called a contrite and broken heart is said to be a sacrifice of God and such an one as hee will not despise And how could this be that it should bee a thing so acceptable in the sight of God and so well accepted of him if it did not proceed and come of Faith seeing that as the Apostle restifieth without Faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11.6 Rom. 14.23 And Whatsoeuer is not of Faith is sinne
to sinne against him but will haue him exercised sometimes in greater troubles sometimes in lesse sometime touching and vexing him with sicknesse of body sometime with death of friends sometime with losse of goods and cattell sometime after one sort and sometimes after another but all to this end that so hee might make him more mindefull of him and more carefull to shew forth his louing obedience towards him This also by a Similitude may very well bee confirmed vnto vs. Shall the Physician bee said to hate his patient when as hee giueth and ministreth vnto him a strong and sharpe Purgation to recouer him Or shall the father be said to hate his sonne when hee doth chastise and correct him with the rod that hee may reforme him So neither can God iustly bee said to hate vs but rather to loue vs when in this manner hee launceth our sores that hee may heale vs and thus father-like correcteth and chasteneth vs with his Fatherly hand that hee may amend vs. And smally for the better confirmation of this doctrine by the testimonie of the Spirit of God in plain texts of Scripture Ioh. 16.13 to that which hath beene said let vs adioyne the plaine euidence of the Spirit of God which is the Spirit of Truth and leadeth vs into all Truth and witnesseth as much as I haue said namely that All those things proceed and come not of hatred but of loue Reu. 3.19 As many as I loue saith Christ vnto the Church of Laodicea I rebuke and chasten Vnto which agreeeth also the saying of Salomen Pro. 3.11 The Lord correcteth him whom he loueth euen as the father doth the childe in whom hee delighteth Whereunto consenteth also the testimony of the Spirit Heb. 12. saying Heb. 12.5 c. Haue ree forgotten the consolation that speaketh vnto you as vnto children My son despise not the chastening of the Lord neither faint when thou art rebuked of him for whom the Lord loueth hee chasteneth and hee scourgeth euery sonne that hee receiueth Hereupon now I conclude that if the former reasons had not beene at all yet this three-sold euidence of the Spirit of God whose Office is as I haue said to leade vs into all truth Joh. 16.13 may serue sufficiently to the quieting of any Christian conscience if it be throughly weighed and considered And therefore whereas Satan to the derogation of this healthfull doctrine and the increase of thy sorrow and discomfort doth forge this subtill reason Satans reason Those whom God doth thus afflict hee doth not loue but hate But thou art afflicted so and so by God Ergo thou art not beloued but hated of him This reason I say is easily ouerthrowne for that it is forged By whom by Satan which hath beene a lyer and a murtherer from the beginning and therefore his argument is not to bee receiued But wee are rather to hearken vnto the doctrine of the Holy Ghost which telleth vs a contrary tale that it is not hatred at all but loue not anger alone but the Fatherly care and tender affection of God towards his children that maketh keth him thus to correct and chastise them And this not that they should perish as Satan would inferre but that they should bee preserued and not perish with the world So that if wee endure this his chastisement hee is so farre from casting vs off that as hee hath witnessed hee offereth himselfe vnto vs as vnto sonnes But if wee bee without it wee are so farre from loue that wee are not sonnes Heb. 12.7.3 but Bastards And now see how thou maist very effectually turne this Argument of Satans back againe vpon himselfe to his confusion but to thy exceeding comfort God hath afflicted thee with many crosses and miseries art thou therefore cast out of the loue and fauour of God Nay rather thou art hereby assured that thou art no Bastard but in the number of those that in deed truth are become the Sonnes and Children of God CHAP. XVII Satans Obiection against the former doctrine answered BEfore that I enter into the Answer to Satans vsuall Obiection made against the former doctrine I am to counsell thee to take heed vnto thy selfe and to beware of his policie betimes For if thou wilt be ready to accept at his hands whatsoeuer hee will aduenture to profer vnto thee hee will soone bring thee to take at his hands Copper nay drosse for Gold deadly poyson for a soueraigne Potion and that to thy confusion Try therefore and examine his obiections thorowly marke from whom they come and to what euill end and purpose they are made so shalt thou the more easily withstand him in his temptations and with more speed preuaile against him Although this doctrine concerning my first position bee as I hope so plaine that euen the simplest may vnderstand it and with such reasons confirmed as it hath pleased the Holy Ghost to minister vnto mee in that respect yet is the enemy of God and all godly men bold to take exceptions against the same and in this manner frameth his Obiection Obiect It is recorded in the Scriptures that these which you so often call afflictions are indeed iudgements and Gods vengeance denounced and executed on Gods enemies and those against whom his wrath and anger is incensed And for confirmation hereof wee may produce many examples euen out of the Scriptures but in a matter so apparant I thinke it needlesse By this Obiection thus framed and vttered it euidently appeareth that the Forger thereof Satan by name will be a Serpent still of great subtilty still inuenting and forging new deuices to effect his deuilish purposes And therefore it is not to be maruelled at if he thus beginne to make assault vpon thee in this manner by force of this Obiection to raze out of thy minde the truth and certainety of all that before hath beene by so many Arguments confirmed which his malicious craft that it may the rather appeare Ict vs examine and try his Obiection thorowly and discouer the falshood and insufficiency thereof so farre forth as by the holy Spirit of God wee shall bee thereunto inabled The Proposition is this Obiect That afflictions are effects of Gods anger that such like afflictions as thou endurest are threatned in Scriptures as iudgements and effects of Gods haired wrath and anger vpon the wicked A subtili temptation whereby this enemy deceiueth very many But let vs a little dwell and stay thereupon syft and examine it thorowly and so the fraud thereof shall more easily appeare Whereas it is said in the Obiection that God doth threaten such like things as iudgements and vengeance for sinne to be executed on the wicked It cannot bee denyed the Scripture to this end is indeed plentifull But what of this Not any thing in truth can hereout bee gathered for Satans purpose But herein his craft doth the more appeare in that vpon so good a ground hee
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
things wherein men in this life doe take any delight and pleasure and in part bereaued of the feeling of these exceeding comforts reserued for vs in the life to come Obiect But thou wilt say Thus naturally to feare and to bee thus in some sort vnwilling and loth to die I lesse maruell at but this dulnesse in the feeling of heauenly ioyes and comforts in Christ being now euen at the poynt of death and ready to yeeld vp the last gasp that is a very strange thing and able to terrifie any Christian soule Answ It is I grant a fearefull thing indeede but yet nothing strange at all if we doe well consider of it For if Satan be so busie with vs at other times euen in the time of health and when wee are strongest that hee bringeth our faith to many foyles no maruell if hee shew forth his malice against vs now being so neere vnto our end He is not ignorant to take opportunity fittest for his purpose And therefore now aboue all other his desired times he will deuise and sound into the bottome of all his subtilties to entrap and so to make conquest of the Christian soules knowing that this is the last combate that he is like to make with such an one If now he lose it is lost for euer If now he preuaile and ouercome there is no recouery to bee hoped for afterward Assure thy selfe therefore that hee will prepare himselfe the best he can stretch euery limbe in this finall conflict to see if hee can by any possible meanes effect and bring to passe this his malicious bloudy purpose And therefore although the state of Gods Elect and Chosen be such that they cannot finally vtterly fal away Gods decreee being so firme sure immutable that Satan with al his policies shal neuer be able to infringe make void the same yet euē they also if they be not well appointed must make full account and looke to haue many foyles at Satans hands that shall bring their faith euen vpon her knees which thing being once effected no maruell if this subtill Satan to the greater daunting of Gods Children doe found out the triumph before the victory gotten casting in their teeth their sinnes past and bringing to their remembrance their former wickednesse and withall putting them in minde sometime of the delights and pleasures of this world that so by these such like practices he may the rather and the sooner driue men into despaire The case therefore of Christians being so dangerous it is good that wee doe consider what way is best for vs to take to cut Satan short of his purpose and to auoyd the danger and perill of this finall conflict One thing whereby Satan taketh so great aduantage and so farre preuaileth with a great number of men is for that in the time of life and health they neuer or very little as they should bethinke themselues of death So that when the time and houre thereof which is sudden and vncertaine doeth come vpon them they go like men naked and vnarmed into the field to encounter with this strong and mightie Aduersarie And then it is no matuell if they being so vnprouided and vnarmed and lying so open do receiue many grieuous and deadly wounds It is therefore very expedient and needefull for euery man in time of health to thinke of sickenesse and in time of life to be mindfull of death and continually to bee carefull that he may bee prepared for to die for it is an vneuitable thing it cannot bee auoided with all the power policie and cunning we can vse Therefore as we are borne to die so we should liue as men alwaies prepared and in a readinesse to die So that a Christian mans life should be a continuall meditation and a daily preparation vnto death When as I say it should bee a daily preparation I would be loth to bee mistaken I doe not meane such a kind of preparation as many of the great and mighty men of the world doe dreame of when as either in their life time in their owne persons or after their death by their Executors or others put in trust therewith they are carefull yea too carefull to prouide that a Tombo bee set vp and builded to shrowde their bodies in and that with most costly curious and cunning worke but neuer once thinke of this which is most needfull that is to prouide a Receptacle for the soule It may bee as it doth appeare that they thinke to die so I beseech the Lord they may bee prepared to die in the Lord so they shall bee sure howsocuer the bodie speed on earth for a time yet at the last Day both body and soule shall bee in blessed estate with Christ for euer in heauen This madnesse of men in preparing such costly Tombes or Sepulchres may very well bee accounted in the number of the vanities and follies wherewith the world is at this day ouer-flowed for the cost that is bestowed on them might a thousand times bee better bestowed on the poore afflicted members of Christ whereby some great gaine by the laying forth thereof if it bee done without hope of merit would redound to the soule The cunning workemanship is indeed matter rather for men to gaze vpon then for any other good When all is done both for charge and cunning in setting vp and beautifying of this thing so brauely yet it is but a Caue for a rotten and corrupted carkase beautified for polluted bones and carefully adorned for simple Guests euen the crawling wormes there to feed and gnaw vpon their sestred and stinking flesh The soule is the principall part of man let euery one apply himselfe therefore principally to prouide that it may bee harboured protected and defended against the violence and raging stormes of Satans fury Be carefull to prouide that shee may bee armed from top to toe with the Christian Armour whereof S. Paul speaketh Ephe. 6. so shalt thou be in safety Ephe. 6.13 14 15 16 17 18. This ought to be our Christian care vpon this should we bestow our costs But this of the most men is least regarded and it is to be feared of a great number vtterly neglected Obiect Here by the way it may haply bee obiected Is it a thing vtterly vnlawfull to prouide a Sepulchre or Tombe for the body Answ It is not the vse but the abuse thereof that I aime at I do not thinke it a thing altogether vnlawfull for that I do finde it to bee a thing of long continuance and vsed of godly persons Ioseph of Arimathea is said in the Gospell to haue prouided a Tombe for himselfe hewed out of a Rocke being yet in health wherein hee layed the Corps of Christ our Sauiour If in this manner thou prepare thee a Tomb and herein follow Iosephs example thou shalt not doe amisse For Ioseph did it not for vaine glory and any worldly ostentation nor to make it a thing
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
in holinesse and righteousnes Which if we doe we shall then disappoint our Aduersarie of his aduantage against vs and shall be well able to beare off and to auoid the dangerous pricks and thrusts which he will be ready continually to cast at vs in consideration of our sins It is a very hard thing to vtter indeed what a byting corrosiue the remembrance of the loosenes and lewdnes of a mans former life is vnto the afflicted soule at the time point of death and what great matter of discomfort Satan can quickly suck from thence to infuse and powre vpon them And it is againe on the other part a lamentable thing to see how carelessely men are for the most part affected and how slacke they are in preparing this piece of Armour thinking in themselues all to be well and safe enough although they haue liued neuer so lewdly and dissolutely and neglected the putting on of this piece of Armour euen to the very instant and time of death thinking if then they can repent there is no more adoe But alas all this while such men neuer consider how much more bitter their conflict with Satan is like to be Obiect But some will haply obiect Who euer was armed with this brest-plate of righteousnes and with such a good conscience that hee did not feele some wounds of sinne Answ It cannot bee denied but that the Saints of God are indeed so wounded they fall and commit sinne indeed but not with their heart it is of infirmitie according to that saying of Iohn 1. Ioh. 3.9 Hee that is borne of God sinneth not And the reason is For that his heart is surely and safely armed with a good conscience with the brest plate of Righteousnes This appeareth more plainely vnto vs by the example of Dauid who is noted to haue his heart thorowly fenced with the knowledge of the Truth and thereupon to giue himselfe to righteousnes and the workes thereof yet he is noted also to haue taken euen great and grieuous wounds hee sinned most grieuously but these wounds did not pierce to his heart but sticked still in his flesh onely for that he was armed with this brest-plate of righteousnes Hereupon it is that hee confesseth Psa 119.48 I haue alwayes sought after thy Law And I did meditate in thy Commandements The fourth thing to bee vsed in this preparation vnto death 4. The Shooes of the Preparation of the Gospel of Peace Ephes 6.15 is called of the Apostle the shooes of the preparation of the Gospell of Peace euen all those comfortable promises of the Gospell wherewith if the feet of thy soule be shooed it will make thee more ready prepared and nimble to ouer-leape and stryde ouer all stumbling blockes lets and hinderances which Satan the World or thy sinfull Flesh shall cast in the way before thee The sift is 5. Hope of saluation the helmet of Hope euen the hope of saluation and expectation of eternall life For this hope will strengthen and incourage vs against all kinde of miseries troubles and afflictions yea and against the feare of death it selfe and that in such manner that although these of themselues appeare to be very terrible and able to daunt the courage of euery one yet through this Helmet the terror and feare of them is taken away and they which are with this piece of Armour furnished are made strong and able to suffer and indure them continually It is well called of the Apostle the helmet or head-piece of saluation for it will shrowd and couer vs from the hurt of all assaults of the enemies whatsoeuer For then alone wee yeeld when as wee despayre and are out of hope but whiles hope lasteth wee are ready still to fight and striue vnto the death In the sixth place commeth the shield of faith 6. Shield of Faith which hath this vertue and power giuen vnto it that it will quench all the fiery darts of the Diuel For hauing our faith and confidence set and seated vpon Christ and vpon his death and Passion wee shall be thereby so surely kept and couered that no assault or terrour of the Diuell shall be able to annoy or hurt vs but with ease wee shall be able to withstand them and to auoid the danger of them all The time when Satan most preuaileth against vs is when he seeth and perceiueth vs to bee destitute of this piece of Armour to protect and defend vs. Therefore against this day and time of death it is expedient and needfull for vs to vse all good meanes to cheere vp and increase this faith of ours that then especially it may be strong and flourishing when as we shall be thus incountred with by these extremites For the seuenth piece of Armour 7. Sword of the Spirit takâ— the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God In this also it behooueth thee to be prepared to haue good knowledge For Satan as hath beene shewed before hath many temptations which in his owne sense and sort he vseth to ground vpon the written Word which temptations can by no meanes better bee auoided then by the same Word vsed in the true and right sense thereof This can hardly or neuer bee done vnlesse thou be skilfull and expert in the Scriptures Wherefore let these I meane the Scriptures be thy dayly Garden wherin thou mayst gather most sweet and comfortable simples against this sicke and heauy day Make these thy counsellers to instruct thee and let these bee vsed as a sharpe and two-edged sword to strike and wound thine enemies withall That thou mayst therefore be expert and cunning in the vse of this weapon I would aduise thee to exercise thy selfe herein to meditate in this day and night vntill thou hast thorowly attained to the true vse of this so needfull and profitable a weapon and that thou mayst be cunning and know perfectly how to weyld it euery way to meet with Satans subtill and crafty assaults Vnto all these it is necessary that thou adde and adioyne feruent Prayer That God would giue thee grace strength vnto these things continually and euery day increasing all vnto thy comfort And that hee would vouchsafe to prepare and furnish thee vnto this spirituall and finall combate at thine end and death as that when and howsoeuer it shall happen thou mayst be alwayes in a readinesse to vndertake it with willingnes and to continue and abide with faith and constancie vnto the end Now that thou art taught by the Apostle speaking and writing by the direction of the Spirit of God how to arme thy selfe on all parts from the top to the toes Let not this be wanting in thee namely a dayly meditation of those things that may increase and further the former proceedings Of this sort are the consideration of the flitting estate the vanities and miseries of this present world the exceeding ioyes of heauen and the life to come the momentany paines
to bee noted and obserued which the Apostle to the Romanes hath not pretermitted which is the meanes whereby this peace worketh in vs and that is by Christ Iesus For in him in his death and Passion it placeth the fruit and fruition of this our remission and reconcilement at the hands of God So that this doth in a sort intimate a marke of difference and distinction whereby a man may know whether this peace be true or not For if it be not in Christ Iesus that is If in his death and Passion in his merits sacrifice and satisfaction thou hast not this affurance of remission of thy sinnes and reconcilement vnto God but seekest it in some other thing whether it be in any Ceremonies and Superstitions thine owne workes and merits or the workes and merits of any other except Christ onely and his death and Passion thy peace is not true but a counterfet peace and such as will deceiue thee The second fruit of Faith 2. Fruit of true faith is that which issueth proceedeth from this inward peace and that is a confidence and boldnes to come and approch before the Throne of the grace of God and to lay fast hold vpon the merits of Christ and the mercies of God in him Of this confidence wee read Ephes 2. Ephes 2.18 By him we haue an entrāce vnto the father by one Spirit And Heb. 4.16 Let vs therefore goe boldly to the Throne of Grace that we may receiue mercy and finde grace to helpe in time of neede And in the tenth to the Hebrewes verse 22. Heb. 10.22 it is called a drawing neere with a true heart in assurance of faith So that vpon the former perswasion and assurance working peace in their conscience and in this sight and feeling of Gods gracious and louing countenance towards them in their hearts and soules they are the more incouraged to come and approch vnto the presence of God and to craue pardon and remission of their sinnes at his hands This the Apostle elsewhere calleth a boldnes and entrance with confidence by Faith in him that is in Christ For without him no man can come or haue accesse vnto the Father And therefore they that presume to come in their owne name and worthines with confidence in their owne workes and merits or in the workes and merits of any other either Saint or Angell they cannot be iustly and truely said to haue accesse and approch vnto grace but rather to depart and to flee the further from it 1. Tim. 2.5 For as there is but one God So also there is but one Mediatour betwixt God and man and this is Christ alone And as there is but one Throne of Grace whereunto we are to come and where we are to sue for remission So is there but one way appointed for vs to vvalke vnto the same and that is the same our Sauiour Iesus Christ Iohn 14.6 who is the Way the Truth and the Life The third effect and fruit of this true Faith 3. Effect or fruit of true Faith is that standing and continuing in this grace of Christ whereupon followeth a certaine ioy and reioycing in hope and expectation of the glory of God euen that glory whereof all the Saints of God shall bee made partakers in the life to come So that this Christian ioy is nothing else but an inward motion of the Spirit whereby the heart is exhilarate and made glad partly in regard of the presence and fruition of Christ and of his grace in our hearts by faith and partly in expectation vnder hope of that glory whereof all the sonnes of God as I haue said shall hereafter bee partakers For this cause the Kingdome of God is called peace and ioy in the Holy Ghost Rom. 14.17 And of this ioy speaks the Prophet Esay saying They reioyced before thee Esay 9.3 according to the ioy in haruest as men reioyce when they diuide a spoile And yet doth not this fully expresse this ioy for it is not a bare ioy but such an one as is accompanied with a triumphant boasting and reioycing for so the word in the originall Text doth signifie And there fore Peter the Apostle doth call it a reioycing 1. Pet. 1.8 with ioy vnspeakable and glorious Example hereof we haue in Dauid to whom the promises of grace and mercy seemed so pleasant and delight some that he did solace and recreate himselfe therin as things replenished with exceeding pleasure and delight saying that they were more precious vnto him then gold yea then much fine gold sweeter also then honey and the hony combe And in the fourth Psalme hee is bold to alledge in aduancement hereof Psal 4.6 7. Many say Who will shew vs any good But lift thou vp the light of thy countenance vpon vs. Thou hast giuen me more ioy of heart then they haue had when their Wheat and Wine did abound In this sort therfore the faithfull seruants of God doe solace themselues in the sweet and comfortable promises of grace and mercy when as hauing the same to be opened and laid out before them their hearts doe leape for ioy and gladnes in regard of that exceeding sweetnes that they finde therein Insomuch that they can finde nothing in all the world so excellent precious and pleasurefull wherein they can bee moued so much to triumph and boast themselues as in this grace mercy in Christ Iesus For they doe account all other things Phil. 3.8 but meere vanities or dung for Iesus sake and in respect of those benefits which by his precious death and Passion he hath purchased for them and is alwayes ready and willing to impart the same vnto them These are the sweet and pleasant dainties whereon their soules take so great pleasure to feed according to that in the Canticles Vnder his shadow had I delight Cant. 2 3 4 5. and sate downe and his fruit was sweet vnto my mouth Hee brought me vnto the Wine-Cellar and loue was his banner ouer mee Stay mee with Flagons and comfort mee with Apples for I am sick with loue And this they doe so much the more for that therewithall they conceiue a hope of future happinesse and participation of ensuing glory that shall bee giuen vnto the sonnes of God For this ioy though it bee often great euen vnspeakable and glorious as was said before yet it is not complete and perfect in this life but shall haue fulnesse and consummation in the life to come when as our hope shall cease to be a hope and we shall be set in full possession of that euerlasting ioy and happinesse in that glorious inheritance prepared for the Elect of God The fourth effect 4. Effect of Faith whereby true faith is knowne is a second ioy which proceedeth and ariseth out of this that went before And this is seene in tribulations and afflictions for Christ his sake and the Gospell Of this speaketh
of God in our hearts and soules that was marred and defaced so greatly by the fali of Adam This Image or impression is easily knowne and discerned from the counterfeit and outward shew of hypocrites whose sanctity and deuotion is onely outward Glorious indeed they appeare in the outward shew like painted Sepulchres but if they looke inwardly vnto the heart there is nothing to bee found but rottennesse and corruption So that it may easily bee there seene that the ruines of old Adam are not yet againe repaired in them Look therefore I would aduise thee not vnto the outward appearance bee it neuer so glorious and goodly but looke into thy soule the inward part and looke so neere as thou canst into euery corner thereof and see if thou canst finde the rubbish of Adams fall to bee in some sort swept and cast out and the image of GOD in holinesse and righteousnesse to bee in some measure renewed and imprinted againe vpon thee Which if thou canst see and perceiue then assure thy selfe that this Testimony is in deede the vndoubted and infallible Wunesse and Testimony of this Spirit of Adoption Thirdly thou maist know and discerne it by the constancie and certainety of the testimony that it giueth For it is not like the wauering vnstedfast flash of hypocrites which think maruellous well of themselues slattering and perswading themselues for a time in a blind conceit that they are in the number of GODS Elect but cannot grow indeed to any continuall or certaine resolution therein But this Spirit if it haue liberty to speake and be attentiuely hearkened vnto yeeldeth forth a full and a settled perswasion of the truth of our Election in Christ I say if it haue liberty to speake and be attentiuely heard for that it oftentimes falleth out with the faithfull that though they haue this certaine Witnesse within them yet the Flesh sometime getting the head and mastry ouer the Spirit in them will not suffer it to speake so plainely as it would And they also being thereupon troubled with this frailty which they finde in themselues do often fall into many wauering and doubting thoughts while they do not listen attentiuely vnto this witnesse of the Spirit that now seemeth to speake more coldly and with a lower and lesse audible voice vnto their soules then heretofore For certaine it is that though the Spirit doth alwaies witnesse and giueth also a most certaine and constant Witnesse for it is the Spirit of Truth yet it is not alwaies in the like measure to the discerning of our soules but sometime more euidently and sometime lesse yea and that sometime also so obscurely as that the children of God whiles they are too much busied otherwaies in hearkening vnto the suggestions of Satan the World and the Flesh they doe seeme as though they heard it not at all Wherefore if thou hast once felt and found this testimony of the Spirit in thee let it suffice thee and be therewith content his testimony once giuen is of great force for that as I haue said hee cannot lye Therefore I say if at any time it hath witnessed the same vnto thee seale it vp for a most certaine truth For the Spirit of God which leadeth vs to all truth speaketh nothing but Truth hath spoken it And although now it seeme to waxe so cold in giuing euidence yet if it doe but whisper nay if it doe as you would say but breathe within thee that is giue neuer so secret and small a Testimony yet doe not thou misdoubt it for euen this is as sure as a thousand other clamorous and lowd witnesses to confirme the truth of thine Election And bee further assured of this that thou canst not in any wise reiect this testimonie though it seeme in thine eyes but simple and slender without exceeding iniury offered vnto the Spirit of Truth Fourthly in the manner also of the effecting this certaine Witnesse and Testimonie thou maist discerne it to bee the testimonie of this Spirit of Regeneration and Adoption for it is wholly and fully in the Death and Passion of Christ euen by by assuring thy soule and conscience that Christ with all his benefits is thine and that in and through him and him alone thou art become the adopted Childe of God and heire of euerlasting glorie Now whereas by thy question moued thou seemest to doubt of the truth of this testimony whether it bee of the Holy Ghost or not I answer further Is it any thing likely that Satan would euer perswade any man of this assurance of such incomparable benefits as Christ by his Death hath purchased for his Elect Would he euer perswade men that in Christ we are made the adopted Children of God No I assure you that is farre from Satans purpose he knoweth that this kinde of doctrine serueth not to aduance but vtterly to ouerthrow his kingdome and therefore laboureth what he may to suppresse the publike preaching of the Gospell that this kind of doctrine should bee hid from the knowledge of men so farre is he off from furthering of the inward application of the same vnto the comfort of our soules wherein the vertue of Christ his death consisteth Therefore if at any time the hypocrites do flatter and perswade themselues in their election it is not wholly alone and principally in Christ from his death Passion that this perswasion ariseth but vpon some other good liking cockering affection that they haue vnto their fayned and hypocriticall deuotion while they take such slight and slender tryall and examination of themselues Finally this Witnesse may bee knowne by two notable and excellent effects attendant and waiting vpon the same First that the Spirit doth hereby shead abroad in our hearts Rom. 5.5 the loue of God towards vs in Christ Iesus for it maketh vs to haue a certaine sense and feeling of the loue and fauour of God towards vs. Secondly vpon this followeth another effect and that is that vpon this sense of loue and sheading of his tender mercy in our hearts to the taste and feeling of our soules it causeth vs withall to cry and call vpon him by the name of Father for now when wee thus feele his loue and mercy whether wee cast our eyes downeward vpon our selues or vpward vpon the face of God in Christ wee see and behold him still as a gracious louing mercifull and compassionate Father reconciled to vs by and through Christ and our selues to bee his adopted sons and children whom hee in his eternall purpose in grace and mercy hath selected and ordained vnto life and that by and through the same our Sauiour Iesus Christ his deare Sonne Hitherto of the witnesse of the Spirit Let vs now come to the outward fruits of our Regeneration CHAP. XXXV Of the outward fruits of Regeneration HYpocrites aswell as the Regenerate haue in outward shew many good deeds wherby they gaine to themselues no small praise and commendation of deuotion and
same according to that saying of the Apostle 1. Cor. 10.13 God is faithsull who will not suffer vs to be tempted aboue that we are able to beare but will giue the issue with the temptation that wee may bee able to endure it The great and excellent fruits that arise and come from afflictions 4. Comfort vnto the children and seruants of God are most excellent sweet and delectable and therefore minister no small comforts in the time of extremities For by these afflictions wee are taught the more to be humbled in the sight of God in respect of sinne To abandon feare and fly from sinne They worke in vs a serious and earnest care in more dutifull obedience to conforme our selues to the will of God They are meanes to stirre vp our faith They declare our hope and bring forth in vs the fruit of patience They what vs on to earnest inuocation and prayer They teach vs the contempt of worldly pleasures They shew and set before vs the vanity and misery of this present life and stirre vs vp to the earnest study meditation and desire of the life to come whose ioyes and pleasures are true perfect and void of all miseries endlesse and durable without decay All which and many mo such excellent and worthy fruits so sweet and pleasant arising out of the bitter root of afflictions so vnsauourie to our fleshly seeling will serue as I haue said as most comfortable receits when wee are pained with extremities The next comfort is 5. Comfort to remember and alwayes to haue this in minde that be our afflictions and miseries neuer so extreme and neuer so great yet they can in no wise preuaile so farre against those that are the Saints and Beloued of God that they should any thing weaken or impayre the certaintie or assuredres of their saluation so long before determined and decreed in the good pleasure and fore-knowledge of God according to that of the Apostle Paul Rom. 8. I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God that is in Christ lesus our Lord. Seeing then that nothing shal be able to hurt or annoy the Elect and Chosen but that all things shall turne and serue to their good it cannot bee but that afflictions also shall be conuerted to their singular comfort Let Satan now breathe out his terrible threats neuer so much against vs and admit that he so farre preuaile in his wicked and malicious purpose as to take away our naturall life and doe depriue vs of this present light yet our other life in obtaining whereof all our hope our ioy and comfort resteth is hid layd vp and kept safe in Christ our Sauiour as a most sure treasury from all Satans subtilties so that he cannot once touch or trouble it although hee make neuer so great attempts against the same The consideration and daily meditation of the afflictions and miseries of others the Seruants Saints of God 6. Comfort is no doubt very comfortable and profitable also in this case For when wee finde and are assured that such as haue beene the beloued Children of God haue been partakers of the like afflictions yea and ostentimes of greater and farre more grieuous and haue in the end receiued a recompence of their labours wee are incouraged the rather to enter into the same conflict with the more patience to beare the brunt thereof and with the greater constancy to endure vnto the end with full assurance that as those our brethren so wee also in the end as good souldiers shall be crowned as Victorers And seeing that Satan aswell in this poynt as in others bendeth his force to the vttermost of his power to abate and to coole this courage in vs by the blotting out of our memories the remembrance of these examples of such worthy seruants of the Lord for a most soueraigne medicine in this dangerous sicknesse I would counsell the afflicted soule in the time of his afflictions to spend no little time in reading and ouer-reading the lamentable histories of Gods distressed and afflicted seruants whereof hee shall haue great store and plenty both in the sacred Scriptures and also in the Ecclesiasticall stories of lower and later times faithfully gathered compiled published in our English tongue by that worthy man of famous memory Mr. Fox and others These I would wish to bee the afflicted mans Garden whereinto if hee euery day resort a little for recreation sake I doubt not but he shall there finde Flowers of so sweet and delectable sauour and Herbs of so rare and soueraigne vertue that he shall be assuredly thereby maruellously comforted and strengthened when as I haue sayd in reading hee shall finde that others also highly in the fauour of God haue notwithstanding tasted as deepe yea and farre more deepe of this bitter cup of afflictions then he himselfe hath done As a most dangerous poyson very forcible to ouerthrow vtterly 7. Comfort and to impaire his good estate I would wish the distressed soule to eschew the narrow intentiuenesse and fixing his minde vpon the extreme rage of his owne woes and miseries either past or present but rather to cal to his mind that which he hath heeretofore found in himselfe if at any time hee hath but felt some arguments and tokens of his election and on those of fix the eyes of his remembrance and withall to settle his heart vpon the end of his afflictions which as hath beene shewed is most ioyfull and comfortable tending onely vnto his good Lastly hee is to consider that although his miseries bee neuer so great and many for the time yet they are of no long continuance but short and momentany euen as is our life vpon the earth which is but as a vapour that quickly vanisheth as the brittle glasse that soon breaketh as the grasse that parcheth in a day and withereth as the Post that passeth by with speed So that although they should so long continue and cleaue vnto vs as our life lasteth yet the time of our life being so short the continuance of them must be short also Wherof no little comfort may grow vnto the afflicted soule and that the rather if he call to minde that endlesse and vndated time of happinesse wherein wee shall be made partakers of that endlesse crowne of glory and those exceeding ioyes which no tongue is able to vtter nor heart of man is able to conceiue These are the comforts whereof I thought good heere briefly to put the afflicted person in minde for that I haue in seuerall places as occasion serued touched the same before Others there are which in their places God willing shall in like manner for their good bee deliuered CHAP. XXIIII Against the feare of death and vnwillingnesse to die ALthough I haue before