our corruption and sometymes agayne the power of oure iniquitie preuayling and alwayes getting the vpper hand the Lord no doubt thereby prouiding for hys glorye whilest wee attribute all the praise of our well doing vnto him to whome indeede alone all praise and honour belongeth and for our good and that in a double respect not onely whilest by this meanes wee are made humble and lowly before him and men and in our owne eyes especiallie hauing speciall recourse vnto him by praier for heauenly strength and comming to our brethren for such spirituall ayd as they haue receiued from him but also whilest we learne on the one side to loth that which is from our selues as corrupt and defiled and on the other side to cherish and foster that which is from him as good and pure according to that rule of the Apostle o 1. Thes 5.19 20. Quench not the spirits despise not prophesie A similitude The Sunne it selfe a verie glorious creature is not no not in the summer time alwaies alike hote and bright but sometimes is couered with cloudes that keepe backe the brightnesse hinder the heate of the same from vs. The like may we saie of another celestial body the moone it self An other which ouer and besides the ordinarie eclipses that it doth indure somtimes ascendeth higher sometimes commeth sower is many times in the winter season Others especially kept from vs by thicke mists and darke fogs Neither neede we for this to looke so high for from terrestriall or earthly bodies may we perceiue the same The trees in the fields and the plants and hearbs in the gardens all winter long not onely want any good fruite but seeme not so muche as to haue a leafe on them yea the verie truncke and stocke it selfe maketh shewe in mans eyes to be dead and to lacke that life that we call vegetatiue And yet there is a sappe or naturall moysture that lyeth hid in the root which when it is refreshed with the heate of the sinne and comforted as it were with the dewe that falleth from heauen will yet notwithstanding in due time proue vnto vs that the tree plant or herbe was neuer dead whatsoeuer we supposed But what neede we to go out of our selues and from our own bodies to viewe this matter we haue as plaine a demonstration as may be Our bodies to daie fresh and lustie and to morrowe wythered and dried vp p Psal 118.83 as a skinne bottle that hangeth in the smoke Another and yet in time raised vp againe to haue naturall moisture and to performe with strength and agilitie as woorthy deedes as before And euen such doubtlesse for a while is the state of the children of God The application of these similitudes who thorow the heynous offences that they haue committed the strength of temptations that they doe indure speecially when they are pressed vpon them by the sting of their own heart or Satans malice and wherein oftentimes thorow the power of naturall corruption they lie sleeping snorting as it were a great while appeare vnto men yea very many thinke and saie so of themselues as persons forsaken of God and remedie lesse in this life and past hope of recouerie for that which is to come It is true that such mens cases are for the time specially before men in theÌ„selues hard and heauie And if wee shoulde say or thinke otherwise wee shoulde contradict Gods truth which telleth vs that g Heb. 12 1â— no afflictions much lesse this great one is for the present ioious but grieuous rather and stand vp against common sense and reason which plainly prooueth to our faces their condition to be pitifull And yet for all this it is not as they affirme desperate and vnrecouerable but rather thought not as in respect of it selfe yet as in regard of the consolations that God interminglâ—th with it and the good fruites that he bringeth foorth by it very comfortable And therefore how ought you A consolation such as you are to be raised vp I come now to the second point namely consolation vpon whome the Lorde himselfe hath sette such infallible notes of your adoption and election vnto eternall life in Iesus Christ that no cloude that the enemie hath interposed betwixt you and God or no myst that in imagination you haue raysed vp in your selfe to stoppe the comfortable Sunne-shine of Gods fauour vnto you nor no extreame frost or colde of winter howsoeuer it bee harde or sharpe for the tyme and sensibly felt of you can kill the seed that is sowen in your heart by Gods word and spirite or disanull the r 1 Iohn 2.27 annoynting s Ephes 4.30 wherewith you are sealed against the day of Christ so louing so faithfull and powerfull is God in and for his Saintes and that not onelie when they are assaulted with forraigne forces but when they are assayed from within and haue as a man would say the motions of their owne minde and the imaginations of their owne hearts and heades not only to conspire agaâ—nst them but euen to betraie them into the handes of their most cruell and deadlie enemies Obiections answered Howbeit it may bee that you will saie your selfe thinketh otherwise of of your selfe But be not your owne iudge I pray you as wel because iudgement in the especially beloÌ„geth not to you but vnto god t t. Cor. 4 4 to whoÌ„ only it appertaineth to pronouÌ„ce a right sentence as also because the way is slipperie here and men yea otherwise good men may easilie be deceiued For as in persons that are sicke in the bodie it sundry times falleth out A similitude that of som melancholike conceit in themselues or feare that they haue to die they receiue the sentence of death in theÌ„selues yea and sometimes the Phisitions giue him ouer and they are readye to take their leane of them and yet God the Lord of life saith they shal liue and as a proofe of his power restoreth them from deathes doore so is it many times with Gods children in this spirituall disease and sicknesse of their soule wherein as it is much more easie to bee mis-led than in bodily sicknesse so many times when al haue â—orsaken vs and we haue destituted our selues and failed in our own spirites yet God the v 2. Cor. 1.3 God of all mercie and father of all comfort renueth his vnspekeable fauour vpon vs calleth vs backe againe as if it were from death to life Againe Another as men that in their owne iudgments seeme sick vnto death and are so farre from hoping after health that they can not so much as thinke of it euen with imagination as many times wast and weare awaie aâ—d bee brought to deathes dore and yet for all that the standers by as learned phisitions and faithâ—ull friendes for certaine and vndoubted tokens of happie health and good recouerie
shall deliuer me from the bodie of this death By fearefull effectes Thirdly the fearefull effectes that the one bringeth foorth more than the other it taking for the time appetite from the stomake sleepe from the eye hearing from the eare and all maner of delight lawfull and vnlawfull outward and inward from the whole man as particular examples of Gods saintes doe manifestly shewe for which see the places quoted in the margine Psal 77.2.3.4 c. Psal 102.3.4 5.6.7 c. and some such like and experience in our selues if euer we haue bene in that estate or the condition of other men if wee haue heedily obserued it will sufficiently warrant the same vnto vs. Neither yet are these thinges propounded to dismaie and discourage those that are after that sorte exercised for surely their afflictions and troubles be hard and heauie inough and indeede doe rather craue all maner of comfort than anie depressing at all their sinne and the sight of the same with the apprehension of Gods iustice and iudgement against them for it beeing as the Prophet saith in another Psalme vz. 38.4 gone ouer their head and become as a weightie burthen to heauie for thē to beare or to throwe downe aboue measure when they come to it such as haue not entred into that course or combate For howsoeuer as yet they haue not felt weakenesse or wantes in themselues or Gods strength assisting them agaynst sinne yet then shall they finde that true that the Apostle sayth d 1. Cor. 10.13 that God is faithull and will not suffer them to bee tempted aboue that they are able but will euen giue the issue with the temptation that they may be able to beare it or to stop anie from striuing to yeeld to particular persons in that distresse anie reliefe or comfort that God hath giuen them themselues for that were to cause them to neglect the best duties of holie loue towardes men in their miserie we being enioyned by the Lord to e Galat. 6.2 beare one an others burthen f Rom. 12 15 and to weepe with them that weepe and to depriue themselues of comfort in the daies of the like daunger for howe can they looke to be pitied that haue had no care to expresse the same to others But rather to comfort them that are afflicted and that euen in the greatnesse of their griefe whilest they see no g ◠Cor 10 13 other temptation to haue taken holde of them but such as appertaineth to man yea to the best men that haue bene in this life which also the greater they are the more are they therein conformed vnto the h Rom 8.17 image of the sonne of God Iesus Christ in his sufferinges who patiently vnderwent and mightily ouercame not onely for himselfe but for vs all that that we beare but in part yet shal at the last thorow him be in and of the same i 29 more than conquerours and to prepare others before they come into those conflicts that so neither an imagination of their own strēgth neuer as yet assaied nor a conceit of the weake force of the foe neuer well felt nor the vnwontednesse of the troubles that they must indure nor the greatnesse or length of the trials that they are to sustain k Ephes 6.10 11. c. nor any other thing whatsoeuer may cast thē downe much lesse ouercome them but prouoke thē rather to be prepared in the strēgth of God the power of his word and the might of his spirite valiantly to encounter with the same l Luke 21 2◠lifting vp their heads harts knowing that the time of their redemption draweth nigh to excite and stir vp the last sort in al christian pitie bowels of compassion to inlarge thēselues to their vttermost yea beyond it if they coulde tell howe towards such afflicted soules that so according to the m 2. Cor. 1.4 consolations which they themselues haue receiued from God they may minister comfort vnto others distressed perswading themselues further of this that the more hard the cure and worke is speciallie if they feele the same left them as a spurre to pricke them forward the more glorie shall thereby rebound vnto God the n Phillip 2.13 Iames. 1.17 onely worker and giuer of all good thinges and the more comfort to themselues whome God hath bin pleased to vse as worthie instrumentes that not in some meane affaire or businesse but in this great dutie of comforting the distressed o Iud. 23. and sauing them with feare pulling them out of the fire Nowe as by that which hath bin alreadie deliuered wee may sensibly see a difference betweene bodily afflictions and the inward sorrowes of a troubled spirite so it is not to be doubted but that euen amōgst those inward griefs temptations and assaultes that such indure some are more sharpe and sore than other some though indeede the least and shortest of them be verie grieuous to flesh and bloud or to speake as the Apostle doth p Heb. 12 11 no chastisement for the present seemeth to bee ioyous but grieuous rather I will not say to bear for I suppose verily euerie man will confesse it but euen to thinke of which were the point doubtfull wee might labour to proue but being a manifest and confessed trueth it shall not be amisse to spare that pains and to trauaile in that which is somewhat more hard and may be of much better vse Amongest those troubles of the inward man that are greatest indeede none in my simple iudgement fitteth more nigh to or pincheth or presseth more hard the hearts of the deare saints and seruauntes of God in the dayes of their fleshe and combating than the sight or memorie of the fearefull sinnes that they haue committed against hys blessed maiestie which also as they aggrauate vnto themselues not onely in their owne nature that is to say as they are sinnes and violations or breaches of the law of God but in the circumstances of time place persons and maner of doing as that they were committed in the daies of knowledge publikely and by men of great note name c. all which doth adde vnto iniquitie causeth the same to be more grieuous so they increase it vnto thēselues as in regard of the bitter effects they bring forth as separation between God and man a taint and curse vpō the creatures horror of heart in our selues infirmities vpon the flesh temporall eternall death both of bodie and soule without great grace singular fauor from almighty god c. in all which respects the weake heart had neede to be g Can. 2.5 1. Thess 5.14 stayed least it faint and fall downe without hope of rysing vp and the wounded spirite calleth indeede for some of the wine and oyle of God to be powred thereinto least otherwise it fester and become irrecouerable But against al and euery one of these though sore assaultes
as a naturall passion for so that condition they haue common wyth the wicked of the world Of the feare of the Godly and some of the creatures of God Where it â—â—seth as hath in part bene prooued alreadie but prooceedeth also from an vnfaigned loue and a sincere reuerence of God his maiestie and whatsoeuer generallie is in him more particularlie his iudgementes groweth beeing shead abroade into their heartes and effectually planted continued and increased in them thorow the holy exercises of his word and powerfull working of hys blessed spirit accompanieng the same they beeing also styrred vppe thereto not for worldlye respectes or carnall considerations Continueth as shame before men or outward punishment that they must vndergoe for sinne committed or transitory glorie which they must forgoe and loose c. as the wicked and vngodlie but vpon holy regardes euen as wel be seemeth Gods saintes and seruauntes noâ— onelie professing but sincerelie imbracing godlinesse namely for that they haue set God against them selues not as a iudge sharpe and seuere but as a most louing tender father the remembraunce whereof euen in that respect as vnto them as if it wer the darts of death and the sensible feeling for the time of the verie panges and paines of hell and the state of the damned there being litle or no difference betweene the one the other but as in regard of length of time of this life present and the causes moouing such distresse in also which they are lead not so much to respect themselues for many of them in vnfeigned loue to others haue after a sort desired their own destruction as the glorie of God their most gracious father the honour of that blessed religion which they professe and loue of others that not onely in the flesh but also in the faith are deare and precious vnto them fearing indeede least all or any of these should in them or by them bee any manner of way though neuer so smallie wounded or hurte hauing alwayes and that in such a portion as God seeth fit for his glorie and their good notwithstanding their manifold wantes and vnwoorthynesse that pretious gifte of faiâ—h which as it commeth from God alone and is begun continued and encreased in his children by the ministerie of preaching perticipation of the sacramentes and powerfull working of his owne spirit so is it peculiar to the elect onelie to appropriate Gods mercies vnto them selues for the coÌ„fort of their own soules and to sanctifie as other things â—o them so this naturall feare within them and to keepe it in so that it bâ—eake not forth either into sinne against God or offence before men And as concerning the effectes or fruites the which they yeeld and bring foorth which is the seconde difference betweene them wee shall find as great ods and diuersitie as in the causes whereof also there is good reason because such as the cause is such is the effecte which who is it almost that knoweth not and then the causes being sundrie the effectes likewise must be so too Concerning the feare that is in the wicked it either maketh them frefull in themselues as we may see by that little quietnesse they haue whether they be at home or abroad sleepâ—ng or waking in sicknesse or in health The effects of feâ—â—◠〈◊〉 the wiâ—ked their life being nothing els but a sea of continuall troubles which fire though they seeme for a time to rake vp vnder the ashes of counterfeyt rest and dissembled ease In themselues yet will it at the length breake foorth as a mightie flame to consume them or els causeth them to be much disquiet towardes others â—owards oâ—â—ers they plainely bewraying the same either by some hard woordes or sharpe deedes or furious countenances that many times not onely against them whom they cannot abide but against them also that in manifolde respectes should be dear vnto them as their wiues that lie in their bosomes theâ—r children that issue out of their loines their frieÌ„ds that be as themselues their seruauntes that haue walked dutifullie towardes them c. Impacience or murmuring against God Or prouoketh them to bee impatient and murmuring euen against God himselfe not only because his hand for sinne lieth hard heauy vpon them but also because they can see or finde no way how eyther to soften or to shift or to auoid the same For though they seek to run away would gladly flie if they could tell how from the face presence of his eternal maiesty as we may see in our first h Gen. 3.8 parents Adam and Heuah and in the practise of all ages and euen of this present time who bitten as it wer with the teeth wounded with the dart of this deadly feare do not only faint in theÌ„selues and i Dan. 5.6 strike their knees together but manifest to men by sorrowful sighes lamentable coÌ„plaints yea and desperate dealings also sometimes against their own soules bodies that without any remorse of heart or godlie griefe at all whereof wee haue manyfold examples both in the holye scrpitures other writers also knowne I am sure vnto you so well exercised in the word as I take and iudge you to be yet they know there is no way to escape his reuenging hand against them for their sinnes and Rom. 2.5 hart that cannot repent and that is it that increaseth their feare and augmenteth their wo and causeth them to enter into these furious both wordes and deeds Th'effectes of feare in the godly But the â—eâ—e that is in the godly being yet notwithstanding mingled both with hope and ioy as we may perceiue by the Apostles wordes who speaking of the faithfull-saith l 2. Cor. 4 8 We are afflicted on euerie side yet are we not in distresse we are in doubt but yet we despaire not and by that which is reported in the gospell of the women which came to Christes sepulâ—hâ—e of whom the Euangeâ— st Matthew affirmeth that m Math 28.8 they dâ—parted with fear In themselues great ioy maketh them in the daies of their prosperitie considering in what a ticklysh estate In the daies of prosperitie they are and howe easily caried into pride against men I time of aâ—uersitie and forgetfulnesse of God carefull and watchfull ouer themselues ta walke in a good conscience before God and men according to the measure of mercies both past and present that they haue receiued from God and causeth them in the middâ—st of their distresses weighing how quicklie by the remainders of since they may be thrust into impatiencâ—e to labour the attaining of a quiet spirite within themselues beeâ—ng assured that n Râ—m â— 28 all things shall worke toge her to the best for them that loue and feare God yea it prouoketh them to be humble lowly yea and that in all sound maner towards others before
diligent obseruation of naturall courses that there is no tempest or storme so greate but there insueth euen in the necke of it as a man would say a verye quiet calme nor any winter so colde and deadlye but there commeth both a springing time and summer also after neither yet by the examples of some worthie partitular persons alone as Abraham Iob Dauid and such like whose endes and issues you haue heard off to bee comfortable and as it were heauenlie but by manifolde experiences in your selfe the Lord making you in your owne hearte to finde that to bee true which as hee had promised in hys woord so hee faithfullye perfourmed to his seruauntes in all ages and hath accomplished to and in you that o 1. Cor. 10.13 he wil not suffer you to be tempted aboue that you be able to wit to beare thorow him but will euen giue the issue with the temptation that ye may be able to beare it Waite therefore with all christian patience for the Lordes Spring-time and haruest wherein hee will come himselfe being reconciled vnto in Iesus Christ and comfortablie call you foorth yea take you as it were by the hand walke with you into the fieldes and say p Cant. 2.11 Arise my loue my fâ—ire one come thy waie for behold vvinter is past the rain is chaunged and gone away the flovvers appeare in the earth the time of the singing of birdes is come the voice of the turtle is heard in our land meaning vnder these earthlie similitudes and comparisons all spiritutuall and heauenlie graces together with the excellent fruites and effectes that by the same he will worke in you Concerning which as you muste not bee discouraged eyther with the length of time in which they are withhelde from you or the hardnesse and sharpnesse of the instrumentes and meanes whereby they are brought to passe in you so must you assure your selfe that at the length they will come because hee is faithâ—ull and willing and able to perfourme that hath promised and their delaie doubtlesse wil be recompenced with all manner of spirituall aboundance For euen as in husbandrie the daylie moisture harde frostes and thicke snowes that fall in the winter season doo indeede nothing els but season the ground mellowing it and making it fitte for the better receiuing and bringing foorth also of that which is committed to it and shall bee sowen in it howesoeuer it seeme contrarie sometimes vnto mans iudgement So no doubt the raine the frostes the snow and the I se of your afflictions are as it were not onelie prepaparatiues for the grounde of your heart and soule fitting you for yea filling you with the pleasaunt fruites of righteousnesse and religion which are as it were Gods summer and haruest q phil 1.11 fruites and so in Christ shall be accounted and accomplished in you Till which time come assure your self of this that as he r Ioh. 14 18. wil not leaue you alwaies or vtterly no not very long coÌ„fortles for so he hath faithfully promised in his blessed woorde but when you seeme most in danger and dystresse will visite you and replenish you with all heauenlye and holie comfort that being a moste proper and fitte tyme for hym to woorke in for the manifestation of his power in the eyes of the wicked and the declaration of his loue towardes his owne people so hee will not destitute you of all necessarye strength both to vndergoe and to ouercome too whatsoeuer it shal please him as your moste mercifull father nowe or else at anye time hereafter to laye vppon you or to exercise you withall As for mee looâ—e what dueâ—ye it shall please you to prescribe and God shall vouchsafe in mercie to enable â—e to performe I will not God aiding me fayâ—e therein yea I say vnto you not onely vse me but commaund me in the same and if you finde mee not therein readie to my vttermost I am content you shall write me vp with such dissembling and faithlesse friends as abound almost euerie where This I promise and by his strength that must performe all in all I hope I shall accomplish that I will not cease in my poore measure to pray for you till such time as I shall vnderstand that as by manie other meanes so particularly by that God himselfe shal be pleased to bestowe vpon you your full deliuerance and I haue occasion to yeeld him humble thankes for graunting the graces that I others as on your behalfe haue soundly though in weakenesse and wantes prayed vnto him for And thus with hartie thanks for your manifold and continuall kindnesses towardes me and mine and humble salutations in Christ vnto you and your good bedfellowe mistresse H. I doe vnfeignedly commend you to the Lord Iesus whose sith you whollie are and to whome sith your heauenly father hath giuen you to be kept I doubt not but you shal continue fast and remaine sure â—â—en vnto the end not onely because he â—o whom you are coÌ„mitted for custodie s Math. 28.18 s Math 28 18 hath al povver giuen vnto him both in heauen and earth but also because we knowe in the trueth of his worde that is the trueth it self t Iohn 10.12 that he looseth none of those that are committed vnto him u 6.37 nor casteth anie such away as come vnto him At London the last of this May. 1589. Your worships as bounden so readie alwayes in all that he may T.W. the Lords most vnworthy seruant GRACE AND PEACE from God c. WE haue right honorable if my poore iudgement deceiue me not The afflictions of the spirite most grieuous manifolde proofs of this point that the afflictions â—f the spirite are muche more great â—nd grieuous than the diseases or trouâ—les of the outward man For first the â—olie Ghost himselfe in plaine tearmes â—ffirmeth it saying a Prou. 18.14 The spirite of â— man will sustayne his infirmitie meaâ—ing thereby his outward paines and griefes of what nature or kinde soeuer â—ut a wounded spirite who can beare â— vnderstanding thereby the troubles â—f the hart or soule speaking as though â—ee shoulde saie it is not onely a very â—ard thing to performe but that verie â—â—we also are found that can indeede indure it yea none but suche as are indued with some special grace from God himselfe Secondly the verie lamentable complaintes and earnest prayers that Gods Children who indeede are moste I had almost said onely exercised that way this I am sure of with fruite and profite haue especiallie in that distressed case made and powred forth doe plainlie proue it Take Dauid Paul in stead of manie or all if you will the one auouching that there b Psalm 38.3 was nothing sound in his fleshe because of Gods anger neither rest in his bones by reason of his sinne and the other crying out c Rom. 7.24 Oh wretched man that I am who