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
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
mee thou doest account it also that to bee prosperitie which is voyd of all trouble and disquiet so that no longer then peace quietnesse continue no longer he accounteth it to be prosperity Whereas God would not haue thee to consider so much the very instant and time present but the issue and end of all The Scriptures doe testifie vnto vs yea and experience also doth teach vs that the wicked are seene to bee in this worldly peace and to bee without troubles when as on the other side the godly are in great troubles yet cannot the wicked ones bee iustly said to enioy prosperitie nor the godly to bee out of prosperitie vntill the end of the one and the other bee manifestly knowne and then that will sufficiently proue that the wicked this peace notwithstanding is void of prosperity and the godly their troubles notwithstanding are yet prosperous And therefore the Prophet Dauid in the 37. Psal hauing discoursed at large of the flourishing estate and prosperitie of the Righteous in the end to shew how we may truely iudge determine of it referreth vs not to the beginning or iniddle but vnto the end thereof saying Marke the vpright man Psal 37.37 and consider the iust for the end of that man is peace The good Souldier doth not determine of his good successe by the heate of the skirmish or by the strokes and wounds giuen and receiued betwixt him and his enemy but by the ssue and euent of the battell For if then hee put his foes to foyle he thinketh the victory to be his and his fight to haue beene good and prosperous The Merchant-venturer doth not iudge of the good successe of his Aduentures by the present tempests and stormes beating vpon him and whereby he is tossed to and fro and often in danger of losing all but if in the end he arriue safely at home without disparagement of his life and substance he then thinketh all to be well and his voyage to be worthily accounted prosperous So that which God speaketh of thy life and whole life considered altogether doe not thou thus minsingly with Satan diuide and part asunder by piece-meale for so thou mayst bee soone deceiued but ioyne the beginning with the proceeding and consider both these vvith the issue and end thereof and thou shalt finde that whatsoeuer Satan shall reason to the contrarie yet the godly mans life euen in the middest of all Aduersitie is a most happy and blessed life and full of all prosperitie because that the end thereof assuredly is blessed and prosperous Here perhaps you will maruell and demand how it can bee that these so contrary things should possibly concurre and meet together at one time and in the same subiect To remoue this maruell and to satisfie this demand not I but the Apostle Paul shall come in place who is bold to vtter as maruellous doctrine as this As dying saith he and yet behold 2. Cor. 6.9 10. we liue as chastened and yet not killed as sorrowing and yet alway reioycing as poore and yet making many rich as hauing nothing and yet possessing all things And what now are these in death life in afflictions comforts in sorrowing abundance of reioycing in pouertie plentie and in exceeding penury the possession of all things but euen in aduersitie the greatest gale of all prosperitie CHAP. XX. Other Obiections of Satan against the former doctrine confuted IF this which I haue somwhat largely discoursed be thought to be too little and insufficient for confirmation of mine assertion neither wil content your minde take I pray you a little paine wade on w th me a litle further in this matter I trust by the assistance of the Spirit of God euen by a very familiar example to make the case so plaine that you shall euen as it were of force bee brought to confesse my Position to bee true whatsoeuer the enemy of mankind will seeme to blatter out to the contrarie It is not to be denyed but that Satan the better to ouerthrow the seruants of God is busie to take many exceptions against the Truth proposed and vseth many reasons for confirmation of his doings But when all are thorowly skanned they will euidently appeare to be more presumptuously vttered then duely proued as now shall bee easily seene Let it be granted for disputations cause but not that it is true indeed that the promises of God doe concerne this present life onely I meane the promises of prosperitie and that they shall be here performed also Say that the righteous shall not fall for euer that is shall neuer fall but shall euer flourish Let Satan vpon these two grounds beginne to settle his mayne conclusions yet I doubt not but that vpon the examination of his reason it will cleerely appeare that his conclusions are but vaine light and of no weight or importance This is Satans reason The righteous men and children of God doe in this life enioy continuall prosperitie Satans Reason For so God hath said and promised who is true in his word faithfull of his promise and therefore surely wil perform it But thou hast not this prosperitie For thou continually liuest in trouble and aduersitie And therefore questionlesse thou art none of Gods children Answ The first Proposition with the reason I grant to be true but the second and the reason of the same I affirme to be most absurd if it be well considered Art thou therefore excluded from prosperitie because thou indurest troubles in this life Nay rather thou mayst with safety deny the consequence of this connexion For troubles and molestations are no vndoubted marke whereby to coniecture the absence of true prosperitie because that both these may very well concurre and come together as by this familiar example plainly doth appeare Example The Merchant the Husbandman the Artificer doe all take great paines one by Sea the others by Land they toyle and labour and are greatly for the time disquieted as men ouer-wearied with excessiue toyle yet in all this their paines are turned to a good euent they prosper for their wealth is thereby increased their labours and toyle are recompenced with great profit and aduantage Will you now say because these men haue such paines and troubles that therefore they doe not prosper I perswade my selfe thou wilt not say it And why Surely for this cause onely for that these their paines as is said are turned and conuerted to their gaine Euen so it is with the children of God they are in afflictions and troubles they are pressed with miseries in this life and yet still they prosper still they flourish because that all and euery one of these their troubles afflictions and miseries be they neuer so great and neuer so many are still conuerted and turned to their good For all things worke for the best and greatest commoditie and benefit to them that are elect of GOD. So that gaine is gaine to them how
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
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
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 these I grant indeed that purity in the highest perfection which they contend for is a thing to be desired if possibly it could bee had But man so long as hee liueth in this corrupted tabernacle of this polluted flesh is to make none other account but to finde many and great yea infinite and exceeding great imperfections in himselfe For although the power and force of sinne to condemnation of man is by vertue of Christs death abolished and taken away yet is not sinne it selfe so abolished and taken from the seruants of God in this life that neither it nor any staines thereof should remaine in them but that it should not raigne as a tyrant ouer them And therfore Paul a seruant of God and a man very well acquainted with this case finding this infirmity in himselfe and praying thrice against the pricke of his flesh receiued this answer at the hands of God to comfort him withall 2. Cor. 12.9 That the grace of God was sufficient for him So that the vse of these infirmities be they of short or long continuance is not as some vnaduisedly by Satans suggestion would gather to driue vs into despaire but that wee seeing our selues so prone and ready to sinne might cast away all trust and confidence in our selues and wholly rest vpon the free grace and fauour of God Obiect Yea but thou wilt say Can I be said to be truely repentant for my sinne and yet commit the same so oft and euery day without any amendment Answ Although the former answer of God to his Apostle Paul might suffice in this case yet I adde further that as I haue sayd before Sin will be found to dwell with vs continually so long as we continue in this tabernacle of this flesh and will bee still shewing forth the fruits thereof in our words our workes and thoughts And Num. 33.55 Iosh 23.13 as the Canaanites preserued and not destroyed were pricks in the eyes and thornes or whips in the sides of the Israelnes so will our sinnes be continually vexing troubling and disquieting of vs. It cleaueth so falt to this corrupted flesh of ours that although we make great adoe and striue neuer so much to be discharged therof yet it will not be For as it was with Paul so it is with vs The pricke of his flesh which as a messenger of Satan 2. Cor. 12.7 was sent to buffet him though hee struggled with it and prayed earnestly against it yet we doe not read that he was quite deliuered from it So although wee striue and pray against our sinne yet will it againe haue a recourse vnto vs. But let not vs heerein faint or giue ouer the fight but hold on still and fully perswade our selues that we shall at the last obtaine and get the victory And further it is very good that in committing of sinne thou wouldest consider with thy selfe how thou doest commit it For euen in the committing therof thou shalt finde many contrary and repining motions grudging and rising against this sinne that thou wouldest so willingly leaue and forsake For where thou seemest to yeeld obedience and subiection vnto sinne yet it is doubtlesse a forced obedience and against thy will Much like to one that is taken captiue by his enemies which yeeldeth himselfe into the power of his enemy perforce and against his will with a grudging and a disdainfull heart fully in minde perswaded that if hee did know how to rid himselfe out of his enemies hands and euer after continuatly to resist and fight against him Obiect But heere thou wilt reply that thou contrary to such a man taken captiue hast a willingnesse in thee and takest a pleasure and a delight in sinne and that therefore I doe greatly mistake the matter and am farre deceiued Answ But I on the other part doe answer that I neither mistake thee nor am in this point deceeiued at all For I grant that thou hast a certaine delight and pleasure in sinne and yet this letteth not but that thou mayst withall repine and grudge against the same Obiect This thou wilt say is very strange that a man should both like and loath delight and take a pleasure and also repine and grudge against one the selfe-same thing and that at one the selfe-same instant Answ Strange it may seeme vntill thou hearest the same proued vnto thee and then I trust this strangenes will vanish and certainty of knowledge will come in place It is no new point of doctrin but ancient It is euen the doctrine of the Apostle Paul Rom. 7. whom I doe know to speake by the Spirit of God For explaining of whose words thou art to be put in minde of this The man regenerate consisteth of two things and these two repugnant the one to the other I meane the flesh and the Spirit Now the flesh delighteth in fleshly things and the Spirit in things spirituall And heere marke and see how thou mayst like and loath affect and disdaine Sin to the flesh is delightsome the flesh taketh a great pleasure therein but to the spirit it is contrariwise burthensome and therefore the spirit grudgeth and repineth at it And thus thou seest that which appeared strange before now to be no strange thing at all Obiect But what of all this saist thou Answ Euen this to thy exceeding consolation and comfort that these two so contrary motions to like and not to like to accept and repine and grudge against a sinne as it is a sinne for that must bee also added because of hypocrites is a most certaine argument that thou hast the Spirit of God within thee For otherwise if the flesh were onely there this conflict would neuer bee in thee for most certaine it is that the flesh doth not fight against it selfe As for hypocrites Hypocrites grudging at sinne whom euen now I mentioned although that they also finde oftentimes such a like combate and conflict yet the difference surely is great for they repine and grudge at sinne but not because it is a sinne as I said before but because it is such a sinne that is attended vpon with certaine accidents as that it is too open and manifest and therefore may bee some occasion to procure vnto them the losse of their gaine and profite losse of their name and credit of sanctity and holinesse or such like whereof I haue before spoken In so much that they could bee willing and content without any grudging scruple or disputes at all to commit the sinne were it not attended with these inconueniences The godly grudging against sinne But with the other it is farre otherwise for in them the Spirit repineth and grudgeth against sinne though all these inconueniences bee remoued yea though hee findeth it attended with many pleasures and profits and might bee done neuer so closely and without impaire of credit in the sight of men yet all this will not allay the stomake but it will arise
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
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
our fraile and vveake flesh that so hee might deliuer vs from hell and crowne vs with an vnspeakeable weight of glory And what though we call and cry yea and that often and very earnestly and yet as we suppose God doth not regard it for the time are wee therefore thus to iudge or thinke either of God or of our selues as Satan would haue vs if he might preuaile God forbid It is our parts rather to rest our selues satisfied and contented with this that the Lord as I haue said both knoweth what is most conuement and behoouefull for vs his children and that hee is both able and also ready and willing in his appointed time fully to accomplish and performe the same Let not this seeme any strange thing vnto thee For GOD herein sheweth himselfe no otherwise affected towards vs then euen thou thy selfe art affected towards thine owne child whom thou most tenderly louest and in whom thou takest some great pleasure If this thy child had some grieuous sore or wound inflicted vpon him which by none other cunning of Physick could be cured but by the dayly applying of some sharp and byting medicine thereunto if the child tormented with this Physick should cry vnto thee make pitifull mone and plaint and that with abundance of teares trickling downe his tender cheekes crauing instantly that thou wouldest cease and giue ouer in this manner to vexe him by applying vnto his sore such a byting corrosiue Wouldest thou therefore cease giue ouer thy course or wouldest thou not rather all the cryes and teares of thy child notwithstanding continue still in the same because thou seest and knowest it to bee the hest and safest way to worke recouerie yea and yet withall also thinkest that therein thou shewest an vndoubted argument and token of thy great and fatherly loue towards him If it may be thus betwixt thee and thy child what reason is it that GOD should be abridged of his Prerogatiue that it should not bee in such manner betwixt God and his Children Why may not God continue his corrections vpon his seruants and therein as well as thou declare his loue and hold on still to apply vnto the sores of sinne these byting medicines of afflictions notwithstanding that thou continually callest and cryest to haue him cease and yet not withall as thou vnto thy child shew forth his mercy and compassion towards thee Let this therefore be holden as a certaine and vndoubted truth according to the sense and meaning of this my fourth Position that no miseries and afflictions in regard of their greatnes and continuance can be any sufficient cause or reason to make a difference in this life betwixt the Chosen of the Lord and Castawayes the Elect and Reprobate Because God powreth downe his corrections oftentimes vpon the one in as great a measure both in quantitie and continuance as he doth his Iudgements vpon the other And though some differences are indeed betwixt them as hath been before declared yet they are such and so hard for man to sound into that for mine owne part I dare not say no not of those that haue spent their liues very dissolutely and dying to the outward appearance very miserably that therefore these were iudgements proceeding of Gods hatred and tokens of his eternall resection of them Wee may read of many both in the older later times in foraine and also in our owne countrey which haue tyrannously oppressed and cruelly persecuted the poore members and faithfull seruants of our Sauiour Iesus Christ which dyed strange and vnwonted deaths and suffered in their ends most terrible and vnspeakle torments Yet since the time and manner of Gods Calling is so secret and vnknowne vnto vs shall I say that therefore they were condemned Let others vse their iudgements I dare not doe it For mine opinion is that extremities are no reasons and strange torments are no Arguments to conuince so great a matter They rest vnto the iudgement of the Lord to whom they either stand or fall And yet for the comfort of all Gods children be it also added that oftentimes in these extremities and Agonies euen in the very suffering and enduring of them the Elect of God shal finde many vndoubted Reasous whereupon they may certainly and vvithout all doubt conclude their saluation and that they are in the number of Gods Elect and Chosen And this is by the fruits and effects of true and liuely faith working and mouing in them Which effects sometimes againe are so supprest and sinothered vnder the violence of their paines and miseries that they seeme oftentimes yea and many of them also euen in the very point of death and being ready to yeeld vp the Ghost vnto the iudgement of man to haue no feeling of comfort in Christ and to sauour onely of despayre and yet for all this depart hence the Elect of God and in the number of his faithfull seruants CHAP. XXIII Of the fift Position THese things being thus concluded as wee haue answered Satans obiections and in answering remoued his discomforts whereinto hee seeketh to cast the Children of God So now let vs gather as it were into a brief summe the comforts before intreated of and also further see what comforts more we can make against this temptation and what spirituall dyet is herein fittest and most conueuient for the afflicted distressed soule to vse for the preseruation of his soules health The first comfort 1. Comfort is the consideration of the motiue cause in God of these afflictions and that is loue and mercy which hee beareth vnto these his seruants whom hee doth vouchsafe thus to afflict and chasten For this serueth if it bee well considered as a reyne to hold backe and restraine the violence of despayring thoughts When as wee call to minde and remember that hee that layeth and inflicteth these things vpon vs is louingly affected and disposed towards vs and therefore wil surely herein proceed no further then shall be for our good and benefit 2. Comfort Vnto this let vs adde for the second cōfort the consideration of the sinall cause or end wherefore God doth thus correct and chasten his children And that is to worke in them amendment to quicken stirre vp increase his graces in them that they may shine appeare more bright and cleere and to deliuer vs from the danger of those things as sinne and death whereinto by reason of the weaknesse and exceeding frailtie of our nature wee are ready euery day to slip and fall if by these his Fatherly and gentle corrections wee vvere not restrained Oftentimes also 3. Comfort we must herein call to minde the great care of God which he hath for his seruants in inflicting laying these corrections vpon them in that at all times and in euery seuerall person hee hath a speciall respect and regard that they exceed not measure but still doth limit and order them according to our abilitie in tolerating the
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
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
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
aforesaid and dayly nay hourely or rather euery minute exercise thy selfe therein that thou mayst be able to withstand thine enemies at all times For if thy sinnes which Satan will bee busie to lay to thy charge be obiected against thee arme thee thē with the Brest-plate of Righteousnes it shall be vnto thee as a Brazen wall to beare it off If this will not fully serue vse the shooes of Preparation to step aside or at least the target of Faith to breake the blow If from the course of Gods dealing with his seruants and also with the wicked hee beginne to assault thee which is a very vsuall and common thing with Satan take then into thy hand the sword of the Spirit so shalt thou be sure to beate him off And finally if death with his vgly terrours begin to rush vpon thee as ready to deuoure and swallow thee vp bee resolute in the Coat of Constancy stand fast in thy station and place appointed thee of thy Chiefetaine Head Christ Iesus and euery piece of Armour vvill minister present helpe and defence vnto thee And if it so fall out for all this that thou seest some weaknes in thy selfe that thou art faint and not able to hold thine owne but that Satan seemeth to get some aduantage vpon thee Death doth affright and terrifie thee and thy sinnes doe amaze thee insomuch that thy girdle is loose about thy loynes thy Brest-plate is bent and battered thy Shooes ready to slip and fall off thy feet thy right hand weake in weilding and handling of thy Sword and thy Target beaten euen to thy head that is if thou in this conflict doest suffer many discomforts and Satan seeme to preuaile so greatly against thee that thou knowest not how or which way to ward or keepe him backe yet let not this make thee flee and to giue ouer the fight or in any wise to yeeld vnto thine enemies But comfort thy selfe that Christ standeth as an eye witnes of thy doings ready to strengthen thee and to minister power vnto thee Flye therefore to him for refuge with hearty and earnest Prayer for that hee is both able and also willing to succour and deliuer thee and patiently suffer and endure all the hard doings of the enemies against thee with the Helmet of Hope And at the end conclude and shut vp the matter with Dauid and say Into thy hands O Lord Psal 31.6 I commend my Spirit For thou hast redeemed mee O Lord God of Truth Here stay thy thoughts and close vp thine eyes and what thou findest not in thy selfe expect and looke for in him who as I haue said is able and vvilling to doe all things for thy good And though it appeareth to thy iudgement that thou art depriued of the needfull consolation and comfort in this life yet doe thou not despayre For Christ will not be thou sure cast thee off because he findeth thee cut and wounded But as the good Samaritane Luk. 10.33 c. will mercifully binde vp thy wounds and plentifully powre out the oyle of euerlasting ioy and blessednes into thy maymed soule CHAP. XXVIII That the Elect in time bee assured of their election and how THe proofe and demonstration of this position namely that the Elect and Chosen of God in time bee assured of their election I thought conuenient to be annexed vnto this treatise because it serueth not a little to minister help and comfort for the allaying and qualifying of the troubles and discomforts of the afflicted soule And because it is of many made a doubt question whether any such assurance may be at all in Gods Children except it bee onely by speciall reuelation I thought it good for the better vnderstanding of the same briefly to premise something of the meaning heereof and to shew how it is to be vnderstood First therefore when I say the Elect I doe not meane some but all and euerie one of the Elect of God that they may and shall haue a certainty and an assurance that they are elect vnto saluation But for further and better explanation of my meaning I adde to this mine assertion in time for it is not alwayes so but after such time onely as they are effectually called and regenerated and that before such time they cannot haue it So that this is not any speciall and particular reuelation but a thing common and incident euen generally to all and particularly to euery one after that hee is thus thorowly called and renewed to know and bee assured that not onely generally all that doe belieue in Christ are elect and shall bee saued but also himselfe in seuerall and particular to be one of the number of those whom God in his eternall and euerlasting decree and purpose hath predestinate and appoynted vnto life The certainty of which doctrine shall plainely appeare and bee fully demonstrated in setting downe the meanes how this assurance is wrought and effected in them For proofe of this so profitable a poynt of doctrine let vs see so briefly and so plainely as we can by what reasons it may bee prooued that the man regenerate may be certified and assured of his Election The first argument of this assurance 1. Argument of assurance of Electiō is drawne and brought from the euidence of their owne Spirit which the faithfull finde within themselues For that this I meane the Spirit of euery one of the Elect of God is a very good witnes to giue euidence testimony in this case as the Apostle plainly teacheth Ro. 8. where he hath these words that the Spirit of God beareth witnes with our Spirits Rom. 8.16 So that if both do witnes together then our Spirit doth witnes also And this is that testimony which euery man by his own Spirit and conscience doth deriue draw from those generall propositions which he findeth in the Gospel for from the Gospell the Spirit of euery one of the Elect of God doth fetch his euidence by applying the same and by annexing an assumption vnto the generall doctrine and vniuersall propositions there deliuered As for example The Gospel teacheth that euery one that belieueth in Christ shall saued This generall proposition wanteth not good proofe but hath very many places in the Scriptures to confirme the same They that haue faith and doe belieue Ioh. 3.15 Rom. 9 33. Ioh. 8.51 5.24 Ioh. 3. Ion. 3.24 Gal. 2. shall not perish Ioh. 3. Shall not bee confounded Rom. 9. Shall not see death Ioh. 8. Shall not enter inter Iudgement Ioh. 5. Shall haue euerlasting life Ioh. 3. Shall be saued be iustified and haue remission of all their sinnes Rom. 3. Gal. 2. and many such places most plaine and manifest to like effect The Gospell thus ministring this generall proposition now the spirit of the elected childe of God beginneth to giue his witnesse by a particular assumption saying But I see and know by search within my selfe that I haue
loue that is of God For this is the very stamp of the Spirit which otherwise in other places is called our Regeneration and this is the testimony and witnesse that it giueth Wherefore that wee may now the better see and vnderstand how this Spirit of God in this sort doth witnesse and giue testimony with our Spirits of nor adoption into the number and fellowship of the children of God I think it good that we proceed a little further in the Apostles similitude This phrase and manner of speaking is drawn from the manner of men vsed for confirmation of contracts and bargaines made who hauing in speech concluded vpon their couenants straightway cause the same to bee first written and ingrossed and after their seales to bee to the same annexed to witnesse and assure both the truth of the bargaine and also the performance thereof So that the very print and impression abiding still in the wax is a sufficient witnesse that those writings are his act and deede whose seale is there annexed and that therfore also he will in truth surely performe the couenants therein contained Now for a further explanation hereof and to apply this according to the seuerall circumstances to our present purpose it is diligently to bee obserued and noted that the couenants or matter of the writings betwixt God and his Children are the promises of Grace in Christ through faith comprised in the Gospel These sayd promises are written and ingrossed in the tables of euery faithfull mans heart according to that saying I will write my lawes in their hearts Ier. 31.33 And this writing is when as by faith we doe apprehend the same Whereupon as is aforesayd our heart and conscience doth witnesse to vs that they doe belong vnto vs and that we are the sonnes of God Then together with this also commeth the seale and witnesse of the Spirit of God bearing witnesse as I haue sayd with our Spirit also of the truth heereof by setting his stamp and seale vpon our soules and harts wherin as in tables these couenants were written confirming most effectually and assuring vs that wee are indeede of the number of those in whom these promises shall be fulfilled that we are elect of God and such as are ordained vnto eternall life because this image and impression of the Spirit is giuen and imparted vnto none but those onely that are in the number of Gods adopted children See therefore I pray thee now in what manner the Spirit of God doth witnesse and seale vnto thee that thou art one of Gods Elect euen by setting ingrauing vpon vs such a stamp marke and impression as is onely proper and pecuilar vnto those that shall bee saued So that we seeing and beholding this within our selues are thereby to our exceeding comfort assured and confirmed that we are Gods Children and therefore also heires and co-heires with Christ of eternall life Rom. 8.17 Of this testimony then we are not in any wise to doubt but to account it vnto vs most sure and certaine for that it hath the Spirit of truth to bee the author of it which Spirit alwaies speaketh truth and nothing but truth And so much the rather also should wee haue in vs this assurance because this is applied euen vnto our hearts and Spirits and that with such efficacy and force as that it crieth that is to say it causeth vs in sight and feeling of the same to cry and call vpon our God by the louing and comfortable name of Father So that if the testimony of thine owne Spirit cannot content or suffice thee in this poynt but that thou doest desire to haue a further witnesse of thine election See if in thine heart thou canst finde this seale and impression this witnesse of the Spirit If thou canst this also will testifie with thy Spirit that thou art an elected Childe of God CHAP. XXX Of the third Argument whereby the certainety of a mans election is proued THE third Argument for the proofe of this Doctrine concerning Mans Election and the knowledge assurance thereof is brought from the notable effects and fruits following vpon our Regeneration in the course and race of our life For these also do witnesse and approue vnto vs our election as may very well be gathered by the words of the Apostle saying Rom. 8.1 There is no condemnation saith hee vnto them that are in Christ Iesus that walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit Who are they that walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit but euen they that shew forth the fruits of Regeneration by newnesse that is sanctuy and righteousnesse of life And what is it to bee free from condemnation but to bee one that shall in the end be saued And who are those that shall bee saued but onely they which before all times were hereunto elect and ordained This also is prooued effectually by the Apostle Peter who exhorting vs vnto these fruits willeth vs to ioyne vertue with faith with vertue knowledge 2. Pet. 1.5 6 7 8 9 10. with knowledge temperance with temperance patience and with patience godlinesse c. And after in the tenth verse for a conclusion hee addeth Wherefore brethren giue rather diligence to make your calling and election sure for if ye do these things ye shall neuer fall Now how is our election made sure by our workes but because that these good workes and gifts of the Spirit do certifie and assure vs that we are in the number of Gods Elect in that hee vouch safeth in this sort by his Spirit to worke in vs And the reason is because that f wee doe these things that is seeing God hath so farre communicated his Grace vnto vs no doubt hee that hath begun so good a worke in vs will continue and hold on still and that in such a manner that wee shall neuer fall To these let vs adde the testimonie of Christ Joh. 13.35 By this shall all men know that you are my Disciples if you haue loue one to another And the Apostle Iohn in his first Epistle 1. Ioh. 1.7 is pregnant to this effect If wee walke in the light as hee is in the light wee haue fellowship one with another and the bloud of Christ clenseth vs from all sinne 1. Ioh. 2.3 5. Againe Heereby are we sure that wee know him if wee keepe his commandements 1. Ioh. 3.14 Hee that keepeth his word in him is the loue of God perfect indeed hereby we know that we are in him And againe Wee know that wee are translated from death to life because wee loue the brethren c. Many such like places of Scriptures might bee brought tending to like effect and purpose so that as by the fruits the good or bad nature of the Tree is knowne so by thy workes as fruits thy condition and estate may be discerned For men doe not gather Grapes of Thornes Math. 7.16 nor Figges of
of the body and also the safety and saluation of the soule This loue is of that nature that it must shew forth it selfe euen to our enemtes and to their good and then much more to those that are members of the same body with vs according to that of the Apostle Do good vnto al men but speciully vnto thē which are of the houshold of Faith Gal. 6.10 Vnder these two kindes of Christian loue as we may see is contained the whole work of our sanctification which is all in faith I meane the true saith which purifyeth and clenseth our harts and from this faith issueth and floweth as from a plentifull fountaine Act. 15.9 into all the parts and members of the body holding and containing them vvithin the bounds and lists of their seuerall duties So that in shewing forth the fruits of this purification in the deeds of loue both towards God and towards our neighbour we are said to walke according to the Spirit which being once discerned and knowne we haue then a most sure argument of the truth of faith Rom. 8.1 For there is no condemnation to them that walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit And who are they that shall thus be saued and shall not enter into condemnation but they that doe beleeue As appeareth by the words of Christ himselfe Joh. 5.24 saying Hee that heareth my Word and beleeueth in him that sent mee hath euerlasting life shall not come into condemnation but hath passed from death to life And againe God so loued the world that hee hath giuen his onely begotten Sonne Iohn 3.16 that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life Seeing now that the Children of God haue these so many and so excellent fruits and effects as markes and tokens to teach and instruct them in the truth of faith and as guides to lead and direct them in the iudgement of their Faith they may very well conclude to their great comfort both that their faith is in very deede a true liuely and iustifying faeith and that therefore their election is doubtlesse certaine an I sure whatsoeuer the enemies of this doctrine will seeme to obiect to the contrarie CHAP. XXXIII How the faithfull shall know that they haue the Spirit of Adoption THese things being in this manner set downe for the better quieting of the troubled conscience it now remaineth that as we haue occupyed our selues in poynting out the markes of a true liuely faith so likewise we take some paines to syft out and try also how the seruants of God his faithfull and elect children may discerne and know that they haue that testifying Spirit of Adoption whereof the Apostle speaketh Rom. 8.16 that giueth that plaine and euident testimonie vnto their spirits that they are the sons of God For the wicked and reprobates in some sort may be partakers of the Holy Ghost and therefore it seemeth that the Elect in this point may bee easily deceiued and mistake this their witnesse Two things here by the way wee must take good heed of First That although the Reprobates as I haue said may in some sort bee partakers of the Holy Ghost and as shall bee after more plainly shewed yet that we do not suppose or thinke that they can in any wise bee partakers of the same holy Spirit as it is the Spirit of Adoption For in this manner and in this respect it is imparted to the Elect of God onely and to none other For as many as are led by this Spirit Rom. 8.14.2 they are the sonnes of God Secondly that wee do not imagine this Spirit of Adoption to be distinct in substance and essence from that whereof the wicked are partakers as though it had a diuers nature but that the onely difference is in the manner of operation or to speake more plainely in the manner of distributing and diuiding his gifts amongst men And according to this operation or distribution there are diuers names ascribed vnto him in the Scriptures and yet the Spirit is but one and the same still As for an example when this Spirit effecteth wisedome in any it is called the Spirit of Wisedome when hee doth effect peace and ioy hee is called the Spirit of peace and ioy When hee worketh this witnesse of Adoption in any it is called the Spirit of Adoption And on the other part when hee putteth feare and terrour into any hee is called the Spirit of bondage The truth hereof is proued by the words of the Apostle Paul affirming that there are diner sities of gifts 1. Cor. 12.8 c. but the same Spirit For to one is giuen by the Spirit the word of wisedome and to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit and to another is giuen faith by the same Spirit and to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit and to another the operations of great workes and to another Prophecie and to another the discerning of Spirits and to another diuersities of tongues and to another the interpretation of tongues and all these things worketh euen the selfe same Spirit distributing to euery man seuerally as hee will So that in nature and essence it is the same Spirit that worketh in the distribution of all these gifts both to the Elect and also Reprobates although the persons in whom hee worketh bee as I haue said found to be diuers Seeing then that the case standeth so that euen the Reprobates are partakers of the Holy Ghost in that the gifts of the Holy Ghost in some part are giuen and imparted vnto them I thinke it very expedient for the remouing of all doubts which may arise concerning this mine assertion First to shew in what manner this Spirit is and doth thus diuersly worke in the one and in the other in the Elect and in the Reprobate And seeondly what are the true markes and tokens whereby the Spirit of Adoption may bee discerned As touching the first it is be considered that the Spirit being in essence very God and therefore infinite and incomprehensible cannot be said to be contained in any thing but filleth heauen earth And therefore when it is said that hee is in any it is to be vnderstood that hee is in them by his working and operation And this manner of his being in them is after two sorts either naturall or else supernaturall Naturall I call that which exceedeth not the course and reach of mans nature And this is such as toucheth and concerncth the beeing onely and in this sense the Spirit may bee said to bee in the very senselesse creatures and to haue his working and operation in them For by this Spirit of God it is that euery thing is and hath his being and by the same Spirit it is preserued and maintained Or else it is such as concerneth things sensible and indued with life sense and motion and thus it is imparted vnto the very dumbe
sheweth plainely that the same Iudas in Gods eternall decree was not elect at all Ioh. 13.18 I speake not of you all saith Christ I know whom I haue chosen but it is that the Scripture might bee fulsilled Hee that eateth bread with mee hath lift vp his heele against me In which words Christ maketh a plaine distinction betwixt Iudas and those that hee had chosen and elected vnto life The fourth reason is brought from the former witnes and testimonie of the Spirit of God before declared 4. Reason which is alwayes most true and certaine which doth testifie and seale vnto vs not onely that wee are sonnes and Children but heyres also and coheyres with Christ of eternall glory Now how can this witnes of the Spirit be true that wee are heyres and coheyres with Christ of life if wee might at any time so fall againe as that wee might bee condemned vnto eternall death Wherefore I vvould aduise the broachers and setters forward of this obiection to beware and take heede vnto themselues betime how they labour to vphold and maintaine this so pernicious a point of doctrine for that in defence thereof they shall euidently appeare to argue the holy Ghost of falshood which thing bee farre from all Christians The fift Argument is brought from that inseparable connexion and dependancie of the gifts and graces of the Holy Ghost 5. Reason Rom. 8.30 and of his working in the Elect and Chosen for whom he predestinate vnto life them also he called whom he called them hee iustified whom hee iustified them he glorified So that I may then in this manner reason Art thou elected and predestinate vnto life Thou shalt then be called and also iustified And art thou iustified and canst thou yet fall vtterly from grace and life No in no wise for if thou bee iustified thou shalt also bee glorified What plainer euidences then these can bee brought for the continuance and perseuerance of the Elect of God and to warrant them against this obiected fall without recouerie The sixt reason may bee brought from the immoueable estate of the Regenerate of God 6. Reason in that that neither sinne Satan Death nor any other their enemies can preuaile against them to impayre their hope or doe them hurt although they dayly with all their power doe attempt the same And the reason is because Christ hath so fully satisfied his Father and reconciled him vnto them If they could so fall as by the obiection is pretended then it is likely that this fall must come by the suggestion of Satan or by some other meanes of the enemies aforesaid But there is nothing at all that can preuaile so far against them as appeareth by the Testimonie of the Apostle Paul Who saith the Apostle shall separate vs from the loue of Christ Shall tribulation or anguish Rom. 8.35 or persecution or famine or nakednesse or perill or sword Nay in all these things saith he we are more then conquerours through him that loued vs. And addeth further for more manifestation of this point that he is 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 and what can then indanger vs shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Vpon this we may safely inferre to our consolation and comfort that if Gods loue doe still continue towards vs and that he be with vs and take part with vs we neede not to feare who be against vs. And whereas there is indeed great force power in sinne to worke if it were possible this separation betwixt God and vs and to effect this fall of Gods Elect yet euen sinne is found to haue lost her power in this behalfe Rom. 8.33 as doth plainely appeare by the words of the Apostle euen a little before Who saith the Apostle shal lay any thing to the charge of Gods Chosen It is God that instifieth If none can lay to the charge surely none can condemne and reade the doome vpon them It is Christ that is dead yea rather that is risen againe who is also at the right hand of God and maketh intercession for vs. An argument no doubt very strong and forcible is here brought by the Apostle Christ saith hee is dead for sinne and how then should sinne bee imputed to his Chosen whereof Christ already hath in his owne person sustained the punishment Or if the Elect doe dayly sinne as they without doubt doe so long as they continue in this corrupted Tabernacle yet how should this depriue and spoile them of their hope seeing Christ standeth a continuall Intercessor and Mediator in their behalfe to qualifie and appease his Fathers wrath against them for sinne Seeing then that the matter is so plaine thou art to leaue off to dispute and reason against the durable estate of Gods Elect and Chosen vnto the end vnlesse thou wilt shew and proue thy selfe a very iniurious censurer of this sacred office of Christ our Sauiour Which if thou doe thou canst not in the sight of GOD bee holden guiltlesse but art to haue God to bee a sharpe reuenger of the iniury done and committed by thee and it is a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of the Lord. The seuenth reason may bee drawne from the promises and doctrine of life 7. Reason and of that ioyfull Resurrection and glorious estate of Gods Chosen in the life to come These promises are so firme and sure and this doctrine is so cleere that they cannot bee gainesayed without great preiudice For to say that the Elect of God hauing once assurance of their election haue not also therewith an assurance of their perseuerance and continuance vnto the end is to depriue them of the speciall vse of those promises of such blessednes in the life to come And then what greater comfort should the faithfull and Regenerate finde in those promises then the faithlesse and Reprobate And further what benefit or comfort could grow to the faithfull by those three last Articles of our Creed I beleeue the Remission of sinnes the Resurrection of the body and the life euerlasting if they could not also bee assured that they should hereafter bee made partakers of them For the Reprobates yea the Diuels themselues do know that there are such blessed things prepared But this their knowledge nothing profiteth for that they are not indeed to be partakers of them they doe belong onely to the Elect and Chosen of the Lord. And to this end and purpose onely tended the course and order of the instructions of Christ the Apostles and all the faithfull Ministers of all ages vvho haue diligently taught the Children of God to view and behold these blessed things not as things being onely but such also as one day assuredly they shall by Christ be put in full possession of as their owne