before there must be a conformity in life a Christian must be strong unconquerable not carrying an obscure profession but resolute expressing the Image of Christ and holding out against all opposition to the last breath he must give all diligence by righteousness and holiness to make his calling and election sure many there are that snatch at the promises in the Gospel as if they undoubtedly did belong to them and yet they remaine sluggish and careless and being flattered by the things of this present world they pass in their course in quietness and security as if they were the onely happy men whom nevertheless the Lord in his providence hath ordained to eternal wrath as you may see in Saint Lukes Rich man thus it was with me therefore take heed Then came one of his Nephewes and offered him some sustenance which he disdainfully refusing so moved the young mans choler that he charged him with hypocrisie and dissimulation or frenzie to whom Spira gravely answering said You may interpret the matter as you will but I am sure I am not onely the Actor but the argument and matter of the Tragedy I would it were frenzie either fained or true for if it were fained I could put it off at pleasure if it were a reall frenzie yet there were some hope left of Gods mercie whereas now there is none for I know that God hath pronounced me an enemie and guilty of high Treason against his Majestie I am a cast-away a vassaile of wrath yet dare you call it dissembling and frenzy and can mock at the formidable example of the heavy wrath of God that should teach you fear and terror But it is natural to the flesh either out of malice or ignorance to speak perversly of the Works of God The natural man discerneth not of the things that are of God because they are spiritually discerned How can this be said Gribauldus that you can thus excellently discourse of the judgments of God and of the graces of his holy Spirit that you finde the want of them and earnestly desire them and yet you think you are utterly deprived of them Take this for certain said he I want the main grace of all and that which is absolutely necessary and God doth many times exâ—ort most true and strange testimonies of his Majesties justice and mercy yea out of the mouthes of very reprobates for even Judas after he had betrayed his Master was constrained to confess his sin and to justifie the innocency of Christ and therefore if I do the like it is no new or strange matter God hath taken faith from me and left me other common gifts for my deeper condemnation By how much the more I remember what I had and hear others discourse of what they have by so much the more is my torment in that I know what I want and how there is no way to be relieved Thus spake he the tears all the while trickling down professing that his pangs were such as that the damned wights in hell endure not the like misery that his estate was worse then that of Cain or Judas and therefore he desired to die Yet behold saith he the Scriptures are accomplished in me they shall desire to die and death shall flie from them And verily he seemed exceedingly to fear left his life should be drawn out to a longer thred and finding no ease or rest ever and anon cryed out O miserable wretch O miserable wretch then turning to the Company he besought them in this maner O Brethren take a diligent heed to your life make more account of the gifts of Gods Spirit then I have done learn to beware my misery think not you are assured Christians because you understand something of the Gospel take heed you grow not secure on that ground be constant and immoveable in the maintenance of your profession Confess even until death if you be called thereto He that loveth father mother brothers sisters sons daughters kinred houses lands more then Christ is not worthy of him These words said they do not found like the words of a wicked Reprobate I do but herein imitate said Spira the rich Glutton in the Gospel who though in hell yet was careful that his brethren should not come to that place of torment and I say to you Brethren take heed of this miserable estate wherein I am Then turning himself to certain young men that were present he desired them to conceive him aright I do not speak this to derogate from the certainty of saving faith and the promises of the Gospel for they are most sure but take heed of relying on that faith that works not a holy and unblameable life worthy of a believer credit me it will fail I have tryed it I presumed I had gotten the right faith I preached it to others I had all places of Scripture in memory that might support it I thought my self sure and in the mean time living impiously and carelesly behold now the judgments of God have overtaken me not to correction but to condemnation And now you would have me to believe but it will not be for I feel too late that good things belong only to such as are good whose sins are covered with Christs death and blood as with a vail and guarded with his righteous merits from the floud of Gods wrath even as with a mighty wall lest miserable mortals should be swallowed up with greatness of their sins But as for me I have as it were wilfully with mine hands pulled down this Rampire behinde which I might have rested in safety and now are the swelling waters come even to my soul and I am cast away One of his familiar friends chanced to say That certainly he was overcome with melancholly which being overheard Spira answered Well be it so seeing you will needs have it so for thus also is Gods wrath manifested against me in that he hath taken from me the use of mine Understanding and Reason so as I can neither rightly esteem and judg of my distemper nor hope of remedy You see Brethren what a dangerous thing it is to stop or stay in things that concern Gods glory especially to dissemble upon any tearms What a fearful thing is it to be neer and almost a Christian never was the like example to this of mine and therefore if you be wise you will seriously consider thereof O that God would let loose his hand from me that it were with me now as in times past I would scorn the threats of the most cruel Tyrants bear torments with invincible resolution and glory in the outward profession of Christ till I wear choaked in the flame and my body consumed to ashes You say you are desperate O Spira said they why then do you not strive with some weapon or other violently to make an end of your life as desperate men use to do Let me have a sword said Spira why what would you do
A RELATION OF THE FEARFVL ESTATE OF Francis Spira In the year 1548. Compiled by Natth. Bacon Esq The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own waies Prov. 14. 14. LONDON Printed by I. L. for Christoph Meredith at the Crane in Pauls Church-yard 1649. A RELATION of the fearfull estate of Francis SPIRA IN the year 1548. when the glorious Sun of the Gospel was but newly risen in Europe in the days of the raign of Edward the Sixth of that name King of ENGLAND In the Territorie and under the Iurisdiction of the City of Venice being the very border of Italy in the town of Cittadella lived one Francis Spira a Civill Lawyer an Advocate of great rank and esteem being of known learning and eloquence of great experience of carriage circumspect and severe his speech grave and composed his countenance sharpe and austere every way befitting that authority wherunto he was advanced endowed with outward blessings of wife and eleven children and wealth in abundance what his worst parts were I have no other warrant then his own words which if not tainted overmuch with the bitterness of a desperate minde and bearing the countenance rather of passion then of sober confession may seem to adde a period to all further commendations I was saith he excessively covetous of mony and accordingly I applied my self to get by injustice corrupting justice by deceit inventing tricks to delude justice good causes I either defended deceitfully or sold them to the adversary perfidiously ill causes I maintained with all my might I wittingly opposed the known truth and the trust commuted unto mee I either betrayed or perverted Thus having worn out forty four yeares or there abouts and the news of the new or rather newly revived opinions of Luther comming into those parts represented an object of novelty unto him who being as desirous to know as he was famous for knowledg suffered not these wandring opinions to pass unexamined but searching into the Scriptures and into all books of Controversie that he could get both old and new and finding more then fame or opinion he began to taste their nature so well as he entertains loves and ownes them at length and with such zeal as he became a professor yea a teacher of them first to his wife children and family and after to his friends and familiar acquaintance and in comparison seemed to neglect all other affaires intending ever to press this main point that We must wholly and only depend one the free and unchangeable love of God in the death of Christ as the only sure way to salvation and this was the summe of all his discourse and this continued for the space of six years or thereabouts even so long as this fire could keep it self within private walles but at length it brake forth into publique meetings so as the whole Province of Padua dawned by the lustre thereof The Clergie finding the trade of their pardons to decay and their Purgatory to wax cold began to be stirre themselves glosing their actions first with calumnious aspersions upon the whole profession then more plainly striking at Spira with grievous accusation And to effect their purpose some promise labour others favour some advice others maintenance all joyn to divide either his soul from his body or both from God Now was Iohn Casa the Popes Legate resident at Venice being by birth a Florentine and one that wanted neither malice against those of this way nor craftiness to effect his malicious purposes To him these men repaire with out-cries against Spira that he was the man that condemned the received rites of the Church deluded the Ecclesiastical power and scandalized the policie thereof one of no meane rank being a man of Account and authority and therunto learned in the Scriptures elegant in speech and in one word a dangerous Lutheran having also many disciples and therefore not to be despised At this began the Legate to cast his eye on the terrible alteration that lately had hapned in Germany where by the means of one onely Luther the Romish Religion had suffered such a blow as that it could neither be cured by dissimulation nor defended by power but the Clergy must either mend their manners or lose their dignities on the other side when he saw how propense the common people inhabiting in the bordering countries of Italy were to entertain those new opinions he now thought it no time to dispute or perswade but with speed repairs to the Senate and procures authority from them to send for Spira Spira by this time had considered with himself of the nature of his carriage how evident and notorious it was and therefore subject to be envied by such as neither liked his person nor religion he perceived that his opinions were neither retired nor speculative but such as aimed at the overthrow of at the Romish Faction and a change of policie wherein at the best he could expect but a bloudy victory and that his enemies wanted neither power nor occasion to call him to account in publique when he must either Apostatize and shamefully give his former life yea his own conscience the lie or endure the utmost malice of his deadly enemies or forsake his wife children friends goods authority yea his deare Country and betake himself to a forraign people there to endure a thousand miseries that do continually wait upon a voluntary exile Being thus distracted and tossed in the restless waves of doubt without guide to trust to or haven to fly to for succour on the suddain Gods Spirit assisting he felt a calme and began to discourse with himself in this manner Why wandrest thou thus in uncertainties unhappy man cast away fear put on thy shield the shield of faith Where is thy wonted courage thy goodness thy constancy remēber that Christs glory lies at the stake suffer thou without fear he will defend thee he wil tel thee what thou shalt answer he can beat down all danger bring thee out of prison raise thee from the dead cōsider Peter in the dungeon the Martyres in the fire if thou makest a good confession thou maiest indeed go to prison or death but an eternal reward in heaven remaines for thee What hast thou in this world comparable to Eternal life to everlasting happiness if thou doest otherwise think of the scandal common people live by example thinking what ever is done is well done fear the loss of peace and joy fear hell death and eternal wrath or if thy flesh bee so strong as to cause thee to doubt of the issue fly thy Countrey get thee away though never so far rather then deny the Lord of life Now was Spira in reasonable quiet being resolved to yield to these weighty reasons yet holding it wisedom to examine all things he consults also with flesh and bloud thus the battaile doth renew and the flesh begins in this manner Be well advised fond man consider reasons on both sides and then
justly punished for it Your estate quoth Gribauldus is not so strange as you make it Iob was so farr gone that he complained God had set him as a mark against him and David that was a man after Gods own heart complained often that God had forsaken him and was become his enemy yet both received comfort again comfort your self therefore God will come at length though he now seem far off O Brother answered Spira I believe all this the divels believe and tremble but David was ever elected and dearly beloved of God and though he fell yet God took not utâ—erly away his holy Spirit and therefore was heard when he prayed Lord take not thy holy Spirit from mee but I am in another case being ever accursed from the presence of God neither can I pray as he did because his holy Spirit is quite gone and cannot be recalled and therefore I know I shall live in continual hardness so long as I live O that I might feel but the lest sense of the love of God to me though but for one small moment as I now feel his heavie wrath that burns like the torments of hell within mee and afflicts my Conscience with pangs unutterable verily desperation is hell it self Here Gribauldus said I do verily believe Spira that God having so severely chastised you in this life correcteth you in mercy here that he may spare you hereafter and that he hath mercy sealed up for you in time to come Nay said Spira hence do I know that I am a Reprobate because he afflicteth me with hardness of heart O thâ—t my body had suffeâ—ed all my life long so that he would be pleased to release my soul and eâ—se my Conscience this burtheâ—ed Conscience Gribauldus being desirous to ease his mind from the continual meditation of his sin as also to sound how for the present he stood affected to the Romish Church asked him what he thought became of the soules of men so soone as they departed out of the body to which he answered Although this be not so fully revealed in Scripture yet I verily believe that the soules of the Elect go presently to the Kingdome of glory and not that they sleep with the body as some do imagine Very well said one of the spectators why do the Scriptures then say that God brings down to hell and raiseth up seeing it cannot be meant of the estate of the soul after death which as thou sayest either goeth to heaven without change or to hell without redemption it must be understood of the estate of the soul in this life like that wherein thou art at this present and oftentimes we see that God suffers men to fall into the jawes of despair and yet raiseth them up again and therefor despair not but hope it shall be even thus with thee in his good time This is the work quoth Spira this the labour for I tell you when I â—t Venice did first abjure my profession and so as it were drew an Indenture the spirit of God often admonisht mee and when at Cittadella I did as it were set to my seale the Spirit of God often suggested to me do not write Spira do not seal yet I resisted the Holy Ghost and did both and at that very present I did evidently feele a wound inflicted in my very will so although I can say I would believe yet can I not say I will believe God hath denied mee the power of will and it befalls mee in this my miserable estate as with one that is fast in irons and his friends comming to see him do pitie his estate and do perswade him to shake off his fetters and to come out of his bonds which God knows he would fain do but cannot this is my very case you perswade me to believe how fain would I do it but cannot O now I cannot Then violently grasping his hands together and raising himself up Behold said he I am strong yet by little and little I decay and consume and my servants would fain preserve this weary life but at length the will of God must be done and I shall perish miserably as I deserve rejoyce ye righteous in the Lord blessed are you whose hearts the Lord hath mollified Then after some pause It 's wonderful I earnestly desire to pray to God with my heart yet I cannot I see my damnation and I know my remedie is only in Christ yet I cannot set my self to lay hold on it such are the punishments of the damned they confess what I confess they repent of their loss of heaven they envie the Elect yet their repentance doth them no good for the cannot mend their waies As hee was thus speaking he observed divers flies that came about him and some lighted on him Behold said he non also * Belzebub comes to his banquet you shall shortly see my end and in mee an example to many of the Iustice and Iudgement of God About this time came in two Bishops with divers Schollers of the Vniversity one of them being Paulus Vergerius having observed Spira more then any other being continually conversant with him told him his estate was such as rather stood in need of prayer them advice and therefore desired him to pray with him in the Lords Prayer Spira consented and he began Our Father which art in heaven then breaking forth in to teards he stopped but they said it is well your grief is a good signe I bewaile said he my misery for I perceive I am forsaken of God and cannot call to him from my heart as I was wont to do yet let us go on said Vergerius Thy kingdome come O Lord said Sprit bring me also into this kingdome I beseech thee shut mee not out Then comming to those words Give us this day our daily bread headded O Lord I have enough and abundance to feed this carkeise of mine but there is another bread I humbly begge the bread of thy grace without which I know I am but a dead man Lead us not into temptation seeing Lord that I am brought into temptation help me Lord that I may escape the enemie hath overcome help me I beseech thee to overcome this cruel Tyrant These things he spake with a mournful voyce the teares trickling down abundantly and expressing such affection and passion as turned the bowels of those there present with grief and compunction they then turning to Spira said You know that none can call Christ Iesus the Lord but by the Holy Ghost you must therefore think of your self according to that soft affection which you express in your prayers inferring thereby that God hath not wholly cast you off or bereaved you of his Spirit utterly I perceive said Spira that I call on him to my eternal damnation for I tell you again it is a new and unheard of example that you find in mee If Iudas said they had but outlived his dayes which by nature hee might