gaines and pleasures hee fetcheth vs in againe then hee begins to hamper and shackle vs with sundry crosses to keepe vs better within compas to make vs minde home better and to make vs better husbands for our soules that so wee may thinke of him in time of aduersity who had almost forgotten him in time of prosperity sometimes hee sees that wee trust to the arme of flesh and leane too much to some outward meanes then by a crosse he takes it away that so wee might wholly and onely relie on him Manifold corruptions and much filth of sinne doe wee gather by walking in this dirty world the Lord doth vse the waters of affliction as a bath to cleanse purge vs from those corruptions in bringing vs thereby to a sight thereof and humiliation for the same in these the like respects well may affliction bee tearmed Gods purging physicke Sometimes he also vseth it for strengthning physick when as he doth afflict his seruants for their triall for the strengthning of their faith patience loue zeale holy desires c. for these and the like graces the more they are exercised the more they are confimed and the stronger they grow and euen inward afflictions of the minde serue greatly to these good ends O blessed rod of God that dost so much good Did I thinke the Lord loued mee not because his rod lay on mee oh how could I bee without it Surely it is as needfull for mee as my meat and drinke and much more needfull too * Hic vre his seca vt in aeternum pareas domine Aug. O scourge mee and launce me here O Lord that thou maiest spare mee for euermore hereafter Sixtly as touching outward calamities I haue learned at length a little wisedome by Gods word for the right demeaning of my selfe therein not to looke downeward on the rushing and roaring streames of miseries and troubles which run so swiftly vnder mee for then I should bee taken with a giddinesse in the head which would make mee thinke and speake an aduisedly of Gods dealing and my owne estate and so I should bee in hazard of being drowned and ouerwhelmed therein but this I doe I fasten my eies vpon the sure stay by which I am vpheld that is God all-sufficient and stedfastly behold his promise in the middest of all miseries thus I praise God I passe ouer many a dangerous deep h Ps 42.6 when one deepe calleth another or the noise of the water-spouts when one trouble comes on the necke of another I passe ouer or wade through safe sound Seuenthlie as I desire to prepare for affliction before it commeth so do I resolue in like manner aforehand to hold fast my assurance of the loue of God and so to beare it as comfortably as may bee when it shall come obseruing that it is the work of Sathan to make mee vtterly discomfortable in tribulation that heauen our country and holinesse the way thereto might both be brought out of credit by my meanes that others beholding my vncomfortablenes might bee discouraged from entring or proceeding in the happy way to life By the grace of God Sathan shall not make mee his scar-crow in the way to heauen to keep others out nay rather by my sweet and lightsome deportment of my selfe therein I will allure others what I may rather to choose the way of the crosse the way to the kingdome than for fear of the crosse to lose and forgoe the kingdome Min. It is a good resolution and surelie it is not for any ill-will that the Lord corrects his children whether with inward afflictions of minde or outward of bodie friends children goods good name or howsoeuer else his loue is neuer the lesse vnto them and he is neuer the further from them and though they greatly feare sometimes yet they haue no more cause to feare than the Disciples had when Christ came walking to them vpon the sea thinking that they had seen a spirit to whom our Sauiour answered i Math. 14 26.27 Bee of good cheere it is I bee not affraid euen so when the raging windes and blustering stormes of afflictions doe cause an earthquake in our hearts the Lord sends forth a calme quiet voyce to the comfort of his children It is I bee not affraid which all they may easilie heare that will but lay their eare to the word of God and listen thereunto for so hee speakes vnto them therein Now if there be any other matter that troubles your minde alledge it if you will for conclusion of all lest I bee also one of them that trouble you Con. Doubting proceeding from feare of death answered Why then if you thinke good wee will end with that that shall end our liues namely death I greatly feare sometimes that I am not as I should bee because I finde in my selfe such strugling w i th the thoghts of death and that I am so affraid yea and vnwilling to die Min. How do you to repell and ouercome this assault Con. First I consider that they which are truly in Christ by faith and liuing members of him may haue and haue all of them some feare of death for all that though it can do them no harm like as man that seeth the sting of a serpent plucked out before his eyes therefore knowes it can not hurt him yet hath some fearefulnesse in him to handle it and put it into his bosome because of that naturall enmitie and antipathie that is between him and it the sting of death is sinne which Christ hath pluckt out in being made sinne for vs and satisfying fully for it so that well may we say O death where is thy sting and yet we are affraid of the very lookes of death but more affraid to come nigh it because wee naturally hate death this therefore is no good reason to make mee thinke my selfe none of Christs because I haue some feare of death no more than it is to proue a man no man or reasonable creature because hee is loth to put a snake in his bosome when the sting is pluckt out Secondlie I take vp such meditations as may make mee better and more familliarly acquainted with death and may make mee better conceited of it and to take better liking to it as first that it is the common lot of k Heb. 9.27 all the sonnes of Adam none exempted no not the Worthies of the world and holie Patriarcks and should I then desire to bee exempted Death hath his warrant to take hold of euery sinner therefore none can bee spared for all haue sinned but before hee comes himselfe hee sends forth many summons to warne men to appeare at Court before God euery ache paine sicknes faintnesse wearinesse yea euery wrinkle or gray haire or dead coarse is deaths summons to warne vs appearance but because we are too regardlesse make too light hereof at length hee comes personally with a special Writ from the
most high and mighty Monarch of all the world with a Capias corpus first for one and then for another and at last for vs all Now whereas because of this necessitie of death many take care how to doe when death comes I will chiefly take care how to doe before it comes for if I liue well I shall bee sure to die well this shall bee therefore my chiefest care how to liue well Againe I labour to pluck away that grim and gastly vizard of the curse which death hath vpon it and to looke at it through Christ and then behold it hath a louelie countenance and friendly looke ready prepared as the groome of Gods chamber kindly to embrace mee and to bring mee into Gods presence and what is death else to the faithfull but as e Hos 2.15 the valley of Achor the doore of hope to giue entrance to their soules into the paradise of God where are ioyes vnspeakeable rauishing the heart and pleasures at his right hand for euermore and what is the graue but a mould wherein the Lord doth cast our bodies into a new forme making them incorruptible which before were corruptible so m Phil. 3.21 changing our vile bodies that they may bee fashioned like the glorious bodie of his Sonne What is life but a wearisome way and death to the godly a comfortable home should the faint and weary traueller bee loth to draw neere home What is life but a toilsome labour and death to the righteous a sweet rest sleep should rest be vnacceptable or sleepe vnwelcome to a toyled labourer What is that which doth disrobe the faithfull of all the base ragges of sinne and misery and clothes them with the most sumptuous garments of perfect righteousnesse glory and immortality is it not death Who would not be contented to bee stripped naked of beggerly robes that so hee might be apparelled with gorgeous attire Thus then though I see some reasōs why I might desire to liue long yet I see more reasons why I might much better desire to dye soone but none at all why I should bee vnwilling to die n 2 Cor. 5.8.6 To bee present with the Lord for whilst wee are at home in the body wee are absent from him and as it were in prison The body is the prison of the soule and the earth of the body as wee must not breake prison for that is greatly displeasing to the Lord so when the prison doore is set open to vs by authority as when death is sent vnto vs hee comes with authority wee should very gladly and willingly depart yea and go forth singing with old father Simeon a Nunc dimittis o Luk. 2.29 Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace Vpon these and the like meditations of death I find in my selfe some willingnes to die and that I may be still more willing I labor to haue my thoughts more and more taken vp therewith and at least once a day to looke him in the face that I may be still better acquainted with him for the more acquaintence I haue with death the more friendship shall I finde at his hands when hee comes to apprehend mee and on whom doth hee looke so sowre and grimme as on them that are strangers to him and hee to them and as euery day I hold it a point of wisedome to get some further acquaintance with death so especially vpon the occasion of sicknesse for euery sicknesse is a little death I therefore endeauour so to dye often by making good vse of euery fit of sicknesse that I may once at the last dye well that so when my departing shall come it may bee a sweet and acceptable sacrifice to the Lord whether it bee a burnt offering by the violent death of martyrdome or at least a peace-offering by a naturall death I desire that it may bee a free-will offering not wrung from me perforce but freely surrendred into p 1 Pet. 4.19 the hands of a God a faithfull Creator and if my life be willingly offered which I desire from my heart it may bee and therefore know it shall bee then shall it bee well and fauourably accepted for q Ps 116.15 Precious in the sight of the Lord is the Death of his Saints Min. The Lord hath giuen you good wisdome to discouer and put to flight these forces and assaults of Sathan the deadly enemy of all the seede of man but especially of the seede of the woman the Church Reu. 12.17 I see you are endowed with some good skill to dispell the grosse thicke clouds of doubting whereby the Diuell laboureth to ouer-cast your euidences that either you should not see them at all or else very dimly with little comfort thanks therefore bee vnto God for this vnspeakeable gift but what if you could finde none of the signes of saluation in you at all which you haue alledged to mee how then Con. Time was when I had not any one of them and then I was in the estate of damnation though I thought my selfe in as good an estate as the best and the diuell then perswaded mee so too though since hee hath changed his note for hee must needs goe against the truth or else hee is not himselfe yet since I see that if I had died in that estate I had without all faile gone headlong into hell and in the selfe-same case are all they which haue none of those signes in them S. Peter puts a question to them which puts all such to silence and makes them speechlesse now but what will it doe hereafter then r 1 Pet. 4 18. where shall the vngodly and impenitent sinner appeare let the brauest minde the proudest the stoutest stomacke of them all answer it if hee can alas alas poore wretches they can none of them answer it Min. They which haue not one of the signes of saluation in them are in a wo-case indeed but what if a man can finde but one signe in him and not all Con. He that can finde but one of these true signes in him hath cause of comfort for though there bee but one good apple growing vpon a tree it proues both that there is life in that tree and that it is not a choke-peare or crab-stocke but a good tree but in truth where there is one of these signes of saluation in a man there they are all in some poore measure though hee doe not so sensibly and euidently perceiue all alike Min. It reioyceth me not a little to finde you so well prouided for the Lord oh happy estate that you are in for nothing now can come amisse vnto you come life come death you are the Lords Now our Lord Iesus Christ himselfe and God euen our Father which hath loued vs and hath giuen vs euerlasting consolation and good hope through grace comfort your heart and stablish you in euery good word and worke and preserue you to that inheritance which is incorruptible reserued in heauen for vs. Con. Euen so Lord Iesus Amen Amen FINIS PSAL. 32.11 Be glad in the Lord and reioyce yee righteous and shout for ioy all yee that are vpright in heart PSAL. 1.4 5. The vngodly are not so but are like the chaffe which the wind driueth away Therefore the vngodly shall not stand in the iudgement nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous
THE RIGHTEOVS MANS Euidences for Heauen OR A TREATISE SHEWING how euery one while hee liues heere may certainely know what shall become of him after his departure out of this life The sixt Edition corrected and inlarged By Tymothy Rogers Preacher of Gods word in Essex Psalm 107.43 Who is wise that he may obserue these things for they shall vnderstand the louing kindnesse of the Lord. 2 Pet. 1 10. Giue all diligence to make your calling and election sure for if you doe these things yee shall neuer fall LONDON Printed by I. Beale for Ed. Brewster and are to be sold at the signe of the Star at the VVest end of Pauls 1624. THE AVTHORS Apologie to the Reader FArre was it froÌ„ my meaning at the first ChristiaÌ„ Reader thus to haue exposed my selfe to the common view of men but rather to haue hidden this my weake conception for euer neuer to haue come to the birth but when it would abide no longer to bee imprisoned in the womb but violently brake forth I thought to deale wisely with it though not as the Aegyptians cruelly to murther it yet at least as Moses his parents charitably to hide it for my own priuat vse or at the best to haue put it to Nurse in an obscure Country-village where my selfe am Pastor to see the good vsage of it for which end I be-trusted a friend or two for the printing of some few copies onely for my selfe but through friendship I was deceiued for whereas I expected a small number like the children of Israel that went against Benhadad like two little flocks of Kids My bookes were sent forth in multitudes like the Aramites that fill'd the country 1 King 20.27 Onely this difference they came not forth against the host of Israel the people of God as did the Aramites but rather to serue on their side Thus being driuen to a straight though that which is done can not bee vndone yet I thought it my part to doe what I could namely to mend and inlarge that which is done that seeing it must bee common it may not be altogether vn-vsefull Confessing ingenuously I had rather it should not haue bin common especially considering that there are better bred and nobler borne Treatises of very worthy men concerning this subiect but thus it must bee now if therefore it may but serue as an hand-maid to theirs so thou mayest reape some profit hereby I haue both my desire and full contentment Farewell Thine in the bond of Faith and Loue Timothy Rogers Councell to the READER IN sailing thorow the Seas of this troublesome world toward the heauenly land of Canaan wee are to passe two dangerous rocks the one called Presumption the other Desperation happy is the man that escaping them both shall make a safe arriuall at the promised Land Millions of Christians in profession are cast away against the one or against the other for some though they haue no true grace wrought in them thinke notwithstanding that they are in no danger but shall certainly bee saued which is as great presumption as if a man being stricken thorow the heart should thinke himselfe very well and in no danger of death Others when they come to apprehend the heauy wrath of God and deadly curse of the Law due vnto them by nature for sinne in hellish sorrow vtterly despaire Some sincere Christians also there are against whom the Tempter doth so far preuaile that in beholding their owne vnworthinesse they are ready to faint for feare of hell and condemnation which although they cannot perish or suffer shipwrack against this rock of Desperation yet their poore Barke may bee so battered and beaten against it as that peraduenture they may bee a long while after in rigging and mending of it vp againe with griefe and hart-smart that thou maist escape these dangers vse these short questions and answeres as a Sea-mappe or guide vnto thee to shew thee thy way betweene both that so thou mayest saile to Heauen in more safety confidence and comfort Now to the end that the better vse may bee made heereof consider I beseech thee of these things First what multitudes daily departing this world throng in at the infernall gates of Hell for want of the assurance of their saluation Secondly consider that thou being by nature a condemned man if thy pardon be not sealed to thy conscience and giuen thee before the breath bee once out of thy body afterward though thou wouldest or couldest giue a thousand worlds for it it cannot bee had consider againe of the vncertainty of thy life thou canst not tell whether thou shalt bee aliue to morrow for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth Consider also the certainty of thy death dye thou must nothing surer for who can stand against the power thereof and oh how bitter is the remembrance of death to one that is not assured of his saluation Further consider how terrible the Iudgement day will bee to all such as get not the assurance of their saluation in their life time which may will they turne themselues then Oh what will they doe Mountaines and Hills fall vpon vs and crush vs in peeces shall they cry but it shall not bee Then what most dolefull and intollerable torments shall they for euer endure in hell able to breake the hardest heart to thinke on Oh who shall dwell with the deuoring fire who shall dwell with the euerlasting burning Lastly consider of the most inestimable ioyes of Heauen and incomparable delights which all they shall haue who get the assurance of their saluation in this life Such as eye hath not seene eare hath not heard nor the heart of man conceiued of O heauenly ioy O sweet delights O excellent surmounting glory O endlesse superabounding pleasures wherewith their hearts shall bee rauished and for-euer replenished Vpon these considerations I earnestly request thee if thou hast any pittie or commiseration on thy poore soule Make thy calling and election sure euen while it is called to day How shall I doe that thou wilt say This briefe Treatise will shew thee how yea more then that heereby thou mayest bee assured of thy saluation if thou vse it rightly but then thou must goe through it with good aduisement if thou touch the Honie-combe with thy lips thou mayest finde sweetnes but if thou sucke much more so read these things as to learne them so learne as to know thy owne estate thereby so mightest thou sucke out the hole sweetnesse thereof get the true stamp of them in thy heart so thou maiest be sure thou shalt be saued which the Lord of Heauen grant for his mercies sake Amen A Treatise of saluation wherein are signes propounded prouing saluation the mother grace Faith pag. â—â— sister-graces more generall Conuersion p. 29 Iustification p. 36 Adoption p. 41 Sanctification p. 50 Repentance p. 61 more speciall Knowledge p. 77 Hope p. 86 Loue of God p. 95 Loue of the godly p 104 Feare
truely sanctified Con. If I could not shew a difference between my selfe and such vncleane beasts Proofe of sanctification by the parts thereof I should bee sorry thus then I prooue the Truth of my sanctification whereas it consists in two things namely mortification quickening I haue some proofe of both for the first o Rom. 8.13 I mortifie the deeds of the flesh by the spirit wherein I imitate the skilfull Chirurgion Mortification who being to cut off some incureable member first mortifieth it that so it beeing made insensible may be cut off more easily and with lesse paine to the patient And this course I take in mortifying my sinnes First I labour by searching to finde them out Secondly to finde my selfe weary of them and willing to be rid of them considering what infinite hurt they doe mee Thirdly I fetch power from the death of Christ beleeuing that he died to p 1 Iohn 3.5.8 kill sinne in all that are his and therefore that it is impossible for them to liue vnto sinne or sinne to rule in them 4. * The death of Christ as a salue applied to the sore by faith leaueth a print like it selfe in the soul a spirituall death or dying vnto sinne I apply this power of Christs death as a strong corrasiue to this proud flesh of mine to the wounding and killing of the sinne that is in mee and thus I apply it 1. Seeing that my sinnes put Christ to death I am resolued as the auenger of bloud to follow the law vpon them to get a scriptum est a Writ for them to doe by them as they did by him euen to pursue them vnto death which put my elder brother and Sauiour vnto death Secondly seeing I beleeue that Christ died for mee to kill sinne in me I see I neither must nor can q Rom. 6.2.6 suffer sinne to liue and raigne in me for fhat were to make the death of Christ of none effect vnto mee Thus then though sinne bee in mee yet it hath receiued the deadly wound by the death of Christ neuer after to recouer againe but lyes as r 2 Sam. 1.6.9 Saul thrust thorow with his speare though life bee still abiding in it it is gasping and strugling languishing and dying and shall at last bee vtterly extinct in death ſ Ro. 7.25 I thanke God therefore through Iesus Christ our Lord. Min. You haue spoken to some good purpose of mortification but what say you now of quickning which is the second part of Sanctification Con. They which haue the one Quickning can not want the other therefore I finde also a quickning power of grace in mee whereby I rise vp out of the graue of sinne and liue vnto righteousnesse and that after this manner 1 I. labour by inquiring to find out that righteousnesse which God requireth of mee 2. I striue for a willingnesse of minde heart to set thereupon with all delight which that I may do 3. I fetch power from Christs resurrection considering and beleeuing that he reviued and rose againe for this very end namely to procure and giue to all that are his strength and power to t Rom 6.4 liue vnto righteousnes and therefore that it is as impossible for any such to want this power as for Christ to die in vaine 4. I apply this power to my selfe whereby the breath of spirituall life comes into my soule and that after this maner * To belieu that Christ rose for mee is to apply his resurrection as a soueraign plaister to my heart which is of such a vertue that it must needs worke in me his spirituall resurrectiō Seeing I beleeue that Christ rose for mee as verily as he is my Sauiour so verily must I and shall I shew forth this spirituall power in the practice of piety and righteous liuing Thus then there is a spirituall passion and resurrction in mee as there is in euery true beleeuer answerable to to the passion and resurrection of Christ as he died for sin and rose againe for righteousnesse so I die to sinne and rise againe to righteousnes in all the powers of my soule and parts of my body these being made the u Rom. 6.13 instruments of those in righteousnesse vnto God And this briefly is that sanctification which I finde in me Min. And surely this is that which whosoeuer finde in them they are no lesse than canonized in the Court of Heauen for Saints and irreuocably registred in Gods Calendar of Saints But what will you name in the next place for a signe of your saluation Con. Repentance which howsoeuer it doth not * Non re sed ratione Polanus really differ from Sanctification yet in some respect as “ Perkins some haue well obserued it doth as being subordinate thereto and proceeding there-from as the fruit thereof for where the Lord infuseth sanctifying grace into the vnderstanding will and affections of the Conuert then according vnto this grace receiued he worketh in turning to the Lord and though repentance bee discerned before eyther Faith or Sanctification yet that hinders not but that they are before it in * Ordinae natura order of nature like as in the morning the light and sunne-beames are seene before the bodie of the Sunne and yet in order of nature it is before them and they proceed from it But to come neerer the matter I repent me of my sinnes for I turne from all sinne to God in heart and desire and labour to expresse the same The sixt signe of saluation taken out of Eze. 18.21 by a carefull framing of my life in obedience to God eschewing euill and doing good hauing respect vnto all Gods commandements Now God hath promised that hee which thus turneth from all his sins shall surely liue for euer and shall not dye eternally therefore hereby I know I shall bee saued for this is a salue for all sores and a present remedie to cure all spirituall diseases of the soule Min. All the doubt will be whether you doe truely repent how can you make that appeare Con. 5 Notes of true repentance Thus First because I grieue in my heart for my sinnes chiefly in regard that thereby I offend my good * Ps 51.4 God who alwaies hath been and is abundantly gracious vnto mee this pierceth my soule that I should bee so vndutifull toward him Secondly I x Psa 119.104 hate loath and detest in some measure all sin in my heart bearing my selfe toward it as an enemie and when I haue beene ouercome by the deceit thereof I loue it not the better but hate it much the more afterward when I haue recouered my selfe againe I deale with my sinne as Amnon dealt with his sister Thamer who when he had satisfied his wicked lust did hate her more than euer hee had loued her before and thrust hir out of his company and presence as not abiding the
set grinnes for me purposing to cause my steps to slide and to ouerthrow my soule these do I see whereas men of the world see no such snares laid in their wayes by their spirituall enemies for the entrapping of their soules the murthering thereof for aske them and they cannot tell you of any but are like Samson f Iudg 1◠20.21 their enemies are vpon them and they fast a sleep in carnall security and so the Diuell preuailes against them puts out their eies and leades them captiues at his pleasure hee makes a mocke of them and makes sport with them but at length hee falls from iesting and brings them to destruction in good earnest Thirdly whereas these my enemies doe continually besiege mee seeking to inuade mee I therefore keepe daily watch and ward fortifying in this my little Kingdome the City of my soule and Castle of my heart I haue a speciall care to looke well to the gates and cinqueports my outward senses whereby oftentimes diuers traiterous thoughts and rebellious lusts are ready to steale in which cause very often much mutinie in the soules common-wealth for if I should grant liberty for sinne to breake in the diuell would enter too with his great Armado of his hellish spirits and would take possession placing his deputies in strongest holds as the spirit of blindnesse in the vnderstanding of error in the iudgement of lying and slumber in the conscience of deadnesse and hardnesse in the heart and so in the rest Thus with his Legions would hee ouer-runne mee desolate Fourthly I resolue when I am in the conflict with the allurements of the world the inticements of sinne the temptations of Sathan * Imperato rem oportet mori stantem said Vespatian so Christianū militantē may we say rather to die then to yeeld to any of them I purpose neuer to giue ouer fighting as long as I haue any breath within mee not doubting but I shall at length haue perfect victory onely through the might of the Almighty God who strengtheneth mee Fight thou O God against them that fight against me and stand vp for my helpe through thee I shall doe vallantly for thou shalt tread downe my enemies and bruise Sathan vnder my feet Min. Who else shall bee saued according to the tenure of the records of holy writ Con. Such as are g 2 Tim. 2.21 purged frō the pollutions of prophane ones and are sanctified are vessells vnto honour that is they which are made partakers of true grace and so haue the Image of God renewed in them h Eph. 4.24 which consisteth in Holinesse and true Righteousnesse shall bee heyres of glory these are they which are called Saints Yea the Lord himselfe that high and mighty Potentate is their Godfather for he hath giuen them this name what mortall man then dares bee so bold as to nick-name them with tearmes of reproach or to finde fault with this name of Saints which their heauenly God-father hath giuen vnto them Min. Me thinks none should dare once to miscall these or to deny them their names saying we cannot bee Saints heere but let them goe What is true sanctifying grace Con. A new created quallitie of holinesse throughout the i 1 Thes 5.23 whole man in spirit soule and bodie that is in minde will and all our bodily members yea in all the powers of the soule and parts of the bodie wrought in vs by Gods spirit for the honouring of him Min. Haue you this new qualitie of holinesse in you Con. I dare not denie but God of his mercy hath begun this worke of grace in some weak measure in mee for how could I possibly bee thankfull to the Lord for such an inestimable gift if I should not take notice of it and acknowledge it especially considering that the very least measure of sauing grace that can be is farre more worth than I can expresse or praise God for enough so long as I liue deny it therefore I dare not though it bee very small least I should bee vnthankfull to the Lord for so great a mercie as the lest seede of grace is but this I dare doe to pray to him for more yea and I beseech him to make me rich in all grace k Ph. 1.12 filled with the fruits of righteousnes vnto his glory and praise for he alone is l Act. 20.32 able to build mee vp further and to giue mee an inheritance among all them which are sanctified Min. It appeares by all these signes which you haue produced that your assurance is not that common counterfeit ware which goes for currant among a number of men a vaine fleeting conceit in the braine but that you are truly assured of your saluation I must confesse I can no way mislike these your euidences hauing thus examined them nor I thinke a whole councell of Diuines if they should sit to determine thereon I cannot see how any can pick a hole or finde a flaw herein I iudge that you haue as good a title to Heauen by these your Scripture euidences as the best landed man in the world hath or can haue to his best freehold by his parchment euidences But I pray you now tell mee further are you not somtimes troubled with feare and doubting of your saluation for all this Con. Oh alas good sir I must needs confesse that I am and that not a little to my griefe I am none of those confident fooles which neuer doubted in all their liues whereby they giue euidence against themselues that they neuer yet beleeued Min. But how then To striue against doubting diuers reasons do you not striue against doubting as being a very euill and permicious thing Con. Yes that I doe for to yeelde vnto that were to entertaine Sathan for my counceller who is my greatest aduersay and to take him for my chirurgian to heale my wounded hart who is my deadliest enemy no Sathan shall not be my chirurgian for in stead of healing the wounds of my heart hee will make himselfe more worke hee will make more sores then hee heales and those which hee seemes to heale hee doth but skin ouer with the stinking salue of falshood and the wounds which are hee will make deeper and more incurable let all good people take heede of this murdering chirurgian I haue experience enough of him therefore though hee doe impudently obtrude his salue vnto mee yet I cast it away from me that is I striue against doubting with all my might and power as one would worke against the pangs of death to retain life and breath and I am bound in conscience so to doe because I know for as much as I haue the true signes of saluation in mee doubting proceeds from the malice of Sathan who meanes me no good and from vnbeleefe of heart in me and is much preiudiciall to my soules comfort it is also greatly dishonourable to God for as a man hurts himselfe most by
of God p. 115 Ioy. p. 125 Patience p. 135 witnessing saluation Gods spirit Gods word Psal 34.8 p. 155 Reu. 21.6 p. 159 Math. 5.3 4. p. 163 Rom. 10.13 p. 167 Reu. 3.21 p. 172 2. Tim. 2.21 p. 179 Doubts resolued concerning Election p. 196 VVeaknes in Grace p. 201 Greatnes of sinne p. 211 Hypocrisie p. 221 Perseuerance p. 2â—3 Presuming p. 238 Euill thoughts p. 243 Afflictions p. 252 Feare of death p. 278 The Righteous Mans Euidence for Heauen Minister SEeing opportunity serues vs thus fitly my Christian friend to conferre a while together and seeing there is no conference so comfortable or profitable as that which is about the affaires of Gods Kingdome and our owne saluation and that the counsell of the Holy Ghost is that a 1 Pet. 4.11 if any speake hee should speake as the words of God and b Eph. 4.29 that such communication should proceed out of our mouthes as is good for the vse of edifying giue me leaue therefore to propound a question to you about these matters Conuert Sir I like the motion passing well and indeed there is too little of this good practise in these daies christian communication growes too much out of vse which shewes the want scarsitie of grace for there is the like correspondence between the heart and tongue that is betweene the bell and clapper if the bell be stirred the clapper cannot lye still and if the heart bee moued with delight in spirituall things the tongue cannot chuse but talke thereof and where the tongue yeelds no other but an earthie sound there you may be sure to finde no other but an earthly heart no pure good metall no heauenly grace to bee found in the heart Now therefore let mee heare the question and according to my poore measure of knowledge I will bee ready to shape an answere Minister Ought not euery one while he liues in this world to know as a thing certaine whether hee shall be saued and so be translated out of this earthly tabernacle into the heauenly paradice whensoeuer hee shall be called away by death Conuert Yes vndoubtedly which I prooue thus c Mar. 16.16 Hee that beleeueth saith our Sauiour shall bee saued but he that beleeueth not shall bee damned This must euery one know as an vndoubted truth and withall he is bound to know whether hee beleeueth according to that charge of the Apostle d 2 Corin. 13.5 Examine your selues whether you bee in the Faith know you not that Christ is in you except you bee reprobates Heerevpon it will follow that euery one must know whether hee shall be saued and therefore such as put their soules to a venture cannot be saued for as much as they take not the right course appointed by God thereto namely to prooue whether they be in the faith and Christ in them And further whom the Lord intendeth to bestow heauen vpon hee sets his e 2 Cor. 1.21 seale and marke vpon them whereby he claims them for his owne and he bestowes loue-tokens on them which are the sauing graces of his holy spirit whereof he is very charie setting great store by them so that hee will not bestow them on cast-awaies but onely on his dearely beloued ones which markes and loue-tokens as they are very precious so as many as receiue theÌ„ though they doubt they need not doubt but that they shall bee saued for God is not variable in his loue but he that hath not these signes in him whereby he may know that he shall be saued shall if he die in that comfortles state be sure to haue his portion with deuills g Reu. 21.8 in the burning lake for euer after death Min. If the case stand so I thinke it lies euery one vpon not to dallie with their owne soules as men doe now adaies but to deale soundly and consider sincerely with themselus whether they haue receiued these golden markes and loue-tokens of God or whether they still retaine the blacke brand of the Deuill which they were borne with the which so long as they retaine on them the Prince of darknesse ownes them but if they can get it h 1 Cor. 6.11 washed out by the bloud of Christ and Gods marks set vpon them then hath the Deuill no more right or claime vnto them for the Lord from that time forward euen for euer doth take them for his owne peculiar ones But what say you now of those that mourne after God in the anguish of their soules longing for the assurance of his fauour and labouring to get this knowledge of their saluation but yet cannot finde it in themselues Con. This I say or rather Christ himselfe i Mat. 5.4 Blessed are they that so mourne for they shall bee comforted and though they now sorrow yet their k Ioh. 16.20 sorrow shall bee turned into ioy nay great cause of reioycing haue they that they can thus mourne neyther is it possible for such to bee without some sure signes wherby they may know that they shall be saued for euen this their practice they being thus l Cant. 2.5 sicke of loue longing and labouring after Christ is a sure signe to them though they should haue no other but indeed this cannot goe alone Min. How comes it then to passe that they take no notice hereof in themselues but rather feare that they shall not be saued Con. Because they are eyther new-borne babes in Christ and therefore being as infants though they bee aliue yet haue not as yet vnderstanding to know that they are aliue which notwithstanding others of riper age discerne in them and they also by experience and growth in grace shal afterwards perceiue in themselues or else they are distempered with some strong fit of temptatioÌ„ wherby they are so astonied and benummed that they haue not m Psal 77.7 8. a feeling of that which otherwise they might perceiue in their soules like as one halfe frozen almost stiffe with cold feeles no warmth at all in himselfe and yet there is some in him for else there could be no life or breath remaining in him Or lastly such they are as haue taken a surfet of sinne wherby they haue beene ouercome thus while they are soul-sick their spirituall senses are corrupted so as they cannot now n Psal 88.14 see the lightsome countenance of Gods fauour shining on them so clearely nor o Ps 51.8.12 heare the Lord speakeing vnto them nor taste how good the Lord is to their soules in speciall nor relish religious exercises so sauourlie nor feele heauenly comforts so sensibly as otherwise they might And yet this surfet they shall out-grow in time by vsing themselues to a good diet of Christian practise and by the helpe of the Physicke of Gods word rightly applied which holpe the Prophet Dauid in the like case being distempered Psal 73.17 neither is it maruell though such doe iudge amisse of themselues for the present seeing
off by sunne-set will not fit him down or lay himself to sleep but get on horse-backe and be riding onward on his way and he that hopes to liue long will not starue himselfe but vse the best diet for preseruing his life 4. It makes me fit my selfe by holinesse for that which I hope for namely the full fruition of the glorious ous presence of the perfectly-pure and holy God in heauen according to that of the Apostle Å¿ 1 Ioh. 3.3 Euery one that hath this hope in him purifieth himselfe euen as God is pure not vnlike to one who hoping to get accesse into the presence of the King with his petition doth addresse himselfe in all sutabe manner both in apparell behauiour and speech for the presence of his Soueraigne Min. It appeares your hope is found and good euen that t Rom. 5.4 which maketh not ashamed and the God of hope fill you therewith and grant that you may abound therein through the Holy Ghost But by what other signe doe you know that you shall bee saued Con. I finde in my heart a true loue of God now I haue learned out of the word that the Lord hath promised the crowne of life to them that loue him c. I make no question but hee will bee as good as his word who neuer failed therein since the world began therefore I know that the crowne of life is mine Min. All say they loue God and professe great friendship to him neuerthelesse most flatter him with their mouth and lye vnto him with their tongues for their heart is not right with him How know you then that you loue him in truth Con. 7. Notes of true loue of God Whereas there are three things in loue affection to the thing beloued a desire of coniunction with it and a well-pleasing contentment taken in the enioying of it all these I find in some measure in mee toward my God so that I know I loue him truly which I further proue by these notes First because I prize and estimate him aboue all worldly things yea mine owne life so that I can truely say with that blessed Martyr Ignatius Eus l. 2. c. 36. I esteeme no visible thing nor yet inuisible so that I may haue Christ u Phil. 3.8 yea doubtlesse I count all things but losse in comparison of him and do count them but dung that I may winne him Neither is this a mercenarie loue hired with the wages of reward for though there were no heauen O Lord I would loue thee but seeing there is a heauen I will account of it and labour to obtaine it yet still will I loue thee for thy goodnesse sake O Lord for thou thy selfe art reward enough though there were no more Secondly I am carefull and vnfainedly desirous to please the Lord in all things euen as we see that men are loth to crosse or displease those whom they entirely loue and affect Heerupon I giue my selfe to loue that which hee loueth and to hate that which he hateth * Ps 45.7 He loueth righteousnes and hateth wickednes and so doe I though not in equality for that is impossible yet in similitude and conformity for it is required and expected as the Prophet saith * Ps 9.10 They that loue the Lord hate euill thus I endeuour my selfe y 1 Ioh. 4.17 as God is euen so to bee in this worldr Thirdly a man may knowe his loue to any thing by the zeale and heat of affection whereby he is carried to that thing which hee loueth Thus euery man is transported and as it were eaten vp with one zeale or other some with the zeale of pleasure as Esau was who for a messe of pottage sould his birth-right some with the zeale of honour as Absalom was who for to gette a kingdome sought to draw bloud of his owne father some with the zeale of money as Iudas was who for his thirty peeces sold his Lord Sauiour By my zeale I know my loue to God for tho I bee not eaten vp with zeale as z Ps 69 9. Dauid was oh I would I were so too yet I feele it burning within mee as a Ier. 20.9 Ieremiah did my heart is hot within me and the fire kindled my zeale carrieth mee to God Fourthly I loue his b Ps 119.97 Qui diligit legem diligit regem word and sacraments prayer and all other holy exercises whereby as I haue gracious intercourse and heauenly conference with the blessed Trinity so in especiall with Christ my wel-beloued who therin causeth mee to heare his sweet voyce and to see his louely countenance for which cause I also loue the house of God so that I can no lesse heartily than merrily sing the note of the Prophet Dauid O Lord I haue loued the habitation of thine house and the place where thine honour dwelleth and another of the same O Lord of Hostes how amiable are thy tabernacles my soule longeth yea euen fainteth for the Courts of the Lord my heart and my flesh cryeth out for the liuing GOD. Fiftly I loue his c Mat. 10.40 messengers and embassadors the Preachers of his word which are sent vnto mee from God to treat about conclusions of peace beseeching mee in Christs stead to bee reconciled to God O how beautifull are the feete of him that bringeth these good tidings that publisheth peace that bringeth good tidings of good that publisheth saluation to me Sixtly I long for the comming of Christ not as though I could no longer beare for impatiencie the miseries of this life which are but light in comparison of the weight of glory but that I might bee married for euer vnto Christ my Loue in perfect ioy and harts delight being now but espoused onely to him and that I might be perfectly freed from all sinne whereby I grieue both him and my selfe and alwaies praise his name in heauen How long Lord how long thou hast d Re. 22.20 said Surely I come quickly Amen Euen so come Lord Iesus Min. Thus it appears that the loue of God will warrant a man as it doth you no les than heauen but what say you now of loue to Gods people may not that bee ranked among the euidences of your saluation Conuert Yes without doubt For The tenth signe of saluation taken out of 1 Ioh 3.14 heereby we know saith S. Iohn that he haue passed from death vnto life because we loue the brethren these doe I loue that is the children of God and such as are godly and these will I loue for euer knowing that loue is such a debt as I shall be alwaies owing and yet I must and will bee euer paying I will striue to be rather a creditour than a debtor heerin and will not only returne to the Saints of God the loue of loue the same measure that I receiue from them but euen vsury and aduantage of loue and I would to God there