the Son though it be for a moment hee ceaseth for that moment to haue life but the life of theÌ„ which haue the Sonne of God is euerlasting in the world to come and because as Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more death hath no more power ouer him So the iustified man being allyed to God in Christ Iesus our Lord doth as necessarily from that time forward alwaies liue as Christ by whoÌ„ he hath life liueth alwayes for as long as that abideth in vs which animates quickneth and giueth life so long wee liue wee know that the cause of our faith abideth in vs for euer If Christ the fountaine of life may flit and leaue his inhabitation where once hee dwelled what shall become of his promise I am with you to the worlds end If the seede of God which containeth Christ may be first conceiued then cast out how doth hee terme it immortall How doth he affirme it abideth if the spirit which is giuen to cherish and preserue the seed of life may be giuen and taken away How is hee the earnest of our inheritance vntill redemption How doth he continue with vs for euer CON. 38. Wee are apt prone and ready to forsake God but God is not as ready to forsake vs. EXPLA. Our mindes are changeable so is not Gods For whoÌ„ God hath iustisied Christ hath assured it is his fathers will to giue them a Kingdome Notwithstanding it shall not be other wise giuen them then if they continue grounded and stablished in the faith and bee not mooued away from the hope of the Gospell if they abide in loue and holinesse Our Sauiour therefore when hee spake of the sheep effectually called and truely gathered into his fold I giue vnto them eternall life and they shall neuer perish neither shall any plucke them out of my hands in promising to saue them he promiseth no doubt to preserue them in that without which there can be no saluation as also from that whereby it is irreuokeably lost Euery error indeed in things appertaining to God is repugnant to faith euery fearefull cogitation vnto hope vnto loue euery stragling inordinate desire vnto holinesse euery blemish wherby either the inward thoghts of our mindes or outward actions of our liues are stained which by earnest repentance mercy doth restore to life againe in them whom sin had made the children of death But infidelity extreame despaire hatred of God and all goodnesse obduration in sin c. doth not stand where there is the least sparke of faith hope loue and sanctity euen as cold in the coldest degree cannot be where heate in the highest degree is found It is true no man liueth that sinnes not Yet the man that is borne of God hath a promise that the seed in him shal abide which seede is a sure preseruatiue against obstinate heresie and pining discouragement of the heart for greater and cleerer assurance we cannot haue of any thing then this that from such sins foresaid God shall preserue the righteous as the apple of his eye for euer for if the iustified erre as hee may and neuer come to vnderstand his errour God doth saue him through generall repeÌ„tance but if he fall into herisie hee calleth him at one time or other by actuall repentance but from infidelity which is an inward direct deniall of the foundation hee preserueth him by speciall prouidence for euer CON. 39. We must put a difference betwixt them that erre of ignorance retaining neuerthelesse a minde desirous to bee instructed in truth and them which after the truth is laid open persist in the stubborne defence of their blindnesse EXPLA. Heriticall defenders froward and stiste-necked teachers of circumcision the Apostle calleth dogs silly men who were seduced to thinke they thought the truth he pittied hee tooke vp in his armes hee louingly embraceth hee kisseth and with more then Fatherly tendernesse doth so temper and qualisie his speech he vseth toward theÌ„ that a man cannot easily discerne whether did most abound the loue which hee bare to their godly affection or the griefe which the danger of their opinion bred him Their opinion was dangerous Was not theirs also who thought the Kingdome of Christ was earthly Was not theirs who thought the Gospell only should bee preached vnto the Iewes What more opposite to prophetical doctrine coÌ„cerning the coÌ„ming of Christ theÌ„ the one concerning the catholike church then the other Yet beeing admonished found the mercy of God effectuall in conuerting them from their error So was there difference betwixt Pharisies And the Pharisies which beleeued Of the Galathians which were yet weak he saith You know God or rather are knowne of God how turne you againe to impotent rudâ—ments The Law engendreth seruants they which are gotten by the Gospell are free we are not children of the seruant but of the free woman and will ye bee vnder the Law Yet he saith if yee be circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing as many as are iustified by the Law are fallen from grace and why Because they know that in grace and in Christ their saluation dothly and so their hearts shall tremble and quake within them he knoweth mans imbecillity he hath a feeling of our blindnesse and weakenesse how great it is CON. 40 Our saluation is not vpon vncertainty if wee doe thus or thus but God â—ramed vs to bee and to doe whatsoeuer belongeth to the attainement thereof EXPLA. The Spirit as he is the reuealer of the mystery of our election vnto vs so is he the earnest of the effect of Gods predestination by the gift whereof God giueth vnto vs the certaine assurance of all the rest that remaineth to be giuen for he is the pledge of the inheritance promised as a hand-writing or bond of assurance of euerlasting saluatioÌ„ making vs the temple and house of God being the worker of holinesse in vs that hee may bring our bodies to eternity and so the immortality of the Resurrection whilest in himselfe he accustomes them to bee tempered with heauenly vertue to bee accompanied with the diuine eternity of the holy Ghost And this earnest God neuer taketh backe againe because it is so the earnest of our inheritance vntill the redemption of the possession as that it is an earnest also that in the meane time God stablishes vs in Christ and that he hath created vs for this namely to clothe vs with immortality and eternall life for God giuing earnest for the assurance of the end doth thereby vndertake against all lets and impediments that should hinder the atchieuing of that that is earnested thereby and therefore the things present which thou hast attained already doe assure vnto thee those things that are yet to come CON. 41. If man depend vpon himselfe he hath iust cause to feare and doubt his own perseuerance EXPLA. The faithfull doe say with the
who said O death I will be thy death for while wee liue we liue in him and no man can take our ioy from vs and when we dye we dye in him and then death shall be no more death for then the burthen of sinne the malice of the Deuill and terrour of hell shall cease All things that fill with ioy shall be full within vs as the fellowshippe of Saints and Angels the forgiuenesse of sinnes the Resurrection of the body and life euerlasting c. yea and the God of glory Our eyes shall bee enlightned with a pure faith and we shall think our time wearinesse if then our time were prolonged and be a soiourner in this body in which wee are strangers from the presence of the Lord. And the neerer our time approcheth the gladder wee shall bee of the end of our iourney when our heart shalâ— feele it For when the earthly house of this Tabernacle shal be destroyed wee haue a building giuen of God a house not made with hands but eternall in the heauens where the God of al mercy and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ shall bee before vs for euer There wee shall see the Patriarches of whom wee haue heard so much the Prophets whom we haue loued the Apostles whose society wee wish for where our time shal not be tedious and glory haue no change O happy daies that shall neuer end O blessed inheritance that shall neuer waste There shall be no more sorrow nor crying c. For the first things are past and what haue we here that can please vs Feare of our enemy griefe in pouerty paine in labour care in riches vnstedfaftnesse in friendship enuy in Authority emulation in Honor change in Nobility feare in a Kingdome what but vexation of spirit in all things that is vnder the Sunne So true it is Vanity of vanities and all is but vanity What then can disquiet vs if in the face of Christ Iesus we see our rising againe from the graue Who hath giuen vs inheritance in pleasant places and our portion in a happy lot the dead man feareth no euill he is only bitter to them that haue peace in their riches then we shal be bold to say Surely the Lord wil deliuer mee from the snare of the hunter and from the noisome pestilence I shall not be afraid of the feare of the night nor of the arrow that flyeth by day nor of the pestilence that walketh in the darkenes nor of the plague that destroyeth aâ— noone I haue set the most high to be my refuge and there shal no euâ—ll come neere my tabernacle For among the dead I haue seene Christ and in the graue I haue found the glory of God and therfore do say Let me dye with the righteous and let my latter end be as vnto him for Christ is my life death is my aduantage why then should we not desire to see the louing kindnesse of the Lord which is better then life Yea as the Hart longeth after the water brookes so our soules long to see the Lord. Lord grant wee may haue euen here our conuersation in heauen from thence looking for a Sauiour euen Iesus Christ the righteous who shall change this corruptible body to make it like to his glorious body in that blessed time which shall scatter away all affliction and seale within vs the happy assurance of immortality which shall bee in the presence of the God of Grace Amen FINIS Mr. Hooker Mr. Deering Ioh. 4.14 Rom. 3.5 Rom. 12.6 Math. 17.20 Mar. 12.13 Col. 1.9 2. Pet. 3.18 Can. 4.12 Rom. 10. Act. 13.26 Eph 3.29 2. Cor. 5.20 Rom. 9.33 Psal. 27.8 Zach. 13 9 Mat. 9.23 Ps. 40.7.8 Rom. 8.16 Iohn 5.6 Phil. 1.6 Rom. 9.33 Ioh. 10.28 Ier. 32.40 Phil. 3 12 Rom. 11.29 14 8 8 23. Ps. 23 6 Ier. 31 33 Esa. 25 9 Ioh. 6.54.55 Ioh. 6.35 Rom. 3 34 Rom 4 16 Gal. 3 10 Gal. 5 4 Rom. 4 14 Gal. 3 18 Gal. 5.3 Mat. 5.6 Heb. 12 1 Exo. 12 15 Numb 15 28 Act 16 31 Mat. 8 26 Mat. 15 20 Rom. 4 21 Iohn 6 99 Ioh. 14 29 Mat. 14 28 31 Mat. 8 25 Psal. 31 22 Luke 17 5 Rom. 5 1. 1. Ioh. 5 13 1. Thes. 5 17. 2. Cor. 5.7 Rom. 8 23 2. Sam. 12 13. Psal. 51 1. Heb. 6 18 1. Cor. 2 12 Isa. 9 6 2 Cor. 1 20 a Rom. â— 32 b 1 Iohn 4 13. c Act. 5 31 d Eph. 2.8 e Rom. 5 17. f 2 Tim. 1 7 g Phil. 1 29 h 2 Pet. 1 3 i Rom. 6 23. k Eph. 1 3 3 5. 1. Pet. 1 12 Mat. 26 28 Iob 2 8. Ier. 1 1. 2. Cor. 6 4 Tit. 3 7. Eph. 1.11 Mar. 1 7. Mat. 8 10. Dan. 9 7 Psal. 143 2 Psa. 130 3 Rom. 8 28 Isa. 54 13 Ier. 31 33 Ier. 23 54 Isa. 27 3 Mat. 16 18 Ier. 32 40 Luk. 22 32 Ioh. 17 11 20. 1. Pet. 1 5 Phil. 3 8 1 Cor. 1 30 Rom. 8 21 Rom 4 5 1. Ioh. 3 7 2. Cor. â— 21 Rom. 11 6 Mat. 6. Ioh. 3 17. Reu. 2 22. Rom. 10.13 Isa. 26.16 Iob 33.16.17 1. Cor. 11. Isa. 35.4 Isa. 43.1 Isa. 54 14 Luk. 11 74. Heb. 2.15 Rom. 8 15. 2. Tim. 1.7 Iob 31.23 Eph. 6.10 Isa. 26.12 1. Sam. 2.9 Gen. 18.12 Heb. 11.11 Num. 11.24 Psa. 73 2 â— Hab. 1.2.13 Rom. 10 6. 1. Cor. 3.15 Eph. 2.20 1. Tim. 3.16 Ioh. 1.49 Ioh. 4.24 Act. 4 12. 1. Cor. 3. Rom. 4 23. Is. 2.19 Hos. 10.8 Luk. 23.30 Reue. 6.16 Ps. 51 12. Ioh. 3.16 Ioh. 8 47. Rom. 10 13 Ioh. 1.12 Iam. 1.18 1. Pet. 5.12 1. Ioh. 3.1 Rom. 8 15.16 Ioh. 14 17. Zech. 12.10 Eze. 18.24 Phil. 1 29 Col. 1 11 2. Cor. 1 5 Heb. 13 5 Rom. 8 10 Phi. 2 15 Col. 3 4 Eph. 2 5 1. Ioh. 5 12 1. Ioh. 5 13 Rom. 6 10 Eph. 3.6 Ioh. 14.19 Mat. 28.20 1. Pet. 1.23 1. Ioh. 3 9. Eph. 1 14 Ioh. 4 14 Num. 23 19 Col. 1 23 1 Tim. 2.15 Ioh. 10. 1 Ioh. 3 9 Act. 15.5 Gal. 4 25 28 31. Eph. 1.13 2 Cor. 1.21 22. Cha. 5 5. Ps. 116 16 Ps. 119 125 Ps. 143 2 1 Io. 3 4 15 Act. 16 31 Rom. 1 27 Ps. 84 7 Rom. 8.33 Gal. 3 13 Heb. 8.9 Mat. 1 21 1 Thes. 1 10 Luk. 2 10.11 Is. 9 6 Act. 10.43 1. Ioh. 5.10 Hebr. 3 6 10 22. Rom. 4 18 1. Pet. 2 25 Eph. 3.20 Eph. 1 20 Eph. 2 5. Eze. 36,22 1. Cor. 5 21 Rom. 3.25 Eph. 1 3 1. Cor. 1 30 Rom. 3 25 Rom. 6 6 Eph. 4 24 Tim. 1 2 4 Eph. 5.25 2 Ti. 1 3 5 1. Ioh. 3 9 Psal. 37 24 Ier. 33 16. 2. Cor 12 9 Dan. 9 7 Eph. 1.6 1 Cor. 1 29 Is. 2.11 2 Tim. 1.18 Rom. 7.23 Heb. 12 1 Gal. 5 17 2. Pet. 3 13 Mat. 5 6 Rom. 7 24 Rom. 3.27 2 Cor. 8.12 Mat. 5.26 Ps. 103.4 2. Tim. 4 Is. 53.6 1 Pet. 2.24 Rom. 3 24 Eph. 1 7 Col. 1 14 Ro. 4 6 7 8 Tim. 1 2 14. Gal. 4 5 Luk. 22 10 1. Thes. 5.10 Act. 3.26 Mat. 3 1â— Rom. 8.33 Exo. 28.38 Ps. 143.2 Pro. 24.16 Luk. 22.61 Rom. 5 15 2 Cor. 5 21 Ier. 23 6. Act. 15 9. Gal. 3 14. Rom. 8.2 a Gal. 4 28 b Cha. 3.29 c Heb. 6.17 d 2 Pet. 14. e Gal. 3.14.26 f Eph. 1.13 g Gal. 3.18 h 1. Ti. 1.2 i 2 Pet. 3.13 k 2 Cor. 1.20 l Heb. 11.13 m Gal. 3.14 n Ibid. 22. o Mat. 8.13 p Mat. 21. Ioh. 6 56. Eph. 5 30. Rom. 3 27 Mat. 2 29 Gal. 5.8 Iob 13. Psal. 73. 2 Cor. 12. Iob 2.8 Ier. 11. 2 Cor. 11. Hebr. 13. Psalm 78. Psalm 89. Ioh. 13. Psalm 31. Luk. 22. Hebr 13. Rom. 8. Col. 3.4 Ier. 31. Hebr. 2. Rom. 8. Rom. 8. Heb. 12. Rom. 6. Psal. 103. Psal. 8. Mat. 6. Rom. 5. Rom. 8. Iam. 1. Heb. 12. Phâ—l 4. Prou. 28. Heb. 2. Heb. 2. Mat. 26.56 Mar. 14.33 Luk. 22.44 Psalm 22. 1. Pe 1.2.24 1. Cor. 15. Heb. 4. Hebr 2. Heb. 8.12 Rom. 8. Esay 61.3 Esay 53.5 Psalm 22. Heb. 2. Luk 2. Nah. 1.6 Genes 12. Heb. 2. 2. Cor. 4. Heb. 4. Rom. 7. Can. 3. Hab. 3.16 1. Cor. 11. Ps. 91. c. Psal. 42.1
righteousnesse And all this is because wee should rest in full assurance of safety without feare or doubt because hee promised to preuent all occasions whence any feare should arise And so he deliuered them out of the hands of their enemies without feare and Christ died that he might deliuer them who for feare of death were all their life time subiect to bondage and now wee haue not receiued the spirit of bondage to feare any more but the spirit of adoption to cry abba Father for God hath not giuen vs the spirit of feare but of power and of loue and of a sound minde for there is no greater bondage then that feare when we are vncertaine what shall become of vs but he said Feare not little flocke for it is your Fathers pleasure to giue you the Kingdome Now that other commendable feare doth not shake assurance of saluation but the faithfull finding that in him doth gather the greater assurance to himselfe For the punishment of God is fearefull vnto him that dreades Gods iudgements abhorreth wicked courses laboureth in righteousnesse is strong in the Lord and in the power of his might and doe work their saluation with feare and trembling with humility and acknowledgement of their own frailety and neuer to commit themselues to themselues but to him who hath wrought all our workes for vs for by his owne might shall no man be strong Now there is difference betwixt absolute doubting weake assenting and interruption in assent with some feare for the seeds of all impiety land in the corruption of the heart whereby we are assaulted with doubt of the principall poynts of our beleefe the wisedome power iustice mercy of God yet do not wholly relinquish the assent thereof CON. 27. In application of our generall faith to particular occasions wee many times goe halting and lame and stagger somewhat at that whereof our faith should giue vs full assurance by the will of God EXPLA. Thus did Sarah cast doubt of Gods promise touching the hauing of a child who yet is said through faith to haue receiued strength to conceiue when she was past age because she iudged him faithfull that had promised Thus did Moses call in question the power of God as touching prouiding flesh for the people of Israel when God promised so to do So Dauid and Habacuck staggered as touching the prouidence of God and his care of the iust and righteous men So did the Disciples murmure concerning the Godhead of Christ and the hope of redemption by him which before they had imbraced surely when we look vnto our selues in our greatest perfections we are subiect to that amazed distraction as to say Who shall ascend into heauen as if Christ were not ascended to make way for vs and Who shall descend into the deepe as if Christ had not died to deliuer vs from thence we can neuer satisfie our selues how either to escape the one or to attaine the other CON. 28. They are not faithlesse which are weake in assenting to the truth EXPLA. As many as hold the foundation which is precious thogh they hold it but weakly and as it were with a slender thread although they frame many base and vnsutable things vpon it things that cannot abide the triall of fire yet shall they passe the fiery triall and be saued which indeed haue builded themselues vpon the Rocke which is the foundation of the Church CON. 29. The foundation of faith is not onely the generall ground whereupon we rest when wee beleeue the writings of the Prophets and Apostles but also it is the principall thing which is beleeued that is Christ. EXPLA. There is a foundation of our faith God manifested in the flesh iustified in the Spirit and this Thou art the Sonne of the liuing God thou art the King of Israel and that of the inhabitants of Samaria This is Christ the Sauiour of the world Which who directly doth deny doth vtterly rase the very foundation of faith for Christ in the worke of mans saluation is all without our workes for hee is that seede in whom all the Nations of the world shall be blessed and among men there is giuen no other name vnder heauen whereby we must be saued other foundation can no man lay CON. 29. The holy Spirit in the very moment when first he is giuen of God bringeth with him infused vertues proper and peculiar to the Saincts of God EXPLA. There bee two kindes of christian righteousnesse the one without vs which wee haue by imputation the other in vs which consisteth of Faith Hope and Charity as Abraham had not onely the one because the things beleeued was imputed to him for righteousnesse but also the other because he offered vp his son They are both Gods gifts and the first by accepting vs for righteous in Christ and the second by working christian righteousnesse in vs by the spirit of adoption which we haue receiued into our hearts which maketh two kindes of sanctifying righteousnesse habituall and actuall CON. 30. The wicked haue not such faith as that wherewith a Christian man is iustified EXPLA. It is the Spirit of God which worketh faith in the Elect the things which they beleeue are not apprehended onely as true but also as good and that to vs as good they are not apprehended by the wicked as true they are The Christian the more hee increaseth in faith the more his ioy and comfort aboundeth but they the more sure they are of the truth the more they quake and tremble at it for the wicked doe rather wish that they might then thinke that they shall ceasse when they ceasse to liue because they hold it better that death should consume them into nothing then God reuiue them vnto punishment On the contrary to the Elect there is no grief nor torment greater then to feele their perswasion weake in things whereof when they are perswaded they reape such comfort and ioy of the Spirit CON. 31. Faith giueth vs the comfort of saluation because it beleeueth that which the word of God hath deliuered concerning them in whom the signes marks of our Election are found EXPLA. Faith giueth assurance of saluation by the Word of God not only by apprehending the promise of life and saluation but also obseruing such marks and tokens as the Word of God setteth down to discerne them vnto whom this saluation doth appertaine and therefore it doth not onely looke to that which Christ saith that whosoeuer beleeueth shall haue euerlasting life but because Christ also saith hee that is of God heareth Gods word therefore the faithful man delighteth in the word of God beleeueth concerning himselfe that he is of God because the Apostle saith Euery one that calleth on the name of the Lord shall be saued and this also doth the faithfull man vnfaignedly calling on the name of
euery one that shal follow him So that this is our glory in afflictions we are fashioned by them into the similitude of Christ and wee are made like vnto him So it pleased God when hee would bring many children vnto glory to consecrate the Prince of their saluation through afflictions and to make both him that sanctifieth and them that are sanctified all one that they that suffer with him should also liue with him So we when we feele many troubles to rest vpon vs we may say now we are like vnto Christ especially when wee feele the greatest trouble the minde oppressed it maketh vs like vnto him and to say Now we supply in our flesh the remnant of the afflictions of Christ in nothing in this world as wealth honor c. can I behold the liuely Image of Christ. Affliction and trouble a minde broken with the remembrance of sinne a troubled spirit horrors of death and a conscience burdened with the wrath of God here light shines out of darknes and hope out of despaire When I thinke my selfe furthest off from the Lord them am I neerest vnto him and when I thinke my selfe fullest of confusion then the Image of Christ is most liuely within me The Lord may hide his face for a while for a moment in his anger aâ— he did from Christ but hee will returne vnto me with euerlasting mercies for the Image of his Sonne is cleere within me Wee are afflicted one euery side but not so as that wee are shut from hope wee are in pouerty but not ouercome with pouerty we are persecuted but not forsaken we are cast down but wee perish not wee are troubled in all things fightings without and terrours without but God that comforteth the abiects he will comfort vs. Vnto this he hath predestinated vs that we should bee like vnto his Son in afflictions and so be glorified with him in the day of honour CON. 80. God sendeth vs sundry chastisements especially the anguish of heart and affliction of the soule that we should be warned how to be free from the plague when it commeth EXPLA. The iudgements of God daily preached vnto vs pierce deepe into the hearts of the true beleeuers and the word that they heare it worketh mightily in them more sharpe in their eares then a two edged sword and it entreth through them euen to the diuiding asunder of the soule and of the spirit and of the ioynts and of the marrow and examines all the thoughts and the intents of the heart so that it is impossible that any part of theÌ„ should be hid but they are al open vnto iudgement and heare the voice of the Lord. Then their sinne is reuiued in the middest of their bowels their conscience hath no rest they feele death working in their hearts and hell is before them they see sin on their right hand and Satan on the left shame vnder their feete and an angry Iudge aboue them the world full of destruction without and a worm gnawing the heart within the poore sinner knoweth not what to doe to hide himselfe it is impossible and to appeare it is intollerable then hee breaketh out into loud crying O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death He giueth no rest vnto his eyes nor sleep vnto his eye-lids vntil he find that which is able to saue him from this wrath In his bed by night hee seeketh him whom his soule loueth in the streetes and open places hee enquireth after him and after many daies in which hee cannot finde him Christ sheweth himselfe at the last a perpetuall deliuerer a victorious Lion of the Tribe of Iuda in whom he hath strong saluatioÌ„ when he hath mourned because of the plague that was before him Christ will approch neere and wipe away al the tears froÌ„ his eies So said he When I heard the word of God my belly trembled my lips shooke at the voyce rottennesse entred into my bones and I trembled in my selfe that I might finde rest in the day of trouble So is it with vs all the plagues of God because they are pronounced against iniquity maketh the childe of God to feare that foreseeing the harme he might prâ—pare himselfe For though Christ hiâ— himselfe at the first the wounded spirit and troubled spirit must needes finde him out We are ful of griefe but we are chastised of the Lord because we should not be coÌ„deÌ„ned with the world we dye with Christ because we should liue with him we lament and weepe but because Christ might wipe away all teares from our eyes wee are deliuered vnto death for Iesus sake but because the life of Iesus should be manifest in our slesh We beare about vs the mortification of our Lord Iesus but because also the life of Iesus might bee manifest in our bodyes We haue anguish of spirit and vexation of minde for this cause that when destruction shall come vpon the careles world wee might lift vp our heads and behold our redemption at hand let vs then in patience poffesse our soules for for these causes wee are now afflicted that wee may receiue mercy and finde grace to helpe in time of neede and for this cause we tremble and are affraid that after many prayers wee might bee deliuered from the things which we haue feared CON. 81. That our life is in the hand of God that we shold not be pleased with it but as it pleaseth him ready to lay it downe when it pleaseth him EXPLA. This is the great commandement to loue God aboue all and this is the greatest obedience required of man to be ready to dye at the will of God Against this commandement the nature of man striueth the delights of this life rise against it we are loth to make our beds in the darke we would see the Sunne our eares would heare worldly elements our flesh indeed is grasse yet grasse hath a flowre and our frayle bodies haue vanishing fantasies agreeable vnto them from which we cannot bee pulled away So Patriarches and Prophets were afraid yea Peter and Paule loued that life which they saw in hope but they did feele the death which did fight in their members they were men as we are yet obtained at last to bee dissolued and bee with Christ. If we be weaker then they the graces of God shall bee more exalted in vs and wee shall also say at the last Let thy seruant O Lord depart in peace And â—â—ough wee feare for a little â—â—ile yet feare shall bee cast out and we shall say with a free spirit O death where is thy sting Our greatest enemy last is troden vnder our feet what else can hurt vs The Lord of life hath crushed him in pieces vnder vs. It is a blessed day that bringeth vs into this battel a blessed sicknesse that maketh vs indure this fight and most blessed end in which wee get victory This doth he
whereby wee are iustified cannot faile EXPLA. The seed of God that is the first grace which God powreth into the hearts of them that are incorporated into Christ because it is an aduersary vnto sinne we do therefore thinke we sin not but otherwise by a distrustfull and doubtful apprehension of that which stedfastly we ought to beleeue we are amazed yet they that are borne of God do neuer so sin as it doth extinguish quite grace Our faith when it is strongest is but weake yet euen then when it is at the weakest is so strong that vtterly it neuer faileth it neuer perisheth altogether no not in them who thinke it extinguished in themselues howbeit through extremity of griefe many times in iudgement the Elect are so confounded that they finde not themselues in theÌ„selues for that which dwelleth in their hearts they seeke it abideth worketh in them yet still they aske where still they lament as for a thing that is past finding they mourne as Raâ—hel and refuse to be comforted as if that were not which indeede is and as if that which is not were as if they did not beleeue when they doe and as if they did despaire quite when they do not For truely where faith maketh any doubt there the sense is neuer satisfied CON. 64. God will haue them that still walke in light to feele now and then what it is to sit in the shaddow of death EXPLA. A grieued spirit is no argument of a faithlesse mind men iudging by comparison either with other men or themselues at some other time being more strong they thinke imperfection to be a plaine depriuation weakenesse to bee vtter want of faith and therefore in heauinesse of spirit suppose they lack faith because they finde not the ioy delight which indeede doth accompany faith The Apostle Paule prayed The God of hope fill you with all ioy in beleeuing which is not an vnseparable companion therewith for the light would neuer bee so acceptable were it not for vsuall entercourse of darkenesse too much hony doth turne to gall and too much ioy euen spiritually would make vs turne wantons Happier a great deal is that mans case whose soule by inward desolation is humbled then hee whose heart through abundance of spirituall delight is lifted vp and exalted aboue measure better it is sometimes to cry my God my God why hast hast thou forsaken mee then to say with the Pharisey I thanke God it is not with mee as it is with other men God will haue them that should walke in light to feele sometimes what it is to sit in darkenesse yea God sendeth variety of disturbances that the minde should not gnaw nor waste it self away that wee should too much with Iob and Ieremy grieue and lament Thus hee driueth away griefe often with ioy that wee should not bee steeped and dissolued in sorrow CON 65. Our faith here may haue hath her priuie operations secret to vs yet known to him by whom they are EXPLA. Men do fasten their minds vpoÌ„ the distrustfull suggestions of the flesh whereof finding great abundance in theÌ„selues they gather thereby vnbeleefe hath full dominion and plenary possession of theÌ„ not marking the things of the spirit and of the flesh because they be buried and ouerwhelmed with the contrary when notwithstanding the Apostle doth acknowledge the spirit groanes and that God heareth when we doe not A man deceiued by a too hard opinion of his faith will scarce bee comforted yea it doth augment his griefe and will say I haue sifted all the corners of my heart and I see what there is in me neuer seeke to perswade mee against my knowledge reason not with flesh blood dispute neuer with Satan neuer doe yeeld much lesse giue ouer beleeue the word and giue place to prayer and exhortation and thou shalt finde light in thy greatest darkenesse The comfort of the spirit may for a season be intermitted but neuer the spirit of comfort shall leaue thee CON. 66. Besides our corrupt nature the serpent laboureth continually to peruert the simplicity of faith which is in Christ. EXPLA. I am iealous ouer you saith the Apostle with a godly iealousie for I haue prepared you to a husband a pure virgin vnto Christ but I feare lest as the serpent beguiled Euah through his subtilty so your mindes should bee corrupted from the simplicity which is in Christ. This simplicity of faith taketh the naked promise of God his bare word and on that it resteth which simplicity the Diuell ceasseth not to ouerthrow corrupting the minde with many imaginations of repugnancy contrariety between the word of God and his promises therein and those things which sense or experience or some other fore-coÌ„ceiued opinion and perswasion had imprinted The word of promise vnto his people is I will not leaue thee nor forsake thee vpon this the simplicity of faith resteth and it is not afraid of famine But marke how the subtilty of Satan doth corrupt the mindes of that rebellious generation whose spirits were not faithfull vnto God they beheld the desolate state of the desert in which they were and by the wisedome of their sense concluded the wisedome of God to be but folly Can God prepare a table in the desert Againe the word of the promise vnto Sarah was Thou shalt beare a sonne faith is simple and doubted not of it but Satan to corrupt this simplicity of faith entised the minde of the woman with an argument drawne from common experience to the contrary An olde woman Sarah will shee bee acquainted with forgotten passions of youth So the word of the promise of God by Moses and the Prophets made the Sauiour of the world so apparent vnto Philip that this simplicity could conceiue no other Messiah then Iesus of Nazareth the Sonne of Ioseph but to stay Nathaniel to come and see and should also beleeue and so be saued the subtilty of Satan casted a mist before his eyes put in his head against this the common conceiued opinion of all men against Nazareth Is it possible that a good thing should come from thence Thus he bereaueth men for the time of all perceiuance of that which should releeue them and be their comfort yea it taketh all remembrance from them euen of things wherewith they are most familiarly acquainted The Israelites might know that hee that led them thorow the Red Sea was able to feede them in the wildernes Sarah was not to learne that with God all things were possible Therefore diligently marke the conceit of repugnancy beleeue not those things which are obiect to the eies but that which faith vpon promise of God doth looke for CON. 67. The promises of Grace protection fauor which God in his law makes vnto his people doe not grant any such immunity as can free exempt them from all chastisements EXPLA. God hath said I will continue my mercy for euer towards them so