not yet felt thâ— spirituall sicknesse and also somewhat to refresh the memory of thâ—se who haue here is in a short summe discouered vnto thee some of the maladies of thy soule shewing thee how Christ is both the Physician and medicine of them seuerally as the title giuen to the Booke None but Christ none but Christ giues thee to vnderstand Touching the which if thou wouldest I should yeeld thee a reason then know that I tooke it not vp at randome but as I found them the words and those the last words of a constant Martyr of Christ Iohn Lambert by name which as I conceiue beeing vttered by him as the triumphant voice of faith after that hee had through the power of Christ put to flight the feare of Hell Sinne and Death c. as by doubling of them may appeare So by way of imitation I thinke them not tying any to sillables well beseeming the thoughts and speeches also of euery Christian vpon safe and sure grounds as in their dayly so euen in their last conflicts to be taken vp and vsed Not as if heereby it were my meaning to exclude See Ioh. 3.16 Titus 3.5 or shut out either the Father or the holy Ghost from hauing an hand in the worke of our saluation as well as Christ but attributing the same to him onely Rom. 8.34 as to the sole meritorious cause thereof And so I bid thee heartily farewell Thine in Christ C.C. NONE BVT CHRIST 1 Fall I Am fallen in a Rom. 5.12 Amos 7.2.5 Adam I am falne I am fallen Oh! who shall raise mee None but Christ who as hee is set for thy vprising Lke 2.34 so is hee b Heb. 7.25 perfectly able to c Ioh. 10.28 29. keep thee that thou fall not againe from thine owne stedfastnesse Iud. 24. 2 Guilt By my fall I haue offended au d Ier. 23.24 Psa 139.7 infinite Maiestie and who shall plead for mee 1 Samuel 2.25 None but Christ who beeing also an e Isai 63.1 Act. â—0 28 Isai 53.5 6 infinite Maiesty Rom. 9.5 hath by his owne bloud fully satisfied the iustice of his Father for thy offence this way committed against him 1 Pet. 2.24 Ephesians 5.2 f Iam. 4.3 Rom. 5.10 8.7 3 Enmity This offence hath bred enmitie betweene God and me Col. 1.20 21. who is meete to reconcile vs None but Christ 2 Cor 5.19 who by his g Rom. 3.25 Col. 1.20.21 blood hath not onely made perfect peace betweene God and thee but hath so ratified and confirmed the same Ephes 2. â—6 17. that nothing shall bee euer able to disolue it 4 Strangenesse This enmity hath bred h Eph. 4.18 strangenesse betweene God and mee Coloss 1.21 and who shall bring me into fellowship with him again i Ioh. 1.3 5 â— 7. k 1 Cor. 1.9 1 Pet. 3.18 None but Christ hath who suffered for sinnes the iust for the uniust not onely that hee might bring thee to God but hath also so l Rom. 5.2 setled this fellowship betweene him and thee who art by faith ingrafted into him that none shall bee euer able to breake it off againe Ioh. 1.12 Gal. 3.26 27. Ier. 32.40 Rom 8.35 5 Filth But alas m Iob 15.16 Leu. 13.45 Psal 51.5 I am vncleane I am vncleane For behold I was borne in iniquitie and in sinne hath my mother conceiued mee and who now shall cleanse mee Iob 14.4 n Zac. 13.1 None but Christ who not onely is that Lambe of God who taketh away the o Signifying that original sinne which is the fountaine of all sinne See Luke 2.23 sinne or the world Ioh. 1.29 but was also borne holy and conceiued by the p And thus we find in our nature that holinesse which by nature we want holy Ghost Luke 1.35 to couer the impurity of thy conception and birth Heb. 2.10 6 Darknesse And thus as a woefull wight Isai 60.2 Mat. 4.16 Ioh. 1.5 1 Ioh. 5.19 sit I in double darknesse hauing iustly lost by this my sorrowfull downefall with the q 2 Cor. 44. Deu. 29 20 light of Gods Image Eph. 4.18 the light of Gods countenance and who now shall bee a light vnto mee r Luk. 1.79 None but Christ who is come a light into this world to the end that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not onely not abide in darknesse Ioh. 12.46 but might also haue the light of life Ioh. 8.12 7 Dead Not onely am I Å¿ Ioh. 1.5.8 Ephes 5.8 drenched in this wofull darkenesse but therein by nature I lie t Ephe. 2.5 Mat. 4.16 starke dead in trespasses and sinnes who shall now quicken me u Ioh. 5.25 None but Christ who is not onely come that thou mightest haue life 2 Tim. 1.1 that also in abundance Ioh. 10.10 but so to confirm thee in this life if thou beleeue in him that thou shalt neuer dye Ioh. 11.25 14 19. Beleeuest thou this 8 Corrupt But I sensibly feele to my vtter vndoing I feare that the diuell hath shed in to my whole man Rom. 6.6 Col. 2.11 the venome and poison of his cursed nature Ioh 8.44 Rom. 7.24 who shall cure me of it None but Christ who came not onely to lose the workes of the diuell in thee 1 Ioh 3.8 but which more is to make thee partaker of the diuine x Not of the substance but of the diuine qualities nature 2. Pet. 1.4 Heb. 12.10 9 Bondage And to this vile corruption am I by nature a seruant and z Ioh. 8.34 wretched bond-man who shall free mee from so wofull a slauery Rom. 7.15 None but Christ who came not onely to preach deliuerance to such miserable captiues as thou art Luke 4.18 but that in setting thee free thou mightest be a That is that we might haue not a fained â—â—t a true liberty and freedom from all infernall foes free indeed Ioh. 8.36 10 Penury A man may haue light life and liberty and yet perish for lacke of foode who shall furnish my poore b Psa 106.15 affammished soule with that Reuel 3.17 None but Christ who first if thou beest athirst bids thee come to him and drinke of the water of life Ioh. 7.37 and that c Isa 55.1 Reu. 22.17 freely not for a while to quench thy thirst but that in drinking of the water which hee shall giue thee thou mightest d That is such shal never be so thirsty but the spirit of grace as an euerliuing fountaine will be at hand to satisfie their thirst See Ioh. 7.38 neuer be more athirst seeing it shall be in thee a well of water springing vp into euerlasting life Ioh. 4.13.14 7.38 And hee also is that bread of life which came downe from heauen Ioh. 6.48 51. of which if by faith thou spiritually eatest it shall not only preserue thy soule from famishing and death but shall
cause it to liue for euer Ioh. 6.50 Ioh. 6.51 11 Naked But yet my e Isai 64.6 Gen. 3.7 Reu. 3.17.18 filthy nakednesse will appeare who shall couer that None but Christ f Reu. 3.17 whose white raiment shall not onely g Rom. 4.6 7. couer the shame of thy nakednesse that the h Hab. 1.13 pure eyes of God shall not i Num 23 21. behold it Reu. 3.17 18. but therein also hee hauing granted thee to be arrayed therewith will present thee therein glorious to himselfe without Reu. 19.8 Iude 24. spot or wrinckle or any such thing Col. â— 22 Ephes 5.27 11 Curse Me thinkes I k Hab. 3.16 tremble and quake for feare in my selfe when I heare that terrible thunderbolt of the Law Cursed is l Gal. 3.10 euery man that continueth not in m Deut. 27.26 29.21 all things which are written in the booke of the Law to doe them Who shall free me from it n Isai 53.4 5 6. None but Christ who hath not onely redeemed thee from the curse of the Law Gal. 3.13 being made a curse for thee but hath brought thee also within compasse of that promised true o Ephes 1.3 blessednesse made to faithful Abraham Gal. 3.9.14 13 Terror Now whilest I remaine thus held as it were at Gods suite vnder this terrible arest Cursed is euery one c. mee thinkes I see how all the creatures in heauen and earth Gen. 7.11 stand ready armed at his onely becke to reuenge the quarrell of his couenant vpon mee Leu. 26.25 Psal 76.7 who is there in heauen or earth that can set them againe at one with mee None but Christ who hauing by his owne blood reconciled God himselfe who is the Lord of Hosts Col. 1.20 Rom. 3.25 and so of all creatures vnto thee hee hath much more reconciled euery creature in heauen and earth vnto thee Isai 11.6 Hose 2.18.19.20 14 Losse Moreouer whilest in this case a dayly Pro. 16.26 and in a manner hourely necessitie lies vpon mee to vse the benefit of foode rayment recreation sleepe c. yea of breathing in the very ayre I am often thus secretly checked in conscience for the same as if the Lord should on this wise speake vnto mee Hos 2.8 9. Mal. 2.2 Friend who gaue you leaue and liberty to vse these my benefits or by what right or title doe you enioy them seeing you haue by your disobedience forfeited backe againe to me the true and lawfull vse I once gaue you of them Deut. 28. from 15. to 20. Gen. 1.29 30. In whom now or by whom may I recouer the free and so a comfortable vse of them againe By none but in and by Christ who beeing come a second Adam and the very true 1 Cor. 15.47 and lawfull heyre of all things Hab. 1.2 2.8 hath by the merit of his sufferings and obedience Rom. 5.19 recouered vnto thee being once a member of his mysticall body a iust right and title as to God himselfe Rom. 8.16 17. Ioh. 20.17 who is the Lord of all creatures 1 Cor. 3.22 1 Tim 4.4 Tit. 1 1â— so a lawfull and sanctified vse of the creatures themselues Reade Hosea 2. from vers 18. to 23. 15 Wrath to come But it much astonisheth mee when I reade what p Isi 30.27.28 fearefull attributes are giuen vnto God as that hee is called a consuming fire Heb. 12.29 Euerlasting burnings Isai 33.14 and that when fire is kindled in his wrath it shall burne to the bottome of hell Deut. 32.22 Alas if his wrath be kindled but a litile Psal 2.12 q Psa 76.7 who shall fence me from it r Heb. 5.7 Mat. 26.38 None but Christ who not only saueth and deliuereth thee from the wrath to come 1 The. 1.10 Rom. 5.9 but more then that giues thee eternall life Ioh. 10.20 16 Deaths sting Yet death hath a Å¿ 1 Cor. 15.56 deadly sting wherewith to stab mee to the heart which is sinne who shall free mee from deaths t Reu. 21.8 deadly blow Rom. 6.23 u Re. 20 14. None but Christ in whom thou hast not only conquest ouer sinne and death 1 Cor. 15.57 hee hauing through death x Heb. 2.14 destroyed him that had the power of death which is the diuell buâ— hath now brought immâ—â—tality and life for thee to light by the Gospell 2 Tim. 1.10 17 Vnbeleefe Besides all this my conscience conuinceth me of sin Ioh. 16.8.9 in that I beleeue not in Christ Oh for one graine of that precious faith Luk. 17.6 that faith of of Gods elect who shall worke it in me None but Christ who is therefore said to be both the Author and finisher Heb. 12.2 of our faith As also it is hee by whom wee beleeue in God 1 Pet. 1.21 who raised him from the dead 18 Impenitency But I haue an heart the Lord knowes which cannot repent Rom. 2.5 Who shall giue mee that repentance vnto saluation 2 Cor. 7.11 neuer to bee repented of None but Christ for to this end hath God exalted him a prince and a Sauiour Act. 5.31 to giue repentance to Israell and forgiuenesse of sinnes See 2 Tim. 2.25 19 Hardnesse of heart Zach. 7.12 Oh but I haue an heart hard as the adamant stone who can soften it None but Christ Ezek. 11.19 chap. 36.26 in whom this faithfull promise shall euer be yea Amen namely that God will take away thy stony heart out of thy flesh and in stead thereof will giue thee an hart of flesh Soake thy hart thorowly in this free and precious promise and expect the fruit with patience 20 Infirmity Much corruption will cleaue still euen to my best actions * Rom. 7.21 In whom may I find the remedy of this * 1 Tim. 2.5 1 Ioh. 2.2 In none but in Christ who not onely reconciles the iniquitie euen of thy holy offerings Exo. 28.38 Leu. 16.33 but hath for thee brought in also a To make both thy person Actions for euer acceptable before God euerlasting righteousnes Dan. 9.24 See 1 Cor. 1.30 2 Cor. 5.21 21 Doubtings But b Ps 88 15 Iam. 1.2 new feares and doubtings through diuers temptations arising through c Iob. 2.3 Sathans malice shall neuer bee wanting d Iob 7.13.15 daily to vex and e Psal 42.5.11 disquiet me alas who shall support mee vnder so manifold and different trials None but Christ who in that he suffered and Heb. 2.18 4.15.16 â— 25 was tempted not onely is able sufficiently to succour thee in all thy temptations Heb. 2.18 ch 4.15.16 Psa 34.19 but in the end also to free thee out of them all 2 Pet. 2.9 22 Accesse Oftentimes when I pray it seemes that God shuts his Mercy-gate both
2 Cor. 3.5 that a man hath neither ability of himselfe to doe good or abstaine from euill aright vnlesse hee be assisted by the power of Christ and this appeareth both by the testimony of Christ himself Ioh. 15.5 For without meâ— yee can doe nothing as also by the testimony of Paul who saith that by the power of Christ he was able to doe all things Phil 4.13 Implying according to that place of Iohn that without Christs power Ioh. 15.5 he could doe nothing Doth the power and strength of corruption then any way annoy thee Rom. 7.23 and wouldest thou faine get the masterie ouer the same flie then foorthwith out of thy selfe and get thee directly vnto Christ Rom. 7.24 25. and say thus vnto him Lord thou biddest mee mortifie al inordinate lusts and affections as wrath Col. 3.5 vncleannes couetousnesse c. But thou knowest there is no strength in me to mortifie these nor any corruption of nature besides See 2 Câ—â— 20.12 further foorth than I haue assistance from thee Phil. 4.13 2.13 Rom. 6.6 apply therefore to this viciousnesse of my sinfull nature the vertue of thy precious death and buriall by the worke of thy holy spirit Rom. 8.13 which alone is able to kill sinne in me that sin and corruption of what nature soeuer may not as heeretofore rule nor raigne ouer me Rom. 6.12 but that wageing battaile still by thy streÌ„gth ther-against I may yet therein haue peace 1 Ioh. 5. â— 5 and expect the full victory in the time thou hast appointed Also wouldest thou heare reade meditate or pray profitably thinke how insufficient thou art 2 Cor. 3.5 as of thy selfe to performe these holy exercises or any the like with out a Whose power in this case must be perfected in thy weaknesse or it will not be 2 Cor. 12.9 Christ but hasten immediately to him and say It is meet Lord that I doe these duties at thy command Isai 55 3. Reu. 1.3 1 The. 5.17 for in mercy thou hast appointed them for my good but without thee Ioh. 15.5 thou knowest I can doe nothing Oh let me therefore feele power and vertue by the worke of thy spirit as from thy death to mortifie and kill all sinne in me Rom 6.5.6 Col. 2 12. so from thy resurrection both to quicken and enable mee aright to performe all such duties as thou requirest of mee that the power of effecting all good may alwaies be of thee and not from mee 2 Cor. 4.7 And yet euen in this regard thou requirest of mee as in other things that as a poore fraile vesssell I should put foorth all the powers of body and soule Eccle. 9.10 2 Cor. 7.1 2 Pet. 1.2.10 Mat. 25 14. 10 30. wherewith thou hast endowed me the better heereby to serue thy diuine prouidence Phil. 2.12 13. Now good Reader if thou approuest of this aduertisement in thy iudgement I pray thee giue thy diligence to bring it by degrees but vnto a daily practise for thou shalt haue need of it daily and by gooâ— experience thou shalt in the end finde I hope that the gaine will counteruaile the paine 1 Cor. 15.58 Gal. 6.9 HEREVNTO IS added three steps to sound conuersion 1 Act. 26.17.18 FIrst God by his word and spirit enlighteneth the vnderstanding of a sinner truely to conceiue the doctrine of mans misery and of his full recouery by Christ 2 Secondly by the same meanes he workes in his heart both such sound sorrow for his misery and feruent desire after Christ the remedy Act. 2. â—7 that hee can neuer be at quiet till hee enioy Christ 3 Thirdly GOD so manifesteth his loue in freely offering Christ with all his benefits Ioh. 3.16 vnto him a poore sinner lost that thereby hee drawes him in such wise to giue credit vnto God heerein that hee gladly accepts of Christ offered vnto him These three workes of God whosoeuer finds to haue bin truly wrought in himselfe may thereby know certainly 1 Ioh. 5.10 that hee hath true faith Act. 15.9 and therefore sound conuersion Now hauing obtained this mercy at the hands of Almighty God for the merit of Christ Col. 1.12 Ephes â— 5 Luke 1.74 hee ought in thankefulnesse to him therefore endeauour daily euer after Tit. 2.11 12. in his whole conuersation to expresse and shew forth the vertues of him that hath thus called him out of darknesse 2 Pet. 2.9 into his maruellous light THE SECOND PART CONTAINING A PASSIONATE Prayer to Christ With his gracious answer thereto ISAI 65.24 Before they call I will answere O Christ who art my Lord and my God Ioh. 20.28 thou who art the promised seed Gen. 3.15 Gen. 22.18 in whom all the Nations of the earth should be blessed Mich. 5.2 thou whose goings forth haue beene of old from euerlasting Ier. 23.6 Thou who art called the Lord our righteousnesse and Sonne of righteousnesse Mal. 4.2 and art worthily stiled Wonderful Isai 9.6 Counsellor The mighty God the euerlasting Father the Prince of Peace Thou in whom the Father is well pleased Mat. 3.17 and in whom his soule delighteth Isai 42.1 Thou who art the blessed â— Tim. 6.15 and only Potentate the King of Kings Lord of Lords Thou who art the Prince of life Act. 3.15 1 Cor 2.8 and Lord of Glory who art saued thy selfe Zache 9.9 and art mighty to saue Isai 63.1 O thou who who art white and ruddie Cant. 5.10 the fairest among ten thousand who art that Immanuel euen God with vs Isai 7.14 who art giuen to mee Isai 9.6 wert borne for me who hast loued mee Gal 1 20. and giuen thy selfe for me Oh when wilt thou draw mee Cant. 1.4 that I may runne after thee When shall I see thee Isai 64.1 Ioh. 14.23 Oh when wilt thou come vnto mee abide Ver. 21. and shew thine owne selfe vnto mee When O good Christ wilt thou giue mee an heart to know thee Ier. 24.17 Oh that thou wouldest once circumcise mine heart to loue thee Deut. 30.6 that in loue it might euer and in all things 1 The. 5.18 be praising of thee When shall I feele thee Col. 3.11 to bee all in all vnto mee my Husband Hosea 2.19 my Head Ephes 5.23 my Surety Heb. 7.22 my Sauiour Luke 1.47 my light Iohn 8.12 and my life Col. 3.4 Shall I neuer haue an heart to beleeue in thee Ro. 10.10 and as to loue 2 Tim. 4.8 so to looke and long for thy blessed appearing 2 Pet. 3.12 Col. 2.3 In thee Lord are hid all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge When shall I feele thee to be to mee as thou art to all thine 1 Cor. 1.30 my wisedome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption It pleased the Father that in thee Col. 1.19 my Lord and my God should
thee Hos 14.8 and obserued thee And though I bee the high and loftie one Isai 57.15 that inhabiteth the eternity whose Name is Holy dwelling in the high and holy place yet doe I also dwell with them that are of a contrite and humble spirit to reuiue the spirit of the humble and to reuiue the heart of the contrite ones Isai 30 1â— I will be gracious vnto thee at the voice of thy cry I haue heard thee and will answer thee Because thou hast set thy loue vpon me Psal 98.14 therefore I will deliuer thee I will set thee on high because thou hast knowne my Name Yea hee that loueth mee Ioh. 14.21 shall bee also loued of my Father and I according to thy request will manifest mine owne selfe vnto thee very meet it is that all men should honour the Son Isai 49.14 euen as they honour the Father for hee that honoureth not the Sonne honoureth not the Faeher which sent him Iohn 5.23 And though to thy seeming thou art now and then neglected of mee yet can I not forget thee ouer-long Isai 54.7 it is but for a moment for for a small moment haue I forsaken thee but with euerlasting compassions will I haue mercy vpon thee saith the Lord thy Redeemer Psal 84.11 I wil be both Sunne and shield vnto thee I will giue grace and glory nor shall any good thing at any time bee wanting at all vnto thee 1 Pet. 1.13 onely hope to the end for that grace which is brought vnto thee Humble thy selfe daily to walke in all the exercises of piety and true charity Mich. 6.8 Take vp the crosse cheerefully which I shall it may bee daily lay vpon thee Luk. 9.13 And when thou art ready to sinke come vnto me Mat. 14.30 For I will assure thee on my faith full word they shâ—ll not for euer bee ashamed Isâ—i 49 â—4 who haue the grace to wait for mee Cast not away then thy confidence which hath promise of great reward Heb. 10.35 Poor soul wherefore diddest thou doubt Mat. 14.31 But I see thou hast neede of patience Heb. 10.36 that after thou hast endeuoured to doe my will heere on earth thou mightest receiue the promise Luk. 21.2 By patience therefore possesse thy soule I will stand by thee I will neither leaue thee nor forsake thee Hebrewes 13.5 Thou art as deare vnto mee Zech. 2.8 as the apple of mine eye Thou shalt bee couered in the shadow of mine hand Mine Angels shall attend thee Psalm 91.11 Isai 51.16 my grace shall bee sufficient for thee my presence shall go with thee Exo. 33.14 neither shall my Spirit nor Word depart away from thee Isaiah 59.21 When thou art tempted I will succour thee Hebrew 2.18 Isai 40.29 when thou faintest I will sustaine thee If thou offend against my heauenly Father 1 Ioh. 2.1 Rom. 8.34 the merit of my satisfaction and intercession shall euermore pleade thy cause at the throne of grace for thee I am returned vnto thee Zech. 8.3 I will no more be terrible vnto thee Ier. 17.17 Isai 57.16 for so the Spirit should faile before me and the soule which I haue made Wherefore comfort thy selfe with these words 1 Thes 4.19 Goe eat thy bread with ioy and drinke thy wine with a merry heart Eccles 9.7 for God now accepteth thy workes Nor shall it bee long yer thou with the residue of those who loue and long for my appearing enter into thy Masters ioy Mat. 25.21 where is fulnesse of ioy and life for euermore So saith Amen Reu. 3 14. the faithfull and true witnesse Amen and Amen FINIS THE SICKE MAN 's A B C. In Questions and Answers Written purposely for such as long after a sanctified vse of Gods Fatherly corrections With a short admonition touching the heart PSAL. 94.12 Blessed is the man whom thou chastisest O Lord and teachest him in thy Law LONDON Printed by Io. Beale for Na. Newbery and are to be sold at the Star in Popes head Alley 1629. To the Christian Reader THe hand of the Lord hath been long stretched out against vs in this Citie by sending sundry sorts of diseases and sicknesses amongst vs where of my selfe of late haue had some experience To maâ—y these haue prooued mortall and deadly and this it is that hath moued mee to pen these few lines following I grant they are appropriated especiallâ— to the person of the sicke yet so that the whole should not be excluded from reaping benefit thereby which if by Gods grace they attaine thâ—n haue I the end of my labour And so I euer rest Thy faithfull welwiller in Christ C. C. The Sicke Man 's A B C. Q. WHat art thou by nature A. Oh Sir a a Rom. 5 12 sinner a b Psal 51.5 sinner a c Iob 40.4 vile and an abominable sinner Iob 1â— 6 Q The soule that sinneth must d Ezek. 18.20 die Thou knowest there is no escaping for thee A. I will not hide my sinne as e Iob 31.33 Adam did but with Dauid I will f Psal 32.5 confesse it and with Iob I wil repent in dust and ashes for it Iob 42.6 Q. Say thou doe so thou art not ignorant that sinne and death will still be dogging of thee at the heeles A. I doe not greatly feare what sinne and death can doe against me Heb. 2.14 15. Q. Why I pray thee A. Because I haue to deale with a gracious God Q. Who told thee that Exod. 34.6 A. Euen his owne selfe Q. Hee is also a deuouring fier Isai 33.14 Heb. 10 27 A. Hee is so but it is to his enemies and to them that perish Q. Mayst thou not also perish A No I cannot beleeue it Q. Wherefore A. Because Iesus Christ by his bloud hath k Rom. 3.25 pacified Gods anger toward mee Q. How could the blood of Christ effect it A. Because hee was l Act. 20 2â— God that shed it Q. But hee shed it not for thee A. Oh yes yes 1 Tim. 1.15 Q. Why for thee A. Because Sir I do from the very hart root m Psa 51.2 Luk. 18.13 long after the sauing and healing vertue of it Eph. 1.7 1 Iohn 1.7 Luke 8.13 Q. Possible this thy longing will not be lasting A. Yes by Gods grace Phil. 3.12 whilest I haue any breathing Q. Well I must needs thus farre for thy comfort yeeld vnto thee that Christ by his death hath giuen sinne and death their doome so as resting vpon that thou hast professed they cannot hurt thee But yet thou art not restored for all that into Gods fauour wherein alone consisteth life and true happinesse Psal 30.5 A. I expect and looke for that onely by his o 2 Cor. 5.21 Rom. 8.33 and 10.4 imputing vnto me Christs perfect righteousnesse Q. Thou talkest
of great matters hadst thou faith to beleeue it A. p Mar. 9 2â— I beleeue Now Lord helpe my vnbeliefe Q. I blame thee not in seeking thy Iustification from Christ but may not an hypocrite doe this as well as thou A. I doe from my soule as earnestly long to haue him made vnto me q 1 Cor. 1.30 Sanctification also See Psal 51.10 Q. How expectest thou sanctification from Christ A. By the worke of his Spirit 1 Cor. 6.11 Q. How doth the Spirit effect it A. By applying vnto my whole man the power of his death and resurrection Rom. 6.5 6. by the one killing by degrees all sinne in me Col. 2.11 12 13. by the other quickning me vnto new obedience Q. It seemes then thou not onely beleeuest that Christ will saue thee from the guilt and condemnation of sinne but will also r Tit. 2.14 deliuer thee from the power and bondage of sinne A. That is my beliefe indeed 1 Pet. 2.9 Q. Thou beleeuest truly for what God hath coupled together that ought no man to put asunder 1 Cor. 1.30 But couldest thou not bee content onely to haue sanctificatioÌ„ in thy toung that thou mightest be able freely to talke of religion 1 Iohn 3.18 A. No not so let it be Å¿ 1 Thes 5.23 thorowout or not at all 2 Cor. 7.1 1 Cor. 6.20 Q. Sanctification is a long way to walke in many difficulties accompanying it Rom. 7. May not the tediousnesse of the way cause thee in the end to breake off thy course and finally to giue it ouer A. I confesse I finde in my selfe but too mucâ— weakenesse this way yet my sure hope is that he who hath begun a good worke in mee 1 Thes 5.23 24. will not now leaue it vnperfected Phil. 1.6 Q. Some hauing made a long progresse in profession haue growne at the length to loath those 2 Tim. 4.10 meanes of saluation which once they seemed to loue and so haue separated the meanes from the end A. But God by his Word and Spirit Psal 8.4.1 2.3 4. hath taught mee otherwise Psalme 27.4 that is not to expect for Saluation from Him as the end without a constant endeuouring to vse all those helpes Psal 26.8 2 Pet. â— 5 vers 10. which he hath sanctified to leade me thereunto Q. I am glad it hath been my hap to heare these good things from thee I wish thee therefore to be of good comfort in the Lord for for ought I yet see thou art in the way to bee saued Onely a word or two concerning thy present condition How takest thou this thy visitation A. I take it as sent vnto mee from the hand of a very gracious and louing Father Heb. 12.5 Q. But commonly calamities in this kinde are tokens of Gods displeasure Lam. 3.39 Leuit. 26.15 A. In themselues they are so lighting vpon the wicked but I beleeue they are sent vnto mee in fauour and for my good Q. What is the ground of this thy perswasion A. Onely the t Rom. 8.18 word of truth which assures my conscience through the holy Ghost that it is so Reu. 3.19 Heb. 12.5 6. Q. And yet it may be long Psal 13.1 2. ere God send deliuerance A. Be it so Psal 62.1 5. yet I haue determined that my soule shall waite on God in hope and silence till his appoynted time come yea so I may come better out of this affliction than I went into it Iob 23.10 u Isai 28.16 I shall not much hasten to bee freed out of it Psal 86.17 Q. But if God should shew a token of his goodnesse vpon thee and presently turne thy sickenesse into health A. If he should do so my greatest feare is lest I should prooue vnthankfull 2 Chron. 32.25 Q. On the other side what if this sicknesse should be vnto death that is to the separating of the soule from the body A x Psal 23.4 Though I should walk through the valley of the shaddow of death yet would I feare none euill See Reuel 14.13 Q. Doest thou not apprehend the Graue into which thou must descend to be an y Ps 49.14 yrkesome and loathsome prison A. Yes considered out of Christ The graue saith one shall not grieue me because it was my Lords bed Mr. H.S. Pr. but looking vpon it through his buriall whereby he hath perfumed it for me it shall bee much sweeter to me than a bed of Roses Isai 57.1 2. Q. Thy flesh it may be shall lye rotting a long time in the graue A. And yet euen there shall my flesh z Psâ— 16. rest in hope Q. Thy dead bones seeming to be neglected of God and therefore neglected of men must as thou knowest be regardlesly tumbled hither and thither Psal 141.7 as if they were no better than vnprofitable rubbish Psa 139.14 15 16. A. My God that kept a register of them before they were wil much more be carefull of them Psal 34.20 Iob 19 26 27. now they are so that at the last day not the smallest shank-bone or piece of a shiuer thereof no not the least pick of dust shall bee wanting Ezech. 37.7 Q. What thinkest thou shall become of thy dead body in the end A. My Lord Iesus Christ who is the resurrection Ioh. 11.25 and the life will according to his faithfull word raise it vp at the last day Iohn 6.54 Q. Shall thy dead body then be onely raised vp at the last day See Mat. 27 52 53. Act. 3.21 See Beza Ser. vpon Mat. 27.52 53. A. No I verily beleeue that though this body bee turned into dust yet it shall be reunited againe to this soule which now inhabiteth in it Q. And shall this be all Iob 19.27 A Not so for being thus really vnited by the vnspeakeable power of God Rom. 8.23 1 Ioh. 3.2 Col. 3.3 4. I shal see Christ comming in the clouds for my full redemption out of all miseries and woe and no sooner shall I get a sight of him but I shall forthwith be changed in a moment 1 Cor. 15.52 and in the twinckling of an eye after which being with the rest of the Saints caught vp in the clouds to meete the Lord in the ayre 1 The. 4.17 I shall thenceforth bee euer with the Lord in whose presence is the fulnesse of ioy Psal 16.11 and at whose right hand are pleasures for euermore Conclusion BEe it vnto thee as thou hast said and seeing we looke for such things as these 1 Ioh. 3.3 the Lord giue thee and mee grace to bee diligent 2 Pet. 3.14 that we may be found of him in peace without spot and blamelesse before him at his comming Amen Amen FINIS A SHORT ADMONITION touching the heart Ier. 32.41 WHatsoeuer good thing GOD bestowes vpon vs hee doeth it with his whole soule and heart therefore if thou giue any thing to God Pro. 23.26 giue him thine heart If thou doe any thing for God â— Châ—â—n â— 21. doe it with all thine heart Beleeue in him also with all thy heart A◠〈…〉 Loue him with all thy heart Gen 10 1â— Obey him from thy heart 〈…〉 17. Feare him with thy heart Ier 3â— 40 Seeke him with all thy heart 〈◊〉 29.13 Turne to him with all thine heart 〈◊〉 2 1â— Reioyce in him with thine heart Zach. 10.7 Pray to him with thy heart Psalm 119.145 And praise him with thy heart Psal 119.7 If thou lay vp Gods Word in any place Luke 2.51 lay it vp in thy heart Prou. 8.23 If thou bee â—â—â—â—efull keeper of any thing let it bee of thine heart Say not but thou hast had warning FINIS