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
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
him seeing hee knowes he loues him dearely Min. Many say they feare God and yet doe but lye against the truth how know you that yours is this true childe-like feare of God Con. First as I haue 6 Notes of the true feare of God said because it followes vpon the former signe of saluation namely the loue of GOD and is an inseparable companion thereof as another Ruth i Ruth 1.16.17 hanging vpon her mother Naomie for loue in feare and feare in loue is a sound testimony of the true feare of GOD. Secondly it worketh in me maruellous humiltie towards God and causeth mee in awfull respect vnto his glorious maiestie to abase my self as sinnefull dust and ashes before his blessed presence as Iacobs feare of his brother Esau made him humble himselfe k Ge. 3.3 bow to the ground 7. times before him Thirdly it makes mee afraid of sin to flee from it as l Exo 4.3 Moses fled from his rod when it became a serpent it makes me feare to commit sinne secretly as well as openly for though no eye doe see me m Ps 16.8 I set the Lord alwaies before me as it kept n Ge. 39.9 Ioseph from committing foly though hee might haue done it closely and couertly enough Fourthly it makes me hate sinne for o Pr. 8.13 The feare of the LORD saith Salomon is to hate euill yea inward corruptions which sticke in the cranies of the soule and cannot be descried but but a very narrow search it causeth my heart to rise vp against rebellious lusts which lie lurking within as secret Atheisme pride vaine-glory hypocrisie enuy and the like Fiftly it makes mee p Pro. 3.7 depart from euery euill way and from iniquity to breake off the practise of sinne in the course of my life to be a discontinuer in the q Psal 1.1 way of sinners and a resident in the paths of righteousnesse Sixtly this true feare of God dispelleth so farre as it preuaileth in me all other false feares as feare of men of pouerty of disgrace of death c whereas men voide of the feare of God are full of fond and foolish feares they feare the crossing of an Hare the howling of a Dog the crying of a Rauen Fairies yea fancies and their owne shadowes as therefore the wicked man may iustly feare euery thing because hee feares not God so contrariwise the righteous man needs fear nothing else because hee feares him This one thing then wil I fear that I may feare nothing but GOD and that I may rightly feare him O knit my heart so neer vnto thee O Lord that I may feare thy Name Min. I am glad to see you so well stored of this diuine grace and rare cōmodity the fear of God oh I would many thousands had more of this good ware in their store-houses their hearts But how else are you assured that you shall be saued Con. The Lord of his goodnes hath giuen mee to taste of the first fruits of the heauenly Canaan already as a pledge of the plenarie possession thereof heereafter he hath giuen me that spiritual ioy which is a heauen vpon earth And like as the r Num. 13.23 cluster of grapes broght from the Brooke Eshcol with other fruits was an Earnest to Israel of the future inheriting of the earthly Canaan euen so is this ioy to me of inheriting that goodly that heauenly Land whereof this is some of the right fruit the kingdome of glory The twelfth signe of Saluation taken out of 1 Pet. 1.8.9 and I can bring St. Peter to be bound for my truth in this point for thus hee speakes of them that reioyce with this ioy vnspeakable and full of glory that they shall receiue the end of their faith euen the saluation of their soules Min. True Ioy I hold well is a good pledge of heauen but how proue you that yours is true ioy for who seeme more merry more frollicke or iocund than ignorant worldly yea vngodly men they seeme to haue as light hearts as any and indeed in my iudgement too light to be poized and settled with the weight of grace in a word too light to be good Con. Well haue you said that they seeme so ioyfull and now haue you spoken the best you can of them for indeed they seeme and doe but onely seeme so their ioy is like the laughing of a man in his sleepe who dreaming of some very pleasing delights reioyceth in his imagination thereat but when hee awaketh hee findeth no such cause euen such is the ioy of the wicked they doe but laugh in their sleep and the diuell shall giue them such a greeting and good-morrow one day as shall make it manifest And therefore well saith Salomon of such ſ Pr. 14.13 Euen in laughter the heart is sorrowfull and the end of that mirth is heauinesse Now therfore 6 Notes of the true ioy that mine is not this base-borne ioy but of a nobler descent but sound and good I proue it thus 1. Because shee is an hand-maide to the right noble and renowned Lady Faith she neuer goes alone but is alwaies following her For first I beleeue through faith that I am reconciled to GOD and then heereupon I reioyce being thus at peace with him and for this cause it is called t Phi. 1.25 the ioy of Faith 2. It issueth out of the right veyne and fountaine it springeth out of the bitter root of godly sorrow and griefe of heart for sinne neither can any come to drinke of this water of life this heauenly Ioy till they haue first drunke of the waters of Marah bitter yet godly sorrow as our Sauiour tells his Disciples u Ioh. 16.20 your sorrow shall bee turned into ioy 3. It is fastned vpon the right obiects for I chiefly reioyce in heauenly and spirituall things as in God himselfe I can say with the Prophet He is * Ps 43.4 my exceeding ioy and x Psal 4.7 Lord lift vp the light of thy countenance vpon me hereby thou hast put gladnesse in my heart I reioyce also in the word of God as one that findeth a great spoile yea it is the very y Ier. 15.16 ioy and reioycing of my heart yea then when it searcheth me euen to the quicke herein I finde an hony-combe I reioyce in the grace of God wrought in me and others as also in my own and their z Ps 51.12 saluation I reioyce in the a Rom. 5.2 hope of the glory of God in the comfortable vse b 2 Chro. 30.21 of the sacraments in prayer christian conference in Psalmes and spirituall songs making melodie to the Lord. I am glad when they say vnto me let vs goe into the house of the Lord. I reioyce in the welfare of Sion yea I can prefer Ierusalem aboue my chiefe ioy 4. It is the fruit of c Ga. 5.22 the Spirit not of the flesh as
of saluation are in me in truth as first hatred of sin for though there were no hell as I haue said before I would not commit those sinnes which some doe though nature corrupt doe relish them very well my soule goes against them Secondly I make conscience of lesser sinnes which the world count no sins as wel as of those great and grosse sinnes which stare vs in the face and though some would shrinke vp sinne into a narrow scantling and faine would bring it to this that none doe euill but they which are in gaoles yet I haue learned otherwise to iudge of sinne to e 1 Thes 5.22 abstaine from all appearance of euill holding it a point of wisedome to looke to sinne in time lest it fester and eat in infect more and at length breake forth into a running sore Thirdly I loue the godly in sincerity not for feare of hell that cannot make mee loue them nor for any sinister respects but because they are godly Fourthly when I go to the word preached sacraments prayers and all other holy exercises of religion I heartily desire to vse them not for forme or custome as the manner of most is but with profit and therfore lift vp my heart to the Lord crauing his blessing in the vse thereof for the edifying of me in grace and for the ripping vp of my corrupt heart an hypocrite doth nor thus Fiftly though the Lord should condemne mee which hee neuer will and throw mee into hell which in regard of his faithfull promise hee neither will nor can yet I finde my heart so affected that sure I should neuer blaspheme his holy name with the Diuels and damned spirits but euen out of the bottome of the lowest pit should I praise him yea out of the very f Iona. 2.2 bellie of hell as the Prophet Ionah speaketh should I pray vnto him so that I see I loue the honour of God neither for feare nor fauour but in sincerity whereby I also gather and conclude that I am sincere and not an hypocrite Min. Be there yet any more euill spirits of Sathan sent of him to vexe you that put you in feare and would make you beleeue lies Con. Sir it is not for nothing that their name is Legion for they are many there is another which doth not seldome molest me for when I cannot deny vpon a right tryall taken of my selfe but that the grace of God is in some measure begun in mee yet then sometimes steps in a shamelesse messenger of Sathan Doubting of perseuerance answered much like his maister that hath sorsworne all shame truth thinking to out-face mee and beare me down by maine strength hee will needs face mee downe that I shall not continue in grace the way to heauen so straight and difficult my skill so little my weaknesse so great my enemies so many mighty crafty resolute and malicious that it is not possible for mee to hold out to the end that I might be saued Min. Dare you looke this Goliah in the face or enter cōbat with him Con. Yes that I dare and doe and will doe all my dayes because hee blasphemeth the liuing God as though he could lye or did repent but I doe not trust in my owne bow neither can my sword saue me I do not betake my selfe to my owne strength good mind and meaning free-will c as blinde Papists and others doe for these are weapons of Sathans owne making and be sure hee will make none to hurt himself withall therefore I take vnto mee the g Eph. 6.17 sword of the spirit which is the word of God this I brandish against the tempter and tell him as it tells me that h Ier. 31.3 the loue of God is an euerlasting loue and i Ioh. 13.1 whom Christ loueth hee loueth to the end and k Io. 10.28 none can plucke mee out of his hand neither men nor diuels and l Ro. 8.39 nothing can separate mee from the loue of God in Christ neither life nor death height nor depth things present nor things to come no not sin it selfe which is most likely of any thing for that lyes pining and wasting in mee in as much at the first instant of conuersion it fell into a deepe consumption and that incurable all the drugs of that old Empirick the Diuell can neuer restore it to perfect strength againe therefore I shall endure to the end and in the end bee saued for all that Secondly for the better animating of me to perseuere m He. 12.2 I looke vnto Christ the author and finisher of my faith he held out to the end in suffering for mee why should not I then hold out to the end in seruing of him he would not leaue me in hell fire why then should I leaue him in the heat of temptation or in the cold bleake winde of affliction well I am n Phil. 1.6 confident of this verie thing that hee which hath begunne the good worke in me will performe it vntill the day of our Lord Iesus Christ Min. What is there else which doth perplex your minde Con. Doubting of presuming answered I am now and then grieuously affraid that I doe but presume in being perswaded that I shall be saued by Christ partly because I am so very sinfull and my vnworthinesse is so great and partly because mee thinks I doe not grieue enough for my sins Min. What helpe do you vse against this shaking fit Con. First I consider that it is but spirituall pride in the habite and shew of great humility to feare to beleeue because of our great sinfulnesse and vnworthines for thus wee shew wee would haue some thing of our owne to bring to God or else we dare not trust him we would spie some righteousnesse and worthines in our selues before we bee perswaded of saluation and so not to be beholding to God this proceeds from the poysonfull root of pride and naturall popish desire of meriting at the hands of God Secondly I must not hang off from beleeuing till I finde that I grieue enough for my sinnes for this were to set the cart before the horse In as much as godly sorrow for sinne proceeds from faith therefore I must not stay to beleeue till I finde more godly sorrow but I must beleeue more that I may grieue more for my sinnes for the more faith the more godly sorrow Thirdly indeed if I had bin neuer humbled in the fearefull sight of my sinnes and a sense of the heauy load thereof then I should presume if I did perswade my selfe in that estate to bee saued but now I see and feele my sinnes and misery and what extreme neede I haue of Christ God calls me as verily as if it were by name Matth. 11.28 to come vnto Christ that is to beleeue in him therefore there can be no danger in so doing I can not sinne or presume in being perswaded that I
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
wee know that sicke folkes are not competent or meet iudges of themselues for they sometimes feele nothing but paine or sicknesse whereas others know that there is in them more health then sicknesse or at least some health Minist Now then to come to your selfe for it is the part of euery wise man to be best acquainted with his own estate Let mee a little examine your Euidences haue you some good assurance that you shall bee saued Con. Yes I praise God else how could I haue any comfort else my very meat should be turned into gall teares should bee my drinke well might my eyes refuse all rest and my soule all comfort knowing none other but that I should p Iob. 18.14 goe to the king of feare into a Land darke as darknesse it selfe And sure I am that the q Mark 8 36. whole World with the r Eccles 2.11 best of all earthly things cannot affoord true sound and substantiall comfort to the quieting of the conscience reioycing of the heart Min. How doe you know that you shall bee saued Con. First by that mother-grace from whence all other sauing graces flow namely true iustifying faith a sparke of this pious faith I find is kindled in me whereupon this I build GOD hath promised The first signe of saluation taken out of Iohn 3.36 that hee which beleeueth shall be saued Now then seeing I belieue that is am truly perswaded that Christ is my Sauiour that hee died for my sinnes and fulfilled the Law to procure mee perfect righteousnes therefore I know I shall be saued Min. It is nothing to say you beleeue but let mee heare if you can proue it how know you that yours is true faith and not meere mocke-faith which is so rife in the world Con. Because it hath beene rightly bred and begotten in me and that by the spirituall seede of Gods word according to that saying of the Apostle f Rom. â—0 17 Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God Thus then I came by Faith first by hearing the doctrine of the Law preached I saw my selfe to be in a damnable conditioÌ„ by nature a wretched sinner yea wholly sinful and therefore accursed by the iust sentence of Gods most righteous Law deseruing nothing but the horrible wrath of God and lying open to the vengeance of eternal fire so that there was nothing betweene me and hell but onely a poore simple crasie tottering life which I knew not how soone or suddenly it might be surprised by death the consideration whereof wrought in mee terror of conscience dread of hell and condemnation despairing of any hope or helpe in my selfe Min. And what then did you rest quiet in the sight of this your wofull miserie Con. Oh it was not possible my poor distressed soule should find any rest in this estate nay if I had heard no better tidings I should haue bin swallowed vp of despair but then in the next place I came * This is the cape of good hope in sayling to heauen to vnderstand that God hath anointed and sent his own sonne to t Isa 61.1 Luk. 4.18 preach good tidings vnto the poore recouering of sight to the blind to binde vp the broken hearted and set at liberty such as are bruised more plainly I learned by the doctrine of the Gospell that God of his rich mercie hath giuen his sonne Christ Iesus very God and man to be a Sauiour vnto sinfull men euen to as many as beleeue in him and hath u Ioh. 3.16 not excluded mee out of the number of those that shall be saued by him but hath offered him vnto mee amongst others which are weary and heauy laden with their sins saying * Mat. 11.28 Come vnto mee all euen all such and hath also x Ioh. 3.23 commanded yea euen y Cor. 5.20 intreated mee to beleiue in him Thus my heart was drawne and wonne to take him and apply him a Sauiour to my owne soule thinking my selfe bound in conscience to yeeld obedience to the holy commandement and gracious inuitation of Almighty God and what a beast were I if I should not accept of so free a profer of his Sonne as he hath made vnto me Min. Thus you haue shewed mee well how you came by faith and I see you haue come honestly by it whereby it appeares that it is not like Iacobs venison too quicklie found to bee of the right kinde nor like Ionahs gourd too suddenlie sprung to continue long but like the z 2 Sam. 23.15 16. water of Bethlehem much longed for hardly obtained now shew mee further how you vse it since you got it what fruites doth it bring forth whereby you may know more easily whether it be true and a 1 Tim. 1.5 Faith vnfained Con. As fire may bee discerned by heat 6 Notes of true faith and life by motion so may my faith by the fruites thereof For first it enableth me to b Eph. 6.16 quench the fierie darts of that euil one to resist not without some comfortable victories the suggestions of Sathan wherwith he buffets me and more particularly that same temptation of doubting whether the promises of God belong to me or no for that I am not ouercome of this doubting and sunke vnder it but struggle and wrestle with it and with vnbeliefe that is by the power of faith Secondly it makes mee earnestly desire to bee more and more reconciled to God that is more fullie assured of his fauour that I am at peace with him and hee well pleased with mee to whom by nature I was an vtter enemy it makes mee crie c Ps 106.4 remember mee O Lord with the fauour of thy people d Ps 84.5 release thy anger toward mee turne thy fac vnto mee e Ps 31.16 cause thy face to shine vnto thy seruant and saue mee through thy mercy Thirdly my faith makes mee labour to please God though it bee with displeasing my selfe and to doe the will of God yea eueÌ„ in those things which crosse my owne will as it caused Abraham to f Gen. 22.10 offer his dearely beloued Isaac though otherwise it would haue gone ful sore against his heart and heereby Enoch was g Heb. 11.5 reported of that had had pleased God Fourthly by it my heart is in some measure purified from noysome lusts and affections as secret pride selfe-loue hypocrisie carnal confidence wrath malice and the like in that they are distastfull yea loathsome to mee so that the spirit within me fighteth against the flesh that is grace resisteth and subdueth corruption Fiftly it makes me long after Christ to tast more fully of his sweetnesse and to bee h Can. 1.2 kissed with the kisses of his mouth that is to haue a greater measure of heauenly graces and greater and more liuely tokens of his loue communicated to mee whom and whose loue I do preferre aboue the
sight of her Thirdly y Psa 119.57 I resolue in truth with a constant purpose and settled determination not to doe any thing that I know to bee sinne and so displeasing to the Lord the Lord hee knowes that I do not purpose to maintaine my selfe in any knowne sin whatsoeuer Fourthly I striue z Ps 119.101 endeuour in the whole course of my life to forsake euery knowne sinne and to come to the fight of vnknowne sins which as yet I haue not taken notice of that I may forsake them also I doe as heartily desire to forgoe my sins as to haue them forgiuen to part with them as to haue them pardoned whereas the man vnregenerate will at no hand part with his sinne a Iob. 20.1.2.1 for it is sweet in his mouth hee hides it vnder his tongue hee spares it and forsakes it not but keepes it still within his mouth as Zophar speaks he will as soon part with a limme nay his life as with his sweet sinne But for my part I desire that the bloud of Christ may as well wash away the filthinesse of my sinne as the guiltinesse thereof 5. I bring forth the right and kindly fruit of true repentance namely new obedience which cannot possibly grow out of any other roote than this thus it is my continuall care to b Luk. 1.6 walke in all the commandements and ordinances of the Lord without reproofe Min. Bet is not all this that you doe for feare of hell and condemnation onely Con. No surely but partly for loue I beare to God and partly for hatred I beare to sinne for though I knew there were no day of iudgement when men shall giue an account of all their doings and receiue a full reward according thereunto or though I could bee assured that there were no hell to take vengeance on wicked doers yet would I neuer commit those foule and filthy sinnes which I see some commit continually to my griefe though they are well-pleasing to sinfull corrupt nature and so were to mee whiles I was carnall now I doe abhor them Min. It seemes you make true griefe for sin a signe of true repentance shew mee then how godly sorrow which is only in the faithfull may bee knowne from worldly sorrow which causeth death and was in Cain Saul Ahab Herod Iudas and may bee in any reprobate Con. Difference betweene worldly and godly sorrow Hee that hath godly sorrow is at least perswaded that his sins are pardonable not that they are c Ge. 4.13 greater than may bee forgiuen as Cain said but that they may bee pardoned by the infinitely farre-surpassing mercy of God 2. Hee loues the Preacher and other wel-disposed persons that tell him of his faults and shew him his sins though happily reprouing him sharpely for them and hee reuerenceth and regardeth Gods word the more that he sees his sinne discouered and condemned thereby the contrary was in Ahab d 1 Kings 22.8 who hated the Prophet because hee dealt plainely with him and Herod e Mat. 14.3.4 who depriued Iohn the Baptist both of liberty and life because he touched his copy-hold in reprouing his incestuous life 3. Godly sorrow driues a man neerer to God by prayer and makes him seeke to the Minister to the godly-wise for counsell to the word spirituall means for comfort but the sorrow of the world driues a man further from God the means as in Saul who went to a witch and Iudas who hanged himselfe both of them hasting to get as far from God as the most remote place in all the world euen hell it selfe could make them 4. The sorrow of him that is truely-penitent is most occupied about the * Malum culpae euil of sinne the sorrow of others most about the “ Malum poena euill of punishment all their care and thoughts are taken vp therewith and were it not for that the euill of their sinne should not trouble their minds or disquiet them one whit Min. You named new obedience for a note of true repentance that not amisse if it bee true vnfained and of the right kinde But how proue you this Con. 3 Notes of true obedience First because it is obedience of the whole man inward as well as outward for a true obedienciarie vnto God must be both sound and streight sound in heart streight in life all ouer obedient though hee bee not perfect 2. It is obedience yeelded to the whole law of God to precept as well as promise and to one precept as well as to an other whereas they which are false hearted in obedience are also lame therein and will be dispensed withall in some things they can be content that some of their sins should dye with the leane cattel slaine by f 1 Sam. 15.9 Saul but they haue some one or two or more fat sinnes which they will needs haue spared I praise God in humility I speak it I haue no such reseruation in my obedience but that my master-sins darling-sins should be put to the sword as well as others of inferiour ranke 3. It is performed in the whole course of my life it doth not take me now and then at times like the Fit of an Ague but is constant and continuall For a man may crosse the way to heauen often-times in and out and yet neuer come thither but he that holds on constantly in the way shall bee sure of heauen Thus true obedience in all these respects is Catholike that is vniuersall and they none but they deserue the name of good Catholicks indeed which are carefull to yeeld to God this true and vniuersall though imperfect obedience Min. Hitherto you haue mentioned such graces as are more generall and concerne the whole person renewed now if you thinke good alledge some speciall graces which make their abode in seuerall seats of the soule and first for knowledge which resideth in the minde is not this a signe of saluation which you discerne in your selfe Con. Sauing knowledge is indeed a true signe which is called g Ioh. 2.20 the vnction of the holy one and Christs h Reu. 3.18 eye-salue because the vnderstanding being as it were anointed therewith is inlightned to see and discerne those things which before it neither did nor could it comprehendeth i Col. 1.9 spirituall vnderstanding that is a right conceiuing of the truth of God and wisedome that is a right applying thereof wisely and discreetly to all our particular actions for the right ordering thereof The seuenth signe of saluation taken our of Joh. 17.3 this knowledge of God is life eternall both because it is the beginning thereof as also because it is the meanes wherby we attain thereto now then seeing I haue found this knowledge I am sure I cannot lose eternall life Min. Euery one is a beast by his owne knowledge he therefore that wants this knowledge of God doth