man is touched in conscience the heart is cast downe and as much as it can it withdrawes it selfe frō God For this cause if then there be any spirituall motions whereby the heart is lift vp vnto God they are without doubt from the spirit of God Thus then I auouch that the desire of reconciliation with God in Christ is reconciliation it selfe the desire to beleeue is faith indeede the desire to repent repentance it selfe But marke how A desire to be reconciled is not reconciliation in nature for the desire is one thing reconciliation is another but in Gods acceptation for if we being touched throughly for our sins do desire to haue them pardoned and to bee at one with god God accepts vs as reconciled Againe desire to beleeue it is not faith in nature but onely in Gods acceptation God accepting the will for the deede That this doctrine is the will and word of God it appeares by these reasons First of all God hath annexed a promise of blessednes of life euerlasting to the desire of grace Mat. 5. Blessed are they which hunger and thirst after righteousnesse for they shall bee satisfied Ioh. 7. 38. If any man thirst let him come to mee and drinke Reuel 2. 1. I will giue vnto him which is a thirst of the well of the water of life freely Now what is this to thirst properly it is when wee are in a drought or drines and want drinke to refresh vs desire it And therefore by all resemblance they are saide to thirst after righteousnes that want it and would faine haue it And they thirst after christ that feele themselues out of Christ and desire yea long after the blood of Christ that they might be refreshed with it in their consciences Here then we see that the desire of mercy in the want of mercy is the obtaining of mercie and the desire to beleeue in the want of faith is faith Marke then though as yet thou want firme and liuely grace yet art thou not altogether voide of grace if thou canst vnfainedly desire it thy desire is the seede conception or bud of that which thou wantest Now is the spring-time of the ingrafted word or the immortall seede cast into the furrowes of thy heart waite but a while vsing the good meanes to this ende appointed and thou shalt see the leaues blossomes fruit will shortly follow after Secōdly the desire of any good thing is accepted of God as the liuely inuocation of his holy name Psal. 10. God heareth the desire of the poore Psal. 145. He will fulfill the desire of him that feareth him When Moses said nothing but onely desired in heart the helpe and protection of God at the redde sea the Lord said vnto him Why criest thou vnto me Exod. 14. 15. And when wee know not to pray as wee ought Paul saith that the spirit maketh request by the inward groanes of the heart Rom. 8. 26. Hence I gather that when a man in his weaknesse praies with sighes and groanes for the gift of liuely faith the want whereof hee findes in himselfe his very praier on this manner made is as truly in acceptation with God as a praier made in liuely faith And here it is further to be considered that Paul calls these groanes vnspeakable and why Of most interpreters they are thought to be vnspeakable by reason of their greatnesse and this I will not denie it seemes neuerthelesse that they are so tearmed by reason of their weakenesse for they are commonly small weake and confused in the hearts of Gods children when they are distressed and the words following seeme to import thus much for when it had beene said that Gods spirit in vs makes request with grones not to be vttered some man might happily reply and say if we cannot discerne and vtter these grones in our selues what are we the better Paul addes therfore that although we know not yet God a searcher of all things hidden in the heart knowes the minde and meaning of the spirit And thus the wordes yet further afoard a comfortable instruction to the children of God namely that beeing in distresse whether in life or death if by grace we can but sigh or sob vnto God though it be weake and feeble like the faint pulse in the time of death we or the spirit of God in vs doe indeede make request vnto God that shall bee heard yea as the words are wee doe more then make request and though we do not alwaies see what Gods spirit makes vs to sigh after yet god doeth To the testimonie of Scripture I adde the testimonies of godly and learned men not to prooue the doctrine in hand but to shew a consent and to prooue thus much that the thing which I auouch is no priuate phantasie of any man Easily saith Ambrose of God is he reconciled if he be instantly intreated Augustine saith Let thy desire be before him and thy father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly for thy desire is thy praier and if thy desire be continuall thy praier is continuall Hee addes further in the same place that the desire is a continuall voice and the cry of the heart and the inward inuocation of God which may be made without intermission Againe To desire the helpe of grace is the beginning of grace Againe The whole life of a good Christian is an holy will and desire And that which thou desirest thou seest not but by desiring art as it were inlarged and made capable that whē it shall come which thou shalt see thou maist bee filled Basil saith Onely thou must will and God will come of his owne accord Bernard saith what is not desire a voice Yea a very strong voice God heareth the desire of the poore and a continuall desire though wee speake nothing it is a voice continued Luther saith Christ is then truely omnipotent and then truly raignes in vs when wee are so weake that wee can scarce giue any groane For Paul saith that one such groane is a strong crie in the cares of God filling both heauen earth Againe Very fewe know how weake and small faith and hope is vnder the crosse and in temptation For it appeares then to bee as smoking flaxe which a good blast of winde would praesently put out but such as beleeue in these combates and terrours against hope vnder hope that is opposing themselues by faith in the promise of Christ against the feeling of sinne and the wrath of God doe finde afterward that this litle sparke of faith as it appeares to reason which hardly perceiueth it is peraduenture as the whole element of fire which filleth all heauen and swalloweth vp all terrours and sinnes Againe the more wee finde our vnworthinesse and the lesse wee finde the promises to belong vnto vs the more must wee desire them beeing assured that this desire doth greatly please God who desireth and
spirituall exercises of inuocation faith and repentance and thereby also quicken and reuiue the seeds and beginnings of grace 1. In what place soeuer thou art whether alone or abroad by day or by night and whatsoeuer thou art doing set thy selfe in the presēce of God let this perswasion alwaies take place in thy hart that thou are before the liuīg God and do thy endeauour that this perswasion may smite thy heart with awe and reuerence and make thee afraid to sin This councell the Lord gaue Abraham Gen. 17. 1. Walke before me and be vpright This thing also was practised by Enoch who for this cause is said to walke with God 2. Esteeme of euery present day as of the day of thy death and therefore liue as though thou were dying and doe those good duties euery day that thou wouldest doe if thou were dying This is Christian watchfulnesse and remember it 3. Make catalogues and bills of thine owne sinnes specially of those sinnes that haue most dishonoured God and wounded thine owne conscience set them before thee oftē specially then whē thou hast any particular occasion of renewing thy repentance that thy heart by this dolefull sight may bee further humbled This was Dauids practise when hee considered his waies and turned his feet to Gods commandements Psal. 119. 57. And when he confessed the sinnes of his youth Psal. 25 This was Iobs practise when he said he was not able to answer one of a thousand of his sinnes vnto God Iob. 9. 1. 4. When thou first openest thine eyes in a morning pray to God and giue him thankes heartily God then shall haue his honour and thy heart shall be the better for it the whole day following For we see in experience that vessels keepe long the taste of that liquor wherwith they are first seasoned And when thou liest downe let that be the last also for thou knowest not whether fallen a sleepe thou shalt euer rise againe aliue Good therefore it is that thou shouldest giue vp thy selfe into the hands of God whilst thou art waking 5. Labour to see and feele thy spirituall pouerty that is to see the want of grace in thy selfe specially those inward corruptions of vnbeliefe pride selfe-loue c. Labour to be displeased with thy self and labour to feele that by reason of them thou standest in neede of euery drop of the blood of Christ to heale and clense thee from those wants and let this practise take such place with thee that if thou be demaunded what in thine estimation is the vilest of the creatures vpon earth thine heart and conscience may answer with a loud voice I euen I by reason of mine owne sinnes and againe if thou be demaunded what is the best thing in the world for thee thy heart and conscience may answer againe with a strong and loud crie One drop of the blood of Christ to wash away my sinnes 6. Shew thy selfe to bee a member of Christ and a seruant of God not only in the generall calling of a Christian but also in the particular calling in which thou art placed It is nothing for a magistrate to be a Christiā man but he must also be a Christian magistrate it is not inough for a master of a family to be a Christiā man or a Christiā in the Church but the must also be a Christiā in the family in the trade which he followeth daily Not euery one that is a common hearer of the word and a frequenter of the Lords table is therefore a good Christian vnlesse his conuersation in his priuate house and in his priuate affaires dealings be sutable There is a man to be seene what he is 7. Search the scriptures to see what is sinne and what is not sinne in euery action this done carry in thy heart a constant and resolute purpose not to sin in any thing for faith and the purpose of sinning can neuer stand together 8. Let thine endeauour be sutable to thy purpose and therefore doe nothing at any time against thy conscience ritely enformed by the word exercise thy selfe to eschew euery sinne and to obey God in euery one of his commandements that pertaine either to the generall calling of a Christian or thy particular calling Thus did good Iosias who turned vnto God with all his heart according to all the lawe of Moses 1. King 25. 25. and thus did Zacharie and Elizabeth that walked in all the commandements of God without reproofe Luk. 1. 6. 9. If at any time against thy purpose and resolution thou bee ouertaken with any sinne little or great lie not in it but speedily recouer thy selfe by repentance humble thy selfe confessing thine offence and by praier intreat the Lord to pardon the same and that earnestly till such time as thou findest thy conscience truly pacified and thy care to eschew the same sinne increased 10. Consider often of the right and proper ende of thy life in this world which is not to seeke profit honour pleasure but that in seruing of men wee might serue God in our callings God could if it so pleased him preserue man without the ministry of man but his pleasure is to fulfil his worke and will in the preseruation of our bodies and saluation of our soules by the imploiment of men in his seruice euery one according to his vocation Neither is there so much as a bond slaue but he must in and by his faithful seruice to his master serue the Lord. Men therefore doe commonly profane their labours and liues by aiming at a wrong ende when all their care consisteth onely in getting sufficient maintenance for them and theirs for the obtaining of credit riches carnall cōmodities For thus men serue themselves not God or men much lesse doe they serue God in seruing of men 11. Giue all diligence to make thy election sure and to gather manifold tokens thereof For this cause obserue the worke of Gods prouidence loue and mercy both in thee and vpon thee from time to time for the serious consideration of them and the laying of them together when they are many and seuerall minister much direction assurance of Gods fauour and comfort This was the practise of Dauid 1. Sam. 17 14. Psal. 23. all 12. Thinke euermore thy present estate whatsoeuer it bee to bee the best estate for thee because whatsoeuer befalls thee though it bee sicknes or any other affliction or death befals thee of the good prouidence of God That this may the better bee done labour to see and acknowledge a prouidence of God as wel in pouertie as in abundance as well in disgrace as good report as well in sickenes as in health as well in life as in death 13. Pray continually I meane not by solemne set praier but by secret and inward eiaculatiōs of the heart that is by a continuall eleuation of minde vnto Christ sitting at the right hand of God the Father and that either by prayer or giuing of
willeth that his grace should bee earnestly desired This doeth faith which iudgeth it a pretious thing and therefore greatly hungreth and thirsteth after it and so obtaines it For God is delighted to fill the hungrie with good things to send the rich emptie away Theodore Beza saith If thou finde not thine heart inwardly touched pray that it may bee touched for then must thou know that this desire is a pledge of the fathers will to thee Kēnitius saith When I haue a good desire though it do scarcely shew it selfe in some little and slender sigh I must be assured that the spirit of God is present and worketh his good worke Vrsinus saith Faith in the most holy men in this life is imperfect and weake Yet neuerthelesse whosoeuer fecles in his heart an earnest desire and a striuing against his naturall doubtings both can and must assure himselfe that he is indued with true faith Againe Wicked men doe not desire the grace of the holy spirit whereby they may resist sinne And therefore they are iustly depriued of it for hee that earnestly desireth the holy Ghost hath it alreadie because this desire of the spirit cannot be but from the spirit as it is saide Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse for they shall bee satisfied Bradford saith Thy sins are vndoubtedly pardoned c. for God hath giuen thee a penitent and beleeuing heart that is an heart which desireth to repent and beleeue for such an one is taken of him he accepting the will for thee deede for a penitent and beleeuing heart indeede Taffine saith Our faith may be so small and weake as it doth not yet bring forth fruits that may bee liuely felt of vs but if they which feele themselues in such estate desire to haue these feelings namely of Gods fauour and loue if they aske them at Gods hands by praier this desire and praier are testimonies that the spirit of God is in them and that they haue faith alreadie for is such a desire a fruit of the flesh or of the spirit it is of the holy spirit who bringeth it forth onely in such as hee dwells in c. Then these holy desires and praiers being the motions of the holy Ghost in vs are testimonies of our faith although they seeme to vs small and weake As the woman that feeleth the moouing of a childe in her body though very weake assureth her selfe that shee hath conceiued and that shee goeth with a liue child so if wee haue these motions these holy affections and desires beforementioned let vs not doubt but that wee haue the holy Ghost who is the author of them dwelling in vs and consequently that we haue also faith Again he saith 1. If thou hast begun to hate and she sinne 2. If thou feelest that thou art displeased at thine infirmities and corruptions 3. If hauing offended God thou feelest a griefe and a sorrow for it 4. If thou desire to abstaine 5. If thou auoidest the occasion 6. If thou trauailest to doe thy endeauour 7. If thou praiest to God to giue thee grace all these holy affections proceeding from none other then from the spirit of God ought to be so many pledges and testimonies that he is in thee n Masterknockes saith Albeit your paines sometimes be so horrible that you finde no release nor comfort neither in spirit nor bodie yet if they heart can onely sob vnto God despaire not you shall obtaine your hearts desire And destitute you are not of faith for at such a time as the flesh naturall reason the law of God the present torment the diuell at one doe crie God is angrie and therefore there is neither helpe nor remedie to be hoped for at his hāds at such time Isay to sob vnto God is the demonstration of the secret seede of God which is hidden in Gods elect children and that onely sob is vnto God a more acceptable sacrifice then without this crosse to giue our bodies to be burnt euen for the truthes sake More testimonies might be alleadged but these shall suffice Against this point of dotrine it may be alleadged that if desire to beleeue in our weakenesse be faith indeede then some are iustified and may be saued wanting a liuely apprehension and full perswasion of Gods mercie in Christ. Ans. Iustifying faith in regard of his nature is alwaies one and the same and the essentiall propertie thereof is to apprehend Christ with his benefites and to assure the very cōscience thereof And therefore without some apprehension and assurance there can bee no iustification or Saluation in them that for age are able to beleeue Yet there bee certaine degrees and measures of true faith There is a strong faith which causeth a full apprehension and perswasion of Gods mercie in Christ. This measure of faith the Lord vouchsafed Abraham Dauid Paul the Prophets Apostles and Martyrs of God It were a blessed thing if all beleeuers might attaine to this height of liuely faith to say with Paul I am perswaded that neither life nor death nor any thing else shal bee able to separate vs from the loue of God in Christ but all cannot therfore there is another degree of faith lower then the former and yet true faith called a litle or weake faith and it also hath a power to apprehend and applie the promise of saluation but as yet by reason of weaknes it is infolded as it were and wrapt vp in the heart as the leafe and blossome in the bud For such persons as haue this weake faith can say indeede that they beleeue their sinnes to be pardonable and that seriously in their hearts they desire to haue them pardoned but as yet they can not say that they are without all doubt pordoned And yet the mercie of God is not wāting vnto them For in that they doe and can desire and indeauour to apprehēd they doe indeed apprehend God accepting the desire to doe the thing for the thing done This which I say will the better appeare if the groundes thereof be considered Faith doth not iustifie in respect of it selfe because it is an action or vertue or because it is strong liuely and perfect but in respect of the obiect thereof namely Christ crucified whom faith apprehendeth as he is set forth vnto vs in the word and Sacraments It is Christ that is the author and matter of our iustice and it is he that applieth the same vnto vs as for faith in vs it is but an Instrument to apprehend receiue that which Christ for his part offereth and giueth Therefore if faith erre not in his proper obiect but follow the promise of God though it doe but weakely apprehend or at the least cause a man onely to Endeauour and Desire to apprehend it is true faith and iustifieth Though our apprehension be necessarie yet our saluation stands rather in this that God apprehends vs for his owne then that we
thankes so often as any occaon shall be offered 14. Thinke often of the worst and most grieuous things that may befall thee either in this life or death for the name of Christ make a reckoning of them and prepare thy selfe to beare them that when they come they may not seeme strange but be borne the more easily 15. Make conscience of idle vaine vnhonest and vngodly thoughts for these are the seedes and beginnings of actuall sin in word in deed This want of care in ordering and composing of our thoughts is often punished with a fearefull temptation in the very thought called of Diuines Tentatio blasphemiarum a tentation of blasphemies 16. When any good motion or affection riseth in the heart suffer it not passe away but feede it by reading meditating praying 17. Whatsoeuer good thing thou goest about whether it be in word or deed do it not in a conceit of thy selfe or in the pride of thy heart but in humility ascribing the power whereby thou doest thy worke and the praise thereof to God otherwise thou shalt finde by experience God will curse thy best doings 18. Despise not ciuill honestie good conscience and good maners must goe togither therefore remember to make conscience of lying and of customable swearing in common talke contend not either in deede or word with any man be curteous and gentle to all good and badde beare with mens wants and frailties as hastinesse frowardnesse selfeliking curiousnesse c. passing by them as being not perceiued returne not euill for euill but rather good for euill vse meate drinke and apparell in that manner and measure that they may further godlinesse and may be as it were signes in which thou maiest expresse the hidden grace of thy heart Striue not to goe beyond any vnlesse it be in good things goe before thine equals in giuing of honour rather then in taking of it make conscience of thy word and let it bee as a bond professe no more outwardly thē thou hast inwardly in heart opresse or defraud no man in bargaining in all companies either doe good or take good 19. Cleaue not by inordinate affection to any creature but aboue all things quiet rest thy mind in Christ aboue all dignitie and honour aboue all cunning and policie aboue all glorie and honour aboue all health and beautie aboue all wealth and treasure aboue all ioy and delight aboue al fame praise aboue all mirth and consolation that mans heart can feele or deuise beside Christ. With these rules of practise ioyne rules of meditation whereof I propound sixe vnto thee as I finde them set downe by a learned Diuine called Victorius Strigelius I. Wee must not fall away from God for any creature II. Infinite eternitie is farre to be preferred before the short race of this mortall life III. We must hold fast the promise of grace though wee loose all temporall blessings and they also in death must needes be left IV. Let the loue of God in Christ and the loue of the Church for Christ be strong in thee and preuaile against all other affections V. It is the principall arte of a Christian to beleeue things inuisible to hope for things deferred to loue God when hee shewes him to be an enemie and thus to perseuere vnto the ende VI. It is a most effectual remedy for any griefe to quiet our selues in a confidence of the presence and helpe of God and to aske of him and withall to waite either for some easement or deliuerance VII All the works of God are done in contrarie meanes FINIS Lib. 7. in Luc. c. 66. a Si impensè rogatur on Psal. 36. b Exposit. Epist. Iohn tract 4. cap. ◠Hom. of humilitie c Sup. Cant. Ser. 84. d Tom. 4. pag. 124. e Ib. fol. 156 f Lib. fol. 300 g Resp. ad Acta Colloq Monpel h Locor com par 1. i Catechis l Epistle to Carelesse m Booke of the markes of Gods children Com. 4. l. 1. ad Simpli in fine Lib. 1. contra Pelagianos