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
nethermost hell it is so high that b Ps 36.5 it reacheth to the heauens it is of such admirable length bredth that it c Ps 103.12 remoueth our fins as farre from vs as the East is from the West And the cause why the sinnes of all the world are not pardoned is not because Gods mercy cannot pardon them but because they cannot repent that they might bee pardoned So then I make no doubt but that God of his mercy is able to forgiue my sinnes bee they what they will bee yea and further vpon my vnfained repentance hee will forgiue them if I repent he will forgiue for wee cannot be so sinfull as hee will be mercifull if for our sinnes wee bee heartily sorrowfull For this hee hath promised and by this his promise is become indebted to vs whereas we onely by our sinnes were debtors to him so that now he is not only a mercifull creditor to vs content to release the debts of our sinnes but also by his promise become our debtor vpon our repentance to giue vs a pardon and vpon our pardon to giue vs heauen O vnspeakable mercy Well sure I am he is a true debtor and will pay what he hath vndertaken therefore I am perswaded hee will forgiue my sins for seeing when hee knew all the sinnes that euer I should commit hee would notwithstanding in loue send his sonne to be my Sauiour whereas he hath now by his death made full satisfaction for them shall I thinke the Lord will stick at the pardon of them Now as concerning the hardnes of my heart I see I neede the lesse to feare it in regard I haue a sight and sense thereof and vnfainedly bewaile the same For like as it is with a greene wound if it bleede well when it is made there is the lesse feare of rankling more good hope of curing so for as much as I feele my heart bleed in bewayling the hardnes of it I see there is the lesse dāger of festering inwardly to the destruction of my soule For my weaknes in the seruice of God though Sathan would hereby take occasion to keep me from the word prayer and Sacraments perswading mee that I doe but take the name of God in vaine and prophane his worship and increase my own condemnation yet I am resolued to try masteries with him and not to neglect Gods seruice and these holy exercises at any hand for if hee could once get mee at this bay hee would triumph indeed and I further consider to my comfort that God measureth the obedience yeelded to him rather by the * Deus magis delectatur affectu quam effectis desire and will to obey than by the large and exact performance thereof Though therefore I doe not all the good I would yet seeing in loue I desire to doe it and though I bee not wholly rid of all the euill I hate yet seing in hatred thereof I desire to be rid of it God will accept of that which I doe and will impute vnto me that which I desire Min. What is it else that doth disquiet your minde and interrupt your peace Con. Sometimes I feare that all the grace which I haue conceiued to bee in me Doubting proceeding from fear of hypocrisie answered and all that I do at any time in the seruice and worship of God and the holinesse which I make shew of is but all in hypocrisie which my conceit growes the stronger on mee because I see sometimes some who haue been accounted very rare Christians farre excelling mee in knowledge seeming-zeale forwardnesse and other gifts and yet haue fearefully fallen away from the grace of God and so fowly discouered themselues that it hath appeared euidently they neuer had the soundnes of grace in them Min. This is a slie temptation indeed for thus the Diuell transformes himselfe into an Angell of light as though hee loued sincerity and would haue men sincere whereas hee hates nothing more and therefore while hee thus goes about to condemne you of hypocrisie hee shewes himselfe a damned hypocrite but how deale you with this subtile suggestion Con. First I see I haue no warrant to take so neere to heart the fearefull examples of backsliding hypocrites as to question mine owne estate therefore for tho some earthy comets and muddie meteors are drawne aloft sometimes and make a great blaze than the true starres of light but after a short time vanish away yet the true stars must not therefore nor will not leaue their place or shining and though the wolues somtimes goe in sheeps clothing * Non debet ouis pellensuam deponere quod lupi aliquādo se ca cōtegāt Aug. yet must not the sheepe therefore forgoe their clothing and thinke themselues to bee wolues Secondly I consider that to see feare and shun hypocrisie is to bee sincere Whiles then I feare it I haue the lesser cause to feare the danger of it and am the further from it Thirdly I desire rather to be good than to seem to be so and to do good rather than to seeme to doe it therefore I am not an hypocrite for hee desires the contrary he lookes chiefly to the outside I to the inside to my heart I haue an eye to that to keepe it in good temper The good temper of the heart especially in two respects 1. Supple and soluble that is alwaies humble for else I cannot bee long in spirituall health and 2. alwaies hungry keeping in my heart an appetite vnto Christ by faith and vnto all good things in loue thereof and for the maintaining of my heart in this good temper I vse a daily good diet of the soule namely watchfulnes meditation prayer reading conference c. I am chiefly desirous and carefull to know how my estate indeed stands before God and therefore take paines to examine my selfe soundly and throughly and am very willing to bee tryed by others this working thorow-stitch the hypocrite cannot brooke 4. The hypocrite doth not vse to goe to God in d Mat. 6.5.6 secret by prayer when hee thinks none knowes sees or heares him and that in conscience being acquainted with the distresse of his owne soule and priuie to his owne corruptions to bewaile them to God and to cry for grace but this I doe neither yet would I haue once mentioned this my practice vnto you for feare of vaine-glory but that I now stand vpon my triall and must in this case produce all the witnesses I can Fiftly I finde in my selfe that I should bee full sorie that all should be but in hypocrisie in me O I would not for all the world it should be so yea I desire from my very heart that it may be in sincerity hereby I am perswaded that it is not in hypocrisie but in sincerity Min. You say well how else doe you withstand this temptation Con. I may perceiue in my greatest feare and doubting that some of the signes
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
whole world euen in my hart Lastly my faith brings forth in mee the sweet fruit of heauenly spirituall ioy for i 1 Pet. 1.8 beleeuing in him whome wee haue not seene that is Christ the Lord wee reioyce with ioy vnspeakable and ful of glory which is therefore called the ioy k Phil. 1.25 of faith because it proceeds from thence Thus my faith is l Gal. 5.6 a working faith and by these fruits and the like I know it is not a vaine fancy and vngrounded imagination but a sound and well-grounded perswasion whereby I am ingraffed into Christ for to beleeue is * Extra nos ire in Christum transire to go out of our selues and to goe into Christ Min. If these things bee so I am not able to obiect any thing against your faith nay all the diuels of hell shall neuer be able to ouerthrow it But by what other signe doe you know that you shall be saued Con. Well may my conuersion plead seniority for the second place it being of the same age with faith for there is no sooner true faith wrought in the heart but instantly there is a new Conuert made and a sinner become the sonne of Abraham and well may there then be ioy in heauen for a sinner that is conuerted So then there is an effectual calling and conuersion wrought in mee for the Lord of his vnspeakeable goodnesse hath deliuered mee out of the power of darknesse and translated mee into the kingdom of his deare son that is hee hath brought mee out of the miserable estate of nature wherein I was borne into the happy estate of grace wherein I now stand The second signe of saluation taken out of Rom. 8.30 this calling is a sure signe that one is ordained to euerlasting life for whom the Lord hath called those hee hath also glorified therefore heereby I am comfortably assured of my saluation Min. Our Sauiour tels vs m Mat. 22.14 that there are many called but few chosen how then can this bee a signe vnto you Con. There is a two-fold calling of a Christian an outward and an inward the Lord calls outwardly all those to whom the Gospell is preached for such he requires to come to him by beleeuing and repenting that they might be saued but many such refuse thus to come vnto him and therefore are not effectually called like as if you should call a man that is in a dead sleep who hears you not therefore lies snorting still it may be truly said he was not called vp because hee did not awaken and come vnto you so the outward calling by the voyce of the Gospel alone is not sufficient to saluation therefore the Lord calls his elect inwardly also by his spirit and this is that whereof I speake Min. But how know you that you are thus inwardly effectually called and conuerted Con. 1. 2 Notes of effectual calling By the ecchoing backe and secret answering of my heart vnto the voyce and call of God for the Lord saith n Ps 27.8 Seeke thou my face my heart answereth thy face O Lord will I seeke o Math. 11.28 Come vnto mee saith he all yee that are weary and heauy loden and I will ease you and p Ioh. 8.37 if any man thirst let him come vnto mee and drinke my heart answereth O Lord it is the desire of my soule to come vnto thee oh that I could come oh how shall I come helpe mee that I may come draw mee and I will runne after thee seeing my hart doth thus inwardly answere his call it is a certaine signe that I heare him call which I could not vnlesse hee did call inwardly and effectually Secondly the Lord hath wrought in mee a wonderfull and supernaturall change so that I am contrary to that I was by nature * Non noua substantia creatura sed labefacta reparatur as touching the quality and disposition of my soule now louing that good which then I hated and hating now that euill which before I loued therefore I am a new creature and liue a spirituall life yea Christ liueth in mee for by the power of the spirit flowing into mee from Christ my head I liue vnto God not vnto my selfe and I would not bee againe in the condition wherein I was before for all the worlds good but tremble to thinke vpon it accounting it as the suburbs and mouth of hell Min. I doe verily belieue you for they which haue thus seen and tasted of hell in their consciences will take heed how they come neere it again so lōg as they liue herein is that verified the burnt childe dreads the fire But name vnto mee a third signe of your saluation Con. Me thinkes I see Iustification offering it selfe and comming forth hand in hand with conuersion as beeing the daughters of one mother Faith two sisters born at one birth hand-fasted by the holy Ghost Rom. 8.30 neuer to bee seuered The third signe of saluation taken out of Rom. 8.30 so then I am iustified that is I am accepted of God perfectly righteous through Christ this signe neuer failes for whom God iustified them he also glorified Min. How can you proue that you are thus iustified Con. 1. Because it is the daughter of that noble parent Faith which faith beeing in mee I am thereby onely iustified * Iustification is the daughter of the true mother Faith not of works the false mother for shee saith let it be diuided betweene Christ our selues and not by workes vnlesse it bee to declare me iust before men for I cannot bee so popishly fond as to thinke that men must licke themselues whole with their owne righteousnesse 2. Whereas iustification consists in two things the remission of our sins for Christs passiō sake and the imputation of his perfect righteousnesse to vs I haue some proofe of both for first I know that God doth pardon and forgiue mee all my sinnes for I doe heartily confesse them to him with a detestation of them and if we confesse our sinnes hee is faithfull and iust to forgiue vs our sinnes as q Ioh. 1.9 saith the Apostle Secondly I know that God doth reckon Christs righteousnes vnto mee as verily as if I had personally performed it my selfe this I know by my peace of conscience for they which are thus r Rom. 5.1 iustified by faith haue peace toward God and they only thus am I one of those f Reu. 7.14 that haue washed their long robes and made them white in the bloud of the Lambe Min. Indeede if the conscience be truely pacified it is euident that you are partaker of Christs perfect righteousnesse for what else can giue the Conscience true peace and not the drunken peace of hypocrites Con. 1. Because it hath followed grieuous trouble and vnquietnesse in my conscience as a calm followes after a storme for such as neuer were afflicted in minde
promised I know thou wilt performe it that thou wilt cure mee that thou wilt saue me being thus perplexed in my soule for my sinnes Min. How else can you proue your selfe to bee such a one as God hath promised to saue Con. Hee hath promised to t Re. 21.6 giue to him that is athirst of the fountaine of the water of life freely that is hee which earnestly desires the fauour of God through Christs righteousnesse to the inheriting of eternall life shall bee assured thereof to the allaying of the scalding heat of his boyling conscience and to the endlesse comfort and saluation of his soule thus I doe thirst I doe no lesse truely then earnestly desire saluation 3 Notes of the true desire of saluation First in the right place preferring it before all things in the world Secondly to the right end that I might bee wholly freed from sinne and perfectly glorifie God in Heauen And thirdly in the right manner as well desiring the meanes that leade therto as the end whereto they leade Heerevpon it is that the more grace I receiue the more I hunger after and that I haue alwayes such a spirituall drought and vnsatiable thirst after Christs most precious bloud and perfect righteousnesse that my sinfull soule may bee clothed with this fine white garment and gorgeous attire and oh how I long after the fauour of God and like as the Disciples said vnto our Sauiour when hee told them of the bread of Heauen u Ioh. 6.34 Lord euermore giue vs this bread so I hauing tasted the sweetnesse of Gods fauour cannot choose but pray Lord giue me euermore to enioy this thy fauour yea Euen as the Hart panteth after the water brookes so panteth my soule after thee O God my soule thirsteth for God for the liuing God like to the thirsty Land Well yet his word is good u Ps 107. hee satisfieth the longing soule and filleth the hungry soule with goodnesse and this is my comfort Min. Whom else hath God promised to saue Con. x Mat. 5.3 1. Blessed saith our Sauiour are the poore in spirit for theirs is the Kingdome of heauen and Blessed are they that mourne for they shall be comforted These poore ones and these mourners are they which are humble lowly in spirit seeing feeling their spirituall wants and pouerty their sinnes and misery being heartily sorry for and bewailing the same and so despairing as touching any goodnesse of their owne betake themselues wholly to the mercy of God in Christ which mercy of God is like the y Act. 3.2 beautifull gate of the temple whereat poore creeples lye yea lazers a multitude of impotent folke blinde halt withered spirituall beggers wofull creatures poore sinners humble crauing an almes at the hand of so pitifull a God And well doth Gods mercy deserue to bee called the beautifull gate of heauen for heereby onely doe penitent sinners enter into the presence of God to behold the beauty of the Lord and to enioy his blessed vision for euer in heauen Thus doe a poore creature lye dayly at Gods beautifull gate knocking crauing crying z Ps 57. 51. 86. Haue mercy vpon me O God haue mercy vpon mee according to the multitude of thy compassions put away my iniquities incline thine eare O Lord heare me for I am poore and needy O bow downe thine eare and heare open thine eyes and see for my heart is smitten and withered like grasse and I am in great misery a Psa 25.16 18. O turne thy face vnto mee and haue mercy vpon mee for I am desolate and afflicted looke vpon my affliction and my paine and forgiue all my sinnes O turne vnto mee and haue mercy vpon mee heale my soule for I haue sinned against thee b Dan. 9.19 O Lord heare O Lord forgiue O Lord hearken and doe deferre not for thine owne sake O my God Thus am I poore in spirit and thus doe I mourne and therefore the promise of blessednesse belongs to mee and I haue as good right vnto it as any poore sinner whatsoeuer for the poorer the sinner is in spirit and the greater begger hee is the better right he hath heereunto so then I am blessed according to Christs owne words because I shall be blessed Min. Whom else hath God said he will saue Con. c Ro. 10.13 Whosoeuer shall call vpon the name of the Lord shall bee saued as witnesseth the Apostle that is whosoeuer not onely in outward miseries but also and that especially in spirituall distresses shall pray vnto the Lord in faith both as concerning his power and will to helpe and and yet more whosoeuer fearing that hee hath not faith nor any sauing grace that he is not in the fauour of God nor his sinnes pardoned and that his soule shall not bee saued if hee can but finde a heart to pray vnto the Lord for these things with an honest vpright minde as sure as the Lord is true he shall bee saued and that by vertue of this promise of God Whosoeuer shall call vpon his name shall be saued for thus he flyeth vnto this strong Tower where hee shall be preserued serued safe a while and after shall be remooued by the guard of good Angels to the Palace of None-such in the Kingdome of Heauen which is a priueleged place where sinne Sathan the flesh and the world haue nothing to doe and therfore he shall not bee there molested by any of them in the least measure Now I am one of them that doe thus call vpon the name of the Lord and that dayly when I feele my selfe oppressed by sinne and Sathan and can finde very small or to my thinking sometimes no grace at all in mee yet then can I heartily pray vnto the Lord for his helpe and sauing grace that I may be saued therefore I shall bee saued Min. To whom else hath God promised saluation in his word Con. Christ hath promised that e Reu. 3.21 hee which ouer commeth shall sit with him in his Throne that is hee that holds out to the end continually resisting and fighting against his spirituall enemies the world the flesh and the Diuel shall haue though not equall glory yet fellowship with Christ in glory euerlasting thus do I daily fight that I may ouercome First I account my selfe a spirituall soldier bound sworn to my Captaine the Lord Iesus of whom I haue also taken presse-mony the Sacrament of Baptisme and weare his colours the profession of Christianity and know there is martiall Law eternall death for mee if I should flye from my Captaine Secondly I take notice of the manifold traines and plots of my forreign enemies the world and the Diuell and the treasons and treacheries of my domesticke foes the flesh that Rebell my headstrong passions and vnruly lusts those traytors I see and obserue how they euery where lay snares for mee and spread nettes in my path-way and