the Enemies do not come vpon vs at vnawares The Citie or Country hauing enemies encamped against it and looking euery day for nothing else but that battell shall be made against it wherein the Citizens and Inhabitants must shew themselues valiant and couragious for that then they are either to winne a peace or hazard a perpetuall slauerie carefully doth bring out make ready all their furniture muster their men and traine out all their best and most able Souldiers to the end it may be sufficiently prepared for the purpose against so great a Day Euen so the meditation of this great and strong conflict at the time of death with so great mighty enemies which how sudden and how soone it will bee is to vs vnknowne would teach vs to bee prouided and prepared to traine vp euery part and member in vs in this spirituall kind of fight that we may bee able to withstand these our deadly enemies at euery pinch Now that according to that which I haue said we may bee throughly and strongly armed I thinke it good as the Apostle Paul hath left vnto vs the description of the Panoplyo and complete armour of a Christian Ephes 6. to deliuer the same in the seuerall parts that so the vse of euery piece may stand vs in the better stead and serue our turnes the better in this conflict First therefore 1. Coat of Constancie according to the Apostles counsell thou art to put on the Coat of constancie For that it is which the Apostle meaneth Gal. 5.1 Ephes 6.10 14. when as hee biddeth the Ephesians and in them willeth all Christians to stand fast or bee strong When thou art to enter into this fight all feare all fainting must be vtterly exiled and banished from thee although thine enemies will vse many meanes to beate a feare into thee and to make thee to shrinke and flie away yet thou must haue a care vnto this to stand fast But herein thou art to looke well vnto the matter and take a good view of this piece of armour I meane this Coat of Constancie lest thou be deceiued For it must be Armour of proofe or elseit will not serue thy turne it is so far off from doing thee any good that it will rather turne to thy great hurt That thou shouldest not in this piece be deceiued the Apostle hath put a stampe and a marke thereupon that thou mayst easily discerne know it from that which is counterfet and that is in the Lord. Except thy constancie and courage then be in the Lord thou wilt easily bee ouerthrowne thou art not able to stand Thou must therefore when thou commest to occupy a roome in this fight which thou must doe euen all thy whole life time vtterly forsake thine owne wit and policy thine abundance and wealth all trust and confidence in thine owne workes and merits How sure soeuer these things appeare and be iudged of some yet they are found meere weake and insufficient of themselues in the iudgement of the Holy Ghost whose iudgement thou art aboue all to stand to approoue and like of Learne therefore to bee bold and resolute against the rage of thy furious enemies not because thou hast naturall strength or worldly wit and policie or the riches and goods of the world neither for that thou art attended vpon with many Popish ceremonies which are worse then vanities or because thou hast some store of good workes But be thou therefore strong and stand it out with constancie because the Lord is with thee Be bold and resolute in him and in his power might for in him alone thou shalt be sure and also able to preuaile against thine enemies 1. Sa. 17.45 Dauid comming to fight with the Gyant Goliah came in the Name of the Lord and in his name by his power by his might ouercame the Enemy of God and his people So fight thou still in the Name of the Lord and thou shalt surely triumph ouer all thine enemies be they neuer so great neuer so many and neuer so strong and mighty The Apostle proceeding in more particular manner 2. Girdle of Truth with the description of this Christian Armour and setting downe the seuerall parts thereof appointeth in the second place the Girdle willing vs to put on the girdle of Truth Stand therefore saith hee hauing your loynes girded with the girdle of Truth Ephes 6.14 Many girdles it may be shall bee offered thee and they shall through the craft of the Enemy be gloriously set forth making a shew outwardly as though they were sure and strong but in this take heed and beware thou bee not deceiued For it is not generally all truths neither that which man wil presumptuously obtrude and thrust vpon thee for truth Of which sort are almost all the Popish points of Religion beautified with the vaine shew of many vaine and idle ceremonies But it is onely the Truth and sinceritie of the Gospell which the Apostle speaketh of The knowledge of this Gospell hauing a Christian obedience annexed thereunto for a Buckle serueth as a girdle to containe vs and to hold vs in that we may be strong and able to resist the Diuell binding vp as it were about vs al those long loose garments of our naturall and fleshly reason which would otherwise greatly trouble and hinder vs in this Spirituall combate A necessary part of Armour no doubt and so needfull that without it it booteth or auaileth vs nothing at all to goe into the field And although it be neuer so needfull yet alas how small is the number of those which are carefull to prouide themselues of it For euen in these golden dayes of peace and safety from persecution when as the Gospell by the preaching thereof is offered vnto men in most plenteous manner it is a world to see how diuersly men are affected towards it that in the worst manner Some giue themselues wholly vnto the world some follow the pleasures of the flesh some although they haue tasted and felt the great fauor of God in deliuering them from the palpable darknes of Romish superstition and Idolatry yet now lothing the sweet Manna of the Gospell like the rebellious and murmuring Israelites in their hearts returne back againe vnto the flesh-pots of Aegypt And almost generally it is to be found in men that euery thing of light moment and weight yet is of force sufficient to hold them from prepating of this girdle whereby no small aduantage is offered to our deadly Enemy to preuaile against vs. The third piece of Armour to helpe to defend vs in this fight 3. Brest-plate of righteousnesse Ephes 6.14 and to furnish vs in this preparation is by the Apostle called the brest-plate of righteousnes And this is that which elsewhere in the Scriptures is called a good conscience which is a dutifull care and study to walke sincerely and vprightly according to the Spirit to lead our life
inferiour to the strength of faith But in the greatnesse that they be not ouermuch for our abilitie to sustaine And therefore it is not said that God tempteth not vnder but that he tempteth not ouer and aboue that wee are able to beare Wherefore thou mayst here see and marke againe how this doctrine scrueth still to increase and further thy cōfort but not to breed or bring despayre at all For he that hath the greatest temptations though he haue a stronger and a longer combate and some great trouble therewith yet he hath an assured Argument of the strength of Faith which in time conuenient shall get the vpper hand And on the other side he that hath but small assaults and such as hee can easily master besides the comfort he is to haue in that hee can so soone subdue his tryalls let not the weaknes of his assaults be any reason vnto him to conclude thereupon the weaknes of his faith and thereby take a discomfort in himselfe And let both these sorts of men hold themselues contented with the measure of faith which God hath vouchsafed to impart vnto them and alwayes shew themselues thankefull vnto God for the same CHAP. IX Against the assaults of the weaknesse of Repentance THe next assault wherewith the conscience of many is greatly troubled is the weaknesse and suspected want of repentance For the man that is truely regenerate is oftentimes affected vnto goodnes as the couetous man is affected vnto riches He thinketh hee hath neuer enough he is so greedy that he can neuer be satisfied the more hee hath the more he coueteth euery light losse is thought of him to bee an exceeding hinderance and euery slender want maketh him sad and heauy So the true Christian hath such an inward longing after the fruits of his regeneration that haue he neuer so much yet is hee neuer satisfied but still coueteth and crveth out for more If hee finde any defect within himselfe he is straightway so grieued and perplexed therewith that hee thinketh still all too little for him Whereupon comparing his deeds which are imperfect with the perfect dutie that the Law of God requireth at his hands and finding so great oddes and difference betwixt them he then falleth into many doubtfull and distrustfull suspitions of his owne estate Which suspitions are in him the more increased and augmented when hee againe considereth that the doctrine of the Gospell also requireth at our hands such puritie and integritie of life and conuersation and so straitly linketh and coupleth together true faith and good workes as vnseparable companions and such as can not be iustly seuered or parted asunder Vnto this there is also annexed the vnequall comparison of himselfe with others the Saints and seruants of the Lord whose vertues and godlinesse of life is registred and recorded in the Booke of God And finding so great inequalitie betwixt them and him he then calleth to minde the fearfull punishments that are denounced and threatened in the Scripture against such sins and imperfections as hee findeth within himselfe And hereupon it falleth out that hauing his heart by this meanes possessed with such a sinister iudgement of his own estate that is ready to writhe and conuert all to the worst that may be hee groweth to many gricuous passions in himselfe And vnto all these inconueniences he is led as it were step by step and by degrees for want of due remembrance of the state of Christians after the time of their Regeneration Wherefore let vs see what comforts may bee had for the helping and curing of this cuill also Now because the question is not only of the weaknes but herewithall also of the truth of repentance whether it be repentance indeed or not I thinke it very expedient and necessary by way of preparation First to search out what true repentance is and secondly how and by what markes it may be knowne and discerned from that which is fained and hypocriticall Repentance in Scripture hath two speciall names to expresse and declare the nature thereof One in the Prophets where it is called a turning or returning vnto God And the other in the Gospell where it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth a change or alteration of the minde So that as turning or returning implyeth a leauing and an acceptation a leaning of that euill way which before wee followed and an accepting of that good right path which before we shunned And as changing importeth two things the corruption of the former form and the induction of a new So repentance hath in it two parts a for saking of sinne and a following after righteousnes a conuersion from euill and a change and alteration vnto that which is good For if we will bee accounted in the number of those which are truely repentant wee must of necessitie be cast as it were in a new mould Our old stamp must be vtterly razed and defaced and a new must be imprinted and this is that which the Scripture meaneth when it saith Wee must be borne againe These two parts in Scriptures are called in other termes mortification and vinification Mortification whereby the deeds and corruptions of the flesh are mortified stricken dead and quelled in vs and therefore is called the mortification of the flesh Vinification whereby we are quickened incouraged and pricked forward vnto righteousnesse the Spirit getting the mastery and preeminence aboue the flesh and therefore is called the quickening or vinification of the Spirit Repentance then Repentance described hauing these two essentiall parts may in this manner bee described That it is a grace and worke of the holy Ghost whereby our hearts and mindes are altered and changed from following of that which is euill and wicked to embracing of that which is good and godly Now if this change and alteration be found in vs we may then say and assure our selues that wee haue true repentance indeed But because the truth hereof is not quickly knowne nor easily discerned and for that wee may soone through Satans craft be deceiued in this matter as it falleth out with the Reprobates which oftentimes or rather alwayes account their fained and hypocriticall conuersion to be a true conuersion when as in deed if it be thorowly tryed it is nothing lesse Wee are next to consider how and by what marks true Repentance is to be discerned and knowne and so we may bee brought to iudge rightly of our owne CHAP. X. Of the Markes of true Repentance THe first assured marke therefore to know true Repentance by 1. Inward hearty sorrow for sin is that inward and hearty sorrow for sinne as an efficient cause whereby it is effected in vs For they that are truely repentant shall soone find in themselues first this inward compunction and contrition of heart for the sinnes which they haue committed whereupon will ensue and follow this earnest care to shun and auoide the same and a studious desire and indeuour
to place and set downe my fourth Position as a resolute and an vndoubted truth which was this That the greatnes continuance of miseries and afflictions The fourth Position nor the delayes which it pleaseth God to vse in shewing forth his help are good differences betwixt the iudgments of the Elect and Reprobate in this life therefore as may be wel added no sufficient reasons to proue that a man is excluded and barred from the loue and fauour of God If it were so that God were at the appointment of any other and that any should or might prescribe vnto him any order to bee obserued in his doings then this reason of Satan did carry some force with it But since his power and authority are so absolute that hee is to order all things after his owne pleasure and to be ordered by none Satans reason must needs fall to the ground As in all other the doings of God so in this also the will of God must stand for a sufficient reason to satisfie vs withall And therefore wee must obserue that God doth not measure our miseries or his owne deliuerances by the tale of daies moneths yeeres or any times but the speciall thing that hee therein respecteth as in all other his actions is first his owne Glory and secondly the good of his Children And therefore for the aduancement and furtherance hereof hee taketh such times as in his owne Wisedome hee seeth and knoweth to be most meet and conuenient So that be it sooner or bee it later this day or a month or a yeere hence all is one to him howsoeuer it appeareth contrary to vs. Now whereas Satan seemeth to take hold of the long continuance of afflictions it is to no purpose It is easily proued that God vseth this manner of doing for most iust causes knowne vnto himselfe If it were otherwise to what end then serue the exhortations so many and so pithy vnto patience constancie and perseuerance as wee finde recorded in the Booke of God that we should patiently stay and waite the Lords leasure vntill hee vouchsafe to send deliuerance Against the doctrine of this Position Satans obiection Satan now taketh exception and in this manner obiecteth and reasoneth to the contrary God hath promised to heare when men cry vnto him and to deliuer them whensoeuer they shall call vpon him for helpe But thou hast cryed a long time and seest thou art not deliuered and therefore it is sure thou art none of his children For would thy GOD promise and not performe That is against his Nature Answ It cannot bee denyed but is to be certainely granted that GOD hath promised as much as is by Satan obiected and although hee deferre the time and as wee in our owne iudgement doe suppose doth stay his helping hand in suffering vs to continue still vnder the Crosse yet is hee not forgetfull or vnmindfull of his promise nor doth any thing against his nature being true in all his words and workes There is some thing more in this point to bee considered of which Satan here craftily concealeth First that man as I haue said is in no band presumptuously to prescribe any time vnto God wherein he should performe his promise Secondly the Lord doth know what is most meet and expedient for vs and therefore will haue men to be exercised-vnder the Crosse some longer and some a shorter time not as men doe thinke but as hee in his wisedome seeth to bee for euery one most profitable And thirdly that in all Hee may principally be gloryfied In the iudgement of man because men obtain not their request at the first second or third time it appeareth that God doth not heare or regard the cry of his seruants but it is as I haue said farre otherwise For when the time assigned so long before of God is come when he seeth it to be most commodious for vs and most for his owne glory then will he heare then will he grant in mercie their Petitions and then will hee shew himselfe a powerfull God to deliuer his people out of their distresse Examples to proue this besides the testimonies of the Scriptures wee haue many Of the which multitude one or two in so plaine a case shall suffice Great no doubt was the seruitude and bondage of Israel in Egypt and so farre off from ease thereof that when Moses and Aaron were sent from the Lord for their deliuerance their miseries were the more increased and I thinke that no man doubteth of their crying vnto God for helpe in the long time of continuance thereof yet at the last when Gods appointed time was come that hee would bee glorified in Pharaoh and the Egyptians Israel was by a mighty hand and stretched out arme deliuered from the fiery furnace of Aegypt and sent on their way towards the promised Land and Pharaoh and his host pursuing after them were vtterly confounded Dauid is proued to haue found God sometime a very speedy helpe at hand ready to deliuer him and set him free from perill and danger yet sometime againe he continued a longer season vnder the heauy burthen of afflictions insomuch that with great anguish and trouble of heart hee complaineth as though God had quite forgotten him that God had cast him off and forsaken him for euer And hereupon it is that in many places of his Psalmes he saith that he called and yet he was not heard that God did hide his countenance and turne away his face from him That he cryed day and night and stretched out his his hands all the day long euen vntill his throat was hoarse and dry with calling vpon God and yet he was not eased A plainer and more sufficient testimonie and example for the ouerthrowing of Satans subtill Obiection I thinke thou canst not haue And now for thy further consolation confer thine estate with the estate of Dauid What canst thou finde in thy selfe in respect of the continuance of miseries and afflictions that is not easily found in Dauid and what in respect of earnest crying and calling vpon God for helpe can there be found in thee that was not in him Nay if not in both these points yet in the later I perswade my selfe thou art farre inferiour and commest nothing neere vnto him Yet this Prophet and seruant of the Lord continuing so long time vnder so heauy a burthen of afflictions almost wasted and consumed with griefe and woe and crying still vpon the Lord although he found no comfort at the first yet was hee not vtterly cast off or forsaken of God but at the last tasted and felt the helping hand of the Lord to his great and singular comfort And so thou also although thou doest cry and call vpon the Lord in thy troubles and canst not obtaine thy request at the first yet doe not thinke that God therefore doth neglect thee or that he hath cast thee off for euer But as thou hast beene taught before submit
things wherein men in this life doe take any delight and pleasure and in part bereaued of the feeling of these exceeding comforts reserued for vs in the life to come Obiect But thou wilt say Thus naturally to feare and to bee thus in some sort vnwilling and loth to die I lesse maruell at but this dulnesse in the feeling of heauenly ioyes and comforts in Christ being now euen at the poynt of death and ready to yeeld vp the last gasp that is a very strange thing and able to terrifie any Christian soule Answ It is I grant a fearefull thing indeede but yet nothing strange at all if we doe well consider of it For if Satan be so busie with vs at other times euen in the time of health and when wee are strongest that hee bringeth our faith to many foyles no maruell if hee shew forth his malice against vs now being so neere vnto our end He is not ignorant to take opportunity fittest for his purpose And therefore now aboue all other his desired times he will deuise and sound into the bottome of all his subtilties to entrap and so to make conquest of the Christian soules knowing that this is the last combate that he is like to make with such an one If now he lose it is lost for euer If now he preuaile and ouercome there is no recouery to bee hoped for afterward Assure thy selfe therefore that hee will prepare himselfe the best he can stretch euery limbe in this finall conflict to see if hee can by any possible meanes effect and bring to passe this his malicious bloudy purpose And therefore although the state of Gods Elect and Chosen be such that they cannot finally vtterly fal away Gods decreee being so firme sure immutable that Satan with al his policies shal neuer be able to infringe make void the same yet euē they also if they be not well appointed must make full account and looke to haue many foyles at Satans hands that shall bring their faith euen vpon her knees which thing being once effected no maruell if this subtill Satan to the greater daunting of Gods Children doe found out the triumph before the victory gotten casting in their teeth their sinnes past and bringing to their remembrance their former wickednesse and withall putting them in minde sometime of the delights and pleasures of this world that so by these such like practices he may the rather and the sooner driue men into despaire The case therefore of Christians being so dangerous it is good that wee doe consider what way is best for vs to take to cut Satan short of his purpose and to auoyd the danger and perill of this finall conflict One thing whereby Satan taketh so great aduantage and so farre preuaileth with a great number of men is for that in the time of life and health they neuer or very little as they should bethinke themselues of death So that when the time and houre thereof which is sudden and vncertaine doeth come vpon them they go like men naked and vnarmed into the field to encounter with this strong and mightie Aduersarie And then it is no matuell if they being so vnprouided and vnarmed and lying so open do receiue many grieuous and deadly wounds It is therefore very expedient and needefull for euery man in time of health to thinke of sickenesse and in time of life to be mindfull of death and continually to bee carefull that he may bee prepared for to die for it is an vneuitable thing it cannot bee auoided with all the power policie and cunning we can vse Therefore as we are borne to die so we should liue as men alwaies prepared and in a readinesse to die So that a Christian mans life should be a continuall meditation and a daily preparation vnto death When as I say it should bee a daily preparation I would be loth to bee mistaken I doe not meane such a kind of preparation as many of the great and mighty men of the world doe dreame of when as either in their life time in their owne persons or after their death by their Executors or others put in trust therewith they are carefull yea too carefull to prouide that a Tombo bee set vp and builded to shrowde their bodies in and that with most costly curious and cunning worke but neuer once thinke of this which is most needfull that is to prouide a Receptacle for the soule It may bee as it doth appeare that they thinke to die so I beseech the Lord they may bee prepared to die in the Lord so they shall bee sure howsocuer the bodie speed on earth for a time yet at the last Day both body and soule shall bee in blessed estate with Christ for euer in heauen This madnesse of men in preparing such costly Tombes or Sepulchres may very well bee accounted in the number of the vanities and follies wherewith the world is at this day ouer-flowed for the cost that is bestowed on them might a thousand times bee better bestowed on the poore afflicted members of Christ whereby some great gaine by the laying forth thereof if it bee done without hope of merit would redound to the soule The cunning workemanship is indeed matter rather for men to gaze vpon then for any other good When all is done both for charge and cunning in setting vp and beautifying of this thing so brauely yet it is but a Caue for a rotten and corrupted carkase beautified for polluted bones and carefully adorned for simple Guests euen the crawling wormes there to feed and gnaw vpon their sestred and stinking flesh The soule is the principall part of man let euery one apply himselfe therefore principally to prouide that it may bee harboured protected and defended against the violence and raging stormes of Satans fury Be carefull to prouide that shee may bee armed from top to toe with the Christian Armour whereof S. Paul speaketh Ephe. 6. so shalt thou be in safety Ephe. 6.13 14 15 16 17 18. This ought to be our Christian care vpon this should we bestow our costs But this of the most men is least regarded and it is to be feared of a great number vtterly neglected Obiect Here by the way it may haply bee obiected Is it a thing vtterly vnlawfull to prouide a Sepulchre or Tombe for the body Answ It is not the vse but the abuse thereof that I aime at I do not thinke it a thing altogether vnlawfull for that I do finde it to bee a thing of long continuance and vsed of godly persons Ioseph of Arimathea is said in the Gospell to haue prouided a Tombe for himselfe hewed out of a Rocke being yet in health wherein hee layed the Corps of Christ our Sauiour If in this manner thou prepare thee a Tomb and herein follow Iosephs example thou shalt not doe amisse For Ioseph did it not for vaine glory and any worldly ostentation nor to make it a thing