well nigh slipt for I began to thinke that these were Gods darlings at lest my selfe none of Gods beloued ones for the rod of God is not on them but neuer off from me Min. What meanes doe you vse to be preserued against the violence of this assault Con. I presently take sanctuary and so am safe I y Ps 73.17 goe into the Sanctuary of God and consult with his word and then I vnderstand their end I see a man may goe through a faire City to execution and contrariwise through a narrow stumbling lane to a feast or coronation I see well why it is that the wicked doe so prosper and fare so well for why doe men set vp their Oxen a-fatting is it not against the day of slaughter so the z Iob. 21.30 Wicked are reserued to the day of destruction they shall bee brought forth vnto the day of wrath the seruants of God are kept at hard commons but they haue their keeping of free cost the wicked which are strangers from the wombe and none of Gods houshold haue larger cates and farre better but they shall pay sweetly for it in the end when the reckoning comes so that all things considered I see small reason why I should heaw a stumbling-blocke out of the prosperity of the wicked to my owne ouerthrow Secondly I labour in time of affliction to spie out the loue of God shining vnto mee through some little peep-hole or other at length I finde that euen then I loue God heereby I discerne that hee loues mee for so he saith a Pro. 8.17 I loue them that loue mee and indeede his loue to mee is the cause of my loue to him so that it is impossible for mee to loue him in the time of my affliction but hee must needs loue mee much more Thirdly I consider that it is for want of wit in a childe to thinke that his father cannot abide him because when need is hee vseth the rod to correct him for they which are of discretion can tell that the father loues the child neuer the worse for all that but the better yea this very dealing of God towards mee is an euident token of his loue vnto mee for b Heb. 12.6.7 whom the Lord loueth hee chasteneth and scourgeth euery sonne whom hee receiueth if therefore wee endure chastening God dealeth with vs as with sonnes for what sonne is hee whom the father chasteneth not So that the Lord commeth to me with fire in the one hand water in the other the fire of affliction to melt out the drosse of my corruptions and the cooling water of comfort and assurance of his fauour to allay the heate thereof lest I should bee ouermolten with heauinesse and sorrow but indeed sometimes he holds this behind him that I see it not but I must not bee so vnwise as to thinke because I see it not therefore hee hath it not because I see not his loue or at least not so as I would that therefore he loues mee not farre bee it from mee so to thinke though I am too ready so to thinke in my distresse but it is my infirmity For as verily as he doth afflict mee and I feele it so certainly doth hee loue mee though I feele it not Fourthly I consider that this is the cup c Mat. 26.39 27.46 which Christ himselfe dranke of hee drank it off to the very bottome which made him cry out of the bitternesse of it My God my God why hast thou forsaken me whereas I doe but drinke a littie of the vppermost but seeing Christ my Sauiour hath begun to mee therein d Mat. 20.23 needs must I pledge him though it be but to kisse the cup which is also a cup of Gods owne tempreing and therefore very good and wholsome though not so toothsome hee knowes all the ingredients perfectly that go into it and there is not one drop or dram of bitter aloes in it more than hee sees must needs bee put in or else it would do vs no good which also is skilfully corrected and sweetely qualified with those heauenly sweets that farre surpasse the hony and the hony-combe as peace of conscience tranquilty of minde patience and ioy of each a dramme and the hope of heauen a maruelous sweet thing which it selfe alone mee thinks might well allay the tartnesse and sharpnesse of affliction this is my comfort in time of griefe my friend in time of neede my best Phisicke in time of sicknesse and present remedy against all maladies and I dare vndertake that one dramme of this well taken of a sicke man shall doe him more good at heart than twenty pounds-worth of the most precious Apothecaries stuffe O it is a most soueraigne restoratiue and happy is he that is neuer without some of it in his heart It is of such singular vse at all times and vpon all occasions Now seeing afflictions are thus sweetned to vs properlie to speake they deserue no worser name than bitter-sweets whether wee respect inward distresses or outward calamities truth indeed the Lord layes more vpon some than hee doth vpon others and more vpon vs at one time than he doth at an other hee sometimes strikes an heart-veyne when an other will not serue and that wee cannot bleede well at it with godly sorrow yet this I dare auouch hee neuer puts vs to more paine than needs must for our profit and benefit Fiftly I enter into serious meditation of the manifold good which commeth by affliction according to that of the holy Prophet e Psal 119.71 It is good for me that I haue been afflicted this is the physicke that God doth minister to his seruants and it is both purging phisicke and strengthning physicke for the former of these it pleases the Lord hereby sometimes to discouer and bring to our sight the disease of some sinne wherewith wee are infected whereof wee had taken no notice before and then to bring vs to humiliation for it so to worke the remoueall thereof sometimes hee doth hereby preuent some sinne whereto hee sees vs very subiect by purging out the ill humors of self loue couetousnesse pride lukewarmnesse which else in time would break forth into dangerous yea incurable diseases and thus he works a miracle vpon vs turning the serpent sinne into the rod of affliction as f Exod. 4.4 Moses his rod was turned alas how ready are wee to run out at randome after these earthlie things to set our affections too much vpon them and to be taken vp too much with them to grow not onely wanton but euen wilde with the things here below and how easie a matter is it for a man to lose both himselfe and heauen too in running vp and downe in the maze of this sinfull world which that we may not doe the Lord that good Sheepherd vseth his g Ps 23.4 rod and staffe when wee straggle too farre on the pleasant green pastures of worldly
were as many paied vse for loue as doe in these dayes pay vse for money Then should they be no whit impouerished lesse in the vsurers books more in Gods and so would it be a better world Min. Whereas you say you loue the godly it may be that is onely because they are friendly to you or because you receiue or hope to receiue some outward kindnes and benefit from some such if your loue be no other than this it is but self-selfe-loue beeing grounded meerely vpon your owne priuate commoditie and this kinde of loue may bee found in an vnregenerate and carnall man Con. It is not so with me for though happily I may regard some such for some such respects as you name yet if I should not loue the child of God for his own sake and for his and my fathers sake more than I loue my worldly friend for my cōmodities sake or my kinsman for neerenesse of bloud I should bee void of any sparke of true heauenly loue therfore I chiefly loue the godly for their goodnes and godlinesse sake the ground of my loue vnto them is the image of god in them This is that diuine load-stone which drawes my affection toward them Minist How can you make it appeare that you loue them with a right affection Con. Thus 1. because I loue some such in the * In abstracto abstract euen when they are seuered and separate from all externall respects and grounds of loue to mee-ward as 4 Notes of true loue to Gods children when I heare or reade of the zeale piety constancy heauenly vertues and gracious endeauours of the worthy seruants of God such as I neuer knew nor had any dealing with yet I finde that I loue them and feele the affection of my heart spreading it selfe towards them to embrace them which cannot be for carnal respects nor worldly hopes for it may bee some of them are dead and gone and thus I loue the Saints departed which are now in heau'n sometimes also I haue knowne and loued some worthy Christians who then haue flowed with worldly prosperity but after haue fallen to a very low ebbe of great aduersity when the world hath bidde them adieu friends wealth goods haue altogether taken their leaues yet then haue I loued them as dearely as euer I did before whereby it appeared that my loue was not grounded vpon worldly regards which all forsooke them but vpon their goodnes and godlines which still continued with them Secondly I much affect the godly and delight exceedingly in their cōpanie yea of such as are nothing of kin vnto mee that e Ro. 1.12 wee may bee edified through our mutual faith whereas I care not for the company of others wanting true godlinesse though they may be perhappes of my very neere kindred So that I can truely say f Psa 16.3 As for the Saints that are in the earth and the excellent in them is all my delight but as for others I haue hated the assembly of euill doers and will not sit with the wicked and if of necessitie I bee forced to bee in their company then am I readie to wish with the Prophet O that I had wings lik a Doue then would I flie away and be at rest or if this ô will not set mee at libertie then I take vp woe to expresse my misery Woe is me that I soiourne in Mesech that I dwell in the tents of Kedar 3. I haue a fellow-feeling of the miseries of the Saints my deare Christian brethren and sisters which works in mee compassion and makes my heart euen ake and bowels yearn within me to see their grief and behold them in necessitie Whereby I perceiue that I haue the true affection of a fellow-member for if one member suffer all the members suffer with it Fourthly I finde in mee a willingnesse in some measure to impart my selfe vnto them in life and goods soule and bodie so far as I canne to affoord them helpe and succour for as it is truely said of faith that * Fides toto copulatiua it is wholly copulatiue wholly employed in coupling vs to Christ so may it as truly bee said of loue that it is * Charitas communicatius wholly communicate imployed in imparting it selfe and what it hath to others for their good Faith is as the leads and pipes to bring in and loue is as the cock of the conduit to let out Now for as much as my loue is thus communicatiue to the children of God because they are his children heereby I also see that it is of the right kinde Min. Alledge some other sure signe of your saluation For the more the better man the richer you are in the true treasure the more comfort may you haue thereby Con. The Lord hath promised to fulfill the desire of them that feare him The eleuenth sign of saluatiō taken out of Psal 145.19 that he wil heare their cry and will saue them Now I finde in some measure in mee the true feare of God and though I say not of my selfe as the Scripture saith of Obadiah that g 1 Kings 18.3 hee feared God greatly yet this I can say that I desire to feare God greatly and this I dare say in despight of the diuell that I feare GOD truely Therefore I shall be saued certainly according to Gods holy word of truth Min. St. IOHN telles vs that there is no feare in loue but that perfect loue casteth out feare Seeing then you loue God how can you bee said to feare him how can these two stand peaceably together Con. Very well for there is a two-fold feare of God the first is a slauish and seruile feare in horrour to dread his maiestie as a seuere reuenging Iudge eyther executing his iudgements or readie to take vengeance on his enemies Thus all impenitent persons and the Diuels feare him and onely thus and therefore hate him wishing there were no God And this is the meaning of Saint Iames when hee saith h Iam. 2.19 The Diuels beleeue and tremble The second is a childe-like feare in awefull reuerence and loue toward God to be carefull not to offend him now this feare is the true naturall birth of loue being bred and brought forth of it Looke then as Sarah cast out Ismael the seed of the bond-woman but would not cast out her owne deare sonne Isaac euen so the loue of GOD doth cast out of mee by degrees the seed of bondage the slauish feare but not her owne birth the awefull and holy feare of God but cherisheth and nourisheth this continually in mee and is as a nurse vnto it so that now I feare not so much that God will condemne me as that I may not offend him so good so louing a father to mee euen as a good ingenious childe feares to offend his father for very loue but feares not that his father will cut his throat or murder
off by sunne-set will not fit him down or lay himself to sleep but get on horse-backe and be riding onward on his way and he that hopes to liue long will not starue himselfe but vse the best diet for preseruing his life 4. It makes me fit my selfe by holinesse for that which I hope for namely the full fruition of the glorious ous presence of the perfectly-pure and holy God in heauen according to that of the Apostle Å¿ 1 Ioh. 3.3 Euery one that hath this hope in him purifieth himselfe euen as God is pure not vnlike to one who hoping to get accesse into the presence of the King with his petition doth addresse himselfe in all sutabe manner both in apparell behauiour and speech for the presence of his Soueraigne Min. It appeares your hope is found and good euen that t Rom. 5.4 which maketh not ashamed and the God of hope fill you therewith and grant that you may abound therein through the Holy Ghost But by what other signe doe you know that you shall bee saued Con. I finde in my heart a true loue of God now I haue learned out of the word that the Lord hath promised the crowne of life to them that loue him c. I make no question but hee will bee as good as his word who neuer failed therein since the world began therefore I know that the crowne of life is mine Min. All say they loue God and professe great friendship to him neuerthelesse most flatter him with their mouth and lye vnto him with their tongues for their heart is not right with him How know you then that you loue him in truth Con. 7. Notes of true loue of God Whereas there are three things in loue affection to the thing beloued a desire of coniunction with it and a well-pleasing contentment taken in the enioying of it all these I find in some measure in mee toward my God so that I know I loue him truly which I further proue by these notes First because I prize and estimate him aboue all worldly things yea mine owne life so that I can truely say with that blessed Martyr Ignatius Eus l. 2. c. 36. I esteeme no visible thing nor yet inuisible so that I may haue Christ u Phil. 3.8 yea doubtlesse I count all things but losse in comparison of him and do count them but dung that I may winne him Neither is this a mercenarie loue hired with the wages of reward for though there were no heauen O Lord I would loue thee but seeing there is a heauen I will account of it and labour to obtaine it yet still will I loue thee for thy goodnesse sake O Lord for thou thy selfe art reward enough though there were no more Secondly I am carefull and vnfainedly desirous to please the Lord in all things euen as we see that men are loth to crosse or displease those whom they entirely loue and affect Heerupon I giue my selfe to loue that which hee loueth and to hate that which he hateth * Ps 45.7 He loueth righteousnes and hateth wickednes and so doe I though not in equality for that is impossible yet in similitude and conformity for it is required and expected as the Prophet saith * Ps 9.10 They that loue the Lord hate euill thus I endeuour my selfe y 1 Ioh. 4.17 as God is euen so to bee in this worldr Thirdly a man may knowe his loue to any thing by the zeale and heat of affection whereby he is carried to that thing which hee loueth Thus euery man is transported and as it were eaten vp with one zeale or other some with the zeale of pleasure as Esau was who for a messe of pottage sould his birth-right some with the zeale of honour as Absalom was who for to gette a kingdome sought to draw bloud of his owne father some with the zeale of money as Iudas was who for his thirty peeces sold his Lord Sauiour By my zeale I know my loue to God for tho I bee not eaten vp with zeale as z Ps 69 9. Dauid was oh I would I were so too yet I feele it burning within mee as a Ier. 20.9 Ieremiah did my heart is hot within me and the fire kindled my zeale carrieth mee to God Fourthly I loue his b Ps 119.97 Qui diligit legem diligit regem word and sacraments prayer and all other holy exercises whereby as I haue gracious intercourse and heauenly conference with the blessed Trinity so in especiall with Christ my wel-beloued who therin causeth mee to heare his sweet voyce and to see his louely countenance for which cause I also loue the house of God so that I can no lesse heartily than merrily sing the note of the Prophet Dauid O Lord I haue loued the habitation of thine house and the place where thine honour dwelleth and another of the same O Lord of Hostes how amiable are thy tabernacles my soule longeth yea euen fainteth for the Courts of the Lord my heart and my flesh cryeth out for the liuing GOD. Fiftly I loue his c Mat. 10.40 messengers and embassadors the Preachers of his word which are sent vnto mee from God to treat about conclusions of peace beseeching mee in Christs stead to bee reconciled to God O how beautifull are the feete of him that bringeth these good tidings that publisheth peace that bringeth good tidings of good that publisheth saluation to me Sixtly I long for the comming of Christ not as though I could no longer beare for impatiencie the miseries of this life which are but light in comparison of the weight of glory but that I might bee married for euer vnto Christ my Loue in perfect ioy and harts delight being now but espoused onely to him and that I might be perfectly freed from all sinne whereby I grieue both him and my selfe and alwaies praise his name in heauen How long Lord how long thou hast d Re. 22.20 said Surely I come quickly Amen Euen so come Lord Iesus Min. Thus it appears that the loue of God will warrant a man as it doth you no les than heauen but what say you now of loue to Gods people may not that bee ranked among the euidences of your saluation Conuert Yes without doubt For The tenth signe of saluation taken out of 1 Ioh 3.14 heereby we know saith S. Iohn that he haue passed from death vnto life because we loue the brethren these doe I loue that is the children of God and such as are godly and these will I loue for euer knowing that loue is such a debt as I shall be alwaies owing and yet I must and will bee euer paying I will striue to be rather a creditour than a debtor heerin and will not only returne to the Saints of God the loue of loue the same measure that I receiue from them but euen vsury and aduantage of loue and I would to God there
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