all fled from him and Peter fearefully denied him They being in this estate are not saide to haue no faith but to be of litle faith Another example we haue in Dauid who hauing continued a lōg space in his two great sins adultery murther was admonished therof by Nathan the Prophet being admonished he cōfessed his sins and strait way Nathan declared vnto him from the Lord the forgiuenes of thē Yet afterward Dauid humbleth himselfe as it appeareth in the 51. Psalme and praieth most earnestly for the forgiuenes of those and all other his sins euen as though it had not beene true that they were forgiuen as Nathan tolde him The reason is howsoeuer they were remitted before God yet Dauid at his first repenting of them felt none assurance in his heart of the forgiuenes of them onely he had a persuasion that they might be pardoned And therefore hee vehemently desired and praied to the Lorde to remitte them and to sanctifie him anewe This then beeing the least measure of faith it must be remembred that he who hath not attained to it hath as yet no sauing faith at all XX The greatest measure of faith is a full perswasion of the mercie of God For it is the strength and ripenes of faith Rom. 4. verse 20. 21. Abraham not weake in faith but beeing strengthned in the faith was fullie perswaded that he who had promised was able to doe it This full assurance is when a man can saie with Paul I am perswaded that neither life nor death nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor thinges present nor thinges to come nor height nor depth nor anie other creature shall bee able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. And lest any should think this saying is peculiar to Paule the whole Church in the cāticles vseth the same in effect saying Loue is strong as death iealousie is as cruell as the graue the coals thereof are fierie coals a vehement flame Much water cannot quench loue neither can the flouds drown it if a man should giue all the substance of his house for loue they would contemne it XXI No Christian attaineth to this full assurance at the first but in some continuance of time after that for a long space hee hath kept a good conscience before God and before men and hath had diuers experiences of Gods loue and fauour towardes him in Christ. This Paul declareth to the Romans in afflictions God sheds abroad his loue in their hearts by the holie Ghost which is giuen to them hence ariseth patience from patience commeth experience from experience hope and hope neuer maketh ashamed or disappointeth him of eternall life This is euident in Dauids practise Doubtlesse saith he kindnes and mercie shall followe mee all the daies of my life and I shall liue a long season in the house of the Lord. Marke this his resolute perswasion and consider howe hee came vnto it namely by experience of Gods fauour at sundry times and after sundrie manners For before he set down this resolution he numbred vp diuers benefites receaued of the Lord that he fed him in greene pastures led him by the refreshing waters of Gods word That he restoreth him leadeth him in the pathes of righteousnes That he strengthneth him in great dangers euen of death and preserueth him that in despight of his enemies hee enriched him with many benefites By meanes of all these mercies of God bestowed on him he came to be perswaded of the continuance of the fauour of God towards him Againe Dauid said before king Saul let no mans heart faile him because of Goliah Thy seruant wil go and fight with the Philistine And Saul saide to Dauid Thou art not able to goe against this Philistine to fight with him for thou art but a boy he is a man of war from his youth Dauid answered he was able to fight with to slaie the vncircumcised Philistine And the ground of his perswasion was taken from experience for thus he said Thy seruant kept his fathers sheep and there came a Lyon and likewise a beare and tooke a sheepe out of the flocke And I went out after him and smote him took it out of his mouth and when he arose against me I caught him by the beard and smote him and slewe him So thy seruant slew both the Lion and the Beare Therefore this vncircumcised Philistine shal be as one of thē seeing he hath railed on the host of the liuing God The like proceeding must bee in matters concerning eternall life Litle Dauid resembleth euery Christian Goliah and the army of the Philistines resembleth Sathan and his power Hee therefore that will be resolued that he shall be able to ouercome the gates of hell and attaine to life euerlasting must long keep watch ward ouer his own hart he must fight against his own rebellious flesh and crucifie it yea he must haue experiēces of Gods power strēgthning him in many tēptatiōs before he shal be assured of his attaining to the kingdome of heauen XXII Thus much concerning faith it self now followe the fruits and benefites of faith By meanes of this speciall faith the elect are truely ioined vnto Christ and haue an heauenly communion and fellowshippe with him and therfore doe in some measure inwardly feele his holie spirite moouing and stirring in them as Rebecca felt the Twins to stirre in hir wombe Christ is as the heade in the bodie euerie beleeuer as a member of the same body now as the head giueth sense and motion to the members and the members feele themselues to haue sense and to moue by meanes of the head so doth Christ Iesus receiue and quicken euerie true beleeuer and by his heauenly power maketh him to doe the good which he doth And as from the stocke sappe is deriued to the graft that it may liue and grow and bring foorth fruite in his kinde so doe all the faithfull that are grafted into Christ the true Vine And as the graft loseth his wilde nature and is chaunged into the nature of the stocke and bringeth forth good fruit so in like manner it is with them that are in Christ who by little and little are whollie renewed from euill to good XXIII The elect being thus ioyned vnto Christ receiue three wonderfull benefites from him Iustification Adoption Sanctification Iustification is when the elect being in themselues rebellious sinners and therefore firebrandes of hell fire and Gods owne enemies yet by Christ they are accepted of the Lord as perfectlie pure and righteous before him XXIIII This Iustification is wrought in this maner Sinne is that which maketh a man vnrighteous and the childe of wrath and vengeance In sinne there are three things which are hurtfull to man the first is Condemnation which commeth of sinne the seconde is the
inuention of man the religionâ— the Church of Rome is quite contrarie to it selfâ— â—herefore it is onely an inuenti on of man which if â—t be true as well a reprobate as any other may performe the things required in it The proofe THe proposition is most true because it is a priuiledge of Gods worde and so of â—he true religion gathered foorth of it to be consonant to it selfe in al points which proâ—erly no doctrines nor writings beside can â—aue The Assumption may bee made maâ—ifest by an induction of particular examâ—les 1 The Church of Rome saith that men â—re saued by grace and againe it saith that men are saued by works A flat contradictiâ—n For Paule saith if election be of grace it â—s no more of workes or els were grace no more grace but if it bee of workes it is no more grace for els were worke no more worke Answer is made Y t in this place Paul speaketh of workes of nature which indeed â—re contrarie to grace but not of workes of regeneration which are not contrarie to grace This answer is false for Paul in a like â—lace vnto this opposeth grace works of regeneration Yee are saued by grace saith he through faith and that not of your selues for it is the gift of God not of works least any should boast himselfe For we are his workmanship created in Christe Iesus vnto good workes that we should walke in them Now let the Church of Rome speake what are the workes of which a man mayâ— most of all boast And what are the workâ— for the doing of which we must be fashioned a new in Christ Iesus Assuredly theâ— must be the works of regeneratioÌ„ dipped died in the bloud of Christ as they speake wherefore it is euident that Pauls meaninâ— is to conclude that if we be saued by grace we caÌ„not be saued by works of regeneratioÌ„ 2 The Church of Rome confuteth anâ— condemneth in Councels derideth thiâ— doctrine that we teach that men are to bâ— iustified by the imputation of the righteouâ—nes of Christ which righteousnes is not iâ— vs but in Christ. And the Rhemists call it phantasticall iustice a new no iustice Bâ—â— herein that Church is contrary to it self foâ— it defendeth workes of supererogation anâ— works of satisfactioÌ„ of one maÌ„ for an otheâ— their ground is because the faithfull 〈◊〉 all meÌ„bers of one bodie haue fellowshiâ— one with an other therefore one may satisfie for an other Heereby it is plaine that the Church of Rome most of all defendeth that imputation of righteousnesse which most of all it hath oppugned For when one man satisfieth for an other the worke of one maÌ„ is imputed to another But what shall one maÌ„ satisfie for an other shal not Christ by his righteousnes satisfie for vs shall God accept the worke of one man for an other not acept the righteousnes of Christ for vs Truely there is greater fellowship and coniunction betweene the head and the members than of the members among themselues because they are ioyned together by meanes of the head 3 It holdeth that the guilt fault of sin may be remitted by Christ yet the temporall punishment of sinne be vnremitted but these are quite coÌ„trarie Paul saith there is now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus Yet if a man were punished for his sinne after he were in Christ had the fault of sin remitted some condemnation should now remaine him And Dauid saith Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth no sin therefore he to whom the Lord imputeth no sinne hath not only the guilt of sinne but also the punishment of his sinne remitted otherwise he could not be blessed but miserable And this agreeth not with gods iustice wheÌ„ the fault is quite pardoned and a man is guiltie of no sinne that then anie punishment should be laide on him And S. Augustine saith that Christ by taking vpon him the punishment of sin and not taking vpon him the fault tooke awaie both the punishment and the fault Wherefore this opinion that Christ hath taken awaie the guilt of sinne ouerthroweth al Satisfactions Purgatorie bicause the fault and guilt being taken away all punishment for sinne is also taken away 5 It teacheth that a man must alwaies doubt of his saluation and likwise it teacheth that in praying we are to call God Father which are things quite contrarie For who can truely call God Father vnlesse he haue the spirite of adoption and be assured that hee is the childe of God For if a man shall call God Father and yet in his heart doubt whether hee bee his Father or not he plaieth the dissembling hypocrite wherefore to doubt of saluation and to say Our Father c. in truth are contrarie 6 The Church of Rome maketh praier to be one of the chiefe means to satisfie for sinnes But praier indeede is an asking of pardon for sinne Now asking of pardon and satisfaction for sinne are contrary therfore by the iudgement of the Papists praier which is a satisfaction is no satisfaction And in deed let vs consider what madnesse is conteined in this popish diuinitie the poore begger commeth very hungry to the rich mans doore to craue his almes and straightwaies by his begging he will merit and deserue it The same dooth the Papist he praieth very poorely for the thing which he wanteth yet he looketh very proudly to merite no lesse than the kindome of heauen by it 7 Doubting of saluation and hope cannot agree together for hope maketh a man not to be ashamed that is it neuer disappointeth him of the thing which he looketh for And therefore it is called the anchor of the soule both sure stedfast which entreth into that which is within the vaile So that true hope and the certaine assurance of saluation goe together 8 True praier and iustification by works cannot stand together For he which praieth truely must be touched inwardlie with a liuely feeling of his owne miserie and of the want of that grace whereof he stands in need Now this cannot be in the heart of â—â—at man that looketh to merite the kingâ—ome of heauen by his workes for he that â—â—n doo this maie iustlie conceiue someâ—hat of his owne excellencie 9 Papists teach that it is great boldnes 〈◊〉 come immediatlie vnto GOD without â—â—e intercession of Saints and therefore â—â—ey vse to pray to Marie that she would â—raie to Christ to helpe them yet on the â—ontrarie when they haue so doone they â—ray to God immediatlie that he would reâ—eiue the intercession of Marie for them And thus they are become intercessors beâ—eene Marie and God Yea when they â—ffer vp Christ praying GOD to accept â—heir gifts and sacrifices the humble priest â—hat will not praie to GOD but by the â—editation of Saints is then a mediator â—etweene Christ Iesus and God his
them pliable that hee draweth them that he openeth their senses heartes eares vnderstandinges that the holie Ghost is their anoyntment and their eye-salue to cleare the eies of their minde to conteine the misteries of Gods word And the difference of illumination in them is threefolde 1. First the knowledge which the reprobate hath concerning the kingdom of heauen is onelie a generall confused knowledge but the knowledge of the elect is pure certaine sure distinct and particular for it is ioined with a feeling and inwarde experience of the thing knowne though indeede the minde of man is able to conceiue more than anie Christian heart can feele and this is to bee seene in Paul who vseth not onelie to deliuer the pointes of Gods word in generall manner but also setteth them downe speciallie in his owne experience So that the enlightning of the reprobate may be compared to the sight of the blind man who sawe men walking like vnto trees that is in motion like men but informe like trees and the elect are like the same blind man who afterward sawe men a far off cleerely 2. Secondlie the knowledge of the wicked puffeth them vp but the knowledge of the godlie humbleth them 3. Lastlie the Elect besides the knowledge of Gods word haue a free franke heart to performe it in their liues and conuersations which no reprobate can haue for their illumination is not ioyned with true and sincere obedience By this it is easie to discerne of the illumination of Anabaptistes or familistes and manie other which brag of the spirit VIII The second is the sight of sinne arising of the knowledge of the lawe To this Ieremie exhorteth the Iewes of his time saying know thine iniquitie for thou hast rebelled against the Lord thy God c. The chiefe cause of the sight of sinne is Christ by his holie spirit who detecteth the thoughts of manie harts and iudgeth the world of sinne The manner of seeing our sinnes must be to knowe them particularlie for the vilest wretch in the world can generallie and confusedlie saie he is a sinner but that the sight of sin may be effectuall to saluation it must bee more speciall and distinct euen in particular sins so that a man may saie with Dauid my sins haue taken such holde of me that I am not able to looke vp they are more in number then the haires of mine heade therefore my heart hath failed me Againe a man must not barely see his particular sins but hee must also see the circumstances of them as namely the feareful curses and iudgements of God which accompanie euerie sinne for the consciences of many tell them of their sinnes in particular yet they cannot bee humbled for them and leaue them because they haue not seene that vgly taile of the curse of God that euerie sinne draweth after it IX The meanes to attaine to the sight of sin is by a diligent examination of a mans owne self This was the practise of the children of Israell in affliction Let vs trie saie they and search our waies and turne again to the Lord. And Dauid giueth the same counsell to Saules Courtiers Tremble and sinne not examine your owne heart on your bed and bee still This examination must bee made by the commandements of the lawe but specially by the tenth which ransacketh the heart to the verie quicke and was the meanes of Paules conuersion For he beeing a proude Pharisee this commaundement shewed him some sinnes which otherwise hee had not knowen and it killed him that is it humbled him If so be it that after examination a man cannot finde out his sinnes as no man shall finde out all his sinnes for the heart of man is a vast gulf of sinne without either bottome or banke and hath infinite hidden corruptions in it then hee must in a godly iealousie suspect himselfe of his vnknowen sinnes As Dauid did saying Who can vnderstande his faultes cleanse mee from my secrete faults And as Paule did I know nothing by my selfe yet am I not thereby iustified And good reason it is why men should suspect themselues of those sinnes which as yet they neuer saw in themselues for that which is highlie esteemed amongst men is abhomination in the sight of God and the verie Angels are not clean in his sight X The third is a sorrow for sinne which is a paine and pricking in the heart arising of the feeling of the displeasure of God and of the iust damnation which followeth after sinne This was in the Iewes after Peters first sermon and in Habacucke at the hearing of Gods iudgments When I heard saith he my bellie trembled my lips shooke at the voice rottennes entred into my bones and I trembled in my selfe that I might rest in the daie of trouble This sorrow is called the spirite of bondage to feare because whē the spirit hath made a mā see his sins he seeth further the curse of the law so he finds himselfe to be in bondage vnder Satan hel death damnatiō at which most terrible sight his heart is smitten with feare and trembling through the consideration of his hellish and damnable estate This sorrowe if it continue and increase to some great measure hath certain Symptomes in the bodie as burning heat rowling of the intrals a pining and fainting of the solide partes XI In the feeling of this sorrow three things are to be obserued The first all men must look that it be seriously soundly wrought in their hearts for looke as men vse to break hard stones into many small pieces and into dust so must this feeling of Gods anger for sinne bruse the heart of a poore sinner and bring it to nothing And that this may so be sorrow is not to be felt for a brunt but very often before the ende of a mans life The Godly man from his youth suffereth the terrors of God Iacob wrestling with the Angel gets the victory of him but yet hee is faine to goe halting to his graue and trale one of his loines after him continually The paschal Lamb was neuer eaten without sowre hearbes to signifie that they which will bee free from the wrath of God by Iesus Christ must feele continually the smart of their owne sinnes The second all men must take heede least when they are touched for their sinnes they besnare their own consciences for if the sorrow be somewhat ouer sharpe they shall see themselues euen brought to the gates of hell and to feele the pangues of death And when a man is in this perplexitie he shall finde it a most hard matter to be freed from it without the maruelous power and strength of Christ Iesus who onely is able to helpe him and comfort him yea many when they are once plunged in this distresse and anguish of soule shall neuer escape it
as may appear in Caine Saul Achitophel Iudas and now of late in Iohn Hoffmeister a monke Latomus who for the space of certaine daies neuer left crying that hee was damned because that hee had wilfully persecuted the Gospell of Christ and so he ended his life Therefore most worthie is Paules counsell for the moderating of this sorrow It is sufficient saith he vnto the incestuous man that hee was rebuked of manie so that now contrariwise ye ought rather to forgiue him and comfort him lest he shoulde be swallowed vp of ouermuch heauines And further hee giueth another reason which followeth lest Sathan should circumuent vs for we are not ignorant of his enterprises And indeed cōmō experiēce sheweth the same that whē any man is most weak then Sathā most of all bestirreth himselfe to worke his cōfusion The third is that all mē which are hūbled haue not like measure of sorrow but some more some lesse Iob felt the hand of God in exceding great measure whē he cried O that my grief were well weied my miseries were laid together in the ballance for it would be now heauier then the sand of the sea therefore my words are now swallowed vp for the arrowes of the Almightie are in me and the venome thereof doth drinke vp my spirite and the terrors of God fight against me The same did Ezechia when on his death bed he said he brake al my bones like a Lion and like a Crane or a swallow so did I chatter I did mourne like a doue c. Contrariwise the thiefe vpon the crosse and Lydia in her conuersion neuer felt any such measure of grief for it is said of her that God opened hir heart to be attentiue to that which Paule spake presently after she intertained Paul and Silas cheerefully in hir house which she coulde not haue done if shee had beene pressed downe with any great measure of sorrowe neither are any to dislike themselues because they are not so much humbled as they see some others for God in great wisedome giueth to euery one which are to bee saued that which is conuenient for their estate And it is often seene in a festred sore that the corruption is let out as well with the pricking of a small pin as with the wide lance of a Raser XII The fourth thing in true humiliation is an holy desperation which is when a man is wholly out of all hope euer to attaine saluation by any strength or goodnes of his owne speaking and thinking more vilely of himselfe then any other can doe and heartily acknowledging himselfe to haue deserued not one onely but euen tenne thousand damnations in hell fire with the diuell and all his Angels This was in Paule when hee said of himselfe that he was the chiefe of all sinners This was in Daniell when in the name of the people of Israell he praied and said O Lorde righteousnes belongeth vnto thee and to vs open shame as appeareth this daie c. Lastly the same was in the prodigall childe who saide Father I haue sinned against heauen and against thee and I am no more worthie to bee called thy sonne XIII Many are of opinion that this sorrow for sin is nothing else but a Melancholike passion but in trueth the thing is farre otherwise as may appeare in the example of Dauid who by all coniectures was least troubled with Melancholie and yet neuer any tasted more deepelie of the sorrow and feeling of Gods anger for sinne then hee did as the booke of Psalmes declareth And if anie desire to knowe the difference they are to bee discerned thus Sorrow for sinne maie be where health reason senses memorie and all are sound but Melancholike passions are where the body is vnsound and the reason senses memorie dulled troubled Secondlie sorrow for sinne is not cured by any Phisicke but onelie by the sprinkling of the bloud of Iesus Christ Melancholike passions are remoued by Physicke diet musicke and such like Thirdlie Sorrowe for sinne riseth of the anger of God that woundeth pearceth the conscience but Melancholike passions rise onelie of meere imaginations stronglie conceiued in the braine Lastlie these passions are long in breeding and come by little and little but the sorrow for sinne vsuallie commeth on a sudden as lightning into a house And yet howsoeuer they are differing it must be acknowledged that they may both concurre together so that the same man which is troubled with Melancholie maie feele also the anger of God for sinne XIIII Thus it appeareth how God maketh the hart fit to receiue faith in the next place it is to be considered howe the Lord causeth faith to spring and to breed in the humbled hart For the effecting of this so blessed a worke God worketh foure things in the hart First when a man is seriously humbled vnder the burden of his sinne the Lord by his spirit makes him lift vp himselfe to consider to ponder most diligentlie the great mercie of God offered vnto him in Christ Iesus After the consideration of Gods mercie in Christ he commes in the second place to see feele and from his heart to acknowledge himselfe to stande in neede of Christ and to stand in neede of euerie drop of his most pretious bloude Thirdlie the Lorde stirreth vp in his heart a vehement desire and longing after Christ and his merites this desire is compared to thirst which is not onelie the feeling of the drines of the stomacke but also a vehement appetite after drinke and Dauid fitlie expresseth it when he saith I stretched foorth my handes vnto thee my soule desireth after thee as the thirstie land Lastlie after this desire he beginnes to praie not for anie worldly benefite but onelie for the forgiuenesse of his sinnes crying with the poore publican O God be merciful to me a sinner Now this praier it is made not for one day onelie but continuallie from daie to daie not with the lippes but with greater sighes groanes of the heart then that they can be expressed with the tongue Nowe after these desires and prayers for Gods mercie ariseth in the heart a liuelie assurance of the forgiuenesse of sinne For GOD who cannot lie hath made his promise Knocke it shall bee opened and againe Before they call I will aunswere and while they speake I will heare Therefore when an humbled sinner commes crying knocking at his mercie gate for the forgiuenesse of sinne either then or shortlie after the Lord worketh in his hart a liuelie assurance thereof And whereas hee thirsted in his hart being scorched with the heate of gods displeasure beating vpon his conscience Christ Iesus giueth him to drink of the well of the water of life freelie hauing dronken thereof he shall neuer be more a thirst but shall haue in him a fountaine of water springing vp
into euerlasting life XV For the better vnderstanding of this that God worketh sowing faith in the hart of man after this manner it must bee obserued that a sinner is compared to a sicke man oft in the scriptures And therefore that the curing of a disease fitly resembleth the curing of sinne A man that hath a disease or sore in his bodie before hee can bee cured of it hee must see it feele paine of it and be in a feare lest it bring him into danger of death after this he shall see himselfe to stande in neede of Phisick and he longeth till he be with the Phisitian when he is once come to him he desireth him of all loues to helpe him to shew the best skill he can he will not spare for any cost then he yeeldes himselfe into the Phisitians handes perswading himselfe that by Gods blessing he both can and will helpe him after this he comes to his former health againe On the same manner euerie man is wounded with the deadly wound of sinne at the very heart and he that woulde bee saued and escape damnation must see his sinne bee sorrowfull for it and vtterlie dispaire of his owne strength to attaine saluation thereby furthermore he must see himselfe to stande in neede of Christ the good Phisition of his soule and long after him and crie vnto him with deepe sighes and grones for mercie after this Christ Iesus will temper him a plaister of his owne heart bloud which beeing applied he shall finde himselfe reuiued and shall come to the assurance of the forgiuenes of all his sinnes So it was in Dauid when he repented of his adulterie and murther First God made him see his sinnes for he saith I know mine iniquities and my sinnes are euer before me Secondly he felt Gods anger for his sinnes make me saith he to heare ioy and gladnes that the bones which thou hast broken may reioice Thirdly hee vtterly dispaired of his owne strength in that he said stablish me with thy free spirit signifying therby vnlesse the Lord woulde staie him with his glorious power he should run headlōg to his own cōfusiō Fourthly he comes to see himselfe stand in great neede of Gods fauour one mercie will not content him hee praieth for the whole innumerable multitude of his mercies to bee bestowed on him to doe away his iniquities Fiftly his desire and his praier for the forgiuenes of his sin are set down in the whole Psalme And in his praier hee gathereth some comfort and assurance of Gods mercie towardes himselfe in that he saith the sacrifices of God are a contrite spirit a contrite and broken heart O God thou wilt not despise XVI There are diuers degrees and measures of this vnfained faith according as there be diuers degrees of Christians some are yet in the wombe and haue their mother the church traueling of them some are new borne babes feeding on the milk of the word some are perfect men in Christ come to the measure of the age of the fulnes of Christ. XVII The least measure of faith that any Christian can haue is compared to the graine of mustard seede the least of all seedes and to flaxe that hath fire in it but so weake that it can neither giue heate nor light but onely maketh a smoake and is called by the name of a litle faith and it may be thus described when a man of an humble heart doth not yet feele the assurance of the forgiuenes of his owne sinnes and yet hee is perswaded they are pardonable desiring that they might be pardoned And therfore praieth to God that he woulde pardon them and giue him strength to leaue them XVIII A litle faith may more plainly be known by considering these foure points first that it is onely in his heart who is humbled for sinne for the Lord dwelleth with him that is of a contrite and humble spirite to receiue the spirite of the humble and to giue life to them that are of a contrite heart Secondly it is in a man especially at the time of his conuersion and calling to Christ after which hee is to growe from faith to faith Thirdly this faith though it be in the hart yet it is not so much felt in the heart this was in Dauid at some times my God my God why hast thou forsaken me saith he The first wordes my God my God are speeches of faith yet the latter why hast thou forsaken me shewe that then he had no feeling of Gods mercie A little faith then is in the heart of a man as in the spring time the fruit is in the bud which yet appeareth not but only hath his nature and substance in the bud Lastly the beginnings and seeds of this faith are three The first is a persuasion that a mans own sins are pardonable this perswasion though it bee not faith yet it is a good preparation to faith For the wicked cut themselues of quite from Gods mercie in that with Cain they say their sinnes are greater then that they can be forgiuen The second is a desire of the fauor mercy of God in Christ of the meanes to attaine to that fauour This desire is a speciall grace of God and it hath the promise of blessednes and it must be distinguished from that desire which wicked men haue who though they desire life eternal as Balam did yet they cannot desire the meanes as faith repentance mortification c. The third is praier for nothing in this world but onely for the forgiuenes of their sins with great sighes and grones from the bottome of the heart which they are not able to expresse as they feele them Nowe this hearty praying and desire for the pardon of sinne can neuer come from the flesh but onely from the spirite who stirreth vp these heauenly motions of longing desiring sighing after remission of sinne and all other graces of God which hee bestoweth vpon his children And where the spirit of Christ dwelleth there must needs be faith for Christ dwelleth in the harts of the faith full by faith Therfore as Rebecca whē she felt the Twins striue in hir wombe though it pained hir yet shee knewe both that she had conceaued and that the children were quicke in hir so they who haue these motions holy affections in them before mentioned may assure themselues that the spirit of God dwelleth in them cōsequently that they haue faith though a weake faith XIX Examples of this small faith are euident in the Apostles who though they beleeued that Christ was the sauior of the world yet they were ignorant of his death and resurrection which are the chiefe meanes of saluation After his resurrection they were ignorant of his ascention of his spiritual kingdome for they dreamed of an earthly kingdome at his death they
of God a most excellent and wonderfull grace of God Salomon matcheth it yea and preferreth it too before al things in this world making it the end of all Without it a man cannot be wise it is the first steppe to wisedome in it is assured strength also it is a welspring of life to eschewe the snares of death The Churches of Iudaea being in peace were edified and walked in the feare of God and were aboundantly filled with the comfort of the holy Ghost In this feare of God there be two partes The first is a perswasion in the heart that a man is in Gods presence and when any by infirmitie forgets God a drawing of himselfe into Gods presence As it was in Dauid I haue saith he set the Lorde alwaies before mee For he is at my right hande therefore I shall not slide And this his beeing in the presence of God hee setteth downe most excellently in the 139. Psalme Enoch walked with God Abraham is commaunded to walke before God and to bee vpright The second part of the feare of God is in Gods presence to stand in awe of him which is when a man takes heede to his waies lest hee offende God This aduise Dauid giues to Saule Counsellers Stande in awe and sinne not Pharao commanded the Midwiues of Egypt to kill all the male children of the Israelites at the birth they did it not because they stoode in awe of God fearing to displease him And hence it is that the godly heare Gods word with feare and trembling XL The third is the hatred and detestation of sinne specially of a mans owne corruptions wherewith a Christian is so turmoiled that in regarde of them and for no other cause he most heartily desireth to be foorth of this most miserable worlde that hee may be disburdened of his sinne and leaue off to displease God Paule feeles in himselfe a huge masse of deadlie corruption it makes him deeme himselfe most miserable and to mourn because he was not deliuered frō it saying Oh miserable man that I am who shall deliuer me from this bodie of Death Againe it is sin that makes the Church cōplain that she is black that the sun hath looked vpō hir therfore she cries Come Lord Iesus come quickly XLI The fourth is ioy of heart in consideration of the nearenes or presence of the terrible day of iudgement The reprobate either trembleth at the consideration of the daie of iudgement or else in the securitie of his heart hee regardeth it not And when hee shall see the signes of the comming of Christ his heart shall faile him for verie feare and he shall call the hilles to fall vpon him but contrariwise the faithfull loue the second comming of Christ and therefore wait and long for it and when they shall see the signes of it they shall lift vp their heads because the ful accomplishment of their redemption is at hand XLII The sanctification of the bodie is when all the members of it are carefully preserued from being meanes to execute any sin and are made the instruments of righteousnes and holines So Paule praied for the Thessalonians that they might knowe howe to possesse their vessels in holines and in honour and not in the lust of concupiscence as the Gentiles doe which know not God And Iob made a couenant with his eies not to looke on a woman In whose example it appeareth how euery member is to be kept pure and holie XLIII If any humbled Christian finde not this measure of sanctification in himselfe yet let him not bee discouraged For if any man haue a willingnes a desire to obey Gods commandements he hath the spirit and he who hath the spirit is in Christ and he who is in Christ shall neuer see damnation And though he faile greatly in the action of obedience yet God will accept his affection to obey as obedience acceptable to him God will approue of thee for his owne worke which he hath wrought in thee and not reiect thee for thine XLIIII From sanctification ariseth repentance For a man cannot hate his owne sinnes before he be sanctified and he cannot truely repent for them before hee hate them Repentance is when a man turnes to God brings forth fruites worthie amendment of life This turning vnto God hath two parts The first a purpose and resolution of heart neuer to sinne any more but to leade a new life This was in Dauid who fully purposed to keepe Gods commandements and applied his heart to fulfill his statutes vnto the end And vnto this did Barnabas exhort the brethren at Antioch that with full purpose of heart they would cleaue vnto the Lord. The second part is an holy labour in mans life and conuersation to purifie and cleanse himselfe from sin of this speaketh Iohn And euerie one that hath this hope in him purgeth himselfe euen as hee is pure This did Dauid practise as may appeare in that hee saide Certainely I haue cleansed my heart in vaine and washed my handes in innocencie If anie maruaile howe repentance followeth sanctification considering it is the first thing of all that the Prophets Apostles and Ministers of God preach vnto the people whome they woulde winne to Christ I answere that all other graces are more hidden in the heart whereas repentance is open and sooner appeareth to a mans owne selfe and to the eies of the worlde It is like the budde in the tree which appeareth before the leafe the blossome the fruite and yet in nature it is the last for a man must bee renewed and come to an vtter disliking of his owne sins before hee will turne from them and leaue them XLV By this it may appeare that there is one maner of sinning in the godly and another in the vngodly though they fall both into one sinne A wicked man when he sinneth in his heart he giueth ful consent to the sin but the godly though they fall into the same sinnes with the wicked yet they neuer giue full consent for they are in their minds willes and affections partly regenerate and partly vnregenerate and therefore their willes will partly abhorre that which is euill according as saint Paule saith of himselfe I delight in the lawe of God according to the inner man but I see an other lawe in my members rebelling against the lawe of my minde and leading mee captiue c. And that the godlie man neuer giueth full consent to sinne it is euident by three tokens First before hee commeth to doe the sinne hee hath no purpose nor desire to doe it but his purpose and desire is to doe the will of God contrarie to that sinne Secondly in the act or doing of the sinne his heart riseth against it yet by the strength of temptation and by the mightie violence of
any euill his hart smote him 2. Sam. 24. 10. Out of this doctrine issueth a notable difference betwixt the wicked the godly In the godly when they are tempred to sin there is a fight between the hart the hart that is betwene the hart it self In the wicked also there is a fight when they are tempted to sinne but this fight is onely betweene the heart and the conscience The wicked man whatsoeuer hee is hath some knowledge of good and euill and therefore when hee is in doing anie euill his conscience accuseth checketh and controuleth him he feeles it stirring in him as if it were some liuing thing that crauled in his body and gnawed vpon his hart and therevpon he is verie often greeued for his sinnes yet for all that hee liketh his sinnes verie well and loueth them and coulde finde in his hart to continue in them for euer so that indeede when hee sinneth hee hath in his hart a striuing and a conflict but that is onlie betweene himselfe and his conscience But the godlie haue an other kinde of battell and conflict for not onelie their consciences pricke them and reproue them for sinne but also their hartes are so renewed that they rise in hatred and detestation of sinne and when they are tempted to euill by their flesh and Sathan they feele a luste and desire to doe that which is good LIIII The second temptation is a quietnesse in the hart of a Christian because hee cannot according to his desire haue fellowshippe with Christ Iesus hee is exercised in this temptation on this manner 1 Christ let him see his excellencie how he is affected towards him 2 Then the Christian considering this desireth Christ and his righteousnes 3 He delighteth himselfe in Christ and hath some inioying of his benefits 4 Then he comes into the assemblie of the Church as into Gods wine-celler that in the word and sacraments he may feele a greater measure of the loue of Christ. 5 But he falles loue sicke that is hee becomes troubled in spirit because he cannot eioy the presence of Christ in the saide manner as he would 6 In this his spirituall sicknes hee first feeles the power of Christ supporting him that the spirite bee not quenched and hee heares Christ as it were whispering in his heart as a man speakes to his friende when hee is comming towardes him a farre off 7 After this Christ comes neerer but the Christian can no otherwise enioy him then a man enioyes the companie of his friend who is on the other side of a wall looking at him through the grate or lattesse 8 Then his eyes are opened to see the causes why Christ so withdrawes himselfe to be his owne securitie and negligence in seeking to Christ his slacknes in spirituall exercises as in prayer and thankes-giuing the deceiptfulnesse and malice of false teachers 9 Then he comes to feele more liuelie his fellowship with Christ. 10 Lastlie he prayeth that Christ would continue with him to the end LV The third temptation is trouble of mind because there is no feeling of Christ at all who seemeth to be departed for a time The exercise of a christiā in this tentatiō is this 1 The poore soule lying as a mā desolate in the night without comfort seekes for Christ by priuate prayer meditation but it will not preuaile 2 He vseth the helpe counsel praier of godlie brethren yet Christ cannot bee found 3 Then hee seekes to godly ministers to receiue some comfort by them by their meanes he can feele none 4 After that all meanes haue bene thus vsed and none will preuaile then by Gods great mercie when he hath least hope hee finds Christ feeles him come againe 5 Presently his faith reuiueth and layeth faster hold on Christ. 6 And he hath an earnest fellowshipp◠with Christ in his hart as before 7 Then comes againe the ioye of the holie ghost the peace of conscience as a sweete sleepe falles vpon him 8 Then his hart ariseth vp into heauen by holie affections and prayers which doe as pillers of smoke mount vpward sweet as myrrhe incense 9 Also hee is rauished there with the meditatiō of the glorious estate of the kingdome of heauen 10 He labours to bring others to consisider the glorie of Christ his kingdome 11 After all this Christ reueiles to his seruāt what his blessed estate is both in this life in the life to come more cleerely thē euer before makes him see those graces which he hath bestowed on him 12 Then the Christian prayeth that Christ would breath on him by his holy spirite that hee may bring forth the fruites of those graces which are in him 13 Lastlie Christ graunteth him this his request LVI The fourth temptation is securitie of hart rising of ouermuch delight in the pleasures of the world The exercise of a Christian in this temptation is this 1 He slumbers and is halfe a sleepe in the pleasures of this world 2 Christ by his word and spirit labours to withdrawe him from his pleasures and to make him more heartilie receiue his beloued 3 But he delayeth to doe it beeing loth to leaue his ease and sweet delights 4 Then Christ awakes him and stirres vp his heart by making him to see the vanitie of his pleasures 5 He then beginnes to be more earnestlie affected towards Christ. 6 With sorrowe hee settes his heart to haue fellowship with Christ after his olde manner and this he expresseth by bringing foorth sweete fruites of righteousnes 7 Then hee feeleth that Christ hath withdrawen his spirit 8 He almost dispaires for this 9 Yet by priuate praier seeks for Christ. 10 When that will not helpe he resorts to the ministers of the word at whose hands hee finds no comfort but discomfort 11 Not recouering his first estate through impatience of the loue of Christ hee makes his miserie knowen to strangers to see if they can comforte him and hee somewhat comforts himselfe in describing Christes excellencie to them 12 They then are rauished with him to seeke Christ and require then to knowe where to finde him 13 Answere is made in the assemblies of the Church 14 After this cōmunication the Christians faith and feeling reuiueth Christ returning to him againe 15 Thē Christ assureth him in his hart of his loue and liking towards him 16 Giuing further assurance to him that he shall grow vp and be made fruitfull in euerie good grace 17 m After this the Christian comes in such a high measure to loue Christ that nothing shal be able to seuer him from Christ. LVII The first temptation is a fall into some great sin as Noah into drunkennes Dauid into adulterie and murder Peter into the deniall of Christ. The exercise of a
she plainly opposed hir self to him wold take no denial for such is the nature of true faith Wherefore the faithfull when they feele theÌ„selues ouerwhelmed with sin turmoiled with coÌ„flicts of satan wheÌ„ they feele y e anger of god offended with theÌ„ yet they can euen theÌ„ lift vp their eie lids giue a glimps at the braseÌ„ Serpent Iesus Christ can fling theÌ„selues into the armes of gods mercy catch hold of the hand of god buffetting theÌ„ kisse it XL. By these teÌ„tatioÌ„s it coms to pas that a ChristiaÌ„ though he cannot fall finally froÌ„ Christ yet he may fall very dangerously froÌ„ his former estate First the graces of god may be by his defalt lessned in him else Paul wold not haue giuen out these exhortatioÌ„s quench not the spirit Grieue not the holy spirit of God by whoÌ„ ye are sealed vnto the day of redemptioÌ„ Secondly the graces of God may be buried in him couered for a time so that he may bee like a man in a traunse who both by his own sense by the iudgement of the phisition is takeÌ„ for dead This was the estate of Peter who though he coÌ„fessed that Christ was the son of the liuing Lord yet he denied him forswore him at the voice of a Damsel Thirdly he may fal againe into the same sin after repentance Indeed this is a dangerous fal yet it may befal a true christian Otherwise wheÌ„ as the Israelits gods people had fallen away froÌ„ him by their sins idolatries he wold not stil haue offered theÌ„ mercie as he doth by his prophets And Paul praieth the Corinthians in Christs stead that they would be recoÌ„ciled to God who neuertheles had once before bene reconciled to God Fourthly he may commit a sinne of presumption which is a fearefull sinne being done wittinglie of knowledge and willinglie and with some wilfulnesse Therefore Dauid prayed keepe thy seruant presumptuous sinne and to shewe himselfe to be in danger of it hee prayeth further let them not haue dominion ouer mee Lastly hee may fall into dispaire of Gods mercie for a time and this is a dangerous sinne For he which dispaires makes all the promises of God to bee false and this sinne of all other is most contrarie to true sauing faith In this estate was Dauid wheÌ„ being in trouble hee said this is my death And Paul shewes that the incestuous man might haue fallen into desperation when hee sayth Comfort him least hee bee swallowed vp of ouermuch heauinesse And it must bee remembred that the Church of Rome erreth in this that she teacheth desperation to bee a sinne against the holie Ghost This sinne against the holie Ghost is a blasphemie spoken against the knowen truth of Gods worde of a wilfull and obstinate malice But desperation may arise through ignorance of a mans owne estate through horror of conscience for sinne through an often relapse into some sinne through the ouerdeepe consideration of a mans owne vnworthines Lastly by abiuration of the truth through compulsion feare This befell Frances Spira who after his Apostasie dispaired Yet they are much ouerseene that write of him as of a damned creature For first who can tell whether hee dispaired finally or not Secondly in the verie middest of his desperation he complained of the hardnes of his heart which made him that he could not praie no doubt then he felt his hardnes of heart and the feeling of corruption in the heart is by some contrarie grace so that he was not quite bereft of al goodnes though he neither felt it then nor shewed it to the beholder LXI The cause why a ChristiaÌ„ caÌ„not fall away froÌ„ grace is this after that he is sanctified he receiueth froÌ„ god another special grace which may be called CorroboratioÌ„ For he hath in him not only the sanctifying but also the strengthning power of Christ. Therfore Paul praieth for the EphesiaÌ„s that they may be strengthned in the inner maÌ„ for the CollossiaÌ„s that they might be strengthned with the glorious power of Christ. And of himself he saith that he is able to do al things through the power of Christ that streÌ„gthen him Dauid saith that God renueth theÌ„ that fear him as the Eagle renueth hir decaied strength And Iob shewes worthily that they which by preaching of the word are reconciled vnto God are restored againe and gather new strength so that their flesh becomes as the flesh of yong children From hence as from a special cause ariseth patience perseuerance vnto the end for when a man is supported by the power of Christ hee may be able to beare many crosses patieÌ„tly with a coÌ„â—ented mind perseuer in bearing of it how long so euer the crosse endureth Thus much of the estate of a Christian in this life Now I wil ad some reasons in the way of perswasion to all meÌ„ but especially to worldlings to loose professors of the Gospell that they woulde vtterly deenie themselues vse all meanes to become true ChristiaÌ„s by being made new creatures in Christ and by leading such a life as may adorne the Gospell of Christ. My first reason is this the man that liueth in this world nor beeing a true Christian is farre more vile then the basest creature of all euen the Dogge or Toade For first he is nothing els but a filthy dunghill of all abhomination and vncleannes the stinke whereof hath infected heauen and earth and no perfumes coulde euer delaie it in the nostrils of God but onely the suffering of Christ beeing a sacrifice of a sweet smelling sauour to God Wee make it very daintie to come nere a lazar man that is full of botches blaines sores but much more are those men to bee abhorred which haue lien many yeares starke dead in sins and trespasses therfore now do nothing els but rot stinke in theÌ„ like vgly lothsome carrions SecoÌ„dly he which is no ChristiaÌ„ is vnder the power of darknes hauing Sathan for his Prince and God and giuing vnto him in token of homage his best partes euen his minde and conscience to bee his dwelling place and his whole conuersation is nothing else but a perperuall obedience to Sathan If Atheists worldlings carnal gospelers were perswaded of the truth of this as it is most true it would make them howle cry though now they liue at ease without feeling any prick of conscience for sinne And if they had but the least sense of it in the worlde it woulde make their flintie hearts to bleede and it woulde make them shedde riuers of teares But how long shall they continue in this vile estate Truely vntill they come to Christ awake therefore thou that sleepest and stand vp from the dead and Christ shall giue thee light Open thine heart to receiue Christ and then hee will come binde
of the last commandement perceiued thereby that the desires and lusts of his hart to which he did not yeeld his consent were sinnes damnable before God and knowing this he then saw himself to be most miserable renoūcing his owne righteousnes he sought for righteousnes in Christ. Lastly it teacheth that originall sinne is done away in Baptisme and that is the least sinne of all other What is this but to extenuate mās corruption for when the root of corruptiō is takē away and it is made so little a sinne actuall sinnes cannot bee taken for such heinous matters And for the second point the Church of Rome dooth too too much extoll the power of man and his naturall strength It saith that all actions of men vnregenerate are not sinnes and that originall sinne needeth no repentance that a man hath some free will to do spirituall things that a man by meere naturales may loue God aboue all things feare God beleeue in Christ if we respect the very acte of the worke that the Gentiles might gather out of Philosophie knowledge sufficient for saluatiō that a man without the helpe of the holy Ghost may performe things acceptable to God that the minde of man vnderstandeth of it selfe manye things which be spirituall and heauenly that a man regenerate may fulfill the whole lawe of God that a man may prepare himself to receiue grace to merit grace at Gods hands that he may do works of Supererogation c. By this it appeareth y t the church of Rome ascribeth to much to the nature of mā which is only altogether euill dead in sinne chained vp in miserable bōdage vnder Sathā the prince of darknes and therefore it is euident that all the preaching that is vsed in that Church will not humble a sinner and make him denie himselfe therefore their preaching may peraduenture benumme a corrupt conscience and make it secure but it cannot pacifie the troubled conscience nor disquiet it by the threatnings of the law that by the promises of the Gospell it maie be quieted Againe this religion teacheth that a man must doubt of his saluation as long as he is in this life behold a Racke or Gibbet erected by the church of Rome for the tormenting of tender consciences for when a man doubteth of his saluatiō he also doubteth of Gods loue and mercie to him he which doubteth of Gods loue cannot loue God again for how can anie man loue him of whose good will he doubteth and when a man hath not the loue of God in him he hath no grace in him therefore his conscience must needes be defiled and voide of true peace yea he must needes be a wicked man and that saying of Salomon must needes agree to him The wicked flieth whē no man pursueth by reason of the guiltines of his conscience but the godlie is bold as a Lion Againe Blessed is the man saith Dauid whose sinnes are pardoned where hee maketh remission of sinnes to bee true felicitie nowe there is no true felicitie but that which is inioied and felicitie cannot be inioied vnlesse it bee felt and it cannot be felt vnlesse a man know himselfe to be in possession of it a man cannot know himselfe to be in possession of it if he doubt whether hee hath it or not and therefore this doubting of the remission of sinnes is contrarie to true felicitie is nothing else but a torment of the conscience For a man cannot doubt whether his sinnes be pardoned or not but strait waie if his conscience bee not seared with an hoat iron the verie thought of his sinne will strike a great feare into him for the feare of eternall death and the horror of Gods iudgements will come to his remembrance the consideration of which is most terrible Vndoubtedlie this religion must needes be comfortlesse Alas poore men as we are we are no better then passengers in this worlde our waie it is in the middle of the Sea where wee can haue no sure footing at all and which waie so euer wee cast our eies wee see nothing but water euen opening it selfe to deuoure vs quicke the Diuell and our rebellious flesh raise vp against vs infinite thousandes of tempestes and stormes to ouerthrowe vs but beholde God of his great and endlesse mercie hath brought vs to Christ as to a sure Ancker holde hee bibddeth vs to vndoo our Gables and fling vp our Anckers within the vaile and fasten them in Christ we do it as we are commanded but a Sister of ours I meane the Church of Rome passing in the Ship with vs as it seemeth who hath long taken vppon hir to rule the healme dealeth too too vnkindelie with vs shee vnlooseth our Anckers and cutteth in pieces our Gables shee telleth vs that wee maie not presume to fasten our Ancker on the rocke shee will haue vs freelie to roue in the middle of the Sea in the greatest fogges and the fearefullest tempestes that bee if wee shall follow hir aduise wee must needes looke for a Shippewracke for the least flawe of winde shall ouerturne vs and our poore soules shall bee plunged in the gulphs of hell Lastlie Iustificatiō by works causeth trouble disquietnes to the cōscience No mās conscience can bee appeased before Gods wrath be appeased Gods wrath cānot be appeased by anie workes for the best works the regenerate can doe are imperfect and are stained with some blemish of corruption as may appeare both in the Prophet Esai and in Paule both which had a great misliking of that good which they did because it was mingled with sin And againe euerie man is bound by duetie to keepe the whole lawe so that if a man could keepe it perfectlie he should doe no more then that he is by duetie inioined to doe and therefore he which looketh to merite eternal life at Gods hand by keeping the lawe trusteth but to a broken staffe and is like the Bankrupt that will paie one debt by another for by his sinne euerie man is indebted to the Lord and is bound to answere to the Lord the full punishment of all his sinnes this debt the Papist saith we maie discharge by obedience to the law that is by a new debt which we are as well bounde to paie to our God as the former To end this point let a man looke to bee saued by works and therefore let a man imploie himselfe to do the best works he can yet he shall neuer come to knowe when he hath done sufficient to satisfie Gods wrath and this vncertaintie all his life but especiallie in the houre of death must needes disquiet him And truelie when a man shall haue done manie thousand workes yet his heart can neuer be at quiet as it appeareth in the young man who though hee had laboured all his life to fulfill the law thereby to be saued yet
and quaffing and all such like Galathians 5. 19. 20. 22. All these they cannot proceede from thee Sathan or from my fleshe but onelie from faith which is wrought in me by gods holie spirite Sathan If this were so God would neuer suffer thee to sinne as thou doest Christian. I shall sinne as long as I liue in this worlde I am sure of it because I am taught to aske remission of my sinnes continually But the manner of my sinning now is otherwaies than it hath beene in times past I haue sinned heretofore with ful purpose and consent of will but now doubtles I doo not Before I commit anie sinne I do not go to the practising of it with deliberation as the carnall man doth who taketh care to fulfill the lustes of the flesh but if I doo it it is flat beside my minde and purpose In the doing of anie sinne I woulde not doe it my heart is against it and I hate it and yet by the tyrannie of my flesh being ouercome I doe it afterwardc when it is committed I am grieued and displeased at my selfe and doe earnestlie with teares aske at Gods hands forgiuenesse of the same sinne Sathan Indeede this is verye true in the children of God but thou art solde vnder sinne and with great pleasure doest commit sinne louest it with thy whole heart otherwise thou wouldest not fall to sinne againe after repentance and commit euen one and the same sinne so often as thou doest Thou hypocrite this thy behauiour turneth all the fauour of God from thee Christian. Nay it is the order of the Prophets to call men to repentance which haue fallen from the feare of God and from the repentance which they professed and God in thus calling him putteth them in hope of obtaining mercie And the law had sacrifices offered euery day for the sinnes of all the people and for particular men both for their ignorances and their voluntarie sinnes which signifieth that God is readie to forgiue the sinnes of his children yea if they sinne daily Abraham twise lied and swore that Sara was not his wife Ioseph swore twise by the life of Pharao Dauid coÌ„mitted adulterie often because he tooke vnto him Bathsheba Vriahs wife also kept sixe wiues and ten concubines Gods will is that meÌ„ forgiue till seuentie seuen times and therefore he will shew much more mercie And for my part so oft as I shall fall into the same sin so oft I shall haue Christ my aduocate and intercessour to the father for me who will not damne me for the infirmitie which he findeth in me I will abstaine from externall iniquitie and I wil not make my members seruants vnto sinne and so long I trust my imperfections shall haue no power to damne mee for Christes perfection is reputed to be mine by faith which I haue in his bloud God is not displeased if my bodie be sicke and subiect to diseases no more is he displeased at the disease and sicknesse of the soule A naturall father will â—ot slay the bodie of his childe when he is sicke and abhorreth comfortable meates and my heauenly father will not condemne my soule although through the infirmitie of faith and the weakenesse of the spirit I commit sinne and often loath his heauenâ—y word the food of my soule Nay which â—s a strange thing I know it by experience â—hat God hath turned my filthie sinnes to my great profit and to the amendment of my life like as the good Phisition of ranke â—oison is able to make a soueraigne medicine to preserue life Sathan Well be it that now thou art in the state of grace yet thou shalt not continue so but shalt before death depart from Christ. Christian. I know I am a meÌ„ber of Christs misticall bodie I feele in my selfe the heauenlie power and vertue of my head Christ Iesus and for this cause I cannot perish but shall continue for euer and raigne in Heauen after this life with him The conflicts of Sathan with the weake Christian. Sathan THy minde is full of ignorance and blindnes thy heart is full of obstinacie rebellion and frowardnes against God thou art whollie vnfit for anie good work wherfore thou hast no faith neither canst thou be iustified and accepted before God Christian. If I haue but one drop of the grace of God and if my faith bee no more than a litle graine of mustard seede it is sufficient for mee God requireth not perfect faith but true faith Sathan Yea but thou hast no faith at all Christian. I haue had faith Sathan Thou neuer hadst true faith foâ— in time past when according to thine own opinion thou didst beleeue then thou hadst nothing but a shadow of faith and a foolish imagination which all hypocrites haue Christian. I wil put my trust in god for euer his former mercies shewed mee heretofore strengtheÌ„ me now in this my weaknes 1. He created me when I was nothing 2. He created me a man when he might haue made me an vglie Toade 3. He made me of comelie bodie and of good discretioÌ„ wheras he might haue made me vglie deformed franticke mad 4. I was borne in the daies of knowledg when I might haue beene borne in the time of ignorance and superstition 5. I was borne of Christian parents but God might haue giuen me either Turks or Iewes or some other sauage people for my parents 6. I might haue perished in my mothers wombe but he hath preserued me and prouided for me by his prouidence euen vnto this houre 7. Soone after my birth God might haue cast me into hell but contrariwise I was baptized and so receiued the seale of his blessed couenant 8 I haue had by Gods goodnesse some sorrowe for my sinnes past and haue called on him in hope and confidence that heâ— would heare me 9 God might haue concealed his worâ— from mee but I haue heard the plentifuâ— preaching of it I vnderstand it and hauâ— receiued comfort by it 10 Lastly at this time God might powâ—â— his full wrath on me which he dooth noâ— but mercifully maketh me to feele miâ—… owne wants that I might be humbled aâ—… giue all glorie vnto him for his blessingâ— Wherefore there is no cause why I shouâ—â— bee disquieted but I will trust still in tâ—â— Lord and depend on him as I haue done Sathan Thou feelest no grace of the hâ—… lie Ghoste in thee nor anie true tokens 〈…〉 faith but thou hast a liuely sense of the râ—bellion of thy heart and of thy lewde aâ—â— wretched conuersation therefore thâ— canst not put anie confidence in Christâ— death and sufferings Christian. Yet I will hope against all hopâ— and although according to mine owâ— sense and feeling I want faith yet I will bâ— leeue in Iesus Christ and trust to be sauâ— by him Sathan Though the children of GOD haue beene in many perplexities yet neuer any of them haue bin in
Churches of Macedonia liberallie not onelie according to their power but also straining themselues beyonde their power Yea this reliefe must goe further euen to the bestowing of a mans life if neede so require As saint Iohn saith Hereby wee haue perceaued Loue that hee laide downe his life for vs therefore wee ought also to laie downe our liues for the bretheren L The fourth worke is true praier and saint Luke setteth out the faithfull and the children of God by this description That they call on the name of the Lorde As on the contrarie it is saide of the wicked That they call not vpon GOD. The true Christian calleth on the Lorde in truth For the spirite of adoption which is the spirite of Praier is his Schoolemaister to teach him to doe it In Praier hee is thus disposed First before hee praieth hee is stricken with some feare and reuerence in regarde of GODS Maiestie for hee considereth that praier is a familiar talking with God Secondlie hee is inwardlie touched with a liuelie feeling of his owne wants but especially hee is vexed and grieued at his owne sinne and rebellion and this sense of his miserie is as a spurre to quicken his benummed heart Thirdly hee humbleth himselfe before his God and laieth open his heart before the Lorde shewing a feruent and longing desire to obtaine those thinges of which he findeth an extreame want in himselfe as the Prophet Dauid did whose desire was like the yawning of the drie ground and this proceedeth from the spirite of God which stirreth vp groaninges in the heart which a man oftentimes for his life cannot expresse Fourthlie when hee maketh his request hee doubteth not but by faith hee beleeueth that God will graunt his requestes which hee maketh according to his worde The ground of this perswasion is double First Christ Iesus by whose merites as hee hath obtained remission of sinnes so he looketh to obtaine all things else The other ground is the comfortable promises of God which he hath made that he will heare them who truely call vpon him Fifthlie hee praieth not for a brunt or two but hee continueth in praier And although God seeme not to heare him at the first yet hee patiently waiteth on the Lord and still calleth vpon him LI The first worke is to walke in some lawfull calling with painefulnesse and vprightnesse so that in performing all the dueties of it a man may keepe a good conscience before God and men Thus Dauid determined to walke in the gouernement of his house and kingdome I will doe wiselie saith hee in the perfect waie till thou commest to mee I will walke in the vprightnesse of mine heart in the middest of mine house I will sette no wicked thing before mine eies I hate the worke of them that fall awaie it shall not cleaue vnto me This sinceritie of Dauids behauiour in his calling made him bold to offer himselfe to be tried not onely by men but much more by the Lord God himselfe and to bee punished accordingly Iudge mee O Lorde saith hee for I haue walked in mine innocencie prooue mee O Lorde and trie mee examine my reines and mine heart So vpright and cleare was hee in all his doings LII Thus much of faith and the benefites that come by faith Nowe followeth the spirituall exercise of a Christian in his manifolde temptations which are in this life inseparable companions of grace The reason is because the diuell hateth Christ with a deadly hatred and sheweth this hatred in a continuall persecution of his members as saint Iohn saith the Dragon was wroth with the Woman and went and made warre with the remnant of hir seed which kept the commandementes of God and haue the testimonie of Iesus Christ. Now therefore as soone as Christ Iesus beginneth to shewe anie token of his loue to anie man the Deuill contrariwise sheweth foorth his enmitie and stirres vp his fellow champions the flesh and the worlde to war against him for his confusion And furthermore the Lord in great wisedome permits temptations to the last ende of a Christian mans life to trie his faith to purge him of sinne to humble him and to make him depende of his maiestie to quicken and reuiue the graces of his spirit which otherwise would be dead and decay LIII The temptations of a Christian are specially sixe The first is when inwardly in his hart he is drawen away and entised by his owne concupiscence vnto anie sinne The Christians exercise in temptation is fight and battell betwixt the flesh and the spirit And this fighting standeth in foure things First the flesh stirres vp euill thoughtes and desires as a burning furnace continually â—endeth vp smoke and sparkes of fire and it â—ggeth a man forward to euill wordes and deeeds according to that of Saint Marke For from within euen from the hart of man proceed euill thoughts adulteries fornications murders theftes couetousnes wickednes deceite vncleannesse a wicked eye backbiting pride folishnes 2 The flesh hindreth and choketh the good motions desires of the hart as Paul saith I see an other law in my members rebelling against the law of my mind and leading me captiue to the law of sinne which is in my members Again the same flesh mingleth euerie good motioÌ„ and desire with some corruptions so that the godlie mislike the best thing they doe Esay saith of his owne the peoples righteousnes that it is but as a menstruous cloute The prayers of the saintes must be performed with swete odours before they can ascend vp sweete sauorie into the nostrilles of God And Paul said of himself he did that which he disliked not that he was ouertaken with grosse sins but because when hee was to do his dutie the flesh hindred him that he could not do that which he did exactly and soundly according to his wil and desire euen as a man who hath a iorney to go his mind is to dispatch it in all hast yet when he is in his trauel he goes but slowly by reason of a lamenesse in his ioints 3 The spirit on the contrarie kindles in the hart good motions desires puts a man forward to good words and deeds as it was in Dauid I will praise the Lord saith he who hath giuen me counsell my reines also teach me in the night season 4 The spirit rebuks a man for his euil intents desires and represseth the face of them and as it were nips them in the head Thus Esay describeth the inward motions of the spirit And thine eares shal heare a word behind thee saying this is the way walke yee in it when thou turnest to the right hand and when thou turnest to the left And Saint Iohn saith The spirit iudgeth the world of sinne This was in Dauid who when he did
Christian in this temptation is this 1 At the first his heart is vsually dulled â—nd made secure with sinne 2 Yet after a while there ariseth in his hart a godlie sorrow which is when hee is greued for the only cause that by his sin he hath displeased God who hath bene to him so louing mercifull a father whose fauor he would be content to purchasse so hee might haue it and obtaine it euen with the damnation of his owne soule 3 TheÌ„ he begins to repent himself of his sins renewing a fresh his former repentaÌ„ce 4 u This repentaÌ„ce he sheweth by 7. signes 1 A care to leaue that sin into which he is falleÌ„ As they which crucified our sauior Christ wheÌ„ they were pricked in their harts at Peters SermoÌ„ they shewed this care in saiing men brethren what shal we do to be saued 2 An Apologie which is wheÌ„ a man in the heauines of his hart shall not excuse or defend his sin but coÌ„fesse it to the lord vtter ly condeÌ„ne himselfe for it acknowledging withal y t there is no way to escape y t wrath of god but by hauing gods fre pardoÌ„ in christ 3 Indignation which is an inward anger and fretting against his owne selfe because he was so carelesse in looking to his owne waies Peter wheÌ„ he had denied his maister he wept that bitterly which sheweth y t with sorow he had also an anger against himself 4 A feare rising not so much froÌ„ the iudgments of God as froÌ„ this lest he shold hereafter fall into the same sin againe and by so doing more greeuouslie displease God 5 A desire euer after more carefully to plese god 6 Zeale in the seruice of God 7 Reuenge vpon himselfe for his former offences for example if a man sin in surfetting and dronkennes if he euer repent hee will bring vnder his corrupt nature by sparing and moderating himselfe LVIII The sixt temptation is outward afflictioÌ„s which the godly in this life must suffer If any will go after Christ he must denie himself take vp his owne crosse follow him And S. Peter saith that iudgment begins at Gods house And Paul that we must enter into the kingdome of heauen through manifold temptations The exercise of a Christian in afflictions is this 1 At the first they are very heuie bitter 2 He suffereth theÌ„ with great lenitie and patience submitting himselfe vnder the hand of God Yet if they bee in any great measure they will driue him to impatience 3 If they continue he shall feele according to his owne iudgement the wrath displeasure of his hart 4 His old sinnes wil come a fresh into his remembrance and trouble him Hee is sleepie and in his sleepe hee hath visions and dreames and anxietie of spirit 5 In this miserie God supports his faith that it faile not and he then forsake Christ. 6 He feling thus gods power to strengthen him hath experience of it in himselfe 7 From experience proceeds hope that the grace of God shall neuer bee wanting vnto him in anie afflictions to come and as he hopeth so it comes to passe 8 With this hope is ioyned a serious humiliation before the Lord with the fruit of peace and righteousnes If the afflictions bee for Christes cause vnto death then he in more speciall maner is filled with the ioy of the holie ghost and he is then stablished with the greatest measure of the strength of Christ that no torment is able to foyle him and to bring him froÌ„ Christ though the Christian should die a thousand times for it According to that of Paul To you it is giuen for Christ not onelie to beleue in him but also to suffer for his sake And this is grounded vpon the promise of God WheÌ„ thou passest through the waters I wil be with thee through the flouds that they do not ouerflow thee when thou walkest through the very fire thou not be burnt neither shall the flame kindle vpoÌ„ thee LIX Hence ariseth a notable differeÌ„ce betwen the godly the wicked in the suffering of afflictions A reprobate the more the Lord laieth his hand on him the more hee murmureth rebelleth against God it is contrary with the true christian None feeleth more the power rebellion of sin then he none is more assalted by sathan then he often times it cometh to passe that God withdraweth the signes of his fauor from him lets him feele his wrath And this is the greatest temptation of all other when a man shall see the Lord to be his enimie to his thinking to arme himself against him to his destruction As Ezechias did who saith that the Lord did crash his bones like a Lion Or as Iob saith that the arrowes of the almightie were in him the venime thereof drunke vp his spirit the terrors of god did fight against him Yet the true Christian when the world the flesh the deuill God himself too are against him doth euen then most of al rest in the Lord by faith cleue to him Though God should destroy me yet would I trust in him saith Iob. And Dauid saith my God my God why hast thou forsaken me When he saith that God had forsaken him it may seeme to be the complaint of a desperate maÌ„ not hauing so much as one spark of faith yet then he saith my God my God which words contain a confession proceeding froÌ„ true faith so y t in Dauid it appeareth that the faithful wheÌ„ they feele theÌ„selues forlorne vtterly reiected of god according to y e sense iudg ment of y e flesh yet by faith they can apprehend his hiddeÌ„ mercy behold it a far off in the glasse of his promise And so they do often shew contrary affectioÌ„s in their praiers as Dauid doth Iacob when he wrastled with the Angel for life death neuer gaue ouer wheÌ„ he was foild he wold not cease before the Lord had blessed him This his wrastling is a type of the coÌ„flicts which the faithful are to haue with y e lord himself who vseth to bring his own children as it were to the field he assaileth theÌ„ with the one hand with the other he holdeth them vp that so he may proue exercise their faith And for this cause the Church is called Israel by the name of Iacob An exaÌ„ple may be had in the woman of Canaan First our sauior Christ gaue hir faith by y t faith she was moued to seeke to him But when sheâ— was once come to him he gaue hir three repulses First by saying nothing Secondly by denying hir thirdly by calling hir dog Thus Christ in apperance made shew as though he wold neuer haue granted hir request But she at euery repulse was more instaÌ„t crying more earnestly vnto him