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
plucked out their eies to haue done him good yet they fell from the doctrine which hee had taught them to iustification by the works of the Lawe which flat ouerthroweth iustification by faith alone The same appeareth in Iehu who was very zealous for Gods cause and for the defacing of Idolatrie and thereupon God blessed him in his children yet neuerâ—helesse he was a wicked man and followed â—ha vile sinnes of Ieroboam his father XXVI After that hee hath sinned hee doth in many things in which he is faultie amende and reforme his life and doth professe great holines outwardly Herode hee did manie thinges which Iohn Baptist in preaching moued him vnto Saule when he was to be chosen king professed great humilitie Sam. 9. 21. They may represse their vices corruptions and so moderate themselues that they breake not out as did Haman of whom it is written that when he was full of indignation against Mardocheus yet he refrained himselfe And herein the elect and the reprobate differ for the elect are somewhat reformed in euerie one of their sinnes But the reprobate though hee be amended in manie faults yet some one fault or other he cannot abide to haue it reformed and by that in a vile manner the diuel wholly possesseth him As Herode who did manie thinges yet woulde not leaue his brothers wife And no doubt in Iudas most of his sinnes in appearance were mortified and yet by couetousnes the diuel possessed him and held him fast chained in bondage vndâ— him For one sinne is sufficient to him thâ— by it he may bring a man to damnation XXVII Beside this he may haue the gift of woâ—king miracles of casting forth diuels of heâ—ling and such like And this power of dâ—ing strange miracles shall be vsed as an eâ—cuse of some of the reprobates in the day â— iudgement XXVIII Ofrentimes vnto him is giuen the gift of the holie Ghost to discharge the moâ— waightie calling that can bee in anie Common wealth And this is meant when Goâ— is saide to giue Saule another heart that is such vertues as were meete for a King XXIX A reprobate may haue the word of Goâ— much in his mouth and also may be a preacher of the word for so prophesying in Christâ— name shall bee vsed as an excuse of reprobates and we know that among the twelue Apostles Iudas was a reprobate And this may bee well perceiued in the resemblance of tasting which the Author to the Hebrewes vseth We know that Cookes commonlie which are occupied in preparing of banquets haue as much feeling and seeing of the meate as anie other and yet there is none that eateth lesse of it than they for their stomacks are cloied with the smell and tast of it So in like manner it may come to passe that the Minister which dresseth and prouideth the spirituall foode may eate the least of it himselfe and so labouring to saue others he may be a reprobate XXX When as a reprobate professeth thus much of the Gospel though in deede he be a Goate yet hee is taken for one of Gods sheepe hee is kept in the same pastures and is foulded in the same fould with them He is counted a Christian of the children of God so he taketh himself to be no doubt because through the dulnes of his heart he cannot trie and examine himself and therfore truely cannot discerne of his estate whether hee be in Christ or not and it may be thought that Satan is readie with some false perswasion to deceiue him For this is his property that vpon whom God threatneth death there Satan is bolde to pronounce life and saluation as on the contrarie to those to whom God pronounceth loue and mercie to those I say he threateneth displeasure and damnation such malice hath he against Gods children XXXI And hereby it commeth to passe that an hypocrite may be in the visible Church and obey it in the word and discipline and so bee taken for a true member of Christ when as a man in deede regenerate may be excommunicate and end his life before he be receiued againe for this is the end of excommunication that the flesh that is the part vnregenerate may be destroied and the spirit that is the part regenerate may be kept aliue in the daie of the Lord. Nowe the man in whom is spirite and flesh must needes be the child of God because this argueth that he hath the sanctifying spirite of Christ. Againe Paule when he biddeth the Corinthians to comfort the incestious man least through the sleight of Satan he should be ouerwhelmed of ouermuch heauines giueth men to vnderstand that he might haue ended his life in great extremitie of sorrowe before hee had been visiblie receiued into the Church againe XXXII Though God will neuer adopt any reprobate yet by the adoption of the elect they may receiue profite For they finde â—he blessing of God to be on them by reaâ—on that they dwell together and haue sociâ—tie with the children of God For Nohes â—ake euerie one in his familie is saued in the â—lood For Lots cause the men of Zoar are â—reserued from the fire And God woulde haue spared Sodome if there had beene but ten good men in it For Rahabs cause her familie and kindred are at libertie in Ierico When Ioseph was in Putiphars house all thinges prospered well For Samuels cause the Israelites were deliuered from the Philistines And for Paules cause they which were with him in the ship were preserued And againe a reprobate by meanes of the faith of either of his parents may be within Gods couenant and so may be made partaker of Baptisme one of the seals of the couenant Forso God made his couenant with Abraham that he woulde be not only his God but also the God of his seede after him which Paule expoundeth not of a fewe but of all nations Also he saith manifestly that those children either of whose parents are beleeuers or holie which holines is not inherent in their persons but onely outwarde and it is a spirituall prerogatiue graunted them of God in that he vouchsafeth them to be in his couenant whereby they are distinguished from the wicked and prophane men of the world XXXIII Besides this reprobates haue some prerogâ—atiues of God as that he is patieÌ„t towards them that before he will destroy them he vseth many meanes to winne them that they commonly spend all the daies of their liues in prosperitie insomuch that it is saide of them in the Psalme that they goe in continuall prosperitie vnto their death and pine not away as the children of God doe But after a certaine time God in his iust iudgement hardeneth their harts blindeth the eies of their minds he maketh their heads giddie with a spirituall drunkennes and by the strength of their inward lusts as also by the effectuall
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
elect haue in themselues the spirit of Iesus Christ testifying vnto them perswading them that they are the adopted children of God For this cause the holie Ghost is called the spirit of adoption because it worketh in vs the assurance of our adoption and it is called a pawne or earnest For as in a bargaine when part of the price is paied in earnest then assurance is made that men will pay the whole so wheÌ„ the child of God hath receiued thus much froÌ„ the holy ghost to be perswaded that he is adopted chosen in Christ he maie be in good hope and he is alreadie put in good assurance fullie to inioy eternall life in the kingdom of heaueÌ„ Indeed this testimonie is weake in most men can scarce bee perceiued because most Christians though they may be old in respect of yers yet they are babes in Christ not yet come to a perfect grouth may find in themselues great strength of sin and the graces of God to be in small measure in theÌ„ And again the children of God being most distressed as in time of triall in the houre of death then the inward working of the holy ghost is felt most euidently But a reprobate cannot haue this testimonie at al though in deede a man flattereth himselfe and the Deuill imitating the Spirit of God doth vsuallie perswade carnall men and hypocrites that they shall bee saued But that deuilish illusion and the testimonie of the Spirite may bee discerned by two notes The first is heartie and feruent prayer to God in the name of Christ. For the same spirite that testifieth to vs that wee are the adopted children of God doth also make vs crie that is feruentlie with grones and sighes filling heauen earth pray to God Now this heartie feruent and loud crying in the eares of God can the Deuill giue to no hypocrite for it is the speciall marke of the Spirite of God The other note is that they which haue the speciall testimonie froÌ„ the Spirite of God haue also in their harts the same affections to God which children haue to their father namelie loue feare reuerence obedience thankefulnes for they call not vpon God as vpon a terrible Iudge but they cry Father Father And these affections they haue not whome Sathan illudeth with a phantasticall imagination of their saluation for it may bee that through hypocrisie or through custome they may call God Father but in truth they cannot doe it XXXI The elect beeing thus assured of their adoptioÌ„ iustificatioÌ„ are indued with hope by which they looke patiently for the accomplishing of all good things which God hath begunne in them And therefore they can vndergoe all Crosses and afflictions with a quiet and contented minde because they knowe that the time will come when they shall haue full redemption from all euils This was the patâ—ence of Paules hope wheÌ„ he said that nothing in the world could seuer him from the loue of God in Christ. And like to this was the patience of Policarpe of Ignatius who when he was coÌ„demned and iudged to be throwne to wilde beasts and now heard the Lyons roring he boldly yet patiently said I am the wheate of Christ I shal be ground with the teeth of wild beasts that I may be founde good breade Also the same was the patience of the blessed Martir saint Laurence who like a meeke Lambe suffred himself to be tormented on a fiery gridiron and when he had beene pressed downe with fire pikes for a great space in the mightie spirit of God spake vnto the Emperor that caused him thus to be tormeÌ„ted on this wise This side is now rosted enough turne vp O tyrant great Assay whether rosted or rawe thou thinkest the better meat XXXII The third maine benefit is inward Sanctification by which a Christian in his mind in his will and in his affections is freed from the bondage and tyrannie of sin sathan and is by litle and litle inabled through the spirit of Christ to desire approue that which is good to walke in it And it hath two parts The first is Mortification when the power of sin is continually weakned consumed diminished The second is Viâ—ificatioÌ„ by which inherent righteousnes is really put into theÌ„ afterward is coÌ„tinually increased XXXIII This sanctification is wrought in al Christians after this manner After that they are ioined to Christ and made misticallie bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh Christ worketh in them effectually by his holy spirite and his workes are principallie three First he causeth his owne death to worke effectuallie the death of all sinne and to kill the power of the flesh For it is as a Corrasiue which being applied to the part affected eateth out the venime and corruption and so the death of Christ by faith applyed fretteth out and consumeth the concupiscence the corruption of the whole man Secondly the buriall of Christ is the buriall of sinne as it were in a graue Thirdly his ResurrectioÌ„ sendeth a quickning power into them to make them rise out of their sinne in which they were dead and buried to worke righteousnes to liue in holines of life Lazarus bodie lay foure daies and stancke in the graue yet Christ raised it and gaue him life againe and made him do the same works that liuing meÌ„ do so also Christ dealeth with the soules of the faithfull they rotte and stincke in their sinnes and would perish in them if they were left alone but Christ putteth a heauenlie life into them maketh them actiue and liuely to doe the will of God in the workes of Christianitie and in the works of their callings And this sanctification is throughout the whole maÌ„ in the spirit soule and mind 1. Thes. 5. 23. And here the spirit signifieth the mind and memorie the soule the will and affections XXXIIII The sanctification of the minde is the enlightning of it with the true knowledge of Gods word It is of two sortes either sprituall vnderstanding or spirituall wisedome Spirituall vnderstanding is a generall conceiuing of euerie thing that is to be done or not to bee done out of Gods word Spiritual wisdome is a worthie grace of God by which a man is able to vnderstand out of Gods word what is to be done or not to be done in any particular thing or action according to the circumstances of person time place c. Both these are in euery Christian otherwise Paul would neuer haue praied for the Colossians That they might bee fulfilled with knowledge of Gods will in all wisedome spirituall vnderstanding In both these excelled Dauid who testified of himself that Gods word was a lanterne to his feete and a light to his path and that God by his commandements had made him wiser then his enimies that he had more
Then afterwarde came the Gospell a more gentle plaister which â—oupled and swaged my wounds of my conscience and brought me health It brought the spirit of God which loosed the bandes of Sathan and coupled me to God his wil through a strong faith ferueÌ„t loue Which bands were to strong for the Diuell the world or anie creature to loose And I a poore wretched sinner felt so great mercie that in my selfe I was most sure that God would not forsake mee or euer withdrawe his mercie and loue from mee And I boldlie cryed out with Paul saying Who shall separate me from the loue of GOD c. Finallie as before when I was bound to the Diuell and his wil I wrought all manner of wickednes for I coulde doe no otherwise it was my nature euen so nowe since I am coupled to God by Christes bloud I do good freelie because of the spirit and this my nature And thus I trust I haue satified your first demaund Timoth. Yea but mee thinkes you doe too much condemne your self in respect of sinne For I can remember that from your child-hood your were of a good and gentle nature and your behauior was alwaies honest and ciuill and you could neuer abide the companie of them which were roisters and ruffians and swearers and blasphemers and contemners of Gods word and drunkards which nowe are tearmed good fellowes And your dealing with all men hath beene euer commended for good faithfull and iust What meane you then to make your self so abhominable and accursed and to say you were so wholie addicted vnto wickednesse and your will so fearefully and miserablie in captiuitie vnto the will of the Diuell Euseb. Brother Timoth. I know what I say God giue mee grace to speake it with more liuelie feeling of my weaknes with a more bitter detestation of my sinne By nature through the fall of Adam am I the childe of wrath heire of the vengeance of God by birth yea and so from my first conception And I had my fellowshippe with the damned diuels vnder the power of darknes and rule of Sathan while I was yet in my mothers womb and although I showed not the fruites of sinne as soone as I was born nor loÌ„g after yet was I full of the naturall poyson froÌ„ whence all wicked deeds do spring caÌ„not but sin outwardly as soone as I am able to work be I neuer so yong if occasion be giuen for my nature is to sinne as is the nature of a serpent to sting and as a Serpent yet young or yet vnbrought foorth is full of poyson and cannot afterwarde when time and occasion is giuen but bring forth the fruites thereof And as an Adder a Toad or a Snake is hated of man not for the euill it hath done but for the poyson that is in it and hurt which it cannot but doe so am I hated of God for that naturall poyson which is concieued and borne with mee before I doe anie outwarde euill And as the euill which a venemous worme doth maketh it not a serpent but because it is a venemous worme therefore doth it euill and poysoneth euen so doe not our euill deedes make vs euill first but because wee are of nature euill therefore doe we euill and thinke euill to eternall damnation by the lawe and are contrarie to the will of God in our will and in all things consent vnto the will of the fiend Timoth. As yet I neuer had such a feeling of my sinne as you haue had and although I woulde bee loth to commit anie sinne yet the lawe was neuer so terrible vnto me condemning me pronouncing the sentence of death against mee and stinging my conscience with feare of euerlasting paine as I perceiue it hath beene vnto you therefore I feare oftentimes least my profession of religion should be onelie in truth meere hypocrisie I praie you let me heare your minde Euseb. A true saying it is that the right waie to goe vnto heauen is to sayle by hell and there is no man lyuing that feeleth the power and vertue of the bloude of Christ which first hath not felt the strange paynes of hell But yet in these paines there is a difference and it is the will of God that his children in their conuersion shall some of them feele more and some lesse Ezechias on his death bedde complaineth that the Lorde breaketh his bones like a Lion that he could not speake by reason of paine but chattered in his throte like a Crane and mourned like a Doue Iob saith that God is his enemie and hath set him vp as a marke to shoote at and that the arrowes of the almightie are vpon him and that the poison of them hath dronke vp his spirite Dauid bewaileth his estate in manie Psalmes but especiallie in the 130. Psalme where he beginneth on this manner Out of the deepe places haue I called vnto thee O Lorde which is as though hee shoulde saie O my poore soule fall not flatte downe vexe not thy selfe out of measure the burden of thy sinnes presse thee sore indeede but bee not for all that quite ouerwhelmed thou art thrust downe so lowe into the depth of deepes that thou had neede crie aloude to bee hearde of him which dwelleth in the highest heightes and the euerburning hell fire is not farre from that lake whither thine iniquities haue pluÌ„ged thee â—o that thou maiest perceiue as it were the Eccho of their cries and desperate howâ—nges which bee there cast out of all hope of euer comming forth But the Lord which bringeth foorth euen to the borders of hell his best beloued when they forget them selues knoweth also how well to bring them backe againe Goe no further then downwarde but liâ—t vp thy heart together with thine eie and seeke vnto the Lord to reach vnto thee his mercifull and helping hand Againe in the scriptures wee finde examples of men conuerted vnto the Lord without anie vehement sorrowe of their sinnes What anguish of coÌ„science had the theefe vppon the crosse for his former life in his present conuersion at the houre of death How was Lidia dismayed and cast downe in respect of hir wickednesse like as Dauid was or Iob whose heart God onelie is saide to haue opened to giue attendance to the preaching of Paul and Silas who also euen presentlie after was readie to entertaine them and to make them a feast in hir house which she could not haue done if shee had beene in the perplexities of Ezechias or Dauid The same may be spoken of the Iailer and of them which hearde Peters Sermon at Ierusalem who for all that they had murdred our Sauior Christ yet in their conuersioÌ„ their harts were onely for the time pricked So then God in preparing vs which in truth are nothing but fleshly and stincking doung-hils of sinne nay verie vncleannesse pollution it selfe I saie in preparing vs to be the teÌ„ples of his holy spirit
to dwell in the store-houses to horde vp his heauenlie graces in doth otherwhilesvse a milde and gentle remedie maketh the law to looke vpon vs though with no louing gentle yet with no feareful countenance otherwhiles in some he setteth a sharp edge vpon the law maketh it to wound the hart very deepe and as a strong corasiue to torment them to frette gnawe vpon their consciences And we see by experience that a botch or a bile in a mans bodie is as wel eased of the corruptioÌ„ that is in it by the pricking of the point of a small needle as by the launcing of a great raser Wherfore if God by his spirit haue wrought in you sorrowe for sinne in anie small measure though not in as great measure as you desire you haue no cause to complaine and in that you are greeued sorrowfull for your sinnes it is a good token of the grace of God in you Timoth. Surelie this is a great comforte â—ou giue mee God make mee thankefull â—or it And I praie you more plainely shew me the state of your life till this houre that I and all other may take warning by it Euseb. That which may doe good vnto other men I will neuer conceale though it be to my perpetuall shame As I was conceiued born in sin so my PareÌ„ts brought me vp in ignoraÌ„ce neuer shewed me my shame and miserie by Gods law I liued a long time euen as a man in a dead sleepe or trance and in truth I liued as though there were neither heauen nor hell neither God nor Diuel And the Diuel himself as now I perceiue did often perswade my secure conscience that I was the child of God and shoulde be saued as well as the best man in the world and I yeelded to this perswasion and did verilie thinke it so that when the preacher for wickednesse and securitie denounced Gods iudgementes and hell fire I haue saide vnto my neighbours that I hoped I should be saued and he should goe to hell and when I was asked whether I could keepe all the commandements of the lawe I saide that I coulde and being asked whether I neuer sinned I saide I thought that otherwhiles I did marrie for them which were but fewe I hoped God woulde haue mercie and haue me excused And all my neighbors were glad of my company they spoke well of me and I was taken for an honest man when as indeed before God I was a vile beast the childe of wrath inspired with the spirite of the Diuell continuallie Well afterward I heard the law preached and I sawe and remembred manie fearefull iudgements of GOD vpon men whom I in reason thought were as good men as I then I beganne to consider mine owne estate and to perceiue my sinnes and my cursednesse and vpon a time aboue all other the curse of the lawe made mee inwardlie afraide and my flesh then beganne to tremble and quake then I could not sleepe in the night season I was afraide of euerie thing If I were in my house I thought the house would fall on my head if abroade I thought euerie crannie of the earth would open it selfe wider and swallow me I started at euerie strawe and at the moouing of a flie my meate was lothsome vnto me and I thought I was not worthie of so good a creature of God and that God might iustlie turne it to my bane the greefe of my heart for my life past made me shed abundance of tears and vpon that I remembred that I had heard read in the Church in Dauids Psalmes that his teares were his drinke and that hee did wette his bed with teares And now the Deuill changed both his coate and his note in fearefull manner cryed in my eares that I was a reprobate his childe that none of Gods children were as I am that this griefe of my soule was the beginning of hell And the greater was my paine because I durst not open my minde vnto anie for feare they shoulde haue mocked mee and haue made a iest of it Wherefore I was fayne to go to a godlie learned Preacher I shewed myne estate vnto him after I had continued with him the space of two or three daies I receiued comfort both by the promises of mercie which hee shewed mee in the booke of God and by his feruent godlie and effectuall prayers and I thanke God euer since I haue had some assurance in spite of the Deuill that I doe apperteine to the kingdome of heauen and am nowe a member of Iesus Christ and shall so continue for euer Timoth. How know you that God hath forgiuen your sinne Euseb. Because I am a sinner he is both able and willing to forgiue me Timoth. I graunt that hee is able to forgiue you but how know you that he will you know your sinnes are very great Euseb. I graunt but Christs passion is far greater and although my sinnes were as red as scarlet and as purple yet they shall be as white as snow and as soft as wooll Timoth. Oh but you haue sinned verie often Euseb. Tell mee not I pray you what I haue done but what I will doe Timoth. What will you doe Euseb. By Gods grace it is my full purpose and my earnest praier to God is hereafter to take better heede and to amend my former life Timoth. Is that inough thinke you Euseb. What lacketh Timoth. The fauour and mercie of God that may cleane forsake you Euseb. Nay that I will neuer graunt for I am certainly perswaded of the fauour mercie of God euen to the saluation of my soule Timoth. Oh shewe mee that that is the thing I earnestly desire to bee assured of Gods speciall goodnes euen by your feeling Euseb. According as God hath giuen me to feele the same so will I shewe it you And first of all the dealing of God towards me is a good argument to mee In the first commandement God hath commaunded me to take him to bee my God and in the Lords praier he teacheth me to call him father he hath created the world generallie and euerie creature particularlie for man so for me to serue for my commoditie necessity and admonition Also he hath made me after his owne image hauing a reasonable soule body shape where he might haue made me a Toad a Serpent a Swine deformed frantick Moreouer he hath woÌ„derfullie preserued me in my infancie childhood youth middle age hitherto from manifold daÌ„gers perils all which do confirm in me a perswasion of Gods fatherlie loue that I should not doubt hereof where I might haue beene borne of Turks lo it was the wil of God that I should be borne of Christian PareÌ„ts be brought into Gods Church by Baptisme which is the Sacrament of adoption requireth faith as wel of the remission of my sins as of sanctification and holines to bee wrought of God in mee by
cut off from thee Christian. But Gods mercie farre exceedeth all these my sinnes and I cannot bee so infinite in sinning as God is infinite in mercie and pardoning Sathan Darest thou presume to thinke of Gods mercie why the least of thy sinnes deserueth damnation Christian. None of my sinnes can feare me or dismaie me Christ hath borne the full wrath and vengeance of his Father vpon the Crosse euen for me that I might be deliuered from condemnation which was due vnto mee Sathan If Gods purpose were not to condemne thee perswade thy selfe hee would neuer laie so manie afflictions and crosses on thee as he doth What is this want of good name this weaknes and sicknesse of the bodie these terrours of thy minde this dulnesse and frowardnes of thy hart what are all these I saie and manie other euils but the beginnings and certaine flashings of the fire of Hell Christian. Nay rather my afflictions are â—liuelie testimonies of my saluation For god as a louing Father partlie by them as with â—courges chastneth my disobedience and bringeth me into order partly conformeth me vnto my Sauiour Christ and so by little and little layeth open to mee mine owne sinnes that I may dislike my selfe and hate them and maketh mee to renounce the â—orâ—de thy eldest sonne and stirreth me vp to call vpon him to praie earnestly with â—grones and sighes which I am not able to expresse with anie wordes as I feele them Sathan Thy afflictions are heauie and â—omfortlesse therefore they can not be arguments of Gods fauour Christian. Indeed their nature is to bring griefe and heauines to the soule but I haue had ioy in the middest of my afflictions strength sufficient to beare them and after them haue ben many waies bettered which befalleth to none of the wicked and for that cause it is a great perswasion to mee that â— shal not be damned with the wicked world but in spite of all thy power passe froÌ„ death to euerlasting life Sathan After these thy manifold afflictions thou must suffer death which is moâ—â— terrible and a verie entrance to Hell Christian. Death hath lost his sting bâ— Christes death and vnto me it shall be nothing els but a passage vnto euerlasting life Sathan Admit thou shalt bee deliuereâ— from hell by Christ what will this auailâ— thee coÌ„sidering that thou shalt neuer comâ— to the kingdome of heauen for Christeâ— death only deliuereth thee from death eternal it can not aduance thee to euerlastinâ— life Christian. I am nowe at this time a member of Christs kingdome and after this lifâ— shall raigne with him for euer in his euerlasting kingdome Sathan Thou neuer didst fulfill the lawâ— therefore thou canst not come into the kingdome of heauen Christian Christ hath perfectlie fulfilled euerie part of the lawe for mee and by this his obedience imputed vnto mee I my selfe do keepe the lawe Sathan Be it so for all this thou art farre inough from the kingdome of heauen into which no vncleane thing shall euer enter thou although that Christ hath suffered death and fulfilled the lawe for thee yet thou art in part vncleane thy cursed nature and the seedes of sinne are yet remaining in thee Christian. Christ in the virgins wombe was perfectly sanctified by the holie ghost and this perfect holines of his humane nature is imputed to me euen as Iacob put on Esaus garments to get his Fathers blessing so I haue put on the righteousnes of Christ as a long white robe couering my sinnes making me appeare perfectlie righteous euen before Gods iudgement seat Sathan Indeed God hath made promise vnto mankinde in all these mercies and benefits in Christ but the condition of this promise is faith which thou wantest and therfore canst not make anie accompt that Christes sufferings Christes fulfilling of the lawe Christes perfect holinesse can doe thee anie good Christian. I haue true sauing faith The conflicts of Sathan with the strong Christian. Sathan THou sayest that thou hast true faith but I shall sift thee and disproue thee Christian. The gates of Hell shall neuer preuayle against my faith doe what thou canst Sathan Tell me then doest thou thinke that all the world shall be saued Christian. No. Sathan What shall some be saued and some condemned Christiam So saith the worde of God Sathan Thou then are peswaded that God is true euen in his mercifull promises and that he will saue some men as Peter and Paul Dauid c. and this is the onely be leefe by which thou wilt be saued Christian. Naie this I beleeue and more too that I particularly am in the number of those men which shall be saued and this is the beleefe that saueth me Sathan It may bee thou art perswaded that God is able to saue thee but that God will saue thee that is that he hath determined to aduance this thy body and this thy soule into his kingdome that he is most willing to performe it in his good time heerein thou wauerest and doubtest Christian. Nay Sathan I in mine owne heart am fully perswaded that I shall be saued and that Christ is specially my redeemer and O Lord for Christes sake helpe thou my doubting and vnbeliefe Sathan This thy full perswasion is onely a phantasie and a strong imagination of thine owne head it goeth not with thee as thou thinkest Sathan It is no imagination but trueth which I speake For me thinks I am as certaine of my saluation as though my name were registred in the Scriptures as Dauids and Pauls are to be an elect vessell of God and this is the testimonie of the holy spirit of Iesus Christ assuring me inwardly of my adoption and making me with boldnesse and confidence in Christ to pray vnto God the father Sathan Still thou dreamest imaginest thou louest and likest thy self and therefore thou thinkest the best of thy selfe Christian. Yea but God of his goodnesse hath brought foorth such tokens of faith in me that I cannot be deceiued 1. I am displeased with my selfe for my manifold sinnes in which sometime I haue delighted and bathed my self Rom. 7. 15. 24. 2. I purpose neuer to commit them againe if God giue me strength as I trust he will 3. I haue a verie great desire to be doing those things which God commandeth 4. Those that bee the children of God If I doe but heare of them I loue them with my hart and wish vnto them as to my selfe 1. Iohn 3. 14. 5. My heart leapeth for gladnesse when I heare of the preaching of the word 6. I long to see the comming of Christ Iesus that an end may be made of sinning and of displeasing God Apoc. 22. 20. 7. I feele in my heart the fruites of the spirit ioy loue peace gentlenes meekenes patience temperance the workes of the flesh I abhorre them fornication adulterie vncleannesse wantonnesse Idolatrie strife enuie anger drunkennesse bibbing