eyes of an afflicted Spirit dimmed and deluded in the mists of Satan True it is that the Adversary and his Antichristian Popish Teachers wrest streine al their wits to perswade men that this assured knowledge of thir election and salvation by ordinary means is a dangerous nay so provdly peremptory are they without all warrant a damnable doctrine encouraging men to all presuÌ„ption fleshly liberty HeÌ„ce the CouÌ„cil of Trent fastens an anathema upon it no marvel For that subtill Serpent knowing well how much labour of love and even contention in all holy obedience what readinesse to serve and fervour in their service this certainty of Gods favour brought forth in all the Saints contrarily what uncheerefulnesse and heartlesnesse in all duty springeth from distrust and doubtfulnesse strives with all his might either utterly to roote out or much weaken this assurance of faith whereby they hold fast the profession of their hope without wavering So his false Apostles deceitfull workers transforming themselves into the Apostles of Christ joyne issue with him as knowing this Doctrine would not only quench their Purgatory but which is worse wonderfully coole their kitchin In the Epilogue therefore and conclusion of this discourse I will very briefly as in such a subject I may lay downe and handle these three propositions First That the faithfull by ordinary revelations may attaine the certaine and infallible perswasion of their salvation by Christ. Secondly That it is a Christian duty to labour for it Thirdly That this assurance is the gift of God which every one of his children doe not presently receive nor so retaine but that the sense of it sometimes may faile them And lastly I will set downe some meanes whereby wee may secure our soules in this assurance of our happinesse which is the Sunne of al comfort First then that a faithfull Christian may by ordinary without extraordinarie revelations by visions Angels c. bee fully assured of the life of grace already in his possession and of glory certainly reserved for him will appeare first by divers cleare Testimonies of Gods word secondly by the examples of the Saints thirdly by evident reason CHAP. XXIIII Proofe of Scriptures testifying in the faithfull a possibilitie to assure their salvation by ordinarie meanes FOr the evidence of this truth consider that discourse of the Apostle 1 Cor. 2. 9,10,11,12 verses â— a place much wrested by Papists and grosly abused but as all the words of Wisedome Pro. 8. 9. plaine to him that will understand Thus you shal finde the Apostle affirme 1. That no eye hath seene eare heard or ever entered into the thought of man those things which God hath prepared for his chosen 2. God hath revealed even these things unto us by his Spirit for because no man can know the minde of man save the spirit of the man which is in him and those to whom hee unfolds himselfe in evident expressions much lesse can anie man know the things of God but the Spirit of God and they to whom that Spirit reveales theÌ„ therfore because our dull understandings cannot pierce into the secrets of God the Lord hath given us his Spirit to this very purpose that we might know the things which are given us of God Observe hence that God doth not only preordaine his children unto glory such as eye hath not seene c. but by a second gift of his Spirit manifesteth this his decree unto them which blessed Spirit openeth their eyes to discerne this grace bestowed not on otheâ—s onely but themselves To this testimony in the next place adjoyne that also in the Rom. 8. 15,16,17 which will both cleare and much confirme the former You have not received the spirit of bondage to feare againe but you have received th Spirit of adoption whereby wee cry Abba Father The Spirit himselfe beareth witnesse with our spirits that we are the children of God and if children then heires heires of God and joynt heires with Christ. Where marke a double grace and gift of God 1. That dignity and unspeakeable honor of being children and heires to himselfe and joynt heires with Christ which is conferred on all the faithfull not onely Apostle and others of eminent gifts and place in the Church but commonly on all those true Beleevers at Rome 2. That Spirit of bondage cauâ—ing feare is cast our and the Spirit of adoption even the Spirit of God is given themâ— but to what end even to witnes unto thâ—ir consciences that they are sonnes and heires of God and joynt heirs with Christâ— Now this is such a witnesse as neither can deceive or be deceived and this Testimony of the Apostle so cleare that even the great Cardinall the late Champion of Rome hath no shift for any defence which every childs eye will not easily pierce through Take a third from 2 Cor. 5. 1. Wee kâ—ow if this earthlie house of our Tabernacle were dissolved wee have a building of God not made with hands but eternall iâ— the heavens For in this wee groane earnestly desiring to bee cloothed upon with our house which is from heaven And in the 9 ver the Spirit gives us this reason For wee walke by faith not â—y sight where as the Apostle speaketh generally of the faithfull so also he mentioneth no conjecture no ghesse or flickering earthly hope but a plaine evident knowledge full of heavenly confidence even groaning in desire of dissolution that so they may bee cloathed upon And how commeth this knowledge by some extraordinary revelation no walking by faith not by sight and sense Lastly not to be as were very easie too copious in a matter often cleared see that testimony of another Apostle 1 Iohn .3 1 2. Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that wee should be called the sonnes of God c. Therefore the world knoweth us not because it knew him not Beloved now are wee the sonnes of God and it doth not yet appeare what we shall be but wee know when hee shall appeare wee shall be like him for we shall see him as he is Carefully attend the Apostle Hee magnifies the wonderfull love of God and calleth us out with joy and admiration to take view of it especially in two effects 1. The glorious dignity to which he preferreth us namely To be his children 2. The manifestation of this our happy estate not indeed to the world which thinketh us the most abject of creatures but to our owne consciences so that we now perceive our selves to be children and though yet wee know not the parcels and particulars of that excellent estate untill wee come to enjoy it yet so much already we know not ghesse that when Christ appeareth wee shall appeare with him in glorie and be like unto him by that beatificall vision of God seeing him face to face Adde onely to this a further confirmation from the mouth of the same Spirit by the hand of the same Pen-man
IOY IN Tribulation OR CONSOLATIONS FOR AFFLICTED SPIRITS By PHINEES FLETCHER B.D. and Minister of Gods Word at Hilgay in Norfolke PSAL. 34. 19. Many are the troubles of the righteous but the Lord delivereth him out of all LONDON Printed for Iames Boler dwelling at the signe of the Marigold in Pauls Church-yard 1632. TO THE TRVLY HONOVRABLE MY MOST HONOred Cousins Sir WALTER ROBERTS Knight and Baronet and to his gracious Lady everlasting Consolaâ—ioâ—s of the Eternall Comforter SIR your very ancient Gentry doth not so enoble you in the eyes of the world as your new man in the sight of the Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith that ancient eloquent Father The new birth is the noblest birth In the Creation Man was the first and last creature last in time first in place and dignily being made the Sonne of God and the great Favourite of heaven And now the New Creature though last borne as Iacob yet as Iacâ—b obtaines the birth-right and over-tops the elder The best Herald Gods blessed Spirit preferres the Beraeans as more Noble or best borne who received the Word with all readinesse of minde c. And surely if high bloud of Generous parents sets us aloft in the eye of the world how much more lustre among Christians will that immortall seede give you whereby you are borne not of bloud nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God Now though I well know that the neare relation of fleshly Alliance and bloud which is betwixt us beside many other knots of friendship have tyed my heart long since unto you both in all unfeyned affection yet this spirituall kindred is a much dearer and nearer linke uniting my soule unto you in the bond of the Spirit so that I can truly say with that blessed Apostle I am affectionately desirous of you and willing to impart to you not onely this slender fruit of the Gospell but mine owne soule bebause you were deare unto mee I am confident you will receive this pledge of love with the same afâ—ection with which it is presented and therefore leaving these few Consolations to the application of that great Comforter and your selves with all your Olive branches unto the Vnction of that holy one and perfect growth of the blessed Spirit I commend the weake Author to your Christian love and prayers who while hee is shall ever be Your willing servant in the Lord Iesus PHINEES FLETCHER TO THE POORE in SPIRIT CHristian Reader Whosoever thou art who mournest and art humbled under the sense of spirituall povertie to thee belongs that blessednesse of the heavenly kingdome and strong consolations of that great Comforter witnesse he that bought it for thee and by his owne mouth hath bequeathed it to thee in his Testament But how cunning Satan is to hide this evidence from thy blubbered eyes wâ—ll neede no other testimonie then thine owne unquiet and dejected spirit The height of grace is rejoycing in the Lord and this is a joy unâ—peakeable and glorious and indeede a lesser heâ—ven upon earth Now that cursed enemie envies thee that thy future heaven but is raging mad that thou should'st even here also enjoy an heaven of joy in this vale of teares therefore employes all his policies and fallacies to hinder thy rejoycing and to hold downe thy heart in distrustfull feares and sorrowes Thou maist easily observe that none have beene more câ—st downe in this uncomfortable mourning then those who thou wilt confes have had most cause of rejoicing That Princely Prophet had the oath of God attesting by his holinesse that he would not faile David And I know thou wilt acknowledge that he was in the deepest mourning a blessed Saint and had great cause to rejoyce alwaies in the Lord yet was there a time when his soule lay groaning under an intolerable burthen of heavie discomforts He that when hee walked in darkenesse and had no light when not one sparke of earthly consolation shined forth unto him could yet stay himselfe on the Lord and could fill his heart in this wane nay ecclipse with the borrowed light of his countenance â—ven this Saint found a time when his soule refused comfort when even the remembrance of â—od his maine cordiall became his speâ—iall coâ—asive so that his spirit was overwhelmed with it Reade carefully that 77 Psalme and thou wilt confesse that thy troubles of spirit doe not equall at least cannot exceede his It is a constant practice of Satan to hold and rocke a carnall heart in all presumptuous quietnesse and rejoycing and if he may to keepe downe the beleeving soule in continuall unchearefulnesse and mourning I have desired therefore to publish this little Treatise which God hath blessed to some in private that if he be pleased to glorifie his power in great weakenesse thy wounds may be suppled if not cured and to give occasion to some Brother who hath more gifts and lesse employment to enlarge this excellent subject Remember thou that the joy of the Lord is thy strength Oh let not thy sorrow no not for sinne drowne thy rejoycing in that Saviour who is become sinne for thee that thou mightest bee the righteousnesse of God in him I know when thy soule is farre from peace thou wilt be readie to say My strength and my hope is perished from the Lord but remember the Lord is thy portion Remember It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord. And let thy heart be assured and in that assurance comforted that The Lord is good unto them that wait for him to the soule that seeketh Waite for thy Lord for hee will come and will not tarry Hee that testifies these things saith Surely I come quickly Amen Even so Come Lord Jesus If you receive any profit let mee have some use of it in thy prayers Thy compassionate Fellow-member P. F. CHRISTIAN CONSOLATIONS FOR THE AFFLICTED SPIRIT CHAP. I. The necessitie of comfort in this life AS in this estat of mortalitie our weak bodies stand in coÌ„tinual need of reparation as well by Phyâ—icall purgations to dissolve and cast out ill humours which through distemper either of ayre or dyet have crept in upon us as continually by seasonable refreshings and some exercise to gather maintaine strength and health so and much more our weaker Spirits in this sinfull world so subiect to backsliding have much necessity of continuall comfort as well to raise up our fainting soules when they are staggering through unbeliefe as to under-prop and hold them fast when they stand by faith For Comfort in the large sense being nothing else but the fortifying the heart against the assault of evill it cannot be denied but that malicious enemy of man especially of Christian men holds every one in a straight siedge and failes not to make battery by all manner of engines against soule
sweet fruits even that by carnall men so much despised holinesse is the image and beauty of God stamped upon a christian the divine nature infinitely therefore above all earthly excellencies which perish with the using But what is the fruit of divine punishment when the visitation of the judge comes upon them either in that generall day of those great Assises or the more particular of his private Sessions some despaire as Caine Saul Iudas some murmure as the rebellious Israelites some blaspheme the name of God who hath power over these plagus some call to the mountains rocks to fal upon them cover them HeÌ„ce ariseth much comfort to every afflicted Christian even our affliction it selfe if we well consider it wil afford us no little help against the grief smart of it CHAP. V. What comforts a Christian soule may gather from affliction it selfe FIrst therefore is it a small comfort that this evil coÌ„meth not only from God as a Father but from the wisdom love faithfulnes of such a father The Lord in his gracious love determineth to do us good maketh an everlasting covenaÌ„t with us not to please our flesh blood but to do us good putteth his feare into our hearts that we shall never depart from him yea to delight in us to doe us good and in his wisdom knowing that there is in us naturally a deceitfull heart starting aside like a broken bow an evill and unfaithfull heart readie to depart from the living God such as when it was at the best soone turned out of the way which hee maÌ„ded he appointed his chastisemeÌ„ts as thongs to bind us to his feare and to settle us in his covenant in which consisteth our onely happinesse Can we thinke that God taketh any pleasure in the smart of his children If we which after our owne pleasure have no delight in the griefe of our infants oh then let our owne affections teach us that hee who is love who is infinit love doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men were not our necessity more then his pleasure wee should never taste of chastisement How then should we rejoyce if not in the smart of the correction yet in the love of the Correctour Shall a little Sugar sweeten and make pleasant to our taste many things which in themselves are sower and bitter and shall not the love of Christ which is better than wine which is better than life it selfe sweeten a light nay the most grievous affâ—iction Iustly may wee blame our taste that there is much flesh and little savour of the Spirit in it if Christ Iesus who is wholly delectable and his love which to us is the most delectable thing in him cannot take away the bitternesse of some gentle nay the most sharpe correction Secondly how soveraignâ— a Cordiall is it to an afflicted Spirit when hee remembers that all his troubles are eyther such as the world layeth upon him to draw him from God to it selfe or God layeth upon him to draw him to himselfe from the world Seeing both of them are the very portion of Gods children For the former persecutions of wicked men slanders reproches and the scofs of the world are ranked among chiefe blessings and are bequeathed by Christ as his legacie See Mar. 10.30 and we in such a case commanded by our Saviour to rejoyce and to dance for joy as being a most happy blessed estate For the other should wee not as much rejoyce in it For in these afflictions God is offered to us so is the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as unto Sonnes Is there any gift in the world or is the world it selfe a gift comparable to God Seeing then that God offereth himself to us in these chastising afflictions how welcome should they be unto us and how great pleasure should wee take in them not for any thing indeed in them but for that which they bring unto us Is not their estate wofull who being in the visible Church and making no other account but to share the inheritance shall at length be found bastards and thrust out of doores like scornfull Ismael to their eternall shame and confusion Now such are all they who receive no chastisement from the hand of God who then would not comfort himselfe in that correctioÌ„ which is indeed for the time unpleasant to the flesh but yet even then to the spirit an evidence of an happinesse beyond all thought or time who would not with Moses rather choose to suffer affliction with the children of God then to enioy the pleasures of sinne for a season Another especial comfort we may receive from the end or purpose of God namely that his grace which he hath given us may be tried and so himselfe glorified Now this triall implyeth not onely the proofe or manifestation of it that others might take example by it and God might have glory but also a defaecation as I may say or purifying it taking away the rust soyle and filth which it gathereth by our corruption Thus in the first sense the Lord tried Ioseph by his affliction Thus Abrahams faith thus the faith of those three royall young men was proved or tryed Likewise that other kinde of tryall whereby as gold is purified in the furnace so grace in affliction is mentioned by the Apostle That the tryall of your faith being much more precious then gold though it beâ—ried by fire might be found unto praise and honour and glory So Iob He knoweth my way and tryeth mee and I shall come forth as gold A speech worthy to be as indeede it is eternized for ever and fitly written down by the finger of that blessed Spirit by whose mouth it was also spoken The Lord saith that holy Patient knoweth all my wayes hee knoweth how dearely more than my appointed food I have occounted his Word hee knoweth that I have followed his steps yet he trieth me not because he is ignorant of any thing in mee for hee knoweth all my wayes but first that as in a furnace the most precious mettal leaveth behind it some drosse so I from this tryall might come forth much more purified and clensed from my sinfull steynes and pollution and secondly that I might be current in his kingdome even a patterne as well of his powerfull grace in upholding me as of patience to them which shall be herafter exercised by like afflictions A Christian who hath seene and loathed the filthinesse of his sinfull heart what will hee not bee willing to doe or suffer that he may have it cleansed Many weake women will endure much to mend some deformity in their bodies and shal not a Christian suffer the divels image to bee scoured off although it bee with smarting water that the beauty of God may be imprinted upon him But especially it should much refresh us to know that hee who hath guided us
these Sacraments and nature of these seales what rivers of comfort must needs flow into the heart of him who rightly partaketh them Look as Princes grave their owne portraitures in their seales sitting in state upon their Thrones invested with their royall apparell adorned with their Crownes and Scepters So the Lord Jesus Christ in these his Signets hath lively represented himselfe in his death conquering triumphing and leading captive all our enemies and even trampling them under our feete But Princes can grave nothing on their seales but their dead Images Not so here For in these the very person of the Lord Jesus is given us as being not onely represented but presented and exhibited to the faithfull The body of Christ feeding and strengthning the blood of Christ washing and more than wine cheering up our fainting spirits is there offred and given us who reach out the hand of faith to receive him Now how hee should be unhappy who hath Christ or misse of comfort whose soule is filled with the Lord Jesus it is not possible to conceive But let us consider them a little severally Baptisme is that Sacrament wherein God applyes the bloud of Christ to wash us from all the pollution of our sin and to communiâ—â—te unto us his own glorious purenes Let us therefore take some notice first as well of the filthinesse of sinne as our filthinesse by it and then of this excellent purenesse Certaine is it that our created understanding cannot find power in it selfe to conceive much lesse words to expresse the infinite loathsomnesse of sinne Hence is it that in Scripture the wisedome of God resembleth it to all those things which are to our senses most abhorred sinne to stinking mudde a sinner to aswine wallowing in that mire sinne to a loathsome vomit a sinner to a dogge licking up his vomit in a word sinne to death a sinner to a rotten carkasse and his throat to an open Sepulchre exhaling and belching out stench and putrefaction so infectious that one sinne entring into the world tainted and slue the whole world with sinne turning Saints into swine Angels into Divels so loathsome that even both the materials of man in the very touch defile and the most pure and holy duties passing through a sinfull heart are altogether abhorred and abominable It staineth the very righteousnesse of the Saints who are not on earth yet absolutely clensed from it so that in it selfe it is no better than a filthy clout This is our estate from which by Christ applied unto us in Baptisme wee are delivered Secondly ponder well what is this image of Christ which Baptisme imprinteth upon us It is even the Divine nature that glorious beauty of holinesse which in God the blessed Angels above all other attributes admire and prayse Esa. 6.3 Surely if any thing can be in God more excellent than other then holinesse is it As the face is in the body so is holinesse in the Lord the very beauty of the Divine Nature And as a passionate Lover is even ravished with the presence and sight of his beloved so is it the compleate happinesse of the creature to behold that face of God shining with that ravishing bewty of holinesse Men sweare by the greater but because none is greater than God therefore God sweareth by himselfe but in himselfe by nothing that I remember but his holinesse Oh then how unspeakeable is the comfort of this holy Ordinance which clensing us from such a filthinesse washeth us into such a beauty Againe the Lords Supper is that holy Mysterie wherein the Spirit perfecteth this worke which hee hath begun in us and throughly assures us Christ. Looke as when the wax is hard the first impression changeth the forme and makâ—th some though no perfect print of the Image ingraved in the seale so that Image of God which by Baptisme is stamped upon us but by reason of our sinfull hard hearts as yet in part onely is by often applying the Lord in that other Seale more perfectly expressed and more lively pourtrayed in us So being entred into life by Baptisme wee are nourished by the Lords Supper and more strengthned till wee attaine unto full growth and ripenesse CHAP. XII Meditation in these comforts given in the Sacraments NOw here againe let us commune with our owne hearts and say Why oh my soule art thou so distracted and rent with doubts and distrustfull feares Hast thou not the seales of Gods Covenant for thee yea in thee If hee will doe thee good shall any creature bee able to hurt thee If he will knit my heart to him in his feare what shall separate it from his love Oh be perswaded for which thou hast so strong evidence and assurance That no tribulation nor anguish nor life nor death nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come shall be able to seperate thee from the love of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Now therefore cast thy burthen upon his truth leane and stablish all thy hopes upon these his sealed Promises Oh let perfect love cast out all distrust and feare Assure thy selfe hee will not nay in his truth cannot faile thee in such assurances How should not he pitty his owne though never so weake life in thee who pittied thy death in sinne How should hee hate thee now his childe who loved thee once an enemy Oh my God as thou hast given me an eye in some measure to see my sinfull filthinesse so hast thou given me an heart in the same measure to loath my selfe so polluted and filthy Lord thou hast made mee to know and I desire with more feeling to acknowledge that I am beyond measure beyond mine owne apprehension in nature horrible and lothsome my roote rottennesse my stalke corruption my fruit contagion more vile than the earth I tread on more polluted than the dung I scorne to tread on But oh incomprehensible heigth depth bredth and length of thy grace those thine infinitely pure eies could even then with compassion behold this unmeasurably impure and infectious mire when no eye pittied me when I had no pitty on my selfe even then hadst thou compassion on me When I was cast out as the execrable and loathsome dunghill of the world even then dâ—ddest thou not despise me I was dead in sinne stinking in the grave of my lusts yet even then didst thou say unto me Live Thou washedst mee with the water of life the Blood of the Lord Jesus annoyntedst me with the oyle of thy gracious Spirit and diddest set thine owne beauty upon me Thou hast nourished me with the true Manna That bread of heaven which giveth life unto the world And daily dost thou vouchsafe to renew mee after thine image and to strengthen thy life and nature in me And now my God is there any thing like this to be like to thee Oh what an honour what a Crowne is this unto me In all other