giuer is not sufficient to the parricipation of almes but there must of necessitie also come the hand of the receiuer but now my faith is weake the ship of my heart bruised with diuers stormes of tentations doth oft-times wauer and castes mee downe from the firmenesse of faith The Comforter WEake faith notwithstanding is faith neither doth faith therefore apprehend Christ and in Christ the grace of God remission of sinnes and euerlasting life because it is strong but because it is faith strong faith doth more strongly imbrace Christ neuerthelesse weake faith also doth not reiect Christ but wholesomly apprehend him The faithful seruant of God Christ our Sauior doth not breake a bruised Réed Esa 42.2 nor smoaking Flaxe hée doth not quench but he doth most benignely receiue him that is weak in Faith The least sparke of faith is the worke of the holy Ghost Rom. 14.3 because of our selues as it were of our selues we cannot so much as thinke any thing that is good 1 Cor. 3.5 but to will and to performe is of God therefore God will not despise his worke Phil. 2.13 which hee hath begunne in thy heart by the holy Ghost but will performe it and confirme it Euen as a Mother tendereth her Children Esa 66.13 so God comforteth vs but now a mother doth far more tenderly handle an Infant and takes greater care thereof then of the rest that are bigge growen so God doth not turne himselfe away from him that is weake in faith but endeuours to heale and confirme him as it were a sicke man If you shall haue faith as it were a graine of Mustard seed Mat. 17.20 and shall say to this hill passe from hence thither and it shall passe and nothing shall be impossible vnto you saith the truth If miraculous faith can doe so much that it can transpose hils if it be scarce as big as a graine of Mustard séed why cannot sauing faith doe the same that it transpose the hilles of tentations and doubtings howsoeuer it be very infirme and weake The power of God is performed in our weakenesse 2 Cor. 12.9 take héede therefore that thou be not cast downe in thy minde for the weakenesse of thy faith But rather regard the power of God God can water that which is drie heale that which is wounded bend that which is stiffe cherish that which is colde gouerne that which is out of the way Acknowledge onely the infirmitie of thy faith and leane so much the stronger on the staffe of the word of God for the word as it is the séede so also is it the nourishment or foode of faith Pray with the Disciples of Christ Luk. 17.5 Mark 9.24 O Lord encrease our faith and with the Father of the lunaticke childe I beleeue Lord helpe mine vnbeliefe XIX The want of the feeling of Faith The Tempted MY faith is not onely weake but sometimes I doe not feele any faith at all in my heart neither doe I call vpon God with that heat of the spirit which may pierce the clouds I feare therefore least then my faith haue perished and be vtterly exâ—inct but if my faith be extinct what hope or saluation can there remaine for mee I proue my selfe and behold I doe not feele faith in my heart therefore I shall be of the number of the reprobate The Comforter THe spirit helpes our infirmitie as it were with a hand put vnder for euen as we know not what we may pray for or how we ought to pray Rom. 8.26 yet the spirit makes intercession for vs with sighes that cannot be vttered so what or how wée may beléeue sometimes we doe not féele but the spirit doth cherish and conserue faith in our heart A sparke lies sléeping and hidden vnder the ashes although outwardly it doth not appeare so faith sometimes dwels in the innermost corners of the heart although it cannot be felt of vs therefore from the want of the féeling of faith thou mayest not gather that thy faith is perished and extinct when as yet thou doest desire sigh and art willing to beléeue that desire that sighing that willing doth come from faith Furthermore it is one thing not to féele faith another thing to put away beléeuing that happens to him that wrastles this agrées to him that is stubbornely rebellious Eph. 3.17 Christ dwels altogether by faith in thy heart although thou doest not manifestly féele that inhabitation of grace euen as the holy Ghost that inward Comforter hath an holy house in thine heart although sometime he doth with-draw from thée the féeling of that consolation Rom. 4.18 As Abraham the Father of beléeuers beléeued against hope in hope so thou oughtest to relie on the word against thine owne sense As we ought to captiuate all our vnderstanding vnder the obedience of faith so thou mayest also captiuate that want of the féeling of faith with faith that is thou mayest receiue the word in thy heart and cleaue firmely there-vnto The séede lies hidden vnder the clods of earth although it doth not as yet thrust forth the blade vtterly so the séede of faith lies hid in thy heart although the fruit thereof as yet doth not fully and plainely appeare In sléeping thou doest not féele faith but farre be it from thée that thou shouldest say that then thy faith is perished so in this temptation as it were a certaine sléepe hath opprest thy soule that thou canst not féele the mouing of thy faith but farre be it from thée that therefore thou shouldest thinke that thy faith is vtterly extinguisht XX. The want of power to beleeue The Tempted TRuly I doe sigh to my Sauiour but I doe both feele and grieue that I cannot beleeue I would wish truly that I might be made partaker of the benefits of Christ but I doe not feele that I can apprehend them by faith The Comforter OF thy selfe thou canst not but on him which strengthens thée Christ thou canst doe all things Phil. 4 13. God would haue thée altogether and in earnest would haue thée to beléeue for to that end hée offers to thée his word that through it by the efficacie of the holy Ghost hée may kindie faith in thy heart onely doe not thou put away that word neither resist the working of the holy Ghost in short time thou shalt féele most plentifull fruit of the word For if God seriously would haue thée to beléeue surely he will also worke in thée that beliefe if thou doe not resist his will with actuall stubbornnesse Thou sayest that thou canst not beléeue and yet thou art constrained to confesse that thou doest sigh vnto Christ and desire his benefits that same sighing that same desiring is the beginning of faith The holy Ghost will bring to passe will surely bring to passe that worke of faith which hée hath begun in thée take héede onely that thou doe not put by his wholsome operation Thou oughtest not
to resolue that the sense and mouing of faith kindled in thy heart is first to be expected before that thou wilt heare meditate and receiue the word of the Gospell This is a peruerse opinion which take héede that thou sucke not in that thou put not vpon thée this is a peruerse order which take héede that thou doe not follow In the Schoole of the holy Ghost wée must take our beginning from the hearing and meditation of the word by that meanes thou art brought vnto faith by faith vnto the féeling of faith Thou sayest that thou canst not beléeue therefore thou oughtest to heare the word meditate on it and receiue it into thy heart that thou mayest beléeue GOD giues his holy spirit to those that Luk. 11.13 aske and yet without the grace of the holy Ghost we cannot aske so God giues faith to them that sigh after it and yet without the beginning of faith we cannot sigh after it For a surety faith riseth with a certaine wrastling in the heart it is encreased with wrastling it is performed in the heart with wrastling and that which we cannot doe of our selues wée are able to doe by his gift which hath said No man commeth vnto mee vnlesse the Father draw him Ioh. 6.44 Euery one that heareth of my Father and learneth he commeth vnto me him that commeth vnto me I will not cast forth If thou art not yet drawne pray that thou mayest be drawne heare and learne that thou mayest come vnto Christ XXI The small number of good workes The Tempted TRue and liuely faith alwaies workes by loue on the other side that faith which hath not workes is dead in it selfe Gal. 5.6 As the body without the soule is dead so faith without workes is dead Iac. 2.17 Vers 2◠Rom. 9.21 Vers 18. But now I doe not see a great number of good workes which may giue manifest testimonie of my faith Euill cleaues vnto me that am willing to doe good to will is present with mee but I finde no power to performe that which is good The Comforter THou doest well that thou doest estéeme the light of faith out of the beames of good workes For as workes which are not done of faith are not truly good workes so faith which is without workes is not true faith but a vaine perswasion Math. 7.16 and emptie shadow Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes 2 Pet. 1.10 saith our Sauiour Doe your endeauour saith Peter that you may make your calling and election sure Therefore out of workes we must iudge of faith and this is the third property of faith that as it hath contrition to vsher it and true confidence on Christ in stead of an Essentiall forme so it alwaies hath new obedience to follow it Therefore thou doest well as I haue said that thou doest estéeme the light of faith out of the beames of good workes but take héede thou doe not thinke that those are onely good workes which are great in their outward shew in the eyes of men and frée from all spot of sinne cleauing vnto them Vnder the name of good workes is especially vnderstood the inward renuing of the heart and the kindling of those spirituall motions in the hearts of the regenerate by the holy Ghost Therefore an holy cogitation a good purpose the true feare of God sincere loue ardent inuocation are truly good workes although they are not perceiued and séene of men Psa 45.14 The glory of the Kings daughter is within the outward workes doe giue testimonie of that inward glory of the reuelation Therefore if thou hast nothing else that thou canst offer vnto God offer vnto God a good will and an holy purpose to liue godlily Offer to God thy heart and thou hast offered all things Submit thy selfe wholy to the will of GOD cleaue vnto him resigne thy will to him and thou shalt be one spirit with him 1 Cor. 6.17 This if thou shalt doe the outward workes will readily follow because the spirit of God dwelling in thée will driue thée to all manner of good workes but where there is not an outward faculty of working there the inward good will to God sufficeth Neither is there any reason why thou shouldest hope that thou canst be frée from the spot of all infirmitie in this life Our workes doe please God not because they are absolutely perfect but because they doe procéede out of true faith in Christ and are offered of beloued Sonnes in stead of a sacrifice of thankesgiuing Acknowledge therefore the testimonie of good workes which they giue of faith least thou be cast downe in thy minde acknowledge the imperfection of the same and the spot of sin cleauing vnto them least thou be too much lifted vp in thy minde XXII The want of Merits The Tempted IVst is God and iust are his iudgements therefore hee will giue to none the reward of eternall life vnlesse there goe before the merit of good workes What therefore is my hope what is my confidence when my workes are imperfect foule many wayes contamined and no way meritorious The Comforter Rom. 6 23 Bern. Ser. 1 in Annunc Col. 106. NAy eternall life is not the due wages of our deserts but the frée gift of God in Christ and for Christ For neither are the merits of men such that for them eternall life is due of right and God should doe iniurie to some man vnlesse he should giue him it For that I may not speake of this that all merits are the gifts of God and so man is more a debter vnto God for them then God to man what are al merits to so great glory All the Saints do confesse Exod. 34.7 Esa 64.6 that before God no man is innocent that all their righteousnesses are before God like the cloath of a menstruous woman that no man can stand before the iudgement of God if he will impute sins that when they haue done all things that are commanded of God Psa 130.3 Luk. 17.10 they are neuerthelesse vnprofitable seruants what place therefore can there be héere for merits who can presume of sufficiencie to saluation either of his owne wisedome or righteousnes or holines Bern Serm. 22. in cant Col. 555. Gerson li. 4. de consola Theolog. pros 1. Rom. 8.18 who can shew his owne righteousnesses as it were in boasting vnto God more then a woman the cloath of her confusion to a man neither our doings nor our sufferings are worthie of the future glory which shal be reuealed on vs. We cannot deserue that crust of bread which we eate by our obedience but are constrained to begge it by daily Prayers of God how much more incomparably lesse can we deserue the reward of eternall life by our merits Therefore if thou wilt fall from grace bragge of thy merits August in Ps 31. Id. de verb. Apost Ser. 15. Fulgen. 1. ad
consideration of our vnworthinesse in the meane time out of the meditation of the promises of God ought there neuerthelesse a firme confidence to arise Therefore God hath comfort from the hidden seat of his maiesty and hath manifested his will in his word that wee might bee sure of his will Therefore God hath promulged not onely legall promises which haue added vnto them the condition of perfect obedience and therefore to vs are made vnprofitable but also Euangelicall which are frée that with firme confidence of heart we might relye vpon them Rom 4.16 Therefore of faith fréely sayth the Apostle that the promise may bee firme Psa 116.11 Mens promises are vncertaine and doubtfull because euery man is a lyar but the promises of God are certaine and vnmoueable because God is truth it selfe As God is true in threatnings so is he also in promising As without Christ certaine damnation doth hang ouer al vnbeléeuing impenitent persons so in Christ certaine saluation is proposed to all that are conuerted vnto God and beléeuing Cypr. serm 4. de morta pa. 209. Doest thou doubt that these things will come to passe which God promiseth which is true whose word is eternall and firm to them that beléeue If a graue laudable man should promise thée any thing thou wouldst put trust in his promise neither wouldst thou thinke that thou shouldest be deceiued of him whom thou shouldest know to be constant in his words doings Now God speaketh with thée and doest thou perfideously wauer in thine incredulous minde Furthermore attend to the stabilitie of the oath of GOD I liue saith the Lord Ezech. 33.11 I will not the death of a sinner but that hee may be conuerted and liue Verely verely I say vnto you sayth Christ hee which heares my word Iohn 5.25 and beleeues on him which sent mee hath life eternall and shall not come into condemnation but hath passed from death to life Verely verely I say vnto you if any man keepe my word hee shall not see death for euer Ioh 8. â—1 This hath God sayd this hath hee promised if that be little hee hath sworne it August in Psal 88. Blessed therefore we for whose sakes God sweareth but O most wretched if we do not beléeue GOD then when hee sweareth Tertul. lib. de poeniten Acknowledge therefore the wonderfull and neuer sufficiently praised mercy of God that he willing to shew more abundantly to the heires of the promise the immutabilitie and immobilitie of his counsell hath added an oath Heb. 6.71 vers 18. that by two vnmoueable things for it cannot come to passe that God should lye we might haue most strong comfort which haue fled to lay hold on the hope that is set before vs. XXVII The want of due preparation The Tempted ALL these things doe easily perswade with me that I doe not doubt of the firmenes of the promises of God in themselues in the meane time I am yet vncertaine whether they be so firme and vnmoueable to me and whether I am in the number of them to whom God doth promise and offer so great things The Comforter NAy but because God promiseth these things to all that flye vnto Christ with true repentance and faith 2 Cor. 4.13 therefore also he promiseth them to thée séeing thou also beléeuest in Christ Attend therefore farther to the inward sealing of the holy Ghost for the spirit doth not only testifie outwardly in the word but also inwardly in thine heart Rom. 8.16 The spirit it selfe giues testimonie to thy spirit that thou art the son of God Gal. 4.6 therefore also an heyre Thou hast receiued the spirit which is of God that thou mayest know the things which are giuen to thée of God He which doth confirme and strengthen thée with all that are truly godly in Christ and hee which hath annoynted thée is God which hath also signed thée and confirmed thée as it were with his seale and giuen the earnest of the spirit in thy heart Because thou art the sonne of God 1 Cor. 2.12 therefore God hath sent the spirit of his sonne into thine hart crying Abba Father Beléeuing the word of truth and the Gospell of saluation thou art sealed by the holy spirit of promise Cap. 4.30 which is the earnest of thine inheritance for the purchased redemption by which thou art sealed against the day of redemption Euen as the Bridegroome which hath giuen the promise of marriage to the Bride giues her an earnest which is a pledge of the marriage to come so God hath espoused or betroathed himself to thée in faith Ose 2.19 he hath betroathed himselfe to thée in mercy Apoc. 19.7 but as yet the marriage of the Lambe doth not appeare therefore hee giues vnto thée the earnest of his holy spirit by which thou mayst be confirmed concerning the fulfilling of the promises and the leading to the heauenly marriage which is to come This is the spirit of Adoption because it doth witnes that thou art adopted for the Son of God This is that seale by which the promises of God are sealed in thy heart this is that earnest by which the word of trueth is confirmed vnto thée 1 Iohn 4.13 By this thou knowest that thou abidest in God and God in thée because he hath giuen to thée of his spirit XXVIII The doubting of the inhabitation of the holy Ghost The Tempted BVT from whence may I be certaine that my heart is the temple and house of the holy Ghost the spots of sinne do cleaue vnto me and I feele that in my flesh dwels no good how therefore shall that holy Spirit which is holynesse and puritie it selfe dwell in mee The Comforter Rom. 8.23 WE receiue the first fruits of the spirit onely in this life wee expect the full measure and perfect tenths hereafter in the life eternall there remaines in this life the wrastling of the flesh and the spirit Rom. 7.14 we remaine as yet in part carnall and sold vnder sinne yet neuerthelesse for the benefit of regeneration and renouation wée are temples of the Holy Ghost Furthermore from thence thou mayest know that the Spirit of God dwels in thée because thou dost bewaile and detest thy sins Sapi. 1.4 2 Cor. 4.13 because that holy Spirit dwels not in the body subiect vnto sinne because thou dost beléeue on Christ and louest him for it is the spirit of faith because thou callest vpon God the most benigne Father with earnest sighes Zach. 13.9 for it is the spirit of grace and prayers and crieth in the hearts of the godly Gal. 4.6 Abba Father because thou art led with the desire of all good for they that are the temples of the holy Ghost are led by him surely to good because thou oft times dost féele a foretaste of eternall life in thy heart Rom. 8.14 for the kingdome of God is not meat and
and the reward of eternall life that notwithstanding thou become not thereby carnally secure The infallible promises of God doe frée thée from doubting the exhortations and comminations of God doe free thée from carnall securitie There is securitie no where in this life but in the hope of the promises of God alone August in Psal 94. Id. 2. de bono perseuer c. 13. In this life which wholy is a tentation vpon earth he that séemes to stand let him take héede least he fall therefore those that will not perseuere are mingled by the most prouident counsell of God with those which shall perseuere that we may learne to be not loftily wise but agréeing with the humble and worke out our saluation with feare trembling Therefore with one eye of thine heart behold the mercie of God but with the other the iustice of God out of the faithfull beholding of the mercy of God let there arise in thine heart the confidence of perseuerance out of the feare of the iustice of God let there arise in it the flight of carnall security Let the feare of God wound thy flesh least the loue of sinfull flesh deceiue thée Psa 147.11 The delight of the Lord is in them that feare him and hope in his mercy Let the inward man hope and trust let the outward man feare and tremble XXXII The doubting of the writing in the Booke of life The Tempted THey alone doe perseuere and receiue the Crowne of perseuerance which are written in the Booke of life But how may I know that I am written in that Booke The Comforter Apoc. 13.8 cap. 21.27 THat Booke of life is Christ from whence it is called the Booke of life of the Lambe The writing into this Booke of life is nothing else but the election of the beléeuers in Christ to eternal life Eph. 1.5 Apoc. 17.8 For euen as the faithfull are said to be chosen in Christ before the foundations of the world were laid so their names are said to be written in the booke of life from the beginning of the world Therefore we must iudge as of election so also of the writing into the Booke of life not from that which goeth before but from that which followeth after Bern. Serm. 1. Septuag There are manifest signes and tokens of saluation giuen so that it is without all doubt that he is of the number of the chosen in whom those signes shall remaine For as many as are elected from eternity to life they doe heare the word of saluation in time they beléeue on Christ they shew forth the fruits of the spirit they perseuere in faith 1 Ioh. 5.10 He therefore which beléeues on the Son hath the testimonie of God in himselfe for the holy Ghost doth testifie in the heart of beléeuers that they are the Sons of God Rom. 8.16 and written into the Booke of life Those whom God hath predestinated from eternitie Luk. 10.20 Rom. 8.29 whose names he hath written in heauen those doth he call in time by the word iustifie by true faith on Christ that faith shewes it selfe forth by true inuocation of God by patience in the Crosse by the study of holines Therfore let the holy wholsome meditation of election and the Booke of life begin from the wounds of Christ hanging on the Crosse hée that beléeues on him and perseueres in faith is iustified and written into the Booke of the liuing Rom. 10.9 Hast thou not béene receiued by Baptisme into the couenant of grace washed with the blood of Christ from thy sinnes regenerated and renued by the holy Ghost This is an euident signe that thou art written into the booke of life Gal. 3.26.27 For we are all the Sons of God by faith séeing as many as are baptised haue put on Christ How commeth it to passe that falling into sinne out of infirmitie after Baptisme thou hast not béene bruised Sauanar in Psal 31. who hath put vnder his hand who hath receiued thée againe into grace who but the Lord This is a great signe of thine election the elect when he shall fall shall not be bruised God hath written not the Tables of the destinies or the decrees of Rhadamantus but the Booke of life when he chose vs in Christ before the foundations of the world were laide Therefore séeke in Christ by faith the election of thée to life and writing of thée into the Booke of life walke by faith that thou mayest come to predestination Ex Aug. Lom 6.1 sent dist 41. D. They which rashly and without the limits of the word doe search the depth of God are plunged at length ouer head and eares into the déepe XXXIII The feare of Death The Tempted IT is good for mee to cleane vnto Christ I will not let him depart out of my heart before hee blesse mee I haue decreed with true faith to perseuere in Christ that it may be my lot to raigne together with him In the meane time I confesse that I am not yet free from all terrour of death neither doe I feele so great strength and helpe of the Spirit that with the Apostle I desire ardently to be dissolued The Comforter INdéede this is the infirmitie of our flesh and propertie of our corrupt nature that we are more desirous of this life fading then of the life to come that is not flitting Hence comes that feare and terrour of death which that thou mayest ouercome by the power of the spirit and mayest grow in the strength of the inner man waigh those things diligently which I shall propose vnto thée out of the store-house of the heauenly truth First Math. 10.30 Iob. 14.5 it is certaine that euen the haires of our heads are vnder an account with God the number of our moneths is appointed of him he hath set vs downe a bound which wée can by no meanes passe a◠our dayes were written in his Booke Psa 139.5 before any one of them was Therefore good reason thou shouldest rest thy selfe in this fatherly will of God of his grace he gaue thée life hée brought thée forth wonderfully out of the close places of thy Mothers belly as long as he would haue thée to be in life he hath kept thée safe and sound from a thousand dangers hée doth now aske againe the soule which heretofore he hath giuen thée surely he doth not take away that which is thine but he askes againe that which is his owne now what action can there lie against him which askes for that againe which he hath lent Furthermore the soule which hée doth require of thée hée doth translate into the ioyes of the heauenly Paradise and wil restore the same againe to the body in the time to come adorned with greater glory and with more shining gifts That body which is reposed into the Chamber of the graue shall in time to come be a farre more glorious worthy and
those which beléeue on his name This adoption comprehendeth all things which are necessarie for vs to euerlasting saluation for if we be the Sonnes of God then are we also borne of God Tertul. in apolo c. 17. For not the carnall generation but the spirituall regeneration makes the Sonnes of God If we are the Sonnes of God then haue we also God fauourable vnto vs. For doth not a Father take pittie of his Sonnes Psa 103.13 If we are the Sonnes of God then hath he also giuen vs his spirit for so saith the Apostle They which are lead by the spirit of God these are the Sons of God Rom. 8.14 15. for ye haue not receiued the spirit of bondage againe to feare but ye haue receiued the spirit of adoption in which we cry Abba Father And againe Gal. 4.6 Because you are Sonnes God hath sent the spirit of his Sonne into your hearts crying Abba Father To conclude Rom. 8.13 if we are the Sonnes of GOD then are we also heires heires of GOD and heires annexed with Iesus Christ for who is he that is truly a Son without an inheritance All these so pretious so copious and so various benefits are bestowed vpon vs in Christ Eph. 3.17 and through Christ which dwels in our harts and is borne in vs spiritually through faith which therefore the Scripture doth so often preach and commend vnto vs. Verily verily Ioh. 5.24 I say vnto you saith Christ he which heareth my word and beleeues on him that hath sent mee hath eternall life and comes not unto iudgement but hath past from death to life Hee that beleeueth in mee Ioh. 11.25 26. although he were dead yet shall he liue and euery one which liueth and beleeueth in me shall not dye for euer Ioh 7.36.39 Hee that beleeueth in me out of his belly shall flow Riuers of liuing water which our Sauiour speakes of the spirit which they receiue that beleeue on him Euery one that beleeueth in mee Ioh. 12.46 doth not abide in darknesse suppose it in the darknesse of ignorance in the darknesse of sinne in the darknesse of eternall death but by the light of faith hee is lead to the life of sauing knowledge to the light of true righteousnesse to the light of euerlasting life Nay the Apostle witnesseth plainely that all those things which are written in the Gospel of the sayings doings and sufferings of Christ are therefore written that by faith on his name wee may haue life Because God hath giuen vnto vs eternall life 1 Ioh. 5.11 12.13 and this life is in his Sonne Hee that hath the Sonne hath life from thence we know that we haue euerlasting life because wee beleeue on the name of the Sonne of God And not onely the Apostles and Euangelists but also all the Prophets giue testimonie to Christ That all that beleeue oâ— him Act. 10.43 receiue remission of sinnes through by name That therefore which Paul and Silas sometimes said to the keeper of the prison at Philippi the same say I to thée Beleeue on the Lord Iesus Act. 16.31 and thou shalt be saued VI. The false perswasion of Faith The Tempted BVt I haue heretofore perceiued that very many doe put on a vaine perswasion of Faith and deceiue themselues with a false boasting what if I should also be in the number of them from whence may I be assured that my saith is a true and sauing faith and not a vaine and dead Image of faith The Comforter TRy and examine thy selfe whether thou be in the faith try thine owne selfe 2 Cor. 13.5 doest thou not know thine owne selfe that Iesus Christ is in thée There want not firme and infallible instructions by which â—rue and sauing faith may be tried knowne and discerned from idle and vaine boastâ—ng of faith First then this is the nature of true faith that it purifies the heart Act. 15.9 and desires to purge it cleane from the dregs of sinns For sâ—â—ing that faith doth carefully séeke and desire remission of sinnes surely he that truly beléeues shall féele a serious sorrow for the sinnes that he hath committed The Gospell is preached to the poore that is to say Matth. 11.6 Matth. 5.6 to those that are poore in spirit which hunger and thirst after righteousnesse which bring and offer to God a contrite heart and an humbled spirit Behold therefore the looking glasse of the Law and the deformitie of thy crimes will appeare Behold the shining face of Moses and it will appeare that for the workes of darknesse which thou hast followed thou canst not beare that light Behold thy selfe how grieuously the disease hath afflicted thée which is the iust punishment of thy sinnes the scourge of the reuenging God and the wages due to thy life which hath béene spent in sinnes He which sinnes against his Creator Eccl 38.5 fals into the hands of the Physitian We haue lost our health because wée haue offended our Creatour They which follow the flesh are scourged in the flesh They sigh in that in which they haue sinned The censure of the punishment is in that in which was the cause of shine By how many thoughts by how many words by how many déedes hast thou offended God How faint host thou béene aboue all things in the feare and loue of God How slacke in Prayers and other exercises of pietie How barren in good workes How oft hast thou followed the perswasion of Satan the seducing of the flesh the deceiuing of the world Those members which thou hast oftentimes giuen as weapons to iniquitie and vnrighteousnesse by the iust iudgement of GOD are now tormented with griefe and infirmitie Acknowledge this and grieue for if there be true and serious acknowledgement of sinne in thy heart immediately griefe of consciences and detestation of sinne will follow it God is earnestly angry with sinnes therefore out of the féeling of the wrath of God earnestly bewaile thy sinnes GOD doth seuerely punish sinnes therefore punish in thy selfe by iust griefe that which thou doest obserue that thou hast committed against God Psa 119.137 Acknowledge the iudgement of God to be iust and be thou humbled vnder his mighty hand Neither haue respect onely to thy outward faults but acknowledge the contagion of originall sin the fountaine of all euils Psa 90.9 that indéede is hidden but God placeth it in the light of his countenance through it all the powers of soule and body are so weakened that out of thy selfe and by thy selfe thou canst beginne no good much lesse performe it through it thou art made subiect vnto death and to all that troupe of calamities miseries and diseases which goes before death VII Griefe insufficient The Tempted I Acknowledge and feele that I am not only borne and conceiued in sinnes but that I haue offended God by diuers manifolde and great sinnes I feele this and I earnestly grieue but
momin pag. 21. God giues altogether fréely saues altogether fréely because he findes nothing for which to saue and hée findes much for which to damne Of grace is giuen not onely to the iustified good life but also to the glorified eternall life and therefore death is said to be wages but eternall life is said to be grace because that is rendred as due this is giuen as frée Bern. Ser. innat Mar. Col. 213. Therefore let another séeke for merit doe thou studie to finde grace let the mercie of the Lord be thy merit thou art not plainely poore in merit as long as he is not wanting mercies Serm. 67. in Cant. There is no place for grace to enter where merit hath alreadie taken vp the roome Thou doest detract from grace whatsoeuer thou doest depute vnto merit It sufficeth to merit Serm. 68. in Cant. to know that merit doth not suffice Place all thy confidence altogether on God Embrace his mercie séeke thy merits in the wounds of Christ thou shalt not haue any want of merits XXIII The accusation of the Law The Tempted I Acknowledge our works not to be meritorious neither to appease God but that out of faith they may please him And how can they chuse but displease him when they are not perfectly conformable to the law of God The law is an eternall vnchangeable rule of iustice condemning all whatsoeuer is not conformable there-vnto Therefore the dart of damnation is shaken against me my works vnlesse thou shew me what shield I may oppose against it The Comforter Gal. 3.13 CHrist hath redeemed thée from the curse of the Law being made a curse for thee Cursed is euery one that hangeth on the wood When the fulnesse of time came Cap 4.4 God sent his owne Sonne borne of a woman made vnder the Law that he might redeeme those which were vnder the Law Ver. 5. Rom. 10.4 Cap. 8.1 that we might receiue the adoption of Sonnes The end and fulfilling of the Law is Christ to righteousnes to euery one that beleeueth Therefore there is no damnation to thée and all which are by faith in Christ and walke not according to the flesh Vers 2. Vers 3. there is no feare of the Law the Law of the spirit of life in Christ Iesus hath fréed thée from the Law of sinne and death For that which was impossible to the Law because it was made weake through the flesh that hath GOD performed Vers 4. sending his Sonne in the likenesse of the flesh of sinne and by sinne condemned sinne in the flesh that the iustification of the Law might be fulfilled in vs which walke not after the flesh but after the spirit Therefore if by true faith thou doest apply the benefits of Christ vnto thy selfe there is no cause that thou shouldest feare the curse of the Lawe The sting of Death is sinne 1 Cor. 15.55 56. the strength of sinne is the Law but thankes be vnto God which hath giuen vs victorie through Iesus Christ our Lord Hee hath ouercome our death by his death hee hath satisfied for our sinnes by his Passion and hée hath most perfectly fulfilled the Law in our stead by his most holy obedience Neither yet is there an abolishment of the Law made but a translation onely Neither do the Law and the Gospell destroy themselues mutually séeing the Law is not against the promises of God Gal. 3.21 but is established by faith For what the Law doth require of vs Rom. 3.31 that the Gospell doth tell vs was performed of Christ in our steade What the Law commands this Christ obtaines The Law condemneth sinne and vs for sinne Christ doth performe satisfaction for sinnes and giues his righteousnesse vnto vs. The Law therefore is satisfied by the obedience of Christ because it is perfect Againe that fulfilling of the Law through Christ is performed for vs to good because it is not due Chyt li. 1. de vita et morte p. 43. Therefore as thou oughtest not to behold death in thine owne body but in Christ raised vp againe the conquerour of death and the giuer of life and saluation eternall sinne not in thine owne conscience but in Christ the Lambe of God bearing and taking away thy sinnes and the sinnes of the whole world hell and the tentations of being euerlastingly cast away not in thy selfe and in that innumerable multitude of the damned but in Christ sustaining on the Crosse and ouer-comming for vs the tentation of being cast away so thou oughtest to behold the Law not as it is written in thy hart but as it is fulfilled by Christ and with him fastned to the Crosse XXIIII The accusation of Conscience The Tempted MY conscience doth witnesse together with the accusation of the Law that as an vncorrupt iudge riseth vp against mee Chrysost hom 64. in Gen. and is an accuser of mee while no man reproues mee or brings any thing forth against mee I cannot escape that domesticall iudgement seate In this great volumne I see and altogether tremble at all my sinnes Nazian orat 26. Bern. de conuers ad Cler. c. 3. Col. 114 written with the stile of truth wretch that I am who shall deliuer me from this Court of iudgement in which the same is the guiltie the pleader the witnesse the iudge the torturer the scourge the executioner the hangman The Comforter Ioh. 3.20 IF thy heart doth condemne thée yet God is greater then thy heart If the memory of thy faults passed doth accuse and torment thée yet Christ the Redéemer which hath satisfied for thy sinnes is a mightier Col. 2.14 he absolues thée frées thée and saues thée Hee indéed hath blotted out that hand-writing which was written against and was contrary to vs hee hath taken it cleane away and hath fastned it with him to the Crosse By the nailes of Christ crucified is that accusing hand-writing of thy conscience together fastened that it is of no force and validitie before God Rom. 5.1 for being iustified by faith thou hast peace with GOD peace of conscience quietnes of hart and the most blessed tranquillitie of the soule which Christ the conquerour of sinne death and Satan hath brought backe with him from the graue and giuen the same to his Disciples Therefore Bern. de conuer cap. 6. col 415. if thou féelest the worme of conscience thou oughtest to strangle him forthwith in this life present not cherish him to immortalitie for a putrified conscience begets the immortall wormes Strangle therefore the worme of conscience by serious repentance pray to God for rest of the heart and forgiuenesse of sinnes and take héed of the new wounds of conscience that is the worst relapse of sinnes In this life there is as yet a time of pardon a time of grace a time of quieting the conscience In this life the booke of conscience may as yet be amended out of the booke
of life Apoc. 20.12 but in the last iudgement the bookes shall be opened and amongst these also the booke of conscience in which before the whole world grauen with great letters shall all the particular faults and offences of men be séene which are not blotted out in this life by true contrition by faith and amendement of life Before that day of iudgement come and the time of grace passe away thou mayest haue as yet excellent hope and sure confidence that the bloud of Iesus Christ Heb. 9.14 which through the eternall spirit hath offered himselfe without spot to God will clense thy conscience from dead workes to serue the liuing God XXV Too late Repentance The Tempted TRuly I am earnestly sorry for so many wounds inflicted on my conscience I doe earnestly desire the cure of my wounds I haue an earnest desire to keepe a good conscience hereafter but I feare lest that my repentance be too late I feare lest the grace of God so oftimes reiected of mee doe againe reiect and forsake mee August de verâ falsâ poenit cap. 17. Late repentance is wont to deceiue many and that repentance which proceeds from a dying man hee must feare lest that also dye The Comforter NAy there is nothing too late which is true and earnest Cyprian tract 1. contra Demet. No repentance is to late for him that abides yet in this world there are some which are called and come at the eleuenth houre of the day into the Lords Vineyard Mat. 20.9 and receiue the reward of Grace No length of time doth preiudicate eyther Gods equitie or his pietie Fulgent Epist 7. Repentance is neuer too late with GOD 〈◊〉 in whose sight aswell the things past as the things to come are alwayes held for present Behold the example of the Thiefe on the crosse which confessing Christ with his mouth vpon whose vtmost lippes as it were his soule dwelt ready to depart gods the pardon of his sinnes and the 〈◊〉 prâ—mise of the heauenly paradise As long as that to day is named Heb. 3.13 so long God doth earnestly looke for our conuersion As long as the heauenly Bridegroome doth as yet defer his comming Mat. 25.5 so long the gate of Grace and indulgence doth as yet lye open The whole time of our life yea the last houre thereof is graunted vs to the space of repentance Esa 65.2 God spreads forth his hands all day neyther doth hee cast forth him that comes vnto him at what time soeuer hee come Iohn 6.37 Therefore take thou care of that that thy repentance be true and earnest and then thou néedest not feare lest it be too late If when the houre of death drawes néere thou therfore repentest thée because thou art destituted of the occasions of sinning that repentance is false for by this reason thou doest not leaue thy sinnes but thy sinnes forsake thée If thou therefore repentest because thou séest the punishment of thy sinnes neare that repentance is likewise false for it procéeds out of the loue of thy selfe not out of the sincere loue of God it procéeds not out of the hate of sinne but out of the irkesomnesse of most iust punishment Therefore that thou mayest repent truly and earnestly grieue for thy sins so often committed and therefore grieue because thou hast so often so grieuously by them offended God the chiefest good seeâ—e in Christ the remission of thy sins and seriously propose to thy selfe whatsoeuer shall remaine of thy life to 〈◊〉 it out wholly on the seruice of God submit thy selfe to God be humbled from thy heart before him permit it to his will what and how great punishments a thousand times deserued of thée he will inflict vpon thée that it may appeare that thou doest repent out of the hatred of sinne and not out of the hatred of punishment Psal 51.19 Such a contrite and humbled heart will be a most acceptable sacrifice vnto God for so he saith by the Prophet Esa 66.2 To whom shall I haue respect but to the poore and contrite in spirit and him that trembles at my words XXVI The doubting of the grace of God The Tempted TRuly I feele in my heart serious contrition and griefe for my sinnes neither doe I altogether despaire of the mercy of God yet my heart is shaken with the waues of doubtings neither as yet am I certainely assured of the free remission of my sinnes Indeed well I hope in the meane time humbly I doubt the consideration of Gods mercy doth lift me vp but the thought of mine owne vnworthinesse doth againe cast me downe I am conuerted vnto God therefore I hope well but I am conuerted too late therefore I doubt as yet in part The Comforter BVt I will set most firme props vnder thy wauering faith on which thou mayest relie thée against all the tempests of doubtings for neither is that doubting an humble confession of our vnworthinesse but a dangerous oppugning of the faith that ought of right to be giuen to Gods promises neither is there any reason of doubting of sufficient strength in late conuersion and repentance when the mercy of God doth offer to al that are earnestly conuerted a most certaine promise of the remission of sins First of al therefore attend to the vnmoueable verity of the promises of God Whosoeuer they are that acknowledging and bewailing their sins doe séeke remission of them in Christ and conceiue a firme purpose of amendement of life to them God hath promised his grace forgiuenesse of sinnes and eternall life Whosoeuer beleeueth on the Sonne Ioh. 13.15 18. 1 Ioh. 5.12 Mar. 16.16 doth not perish but hath life eternall He that beleeueth on him is not iudged He that hath the Sonne the same also hath eternall life Hee that shall beleeue and be baptized shall be saued He that hath promised these things is God whose word is more firme then heauen earth which is the truth it selfe 2 Tim. 2.11 which is faithfull and cannot deny himselfe or his word That therefore which God offers with indubitate promises that must thou entertain with indubitate faith neither must thou pretend the infirmitie of thy nature which cannot imbrace the promises of God with such an assurance of trust for this fault of thy nature must be corrected by the efficacy of the holy spirit As thou dost not beléeue on CHRIST out of the strength of nature but out of the working of the Holy Ghost so by the grace of the same spirit thou mayest be assured of the mercy of the Heauenly Father against all doubting that is inherent in thy depriued nature 1 Ioh. 5.10 Hee that beleeues not God makes him a liar Asmuch as thou doubtest so much is diminished of thy trust therefore thou must resist that doubting neither is that to be set forth vnder the specious name of humilitie verily Humilitie ought to arise out of the
that wee may apply our hearts vnto wisedome therefore a great part of Christian wisedome consists in the perpetuall Meditation of death That must a long time be learned which that it may once rightly be done stands vpon our eternall saluation It is appointed for all men once to dye but to dye godlily to dye in Christ to dye blessedly befalls not all men therefore our minde must be prepared to that blessed good disposition of dying yea it must be garded with the shield of the Word and Prayers For if at any surely in that last time of our life the enemie that hath a thousand wiles doth lay a snare for our saluation and endeauours with all his strength to wrest the possession thereof from vs whether some of the auncients doe apply it that the infernall Serpent is said especially to bite the heele for he knowes very well I say he knowes that all the matter is in safety if that last conflict be valiantly ouercome of vs on the other side that it will be ioyned with our euerlasting reproach and losse if the other parts of our life as it were of a Comedie being well acted wee behaue our selues not so comelily valiantly in this last Catastrophe Hence come those diuers tentations with which as it were with Rammes he assaults our hearts in diseases and in the agonie of death hence come those fierie Darts which he casts against vs with all his strength hence comes that horrour and anguish which wee feele when wee are set before the gates of Death Blessed is hee which shall heere ouercome blessed is he which shall be faithfull to death Apoc. 2.3 hee shall be made partaker of all those good things which are promised to the stout Souldiers of Christ in the Reuelation What is our life t' is Death we doe deface Our age by dying life and death doe pace Hand ioyn'd in hand But Christ the Captaine is And gate of life our death is slaine by his He that doth firmely trust in him shall bee From wound of death eternall safe and free But this our hope with diuers stormes is tost When in Deaths agonie we are neere lost To ouercome these stormes will most auaile vs Least life in lifes first entry chance to faile vs. Wherefore whereas I haue endeauoured by such an explication of the Historie of the Passion and death of Christ as I could make which I did set forth of late to instill into godly mindes the Meditation of the death of Christ I haue thought that I shall do a worke worth the labour if I propose vnto them also the Meditation of our death To which end I haue written this Manuell of Consolations to be opposed to the terrours of death and tentations in the agonie of death for mine owne priuate vse onely for I carrie about a sickly bodie a weake vessell Moreouer Death now of late hath made a very lamentable slaughter in my house and there are some causes for which it is feared that I shall not liue long Therefore I would prepare and arme my minde betimes to this last battell and hemmed in as I am with so many domestique euils I bestowed some dayes on the godly Meditation of this Booke which Meditations of mine such as they are seeing perhaps they may also be profitable to others I haue not gaine-sayed that they should be made common But this I would haue men admonished in the very entrance of this writing that I haue not written these things to secure impenitent and hard hearts but to the contrite broken and weake consciences Exhortations to true pietie haue another place this whole labour is imployed in consolations to be opposed to death and temptations in death Whosoeuer therefore desires to receiue this oyle of Consolations let him bring the vessell of a contrite heart For what is consolation vnto him which is not yet contrite broken or made sad But to you men very Reuerend and most famous Masters Friends and Brethren in Christ singularly beloued I would entitle this Manuell that there might be extant a publique testimonie of that most straight friendship and brotherhood which hitherto we haue obserued betweene our selues one to another seeing that of all and amongst all I esteeme you dearest in this world as of whose pietie curtesie faithfulnesse and other many vertues I haue had plentifull experience in our fiue yeeres conuersation You also carrie about you a sickly body neither can it chuse but that the memory of Death should daily come into your minds Therefore I doe not doubt although your faith doth not want those props which I haue gathered together in this little Booke for mine owne and other mens vse yet that the reading thereof will not be vnpleasant vnto you Especially seeing whatsoeuer is in it it doth proceede from a friendly well-affected minde The Lord Iesus with his grace and with his spirit euery way blesse vs and the labours of our Ministerie Giuen at Coburg the Kalends of May. Anno. 1611. RR. VV. DD. Studiosiss I. G. D. THE TABLE of Temptations 1 THe fore-runners of death 2 The three-forked Mace of death 3 The vexation of sinne 4 The memory of Actuall sinne 5 The doubting of the application of the benefites of Christ 6 The false perswasion of faith 7 Insufficient griefe 8 The waight of griefe 9 Desperation 10 Blasphemie 11 The particularity of the promises 12 The absolute decree of reprobation 13 The application of the merit of Christ 14 The want of the euidence of the words 15 Falling out of the couenant of Baptisme 16 Vncertaine taking into the couenant of Baptisme 17 The vnworthy vse of the holy Supper 18 The weakenesse of faith 19 The want of the feeling of faith 20 The want of power to beleeue 21 The small number of good workes 22 The want of merits 23 The accusation of the Law 24 The accusation of conscience 25 Too late repentance 26 Doubting of the grace of God 27 Defect of due preparation 28 The doubting of the inhabitation of the holy Spirit 29 The doubting of perseuerance 30 The snares and strength of Satan 31 The Apostasie of many 32 Doubting of the writing into the Book of life 33 The feare of Death 34 The sting of death 35 The sorrowes of death 36 Too timely death 37 Seruices farther due to the Church 38 Our life abridged by our owne default 39 The loue of this life 40 Separation from Wife Children and kinsfolke 41 The stopping vp of the eares in death 42 The apparent inutilitie of the redemption 43 The horrour of the dust 44 The absurdity of the resurrection 45 The flames of Purgatorie 46 The rigour of the last iudgement In conclusion is added a prayer in sicknes FINIS Consolations to be opposed to all Temptations in generall but more specially to Death and to the Temptations in the agony of Death I. The fore-runners of Death The Tempted A Disease 2 Cor. 1.9 the vsher and forerunner of death
that griefe perhaps is not sufficient seeing it doth not answere the fault neither is it an aequiualent price for my sinnes The Comforter NAy griefe rising out of the acknowledgement of sinne vexation of conscience shall neuer be able to answere the grieuousnesse and deformitie of sinnes séeing God the infinite good is that which is offended sinne the infinite euill is that which is committed the infinite punishment of Hell is prepared for sinners how then by thy contrition mightest thou satisfie the infinite iustice of God and expiate his infinite wrath Christ hath performed that which of thy selfe and by thy strength thou couldest not performe hee hath payd the infinite and equiualent price for thy sinnes If by thine owne selfe thou couldest haue satisfied if by thy contrition and by thy griefe thou haddest béene able to abolish sinne what néeded CHRIST to descend from heauen and to labour so long vnder the burthen of his crosse Esa 43.24 Esa 63.3 Thou hast put him to paine in thy sinnes and pressure in thine iniquities he hath trodden the Wine-presse alone and of the people there was none with him Take héed therefore to thinke onely that the griefe of thy contrition eyther can or ought to be such that it may answere to the grieuousnesse and deformitie of thy sinnes but therefore and to this end God requires true acknowledgement of sinne and earnest contrition of the heart that place may be giuen to the frée remission of sinnes which is giuen vnto thée through Christ apprehended by faith Christ preacheth the Gospell Esa 61.1 but to the poore that is to those that are humbled in spirit he healeth Luke 4.2.18 but the contrite in heart neither haue they that are well néed of the Phisition Mat. 9.12 that is which thinke that they are well He preacheth libertie but it is to the captiues that is to those that acknowledge the spirituall captiuitie of sin for he desires not to goe forth of bondage which supposeth himselfe by all meanes to be frée He preacheth sight but it is to the blinde that is to those that bewaile the spirituall blindnesse of the heart for they which say they sée their sinne abideth They which say that they are rich and wealthy ohn 9.41 and want nothing they doe not know that they are wretched and miserable and poore and blinde and naked Hee preacheth forgiuenesse but it is to the broken and contrite in heart 1 Sam. 2.6 God kils and makes aliue he leadeth downe to hell and bringeth backe againe he kils by contrition that he may make aliue by consolation he leadeth downe to hell by the hammer of the Law that he may bring backe from hell by the comfort of the Gospell VIII The weight of Griefe and Sorrow The Tempted TRoubles haue compassed mee round about my heart is vexed and troubled my sinnes are alwayes before mine eyes which do grieuously torment my conscience and labour to beat mee downe to hell Psal 32.3 there is no peace in my bones for the terrour of the Lord my soule refuseth to be comforted I am troubled Psal 77. vers 2. ver 3. and my spirit doth afflict mee I see no place whereto I may flye and seeke a remedy of my sinnes The Comforter IF thou wilt flye flye to CHRIST he friendly inuites all that labour vnder the weight of their sinnes Mat. 1.27 which are pressed with the yoake of iniquitie an euill Mistresse Be thou hid in his wounds and the tempest of the wrath of God will passe away Christ is the propitiatory Rom 3 25 to which thou mayest flye with true faith and rest vnder the shadow of his wings As the Hart desireth the fountaines of waters Psal 42.1 so let thy soule exhausted with the heate of thy sinnes and of the wrath of God thirst after Christ the fountaine of liuing water springing forth to euerlasting life If thou commest vnto him hee will not put thée backe he will not repell thée for thus goe his promises Apoc 22.17 Cap. 21.6 He that thirsteth let him come and hee that will let him take the water of life freely I will giue vnto him that thirsteth of the Well of the water of life freely Come vnto me all yee which labour Mat. 11.27 and are heauy loaden and I will refresh you in mee and by mee you shall finde rest to your soules Him Iohn 6.37 that comes vnto me I will not cast forth of dores Imbrace these words of Christ which are the words of the eternall and vnchangeable truth with a faithfull heart Let thy heart set before him these his promises Psal 27.8 and séeke the face of the Lord. Set Christ as it were in the middest betwéene thée a sinner and thy angry God appeale from the Throne of Gods seuere iustice to the Throne of mercy prepared for thée in Christ and through Christ The internall Hawke doth vrge and pursue thy soule Cant. 2.14 let it flye therefore like a fearefull and affrighted Doue to the holes of the Rocke which are the wounds of Christ Moses doth accuse thée sigh therefore Bern. Serm. 64. sup Cant. August in meditat that Christ may make intercession for thée Thy conscience is troubled but let it not be tumbled downe from his hope and confidence but let it remember the wounds of Christ let all the assurance of thy confidence bee in the wounds of Christ which do abound with the streams of mercy neither want there holes through which they may flow out Idem Serm. 22. sup Cant. Let the passion of our Sauiour Iesus Christ be thy last refuge and onely remedy of thy sinnes wisedome failing righteousnesse not sufficing the merits of holinesse not holding out that will be able to helpe and succour thée And this is the other and indéede essentiall propertie of true Faith forsooth to behold with the eye of the heart Christ hanging on the Crosse out of his wounds to hope for and drawe the medicine of her wounds to rely on him with a true confidence of heart and to wrap her selfe as it were in his most holy merit for this is the voyce of true faith Behold me thou which hangst vpon the Tree Bern. Serm. 22. sup Cant. And let my sinnes in thy side hidden be My sicke soule thirsts for thee my guilt forgiue My sinne 's my death but in thy bloud I liue Therefore if hauing compunction for thy sinnes thou hungerst and thirstest after righteousnesse thou mayest beléeue on him which iustifieth the wicked and being iustified by faith alone thou shalt haue peace with God Confesse that thou art not worthy neither canst thou by thine owne merits obtaine the kingdom of heauen but let this be thy confidence that Christ thy Lord doth obtaine it by a double name that is by the inheritance of the Father and by the merit of his Passion with the one he himselfe is content the other
hee giues to thée from whose gift challenging it to thy selfe thou shalt not be confounded IX The temptation of Desperation The Tempted THE Deuill doth sollicite mee to desperation The Comforter I would haue thée despaire but in thy self and of thy selfe because thou art a sinnefull man Rom. 5.21 but not in God whose grace doth abound aboue sinne for as much as a drop is to the Sea Chrysost Hom. 3. de Poen so much is mans malice to Gods mercy The Sea though it be great yet it hath a measure but the clemency of God hath no measure neither despaire thou of Christ and in Christ which came into the world that he might saue sinners 1 Tim. 1.15 whose blood doth more preuaile to the reconciliation of God then the sinnes of the whole world to his displeasure Although thy sinnes be great and diuers and oft-times doubled yet they are not greater or more grieuous then that thou mayest obtaine pardon forgiuenes of them séeing the goodnes of God is greater then the iniquitie of all men Sins are in their fall but the grace of God is in its rising Sins are in the works of the Deuill and Man to take pitty to spare to remit are the workes of God by how much therefore God is more mighty then the Diuell and Man by so much also his mercy is greater then our malice The Lord is full of compassion and mercy Psal 103.8 vers 9. slow to anger and of great kindnesse Hee will not alwayes chide neither will hee keepe his anger for euer vers 10. Hee hath not dealt with vs after our sinnes nor rewarded vs after our iniquities vers 11. For as high as the Heauen is aboue the Earth so great is his mercy toward them that feare him vers 12. As farre as the East is from the West so farre hath hee remoued our sinnes from vs. The Heauen is incomparably greater then the Earth which is no bigger then the least point in respect of Heauen so the mercy of the heauenly Father is incomparably greater then all sinnes farre be it farre be it therefore from thée that thou say Greater is mine iniquitie then the pietie of the pittying God Thou shalt finde God more kinde then thou art culpable Bern. serm 11. sup Can. Col. 5 18. Gerson de remed contra Pusilla So great is the mercy of God that if thou hadst all the sinnes of the world vpon thée and didst grieue that with thy sinnes thou hadst proudly offended thy God so good a Lord and shouldest firmely purpose hereafter to abstaine God would neuer condemne thée What August in Psal 55. dost thou so forget the satisfaction performed of Christ that thou wilt prefer thy sinnes before Christs merit that is thy selfe before God Dost thou sée the greatnesse of the disease and dost thou not sée the power of the Physitian Great are thy sinnes farre greater is Christ which hath satisfied for thy sinnes Diuers are thy sinnes but Christ also hath suffered diuers things for thée GOD is the infinite good whom thou hast offended by thy sinnes but Christ is an infinite person which hath reconciled thée to God sigh therefore to thy heauenly Father and pray in the name of his Sonne thy Sauiour if thou doest despise mee Ansel de redemp gen hum fol. 96. O eternall God for mine iniquitie as I haue deserued regard me at least taking pitty on mee for the loue of thy beloued off-spring Regard that in thy Sonne which thou mayst bee mercifull vnto in thy seruant Sée the sacrament of his flesh and forgiue the guilt of my flesh remember what thy good Son hath suffered and forget what thine euill seruant hath wrought X. The tentation of Blasphemie The Tempted I Am constrained to confesse that I am not onely prouoked to desperation but that I am also sometimes tempted with the spirit of blasphemie for such thoughts doe arise in my heart as are iniurious against God himselfe my Creatour and my Sauiour I would chuse to dye a thousand times that I might be freed from this tentation The Comforter THese cogitations are not the actions of thy heart but rather the most bitter passions séeing thou art not delighted with these cogitations but doest féele out of them sorrowes more bitter then death it selfe They are the scourges of Satan with which hee doth afflict and torment thée they shall not be imputed to thée of the Lord for sinne And be it that some impatience of the heart do arise out of the infirmitie of the flesh yet God knowes thy groanings and thy sighes yea the weight of tentations hath wringed out of Iob and Ieremy hard words which the most benigne God hath fatherly forgiuen them Obserue out of them how thou hast altogether no strength to good out of thy selfe that with the whole trust of thy hart thou mayest learne to cleaue vnto God This is the force and highest degrée of the fight against Satan take héed thou faint not here the mighty God that appoints thée to this combat will be present with thée neither will hee leaue thée destitute of his helpe Expect patiently and humbly till thou mayest be fréed from the fiery darts of Satan in the meane time Ephe. 6.16 let the grace of the Lord suffice thée 2 Cor. 12.9 It is the flesh which doth thus wrastle with the spirit and shewes it selfe ready and pliable to take the darts of Satan the sinne that dwels in thy flesh shall not be imputed vnto thée if thou wilt mortifie by the spirit the déedes of the flesh and wilt not giue consent to these blasphemous cogitations Extinguish those fiery darts of Satan in the bloud of Christ turne against them the Buckler of faith and assoone as thou shalt perceiue any such blasphemous cogitation to arise betake thy selfe to prayers by which thou mayest trample it downe as it were in the first growth XI The particularitie of the Promises The Tempted I Feele some consolation of the spirit in my heart I obserue a certaine trust in my soule which forbids mee to despaire when I behold the mercy of God abounding aboue sinnes and the merit of Christ which is of infinite price and value But I doubt whether that promise in the Gospell of the mercy of God and merit of Christ doth pertaine to me also for God is not only mercifull but also a most iust and seuere reuenger of sinnes and that all are not made partakers of the benefits of Christ experience to my great griefe doth witnesse The Comforter TAke héed that thou giue no place to those seducing thoughts of the restraint of the promises of the Gospell God calleth all vnto him hee desires all to come vnto him hee offers the word of the Gospell to all and in it the benefits of Christ neither doth hee this fainedly but in earnest not hypocritically but with a minde to communicate them I liue saith the Lord
drinke Rom. 14.17 but righteousnesse peace and ioy in the holy Ghost Wherefore if thy soule hath sometimes felt in the secret of thy conscience the spirit of the Son Ber in Can. serm 8. col 509. crying Abba Father let her presume that she is beloued with a fatherly affection when shee perceiues that shee is affected with the same spirit with which is also the sonne In the spirit of the Son shée may know her selfe to be daughter of the Father the spouse and sister of the sonne And although all these things are sometime weake and languishing yet be not out of heart but aske for increase of the spirit Luk. 11.13 for God will giue this spirit to those that aske him Stir vp the gift 2 Tim. 1.6 that frée and gracious gift of the spirit which is in thée that is by asking by séeking by knocking by meditating on thâ— word by resisting euill concupiscences There is here no perfection but a continuall way to perfection Beside this inward seale and testimony of the holy spirit God hath giuen thée the Sacraments which are the seales of the heauenly promises the waggons of the benefits of Christ bringing them vnto thée and the meanes of the begetting cherishing confirming of thy faith that thou mayst be sure that the benefits of Christ doe pertaine in speciall vnto thée Cypr serm de mort pa. 209. Thou wert receiued into the Church by baptisme and fed in the Lords Supper with the body blood of Christ being confirmed by these seales beléeue the word of the Gospell surely and without all doubt Why doest thou doubt why doest thou wauer this is that God should not altogether be this is to offend Christ the Master of beléeuers with the sin of incredulity this is for him that is placed in the Church not to haue faith in the house of faith Attend moreouer to the infallibility of the promised hearing God hath promised euen with an oath put thereto that he wil heare our prayers that whatsoeuer we aske according to his will shall be giuen vnto vs Verily verily I say vnto you saith Christ whatsoeuer yee shall aske the Father in my name Ioh. 16.23 Mat. 18.19 hee will giue vnto you If two of you shall consent vpon earth on any manner of thing whatsoeuer they shal aske it shal be done to them of my Father which is in heauen This is the trust which we haue vnto God 1 Ioh. 5.14 if we aske according to his will we shal obtaine it The very same which hath promised hearing hath coÌ„manded vs to aske forgiuenes of sins therfore what place of doubting will there remaine of the remission of sins how should Christ haue commanded to ioyne to prayer the word Amen if hee would haue had vs to doubt of hearing To conclude attend to the property of true faith as by which we haue accesse vnto that grace wherein we stand and glory of the hope of glory Heb. 4.16 promised of God through which wee come with trust vnto the throne of grace that wee may attaine mercy and finde grace through which we are kept by the power of God vnto saluation 1 Pet. 1.5 through which we know that we are translated from death to life 1 Ioh. 3.14 through which wee are most certainly perswaded that neither death Rom. 8.38 nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present vers 39. nor things to come neither height nor depth nor any other creature can separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. August in Psal 148. Weighing all these things let thy frailtie lift it selfe vp let it not despaire let it not bruise it selfe let it not turne it selfe away Christ hath promised thée that thou shalt bee there where hée is What hath God promised vnto thée O mortall man that thou shalt liue for euer Doest thou not beléeue beléeue beléeue it is more now which hée hath done then what he hath promised What hath he done he hath died for thée What hath he promised that thou shalt liue with him it is more incredible that the eternal hath died then that the mortal can liue for eternitie Now thou holdest that which is more incredible why doest thou doubt of that which remaines God hath promised thée heauen he hath giuen thée his Son which is a greater gift then heauen and earth XXIX The doubting of perseuerance The Tempted TRuly I doe nothing doubt but that by my Mediator Christ there lyes open to me accesse to GOD I surely trust that I am in the grace of God yet I cannot but doubt of perseuerance Matth. 10.22 cap. 24. v. 46. I know that it is perseuerance alone that is crowned I heare that they onely which shall perseuere to the end shall be saued Not to haue begun well but to goe through well is the part of vertue Aug. Ser. 8 ad frat in Erem Hiero in Epist ad furiam Theol. myst Harp c. 34. Neither is the beginning but the end required in Christians Iudas began well but he ended ill Paul began ill but hee ended well Without perseuerance neither he that fighteth obtaineth victory nor the Conquerour the palme I heare the ouer-seer and appointer of our masteries crying hold that which thou hast least another take thy crown I heare and I feare I feare and I doubt Apoc. 3.12 I doubt and I cast away the confidence of my heart The Comforter Bern. Serm. 3. de sep frag miser Col. 183. COnsider thrée things â—n which thy whole hope doth consist the charity of the adoption the truth of the promise the power of performance Now let thy foolish thought murmure as much as it will saying who art thou and how great is that glory or by what merits hopest thou to obtaine it and doe thou answere confidently I know whom I haue beléeued and I am sure that in the aboundance of his charitie he hath adopted me that he is true in his promise that hée is powerfull in performance This is the thrée-fold cord which is not easily broken which I pray thée that thou holde firmely fast being let downe to thée out of our Country euen into this dungeon that it may lift thée vp that it may draw thée euen to the beholding and sight of the glorie of the great God This is the most firme Anker of thy hope these are those thrée pillars on which thou mayest relie against the flouds stormes of doubtings that is to say the good will of God adopting his sure faithfulnesse promising and his infinite power to fulfill his promises The good GOD hath promised good things Phil. 2.13 hée hath begun to worke a good worke in thée hée that hath begun will performe it according to his good liking The good GOD hath promised good things 1 Cor. 10.15 he that hath promised is faithfull and true he
precious habitation for thy soule 1 Cor. 15.42 Vers 43. Vers 44. It is sowen in corruption it riseth againe in incorruption It is sowen in dishonour it shall rise againe in glory It is sowen in weaknesse it shall rise againe in power It is sowen a naturall body it shall risâ— againe a spirituall body Therefore commend humbly and readily thy soule created of God redéemed of his Son and made the habitation of the holy Ghost into the faithfull hands of God as it were a certaine pledge saying with Dauid and Stephen nay rather with Christ thy head Into thy hands I commend my spirit Psa 31.6 Act. 7.59 Luk. 23.46 thou hast redeemed mee O God of truth Note this also that in the very agonie of death thou mayest most surely promise to thy selfe the presence and helpe of God for séeing thou doest embrace Christ thy Mediatour with a true faith being most certainely perswaded that with his death he hath ouercome thine and hath restored vnto thée righteousnesse and immortall life by his resurrection Rom. 5.1 therefore iustified by this faith thou hast peace with God and thou mayest be raised vp in the midst of death by the helpe of thy heauenly Father Iob. 13.15 Psa 91.15 that thou mayest say with Iob Although the Lord shall kill me yet will I trust in him I am with him in trouble saith the Lord I will deliuer him and I will glorifie him with length of dayes will I fill him and shew him my saluation Rom. 8.39 From this loue of God neither life nor death neither any creature shall be able to separate or to pull thee away séeing it is in Iesus Christ which is a king eternall and our Sauiour for euer The accusation of the law makes the shape of death terrible that I say and the deformitie of sinne 1 Cor. 15.55 and the tentation of being euerlastingly cast away séeing the sting of death is sinne the strength of sinne is the law but call to thy memory the consolation which is before opposed to these monsters and all that outward hope of death terrible to be beheld will vanish and will be changed into a most pleasant sléepe XXXIIII The sting of Death The Tempted BY sinne death hath entred into the world and is the due wages of sinne how therefore should I not be sore afraid of death The Comforter TRuly death in it selfe and by it selfe is the wages of sinne and the reuenging scourge of the angry God but to those that beléeue in Christ it is changed into a most swéet sléepe For although the regenerate and those that beléeue in Christ doe as yet carry about the reliques of sinne in their flesh from whence also their body is dead Rom. 8.10 that is to say subiect to death for the sinne that dwels in it yet the spirit is life for righteousnesse that is because they are iustified from sins by true saith in Christ and resist the lusts of the flesh through the spirit therefore that sinne which yet remaines in the flesh is not imputed vnto them Gregor Nyssen in orat de mort but is couered with the shadow of the grace of God therefore by death the true and spiritual life of the soule doth not dye in them but doth rather beginne to which death is constrained as it were to doe the office of a Midwife Thence flow those most swéet appellations by which the holy Ghost which is the spirit of truth doth describe the death of the godly for they which before the eyes of fooles doe séeme and of them are sayd to dye the holy Ghost sayth Gen. 25.8 Cap. 35.29 Cap. 49.33 Tertull. lib. de patient p. 12. Cyprian de mortal p. â—â—4 Chry. hom 45. in Gen. Col. 375. Hilar in Psal 140. Ambr. de boum ort cap. 10. 2 Pet. 1.15 that they are gathered or congregated to their people that is to the company of the blessed and triumphing Church in Heauen to come to those which haue deceased before them in the true faith or rather haue gone before them It is but the taking of a iourney which we thinke to be death it is not an end but a passage it is not so much an emigration as a transmigration from worse things to better a taking away of the soule and a most blessed carrying of it from place to place not an abolishing for the soule is taken away and transposed into a place of rest it is not kild vp It is a passage and ascension to the true life It is an outgoing because by it the godly passe out of the slauery of sinne to true libertie euen as heretofore the Israelites out of the bondage of Egypt into the promised Land Ioh. 5 24. Esa 57.2 The godly are said by death to come to peace and to rest in their chambers that is because they come out of that daily warfare vpon earth to a place of peace out of the most troublesome sea of this life to the hauen out of the most laborious prison of this life to a place of rest Phil. 1.23 they are said to be loosed to come to Christ séeing they are led out of the Inne of this present life to the heauenly Countrie and out of the dregs of wicked men to the most blessed societie of Christ in Heauen they are loosed by death out of the bands of the body for euen as the Cattell when they haue discharged the labours of the whole day at last about the euening are set frée and euen as they which are bound in prison are loosed of their fetters so the godly are ledde forth by death from the sayd yoake of the labours and sorrowes of this life and out of the filthy prison of sinne Heb. 11.5 2 Cor. 5.8 and by a most swéet translation are carried to a better life They are sayd to go forth of the land of their pilgrimage by the dissolution of the tabernacle of their body and to be present with the Lord and that because they come out of the ruinous habitation of the world to the heauenly pallace out of an house of clay to a citty made without hands eternall in the heauens out of the tabernacle of an earthly body to the heauenly Ierusalem and the most blessed society of Christ abiding therein It is his property therefore to feare death which would not goe to Christ Cypr. seruâ— demortal pa. 208. It is his property not to be willing to goe to Christ which doth not beléeue to beginne to raigne with Christ They are sayd to rest from their labours for not the man but the misery of a godly man dieth If this life be full of burden Caeciliae vox Ambros de bono mortis cap. 2. 1 Cor. 15.38 then the end is the ease therof but death is a good ease but death is an end death therfore is good They are sayd to be sowed into the earth or field of the
death take héede thou doe not so loue thy wife and children that therefore thou refuse to follow God calling thée with a readie heart The loue of the heauenly Father must be preferred before the loue of children Ambro. in cap. 12. p. 111. Bern. Serm. 26. in Cant. Col. 569. August Epist 6. ad Vid. the loue of our Bridegroome Christ must be set before the loue of wife the benefit must not more be loued then the benefactour What shall I speake of kinsmen if thou leauest those that are deare thou shalt receiue them héereafter more déere For wée doe hope on a most faithfull promise that when we goe out of this life whence being to depart we haue not lost but sent before some of ours that are departed we shall come to that life where by how much they shall be better knowne of vs so much they shall be dearer vnto vs and without the feare of any dissension amiable If thy kinsmen be déere vnto thée let Christ be déerer which is thy brother If it be a pleasant thing to be here conuersant with thy kinsmen Heb. 12.22 let it be more pleasant vnto thee that thou commest to the mount Sion â—er 23. and Citie of the liuing God the heauenly Hierusalem and to the company of innumerable Angels and to the congregation of the first borne which are written in heauen and to God the iudge of all and to the spirits of iust and perfect men XLI The stopping vp of the eares in Death The Tempted I Feare lest that my eares waxing deafe in the agony of death I shall be destituted of all consolation of heart and too much vexed with the terrours of Satan The Comforter THe inward comfort of the spirit is of greater force then all outward consolations Rom. 8.16 The holy spirit giues testimonie to our spirit that wee are the sonnes of God the same spirit doth raise vp our spirit when wee beginne to wrastle with death and to be troubled in heart for he is the true and greatest comforter Ioh. 15.26 When thine eyes waxe dimme in death the holy Ghost will giue vnto thée the true illumination of the heart when thine eares waxe deafe in death he will giue vnto thée the quickening consolation of the soule Where mans consolation shall cease there Gods consalation will begin Behold the examples of the Martyrs how prompt and ready they were to the most exquisite punishments the whéeles séemed to them Roses the sparkes of fire spirituall bracelets the yron chaines golden crownes the torments ornaments the two edged swords beames of the heauenly light who hath wrought this in their hearts who hath comforted them in sorrowes but the holy Ghost His consolation is of greater force then the accusation of the whole world yea of the prince of the world What Doest thou thinke that the holy Ghost doth onely lift vp our hearts in the course of this life and doth idlely rest in the agony of death Dost thou thinke that the habitation of the holy Ghost is destroyed Gal. 2.20 when the tabernacle of the body is destroyed Ephes 3.2 Christ liues in thée and dwels by faith in thy heart grace is powred out in his lips in the fragrancy of this grace hee will make glad thine heart Psal 45 9. although thine hearing perish his spéech will â—ierce to thine heart although the dores of thine eares be shut Esa 61.1 The spirit of the Lord is vpon him the Lord hath annointed him to preach the Gospell to the afflicted hée hath sent him to binde vp the broken in heart to preach fréedome to the captiues and opening of prison to those that are bound Esa 50 4. The Lord hath giuen vnto him a learned tongue that hee may know to comfort sustaine the afflicted in a seasonable time Cleane to him with firme confidence of thy heart commend thy selfe to him with godly prayers hee will comfort thée in the seasonable time he will raise vp thine heart with the word of the Gospell when the arrowes of death are fastened in it hee will binde vp thy heart when the wounds of death are inflicted on it hée will preach deliuerance to thy heart when thou art led captiue of death as it were a pray he will preach opening to thy heart when thou art thrust into the prison of death XLII The apparant in vtilitie of Redemption IF Christ hath redeemed vs from death why must I as yet dye How shall death be ouercome by Christ when hee shewes his daily prayes as it were the trophees of his victory The Comforter EVen as Christ hath saued his people from their sinnes Mat 11.21 not that sinne may no more dwell in their flesh séeing in this life they remayne solde vnder sinne but that he may not condemne them for euerlasting as being regenerate and beléeuing so also hee hath redéemed vs from death Rom. 8.10 not that we should not any more be subiect to temporall death séeing that our body is dead or subiect vnto death for sinne but that wee might be frée from the bands of eternall death The death of the soule is the true death from this Christ hath redéemed vs sustaining the punishment for vs. Swéet Iesus hath also made temporal death it selfe swéet vnto vs that it is death in name alone but in very déed sléep nay the end of death and the beginning of true life Those that are truly godly doe dye daily 1 Cor. 15.24 by reason of those continuall calamities by which they are oppressed in this life therefore their death is the end of death but by the gate of death they passe to a quiet and eternall life Ose 13.14 therefore their death is the beginning of true life The death of Christ is the poyson of our death although therefore this poyson hath not altogether kild our death for it doth as yet moue it selfe and fastens his dart in our héele yet this poyson is gone to the heart of death it will come to passe therefore 1 Cor. 15.26 that at length by the force thereof it dye death is that last enemie whom Iesus Christ at length in the last day shall vtterly destroy Luk. 11.22 and comming vpon this strong armed man with greater strength shall take away powerfully from him all his pray Death must be beheld with spirituall eyes and it will appeare that his wrath is but vaine without strength as being captiuated and ouercome of Christ It layes snares for the life of the godly and behold it brings them to the true life It attempts to kill their soule and body with his darts and behold the soule being trée and without hurt of all wound of death the body alone is wounded which same also in the time to come shall bee snatcht out of the Iawes of death It endeauours to deliuer the godly to eternall death and behold it deliuers them to eternall life LXIII The horrour of the
beleeuest on the Sonne thou shalt not be iudged Ioh. 3.18 that is to say with that seuere and condemning rigour of iudgement If thou hearest the word of Christ Ioh. 5.24 and beleeuest him thou commest not into iudgement thy cause shall not be discust in that rigorous examination of iudgement 1 Thess 1.10 August in Psa 100. seeing Christ hath freed all that beleeue on him from the wrath to come Truly the day of iudgement is to be feared of the wicked for the punishment but is to be loued of the good for the crowne to them it shall be a day of grace and of large remuneration Luk. 21.28 Lift vp your heads saith the Son and know that your redemption draweth neere The Bride doth not feare the comming of her Bridegroome now thy soule is espoused to Christ by faith hée will appeare in the day of iudgement to that end Apoc. 197 that hée may bring her in as it were â—â—is Bride to the heauenly marriage what place therefore can there be here for terrour or feare That day shall be thâ— day of deliuerance because it shall frée vs altogether from the wretched captiuitie of sinne and death Into the perfect seruice of Christ it is the day of deliuerance because it shall plucke vs away from all the heape of euils and waight of calamities it is the day of deliuerance because it shall redéeme vs wholly from that continuall wrastling of the flesh and perillous warfare It is the day of refreshing because it shall set vs thirstie and out of breath into a place of rest by the fountaine of liuing water from the heate of calamities Act 3.20 Apoc. 22.2 Therefore let our Bridegroome Christ come let him come whatsoeuer soule is the true Spouse of Christ sealed by the earnest of the spirit led by the loue of Christ let her say Come Lord Iesu August in Psa 147. If wée loue Christ truly surely wée also desire his comming for it is a peruerse thing to feare least he come whom thou louest to pray let thy Kingdome come and to feare least thou be heard But from whence is the feare because hée is to come a Iudge What is hée vniust doth hée beare vs ill-will is he enuious doth he expect to know thy cause from another least perhaps he whom thou hast instructed either deceiue thée by collusion or failing in lesser elequence or abilitie be not able in words to shew the goodnesse of thine innocencie None of these Who therefore is to come Wherefore doest thou not reioyce Who is to come to iudge thée but he which came to be iudged for thee Feare not the accuser of whom he hath said the Prince of this world is cast forth Feare not an euill Aduocate for he will be thine Aduocate which shall be thy Iudge He will be both thy selfe and thy cause The word of thy cause the testimonie of thy Conscience All this of Augustine Whosoeuer therefore thou be that fearest the Iudge to come correct now thy conscience There is no cause therefore why thou shouldest feare the Iudge to come He shal be thy Iudge which also is thine Aduocate He shall be thy Iudge which hath giuen a promise to his Saints that by his testimonie and example they are to iudge the world He shall be thy Iudge in whom from euerlasting thou wert chosen to life Hée shall be thy Iudge which was thy King how shall a King destroy his owne people He shall be thy Iudge whose true member thou art by faith how shall the head destroy his members Rom. 8.33 Who shall accuse the chosen of God It is God which iustifies who shall condemne It is Christ which is dead nay which is risen againe which is at the right hand of God and makes intercession for vs how shall hée destroy those whom he hath taken into his tuition for whom least they should be destroyed Rom. 2.16 he came into the world Christ shall iudge according to the Gospell but now the beleeuers haue not despised it but receiued it with true faith They haue heard the voice of Christ inuiting them to conuersion Matth. 11.28 Come vnto me all yee which labour and are heauie loaden and I will refresh you therefore they shall also heare his voice inuiting them to the heauenly possession Come ye blessed of my Father Matth. 25.34 receiue the inheritance of the Kingdome of heauen which was prepared for you from the beginning He shall be the Iudge before whose face goe grace and truth grace hath abolisht the sinnes of the beléeuers truth hath giuen vnto them the promises of eternall life Neither is there any cause that thou feare the horrible vniuersall destruction of heauen and earth Heauen and earth shall passe away Luk. 21.33 Esa 40.8 but the words of Christ shall not passe away The word of the Lord abides for euer if thou sticke to this word with true faith thou likewise shalt abide for euer Thou hast lost nothing where by inordinate loue thou hast possessed nothing thy treasure is not the riches of this world but the delight of the heauenly Kingdome let the world be on fire it is sufficient for thée that Christ thy treasure liueth Let the frame of heauen and earth perish flie passe away thou hast most faithfull promises of a new heauen and a new earth Esa 65.17 2 Pet. 3.12 Apoc. 21.1 Behold I create a new heauen and a new earth saith the Lord in which shall dwell righteousnesse so that no man remembreth the former things any more Let the lodging of thy pilgrimage fall downe the euerlasting house of the heauenly Countrey doth abide Neither is there any cause why thou feare the accusation either of Satan or of the Law or of thine owne sinnes thy sinnes are cast into the depth of the Sea suppose into the bottomlesse pâ—t of Gods mercy Mich. 7.19 Es 38.17 Eze. 18.24 Psa 32.1 Psal 51.1 GOD hath cast them behinde his backe so that hée will not remember them hereafter Beléeue Satan shall not draw vp those sinnes out of the Sea nor dare to bring them into the sight of the Iudge Thy sinnes are forgiuen they are couered they are blotted out they shall not be brought againe into iudgement The accusation drawne against the godly of the Diuell shall be vaine because the blotting out of the hand-writing made by the bloud of Christ Colos 2.14 shall be turned against it The accusation of sinne shall be vaine because the pardon giuen by Christ shall be turned against it The accusation of the Law shall be vaine because reconciliation with God through faith hath gone before in this life To conclude there is no cause that thou feare the sodaine returne of Christ to iudgement for although the day of the Lord shal come as a Thiefe in the night 1 Thess 5.2 yet God hath not appointed vs to wrath but that wée may attaine saluation through our Lord Iesus Christ Vers 9. which hath dyed for vs that whether we wake or sléepe we may alwaies liue with him The day of iudgement is not to be feared of them for whom the Kingdome of heauen was prepared from the beginning Matth. 25.34 Eph. 1.4 which were chosen in Christ before the foundations of the earth were laid Commend therefore into the faithfull hands of God the pretious pledge of thy soule he will keepe it in death and iudgement and he will bring it vnited to the body into the Palaces of the heauenly Court to euerlasting glorie FINIS A PRAYER in Sicknesse HEare mee O God giuer and restorer of life in whose hands is life and death health and sicknesse Heare mee not according to the desire of my will but according to the good pleasure of thy will If thou wilt thou canst make mee whole say but one word onely and I shall be whole thou art the length of my dayes in thy hands are my lots but if thou now callest me by the way of Death to the heauenly Countrey mortifie first in mee all inordinate loue of this life giue me the strength of the spirit that I may ouercome the sorrowes of death and in the midst of the darknesse of mine eyes when they waxe dimme kindle and encrease in me the light of heart with thee is the fountaine of true life and in thy light I shall see light Thy death O good Iesus is the medicine of my death and the merit of eternall life I embrace thy vvord vvith a faithfull heart therefore I am sure that thou dwellest by faith in my heart I will not let thee depart out of my heart before thou blesse me and lift me vp with quickning consolation Thou hast said He that beleeueth on mee shall not die for euer this word my heart doth set before thee and in this faith I draw neere to the throne of grace thou wilt not correct nor put back him that comes vnto thee Let thy pretious bloud vvash mee from my sinnes let thy wounds hide mee from the wrath of God and rigour of iudgement I wil die in thee thou shalt liue in mee I will abide in thee and thou shalt abide in me thou wilt not leaue me in death and dust but wilt raise me vp to the resurrection of life Thou hast fought and ouercome for mee now fight and ouercome in me let thy strength be performed in mine infirmitie My soule cleaues vnto thee I will not suffer my selfe to be pluckt away from thee let thy peace which passeth all vnderstanding keepe my heart and senses Into thy hands I commend my spirit thou hast redeemed me thou God of truth take vp the poore soule which thou hast created which thou hast redeemed which thou hast washed from sins with thy bloud which thou hast sealed with the earnest of the holy Ghost which thou hast fed with thy body bloud It is thine thou hast giuen it vnto mee take vp that which thine is and remit the guilt of my sinnes wherewith I haue defiled it Let not the fruit of thy Passion perish in me let not thy precious bloud waxe barren in me In thee O Lord haue I hoped let me not be confounded for euer Amen