GOD hymselfe that made vs whyche is greate blasphemy Wherefore to lette goe talking of youre owne sence and féeling if you be destrous to know your estate would you haue a better and surer Iudge than God himselfe to tell you it In déede says you if hée woulde come downe from Heauen and tell me I should then I hope beléeue hym Euen so he hathe in hys worde and if an Aungell from Heauen shoulde come and tell you otherwise than in his worde he hathe tolde you you haue Paules warâ—â—â— Galâ—â—â— to holde him accursed therefore and I hope you wil hold that seÌ„ce that féeling that reason that person that Diuel accursed that dare be so bold â—â—reafter as to tell you otherwise of your selfe and your estate than GOD hymselfe hathe pronounced in this hys worde Hearken therefore wyth a mind readye to yéelde your subscription vnto Gods iudgement in hys worde We are tolde Esay 61. that Christe was annoynted bycause the spirite of God was vpon him to preach glad tydings vnto the pore to bind vp the brokeÌ„ hearted to preache libertie to the captiues and to them that are bound the opening of the prison to preache the acceptable yeare of the Lords and the daye of vengeance of ourâ— God to comforte all that mourne to appoynt vnto them that mourne in Syon and to giue vnto them beautie for ashes the oyle of ioye for mourning the â—aâ—ment of gladnesse for the spirite of heauinesse that they myghte bée called Trées of Righteousnesse the planting of the Lorde that he myghts 〈◊〉 glorified whereby wée learne that those Christe hathe cured and comforted that bée trées of Ryghteousnesse of the Lordes plantyng whereby 〈◊〉 is glorified Nowe Iohn 15. wée learne that those trées of Ryghteousnesse that bee of the Lordes planting they bée planted and grafted into Christ Iesus and there also we are taughte as the branch cannot heare fruit of it selfe excepte it abide in the Vine no more can wée excepte wée abyde in Christe In these twoo places then this doctrine is flatlye taughte vs that wée can not bee good trées of Ryghteousnesse wherevpon good fruite is found grâ—â—â—ing vnlesse we be such as be enriched fréed deliâ—â—â—ed cured and healed by Christ yea vntill we be such as both be ingrafted into Christ and childe in him Now the they that be in this case be elected and iustified hane faith be the children and sonnes of God in the ende to be glorified you can not denie now then looke vpon your wresâ—â—ing against infidelitie and other sinnes your loue towards God and his truth and to all godlynesse vnseypedly and you shall sinne that not only the matter of godlynesse which 〈◊〉 found in hipocrites but the matter done in right maner according to the rules before set downe be founde in you what betteth then but that according to Saint Peters counsel you should accompt your election sure and that you shall neuer fall 1. Peter 2. These things you know that doing inâ—â—rie to the spirite of God that hathe wrought them in you you can not deny but that they are good fruites of fayth and of one iustified thereby and then séeing you are enforced to confâ—sse that these be in you vnlesse you wouldâ— cleane contrarie to Christes indgemeÌ„t say Math. 7. that an yll trée can bring foorth good fruite confesse that you are in the sight of God a good trée as the Lorde hath made it manifest to you to your comfort by causing these fruites to grow on you To come to particulers you know Christ hath sayde Louâ— one another as I haue loued you that is as Iohn expoundes it in déede anâ— truth 1. Epistle Chap. 3. and by this shall all men knowe that you are 〈◊〉 Disciples whiche lessâ—n was of that force with Iohn that finding in himselfe loue towardes the bréethren without hypocriste he set downe this poâ—â—tion of hymselfe and of all suche Wâ— knowe that we are translated from death vnto life bycause we loue the bréethren 1. Iohn 2. verse 14. Marke he sayeth we know not we thinke or suppose thereby teaching vs to accompt thys fruite founde in vs an infallible argumente of oure blessed estate And in the nexte Chapter hée teacheth vs to knowe whether we bée ledde by the spirite of truth or errour by oure willingnesse to heare the faithfull ministers of God saying He that knoweth God heareth vs he that is not of God heareth vs not héereby knowe we the spirite of errour and the spirite of truth 〈◊〉 and a little after he addeth and héereby knowe we that we dwell 〈◊〉 hym and he in vs bycause he hathe gyuen vs of hys spirit Thus then you in the iudgementâ— of the word is that you are a gâ—â—â— tree of the Lordes planting and â—â—gâ—aning abiding in Christ Iesus that you are one of Christes Disciples translated from deathe to life and ledde by the spirite of truth and therefore suche an one as dwelles in the fauour of God this is Gods sentence and iudgement of you and therefore thankefully prayse him and bring once all your thoughtes and imaginations that set vp theÌ„selues against this into obedience herevnto quench not the spirit neyther yet gréeue any longer the spirite of grace 1. Thess 19. Ephe. 4.30 whereby you are thus comfortably sealed vnto the day of redemption be no longer vnthankefull vnto God in staying from confessing your selfe to be his childe and to haue faith Be of good cheere the Lorde hath giuen you beautie for ashes the oyle of ioy for mâ—â—rning the garment of gladnesse for the spirite of heauinesse and therefore say with the Prophet in the same place Esay 61. I will greatly reioyce in the Lord and we soule shall be ioyfull in my God for he hath clothed me with the garments of saluation and couered me with the robe of righteousnesse yea he hath decked me like a Bridegrome and as a Bride tireth hirselfe with iewels and let not yours weakenesse and brusednesse any wore dismay you for you haue a God that will not quench the smoking sâ—are not yet breake the brused réede Neyther yet let the chaunges and alterations that you find in your selfe discoâ—â—â—t you for God is no changeling neyther in himselfe nor in his giftes Mal. 3. Iames. 1 â—om 11. and though Sathan be buâ—â—e in making warre and in renewing his assaults yet â—â—â—râ—st not if you were not Gods childe and oâ—e in Gods kingdome he néeded not neyther yet would so striue with you he warreth not against those that be his but is at peace with them and Christ that hath taken in hande the kéeping of you is a good Shepeheard and hath triumphed ouer sinne and ouercome him and therefore he is bold to say Iohn 10. My Shéepe shall neuer perish neyther shall anye plucke them out of my hands Psal 28. if we by the force of the enemie be caused to stray sometime yet he giueth vs not ouer but séeketh vs till he finde vs and then he layeth vs on his shoulder and bringeth vs home againe Luke 15. and therefore let vs euen boldly trust our selues with him nothing doubting but that if he leade vs at any time into teÌ„ptation he wil stand by vs and so preserue vs that we shal happily get out again to his glory and our comforte whiche God the Father graunt vs euen for this hys sonnes sake now and euer Amen To which God the Father God the Sonne and God the holy Ghost thrée persons and one true and euer liuing God be all prayse honor and dominion for euermore Amen
¶ A short Treatise very comfortable for all those Christians that be troubled and disquieted in theyr consciences with the sight of their owne infirmities Wherein is shevved hovv such may in their owne selues finde whereby to assure them of their free election effectuall vocation and iustification Math. 7. verse 17. Euery good tree bringeth foorth good fruite and a corrupt tree bringeth foorth euill fruite Math. 4. verse 18. A good tree can not bring foorth euill fruite neither can a corrupt tree bring foorth good fruite Printed at London by Ralph Newbery Anno Domini 1580. To the Christian Reader saluation in Christ IESVS WHen these few leaues were writ at the first Christian Reader it was not my meaning thus by print to haue made them common for they were writte vpoÌ„ the request of a perticular man for the comfort and consolation of his troubled soule but since one written coppy hath begot so many and made me haue so many suters for moe the number of afflicted coÌ„sciences being in these dayes so many as I know they be and they that haue had the reading heereof already reporting and confessing vnto me that thereby they haue bin much comforted though I know that it was not nor is not penned so exactly nor yet the matter dealt in so substaÌ„tially as things in these dayes to be published had neede to be yet I haue suffered my selfe by the importunitie of the godly that haue requested euen this at my hands to be ouerread and so to publish it I hope for the benefite of all those that shall reade it for this I am sure of I haue so layd downe comforts for the healing of the broken hearted Christian that withall I haue I hope taken all occasion from the prophane and godlesse of taking cause to be sure by any thing heere set downe which I take to bee very necessary to be regarded in such preatises and discourses wherefore be the Reader hereof a right and true Christian or a carnall and counterfeyte Gospeller he may in this short and briefe tracte find that which may be profitable for him if he be of the later sort then here shal he learne that where true iustification in deede is there is also sanctification and that therefore he deceyues himselfe in presuming of the former hauing neuer had any aquayntance with the later and if he be of the first sort be he weake or strong in faith heere shall he find both matter to leade him on in his streÌ„gth and to rayse him vp in his weakenesse and therefore take it vnto thee Christian Reader and learne to make thy profite of it according to thy hearte and a salue of it according to thy sore That thou mayest thus do I beseech the Lord to direct thee in reading of it with his spirit and hauing done I pray thee recompence my good will in commending me vnto God in thy heartie Prayers agayne Farewell Thine in Christ Iesus Thomas Sparke Archdeacon How a man shall be assured in his ovvne conscience of his election effectuall vocation and iustification THis is certayne he that is desirous to knowe whether he be one whome God hath elected and according to the same his election effectually called and iustifyed he is to consider whether he be yet sanctified or no and thereby to iudge of his election vocation and iustification for where this sanctification is founde there the partye that hath it in possession is assured that he is the chosen childe of God effectuallie called vnto that estate and in Christ Iesus iustified and so in the ende sure to bée glorifyed as it maye well and euidentelye appeare bothe by the iudgemente of Peter and also of Paule whereof the firste exhortyng to the particular braunches of sanctificatioÌ„ as namely to knowledge temperance patience godlynesse brotherly kindnesse and loue addeth thys as a reason to adde force vnto his exhortation Bréethren giue diligeÌ„ce to make your calling and election sure for if you do these things ye shal neuer fal 2. Pet. 1. verse 5. and the other Rom. 8. as he assureth those that be in Christ of their election vocation and iustification yea and in the end of their assured glorification saying there is no condemnation to those that be in Christ Iesus so he in the words immediatly following teacheth how to know those that be in Christ and so consequently those that be elected called iustified and in the end to be glorifyed saying Which walk not after the flesh but after the spirit which same lesson Christ our sauiour hathe taught vs Math. 7. verse 18. saying A good trée cannot bring forth had fruite nor yet a had trée can bring forth good fruite and also Ioh. 15. verse 4. 5. where he saith as the branch can not beare fruite of it selfe except it abide in the vine no more can yée except yée abide in me I am the vine yée are the branches he that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruite Héereby I say then it is euident as séeking the cause why we are elected called iustified and finally shall be glorified we find the only cause to be Christ Iesus and therfore are enforced to acknowledge hym the only dore into the shéepefold Ioh. 10. the way the truth and the life Iohn 14. and his name to be the only name whereby commeth saluatioÌ„ Act. 4. so we are compelled being asked who be elected called iustified and to be glorified to answere they onely that ioyne vertue to their faith that walke not after fleshe but after the spirite and so being good trées of the Lordes planting in Christ Iesus Esa 61. and Iohn 13. bring foorth the fruites of righteousnesse that is those only that be sanctified for those the word accompteth sanctified in whome the sanctifying spirit sheweth it selfe to dwell by the right fruites of the spirit wrought in them which all consist in sacrificing crucifying â—â—â—â—â—cising mortifying killing and burying of the old man and in putting on â—â—â—â—â—ing renuing and strengthning of the new man which representeth the ymage of God in holynesse and righteousnesse Ephesi 4. If therefore to our eternall comfort we would be certifyed of thys poynte whether we be of the number of those that shall be saued let vs not séeke to be resolued thereof by â—urious entring into consideration of Gods secret purpose but let vs in the reuelation of Iesus Christ vnto vs and in the assured tokens and marâ—es of those whome God in him hath purposed to saue learne to know and vnderstande what Gods purpose is towardes vs. For as it is written by Paule in the firste Chapter vnto the Ephesians and the thirde verse In hym it is in whome the heauenlye father hathe blessed vs in all manner of spirituall blessings in heauenly things according as he had chosen vs in him before the soundations of the worlde were â—ayde that we shoulde be holy and withoute blame before him thorough Loue. In déede God in
yet it getteth the but with grudging misliking of the spirit so hath neuer ful obedience yéelded it as before euery day it obtaineth lesse obedience lesse So the I may wel compare the obedieÌ„ce that sin hath being in his kingdome to the obedieÌ„ce yâ— a lawfull welbeloued King getteth of hys subiectes and the obedience that sin only dwelling in man obtaineth to the obedience the a tyrant vsurper getteth of his subiectes that loue him not Both of these get their things that they commaund done but in great dinersitie for the one is obeyed in all that willingly hartily faithfully the other in as little as they can in that repyningly with inwarde griefe misliking the they shoulde obey such a one at al euen the like difference betwixt obedience yéelded to him before regeneration and after is there Take we héed therfore that sin raigne not in vs wrestle wée and striue we by the spirite euery day more and more to withdrawe our bodies and soules from yéelding any obedience to sin dwelling in vs and in thus doing though with Paule we fynd some tyme this tyrant letting vs from doing the good we would and drawing vs on to do the euil that we mislike yet with the same Paule as wée do take occasion to crye oute of oure owne wretchednesse and of the tyranny of sinne in vs so let vs comfort our selues assuring our selues that this wrestling against sinne in the inner man is a sure argument of our most assured purposed saluation in the bloud of Iesus Christ But to the end that this doctrine now thus generally layde downe may be to the more comfort of thée Christian Reader particularly let vs sée now how it can be applyed to thy fore to salue it to thy sicknesse to cure it to thy afflicted conscience to solace and comfort it thou mournest and thy soule is troubled desquieted and sore vered within thée yea thou thinkest thy selfe euen compassed about with the paynes of hell and therfore in bitternesse of heart complaynest as one cast off forgotten and forsaken of God fearing greatly that thy ende and portion shall be with the wicked and why is all this bycause sayest thou I find in my selfe such doubting whether I shall be saued for Christes sake or no and many other sinnes and infirmities in my selfe beside for the which I deserue vtterly to be reiected But tell me also and dissemble not with me doest thou not greatly mislike this thy doubting art thou not gréeued with thy selfe for it findest thou not in thy selfe an earnest desire to be ridde of it that thou mightest fully beléeue that thou shalt be saued for Christes sake and further concerning the other infirmities doest thou not mislike them and condemne them in thy selfe and wrestle and striue to lessen them in thy selfe and yet to go one step further with theée doest thou not vnfeynedly finde in thy selfe loue towards Gods truth and the professors thereof euen for that they do professe it and embrace it and a loue after godlinesse euen for godlinesse sake And that in answering of me in these two last poyntes you be not deceyued consider whether you take any comfort pleasure and delight in reading of Gods booke in studying of his truth in hearing it preached and commoned on and whether it be a gréefe vnto you to heare it withstoode or misliked or the professors and preachers thereof abused if these things be in you it is certayne you haue loue towardes God and his truth and to the bréethren that professe it and as for loue after godlynesse vniuersally euen for godlynesse sake then it is in you if you be at this poynt that you could finde in your heart to absteyne froÌ„ sinne though it might aduantage you not hurt you in procuring you here any shame or punishment to embrace vertue though it purchase you mockes scoffes and tauntes and any other displeasure and gayne you nothing wyth menne euen bycause your God hathe condemned the one and coÌ„mended the other And whether your abstaynyng from sinne and embracing of vertue be such as this you may be able to iudge if you consider whither you be as carefull to absteyne from those sinnes that man punisheth not or accounteth not of as from other and if you way whether you be not as well willing to embrace those poyntes of godlynesse whiche are most dispised amongst meÌ„ as those that he highliest estéemed you can not deny but that to these questions you must néedes answer that it is thus with your selfe notwithstanding your complayning of lacke of faith and doubting that sometime you haue good comforte in hearing Gods truth in Christ Iesus and great consolation in powring forth your Prayers vnto God in the bitteâ—nes of your soule this is it that discomforts you that this comfort of yours lasteth but for a short time your doubting being renued and yet you can not I am sure say to the contrarye but that you hope of the renuing of your comfort in Christ and of saluation through him in the ende Be it then that this is thy state Christian Reader let vs sée nowe what comfortes the worde of God ministreth vnto thée to binde vp thy broken heart and to heale thy wouÌ„ded conscience This I dare say vnto you by gâ—â—d and plentiful experience to begin withall in the wordes of Paule 1. Cor. 10. verse 23. there hath no teÌ„ptatioÌ„ takeÌ„ you but such as aperteineth to maÌ„ and God is faithfull which will not suffer you to be tempted aboue that you be able but wil giue the issue with the temptation that you may be able to beare it thus hath he before now oftentimes brought downe to Hell and carryed backe agayne he hath throwne downe that hée might rayse vp wounded that he might heale thus doth he vse to breake vp the fallow landes of the hearts of his children to prepare them as méete ground for the immortal séede of his word thus doth he according to his promise Ezech. â—6 take from his their stony heartes and bestowes soft and fleshie hearts vppon them such a broken and contrite heart as this is is so acceptable a sacrifice to God that he will not despise it Psal 51. yea to the great consolation of such it is sayd by God Esay 66. verse 2. to him will I looke that is poore and of a contrite spirite and trembleth at my wordes and therefore so farre off is it that you should be perswaded that God hath forgotten you or left you off bycause of the trouble and vexation which you féele in your soule that euen therein you haue matter of comfort assuring you that you are one whome most tenderly he looketh vpon and regardeth In déede it can not be denyed but that where there is no faith in Christ Iesus there is yet the state of damnation for as it is written He that beléeueth in him shall not be condemned so it followeth writ
Wynter in thy selfe sometime for if thou haste hadde once these florishing fruites of Sommer in thée heretofore be thou assured thou shalt haue hereafter a Sommer again and that the trées and hearbes are not dead though there appeare and be séene little gréenenesse in them for the sappe remaines in the roote which wheÌ„ Sommer coÌ„mes wyll garnishe all agayne When thou commest into an Orchard fielde and Garden thou canst comforte thy self with these thoughtes euen doe the like in this For it is written that whoÌ„ he loues he loues to the end Iohn 13. in whome he hath begonne thys good worke of Regeneration in them he wil performe it Philip. 1. For the gyfts and calling of God be without repentance Rom. 11. And therfore though they séeme to be so raked vp couered wyth ashes that they are not séene nor perceyued insomuch that Dauid speaking according to his own sense be ready to saye that God hathe tourned his backe vppon him and forgotten to bée gratious shut vp his louing kindnesse in displeasure yet in truth it is not so whiche God will make manifest in hys good time by remouing of the aâ—â—es that couered hys graces and giâ—tes and by blowing the â—â—â—les thereof wyth the Bellows of hys spirite in the ministery of his worde and sacraments Further that hope that is in thée what is it else but faiths daughter For when by faith once wée haue learned what â—â—ynges be prepared for vs at Gods hande in Christe Iesus thiâ—â— by hope we looke for them in the midâ—â— of most grieuous temâ—â—tious wherein Hope playeth a gâ—â—d daughters pâ—iâ—â— in â—ourishing and â—â—â—â—ngthning 〈◊〉 mother whyche otherwise then woulde be ready to languish but to hope â—or â—â—ings whiche by â—aieâ— we knowe not before in Christe Iesus to appertaynâ—â—nto vs in vaine and therefore 〈◊〉 â—â—counted in diâ—â— and that aptlye and worthily the daughter of Faith and therefore in confessing that you haue Hope you confesse that you haue Faith also For graunte once that there is a daughter and it is also of necessitie to be graunted that there was the mother first And whereas thou complaynest that thou féelest it not but rather the contrary I graunt thou neyther féelest Faith nor yet euer shall in the fleshe but in the inner man By these meanes that I haue shewed thou mayest fynde Faith and therewith content thy selfe and saye as the man sayd to Christe I beléeue Lorde Lord help my vnbeléete I beléeue in the spirite and inner man and there I fynde no doubtyng but a wrestling againste the least doubting and a miâ—â—iking of it but in my fleshe I finde vnbeléefe whych I beséeche thée O Lorde â—â—â—e and helpe If you dreame as it is â—â—â—ely you do of suche a measure of Faith in the spirite that shoulde â—â—yte extinguishe euen the least doubting in the fleshe you dreaâ—â— of that whyche yet neuer â—â—â—â—ll mannâ— had or shall haue if it be in the sinner man vnmixte wyth doubting whych it is if it mislike of the least doubting and sight againste it you haue Faith in his right nature yea and the greater your doubting and vnbeléefe in the fleshe hathe bin the stronger hath your Faith shewed it selfe in that notwithstanding it continueth striuing against it condeÌ„ning it misliking it you muste vnderstand the the force of Faith in instifying dependeth not vpon the quantitie therof but vpon the qualitie for al that be iustified by Faith haue not Faith in equall measure and quantitie some haue it in strong measure some in weak measure but al that by Faith catch holde of their saluation must haue like faith in qualitie that is they muste séeke their saluation at Gods hands in Christ Iesus alone It is likely you knowe that all those amoÌ„g the Isralites that looked vp to the brasen Serpent had not like eyes al in bignes clearnes yet if they had eies were they neuer so little and so bleared yet looking directlyâ—â—ppe they found helpe as well as the other Be the beggers hande little or greate it serueth hym alike to take a penny wythall So if thou haue a right faith that is such a faith as séeketh and looketh for saluatioÌ„ through Christ God and man alone be it that it is but little and weake yet it serueth thy turne In déede it is god that fynding faith in weake measure in vs we should striue by reading and musing of the word by diligent â—oaring it read and preached that wée maye growe in faith and procéed from a weak measure of faith to a stronger But yet in anys case we muste take héede that hauyng escaped from the filthinesse of Poperie in this point in séeking for any parte of our saluation in our owne merites suttle Sathan cause vs not to séeke for our saluation for the worthinesse of oure faith which we are very nigh vnto wheÌ„ we are ready to saye or thinke that ourâ— weake faith though it be neuer so right a faith cannot iustifie vs vnlesse it were in some worthier measure For is not thys a lykelihoode that wée are about to tye saluation to the worthinesse of faithe Wherefore to preserue vs from thys â—â—â—eight of Sathan we must vnderstand that if we accompte it absurde to séeke â—â—luation in worthinesse of â—ure other workes it is as absurde to tooke for it for the worthâ—â—â—â— of our saith For when wée are â—â—â—ghte in the worde that saith in the bloude of Christe Iesus iustiâ—â—eth the meaning thereof is not to teache vs that faith hath this four for the toorthinesse 〈◊〉 it selfe but for the worthinesse of Iesus Christe the obiecte and matter that saith findeth out beholdeth and apprehenâ—â—â— So that the proposition so muchâ—â—icked againste of the euiâ—â—ies of Gods sâ—â—â—â— grace Faith onelye â—â—stiâ—eth is that in eâ—â—â—â—te Amongest al vertues when they are togither Faith alone hath thyâ—â—â—â—ce though when shée â—â—â—â—â—â—tes it she be not alone or vnaccomâ—auyed of other vertues to apprehende Christe Iesus and so in him alone to iustifie vs But to retourne againe to your complaint of not féeling faith and therefore you haue not faith I muste tell you further that I feare in these heauenlye thinges you haue folowed to muche sence and féeling For if yoâ— woulde iudge aright whether you haue faith or no and whether you be Gods déere chylde or no you muste not iudge by sence and féeling but by the words of Almightie God So that if your sence and féeling leade you one way to iudge of your selfe and the word of God 〈◊〉 and you an other waye you muste prefâ—â—â— the iudgemente and determination of God in hys worde who knowes better these thingeâ— than â—â—ée oâ—â—e selues who is better to bée beléeued than our owns sence and féeling before the sentence of fleshe and bloâ—â—â— To refuse thus to doe is to obâ—â—se â—â—then to beléeue oure selues than GOD and to presume that we by oure owne senâ—â— féeling can iudge better in what â—taâ—s we stande than