die they can not make an ende of it they can not ouercome it Let all flesh stoope then vnder the heauy iudgement of God vpon sinne let us pull downe our loftie crestes which we so proudly set up let us learne at length to humble our selues under the hand of our God and seeke otherwhere then in our selues the discharge of this heauie burthen of our sinnes which so presseth dovvne all the posteritie of Adam that the holiest quaile vnder it It is time for vs to looke to it and high time yee see vvhat is laide against vs in this high court whereunto we are summoned euen matters of high treason against the king of glory wee can not deny it the matter is so euidently prooved against vs by Gods ovvne mouth in his word and therfore guiltie of the forfeiture of our hold and interest of euerlasting life and to be punished with everlasting death as a iust recompense for our treason rebellion against our God No other forged recompences of our ovvne fancy will be receiued no presence of Gods mercy will colour the matter against Gods truth and iustice What shall we doe now we in our selues cannot indure and ouercome that same punishment of our rebellion shall we stand to it and sticke by it to take the debt vpon vs then we utterly perish and if we bring any other debt but that it will not serue so that both that debt no other forged debt must be answered and we also are not able to pay it What shall we doe in this case Iustice must proceede the law must haue his course if it were a vvorldly matter we could deuise shiftes for it to saue vs from the Iayle vvhen the matter is fully concluded against vs that the debt must needes be answered and wee not finde our selues able to discharge it our last refuge is to trie our friends and trie if vvee can finde any of abilitie that can and will pay it for vs and if wee haue founde out such a one that vvill vndertake the debt for vs we are discharged We shall see good breethen if vve will be conuersant in the vvorde of God that the Lorde God hath beene as carefull for vs in this point as any of vs could be carefull for our selues in our ovvne vvorldly causes he hath provided for us a good and trustie friend that freely and frankely hath discharged for vs the vvhole debt We finde in the word of God that same true and trustie friend that hath paid the debt for vs that although the angels can not helpe here nor the Saintes nor any other creature in heauen or earth the Sonne of God steppeth out and taketh to him that which pertained to vs and vvas ours and whatsoeuer Gods iustice truth doth require on vs he willingly hath performed it for vs vvhatsoeuer is due for our sinnes he hath willingly taken it vpon him and discharged it and because he could not tast of the punishment of mans sinne vnlesse he had bene man he tooke vpon him true flesh of the virgine that he might become perfect man as vve are subiect to all infirmities sinne onely excepted and that he might not only as man sustaine and abide the punishment due to our sinnes but also which no man can do ouercome and make an end of it he ioyned his God head with his manhood so being perfect God and perfect man hath fully in our nature paied whatsoeuer the iustice of God can lay against vs. What is due to our sinnes death he hath sustained death What is due to our sinnes curse he became accursed for vs sustaining and abiding the fierce and terrible wrath of God for our sinne as testifieth the Apostle that he deliuered vs from the curse of God in that he became accursed for vs for it is written Cursed is he that hangeth vpon the tree This was an apparant proofe vnto vs that hee hath vndergone the curse for vs and partly he giueth vs to vnderstand the heauines of it vvhen he mightily crieth vnto his father My God my God why hast thou forsaken me He felt the tast of abiection to be cast off from God for that same is a part of the curse of God which is due to our sinnes according as the holy ghost saieth that our sinnes do separate vs from God vve deserve then to be cast off from God and this same sharpe abiection did Christ sustaine and yet ouercame it for although he cryed neuer so lovvd as forsaken of God yet he willingly yeeldeth his soule into the hands of his Father Father into thine hands I commit my spirit And although he suffered death yet by suffering he ouercame death and rose vp from death and is ascended vp into heauen aboue al power and principalities of things in heauen in earth or in hell Here then you see Iesus Christ the Sonne of God taking vpon him our nature hath borne and ouercome for vs whatsoeuer God of his iustice and truth can lay against vs. And here behold the depth of the misterie of Gods eternall wisdome his mercy and his iustice ioyned togither his mercy in forgiuing our sinnes his iustice in punishing our sinnes his iustice that would not suffer one of our sins unpunished but euen with his heavy curse doth reward them yet his mercy toward his elect that he doth not punish their sinnes in themselves but layeth them all vpon the shoulders of his owne deare sonne for vs. Here behold the wonderfull wisdom of God who in saving of his children yet omitteth no part of his iustice but punisheth their sinne euen to the ful with that self same punishment which he himselfe hath appointed this which he hath suffered is a full recompense for all our sinnes according as the holy ghost alledgeth If any man sin wee haue an advocate with the Father euen Iesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation or ransome for our sins so much as is sufficient well pleasing the Lord our God it is a sweet smelling sacrifice before our God This then is sufficient for the sinnes of the whole world But here yet ariseth a doubt for seeing Iesus Christ hath sustained and borne the punishmēt of our sinnes so much as the sinnes of the whole world deserueth it should seeme then that all the world should be saued but we see the cleane contrary even by the testimony of Iesus Christ himselfe who saith that many runne to damnation and fewe in comparison to saluation How can this be then that Christ hath satisfied the punishment of all our sinnes True it is that Iesus Christ hath borne whatsoeuer is due for all our sinnes that which hee hath borne is also sufficient punishment for all the sinnes of the earth and yet as true it is also that a great number are damned notwithstanding and that because they haue not the hand of faith to take
some part of this recompence for their sinnes For the blessed word of God which setteth forth vnto vs Iesus Christ a full ransome of our sinnes doth also giue vs to vnderstand that none are benefited to saluation sauing only those vvhich do beleeue So God loved the world that he gaue his onely begotten sonne to the end that all that beleeue in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life he saith not all the world but all that beleeue he saith on the contrariwise whosoeuer doth not beleeue is dāned looke now none are saued saue only those which doe beleeue in Christ if we do not beleeue the word of God saith we are condemned ye see then although Christ hath suffered for sinne yet vnlesse we beleeue we can not be saved But yet here ariseth another doubt which might seeme to bring with it also a liberty to sinne for it should seeme if all are saued that beleeue in Christ then all England France Ireland Spaine Italy and all Europe shalbe saued none should be damned but the Turke Iewe such other as denie Christ for all Europe doe beleeue in Christ acknowledge Christ whether they be papists or protestants none doeth deny Christ all beleeue that Christ is God the sonne of God borne of the virgine so forth therfore it should seeme that none of those should be damned for they all beleeue True it is I graunt all these do beleeue so do the deuils too yet are damned They do beleeue confes as fast as the best of them all that Christ is God sonne of the living God we know whō thou art say they euen Christ the sonne of the highest God yea they beleeue he shal come to iudgemēt art thou come to tormēt vs before the time to be short there is no article of our faith but they know it as wel as we beleeue it to be true yet notwithstanding they do nothing but tremble shake must utterly be damned The whole company of them that beare the name of Christ are called Christians do beleeue that Christ is God so doe the diuels They beleeue that Christ is the sonne of God so doe the diuels They beleeue that Christ was borne of the virgine suffered vnder Pontius Pilat was crucified for mans sin rose again ascended into heauen shall come againe at the latter day all this do the divels beleeue yet are damned seeing thē the word of God setteth down vnto vs two kinds of faith or beleeving in Christ the one such as the diuels wicked mēbers of Satan haue to damnation the other such as the childrē of god haue to saluation we must therefore be very carefull to seeke out that true sound faith of Gods people lest we flatter our selues thinke we beleeue wel enough when we haue no other beleefe then the very deuils in hell haue we must be therfore very carefull to know in what points the deuils faith doeth differ frō the sound faith of Gods people First of all the diuels although they beleeue that all that Iesus Christ did was truely done yet they do not beleeue that he did it for them although they can acknowledge confesse all the articles of our faith yet they can not apply them unto thēselves although they can beleeue that Iesus Christ is God soone of God hath paid the punishment of mans sinne yet they can not beleeue that he hath done this for them they can not beleeue that he hath paid the punishment for their sins they can not beleeue that for they haue not assurance therof out of the word of God nay they know the clean contrary that Christ came not to saue thē for the Apostle to the Hebrewes writeth that Christ tooke not vpon him the nature of spirits angels to ransome them but the nature of man therfore although the deuills can say neuer so fast we beleeue that Christ hath paid the punishmēt of mās sinnes yet they must needs withall say acknowledge and beleeue he hath paid the punishment of mans sinnes but not for ours therfore we looke beleeue to be tormented This is then the most chiefe and principall point in our beleefe that is that we beleeue whatsoeuer Christ hath done for the saluation of man pertaineth to vs our selves as well as unto others we must beleeue euery one of us that wilbe saued that the ransome which Christ hath performed is euen the ransom of our sins yea every one of vs particularly must apply it unto himselfe say I beleeue that Iesus Christ did suffer to pay the punishmēt of these my sins I beleeue that he hath purchased euerlasting life euen for me as well as for others Otherwise if we beleeue neuer so much that Christ hath suffered for the ransome of others not for us our selues it is no faith but a deuils faith such as makes us tremble before our God For alas what would it availe me if I could neuer so much beleeue that Christ had ransomed other mens sins in the mean time could not beleeue that he had ransomed my sins I beleeue indeed he hath purchased life for others his elect but alas not for me I must looke for nothing but hell what I say could all this beleefe helpe me Alas nothing but make me looke for Gods dreadfull vengeance and therefore euery houre tremble and shake So could that miserable poore caytiffe Francis Speyra acknowledge confesse when they brought out of the word of God that Christ was the Saviour of the worlde the ransome of mens sinnes that by his death he had pacified Gods wrath that hee had purchased everlasting life for vs so forth all this is true saith he I beleeue it as well as you but all this pertaineth nothing to me he hath done this saith he for his people not for me I beleeue saith he that he suffered the punishment of the sinnes of his people not for my sinnes I looke for nothing but extreme horror vvhich I do already tast of For this cause doth the worde of God set forth unto us Iesus Christ to be ours not onely other mens but our ovvne Christ is become our righteousnesse our iustification our sanctification our redemption and for this ende is the holy spirit of God sent into our hearts that we might cheerfully beleeue God to be our Father hee beareth recorde to our spirits that we are the children of God not onely others but that we our selues are the children of God And this our true faith doeth not onely let vs see Christ a farre off to appertaine vnto others but bringeth him to vs and maketh him ours euen to dwell in vs euen in our hearts not onely in others but in vs yea in our heartes The promises of God which be in generall to his people the particular faith of every one applyeth them to himselfe and maketh him say
heart of Lydia to beleeue the doctrine of saluation preached by Paul It is the Spirit of God that beareth record to our spirits that we are the children of God and heyres of euerlasting life all the men of the earth if they would come beare record with vs in the day of iudgement that we are saued can not preuaile vnles God be witnes vnto our hearts consciences no if all the men of the earth should but speake to a pore soule in this life say I warrant thee man my soule for thy soule thou shalt be saued vnles God touch his heart perswade it their warrants be nothing Alas what can the witnes of the whole worlde preuaile when the Lord is witnes in the heart of the pore man against himselfe So could Franciscus Speyra cry out to thē that perswaded him to beleeue assuredly that Iesus Christ hath saued him I would said he I would beleeue but I cannot faith is Gods gift all the worlde can not giue it me you fare with me saith he as if one were fast tyed with chaines and the passers by bid him come out and loose himselfe but they can not helpe him neither can he help himselfe although he would neuer so much euen so saith he ye pitie my case and bid me beleeue in Christ I would doe so but I can not for it is Gods gift and I haue denied him before men and therefore he hath denied me and wil not giue me an heart to beleeue Let al the skoffers vpon the earth that think it so small a matter to haue a true faith in Christ and therefore take libertie to sinne freely let all the packe of thembe taught if they will be taught by this horrible iudgement of God that they can not beleeue vnlesse it be a speciall and mightie working of God and let vs good brethren let vs hereby be admonished and all the deare children of God with vs to seeke the Lord now while he may be found and let vs in this good time of mercie that he giueth vs enter deepely into our selues and examine it to the full whither we haue this faith or no in this full assurance that we be saued if we haue it not let vs neuer rest knocking asking and seeking at Gods hand till he giue it vs we shall surely haue it if we aske for he promiseth that neuer deceiueth any Aske and ye shall haue seeke and ye shal finde knocke and it shalbe opened vnto you Can a father denie his childe any good thing if he haue it this is a good thing and our God hath it in store he will neuer then denie it vs. Thus then ye see it is a greater thing to haue faith then a great number of men make account of it is the onely worke of God and a rare worke of God which he bestoweth vpon his children onely men may haue peraduenture a certaine fleshly perswasion and some carnall opinion of their saluation which peraduenture may seeme vnto them while all things be quiet and no distresse of conscience to be maruelous strong but alas because it is not from the spirite of God but onely a fleshly brauerie as soone as God doth but touch them it vanisheth away as smoake as that carnal brag of Peter which was at the very looke of a litle damsell cleane daunted So all the worldly perswasions of men which for a time keepe them in very great securitie must needs fall before the iudgement seate of God there can nothing stand against the deuil death hel sinne Satā but onely that which proceedeth from him who hath ouercome hel death sinne Satā It may be that for a time it may be couered as it were a sparkle of fire in ashes but gathering strēgth by gods promises depēding only vpon him it passeth through al douts til at lēgth it getteth victorie Thus ye see thē the true and liuely faith of Gods children is not in the power of any to haue it when he will it is the speciall gift of God and peculiar onely to his people and therefore can giue no libertie to sinne vnto the carnall man in hope that he can beleeue when he wil. And yet here on the other side we must beware of an other vice tending to the same and yet growing of a contrarie cause A great number of worldlings and others which care neither for God nor deuill hell nor heauen so they may liue at ease in this world those I say hearing that faith whereby we come to saluation is the onely gift of God and not in mans power these iolly fellowes set cocke on hoope as they say and vtterly cast away all care of their saluation For say they seeing faith is the gift of God and not in our owne power wherefore should we trouble our selues about it we will neuer care to seeke for it for if so be God will giue it vs wee shall haue it though we neuer seeke after it but lie snorting in our beds and if God will not giue it vs we can neuer haue it therefore we neuer purpose to care for the matter but euen sit vs downe and take our ease and fill our paunch and if God will giue it vs he will giue it vs euen in our greatest securitie But here I aske these senselesse caytiffs of whome they haue their life and beeing and who doth feede their bodies and preserue their life they must needes confesse it to be God that giueth foode to all liuing creatures I aske them whether they will sit them downe and neuer neither eate nor drinke because it is God that feedeth vs they should within a little while tast of such horrible contempt and be guiltie of their owne death at the hande of that God that gaue them both life and the meanes to preserue their life For although God doth feede vs yet he doth it by the ordinarie meanes of meats and drinkes which if they be reiected the life it selfe is reiected Euen so the Lord our God hath prepared a remedie against these wranglers against their own saluation for although he onely do giue faith whereby we come by saluation yet he plainly in his word doth shew vnto vs a way whereby he giueth it vnto vs and that is the preaching of the word for so he saith Faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of God least we should think it were a sufficient means the hearing of the word read he addeth saith Who cā beleeue without the hearing of the word preached by this mean of preaching the word hath the Lord appointed to giue faith ordinarily by no other ordinarie means For who saith he can beleeue without a preacher vnles we beleeue there is no saluatiō for whosoeuer beleeueth not is dāned if this thē ordinarie means of preaching the word be reiected we reiect our saluation so are we willingly guiltie of our own dānation So then
things that might seeme to make for the contrarie And namely first the consideration of our naturall corruption cleauing fast vnto vs hindring vs from that which is good and drawing vs to that which is euill euen after such time as we doe beleeue of which he hath spoken in the other chapter and in the former part of this declaring that by the imputation of the perfect holines of Christ it is taken away which we know both by the fruits of it which is that we are sanctified in part and by the spirite of adoption which teacheth vs to call God Abba father Secondly the consideration of those manifold grieuous afflictions which may doe befall vs in this worlde whereby it may seeme that our waies are not so acceptable to the Lord that we might haue comfort therein in which he dealeth in the latter part of this chapter from vers 17. to the ende of it shewing that they shall be so farre from keeping vs from saluation as that in them we haue Christ Iesus that went before in all afflictions further then we can and yet at the last came vnto glorie and therefore if we patiently abide as we haue not onely the Prophets Apostles and Martyrs but Christ himselfe to be our fellow in them so we shal be fellowes with him and like vnto him in glorie And least that it might seeme grieuous vnto vs to goe to so happie an estate through so grieuous a way and so might thinke that the kingdome of heauen though it be so pretious we should bie it too deare he telleth vs assuredly that by casting the account he hath found it to be most true that all the afflictions in this miserable and wretched world are not to be compared in greatnes or continuance vnto the glorie that shall be reuealed vs vers 18. which as it is thus great so it is most sure and certaine and therefore we neede not in no wise to doubt of it for the very creatures them selues haue a certaine sense and feeling of it which but for a time are subiect to this vanitie that is corruption and abuse which they are and by the instinct of nature doe most earnestly and as it were with their heads lifted vp looke for the reuealing of the sonnes of God that they might be redeemed from bondage into their glorious libertie and shall not be disapointed of their hope therefore much more we that haue receiued the first fruits of the spirite should with greater patience in trouble abide the will of God and with more certentie and earnest desire looke for an happie chance of all our afflictions in that most glorious day v. 20 21 22 23. The which condition though grieuous for a time but happie in the ende that we might not refuse to vndergoe with the rest of he creatures and our brethren he willeth vs to consider the order which the Lord hath appointed in sauing of vs which is by hope and because hope is of things not seene or inioyed therefore we must not imagine so soone to enioy all happines as we beleeue it but be content to want all things for a time that hoping for them with patience and long suffering we might come to them at the last vnlesse we will goe about to peruert this most excellent order which the Lord hath determined and appointed to vse in sauing vs which is by training vs vp in the hope and expectation of all things promised for a season v. 24 25. And because the hope that is deferred is the fainting of the bones we might feare in respect of our owne weakenes and the greatnes together with the continuance of afflictions that we should not with patience vnder the crosse continue to hold out happily vnto the ende he further addeth for our singular comfort that the spirite which we haue receiued shall helpe to beare the burthen with vs and so though we be neuer so weake yet by the power of it we shall be able to endure vers 26. So that it shall be all one with vs as with the childe vpon whose shoulder the father laying an heauie burthen that were able to presse him downe doth so put his hande vnder it that he beareth the waight and burthen of it him selfe and if the father will not ouerlade the childe wee neede not to feare but that the Lorde will so increase our strength according to the measure of our afflictions that we shall finde this promise to be true that his holy spirite shall helpe our infirmities For as a father hath tender compassion of his children so hath the Lord tender compassion of vs seeing he knoweth whereof we are made and remembreth that wee are but dust and that wee flourish but as a flower of the fielde which thing as it is most comfortable to consider so we shall finde it to be most true by experience because our Sauiour Iesus Christ hath praied vnto his heauenly Father for vs that hee might giue vs a Comforter that might abide with vs for euer euen the Spirite of truth as the blessed Apostle confesseth of himselfe 1. Corinth chap. 4. vers 9. saying We are afflicted on euery side yet are we not in distresse in pouertie but none ouercome of pouertie wee are persecuted but not forsaken cast downe but wee penish not for as it is in another place his grace shall be sufficient for vs for his power is made perfect through our weakenesse so that when we are weake then are we strong 2. Cor. 12. 9 10. and thus we shall alwaies finde it to be most true that God is faithfull which will not suffer vs to be tempted aboue that we be able but will euen giue the issue with the temptation that we may be able to beare it 1. Corinth 10. 13. and if there were no Scripture to prooue it our owne experience might tell vs the trueth of it for if wee haue obserued any thing wee may remember that many times we haue beene low brought and haue sustained very heauy thinges and thought we should neuer haue beene able to haue borne them neither in deede should we but that there was an other thing farre aboue our selues which made vs indure and ouercome those thinges which we thought we should haue fainted in the middest of them so that we may boldly say with the holy Apostle Blessed be God euen the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ the father of mercies and God of all comforts which comforteth vs in all our tribulations that we may be able to comfort them that be in any affliction with the comfort wherewith we our selues are comforted of God For as the sufferings of Christ abound in vs so our consolation aboundeth through Christ 2. Cor. 1. 3 4 5. And this is so much the more worthy to be considered of vs because he saith that the spirite shall helpe vs not in some fewe onely but in all our infirmities whatsoeuer and there can be no weakenes in
vs so great or infirmities so many vpon vs which the spirit shall not strengthen euen to the bearing of the greatest crosse that may be laid vpon vs as we heard the Apostle saying before that God did comfort him in all his tribulations and that his consolations did abound euen as his sufferings did abound In the meane season he giueth vs to vnderstand that the afflictions of the godly are so great that they farre passe any strength that is in vs to beare them yea that we are very weake of our selues and subiect to many infirmities though we be partakers of the spirite of God for it doth not ridde vs of them Nay the very Apostles and Paul him selfe confesseth that hee was not able to haue vndergone so many and great things as he did being a fraile man like vnto vs but that he had the spirit helping him in his infirmities The trueth of which may likewise appeare in the great complaints of David Iob and the rest who though they did patiently beare many great things yet not without many infirmities For Iob sometimes curseth his day Dauid saith unto God in his hast I am cast out of thy sight Psal 31. 22. therefore we are not to imagine of such a portion of God spirite that might swallowe up all our infirmities for then we were no men but it must be sufficient that we are ayded with the strength of it so that wee finally fall not downe and lye still vnder the heauy burthen of affliction but that there is a mixt thing as it were in vs namely our owne infirmities to humble vs the strength of Gods spirit to inable vs to beare so that hauing so able an helper to beare with vs wee may be comforted with hope of induring the greatest thing that may befall vs in this world though continuing upon vs never so long And that we might doe it the rather the Apostle further addeth that the same spirit shall likewise stirre us up in all necessities of ours to pray vnto God and to make our moane vnto him as to our Father and shall be heard of him For though we sometimes through the greatnesse of our miserie knowe not what or how to pray as wee ought yet his spirite shall stirre vp euen then though not many well ordered speeches or wordes yet those sighes and grones which being unspeakeable and only felt are notwithstanding well vnderstoode and accepted of God because they proceede from his spirit whose meaning he knoweth and graunteth because it maketh request for the Saintes according to the will of God as it is ver 26. wherein we are notwithstanding to consider that though we haue receiued the spirite of God euen the spirite that teacheth vs to pray so that we haue many times called upon God with great assurance and comfort for and with our selves and others yet there may be a time and that very often wherein we may be so distracted by some great affliction and in that case that being as it were astonished and ouercome with the greatnes and strangenesse of it wee can not tell what to pray and though prayer then be our onely refuge yet wee can not tell how to begin it or what to say And so unlike shall we be unto our selues and that that we haue bene in times past as though we were not the same nay our estate may seeme like unto the wicked who are at their wits end For if we were asked what we would haue vve can not tell and though we haue liberty to aske of God we can not use it for we can not tell what to pray A wonderfull thing but yet most true and that which is to be found not in some but in the most excellent seruants of God euen the Apostles themselues as Paul here bringeth in himselfe for an example and in this infirmitie maketh himselfe like unto the rest And though we haue a forme of prayer prescribed us by our Sauiour Christ yet we aske those things many times which if we had them would hurt vs and when we aske that which is profitable and good yet by prescribing to the Lord the time maner and meanes of our deliverance we pray with such impatience and distrust that it may truely be said we can not tell what to pray as we ought This was the estate of good King Hezekiah Isa 38. 14. when he was oppressed in the bitternesse of his soule as he saith he chattered like a Crane or a Swallow and mourned as a Doue Such was the perplexitie and more then infirmitie of Dauid when instead of praying he roared all the day long Psal 32. 3. and when hee mourned in his prayer and could but make a noise Psal 55. 2. and when as he saith for the voice of his groning his bones did cleave to his skinne and that he was like a Pelicane of the wildernesse and like an Owle of the desert and as a Sparrow alone upon the house toppe Psalm 102. 5 6 7. and when his heart panting and his strength failing him euen the light of his eyes he roared for the very griefe of his heart and he powred out his whole desire before the Lorde by sobbing and sighing rather then by any thing else Thus these most excellent seruants of God in their greatest agonies were so farre from being able to pray unto God in any tollerable maner that in their owne sence and feeling they did but roare and crie sobbe and sigh mourne and complaine and that very confusedly euen like the Crane the Swallow the Owle so confused were they in themselues and full of disorder and fallen into so many great infirmities at once Therfore we may not iudge of our selues or others by any one such or fewe particular cases least wee deceiue our selues neither must wee then in this great vnfitnesse of ours be like unto the wicked who giue ouer all prayer because they are unfitte for it but striue earnestly against this infirmitie of ours and then pray vnto God that we might pray vvhich if we will do no doubt we shall finde his promise to be true in this That euen then his Spirit shall teach us to pray for as our Sauiour Christ comforteth his disciples in another case Matt. 10. 19 20. that when they shoulde be brought before kings they should not take thought what or how to speake for he would giue them in that houre what to say because it was not they which should speake but the spirite of the Father vvhich speaketh in them euen so we shall finde when we are most unfitte to pray if we will not yeelde to it there shall be a secrete inwarde working whereby wee shall be stirred up to doe something and there shalbe a labour of the heart and an indeauour of the minde aspiring unto that which we may seeme not to attaine unto and there shall be many sighings though fewe vvordes many great desires though fewe voices yea there shalbe
haue receiued any good grace we might be thankefull to God for it if not we might labour for it Thus speaketh the Apostle Peter 1. Epist 1. 6 7. Now for a season if neede require ye are in heauines through manifold tentations that the triall of your faith beeing much more precious then gold that perisheth though it be tried with fire might be found vnto your praise honour and glorie at the appearing of Iesus Christ Where the Apostle saith that if men by the fire will trie the gold to the ende that they might certenly know what is the value of it and yet it is but a thing that perisheth and therefore in no wise to be compared to faith and other graces of Gods spirite then the Lord much more by affliction may make triall of them to the ende that all men may see them to be so precious as they be Thus was Abraham prooued Gen. 22. 1. when the Lord commaunded him to offer vp his onely sonne Isaak whome he loued which he willingly obeyed and by faith offered him vp Hebr. 11. 17. so that the Lord saith now it was knowne by good proofe that he feared the Lord when for his sake he had not spared his onely sonne Thus is it knowne who are they that haue receiued the seede of Gods word into good ground and who into stonie ground euen such as goe away in tentation and so though they beleeued for a time yet then shew that the word was not rooted in them Luk. 8. 13. and thus it is knowne who haue builded there houses vpon the rocke and who vpon the sands who haue beene onely hearers of the word and who doers of the same Euen such as when the rayne fals the floode comes and the winde blowes there houses stand or fal that is they that in affliction and tentation continue the same that they were before or are vnlike vnto themselues to be short thus were the Israelites tried in the wildernes where it appeared many waies what was in euery man where some were murmurers some fornicatours some idolatours some disobedient and some faithfull and all this by the seuerall afflictions and crosses that did befall them Thus by the great afflictions that came vpon Iob at once appeared what was in him when in all that he sinned not with his mouth but saide The Lorde gaue and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the name of the Lord. And thus lastly by triall appeared the weakenes of Peter who though he had made so large a confession of his faith before yet at the voyce of a mayde when he saw greater danger sware and foresware with cursing and banning denying Christ euen that he neuer knew the man therefore if it be good for vs not to be ignorant of our selues and so not to be deceiued with an ouerweening of our selues if it be good for any man to see his wants and weaknes that he may be humbled and seeke to haue them healed if it be good to know certenly that we haue receiued such and such graces euen in that measure that we haue that we might be thankefull to God and comforted in our selues then seeing that affliction and the crosse bringeth forth all this at once and by trial we finde what faith hope loue patience obedience c. is in vs and what not that whatsoeuer we seemed to be before to our selues and others yet now we know certenly that we are thus and thus it can not be denied but that affliction worketh much good vnto vs and we ought to say with the Apostle that we knowe it to be so VVhich we may much more confidently when we shall see omitting to speake of many moe vses that the crosse hath that last and greatest of all that is spoken of vers 29. Hetherto we haue seene that there is great vse of affliction and that it worketh much good and that in euery crosse besides the present bearing of it the Lord offereth great commoditie vnto vs and worketh it in vs thereby so that as in all other thinges there is the present possession of them and the vse of them in so much that many haue great goods and yet not know howe to vse them so many haue great and long crosses vpon them yet labour not after the fruit of them Thus seeing afflictions are common to the good and the bad and both doe beare them whether they will or no yet the one must labour for the good which the Lord offereth to them thereby which the other not once so much as looketh after which no doubt when Gods children are some thing carelesse in then he continueth his roddes vpon them nay increaseth them because his purpose is to doe them good and so herein dealeth with them as a father euen as he is who spareth not the rodde till his childe be thereby humbled to the confession and amendment of his fault because his purpose is to doe him good when as notwithstanding he letteth his seruant goe when he seeth that he will not profit by wordes or a fewe stripes as not caring for him so the Lord when he spareth the wicked in their sinnes and reserueth them to further iudgement correcting his owne children againe and againe sheweth that his purpose is to doe them good Therefore let no man in the continuance of afflictions be too much discouraged as though the Lord were continually angrie with him or had a purpose to destroy him thereby which he could doe in a moment at once but let him thus reason with himselfe out of the word Nowe I know assuredly that the Lord loueth me in deede because he purposeth to doe me good by all things euen by affliction and therfore whereas I through the vntowardnes of my nature haue not profited sufficiently by his former chastisments he sendeth a new fatherly correction thereby to worke my further good and whereas I through my crookednes and stubbornnes doe not yet profit by them as he would haue me therefore I see that in much mercie he continueth it that so I might get good by it at the last and herein the Lord dealeth like a wise carefull Physitian who purposing not so much to giue Physick vnto the sicke patient as to cure him thereby if the first medicine will doe it there he leaues them if not he applieth one medicine after an other because he hath a diligent care of him and if at any time he maketh any intermission it is because of the patients weaknes whome he would by that meanes to gather some strength not that he meaneth to leaue him so the Lord purposing according to his word by affliction to doe vs good when by the first crosse we profit not as we ought then either he letteth it lie the longer vpon vs or remoouing it sendeth an other in steade of it though not presently because we could not beare it yet afterwardes when it seemeth best vnto him Therefore the best thing for euery man is
I am fully assured that neither life nor death principalities nor powers neither things present nor things to come neither height nor depth nor any other creature can separate vs from the loue of God vvhich is in Christ Iesus our Lorde And for the confirmation of this in vs be the Sacraments ordained to be applyed to euery one particularly not only to be deliuered to others but also to euery one of vs to be partakers of thē that we might be more certenly perswaded that the benefits of Christs passion wrought for the saluatiō of his flock in common pertaineth euen to euery one of vs particularly as certenly as we be partakers of the outward seales pledges of them This is then the chiefest point in a sound beliefe wherein it differeth from the deuils beliefe to applie whatsoeuer Christ hath done to our selues not onely to other men this is a speciall point and pertaineth to the true faith of the children of God The deuils can not beleeue that Christ is theirs peraduenture they may say Christ Christ and Lord Lord but they can not beleeue in their heart that Iesus Christ is theirs with his death and passion and that is also another point in true and sound faith that is not onely to say with the tongue notably and finely that I beleeue that Christ is mine and dyed for me c. for so can the deuils and damned creatures say and yet lye impudently but it is to beleeue and inwardly to be perswaded thereof in the heart which no diuell nor damned creature can doe but rather they feele the horror of Gods iudgements in full measure in their hearts and consciences True and sound faith of Gods children is not then a whirling knowledge and speculation of the braine but it is an inward feeling of the heart for a great number haue a knowledge what they should beleeue and yet not an heart to beleeue yea further not onely a knowledge what they ought to beleeue but also be able notably to set out the matter to teach others how they should truly and rightly beleeue and yet they themselues damned creatures members of Satan and firebrands of hell as the miserable caytiffe Iudas who with the rest of the twelue went and preached the Gospel of the kingdome and sealed it with miracles in Christ name and as Christ Iesus testifieth of many that not onely know to say Lord Lord but also had knowledge to teach others and prophesie and preach in his name and yet Iesus Christ refuseth them to be his Let vs then good brethren looke well to our selues and content not our selues with a vaine babbling tongue-faith that will not serue in the day of the Lord it must be an heart-faith let vs looke whether we feele Iesus Christ there or not Therefore saith the holy Ghost that this true faith maketh Christ Iesus dwell not in worldly brauerie in our tongues but in our hearts in our hearts in our hearts good brethren in our hearts It is too too lamentable to see how the world is bewitched with this tongue faith with this carnal gospelling-faith it is an horrible abuse of Iesus Christs gospell we shall dearely abide at his hands vnles we speedily repēt it is euident ynough that Iesus Christ dwelleth not in that inward heart where the deuill apparantly sheweth his hornes as they say in the outward deeds there is not Iesus Christ in that heart but the whol power of Satan and therefore no children of Gods faith in that heart but a deuils faith Let vs not deceiue our selues good brethren a true and a sound faith admitteth Christ with further entrance into vs then our tōgues lodgeth him into our hearts I can not enter into your consciences but there is a Lord Iesus that seeth them onely I desire you in the name of God to enter euery man into his owne heart and examine himselfe diligently whether he beleeueth that Christ hath redeemed him ransomed or not whether he beleeue that Christ Iesus hath purchased euerlasting life for him or not Let him examine him selfe throughly whether he beleeue it in his heart now while it is the time of mercie for once we must come to iudgement and so let him rest himselfe in the Lord Iesus with full assurance of euerlasting life not mistrusting our good and gracious God nor doubting of his good will towards him for he that doubteth is like the waues of the sea that be tossed to and fro such wauering is farre from the certentie that true faith bringeth vnto our consciences whereby beeing iustified by faith we haue peace with god For this true sincere faith maketh vs to haue entrance vnto our God with boldnes so that it is far from the wauering vncertenty of the wicked vnbeleeuers yet the dearest children of God euen the most faithfull haue often maruelous assaults to shake their faith oftentimes feele thēselues almost deadly woūded as though they were almost past al hope but yet their faith getteth the victorie in the ende At that stay was the Prophet when he said to himselfe Hath the Lord forgotten to be mercifull is his mercie cleane gone but yet they vse to striue and stirre vp themselues by calling vpon God and tarying Gods leasure Why art thou vexed o my soule saith Dauid why art thou so troubled within me c. So that although the children of God be oftentimes maruelously assaulted with distrust and doubtings of their saluation yet they striue against them at Gods appointed time leasure they feele the peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding Thus farre ye see then the full answer of our cause and matter of our saluation before the iudgement seat of God against Satan sinne deuill death and hell that we that be the people of God doe fully beleeue not onely say with our tongue but beleeue assuredly in our heart that Iesus Christ hath satisfied whatsoeuer Gods iustice doth require for our sinnes not onely for other mens sinnes but euen for our sinnes whereby we feele our selues at peace with God reconciled by the death of his Sonne brought into an assured hope of euerlasting life thus far haue we heard taught and now yet further least any carnall wretch should thereby take libertie to sin saying within his heart If there be nothing but this that whosoeuer beleeueth shalbe saued then I care not what I doe I wil continue in my sinne then I wil beleeue to be saued I shalbe saued I can beleeue when I list the word of God to answer all such filthie sinne doth testifie vnto vs that this true liuely faith of Gods people to saluation is not in the power of man to beleeue when he list but it is onely the worke of God Flesh and bloode saith Iesus Christ hath not reuealed this vnto thee but euen my heauenly father which is in heauen it was the Lord which touched the