hath oppressed mee I haue receiued the sentence of death in my selfe I see that I must leaue this life then which nothing is more sweet I must leaue this world then which nothing is more pleasant I must leaue this house of my body then which nothing is more deare The Comforter THou wert created of God not for this wretched and momentany Sap. 2.23 but for a blessed and eternall life for God framed the first Parent of our kinde in corruption to immortalitie neither wert thou redéemed of Iesus Christ for this fraile and miserable but for that perpetuall and most happy life which is to be expected in the heauens seeing it is a certaine and indubitate saying 1 Tim. 1.15 that Iesus Christ came into the world that he might saue sinners neither wert thou called of the holy Ghost through the word to the kingdome of Christ for the most short vse of this light but that hereafter thou mightest passe out of the kingdome of grace into the kingdome of glory out of the Church militant to the Church triumphant out of the valley of teares into the field of ioyes for if in this life only we beléeue hope on Christ wee are the most miserable of all men 1 Cor. 15.19 Wherefore when thou séest that thou art to be led through the gate of death to that life for which thou wert created of the Father for which thou wert redéemed of the Sonne for which liues sake thou wert sanctified of the Spirit doe not I pray thée despise the friendly counsell of God against thy selfe Luke 7.30 but most readily obay and follow God that calls thée II. Of the three-forked Mace of death The tempted THe thought of death doth terrifie mee the terrible shape of that enemy doth vexe my soule 1 Cor. 15.55 hee shewes mee his sting which is sinne he threatens mee with his cruell three-forked Mace while he casts before mine eyes and my heart the wrath of God the accusation of the Law Rom. 6.23 and the hainousnesse of my sinnes seeing death is the wages of sinne and through sinne death hath entred into mee Rom. 5.18 as it hath done also into the whole world The Comforter BVt I admonish thée that being seriously and from the bottome of thy heart contrite for the sinnes that thou hast committed thou behold him which was dead for thée on the Altar of the Crosse that thou mightest not be subiect to eternal death Turne thine eyes away from the outward shape of death and turne them to Christ Heb. 2.14.15 which by his death hath destroyed him which had the power of death that is the Deuill and hath deliuered vs which through the feare of death were all our life subiect to bondage Hose 13.14 Ioh. 11.25 hee is death to our death he is a sting to that Hell which wée haue deserued he is the resurrection and the life he that beléeueth on him vers 26. although he were dead yet hee shall liue and euery one that liueth and beléeueth in him 1 Cor. 15.22 shall not dye for euer Therefore as in Adam that is for sinne deriued out of Adam into vs and for actual sinnes heaped vpon this all of vs are subiect vnto death and are constrained at the last to dye so also in Christ the Captaine of life and the Conquerour of death wee are all quickened by faith that which also our Captaine of life confirmeth with a graue and serious oath Verely verely I say vnto you Iohn 5.24 hee which heareth my word and beleeueth on him that sent mee hath eternall life and commeth not into iudgement but hath passed from death to life Ioh. 8.51 And againe Verely verely I say vnto you If any man shall keepe my word hee shall not see death for euer Beléeue Christ therfore Iohn 14.6 which is the truth beléeue him promising beléeue him swearing Heauen and Earth shall passe away Luk. 21.33 but the words of Christ shall not passe away III. The vexation of Sinne. The Tempted THE remembrance of my sinnes doth come into my minde for I was not onely begotten Psa 51.7 conceiued and borne in sinne but I haue increased this summe of originall and hereditary debt with diuers debts of manifold and most grieuous sinnes through the course of my whole life how therefore can I hope that God will be fauourable vnto me whom I haue so often offended How can I perceiue any comfort in death seeing death is the wages due to my sinnes and to those that are not reconciled to God the beginning of the second and eternall death The Comforter BEhold Christ hanging on the altar of the Crosse and powring out for thy sinnes the price of thy redemption that is his precious bloud 1 Ioh. 1.8 The bloud of Iesus Christ the Sonne of God doth cleanse thée from all sinnes 2 Ioh. 2.2 he is the propitiation for thy sinnes and for the sinnes of the whole world for neither came he into the world for that end that he would be ministred vnto but that he might minister to others and giue his soule a redemption and price for the sinnes of many And lest there should arise or remaine any doubt in thée of this matter therefore from heauen which is the Throne of truth by an Angell which is a Spirit of truth that name of Iesus most swéet and most full of consolation was brought and giuen to this our Mediatour before he was conceiued in the wombe and what other thing is Iesus then a Sauiour Luk. 2.31 for therefore this name was giuen to Christ because hee saues his people from their sinnes Mat. 1.21 This is that Lambe of God which takes away the sinnes of the world Ioh. 1.29 This is that Iesus Christ which therefore came into the world that he might saue sinners This is the high Priest of the new Testament 1 Tim. 1.15 Ephes 5.2 which hath deliuered himselfe for our sins to be an offering and a sacrifice of a swéet smelling sauour vnto God It is Christ which hath powred out his owne bloud for the remission of sinnes Mat. 26.28 1 Pet. 2.24 which hath borne our sinnes in his body on the wood which was wounded for our iniquities and was broken for our sinnes Esa 53.5 God hath laid vpon him and as it were by a troupe made he hath made to fall vpon him the iniquities of vs all Him that hath not knowne sinne God hath made sinne for vs that is 2 Cor. 5.21 he hath imputed our sinnes to him he hath layd vpon him the punishment of our sins he hath made him a sacrifice for our sins neither hath Christ resisted this counsell and decrée of his heauenly Father but hath fulfilled his will with a most ready minde Psal 40.9 and loued vs and hath deliuered himselfe for our sinnes Gal. 1.10.4 Can. 2.20 hee hath loued vs and hath deliuered
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
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
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
I will not the death of a sinner that dyes Eze. 18.31 32. cap. 33. ver 11. but that he may be conuerted and liue Thou hearest the serious oath of the diuine truth Thou hearest that their conuersion is expected and desired of God which dye in their sinnes by their owne fault thou hearest that serious intreatie twise repeated Come vnto mee all yee sayth our Sauiour the meane and messenger of the heauenly Father Come vnto mee all yee all ye which labour Mat. 11.28 and are heauy laden and I will refresh you Thou hearest that the way lyes open to Christ for al that labour vnder the yoake of their sinne and that refreshing and rest of soule is promised to them God will haue all men to be saued sayth the Apostle 1 Tim. 2.4 being taught it in the third Heauen and to come to the knowledge of the truth Hee hath shut vp all vnder vnbeliefe that hee might haue mercy vpon all Rom. 11.20.23 Thou hearest that the saluation of all is desired and sought of God that the mercy of God is open vnto all no body is excluded here but hee which doth exclude himselfe There is one GOD of all therefore hee desireth that all should be saued whom he hath made Primas in H. L. One hath giuen himselfe the price of redemption for all therefore hée would haue all to bee partakers of that price GOD would not haue any to perish sayth Peter being taught by his owne example 2 Pet. 3.9 but that all returne to repentance Thou hearest that the long suffering and goodnesse of GOD doth inuite all to repentance and that GOD would not the destruction of any Take héede that thou speake not against this so cleare and so manifest a truth against these sayings of the holy Ghost written as it were with a beame of the Sunne let the consolations of the Scripture be of more force with thée then the thoughts of thine owne heart for the Scripture is the word of the liuing God which neuer deceiues but our heart is lying and deceiueth XII The absolute decree of Reprobation The Tempted THe promise indeede outwardly is offered vnto all but God hath made from euerlasting a decree of the Reprobation of some men whom hauing cast from him he hath adiudged them to eternall torments to these though he offer the word outwardly yet they cannot communicate or partake of the good things in the word Perhaps I also am in the number of those reprobates The Comforter THE secrets of heauen let no creature on earth presume to pry into Enough is reuealed both for our consolation and saluation Whom God hath predestinated we know not it is a secret of Gods Priuie Counsell where-into wée are not admitted And how farre forth and in what manner God may please to worke and bring about a purpose of his owne without the endeauour and purpose of man we know not that also is a secret of Gods Priuie Counsell where-into wée are not admitted And therefore as Moses saith that the secret things belong to the Lord our GOD so to him and his wisedome be content to leaue them But this we all know that S. Peter bids vs make our election sure by the practise of good workes and holy duties of Religion and telleth vs that hee that doth those things shall neuer fall 2 Pet. 1.10 that is such a one shall neuer faile of grace or glorie And therefore while thou endeauourest to liue in all good conscience according to Gods will thou mayest haue peace of conscience in Gods promises and mercies And this wée know that our Sauiour commandeth and promiseth Aske and yee shall haue seeke and ye shall finde knocke and it shall be opened vnto you And therefore if thou vse the meanes thou canst not doubt of the end Finally this we all know also that God protesteth vpon his word yea vpon his oath that he desireth not the death of him that dieth or taketh any pleasure that the wicked should die but that he may returne and liue Ezek 18.23.32 Ezek. 33.11 And therefore God is so farre from reiecting thée before thou hast sinned that hée is most readie to admit of thée after thou hast sinned Onely then endeauour to doe the workes of him that sent thée into the world begge and craue for grace and mercie from the Father of mercies search thy heart finde out thy sinnes and each day renue thy repentance and then be assured that the outward offering of grace will euer be accompanied with the inward working of the spirit For the promises of Gods mercies are generall to all that beleeue on him Rom. 10.11 To all that call on the name of the Lord Rom 10.13 To all that labour and groane vnder the burden of their sinnes Matth. 11.28 To all that feare God and worketh righteousnesse Act. 10.35 c. And the merites and death and Passion of Iesus Christ as they are offered so they are bestowed on all generally that lay hold on him for their Sauiour Ioh. 3.16 XIII The doubting of the application of the merit of Christ The Tempted LEt the merit of Christ be and be said to spread it selfe wide in the meane time I doe not yet see for mine owne particular that the benefits of Christ are offered and applied to me Many things are offered to men in generall which notwithstanding doe not pertaine to euery man in particular The Comforter NAy from the generall we may wel procéede to the particular from that which is common to that which is more restrained Therefore because God would haue all to be saued thou mayest rightly and most firmely subsume that he would haue thée also to be saued Because Christ is said to haue died for all thou maiest rightly and most firmely subsume that he also died on the Crosse for thée and will cleanse thée from all thy sinnes by his bloud and because he calleth all repenting he will receiue thée repenting And because he promiseth grace and life to all that beleeue depend and relie on him therefore he will performe it to thée when thou doest rest and relie on him for his mercies Yea and that which God promiseth to all in generall by his word that he applieth to thée is particular in the Ministerie of the word Onely submit thy selfe to the wholesome Ministerie of reconciliation 2 Cor. 5.18 which God hath committed to the Ministers of the Church Vers 20. to the keyes that he hath deliuered to their tâ—â—st to the office of Embassage that theâ— vndergoe in the name of Christ God exhorting and as it were entreating vs by them And then that which is specially offered vnto thée do not doubt but that specially it belongs vnto thée When 〈◊〉 the serious sorrowe of thy bâ—â—â—t 〈◊〉 heareth the voice of the Minister pronouncing remission of sins in the name of Christ resolue that thou hearest Christ himselfe what so is héere done in the name of
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
is Vsury and losse which is gaine Whatsoeuer thou méetest with now hath béene and whatsoeuer thou shalt léese there is nothing but it shall be againe All things returne into their state when they shall depart Therefore are they brought to an end that they may be new made Nothing perisheth but that it may be saued Therfore this whole order of things which is in reuolution is a witnesse of the resurrection of the dead God hath prescribed it in his workes before he wrote it in letters hée hath preached it by his strength before he vttered it in words Hée sent Nature before to be thy Mistresse meaning to send Prophecie after that so much the more easily thou mayest beléeue Prophecie being the Scholler of Nature that thou mayest by and by entertaine when thou hearest that which euery where thou now séest and not doubt but that GOD will be a raiser againe of thy flesh All this Tertull. which knowest him to be the restorer of all things Are such lypes as these to be thought to be set out in vaine in the whole state of things Is GOD to be iudged weaker then Nature Nay looke vpon thy selfe and know a testimonie of the resurrection in thy selfe Id in Apolo aduer gentes c. 45. p. 737. Remember what thou wert before thou wast surely nothing for thou mightest haue remembred it if thou hadst béene any thing Thou therefore which wast nothing before thou hadst thy being being made nothing when thou shalt cease to be why canst thou not be againe of nothing by the wil of the same founder which would haue thée to be of nothing What new thing shall happen vnto thée thou which wert not wert made when againe thou shalt not be thou shalt be made Render a reason if thou canst which way thou wert made and then shalt thou demand which way thou shalt be made and yet more easily shalt thou be made that which somtime thou hast béene which wert not hardly made that which neuer thou hadst béene Id de resur carnis p. 54. If God hath made all things out of nothing he can againe frame the flesh brought to nothing out of nothing Surely hée is fit to restore which hath made how much more is it to haue made then to haue restored to haue giuen beginning then to haue new framed so thou mayest beléeue that the restoring of thy flesh is easier then the first making therof XLV The flames of Purgatorie The Tempted I Feare the punishing flames of the fire of Purgatorie after death Psal 143.3 for seeing I am compast about with diuers infirmities of sinnes I feare least God should therefore enter with me into his iudgement and most iustly adiudge me to the flames of Purgatory The Comforter THose with whom God doth enter into iudgement that is which are not in this life reconciled to God those doth he not adiudge to the fire of Purgatorie there to be tormented for a certaine finite time but to the infernall and not to be quenched fire there to be broiled for all eternitie But they which doe acknowledge their sinnes seriously and beléeue truly on Christ they haue the hand-writing of Christ their Sauiour that they néed to feare no place of sorrow and torments after death for so hée sayth Iohn 5.24 Verely verely I say vnto you hee which heareth my word and beleeueth him which hath sent mee hath life eternall and commeth not into iudgement but hath past from death to life The tables of truth doe acknowledge two rankes of men onely that is to say the good and the bad the penitent and the impenitent the beléeuing and the vnbeléeuing two receptacles onely after death August lib. 3. hypog Id ser 8. de verb. Apost Id. 21. de ciuit Dei cap. 25. Id. 1. de peccat merit remis cap. 28. that is to say of consolation and torment of reward and payne of Heauen and Hell We are vtterly ignorant of neither doe we finde in the Scriptures a third kinde of men and places there are but two dwellings one in the kingdome euerlasting the other in the euerlasting fire therefore is not any place in the midst of these for any where hee may not be in punishment which shall not be placed in the kingdome that hee cannot chuse but be with the Deuill which is not with Christ Hee that shall beleeue Mar. 16.16 sayth CHRIST and be baptized shall be saued but hee that doth not beleeue shall be condemned Hee that beleeueth in the Sonne is not iudged Ioh. 3.18 but hee that doth not beleeue is iudged already because he doth not beleeue on the name of the onely begotten Sonne of God vers 36. He that beleeueth on the Sonne hath eternall life but hee that doth not beleeue on the Sonne shall not see life but the wrath of God remaines vpon him Chap. 5 29 They that haue done good shall come forth to the resurrection of life but they that haue done euill to the resurrection of iudgement Mat. 25.46 The blessed shall goe into euerlasting life and the cursed into euerlasting fire And that this immediate separation of the godly and vngodly is to be made not onely in the last day but also by and by after death the example of the rich glutton doth teach vs Luk. 16.23 whose soule is thrust into Hell and of the godly Lazarus whose soule is translated of the Angels into Paradise the example of the conuerted Théefe doth teach vs Luk. 23.43 to whom Christ promiseth the ingresse into Paradise on that very day wherein hée was to dye Apoc. 14.13 the spirit of Trueth doth teach vs pronouncing them henceforth blessed that dye in the Lord. There is none other purgation or expiation of sinnes then in the bloud of Christ 1 Ioh. 1.7 Esa 53.5 Rom. 5.1 1 Iohn 3.14 Sap. 4.1 which washeth vs altogether from all our sins the chastisement of our peace is vpon him that he might be peace to vs therefore he which beléeues on him is iustified and hath peace with God is translated from death to life neither néed hee feare any torment after death LXVI The rigour of the last iudgement The Tempted I Feare the rigour and terrour of the last iudgement Aboue mee will be the seuere iudge beneath mee gaping Hell within mee my Conscience gnawing without me fire burning on my right hand my sins accusing me on my left hand the Diuels terrifying me round about mee the good Angels driuing mee to hell and the euill drawing mee to the same Satan will accuse me my sinnes will accuse mee Bern. in Rithm my conscience will accuse me I feare much the countenance of the seuere Iudge from whom nothing that is hidden shall be kept close neither shall any thing remaine vnreuenged No man shall be able to escape his power to deceiue his wisedome to turne his equitie or to reuoke his iudgement The Comforter IF thou