have done and ver 24. ' O wretched man that I am Note again I am and not I have been who shall deliver me from the body of this death Mark shall deliver me and not hath delivered me though that be a truth too that he was in a great measure mortified and partly delivered already and therefore be not disheartned O my Soul for though Paul was transcendently more crucified to the world than I yet was he pestred and troubled with a world of sin which he calls the body of death as well as I and his only hope and trust was in Jesus Christ that he would deliver him at last for so he saith I thank God through Jesus Christ as if he should say and would you know what I mean to do in this heavy case then I must tell you that I will collocate and place my sole and whole trust and affiance in the Lord Christ who as he hath delivered me in part so doubtless will deliver me yet more and more therefore as being certain of it that he will do it I thank God for it thorow Christ who will do it as if he had done it already and this same course thou also must take O my soul and therefore hope thou in God for I shall yet praise him who is the health of my countenance and my God Soul But why is not that worldliness which I objected but now as discovering it self so by eagerness after and delightfulness in the things of this world with its fashions at least more subdued yet all this while than it is Believ Doest thou wonder at that O my soul then consider 1. What a multitude of enemies do continually assault me I mean Satanical suggestions the worlds enchanting provocations and the fleshes own insurrections most mighty and most frequent which maketh me even wonder how a poor soul can overcome such a world in any measure for who would not rather admire a little Ship if fighting with many great well mann'd Turkish Galleys it should escape though her mast and all the higher part of it should be beaten off down to the water and many men slain in her than enquire why it should be so spoiled debilitated and weakned which is just thy case O my soul for thou hast fought with many great and pestilent enemies like a little Ship and yet didst so far escape as that they could not totally nor finally prevail against thee though it cannot be denied but that they have wasted and spoiled and hurt thee much and killed many good motions and therefore I say that even this is a thing to be wondred at 2. Besides God hath his time for every thing a time for tryal and a time for help and to subdue the world in a greater measure as he will and therefore * Psal 42.11 for the Hebrew is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 expecta wait thou upon God 3. Again it may be that the means were not so industriously used whereby the world may be subdued even the vision and application of Faith and therefore let us amend this fault and then I hope all will be well Soul You say well and therefore up and be doing Christ What manner of communications be these which you have being so * Luk. 24 1◠18 19. sad Believ Concerning sin which my soul is troubled for and would be delivered from Christ Art thou willing indeed O Christian Soul to part with any sinful pleasure profit honour and with life it self for my sake Soul * Joh. 21.17 Thou Lord knowest all things thou knowest that I desire it and would not willingly live or lie in the practise of any * Psal 119. one known sin Christ * Luk 24.25 O foolish soul then and slow to believe all that the Prophets have spoken did dest thou never read what is written * Mich. 7.19 20. he will have compassion upon us he will subdue our iniquities and thou will cast all their sins in the depth of the sea Mark he will not only have compassion pardoning iniquity and passing by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage but also subdue your iniquities that is he will * For the original is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 subjugabit vi ac violentia capiet subjugate and bring under the yoke as it were * all your sins so as that like yoked oxen you shall be able to rule them though in themselves they be never so unruly and he will even offer and infer violence unto your nature so as that your sinful lusts desires and affections shall be even captivated in such a manner as that they shall not be able to range and to rage so freely as they did and therefore trust in God O thou Christian Soul who is the health of thy countenance and thy God who can and will help thee and deliver thee at last most happily out of all thy misery Soul Blessed be thou sweet Jesus dear Saviour who thus art pleased to comfort me and praised be thy holy name in the which I sweetly repose my trust for I know thee what thou art The Holy one of Israel the mighty God the Prince of peace the God of comfort even Immanuel God with us who by this sweet and precious promise art fast bound to perform in me what thou hast here promised unto me and therefore Lord do unto me as thou canst and then I shall be able to forsake sin as I would I humbly beseech thee yea I do even assure my self that as thou canst so thou wilt because thou art the * Joh. 14.6 truth it self and therefore I say * Mich. 7.19 20. thou Lord wilt cast all my sins in the depth of the Sea of thy mercy and suffocate them in thy precious blood as the Egyptians were drowned in the Red-sea and wilt subdue them as they were subdued that they may not rule over me as they did when I lived in Egypt the house of bondage in the state of my unregeneracy I mean O Lord Lord I believe that thou wilt perform thy truth to me as well as to Jacob and thy mercy as to Abraham which thou hast sworn from the daies of old as thou art God from everlasting Christ I see thou wilt hold me to my word like Jacob and the truth is that being the truth I cannot go from them nor deny them and therefore * Mat. 15 2◠be it to thee as thou wilt Believ Amen Lord Jesus The second Conference Wherein Faith makes use of the Promise of Heaven and threatning of Hell against sin BEliev. Seest thou not O my Soul these snares which Satan that cunning fowler hath laid for thee to illaqueate and to catch thee Soul What snares Believ Snares of covetousness in the goods of this world snares of voluptuousness in eating drinking marrying snares of pride in praying preaching discoursing Alms-giving snares in sleeping snares in waking and in every other thing Soul I
and help me to believe in Christ I shall be most certainly condemned by Christ For he that believeth not is †Enallage Temporis condemned already saith Christ John 3.18 4. Desire to believe as he Mark 9.24 For a desire of faith if true is faith Or thus as a worthy * Downam in his Christian warfare c. 42. Writer saith confidently Our desire of Grace Faith and Repentance if true are the Graces themselves at least in God's acceptation see Matth. 5.6 Blessed are they which hunger and thrist after righteousness Mark they are blessed who have such gracious desires as are called hungring and thirsting and therefore they cannot be without faith and the cause hereof is the blessed * Blessed Bolton Nobleness of God's Nature which by infinite distances doth transcend the noblest spirit upon earth now men of ingenious dispositions are wont to take sweetest contentment in prevailing over and gaining the hearts good wills and affections of those that wait upon them how much more then must needs spiritual longings gracious aspires and thirsty desires be kindly accepted with that most kind God whose most loving disposition passeth all mens kindness especially sith mens good turns turn many times to our good and benefit but our well doing extendeth not unto God Psal 16.2 Were all the sons of men Abrahams or Angels and as many in number as the stars of Heaven and as shining both with inward Graces and outward acts of piety as they are in visible glory yet could they make no addition to that incomparable Majesty above nor confer so much as one drop to that boundless and bottomless Sea of goodness or the least glimpse unto that Almighty Sun of glory If thou be righteous what givest thou unto him or what receiveth he at thy hands Thy wickedness may hurt a man as thou art and thy righteousness may profit the Son of man Job 35.6 7 8. Our holiness helps him not our sins hurt him not it is only for our good that God would do us good no good nor gain accrues unto him by our goodness for what good can come by our imperfect goodness to that which is already infinitely good What glory can be superadded by our dimness to him which is already incomparably glorious Every infinite thing is naturally and necessarily uncapable of addition Possibility of which supposed implies contradiction and destroys the nature of infiniteness wherefore to return to my purpose sith desires are excepted with God for deeds let every one of you that would be assured of his salvation desire to believe to his salvation It is reported of Luther that when a certain poor student at Wittenberg would not be perswaded by any to believe or that he did believe and so was exceedingly troubled in his mind and left by all he was sent for and when he came did ask him when he said he neither did nor could believe but do not you desire to believe whereunto the poor student replyed yes with all my heart I do desire it why then said Luther you do believe whereat the poor Scholar was exceedingly comforted satisfied and perswaded that he did believe so you be satisfied in this point that if you truly desire to believe you do believe Our most gracious God * As in Abraham Gen. 22.16 17. read the place accepting the will for the deed and your affections for actions and so long so thirst * Dyke of self-deceiving cap. 19. so hunger after Faith as a Fame-lik after meat a Febricitant after drink a Mendicant after a piece of silver and you shall be satisfied For they that hunger and thirst after righteousness and so consequently after Faith which apprehends Christs righteousness shall be satisfied Mat. 5.6 and * Bern. de Lect. Evangel Serm. 7. so much as they can desire they shall receive 5. Labor to see an excellency in Christ surpassing all things and fixing thy heart upon him resolve to seek him without resting and seeking him to sell all for the gaining of him like the Merchant in the Gospel◠who seeking after him and met with him and seeing him to be a * For Christ is that pearl Hilar. in Loc. pearl of great price and so esteeming him above all sold all and bought him Matth. 13.45 46. For * Rogers of Dedham in his Doctrine of Faith e. 2. p. 128. then is Faith begun when namely a man begins to be of Kilians a Dutch School-masters and blessed Martyrs mind who being asked if he loved not his Wife and Children said Yes if the World were gold and were mine to dispose of I would give it to live with them though it were but in prison yet my soul and Christ are dearer to me than all O souls souls how do your hearts now stand affected are ye so resolved to sell all do you so prize Christ above all will you seek after him upon such terms if you will well for assuredly you shall have him and faith in him and with him O my God help this people so to prize thy Son help thy Sons to believe in thy Son I humbly pray thee 6. Labour to have your hearts over-powered with the evidence of truth and reason For we find by experience that though truth and reason and conscience and all make for it so as that we may truly say Amen to what is said yet the heart is stubborn and will not yield but stands out like a contentious Adversarie which though he be overthrown in every trial yet will begin again So the heart though it be answered and overcome with Arguments and Pleas and Reasons again and again yet will begin again to plead against it self For say some when they are non-suited and have nothing to say Ministers are mercifull and good Christians compassionate will not discourage us but did they know our hearts what base unclean Cages they be they would judge otherwise than they do Therefore I say give over quarrelling and be satisfied and perswaded when Truth and Reason tell ye that ye ought to yeild and to believe because the Lord of Life and God of Truth hath said Him that cometh to me whatsoever his heart be or have been and whatsoever his former life have been for he saith not unlesse he have a base filthy heart Again him that cometh to me though he have been the vilest wretch that ever the Earth bore though a notorious Belialist a beastly liver a filthy fornicator an insatiable Drunkard an unreasonable Extortioner I will in no wise cast him out John 6.37 O my Brethren what could Christ say more Christ you see speaks for you and will you have us speak against you nay will you speak against your selves O be overcome by Reason overcome by Truth for Reason tels you that you ought to yield when your Reasons are answered and Truth commands you to submit when you are so well promised by the God of Truth 7. Beg Faith for it is the
how good is then the life creating if Salvation wrought be sweet how sweet and delicious is Salvation it self which worketh all Salvation if wisdome be amiable when we do but think on things created how amiable is that wisdom which produced all things of nothing Lastly if many and great delights be in things delectable and pleasant what and how much delectation must needs be in him who made all things so delightful And therefore why doest thou range so here and there O my Soul to find out what may do thee good among things created which cannot satisfie thee possess thy self of God in whom is every good thing and let him fill thee desire that which is only good and then thou shalt have enough and desire no more for in that good which is God thou shalt find far greater joy greater delight greater profit greater glory than all the world can possibly yeild thee Soul I do not only believe it that I shall find it so but I do partly find it already and therefore O my sweet and gracious God who art only good turn thou all sinful joy and carnal pleasure into gall and betterness in me that nothing may be so sweet dear pleasant and amiable unto me as my Lord and my God who art sweetness pleasantness and amiableness it self and be thou my joy who hast also promised to be my reward I humbly pray thee The fifth Conference Wherein Christ's aid is implored against Satans temptations in a time of desertion BEliev. I perceive O my Soul that thou canst not be long quiet for thou beginnest to be as turbulent as ever thou hast been Soul So I am and I cannot be otherwise disposed now Believ Why so Soul Because he that should comfort and sustain me is far from me and the tempter whom I wish farther off is nigh me raises such storms against me as that I know not what to do that he may not sink me For I am like that little ship Matth. 8.24 covered with the impetuous waves of his tempestuous and grievious temptations beating upon me without any cessation or intermission Believ Let not this dismay thee O my Soul for thus Christ is wont to trie his best * Nunquam in veni aliquem tam religiosum devotum qui non habuerit interdum gratiae subtractionem Tho. a Kempis de imit Chr. l. 2. c. 9. beloved Soldiers withdrawing himself from them for a season that they may both see what need they have of him and what they are without him even * Vnde fit illud quod cogitationes bonae carae Deo placentes mentem veluti deficiant Basil in Reg. brev interrog 80. barren dead and dull unable to do any thing and that they may likewise seek him the more thirstingly who seeks them even by such desertions most lovingly and therefore wrestle thou with him O my Soul this being not a * Gregor Moral l. 5. c. 4. sign of reprobation but only of probation thy beloved hath sufferd thee a great while suffer thou also and sustain thy beloved and withall seek him Soul O sweet love dear Saviour where art thou that thou absentest thy self so long from me when wilt thou return again unto me O my Lord and my God * Bern. Serm. 54. carest thou not that I perish Lo Satan that grand adversary of mine seeketh to sink me in a * Mark 8.38 sea of misery O save me for thy names sake * In mari turbulente versamur c Aug. Saliloq c. 35. Christ Why art thou so fearful O thou Christian Soul having but little faith Mat. 8.26 Believe only that I can and will save thee and all will be well with thee for all things are possible unto him that believeth Mar. 9.23 Soul I believe Lord help thou mine unbelief Christ Then be safe and let Satan cease to make a noise and raise tempests * Ma. 54.11 that this poor soul tossed with tempests may be calmed and sweetly comforted Soul Oh the ease and oh the peace and joy that I feel and find in thee and by thee sweet Saviour oâ— what a mighty Christ is this my Christ that even Satan that strong man himself must and doth obey him The sixth Conference Wherein use is made of Christ's incarnation by faith against sin BEliev. how dost thou now O my Soul Soul I should do well enough were it not for sin that abominable thing Believ We may not expect an absolute perfection here sin will ever * Heb. 12.1 cleave even to God's dearest children as long as they live and therefore let not that dismay thee Soul If one did not give way to it it would not trouble me so but now I cannot but be troubled and much perplexed being conscious of too much yieldingness and complying Believ Though this be an heavy case yet pray and trust in God O my soul who will not therefore withdraw his mercies from thee nor forsake thee but rather assist thee for after times so that sin which is such a grievous burden unto thee shall be diminished demolished in thee more and more that it may not reign over thee Rom 6.14 Soul I fear that I have even so wearied God with sin that he will not hear me though I should make never so many prayers because I am so full of sin for so it is written Isa 1.15 When you make many prayers yet I 'le not hear you your hands are full of blood Believ What a strange complaint is this that I hear where is thy faith O my Christian soul that thou makest such a fearful conclusion God speaks there against irrepentant sinners who lay nothing to heart and revolt more and more v. 3.5 but thou on the contrary art not only sensible of fin and the danger of it but also strivest against it more and more and therefore that place concerns not thee so as that thou may est boldly come to the Throne of grace in the time of need * Si forte ex humana infirmitate labimur non ideo desperemus sed iterum recurramus ad clementem medicum c. Bern. in Scala parad c. 12. notwithstanding thiâ— thy sad condition Heb. 4.16 Soul Do you say so theâ— I 'le adventure it again and say with the good * Mat. 15.22 23 24 25 26. woman of Canaan have mercy on me O Lord thou Son of David for I am grievously vexed with the Devil Christ I am not sent to be a Saviour but to those that obey me who also may only expect salvation Heb. 5.9 but thou hast been disobedient and rebellious against me Soul Yet Lord help me Christ It is not meet to take the childrens bread and to cast it to dogs Soul Truth Lord yet the dogs eat of the erumbs which fall from their masters table therefore if I may not obtain so much mercy and grace as others who have been more obedient and dutiful than I who
my breasts Cant. 1.13 And my beloved is white and ruddy the chiefest among ten thousand Can. 5.10 O my beloved be not far from me Psal 37.21 at any time but let thy mercy truth and love alwayes preserve guide and accompany me and whensoever thou givest any good thing unto me give thy self also as well as other things above all other things * Quoniam si cuncta qua fecisti mihi dederis nam sufficit servo tuo nisi teipsum dederis Aug. Man c. 3. for without thee they are all worth nothing and therefore if thou shouldst give me all that thou hast made it would not yea could not content me if thou shouldest not give thy self withall who madest all Believ I must needs interrupt thee O my Soul because I see that thou art not so thankful as thou shouldest be for this great mercy which the Lord hath even now shewed toward thee saying bless the Lord O my Soul and forget not all his benefits who forgiveth all thine iniquities who heals all thy diseases who redeems thy life from destruction who crowns thee with loving kindness and tender mercies Ps 103.1 2 3 4. I add who hath given himself in part already and hath promised thee that he will impart himself yet more unto thee Soul Well said for * Qui gratiam Dei retinere desiderat sit gratus pro gratia data Tho. Ã Kempis de imit Christi l. 2. c. 10. whosoever will retain grace must be thankful for grace received and therefore while I live will I praise the Lord I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being Ps 146.2 Believ Yea Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Alleluia Psal 150.6 The fifteenth Conference Wherein the troubled believing Soul craves the promised hidden Manna that it may be the more couragious to fight the fight of Faith BEeliev Why art thou sad O my Soul Soul How can I be merry being destitute of that true comfort which I was wont to find Believ Thou must look to the hand of God in it who 1. doth so castigate and correct thee for having been too jovial and vain in a carnal manner 2. doth see that thou now art not fit for such joy comfort not being soundly dejected for though thou grievest now and then even beyond measure yet at other times thou art as foolish and outward and careless and fearless as if thou hadst never known the practise of Godly sorrow which is ever to be renewed even day by day Ps 51.3 Soul All this is true and therefore I do resolve that by Gods help I 'le never be so vain and outward and foolishly merry as I have been but rather sober grave moderate awful careful and constant in the daily renewing of godly sorrow Believ So do and then look for joy and comfort in the Lord who is said to comfort such as are so cast down 2 Cor. 7.6 and then forget not to use faith whereby thou mayest feed on the word of promise as for instance that in Rev. 2.17 To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna even joy unspeakable to be found in me who am that bread of life that manna which came down from Heaven Soul So I purpose and therefore O thou ever-living bread of life who feedest others and yet never failest thy self nor art either diminished or consumed feed me also and refresh me and comfort me as thou doest others and hast comforted me in time past sweet Jesus let me tast but of the crums that fall from thee and let me feel but some of those ravishing joyes which I was wont to feel in thee O Lord my God thy very name is as sweet as hony and thou thy self art sweetness it self therefore as Samson found * Jesus â—melinore â—in aure â—melos in â—corde juâ—bilus sed â—est Medicina c. Bern. Serm. 15. super Cant. hony in the dead Lion which he flew so let me find some sweetness also in thee who art that * Judg. 14.8 Lion of the tribe of Juda whom the Jewes flew yea who is * Rev. 5.5 risen again having overcome death and is ascended up into Heaven from whence also I look for comfort and joy to drop and to descend upon me even as manna whose tast was like * Rom. 8.34 waffers made with hony Exo. 16.13 did come * Scilicet miraculose Non enim fuit cadem cum Manna illa naturali quae nascitur in Arabia Danaeus Phys Christ tract 2. cap. 26. out of Heaven John 6.31 to fill and to feed the people of God upon earth O Lord dear Saviour who art the very bread of God which cometh down from Heaven and givest life unto the world John 6.33 give me I pray thee this hidden manna that I believing on thee may rejoyce in thee with joy unspeakable and full of glory 1 Pet. 1.8 Christ Thou art too greedy and too eager after comfort which for its continued fruition thou shouldest rather expect in Heaven than from Heaven for now is the time of fighting and hereafter will come the time of tryumphing when the fight is ended and therefore why dost thou desire that in this world which is reserved for another world Dost thou think to have a Heaven here and a Heaven hereafter too that is too much Soul Truth Lord it is too much for me who deserve not the least of thy mercies yet seeing thou hast promised both Heavens even a Heaven in Heaven and a Heaven upon earth joy here and joy hereafter therefore I look for both even for a tast now and for full fruition hereafter and I 'le not leave thee till thou bless me with such joy crown me with such comforts as may refresh strengthen and encourage me so as that like Jonathan I may with new supplied fortitude and valour reassault my spiritual enemies having tasted how sweet thou art O Lord my God even sweeter than that most sweet and pleasant hony which Jonathan had tasted when his * 1 Sam. 14.27.31 eies were inlightened himself so corroborated and enlivened as that he was able to discomfit a host of men Nor am I the first that crave this Heaven for thy servant David who was a man after thine own heart did request thee for the very same thing before me saying restore unto me the joy of thy Salvation Psal 81.12 and therefore let not my Lord be displeased with me who follow such an approved pattern saying after him who said so first O Lord restore unto me also the joy of thy Salvation which I have found wanting a long time after the spouse in Cant. 2.5 Stay me with flagons comfort me with apples For I am sick of love Christ I see thou wilt not be denied and I cannot deny my words and therefore as one whom his mother comforteth so will I comfort thee and thou shalt be comforted Isa 66.13 Believ As the Apple-tree among the trees of the wood so is my Beloved among the Sons For lo Now I sit down under his shadow with great delight and his fruit is sweet unto my tast Cant. 2.3 and therefore return unto thy rest O my Soul for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee and now what shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits towards me I will take the Cup of salvation and call upon the Name of the Lord because he hath inclined his ears unto me therefore will I call upon him as long as I live Psal 116.2 3 12 13. Alleluia FINIS
delivery is in pain and cryeth out in her pangs so have we been in thy sight O Lord. woman when her time is near and her pangs begin to come upon her or as a child cryeth as soon as it is born so you before you be new born as thus what will become of our poor souls for they are yet unregenerate and therefore cannot in any wise enter into the Kingdom of Heaven unlesse extraordinary mercy be shewn them by the God of Heaven or thus as the Egyptians once cryed out when there was not an house in all Egypt where there was not one dead saying We be all dead men Exod. 12.30 33. And there was a great cry in Egypt See the place So let there be a great cry among you in every house and family For I believe that there is scarce an house where there is not one or more unregenerate and dead and in your several chambers 〈…〉 unto which you have according to my premised advice betaken your selves and let your cry be the same that was in Egypt Oâ— we are all dead men we that are unregenerate men for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it That except a man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God John 3.3 Not all the art and wit of man Not all the â—heâ—orick of the eloquent'st Orator Not all the inâ—reaâ—ies of Saints and Angels can therefore or will perswade God to take one that is a drunkard or Whoremaster or Usurer or Lyar or Thief or covetous man and such have been some of us into his Kingdom 〈…〉 even as not all the perswasions of the men of this Country are or will be able to prevail with any one of us to take but one toad or snake into his bosome Thus cry out for anguish 2. Cry out for and to the spirit of Regeneration for by the spirit also a man must be born again according to that famous saying of our Saviour John 3.5 where note that the Spirit doth three things to regenerate souls 1. He convinceth them John 16.8 9. 2. He injects the feed of Regeneration into them according to that of Saint John His seed remains in them 1 John 3.9 3. He delivers them and makes them free 2 Cor. 3.17 helping them to come forth out of the dark womb of nature into his marvelous light that by him as by a * Irenaeus adv haeres bal. l. 3. c. 40. Ladder they may ascend into * John 3.35 Heaven to our Father which is in Heaven so that unto him you must cry and say O blessed spirit of Regeneration Regenerate our souls O our poor souls that they may live O convince them of their unregeneracy O inject the feed of Regeneration into them from above Oh help them to come forth Oh let a new heart be given to us O let us have flexible and tender hearts like the heart of a little child for we also must be like little children Oh come blessed spirit come and help us Oh come quickly come presently and deliver us 〈◊〉 come now whilest we are in this Room waiting for thee as thou comest upon the Apostles in that house wherein they were sitting Acts 3.2 3. O let this be the time of our regeneration that we also may be sure of our Salvation here be earnest and cry mightily Nay if need be and thou canst not be heard in that day cry in the night too and so come to the Spirit at this time as Nicodemus came to Christ in old time even by night and so cry day and night and then it will not be long before thou shalt be delivered being regenerated for as Christ said once Luk. 18.7 8. And shall not God hear his elect which cry unto him day and night though he bear long with them I tell you that he will avenge them speedily So I shall not the spirit of God hear his elect which cry unto him day and night I tell you that he will hear them and deliver them speedily For ask and you shall have saith Christ Luk. 11.9 It is no more but ask and have ask therefore the spirit and you shall have * How much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him Luke 11.13 him ask Regeneration of the spirit understand in the manner aforesaid and you shall have it and it will not be long before you shall hear the spirit cry Abba Father Rom. 8.15 even most emphatically For therefore to the * Abba from the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jun. Tremel in Marc. 14.14 Syriack word Abba is added Father if you shall so cry day and night for the spirit to the Father Beloved there is no crying which the Father of mercies loves better and the Father of lies likes worse than this crying and therefore use it 6. Strive to come forth For as endeavour without God cannot so God without endeavors will not help us See Phil. 2.12 13. and therefore as Christ said once strive to enter so I strive to come out Luk. 13.24 for ye will find a very hard bout before ye will be able to come out therefore I say again strive and strive as other children do when they come to their birth or thus strive as once * Gen. 38.29 Pharez and Zarah in Tamars womb nay as Pharez so strove as that he made a breach and was therefore called Pharez from that breach so do you make a breach as it were and tear away from Natures womb and tear away from your beds of ease and sin and tear away especially from your lusts your pride of life your vile affections your violent passions your vain and filthy conversations your usury your atheism polytheism and abominable epicurism and whatsoever else is contrary to the holy Law of God thus strive to come out I pray you pardon my boldness which I took by this digression which carried me so far in this Sea of matter concerning our Regeneration and be pleased to impute it unto the vehemency of my love which made me thus to forget and to lose my self that you might not lose your selves which God in mercy grant 2. Labour to believe 2 Direct or Medium for so did those holy ones who according to my Text were so assured of their salvation v. 8. and besides if a man do believe and be sure of it that he doth he must needs be assured also that he shall be saved For so God loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life John 3.16 Mark He * Nay he that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life Joh. 3.36 which much more and plainly demonstrates that a believing soul must needs be assured of its salvation because it hath it shall have it saith Christ as if he should say he may be sure of it for the mouth of truth hath spoken it
Believe then in the Lord you that never did yet and you may be sure certain that your shall be saved Here give me leave again to enlarge my self a little upon this most needful Medium whereby you may gain the assurance of your salvation shewing how you must go to work that you may believe 1. Hear a powerful and faith preaching Ministery as much and as often as you may for Faith cometh by hearing the Word being like water which brings forth fruit and especially the fruit of Faith Isa 55.10 John 8.30 * Calvin Inst l. 3. c. 2. s 6. Rom. 10.17 some Divines do therefore call it the Fountain of Faith 2. Be convinced and labour to be convinced 1. Of your unbelief as he Mark 9.23 for therefore it is partly that so many believe not because they will not believe that they believe not therefore why should they labor to believe seeing they believe already say they Beloved go from house to house and ask ho are there any Believers here and they will be ready to stone you saying What do ye make of us do ye think that we are Devils or Infidels we are Christians we are Christians and believe in Christ as well as you and as difficult a task it is for a Minister to convince men of their unbelief as any thing almost I know of A Drunkard a Fornicator a passionate man a swearer a Sabbath-breaker he may soon convince of his sin for to that they will say it is true we are such it is an infirmity we cannot leave but when he comes to deal with men about unbelief telling them that they have no Faith Oh what a do is there oh how do their colours rise they are even ready to fly in his face none will believe him or be convinced that he doth not believe therefore labour to be convinced of unbelief 2. Of Damnation For he that believeth not shall be damned Mark 16.16 which also is a thing that unbelievers will not be convinced of for tell them of it and they will tell you God forbid for God is merciful and we hope to be saved as well as you and not all the Ministers in England can make men believe otherwise till God give them a sight of their unbelief Then O then they can and will cry out saying Oh we shall be damned and we cannot be saved therefore labour to be convinced of damnation also Quest You will say if it be such a hard thing to be so convinced then what shall we do to be convinced I Ans Pray to the Spirit that you may be convinced by the Spirit for it is his work John 16.8.9 as thus O blessed Spirit convince me of mine unbelief for I must confess I am one that would not hitherto believe that I do not believe O open mine eies that I may see my unbelief I humbly pray thee Do the like for convictions about Damnation 2. Take on and begin to be troubled as that poor man in the Gospel Mark 9.23 24. who so cryed and wept and took on and said Lord help mine unbelief and those Acts 2.37 for else you build without a foundation and then how will your building stand There is a notable place for this in Gal. 3.23 Before Faith came we were kept under the Law shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed Mark 1. Before Faith comes we are under the Law that is under the lashes and terrors of the Law especially a little before Faith cometh indeed we are whipt and troubled indeed by that grim Schoolmaster whose name is Law And 2. Before the Law comes we are shut up like Prisoners and therefore must suffer as Prisoners O my Brethren if then you mean to have Faith you must not refuse to be under the lashes of the Law you must be content to be in Prison a while and as Scholars which are grievously whipt grievously to weep because of your unbelief and because of the miseries which shall come upon you if ye believe not For he that believeth not shall be damned saith Christ Mar. 16.16 Mark he shall be damned and what is that you will say Oh! it is to be sentenced to Hell and what is that Oh! it is a place called * Hieron in Matth. 10. Gehenna a word first of all used by Christ afterwards by * Sicque usurpatur in lib. Pirkeaboth admodunt antiquo cap. 1. 5. others also for the place of the damned and compounded of Gee and Hinnom which signifieth a Valley of Hinnom which was a Valley nigh to Jerusalem in which the old Idolatrous Jews were wont to burn their children alive to the honour of the Devil at the sounding of Trumpets and Timbrels and other loud sounding instruments that they might not hear the cry of their poor dying children and for that the place was afterwards used for the receipt of all filthiness as dung carrion and the like and probable it is that our Saviour used this word above all other to signify the miserable burning of unbelievers in that place the pittiful cries of the tormented the barbarous and confused noise of the Tormentors together with the most loathsome filthiness of the place it self Go to now ye Unbelievers I say now as St. * Jam. 5. â— James once to rich men and weep for the miseries that shall come upon you in that woful place called Gehenna nay go and howl together O ye Drunkards and Usurers and Adulterers and Adulteresses and Fornicators and Harlots and Swearers and Lyars and covetous Worldlings and riotous Livers as ye were wont to be merry together some of you so now mourn and weep bitterly together because you have no Faith and because you will and must except you get Faith in Christ lie and fry and burn like the little children of the idolatrous Jews in that woful place of torment thus howl together saying Oh that Valley of Hinnom for so Hell is called and Oh that place of torment where there is such screeching and crying of men women and children that receptacle of all filth and filthy livers Oh it will come for us and for our portion for unbelievers such as we are will be damned Rev. 21.8 I have read of one * Rich. Baxter in his Everl Rest Brumo a famous Preacher in his time that when he was dead and to be buried he cryed out 3 times 1. Accusatus sum 2. Judicatus sum 3. Damnatus sum I am 1. Accused 2. Judg'd 3. Damn'd Whereas both others and himself before that verily thought he would surely be saved so let every one of you as dead and condemned by the * John 3.18 words of Christ now say Oh I am Damned I am Damned I am Damned I thought once that I should be saved assoon as any and would not be otherwise perswaded but that my Soul should be heavened as well as others but now I see that unless infinite mercy do save me
gift of God Phil. 1.29 say as Rachel Give me children or else I die Gen. 30.1 So Lord give me Faith or else I die and he will not say thee nay For every one that asketh receiveth saith Christ Luke 11.9 Ask therefore and say Lord thou hast said every one that asketh receiveth O let me receive for one or how else can it be every one if I may not for one Prayer is the souls recourse to the fountain of life and a Christians address to the God of all power to fetch power and help in a time of need Heb. 4. ult Go therefore O dear Christians to the Christians God for power and help in this time of need Go and cry and say with that poor man in the Gospel Lord help mine unbelief Mar. 9.24 Lord help my poor soul to believe Beloved no less power is here required for you to be able to believe being dead than was for the raising of Christ from the dead Eph. 1.19.20 see the place and place your selves therefore before his Throne of grace that you may get grace and power to believe according to the working of his mighty power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead and set him at his own right hand in heavenly places And thus beg power to believe and to be good and do not think that it is in * Vt Platonici Stoici aiunt apud Clem. Alex. l. 1. c. 61 your power to have faith in God when all your power must come from God * Videatur Concil Arau s c. 24. It is man's greatest weakness to presume upon his own strength when his greatest strength is but weakness and therefore I press and perswade you to beg which if ye do as ye ought I assure you in the words of Christ that it will not be long before you get faith in Christ not long neither before ye will be blessed with that heavenly Assurance of the Saints which cometh by Christ Christ not being able to deny you because he cannot deny himself 2 Tim. 2.13 and not deny himself because he is Truth it self John 14.6 and being Truth it self hath said Ask and you shall have seek and you shall find knock and it shall be opened unto you Luke 11.9 Thus labour by all these holy waies and means to believe and when your carnal friends shall go about to hinder thee saying what needs all this praying and all this weeping and all this running to Sermons say would ye not have me to live if I do not believe I cannot live Again say Would ye have me be assured of nothing I will be by Gods grace assured of something and especially of my salvation Again if Satan seek to hinder you from striving and praying that ye may not believe yet pray and use all the means premised because God hath promised that you shall be heard and he will do his best for you when Satan shall do his worst against you The Lord give you hearts to pray and hearts to believe that believing you may be assured that you shall be saved so prayeth from his heart your faithful friend to his your best friend who is a hearer of prayers and can do abundantly above all that you or I can ask or think or conceive to him be glory in the Church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages world without end 3 Medium Now this and the rest of the ensuing Mediums are properly and chiefly provided for Saints who do believe for which cause and for whose sake I call this Tract the Saints Assurance à potiori Amen Eph. 3.20.21 3. Labour to live as spotless a life as you can possibly for * 1 Joh. 3.3 every man that hath this hope in him What hope that he shall see God v. 2. namely in ‖ Irenaeus l. 4. c 37. Christ and by himself purifieth himself even as he is pure Observe every man that hath this hope and so consequently whose soul is safe whose faith is sound whose heart is sure Again observe purifies himself that is labours to be pure and how is that even as he namely God himself is pure O height of holiness O profunditie of purity are there any such in the world say the men of the world Yes saith the Apostle there are such which though they are not without sin yet are not * 1 Joh. 3.9 1 Joh. 1.9 under sin that is under a reigning sin pressing hard towards perfection which is to be pure as he is pure that is aspiring to it and climbing after it and towards it as Johnathan's Armor-bearer after his Master I remember what a * Anselm de Simil. Father saith that he had rather be in Hell than lie in any sin against God and I have been much taken with his saying God grant that by it you also may be so taken as that you may not be so often overtaken But to the Law and Testimony for all the Fathers Who is she that looketh forth as the morning fair as the Moon clear as the Sun Cant. 6.10 Observe how Christ praiseth his Church for her transcendent pureness and surpassing fairness Some spots she hath and therefore she is assimilated to the Moon as well as Sun and yet called fair because she alloweth them not and because of that Christ seeth them not No no even Balaam could say He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob neither hath he seen perversness in Israel Numb 23.21 Again She is fair as the morning for she is * Instar diluculi quando aurera incipit tenebras dispellere Paraeus partly clear and partly dim like that wonderfull day which is only known to the Lord not day nor night Zech. 14.7 for so is the * Vide Chrysost in Rom. 13.12 Morning and so is she not altogether day because of sin remaining in her nor altogether night because of sin resisted by her and so and after this manner fair and clear and pure but farther what saith Christ of her Thou art all fair my love there is no spot in thee Cant. 4.7 that is no spot * Rom. 7.15 allowed no spot approved for whilst she is able to stand she stands and * Heb. 12.4 striveth against sin so do you labouring to cleanse your selves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit 2 Cor. 7.1 and that by the Spirit Rom. 8.13 For as any one blemish in the face mars beauty and one dram of poison spoils a whole box of precious Ointment so if you let alone but one sin to reign in you and over you that one will spoil all even all your fair carriage and all your confidence for no * Si unum in locum collata sint omnia mala cum turpitudinis malo non erunt comparanda Cicoro 2. Thusc evil like the evil of sin to spoil a man When Phocas the Roman Emperor had built a most fair and stately Pallace there was a