and effectuall working of this grace the same is most euidently and manifestly discerned and made knowne to haue a true and liuely being in that subiect wherein so effectually it is seene to haue that manner of working Euen as it is a farre readier and easier way for one to know in himselfe or make manifest to another that hee hath life in him and is indeed a liuing man by speaking by walking by working and doing the actions of one that is liuing then by the apprehending the time of his first conceiuing or quickening in the wombe or of his first entring into the world when hee was new borne Therefore it is vsuall in the Scripture for men to bee directed in this case to find out and manifest their faith by the fruits and workes that it doth bring forth to discerne the surenesse of their graces by the effectualnesse of their operation and by the soundnesse of all that which is seene to come from them euery man being willed to consider his owne wayes in his heart and to looke vpon the workes of his hands and thereby to giue iudgement how the case doth stand with him as touching his saluation Which is an easie way of triall and ready course taken to finde out this matter by for euen a blind man will truly iudge by the effects which hee can sensibly feele the certaine and vndoubted being of such a thing as necessarily doth cause such effects as he so doth feele though in regard of his blindnesse he cannot see the same thing nor discerne where it should bee As bring him to the fier and let him feele the heate thereof he will as certainly apprehend and as vndoubtedly conclude that there is fier as those that by seeing it are able by their sight best of all to discerne it And otherwise without a feeling of some manner of the working of faith I thinke it to be most rare and difficult for any to finde that he hath faith in himself at all I denie not but faith may haue a being where the working of it is not felt but so long as the working of it is not felt I hold that the being of it is not found and doubtlesse true and sauing faith Faith may be without feeling hath no sooner giuen vnto it a true being at all then it hath also giuen vnto it some kind of acting and working together with the being at the very same time though not alwayes seene For it is a liuing and a liuely faith and not a dead faith which must be a sauing faith now in euery thing that hath the being of it in life there is an act of liuing in that thing that hath such a being and as the Apostle saith that workes are to faith as is the spirit and Iam. 2. 26. breath of life to the body and concludeth thereupon that as the body without the spirit is dead so faith without some kind of working and operation is dead also It is true a body may haue life remaining in it though the spirit and breath of life cannot be seene nor perceiued to haue any stirring or motion at all in the same but then that remaining of life and being in this world in such a body is neither found nor felt by it selfe but in such an exstasie seemeth to it selfe to be as in another world neither is iudged by others that looke vpon it to bee otherwise then if it were truly dead and had no life at all in it and yet for all this such a partie hauing his life still remaining in him may recouer and get strength againe Thus may it fare with sauing faith in the heart of a true beleeuer it may haue such weaknesse come vpon it such faintnes and feeblenes may ouertake it it may fall into such an exstacie and into such qualmes and swoundings away that shall so stint the sensible working thereof as no remainder of the life of it by any working that can be perceiued to come from it may either be felt by the hauer or any way discerned by the beholder that standeth looketh vpō such a weak Christian so fallen fainted away and yet for al that true faith is alwaies liuing faith hauing euer the truth of life and being remaining in it though many times with much fainting yet neuer wholly failing for altogether Q. But if I may be so bold as to leade you on a little further in this digression from your former speech before you returne to it againe I demand if it be possible that it may fare thus with sauing faith in the heart of a true beleeuer that it may remaine in life and being when there can be perceiued no manner of operation and working to come from the same how that will stand true which you affirmed before that faith hath no sooner giuen vnto it to haue life and being then it is also in hand with some kind of action and working which doe neuer cease so long as that remaines to be for what kind of working can you shew faith to be in hand withall then when it is in such a case as lastly was mentioned and set downe A. Euen the worke of liuing as I said before it is in hand with the continuing of the act of life till life it selfe shall cease to be for life so long as it lasteth is a continued act of that that so hath life in it and besides by this meanes of the liuing of it that is in hand with another most blessed and happie worke of the preseruation Weakest faith saueth of the soule in which it liueth that it may keepe that safe from perishing for euer so long as that may haue any abiding and remaining in the same The liuing and being of pretious faith how weakly so euer it doth liue in the heart of a true beleeuer standeth that soule in as great stead so long as it abideth in it as doth the spirit of life or the liuely spirit stand the body in stead so long as it remaineth and abideth in the same which being that golden claspe which handfasteth the soule with the body keepeth the body from being a dead carkase and is as salt to keepe the body sweete so long as it abideth in it from stinking rotting and corrupting which quickly otherwise it would doe if it were once dissolued and gone from out of the same So doth true and sauing faith which is the golden button and claspe of our soules that claspeth and handfasteth vs vnto Christ and will neuer let goe the hold that it hath of him till he hath taken vs to himselfe and set vs safe in his kingdome past all peraduenture of more miscarrying So long as this faith liueth and hath any being it assuredly preserueth that soule in which it so liueth from all possibilitie of euer perishing yea though it should abide in the heart of a true beleeuer in all such weaknesse as before was spoken of vntill the very time of
and vigour of effectuall operation to bee seene working and comming from the same So this goodly and glorious imaginarie dead ceremoniall and seeming faith which thus may be seene to haue all the parts and lineaments of the well proportioned body of true and liuely faith it may well be said to haue indeed the shape and image of sauing faith but yet all this while it is no better then a dead image wanting the soule of faith and spirit of life that should breath in it euen the spirit of sanctification and holinesse to inspire these common graces as parts and lineaments of this image and body with holie motion and life of sanctifying grace which might deriue holinesse and puritie so into euery part for the seasoning and sanctifying of all that all might be made pleasing and acceptable vnto God by the same Now for the want of this which is the very soule and liuely life of true and liuely faith it selfe all the rest is but as the body without the soule which is dead and is no more then the image or outside and rotten carkasse of a true faith but is not true faith indeed And therefore as one faith of the knowledge of the Heathen who did excell in all literature and humaine learning O fortunatos Ethnicos fides si accesserit O happy Heathen if to other learning the grace of faith and true beleeuing had also been added So would I say of these temporarie beleeuers O thrice happy Christians if with these common gifts and graces of Gods Spirit bestowed vpon them wherein many of them so greatly doe excell they might haue also that gift of sanctifying grace giuen vpto them to sanctifie the rest and themselues throughout that as for Grace sanctified is grace refined outward parts they seeme and appeare to be much beautified so they might in like manner bee all glorious within soundly sanctified in their inmost affections and renewed in the powers of their soules the spirit of grace and holinesse reinuesting them with such a measure of sanctitie and integritie as they might bee found intire and sincere before God in all that they doe but this being wanting all the rest is nothing For the want whereof the like may be said of these in particular which the Apostle saith of all other 1. Cor. 13. 1. 2. 3. graces where loue is wanting though they had such learning and knowledge as they might seeme to speake with the tongues not of men but of Angels and yet had not their knowledge sanctified they should be but as sounding brasse or as tinckling Cymballs And if they had neuer so strong faith and stedfastnesse of beleèuing in their owne opinion if they were neuer so much rapt vp with the ioy they haue conceiued and should become most secure in their so confident boasting if they did neuer so many things with Herod and should be found so to be changed and altered in their liues that they might seeme to bee as holy as Saints and were become most glorious in shew as are the Angels of light into whose shape it is no hard thing for Satan when he will transforme himselfe yet for the want of this one grace of true and sound holinesse which alone should grace all the rest both they themselues are nothing and all that they doe shall profit them nothing for the causing either themselues to be had in any reckoning with God or for any account to be had of whatsoeuer they possibly can doe without it in his gracious acceptation CHAP. XI Of the speciall differences in the principall graces appertaining to faith and first of the first grace which is knowledge with the vse that is to be made of the difference herein Question SEeing you haue thus made mention that there must be a concurrence of some principall and particular graces in true beleeuers to the making vp of true faith in them as namely the mind to be inlightned with knowledge the heart strengthened by grace to apprehend for their owne comfort that which it so knoweth with perswasion thereupon of Gods fauor for it selfe which causeth great ioy to be felt with all which must be ioyned a sound and thorow reformation of life in like manner to be wrought and haue likewise shewed that temporary beleeuers who are no better then plaine reprobates may haue the counterfeit and a neare resemblance of all these I desire to heare further declared what speciall differences in these particulars on both parts may be obserued that if there be no agreement in the parts nor like proportion held in any of the particulars the difference may be knowne to be the stronger in the whole and the odds perceiued to bee the greater in the generall when they are compared together First therefore if it please you shew what differences may be discerned betweene the knowledge of him that is vnsanctified and vnsound and the knowledge of a true beleeuer inwhom may be found the faith of Gods elect A. The knowledge of these two may be found to differ Difference of knowledge in that which is common betweene them both and in that which is priuat and peculiar but to one alone which the other can neuer at all haue any part in euen very reprobates may obtaine from God very large allowance to In Reprobates be made vnto them in common gifts and of those of the best kind as not onely to speake with tongues but likewise 1. Cor. 12. 10. to prophesie and preach learnedly and like great Clerkes they may be indued with most rare and excellent gifts this way and graces of Gods Spirit they may excell in them and peraduenture go beyond some of the elect to whom Christ yet wili say he neuer knew them The secreâ—s of Nature Matth. 7. 23. we know haue been most found out by them that haue had nothing but Nature in them and they haue in a manner excelled this way God hath giuen them the excellency of skill in their owne element but the secrets of grace hee hath more abundantly reuealed to such as doe feare him vpon whom he hath bestowed the riches of his grace making them to excell therein Though vnregenerate men may know much yet they are euer defectiue in the chiefe they haue more of such knowledge as is lesse necessarie then haue many true beleeuers but in that which is most necessarie that maketh men not onely learneder but better therein they come farre behind though they may haue great illumination yet something in all their knowledge is euer wanting and kept from them which is as the quintessence of all knowledge The sanctification of grace is the quintessence of grace namely to haue their knowledge sanctified and to haue true sauing knowledge giuen vnto them this the Lord doth neuer bestow vpon them Hee that hath not sanctifying grace in him as sheweth the Apostle Peter let him bee neuer so learned and so great 2. Pet. 1. 9. a Clerke
may there much guile and deceit be found to be in it and the worke will appeare to bee vnsound and falsely wrought if good triall thereof be made that only hauing guile for the refuge and vnder falsehood and vanitie it Isai 28. 15. delighting euer to lie hid for there it resteth and setleth it selse there it findeth best cherishing and kindliest being as the dorres doe in the dung But this may better beé considered in some particulars Temporarie faith which yet is as good as no faith if it be not worse for if any withdraw himselfe the Lord will haue no pleasure in Heb. 10. 38. 39. 2. Pet. 2. 21. him And Peter saith it had been better not to haue knowne then to turne away againe seemeth to haue all the complements that can bee found in true faith and that in as goodly a shew and in as glorious a manner as the most pretious and sauing faith hath or can haue if goodly shewes and appearances might bee sufficient to serue the turne for if wee consider the nature of true faith and what be the parts whereof it doth consist if wee marke well what be the graces which principally doe concurre in true beleeuers for the making vp of that faith in them How true saith is wrought which is true and vnfained and by which they assuredly shall be saued it will be found that first their minds come to be illuminated and lightened from aboue with diuine Acts 26. 18. Eph. 1. 17. 18. Col 1. 9. 26. 27. and ◠2 2. Cor 4. 6. Iohn 17. 3. Acts 28. 24. Ioh 6. 68 69. Acts 15. 11. Iohn 1. 12. Phil. 3. 12. 1. Tim. 6. 12. 2. Tim. 2. 14. Rom. 4. 20. 21. Rom. 8. 38. Iohn 3. 16. Rom. 15. 13. Acts 8. 39. 1. Pet. 1. 7. T it 3. 8. 14. Coloss 1. 10. Gal 5. 16. 22. 2. Pet. 1. 8. Phil. 1. 11. Rom. 12 2. 1. Cor. 6. 11. Eph 4. 22. 24. Eph 4. 20. 21. knowledge of Gods truth especially with the sauing knowledge of Christ Iesus whom to know is eternall life Secondly then their hearts are strengthened as to assent to that they know so to relie vpon Christ whom they know apprehending him and laying hold of the promises of life and saluation which are made in him Fourthly from thence they proceed further and doe grow at the length to be assured in the truth and setledly perswaded of God his vnchangeable loue towards them in and through Christ Iesus so as they beleeue comfortably they shall neuer perish but haue eternall life by him Whereupon next followeth fifthly Ioy and gladnesse to be bred in their hearts euen such as is said to be vnspeakable and glorious All which former graces haue following and accompanying them the fruites of the Spirit Sixthly in good workes breaking out in their liues which may plainly be discerned by the generall change of their whole course of life from euill to good casting off the old man which is corrupt through the deceiueable lusts and putting on the new which is created after God in holinesse and righteousnesse And thus haue true beleeuers learned Christ heard him and been taught by him as the truth is in Iesus as the Apostle saith Now a temporarie beleeuer who is but a cunning reprobate and a true beleeuers counterfeit may haue the shadow and resemblance of all these graces and that with so liuely colours so workmanly set out and painted forth as shall cause them to carrie a goodly glosse and to shine out with such a glistering brightnesse as if they were comparable with the best when there is nothing at all sound but How farre areprobate may go all is bastardized adulterated and no better then plaine counterfeit stuffe such a man may haue common graces in so good a degree as a naturall man may in the possibilitie of his nature be capable of euen so much as his nature not renewed may permit him to haue As to instance in the former particulars he may haue great measure Heb. 6. 4. 1. Cor. 13. 2. Isai 42. 20. 1. Cor. 1. 19. 20. 8. 2. Rom. 2. 13. 19. 20. Acts 26. 27. Iames 2. 19. Iohn 12. 42. 43. Luke 8. 13. Mat. 23. 2. 3. Rom. 2. 20. 21. Rom. 1. 31. 3. 19. 20. Phil 1. 16. Mat. 7. 21. 22. of illumination and may attaine to much knowledge not alone humane but diuine also to know the truth of God to vnderstand the Scriptures to beleeue the Word of God to bee true crediting it in his iudgement and approuing of it in his affection hee may not alone become expert in the vnderstanding and opening of the Law thereby to know himselfe and all others to be guiltie of sinne but he may grow also acquainted with the mysteries of the Gospell thereout to know Christ and him crucified for the sinnes of the world and to know him to bee theone and onely Sauiour of all mankind he may haue a confused perswasion and conceit in his mind though vnwarrantably that Christ and all his benefits doe belong to him and laying claime to them as the woman that was not the mother did to the child that was not hers apprehend 1. King 3. 22. and lay hold of them all as his owne He may out of this conceit that he is now in the state of grace and in the Luke 8. 13. way of life haue his heart rapt and lift vp with much ioy he may take delight and after a manner grow proud of the good estate which as hee doth thinke he now standeth Luke 18. 11. in as in regard of the outward reformation of his life the vncleane spirit may be said to be gone out of him Mat. 12. 43. and another spirit to be giuen vnto him as was giuen to Saul when another heart was giuen vnto him after Samuel 1. Sam. 10. 6. 9. 10. had once annointed him after which it is also said that the Spirit of the Lord came vpon him He may bee found much humbled before the Lord with Ahab for many 1. Kin. 21. 27. 29. euils hee hath done and much commended before men with Herod for many good things hee hath done of Marke 6. 20. whom it is said that he heard Iohn gladly and that hee did many things after that he had heard him These also many seuerall gifts and graces which are very glorious to look vpon and faire in shew may concurre and meete together in one man and yet neuer a one of them right nor the man himselfe sound at the heart All these thus coupled thus compact and ioined together meeting in one person may seeme to carrie before them a faire resemblance of the comely feature of true sauing faith when yet it is but as a dead image which hauing all parts and lineaments of a well proportioned body wanteth the spirit and breath of life to animate the whole and agitate all the parts with liuely motion
all would scarce bee able to giue him satisfying that his disease were curable and might well bee holpen he would doubt that all the Balme in the Lords Gilead would not suffice to make for him a remedy that should bee soueraigue and sauing enough nor that all they together should haue sufficient skill how to apply it so as hee might haue good recouerie thereby Yea if it once grow ill with them in their faith and repentance and that these graces are smitten at strooken and wounded by some soare and dangerous tentation then in stead of complaining of the weakenesse and hurt of their faith and repentance they fall to entertaine a conceit into their mindes which troubleth them worse then did all the rest namely that they haue no faith at all that they haue no true repentance nor euer yet had But I would demand if they had not some remainder of the life of these graces of faith and repentance by which they feele the wounds and hurts that these affected members and parts of the inner man haue receiued how come they to make complaint in particular about their faith and repentance that it is not well with them Can a man that hath his leggs cut off so hauing no legs be affected with the aching or painefull dolour of the wounds and hurts which are in his legs he may complaine of paines in other partes but griefes in his leggs he can neither feele nor complaine of for he hath none at all to be pained in But if a man hauing indeed a leg that is now hurt and wounded then were it meere solly and madnesse for him to complaine and say that he hath no leg because his leg is so maimed and hurt for that proueth that he hath a leg in that he complaineth all his paine is in his leg and complaines not of his arme nor of his head which both may be well for all that Q. True but may not a man complaine he hath no legs at all if his legs indeed be once cut off A. But I demand againe Can a man in like manner Of feeling complaine that hee hath no heart at all if his heart bee plucked out We know that then he is but a dead man for the heart is the most vitall part of the body and the very seate of life which being principally in it the life it selfe by it is communicated to all the rest destroy therefore and pluck out the heart and then tell me what life will be remaining in that body for it to complaine it hath no heart Faith is as vitall a part for the life of the soule as the heart is for the life of the body for it is the only organe and receptacle of all the life of the soule that it receiueth from Christ the onely fountaine of true life and by it that spirituall life which is receiued from Christ is communicated to euery power and part of the soule beside It is the very soule of our soule for wee liue by faith wee walke and worke by it and not by sight the life of faith is that which doth animate all other vertues beside that are in vs. Plucke this faith away and destroy faith which is the life of the soule and then what life will there be remaining in that soule for a man to feele by it that he hath no faith or to complaine of the weaknesse and wants of his faith for then he should be as a dead man that should haue no feeling in him as vnbeleevers and wicked persons are said to be dead euen while they liue 1. Tim. 5. 6. Iude 12. yea twice dead and pluckt vp by the rootes and are past feeling as the Apostle speaketh Nay the complaining by weake Christians about their faith for the weaknesse thereof or for the want of their faith argueth the presence and being in life of their faith by which they haue such feeling and make such complaining as one complaining that he feeleth paine at his heart that doth argue that he hath a heart and that his heart is in life which maketh him so to complaine These are not vnlike vnto that melancholike person Treatise of Me lacholy pa. 215 who being ouer borne and ouerset with that dangerous humour of melancholy complained he had no head nor could not possibly be otherwise perswaded then by that course which that prudent Physition Phylotimus did take with him when he caused to be made a cap of lead very waightie and heauie and the same to be put vpon his head that feeling the weight thereof vpon his head hee might be brought to conceiue otherwise and be perswaded that hee had a head And as they are not much vnlike that melancholike for kinde of disease who was deluded with melancholie conceits to thinke that he wanted that which indeed hee had so doe I thinke the like kinde of remedie in this case not vnfit to be vsed for their cure which was vsed for his I would therefore lay vpon these weake Christians no other burthen but the weight of their owne burthen of holy sorrow and griefe and doubtfull despaire for their wanting of faith as themselues doe deeme which is so weightie as they are like to sinke vnder it wholly to be broken down with the load thereof yet that being laid vpon the head of their faith they may bee asked whether they feele any such burthen and are pressed vnder the heauie weight of the same which if they do let them neuer make doubt more but that they haue faith and their faith hath both head and hart too that hath life in it which moueth that sense and causeth that feeling and worketh that holie griefe and sorrow so to complaine the whole soule being quickened thereby throughout and all the graces of Gods spirit that are therein There is no life of spirituall graces otherwise to be had then as the same be deriued from Christ who is our life and the fountaine thereof there is no passage for this life to flow into our soules but as by faith the same be let in which only is the instrument of the vnion that is betweene Christ and vs and the proper hand to receiue all grace from him the very receptacle and as I may say the cisterne to hold the grace it hath receiued from him as out of the fountaine and so to distribute it to all the rest of the graces that are in that soule wherein it is seated If therefore there be any liuely feeling of our want of faith and mourning for our want if we complaine of the want of faith feeling it to be a burthen vnto vs that is too heauie for vs to beare if wee sigh and groane vnder that burthen with earnest longings and daily prayers to be eased and with such desires of obtaining that which we want as willingly we neglect no meanes that we can know is to be vsed for our better comming by it doubtlesse there is the
the first to the last runneth throughout betweene them euermore to keepe them asunder For as soone will God and the diuell agree in one light and darknesse be made to accord as truth and falshood can euer meet together it is true that as the diuell is said to be Gods Ape who after an Apish fashion being the God of the world can and Ephes 2. 2. doth forge in the shop wherein he worketh that is the hearts of the children of disobedience the counterfait of all such graces as Gods Spirit doth frame and worke in the hearts of the Elect so this false faith may well be the counterfait of true faith and may haue an Apish imitation of it in euery respect but it commeth no more neare to be like it then is a dead carcase to a liuing body or a fier that is painted to a true fier that doth burne indeede and therefore it is but a mocke-faith that will beguile them sorest and soonest who do trust vnto it most Q. But how may this difference bee discerned and the â—auth of the one and falshood of the other bee best found out A. To finde out which is the true faith and which is the false besides other manifest signes whereby the same may be discerned there is none more pregnant to make that cleere and euident then that true faith is sure and firme constant and abiding to the end which neuer faileth 1. Differenco is continuance till it hath attained that end for which it had first a beginning and a being giuen vnto it which is the sauing of euery soule that once hath had it Whereas false faith is vncertaine not to trust vnto vnconstant and but temporary when it is at the best which will last but a season and will then faile a man most when hee should haue the greatest vse of it as in the day of battell when he should stand in the face of his enemie then it will start aside like a broken bow that he can make no shot and like a broken staffe that will leaue a man in the ditch when hee aduentureth to leape ouer with it Now this being worthily held for a maine difference betweene sauing and sauelesse faith whereby they are cleerly distinguished and plainly may be discerned the one of them from the other that this difference may the better bee discerned and made manifest Time is herein to lend her helpe for all things are made manifest by time as the Apostle speaking 1. Cor. 3. 13. of the diuers manner of working and labouring by the builders that build in the Church of God vpon the foundation some building gold siluer pretious stones others timber hay and stubble hee saith euery mans worke shall be made manifest for the day saith he shall declare it Truth is said to be the daughter of Time and so is falshood also Time trauelling with them both bringeth them both forth at the last and sheweth them as they are to the view of euery man Truth may be blamed Laborare potest vinci non potest but shamed it will neuer be True faith may bee hazarded and sorely shaken for a time but vanquished can Luk. 22. 32. it neuer be nor faile finally or be ouercome for it is of nature inuincible and the triall of true faith sheweth it 1. Pet. 1. 7. selfe in the end to be more precious then gold that perisheth and redoundeth to the greater praise honour and glory of the true beleeuer On the contrary falshood may for a time be couered and masked vnder the visour and vaile of truth but at the length time will cause it to be discerned for it is full of crackes and rents on euery side which can neuer be so made vp but the dissimulation thereof will thereby breake out at the last and easily be discried For truth pierceth through falshood on euery part which opposing it selfe to sound sincerity and innocent simplicity is found to melt away as snow doth against the Sunne False and fained faith may indeed shew goodly and flourishing faire for a time it may shine out with such a lustre and glistering brightnes as may seeme to dazle the eyes of all that are the beholders of it as though it were among other vertues as Lucifer is among other starres which comming next before the Sunne is filled full of light and brighteth the day before him when in the end for all such shining time will make it appeare to be no better then the light that commeth but from rotten wood which when it is once discerned euery one doth contemne as a thing of no worth but to be spurned away and to be troden vnder his feet In like manner all the light of ioy and comfort which seemed to be giuen out from that faith which is not sound will at the length be put in obscure darknesse the heart being left destitute of all manner of cheere and comfort both hopelesse and ioy lesse when times of triall and of sore affliction Mat. 13. 21. doe happen to to come as our Sauiour sheweth manifestly in the parable and daily experience also witnesseth to be most true Neither doth the vnsoundnesse and and falsenesse of faith onely appeare at the end when once the end of it is come shewing it to haue beene but temporarie which did not long endure but before the end be come euen when it is in the prime of the chiefest working if it be wel obserued there is a cleere difference euidently discerneable betweene the sinceritie and entire working of true faith that abideth the much hollownes hypocrisie of this temporary truthlesse faith that is not to be trusted vnto though it be takeÌ„ euen then when it is at the best and when all things may bee found to be in it as gloriously appearing in outward shew as can be found to be in that faith which is most true indeed And this difference may readily be discerned if men rightly considering their owne waies in their hearts will be vnpartiall Iudges to giue a right sentence according to such euidence as they may well gather from that which they can finde to be done and wrought in themselues For true faith dealeth truly in all that it doth how weake and imperfect Secondly if true faith deales truly soeuer it bee that it doth yet it is true and euer purgeth the heart as from other drosse and filth of sinne so from that pernicious plague and pestilent poyson which is the venome of all vertue and as a fretting canker that eateth out the very heart of all grace and extinguisheth the life of all sinceritie that is therein I meane close and priuie hypocrisie and guile of heart for where guile and falsehood is found to beare rule there plaine truth of beleeuing and of faith that is vnfained can abide no longer On the other side false and fained faith though in shew that seemeth to be very good which it worketh yet
be done by such or to be conceiued of the estate of such a Christian that cannot haue such feeling of his faith and standing in the fauour of God after the manner as before sometime he hath had A. Such are to labour by iudgement to conuince and controle their abused sense and feeling who sometimes Want of feeling to their owne sense and feeling may thinke God to haue forsaken them Christ Iesus to haue quite left them and to be departed and gone from them when as yet he is still where he was and as touching his fauour and his loue vnalterable remaining still the same towards them that he was the alteration being found onely to bee in themselues by reason of the strong tentations that are vpon them Men are therefore not to measure their estate by sense and feeling for many times in naturall things reason is able to controle our sense as if I being in a ship that is driuen with a faire wind and tide doe saile by a Tower or Castle standing vpon a banke when I looke vpon the Tower as the ship doth swiftly passe by my sense of seeing thinketh that the Tower goeth away while I my selfe stand still in the ship but my iudgement and vnderstanding telleth me that it is otherwise in truth and that the Tower standeth still and moueth not but it is I and the ship that doe goe away from it though to my sense of seeing it seemes otherwise to be In like manner as touching feeling a man that hath but raging paine in one tooth or hath but a fellon on the vttermost ioynt of his finger or the paine of the goute onely in his toe though all his body should be sound and in good health besides he feeleth more the paine of that one little member of his tooth or of his toe then the sound health of his whole body beside though the health of the whole body be much more then is the paine of that one member In like manner doth it many times fall out with good Christians if they be indued and inriched with neuer so many good graces of Gods Spirit hauing true faith and ioyned therewith vertue knowledge temperance patience godlinesse brotherly kindnesse charitie hope humility meekenesse repentance and the rest that are linkes of that golden chaine wherewith the vertues are chained and linked one to another if it should happen not to be well with them in any one of the said graces according as these seueral graces of the mind as well as the seuerall members of the body may bee put out of their right frame and haue distemper and disease bred in them and brought vpon them though in the meane while it were neuer so well with them in all the rest yet is it found vsuall for them more to feele the disquiet of the distemper and hurt of some one of these graces so out of frame then to feele the content and comfort of the abiding in good estate of all the rest beside and to bee more grieued with the disease that is growne vpon that one then ioyed with the health that doth stil remaine in all the other As if a good man being sore prouoked and set vpon of the sudden should be so much distempered and put out of all patience as he should breake forth to much fury and rage in his hastie anger which is no better then a short madnesse and being come to his right mind againe his fit being once ouer for all that while beside himselfe he should then bethinke himselfe what he had done so would he bee out of conceit with himselfe he would be so cast downe in his owne eyes so smitten in heart so pricked in conscience so wounded in his soule with griefe for his sinne he would crie out and complaine for being thus ouerseene as that the distemper of that one grace of patience and the weakenes thereof which could then beare no more would more bee felt of him with griefe and work him greater woe and disquiet him much more then he should feele comfort or haue contentment in the good estate which all the rest did abide in beside and yet that one slip of his for a time is not so blame-worthie as is commendable the ordinary course of goodnesse constantly held on in the well-vsing and practising of other his graces wherein much soundnesse is found stil to be remaining And as among the members and parts of the body some are more necessarie then are others and so more hardly can be spared some are more dangerous to take hurt in or for any disease to breed vpon them because they are the vitall parts of the body such as is the heart the liuer and the braine which if they should be perished the life it selfe would be lost when such parts are affected men are found to be more troubled about the hearts of such and the diseases bred vpon them then vpon any other ther the partes of their bodies besides they are most suspitious and doubtfull of the recouering of them aboue that they are of all the rest euer fearing lest those hurts should not be well healed or those diseases soundly cured and recpiered againe As if one should haue among other the outward parts and members of his body his right hand so maimed as it should be in daunger to bee quite cut off and so lost and of all the inward parts should haue a disease breeding in him that should dangerously affect the heart which being a most vitall part euen the very fountaine and seate of life that doth send forth the vitall spirits and life it selfe to the other parts if that should be perished then the very life it selfe would vetterly be lost Much after this manner is it found to be with good Christians in respect of the differing graces of Gods Spirit which they haue receiued from God though all verie vsefull for the Christian life yet some are more absolutely needfull as being vnto the soule not onely the hand by which it worketh but as the heart which is the very receptacle and seate of life by which it liueth which if they should miscarry all would be lost such as is faith and loue and repentance vnto life If these should receiue any dangerous hurt or fall into any deadly disease whereof they should not be againe well recouered there must needs follow the vtter ruine of such a Christian When therefore their faith is mightily assailed and by the strength of tentation sorely shaken when their repentance is challenged not to be sound and such as it ought Oh then how solicitous is a carefull Christian about the hauing of these well cured and recouered againe how feareful and doubtfull is he lest these should faile him and neuer be holpen how doth hee enquire after the best Physitians to heare the best counsell that in this case may be giuen yea if a whole Colledge of Physitians should all meete together to conferre about his disease they
difference to be both betweene the knowledge of one that is vnsanctified and vnsound in the faith and of him that is a true beleeuer whose heart is purified by sound and sauing faithâ— indeed and in like sort betweene the manner of their apprehending and laying hold of Christ for saluation As also no lesse difference to bee betweene the assurance and perswasion that either of them doe ground themselues vpon for the obtaining of life and saluation in Christ by meanes of such their laying hold vpon him Proceed now to declare what you thinke concerning such difference as may be found betweene the ioy that followeth heereupon and maketh glad the hearts of either of them once truly hauing or supposing themselues to haue good and warrantable assurance of their saluation A. Ioy and gladnesse which is an affection of the Difference in ioy heart that is deriued and springeth out of the loue and liking of a present good or out of an assured hope and expectation of some good that is to come wherby the heart is dilated and set out and the spirits therein stirred to liuelinesse and cheerfulnesse cannot but according to the measure of the apprehending of such a ioyfull obiect as promiseth all good contentment and pleasure to be found therein be more or lesse felt in the heart and follow abundantly when there is a full assurance an abundant and confident perswasion of obtaining so great a good as is indeed the greatest good of all that can be wished or hoped for or possibly may be looked for by any to be enioyed which is the euerlasting good of soule and body for euer whereby they doe not onely know they shall bee deliuered from the wrath that is to come but be made partakers of that glorious inheritance which is prepared for the Saints in light and that for the present their state is so comfortable and they so highly in Gods fauour at least in their owne consciences perswaded as of the children of wrath power is now giuen them to become the sonnes of God yea heires and heires apparant of life and glory with Christ Iesus This cannot but raise vp in their hearts great and abundant ioy yea ioy that is vnutterable and vnspeakable such as will make their hearts to dance in their bellies for ioy and merrines in the good liking they haue of this their so blisse-full an estate and most happie condition that both presently they now stand in and yet hereafter farre more fully doe looke for to enioy Now both these hauing such a perswasion they likewise haue and doe feele ioy in their hearts following therupon And the ioy is answering to the kind of assurance and perswasion that is had of so comfortable an estate and condition that doth cause the same And for so much as it hath been sufficiently cleared and made manifestly to appeare that there is as great odds and difference betweene the assurance of a true beleeuer and of a true beleeuers counterfeit as is betweene the boldnesse of faith and the blindnesse of folly betweene humble obedience in beleeuing what God doth promise and proud presumption in promising to themselues without any word or warrant from God what themselues alone doe fancie the causes being so differing and found to bee so farre at odds betweene themselues the effects rising from such causes must needs be seuered as farre asunder and differ as much the one from the other The deceiueable and vnwarrantable assurance of misbeleeuers False ioy fades cannot produce any better effect then a carnall lying a false and a fading ioy that is not to be trusted vnto but will vanish away and not be found nor felt in times of the greatest need when their beguiled hearts shall then most of all be left void of all sound comfort and contentment when trouble shall be hard at hand the greatest light of their ioyes is soone ecclipsed and ouercast with any sad remembrances and but the very heare-say of any trouble or danger towards them is able to dash all their mirth at once yea to strike them so as was Nabal strooken when his hart died within him and he became 1. Sam. 25. 37. as a stone Their smiles are but faint and heartlesse they may sometimes counterfeit a laughing gesture when yet the heart within taketh no such pleasure as they do make shew for they be but false and durelesse pleasures they vse to make themselues merry with in the middest wherof though they doe what they can yet their hearts for all that will be felt to be in heauinesse they may be full iocund and all on the hoigh for a time and yet by and by the case as much altered with them as euer it was with Belshazzer when he saw the hand-writing against him Dan. 5. 6. 30. what time hee was most merry in his cups and carowsings drinking in that wine which the swords of his enemies did soone draw out of his body againe for euen that night he was slaine then will their merrie Comedies bee turned into sad and heauy Tragedies their pleasantnesse into pensiuenesse their mirth into wofull mourning and they desperately sorrowing as those that haue out-liued all their ioyes they being for euer left in distresse and heauinesse when all ioy and gladnesse shall flie farre away Contrarily the stable firme and good assurance of the True ioy lasting other will beget breed and bring forth a sure solid spirituall and true lasting ioy which with a sweete and heauenly motion vâ—ill cause their hearts to reioyce in Christ Iesus as in their chiefest good and present good The nature of this ioy is to enlarge and exhilarate the heart and so much to affect him that hath it as it will cause him to exult and leape with reioycing This is not a halfe ioy a giggling from the teeth outward but a thorow and full ioy that affecteth soule and body spirit and flesh to make Psal 84. 2. Iob 35. 10. all reioyce together such ioy as will giue songs to a man in the night season euen such songs to God his people as in the night when a solemne feast is kept and such gladnesse of Psal 77. 6. Psal 30. 29. heart as when one goeth with a pipe as the Prophet speaketh Euen such ioy as is not only unspeakable to them that haue it and doe feele it but it is incredible to them that haue it not and doe but heare of it as who by their owne experience did neuer come yet to taste of the like Many thinke that good Christians are depriued of all comforts they haue no ioy nor gladnesse they know not what a merry life meanes they thinke for any to doe as they do is to liue but a mopish and melancholy life there is no cheare in their course But Gods seruants are allowed to haue their delights in this world to haue ioy and gladnesse of heart in this life as well as any others nay aboue and
they could neuer be saued the Lord would haue sundry patternes and examples to be set downe in the Scriptures to teach and admonish all the world to take heed how any doe trust vnto the like but to seeke to haue better and such as is true indeed euery way sound and vnfained CHAP. XXVII The description of Repentance that is vnto life with the kinds of it And how true beleeuers and hypocrites differ in them as also in the whole body and frame of Repentance Question SHew then I pray you what is that true repentance that may be trusted vnto and which is neuer to be repented of which the Scripture calleth repentance vnto life and how it doth differ from the vnsound repentance of hypocrites which how glorious soeuer it may bee in shew yet when it is at the best it is but as you say a repentance still to be repented of because it is no better A. Repentance is an action and worke of grace wherby a man that hath mistaken himselfe and gone out of the way vpon knowledge and perswasion of Gods mercifulnesse and readinesse to receiue againe to fauour euery sinner that repenteth doth againe recouer himselfe our of his errings and dangerous waies wherein he hath gone astray and by a kind of retractation of those ill courses he hath taken be commeth changed in his mind in his will and his affections and wholly altered in the waies of his life and outward actions eschewing euill and doing good so bearing out the fruits worthy of amendment of life All which ariseth from the sorrow of his heart that hath been bred by the knowledge and sense of such sinnes as he hath committed which sorrow is not onely felt within but also manifested outwardly by agreeable actions words and gestures When such repentance is wrought and found in any then is repentance vnto life as the Disciples Act. 11. 18. called it granted vnto them Such repenting is the recouerie of the soule after and out of some deadly disease fallen into It may well be called the sicke mans salue or the sinners salue for it cureth all diseases and is an vniuersall antidote against all plagues punishments whatsoeuer Of true repentance there are two sorts an ordinarie and as I may say a common and daily repentance which euery Christian is bound to vse and to practice all his life long and euery day of his life The second is an extraordinary and speciall repentance vpon some extraordinary and speciall occasion either of obtaining some singular blessing or getting to be either remoued or kept away some heauie and grieuous plague This kind of repentance may iustly be occasioned by a mans falling into some grosse sinne after he hath been called to the participation of grace the rising againe from which sinne is a speciall repentance as Dauids rising againe from his fall was In the first we are all to walke and that wee are to vse and practice euery day it being no other then the shewing forth of the efficacie and power of the death and the resurrection of our blessed Sauiour in vs that are members of his body while wee are seene daily to practice the mortification of the flesh and viuification of the spirit the putting off the old man and the putting on the new the dying vnto sinne and liuing vnto righteousnesse and the endeauouring daily to doe these things for the repentance of the very best men is but a daily sorrowing that they cannot be sorrie enough and repent no better but as we are to walke in the daily practice of this first kind of repentance so from some of the occasions of the second and especially any falling into grosse sinnes we should beseech the Lord to preserue vs alwayes if it might be possible by any meanes if it cannot bee but through too much humaine frailty we should find occasions not onely to renew our ordinary daily repentance but often to bring into vse and practice a speciall and extraordinary kind of humbling our selues before the Lord in a manner of repentance vsed more then ordinary for some speciall sinnes or speciall occasions our owne or others then is that course to bee carefully taken and vsed which in the description of true repentance was beforeset downe And such kind of extraordinary repentance in humbling of themselues vpon extraordinary occasions is euer like to speed the better at the hands of God and to preuaile more with him whensoeuer and by whomsoeuer it shall be performed in his sight if they that are so humbled are knowne and found to bee of the number of them which walke and liue in the vse and practice of daily humbling themselues by ordinary repentance for their daily slips common frailties and infirmities Whereas if it be otherwise done by others that are not acquainted with the like course and inured thereunto the like reckoning cannot be made by them neither is there the like hope for them to expect at Gods hands the like gracious acceptation Hypocrites they haue little to doe with the first of these two kinds of repentance they scarce know what it meaneth and are little acquainted with it it is not their custome nor manner ordinarily to humble themselues before God for their daily infirmities and sinnes to make conscience of their waies as being desirous to please God better by going about daily to reforme their liues it is well for them if any iudgement and plague doe come then to be heard howling vpon their beds and to assemble themselues for corne and wine though they still rebell then it is for them to fall a rending their garments though they keepe whole their hearts if guilt of some hainous wickednesse committed like those fiery serpents in the wildernesse doe sting and bite their conscience then is it time for them to cry and roare out with Cain and Esau and to fall a repenting with Iudas and confessing their sinne with like satisfaction as was made by him If the Angell of Gods vengeance poure out the viall of Isa 8. his wrath so as men are plagued for their sinnes then is it Apoc. 16. time for them to fret and vexe themselues and gnaw their tongues for the paines and sores that are vpon them and then make triall what their formall ceremoniall and alwaies extraordinary repentance because ordinary they vse none can preuaile with and for them To shew then 1. Difference of repentance some differences betweene the repentance of true conuerts and of them that are but coloured counterfeits first this is a maine difference euidently to bee discerned that there is one degree or kind of true repentance more in the one then can be found in the other which is so much missing with them that many of them doe neuer meddle with a daily and ordinary humbling of themselues all their life time but deferre it to their end and thinke it time enough to begin when they shall lie a dying the other hauing their