of God p. 115 Ioy. p. 125 Patience p. 135 witnessing saluation Gods spirit Gods word Psal 34.8 p. 155 Reu. 21.6 p. 159 Math. 5.3 4. p. 163 Rom. 10.13 p. 167 Reu. 3.21 p. 172 2. Tim. 2.21 p. 179 Doubts resolued concerning Election p. 196 VVeaknes in Grace p. 201 Greatnes of sinne p. 211 Hypocrisie p. 221 Perseuerance p. 2â—3 Presuming p. 238 Euill thoughts p. 243 Afflictions p. 252 Feare of death p. 278 The Righteous Mans Euidence for Heauen Minister SEeing opportunity serues vs thus fitly my Christian friend to conferre a while together and seeing there is no conference so comfortable or profitable as that which is about the affaires of Gods Kingdome and our owne saluation and that the counsell of the Holy Ghost is that a 1 Pet. 4.11 if any speake hee should speake as the words of God and b Eph. 4.29 that such communication should proceed out of our mouthes as is good for the vse of edifying giue me leaue therefore to propound a question to you about these matters Conuert Sir I like the motion passing well and indeed there is too little of this good practise in these daies christian communication growes too much out of vse which shewes the want scarsitie of grace for there is the like correspondence between the heart and tongue that is betweene the bell and clapper if the bell be stirred the clapper cannot lye still and if the heart bee moued with delight in spirituall things the tongue cannot chuse but talke thereof and where the tongue yeelds no other but an earthie sound there you may be sure to finde no other but an earthly heart no pure good metall no heauenly grace to bee found in the heart Now therefore let mee heare the question and according to my poore measure of knowledge I will bee ready to shape an answere Minister Ought not euery one while he liues in this world to know as a thing certaine whether hee shall be saued and so be translated out of this earthly tabernacle into the heauenly paradice whensoeuer hee shall be called away by death Conuert Yes vndoubtedly which I prooue thus c Mar. 16.16 Hee that beleeueth saith our Sauiour shall bee saued but he that beleeueth not shall bee damned This must euery one know as an vndoubted truth and withall he is bound to know whether hee beleeueth according to that charge of the Apostle d 2 Corin. 13.5 Examine your selues whether you bee in the Faith know you not that Christ is in you except you bee reprobates Heerevpon it will follow that euery one must know whether hee shall be saued and therefore such as put their soules to a venture cannot be saued for as much as they take not the right course appointed by God thereto namely to prooue whether they be in the faith and Christ in them And further whom the Lord intendeth to bestow heauen vpon hee sets his e 2 Cor. 1.21 seale and marke vpon them whereby he claims them for his owne and he bestowes loue-tokens on them which are the sauing graces of his holy spirit whereof he is very charie setting great store by them so that hee will not bestow them on cast-awaies but onely on his dearely beloued ones which markes and loue-tokens as they are very precious so as many as receiue theÌ„ though they doubt they need not doubt but that they shall bee saued for God is not variable in his loue but he that hath not these signes in him whereby he may know that he shall be saued shall if he die in that comfortles state be sure to haue his portion with deuills g Reu. 21.8 in the burning lake for euer after death Min. If the case stand so I thinke it lies euery one vpon not to dallie with their owne soules as men doe now adaies but to deale soundly and consider sincerely with themselus whether they haue receiued these golden markes and loue-tokens of God or whether they still retaine the blacke brand of the Deuill which they were borne with the which so long as they retaine on them the Prince of darknesse ownes them but if they can get it h 1 Cor. 6.11 washed out by the bloud of Christ and Gods marks set vpon them then hath the Deuill no more right or claime vnto them for the Lord from that time forward euen for euer doth take them for his owne peculiar ones But what say you now of those that mourne after God in the anguish of their soules longing for the assurance of his fauour and labouring to get this knowledge of their saluation but yet cannot finde it in themselues Con. This I say or rather Christ himselfe i Mat. 5.4 Blessed are they that so mourne for they shall bee comforted and though they now sorrow yet their k Ioh. 16.20 sorrow shall bee turned into ioy nay great cause of reioycing haue they that they can thus mourne neyther is it possible for such to bee without some sure signes wherby they may know that they shall be saued for euen this their practice they being thus l Cant. 2.5 sicke of loue longing and labouring after Christ is a sure signe to them though they should haue no other but indeed this cannot goe alone Min. How comes it then to passe that they take no notice hereof in themselues but rather feare that they shall not be saued Con. Because they are eyther new-borne babes in Christ and therefore being as infants though they bee aliue yet haue not as yet vnderstanding to know that they are aliue which notwithstanding others of riper age discerne in them and they also by experience and growth in grace shal afterwards perceiue in themselues or else they are distempered with some strong fit of temptatioÌ„ wherby they are so astonied and benummed that they haue not m Psal 77.7 8. a feeling of that which otherwise they might perceiue in their soules like as one halfe frozen almost stiffe with cold feeles no warmth at all in himselfe and yet there is some in him for else there could be no life or breath remaining in him Or lastly such they are as haue taken a surfet of sinne wherby they haue beene ouercome thus while they are soul-sick their spirituall senses are corrupted so as they cannot now n Psal 88.14 see the lightsome countenance of Gods fauour shining on them so clearely nor o Ps 51.8.12 heare the Lord speakeing vnto them nor taste how good the Lord is to their soules in speciall nor relish religious exercises so sauourlie nor feele heauenly comforts so sensibly as otherwise they might And yet this surfet they shall out-grow in time by vsing themselues to a good diet of Christian practise and by the helpe of the Physicke of Gods word rightly applied which holpe the Prophet Dauid in the like case being distempered Psal 73.17 neither is it maruell though such doe iudge amisse of themselues for the present seeing
gaines and pleasures hee fetcheth vs in againe then hee begins to hamper and shackle vs with sundry crosses to keepe vs better within compas to make vs minde home better and to make vs better husbands for our soules that so wee may thinke of him in time of aduersity who had almost forgotten him in time of prosperity sometimes hee sees that wee trust to the arme of flesh and leane too much to some outward meanes then by a crosse he takes it away that so wee might wholly and onely relie on him Manifold corruptions and much filth of sinne doe wee gather by walking in this dirty world the Lord doth vse the waters of affliction as a bath to cleanse purge vs from those corruptions in bringing vs thereby to a sight thereof and humiliation for the same in these the like respects well may affliction bee tearmed Gods purging physicke Sometimes he also vseth it for strengthning physick when as he doth afflict his seruants for their triall for the strengthning of their faith patience loue zeale holy desires c. for these and the like graces the more they are exercised the more they are confimed and the stronger they grow and euen inward afflictions of the minde serue greatly to these good ends O blessed rod of God that dost so much good Did I thinke the Lord loued mee not because his rod lay on mee oh how could I bee without it Surely it is as needfull for mee as my meat and drinke and much more needfull too * Hic vre his seca vt in aeternum pareas domine Aug. O scourge mee and launce me here O Lord that thou maiest spare mee for euermore hereafter Sixtly as touching outward calamities I haue learned at length a little wisedome by Gods word for the right demeaning of my selfe therein not to looke downeward on the rushing and roaring streames of miseries and troubles which run so swiftly vnder mee for then I should bee taken with a giddinesse in the head which would make mee thinke and speake an aduisedly of Gods dealing and my owne estate and so I should bee in hazard of being drowned and ouerwhelmed therein but this I doe I fasten my eies vpon the sure stay by which I am vpheld that is God all-sufficient and stedfastly behold his promise in the middest of all miseries thus I praise God I passe ouer many a dangerous deep h Ps 42.6 when one deepe calleth another or the noise of the water-spouts when one trouble comes on the necke of another I passe ouer or wade through safe sound Seuenthlie as I desire to prepare for affliction before it commeth so do I resolue in like manner aforehand to hold fast my assurance of the loue of God and so to beare it as comfortably as may bee when it shall come obseruing that it is the work of Sathan to make mee vtterly discomfortable in tribulation that heauen our country and holinesse the way thereto might both be brought out of credit by my meanes that others beholding my vncomfortablenes might bee discouraged from entring or proceeding in the happy way to life By the grace of God Sathan shall not make mee his scar-crow in the way to heauen to keep others out nay rather by my sweet and lightsome deportment of my selfe therein I will allure others what I may rather to choose the way of the crosse the way to the kingdome than for fear of the crosse to lose and forgoe the kingdome Min. It is a good resolution and surelie it is not for any ill-will that the Lord corrects his children whether with inward afflictions of minde or outward of bodie friends children goods good name or howsoeuer else his loue is neuer the lesse vnto them and he is neuer the further from them and though they greatly feare sometimes yet they haue no more cause to feare than the Disciples had when Christ came walking to them vpon the sea thinking that they had seen a spirit to whom our Sauiour answered i Math. 14 26.27 Bee of good cheere it is I bee not affraid euen so when the raging windes and blustering stormes of afflictions doe cause an earthquake in our hearts the Lord sends forth a calme quiet voyce to the comfort of his children It is I bee not affraid which all they may easilie heare that will but lay their eare to the word of God and listen thereunto for so hee speakes vnto them therein Now if there be any other matter that troubles your minde alledge it if you will for conclusion of all lest I bee also one of them that trouble you Con. Doubting proceeding from feare of death answered Why then if you thinke good wee will end with that that shall end our liues namely death I greatly feare sometimes that I am not as I should bee because I finde in my selfe such strugling w i th the thoghts of death and that I am so affraid yea and vnwilling to die Min. How do you to repell and ouercome this assault Con. First I consider that they which are truly in Christ by faith and liuing members of him may haue and haue all of them some feare of death for all that though it can do them no harm like as man that seeth the sting of a serpent plucked out before his eyes therefore knowes it can not hurt him yet hath some fearefulnesse in him to handle it and put it into his bosome because of that naturall enmitie and antipathie that is between him and it the sting of death is sinne which Christ hath pluckt out in being made sinne for vs and satisfying fully for it so that well may we say O death where is thy sting and yet we are affraid of the very lookes of death but more affraid to come nigh it because wee naturally hate death this therefore is no good reason to make mee thinke my selfe none of Christs because I haue some feare of death no more than it is to proue a man no man or reasonable creature because hee is loth to put a snake in his bosome when the sting is pluckt out Secondlie I take vp such meditations as may make mee better and more familliarly acquainted with death and may make mee better conceited of it and to take better liking to it as first that it is the common lot of k Heb. 9.27 all the sonnes of Adam none exempted no not the Worthies of the world and holie Patriarcks and should I then desire to bee exempted Death hath his warrant to take hold of euery sinner therefore none can bee spared for all haue sinned but before hee comes himselfe hee sends forth many summons to warne men to appeare at Court before God euery ache paine sicknes faintnesse wearinesse yea euery wrinkle or gray haire or dead coarse is deaths summons to warne vs appearance but because we are too regardlesse make too light hereof at length hee comes personally with a special Writ from the
THE RIGHTEOVS MANS Euidences for Heauen OR A TREATISE SHEWING how euery one while hee liues heere may certainely know what shall become of him after his departure out of this life The sixt Edition corrected and inlarged By Tymothy Rogers Preacher of Gods word in Essex Psalm 107.43 Who is wise that he may obserue these things for they shall vnderstand the louing kindnesse of the Lord. 2 Pet. 1 10. Giue all diligence to make your calling and election sure for if you doe these things yee shall neuer fall LONDON Printed by I. Beale for Ed. Brewster and are to be sold at the signe of the Star at the VVest end of Pauls 1624. THE AVTHORS Apologie to the Reader FArre was it froÌ„ my meaning at the first ChristiaÌ„ Reader thus to haue exposed my selfe to the common view of men but rather to haue hidden this my weake conception for euer neuer to haue come to the birth but when it would abide no longer to bee imprisoned in the womb but violently brake forth I thought to deale wisely with it though not as the Aegyptians cruelly to murther it yet at least as Moses his parents charitably to hide it for my own priuat vse or at the best to haue put it to Nurse in an obscure Country-village where my selfe am Pastor to see the good vsage of it for which end I be-trusted a friend or two for the printing of some few copies onely for my selfe but through friendship I was deceiued for whereas I expected a small number like the children of Israel that went against Benhadad like two little flocks of Kids My bookes were sent forth in multitudes like the Aramites that fill'd the country 1 King 20.27 Onely this difference they came not forth against the host of Israel the people of God as did the Aramites but rather to serue on their side Thus being driuen to a straight though that which is done can not bee vndone yet I thought it my part to doe what I could namely to mend and inlarge that which is done that seeing it must bee common it may not be altogether vn-vsefull Confessing ingenuously I had rather it should not haue bin common especially considering that there are better bred and nobler borne Treatises of very worthy men concerning this subiect but thus it must bee now if therefore it may but serue as an hand-maid to theirs so thou mayest reape some profit hereby I haue both my desire and full contentment Farewell Thine in the bond of Faith and Loue Timothy Rogers Councell to the READER IN sailing thorow the Seas of this troublesome world toward the heauenly land of Canaan wee are to passe two dangerous rocks the one called Presumption the other Desperation happy is the man that escaping them both shall make a safe arriuall at the promised Land Millions of Christians in profession are cast away against the one or against the other for some though they haue no true grace wrought in them thinke notwithstanding that they are in no danger but shall certainly bee saued which is as great presumption as if a man being stricken thorow the heart should thinke himselfe very well and in no danger of death Others when they come to apprehend the heauy wrath of God and deadly curse of the Law due vnto them by nature for sinne in hellish sorrow vtterly despaire Some sincere Christians also there are against whom the Tempter doth so far preuaile that in beholding their owne vnworthinesse they are ready to faint for feare of hell and condemnation which although they cannot perish or suffer shipwrack against this rock of Desperation yet their poore Barke may bee so battered and beaten against it as that peraduenture they may bee a long while after in rigging and mending of it vp againe with griefe and hart-smart that thou maist escape these dangers vse these short questions and answeres as a Sea-mappe or guide vnto thee to shew thee thy way betweene both that so thou mayest saile to Heauen in more safety confidence and comfort Now to the end that the better vse may bee made heereof consider I beseech thee of these things First what multitudes daily departing this world throng in at the infernall gates of Hell for want of the assurance of their saluation Secondly consider that thou being by nature a condemned man if thy pardon be not sealed to thy conscience and giuen thee before the breath bee once out of thy body afterward though thou wouldest or couldest giue a thousand worlds for it it cannot bee had consider againe of the vncertainty of thy life thou canst not tell whether thou shalt bee aliue to morrow for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth Consider also the certainty of thy death dye thou must nothing surer for who can stand against the power thereof and oh how bitter is the remembrance of death to one that is not assured of his saluation Further consider how terrible the Iudgement day will bee to all such as get not the assurance of their saluation in their life time which may will they turne themselues then Oh what will they doe Mountaines and Hills fall vpon vs and crush vs in peeces shall they cry but it shall not bee Then what most dolefull and intollerable torments shall they for euer endure in hell able to breake the hardest heart to thinke on Oh who shall dwell with the deuoring fire who shall dwell with the euerlasting burning Lastly consider of the most inestimable ioyes of Heauen and incomparable delights which all they shall haue who get the assurance of their saluation in this life Such as eye hath not seene eare hath not heard nor the heart of man conceiued of O heauenly ioy O sweet delights O excellent surmounting glory O endlesse superabounding pleasures wherewith their hearts shall bee rauished and for-euer replenished Vpon these considerations I earnestly request thee if thou hast any pittie or commiseration on thy poore soule Make thy calling and election sure euen while it is called to day How shall I doe that thou wilt say This briefe Treatise will shew thee how yea more then that heereby thou mayest bee assured of thy saluation if thou vse it rightly but then thou must goe through it with good aduisement if thou touch the Honie-combe with thy lips thou mayest finde sweetnes but if thou sucke much more so read these things as to learne them so learne as to know thy owne estate thereby so mightest thou sucke out the hole sweetnesse thereof get the true stamp of them in thy heart so thou maiest be sure thou shalt be saued which the Lord of Heauen grant for his mercies sake Amen A Treatise of saluation wherein are signes propounded prouing saluation the mother grace Faith pag. â—â— sister-graces more generall Conuersion p. 29 Iustification p. 36 Adoption p. 41 Sanctification p. 50 Repentance p. 61 more speciall Knowledge p. 77 Hope p. 86 Loue of God p. 95 Loue of the godly p 104 Feare
truely sanctified Con. If I could not shew a difference between my selfe and such vncleane beasts Proofe of sanctification by the parts thereof I should bee sorry thus then I prooue the Truth of my sanctification whereas it consists in two things namely mortification quickening I haue some proofe of both for the first o Rom. 8.13 I mortifie the deeds of the flesh by the spirit wherein I imitate the skilfull Chirurgion Mortification who being to cut off some incureable member first mortifieth it that so it beeing made insensible may be cut off more easily and with lesse paine to the patient And this course I take in mortifying my sinnes First I labour by searching to finde them out Secondly to finde my selfe weary of them and willing to be rid of them considering what infinite hurt they doe mee Thirdly I fetch power from the death of Christ beleeuing that he died to p 1 Iohn 3.5.8 kill sinne in all that are his and therefore that it is impossible for them to liue vnto sinne or sinne to rule in them 4. * The death of Christ as a salue applied to the sore by faith leaueth a print like it selfe in the soul a spirituall death or dying vnto sinne I apply this power of Christs death as a strong corrasiue to this proud flesh of mine to the wounding and killing of the sinne that is in mee and thus I apply it 1. Seeing that my sinnes put Christ to death I am resolued as the auenger of bloud to follow the law vpon them to get a scriptum est a Writ for them to doe by them as they did by him euen to pursue them vnto death which put my elder brother and Sauiour vnto death Secondly seeing I beleeue that Christ died for mee to kill sinne in me I see I neither must nor can q Rom. 6.2.6 suffer sinne to liue and raigne in me for fhat were to make the death of Christ of none effect vnto mee Thus then though sinne bee in mee yet it hath receiued the deadly wound by the death of Christ neuer after to recouer againe but lyes as r 2 Sam. 1.6.9 Saul thrust thorow with his speare though life bee still abiding in it it is gasping and strugling languishing and dying and shall at last bee vtterly extinct in death ſ Ro. 7.25 I thanke God therefore through Iesus Christ our Lord. Min. You haue spoken to some good purpose of mortification but what say you now of quickning which is the second part of Sanctification Con. They which haue the one Quickning can not want the other therefore I finde also a quickning power of grace in mee whereby I rise vp out of the graue of sinne and liue vnto righteousnesse and that after this manner 1 I. labour by inquiring to find out that righteousnesse which God requireth of mee 2. I striue for a willingnesse of minde heart to set thereupon with all delight which that I may do 3. I fetch power from Christs resurrection considering and beleeuing that he reviued and rose againe for this very end namely to procure and giue to all that are his strength and power to t Rom 6.4 liue vnto righteousnes and therefore that it is as impossible for any such to want this power as for Christ to die in vaine 4. I apply this power to my selfe whereby the breath of spirituall life comes into my soule and that after this maner * To belieu that Christ rose for mee is to apply his resurrection as a soueraign plaister to my heart which is of such a vertue that it must needs worke in me his spirituall resurrectiō Seeing I beleeue that Christ rose for mee as verily as he is my Sauiour so verily must I and shall I shew forth this spirituall power in the practice of piety and righteous liuing Thus then there is a spirituall passion and resurrction in mee as there is in euery true beleeuer answerable to to the passion and resurrection of Christ as he died for sin and rose againe for righteousnesse so I die to sinne and rise againe to righteousnes in all the powers of my soule and parts of my body these being made the u Rom. 6.13 instruments of those in righteousnesse vnto God And this briefly is that sanctification which I finde in me Min. And surely this is that which whosoeuer finde in them they are no lesse than canonized in the Court of Heauen for Saints and irreuocably registred in Gods Calendar of Saints But what will you name in the next place for a signe of your saluation Con. Repentance which howsoeuer it doth not * Non re sed ratione Polanus really differ from Sanctification yet in some respect as “ Perkins some haue well obserued it doth as being subordinate thereto and proceeding there-from as the fruit thereof for where the Lord infuseth sanctifying grace into the vnderstanding will and affections of the Conuert then according vnto this grace receiued he worketh in turning to the Lord and though repentance bee discerned before eyther Faith or Sanctification yet that hinders not but that they are before it in * Ordinae natura order of nature like as in the morning the light and sunne-beames are seene before the bodie of the Sunne and yet in order of nature it is before them and they proceed from it But to come neerer the matter I repent me of my sinnes for I turne from all sinne to God in heart and desire and labour to expresse the same The sixt signe of saluation taken out of Eze. 18.21 by a carefull framing of my life in obedience to God eschewing euill and doing good hauing respect vnto all Gods commandements Now God hath promised that hee which thus turneth from all his sins shall surely liue for euer and shall not dye eternally therefore hereby I know I shall bee saued for this is a salue for all sores and a present remedie to cure all spirituall diseases of the soule Min. All the doubt will be whether you doe truely repent how can you make that appeare Con. 5 Notes of true repentance Thus First because I grieue in my heart for my sinnes chiefly in regard that thereby I offend my good * Ps 51.4 God who alwaies hath been and is abundantly gracious vnto mee this pierceth my soule that I should bee so vndutifull toward him Secondly I x Psa 119.104 hate loath and detest in some measure all sin in my heart bearing my selfe toward it as an enemie and when I haue beene ouercome by the deceit thereof I loue it not the better but hate it much the more afterward when I haue recouered my selfe againe I deale with my sinne as Amnon dealt with his sister Thamer who when he had satisfied his wicked lust did hate her more than euer hee had loued her before and thrust hir out of his company and presence as not abiding the
most high and mighty Monarch of all the world with a Capias corpus first for one and then for another and at last for vs all Now whereas because of this necessitie of death many take care how to doe when death comes I will chiefly take care how to doe before it comes for if I liue well I shall bee sure to die well this shall bee therefore my chiefest care how to liue well Againe I labour to pluck away that grim and gastly vizard of the curse which death hath vpon it and to looke at it through Christ and then behold it hath a louelie countenance and friendly looke ready prepared as the groome of Gods chamber kindly to embrace mee and to bring mee into Gods presence and what is death else to the faithfull but as e Hos 2.15 the valley of Achor the doore of hope to giue entrance to their soules into the paradise of God where are ioyes vnspeakeable rauishing the heart and pleasures at his right hand for euermore and what is the graue but a mould wherein the Lord doth cast our bodies into a new forme making them incorruptible which before were corruptible so m Phil. 3.21 changing our vile bodies that they may bee fashioned like the glorious bodie of his Sonne What is life but a wearisome way and death to the godly a comfortable home should the faint and weary traueller bee loth to draw neere home What is life but a toilsome labour and death to the righteous a sweet rest sleep should rest be vnacceptable or sleepe vnwelcome to a toyled labourer What is that which doth disrobe the faithfull of all the base ragges of sinne and misery and clothes them with the most sumptuous garments of perfect righteousnesse glory and immortality is it not death Who would not be contented to bee stripped naked of beggerly robes that so hee might be apparelled with gorgeous attire Thus then though I see some reasōs why I might desire to liue long yet I see more reasons why I might much better desire to dye soone but none at all why I should bee vnwilling to die n 2 Cor. 5.8.6 To bee present with the Lord for whilst wee are at home in the body wee are absent from him and as it were in prison The body is the prison of the soule and the earth of the body as wee must not breake prison for that is greatly displeasing to the Lord so when the prison doore is set open to vs by authority as when death is sent vnto vs hee comes with authority wee should very gladly and willingly depart yea and go forth singing with old father Simeon a Nunc dimittis o Luk. 2.29 Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace Vpon these and the like meditations of death I find in my selfe some willingnes to die and that I may be still more willing I labor to haue my thoughts more and more taken vp therewith and at least once a day to looke him in the face that I may be still better acquainted with him for the more acquaintence I haue with death the more friendship shall I finde at his hands when hee comes to apprehend mee and on whom doth hee looke so sowre and grimme as on them that are strangers to him and hee to them and as euery day I hold it a point of wisedome to get some further acquaintance with death so especially vpon the occasion of sicknesse for euery sicknesse is a little death I therefore endeauour so to dye often by making good vse of euery fit of sicknesse that I may once at the last dye well that so when my departing shall come it may bee a sweet and acceptable sacrifice to the Lord whether it bee a burnt offering by the violent death of martyrdome or at least a peace-offering by a naturall death I desire that it may bee a free-will offering not wrung from me perforce but freely surrendred into p 1 Pet. 4.19 the hands of a God a faithfull Creator and if my life be willingly offered which I desire from my heart it may bee and therefore know it shall bee then shall it bee well and fauourably accepted for q Ps 116.15 Precious in the sight of the Lord is the Death of his Saints Min. The Lord hath giuen you good wisdome to discouer and put to flight these forces and assaults of Sathan the deadly enemy of all the seede of man but especially of the seede of the woman the Church Reu. 12.17 I see you are endowed with some good skill to dispell the grosse thicke clouds of doubting whereby the Diuell laboureth to ouer-cast your euidences that either you should not see them at all or else very dimly with little comfort thanks therefore bee vnto God for this vnspeakeable gift but what if you could finde none of the signes of saluation in you at all which you haue alledged to mee how then Con. Time was when I had not any one of them and then I was in the estate of damnation though I thought my selfe in as good an estate as the best and the diuell then perswaded mee so too though since hee hath changed his note for hee must needs goe against the truth or else hee is not himselfe yet since I see that if I had died in that estate I had without all faile gone headlong into hell and in the selfe-same case are all they which haue none of those signes in them S. Peter puts a question to them which puts all such to silence and makes them speechlesse now but what will it doe hereafter then r 1 Pet. 4 18. where shall the vngodly and impenitent sinner appeare let the brauest minde the proudest the stoutest stomacke of them all answer it if hee can alas alas poore wretches they can none of them answer it Min. They which haue not one of the signes of saluation in them are in a wo-case indeed but what if a man can finde but one signe in him and not all Con. He that can finde but one of these true signes in him hath cause of comfort for though there bee but one good apple growing vpon a tree it proues both that there is life in that tree and that it is not a choke-peare or crab-stocke but a good tree but in truth where there is one of these signes of saluation in a man there they are all in some poore measure though hee doe not so sensibly and euidently perceiue all alike Min. It reioyceth me not a little to finde you so well prouided for the Lord oh happy estate that you are in for nothing now can come amisse vnto you come life come death you are the Lords Now our Lord Iesus Christ himselfe and God euen our Father which hath loued vs and hath giuen vs euerlasting consolation and good hope through grace comfort your heart and stablish you in euery good word and worke and preserue you to that inheritance which is incorruptible reserued in heauen for vs. Con. Euen so Lord Iesus Amen Amen FINIS PSAL. 32.11 Be glad in the Lord and reioyce yee righteous and shout for ioy all yee that are vpright in heart PSAL. 1.4 5. The vngodly are not so but are like the chaffe which the wind driueth away Therefore the vngodly shall not stand in the iudgement nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous
promised I know thou wilt performe it that thou wilt cure mee that thou wilt saue me being thus perplexed in my soule for my sinnes Min. How else can you proue your selfe to bee such a one as God hath promised to saue Con. Hee hath promised to t Re. 21.6 giue to him that is athirst of the fountaine of the water of life freely that is hee which earnestly desires the fauour of God through Christs righteousnesse to the inheriting of eternall life shall bee assured thereof to the allaying of the scalding heat of his boyling conscience and to the endlesse comfort and saluation of his soule thus I doe thirst I doe no lesse truely then earnestly desire saluation 3 Notes of the true desire of saluation First in the right place preferring it before all things in the world Secondly to the right end that I might bee wholly freed from sinne and perfectly glorifie God in Heauen And thirdly in the right manner as well desiring the meanes that leade therto as the end whereto they leade Heerevpon it is that the more grace I receiue the more I hunger after and that I haue alwayes such a spirituall drought and vnsatiable thirst after Christs most precious bloud and perfect righteousnesse that my sinfull soule may bee clothed with this fine white garment and gorgeous attire and oh how I long after the fauour of God and like as the Disciples said vnto our Sauiour when hee told them of the bread of Heauen u Ioh. 6.34 Lord euermore giue vs this bread so I hauing tasted the sweetnesse of Gods fauour cannot choose but pray Lord giue me euermore to enioy this thy fauour yea Euen as the Hart panteth after the water brookes so panteth my soule after thee O God my soule thirsteth for God for the liuing God like to the thirsty Land Well yet his word is good u Ps 107. hee satisfieth the longing soule and filleth the hungry soule with goodnesse and this is my comfort Min. Whom else hath God promised to saue Con. x Mat. 5.3 1. Blessed saith our Sauiour are the poore in spirit for theirs is the Kingdome of heauen and Blessed are they that mourne for they shall be comforted These poore ones and these mourners are they which are humble lowly in spirit seeing feeling their spirituall wants and pouerty their sinnes and misery being heartily sorry for and bewailing the same and so despairing as touching any goodnesse of their owne betake themselues wholly to the mercy of God in Christ which mercy of God is like the y Act. 3.2 beautifull gate of the temple whereat poore creeples lye yea lazers a multitude of impotent folke blinde halt withered spirituall beggers wofull creatures poore sinners humble crauing an almes at the hand of so pitifull a God And well doth Gods mercy deserue to bee called the beautifull gate of heauen for heereby onely doe penitent sinners enter into the presence of God to behold the beauty of the Lord and to enioy his blessed vision for euer in heauen Thus doe a poore creature lye dayly at Gods beautifull gate knocking crauing crying z Ps 57. 51. 86. Haue mercy vpon me O God haue mercy vpon mee according to the multitude of thy compassions put away my iniquities incline thine eare O Lord heare me for I am poore and needy O bow downe thine eare and heare open thine eyes and see for my heart is smitten and withered like grasse and I am in great misery a Psa 25.16 18. O turne thy face vnto mee and haue mercy vpon mee for I am desolate and afflicted looke vpon my affliction and my paine and forgiue all my sinnes O turne vnto mee and haue mercy vpon mee heale my soule for I haue sinned against thee b Dan. 9.19 O Lord heare O Lord forgiue O Lord hearken and doe deferre not for thine owne sake O my God Thus am I poore in spirit and thus doe I mourne and therefore the promise of blessednesse belongs to mee and I haue as good right vnto it as any poore sinner whatsoeuer for the poorer the sinner is in spirit and the greater begger hee is the better right he hath heereunto so then I am blessed according to Christs owne words because I shall be blessed Min. Whom else hath God said he will saue Con. c Ro. 10.13 Whosoeuer shall call vpon the name of the Lord shall bee saued as witnesseth the Apostle that is whosoeuer not onely in outward miseries but also and that especially in spirituall distresses shall pray vnto the Lord in faith both as concerning his power and will to helpe and and yet more whosoeuer fearing that hee hath not faith nor any sauing grace that he is not in the fauour of God nor his sinnes pardoned and that his soule shall not bee saued if hee can but finde a heart to pray vnto the Lord for these things with an honest vpright minde as sure as the Lord is true he shall bee saued and that by vertue of this promise of God Whosoeuer shall call vpon his name shall be saued for thus he flyeth vnto this strong Tower where hee shall be preserued serued safe a while and after shall be remooued by the guard of good Angels to the Palace of None-such in the Kingdome of Heauen which is a priueleged place where sinne Sathan the flesh and the world haue nothing to doe and therfore he shall not bee there molested by any of them in the least measure Now I am one of them that doe thus call vpon the name of the Lord and that dayly when I feele my selfe oppressed by sinne and Sathan and can finde very small or to my thinking sometimes no grace at all in mee yet then can I heartily pray vnto the Lord for his helpe and sauing grace that I may be saued therefore I shall bee saued Min. To whom else hath God promised saluation in his word Con. Christ hath promised that e Reu. 3.21 hee which ouer commeth shall sit with him in his Throne that is hee that holds out to the end continually resisting and fighting against his spirituall enemies the world the flesh and the Diuel shall haue though not equall glory yet fellowship with Christ in glory euerlasting thus do I daily fight that I may ouercome First I account my selfe a spirituall soldier bound sworn to my Captaine the Lord Iesus of whom I haue also taken presse-mony the Sacrament of Baptisme and weare his colours the profession of Christianity and know there is martiall Law eternall death for mee if I should flye from my Captaine Secondly I take notice of the manifold traines and plots of my forreign enemies the world and the Diuell and the treasons and treacheries of my domesticke foes the flesh that Rebell my headstrong passions and vnruly lusts those traytors I see and obserue how they euery where lay snares for mee and spread nettes in my path-way and
nethermost hell it is so high that b Ps 36.5 it reacheth to the heauens it is of such admirable length bredth that it c Ps 103.12 remoueth our fins as farre from vs as the East is from the West And the cause why the sinnes of all the world are not pardoned is not because Gods mercy cannot pardon them but because they cannot repent that they might bee pardoned So then I make no doubt but that God of his mercy is able to forgiue my sinnes bee they what they will bee yea and further vpon my vnfained repentance hee will forgiue them if I repent he will forgiue for wee cannot be so sinfull as hee will be mercifull if for our sinnes wee bee heartily sorrowfull For this hee hath promised and by this his promise is become indebted to vs whereas we onely by our sinnes were debtors to him so that now he is not only a mercifull creditor to vs content to release the debts of our sinnes but also by his promise become our debtor vpon our repentance to giue vs a pardon and vpon our pardon to giue vs heauen O vnspeakable mercy Well sure I am he is a true debtor and will pay what he hath vndertaken therefore I am perswaded hee will forgiue my sins for seeing when hee knew all the sinnes that euer I should commit hee would notwithstanding in loue send his sonne to be my Sauiour whereas he hath now by his death made full satisfaction for them shall I thinke the Lord will stick at the pardon of them Now as concerning the hardnes of my heart I see I neede the lesse to feare it in regard I haue a sight and sense thereof and vnfainedly bewaile the same For like as it is with a greene wound if it bleede well when it is made there is the lesse feare of rankling more good hope of curing so for as much as I feele my heart bleed in bewayling the hardnes of it I see there is the lesse dāger of festering inwardly to the destruction of my soule For my weaknes in the seruice of God though Sathan would hereby take occasion to keep me from the word prayer and Sacraments perswading mee that I doe but take the name of God in vaine and prophane his worship and increase my own condemnation yet I am resolued to try masteries with him and not to neglect Gods seruice and these holy exercises at any hand for if hee could once get mee at this bay hee would triumph indeed and I further consider to my comfort that God measureth the obedience yeelded to him rather by the * Deus magis delectatur affectu quam effectis desire and will to obey than by the large and exact performance thereof Though therefore I doe not all the good I would yet seeing in loue I desire to doe it and though I bee not wholly rid of all the euill I hate yet seing in hatred thereof I desire to be rid of it God will accept of that which I doe and will impute vnto me that which I desire Min. What is it else that doth disquiet your minde and interrupt your peace Con. Sometimes I feare that all the grace which I haue conceiued to bee in me Doubting proceeding from fear of hypocrisie answered and all that I do at any time in the seruice and worship of God and the holinesse which I make shew of is but all in hypocrisie which my conceit growes the stronger on mee because I see sometimes some who haue been accounted very rare Christians farre excelling mee in knowledge seeming-zeale forwardnesse and other gifts and yet haue fearefully fallen away from the grace of God and so fowly discouered themselues that it hath appeared euidently they neuer had the soundnes of grace in them Min. This is a slie temptation indeed for thus the Diuell transformes himselfe into an Angell of light as though hee loued sincerity and would haue men sincere whereas hee hates nothing more and therefore while hee thus goes about to condemne you of hypocrisie hee shewes himselfe a damned hypocrite but how deale you with this subtile suggestion Con. First I see I haue no warrant to take so neere to heart the fearefull examples of backsliding hypocrites as to question mine owne estate therefore for tho some earthy comets and muddie meteors are drawne aloft sometimes and make a great blaze than the true starres of light but after a short time vanish away yet the true stars must not therefore nor will not leaue their place or shining and though the wolues somtimes goe in sheeps clothing * Non debet ouis pellensuam deponere quod lupi aliquādo se ca cōtegāt Aug. yet must not the sheepe therefore forgoe their clothing and thinke themselues to bee wolues Secondly I consider that to see feare and shun hypocrisie is to bee sincere Whiles then I feare it I haue the lesser cause to feare the danger of it and am the further from it Thirdly I desire rather to be good than to seem to be so and to do good rather than to seeme to doe it therefore I am not an hypocrite for hee desires the contrary he lookes chiefly to the outside I to the inside to my heart I haue an eye to that to keepe it in good temper The good temper of the heart especially in two respects 1. Supple and soluble that is alwaies humble for else I cannot bee long in spirituall health and 2. alwaies hungry keeping in my heart an appetite vnto Christ by faith and vnto all good things in loue thereof and for the maintaining of my heart in this good temper I vse a daily good diet of the soule namely watchfulnes meditation prayer reading conference c. I am chiefly desirous and carefull to know how my estate indeed stands before God and therefore take paines to examine my selfe soundly and throughly and am very willing to bee tryed by others this working thorow-stitch the hypocrite cannot brooke 4. The hypocrite doth not vse to goe to God in d Mat. 6.5.6 secret by prayer when hee thinks none knowes sees or heares him and that in conscience being acquainted with the distresse of his owne soule and priuie to his owne corruptions to bewaile them to God and to cry for grace but this I doe neither yet would I haue once mentioned this my practice vnto you for feare of vaine-glory but that I now stand vpon my triall and must in this case produce all the witnesses I can Fiftly I finde in my selfe that I should bee full sorie that all should be but in hypocrisie in me O I would not for all the world it should be so yea I desire from my very heart that it may be in sincerity hereby I am perswaded that it is not in hypocrisie but in sincerity Min. You say well how else doe you withstand this temptation Con. I may perceiue in my greatest feare and doubting that some of the signes