things wherein men in this life doe take any delight and pleasure and in part bereaued of the feeling of these exceeding comforts reserued for vs in the life to come Obiect But thou wilt say Thus naturally to feare and to bee thus in some sort vnwilling and loth to die I lesse maruell at but this dulnesse in the feeling of heauenly ioyes and comforts in Christ being now euen at the poynt of death and ready to yeeld vp the last gasp that is a very strange thing and able to terrifie any Christian soule Answ It is I grant a fearefull thing indeede but yet nothing strange at all if we doe well consider of it For if Satan be so busie with vs at other times euen in the time of health and when wee are strongest that hee bringeth our faith to many foyles no maruell if hee shew forth his malice against vs now being so neere vnto our end He is not ignorant to take opportunity fittest for his purpose And therefore now aboue all other his desired times he will deuise and sound into the bottome of all his subtilties to entrap and so to make conquest of the Christian soules knowing that this is the last combate that he is like to make with such an one If now he lose it is lost for euer If now he preuaile and ouercome there is no recouery to bee hoped for afterward Assure thy selfe therefore that hee will prepare himselfe the best he can stretch euery limbe in this finall conflict to see if hee can by any possible meanes effect and bring to passe this his malicious bloudy purpose And therefore although the state of Gods Elect and Chosen be such that they cannot finally vtterly fal away Gods decreee being so firme sure immutable that Satan with al his policies shal neuer be able to infringe make void the same yet euē they also if they be not well appointed must make full account and looke to haue many foyles at Satans hands that shall bring their faith euen vpon her knees which thing being once effected no maruell if this subtill Satan to the greater daunting of Gods Children doe found out the triumph before the victory gotten casting in their teeth their sinnes past and bringing to their remembrance their former wickednesse and withall putting them in minde sometime of the delights and pleasures of this world that so by these such like practices he may the rather and the sooner driue men into despaire The case therefore of Christians being so dangerous it is good that wee doe consider what way is best for vs to take to cut Satan short of his purpose and to auoyd the danger and perill of this finall conflict One thing whereby Satan taketh so great aduantage and so farre preuaileth with a great number of men is for that in the time of life and health they neuer or very little as they should bethinke themselues of death So that when the time and houre thereof which is sudden and vncertaine doeth come vpon them they go like men naked and vnarmed into the field to encounter with this strong and mightie Aduersarie And then it is no matuell if they being so vnprouided and vnarmed and lying so open do receiue many grieuous and deadly wounds It is therefore very expedient and needefull for euery man in time of health to thinke of sickenesse and in time of life to be mindfull of death and continually to bee carefull that he may bee prepared for to die for it is an vneuitable thing it cannot bee auoided with all the power policie and cunning we can vse Therefore as we are borne to die so we should liue as men alwaies prepared and in a readinesse to die So that a Christian mans life should be a continuall meditation and a daily preparation vnto death When as I say it should bee a daily preparation I would be loth to bee mistaken I doe not meane such a kind of preparation as many of the great and mighty men of the world doe dreame of when as either in their life time in their owne persons or after their death by their Executors or others put in trust therewith they are carefull yea too carefull to prouide that a Tombo bee set vp and builded to shrowde their bodies in and that with most costly curious and cunning worke but neuer once thinke of this which is most needfull that is to prouide a Receptacle for the soule It may bee as it doth appeare that they thinke to die so I beseech the Lord they may bee prepared to die in the Lord so they shall bee sure howsocuer the bodie speed on earth for a time yet at the last Day both body and soule shall bee in blessed estate with Christ for euer in heauen This madnesse of men in preparing such costly Tombes or Sepulchres may very well bee accounted in the number of the vanities and follies wherewith the world is at this day ouer-flowed for the cost that is bestowed on them might a thousand times bee better bestowed on the poore afflicted members of Christ whereby some great gaine by the laying forth thereof if it bee done without hope of merit would redound to the soule The cunning workemanship is indeed matter rather for men to gaze vpon then for any other good When all is done both for charge and cunning in setting vp and beautifying of this thing so brauely yet it is but a Caue for a rotten and corrupted carkase beautified for polluted bones and carefully adorned for simple Guests euen the crawling wormes there to feed and gnaw vpon their sestred and stinking flesh The soule is the principall part of man let euery one apply himselfe therefore principally to prouide that it may bee harboured protected and defended against the violence and raging stormes of Satans fury Be carefull to prouide that shee may bee armed from top to toe with the Christian Armour whereof S. Paul speaketh Ephe. 6. so shalt thou be in safety Ephe. 6.13 14 15 16 17 18. This ought to be our Christian care vpon this should we bestow our costs But this of the most men is least regarded and it is to be feared of a great number vtterly neglected Obiect Here by the way it may haply bee obiected Is it a thing vtterly vnlawfull to prouide a Sepulchre or Tombe for the body Answ It is not the vse but the abuse thereof that I aime at I do not thinke it a thing altogether vnlawfull for that I do finde it to bee a thing of long continuance and vsed of godly persons Ioseph of Arimathea is said in the Gospell to haue prouided a Tombe for himselfe hewed out of a Rocke being yet in health wherein hee layed the Corps of Christ our Sauiour If in this manner thou prepare thee a Tomb and herein follow Iosephs example thou shalt not doe amisse For Ioseph did it not for vaine glory and any worldly ostentation nor to make it a thing
3. He must not so much consider the greatnes of the measure as the truth of his repentance that with good aduice what the thing is wherat we do ayme and which we labour especially to search after and to finde out in this tryall and examination for euen in this point also there is oftentimes errour found by reason whereof amongst men there ariseth no small inconuenience The thing therefore that herein we are to haue a speciall eye vnto is not the great measure and quantitie but rather the truth of repentance For although it bee neuer so slender and weake in our conceit yet if it bee true and from the heart we shall thereby finde euen in the middest of sorrow sufficient cause of great and exceeding comfort It may be that the Spirit sometime may appeare vnto vs to be as ye would say but very weake in working And faith also may seeme to be faint and feeble in shewing forth the fruits of true repentance in such aboundant and plentifull manner as thou haply doest dreame of yet doth not this let any thing at all but that both thy faith and thy repentance may be true and therefore such whereupon thou mayst settle and ground thy selfe and whereby thou mayst assure thy selfe that thou art the child of God And if his child then surely freed from condemnation and made an heyre euen a coheyre with Christ our head of euerlasting glory For GOD is so farre from reiecting and casting off such small and slender beginnings that he is rather giuen to nourish and increase the same in his children Esay 42.3 The brused Reede he will not breake Mat. 12.20 and the smoking Flaxe he will not quench And therefore if thou findest neuer so great imperfections in this thy repentance so that it seemeth to be crazed like a broken Reede and almost extinguished as the Flaxe that doth but sinoke yet herein is there no cause of discomfort First for that as faith so likewise true repentance is the gift of God who is not to bee prescribed and appointed in what mcasure hee should giue the same to euery one and secondly for that it pleaseth him to bee so gracious and fauourable as to accept these imperfections in good part at thy hands for the which thou art not onely to be thankefull to him at all times but hast also a reason offered thee He must consider what he is by nature and know that he shall neuer be free from imperfections whilest he liueth here to moue thee continually to pray to God for the good increase of these his gifts in thee Fourthly thou art to consider diligently with thy selfe and to looke well vpon thine own estate I meane what thou art of thy selfe and by nature which if thou doe thou shalt surely finde that thou art one of Adams brood one that hast sucked corruptions Psal 51.5 and that in great measure from the brests of thy first Parents as well as other For not onely thy life Psal 51.1 but also thy Conception and Birth will be found and proued to be in sinne Since then that thou art a man and therefore by nature subiect to all kinde of infirmities as well as others during the time of thy continuance in this corrupted Tabernacle doe not deceiue thy selfe but be thou assured that thy flesh will neuer giue ouer but still will be found to bee a flesh that is a rebellious and a grieuous enemy continually rebelling contending and striuing against the Spirit vntill such time as it shall by Gods appointment either receiue the stroke of death to subdue it and put an end to the rebellions thereof Or that wonderfull and sudden change be made at the last day 1. Cor. 15.53 When this corruptible shall put on incorruption this vile body shall be changed that it may be fashioned like vnto the glorious bodie of Christ Since now the state standeth so with thee thou art to make none other reckoning but that thou must and shalt of necessitie finde although it be to thy great griefe many infirmities and imperfections in thy flesh so long as thou shalt haue thine abode here on earth as well as others Yet can it not therefore bee therupon inferred and concluded that the same imperfections should exclude thee from the couenant of grace and shut thee out from the number of Gods elected children Nay it is so farre off from working or compassing this euill vnto thee that I may say vnto thee with the Apostle Rom. 5.20 Where sinne abounded there grace abounded much more So that as no doubt vpon thy true repentance thou shalt easily finde the further that thy sinne extendeth it selfe as thou supposest to thy condemnation the further also this mercy and grace of God doth stretch forth it selfe in giuing remission of thy sinne to thy saluation But here beware and take heed of Satan lest hee deceiue thee by bringing thee into this vaine and wicked conceit as though this remistion were due vnto thee by merit of thy workes when as it is onely of Grace For of this bee thou assured that if thou haddest neuer so great a measure of vprightnes and integritie if thou liuedst neuer so holily if thou leadest as pure a life as euer did any of the faithfull seruants of God that haue beene since the fall of Adam Christ Iesus onely excepted yet as those faithfull seruants could neuer finde saluation in their owne deeds but did cleane forsake themselues and cleaue fast to the grace and mercy of God So thou also although thou seeke it shalt neuer finde saluation in thine owne workes merits thereof but must be content with the godly to renounce thy selfe and leane fast to the grace of God in Christ in whom surely thou must seeke it in seeking thou shalt finde it and finding thou shalt doubtlesse possesse it Quest Whereunto then wilt thou say doe serue the fruits of Repentance Answ No doubt to very good and comfortable purpose For these said fruits are as Signes and Seales to testifie they are no causes to procure and effect saluation and life vnto thee Quest But thou wilt say againe Seeing the case is thus it is no matter how I line and how I doe here behaue my selfe Answ God forbid that any such motion should euer creepe into the hearts of Gods Elect or that any man should hereby take occasion to become secure and carelesse to shew forth his Christian duty For though in our selues wee cannot indeede finde any possibilitie to deserue life but possibilitie too much to merit death yet are wee bound to exercise our selues in these fruits for these causes following First The first cause of shewing godly lise for that God himselfe commandeth it in wonderfull many places of the Scriptures Secondly that thereby his glory might be manifested Mat. 5.16 Thirdly 2.3 Causes for that by them man is in his conscience assured of his Election and Vocation
of little importance and smally pertaining to the purpose I haue in hand Out of such an infinite number which haue in this sort endured such cruelty I thinke it good to make recitall of a few particulars wherby I trust my position will be sufficiently confirmed And yet before giuing you thus much to vnderstand and generally to obserue That during the heauy times of these persecutions besides the particular torments which euery one endured all and euery one that did but take vpon him to professe himselfe and say hee was a Christian had the whole State and Kingdome wherein hee liued bent against him his goods by the lawes in danger to bee confiscate in stead of a rightfull Iudge hee had not onely a Miscreant but also a most cruell Tyrant to decide his cause who rather busied his head to deuise torments then how to set downe the doome with equity His friends and worldly comforts would forsake him being such as no whit fauoured but most poisonfully maligned the cause of Christ Life could not be had but bailed with many miseries and death though wished for yet could not be attained vnto but through the troublesome outragious tempests of most extreme calamities So that if thou respect now the losse and want of these worldly comforts I perswade my selfe they can in no case be inferiour vnto thee But these are but light in respect of the particular tortures most wofull and lamentable which in the cause of Christ they endured whereof now God so permitting thou shalt haue a taste Romanus a Martyr Euseb lib. 8. cap. 20. It is storied of Romanus a constant Martyr how that he being condemned vnto the fire and being brought to the place of execution standing bound to the stake and in most cheerefull manner calling for fire to be put vnto him as one most ready and willing with so slight a torment to put an end to his life fraught with so many miseries the President caused him againe to be loosed adiudged him to the induring of another torment namely that the tongue of Romanus wherwith he had so stoutly defended the cause of Christ should bee cut out whereunto Romanus yeelding patiently hee held out his tongue as one most willing and ready to abide this new deuised torture which cruell sentence being performed hee was againe clapped fast in prison where hee was a long time cruelly tormented And when by the Emperours pardon all the other prisoners were set at liberty and deliuered hee alone was left still as a lamentable spectacle of woe and misery and judged as one altogether vnworthy of such a benefit had his feet stretched as the story noteth fiue spaces asunder and in fine with a cord or halter put about his necke was stifeled vnto death Apphianus Apphianus a Martyr Euseb lib. 8. cap. 22. a like constant and faithfull Martyr in no respect inferiour to the other being first apprehended and clapt into prison for his profession of Christ was in the same prison in pitifull manner tormented a whole day and a night with both his feet in the stockes stretched farre asunder on the third day hee was brought foorth before the Iudge and vtterly refusing to doe sacrifice as hee was enioyned had straight-way his sides rent by the Executioners or Hang-men with the lash of the whip yea and that not once or twice but oftentimes euen vnto the bone and inward bowels His face and necke also were so vehemently lashed that his face was swollen so exceedingly with the print of the stripes that they which beforetime had knowne him well and could haue discerned him from another by his countenance thenceforth missed of their marke and knew him not at all When his cruell enemies did see and perceiue that for all these manifold and grieuous torments he would not yeeld vnto their idolatrous and wicked religion For a further increase of his paines they wrapped his feet in flax oyled all ouer and set the same on fire whereof to vse mine Authors words what great and grieuous paines hee suffered I am not able to expresse It ranne ouer his flesh wasted and consumed the same and pierced euen vnto the marrow bred within the bones So that his whole body was therewith larded and distilled much like vnto dropping and distilling wax The Martyr hauing yet some breath left after all these exceeding torments was brought backe againe the second time to prison On the third day was presented againe before the Iudge and although by reason of his grieuous wounds he was past all hope of life yet by the sentence of the mercilesse and cruell Iudge hee was condemned to be cast into the raging sea and to bee drowned Porphyrius a Martyr Euseb lib. 8. cap. 29. To these if I adde the lamentable story of Porphyrius it shall not be amisse who being apprehended and confessing boldly himselfe to bee a Christian it was first commanded that hee should bee whipped and scourged to the very bones and bowels wherewith hee was so pittifully rent and mangled that as the Story noteth hee seemed to bee not a man couered in flesh and compast in a skinne but a picture made of stone or wood or some senselesse metall In which plight when hee bad continued a long time yet the Iudge perceiuing him to vtter no words of impatiencie but to continue still as one that suffered no great paine not as a man but as a beast without any compassion and voide of all humanitie made this direfull Decree that in a slack and slowe fire his bodie by little and little should be consumed and burnt to ashes Infinite are the like examples which the Stories do affoord vs but I had rather for a further search hereof to referre thee vnto those who haue faithfully recorded the same in our English tongue as they bee set downe in ancient Writers then to trouble this small Treatise with any further discourse of the same Hoping that these few are sufficient to set before thee and to giue some little taste what great and grieuous afflictions the Saints and seruants of God haue suffered and beene partakers of in this life Which if thou thinkest that thou canst possibly equall and match yet I am assuredly perswaded thou canst not surpasse and go beyond them Let Satans reason now be tryed by the Touchstone of these and such like examples and I trust it will manifestly appeare how little truth there is in his allegation when he would make the greatnesse and excessiue measure of afflictions to bee an argument and a signe of Gods reiection Dare any affirme that these were Castawaies which are so highly renowmed for Gods faithfull Seruants Saints and Martyrs which by their bloud-sheading sealed their Christian Profession Who euer I pray you suffered more extreme paines torments in their bodies then these Insomuch that if by the outward accidents wee might iudge of the finall estate of the soule you may iudge these of all other to haue
beene smitten of GOD and plagued and euen in earth to haue receiued the very sentence of eternall death vpon themselues But this manner of iudgement must bee suspended for notwithstanding these externall and outward accidents befalling their bodies they rested and continued still the Elect and Chosen of the Lord euen vnto the death the cup whereof in defence of their Masters cause they most gladly tasted of how grieuous soeuer the torments and afflictions were which their bodies suffered and endured And againe if thou dost vouchsafe with an vpright heart and void of all blind affection to compare together thine and their afflictions I doubt not but that both for the cause and also for the matter and manner of them euen in thine owne iudgement thou wilt be found and prooued nothing comparable but farre inferiour vnto them For they were afflicted for the testimonie of Christ but thou for sinne they at the hands of Satans instruments in most cruell manner and thou at the hands of God after a Fatherly way They vnto death and the same most extreme but in thee thy life is preserued a time of repentance is granted which is surely a great Argument of Gods great loue and fauour towards thee So that now thou maist see this my Position to bee true and that to thy great comfort that others haue tasted and drunke as deep of the cup of afflictions nay much deeper then thou hast done So insatiable a Serpent is Satan and so obstinate in his peruerse opinion that nothing bee it neuer so truely vttered can satisfie him and content him For although this which hath been said concerning this Position and the ouerthrow of Satans coloured reasons doe greatly qualifie and allay the matter yet through Satans suggestions the broken soule is not with all this contented For the enemy hath now found out another muse and starting-hole to auoid the danger of this sound doctrine and to intrap the weake conscience whose death he greedily thirsteth after within the compasse of his subtilty as by this his reason doth appeare CHAP. XXII Of the fourth Position LET it bee graunted saith this our cruell Enemy that many of Gods Elect and Chosen are found to haue suffered these A fresh assault of Satan and such like afflictions and say they haue gone beyond thee in extremities yet this helpeth not the matter neither doth it serue thy purpose at all For reade and see and thou shalt finde and that quickely a great difference for the miseries which they endure are but short and momentany with them there may bee trouble and heauinesse for a night Psal 30.5 but toy commeth in the morning But experience telleth thee that thy troubles contrary wise are of long continuance Againe when they cry and call for help and succour God doth soone release them and putteth an end vnto their troubles for hee hath so promised vnto those that are his Children Call vpon me in time of trouble and I will deliner thee Psal 50.15 And therefore wee shall also finde that Dauid a man which was so much experienced in afflictions God was alwaies ready and at hand to saue and deliuer him as hee himselfe doth witnesse saying I cryed vnto the Lord and hee heard mee c. But with thee thou seest it is not so for thou hast cryed and called a long time and yet thou art not heard thou pravest but thou canst not preuaile Cease therefore to reason what grieuous torments the children of God haue suffered for it will not satisfie nor suffice thy turne For if thou hadst beene one of Gods elect and chosen Children hee would surely haue heard thee long yer this Hee would not haue stopped his eares at so many cries nor passed ouer so many plaints without compassion shewing In this new and fresh assault of Satan made vpon the weake conscience we are to consider how that to make his reason to carry the greater shew of probability he doth make a double amplification thereof Partly by the enumeration of some examples of such persons as haue beene afflicted but yet for a short time whose cry the Lord hath quickly heard and granted their request saying Lo and see such and such an one the Saints Seruants of God indeed that haue suffered great and grieuous torments but behold and see againe how soone and quickly they were deliuered And partly by the recitall of Gods exceeding mercy and compassion vnto his Seruants alledging that his eyes are alway fixed on them his eares are euer open to their cryes that hee is tender and carefull ouer them as the Hen ouer her Chickens or the Mother ouer her yong and tender Babe and as mindfull of them as the Bride is of her Ornaments in the day of Marriage and hereupon laboureth to infer this Conclusion against the afflicted soule to driue him into despaire That it cannot be possible that God being so pittifull so louing and so compassionate should so long and in such sort deferre and put off his helping hand from him if hee were reputed in the number of GODS Elect and Chosen This reason of Satan thus amplyfied the more subtilly that it is by him couched the more forcibly it prcuaileth with the weake and distressed soule to the dangerous ouerthrow thereof For whereas it hath beene before shewed that both the Elect and Reprobate are in deed partakers of afflictions Satan by this his reason would perswade that the continuance of afflictions in respect of time and the delay vsed of God in shewing forth his helpe are vndoubted differences and plaine markes whereby the one from the other may very easily be discerned known And to further him in this his purpose he taketh no small aduantage of the imbecility and weakenesse which is found in man who so long as his wounds are but fresh and greene can the better tolerate and abide the bearing of them because hee conceiueth some hope of some quicke and speedie deliuerance But when after long expectation he perceiueth his hope to bee frustrated and after long tryall seeth hee can finde no ease although hee hath vsed all possible meanes for the same then hee beginneth to despaire of himselfe and to make a question and doubt of his estate Wherein hee is found to be like vnto a sicke man which hauing tryed all the helps of Physick and yet finding no helpe for the curing of his disease beginneth then to distrust of life whereas before such tryall made hee suspected little danger of death in himselfe To preuent Satan of his purpose and for the strengthening of the weake Christian it shall not be amisse nay I thinke it necessary as before of the other reasons of the Aduersarie so of this likewise to shew the weakenesse and insufficiencie that it being knowne wee may see and perceiue the better how little faith is to bee giuen to his perswasions In which doing as a counter-blast against this temptation of Satan I thinke it good heere