she plainly opposed hir self to him wold take no denial for such is the nature of true faith Wherefore the faithfull when they feele theÌ„selues ouerwhelmed with sin turmoiled with coÌ„flicts of satan wheÌ„ they feele y e anger of god offended with theÌ„ yet they can euen theÌ„ lift vp their eie lids giue a glimps at the braseÌ„ Serpent Iesus Christ can fling theÌ„selues into the armes of gods mercy catch hold of the hand of god buffetting theÌ„ kisse it XL. By these teÌ„tatioÌ„s it coms to pas that a ChristiaÌ„ though he cannot fall finally froÌ„ Christ yet he may fall very dangerously froÌ„ his former estate First the graces of god may be by his defalt lessned in him else Paul wold not haue giuen out these exhortatioÌ„s quench not the spirit Grieue not the holy spirit of God by whoÌ„ ye are sealed vnto the day of redemptioÌ„ Secondly the graces of God may be buried in him couered for a time so that he may bee like a man in a traunse who both by his own sense by the iudgement of the phisition is takeÌ„ for dead This was the estate of Peter who though he coÌ„fessed that Christ was the son of the liuing Lord yet he denied him forswore him at the voice of a Damsel Thirdly he may fal againe into the same sin after repentance Indeed this is a dangerous fal yet it may befal a true christian Otherwise wheÌ„ as the Israelits gods people had fallen away froÌ„ him by their sins idolatries he wold not stil haue offered theÌ„ mercie as he doth by his prophets And Paul praieth the Corinthians in Christs stead that they would be recoÌ„ciled to God who neuertheles had once before bene reconciled to God Fourthly he may commit a sinne of presumption which is a fearefull sinne being done wittinglie of knowledge and willinglie and with some wilfulnesse Therefore Dauid prayed keepe thy seruant presumptuous sinne and to shewe himselfe to be in danger of it hee prayeth further let them not haue dominion ouer mee Lastly hee may fall into dispaire of Gods mercie for a time and this is a dangerous sinne For he which dispaires makes all the promises of God to bee false and this sinne of all other is most contrarie to true sauing faith In this estate was Dauid wheÌ„ being in trouble hee said this is my death And Paul shewes that the incestuous man might haue fallen into desperation when hee sayth Comfort him least hee bee swallowed vp of ouermuch heauinesse And it must bee remembred that the Church of Rome erreth in this that she teacheth desperation to bee a sinne against the holie Ghost This sinne against the holie Ghost is a blasphemie spoken against the knowen truth of Gods worde of a wilfull and obstinate malice But desperation may arise through ignorance of a mans owne estate through horror of conscience for sinne through an often relapse into some sinne through the ouerdeepe consideration of a mans owne vnworthines Lastly by abiuration of the truth through compulsion feare This befell Frances Spira who after his Apostasie dispaired Yet they are much ouerseene that write of him as of a damned creature For first who can tell whether hee dispaired finally or not Secondly in the verie middest of his desperation he complained of the hardnes of his heart which made him that he could not praie no doubt then he felt his hardnes of heart and the feeling of corruption in the heart is by some contrarie grace so that he was not quite bereft of al goodnes though he neither felt it then nor shewed it to the beholder LXI The cause why a ChristiaÌ„ caÌ„not fall away froÌ„ grace is this after that he is sanctified he receiueth froÌ„ god another special grace which may be called CorroboratioÌ„ For he hath in him not only the sanctifying but also the strengthning power of Christ. Therfore Paul praieth for the EphesiaÌ„s that they may be strengthned in the inner maÌ„ for the CollossiaÌ„s that they might be strengthned with the glorious power of Christ. And of himself he saith that he is able to do al things through the power of Christ that streÌ„gthen him Dauid saith that God renueth theÌ„ that fear him as the Eagle renueth hir decaied strength And Iob shewes worthily that they which by preaching of the word are reconciled vnto God are restored againe and gather new strength so that their flesh becomes as the flesh of yong children From hence as from a special cause ariseth patience perseuerance vnto the end for when a man is supported by the power of Christ hee may be able to beare many crosses patieÌ„tly with a coÌ„â—ented mind perseuer in bearing of it how long so euer the crosse endureth Thus much of the estate of a Christian in this life Now I wil ad some reasons in the way of perswasion to all meÌ„ but especially to worldlings to loose professors of the Gospell that they woulde vtterly deenie themselues vse all meanes to become true ChristiaÌ„s by being made new creatures in Christ and by leading such a life as may adorne the Gospell of Christ. My first reason is this the man that liueth in this world nor beeing a true Christian is farre more vile then the basest creature of all euen the Dogge or Toade For first he is nothing els but a filthy dunghill of all abhomination and vncleannes the stinke whereof hath infected heauen and earth and no perfumes coulde euer delaie it in the nostrils of God but onely the suffering of Christ beeing a sacrifice of a sweet smelling sauour to God Wee make it very daintie to come nere a lazar man that is full of botches blaines sores but much more are those men to bee abhorred which haue lien many yeares starke dead in sins and trespasses therfore now do nothing els but rot stinke in theÌ„ like vgly lothsome carrions SecoÌ„dly he which is no ChristiaÌ„ is vnder the power of darknes hauing Sathan for his Prince and God and giuing vnto him in token of homage his best partes euen his minde and conscience to bee his dwelling place and his whole conuersation is nothing else but a perperuall obedience to Sathan If Atheists worldlings carnal gospelers were perswaded of the truth of this as it is most true it would make them howle cry though now they liue at ease without feeling any prick of conscience for sinne And if they had but the least sense of it in the worlde it woulde make their flintie hearts to bleede and it woulde make them shedde riuers of teares But how long shall they continue in this vile estate Truely vntill they come to Christ awake therefore thou that sleepest and stand vp from the dead and Christ shall giue thee light Open thine heart to receiue Christ and then hee will come binde
this case in which thou art at this present Christian. Heerein thou prouest thy selfe to be a lying spirite for the Prophet Dauid â—aith of himselfe that he was foolish and as a beast before God and yet he euen then trusted in God And Paule was so led capâ—iue of sinne that he was not able to do the good he would but did the euill which hee â—ated and so in great pensiuenes of heart desired to be deliuered from this world that â—ee might bee disburdened of his corrupt â—â—esh Sathan Thou miserable wretch doest â—â—ou feele thy selfe gracelesse and wilt thou â—eare the face of a Christian and by thy â—ypocrisie offend God as thou art so shew â—â—y selfe to the world Christian. Auoide Sathan Christe hath anquished and ouercome thee for my â—ause that I might also triumph ouer thee â— am no hypocrite for whereas I haue had â—eeretofore some testimonie of my faith at his time I am lesse mooued though faith â—â—eme to be absent like as a man may seeme 〈◊〉 bee dead both in his owne sense and by the iudgement of the Phisition and yet maie haue life in him so faith maie bee though alwaies it doe not appeare Sathan But thou art a man starke dead in sin God hath now quite forsaken thee hee hath left thee vnto me to be ruled hee hath giuen me power ouer thee to bring thee to damnation he will not haue thee to trust in him anie longer Christian. Strengthen me good Lord remember thy mercifull promises that thou wilt reuiue the humble giue life to them that are of a contrite heart Sathan These promises concerne not thee which hast no humble and contrite but a froward and a rebellious heart Christian. Good Lorde forget not thy former mercies giue an issue to these temptations of mine enemie Satan And you my bretheren which know my estate praie for me that God woulde turne his fauourable countenance towards me for this I know that the ptaier of the righteous auaileth much if it be feruent Howe a man should applie aright the word of God to his owne soule I EVerie Christian containeth in himselfe two natures flat contrarie the one to the other the flesh and the spirite and that he may become a perfect man in Christ Iesus his earnest indeuour must bee to tame and subdue the flesh to strengthen and confirme the spirit II Answerable to these two natures are the two parts of Gods worde First the Lawe because it is the ministerie of death it fitlie serueth for the taming and maistering of the rebellious flesh and the Gospell containing the bountifull promises of God in Christ is as oile to powre into our wounds and as the water of life to quench our thirstie soules it fitlie serueth for the strengthening of the Spirite III Well then art thou secure Art thou prone to euill Feelest thou that thy rebellious flesh carrieth thee captiue vnto sinne Looke nowe onelie vpon the lawe of God applie it to thy self examine thy thoughts thy words thy deedes by it pray vnto God that he would giue thee the Spirit of feare that the law maie in some measure huÌ„ble terrifie thee for as Salomon saith blessed is the man that feareth alwaies but cursed is he that hardeneth his heart IIII In the Law these are most effectuall meditations to humble and bridle the flesh which follow First meditate on the greatnes of thy sinnes and of their infinite number and if it may be gather them into a Catalogue set it before thee and looke vnto it that thou think no sinne to be a small sin no not the bare thoughts and motions of thy heart Often with diligence consider the strange iudgements of God vpon men for their sinnes which thou shalt find partlie in the Scriptures partlie by dailie experience Doubtlesse thou must thinke that euerie iudgement of God is a sermon of repentance Thinke oft on the fearefull curse of the law due vnto thee if thou shouldest sin neuer but once in al thy life and that neuer so litle Remember that whensoeuer thou committest a sin God is present and his holie Angels that he is an eie witnes that he taketh a note of thy sin registreth it in a booke Thinke dailie of thy ende and know that God maie strike thee with sodain death euerie moment and that if then thou haue not repented before that time there is no hope of saluation Thinke on the sodain comming of our Sauiour Christ to iudgement let it moue thee continually to watch and praie If these will not moue thee think on this that no creature in heauen or in earth was able to pacifie the wrath of God for thy sins but his owne Sonne must come downe from heauen out of his Fathers bosome and must beare the curse of the lawe euen the full wrath of his Father for thee V When by these meanes thou art feared and thy minde is disquieted in respect of Gods iudgement for thy sin haue recourse â—o the promises of mercie contained in the â—ld and new Testament Is thy conscience stung with sin And doth the law make theâ— feele it With all speede runne to the braseâ— Serpent Christ Iesus look on him with the eie of faith and presently thou shalt be healed of thy sting or wound VI When thou doest meditate on the promises of the Gospell diligentlie consideâ— these benefites which thou enioiest by Christ. Through Adam thou art condemned to hell by Christ thou art deliuereâ— from it Through Adam thou hast transgreâ—sed the whole law in Christ thou hast fulfilled it Through Adam thou art before Goâ— a vile a lothsome sinner through Chriâ—â— thou doest appeare glorious in his eies Bâ— Adam euerie litle crosse is the punishmenâ— of thy sin and a token of Gods wrath by Christ the greatest crosses are easie profitable and tokens of Gods mercie By Adam thou diddest loose all thinges in Christ aâ— things are restored to thee again By Adam thou art dead by Christ thou art quickneâ— and made aliue againe By Adam thou art slaue of the Diuel and the childe of wratâ— but by Christ thou art the child of God 〈…〉 Adam thou art worse than a Toade moâ—… detestable before God but by Christ thoâ— art aboue the Angels For thou art ioined vnto him and made bone of his bone misticallie Through Adam sinne and Sathan haue ruled in thee and led thee captiue by Christ the spirite of God dwelleth in thee plenteouslie By Adam came death to thee it is an entrance to hel by Christ though death remain yet it is onelie a passage vnto life Lastlie in Adam thou art poore and blinde and miserable In Christ thou art rich and glorious thou art the King of heauen and earth fellow heire with him and shalt as sure be partaker of it as he is euen now Adam when he must needs tast
euer loue and proue all thinges to rule with loue but if loue wil not serue then you must vse the office of an other person or sinne against your father Euen so when you are a temporall person you put not of the spirituall therefore you must euer loue but when loue will not helpe you must with loue execute the office of the temporall person You must loue your neighbour in your hart because he is your brother in the first state yet you must obeie your ruler who hath power ouer you and when neede requireth at his commandement you must goe with the constable or like officer and breake open your neighbors doore if hee will not open it in the kings name yea if he will not yeld in the kings name you maie smite him to the ground till he bee subdued and looke what harme he getteth that be vppon his owne heade Timoth. I vnderstand you well As I am a member of the spirituall bodie of Christ I must in all my conuersation follow him with patience meekenes and long suffering ouercomming other mens euils with weldoing yet if the hurt be greater then I can beare I must take a new person on me and if I be a ruler with loue seeke amendment if a subiect then in the feare of God complaine to my ruler But further I pray you soile me this doubt If I shall be taken for a soldier me thinks that I should then shake off all loue and meekenes then I could not practise this Christian rule Euseb. Yes if our Queene God saue her grace should send you on warfare into another countrie you must obeie at Gods commandement and go and auenge your Princes quarrell which you knowe not but that it is right When you come thether remember the two stats in which you are and knowe that in the firste state that is the regiment spiritual you must loue them with whome you fight and that they are your brethren bought with Christes blood as well as you and for Christes sake hate them not yet as you are in the second state a Souldior at your Princes commandement you must fight against them and mainteine your Princes quarrell and bring them vnder hir power and therewithall be content with your Princes wages neither desire your aduersaries life or goods saue to aduantage your Prince So then a Souldior neede not cast away meekenes for he may fight with his enemie and slaye him and yet loue him Timoth. Another thing I would knowe of you which now commeth to my minde I haue a Landlord he seemeth to be a verye good man he countenanceth all the good prechers in our country he rideth vsually ten miles to hear sermons I hold of him an house a little land not scarse enough to find my poore family my lease is come out I haue taken a new lease but I haue paide such a great fine and my yearly rents are so racked that I feare I all my houshold are like to beg our bread this is it disquieteth me and almost maketh me at my wits end what is your counsell and aduise Euseb. Surelie it maketh my hearte to bleede to see how manie men bragge of the Gospell and yet what little fruite the gospell hath in them and what little loue they shew euen they which abound in rents and landes My poore aduise is this that you would with patience depende vppon Gods prouidence It is said blessed are the meeke for they shall inherite the earth Then let all the world studie to doe you wronge yea let them studie to bring you to extreeme miserie and doe it too yet if you bee meeke you shall haue foode and raiment enough for you yours And no doubt God who is alwaies true of his promise shall raise vp some to helpe you And my counsell is that you giue your landlorde now and then a Capon now a pigge now a Goose and if you bee able a lambe or a Calfe and let your wife visite your Land-ladie nowe and then with spiced cakes with apples peares cheries and such like and bee you readie with your Oxen or horses fiue or sixe times in the yeare to fetch home theiâ— wood to plowe their land then no doubt God maie soften their hartes moue them to haue some pittie compassion on your â—oore estate Timoth. I haue done all this Naie maie â—t be spoken betweene you and me I am at commandement am as a drudge to theÌ„ â—o do their busines and to leaue my owne â—…ndone and yet haue neither meat drinke â—or monie Euseb. More is the pittie But remember â—hat they which cannot come to see men â—eale vprightly in the world yet do in their â—arts hunger and thirst after this righteousâ—es are pronounced blessed Timoth. To let this passe shew me one â—ule howe I might generallie in all matters â—e haue my selfe among men and then for â—his time I will cease to trouble you Euseb. Aske your own conscience what â—ou maie or ought to do Would you men â—id so with you then doe you it Would â—ou not bee so delt with then doe it not â—â—ou would not that men should doe you â—rong and oppresse you You would not â—â—at men should doe you shame rebuke â—…e on you kil you haue your house froÌ„ you â—…tice your seruant away or take against â—…ur wil ought that is yours You wold not â—…at meÌ„ shold sell you false ware when you put theÌ„ in trust to make it readie or to lay it out for you and you woulde not that men should deceiue you with great othes swearing that to be good which is indeed verie nought you would not that men should sel you ware that is nought too dere to vndoo you doe no such thing then vnto your neighbours but as loth as you woulde bee to buie false ware and too deere for vndoing your selfe so loth bee you to sell false ware or too deere for vndooing your neighbor And in al cases how glad would you be to bee holpen so glad bee to helpe your neighbour So in all things aske your conscience what is to bee done betweene your neighbour and you and she wil teach you But because you are wearie of reasoning I will also end Desiring God to encrease in vs his heauenlie graces as faith and repentance and loue according to his good pleasure Amen The Assertion A Reprobate may in truth be made partaker of all that is contained in the Religion of the Church of Rome and a Papist by his Religion cannot goe beyong a Reprobate The first Argument HE which may in truth be made partaker of the chiefe pointes of the Popish religion may bee made partaker of all but a reprobate may be made partaker of the chiefe points of the Popish religion therefore a reprobate may be made partaker of all The proofe of the Argument THE proposition is plaine and euerie Papist will graunt it all the controuersie is of