laid vp for vs in Christs blood and to witnesse and testifie it vnto them and to be the seale therof For the sacrament dooth much more liuely print the faith and make it sincke downe into the hart then do bare words onely Now when the words of the testament and promises are spoken ouer the bread this is my body that was broken for you this is my blood that was shed for you they confirme the faith but much more when the sacrament is seene with the eies and the bread broken the wine powred out and looked on and yet more when I taste it and smell it As you see when a man maketh a promise vnto another with light words betweene theÌ„selues so they departed he to whom the promis is made beginneth to doubt whether the other spake earnestlye or mocked doubteth whether he will remeÌ„ber his promise to abide by it or no. But when any maÌ„ speaketh with aduisement the words are more credible if he swear it coÌ„firmeth the thing more and yet the more if hee strike hands if hee giue earnest if hee call recorde if he giue hand-writing seale it so is the more more beleeued for the heart gathereth â—o he spake with aduisement deliberation good sadnes he clapped hands called recorde and put to his hande and seale the man cannot bee so faint without the feare of God as to denie al this shame shal make him abide his promise though hee were such a man as I could not compel him if he woulde denie it And thus we dispute God sent his sonne in our nature and made him feele our infirmities that moue vs to sinne and named his name Iesus that is a Sauior because he should saue his people froÌ„ their sinnes and after his death he sent his Apostles to preach these glad-tydings to thrust them in at the eares of vs and set vp a sacrament of them to testifie them to seale them and to thrust them in not at the eares onely by rehearsing the promises of the testament ouer it neither at our eies onely in beholding it but beat them in through our feeling tasting smelling also and to bee repeated dailie to be ministred to vs. He wold not think we make half so much a do with vs if he loued vs not wold not haue his Sacrament to bee a witnes and testimonie between him vs to confirm the faith of his promisses that wee should not doubt in them when we looke on the seales of his obligations wherewith he hath bound himselfe this to keepe the promisses couenants better in mind and to make them the more deepely to sinke into our hearts and be more earnestlie regarded Timoth. Considering that this which you saie is too plaine great shame it is that there is such neglect of the Sacrament as there is and that it is so seldome vsed but surelie want of faith and the security which ouerspreadeth this our Countrie is the cause of it the Lord if it be his will remoue the same Now let me heare a litle how you lead your life and haue your conuersation among men Euseb. I haue my conuersation among men as sincere as I can in righteousnes and holines which is after Gods commaundements our Sauiour saith Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorifie your Father which is in heauen Timoth. It is but a dim light which wee can carrie before men and small are our good works and to be esteemed of no value If we were preachers or rich men or noble men then we might saue soules giue good couÌ„sel help manie by our almes but you I are poore men of base birth of low degree how can we then do anie good works Euseb. As touching good works by that measure of knowledge that God hath giuen me I thinke that all works are good which are done according to the obedience of Gods law in faith with thankesgiuing to God with a mind desirous of his glorie alone I think that I or any maÌ„ els in doing theÌ„ please God whatsoeuer I do within the law of god as when I make water And trust me if either winde or water were stopped I should feel what a pretious thing it were to do either of both what thaÌ„ks ought to be giuen God therfore Moreouer I put no difference betweene workes but whatsoeuer commeth into my hands that I do as time place occasioÌ„ giueth according to my degree For as touching to please God there is no work better then other God looketh not first on my works as the world doth or as though he had neede of them but God looketh first on my hart what faith I haue to his word how I beleeue him trust him and how I loue him for his mercie that he hath shewed mee hee looketh with what heart I work not what I work how I accept the degree hee hath put me in not of what degree I am Let vs take an example You are a Minister and preach the worde I am a kitchen boy wash my maisters dishes Of the ministerie hark what the Apostle saith if I preach I haue nought to reioice in for necessitie is put vpon mee if I preach not the gospel as who should saie God hath made me so woe is to me if I preach not If I do it willinglie saith he then I haue my reward that is then am I sure that Gods spirite is in me that I am elect to eternall life If I do it against my wil the office is committed to me that is if I do it not of loue to God but to get a liuing therby for a worldlie purpose had rather otherwise liue then do I that office which God hath put vpon mee but do not please God So then if you preached not or in preaching had not your hart aright you minister the office they that haue the spirit of God heare his word yea though it were spokeÌ„ by an Asse the woe belongeth to you but if you preach wilâ—ingly with a true hart coÌ„science to God then shal you feel the earnest of eternal life and the working of the spirit of God in you And your preaching is a good work in you Now I that minister in the kitchin and am but a kitchin boy receiue all thinges at the hand of God knowe that God hath put me in such an office submit my selfe to his wil and serue my Maister not as a man but as Christ himselfe with a pure heart according as Paul teacheth me putting my trust in God and of him seeke my reward Moreouer there is not a good deede done but mine heart reioiseth therein yea when I heare that the word of God is preached by you and see the people turne vnto God I consent to this deede my heart breaketh out in me yea it springeth and leapeth in my breast that
of God a most excellent and wonderfull grace of God Salomon matcheth it yea and preferreth it too before al things in this world making it the end of all Without it a man cannot be wise it is the first steppe to wisedome in it is assured strength also it is a welspring of life to eschewe the snares of death The Churches of Iudaea being in peace were edified and walked in the feare of God and were aboundantly filled with the comfort of the holy Ghost In this feare of God there be two partes The first is a perswasion in the heart that a man is in Gods presence and when any by infirmitie forgets God a drawing of himselfe into Gods presence As it was in Dauid I haue saith he set the Lorde alwaies before mee For he is at my right hande therefore I shall not slide And this his beeing in the presence of God hee setteth downe most excellently in the 139. Psalme Enoch walked with God Abraham is commaunded to walke before God and to bee vpright The second part of the feare of God is in Gods presence to stand in awe of him which is when a man takes heede to his waies lest hee offende God This aduise Dauid giues to Saule Counsellers Stande in awe and sinne not Pharao commanded the Midwiues of Egypt to kill all the male children of the Israelites at the birth they did it not because they stoode in awe of God fearing to displease him And hence it is that the godly heare Gods word with feare and trembling XL The third is the hatred and detestation of sinne specially of a mans owne corruptions wherewith a Christian is so turmoiled that in regarde of them and for no other cause he most heartily desireth to be foorth of this most miserable worlde that hee may be disburdened of his sinne and leaue off to displease God Paule feeles in himselfe a huge masse of deadlie corruption it makes him deeme himselfe most miserable and to mourn because he was not deliuered frō it saying Oh miserable man that I am who shall deliuer me from this bodie of Death Againe it is sin that makes the Church cōplain that she is black that the sun hath looked vpō hir therfore she cries Come Lord Iesus come quickly XLI The fourth is ioy of heart in consideration of the nearenes or presence of the terrible day of iudgement The reprobate either trembleth at the consideration of the daie of iudgement or else in the securitie of his heart hee regardeth it not And when hee shall see the signes of the comming of Christ his heart shall faile him for verie feare and he shall call the hilles to fall vpon him but contrariwise the faithfull loue the second comming of Christ and therefore wait and long for it and when they shall see the signes of it they shall lift vp their heads because the ful accomplishment of their redemption is at hand XLII The sanctification of the bodie is when all the members of it are carefully preserued from being meanes to execute any sin and are made the instruments of righteousnes and holines So Paule praied for the Thessalonians that they might knowe howe to possesse their vessels in holines and in honour and not in the lust of concupiscence as the Gentiles doe which know not God And Iob made a couenant with his eies not to looke on a woman In whose example it appeareth how euery member is to be kept pure and holie XLIII If any humbled Christian finde not this measure of sanctification in himselfe yet let him not bee discouraged For if any man haue a willingnes a desire to obey Gods commandements he hath the spirit and he who hath the spirit is in Christ and he who is in Christ shall neuer see damnation And though he faile greatly in the action of obedience yet God will accept his affection to obey as obedience acceptable to him God will approue of thee for his owne worke which he hath wrought in thee and not reiect thee for thine XLIIII From sanctification ariseth repentance For a man cannot hate his owne sinnes before he be sanctified and he cannot truely repent for them before hee hate them Repentance is when a man turnes to God brings forth fruites worthie amendment of life This turning vnto God hath two parts The first a purpose and resolution of heart neuer to sinne any more but to leade a new life This was in Dauid who fully purposed to keepe Gods commandements and applied his heart to fulfill his statutes vnto the end And vnto this did Barnabas exhort the brethren at Antioch that with full purpose of heart they would cleaue vnto the Lord. The second part is an holy labour in mans life and conuersation to purifie and cleanse himselfe from sin of this speaketh Iohn And euerie one that hath this hope in him purgeth himselfe euen as hee is pure This did Dauid practise as may appeare in that hee saide Certainely I haue cleansed my heart in vaine and washed my handes in innocencie If anie maruaile howe repentance followeth sanctification considering it is the first thing of all that the Prophets Apostles and Ministers of God preach vnto the people whome they woulde winne to Christ I answere that all other graces are more hidden in the heart whereas repentance is open and sooner appeareth to a mans owne selfe and to the eies of the worlde It is like the budde in the tree which appeareth before the leafe the blossome the fruite and yet in nature it is the last for a man must bee renewed and come to an vtter disliking of his owne sins before hee will turne from them and leaue them XLV By this it may appeare that there is one maner of sinning in the godly and another in the vngodly though they fall both into one sinne A wicked man when he sinneth in his heart he giueth ful consent to the sin but the godly though they fall into the same sinnes with the wicked yet they neuer giue full consent for they are in their minds willes and affections partly regenerate and partly vnregenerate and therefore their willes will partly abhorre that which is euill according as saint Paule saith of himselfe I delight in the lawe of God according to the inner man but I see an other lawe in my members rebelling against the lawe of my minde and leading mee captiue c. And that the godlie man neuer giueth full consent to sinne it is euident by three tokens First before hee commeth to doe the sinne hee hath no purpose nor desire to doe it but his purpose and desire is to doe the will of God contrarie to that sinne Secondly in the act or doing of the sinne his heart riseth against it yet by the strength of temptation and by the mightie violence of
A Treatise tending vnto a declaration whether a man be in the estate of damnation or in the estate of grace and if he be in the first how he may in time come out of it if in the second how he maie discerne it and perseuere in the same to the end The points that are handled are set downe in the page following Giue all dilligence to make your calling and Election sure for if ye do these things ye shall neuer fall 2. Pet. 1. ver 10. Printed at London by R. Robinson for T. Gubbin and I. Porter The Contents of the Booke 1 How farre a reprobate may go in Christian Religion 2 The estate of a true Christian in this life which also sheweth how farre the Electe being called go beyond all Reprobates in Christianitie 3 A Dialogue to the same purpose gathered out of the sauorie writings of Maister Tindall and Bradford 4 How a Reprobate may performe all the religion of the Church of Rome 5 The conflicts betweene Sathan and a Christian. 6 How the word of God is to bee applyed aright vnto the conscience 7 Consolations for the troubled consciences of weake Christians To the right Worshipfull and my Christian friend Maister Valentine Knightlie Esquire one of her Maiesties Iustices of Peace in Northampton-shire SIR I pray you consider with mee an especial point of Gods word carefullie to be waied it is this Manie professors of Christ in the day of grace perswade them selues that they are in the estate of grace and so the true Church esteemeth of thē too yet when the day of grace is past they contrariwise shall find themselues to bee in the estate of damnation remedilesse A dolefull case yet a most resolute trueth and the reason is playne Men that liue in the Church are greatly annoyed with a fearefull securitie and deadnes of hart by which it comes to passe that they thinke it inough to make a common protestatiō of the faith not once in al their life times examining themselues whether they be in the estate of grace before the eternall God or not And indeed it is a grace peculiar to the man Electe to trie himselfe whether he be in the estate of grace or not The further opening of the trueth of this point as also the danger of it I haue enterprised in this treatise which I am willing to bestowe on you both for the profession of the faith which you make as also for that Christian friendship you haue shewed to me Accept of it I pray you vse it for your edification Thus I commend you to God and to the word of his grace that is able to build you vp further and giue you an inheritance among them which are sanctified From Cambridge this 24. of Nouember 1589. Your Worships to command William Perkins To the Christian Reader GOod Reader it is a thing to be considered that a man may seeme both vnto himself and to the Church of God to bee a true professour of the Gospel and yet indeede be none All professours that are of this sort are excellently described Luke 8. vers 13. in these words And they which are vpon the stonie ground are they which when they shall heare receiue the word with ioy but hauing no roote beleeue for a time and in the time of temptation goe awaie where are to bee noted three thinges First their faith in that they are saide to beleeue for a season Secondly the fruits of that faith in that they are said to receiue the word preached with ioy Thirdly their vnsoundnes in that they are compared to stony ground and in the time of temptation goe away Concerning their faith whereas the spirit of God saith that they doe beleeue these thinges are to bee considered first that they haue the knowledge of the word of God secondly that they both can and doe giue assent vnto the worde of God that it is most true Thirdly in more speciall manner they giue assent vnto the couenant of grace made in Christ that it is most certaine and sure and they are perswaded in a generall and confused manner that God will verifie the same couenant in the members of his Church I his is all their faith which indeede proceedeth from the holie Ghost but yet it is not sufficient to make them sound professours For albeit they doe generally beleeue Gods promises yet herein they deceiue themselues that they neuer applie and appropriate the same promises to their owne soules An example of this faith wee haue Iohn 2. vers 24. where it is said that when our Sauior Christ came to Ierusalem at the feast of Easter manie beleeued in his name yet he would not commit himselfe vnto them because he knew them al and what was in them To come to the second thing those professours which are indewed with thus much grace as to beleeue in Christ in a confused manner goe yet further for this their faith though it be not sufficient to saluation yet it sheweth it selfe by certaine fruites which it bringeth forth for as a tree or a braunch of a tree that hath no deepe rooting but either is couered with a few moules or els lieth in the water at the season of the yeare bringeth forth leaues and blossomes and some fruite too and that for one or two or mo yeares so one that is an hearer of the worde may receiue the word and the word as seed by this generall faith may bee somewhat rooted in his heart and setled for a season and may bring forth some fruits in his life peraduenture very faire in his owne and other mens eies yet indeede neither sound nor lasting nor substantiall What these fruits are it may be gathered forth of these words where it is saide that they receiue the word with ioy when they heare it for here may be gathered First that they doe willingly subiect themselues to the ministerie of the word secondly that they are as forwarde as any and as ioyfull in frequenting Sermons thirdly that they reuerence the Ministers whom they so ioyfully heare lastly they condemne them of impietie which will not bee hearers or bee negligent hearers of the word Now of these and such like fruites this may bee added though they are not sound yet they are voide of hypocrisie For the mindes of those professours are in part inlightened and their hearts are indued with such a faith as may bring forth these fruites for a time and therefore herein they dissemble not that faith which they haue not but rather shewe that which they haue Adde hereunto that a man being in this estate may deceiue himselfe and the most godly in the worlde which haue the greatest giftes of discerning how they and their bretheren stand before the Lorde like as the fig tree with greene leaues deceiued our Sauiour Christ as hee was man for when in his hunger hee came vnto it to haue had some fruit he found
none If this be so it may be then required how these vnsounde professours differ from true professours I answere in this they differ that they haue not sounde hearts to cleaue vnto Christ Iesus for euer Which appeareth in that they are compared to stonie grounde Now stony groundes mingled with some earth are commonly hot and therefore haue as it were some alacrity and hastines in them and the corne as soone as it is cast into this ground it sprouteth out very speedily but yet the stones wil not suffer the corne to be rooted deepely beneath and therefore when Summer commeth the blade of the corne withereth with roots and all So it is with these professours they haue in their hearts some good motions by the holy Ghost to that which is good they haue a kinde of zeale to Gods worde they haue a liking to good things and they are as forwarde as any other for a time and they doe beleeue But these good motions and graces are not lasting but like the flame and flashing of strawe and stubble neither are they sufficiēt to saluatiō With the true professours it is farre otherwise for they haue vpright and honest hearts before the Lord. Luke 8. vers 15. And they haue faith which worketh by loue Galath 5. vers 6. And that Christian man which loueth God whatsoeuer shall befall yea though it were a thousand deaths yet his heart can neuer bee seuered from the Lord and from his Sauiour Christ as the spowse speaketh vnto Christ of hir owne loue Cant. 8. vers 6. Set me as a seale on thy heart and as a signet vppon thy arme for loue is as strong as death Iealousie is as cruell as the graue the coales thereof are fierie coales and a vehement flame Much water cannot quench loue neither can the floudes drowne it if a man should giue all the substance of his house for loue they would greatlie contemne it Wherefore good Reader seeing there is such a similitude and affinitie betweene the temporary professour of the Gospell and the true professour of the same it is the duetie of euery Christian to try and examine himselfe whether hee be in the faith or not 2. Cor. 13. vers 5. And whereas it is an harde thing for a man to search out his owne heart we are to pray vnto God that he would giue vs his spirit to discerne betweene that which is good and euill in vs. Nowe when a man hath found out the estate of his heart by searching it he is further to obserue and keepe it with all diligence Prouerb 4. vers 23. that when the houre of death or the day of triall shall come he may stand sure and not be deceiued of his hope And for this purpose I haue described the most of these small treatises which follow to minister vnto thee some helpe in this examining and obseruing of thine owne heart Reade them and accept of them and by the blessing of God they shall not bee vnprofitable vnto thee 1589. CERTAINE PROPOSITIONS DECLARING HOW farre a man may go in the the profession of the Gospel and yet be a wicked man and a reprobate I A Reprobate hath in his mind a certain knowledg of God of common equitie among men of the difference of good from bad and this is partly from nature partly from the contemplation of Gods creatures in which the wisedom the power the loue the mercie the maiestie of God is perceiued II This knowledge is only generall and imperfect much like the ruines of a Princes pallace it is not sufficient to direct him in doing of a good worke For example the reprobate knoweth that there is a God and that this God must be worshipped come to particulars who God is what a one hee is howe hee must bee worshipped Here his knowledge faileth him and he is altogether vncertaine what to doe to please God III By reason of this knowledge the reprobate doth giue consent and in his heart subscribeth to the equitie of Gods lawe as may appeare by the saying of Medea Video meliora probóque deteriora sequor That is I knowe what is best to be done and like it yet I doe the worst This approbation in the reprobate commeth from constraint and is ioyned with a disliking of the lawe in the elect being called the approbation of the lawe it proceedeth from a willing ready mind and is ioyned with loue and liking IIII And by reason of this light of nature a meere natural man and a reprobate may be subiect to some temptations for example he may be tempted of the Deuill and of his owne corrupt flesh to beleeue that there is no God at all As Ouid saith of himselfe Eleg 3. 8. Sollicitor nullos esse putare deos I am often tempted to thinke there is no God V The reprobate for all this knowledge in his heart may be an Atheist as Dauid saith the foole hath saide in his heart there is no God And a man may nowe a daies finde houses and townes full of such fooles Nay this glimering light of nature except it be preserued with good bringing vp with diligent instruction and with good company it will be so darkened that a man shall knowe very little and leade a life like a very beast as experience telleth and Dauid knew very well who saith Man is in honor and vnderstandeth not he is like to beasts that perish VI Wherfore this knowledge which the reprobate receiueth from nature from the creatures albeit it is not sufficient to make him doe that which shall please God yet before Gods iudgement seat it cutteth off all excuse which he might alleage why he should not be condemned VII Beside this naturall knowledge the reprobate may be made partaker of the preaching of the word and be illuminated by the holy Ghost and so may come to the knowledge of the reuealed will of God in his word VIII Thus when they heare the preaching of the word God profereth saluation to them and calleth them yet this calling is not so effectuall in them as it is in the elect children of God For the reprobate when he is called he liketh himselfe in his owne blindnes and therefore neither will hee and if he would yet could he not answer and be obedient to the calling of God The elect being called with speede he answereth and commeth to the Lord and his hart being ready giueth a strong and a loud eccho to the voice of the Lorde This eccho wee see in Dauids heart when saith he thou saidest seeke ye my face mine heart answered vnto thee O Lord I wil seeke thy face And God himself speaketh the same of his children Zacha. 13. 9. They shall call on my name and I will heare them I will say it is my people nowe marke the eccho and they shall say the Lord is my God IX After that he hath an vnderstanding of Gods word he may
meat was within their teeth God in his anger stroke them with a sore plague And which is more strange then this God hath performed that which he hath promised to the vnbeleeuers though they refused to aske it at his handes of this thing wee haue a worthie example in King Achas who vtterly refused to haue a signe of his deliuerance and the confusion of his eneâ—ies when God offered it to him and yet â—e Lord deliuered him XVIII The reprobate may yet goe further in the â—rofession of religion and may seeme for a â—ime to bee planted in the Church for hee doth beleeue the promises of God made in Christ Iesus yet so that hee cannot applie them to himselfe In this thing the elect and the reprobate differ The reprobate generally in a confused maner beleeueth that Christ is a sauiour of some men and he neither can nor desireth to come to the particular applying of Christ. The Elect beleeueth that Christ is a sauiour of him particularly The reprobates faith may perish in this life but the faith of the elect cannot The reprobate may be perswaded of the mercie and goodnes of God towardes him for the present time in the which hee â—eeleth it the elect is not onely perswaded of the mercies he presently inioyeth but also he is perswaded of his eternall election before the foundation of the world of his euerlasting life which yet he doth not inioy Yea if God would confound him and he sawe nothing but present death and hell fire yet such is his nature that still he would beleeue for faith and hope are noâ— grounded vppon sence and feeling but are the euidence of those thinges which were neuer yet seene or felt The life of the faithfull is hid in Christ as the sappe in the roote of the tree their life is not in sence and feeling but in hoping and beleeuing which often times or contrary to mans sence and feeling is in Dauid who saith Create a newe heart in me Psal. 51. XIX After that hee hath receiued a generall a temporal faith in Gods heauenly word and his most mercifull promises of euerlasting life contained therein by the power of the spirite of God he commeth to haue a tast in his heart of the sweetnes of Gods mercies and a reioycing in consideration of the election adoption iustification and sanctification of Gods children But what is this tast I expresse it thus after the meaning of Gods word Suppose a banket prepared in which are many sweete and pleasaunt and dainty meates At this banquet they which are the bidden guests they must be set downe they see the meates they tast them they chawe them in their mouthes they digest them they are nourished fed and strengthned by them they which are not bidden to this â—east may see the meates handle them and â—ast of them to feele how good they are but â—hey must not eate and feede of them The first resemble the elect which truely eate digest and are nourished by Christ vnto euerâ—asting life because they haue great aboundance of the vitall heate of Gods holy spirit in them and doe feele sensibly his grace and vertue in them to strengthen them and guide them The second sort truly resemble the reprobates which neuer in truth enioy Christ or any of his benefites appertaining to saluation but onely see them and haue in their heartes a vanishing but no certaine or sound feeling of them so that they may be changed and strengthened and guided thereby To vse another similitude The reprobates haue no more feeling and enioying of Christ and his benefites than those men haue of the Sunne which see onely a glimmering of his light at the dawning of the day before it riseth Contrarywise the elect they haue the day-star euen the sonne of righteousnes Iesus Christ rising in their hearts the day spring from an high doth visite them the glorie of God doth rise vpon them they haue their eies annointed with the ointment of the spirite which is the true eie salue and doâ— plainely behold this sonne of righteousnes they inioy his presence they effectually feele his comfortable heate to quicken anâ— reuiue them XX From this sence and taste of Gods grace proceede manie fruites as first generallie he may do outwardly all things which true Christians doe and he may leade such a life here in this world that although he cannot attaine to saluation yet his paynes in hell shall bee lesse which appeareth in that our Sauiour Christ saith it shall bee easier for Tyrus Sydon for Sodome and Gomorrah than for Capernaum and other Cities vnto which hee came in the day of iudgement XXI Also the reprobate may haue a loue of God but this loue can bee no sincere loue for it is only because God bestoweth benefites and prosperitie vpon him As appeareth in Saule Who loued God for his aduauncement to the kingdome and here is a difference betweene the elect and reprobate the elect loue GOD as children their fathers but reprobates as hirelings their maisters whome they affect not so much or themselues as for their wages XXII Also a reprobate hath often a reioycing â—n doing those things which appertayne to â—he seruice of God as preaching praier Herod heard Iohn Baptist preach gladlie and the seconde kinde of naughtie ground receiueth the word preached with ioy XXIII A reprobate often desireth them whom he thinketh to be the children of God to pray for him As Pharao desired Aaron Moses to pray to God for him So did Simon Magus desire Peter to pray that none of the things which hee had spoken against him should come to passe But yet they cannot pray them selues because they want the spirit of Christ. XXIIII He may shew liking to Gods Ministers he may reuerence them and feare to displease them Thus did Simon Magus who at Phillips preaching beleeued wondered at his miracles and kept companie with him And Herod is saide to feare Iohn knowing that he was a iust man holie also he gaue reuerence to him Antonius the Emperour called Pius though hee was nâ— Christian yet in a general Parliament helâ— at Ephesus he made an act in the behalfe of ChristiaÌ„s that if anie maÌ„ should trouble oâ— accuse a ChristiaÌ„ for being a Christian the party accused shuld go free though he were found to bee a Christian and the accuseâ— should be punished And Plinius Secundus gouernour of Spaine vnder Traianus the Emperour when he sawe an innumerable company of Christians to be executed being moued with compassion he wrote in their behalfe being no Christian vnto Traianus to spare them that coulde be charged with no crime and his letter is yet extant XXV Hee may bee zealous in the religion which he professeth and fall from that profession as the Galathians did who after that they had receiued Paule as an Angell and woulde haue
plucked out their eies to haue done him good yet they fell from the doctrine which hee had taught them to iustification by the works of the Lawe which flat ouerthroweth iustification by faith alone The same appeareth in Iehu who was very zealous for Gods cause and for the defacing of Idolatrie and thereupon God blessed him in his children yet neuerâ—helesse he was a wicked man and followed â—ha vile sinnes of Ieroboam his father XXVI After that hee hath sinned hee doth in many things in which he is faultie amende and reforme his life and doth professe great holines outwardly Herode hee did manie thinges which Iohn Baptist in preaching moued him vnto Saule when he was to be chosen king professed great humilitie Sam. 9. 21. They may represse their vices corruptions and so moderate themselues that they breake not out as did Haman of whom it is written that when he was full of indignation against Mardocheus yet he refrained himselfe And herein the elect and the reprobate differ for the elect are somewhat reformed in euerie one of their sinnes But the reprobate though hee be amended in manie faults yet some one fault or other he cannot abide to haue it reformed and by that in a vile manner the diuel wholly possesseth him As Herode who did manie thinges yet woulde not leaue his brothers wife And no doubt in Iudas most of his sinnes in appearance were mortified and yet by couetousnes the diuel possessed him and held him fast chained in bondage vndâ— him For one sinne is sufficient to him thâ— by it he may bring a man to damnation XXVII Beside this he may haue the gift of woâ—king miracles of casting forth diuels of heâ—ling and such like And this power of dâ—ing strange miracles shall be vsed as an eâ—cuse of some of the reprobates in the day â— iudgement XXVIII Ofrentimes vnto him is giuen the gift of the holie Ghost to discharge the moâ— waightie calling that can bee in anie Common wealth And this is meant when Goâ— is saide to giue Saule another heart that is such vertues as were meete for a King XXIX A reprobate may haue the word of Goâ— much in his mouth and also may be a preacher of the word for so prophesying in Christâ— name shall bee vsed as an excuse of reprobates and we know that among the twelue Apostles Iudas was a reprobate And this may bee well perceiued in the resemblance of tasting which the Author to the Hebrewes vseth We know that Cookes commonlie which are occupied in preparing of banquets haue as much feeling and seeing of the meate as anie other and yet there is none that eateth lesse of it than they for their stomacks are cloied with the smell and tast of it So in like manner it may come to passe that the Minister which dresseth and prouideth the spirituall foode may eate the least of it himselfe and so labouring to saue others he may be a reprobate XXX When as a reprobate professeth thus much of the Gospel though in deede he be a Goate yet hee is taken for one of Gods sheepe hee is kept in the same pastures and is foulded in the same fould with them He is counted a Christian of the children of God so he taketh himself to be no doubt because through the dulnes of his heart he cannot trie and examine himself and therfore truely cannot discerne of his estate whether hee be in Christ or not and it may be thought that Satan is readie with some false perswasion to deceiue him For this is his property that vpon whom God threatneth death there Satan is bolde to pronounce life and saluation as on the contrarie to those to whom God pronounceth loue and mercie to those I say he threateneth displeasure and damnation such malice hath he against Gods children XXXI And hereby it commeth to passe that an hypocrite may be in the visible Church and obey it in the word and discipline and so bee taken for a true member of Christ when as a man in deede regenerate may be excommunicate and end his life before he be receiued againe for this is the end of excommunication that the flesh that is the part vnregenerate may be destroied and the spirit that is the part regenerate may be kept aliue in the daie of the Lord. Nowe the man in whom is spirite and flesh must needes be the child of God because this argueth that he hath the sanctifying spirite of Christ. Againe Paule when he biddeth the Corinthians to comfort the incestious man least through the sleight of Satan he should be ouerwhelmed of ouermuch heauines giueth men to vnderstand that he might haue ended his life in great extremitie of sorrowe before hee had been visiblie receiued into the Church againe XXXII Though God will neuer adopt any reprobate yet by the adoption of the elect they may receiue profite For they finde â—he blessing of God to be on them by reaâ—on that they dwell together and haue sociâ—tie with the children of God For Nohes â—ake euerie one in his familie is saued in the â—lood For Lots cause the men of Zoar are â—reserued from the fire And God woulde haue spared Sodome if there had beene but ten good men in it For Rahabs cause her familie and kindred are at libertie in Ierico When Ioseph was in Putiphars house all thinges prospered well For Samuels cause the Israelites were deliuered from the Philistines And for Paules cause they which were with him in the ship were preserued And againe a reprobate by meanes of the faith of either of his parents may be within Gods couenant and so may be made partaker of Baptisme one of the seals of the couenant Forso God made his couenant with Abraham that he woulde be not only his God but also the God of his seede after him which Paule expoundeth not of a fewe but of all nations Also he saith manifestly that those children either of whose parents are beleeuers or holie which holines is not inherent in their persons but onely outwarde and it is a spirituall prerogatiue graunted them of God in that he vouchsafeth them to be in his couenant whereby they are distinguished from the wicked and prophane men of the world XXXIII Besides this reprobates haue some prerogâ—atiues of God as that he is patieÌ„t towards them that before he will destroy them he vseth many meanes to winne them that they commonly spend all the daies of their liues in prosperitie insomuch that it is saide of them in the Psalme that they goe in continuall prosperitie vnto their death and pine not away as the children of God doe But after a certaine time God in his iust iudgement hardeneth their harts blindeth the eies of their minds he maketh their heads giddie with a spirituall drunkennes and by the strength of their inward lusts as also by the effectuall
operation of Satan they fall to open infidelitie and contempt of Gods word and so runne headlong to their own damnation and perish finally Iulian the Apostata was first a man learned and eloquent and professed the Religion of Christ but afterward he fell and wrote a booke against the religion of Christ answered by Cyrill and on a time in a battell against the Persians was thrust into â—he bowels with a dart no man then knewe â—ow which dart he pulled out with his own â—and and presently bloud followed which â—s it gushed out he tooke it in his hand and â—loong it into the aire saying Vicisti Galilaee â—icisti O thou Galilean meaning Christ thou art the conquerour thou art the conquerour thus he ended his daies in blaspheming Christ whom he had professed The reason of this Apostasie is euident Seede that is not deepely rooted in the earth at the beginning of the yeare springeth vp it is green and bringeth forth leaues and flowers and it may bee some kinde of fruit too when the heate of sommer commeth it parcheth the earth and the corne wanting deepe rooting and therefore wanting moisture withereth away Gods word is like seede which that it may bring forth fruit vnto euerlasting life it must bee first receiued of the ground secondly it must be rooted the receiuing of it is when it pearceth to the heart and the affections take holde of it This rooting is of two sorts the first is when the word rooteth but not with the residue of the affections The second is a deepe and a liuely kind of rooting of the word when the word is receiued into the minde and into the heart The first kind of rooting of the word befalleth to a reprobate who vnderstandeth and reioyceth in the promises of saluation yet hee doth not put any confidence in them he cannot rest in them hee doth not reioice that his name is written in the booke of life hee doth not worke out his saluation with feare trembling In a worde his heart is in part softened to reioice at the preaching of the worde of God yet his heart is not opened as Lydias was nor inlarged as Dauid saith to imbrace the trueth but the elect hee receiueth the word not only into his mind least it should be onely an imagination but also it is deeply rooted in his heart For 1 In full confidence hee resteth himselfe on Gods promise Rom. 8. 38. Hebr. 10. 22. 2 Hee hopeth and longeth to see the accomplishment of it 1. Thess. 1. 10. 3 He hartily loueth God for making such a promise to him in Christ. 1. Ioh. 4. 10. 4 He reioiceth in it and therefore doth meditate on it continually Luke 10. 20. Rom. 5. 2. 5 Hee hateth all doctrines which are against it 6 He is grieued when he doth any thing that may hinder the accomplishment of it Math. 26. 75. 7 He vseth the meanes to come to saluaâ—ion but with feare trembling Phil. 2. 12. 8 He burneth with zeale of the spirit c. And so the rest of the affections are exercised about the promises of God in Christ by this meanes is the deepe rooting of the word in the heart Thus it commeth to passe that the reprobate falleth away from faith in the day of triall and temptation but the elect can not be changed By this which hath beene saide the professors of Christian religion are admonished of two things First that they vse most painefull diligence in working their saluation in attaining to faith in dying to sinne in liuing to newnes of life and that their harts be neuer at rest till such time as they go beyonde all reprobates in the profession of Christ Iesus Seest thou howe farre a reprobate may goe presse on the straite gate with maine and might with all violence lay hold on the kingdome of heauen Shall Herode feare and reuerence Iohn Baptist and heare him gladly and wilt thou neglect the Ministers and the preaching of the worde shall Pharao confesse his sinne nay shall Sathan beleeue and tremble and wilt not thou bewaile and lament thy sinnes and thy wicked conuersation it behoueth thee to feare and take heede least wicked men and the diuel himselfe rise in iudgement and condemne thy life For if thou shalt come short of the dueties of a reprobate and doe not goe beyonde him in the profession of the Gospell sure it is thou must looke for the reward of a reprobate The second thing is that the professor of the Gospell diligently try and examine himselfe whether hee is in the state of damnation or in the state of grace whether he yet beare the yoke of Sathan or is the adopted child of God Thou wilt say this neede not thou professest the Gospell and art taken for a Christian Yet marke and consider that this often befalleth reprobates to be esteemed Christians and they are often so like them that none but Christ can discerne the sheep from the Goates true Christians from apparent Christians Wherefore it behoueth all men that shewe themselues to bee Christians to lay aside all pride and all selfeloue and with singlenes of heart to put themselues into the ballance of Gods word and to make iust triall whether in them repentance faith mortification sanctification c. giue weight answerable to their outward profession which if they doe let them praise God if not let them with al speed vse the meanes that they may be borne a new to the Lord and may be inwardly guided by his holy spirite to giue obedience to his will least in the day of Gods triall they start aside from him like a broken bowe and fall againe to their first vncleanes To conclude let the most zealous Papist that is trie him and his whole estate with a single heart as in the presence of Gods maiestie and he shal find that for all his profession hee dooth come short of a reprobate or at the least not goe beyond him in these points before named God open their eies that they may see it Amen The estate of a Christian man in this life which also sheweth how far the Elect may goe beyond the Reprobate in Christi-anity that by many degrees I THe Elect are they whome God of the good pleasure of his will hath decreed in himselfe to choose to eternall life for the praise of the glorie of his grace For this cause the Elect onely are said to haue their names written in the booke of life II Whom God electeth them hee calleth in the time appointed for the same purpose This calling of the Elect is nothing else but a singling and a seuering of them out of this vile worlde and the customes thereof to be Citizens of the kingdome of heauen to bee of Gods housholde to bee liuing stones in the spirituall Temple which is the Church of God the companie of predestinate to eternall life And this
separation must bee made before the ende of this life For this is the order which God taketh hee will haue all them to be in his kingdome in this life that shall bee in the kingdome of heauen after this life And the time of their calling is termed in scriptures the day of visitation the day of saluation the time of grace III This seuering and choosing of the elect out of the worlde is then performed when God by his holy spirite indueth them with true sauing faith a wonderfull gift peculiar to the elect For the better knowing of it there is to be considered First what faith is Secondly howe God doth worke it in the hearts of the Elect Thirdly what degrees there bee of faith Fourthly what are the fruits and benefites of faith IIII Faith is a wonderfull grace of God by which the Elect doe apprehende and apply Christ and all his benefites vnto themselues particularly Here first it is to bee considered that the verie nature of faith standeth in a certaine power of apprehending applying Christ. This is declared by Paule when hee saith ye are buried with him through Baptisme by whome ye are also risen againe with him by the faith of the power of God who raised him from the deade Where it appeareth that faith is made a meanes to communicate Christ himselfe his death and buriall and so all other benefites to the beleeuer Againe to beleeue in Christ and to receiue or to laie holde on Christ are put one for an other by S. Iohn which declareth that there is a speciall applying of Christ. euen as we see when a man hath any thing giuen him hee reacheth out his hand and pulleth it to himself and so makes it his owne Moreouer faith is called the putting on of Christ Which cannot bee vnlesse Christs righteousnes bee specially applyed to the heart as the garment to the backe when it is put on Lastly this may appeare in that faith is called the eating and drinking of Christ for there is no eating of meate that nourisheth but first it must bee tasted and chawed in the mouth then it must be conueyed into the stomack and there digested Lastly it is to be applied to the partes of th◠body that are to bee nourished And Paul praieth for the Ephesians that Christ ma◠dwell in their hearts by faith which plainly importeth this apprehending and applying of Christ. I adde further that faith is a wonderfull grace of God which may appear First in that Paule calleth it the faith of Gods power because the power of God is especially seene in the begetting of faith Secondly experience sheweth it to bee a wonderfull gift of God when a man neither seeth nor feeleth his sinnes then to say he beleeueth in Gods mercie it is an easie matter but when a man shall feele his heart pressed downe with the weight of his sinnes and the anger of God for them then to applie Gods free mercie to his owne soule it is a most hard matter for then it is the propertie of the cursed nature of man to blaspheme God and to dispaire of mercie Iudas who no doubt often preached mercy and redemption by Christ in the security of his hart when Gods hand was vpon him and the Lorde made him see the vilenes of his treachery hee coulde not comfort himselfe in Christ if one woulde haue giuen him ten thousand worlds but in an hellish horror of conscience hanged him selfe desperately which sheweth what a wonderfull harde thing it is at the same instant when a man is touched for his sinnes then to apply Gods mercie to himselfe Yet a true Christian by the power of faith can doe this as it may appeare in Dauid In the daie of my trouble saith he I sought the Lorde my sore ranne and ceased not in the night my soule refused comfort I did thinke vpon God and was troubled I praied and my spirite was full of anguish and hee addeth the worde Selah a note of some wonderfull thing Againe he being almost in the gulfes of hell euen then cried to the Lord for help Iob saith If God should destroy him yet he would for all that beleeue in him still Vndoubtedly strang is the bād of faith knitting Christ and his members together that the anguish of spirite cannot and the strokes of Gods hand doe not vnloose V. This apprehending of Christ is not done by anie corporall touching of him but spirituallie by assurance which is when the Elect are perswaded in their harts by the holie ghost of the forgiuenesse of their owne sinnes and of Gods infinite mercie towards them in Iesus Christ. According to that of Paul Nowe we haue receiued not the spirit of the word but the spirit which is of God that wee might know the things which are giuen vs of God The things which the spirit of GOD maketh knowen to the faithfull particularlie are their iustification adoption sanctification eternall life And thus when anie are perswaded of these things concerning themselues they doe in their heartes distinctlie applie and appropriate Christ and his benefites to them selues VI. The manner that God vseth in the begetting of faith is this First he prepareth the heart that it maie be capable of faith Secondlie he causeth faith by little and little to spring and to breed in the heart The preparation of the heart is by humbling and softening of it and to the doing of this there are foure things requisite The first of them is the knowledge of the word of God both of the lawe and of the Gospell without the which there can bee no faith according to that saying of Esaiah By his knowledge shall my righteous seruant iustifie manie And that of Iohn This is eternall life that they knowe thee to bee the onely verie God and whome thou haste sent Iesus Christ. The onelie ordinarie meanes to attaine faith by is the word preached which must bee heard remembred practised and continuallie hid in the heart The least measure of knowledge without which a man cannot haue faith is the knowledge of Elements or the fundamentall doctrines of a Christian religion A fundamentall doctrine is that which being once denied all religion and all obtaining of saluation is ouerthrowen This knowledge hath a generall faith going with it which is an assent of the heart to the knowne truth of Gods word This faith when it is growen vp to some great measure it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the full assurance of vnderstanding and it is to be seene in the Martyrs who maintained Gods truth against the persecutions of the false Church vnto death VII Although both elect and reprobate may be enlightened to know the word of God yet the elect in this thing goe farre beyond all reprobates for it is speciallie said of thē that God is their schole-master that he softeneth their stonie heartes maketh
them pliable that hee draweth them that he openeth their senses heartes eares vnderstandinges that the holie Ghost is their anoyntment and their eye-salue to cleare the eies of their minde to conteine the misteries of Gods word And the difference of illumination in them is threefolde 1. First the knowledge which the reprobate hath concerning the kingdom of heauen is onelie a generall confused knowledge but the knowledge of the elect is pure certaine sure distinct and particular for it is ioined with a feeling and inwarde experience of the thing knowne though indeede the minde of man is able to conceiue more than anie Christian heart can feele and this is to bee seene in Paul who vseth not onelie to deliuer the pointes of Gods word in generall manner but also setteth them downe speciallie in his owne experience So that the enlightning of the reprobate may be compared to the sight of the blind man who sawe men walking like vnto trees that is in motion like men but informe like trees and the elect are like the same blind man who afterward sawe men a far off cleerely 2. Secondlie the knowledge of the wicked puffeth them vp but the knowledge of the godlie humbleth them 3. Lastlie the Elect besides the knowledge of Gods word haue a free franke heart to performe it in their liues and conuersations which no reprobate can haue for their illumination is not ioyned with true and sincere obedience By this it is easie to discerne of the illumination of Anabaptistes or familistes and manie other which brag of the spirit VIII The second is the sight of sinne arising of the knowledge of the lawe To this Ieremie exhorteth the Iewes of his time saying know thine iniquitie for thou hast rebelled against the Lord thy God c. The chiefe cause of the sight of sinne is Christ by his holie spirit who detecteth the thoughts of manie harts and iudgeth the world of sinne The manner of seeing our sinnes must be to knowe them particularlie for the vilest wretch in the world can generallie and confusedlie saie he is a sinner but that the sight of sin may be effectuall to saluation it must bee more speciall and distinct euen in particular sins so that a man may saie with Dauid my sins haue taken such holde of me that I am not able to looke vp they are more in number then the haires of mine heade therefore my heart hath failed me Againe a man must not barely see his particular sins but hee must also see the circumstances of them as namely the feareful curses and iudgements of God which accompanie euerie sinne for the consciences of many tell them of their sinnes in particular yet they cannot bee humbled for them and leaue them because they haue not seene that vgly taile of the curse of God that euerie sinne draweth after it IX The meanes to attaine to the sight of sin is by a diligent examination of a mans owne self This was the practise of the children of Israell in affliction Let vs trie saie they and search our waies and turne again to the Lord. And Dauid giueth the same counsell to Saules Courtiers Tremble and sinne not examine your owne heart on your bed and bee still This examination must bee made by the commandements of the lawe but specially by the tenth which ransacketh the heart to the verie quicke and was the meanes of Paules conuersion For he beeing a proude Pharisee this commaundement shewed him some sinnes which otherwise hee had not knowen and it killed him that is it humbled him If so be it that after examination a man cannot finde out his sinnes as no man shall finde out all his sinnes for the heart of man is a vast gulf of sinne without either bottome or banke and hath infinite hidden corruptions in it then hee must in a godly iealousie suspect himselfe of his vnknowen sinnes As Dauid did saying Who can vnderstande his faultes cleanse mee from my secrete faults And as Paule did I know nothing by my selfe yet am I not thereby iustified And good reason it is why men should suspect themselues of those sinnes which as yet they neuer saw in themselues for that which is highlie esteemed amongst men is abhomination in the sight of God and the verie Angels are not clean in his sight X The third is a sorrow for sinne which is a paine and pricking in the heart arising of the feeling of the displeasure of God and of the iust damnation which followeth after sinne This was in the Iewes after Peters first sermon and in Habacucke at the hearing of Gods iudgments When I heard saith he my bellie trembled my lips shooke at the voice rottennes entred into my bones and I trembled in my selfe that I might rest in the daie of trouble This sorrow is called the spirite of bondage to feare because whē the spirit hath made a mā see his sins he seeth further the curse of the law so he finds himselfe to be in bondage vnder Satan hel death damnatiō at which most terrible sight his heart is smitten with feare and trembling through the consideration of his hellish and damnable estate This sorrowe if it continue and increase to some great measure hath certain Symptomes in the bodie as burning heat rowling of the intrals a pining and fainting of the solide partes XI In the feeling of this sorrow three things are to be obserued The first all men must look that it be seriously soundly wrought in their hearts for looke as men vse to break hard stones into many small pieces and into dust so must this feeling of Gods anger for sinne bruse the heart of a poore sinner and bring it to nothing And that this may so be sorrow is not to be felt for a brunt but very often before the ende of a mans life The Godly man from his youth suffereth the terrors of God Iacob wrestling with the Angel gets the victory of him but yet hee is faine to goe halting to his graue and trale one of his loines after him continually The paschal Lamb was neuer eaten without sowre hearbes to signifie that they which will bee free from the wrath of God by Iesus Christ must feele continually the smart of their owne sinnes The second all men must take heede least when they are touched for their sinnes they besnare their own consciences for if the sorrow be somewhat ouer sharpe they shall see themselues euen brought to the gates of hell and to feele the pangues of death And when a man is in this perplexitie he shall finde it a most hard matter to be freed from it without the maruelous power and strength of Christ Iesus who onely is able to helpe him and comfort him yea many when they are once plunged in this distresse and anguish of soule shall neuer escape it
into euerlasting life XV For the better vnderstanding of this that God worketh sowing faith in the hart of man after this manner it must bee obserued that a sinner is compared to a sicke man oft in the scriptures And therefore that the curing of a disease fitly resembleth the curing of sinne A man that hath a disease or sore in his bodie before hee can bee cured of it hee must see it feele paine of it and be in a feare lest it bring him into danger of death after this he shall see himselfe to stande in neede of Phisick and he longeth till he be with the Phisitian when he is once come to him he desireth him of all loues to helpe him to shew the best skill he can he will not spare for any cost then he yeeldes himselfe into the Phisitians handes perswading himselfe that by Gods blessing he both can and will helpe him after this he comes to his former health againe On the same manner euerie man is wounded with the deadly wound of sinne at the very heart and he that woulde bee saued and escape damnation must see his sinne bee sorrowfull for it and vtterlie dispaire of his owne strength to attaine saluation thereby furthermore he must see himselfe to stande in neede of Christ the good Phisition of his soule and long after him and crie vnto him with deepe sighes and grones for mercie after this Christ Iesus will temper him a plaister of his owne heart bloud which beeing applied he shall finde himselfe reuiued and shall come to the assurance of the forgiuenes of all his sinnes So it was in Dauid when he repented of his adulterie and murther First God made him see his sinnes for he saith I know mine iniquities and my sinnes are euer before me Secondly he felt Gods anger for his sinnes make me saith he to heare ioy and gladnes that the bones which thou hast broken may reioice Thirdly hee vtterly dispaired of his owne strength in that he said stablish me with thy free spirit signifying therby vnlesse the Lord woulde staie him with his glorious power he should run headlōg to his own cōfusiō Fourthly he comes to see himselfe stand in great neede of Gods fauour one mercie will not content him hee praieth for the whole innumerable multitude of his mercies to bee bestowed on him to doe away his iniquities Fiftly his desire and his praier for the forgiuenes of his sin are set down in the whole Psalme And in his praier hee gathereth some comfort and assurance of Gods mercie towardes himselfe in that he saith the sacrifices of God are a contrite spirit a contrite and broken heart O God thou wilt not despise XVI There are diuers degrees and measures of this vnfained faith according as there be diuers degrees of Christians some are yet in the wombe and haue their mother the church traueling of them some are new borne babes feeding on the milk of the word some are perfect men in Christ come to the measure of the age of the fulnes of Christ. XVII The least measure of faith that any Christian can haue is compared to the graine of mustard seede the least of all seedes and to flaxe that hath fire in it but so weake that it can neither giue heate nor light but onely maketh a smoake and is called by the name of a litle faith and it may be thus described when a man of an humble heart doth not yet feele the assurance of the forgiuenes of his owne sinnes and yet hee is perswaded they are pardonable desiring that they might be pardoned And therfore praieth to God that he woulde pardon them and giue him strength to leaue them XVIII A litle faith may more plainly be known by considering these foure points first that it is onely in his heart who is humbled for sinne for the Lord dwelleth with him that is of a contrite and humble spirite to receiue the spirite of the humble and to giue life to them that are of a contrite heart Secondly it is in a man especially at the time of his conuersion and calling to Christ after which hee is to growe from faith to faith Thirdly this faith though it be in the hart yet it is not so much felt in the heart this was in Dauid at some times my God my God why hast thou forsaken me saith he The first wordes my God my God are speeches of faith yet the latter why hast thou forsaken me shewe that then he had no feeling of Gods mercie A little faith then is in the heart of a man as in the spring time the fruit is in the bud which yet appeareth not but only hath his nature and substance in the bud Lastly the beginnings and seeds of this faith are three The first is a persuasion that a mans own sins are pardonable this perswasion though it bee not faith yet it is a good preparation to faith For the wicked cut themselues of quite from Gods mercie in that with Cain they say their sinnes are greater then that they can be forgiuen The second is a desire of the fauor mercy of God in Christ of the meanes to attaine to that fauour This desire is a speciall grace of God and it hath the promise of blessednes and it must be distinguished from that desire which wicked men haue who though they desire life eternal as Balam did yet they cannot desire the meanes as faith repentance mortification c. The third is praier for nothing in this world but onely for the forgiuenes of their sins with great sighes and grones from the bottome of the heart which they are not able to expresse as they feele them Nowe this hearty praying and desire for the pardon of sinne can neuer come from the flesh but onely from the spirite who stirreth vp these heauenly motions of longing desiring sighing after remission of sinne and all other graces of God which hee bestoweth vpon his children And where the spirit of Christ dwelleth there must needs be faith for Christ dwelleth in the harts of the faith full by faith Therfore as Rebecca whē she felt the Twins striue in hir wombe though it pained hir yet shee knewe both that she had conceaued and that the children were quicke in hir so they who haue these motions holy affections in them before mentioned may assure themselues that the spirit of God dwelleth in them cōsequently that they haue faith though a weake faith XIX Examples of this small faith are euident in the Apostles who though they beleeued that Christ was the sauior of the world yet they were ignorant of his death and resurrection which are the chiefe meanes of saluation After his resurrection they were ignorant of his ascention of his spiritual kingdome for they dreamed of an earthly kingdome at his death they
his flesh hee is haled and pulled on to doe wickednesse Paule saith of himselfe that hee was solde vnder sinne that is hee was like a slaue who desireth to escape out of his Maisters handes and yet is faine in great miserie to serue him Thirdly after hee hath sinned hee is sore displeased with himselfe for it and truelie repenteth As Peter before the denying of his Maister had no purpose to doe it but rather to die in his cause In the act hee had a striuing with himselfe as appeareth by this that first hee answered faintly I knowe not what thou saist and yet after when the assault of Sathan more preuailed he fell to swearing cursing and banning After his fall he repented himselfe and wept bitterly for it All was contrarie in Iudas who went to betraâ—e his maister with full intent and purpose for the diuell long tempting him vnto it entred into him that is made him yeelde and resolue himselfe to doe it Afterward when Christ was betraied and condemned Iudas was not sorrowfull for his sinne with a godly sorrow but in dispaire of mercie hanged himselfe XLVI Fruites worthy of amendment of life are such fruites as the trees of righteousnes beare namely good workes for the doing of a good worke there be three things requisite First it must proceede from iustifying faith For the worke cannot please God except the person please him and the person cannot please him without this faith Secondly it is to bee done in obedience vnto Gods reuealed word to obeie is better then sacrifice and to hearken is better then the fatte of Rams Thirdly it is to be referred to Gods glorie Whether ye eate or drinke saith Paule or whatsoeuer ye doe doe all to the glorie of God The speciall workes of Christians which they and none but they truly performe are these fiue which follow XLVII The first is the good hearing of the worde my sheepe saith Christ heare my voice and followe me And againe he which is of God heareth his voice And this was one note of the faithfull in the primatiue Church to assemble to heare the worde This good hearing of the worde is the sauing hearing that bringeth life eternall In this action Christians are vsually thus disposed Before they come to heare the worde of God they make themselues readie to heare it as the men of Berea did who receaued the worde with all readines This preparation standeth in two points First they disburden themselues of all impedimentes that like vnto runners in a race they may be swift to heare these impedimentes are sinne and troubled affections and they come with humble heartes as fooles that they may become wise Secondly they quicken vp themselues and come vnto the assemblies hungring and thirsting after the worde of God as men doe after meate and drinke When they are in hearing Gods worde their minds are fixed and attentiue onely to that which is spoken as Lydias was Thirdly they truly beleue the word of God carefully applie it to their owne souls Fourthly they feel the liuely power of it in theÌ„selues It is as salt in them to drawe out their inward corruption it is to them the sworde of the spirite and as a sacrifising knife in the hande of Gods Minister by which their flesh is killed and they are offered vp in a liuing sacrifice to God it is spirite and life to quicken and reuiue their soules that are dead in sin And the reason of this is plaine The word of God preached is as a cuppe of wine the true Christian is the Lords guest but he hath sauce of his owne He bringeth his suger with him namely his true faith which he tempereth and mingleth with Gods worde and so it becommeth vnto him as a cuppe of sweete wine and as water of life Nowe the hypocrite because hee bringeth no faith with him drinketh of the same but thinketh the wine to bee sowre and tarte and voyde of relishe and in truth it is vnto him as a cuppe of ranke poyson Againe they heare the worde of God as in Gods presence and therefore their hearts are full of feare and trembling And they receiue the worde not as from man but as from Christ Iesus the onely Doctor of the Church And they regarde not so much the Embassadour or his abilitie as the Embassage of reconciliation sent from the king of Heauen After they haue hearde the worde they are bettered in knowledge and in affection and they remember it and meditate vpon it continuallie that they may frame all their doinges by it Worldlie men vse to buie bookes of statutes and to haue them in their houses to reade on that they may knowe howe to auoide daunger of lawe And so the faithfull doe alwaies sette before them Gods worde and in all their dooinges it is their Counseller lest they shoulde come into daunger of Gods displeasure XLVIII The second worke is the receauing of the Sacraments of Baptisme once onely when a man is admitted into the Church and of the Lords Supper often The first sealeth vp to the heart of a Christian that he is vnited vnto Christ and hath true fellowshippe with him in being fullie iustified before God and inwardly sanctified The second serueth to seale vp in the heart of a Christian the continuall growing and increasing of the same graces This thing euerie true beleeuer shall haue often experience of either in or after the receauing of the Sacrament and yet it shall not bee so alwaies for sometimes the Church being brought into Christes wine-celler shall fall into a sounde and not feele any refreshing there Yet the beleeuer is not to bee dismaied if he feele not alwaies comfort presentlie after the Sacrament A sicke man feeles no comfort or nourishment when hee eateth meate and yet it preserueth his life So the weake Christian though hee feele himselfe not nourishe at the Sacrament by Christes bodie and bloud yet hee shall see in time that his soule shall be preserued thereby vnto euerlasting life Furthermore when a Christian feeleth no comforte by the Sacrament let him then humble himselfe before the Lorde more heartily then euer before confessing his sinnes and praying for increase of grace and then hee shall feele the fruite of the Sacrament XLIX The third worke is a relieuing of the poore bretheren in Christ proceeding of a brotherly kindenesse towardes them This is a speciall woorke not to bee done to all men alike as saint Paule saith Doe good to all men but especiallie to them of the housholde of faith Directions for this matter are the faithfull of Hierusalem who were all in one place and had all thinges common namely in vse And they solde their possessions and goods and parted them to all men as euerie one had neede Also the bretheren at Corinth in their extreame pouertie relieued the
Churches of Macedonia liberallie not onelie according to their power but also straining themselues beyonde their power Yea this reliefe must goe further euen to the bestowing of a mans life if neede so require As saint Iohn saith Hereby wee haue perceaued Loue that hee laide downe his life for vs therefore wee ought also to laie downe our liues for the bretheren L The fourth worke is true praier and saint Luke setteth out the faithfull and the children of God by this description That they call on the name of the Lorde As on the contrarie it is saide of the wicked That they call not vpon GOD. The true Christian calleth on the Lorde in truth For the spirite of adoption which is the spirite of Praier is his Schoolemaister to teach him to doe it In Praier hee is thus disposed First before hee praieth hee is stricken with some feare and reuerence in regarde of GODS Maiestie for hee considereth that praier is a familiar talking with God Secondlie hee is inwardlie touched with a liuelie feeling of his owne wants but especially hee is vexed and grieued at his owne sinne and rebellion and this sense of his miserie is as a spurre to quicken his benummed heart Thirdly hee humbleth himselfe before his God and laieth open his heart before the Lorde shewing a feruent and longing desire to obtaine those thinges of which he findeth an extreame want in himselfe as the Prophet Dauid did whose desire was like the yawning of the drie ground and this proceedeth from the spirite of God which stirreth vp groaninges in the heart which a man oftentimes for his life cannot expresse Fourthlie when hee maketh his request hee doubteth not but by faith hee beleeueth that God will graunt his requestes which hee maketh according to his worde The ground of this perswasion is double First Christ Iesus by whose merites as hee hath obtained remission of sinnes so he looketh to obtaine all things else The other ground is the comfortable promises of God which he hath made that he will heare them who truely call vpon him Fifthlie hee praieth not for a brunt or two but hee continueth in praier And although God seeme not to heare him at the first yet hee patiently waiteth on the Lord and still calleth vpon him LI The first worke is to walke in some lawfull calling with painefulnesse and vprightnesse so that in performing all the dueties of it a man may keepe a good conscience before God and men Thus Dauid determined to walke in the gouernement of his house and kingdome I will doe wiselie saith hee in the perfect waie till thou commest to mee I will walke in the vprightnesse of mine heart in the middest of mine house I will sette no wicked thing before mine eies I hate the worke of them that fall awaie it shall not cleaue vnto me This sinceritie of Dauids behauiour in his calling made him bold to offer himselfe to be tried not onely by men but much more by the Lord God himselfe and to bee punished accordingly Iudge mee O Lorde saith hee for I haue walked in mine innocencie prooue mee O Lorde and trie mee examine my reines and mine heart So vpright and cleare was hee in all his doings LII Thus much of faith and the benefites that come by faith Nowe followeth the spirituall exercise of a Christian in his manifolde temptations which are in this life inseparable companions of grace The reason is because the diuell hateth Christ with a deadly hatred and sheweth this hatred in a continuall persecution of his members as saint Iohn saith the Dragon was wroth with the Woman and went and made warre with the remnant of hir seed which kept the commandementes of God and haue the testimonie of Iesus Christ. Now therefore as soone as Christ Iesus beginneth to shewe anie token of his loue to anie man the Deuill contrariwise sheweth foorth his enmitie and stirres vp his fellow champions the flesh and the worlde to war against him for his confusion And furthermore the Lord in great wisedome permits temptations to the last ende of a Christian mans life to trie his faith to purge him of sinne to humble him and to make him depende of his maiestie to quicken and reuiue the graces of his spirit which otherwise would be dead and decay LIII The temptations of a Christian are specially sixe The first is when inwardly in his hart he is drawen away and entised by his owne concupiscence vnto anie sinne The Christians exercise in temptation is fight and battell betwixt the flesh and the spirit And this fighting standeth in foure things First the flesh stirres vp euill thoughtes and desires as a burning furnace continually â—endeth vp smoke and sparkes of fire and it â—ggeth a man forward to euill wordes and deeeds according to that of Saint Marke For from within euen from the hart of man proceed euill thoughts adulteries fornications murders theftes couetousnes wickednes deceite vncleannesse a wicked eye backbiting pride folishnes 2 The flesh hindreth and choketh the good motions desires of the hart as Paul saith I see an other law in my members rebelling against the law of my mind and leading me captiue to the law of sinne which is in my members Again the same flesh mingleth euerie good motioÌ„ and desire with some corruptions so that the godlie mislike the best thing they doe Esay saith of his owne the peoples righteousnes that it is but as a menstruous cloute The prayers of the saintes must be performed with swete odours before they can ascend vp sweete sauorie into the nostrilles of God And Paul said of himself he did that which he disliked not that he was ouertaken with grosse sins but because when hee was to do his dutie the flesh hindred him that he could not do that which he did exactly and soundly according to his wil and desire euen as a man who hath a iorney to go his mind is to dispatch it in all hast yet when he is in his trauel he goes but slowly by reason of a lamenesse in his ioints 3 The spirit on the contrarie kindles in the hart good motions desires puts a man forward to good words and deeds as it was in Dauid I will praise the Lord saith he who hath giuen me counsell my reines also teach me in the night season 4 The spirit rebuks a man for his euil intents desires and represseth the face of them and as it were nips them in the head Thus Esay describeth the inward motions of the spirit And thine eares shal heare a word behind thee saying this is the way walke yee in it when thou turnest to the right hand and when thou turnest to the left And Saint Iohn saith The spirit iudgeth the world of sinne This was in Dauid who when he did
the strong man Sathan and cast him out and dwell in thee himselfe Thirdly hee which is no Christian is in danger of al the iudgements of God so that euery moment some of them may befall him He may perish sodainly by water with the olde world he may bee consumed with fire and brimstone with Sodome and Gomorrha hee may bee swallowed vp of the earth with Core Dathan and Abyram hee may hang himself with Iudas he may haue his braines dashed against the grounde and bee eaten vp of dogs with Iesabell he may die in the hardnes of heart with Pharao he may dispaire with Caine and Iudas he may be stricken with sodaine death with Ananias and Saphira his wife he may be eaten of wormes with Herode hee may bee smitten with trembling that he cannot heare Gods worde with Foelix hee may voide his guts at the stoole with Arius he may crie at his death that he is damned with Latomus he may bee left vnto himselfe to mocke blaspheme and renounce Christ with Iulian and hee may suffer manie more fearefull iudgements whereof the Lord hath great store and all tende to the confounding of them which will not be humbled vnder his hand Contrariwise the true Christian is so farre out of the reach of Gods iudgements that they cannot hurt him Christ is a couering and a cloude against the heat and tempest of Gods iudgementes when a mans heart is sprinkled with the bloud of this immaculate Lambe all the plagues of God passe ouer him In the destruction of Ierusalem the righteous beare a marke in their foreheads and are saued Therefore let him that hath regard to his owne safetie become a Christian Thirdly the man which is no Christian is in danger of eternall death and damnation in hell fire and they which fall into this estate it had beene ten thousand folde better for them if they had neuer beene borne for they are quite separated from the presence of God and from his glorie al the company they haue is with the Diuell and his Angels Their bodies and soules are tormented with infinite horrour and anguish arising of the feeling of the whole wrath of God in which as into a bottomlesse sea they are plunged Thus they are alwaies dying and yet are neuer deade Furthermore the length of this torment must bee considered which greatly aggrauates the paine If a man might be deliuered from the panges of hell when he had suffered them so many yeares as there be droppes in the sea or little sands in the whole earth it were some comfort but after that those yeares be expired there shall come no release but the damned shall continue in shriking yelling and gnashing of teeth enduring the consuming heate of Gods wrath without any ende for euer and euer Yea to goe further a wicked man carrieth an hell about him in this life namely an euill conscience which if it bee neuer so litle touched with any of Gods anger a mā shall feele himselfe to haue euen the panges of hell in his heart Nowe therefore all they that woulde escape out of this hellish and damnable estate while they haue time let them pray for the pardon of their sinnes in Christ and walke according to the spirite in newnes of life and then they may assure themselues that there is no condemnation can belong to them And it must be alwaies remembred that he which would liue when he is dead must die while he is aliue namely to sinne And againe he which would rise to eternall life in the daie of iudgement must rise from sin before he die vnto newnes of life The fourth reason God hath appointed vnto euerie man that liueth in the Church a certaine time of repentaunce and of comming to Christ. And hee which mispendeth that time and is not made a Christian then can neuer bee saued This made our Sauiour Christ weepe for Hierusalem and say O if thou hadst knowne at the least in this thy daie those things which belong to thy peace but now are they hidden from thine eies And further signifieth the destruction of Hierusalem because she knew not the time of hir visitation Againe the neglecting of this time is one cause why not one or two but manie shall seek to enter into the kingdome of heauen and yet shall not be able It is a maruailous thing that they which seek to be saued should perish but the fault is theirs which seeke when it is too late Nowe therefore thou secure worldling thy conscience telleth thee that thou hast not yet repented and that thou art not as yet a liuely member of Iesus Christ. And thou knowest further that howsoeuer thou art aliue at this time yet thou hast no lease of thy life God may call thee foorth of this worlde the next yeare the next weeke the next howre Yea he may strike thee with sodaine death at this very present And in very truth if thou goest foorth of this world beeing no Christian thou goest damned to hell Wherefore delaie not one minute of an hower longer but with all speede repent and turne vnto God and bring forth fruites worthie of amendment of life that all thy sinnes may be done away when the day of death or the day of iudgement shal be And doe not thinke with thy selfe that it shall be sufficient to differre thy turning vnto God till the last ende For late repentance is seldome true repentance And he which continueth long in any sinne is in a dangerous case If a man lie long in any disease he will scarce recouer his former health and hee which is growen in the custome of any sin and the sinne is become ripe in him it is a thousand to one he is neuer saued according to that of saint Iames sinne being perfected bringeth forth death The fift reason Eternall life is a thing desired of all men yet none shall be made partakers of it but the true Christian and the glorious estate of this life woulde mooue any man to be a Christian. First of all they which haue eternall life are freed from all pains sickenesses infirmities hunger thirst cold wearines from all sin as anger forgetfulnes ignorance from hell death damnation Sathan from euery thing that causeth miserie according to that of saint Iohn And God will wipe away all teares from their eies there shall be no more death neither sorrow neither crying neither shall there be anie more paine for the first things are passed Secōdly the faithful shall be in the presence of Gods Maiesty in heauen there to behold his face that is his glorie as our Sauiour Christ saith Father I will that they which thou hast giuen me be with me euen where I am that they may beholde my glorie which thou hast giuen me And Dauid saith In thy presence is fulnes of ioy and at thy right hand there are pleasures for euermore Thirdly they
cut off from thee Christian. But Gods mercie farre exceedeth all these my sinnes and I cannot bee so infinite in sinning as God is infinite in mercie and pardoning Sathan Darest thou presume to thinke of Gods mercie why the least of thy sinnes deserueth damnation Christian. None of my sinnes can feare me or dismaie me Christ hath borne the full wrath and vengeance of his Father vpon the Crosse euen for me that I might be deliuered from condemnation which was due vnto mee Sathan If Gods purpose were not to condemne thee perswade thy selfe hee would neuer laie so manie afflictions and crosses on thee as he doth What is this want of good name this weaknes and sicknesse of the bodie these terrours of thy minde this dulnesse and frowardnes of thy hart what are all these I saie and manie other euils but the beginnings and certaine flashings of the fire of Hell Christian. Nay rather my afflictions are â—liuelie testimonies of my saluation For god as a louing Father partlie by them as with â—courges chastneth my disobedience and bringeth me into order partly conformeth me vnto my Sauiour Christ and so by little and little layeth open to mee mine owne sinnes that I may dislike my selfe and hate them and maketh mee to renounce the â—orâ—de thy eldest sonne and stirreth me vp to call vpon him to praie earnestly with â—grones and sighes which I am not able to expresse with anie wordes as I feele them Sathan Thy afflictions are heauie and â—omfortlesse therefore they can not be arguments of Gods fauour Christian. Indeed their nature is to bring griefe and heauines to the soule but I haue had ioy in the middest of my afflictions strength sufficient to beare them and after them haue ben many waies bettered which befalleth to none of the wicked and for that cause it is a great perswasion to mee that â— shal not be damned with the wicked world but in spite of all thy power passe froÌ„ death to euerlasting life Sathan After these thy manifold afflictions thou must suffer death which is moâ—â— terrible and a verie entrance to Hell Christian. Death hath lost his sting bâ— Christes death and vnto me it shall be nothing els but a passage vnto euerlasting life Sathan Admit thou shalt bee deliuereâ— from hell by Christ what will this auailâ— thee coÌ„sidering that thou shalt neuer comâ— to the kingdome of heauen for Christeâ— death only deliuereth thee from death eternal it can not aduance thee to euerlastinâ— life Christian. I am nowe at this time a member of Christs kingdome and after this lifâ— shall raigne with him for euer in his euerlasting kingdome Sathan Thou neuer didst fulfill the lawâ— therefore thou canst not come into the kingdome of heauen Christian Christ hath perfectlie fulfilled euerie part of the lawe for mee and by this his obedience imputed vnto mee I my selfe do keepe the lawe Sathan Be it so for all this thou art farre inough from the kingdome of heauen into which no vncleane thing shall euer enter thou although that Christ hath suffered death and fulfilled the lawe for thee yet thou art in part vncleane thy cursed nature and the seedes of sinne are yet remaining in thee Christian. Christ in the virgins wombe was perfectly sanctified by the holie ghost and this perfect holines of his humane nature is imputed to me euen as Iacob put on Esaus garments to get his Fathers blessing so I haue put on the righteousnes of Christ as a long white robe couering my sinnes making me appeare perfectlie righteous euen before Gods iudgement seat Sathan Indeed God hath made promise vnto mankinde in all these mercies and benefits in Christ but the condition of this promise is faith which thou wantest and therfore canst not make anie accompt that Christes sufferings Christes fulfilling of the lawe Christes perfect holinesse can doe thee anie good Christian. I haue true sauing faith The conflicts of Sathan with the strong Christian. Sathan THou sayest that thou hast true faith but I shall sift thee and disproue thee Christian. The gates of Hell shall neuer preuayle against my faith doe what thou canst Sathan Tell me then doest thou thinke that all the world shall be saued Christian. No. Sathan What shall some be saued and some condemned Christiam So saith the worde of God Sathan Thou then are peswaded that God is true euen in his mercifull promises and that he will saue some men as Peter and Paul Dauid c. and this is the onely be leefe by which thou wilt be saued Christian. Naie this I beleeue and more too that I particularly am in the number of those men which shall be saued and this is the beleefe that saueth me Sathan It may bee thou art perswaded that God is able to saue thee but that God will saue thee that is that he hath determined to aduance this thy body and this thy soule into his kingdome that he is most willing to performe it in his good time heerein thou wauerest and doubtest Christian. Nay Sathan I in mine owne heart am fully perswaded that I shall be saued and that Christ is specially my redeemer and O Lord for Christes sake helpe thou my doubting and vnbeliefe Sathan This thy full perswasion is onely a phantasie and a strong imagination of thine owne head it goeth not with thee as thou thinkest Sathan It is no imagination but trueth which I speake For me thinks I am as certaine of my saluation as though my name were registred in the Scriptures as Dauids and Pauls are to be an elect vessell of God and this is the testimonie of the holy spirit of Iesus Christ assuring me inwardly of my adoption and making me with boldnesse and confidence in Christ to pray vnto God the father Sathan Still thou dreamest imaginest thou louest and likest thy self and therefore thou thinkest the best of thy selfe Christian. Yea but God of his goodnesse hath brought foorth such tokens of faith in me that I cannot be deceiued 1. I am displeased with my selfe for my manifold sinnes in which sometime I haue delighted and bathed my self Rom. 7. 15. 24. 2. I purpose neuer to commit them againe if God giue me strength as I trust he will 3. I haue a verie great desire to be doing those things which God commandeth 4. Those that bee the children of God If I doe but heare of them I loue them with my hart and wish vnto them as to my selfe 1. Iohn 3. 14. 5. My heart leapeth for gladnesse when I heare of the preaching of the word 6. I long to see the comming of Christ Iesus that an end may be made of sinning and of displeasing God Apoc. 22. 20. 7. I feele in my heart the fruites of the spirit ioy loue peace gentlenes meekenes patience temperance the workes of the flesh I abhorre them fornication adulterie vncleannesse wantonnesse Idolatrie strife enuie anger drunkennesse bibbing
condemnation but shall most certainely escape the same Take this for a most certaine truth that the man that hates dislikes his sins both before and after hee hath done them shall neuer be damned for them Christian. I am euen hart sicke of my manifolde sinnes and infirmities these good words which you speak are as flagons of wine to refresh my wearie laden and weltting soule I haue begunne to flee sinne and to detest it long agoe I haue beene oft dipleased with mine infirmities and corruptions when I offende God my heart is greeued I desire to leaue sinne I flee the occasions of sinne I woulde faine fashion my life to Gods word and I praie vnto God that he woulde giue mee grace so to doo and yet which is the griefe by the strength of the flesh by the sleights and power of Sathan I am often ouertaken and fall maruellouslie both by speach and by deed Minister Haue courage my good brother for whereas you haue an affection to doo the thinges that are acceptable vnto God it argueth plainely that you are a meÌ„ber of Christ according to that of Paul They which are of the spirite fauour the things of the spirite Well then if Sathan euer obiect anie of your sinnes to your make aunswere thus that you haue forsaken the first husbande the fleshe and haue espoused your selfe to Christ Iesus who as your head and husbande hath taken vpon him to answere your debts and therefore if he vrge you for them referre him ouer vnto Christ. For there is no sute in lawe against the wife the husbande liuing yea I adde further if you bee ouer caried with Sathans temptations and so fall into anie sinne you shall not answere for it but Sathan it shall surely be rekoned on his score at the daie of iudgmeÌ„t for he was the author of it if you fal by the frailtie of your flesh it shal perish therefore but you shal stil haue Christ you aduocate Christian. Indeede as you saie I haue in me an affection to please God but when I come to performe my obedience there I faile Minister Therefore marke this further As long as the children of God are in this life God regardeth more the affection to obeie then the obedience it selfe And they shall bee vnto mee saith the Lorde of hostes in that daie that I shall doe this for a flocke and I wil spare them as a man spares his owne sonne that serueth him The Father when he shall set his childe to doe anie busines though he doe it neuer so vntowardlie yet if he shew his good will to doe the best hee can his father will bee pleased and so it is with the Lorde towarde his children you looke to haue some perfection in your selfe but in this life you shall receiue no more but the first fruits of the spirite which are but as a handfull of corne in respect of the whole corne fielde and as for the accomplishment of your redemption you must wait for it til after this life you would bee kissed with the kisses of Christs mouth but here in this world you must bee content if you maie with Marie Magdalen kisse his feete For the perfection of a Christian mans life standes in the feeling and confessing of his imperfections And as Ambrose saith obedience due to God stands more in the affection then in the worke Christian. But why will God haue those whom he hath sanctified labour still vnder their infirmities Minister The causes are diuers First hereby hee teacheth his seruaunts to see in what great neede they stand of the righteousnes of Christ that they maie more carefullie seeke after it Secondlie he subdueth the pride of mens hearts humbleth them by counteruailing the graces which they haue receiued with the like measure of infirmities Thirdlie by this meanes the godlie are exercised in a continuall fight against sinne and are dailie occupied in purifieng themselues Christian. But to goe on forward in this matter there is another cause that makes me feare lest I haue no true repentance Minister What is that Christian I often times finde my selfe like a verie timberlog void of all grace goodnes frowarde and rebellious to anie good worke so that I feare lest Christ haue quite forsaken me Minister As it is in the strait seas the water ebbes and flowes so is it in the godlie in them as long as they liue in this world according to their own feeling there is an accesse and recesse of the spirit Otherwhiles they bee troubled with deadnes and dulnes of heart as Dauid was who praied to the Lorde to quicken him according to his louing kindnes that he maie keepe the testimonies of his mouth and in another place he saith that Gods promises quickened him Which coulde not be vnlesse he had beene troubled with great dulnes of heart Againe sometimes the spirite of God quite withdraweth it self to their feeling as it was in Dauid In the daiâ— of my trouble saith hee I sought the Lorde and my soule refused comfort I did thinke vpon God was troubled I praied and my spirite was full of anguish Againe will the Lord absent himselfe for euer and will he shew no more fauour hath God forgotten to be mercifull c. The Church in â—hâ— Canticles complaineth of this In my beddâ—â— sought him by night whom my soule loued I sought him but I found him not And againe my welbeloued put in his hand by the hole of the dore and 〈◊〉 heart was affectioned towardes him I rose 〈…〉 pen to my welbeloued and my hands did 〈…〉 myrrhe my fingers powre myrrhe vppon â—…dles of the bar I opened to my welbeloued 〈◊〉 my welbeloued was gone and past mine heart was gone when hee did speake I sought him but I coulde not finde him I called but he answered me not Contrariwise God at some other times sheds abroad his loue most aboundantlie in the hearts of the faithfull and Christ lieth betweene tho breasts of his Church as a posie of myrrhe giuing a strong smell Christian. But how can he be a Christian that feels no grace nor goodnes in himselfe Minister The child which as yet can vse no reason is for all that a reasonable creature and the man in a soune feeles no power of life and yet he is not dead The Christian man hath manie quaumes come ouer his heart and he falles into manie a soune that none almost would loke for anie more of the life of Christ in him yet for al that he may be a true Christian. This was the estate of Peter when he denied our sauiour Christ with cursing and banning his faith onelie fainted for a time it failed not Christian. I haue nowe opened vnto you the chiefe things that trouble me and your comfortable answers haue much refreshed my troubled minde The God of all mercie and consolation requite you accordinglie Minister I haue