may there much guile and deceit be found to be in it and the worke will appeare to bee vnsound and falsely wrought if good triall thereof be made that only hauing guile for the refuge and vnder falsehood and vanitie it Isai 28. 15. delighting euer to lie hid for there it resteth and setleth it selse there it findeth best cherishing and kindliest being as the dorres doe in the dung But this may better beé considered in some particulars Temporarie faith which yet is as good as no faith if it be not worse for if any withdraw himselfe the Lord will haue no pleasure in Heb. 10. 38. 39. 2. Pet. 2. 21. him And Peter saith it had been better not to haue knowne then to turne away againe seemeth to haue all the complements that can bee found in true faith and that in as goodly a shew and in as glorious a manner as the most pretious and sauing faith hath or can haue if goodly shewes and appearances might bee sufficient to serue the turne for if wee consider the nature of true faith and what be the parts whereof it doth consist if wee marke well what be the graces which principally doe concurre in true beleeuers for the making vp of that faith in them How true saith is wrought which is true and vnfained and by which they assuredly shall be saued it will be found that first their minds come to be illuminated and lightened from aboue with diuine Acts 26. 18. Eph. 1. 17. 18. Col 1. 9. 26. 27. and ◠2 2. Cor 4. 6. Iohn 17. 3. Acts 28. 24. Ioh 6. 68 69. Acts 15. 11. Iohn 1. 12. Phil. 3. 12. 1. Tim. 6. 12. 2. Tim. 2. 14. Rom. 4. 20. 21. Rom. 8. 38. Iohn 3. 16. Rom. 15. 13. Acts 8. 39. 1. Pet. 1. 7. T it 3. 8. 14. Coloss 1. 10. Gal 5. 16. 22. 2. Pet. 1. 8. Phil. 1. 11. Rom. 12 2. 1. Cor. 6. 11. Eph 4. 22. 24. Eph 4. 20. 21. knowledge of Gods truth especially with the sauing knowledge of Christ Iesus whom to know is eternall life Secondly then their hearts are strengthened as to assent to that they know so to relie vpon Christ whom they know apprehending him and laying hold of the promises of life and saluation which are made in him Fourthly from thence they proceed further and doe grow at the length to be assured in the truth and setledly perswaded of God his vnchangeable loue towards them in and through Christ Iesus so as they beleeue comfortably they shall neuer perish but haue eternall life by him Whereupon next followeth fifthly Ioy and gladnesse to be bred in their hearts euen such as is said to be vnspeakable and glorious All which former graces haue following and accompanying them the fruites of the Spirit Sixthly in good workes breaking out in their liues which may plainly be discerned by the generall change of their whole course of life from euill to good casting off the old man which is corrupt through the deceiueable lusts and putting on the new which is created after God in holinesse and righteousnesse And thus haue true beleeuers learned Christ heard him and been taught by him as the truth is in Iesus as the Apostle saith Now a temporarie beleeuer who is but a cunning reprobate and a true beleeuers counterfeit may haue the shadow and resemblance of all these graces and that with so liuely colours so workmanly set out and painted forth as shall cause them to carrie a goodly glosse and to shine out with such a glistering brightnesse as if they were comparable with the best when there is nothing at all sound but How farre areprobate may go all is bastardized adulterated and no better then plaine counterfeit stuffe such a man may haue common graces in so good a degree as a naturall man may in the possibilitie of his nature be capable of euen so much as his nature not renewed may permit him to haue As to instance in the former particulars he may haue great measure Heb. 6. 4. 1. Cor. 13. 2. Isai 42. 20. 1. Cor. 1. 19. 20. 8. 2. Rom. 2. 13. 19. 20. Acts 26. 27. Iames 2. 19. Iohn 12. 42. 43. Luke 8. 13. Mat. 23. 2. 3. Rom. 2. 20. 21. Rom. 1. 31. 3. 19. 20. Phil 1. 16. Mat. 7. 21. 22. of illumination and may attaine to much knowledge not alone humane but diuine also to know the truth of God to vnderstand the Scriptures to beleeue the Word of God to bee true crediting it in his iudgement and approuing of it in his affection hee may not alone become expert in the vnderstanding and opening of the Law thereby to know himselfe and all others to be guiltie of sinne but he may grow also acquainted with the mysteries of the Gospell thereout to know Christ and him crucified for the sinnes of the world and to know him to bee theone and onely Sauiour of all mankind he may haue a confused perswasion and conceit in his mind though vnwarrantably that Christ and all his benefits doe belong to him and laying claime to them as the woman that was not the mother did to the child that was not hers apprehend 1. King 3. 22. and lay hold of them all as his owne He may out of this conceit that he is now in the state of grace and in the Luke 8. 13. way of life haue his heart rapt and lift vp with much ioy he may take delight and after a manner grow proud of the good estate which as hee doth thinke he now standeth Luke 18. 11. in as in regard of the outward reformation of his life the vncleane spirit may be said to be gone out of him Mat. 12. 43. and another spirit to be giuen vnto him as was giuen to Saul when another heart was giuen vnto him after Samuel 1. Sam. 10. 6. 9. 10. had once annointed him after which it is also said that the Spirit of the Lord came vpon him He may bee found much humbled before the Lord with Ahab for many 1. Kin. 21. 27. 29. euils hee hath done and much commended before men with Herod for many good things hee hath done of Marke 6. 20. whom it is said that he heard Iohn gladly and that hee did many things after that he had heard him These also many seuerall gifts and graces which are very glorious to look vpon and faire in shew may concurre and meete together in one man and yet neuer a one of them right nor the man himselfe sound at the heart All these thus coupled thus compact and ioined together meeting in one person may seeme to carrie before them a faire resemblance of the comely feature of true sauing faith when yet it is but as a dead image which hauing all parts and lineaments of a well proportioned body wanteth the spirit and breath of life to animate the whole and agitate all the parts with liuely motion
it will vncouer the house and plucke downe the tiles but it will haue passage vnto him If Christ be any where vpon earth it will be with him yea though he hath left the earth yet faith hath not forsaken him but it followeth him through the cloudes as Mark 2. 4. 5. Mark 6. 31. 32. 33. 1. Pet. 1. 8. it were with the wings of an Eagle entring the heauens after him Where Christ giueth it leaue to haue accesse vnto him there is no keeping it from him no force nor violence this way can serue the turne not armies of men nor troupes of souldiers not closing vp in prisons not castles and holds be they neuer so strong though the walles and the gates were all of brasse not all the force of the world if it were all ioyned together against one poore man were able to keepe backe from out of the sight of Christ Iesus that partie whom and whose case faith hath once vndertaken to present and bring before him The whole world is too weake to striue against faith for this is our victorie whereby we ouercome the world 1. Ioh. 5. 4. 5. euen our faith yea all the gates of hell shall neuer bee able Matth. 16. 18. to resist faith or to preuaile against the same so wondrous is the force thereof in our soules as by it all things Mark 9. 23. are made possible vnto vs whither to suffer or ouercome O most incomparable and victorious grace of faith that is thus impregnable and vnconquerable which cannot bee resisted of any thing but ouercommeth all things that it striueth withall How safe is it with that soule that this grace doth once inhabite in How well is it with that man to whom is euer giuen the power of beleeuing for who so findeth this precious faith findeth life and hath 2. Cor. 5. 7. Rom. 11. 20. Gal 2. 20. Iohn 3. 36. Iohn 5 24. obtained mercy and fauour from God for euer to be saued by it we walke by it we stand by it wee liue yea hee that truly beleeueth doth so liue as he hath now eternal life shall neuer see death where euery one that beleeueth not is condemned already How then is the merchandize of this better then the merchandize of siluer and the gaine of this grace better then the gaine of the finest gold It is Laeta mercatura fides Cyrill a gladsome and merry merchandise to bee traffiqued about and a gainefull commoditie to bee got for hee that hath it hath all things to bee his God for his Father Christ Iesus for his Sauiour the holy Ghost for his Comforter the Angels in heauen the Ministers in earth the world it selfe things present and to come all is his he is 1. Cor. 3. 21. 22. 23. Christs and Christ is Gods What cause is there then that all should be set aworke to labour about the obtaining and getting of this grace that is so precious and euen to be rich in this and that euery one doe make prouision for beleeuing that true faith doe not faile vs that should be all our care How well may that be spoken of getting faith in particular which is spoken of wisdome in generall Prou. 4. 5. 7. by Salomon in his Prouerbs Get wisdome get vnderstanding forget it not wisedome is the principall thing therefore get wisdome with all thy gettings get vnderstanding So may it be truly said get faith get the power of beleeuing forget it not faith is the principall thing Heb. 12. 2. Phil. 1. 29. Ephes 2 8. therefore get faith and with al thy gettings get the grace of true beleeuing Faith we know is the gift of God a Faith Gods gift by word commoditie ingrossed into his owne hand alone it is not to be had elsewhere at the hand of any other then onely at his hand whose prerogatiue royall it is to be the Father of light from whom euery good and perfect gift doth come Iames 1. 17. particularly touching this gift of faith he is knowne to be the onely author and the onely finisher of it The Ministers of the Gospel they indeed may be said as Paul speaketh of himselfe and of Apollos to be Ministers by whom 1. Cor. 3. 5. the people doe belieue God vsing the ministerie of the Gospell as a powerfull meanes and ordinance of his owne to work faith in the harts of thē that shall beleeue but they are not the Ministers of whom as of the authors of it the people receiue their faith as though they were Masters Lords of their faith which the Apostle elsewhere doth vtterly disclaime but only helpers as he there speaketh 2. Cor. 1. 24. of the peoples ioy The Ministers in this worke they are indeed labourers and workers together with God but yet 2. Cor. 6. 1. in an inferiour degree and in such a low place as the same Apostle saith they neither are any thing nor can doe any 1. Cor. 3. 7. thing without the Lord who alone doth all their labour is but as the labour of them that doe plant and that doe water it is the Lord alone that is the blesser and hee that giueth the increase to come in saying therefore they are the Ministers by whom the people doe beleeue hee presently sheweth how notwithstanding they came to haue their faith euen saith he as the Lord gaue to euery man 1. Cor. 3. 5. To come then to haue faith we must first attend vpon Gods ordinance in the ministerie of his Word watching daily at wisdoms gates giuing attendance at the postes Prou. 8. 33. Isai 55. 3. of her doores we must incline our eares and come wee must heare that our soules may liue faith is said to come by hearing they that haue lost and left hearing how should they looke to finde faith or euer come to beleeuing Yet this is not all for haue not men heard and doe not men daily heare Yes verily for the sound of the Gospell is gone abroad in all the earth and the Rom. 10. 18. 1. Thes 3. 2. word of this preaching vnto the ends of the world yet all men haue not faith And the Ministers of the Gospell may take vp Isaiahs complaint againe and say Lord Isa 53. 1. Mat. 3. 11. who hath beleeued our report Ministers may offer grace to all but they cannot conferre or giue grace to any Paul may speak to the women that resorted to prayer and to preaching but if God had not opened Lydia's Act. 16. 13. 14. hart to beleeue what was spoken they should haue gone away as they first came We must then beside our hearing send vp to heauen for helpe in this thing that wee may beleeue We must plucke downe that power of God by earnest begging that may strengthen vs vnto this thing for it is no easie matter to haue faith wrought soundly in any mans heart it is such a worke as standeth in need
of no lesse then the mighty power of God to bee set a worke about the effecting of it Which the Apostle knew full well which made him speake as hee doth when he prayed for the Thessalonians that God would fulfill all the good pleasure of his goodnesse towards them 2. Thes 1. 11. and the worke of faith with power Like vnto this is the manner of his praying for the Ephesians that God would open the eyes of their vnderstanding that they might know Ephes 1. 18. 19. what is the exceeding greatnesse of the power of God to them that doe beleeue according to the working of his mighty power In both which places for the worke of faith in the hearts of beleeuers he maketh mention of the power of God the mighty power of God and exceeding greatnesse of the power of God and all but needfull for there is so great an opposition against our beleeuing and so many lets lying in the way to hinder the working of faith in our hearts as lesse then all this would not be sufficient throughly to effect it The heart is bound vp so in vnbeleefe in bonds as strong as bonds of brasse that no power Rom. 11. 32. can possibly loosen them but the Almighty power of God The diuell holdeth men in so strait a bondage Heb. 2. 14. 15. and 3. 12. 13. Isa 61. 1. and doth shut vp mens hearts so in vnbeleefe as none can breake in vpon the heart to worke any faith there but he whose power is such as cannot bee withstood and who onely can loosen the workes of the diuell if the Lord 1. Ioh. 3. 8. himselfe doe not open the doore of our hearts for faith to be got in euen he who onely hath the key of the house of Dauid who openeth and no man shutteth shutteth when Apoe 3. 7. no man can open all the gates and doores of our hearts are so barred vp that there is no passage for faith to haue entrance The heart is fast locked vp in the diuels gaile of blindnesse and ignorance he hath rampired vp euery Mat. 13. 15. gate there to keep grace out he dealeth as enemies that labour the destruction of a place who take all passages that no victuall may bee brought nor helpe to giue them succour The diuell doth thus he takes the passages of the soule by which comfort knowledge and grace might bee deriued vnto it and faith might bee there wrought that would put him to flight As hee blindes 2. Cor. 44. vp mens eyes that the light of the glorious Gospell of Christ Iesus should not shine vnto them so hee stoppes their eares as with clay and with earth that they can listen after nothing but earthly matters and things belonging vnto this life they heare not Gods word or if they doe they doe not regard they are as the deafe adder that heareth not the voice of the charmer The diuell fitteth Psal 58. 4. 5. in mens hearts he hath so erected his throne there as no grace will be suffered to come in The onely remedie in this case is to flie to God for succour to lift vp our voices and cry loud vnto him to importune him by earnest prayer night and day till helpe doe come We are to set out our throats and cry yea with a holy kind of impudencie as did blind Bartimeus cry out to the sonne of Dauid and not hold our peace that he would haue mercy Mar. 10. 47. 48. vpon vs and open our eyes that wee may receiue our sight not withstanding the diuell would keepe vs still in blindnesse we are to bring our deafe eares vnto him that Mark 7. 32. 33. 34. 35. he may boare them open that we may heare Gods blessed word and in hearing may come to beleeue that faith may be begotten in vs by that immortall seed of Gods euerlasting word and that God himselfe will become the worker and the authour of this true sauing grace of precious faith in vs. Neither are we to rest in the first beginnings of this grace but follow on with our best endeauours vsing all good meanes for the daily encreases therof plying God still with vncessant prayers that he who hath been the authour will now also bee the finisher of Prayer is the exercise of faith her recreation and meanes to keepe it alone faith in vs that hee will blesse vs with happie growth and encreases in this grace carrying vs on from faith to faith This is that which our Sauiour himselfe hath taught vs to doe euer to pray O Lord encrease our faith Wee Rom. 1. 17. are to follow herein the example of the poore man in the Gospell that came to Christ to haue his sonne healed who shewed great faith in his vnbeleefe in that though he doubted whether Christ could heale his child yet hee Mark 9. 24. beleeued he could heale his faith crying with him Lord I beleeue helpe my vnbeleefe Neither are we to rest in so doing alone but to do what we can our selues that the small How to nourish faith measure of this grace being once thus begun may euer be encreased by our more diligent vsing the meanes of the Word Sacramēts Prayer stirring it vp by meditating endeauouring striuing asking seeking knocking when we feele any sparkles of true and liuely faith lye glowing in our hearts within they must be cherished succoured and much made of that holy fire must not be quenched nor let to goe out for want of tending and blowing vp the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Tim. 1. 6. coale as Paul speaketh to Timothie When we perceiue any light of faith to breake forth and shine out wee must looke well to our lampes that oyle be poured in and bee neuer lacking When the fier of this burning is once kindled vpon the altar of our hearts euery one must doe the office of the Priest to himselfe to keepe this fier still a burning and to trimme these lights that they may neuer Exod. 2◠20. 21 leaue shining yea this fier is not onely to bee kept in but to be blowne vp and made to flame prayer is in stead of bellowes to the fier the Word and Sacraments rightly and reuerently vsed are as oyle to make this holy fier to flame conference with others and holy meetings with Gods seruants for the comforting of themselues together by the mutuall faith both of one and of another as the Apostle speaketh are as the bringing together Rom. 1. 12. of firebrands that doe set one another a burning as the two disciples that went to Emmaus said one to another did not our hearts burne within vs while hee was talking to Luk. 24. 32. vs heauenly meditations as we are alone by our selues when the heart is rapt vp to heauen flaming vp in the desires thereof to receiue grace from aboue they are as a fiery chariot which carrieth vs vp with Eliah from this
the dissolution of the soule and the body and that a true beleeuer should dye in all that weaknesse and feeblenes of his faith yet were it not possible that such a beleeuer could miscarrie because he dieth in Christ his faith holding him fast in Christ and holding Christ fast to him faith being of that nature that hauing once taken hold of Christ in the greatest weaknesse that can come vpon it it neuer letteth goe the hold it hath taken though being benummed for a time by some disease of tentation it may not feele the hold it truly hath till that soule be saued that once hath entertained it and had it abiding and dwelling therein it dieth not in death till it seeth that soule that so hath it to be put into life And to shew yet further how mightie and powerfull this grace is to saue euery one that doth truly beleeue it dealeth with vs and for vs towards Christ in the office that it hath to saue vs by Christ as Christ himselfe dealeth for vs towards God his Father in being our Mediatour that wee might be brought to God by him Now we know he neuer will giue ouer the office of his Mediatourship for vs till hauing finished all things for the perfecting of the worke of our full saluation putting downe and subduing all the enemies that wee haue vnto the very last of them all which is death drawing vp all his members euen to the last and to the least that belong to his body himselfe being the head that all together may be glorified with him and then shall be the end of this his office of Mediatourship in the manner as now he doth execute the same and neuer till then when the kingdome shall be deliuered vp euen to God the Father and he himselfe as Mediatour become subiect vnto 1. Cor. 15. 24. 28. him that put all things vnder him that God may be all in all we being inseparably ioyned to him and vnto God by him that so we may raigne for euer in his kingdome After some such manner doth pretious faith which is the faith of Gods elect discharge the office assigned vnto it Christ is the only Sauiour of mankinde there is no name giuen vnder heauen whereby wee can be saued Acts 4. 12. but only by him he alone by himselfe hath fully perfected and finished that worke of our saluation and by the price of his bloud hath purchased eternall redemption for vs at the hands of God his Father The benefit of this purchased redemption is effectually communicated only to such as doe truly beleeue whom hee mindeth to bestow saluation vpon hee neuer faileth to giue faith vnto that they may haue a hand to receiue that which he hath a heart most freely and willingly to bestow the office of faith is to apprehend Christ and neuer more to let him goe to lay hold of saluation which Christ bringeth with him and neuer to see it lost till the soule be set safe for euer into which for this purpose it is once put and wherein it was wrought at the first Faith is most faithful in discharging al the trust that is thus coÌ„mitted vnto it and performeth to the full the office that it is appointed vnto for which cause it setteth vpon our enemies that would let our saluation and neuer giueth them ouer till it hath subdued them it repelleth what would hurt vs it remoueth out of our way what would hinder our good it feareth not our arch enemy the diuell himselfe but couragiously Power of faith and stoutly it dareth set vpon him and encounter him and buckle with him and faileth not to foile him and in the end most valiantly and victoriously to triumph ouer him conquering him in the combate and forcing Iames 4. 7. 1. Pet. 5. 9. him to flight it dareth take the whole world to task ouercome it too in the end for this is the victory whereby Eph. 5. 4. we ouercome the world euen our beleeuing it stoppeth so the mouth of the Law and putteth sinne so to silence that they can haue nothing to say against vs it iustifieth the soule in which it is and setteth it at peace with God it bringeth vs vnto Christ and so ingrafteth vs into him as it suffereth vs not euermore to be separated from him by any kind of dis-union that can happen it purifieth and purgeth the heart while we liue it comforteth and cheareth the heart when we come to die it once being entertained of vs abideth with vs for our safetie and comfort euen to the end it neuer giueth vs ouer so long as wee haue a day to liue and when death that must part vs doth appeare it yeeldeth not to death till we bee bee put into life and lets vs not goe till it hath resigned vs vp vnto Christ who then taketh vs to himselfe for euer out of the hand of faith Thus faith hauing finished the whole worke of our saluation that was to be done by it and brought it to so happie an end it then taketh a most sweete and happie farewell of vs for euer after as not being able any more to stand vs in any further stead Oh happie and blessed work of faith that it thus doth worke for vs Oh grace most gracious and precious indeed of sauing faith which being once giuen to the Saints they can neuer valew the worthinesse of the gift that is so giuen nor the good will of the giuer that most freely hath bestowed it who can neuer be enough loued of vs nor his name sufficiently magnified by vs and praised for the same Q. I will with-hold you no longer by mouing any further questions hereabout nor draw you any further away from going on to speake your iudgement about that matter you were in hand with namely how faith which is a spirituall grace that is inwardly seated and roâ—ted in the heart commeth yet at the length to be plainely discerned and made manifest But I desire to know further your mind in this what you thinke to be the readiest and best course for a man to take that is desirous to worke out his owne saluation and mâ—kâ— his election sure whereby to find out that he hath sauinâ—â—aith euen that pretious faith which is the faith of Gods elect A. I find that the most generall course in the Scriptures throughout taken by the Spirit of God himselfe who is onely wise and searcheth the heart and the reynes and knoweth all men throughly both behind and before within them and without them what they are in most exact manner so as nothing can escape his knowledge when he would make the hid things of mans heart manifest Vsuall triall of faith is by life not heart and would make men either knowne to themselues or manifest them what they are vnto others or would ouercome them himselfe and conuince them to be such as he doth challenge them for and charge them to be what
time he doth enter into plea with them or hold and maintaine any controuersie against them that then his course is to put this more vpon the triall of such mens liues then vpon the disposition of their hearts more to stand vpon what is seene to come from them then to stand arguing the case whether it bee true that they say they haue or haue not this or that vertue or vice within them Like as it will also be the course that the righteous Iudge of the whole world will take in that great assize according as himselfe in part hath made it knowne afore-hand vnto vs when all men shall be made to appeare and shall bee put vpon their last triall euen the triall of life and of death the triall will passe and the iudgement will bee giuen vpon them either for guilty or guiltlesse not so expressely according to what hath been in their hearts as according to what hath appeared in their liues and what hath been found to haue been the deed and workes of their hands as namely he telleth vs they that haue done Iohn 5. 29. good shall goe into life euerlasting and they that haue done euill vnto euerlasting fier and it will be said go you cursed Mat. 25. 34. 41. you gaue me no meat you did not visite me come you blessed you fed mee and you clothed mee And this is that which the Apostle also saith wee must giue an account 2. Cor. 5. 10. according to that we haue done in our bodies Hee saith not according to that we haue had dwelling and abiding in our hearts for the plaine manifesting of the one will be sufficient and enough to make the other well enough knowne So that though we are not iustified by our workes yet shall we be iudged by them they being the infallible testimonies of our vnfained faith in Christ Iesus and though workes doe not iustifie vs yet workes doe iustifie that that must iustifie vs euen our faith by which we beleeue to be saued that it is a liuely faith and a faith that is not fained therefore doth Iames bring forth his workes to manifest his faith by as the directest course that can be taken and the most ready to haue faith made knowne by Now if any thinke he can doe otherwise and without workes get his faith to which he trusteth to be manifested and made knowne to bee God hee calles him forth to doe his best in shewing how that can bee performed shew me saith hee thy faith without Iames 2. 18. works and I will shew thee my faith by my workes Which he so speaketh not that any can possibly do it but that their folly may the rather be laid open and the more discouered that so doe thinke it They bee the workes which come from faith that must both shew faith and iustifie it to be true Faith is operatiue and worketh by loue if any will find out faith let him seeke after the measures Gal. 5. 6. of his loue to God and to his Saints If any would know whether hee bee elect or no to eternall life let him gather the knowledge thereof from the effectualnesse of his calling and sanctification of his life for by these Pcter leadeth the Christians as by the hand to the finding it 1. Pet. 12. out We must not soare alost to know whether or no we be elected If any man would know whether the Sunne shineth or no let him looke vpon the ground to see the reflexion of the Sunne-beames from thence and not vpon the body of the Sunne which will but dazle the more his sight As then we gather the cause by the effect the paterne by the picture and by the forme of a seale printed in waxe we easily vnderstand what is the very forme and fashion of the seale it selfe so by the true and proper effects of liuely faith we conclude the existence and being of true faith it selfe and the same effects like seales doe imprint and stampe the image of Gods election in vs. Q. But may not faith as well bee found out by the causes which causeth faith as by the effects which faith worketh and bringeth forth As for example the publication of the promises of the Gospell made to poore sinners calling all that are wearie and heavie laden with the burden of their sinnes to come to Christ promising they shall bee eased and promising that all that doo beleeue in Christ they shall never perish but haue euerlasting life and withall commanding vs that wee doe beleeue in the name of Iesus Christ the Sonne of God 1. Iohn 3. 23. Now if with the publishing of such promises out of the Gospell preached and declaration of such acommandement giuen the Spirit of God who is the onely efficient cause and worker of this grace shall be pleased to ioyne his owne working with the word of that preaching and so open a doore of faith to the poore sinnâ—r that heareth such promises as he shall not onely assent vnto them but lay hold of them also and assume them to himselfe and taking God at his wora beleeue indeed that hee shall haue his sinnes pardoned and his soule for euer saued May not a poore sinner so beleeuing find out this way that he hath true faith indeed without any further inquiring or making any more question about the same A Yes doubtles and no way better then thus if so be he Faith knowne by causes can after this manner apprehend and feele that so he doth beleeue for now he hath set his foot vpon that rocke that will neuer faile vnder him but beare vp his whole building and giue him a sure standing for his faith to rest vpon now hath hee come to the very ground worke of his beleeuing and hath laid open to himselfe the foundation to the bottome whereupon his faith is set so firme sure that it is not possible it shall bee moued to the ouerwhelming thereof for euermore And therefore he may comfortably cheare vp his heart as did the Apostle against euery obiect of feare or discomfort that might stand before him at any time to dismay him and say with him I am not ashamed neither doe I passe at all for this for I 2. Tim. 1. 12. know whom I have beleeued and vpon what I haue grounded my so beleeuing and I am perswaded that hee that hath thus promised is both able and faithfull to doe that he hath promised and that hee will also performe it But if it be well marked this faith euen by this search is not found out by the causes alone but by that which is caused by it and by that which it is in hand with to effect and worke in the heart of that beleeuer in whom it is so wrought for it is in hand with this worke to bring the sinner to his Sauiour to ioyne the soule that hath sinned to Christ that hath saued it by an vnseparable vnion
that shall neuer more bee parted yea to take such hold of Christ as hee may dwell in that heart for euer And can there be a greater a more powerfull or more comfortaâ—le worke wrought by faith in a mans whole life-time then this hand-fasting of Christ and the beleeuer once for euer together and can there a more blessed effect euer flow from faith then so to apprehend Christ by our beleeuing in him that now with Peter we doe so beleeue and know him to be our Sauiour as we can goe away reioycing and chaunt it out with the Spouse in that Song of Songs My beloued is mine and I am his and his desire is vnto me Howbeit Cantic 2 16. 7. 10. it is not euery bodies case for faith thus to manifest it selfe in them at the first so soone as euer it hath any manner of being at all in the heart into which it is put euery body that haue faith cannot thus clearely and readily find out the faith that they haue so soone as they haue it at the first neither yet at all times after they haue once truly receiued it when they would be glad to haue the comfort of it The faith of euery one commeth not to grow vp so speedily and to attaine to that ripenesse of the sudden as they that haue it can haue such present refreshing by it and the like benefit to shelter and shaddow themselues vnder the comfortable couering and shaddow thereof in the feruent aking and fainting of their hearts as had Ionah Ionah 4. 6. 10. vnder the shaddow of the Gourd which God made to grow vp in a night and prepared ready against the morning to come ouer his head to deliuer him from the feruent scorching of the Sunne and vehement East-wind that did beate vpon him which yet was the case of some in the beginnings of the Gospell vnto whom both faith and the comfort of faith was giuen to be felt together as the Eunuch the Iailor Lydian and some other But though some may haue comfort of their faith at the first and for some good time together yet is it as possible for that course to be interrupted againe and they as much depriued of that comfortable working of their faith for the cheering and refreshing of their hearts afterwards for a time through the strength of some sore tentation assailing the same as Ionah was depriued of the benefit of his Gourd for altogether that refreshed him so well with the shadow thereof when once God had prepared a worme to smite that gourd so as it perished in one night againe and became then more distressed then at the first in so much that his heart fainted in him which made him wish in himselfe now to die and no longer to liue So fareth it with many who haue once been swetly refreshed with the consolations of Gods and haue felt much comfort and gladnesse of heart in their new Feeling lost conuersion and haue been filled with ioy and peace in their first beleeuing who yet haue afterwards had all the light of their comforts so greatly eclypsed their faith so sorely shaken their hearts so troubled and deepely distressed and they cast into such labyrinths of spirituall sorrowes as out of which they no way haue been able to dispatch themselues but haue been forced to yeeld ouer and fall downe flat oppressed with their burthens ouerwhelmed with their griefes the waight of their sorrowes and burthen of their feares exceeding for a time the strength of their faith and so breaking it downe that all comfort faileth them for the present and their faith can be no more felt then if at all it neuer had been Then are they more troubled then if they had neuer before knowne what comfort had meant like Rebeckah Gen. 25. 22. who was more troubled that she had euer conceiued when she felt those struglings in her wombe Such comforts once had but lost againe which the sorrowes so comming vpon them haue eaten vp and deuoured as Pharaohs leane kine did the fat serue but to strengthen their present griefes and to make them twice more grieuous then otherwise they would haue beene felt if they had not tasted how ioyous and how comfortable the former consolations and refreshings of their hearts had beene Then begin they to call all things into question which before they found so great comfort in their conuersion is doubted of either neuer to haue been soundly wrought or else that that which was once happily begun now to be vntimely brought to an end and wholly to be vndone againe Their faith is suspected either to haue bin but a meere fancie they all the while deluded when they thought they had true faith wrought in them and did best of all beleeue or else that which was once true for want of strength to be now perished froÌ„ theÌ„ to faile theÌ„ for altogether wholly to be lost gone Then as Rachels voice was heard in Rama when she wept for her children and would not be comforted because they were not so are their lamentable voices heard in the Churches of weeping and mourning and great lamentation they weeping for the want of these graces and will not be comforted because to their sense and feeling as themselues so doe thinke they now are not but are quite lost and gone CHAP. IX What remedie there is for the weake in faith and withall the excellency of faith is declared with the practice or vse to be made thereon Question WHat course is then to be taken for help and remedy in this case that such may be succoured and supported in this their great weaknes not seene to faint giue ouer for altogether A. They to whom God hath giuen Isa 50. 4. tongue of the learned so as they know how to speake a Comforts to weake faith word in season to them that are wearie had need to strengthen such with their mouth and tempering their words with a certaine sweetnesse of speaking by the comfort of their lippes to asswage their griefes These Iob 16. 5. whose hearts are thus dismayed and discomforted languishing and fearing and ready to faint within them had Cant. 2. 4. 5. need to be carried into the Lords wine cellers of the holy Scriptures that they may bee refreshed and stayed with Isa 66. 11. his flagons and comforted with his apples that thence they may sucke and be satisfied with the consolations of God to get strength in the inner man againe that so they faint not in these their fearings through the enemies tentations Such are to bee directed to got and listen how graciously the Lord himselfe who is the father of mercies and God of all consolation vouchsafeth euen in that place to speake comfortably to the heart of her that Iere. 31. 13. 15. 16. 17. would not bee comforted in a case not much vnlike to that which theirs now is promising that hee would turne
prestigiated by the cunning working of the diuell such a one is made to beleeue he hath that he hath not the Iuggler in shew and to his seeming puts an Angell into his hand bids him shut his hand and hold it fast the man now thinks hee hath it sure but when hee openeth his hand to take out his piece of gold hee either findes nothing there or if any thing at all nothing better then a slippe a piece of copper or a counter that will goe for no payment and so finds himselfe to be neuer the better for it nor neuer the richer but meerely cousoned and deluded by a false conceit There is a history related if the matter be not mistaken of an Apostatate professor who comming to the table of the Lord to receiue the Sacrament when hee had receiued the bread into his hand it became turned into ashes by and by Which if it were so did plainly enough shew that Christ would feede no such but as hee had withdrawne his heart from Christ so Christ could well enough withdraw himselfe from him that he should neuer apprehend him and haue no part in him the diuell made such a one beleeue and his owne false heart beguiled him as well as did the diuell causing him to thinke that if he could come to the Lords table and partake in the Sacrament he should receiue Christ well enough as it is the conceit of the most to this day who neuer do goe further but he found by lamentable experience that the deceiuer had beguiled him for opening his hand for bread to put into his mouth there was nothing but ashes found and so nothing to eate hee might starue well enough for any nourishment that was there to be had Though all hypocrites in comming to the Sacrament there to apprehend Christ and to receiue as they vse to speake their Maker haue not alwaies such a visible signe put into their hands of receiuing nothing as had this back-slider yet let them looke into their hearts and there they shall find if they be wel ransacked and searched as true nothing to be there no presence of Christ of his flesh and his blood for their spirituall nourishment as that man had no bread remaining but ashes in stead of bread for him to feede vpon a lye being in their right Isa 44. 20. hand through a seduced heart beguiling them as speaketh the Prophet And so their case paralelleth the case of that man whose senses the cousoning Iugler by Satans so powerfull working had so prestigiated as he was made to beleeue he had a piece of gold put into his hands but when he looked to take it out there hee found nothing but all was gonne In like manner these with those of Laodicea who were professors as well as the best and Apoc. 3. 17. thought they had their part in Christ as plentifully as who had most that thought they were rich enough and wanted nothing when in the meane time they knew not that they were wretched miserable poore blind and naked wanting all things till the matter at length came to be tried and then it was proued to be so indeed so these thinke they haue laid good hold of Christ and are so surely possessed of him as there is no feare at all of their euer perishing for their being out of him But when triall shall bee made thereof at the day of iudgement or at the houre of death when they shall begin to cry Lord Lord vnto Christ Master master now helpe and saue vs he will then stand aloofe off and make the matter very strange vnto them as though hee had neuer knowne them Then shall it appeare that there was neuer any sound nor true acquaintance betweene Christ and them they neuer in Christ because they were not new creatures Christ neuer in them and therefore they will be found to be no better then plaine reprobates Q. But of such professors comming to the Sacrament there to receiue Christ and to be partakers of him you cannot say they receiue nothing for they receiue the holy signes and seales of Christ his body and blood stamped with the true and vncounterfait impression of Gods owne Ordinance and institution to make them more reuerend in our eyes and estimation yea they are stiled and named by the institutor and ordainer of himselfe not the signes and seales of his body and blood but they are called his body and blood that wee Mat. 26. 26. 28. might know to our comfort the Lord his plaine and full meaning is not to present onely the signes to be receiued by vs but the thing that is signified as wel as the signes in like manner to be offered vnto vs to become ours A. True and so it proueth to be to the worthy receiuer who bringeth with him as well a spirituall hand of faith to receiue and lay hold of the thing that is signified as a bodily hand of flesh to receiue the outward signe thereof and bringeth as well the vessell of his heart purged and made cleane for the flesh and blood of Christ to bee put into for the spirituall nourishing of him to eternall life as his mouth is prepared and readily opened to receiue the bread and wine for the bodily nourishing of this temporarie life And for all that hypocrites and misbeleeuers in receiuing the Sacrament either receiue nothing or that which to them is as good as nothing if it bee not worse making themselues thereby guilty of the body and blood of Christ and so receiuing their owne damnation but Christ to saluation I am sure they doe not receiue neither at all apprehend to haue him to be theirs They may receiue as Iudas is said to receiue panem domini but not panem dominum the bread of the Lord but not the bread which is the Lord. The Word and Sacraments by Gods ordinance are as Christs vestments and garments wherewith he is couered vnto which the true beleeuers comming taking them and touching them with the hand of faith they reach further then to the outward garment and couering touching Christ himselfe and taking hold of him and so with the woman in the Gospell they draw Mark 5. 27. 28. 30. vertue out of him for their healing But vnbeleeuers that want this true faith they can catch hold of nothing but the bare garments and outward couerings alone they comming to seeke Christ there find him no more there present vnto them then Peter and Iohn found Christ in the sepulchre when they went to seeke him after hee was Ioh. 20. 5. 6. 7. risen they found indeed the linnen clothes in which hee was wrapped but him they found not for hee was risen and gone from thence They find in the Sacraments the outward elements of Christs outward vestments and garments he vseth to be clothed withall but him they shall be sure neuer to find comming in that fashion to seeke him no though they should goe after him
with their bullockes goates and offerings so seeking his acquaintance Hos 5. 6. and to get a countenance at his hands the Lord so iustly requiting them that as they like hypocrites draw neare to them with their lippes onely their hearts in the meane time being remoued farre from him Isa 29. 13. so he will be seene to take no pleasure in them not to be found of them when they doe seeke him or to shew at all any countenance vnto them according to that If any man withdraw himselfe my soule shall haue no pleasure in Heb. 10. 38. him Indeed I cannot denie they haue receiued the Lords holy Sacraments of God his owne institution and that they are not a little proud on they thinke they are well enough for that day and it may be for that yeere till that day twelue-moneth come againe they thinke hauing admittance from the Minister and gotten the Sacrament once into their hands they haue wealth enough and are rich enough to defray all charges and to pay all debts that either God their Creditor or the diuell their accuser can burthen them withall for Christ they make reckoning shall now answere for all they make no doubt they haue receiued him when they receiued the Sacrament and so hauing had him they still hold him fast Indeed if this were so that opening their hands of faith they might see him there held fast and opening the doore of their hearts they could find him truly present and there dwelling in their hearts by that faith then were they rich indeed both to pay all that were owing and to liue of that which remained beside But in stead of this Angell of gold that which they haue proueth to be no better then a very slip or counter which they tooke in stead of good gold or siluer which will goe for no payment that will buy them no bread nor pay any pennie debt they may starue for hunger for any thing that with that they can buy at Gods hands they may be cast into prison and there lie till they rot for any shortening of their debt they owe vnto God with making such paiment for these to pleade before God the receiuing of his Sacraments will be so farre from cleering of the debt-booke as it will runne them further into arerages with him and bring them deeper into his danger nothing is for them to bee hoped for that this way can bee gotten But now on the other side a true Christian that is sound in the faith doth by his faith so truly apprehend Christ that hee hath reall and true vnion and communion 1. Cor. 6. 17. with him to become one with him and is so neerely and inseparably ioyned vnto him so ingrafted by faith and thereby so incorporated into him as he is in Christ and Ioh. 14. 20. Rom. 8. 1. 10. Christ in him The meate that â—â— feed vpon is not more truly made one with our substance after once we haue eaten Iohn 6. 56. it and God hath blessed it for our nourishing The plant that is well grafted and set into a stocke becommeth Iohn 15. 5. not more one with the stock after once it hath flourished and growne vp with the tree The husband and the wife Ephes 5. 30. 31. of two are not more truly become one flesh after mariage be consummate The body and the head are not more Ephes 1. 22. 23. neerely vnited and conioyned together in a man that is liuing then is Christ with a true Christian after that by faith hee hath once laid hold on him Yea so is a true Christian really and vndoubtedly possessed of Christ by his stedfast beleeuing as that he hath him dwelling in his Ephes 3. 17. heart by faith and that in so liuely a sort and after so effectuall a manner of working in him as that thencefoorth not so much the Christian doth liue as Christ himselfe Gal. 2 20. doth liue in him and the life which a true beleeuer doth afterward liue in the flesh he doth liue by the faith of the Sonne of God from whom as from his head he draweth and deriueth by his faith such influence of grace as doth strengthen and sustaine him in his spirituall life Their conceits of apprehending Christ and of eating his flesh and his bloud in the Sacrament to bee nourished thereby to life eternall is but as when a hungrie man dreameth and behold he eateth but when hee awaketh his Isai 29 8. soule is still emptie or as when a thirstie man dreameth and behold he drinkâ—th but when he awaketh behold he is faint and his soule hath still appetite and hee is yet a thirst So these men they are but in a dreame when they haue such contentment and seeme to haue such satisfying in their manner of hauing Christ which is but in phantasie and conceit alone for when they shall awake out of their dreame in the morning of the resurrection they shall not finde according to that Dauid reckoned Psal 17. 5. vpon that when he should awake vp he should be satisfied with Gods image and finde fulnesse of ioy in Gods presence Psal 16. 11. and pleasures at his right hand for euermore But rather as vagrant and needie rogues that haue nothing and can get no entertainment and as hungrie dogs runne about Psal 59. 14. 15. the streetes snarling and grinning and grudging because they are not satisfied and as it is said in Isaiah They shall then be hungrie and thirstie ashamed and confounded crying Isai 65. 13. 14. 8. 21. 22. out for sorrow of heart and howling for vexation of spirit leauing their name for a curse to Gods chosen in the day that the Lord shall slay them Contrarily sound-hearted Christians and true beleeuers indeed whose soules with Dauid doe thirst for God euen for the liuing God who hunger and thirst after righteousnesse Psal 42. 1. 2. Matth. 5. 6. and the saluation that is to bee had in Christ Iesus wheresoeuer that dead carkase may be light vpon of Christ crucified of his flesh and bloud broken and powred out and prepared for their spirituall nourishment whether in the word preached or Sacraments administred thither as the Eagles of heauen doe they swiftly flie Matth. 24. 28. and resort that prey doe they light vpon there doe they seaze and lay hold vpon Christ euen vpon him crucified seeking their repast in him there doe they feede vpon him with fresh appetite and take their fill of such dainties as in him they finde to be prepared for them Neither doe they this in a phantasie alone and meere imagination as doe those that dreame but with as ioyfull a feeling and as great a reioycing as those that are made most merrie at a banquet of wine for there finde they a most sumptuous banquet and princely feast prepared for them vpon the Lords mountaine euen a feast of fat things and of wines on the
all would scarce bee able to giue him satisfying that his disease were curable and might well bee holpen he would doubt that all the Balme in the Lords Gilead would not suffice to make for him a remedy that should bee soueraigue and sauing enough nor that all they together should haue sufficient skill how to apply it so as hee might haue good recouerie thereby Yea if it once grow ill with them in their faith and repentance and that these graces are smitten at strooken and wounded by some soare and dangerous tentation then in stead of complaining of the weakenesse and hurt of their faith and repentance they fall to entertaine a conceit into their mindes which troubleth them worse then did all the rest namely that they haue no faith at all that they haue no true repentance nor euer yet had But I would demand if they had not some remainder of the life of these graces of faith and repentance by which they feele the wounds and hurts that these affected members and parts of the inner man haue receiued how come they to make complaint in particular about their faith and repentance that it is not well with them Can a man that hath his leggs cut off so hauing no legs be affected with the aching or painefull dolour of the wounds and hurts which are in his legs he may complaine of paines in other partes but griefes in his leggs he can neither feele nor complaine of for he hath none at all to be pained in But if a man hauing indeed a leg that is now hurt and wounded then were it meere solly and madnesse for him to complaine and say that he hath no leg because his leg is so maimed and hurt for that proueth that he hath a leg in that he complaineth all his paine is in his leg and complaines not of his arme nor of his head which both may be well for all that Q. True but may not a man complaine he hath no legs at all if his legs indeed be once cut off A. But I demand againe Can a man in like manner Of feeling complaine that hee hath no heart at all if his heart bee plucked out We know that then he is but a dead man for the heart is the most vitall part of the body and the very seate of life which being principally in it the life it selfe by it is communicated to all the rest destroy therefore and pluck out the heart and then tell me what life will be remaining in that body for it to complaine it hath no heart Faith is as vitall a part for the life of the soule as the heart is for the life of the body for it is the only organe and receptacle of all the life of the soule that it receiueth from Christ the onely fountaine of true life and by it that spirituall life which is receiued from Christ is communicated to euery power and part of the soule beside It is the very soule of our soule for wee liue by faith wee walke and worke by it and not by sight the life of faith is that which doth animate all other vertues beside that are in vs. Plucke this faith away and destroy faith which is the life of the soule and then what life will there be remaining in that soule for a man to feele by it that he hath no faith or to complaine of the weaknesse and wants of his faith for then he should be as a dead man that should haue no feeling in him as vnbeleevers and wicked persons are said to be dead euen while they liue 1. Tim. 5. 6. Iude 12. yea twice dead and pluckt vp by the rootes and are past feeling as the Apostle speaketh Nay the complaining by weake Christians about their faith for the weaknesse thereof or for the want of their faith argueth the presence and being in life of their faith by which they haue such feeling and make such complaining as one complaining that he feeleth paine at his heart that doth argue that he hath a heart and that his heart is in life which maketh him so to complaine These are not vnlike vnto that melancholike person Treatise of Me lacholy pa. 215 who being ouer borne and ouerset with that dangerous humour of melancholy complained he had no head nor could not possibly be otherwise perswaded then by that course which that prudent Physition Phylotimus did take with him when he caused to be made a cap of lead very waightie and heauie and the same to be put vpon his head that feeling the weight thereof vpon his head hee might be brought to conceiue otherwise and be perswaded that hee had a head And as they are not much vnlike that melancholike for kinde of disease who was deluded with melancholie conceits to thinke that he wanted that which indeed hee had so doe I thinke the like kinde of remedie in this case not vnfit to be vsed for their cure which was vsed for his I would therefore lay vpon these weake Christians no other burthen but the weight of their owne burthen of holy sorrow and griefe and doubtfull despaire for their wanting of faith as themselues doe deeme which is so weightie as they are like to sinke vnder it wholly to be broken down with the load thereof yet that being laid vpon the head of their faith they may bee asked whether they feele any such burthen and are pressed vnder the heauie weight of the same which if they do let them neuer make doubt more but that they haue faith and their faith hath both head and hart too that hath life in it which moueth that sense and causeth that feeling and worketh that holie griefe and sorrow so to complaine the whole soule being quickened thereby throughout and all the graces of Gods spirit that are therein There is no life of spirituall graces otherwise to be had then as the same be deriued from Christ who is our life and the fountaine thereof there is no passage for this life to flow into our soules but as by faith the same be let in which only is the instrument of the vnion that is betweene Christ and vs and the proper hand to receiue all grace from him the very receptacle and as I may say the cisterne to hold the grace it hath receiued from him as out of the fountaine and so to distribute it to all the rest of the graces that are in that soule wherein it is seated If therefore there be any liuely feeling of our want of faith and mourning for our want if we complaine of the want of faith feeling it to be a burthen vnto vs that is too heauie for vs to beare if wee sigh and groane vnder that burthen with earnest longings and daily prayers to be eased and with such desires of obtaining that which we want as willingly we neglect no meanes that we can know is to be vsed for our better comming by it doubtlesse there is the
presence of holy grace for such a true desire of grace in the want of grace is grace it selfe and there is the euidence of the life of grace manifestly to be seene Now that life of grace cannot otherwise be had but as from faith and by meanes thereof it be receiued which drawing life from Christ and taking it from him doth replenish the whole soule therewith and quickneth euery grace with the same that is found therein So that such a liuely feeling of the want of faith and complaining of that want with desire of hauing that want supplied doe no other in truth but argue the presence of liuely faith howsoeuer it be not felt Faith as well may be present in the soule though it be not felt and though hauing it we be not for a time priuie Feeling to our so hauing of it as Christ himselfe may be present with a true Christian when yet being strongly set vpon by some sore tentation hee may thinke himselfe for the time wholly to be giuen ouer and to be quite forsaken Christ once receiued by a beleeuing Christian to dwell in his heart by faith may be and doubtlesse according to his promise will be with his to the end of the world still Matth. 28. remaining and abiding with euery such a beleeuing christian dwelling in that heart which once receiued him though so closely keeping himselfe hidden that the same Christian may for a time seeke him as much sorrowing for not finding of him as euer did Mary his mother sorrowfully Luke 2. 4. 8. seeke him when he was missing and hunt as much after him with as longing a desire to light vpon him as euer did the Spouse when she was most sicke of loue Cantic 5. 8. long for and looke after her welbeloued and yet with her for a good time neuer find nor light vpon him when all the while he is though very secretly yet most certainly remaining with them and abiding in them For the Lord knoweth how to bee present with his children and yet they themselues shall not be aware of his so being as Iacob spake of Gods presence with him at Bethel God saith he was here and I was not aware The Lord can tell saith one of the ancient Fathers how to be wholly euery August epist 3. ad Volusianum where and yet contained in no one place he knoweth how to come to one by not leauing that place from whence hee so came he knoweth how to goe away againe and not to leaue him from whom he is so gone And againe speaking of the marueilous manner of Christ his being borne of a woman she being yet a virgine and so of his comming into the house the doores yet being shut saith further If a reason of this could be found it should not be wonderfull if an example of the like it should not be singular We must know saith he and beleeue God can doe some things which wee can neuer finde out the manner and the way by which they are so done And in such things the greatest reason of the doing of them is the only power and might of him by whom they are done There are two waies after which the Lord may be said to be with his children while they remaine in this world one which may bee perceiued and well may bee felt another which is secret and cannot bee knowne but by the euent and effect as they by proofe finde themselues to haue been sustained and vpheld in all their greatest troubles though they know not how and could not then perceiue by whom but it was the Lord that sustained them with the one hand while hee was putting them downe with the other After such a manner may faith be knowne to bee present in the heart when yet it cannot sensibly bee felt namely as it may be followed discouered and found out by the working It is well worth the obseruing that it is promised in the Gospell that whosoeuer beleeueth shall Iohn 4. 16. neuer perish but haue life euerlasting Now it is to bee marked that it is not said Who so hath the comfort of beleeuing and the feeling of his faith and so knoweth vnâ—oubtedly that he hath true faith he and he onely is the â—an that shall be saued but he that indeede beleeueth that is he whom God who onely knoweth the hearts of all and knoweth them better then wee know them our selues knoweth that hee doth truly though neuer so weakely beleeue and who hath faith in Gods account though it be not so in his owne though he haue not the feeling of his faith nor the comfort of his owne beleeuing nor can no more apprehend how the Lord can in any fauour be present with him then could Gideon conceiue how that could be so which the Angell spake vnto Iudg. 6. 12. 13. him telling him that the Lord was with him they being in the meane while oppressed by the hands of the Midianites yet that man is vndoubtedly in the state of saluation such a one can neuer perish in the end For there may be as blessed a beleeuing without some kind of seeing and feeling as was Thomas his beleeuing blessed when once he had seene his Sauiour present with his eyes and sensibly had felt him and laid hold vpon him with his hand witnesse that which our Sauiour Christ answered vnto Thomas vpon that occasion Thou hast seene and Ioh. 20. 29. hast beleeued blessed are they haue not seene and yet haue beleeued And thus much for the interpretation of that my speech I was in hand with for shewing how the assurance of a true beleeuing Christian is more in the assurance of the thing beleeued then in the person that doth beleeue and so much for answere inaway of some satisfaction to your request who desired to heare some thing spoken touching that point of a Christians not feeling the comfort he hath had and of his not feeling that hee hath faith at all nor any comfort of his present true beleeuing CHAP. XIIII Further differences betweene hypocrites and sound beleeuers in their assurance to be saued and first in the whole building thereof as also of the builders themselues NOw to prosecute my former speech and to shew some further differences that are discernable betweene the assurance of hypocrites and mis-beleeuers and such as soundly and truly doe beleeue As therefore there hath been shewed a manifest difference to bee in the foundation and ground worke of either of their assurances so is there as cleere a difference to be discerned in the whole frame and manner of the building and working vp of such assurance the workmanship being as Difference in building assurance differing as are the workmen that do build theron euen the master workmen themselues chiefe builders who hauing drawn the plot giue all the direction how things are to be caried who are as clean opposite in their doings each to other one working one way
their Psal 103. 1. soules to praise God and call vpon all that is within them to magnifie his name they praysing God with their words Psal 47. 7. praise him with their vnderstanding also When they come to make prayers vnto God they lift vp their hearts with Lament 3. 41. 1. Tim. 2. 8. their hands vnto God in the heauens and holding vp their hands they hold vp pure hands in their prayers without wrath and doubting In comming to heare the Word of God they with an honest and good heart heare it and keep Luke 8. 15. Psal 119. 11. it holding it vp in their hearts with Dauid that it might keepe them from sinne As God loueth truth in the inward Psal 51. 6. Iohn 4. 24. parts so doe they worship God in spirit and truth They doe not desire to seeme to doe any thing better then indeede they doe it neither doe they desire to seeme to doe that which in truth they doe not but as God is truth so are they found in all their waies to walke in truth They beleeuing 3. Iohn 4. Iohn 14 1. God doe beleeue also in Christ their hearts therefore neede not to feare nor at all to be troubled they know with the Apostle whom they haue beleeued and that he is able to 2. Tim. 1. 12. keepe all they haue committed vnto him sure and safe vnto the day of his appearing This therefore is the victory whereby 1. Iohn 2 13. 5. 4. 5. we ouercome that euill one and the whole world with him euen their stedfast beleeuing such as doe thus may indeede be assured of vndoubted safety and saluation for euer They thus beleeuing and thus liuing may know asuredly themselues to be in Christ Iesus because they walk not after the flesh but after the spirit they haue good warrant Rom. 8. 1. Cant. 2. 16. to say that Christ is theirs and they are his and therfore laying hold of Christ they may bee assured most certainly to bee saued for euer by him They may bee fully perswaded there shall bee no condemnation to them being Rom. 8. 1. 38. 39 thus in Christ Iesus neither shall any thing be euer able to separate them from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus They in this case may lay themselues downe in peace with Psal 4. 8. Psal 3. 6. Dauid and take sweetely their rest for the Lord is hee that will now make them to dwell in safetie not fearing though ten thousand had beset them round about they need not be Psal 112. 7. 1. Iohn 4. 28. afraid of any euill tidings but cast away all feare that hath painefulnesse and let their hearts bee setledly fixed and trust in the Lord for such haue their warrant made them out of Gods Word that doing these things they shall neuer Psal 15. 5. 2. Pet. 1. be moued and as the Apostle Peter saith they shall neuer fall These haue laid for themselues a good foundation for eternall life and as good builders indeed haue well Prou. 10. 25. 1. Tim. 6. 19. Isai 26. 1. builded a sure habitation for themselues to dwell safely in Saluation may bee called the walls of this building and safetie it selfe the bulwarkes thereof They that dwell in such a defenced Castle they dwell to high for any to pull them downe their defence is the munition of rockes as the Prophet speaketh they hauing thus built their faith vpon Isai 33. 16. Christ that is a rocke so strong and sure as neuer can be moued it is impossible that the gates of hell can euer preuaile against the same such as these are surely out of all Mat. 16. 18. danger and as one set vpon a high rock and standing vpon a sure and inuincible Tower they may look and laugh at al their enemies below not caring what they al cā possibly do against them how fiercely and how furiously soeuer they shal assaile them These therefore ascleane contrary to the other being those that heare the sayings of Christ and do them that truly do beleeue and thus holily doe liue they are most wise men and good builders that haue built their house vpon a rocke and therfore when the raine descends the flouds come the winds blow and beate vpon the house it doth not fall because all is founded vpon a rocke and so the whole worke of their building they thus building vp themselues in their most holy faith is not onely made beautifull for view but wisely and well contriued for necessarie vse and made strong and substantiall for continuance They hereby in all their workes thus wrought shewing themselues to haue been workemen that need not be ashamed of that they haue done as the Apostle Mat. 7. 24. gaue counsell to Timothie for the discharge of his dutie Their worke in time shall also be made manifest the day will declare it and the fier will reueale that vpon a most 2. Tim. 2. 15. sure and pretious foundation they haue builded gold siluer and precious stones and that their worke hath been 1. Cor. 3. 12. wrought according vnto God and therefore of him they may looke to receiue their reward and so to haue praise of Iohn 3. 21. God CHAP. XV. The different vses they put their perswasion vnto AS the truly faithfull lay hold of Christ so doth the hypocrite as they are comfortably perswaded to be saued by him these seeme also to bee euery day as confident therein as they and doe as boldly presume and reckon thereupon but as there is truth in that which is done by the one and much guile and falsehood in that which is done by the other as the one haue warrant for their so doing the other haue none so doe they in like manner differ in the vse they put this their assurance and Difference in the effects of assurance perswasion vnto as they differed in the ground that either of them had for their being so perswaded The one by meanes thereof feare God the more because Psal 130. 4. they know mercie to be with him the other feare him the lesse yea not at all Misbeleeuers and carnall Gospellers vpon this idle conceit that they are sure they shall be saued lay aside all feare of God and care of goodnesse they sing such a requiem to their soules as they now sing cocke on whoope as wee vse to say and sing all care and feare away yea Iob 6. 14. they are as those of whom Iob speaketh that haue forsaken the feare of the Almightie That grace of God which Iude 4. they say they hope to be saued by they turne into want onnesse they hauing gotten this by the end that the iust shall liue by his faith euen by faith alone and not by works they hereupon lay away all care of good workes which God Ephes 2. 10. hath ordained that true beleeuers should walke in and they hold thēselues
fell to offer 1. Sam. 13. 10. 12. it himselfe for he thought the time long as himselfe said till he had made his supplication to the Lord but he was a foule hypocrite his ioy and his zeale they continued not his end was fearefull Flitting spirits be neuer good and this warbling and quauering musicke of ioy that is thus but by fits brings neuer such steady comfort as may bee reckoned vpon will stay long with a man If men seeme neuer so to ioy in good things to affect godlinesse for a time if they be not constant they may goe to hell for their paines in the end Great ioy if it be but onely for a time Apoc. 2. 4. 3. 1. good motions and fits of zeale that will not last long are not so much to be reioyced in while they are had as the losse of them is to be lamented when they are so lost as they can no more bee found nor perceiued to be in them that had them If there be a terrible sight in any thing to be seene it is in this that a man was good but now hee is become naught he had delight and comfort in well-doing but now he hath none he had zeale and forwardnes but now he is luke-warme hee was aliue and quicke to good workes but now he is dull and dead-hearted and that way become as lumpish and heauy as a stone he seemed to heare the Word with much gladnesse and to haue had great ioy for a season but now there is no such thing to be found remaining with him but all is vanished and quite gone all is withered away and brought to nothing that being found verified vpon him which our Sauiour hath threatned that as to him that hath shall still be giuen to Matth. 25. 29. haue more so from him that hath not shall be taken away euen that which both to himselfe and to others he seemed otherwise to haue had before On the other side true beleeuers haue ioy and peace in Rom. 15. 13. beleeuing their ioy is sound and lasting and as their faith is True ioy is lasting sure which neuer will faile them so are their comforts and ioyes steadfast solide and vnconquerable such as are able to cheare vp a mans heart in greatest distresses and make him strong to endure by a firme and most settled resolution against all manner of opposition and whatsoeuer thing may happen yea so liuely and effectuall is the sense and feeling of their ioy as it is able to carry their hearts after a sort out of their bodies and to lift them vp euen to the very heauens Their ioy is permanent and enduring their comforts are like a spring of water whose waters faile Isai 58. 11. not for riuers of waters of life flow out of their bellies so as Iohn 7. 38. they neuer can be wholly drie againe the ioy of the Lord which as Ezra told the people was their strength is said to Nehem. 8. 10. be euerlasting ioy the Lord promising his people that euerlasting ioy shall be vpon their heads they are promised Isai 35. 10. Psal 112. 4. Isai 42. 16. to haue ioy and gladnesse and sorrow and mourning shall 〈◊〉 away Vnto the righteous doth light arise in darknesse but such light as is not like to flashes of lightning in a darke night which tarrieth but a moment and then doubleth the darkenesse when it is out againe but their lâ—ght is as the breakings sorth of the light of the morning or as the light Isai 58. 8. of the Sunne when it breaketh out of a cloud and shineth sorth in his greatest strength whereby al darknes is dispelled and driuen quite away And if comparison be made the light of the Moone to them is far aboue that which the light of the Sun is to others and the light of their Sun is found to be Isai 30. 26. seuenfold and like the light of seuen dayes in the day that the Lord doth bind vp the breach of his people heale the stroke of their wound as saith the Prophet The ioy that these haue and light of comfort arising to them is not like to the light of those whom Iude calleth wandring starres to Iude 13. whom is reserued the blacknes of darknesse for euer for the Lord is the creator of their ioy and hee giueth to them the light of their comfort so as their sunne shall neuer go downe neither shall their Moone be hidden from them for the Lord will be their euerlasting light and their God Isai 60. 19. 20. their glorie The Lord dealeth with them as he dealt with his people in old time when he brought them out of Egypt and went before them in a pillar of a cloud by day to leade them the way and in a pillar of fire by night to be guide Exod. 13. 21. 22. vnto them of that vnknowne iourney that they might goe both by day and by night neither taking away the pillar of the cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night from before his people Christ who did this for his people then doth no lesse for his Church at this day and is no lesse present with his faithfull ones now then hee was with those Fathers then at that time And therefore Isaiah prophecying of the times of Christ among other blessings reckoned remembreth this that God will create vpon Isai 4. 5. 6. Psal 105. 39. It is said he spread out the cloud for a couering to his people as though he had held a canopie ouer their head Thus doth God to this day spread ouer the wings of his gracious and mightie protection ouer all his faithfull that they may rest safe vnder the shadow of the almighty On the other side whom bee leaueth of them it is said their shadow is departed from them Numb 14. 9. Ioy ecclipsed 1. Pet 1. 8. Isai 61. 7. euery place of mount Zion and the assemblies therof a cloud that it may be a couering and shadow in the day from the heate and the shining of a flaming fire by night that vpon all the glorie that is vpon the Church and companie of the faithfull who are so called may be a defence and that by day and by night they might haue comfort which comforts shall no more be taken away from his seruants Now then was this shadow of the cloud by day or the shining of the pillar of fire by night taken from the Israelites after they were gone out of Egypt True it is the ioy of Gods seruants sometimes may through their owne default be ecclipsed from them as we perceiue to be sometimes to be the very light of the Sunne but howsoeuer the Sunne may be ecclipsed for a time yet wee see that it is soone recouered againe so it is with the ioy of Gods seruants howsoeuer for a time it may bee interrupted and they may seeme to be in heauinesse for a season
deepe dissembling for will not wee thinke a man did mock vs if he should thank vs when we do him no better pleasure then thrust a knife through his cheeks so is it for men to thanke God when hee smiteth them with his plagues and thrusteth them in with the sword of his scourges and fearefull iudgements except they found that they were sanctified vnto them and that they did them good by letting out the impostume of some great corruptions that lay ranckling in their soules whereby they are now like to haue better and more found health for euer after If God shall by any meanes shew to a man at any time what benefit his sicknesse shall bring vnto him and what is the good that he shall reape out of his troubles and his affliction that thereby as the Lord speaketh by his Prophet The iniquitie of Iacob shall be purged Isai 27. 9. and this shall be all the fruite thereof to take away his sinne he hath then cause indeed to be thankefull and chearefull in his trouble but for a man to reioyce against his conscience and contrary to that he feeleth cause for is but to reioyce in playing the hypocrite for he neither is nor can be soundly merry at the heart in such a case This is as if a man should be seene to goe leaping and reioycing to the gallowes when he is to suffer not for a good cause but as a malefactor euery one knowes that is a cause of sorrowing and mournefull heauinesse and not of reioycing and they to be pittied and not to be enuied that are seene to doe so As therefore many doe feare where no cause of feare is so yet there are more that reioyce where no cause of true ioy is The Lord hath promised to make the hearts of his seruants glad and ioyfull in the house of prayer Isai 56. 7. Gods faithfull seruants they are and may be merry but they onely take comfort in that which is matter of true reioycing indeed the other like them that are sicke of light frenzies laugh at their owne shaddows and at their owne fancies and vaine conceits To conclude then this matter also hypocrites and temporary beleeuers may haue in outward shew and appearance the like for a time that haue true beleeuers though neuer any such ioy as can be found to bee in like manner true for the sinceritie of it or in like degree pure without other mixture for the soundnesse and simplicitie thereof as is theirs Their ioy is neither of like measure for fulnesse nor of like soliditie and firmenesse for continuance Their ioy therefore may rather be said to bee like then any way equal to the ioy of true beleeuers which is the onely true ioy when all is done all other being but counterfeit in comparison of the same which being compared together in respect of those sundrie dimensions that seuerally before haue been expressed and which haue in like manner betweene themselues been apart considered thereout so plaine a difference will be made to appeare betweene them as is betweene truth and falsehood betweene that which is most sound and that which is but meere seeming and in bare shewes alone We had neede therefore to looke well and to make sure worke that we desiring to haue comfort and ioy of heart wherewith to be made glad may haue of that ioy that is true indeed because we can haue no other witnes of our hauing therof but only our owne selues neither any other to helpe vs to consider of our owne estate in this behalfe how it standeth and fareth with vs in this thing then our owne selues alone so as we shall be but euen plaine cosoners of our selues if we be deceiued herein CHAP. XXVI The fifth maine difference betweene sound beleeuers and counterfeits is in their repentance and how farre hypocriees may proceed therein Question THere haue bin shewed many plaine and cleere differences betweene the 1. knowledge of Christ that men haue and betweene the manner of mens 2. apprehending and laying hold of him for saluation as also betweene the 3. perswasion and assurance that men haue of obtaining life and saluation in Christ by meanes of such their laying hold vpon him and lastly betweene the 4. ioy following thereupon which may be found in those that are but hypocrites and temporary beleeuers and in those that are vnfained in their faith and true beleeuers indeed It remaineth that forsomuch as you haue shewed in all that haue true faith indeed there must be found wrought together with all these graces bâ—fore going a sound and thorough reformation of life to follow after and for euer to be maintained and continued in to the end And that hypocrites can as well counterfeit this as any of the rest that you likewise doe now shew some prognant and cleere differences whereby the repentance of a true beleeuer whose faith is vnfained may be found to differ from the repentance of an hypocrite that is alwaies hollow at the heart and vnsound in his faith A. Repentance among other the graces of Gods spirit Repentance giuen to such as shall be saued being one of the vitall parts of the body among other the members which cannot be wanting if wee would haue life well to remaine repentance being called repentance vnto life and being in some sort as necessarie to be had as is true faith it selfe which cannot be true except this be accompanying of it and therefore they are many times ioyned together in the Scripture and both by Iohn the forerunner and by Christ himselfe that followed after the one of them is as well commended vnto vs as is the other Repent say they and beleeue the Gospell This therefore being a grace absolutely needfull for all and which all seeme to be desirous greatly to obtaine there are none that will beare themselues more bold vpon it and that will presume further vpon their vndoubted hauing of it then those that are most without it and are furthest from all likelihood or possibilitie of euer obtaining it those are hypocrites and counterfeit beleeuers of whom our Sauiour Christ saith their portion assigned to them is to be with the diuell and his angels shewing that of all others there is least hope of their being euer brought to sound repentance that so finally they may be saued for he saith that harlots and publicanes are neerer vnto it then are they and therefore sooner shall be saued as who shall before them enter into the kingdome of heauen And yet none will make a more fairer shew of being indeed humbled and of earnestly repenting then will such There is no externall action requisite to be done by him that is truly penitent How farre hypocrites goe indeed which they will not performe and that in outward appearance to the full they will faile in none of the parts that doe belong to the humbling of the outward man and bringing downe of the body though it it were
promises of the Gospell which is the word of truth are the proper obiects which faith hath Act. 24. 14. Mark 1. 15. respect to and is the ground it setleth vpon Therefore is the word called the word of faith the speciall operation Rom. 10 8. and working of it is to let the soules and hearts of those men in whom it is placed to know and to feele that they are now brought neere vnto God and haue fellowship Eph. 2. 12. 13. with him who were but strangers before and farre off by reason of their sinne that is to settle and stablish our mindes in a comfortable perswasion of Gods fauour and towards vs in and through Christ Iesus and that by him Gods heart for euer is so wonne vnto vs as nothing shall be able more to separate vs from his loue It quieteth Rom. 8. 38. and cheareth the heart with vndoubted assurance that whatsoeuer was the oddes and enmitie that was betweene God and vs before by meanes of our sinnes yet Coloss 1. 21. so are wee now receiued into fauour and so is all agreed and set thorough betweene God and vs that we are at Rom. 5. 1. Luke 2. 14. peace with God and God with vs. They that haue great ventures abroad are alwaies thinking of them how they may be got safely home they giue much for assurance they cannot sleepe till that be done their mindes are euer so running vpon them Of all aduentures there are none like to the aduenture that wee beare of our selues our soules and our bodies while we liue in this most perilous and dangerous world that they be got well home and be brought to eternall safetie in the end Now faith secureth our hearts herein and giueth vs good assurance that we shall neuer perish but haue in the end euerlasting Iohn 3. 16. life with God in Christ Iesus Faith setteth the heart at peace and secureth the conscience it giueth better and more strong assurance then any bond of the best Merchant though made in Statute-merchant nay then can doe the bond or assurance of any Prince though they should lay their Crownes in pawne or be bound in the forfeiture of their kingdomes For faith hath Gods truth laid in pawne for the making good the assurance and God hath bound himselfe in the forfeiture of his truth which he will not lose for the whole world and is vnto Gods maiestie of greater weight and regard then is the state of a kingdome to any Prince that he will be accounted no more a God of truth if hee faile in his promise This giueth vs boldnesse for the present to enter in before God euen into the holiest of holy places and to Heb. 10. 19. Heb. 4. 16. come boldly to the throne of grace that wee may obtaine mercie and finde grace to helpe in time of need But for so much as all this could neuer haue been effected or brought to passe for vs otherwise then that by the hand of some meete Mediatour this attonement might bee made and peace might be wrought for vs thus to reconcile vs vnto God And seeing that neither in heauen nor in earth there could any other be heard of or found that euer could be fit and able to vndertake and thoroughly and perfectly to goe through with this so great a worke of reconciling the world vnto God but he alone whom the Father had sealed who is Christ the Lord who is our Eph. 2. 14. Isai 9. 6. peace euen the Prince of peace Therefore the worke of faith is before it can thus iustifie vs and set vs at peace with God to seeke and finde out Christ for vs and to get the true and sauing knowledge of him yea to seaze and lay such hold vpon him as wee may apprehend him and embrance him for our owne appropriating and after a sort ingrossing him for our selues that so causing vs to reioyce with the ioy of Gods people in his fruition and to Psal 106. 5. glorie with Gods inheritance And with the Spouse in the Canticles wee once truly beleeuing with the heart imboldening vs in most ioyfull and gladsome manner to professe with the mouth as doth she in that place My Cantic 2. 16. 7. 10. beloued is mine and I am his and his desire is vnto me That thus hauing found and apprehended Christ embracing and holding him in the armes of our faith as our blessed Aduocate and attonement-maker vnto God we may so come before the Lord and treate with him for our peace as did old Simeon when he had Christ in his armes and Luk. 2. 28. 29. 30. his eyes did see his saluation desire the Lord then to let him depart in peace Yea we may then with lesse feare and much more comfortable boldnesse shew our selues in Gods presence and appeare in his sight then could Hester though neuer so well beloued of the King aduenture Hest 5. 2. to goe in before Ahashuerosh who did kindly accept of her when hee held out the golden scepter vnto her Yea farre more warrantably and safely may we bearing Christ with vs in the armes of our faith approch and come neere to the throne of the greatest maiestie of him that is the highest Lord and Soueraigne ruler of the world who hath prepared his throne for iudgement and shall iudge the world in righteousnesse reckoning vpon Psal 97. 8. 9. a more kinde welcome and gratious acceptation at his hands then euer durst the Patriarchs Iacobs sonnes shew themselues before Ioseph then Lord of Egypt though they did carrie their younger brother Beniamin in their Gen 43. 15. 16. 30. hands at the sight of whom the heart of Ioseph yearned within him and his eyes burst out a weeping that hee could not forbeare any longer but manifest himselfe and shew his brotherly affection vnto them and falling vpon their neckes kissed and embraced them forgetting and Gen. 45. 2. 3. 14 15. forgiuing all the iniuâ—ie and wrong that euer before they had done vnto him Thus yea farre more then thus yea farre aboue all that can be vttered conceiued or comprehended is that loue of God in Christ which he beareth to Eph. 3. 19. all the faithfull and wherewith he standeth most kindly and fatherly affected to his redeemed in and through Christ Iesus as to accept of their persons and be delighted Eph. 1. 6. Cantic 2. 14. Isai 63. 7. 9. Ierem. 31. 20. Hosea 11. 8. 9. Iohn 16. 23. with their presence so to be most affectionatly moued towards them in all fatherly kindnesse and compassion that he hath of them as also to heare al their prayers and to deny them nothing which they shall aske when they come to the Father in the name of his Sonne Yea so is the heart of God the Father wonne to al that truly do beleeue in Iesus Christ his Sonne as though Christ Iesus Ioh 16. 26. 27. himselfe should seeme not to
lift the minde off the hindges and to teare vp the very foundations of comfort from the bottome the storme of tentations being so at the highest the poore distracted and distressed soule is then as the raging sea that cannot be quiet but is like to Psal 88. 6. 7. 15. 16. 17. 18. Psal 69. 14. 15. be ouerwhelmed and swallowed vp in those tempestuous waues which threaten to drowne all in the gulfe of despaire when neither banke nor bottome can bee seene nor any thing before them but present death and vtter perishing yet if in all this extremitie faith can finde but any intertainment and if any way can bee made in the heart for the same to haue footing and that place may be giuen vnto it there to worke in so will it keepe the heart the hands the voyce and the eyes vpward as it wil keepe all safe from drowning or finall miscarrying in the end and will neuer giue ouer working in the effectualnes of the operation thereof till it hath obtained helpe from God and till safetie and deliuerance be fully come till by his helpe who stilleth the rage of the sea the noise of the waters Psal 65. 7. and tumults of the people these heauie tempests and stormes of tentations may be made wholly to cease and all be made peaceable and comfortable yea ioyfull again asswaging all sorrowes expelling all feares bringing quietnes to the conscience refreshings to the soule setting the heart at peace with God and causing that the peace of conscience as a sweete sleepe may fall vpon such Rom. 5. 1. tired and wearied soules that were well neere worne vp and wasted with distresfull griefes and sorrowes before that so they may now returne to their owne rest againe Psal 116. 3. 6. 7. These be indeed worthie of the name to be called the faire Hauens into which faith where it may be allowed Act. 27. 8. to be Pilot will bring out of the greatest flawes and fearefullest stormes that can happen the poore distressed soule ready to wracke that so in all safetie at the length the same may be thrust in here and most quietly and ioyfully againe rest therein as in a most sure hauen These with the like being the effects which are wrought in the hearts of true beleeuers by this pretious faith euen in the hearts of so many as it can finde way and place giuen vnto it to shew the operation thereof they are such as are most worthie both to be marked and to be marueiled at when as in the stead of the horrors of conscience and the sound of feares which affrighted them before in the times of their troubles Gods seruants are yet againe so cheared and comforted in the end as their change seemeth worthie to be celebrated with the songs of Angels and the reioycings of men Wee wonder at the vertue of the Load-stone that it should euer be pointing at the North-pole Called Magnes of the great vertue that is in it and that it should draw so forcibly the heauy yron vp to it selfe contrary to the naturall motion thereof God hath put this admirable vertue into faith that it is euer looking vnto Christ alone and pointing vs only vnto him it faileth not to draw home most effectually Christ Iesus our Sauiour into euery soule in the which it is placed and lifteth vp againe vnto him the heart of euery true beleeuer how heauie soeuer coupling them together by an vnion though true and vnseparable yet euery way strange and most vnutterable Faith followeth Christ as doth the flower follow the Sunne which hath the name giuen it vpon the same to be called the flower of the Sunne because it is euer seene turning it selfe to the Sunne when it doth arise and when it doth decline Thus doth faith euer turne it selfe vnto Christ it looketh Gal. 2. 16. after him alone and after none but him which worthily is therefore called the faith of Christ and the faith of his name This sauing grace which commeth from aboue Acts 3. 16. and hath his beginning from on high as it commeth from God so doth it leade vs to God againe it mounteth vs aboue the world and setteth vs vpon the power and prouidence of God assuredly to looke for and stedfastly to beleeue to haue without failing all that he hath promised who speaketh in righteousnesse and is mightie Isai 63. 1. to saue it staieth and setleth the heart from vnconstantly wauering and doubtfully staggering or reeling in vncertaintie to this side or to that it is a sure arch-pillar of strength to leane vnto wee may bee bold with all our weight to stay our selues by it Mightie is the working of that faith that is not fained to get helpe and sauing from Christ for euery soule that hath it yea so powerfull and effectuall is the working of it in this behalfe as nothing can stand in the way to hinder it from Christ which it will not remoue nothing can be able to keepe it from Christ It bursteth through all things not onely that wee haue in our selues but whatsoeuer else is in earth heauen or hell vntill it come to Christ crucified and to the eternall sweete mercies of God in Christ Iesus Here here is the only resting place thereof and no where but here By how much the greater be the vnlikelihoods and impediments that lay before faith by so much the more glorious and excellent doth faith shew it selfe to be in the working thereof and wrestling to ouercome all that stands against still rising vp from vnder all her burthens and running on with greater force when it meeteth with lets in the way to stop her course taking strength euer from resistance If way be not made for it to get vnto Christ it will make way for it selfe whosoeuer or whatsoeuer it is that may seeme to resist It is not a poore silly garment that can stand in the way of it to hinder it from touching Christ to draw vertue out of him but it will Mark 5. 27. 28. 30. 34. Luk. 6. 19. Mark 6. 56. reach through all coates and couerings that Christ can put vpon him he cannot so hide himselfe vnder any couering or garment how strange soeuer it may seeme to be that he may put vpon him but faith will finde him out though he should kill me yet would I trust in him Iob. 13. 15. saith the constant beleeuer Christ cannot so conuey Mark 7. 24. 25. himselfe away into any place or go into other company Whether shall I goe from thy presence saith Dauid so of God it may be said whether shall he goe and not be followed and found of hungring and thirsting soules and get among the throng and thicke of the multitude but faith will striue and wrestle to come neere vnto him He cannot so shut himselfe within the walles of any house but faith will breake in vpon him if other entrie will not be allowed vnto it
beleeue and are sure that thou art that Christ the Sonne of the liuing God for whom hath a faithfull beleeuer in heauen but Christ neither is there any in earth whom hee careth for Psal 73. 25. or doth desire but him alone CHAP. XIII Of the third difference which is in the difference of their assurance to be saued wherein is entreated of the want of feeling of true faith or of the former or present comfort therof Question YOu hauing shewed thus much difference to bee between the apprehension of Christ by a counterfait beleeuer and of one that is sound in the faith goe on in like manner to shew what difference there is if there bee any betweene the assurance and perswasion that the one hath of being saued by Christ vpon his so apprehending of him and the assurance of the other A. The difference betweene them in this is no lesse Difference of assurance then was found to bee in the other The difference betweene mis-beleeuers and the true faithfull that are called the Israel of God in the point of their assurance and comfortable perswasion of their being saued by Christ Iesus they both bearing the venture of the liues of their soules in the passage that they haue through the wild sea of this world in hope of their safe arriuall and landing at that happie port of all safety in Gods kingdome and heauenly Canaan in the end is not vnlike to the difference that was betweene the Israelites and Egyptians for their passing thorongh the red sea both of them ventured and went into the sea the one got well thorough the other came short home the one had Gods word for their warrant they therefore were saued and gained the port and land which they ventured for the other were blinded with pride and presumption and ventured without all warrant from God as being found rather fighters against God in disobeying his word and therefore they miscarried all and were drowned in the middest of the sea and sunke to the bottome as a stone True beleeuers are perswaded of Gods mercies in Christ that they shall neuer perish but haue euerlasting life their faith and hope they haue in God doth neuer faile them for it is grounded vpon the truth of Gods promise and the rocke Christ Iesus They escape therefore in all dangers and happily are saued in the end for the iust shall liue by his faith Heb. 2. 4. Misbeleeuers and hypocrites they also are bold and confident in their perswasion it may more iustly bee said in their proud presuming for they are but as the fooles that beleeue euery thing they beleeue they cannot Prou. 14. 15. tell what they hauing nothing to ground their perswasion vpon they haue neither word nor writing from God to shew why they should so beleeue their is neither bill nor scroll nor any tittle in the Bible if it bee rightly vnderstood that doth make for them and yet they flush themselues as though all were theirs they flatter themselues and beguile their owne hearts with misapplying promises out of Gods word They are ignorant and yet most confident according to that Who so bold as blind Bayard they feare nothing they defie the diuell they haue they say a strong faith and are sure to bee saued they neuer doubted of their saluation in all their life neither would they doubt for all the world Which boldnesse of theirs being rather blindnesse then good boldnesse commeth not through the abundance of faith beleeuing more strongly then others doe the promises which God hath made them but through abundance of folly making promises ro themselues where God neuer made any and reckoning to receiue that which God neuer minded to giue so building without a foundation and beleeuing without any word spoken or promise that was euer giuen the Lord sending them strong delusions that they should beleeue a lie and so goe on in their dangerous security that they may stumble and fall and rise no more They both seeme to bee assured and to stand perswaded that they shall be saued by God in the end but vpon farre differing grounds The ground of the ones perswasion is found onely to be in himselfe and to bee laid vpon himselfe alone and his owne conceit and may bee rather said to be the assurance of man so perswading himselfe then any certaintie of the thing whereof he is perswaded that euer it shall so fall out as he doth make reckoning The ground of the others perswasion is laid out of himselfe euen vpon God and the truth of his promise as knowing 2. Tim. 1. 12. whom he hath beleeued and may rather be said to stand more in the certaintie and infallibilitie of the thing promised then in the strength of the man 's assured beleeuing and standing perswaded that it shall be so performed that doth beleeue it The ground of the perswasion of an hypocrite and such as is vnsound in the faith is laid onely within himselfe for out of himselfe he findeth nothing to beare vp such a confident boasting withall but it is onely resting in his owne bosome and all the weight of his building hath no surer ground to be set vpon then are the imaginations thoughts and conceits of his owne heart alone which is deceitfull aboue all things and so false and vnsound as none is able to know the hollownesse that is therein And therefore a ground for any to thinke it possible euer to lay a steady and sure foundation therein or set a strong building vpon the same which he desireth to see remaine firme and vnmoueable for himselfe to dwell safe in that is more moueable then is either sea or wind where all is seene to flow and blow away as well may a man reckon vpon building Castles in the aire and walled Cities vpon the rowling and ragged seaes safely to inhabite in as sure perswasions that a man may trust too and not be deceiued in and vpon the vaine imaginations conceits and affections of his seducing and seduced heart which are so vnstaid and so vnsetled that the affections are not vnfitly said to bee the very waues and stormes of mens soules that tosse and turmoile them vpside downe And otherwise beside their owne conceites and imaginations of their owne hearts that makes them thus peremptorie and thus bold in presuming there is nothing at all in the world that can else warrantably assure them that they shall euer haue that saluation which they so much doe reckon vp For that in it selfe is so farre from being certaine vnto them as there is a certaintie of the cleane contrarie and they may be sure when they shall once come to make triall they shall find it cleane otherwise to fall out then they looked for they may bee bold and build vpon it there is no peace at all from God for such Isai 57. 21. euer to receiue in nor saluation at his hands for them to haue though at the last when it
be done by such or to be conceiued of the estate of such a Christian that cannot haue such feeling of his faith and standing in the fauour of God after the manner as before sometime he hath had A. Such are to labour by iudgement to conuince and controle their abused sense and feeling who sometimes Want of feeling to their owne sense and feeling may thinke God to haue forsaken them Christ Iesus to haue quite left them and to be departed and gone from them when as yet he is still where he was and as touching his fauour and his loue vnalterable remaining still the same towards them that he was the alteration being found onely to bee in themselues by reason of the strong tentations that are vpon them Men are therefore not to measure their estate by sense and feeling for many times in naturall things reason is able to controle our sense as if I being in a ship that is driuen with a faire wind and tide doe saile by a Tower or Castle standing vpon a banke when I looke vpon the Tower as the ship doth swiftly passe by my sense of seeing thinketh that the Tower goeth away while I my selfe stand still in the ship but my iudgement and vnderstanding telleth me that it is otherwise in truth and that the Tower standeth still and moueth not but it is I and the ship that doe goe away from it though to my sense of seeing it seemes otherwise to be In like manner as touching feeling a man that hath but raging paine in one tooth or hath but a fellon on the vttermost ioynt of his finger or the paine of the goute onely in his toe though all his body should be sound and in good health besides he feeleth more the paine of that one little member of his tooth or of his toe then the sound health of his whole body beside though the health of the whole body be much more then is the paine of that one member In like manner doth it many times fall out with good Christians if they be indued and inriched with neuer so many good graces of Gods Spirit hauing true faith and ioyned therewith vertue knowledge temperance patience godlinesse brotherly kindnesse charitie hope humility meekenesse repentance and the rest that are linkes of that golden chaine wherewith the vertues are chained and linked one to another if it should happen not to be well with them in any one of the said graces according as these seueral graces of the mind as well as the seuerall members of the body may bee put out of their right frame and haue distemper and disease bred in them and brought vpon them though in the meane while it were neuer so well with them in all the rest yet is it found vsuall for them more to feele the disquiet of the distemper and hurt of some one of these graces so out of frame then to feele the content and comfort of the abiding in good estate of all the rest beside and to bee more grieued with the disease that is growne vpon that one then ioyed with the health that doth stil remaine in all the other As if a good man being sore prouoked and set vpon of the sudden should be so much distempered and put out of all patience as he should breake forth to much fury and rage in his hastie anger which is no better then a short madnesse and being come to his right mind againe his fit being once ouer for all that while beside himselfe he should then bethinke himselfe what he had done so would he bee out of conceit with himselfe he would be so cast downe in his owne eyes so smitten in heart so pricked in conscience so wounded in his soule with griefe for his sinne he would crie out and complaine for being thus ouerseene as that the distemper of that one grace of patience and the weakenes thereof which could then beare no more would more bee felt of him with griefe and work him greater woe and disquiet him much more then he should feele comfort or haue contentment in the good estate which all the rest did abide in beside and yet that one slip of his for a time is not so blame-worthie as is commendable the ordinary course of goodnesse constantly held on in the well-vsing and practising of other his graces wherein much soundnesse is found stil to be remaining And as among the members and parts of the body some are more necessarie then are others and so more hardly can be spared some are more dangerous to take hurt in or for any disease to breed vpon them because they are the vitall parts of the body such as is the heart the liuer and the braine which if they should be perished the life it selfe would be lost when such parts are affected men are found to be more troubled about the hearts of such and the diseases bred vpon them then vpon any other ther the partes of their bodies besides they are most suspitious and doubtfull of the recouering of them aboue that they are of all the rest euer fearing lest those hurts should not be well healed or those diseases soundly cured and recpiered againe As if one should haue among other the outward parts and members of his body his right hand so maimed as it should be in daunger to bee quite cut off and so lost and of all the inward parts should haue a disease breeding in him that should dangerously affect the heart which being a most vitall part euen the very fountaine and seate of life that doth send forth the vitall spirits and life it selfe to the other parts if that should be perished then the very life it selfe would vetterly be lost Much after this manner is it found to be with good Christians in respect of the differing graces of Gods Spirit which they haue receiued from God though all verie vsefull for the Christian life yet some are more absolutely needfull as being vnto the soule not onely the hand by which it worketh but as the heart which is the very receptacle and seate of life by which it liueth which if they should miscarry all would be lost such as is faith and loue and repentance vnto life If these should receiue any dangerous hurt or fall into any deadly disease whereof they should not be againe well recouered there must needs follow the vtter ruine of such a Christian When therefore their faith is mightily assailed and by the strength of tentation sorely shaken when their repentance is challenged not to be sound and such as it ought Oh then how solicitous is a carefull Christian about the hauing of these well cured and recouered againe how feareful and doubtfull is he lest these should faile him and neuer be holpen how doth hee enquire after the best Physitians to heare the best counsell that in this case may be giuen yea if a whole Colledge of Physitians should all meete together to conferre about his disease they
before others they may haue more fuller contentment more solide ioy more sweeter delight more stable and sure comfort then any in the world beside not the merriest Greekes and lustiest galllants in the World beside that powre out themselues to the satisfying of their pleasures and bathe themselues in all manner of carnall delightes that take so much care for the flesh to fulfill the lustes thereof can come neare them for a true comfortable life indeede all the pleasures that they haue being but counterfeite shaddowes in comparison of the soundnesse and substance of the ioyes that these haue theirs are but bastardly false pleasures that will end in sorrowes these are true ioyes indeed that will neuer haue an end The sweete musicke of the Temple was typicall figuring the ioy of the Church where is assurance of forgiuenesse of sinnes and of Gods fauour in Christ Iesus how sweete is the musicke and heauenly melodie that the peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding maketh in that conscience wherein it is so felt how great is that ioy that cannot be contained and kept within the heart that hath it but must needs breake out and bee expressed by singing for very ioy of heart It is Isai 65. 14. Psal 25. 13. Prou. 15. 15. said that the soule of him that feareth the Lord shall dwell at ease and he that hath a good conscience hath a continuall feast Put these two together and let them meete in a good Christian and tell mee whose state is so happie as is the state of a righteous man easie dwelling and merry-making what would any desire more if things bee rightly compared together the Friday as we vse to speake of a good Christian is better then the Sunday of a worldling And though the wicked haue their bellies in this world filled with his hid treasure yet the very scrapings of the Psal 17. 14. trenchers of Gods seruants are better then all the dainties that the wicked haue when their fare is all the best For that is true which is said by one if Christians be not merrie it is not because they are Christians but because they are not Christians enough and if Gods seruants haue not comfort and ioy of heart it is not because they serue God but because they serue him not as they might and as they ought Vnto them therefore who cannot conceiue how this possibly can be it may be said as Cyprian out of his owne experience did write vnto a certaine friend of his of Lib. â—p 1. this matter concerning himself who before his conuersion thought it impossible if he should change his manners to find such comfort in a vertuous life as afterwards hee felt saith thus to him in his writing accipe quod sentitur antequam discitur heare the report of that which is sooner knowne by feeling it to be so then learned by any teaching that it is so for he by his owne experience now felt and found that to be which before he so felt it he would not haue beleeued whosoeuer should haue told it him that it euer would haue so been As then the sense of Gods loue is the surest ground of our stable peace and the mainest prop of our greatest assurance so the same assurance so long as it can be felt causeth the heart that so feeleth it to reioyce with such a ioy as Peter saith to be vnspeakable as passing 1. Pet. 1. 8. all speech and vttering and glorious in regard that it is diuine spirituall solide and continuall which bringeth no shame with it that it may so bee differenced from the shamefull reioycings which many wicked in the world are found often to haue and to vse called glorious or ioy Rom. 14. 17. full of glory because it is part of the kingdome of heauen and the beginning of that glory that is to come To the getting of which ioy our Sauiour Christ exhorteth and inciteth his disciples when he recalling them from reioycing too much in other things though otherwise very great and excellent preferments bestowed vpon them and gifts giuen vnto them such as was the hauing of the very diuels themselues to be subdued vnto them which one would thinke might minister cause of much reioycing vnto any yet because that alone is not a ground sufficient for any to stay vpon that would haue a stable and sure lasting comfort neither can there bee found enough therein for the soule to rest vpon that desireth euery way to bee satisfied and the ioy thereof to be made full he willeth them to fetch their chiefest comfort and take their greatest ioy and reioicing from the knowledge of this that their names Luke 10. 20. were written in the booke of life this allowed them to reioyce in as that which hee knew was able to make their ioy euery way to be full This ioy of a true beleeuer that can thus know his name to bee written in the booke of life and thereupon feeleth his heart filled with much comfortable assurance and perswasion of his present most happy condition as being well assured of his now standing in God his fauor and so in the state of saluation for euer It doth goe farre beyond all the ioy that any hypocrite or misbeleeuer in the whole world of what sort so euer he be can euer haue or possibly attaine vnto when he hath done what he can And it exceedeth their ioy in all the sundry dimensions if after that sort these seuerall ioyes should be considered and compared together namely in height in depth in bredth in length in all which seuerall respects the ioy of an hypocrite commeth not neare the ioy of a true beleeuer but is in many degrees cast behind the same and these ioyes by a great distance are kept asunder and farre remoued the one from the other CHAP. XIX Hypocrites differ from sound beleeuers in all the dimensions of ioy whereof the first is the height both from whence it commeth and to which it reacheth to FIrst for height and altitude the ioy of an Hypocrites ioy is from himselfe hypocrite is neither fetched so high as is the ioy of a true beleeuer and as doth the ioy of one whose heart is sanctified and purified by his faith his ioy hath no higher descent then to comefrom himselfe and to be fetched out of the idle fancies and false conceites of his owne seducing and seduced heart which the deceiuer of the world together with the deceit that is in it selfe hath so much abused and beguiled as to bring it into such a fooles paradice as now to thinke no mans estate to be better then his owne and that therefore none may bee merrier then hee may be nor any haue better or greater ioy then he may haue so that this his ioy being but home-bred is no better then a carnall ioy and a fruite of the flesh And as it is fetched no higher then from himselfe so doth it reach no higher
so catch hold vpon him as hee could find nothing but trouble and sorrow If in the multitude of these troubles so rushing vpon them at once they would but pauze and take breath a while and as Moses willed Isa 63. 1. the Israelites stand still and not feare but see and looke for the saluation of the Lord who hauing promised to deliuer his seruants speaketh in righteousnesse and is mighty to saue they should find the issue would be with them as was both with the Israelites then and with Dauid afterward who acknowledged thus vnto the Lord that when I said my foot slideth thy mercy O Lord stayed mee vp in the multitude of my thoughts thy comforts haue reioyced my soule Yea if their troubles themselues had but Psal 94. 18. 1 language to talke with them and tongues put into their heads to declare to them in words what by proofe shall be found at the last they will doe to them in deedes in stead of dismaying them they would abundantly satisfie and content them ease and quiet their minds yea much cheere reioyce and make glad their heauie hearts with letting them know what a benefit they should receiue by their comming vnto them and how much good they all would doe vnto them before they would euer leaue them or part from them any more for though the troubles were neuer so many yet all of them would begin one after another to speake comfortably vnto them letting them know they are come as friends to helpe them and not as enemies whom they need to be afraid of for any manner of way harming or hurting of them Troubles indeed in their vizards are fearfull to Gods children and terrible to looke vpon but in their true faces when those vizards are pulled off and the true end and plaine meaning of their comming is once discouered and made knowne according to Gods gracious purpose in sending them to his best belouest children then doe they appeare amiable and are found louely to looke vpon then will they be thought worthy the welcoming of them and of finding a cheerfull and friendly kind of entertainment to be giuen vnto them for so witnesseth the Apostle Iames who plainly affirmeth there is cause why Christians should account it all ioy when they fall into Iam. 1. 2. diuers tentations for then they are happened among their friends and fallen into the company and hands of such as are their well-willers that will all of them worke together each one doing his part to doe them good When they see many troubles to be before them if they had eyes opened to see them vnmasked and were able rightly and wisely to iudge and discerne of them for the present according to that which they will shew and proue themselues to be vnto them in the end after due triall be once taken and made thereof they would be as much comforted in the beholding of them and seeing thē neerly to approch vnto them as was Iacob who flying from his vnkind and churlish father in lay Laban standing also in no lesse feare in meeting of his most cruell and currish brother Esau that threatned his death when in the middest of all these dangers the Angels of God met him in the way for his comfort whom when hee saw he said of them that they were Gods host which God had sent vnto him calling the name of that place Mahanaim Gen. 32. 1. 2. that is two hosts euen two that were now ioyned together his owne and that camperoyall from heauen for the better safe guarding of him For so are these Gods messengers that goe forth at his bidding and they goe to no other but to whom he doth send them neither doe they otherwise demeane themselues where they become then according as they haue direction giuen vnto them and their appointment from him They are sometimes sent out against Gods enemies and othewhiles when need doth so require they are most imployed about his friends and about his deare children whom hee loueth best but as the persons are much differing to whom now and then they are thus sent so is not the end of their sending to either of them the same neither the manner of their working found to be alike with them after they be once come but as cleane contrary a carrying of the matter in their dealings with the one and the other as was appointed by the Lord to bee vsed by the sixe men whom Ezechiel saw in a vision to be sent out into the City to Ezech. 9. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. kill and slay the sinners that were in Ierusalem euery man hauing a slaughter-weapon in his hand Among whom order was first taken for the preseruing of the faithfull that they might be marked out to be knowne from therest charge being giuen that none of them should come neere any man vpon whom the marke might be seene but as for all the other their commission was large to goe through the City and slay vtterly to destruction the old and the young not letting their eye spare nor haue any pitie but to fill the courts of Gods house with their slaine When troubles come vpon the wicked when afflictions calamities and wofull distresses are sent out to take hold vpon vngodly persons who goe on with a high hand to prouoke God by their sinnes th en are they mustered as the hoast of God and as his leuied souldiers and strong warriours that are sent forth to fight Gods battels and to bee reuenged of his enemies then haue they slaughter-weapons put into their hands and their commission is made large to kill and slay freely without sparing any or shewing any pity But when they are sent to the godly as they are sent to The sea is found oftner without wind and tempest then the liues of Gods seruants without troubles and affliciions none more and scarce to any so often in so much as for any to be without chastisement whereof all are partakers were to carrie the brand of a bastard and of one that were not the Sonne of God then haue they their slaughter-weapons taken from them Then must all troubles vnarme themselues and lay downe their venomed Heb. 12. 8. weapons with which they are found so much to hurt others for Christ vpon the Crosse vnarmed them to his the venome of all crosses and troubles being taken out of them by his sufferings vpon the Crosse And being thus sent out they are not sent forth without their limitation what to doe how farre to goe when to stay and where they must goe no further and meddle no more The diuell was not more limited nor prescribed by the Lord how farre to goe and where to stay in his dealing against Iob 2. 6. Iob to see that his life might no way be touched then these are restrained from doing the least harme to such as loue God nay contrarily their whole employment for which they are sent forth and about
and giuen vnto him the ioy of his saluation such peace and such ioy vnto him are as brazen boots to make him runne without feare through all briers and thornes that are in his way and through the sharpest pikes themselues of most cruell persecutions Of the truth of these things we haue whole clouds of Gods witnesses that the ioy of such as are true beleeuers and sound in deed in the faith hath still abidden with them as well in the time of their greatest triall as of their most happie and longest continued peace for such hath been found to haue been the ioy of Gods seruants as in their greatest troubles it hath caused them to find comfort yea and ease vpon the very racke it selfe some haue been so refreshed in the fier as if they had been laid vpon the bed of sweet roses Iames Bainham Act. and Mon. pag. 939. One burned at Bruxels p. 799. when they were but frying among the faggots many haue been seene to haue looked on deaths face with good assurance and to haue stood vpright in the middest of all other ruines that haue happened on euery side and so haue the holy Martyrs been rauished with ioy in John Bradford pag. 1474. and Cicely Ormes burned at Norwich Act. and Mon. pag. 1835. Cyprian willed his friends to giue the executioner for his paines 25. rials Thomas Haukes burned at Copehall pag. 1447. Ten Martyrs burned at Colechester p. 1822. their greatest sufferings as they haue not onely patiently endured them but most cheerfully and ioyfully embraced them kissing the stake to which they were bound rewarding the executioner that should put theÌ„ to death clapping their hands in the flame while they were a burning and that with as great triumph and kind of heauenly reioycing as the victorious souldier after his valour hath been shewed in the field commeth at length to be made a knight or as doth a king when he entreth vpon his kingdome and goeth to be crowned with such pompe and solemnity as may beseeme his kingly dignity They were comforted of the Lord with such inward ioy as some writing to their friends professed they were neuer so merrie in all their liues before some leaping for iow some for triumph would put on their scarfes some their wedding garment when they went to the fier One saith well That to be cooled in the shade is'a thing of no great wonder but to be refreshed in a hote fiery furnace is strange and admirable to bee cheered and refreshed with wine and oyle at banquets and feasts is not a matter so much worthy the speaking of but in prison persecution and trouble to bee refreshed and find comfortable cheering is a thing worthy both to be made of and maruelled at but thus hath it been with diuers Witnesse that famous Italian Martyr Pomponius Algerius who Pomponius Algerius his story pag. 857. found euen when he lay in prison in that same deepe and darke dungeon a very Paradice of pleasure and in that place of sorrow and death he found to dwell tranquillity and hope of life in that infernall caue he found heauenly ioy hee found ease and rest to his soule in his strait bonds and cold irons yea where other did weepe there did he reioyce and there had he boldnesse and strength where others through feare did tremble and shake and so he shutteth vp his excellent letter with as comfortable a farwell bidding his friends farwell in the Lord from the delâ—ctable Orchard of Leonyne prison But in reporting of these things which euery way Isa 53. 1. may seeme strange and incredible to a carnali worldling we may say and cry out with the Prophet Lord who will beleeue our report Doubtlesse it may well be thought that the ioy of the holy Ghost euen that ioy that Peter saith to bee vnspeakable and glorious wherewith the hearts of these worthy Martyrs were so abundantly replenished and the interiour heate of Gods loue in them The creature that serueth the Creator as it encreaseth his strength against the vnrighteous for their punishment so it abateth his strength for the benefit of such as put their trust in him Wisd chap. 16. 24. See Acts and Monuments pag. 1879. The history of Iohn Dauis Heb. 11. 38. wherewith they were fired within did much surmount the heate and burning of those fierie flames that outwardly did fasten vpon them the feruent zeale and burning of which fier within sustained them so in their greatest torments as they shrunke no whit nor gaue any place at all to such things which otherwise without that sustaining had been able to haue enforced them not only to haue giuen backe but to haue giuen ouer for altogether the cause wherein so manfully they stood without any staggering These things which men of renowne in former times euen the worthies of God whom worthily the Apostle saith the world was not worthy of haue abundantly tryed by their owne experience to haue been most true their cheerings and comforts hauing so farre surmounted their sorrowes and griefes in the middest of all their torments and paines as that when they were tried with the greatest tortures and put to the most painfull rackings and then offers made them to bee released they haue yet refused to bee deliuered so great was their constancy the ioy and the comfort that they had in their hope of obtaining a better resurrection these things Heb. 11. 35. I say are so high and doe so farre transcend not onely all sense by feeling but all height of reason by apprehending and conceiuing how possibly they could euer bee in the vnderstanding of any mortall man as that euen vnto Gods children themselues especially to such of them as are of the weaker sort who through frailty feare seeme to be very doubtful what they should do if times of triall should euer come to them that saying of Cyprian to his friend had neede in this case be againe remembred which was alleaged before Accipe quod sentitur antequam discitur Heare the report of that which better shall bee knowne by experience feeling then any can now learne or so well stand perswaded of by others telling or their owne hearing as well as did those blessed Martyrs find by their owne triall and proofe whom God called forth to the witnessing of his truth who of weake ones were made strong ones as the Apostle speaketh waxing valiant in battell so as though at Heb. 11. 34. the first they did quake and tremble as so many fearefull Hindes and Harts that were ready to runne for hiding and couert into euery thicket and behind euery bush yet when they were brought forth and put to the triall in deede the cause of God being hazzarded and pawned vpon their heads then were they found to be most chearefull and of courage inuincible their feare was then taken from them and they which before were wont to runne away quaking and trembling did then come
pray for them yet would he deny theÌ„ nothing Nay so doth it please him to vnbowel himselfe and to open and manifest the loue of his heart which he beareth to his children that as touching their good and concerning them he saith after a sort they may Isai 45 10. command him By all which it may appeare before wee can warrantably beleeue in God as reckoning vpon his fauour and loue to finde mercie at his hands for the pardon of our sinnes and our owne gratious acceptation with him or for the receiuing any blessing from him or any righteousnesse as from the God of our saluation wee Psal 24 5. must first get the knowledge of Christ Iesus and by faith seeke to apprehend him that being first ingrafted into Christ Iesus by faith and admitted to a holy vnion and communion â—ith the Sonne wee may haue fellowship with the Father and so be brought to God by him according Ioh. 14 6. as he is said to be perfectly able to saue all that doe Heb. 7. 25. come to God by him And this is that which Peter speaketh of when hee saith that the faithfull doe by Christ beleeue in God who raised him vp from the dead and 1. Pet. 1. 21. gaue him glorie that their faith and hope might be in God CHAP. V. The manner of knowledge of Christ with the perswasion that is necessary to faith Question WHat manner of knowledge is that which is necessary for vs to haue of Christ Iesus that so we may the better beleeue in him A. Not a confused or a generall knowledge Knowledge of Christ of Christ alone not a bare speculatiue knowledge of him and of the mysterie of saluation by him which is the best knowledge that the most haue of Christ which is yet but idle and vnfruitfull and auaileth Mat. 7. 21. Luk. 6. 46. nothing to saluation But a cleare and distinct knowledge of the mysterie of saluation in Christ Iesus as the same is reuealed in the Gospell whereby we may know assuredly that it is he and hee onely whom the Father hath sealed sent into the world that the world by him might be saued who being fore-ordained to this great 1. Pet. 1. 20. and blessed worke of mans redemption and sauing the world before the very foundation of the world it selfe was laid and promised to the Fathers as God spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets which haue been since Luk. 1. 70. the world began was sent of God when the fulnesse of time was come though being his owne Sonne to become Galath 4. 4. also the Sonne of man and to be made of a woman And as concerning the flesh to descend of the Fathers though from all eternity in himselfe he is God ouer all blessed Rom. 9. 5. for euer A person truly that hath no peere most admirable and wonderfull who is the only Phoenix in the world that hath no fellow euen as the worke was great and difficult yea very admirable and wholly impossible by any other euer to haue been effected about which hee was to bee employed which was the redeeming of the world and reconciling of man to God This will better appeare if we consider first that God himselfe was the partie that was wronged man was the partie that had offended God was to be satisfied man stood in need to be saued necessary it was that there should come satisfaction to God for man that man being saued Gods iustice might not be lost Now the infinite Maiesty of God being wronged there could bee no satisfaction made sufficient by any that were but finite none therefore could thus satisfie but God as none ought to satisfie but man For which cause our Sauiour Christ Iesus was the onely meete person that was to be imployed about this worke which vnto all others was wholly impossible who being God became also man and tooke our nature vpon him that as he was man he might offer the sacrifice and as he was God he might make it precious and conferre worthinesse and dignitie vnto it that it might euery way be sufficient that so by that one sacrifice Heb. 9. 26. 28. of himselfe once offered that being a sacrifice of a sweet smelling sauour vnto God he might satisfie God Ephes 5. 2. Heb. 5. 9. for man and become the authour of eternall saluation to all them that will obey him Secondly and as wee are to know that in person hee was right wonderfull and in worke no lesse powerfull yea most singular most glorious and excellent so are we to know that the offices were most high and honourable vnto which he was assigned and which he bare vpon him for the accomplishment of the same as being annointed of God to those offices of greatest dignitie and respect both before God and man of being our high Priest King and Prophet by whom we might be reconciled vnto God deliuered from the hands of our enemies ruled by his lawes guided by his teaching and shewed the path and way of life that so in the end we might bee saued by Psal 16. 11. him A high Priest indeed but made not after the law of a carnall commandement in a policy that was perishable Heb. 7. 16. but after the power of an endlesse life in the promise of a dignity that should bee euerlasting A King of greatest Apoc. 1. 5. and 17. 14. Heb. 12. 27. 28. 1. Tim. 1. 17. Luk. 1. 33. Maiesty and glory but not such a one as euer may bee deposed or put out of his throne not such a one whose kingdome can euer bee shaken but who is a King euerlasting and immortall and of whose kingdome and gouernment there shall neuer bee end A Prophet mighty indeed and in word doing such workes as no other Luk. 24. 19. Ioh. 15. 24. Ioh. 7. 46. man did and speaking such words as neuer man spake who was annointed to that holy function as well as others but yet with the oyle of gladnesse aboue all his fellowes Who receiued not the Spirit by measure as Psal 45. 7. doe others for it pleased the Father that in him all fulnesse should dwell of whose fulnesse we haue all receiued Ioh. 3. 34. Colos 1. 19. Ioh. 1. 16. Mat. 17. 5. Isa 42. 4. euen grace for grace him are we willed to heare and the Isles are to wait for his law Now we are to pray without ceasing that the God of our Lord Iesus Christ the Father of glory would giue vnto vs the Spirit of wisedome and reuelation in the true knowledge of him making daily more and more manifest this great mysterie of Christ Ephes 1. 17. which in other ages was not made knowne to the sonnes Ephes 3. 5. of men as it is now reuealed by the Spirit that wee may after this manner both know and acknowledge him Q. Beside the true knowledge of Christ in the description you made of faith