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B02626 The plain mans path-way to heaven wherein every man may clearly see whether he shall be saved or damned. / Set forth dialogue-wise for the better understanding of the simple, by Arthur Dent, preacher of the word of God at South-Shoobery in Essex. Dent, Arthur, d. 1607. 1643 (1643) Wing D1052B; ESTC R174600 204,325 502

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As farre as is the East from the West so farre hath hee removed our sinnes from us As a Father hath compassion on his children so hath the Lord compassion on them that feare him For he knowes whereof wee be made he remembreth that wee are but dust The History of the lost sonne doth most notably set forth the wonderfull mercy of God towards penitent sinners There is shewed how the Lord doth embrace tender Luke 1● 20 and made much of such poore sinners as have broken and contrite hearts for their sinnes for it is said that when the Father saw his repenting Sonne a great way off hee had compassion on him and ranne and fell on his neck and kissed him and cloathed him with the best robe put it on him put a ring on his hand and shooes on his feet and caused the fat calfe to be killed for him Even so the everlasting Father doth rejoyce at the conversion of any of his lost sonnes Yea there is joy in the presence of the Angels of God for one sinner that converteth Moreover the Lord most lively expresseth his mercifull nature and disposition in this That he is very loth we should perish and willingly cast away our selves Therefore often in the holy Scriptures he mournes for us bewailes our wretchednesse and takes up many pitifull complaints and lamentations for us Psal ●1 13 saying O that my people had hearkened unto mee and Israel had walked in my waies Psa 48.18 And againe O that thou hadst hearkened unto my commandements then had thy prosperity been as the floud and thy righteousnesse as the waters of the sea Againe hee mourningly complaines by his Prophet Hosea saying O Ephraim what shall I doe to thee O Judah how shall I intreat thee And in another place Isa 5. What could I doe more to my Vineyard that I have not done Marke here how compassionately the Almighty God doth yerne over us and even as it were blood upon our wounds The Apostle also notes the rich mercy and marvellous love of GOD to mankind in this that hee doth beseech us and pray us by the Ministers of the Gospel that wee would be reconciled unto him The words are these Now then are wee Embassadours for Christ as though God did beseech you through us wee pray you in Christs stead that you be reconciled unto God Is it not a strange thing that the omnipotent God should fall to entreating of us poore wretches It is all one as if a King should intreat a begger whom hee may will and command But the abundant mercy of God towards mankind doth most of all consist in this That hee hath given his onely Sonne for us when wee were his enemies as it is written God so loved the world that hee hath given his onely begotten Sonne John ● that whosoever beleeves in him should not perish but have everlasting life Againe Gods sets out his love towards us seeing that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us much more then being now justified by his bloud wee shall be saved from wrath through him Rom. 5.1 For if when wee were enemies wee were reconciled to God by the death of his Sonne much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life In all this then wee may cleerely behold the infinite mercy of God towards us poore sinners For is it not a great matter that the Son of God should take our nature upon him should be so abased as he was and should humble himselfe to death Phil. 2. ● even to the death of the crosse For as the shadow of the Diall went backe ten degrees that Ezechias might receive length of dayes and much happinesse so Christ the Sonne of righteousnesse hath gone backe many degrees that we might have eternall life His humiliation therefore is our exaltation his sufferings our joy his death our life For wee have no other remedy or refuge but only his merits and righteousnes He is our City of refuge whither we must flie and where wee must take sanctuary Jer. 9. He is the balme of Gilead whereby our soules are cured He is that poole of Bethesda John ● 2 where every man may be cured of what disease soever he hath 2 Kin. 5. He is the river of Jordan where Naaman may wash away all his leprosie He is that Pelican who by pecking a hole in his owne breast doth restore his young to life againe by his bloud Yet one thing wee must note by the way which hath been partly touched before That all the mercies of God and merits of Christ are to be restrained only to the Elect only to the true members of the Church as plainly appeareth in Psal 103. where the mercies of God which are there largely described are restrained onely to them that feare him keep his Covenant and thinke upon his Commandements to doe them And touching Christ it is said that hee is a Prince and a Saviour unto Israel and that he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities Againe it is written Psal 130. that Christ being consecrate was made the Authour of eternall salvation to them that obey him Heb. 5.6 None doe or can obey him but only the Elect therefore hee is the Authour of salvation onely to the Elect. And consequently the profane world whatsoever they say whatsoever they brag and boast have no true title or interest in him This thing was figured in the Law in this that the Mercy-seat which was a type of Gods mercy in Christ and the Arke which was a figure of the Church were by the expresse commandement of GOD fitted each to other Exod. 25.10 both in length and breadth For as the Arke was two cubits and a halfe long and a cubit and a halfe broad just so was the Mercy-seat Noting thereby that the mercy of God in Christ should onely be fitted to his Church and belong onely to the Church so as not one without the Church should be saved For hee that hath not the Church for his Mother cannot have God for his Father Lastly we are to observe that as God is infinite in mercy and of great compassion toward penitent sinners so also is hee most constant in the course of his mercies towards his children And therefore one of the Psalmes carries this foot Psal 156. His mercie endureth for ever his mercie endureth for ever his mercie endureth for ever Noting thereby both the constancie and eternitie of Gods mercy To the same purpose it is thus written Lam. 3 2● It is the Lords mercie that wee are not consumed it is because his compassions faile not Let us know therefore that God as touching his mercy to his children is of a most constant and unchangeable nature As hee saith I am the Lord I change not For if GOD were of a changeable nature as we are and subject to passions then were wee in a most miserable case then must hee
many will say As long as they be neither whore nor thiefe nor spotted with such like grosse sinnes they trust in God they shall be saved Theol. They erre not knowing the Scriptures For many thousands are in great danger of losing their souls for ever which are free from such notorious and horrible vices nay many which in the world are counted good honest men good true dealers good neighbours and good towns-men Asun I pray you Sir give mee leave a little I have heard all your speech hitherto and I like reasonable well of it but now I can forbear no longer my conscience urgeth mee to speak For mee thinks you goe too far you goo beyond your learning in this that you condemn good neighbours and good towns-men You say many such men are in danger of losing their souls but I will never beleeve it while I live For if such men be not saved I cannot tell who shall Theol. But you must learn to know out of the Scriptures that all outward honesty and righteousnesse without the true knowledge and inward feeling of God availeth not to eternall life As our Saviour Christ saith Matth. 12. Except your righteousnesse exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees ye cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven It is also written that when Paul preached at 〈◊〉 Acts 17.18 many honest men and women did beleeve that i● such no were outwardly honest or honest to the word only for they could not be truly and inwardly honest before they did beleeve Therefore you see that this outward honesty c●vility without the inward regeneration of the spirit ava●seth not to eternall life and then consequently all your honest worldly men are in great danger of losing their souls for ever Asun What sound reason can you yeeld why such honest men should be condemned Theol. Because many such are utterly void of all true knowledge of God and his word Nay which is more many of them despise the word of God and hate all the zealous professors of it They esteem Preachers but as pratlers and Sermons as good tales they esteem a Preacher no more then a shoemaker they regard the Scriptures no more then their old shooes What hope is there then I pray you that such men should be saved Doth not the holy Ghost say Ho● 2.5 How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation Asun You go too far you judge too hardly of them Theol. Not a whit For all experience sheweth that they mind dream dote of nothing else day and night but this world this world lands leases grounds and livings kine sheep and how to wax rich All their thoughts words and works are of these such like things And their actions do most manifestly declare that they are of the earth and speak of the earth and there is nothing in them but earth earth As for Sermons they care not how few they hear And for the scriptures they regard them not they read them not they esteem them not worth the while there is nothing more irksome unto them they had rather pill strawes or doe any thing then hear read or conferre of the Scriptures And as the Prophet saith 〈◊〉 8.1 ● The word of the Lord is as a reproach unto them they have no delight in it Phil. I marvell much that such men should live so honestly to the worldward Theol. No marvell at all for many bad men whose hearts are worm-eaten within yet for some outward and carnall respects doe abstaine from the grosse act of sin as some for credit some for shame some for fear of law some for fear of punishment but none for love of God for zeal of conscience or of obedience For it is a sure thing that the wicked may have that spirit which doth represse but not that which doth renew Phil. It seemeth then by your speeches that some which are not regenerate do in some things excell the children of God Theol. Most certain it is that some of them in outward gifts and the outward carriage of themselves doe goe beyond some of the elect Phil. Shew me I pray you in what gifts Theol. In learning discretion justice temperance prudence patience liberality assability kindnesse courtesie good nature c. Phil. Me thinks it should not be possible Theol. Yes truly for some of Gods dear children in whom no doubt the inward work is truely and soundly wrought yet are so troubled and incumbred with a crabbed crooked nature and so clogged with some master sin as some with anger some with pride some with covetousnesse some with lusts some one way and some another all which breaking out in them do so blemish them and their profession that they cannot so shine forth unto men as otherwise no doubt they would and this is their wound their griefe and their heart-smart and that which costeth them many a tear and many a prayer and yet can they not get the fu l victory over them but still they are less in them as a prick in the flesh to humble them Ph. Yet love should cover a multitude of such infirmities in Gods children Theol. It should do so indeed but there is great want of love even in the best and the worst sort espying these infirmities in the godly runne upon them with open mouth and take upon them to condemne them utterly and to judge their hearts saying They be hypocrites dissemblers and there is none worse then they Phil. But do you not think that there be some counterfeits even amongst the greatest professors Theol. Yes no doubt there be alwayes have been some very hypocrites in the Church but we most take heed of judging condemning all for some For it were very much to condemne Christ and his eleven disciples because of one Judas or the whole Primitive Church for one Ananias and Sapphira Phil. But I hope you are of this mind that some regenerate men even in outward gifts and their outward carriage are comparable with many others Theol. Questionlesse very many For they being guided by Gods spirit and upheld by his grace doe walk very uprightly and unblamably towards men Phil. Yet there resteth one scruple for it seemeth very strange unto me that men of so discreet carriage as you speak of and of so many good parts should not be saved It is great pity such men should be damned Theol. It seemeth so unto us indeed but God is only wise And you must note that as there be some infirmities in Gods children which hee correcteth with temporall chastisements and yet rewardeth their faith love and inward service and obedience with eternal life so there be some good things in the wicked and them that are without Christ which God rewardeth with temporall blessings and yet punisheth them eternally for their unbeliefe and hardnesse of heart Phil. Now you have reasonably well satisfied mee touching the doctrine of regeneration and the manifold errours
4. Antil 〈◊〉 18. But how answer you this God will● not the death of a sinner therefore he hath predestinated none to destruction Theol. God wils not the death of a sinner simply and absolutely as it is the destruction of his creature but as it is a meanes to declare his justice and to set forth his glory Antil God did fore-see and fore-know that the wicked would perish through their owne sin but yet he did not predestinate them unto it Theol. Gods prescience and fore-knowledge cannot be separated from his decree For whatsoever God hath fore-seene and fore-known in his eternall counsell he hath determined the same shall come to passe For as it appertaines to his wisdome to fore-know and fore-see all things so doth it appertain to his power to moderate and rule all things according to his will Antil What doe you call prescience in God Theol. Prescience in God is that whereby all things abide present before his eyes so that to his eternall knowledge nothing is past nothing to come but all things are alwaies present and are they so present that they are not as conceived imaginations formes and motions but all things are alwaies so present befo●e God that he doth behold them 〈◊〉 their 〈◊〉 and perfection Antil How can God justly determine of mens destruction before they have sinned Theol. This objection hath been answered in part before For I told you that God condemneth none but for sin either originall onely or else both originall and actuall For howsoever he doth in himselfe before all time determine the reprobation of many yet he proceeds to no excecution till there be found in us both just desert● and apparent cause Therefore they deale unsoundly and foolishly which confound the decree of reprobation with damnation it selfe sith sinne is the cause of the one and only the will of God of the other Phil. Well Sir sith we are so far proceeded in this question by the occasion of this mans objections and cavile I pray you now as you have spoken much of reprobation and the causes thereof so let us heare somewhat of election and the causes thereof and shew us out of the Scriptures that God hath before all worlds chosen some to eternall life Theol. Touching the decree of election there are almost none that make any doubt thereof therefore small proofe shall serve for this point Onely I will construct it by one or two testimonies out of holy Scripture First the Apostle saith Blessed be God Ephes 1.3 even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spirituall blessings in heavenly things in Christ as hee hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world that wee should be holy and without blame before him in love You see the words are very plaine and pregnant for this purpose Another confirmation is taken out of the eight chapter to the Romans in these words Those whom hee knew before did he also predestinate to be like to be like to the image of his owne Sonne that hee might be the first-borne of many brethren Phil. Which be the causes of election Theol. The causes of election are to be found onely in God himselfe For his eternall election dependeth neither upon man neither yet upon any thing that is in man but is purposed in himselfe and established in Christ in whom we are elected This is fully proved in these words Ephes 1.5 6. Who hath predestinated us to be adopted through Jesus Christ in himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will to the praise of his glory wherewith he hath made us freely accepted in his beloved Where we see the Apostle telleth us that his free grace and the good pleasure of his will are the first motives or moving causes of our election Phil. But the Papists fetch the first motive of election out of mans merits and fore-seen workes For say they God did fore-see who would repent beleeve and doe well and therefore he made choice of them Theol. But they are greatly deceived For I say againe and againe that there is nothing in us which did ever move God to set his love upon us and to chuse us unto life but he ever found the originall cause in himselfe as it is written Rom. 9. Hee will have mercy upon whom hee will have mercy and whom hee will hee hardneth And againe It is neither in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercy Deut. 7.7 The Lord himselfe also testifieth that hee did chuse his people not for any respect in them but onely because he loved them and bare a speciall favour unto them 〈◊〉 then it is a certaine truth that Gods eternall predestination excludeth all merits of man and all power of his will thereby to attaine unto eternall life and that his free mercy and undeserved favour is both the beginning the midst and the end of our salvation that is to say All is of him and nothing of our selves Phil. Whether then doth faith depend upon election or election upon faith That is whether did God chuse us because we doe beleeve or whether doe we beleeve because we are chosen Theol. Out of all doubt both faith and all fruits of faith do depend upon election For therefore we beleeve because we are elected and not therefore elected because wee beleeve As it is written Act. 13.41 So many as were ordained to everlasting life beleeved Antil If men be predestinate before they be borne to what purpose serve all precepts admonitions lawes c. It sorceth not how wee live For neither our godly or ungodly life can alter the purpose of God Theol. This is a very wicked and carnall objection and sheweth a vile and dissolute mind in them that use it But I would wish such men to consider the end of election which is that we should lead a godly 〈◊〉 As it is plainly set down in the first chapter to the Ephesians ver 3. where the Apostle saith God hath chosen us before the foundation of the world But to what end that wee should live as wee list No no saith hee But that wee should be holy and unblameable before him Againe he saith Rom. 9.16 Wee are predestinate to be made like the image of his Sonne that is to be holy and righteous For most certaine it is that wee can judge nothing of predestination but by the consequents that is by our calling justification and sanctification For when once we feele the work of grace within us that is that wee are washed by the new birth and renued by the holy Ghost finding in our selves an unfeigned hatred of sinne and love of righteousnesse then are we sure and out of all doubt that we are predestinated to life And it is even as much is if God had personally appeared unto us and whispered us in the eare and told us that our names are taken and written in the
understand aright or to will and doe aright as it is written 2 Col. 5.3 Wee are not sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves but our sufficiency is of God And again 〈◊〉 2.3 It is God which worketh in you both the will and the deed even of his good pleasure And as concerning the other point Jam. 3.9 St. James saith That all men are made after the similitude of God meaning thereby that there remain some reliques and parts of Gods image even in the most wicked men as reason understanding c. so that our nature was not wholly destroyed Phil. Then you thinke there be some sparkes and remnants left in us still of that excellent image of God which was in our first creation Theol. I thinke so indeed and it may plainly appeare unto us in the wise speeches and writings of heathen Poets and Philosophers in all which we may as by certaine ruines perceive what was the excellent frame and building of mans creation Phil. Can a man please God in any thing which he doth so long as he continueth in the state of nature Theol. No not in any thing for till wee be in the state of grace even our best actions are sinfull as preaching prayer almes-deeds c. as it is written Who can bring a clean thing out of that which is unclean Job 14.4 The Apostle also saith They that are in the flesh cannot please God Rom. 8.8 that is such as are still in their naturall corruption And our Lord Iesus himself saith Doe men gather grapes of thorns or figs of thistles Matth. 7.16 meaning thereby that meer naturall men can bring forth no fruits acceptable to God Phil. This is a very harsh and hard saying I pray you for my further instruction make it more plaine Theol. Men in the state of nature may doe those things which of themselves are good but they do utterly fail in the manner of doing them they doe them not as they should be done that is in faith love zeal conscience of obedience c neither yet with any cheerfulnesse delight or feeling but then as it were forcing themselves to doe the outward actions Thus did Cain sacrifice the P●●risces pray Ananias and Sapphira give alms and the Iewes offer up their oblations and burnt-offerings Phil. Have men any true sight or lively and sound feeling of this misery and wofull estate so long as they bee meerly naturall Theol. No surely but are altogether blinded and hardened in it being nothing desirous to come out of it but doe greatly please themselves in it and can hardly be perswaded that they are in any such wofull case as appeareth plainly in the example of that Ruler who being commanded or rather required of our Saviour Christ to keep the commandements answered All these have I kept from my youth Luke 18.21 And againe although the Church of Laodicca was wretched miserable poor blinde and naked yet she thought her selfe rich increased with goods and wanting nothing It followeth then that so long as men are in the state of nat●●e they have no true sight and feeling of their miseries Phil. Doe you not think that all men being meerly naturall are under the c●rse of the Law Theol. Yes certainly and not only so but also under the ver●●●●onny and dominion of Sathan though they know it not feel it not see it not or perceive it not for all that are not in Christ are under the curse of the Law and the power of darknesse and the Divell as appeareth Ephes 2.2 where the Divell is called the Prince that ruleth in the aire even the Spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience In another place hee is called the god of this world 2 Cor. 4 4. who blindeth the eyes of all unbeleevers And againe it is said 2 Tim. 2.26 that all men naturally are in his snare being taken captive of him at his will Phil. Few will be perswaded of that they will say They defie the divell and thank God they were never troubled with him Theol. Their hot words doe nothing amend the matter for the divell is no more driven away with words then with holy water but he sitteth in the tongues and mouthes nay possesseth the very hearts and intrals of thousands which say They defie him and are not troubled with him as appeareth manifestly by their particular actions and the whole course of their life Phil. Me thinks if the divell do so inwardly possesse the hearts and consciences of men they should have some sight and feeling of it Theol. The working of the divell in mens soules being an invisible spirit is with such unconceivable sleight and crafty conveyance that men in the state of nature cannot possibly feele it or perceive it for how can a blind man see or a dead man feel Phil. Shew this more plainly Theol. Even as a crafty Iuggler doth so prestigiate and blind mens outward senses by the delusions of Sathan that they think they see that which they see not and feele that which they feel not even so the divell doth so delude and bewitch our inward senses and the naturall faculties of our souls that wee having a mist cast before our eyes think wee are that which wee are not see that which wee see not and feel that which wee feele not For the deep cunning of Sathan lieth in this that hee can give us our deaths wound and wee shall never know who hurt us Phil. Few will beleeve this to bee true Theol. True indeed for few will beleeve the Scriptures few will beleeve this because few feel it Where it is not felt it can hardly be beleeved Onely the elect doe feel it and therefore onely the elect doe beleeve it As for all others they are the very prentises and bond-slaves of the divell which is a thousand times worse then to be a galley-slave Phil. How long doe men continue in this wofull state of nature being under the curse of the Law and the very slavery of Satan and sin Theol. Till they bee regenerate and born againe and so brought into the state of grace as our Lord Iesus saith John 3 3. Except a man be born againe hee cannot see the kingdome of God Phil. Do not many die and depart this life before they be born again and consequently before they be brought into the state of grace Theol. Yes no doubt thousands for many live forty or threescore yeers in this world and in the end die and goe out of this life before they know wherefore they came into it as it is written Ho● 4.6 My people perish for want of knowledge Phil. What may we think of such Theol. I quake to speak what I think for surely I doe not see how such can be saved I speak not now of infants and children whereof some no doubt are saved by vertue of the promise and covenant through the election of grace Phil. It seemeth then
that you think none can be saved but those onely which are born again Theol. I think so indeed Phil. I pray you tell mee what the same regeneration and new birth is whereof you speak Theol. It is a renewing and repairing of the corrupted and decaied estate of our souls as it is written Be yee changed by the renewing of your mind Rom. 12. And againe Be renewed in the spirit of your mind Eph. 4.23 Phil. Explain this more fully Theol. Even as the wild olive retaineth his old nature till it be graffed into the sweet olive but afterward is partaker of a new nature so wee till wee be graffed into Christ retain our old nature but afterward are turned into a new creature as it is written If any man be in Christ he is a new creature 2 Cor. 5.17 Phil. I understand not what you say Theol. You must know this that as there is a naturall birth of the whole man so there is also a spirituall birth of the whole man Phil. How is that Theol. When as the naturall faculties of the soule as reason understanding will and affections and the members of the body also are so sanctified purged and rectified by grace that we understand will and desire that which is good Phil. Cannot a man will and desire that which is good before hee be born again Theol. No more then a dead man can desire the good things of this life For mans will is not tree to consent unto good till it be enlarged by grace and an unregenerate man doth sin necessarily though not by constraint For mans will is free from constraint for it sinneth of it self but not from thraldome unto sin Phil. You speak as if a man could do no other thing but sin till the new work be wrought in him Theol. That is mine opinion indeed For a man and his flesh are all one till hee be regenerate they agree together like man and wife they join together in all evill they live and die together for when the flesh perisheth the man perisheth Phil. Is not this regeneration a changing or rather destroying of humane nature Theol. Nothing lesse it is neither an abolishing nor changing of the substance of body or soul or any of the faculties thereof but only a rectifying and repairing of them by removing the corruption Phil. Is then our naturall corruption so purged and quite removed by the power of grace as that it remaineth not at all in us but that wee are wholly freed of it Theol. Not so For the reliques and remnants of our old nature which the Scripture calleth the old man do hang about us and dwell in us even untill our dying day as it is plainly proved in the ten last verses of the seventh to the Romans Phil. Then you affirme that this new man or new work of grace and regeneration is unperfect in this life Theol. Yea for the new creature or new work of grace can never be fully fashioned in this life but is alwayes in fashioning And as our faith knowledge in this life are unperfect so is our regeneration and sanctification Phil. You said before that the regeneration or new birth is of the whole man which speech seemeth to imply that the new wo k of grace is entire and perfect Theol. You mistake the matter For although the new birth is universall and of the whole man yet it is not entire perfect pure and without mixture or corruption for it is written The flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh The Apostle also prayeth that the Thessalonians may be sanctified throughout in spirit soule and body Phil. This seemeth very obscure I pray you make it more plain Theol. You must note this that the new work and the old flesh and spirit grace and corruption are so intermingledly joyned together in all the faculties of the soul and body as that the one doth ever fight against the other Phil. But tell me I pray you how you understand this intermingling of grace and corruption in the soul Do you mean that grace is placed in one part of the soul and corruption in another so as they be sundred in place Theol. No that is not my meaning but this that they be joyned mingled together as I said in and throughout the whole man For the mind or understanding part is not one part flesh and another part spirit but the whole mind is flesh and the whole mind is spirit partly one and partly another The same is to be said of wil and affections Ph. I pray you express it more plainly Theol. Even as the air in the dawning of the day is not wholly light or wholly dark as at mid-night or at noon-day neither is it in one part light and in another part dark but the whole aire is partly light and partly dark thorowout and as in a vessell of luke-warm water the water it self is not only hot nor only cold but heat and cold are mixed together in every part of the water so is the flesh and the spirit mingled together in the soule of man And this is the cause why these two contrary qualities fight together Phil. Out of doubt this doctrine of regeneration is a very great mystery Theol. Yes certainly it is a secret of secrets which the wise of this world cannot comprehend Phil. Some think that courtesie kindnesse good nurture good nature and good education are regeneration and that courteous and good natured men must needs be saved Theol. They are generally deceived for these things doe not necessarily accompany salvation but are to be found in such as are altogether profane and irreligious yet wee are to love such good outward qualities and the men in whom we find them Phil. What say you then to learning wit and policie are not these things of the essence of religion and prove a regeneration Theol. No no for they be externall gifts which may be in the most wicked men as in Papists heathen Poets and Philosophers yet we are greatly to reverence learned and wise men although the new and inward work be not as yet wrought for that is onely of God that is from above Phil. The common people doe attribute much to learning and policie for they will say Such a man is learned and wise and knoweth the Scripture as well as any of them and yet hee doth not thus and thus Theol. It is one thing to know the history and letter of the Scriptures and another thing to beleeve and feel the power therof in the heart which is only from the sanctifying spirit which none of the wise of this world can have Phil. It is a common opinion that if a man hold the truth in judgment be no Papist or Heretick but leadeth an honest civill life then hee must of necessity be saved Theol. That followeth not for many come so far which yet notwithstanding have not the inward touch Phil. That seemeth strange For
and deceits that are in it and of it I pray you let us now proceed and first of all tell mee by what means the new birth is wrought Theol By the preaching of the word as the outward meanes 1 Pet. 1 2.3 John 1● 3 Acts 10.44 Ephes 4.3 and the secret worke of the spirit as the inward means Phil. Many hear the word preached and are nothing the better but rather the worse what I pray you is the cause of that Theol. Mens own incredulity and hardnesse of heart because God in his wrath leaveth them to themselves and depriveth them of his spirit without the which all preaching is in vain For except the spirit doe follow the word into our hearts Act. 16.14 wee can finde no joy taste nor comfort therein Phil. Cannot a man attain unto regeneration and the new birth without the word and the spirit Theol. No verily For they are the instruments and means whereby God doth work it Antil Why may not a man have as good a faith to God-ward that heareth no Sermons as hee that heareth all the Sermons in the world Theol. Why may not he which eateth no meat be as fat and as well liking as hee that eateth all the meat in the world For is not the preaching of the word the food of our souls Antil I like not so much hearing of Sermons and reading of the Scriptures except men could keep them better Theol. Faithfull and honest hearers do therefore hear that they may be more able to observe and do For a man cannot do the will of God before he know it and hee cannot know it without hearing and reading Antil I marvell what good men doe get by gadding to Sermons and poring so much in the Scripture or what are they better then others There are none more full of envie and malice then they They will doe their neighbour a shrewd turn as soon as any body and therefore in mine opinion they be but a company of hypocrites and precise fools Theol. You judge uncharitably Full little doe you know what they feel or what good Gods people get by hearing of the word For the work of the spirit in the hearts of the elect is very secret and altogether hid from the world John ● 8 as it is written The wind bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but canst not tell whither it goeth or whence it cometh so is every man that is born of the spirit And againe The things of God knoweth no man but the spirit of God Amil. Tush tush what needs all this ado● If a man say his Lords prayer his ten Commandements and his Beleefe keep them and say no body harme not doe no body harm and doe as hee would be done to have a good faith to God-ward and be a man of Gods beliefe no doubt hee shall be saved without all this running to Sermons and pratling of the Scripture Theol. Now you powr it out indeed you thinke you have spoken wise y. But alas you have bewrayed your great ignorance For you imagine a man may bee saved without the word which is a grosse errour Antil It is no matter say you what you will and all the Preachers in the world besides as long as I serve God and say my prayers duly and truely morning and evening and have a good faith in God and put my whole trust in him and doe my true intent and have a good mind to God-ward and a good meaning although I am not learned yet I hope it will serve the turn for my soules health For that God which made mee must save me It is not you that can save me for all your learning and all your Scriptures Theol. You may very fitly be compared to a sick man who having his brain distempered with heat raveth and speaketh idly he cannot tell what For the holy Ghost saith P●o. 18.9 Hee that turneth away his ear from hearing the law even his prayer shall be abominable And again Prov. 13.15 He that destroyeth the word shall be destroyed So long therefore as you despise Gods word and turn away your ear from hearing his Gospel preached all your prayers your fantasticall serving of God your good meanings and your good intents are to no purpose but most odious and loathsome in the sight of God as it is written My soule hateth your new moons Esa 1.14 and your appointed feasts they are a burthen unto mee I am weary to beare them When you stretch out your hands I will hide mine eye from you and though you make many prayers I will not hear For your hands are full of bloud And again the Lord saith by the same Prophet He that killeth a bullock Esa 66.3 is as if he sl●w a man hee that sacrificeth a sheep as if hee cut off a dogs neck he that offereth an oblation as if he offered swines bloud hee that remembreth incense as if hee blessed an idol Where you see the Lord telleth you his mind touching th●se matters to wit that all your prayers services good meanings c. are abominable unto him so long as you walk in ignorance profanenesse disobedience and contempt of the Gospel For hee saith in the words immediately going before To him will I look even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my words Asun I grant indeed for them that are idle and have little to do it is not amisse now and then to hear a Sermon and read the Scriptures but wee have no leasure we must follow our businesse we cannot live by the Scriptures they are not for plain folk they are too high for us wee will not meddle with them They belong to Preachers and Ministers Theol J●●● 10. Christ saith My sheep heare my voice and I give unto them eternall life If therefore you refuse to heare the voice of Christ you are none of his sheep neither can you have eternall life And in another place our Lord Iesus saith John 8.47 He that is of God heareth Gods word Ye therefore hear it not because ye are not of God Saint Paul writing to all sorts of men both rich and poore high and low men and women Colos 3.1 young and old exhorteth that the word of Christ may dwell plenteously in them all in all wisdom You see therefore that the Apostle would have all sorts of people that have souls to save to bee well acquainted with the Scriptures Therefore you may as well say you will not meddle with God with Christ nor with everlasting life as to say you will not meddle with the Scriptures Asun Well I cannot read and therefore I cannot tell what Christ or what Saint Paul may say but this I am sure of that God is a good man worshipped might he be hee is mercifull and that we must be saved by our good prayers and good serving of God Theol. You speak foolishly and
stirre up in us a greater care of our salvation Phil. 2.12 that we may be in the number of Christs little flock which make an end of their salvation in feare and trembling Phil. Some make light of all these matters Others say As for the life to come that is the least matter of an hundred to be cared for As for that matter they will leave it to God even as pleaseth him they will not meddle with it For they say God that made them must save them They hope they shall doe as well as others and make as good shift as their neighbours Theol. It is lamentable that men should be so carelesse and make so light of that which of all other things is most weighty and important For what shall it profit a man though hee should win the whole world if hee lose his soule as the Author of all wisedome testifieth Mar. 16.26 Asun I pray you Sir under correction give mee leave to speake my mind in this point I am an ignorant man pardon mee if I speake amisse for a fooles bolt is soon shot Theol. Say on Asun I doe verily thinke that God is stronger then the Divell Therefore I cannot beleeve that he will suffer the Divell to have more then himselfe He will not take it at his hands He loveth mankind better then so Theol. You doe carnally imagine that God will wrestle and strive with the Divell about the ●●●ter ●s for Gods power it doth never crosse his will for God can doe nothing against his will and decree because he will not Asun Yea but the Scripture saith God will have all men saved Theol. That is not meant of every particular man but of all sorts some some Iewes some Gentiles some rich some poore some high some low c. Asun Christ died for all therefore all shall be saved Theol. Christ died for all in sufficiencie of his death but not in efficacie unto life For onely the Elect shall be saved by his drath as it is written This is my bloud in the New Testament which is given for you Luke 22.26 meaning his Disciples and chosen children And againe Christ being consecrated is made the Author of salvation to all that obey him Asun God in mercifull and therefore I hope hee will save the greatest part for his mercy sake Theol. The greatest part shall perish but all that shall be saved shall be saved by his mercy as it is written Hee will have mercy on whom hee will have mercy Rom. 9. and whom he will he hardneth And againe It is not in him that willeth or him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercy Therefore though God be infinite in mercy and Christ infinite in merit yet none shall have mercy but only the vessels of mercy Antil Can you tell who shall be saved and who shall be damned Doe you know Gods secrets When were you in heaven When spake you with God I am of the mind that all men shall be saved For Gods mercy is above all his worke Say you what you will and what you can God did not make us to condemne us Theol. You are very peremptory indeed you are more bold then wise for Christ saith Few shall be saved you say All shall be saved Whether then shall we beleeve Christ or you Antil If there should come two soules one from heaven and another from hell and bring us certain newes how the case stood then I would beleeve it indeed Theol. Put case two soules of the dead should come the one from heaven the other from hell I can tell you afore-hand certainly what they would say and what newes they would bring Antil What I pray Theol. They would say there be few in heaven and many in hell heaven is empty and hell is full Antil How know you that how know you they would say so Theol. I am sure if they speak the truth they must needs say so Antil Must they needs Why I pray you must they needs Theol. Because the Word of God saith so Because Moses and the Prophets say so If you will not beleeve Moses and the Prophets neither will you beleeve though one though two though an hundred should rise from the dead Antil Yes but I would Theol. I pray you let me aske you a question Whether doe you thinke that God and his Word or the soules of dead men are more to be credited Antil If I were sure that God said so then I would beleeve it Theol. If his Word say so doth not he say so Is not he and his Word all one Antil Yet for all that if I might heare God himselfe speake it it would move me much Theol. You shew your selfe to be a notable Infidell You will not beleeve Gods word without signes and miracles and wonders from the dead Antil You speak as though you knew certainly that Hell is full you doe but speake at randome you cannot tell you were never there to see But for mine owne part I beleeve there is no Hell at all but onely the bell of a mans conscience Theol. Now you shew your selfe in kind what you are You say you beleeve no Hell at all And I thinke if you were well examined you beleeve no Heaven at all neither God nor Divell Antil Yes I beleeve there is a Heaven because I see it with mine eyes Theol. You will beleeve no more belike then you see Job 20.28 but Blessed is he that beleeveth and seeth not You are one of the rankest Atheists that ever I talked withall Antil You ought not to judge you know not mens hearts Theol. Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh Mat. 12.34 You have sufficiently bewrayed your heart by your words For the tongue is the key of the mind As for judging I judge you onely by your fruits which is lawfull For we may justly say It is a bad tree which bringeth forth bad fruit and hee that doth wickedly is a wicked man But it is you and such as you are that will take upon you to judge mens hearts For though a mans outward actions be religious and honest yet you will condemne him And if a man give himselfe to the Word and Praier reforme his family and abstaine from the grosse sins of the world you will by and by say Hee is an Hypocrite And thus you take upon you to judge mens hearts as though you knew with what affection these things are done Antil I confesse I am a sinner and so are all other for ought I know There is no man but hee may be amended I pray God send us all of his grace that we may please him and get to Heaven at last Theol. Now you would shuffle up all together as though you were as good as the best and as though there were no difference of sinners but you must learne to know that there is a great difference of sinners For there is the penitent and the
the greatnesse and extremity of the torments of Hell As the joyes of Heaven never entred into the heart of man no more did the torments of Hell All the torments and troubles that fall upon men in this life are but the sparkles of the furnace of Gods totall wrath All fires are but as it were pictures of fire in comparison of Hell fire For as one writeth Hell fire is so extremely hot that it will burne up a man seven mile before hee come at it Yet the Reprobates being alwayes in it shall never be consumed of it As the Salamander is alwayes in the fire and never consumeth so the wicked shall be alwayes in the fire of Hell and never consume For Hell is a death alwayes living and an end alwayes beginning It is a grievous thing to a man that is very sicke to lye long upon a feather bed how much more upon a hot gridi●on but how most of all to burn alwaies in Hell fire and never be consumed Another extremity of it consisteth in this that the torments of Hell are universall that is in every member at once head eyes tongue teeth throat stomacke back belly heart sides c. All punishments of this life are particular For some are pained in their head some in their backe some in their stomacke c. yet some particular paines are such as a man would not suffer to gaine all the world But for a man to be tormented in all parts at once what sight more lamentable who could but take pity of a dog in the street in that case Thus then we see that the extremitie of Hell torments is greater then can be conceived or uttered For who can utter that which is incomprehensible Wee can goe no further in comprehending that which is incomprehensible then to know it to be incomprehensible Phil. As you have shewed us the extremity of Hell torments so now proceed to the perpetuity Theol. The Scriptures doe set forth the perpetuity of Hell torments in saying they are for ever The wicked shall be cast into the Lake that burneth with fire and brimstone for ever The fire never goeth out When as many hundred thousand yeares are expired as there be stones by the Sea side yet still there be so many more to come For that which hath no end can never come to an end If all the Arithmeticians in the world were set a worke to doe nothing but number all the dayes of their life even the greatest numbers that they could possibly set downe and should in the end adde all their numbers together yet could they never come any thing neere to that length of time wherein the wicked shall be tormented If the whole circumference of the Heavens were written about with figures of Arithmeticke from the East to the West and from the West to the East againe yet could it not containe that infinite time and innumerable yeeres wherein all unbeleevers shall suffer eternall torture For in things infinite time hath no place For time is the measure of those things which are subject to measure Therefore because hell torments are infinite they cannot be measured by any time neither can that which is infinite be diminished For if you substract from that which is infinite ten thousand thousand millions of millions yet it is thereby nothing diminished or made lesse Put case a man should once in an hundred thousand yeeres take a spoonfull of water out of the great Ocean Sea how long would it be ere he had so emptied it Yet shall a man sooner empty the Sea by taking out a spoonfull once in an hundred thousand yeares then the damned soule shall have any ease Therefore a certaine Writer saith If a damned soule might be tormented in Hell but a thousand yeares and then have ease there were some comfort in it for then there would be hope it would come to an end but saith hee this word Ever killeth the heart O consider this yee that forget God O yee carnall worldlings thinke on this in time For if you will not now be moved in hearing you shall then be crushed in pieces in feeling What availeth it to live in all possible pleasures and carnall delights here for some sixty yeares and then to suffer this eternall torment what shall it profit a man to win the whole world and lose his soule They be more then mad which will hazzard their soule for a little profit and a few stinking pleasures But this is the manner of men they will have the present sweet come of it what will though they pay never so deare for it though they goe to the highest price though they lose their soules for it Oh the unspeakable blindnesse and madnesse of the men of this world The Divell hath put out their eyes and therefore leadeth them whither he lists For who cannot lead a blind man whither he lists 1 Sam. 11.2 Nahash the Ammonite would make no covenant with the Israelites but upon condition that he might put out all their right eyes So the Divell doth covenant with all the wicked to put out both their eyes that he may lead them directly into Hell Phil. Now Sir a word or two more of the remedilesnesse of Hell fire Theol. The Scriptures do affirm that as the torments of Hell are extreme so they are without all hope of remedy Psal 4● 8 as it is written A man can by no meanes redeem his brother hee cannot give his ransome unto God so precious is the redemption of the soule and the continuance for ever To this purpose Abraham said to the rich man Luk. 16.16 being in Hell torments Betwixt you and us there is a great gulfe set so that they which would goe from hence to you cannot neither can they come from thence to us Our Lord Iesus also saith 〈◊〉 19. What shall a man give for the recompence of his soule Where our Saviour doth plainly affirme that there is no ransome or recompence though never so great to be given for a damned soule For the soule being in Hell can never be released it is past remedy no meanes whatsoever can doe any good no gold no silver no friends no riches no power no policy no flattery no bribery no reach no fetch or device whatsoever can prevaile one jot for a man being once in Hell hath no remedy hee is in close prison he is shut up under the hatches for ever there is no getting out againe he must suffer perpetuall imprisonment Hee cannot bring a writ of false imprisonment because he is laid in by the most righteous and just Iudge who cannot possibly doe any wrong but hee must lye by it For being there once he is there for ever If all the Angels of Heaven should intreat for a damned soule if Abraham Isaac and Jacob should make great suit if all the Prophets Apostles and Martyrs should be continuall solicitors to Christ for release if the father should make request
for his son or the mother for the daughter yet can none of these be heard they must all have the repuise For the sentence of Christ cannot be reversed his decree is unrepealeable The due consideration of these things may make all hearts to quake and all knees to tremble In the troubles and afflictions of this life though a man come in never so great danger yet hee may wind out againe by one meanes or another by mony or friendship or rewards or such like meanes but in Hell-fire this is it that gripes and maketh the heart despaire that there is no remedy at all to be used If wee should aske of a damned soule or an afflicted conscience what they would give for the ease and redemption of their soules they would answer the whole world howsoever secure worldlings and wicked Atheists which see nothing or feele nothing make nothing of it Here by the way let us consider the greatnesse of the losse of a mans soule which we shall the better perceive and see into if we can aright value and prize the soule If therefore it be demanded what is the price of the soule or what is it worth Our Lord Iesus answereth that it is more worth then all the world For saith hee Mat. 1● What shall it profit a man ●o win all the world and lose his soule Therefore the soule of the poorest beggar is more worth then all the world Then I reason thus If the soule be more worth then all the world then the losse of it is greater then the losse of the whole world For indeed it is a losse of all losses an unrecoverable losse If a man should have his house burnt over his head and all that hee hath consumed in one night it were a great losse If a Merchant-venturer should lose twenty thousand pounds in one venture in one ship or as they say in one bottome it were a very great losse If a King should lose his Crowne and Kingdome it were an exceeding great losse But the losse of the soule is a thousand times more then all these it is a matter of infinite importance If a Tenant be cast out of the favour of his Land-lord it is a matter of griefe If a Noblemans Secretary be cast out of favour with his Lord so that he taketh a pritch against him it is a matter of great sorrow If a Nobleman himselfe be discountenanced and cast out of all favour with his Prince that was in great favour it is a corsie a heart-smart and a matter of exceeding grievance But to be eternally separated from God to be shut out of his favour and to be cast away from his presence and the presence of his Angels is a matter of infinite more dolour and torment Marke then and behold what a thing it is for a man to lose his soule Oh therefore that men would be wise in Gods feare that they would looke out in time and make provision for their soules Now then to close up this whole point the summe of all that hath been said is this That the torments of Hell are endlesse easelesse and remedilesse Asun The laying open of these doctrines of Hell fire and the judgement to come makes me quake and tremble I am much thereby perplexed I feele great terrour in my conscience I am affraid I shall be damned Antil Damned man What speake you of damning I am ashamed to heare you say so For it is well knowne that you are an honest man a quiet liver a good neighbour and as good a townes-man as any in the Parish where you dwell and you have been alwayes so reputed and taken If you should be damned I know not who shall be saved Asun I regard not your flatteries I beleeve God I beleeve his Word I beleeve those things which Master Theologus hath alledged out of the holy Scriptures pointing mee both to the Chapter and the Verse and whether it be more meet that I should beleeve the Scriptures or your soothings judge you No no now I doe cleerly see by the glasse of Gods Law that my state is wretched and miserable For I have lived in sinne and ignorance all the dayes of my life being utterly void of all Religion and true knowledge of God I am not the man indeed that you and others take mee for For though outwardly I have lived honestly to the world-ward yet inwardly I have not lived religiously to God-ward Antil Tush tush now I see you are in a melancholy humour If you will goe home with mee I can give you a speedy remedy for I have many pleasant and merry bookes which if you should heare them read would soone remedy you of this melancholy passion I have the Court of Venus The Palace of Pleasure Bevis of South-hampton Ellen of Rummin The merry jest of the Friar and the Boy The pleasant Story of Clem of the Clough Adam Bell and William of Cloudesly The odde tale of William Richard and Humfrey The pretty conceit of John Splinters last Will and Testament which all are excellent and singular bookes against heart-qualmes and to remove such dumpishnesse as I see you are now fallen into Asun Your vaine and frivolous bookes of tales jests and lies would more increase my griefe and strike the print of sorrow deeper into my heart Antil Nay if you be of that mind I have done with you Phil. I pray you if a man may be so bold with you how came you by all these good books I should have said so much trash and rubbish Antil What mattereth it to you What have you to doe to enquire But I pray you Sir what doe you meane to call them trash and rubbish Phil. Because they be no better They be goodly geere trim stuffe They are good to kindle a fire or to scoure a hot oven withall And shall I tell you my opinion of them I doe thus thinke That they were devised by the Divell seene and allowed by the Pope printed in Hell bound up by Hobgoblin and first published and dispersed in Rome Italy and Spaine and all to this end that thereby men might be kept from the reading of the Scriptures For even as a Lapwing with her busie crie draweth men away from her nest so the Popish generation by these fabulous devices draw men from the Scriptures Antil Ah Sir I see now a fooles bolt is soon shot You are more precise then wise The Vicar of Saint Fooles shall be your ghostly father What tell you mee of your opinion I would you should wel know I neither regard you nor your opinion There be wiser men then you who both reade allow and take pleasure in these bookes Theol. Let him alone good Philagathus for you see what he is there is no end of his crossing and cavilling But he that is ignorant let him be ignorant and he that is filthy let him be more filthy Let us now turne our speech to Asunetus for I see
the true Sanctuary but is entred into the very Heaven Heb. 9. to appeare now in the sight of God for you The Apostle saith 2 Cor. 5.21 He hath made him to be sinne for you that knew no sinne that you might be made the righteousnesse of GOD in him Gal 3.13 Christ was made a curse for you that he might redeeme you from the curse of the Law Oh therefore how happy art thou that hast such a Mediatour and high Priest Rest therefore wholly upon him and upon that perfect eternall and propitiatory Sacrifice which he hath once offered Apply Christ apply his merits apply the promises to your selfe and to your owne conscience so shall they doe you good and bring great comfort to your soule For put case you had a most excellent and soveraigne salve which would cure any wound if it were laid to yet if you should locke it up in your chest and never apply it to your wound what good could it doe you Even so the righteousnesse and merits of Christ are a spirituall salve which will cure any wound of the soule but if wee doe not apply them to our soules by faith they can doe us no good You must therefore apply Christ and all the promises of the Gospel to your selfe by faith and stand fully perswaded that whatsoever hee hath done upon the Crosse hee hath done for you particularly For what is justifying faith but a full perswasion of Gods particular love to us in Christ The generall and confused knowledge of Christ and his Gospel availes not to eternall life Labour therefore to have the true use of all these great and precious promises and sticke fast to Christ for through him onely wee have remission of sins and eternall life Acts 10.45 To him all the Prophets give witnesse saith Saint Peter that through his Name all that beleeve shall receive remission of their sins Where the Apostle tells us that if a great Iury of Prophets were pannelled to testifie of the way and meanes to eternall life they would all with one consent bring in a verdict that remission of sins and eternall life are onely in Christ Let us heare the Fore-man speake and one or two of the rest for in the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word stand The Prophet Esay saith Esay 54.5 He was wounded for our transgressions he was broken for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes wee are healed This great Prophet we see plainly affirmes that Christ suffered for our sins and by his suffering we are saved The Prophet Jeremy testifies the same thing Jer. 23 5. saying Behold the day is come saith the Lord that I will raise to David a righteous branch and a King shall reigne and prosper and shall execute judgement and justice in the earth In his dayes Judah shall be saved and Israel shall dwell safely and this is the name whereby they shall call him The Lord our righteousnesse This Prophet jumps with the other For he saith that Christ is the righteous branch and that he is our righteousnesse which is all one as if hee had said our sinnes are pardoned onely through him and through him we are made righteous Moreover hee affirmes that Juda and Israel that is the Church shall be saved by him The Prophet Zachary that I may speake it with reverence telleth the same tale word for word He avoucheth the same thing with the other two Prophets for hee saith In that day a fountaine shall be opened to the house of David Zach. 13.1 and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sinne and for uncleannesse The meaning of the Prophet is that in the dayes of Christs Kingdome the fountaine of Gods mercy in Christ should be opened and let-out to wash away the sinnes and uncleannesse of the Church So then we see that these three great witnesses doe all agree in this that through Christ onely we are washed from our sinnes and through him onely wee are made righteous Seeing then that eternall life is onely in the Sonne therefore he that hath the Sonne hath life Be of good courage therefore O Asunetus for no doubt you have the Sonne and therefore eternall life Feare not your sinnes for they cannot hurt you for as all the righteousnesse of Abraham Isaac and Jacob and all the most righteous men that ever lived on the face of the earth if it were yours could doe you no good without Christ so all the sinne in the world can doe you no hurt being in Christ Rom. 8.1 For there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus Plucke up a good heart therefore be no more heavie and sad for if you be found in Christ clothed with his perfect righteousnesse being made yours through faith what can the Divell say to you what can the Law doe They may well hisse at you but they cannot sting you they may grin at you but they cannot hurt you For who shal lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect It is God that justifies Rom. ● 33 who shall condemne It is Christ which is dead or rather which is risen againe who also sitteth at the right hand of God and makes request for us Phil. 4.4 Rejoyce in the Lord therefore againe I say Rejoice for greater is hee that is in you then hee that is in the world Our Lord Iesus is stronger then all None can pluck you out of his hands hee is a strong Mediator hee hath conquered all our spirituall enemies hee hath overcome hell death and damnation hee hath led captivity captive Col. 1.15 hee hath spoyled principalities and powers and hath made an open shew of them and triumphed over them on his crosse Hee hath most triumphantly said O death Hos 13.14 I will be thy death O grave I will be thy destruction O death where is thy sting 1 Cor. 15.55 O hell where is thy victory Seeing then you have such a Mediator and high Priest as hath conquered the hellish army and subdued all infernall power what need you to doubt what need you to feare any more Moreover you are to understand and to be perswaded that Gods mercy is exceeding great towards penitent sinners and all such as mourne for their transgressions according as hee saith At what time soever a sinner doth repent him of his sinnes from the bottome of his heart hee will put them all out of his remembrance The Prophet David doth most lively and fully describe unto us the mercifull nature of God in the 103. Psalme where hee saith The Lord is full of compassion and mercy slow to anger and of great kindnesse hee will not alwaies chide neither keepeth his anger for ever hee hath not dealt with us after our sinnes nor rewarded us according to our iniquities For as high as the heaven is above the earth so great is his mercy towards those that feare him
needs smite us downe and take vengeance of us every day and every houre in the day because wee provoke him every day and every houre in the day But the God of Heaven is not as a man that hee should be subject to passions and affections hee is of a most constant and immutable nature For though we provoke him every day with new sins yet is he so farre off from takeing revenge that the next day hee rewardeth us with new mercies and breaketh through all our unkindnesse to shew kindnesse unto us and through all our naughtinesse to doe us good All our infirmities cannot make him breaks off with us or cease to love us Hee is content to take us with all faults and to love us dearly though wee have great faults Hee regardeth not our infirmities though wee be oftentimes wayward and elvish yet for all that hee loveth us neverthelesse Even as a loving Mother though her young suckling cry all the night and be exceeding trease and wayward so as shee cannot rest on houre in the night yea though shee endure much lothsomenesse and trouble with it yet in the morning when shee riseth shee loveth it never the lesse but dandleth it playeth with it smileth and laugheth upon it so the God of all mercies whose love towards us farre passeth the love of mothers though we grieve him with our infirmities continually yet loveth us neverthelesse and is content to put up all to forget and forgive all for hee is a most constant lover Where he once sets and settles his love hee loveth most constantly nothing can alter him nothing can remove him Even as a Father when his little childe catcheth a fall breaketh his shinnes and hurteth his face is so farre from beeing offended or displeased with him therefore that hee doth pity him and bemoane him seeking remedies for his hurt so our mercifull Father is so farre off from being angry and displeased with us for some slips and falls that hee doth the more pitie us and lament our case Even as a loving and wise husband although his wife have many infirmities yet being assured shee loves him dearly and that her heart is with him hee is well content to winke at all her faults to hide them to beare with them yea and to make nothing of them loving her no whit the lesse for them so our deare husband and Spouse Christ Iesus because hee knoweth wee love him and that hee hath our hearts is content to beare with all our infirmities and to make light of them For this cause it is that hee saith to his Spouse in the Canticles though shee was black and full of infirmities Behold thou art all faire C●nt 4 1 7. my Love Behold thou art faire thou art all faire my Love there is no spot in thee Mark that hee calleth his Church faire all faire and without spot not because shee was so in her selfe but because shee was made so in him and assuredly the eternall God beholding her in his Sonne doth so esteeme and account of her For as hee that beholdeth any thing through a red glasse doth take it to be red as is the colour of the glasse so God the Father beholding us in his Sonne doth take us to be of the same nature and quality that hee is that is perfectly righteous For this cause it is that hee loveth us and setteth his heart upon us and will not be removeed from us For his love to his children is alwaies one and the same although we have alwaies the like sight and feeling of it as the Moone is alwaies the same in substance and quantity though sometimes it seemeth unto us to be wasted into a very small scantling Let us know then to our great comfort that the love of God towards us in his deare Sonne is constant and alwaies alike and that he will not discountenance us or shake us off for some infirmities no nor yet for many infirmities for the mercifull God doth accept of his children because their generall care is good and the universall tenour of their life tendeth unto righteousnesse howsoever they may greatly faile in many particular actions Two or three fits of an ague doe not prove a diseased body nor two or three good daies a found body then so some few infirmities do not argue a wicked man nor two or three good actions a good man but we must have an eye to the certain 〈◊〉 settled course of a mans life Even a●● men are truely said to walke in a way when they go in it although sometimes they trip and stumble so Gods children do walk in the way of righteousnesse although sometimes they stumble and step out of it or sometimes be violently haled out of it by theeves For Satan and the violence of our lusts do often hale us out of the way but wee must get into it againe as soon as wee are escaped Now then to conclude and draw to an end Sith God is so infinitely mercifull and constant in his mercy sith such great and precious promises are made to us in Christ sith the Lord doth not regard our infirmities when our hearts are with him therefore O Asunetus be of good cheere let nothing trouble you feare not the assaults of the Divel regard not his temptations for assuredly your sinnes are forgiven Christ is yours heaven is yours and all the promises of life and salvation belong unto you So as you need not doubt you cannot miscarry your name is written in the Book of life Asun I am greatly comforted and cheered up with your words Your preaching of the Gospel and laying open of Gods abundant mercy in Christ and of the promises doe exceedingly revive me and even as it were put new life into me they are as Sacke and Sugar unto my soule and sweeter then the honey and the honey-combe they are as Physicke to my sicke soule and as ointment to my spirituall wounds I do now begin to see what misery is in man and what mercy is in God And I know by wofull experience that where misery is not felt there mercy is not regarded but now it hath pleased God to give mee some feeling of mine owne wretchednesse and misery and yet with good comfort in his mercy For I thanke God for it I begin now to grow to some perswasion that the promises do belong unto me my sins are forgiven and that I am one of them that shall be saved Theol. I doe greatly rejoice that God hath according to his rich mercy wrought this good worke in you I do from the bottome of my heart give him the praise and glory of it Happie are you that ever you were borne in whom the Lord hath wrought so gracious a work It is his high favour and speciall mercy towards you for it is the onely priviledge and prerogative royall of Gods owne children truely to repent and de●●eve I beseech God therefore to encrease your faith and to
that they may draw it out to punish the wicked and to defend the godly and that they may with all good care and conscience discharge the duties of their places Increase the number of faithfull and zealous Ministers in this Church Send thy Gospel to those places where it is not and blesse it where it is Remember them in thy mercy O Lord that are under any crosse or affliction whatsoever be comfortable unto them heale up their wounds bind up their sores put all their teares into 〈◊〉 bottle and make their bed in all their sorrowes and put such a good end to all their troubles that they may redound to thy glory and the furtherance of their owne salvation In the meane time give them patience and constancie to beare whatsoever it shall please thy mercifull hand to lay upon them Last of all in a word wee pray the● blesse the Magistracie Ministry and Commonalty Blesse all the people doe good to all that are true and upright in their hearts And so deare Father we do commit and command our selves our soules and bodies into thy hands for this day and the rest of our life praying thee to take care and charge of us Keep us from all evill watch over us for our good let thine Angels encamp about us let thy holy hand be over us and keep us in all our waies that we may live to thy praise and glory here on earth keeping faith and a good conscience in all our actions that after this life wee may be crowned of thee for ever in thy Kingdome Grant these things good Father to us here present and to all thine absent praying thee in speciall favour to remember an our friends and kinsfolkes in the flesh all our good neighbours and well-willers and all those for whom wee are bound to pray by nature by deserts or any duty whatsoever for Jesus Christs sake our onely Mediatour to whom with thee and the holy Ghost be given all praise and glory both now and for evermore Amen An Evening Prayer to be used in private Families O Eternall God and our most loving and deare Father wee thy unworthy children do here fall down at the foot of thy great Majesty acknowledging from our hearts that we are altogether unworthy to come neere thee or to look towards thee because thou art a God of infinite glory and wee are most vile abominable sinners such as were conceived and borne in sin and corruption and such as have inherited our Fathers corruptions and also have actually transgressed all thy holy Statutes and Lawes both in thoughts words and deeds before wee knew thee and since secretly and openly with our selves and with others our particular sins are moe then can be numbred for who knoweth how often hee offendeth but this wee must needs confesse against our selves that our hearts are full of pride covetousnesse and the love of this world full of wrath anger and impatience full of lying dissembling and deceiving full of vanity hardnesse and profanenesse full of infidelity distrust and selfe-love full of lust uncleannesse and all abominable desires yea our hearts are the very sinkes of sinne and dunghils of all filthinesse And besides all this we doe omit the good things we should doe for there are in us great wants of faith of love of zeale of patience of contentment and of every good grace so as thou hast just cause to proceed to sentence of judgment against us as most damnable transgressours of all thy holy commandements yea such as are sunk in our rebellions and have many times and often committed high treason against thy Majestie and therefore thou maist justly cast us all downe into Hell fire there to be tormented with Sathan and his Angels for ever And wee have nothing to except against thy Majesty for so doing sith therin thou shouldest deale with us but according to equity and our just deserts Wherefore deare Father wee doe appeale from thy justice to thy mercy most humbly intreating thee to have mercy upon us and freely to forgive us all our sinnes past whatsoever both new and old secret and open knowne and unknowne and that for Jesus Christs sake our onely Mediatour And wee pray thee touch our hearts with true griefe and unfeigned repentance for them that they may be a matter of continuall sorrow and heart-smart unto us so as nothing may grieve us more then this that wee have offended thee be●ng our speciall friend and Father Give us therefore deare Father every day more and more sight and feeling of our sinnes with true humiliation under the same Give us also that true and lively faith whereby we may lay sure hold on thy Son Christ and all his merits applying the same to our owne soules so as we may stand fully perswaded that whatsoever hee hath done upon the Crosse hee hath done for us particularly as well as for others Give us faith good Father constantly to beleeve all the sweet promises of the Gospel touching remission of sin and eternall life made in thy Sonne Christ O Lord increase our faith that wee may altogether rest upon thy promises which are all Yea and Amen Yea that wee may settle our selves and all that wee have wholly upon them both our soules bodies goods names wives children and our whole estate knowing that all things depend upon thy promises power and providence and that thy Word doth support and beare up the whole order of nature Moreover we entreat thee O Lord to strengthen us from above to walke in every good way and to bring forth the fruits of true faith in all our particular actions studying to please thee in all things and to be fruitfull in good workes that wee may shew forth unto all men by our good conversation whose children we are and that we may adorne and beautifie our most holy profession by walking in a Christian course and in all the sound fruits and practice of godlinesse and true religion To this end we pray thee sanctifie our hearts by thy Spirit yet more and more sanctifie our soules and bodies and all our corrupt naturall faculties as reason understanding will and affections so as they may be fitted for thy worship and service taking a delight and pleasure therein Stirre us up to use prayer watchfulnesse reading meditation in thy Law and all other good meanes whereby wee may profit in grace and goodnesse from day to day Blesse us in the use of the meanes that we may daily dye to sinne and live to righteousnesse draw us yet neerer unto thee helpe us against our manifold wants Amend our great imperfections renew us inwardly more and more repaire the ruines of our hearts aide us against the remnants of sin Enlarge our hearts to run the way of thy Commandements direct all our steps in thy Word let none iniquity have dominion over us Assist us against our speciall infirmities and master-sins that we may get the victory over them all to thy