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 1â— 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 â—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 â— 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. â— 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 â— 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 2â— 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
ignorantly in all that you say having no ground for any thing you speake but your own fancy and your own conceit and yet you will beleeve your own fancy against all preachers and against all that can be spoken out of the word But I pray you give me leave a little If a man dream that he shal be a King and in the morning when he is awake perswadeth himselfe it shall be so may he not be justly laughed at as having no ground for it Even so may all they which beleeve their own dreames and fantasies touching salvation But it is true which Solomon saith Prov. 14.15 A fool beleeveth every thing That copper is gold and a counter an angel And assuredly great reason there is that he which will not beleeve God should be given over to beleeve the Divell his dream and his fancy Asun I pray you instruct mee better then Theol. You had need indeed to bee better instructed for the Divell hath slily deluded your soul and cast a mist before your eyes making you beleeve the crow is white and that your estate is good before God whereas indeed it is most wofull and miserable Asun Nay I defie the Divell with all my heart But I pray you tell me how it comes to passe that I am thus deceived Theol. This it is that deceiveth you and many others that you measure your selves by your selves and by others which is a false met-wand For you seem to lie straight so long as you are measured by your selves and by others but lay the rule of Gods word unto you and then you lie altogether crooked Asun What other thing is there that deceiveth me Theol. Another thing that deceiveth you is your own heart for you know not your owne heart but are altogether deceived therein Jer. 17.9 For the heart is deceivable above all things Hee is a wise man and greatly inlightened that knoweth his own heart But you are blind and know not what is within you but dimly imagine you shall be saved and hope you know not what of eternall life And because blindnesse maketh you bold you will seem to bee resolute in words and say It is pity hee should live which doth any whit doubt of his salvation And assuredly you speak as you think and as you know For for ought that you know to the contrary it seemeth so though indeed and in truth it is not so for you are deluded with a false light And sometimes no doubt you have pricks gripes terrours and inward accusations of conscience for all your bold and resolute speeches As Truly I never heard so much before Theol. That is because you shut your eyes and stop your ears against God and all goodnesse Psal 58.47 You are like the deaf Adder which heareth not the voice of the charmer though hee be most expert in charming Asun Well then if it be so I would be glad now to learn if you would teach me And as you have shewed mee the meanes whereby the true birth is wrought so now shew mee the certain signes and tokens thereof whereby all men may certainly know that they are sanctified regenerate and shall be saved Theol. There be eight infallible notes tokens of a regenerate mind which may well be termed the eight signes of salvation and they are these A love to the children of God Right infalâ—â—ble signes of salvation A delight in his word Often and fervent prayer Zeal of Gods glory Deniall of our selves Patient bearing of the Crosse with profit and comfort Faithfulnesse in our calling Honest just and conscionable dealing in all our actions amongst men Phil. Now that you have shewed us the evident signes of mans salvation shew us also the signes of condemnation Theol. The contraries unto these are manifest signes of damnation Râ—ghâ— sâ—gnâ— of â—â—ndâ—mnaâ—â—on No love to the children of God No delight in his word Seldome and cold prayers Coldnesse in Gods matters Trusting to our selves Impatience under the crosse Vnfaithfulnesse in our calling Vnhonest and unconscionable dealing Phil. No doubt if a man be infected with these they be shrewd signes that a man is extremely soul-sick and in a very dangerous case But are there none yet more evident and apparent signs of condemnation then these Theol. Yes verily There be nine very cleâ—r and manifest signs of a mans condemnation Phil. I pray you let me heare what they be Theol. Pride Nine manifest signes of damnation Whoredome Covetousnesse Contempt of the Gospel Swearing Lying Drunkennesse Idlenesse Oppression Phil. These be grosse things indeed Theol. They may not unfitly be termed the nine Beclzebubs of the world and he that hath these signes upon him is in a most wofull case Phil. What if a man be infected with some two or three of these Theol. Whosoever is infected with three of them is in great danger of losing his soule For all these be deadly venome and rank poyson to the soul and either the three first or the three last or the middle three are enough to poyson the soule and sting it to death Nay to say the truth a man were as good gripe a toad and handle a snake as meddle with any one of these Phil. Is every one of them so dangerous Theol. Questionlesse For they be the very plague-sores of the soule It any man have a plague-sore upon his body wee use to say Gods tokens are upon him Lord have mercy on him So we may â—riâ—ly say If any man be throughly and totally infected at the heart with any one of these Gods tokens are upon his soule Lord have mercy upon him Phil. Many doe not think these to be such dangerous matters as you make them and many there be which make light of them Theol. True indeed for the most part of men are altogether shut up in blindnesse and hardnesse of heart having neither sight nor feeling of their sins and therefore make light of them thinking there is no such danger Phil. It is most certain that men are given to lessen and extenuate their sins or else to hide them and dawb them over with many cunning shifts and vain excuses For men are ever ready to take covert and will writhe and wreath like snakes to hide their sins yea if it were possible to make sin no sin to make vertue vice and vice vertue Therefore I pray you lay open unto mee out of the Scriptures the grievousnesse and uglinesse of their sins Theol. The stinking filthinesse of these sins is so great and horrible that no tongue or 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 is sufficientfully to 〈◊〉 and lay open the same according to the proper nature and being thereof yet notwithstanding I will doe my indeavour to lay them open in some measure that all men may the more loath them Phil. I pray you then first of all begin with pride Theol. You say well for that indeed may well stand in the fore-front sith it is a master-divell
My Father which gave them mee is greater then all and none is able to take them out of my Fathers hand We ought therefore to be as sure of our salvation as of any other thing which God hath promised or which we are bound to beleeve For to doubt thereof in respect of Gods truth is blasphemous against the immutability of his truth Phil. But are there not some doubts at some times even in the very elect and in those which are growne to the greatest perswasion Theol. Yes verily For he that never doubted never beleeved For whosoever beleeveth in truth feeleth sometimes doubtings and waverings Even as the sound body feeleth many grudgings of diseases which if hee had not health hee could not feele so the sound soule feeleth some doubtings which if it were not sound it could not so easily feele For we feele not corruption by corruption but we foole corruption by grace And the more grace we have the more quicke we are in the feeling of corruption Some men of tender skins and quick feeling will easily feele the lightest feather in softest maner laid upon the ball of their heads which others of more slow feeling and hard flesh cannot so easily discerne So then it is certaine that although the children of God feele some doubtings at some times yet the same doe no whit impeach the certainty of their salvation but rather argue a perfect soundnesse and health of their soules For when such little grudgings are felt in the soule the children of God oppose against them the certainty of Gods truth and promises and so do easily overcome them For the Lords people need no more to feare them then he that rides through the streets upon a lusty Gelding with his sword by his side needs to feare the barking and bawling of a few little curs and whappets Phil. Shew yet more plainly how or in what respect the child of God may both have doubtings and yet be fully assured Theol. Even as a man set on the top of the highest steeple in the world and so fast bound unto it that hee cannot fall though hee would yet when he looketh downward he feareth because mans nature is not acquainted nor accustomed to mount so high in the aire and to behold the earth so far beneath but when hee looketh upward and perceiveth himselfe fast bound and out of all danger then he casteth away all care Even so when we looke downward to our selves we have doubts and feares but when we look upward to Christ and the truth of his promises we feele our selves cock-sure and cease to doubt any more Phil. Declare unto us what is the originall of these doubts and feares and from whence they spring in the children of God Theol. They spring from the imperfection of our regeneration and from that strife which is in the very mind of the elect between faith and infidelity For these two doe mightily fight together in the most regenerate and strive to over-master and over-shadow one another By reason whereof sometimes it cometh to passe through the prevailing of unbeliefe that the most excellent servants of God may fall into fits and pangs of despaire as Job and David in their temptations did And even in these dayes also some of Gods children at some times are shrewdly hindled this way and brought very low even unto deaths doore but yet the Lord in great mercy doth recover them both from totall and finall despaire Onely they are humbled and tried by these sharp fits for a time and that for their great good For as we use to say that an ague in a young man is a signe of health so these burning fits of temptations in the elect for the most part are signes of Gods grace and favour For if they were not of God the Divell would never be so busie with them Phil. Is it not meere presumption and an over-much trusting to our selves to be perswaded of our salvation Theol. Nothing lesse For the ground of this perswasion is not laid in our selves or any thing within us or without us but onely in the righteousnesse of Christ and the mercifull promises of God For is it any presumption for us to beleeve that which God hath promised Christ hath purchased and the holy Ghost hath sealed No verily it is not any presumption but a thing which wee all stand bound unto as we will answer it at the dreadfull day of judgement As for our selves wee doe freely confesse that in Gods sight we are but lumps of sinne and masses of misery and cannot of our selves move hand or foot to the furtherance of our salvation But being justified by faith we are at peace with God and fully perswaded of his love and favour towards us in Christ Phil. Cannot the reprobates and ungodly be assured of their salvation Theol. No. For the Prophet saith There is no peace to the wicked Esay 57.22 Then I reason thus They which have not the inward peace cannot be assured But the wicked have not the inward peace Therefore they cannot be assured Stedfast faith in the promises doth assure But the wicked have not stedfast faith in the promises Therefore they cannot be assured The Spirit of adoption doth assure But the wicked have not the Spirit of adoption Therefore they cannot be assured To conclude When a man feeleth in himselfe an evill conscience blindnesse profanenesse and disobedience he shall in despight of his heart sing this dolefull song I know not whether I shall be saved or damned Phil. Is not the doctrine of the assurance of salvation a most comfortable doctrine Theol. Yes doubtlesse For except a man be perswaded of the favour of God and the forgivenesse of sins and consequently of his salvation what comfort can hee have in any thing Besides this the perswasion of Gods love towards us is the root of all our love and cheerfull obedience towards him For therefore wee love him and obey him because we know hee hath loved us first and written our names in the Booke of life But on the contrary that generall doctrine of the Papists which would have men alwayes doubt and feare in a servile sort is most hellish and uncomfortable For so long as a man hoâ—ds that what encouragement can he have to serve God what love to his Majesty what hope in the promises what comfort in trouble what patience in adversity Antil Touching this point I am flat of your mind For I thinke verily a man ought to be perswaded of his saluation and for mine owne part I make no question of it I hope to be saved as well as the best of them all I am out of feare for that For I have such a stedfast faith in God that if there should be but two in the world saved I hope I should be one of them Theol. You are very confident indeed You are perswaded before you know I would your ground were as good as your vaine confidence But who is
Gods Commandements Asun As neere as God will give mee grace Theol. Nay but I aske you whether you keep them or no Asun I doe assay to keep them as neere as I can I doe my true intent Though I keep them not all yet I am sure I keep some of them Theol. Because you say you keep some of them I pray you let me be so bold with you as to examine you in the particulars You know the first Commandement is this Thou shalt have none other Gods in my sight How say you doe you keep this Asun I am out of all feare of it For I never worshipped any God but one I am fully perswaded there is but one God Theol. What say you to the second Commandement Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any graven image c. Asun I never worshipped any images in my life I defie them I know they cannot help me for they be but stocks and stones Theol. What say you to the third Commandement which is this Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vaine c. Asun Nay certainly I was never counted a swearer in my life but I have served God alwaies of a child and have had a good faith in him ever since I could remember I would be sorry else Theol. What say you then to the fourth Commandement Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath day c. Asun Nay for that matter I keep my Church as well as any man in the parish where I dwell and mind my prayers as well when I am there I thanke God for it though I say it my selfe I have beene alway well given and have loved Gods word with all my heart and it doth mee good to heare the Epistles and Gospels read every Sunday by our Vicar Theol. Tell me what say you to the fift Commandement which is Honour thy Father and thy Mother c. Doe you keepe this Asun I have alwayes loved and obeyed my father and mother from my heart I hope there is no body can accuse me for that and I am sure if I keepe any commandement it is this For when I was a boy every body said that I was well given and a toward child Therefore if I should not keep this Commandement it would be a great griefe to mee and goe as neere my heart as any thing that came to mee this seven yeeres Theol. What say you to the sixt Commandement Thou shalt not kill Asun It were strange if I should not keep that Theol. What say you to the seventh Thou shalt not commit adultery Asun I thank God for it I was never given to women God hath alwaies kept mee from that and I hope will so still Theol. What say you to the eighth Thou shâ—â—t not steale Asun I am neither whore-master nor thiefe Theol. What say you to the ninth Thou shalt not beare false witnesse c. Asun I defie all false witnesse bearing from my heart Theol. What say you to the last Thou shalt not covet Asun I thank God for it I never coveted any mans goods but mine owne Theol. Now I perceive you are a wonderfull man you can keep all the Commandements You are like the blind Ruler which said unto Christ All these things have I kept from my youth Mat. 19.20 I perceive now indeed that it is no marvell though you make so light of Preaching for you have no need of it You are whole you need not the Physician you feele no misery and therefore you care not for mercy For where misery is not felt there mercy is not regarded but I see you need no Saviour Asun You â—â—y not well in that I need a Saviour and iâ— is my Lord Jesus that must save me 〈◊〉 he made me Theol. What need you a Saviour sith you are no sinner Asun Yes beleeve mee I am a sinner We are all sinners there is no man but hee sinneth Theol. How can you be a sinner sith you keepe all the Commandements Asun Yes I am a sinner for all that Theol. Can you both be a sinner and be without sinne too for hee that keepeth the Commandements is without sinne which thing you say you doe But I see how the case standeth that a great number of such ignorant and sottish men as you are will in generall say you are sinners because your conscience telleth you so but when it cometh to particulars you know not how you sinne nor wherein I pray you therefore let mee lead you thorow the Commandements againe and deale with you in particulars that I may bring you to the sight of your sinnes How say you therefore doe you upon your knees every morning and evening give God thankes for his particular mercies and manifold favours towards you And doe you call much upon him privately and much also with your family Answer me plainly and simply Asun I cannot say so Theol. Then you have broken the first Commandement which chargeth us to give God his due worship whereof prayer and thanksgiving are a part So then here at the very entrance you are found guilty Further I demand of you whether you never had any by-thoughts in your prayers and your heart hath not beene upon other matters even then while you were in prayer Asun I cannot deny that For it is a very hard matter to pray without by-thoughts Theol. Then by your owne confession you have broken the second Commandement which doth command the right manner of Gods worship that is that as wee must worship God so wee must doe it in faith love zeale and pure affections So that here you are guilty also because when you pray your minde is of other matters and you doe it not in sincerity and truth Further I demand of you whether you did never sweare by your faith or troth or by our Lady St. Mary and such other oathes Asun Yes by S. Mary have I I must needs confesse it Theol. Wee need no further witnesse your very answer proveth it for your answer is an oath therefore here also are you guilty because you sweare by idols Further I demand of you whether you did never travell to Faires on the Sabbath day or make bargaines on that day or take journies or talke of worldly matters neglecting holy duties Asun Yes God forgive me I have Theol. Then are you guilty of the breach of the fourth Commandement which chargeth us on paine of death to spend the Sabbath day in holy and religious duties both publikely and privately Further I demand whether you instruct your wife children and servants in the true knowledge of God and pray with them or no Asun I am sure you would have mee speak the truth I must needs confesse I do not neither am I able to do it Theol. Then are you guilty of the breach of the fifth Commandement which commandeth all duties of superiours towards their inferiours and of inferiours towards their superiours
your humour You will forsooth be all pure But by God there be a company of pure knaves of you Theol. Now you do manifestly shew of what spirit you are For you both sweare and raile with one breath Antil God forgive mee Why did hee anger mee then There be a company of such controllers as he in the world that no body can be quiet for them Theol. I perceive a little thing will anger you sith you will be angry with him for speaking the truth Antil What hath he to doe with mee He is more busie then needs Why doth hee say I am in a bad case I will not come to him to learne my duty If I have faults he shall not answer for them I shall answer for mine owne faults and every Fat shall stand on his owne bottome Let him meddle with that hee hath to do withall Theol. You are too impatient you take matters at the worst We ought friendly and in love to admonish one another for we must have a care one of anothers salvation I dare say for him that he speakes both out of love and compassion towards you Antil I care not for such love Let him keep it to himselfe What doth he thinke of mee doth hee suppose that I have not a soule to save as well as hee or that I have no care of my salvation I would hee should know that I have as great care of my salvation as hee though I make not such outward shewes For all is not gold that glisters I have as good a meaning as hee though I cannot utter it Theol. These words might well be spared I hope you will be pacified and amend your life and draw neere to God hereafter Antil Truly Sir you may thinke of mee what you please but I assure you I have more care that way then all the world wonders at I thanke God for it I say my prayers every night when I am in my bed And if good prayers will doe us no good God help us I have alwaies served God duly and truly and had him in my mind I doe as I would be done to I keepe my Church and tend my prayers while I am there and I hope I am not so bad as this fellow would make mee I am sure if I be bad I am not the worst in the world there be as bad as I. If I goe to hell I shall have fellowes and make as good shift as others Theol. You think you have spoken wisely but I like not your answer For your words smell strongly both of ignorance pride and unbeliefe For first you justifie your selfe in your faithlesse and ignorant worship of God And secondly you justifie your selfe by comparison with others because others are as had as you and you are not the worst in the world Antil Now I know you speake of ill will for you never had a good opinion of mee Theol. I would I could have as good an opinion of you as I doe desire and that I might see that wrought in you which might draw my love and liking towards you And as for ill will the Lord knoweth I beare you none I desire your conversion and salvation with my whole heart and I would thinke my selfe happy if I might save your soule with the losse of my right arme Antil I hope I may repent For the Scripture saith At what time s eâ—er a sinner doth repent God will have mercy on him Therefore if I may have space and grace and time to repent before death and aske God forgivenesse and say my prayers and cry God mercy I hope I shall do well enough Theol. You speake as though repentance were in your power and at your commandement and that you can put it into your owne heart when you list and that makes you and many others presume of it three houres before death But you must know that repentance is the rare gift of God and it is given but to a few For God will know him well that hee bestoweth repentance upon sith it is proper onely to the Elect. It is no worldly matter It is not attained without many and frequent prayers and much hearing reading and meditating in the word of God It is not so easie a matter to come by as the world judgeth It is not found but of of them that seeke it diligently and beg it earnestly It is no ordinary three houres matter Cry God mercy a little for fashion will not do it Cursory saying of a few prayers a little before death availeth not For though true repentance be never too late yet late repentance is seldome true Hereâ—n delayes are dangerous for the longer wit deferre it the worse is our case The farther a naile is driven in with a hammer the harder it is to get out againe The longer a disease is let run the harder it is to cure The deeper a tree is rooted the harder it is to plucke up againe The longer wee deferre the time of our repentance the harder it will be to repent And therefore it is dangerous driving it off to the last cast For an ancient Father saith Augustine Wee reade but of one that repented at the last that no man should presume and yet of one that none might despaire Well then to conclude this point I would have you to know that the present time is alwaies the time of repentance For time past cannot be recovered and time to come is uncertaine Antil Sir in mine opinion you have â—ttered some very dangerous things and such as were enough to drive a man to despaire Theol. What be they I pray you Antil There be diverse things But one thing doth most of all sticke in my stomack and that is the small number that shall be saved as you say But I can hardly be perswaded that God made so many thousands to cast them away when hee had done Doe you thinke that God hath made us to condemne us Will you make him to be the Author of condemnation Theol. Nothing lesse For God is not the cause of 〈◊〉 condemnation but themselves For every mans destruction cometh of himselfe as it is written Hoâ—â—â—3 â— O Israel thy destruction is of thy selfe As for God he doth in great mercy use all possible meanes to save soules as hee â—ith by the Prophet What could I have done more to my Vineyard that I have not done unto it Esay 5.4 But to come neere to your question I deny that God hath created the most part of men onely and solely unto pardition as the proper end which he did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 them but hee hath created all things for the praise of his glory as it is written Hee hath created all things for himselfe Prov. 1â— 4 and the wicked also for the evill day Then it followeth that the cause and end why the wicked were created neither was nor is the onely destruction of his creature but his owne praise and glory that
he is heavie-hearted and troubled in his mind How doe you Asunetus how doe you feele your selfe Me thinkes you are very sad Asun I am the better for you Sir I thanke God I never knew what sinne meant till this day It hath pleased God now to give mee some sight and feeling thereof I am greatly distressed in my conscience to thinke what I have been The remembrance of my former sinnes doe strike an horrour into mee When I consider how ignorantly and profanely and how farre off from GOD I have lived all my life it stings and gripes mee to the heart I doe now see that which I never saw and feele that which I never felt I doe plainly see that if I had died in that state wherein I have lived all my life I should certainly have been condemned and should have perished for ever in my sinne and ignorance Theol. I am very glad that God hath opened your eyes and given you the sight and feeling of your misery which indeed is the very first step to eternall life It is a great favour and speciall mercy of God towards you that hee hath so touched your heart you can never be thankfull enough for it It is more then if you had a million of gold given you It is the onely rare priviledge of Gods elect to have the eyes of their soules opened that they may see into heavenly and spirituall things As for the world it is just with God to leave them in their blindnesse Asun I doe feele the burthen of my sinnes I am greatly grieved for them I am weary of them I am sorry that ever I sinned against God or that I should be such a wretch as to incurre his displeasure and provoke his Majestie against mee But I pray you good Master Theologus such you are a spirituall Physician and I am sick of sinne that you would minister unto me out of Gods Word some spirituall physicke and comfort Theol. Truly I must needs thinke that the promises of mercy and forgivenesse of sinne made in the Gospel doe belong unto you and that Iesus Christ is yours that you are truly interessed in him and have a proper right unto him For hee came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance You doe now feele your selfe to be a sinner you are grieved for your sins you are weary of them therefore Iesus Christ is for you all the benefits of his passion belong to you Mat. 9.12 Againe he saith The whole need not the Physician but they that are sicke But you doe acknowledge your selfe to be sick of sinne therefore Iesus Christ will be your Physician he will swaddle you he will lap you hee will bind up all your sores hee will heale all your wounds hee will anoint them with the oyle of his mercy hee will smile upon you and shew you a joyfull countenance hee will say unto you Your sins are forgiven In him you shall have rest and peace to your soule Through him you shall have ease and comfort For hee takes pitie of all such as mourne for their sinnes as you doe Hee biddeth you and all that are in your case to come unto him Mat. 11.28 and hee will helpe you Come unto me saith hee all yee that are weary and heavie laden and I will ease you You are one of them that are bidden to come for you are weary of your sinnes you feele the burthen of them Christ is altogether for such as you are Hee regardeth not the world that is the profane and unregenerate men Hee bids not them come hee prayeth not for them Joh. 18. â— I pray not for the world saith hee They have no part nor interest in him They have nothing to doe with him or with his merits and righteousnesse Hee is onely for the penitent sinner and such as mourne for their sinnes He is a Pillow of Down to all aking heads and aking consciences Be of good comfort therefore feare nothing for assuredly Christ and all his righteousnesse is yours He will clothe you with it Hee will never impute your sins unto you or lay any of them to your charge though they be never so many or so great hee will forget them and forgive them as hee saith by the Prophet Esay â—â—ay 1 1â— Though your sins were as crâ—mson they shall be made as white as snow though they were red like scarlet they shall be as wooll And againe he saith by the same Prophet â—â—ay 4 2â— I have put away thy transgressions as thicke as clouds and thy sinnes as a mist By another Prophet he saith Micah 7.19 Hee will lay aside our iniquities and cast all our sinnes into the bottome of the sea Againe he saith by the Prophet Esay Esay 43.25 I even I am he that put away thine iniquities for my owne sake and will not remember thy sinnes And yet more sweetly hee speakes to us by the Prophet Jeremy Jer. 3 12. saying Turne againe unto mee and I will not let my wrath fall upon you For I am mercifull and will not alway keep mine anger And againe by the Prophet Hosea hee saith Hos 11.6 I will not execute the fiercenesse of my wrath I will not return to destroy Ephraim for I am GOD and not man Be of good cheere therefore comfort your selfe with these promises you have cause to rejoyce seeing GOD hath wrought in you a dislike and a griefe for your sins which is a certaine token that your sins shall never hurt you for sinnes past cannot hurt us if sinnes present doe not like us You are growne to an hatred and dislike of your sins you mourne under the burthen of them therefore you are blessed For blessed are they that mourne Why therefore should you be so heavie and sad Remember what Saint John saith If any man sinne 1 Joh 1. we have an Advocate Jesus Christ the righteous and he is the reconciliation for our sinnes Saint Paul saith Rom. 3.13 that Jesus Christ is set forth to be a reconciliation through faith in his bloud Againe the holy Ghost saith Heb. â— 1â— Hee is perfectly able to save all those that come unto God by him seeing hee ever liveth to make intercession for us The Apostle saith Hee is made of GOD for us 1 Cor 1 3â— wisedome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption Marke that hee saith All is for us all his for his Church for every member of his Church and therefore for you Christ is made of God righteousnesse sanctification and redemption for you Christ is your Mediator and your high Priest and hath offered up the everlasting sacrifice even for you that he might pay your ransome and redeem you from all iniquity Heb. 9 1â— By his owne bloud hath hee entred once into the holy place and obtained eternall redemption for you Christ is not entred into the holy places which are made with hands which are similitudes of
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. â— 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
The answers of ignorant men to the grounds of religion pag. 334 The meanes to get out of ignorance pag. 346 347 Ignorance a most dangerous thing pag. 348 The charge of Ministers exceeding weighty and most carefully to be looked unto pag. 353 What is the best course for Ministers to take to bring the people out of ignorance pag. 357 What is the best course for the people to take that they may be brought out of the bondage of sinne and captivity of Sathan pag. 358 359 Preaching a matter of absolute necessity unto eternall life pag. 363 Without preaching the people are in great danger of losing their souls pag. 364 Satans cunning in frustrating the hearing of the Word and making all preaching utterly unprofitable pag. 365 The Preachers counsell to the ignorant man pag. 367 Six great dangers of sin pag. 368 Six most fearfull events of sin pag. 369 God in all ages hath severely punished the transgressors of his Law pag. 370 371 Every sin though never so little in our eyes is hainous and capitall because it is against a person of infinite Majesty pag. 371 Nine profitable considerations pag. 372 If men would leave words and fall to doing great good would come of it pag. 374 Nine things much to be thought upon pag. 376 The description of Christs comming to judgment pag. 376 377 The terror the suddennesse the end the manner and the use of Christs second coming described pag. 378 379 The torments of hell with the extremity perpetuity and remedilesnesse thereof described pag. 389 The ignorant man upon the hearing of the day of judgement and hell fire laid open is pricked in his conscience bewailes his former life repents earnestly for his sin and ignorance and desires spirituall physicke and comfort of the Preacher pag. 398 The Preacher ministers unto him much spirituall comfort and doth in ample manner lay open unto him all the sweet promises of the Gospel and the infinite mercy of God in Christ to all true penitent and broken-hearted sinners pag. 402 403 The ignorant man being afflicted in his conscience is exceedingly comforted with the hearing of Gods abundant mercy preached unto him and thereupon gathers great inward peace converts unto God with all his heart and exceedingly blesseth God for the Preachers counsell pag. 422 FINIS A Morning Prayer to be used in private Families O Lord our God and heavenly Father we thy unworthy children do here come into thy most holy and heavenly presence to give thee praise and glory for all thy great mercies and manifold blessings toward us especially for that thou hast preserved us this night past from all the dangers and fears thereof hast given us quiet rest to our bodies and brought us now safely to the beginning of this day and dost now afresh renew all thy mercies upon us as the Eagle reneweth her bill giving us all things abundantly to enjoy as food raiment health peace liberty and freedome from many miseries diseases casualties and calamities which we are subject to in this life every minute of an houre and not onely so but also for vouchsafing unto us many good things not onely for necessity but even for delight also But above all dear Father wee praise thy name for the blessings of a better life especially for thy most holy Word and Sacraments and all the good wee enjoy thereby for the continuance of the Gospel amongst us for the death of thy Sonne and all that happinesse which wee have thereby also because thou hast chosen us to life before wee were and that of thy meere goodnesse and undeserved favour toward us and hast called us in thine appointed time justified us by thy grace and sanctified us by thy Spirit and adopted us to be thine owne children and heires apparent to the great Crowne O Lord open our eyes every day more and more to see and consider of thy great and marvellous love to us in all these things that by the due consideration thereof our hearts may be drawne yet neerer unto thee even more to love thee feare thee and obey thee that as thou art enlarged towards us in mercy so we may be enlarged towards thee in thanksgiving and as thou dost abound towards us in goodnesse so we may abound towards thee in obedience and love And sith deare Father thou art never weary of doing us good notwithstanding all our unworthinesse and naughtinesse therefore let the consideration of thy great mercy and fatherly kindnesse towards us even as it were force our hearts and compell us to come into thy most glorious presence with new songs of thanksgiving in our mouthes Wee pray thee O most mercifull God to forgive all our unthankfulnesse unkindnesse profanenesse and great abusing of all thy mercies and especially our abuse and contempt of thy Gospel together with all other the sinnes of our life which we confesse are innumerable and more then can be reckoned up both in omission of good things and commission of evill We most humbly entreat thee to set them all over to the reckoning which thy Son Christ hath made up for them upon his Crosse and never to lay any of them to our charge but freely forget all and forgive all Naile down all our sinnes and iniquities to the Crosse of Christ bury them in his death bathe them in his bloud hide them in his wounds let them never rise up in judgement against us Set us free of the miseries that are upon us for sin and keep back the judgements to come both of soule body goods and good name Be reconciled unto us in thy deare Sonne concerning all matters past not once remembring or repeating unto us our old and abominable iniquities but accept us as righteous in him imputing his righteousnesse to us and our sins to him Let his righteousnesse satisfie thy justice for all our unrighteousnesse his obedience for our disobedience his perfection for our imperfection Moreover wee humbly beseech thy good Majesty to give us the true sight and feeling of our manifold sins that we may not be blinded in them through delight or hardened in them through custome as the reprobates are but that we may be even weary of them and much grieved for them labouring and striving by all possible meanes to get out of them Good Father touch our hearts with true repentance for all sinne Let not us take any delight or pleasure in any sinne but howsoever we fall through frailty as wee fall often let us never fall finally let us never lye downe in sin nor continue in sin but let us get up on our feet againe and turne to thee with all our hearts and seek thee whilest thou maist be found and whilest thou dost offer grace and mercy unto us O Lord increase in us that true and lively faith whereby wee may lay sure hold on thy Sonne Christ and rest upon his merits altogether Give us faith assuredly to beleeve all thy great and precious promises made in the
of his corruption Who knoweth how oft he offendeth Thou only O Lord knowest my sins who knowest my heart nothing is hid from thee thou knowest what I have been and what I am yea my conscience doth accuse mee of many and grievous evils and I doe daily feele by wofull experience how fraile I am how prone to evill and how untoward unto all goodnesse My mind is full of vanity my heart full of profanenesse mine affections full of deadnesse dulnesse drowsinesse in matters of thy worship and service Yea my whole soule is full of spirituall blindnesse hardnesse unprofitablenesse coldnesse and security And in very deed I am altogether a lump of sin and a masse of all misery and therefore I have forfeited thy favour incurred thy high displeasure and have given thee just cause to frowne upon me to give me over and leave me to mine own corrupt will and affections But O my deare Father I have learned from thy mouth that thou art a God full of mercy slow to wrath of great compassion and kindnesse towards all such as groane under the burthen of their sins Therefore extend thy great mercy towards me poor sinner and give me a generall pardon for all mine offences whatsoever seale it in the bloud of thy Son and seale it to my conscience by thy Spirit assuring me more and more of thy love and favour towards me and that thou art a reconciled Father unto me Grant that I may all time to come love thee much because much is given and of very love feare thee and obey thee O Lord increase my faith that I may stedfastly beleeve all the promises of the Gospel made in thy Son Christ and rest upon them altogether Enable me to bring forth the sound fruits of faith and repentance in all my particular actions Fill my soule full of joy and peace in beleeving Fill me full of inward comfort and spirituall strength against all temptations give me yet a greater feeling of thy love and manifold mercies towards me work in my soule a love of thy Majesty a zeale of thy glory and hatred of evill and a desire of all good things Give mee victory over those sinnes which thou knowest are strongest in me Act me once at last make a conquest of the world and the flesh Mortifie in mee whatsoever is carnall sanctifie mee throughout by thy Spirit knit my heart to thee for ever that I may feare thy Name renue in mee the Image of thy Son Christ daily more and more Give mee a delight in the reading and meditation of thy Word Let me rejoyce in the publike Ministery thereof Let me love and reverence all the faithfull Ministers of thy Gospel Sanctifie their doctrines to my conscience seale them in my soule write them in my heart give me a soft and melting heart that I may tremble at thy words and be alwayes much affected with godly Sermons Let not my sins hold back thy mercies from me nor mine unworthinesse stop the passage of thy grace Open mine eyes to see the great wonders of thy Law Reveale thy secrets unto me be open-hearted toward mee thy unworthy servant Hide nothing from me that may make for thy glory and the good of my soule Blesse all meanes unto me which thou usest for my good Blesse all holy instructions unto my soule Blesse me at all times both in hearing and reading thy Word Give me the right use of all thy merciâ— and corrections that I may be the better for them Let me abound in love to thy children Let my heart be very neerly knit unto them that where thou lovest most there I may love most also Let me watch and pray that I enter not into temptation give mee patience and contentment in all things Let me love thee more and more and the worldlesse and lesse So draw my mind upward that I may despise all transitory things Let mee be so rapt and ravished with the sight and feeling of Heavenly things that I may make a base reckoning of all earthly things Let me use this world as though I used it not Let me use it but for necessity as meat and drinke Let me not be carried away with the vaine pleasures and fond delights thereof Good Father worke the good worke in me and never leave mee nor forsake mee till thou hast brought mee to true happinesse Oh deare Father make mee faithfull in my calling that I may serve thee in it and be alwayes carefull to doe what good I may in any thing Blesse me in my outward estate Blesse my soule body goods and name Blesse all that belong unto mee Blesse my goings out and comings in Let thy countenance be lifted up upon mee now and alwayes cheere me up with the joyes and comforts of thy Spirit make me thankfull for all thy mercies For I must needs confesse that thou art very kind to mee in all things For in thee I live move and have my being of thee I have my welfare and good being thou art a daily friend and speciall good benefactour unto mee I live at thy cost and charges I hold all of thee in chiefe and I find that thou art never weary of doing me good thy goodnesse towards me is unchangeable Oh I can never be thankfull enough unto thee for all thy mercies both spirituall and corporall But in such measure as I am able I praise thy Name for all beseeching thee to accept of my thanksgiving in thy Son Christ and to give me a profitable use of all thy favours that thereby my heart may be fully drawne unto thee give me O Father to be of such a good nature and disposition that I may be won by gentlenesâ— and faire meanes as much as if thou gavest me many lashes Pardon all mine unthankfulnesse unkindnesse and great abusing of thy mercies and give me grace to use them more to thy glory in all time to come Strengthen me deare Father thus to continue praising and glorifying thy Name here upon earth that after this life I may be crowned of thee for ever in thy Kingdome Grant these petitions most mercifull God not onely to mee but to all thy deare children throughout the whole world for Iesus Christs sake in whose name I doe further call upon thee saying as he hath taught mee O our Father which art in Heaven c. FINIS