himselfe for vs hee saith I will be baptized with a certaine baptisme and how am I straightened till it be fulfilled Luc. 12.50 This was the baptisme of the Crosse and tribulation into which our most benigne Sauiour was altogether plunged not for any other cause but out of his great ineffable loue towards vs this is that which hath so straightened him and driuen him how great soeuer his outward griefe was in his passion yet alwayes his inner loue towards vs was greater and more ardent through which hee was ready to sustaine more things for our sinnes if the price for our redemption which hée payed had not séemed sufficient But there is no cause that we doubt of the sufficiency of the price with him there is altogether plentifull redemption because not a droppe but a streame of bloud hath flowed largely through fiue parts of his body Born ser 22. sup cant col 554. hee hath cryed out that all things were finished in the Crosse and through the Crosse and therefore he hath made by himselfe a full perfect purgation of our sins with one offring hath he for euer perfected those which are sanctified Heb. 1.3 Cap. 10.14 Apoc. 1.5 he hath washed vs from our sinnes in his bloud Beléeue therefore so cleere so perspicuous so expresse words of the holy Ghost and resolue firmely that by the death and passion of CHRIST there is wrought a sufficient satisfaction for thy sinnes IIII. The memory of Actuall sinnes The Tempted PErchance Christ hath taken vpon himselfe originall sinne onely so that for actuall sinnes I my selfe must eyther satisfie or burne Although therefore I resolue firmely that through Christ I am washed from that originall spot yet those actuall sinnes doe vexe and presse me which I haue committed through the whole course of my life in number many in weight most heauy for desert damnable Christ is opposed to Adam therefore the benefit of Christ will not spread it selfe more wide then the fault that was deriued from Adam into vs. Another mans fault may be healed by another mans satisfaction but a mans owne fault will require a mans owne satisfaction The Comforter NAy the bloud of Iesus Christ the Sonne of God 1 Ioh. 1.7 doth cleanse thee altogether from all thy sinnes not that only which is deriued from Adam but those also which are heaped vpon this of thée God hath set forth Christ the propitiatory by faith in his bloud Rom. 3.25 to that may we draw néere by true faith and hauing obtained remission of our sins be reconciled to God as often as the weight and heape of our sinnes doth presse vs downe wee may come to this throne of grace with confidence that wee may obtaine mercy Heb. 4.16 and finde grace in the seasonable time of helpe Furthermore what redemption would this be what reconciliation if Christ had satisfied for one onely kinde of sinne wée our selues being yet bound and obliged to make satisfaction for all the rest farre more grieuous and more copious the redemption of Christ is not so maimed imperfect and to halues Heb 10.12 14.18 but offering one sacrifice for sinnes by that one oblation hée hath perfected for euer those that are sanctified and hath obtained such a remission of sinnes that there is not any other oblation necessarie for sinnes 1 Iohn 2.1.2 Wée haue an Aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous he is the propitiation for our sinnes not for our sinnes onely but also for the sinnes of the whole world Therefore if hauing slipt into sinnes out of the infirmitie of the flesh wée doe earnestly repent vs wée haue a refuge set downe for vs in Christs intercession the foundation of which intercession consists in Christs merit and satisfaction for from thence and therefore is Christs intercession effectuall for vs because a full and perfect satisfaction was performed by him for our sinnes from thence and therefore the force of the Diuine iustice and seuere iudgement due to our sinnes is not shaken against vs because Christ couers our sinnes with the cloake of his mercie the price of the obtained and deserued redemption being paid of him Let this therefore abide firme and sure that Christ by his death the onely most true sacrifice offered for vs hath purged abolished August 4. de Trinit ca. 13. extinguished whatsoeuer there was of sinnes from whence the principalities and powers did by right with-hold vs to suffer punishment therefore in him and through him wée obtaine remission not onely of originall sinne 1. De peccamer etremiss ca 13. Tit. 2.14 but also of the rest of the sinnes that we haue added there-vnto For he which thing day vp in thy déepest thoughts hath giuen himselfe for vs that hée might redéeme vs from all iniquitie Infinite is the person that hath satisfied how then shall not his Passion be of infinite merit What is so deadly that may not be healed by the death of the Sonne of God which is life it selfe what is so bloudie and so foule but that it might be cleansed by the pretious bloud of the Sonne of God V. The doubting of the application of the benefits of Christ The Tempted BVt how may I be made partaker of that most pretious treasure Christ hath died for all but now that fruit of the death of Christ doth not redound to all whence therefore shall I be assured that the benefits of Christ doe also pertaine to me whence may it appeare that I am in very deede and most certainely a partaker of all those things actually which Christ hath deserued for vs by his Passion and death The Comforter GOD offers vnto thée the word of the Gospell and in the same all the benefites of his Sonne Es 6.5.2 Hée spreads forth his hands all day he calles he inuites verily therefore also he calles he inuites he inticeth thée That therefore which GOD offers vnto thée with the hand of his mercie that embrace thou with the hand of firme confidence Bern. Ser. 31. sup can Col. 597. As farre as thou shalt stretch forth the foote of confidence in the goods of the Lord so farre forth shalt thou possesse God doth not put the oyle of his mercie vnlesse it be in the vessell of confidence Id. Serm. 3. in Annunc Col. 113. Thou shalt possesse so much of the goods of the Lord as thou doest gather in the vessell of confidence For faith doth apprehend Christ in Christ God fauourable the remission of sinnes and life euerlasting Heare concerning this thing the words of the eternall and vnchangeable truth So God loued the world that he gaue his onely begotten Sonne Ioh. 3.16.18 that euerie one that beleeueth in him should not perish but haue eternall life He that beléeueth in him is not iudged but hath life eternall Ioh. 1.12 for hée hath giuen power to all that haue receiued him to be made the Sonnes of God to
Christ that doth Christ doe It is Christ which pronounceth the remission of sinnes vnto thée the Minister doth onely lend his voice to Christ If any doubting would insinuate it selfe into thy hart therof attend to the words of Christ speaking to the Apostles their Successors He that heareth you heareth me Luk. 10.16 Matth. 10.20 Ioh. 1.23 It is not you that speak but the spirit of my Father Attend to the words of the Baptist I am the voice of a cryer There is another which doth preach and cry by me the Ministerie is mine but the force and benefit of the Ministerie dependes of another Attend to the words of the Apostle For Christ that is in the name and place of Christ we are Embassadours 2 Cor. 3.20 God as it were exhorting by vs we beséech you for Christ be you reconciled vnto GOD. He therfore which contemnes 1 Thes 4.8 contemnes not man but God which hath giuen his holy spirit into vs. Beleeue therefore that euen at this day Christ saith to thée that which heeretofore hee hath saide to the man sicke of the Palsie Matth. 9.2 Luc. 7.48 and to the woman-sinner Thy sinnes are forgiuen thee Because there is no difference betwéene that and this which the Minister vtters for this is not pronounced of man and that of Christ When therefore thou hearest the Minister pronounce vnto thée the remission of sinnes doe not thinke that thou hearest the voice of the Minister but the voice of Christ XIIII The want of the euidence of the promises of the word The Tempted I Confesse that there is great and notable consolation offered vnto mee in the Ministerie of the word as yet notwithstanding my faith wauers neither doth it so firmely embrace the promise of the Gospell that it excludes all temptation for my flesh whispers vnto mee that the promises are onely words which thou perceiuest with thine eares but thou doest not as yet see the good promises subiect to thine eyes The Comforter INdéed they are words but the words of the most true and euerliuing God They are words indéed Ioh. 6.69 but the words of Spirit and life They are words indéed but more firme and durable then this heauen which thou beholdest then this earth whereon thou standest Luk. 21.33 Heauen and Earth shall passe away but my words shall not passe away saith the truth Esa 40.8 The word of our Lord God abides for euer saith the Prophet Hée which foldeth himselfe in this word hée which embraceth it with true faith the same may be saued for euer Neither hath God onely set forth vnto thée his word but to his word he hath added Sacraments Augustin tract 80. in Iohan. which are as it were the visible word visible signes of the inuisible grace and seales of the promises of God instituted for the confirmation and nourishment of thy faith By Baptisme thou art receiued into the couenant of the grace of God thou art made a Sonne and heire of GOD thou art washed by the bloud of Christ from thy sinnes thou are regenerated and renued by the holy Ghost and as I may speake in a word art made truly partaker of al heauenly goods For Christ attributes to Baptisme that it is a meane of regeneration Ioh. 3.3 Vnlesse a man be borne againe of water and of the spirit hee shall not enter into the Kingdome of heauen Therefore he which is borne againe of the water of Baptisme and the spirit is written an heire of eternall life because it is a meanes of saluation Hee that shall beleeue and be baptized shall be saued Mar. 16.16 The Apostles doe attribute to baptisme Tit. 3.6 that it is the lauacre of regeneration and renouation in the holy Ghost when we are baptized into the remission of sinnes Mar. 1.4 Let euery one of you be baptized saith Peter Act. 2.38 in the name of Iesus into the remission of sinnes and you shall receiue the gift of the holy Ghost Baptisme doth saue vs 1 Pet. 3.12 saith he in another place which is not the putting off of the filth of the flesh but the request of a good conscience or a couenant to Godwards through the resurrection of Iesus Christ Be thou baptized Act. 22.16 and wash away thy sinnes saith Ananias As many of you as are baptized haue put on Christ Gal. 3.27 and by faith ye are the sonnes of God saith Paul For Christ sanctifieth his Church Ephe. 5.27 clensing it in the Lauer of water in his word Out of all which thou mayest firmely conclude that baptisme is the price of redemption to the captiues Basill 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tom 1. part 446. Cyril Hierosolym in praefat Catech. the forgiuing of debts the death of sinne regeneration the bright cloathing of the soule a seale that cannot be infringed the chariot to Heauen the procurer of the kingdome the frée gift of adoption Illumination or Baptisme is the brightnesse of soules the change of life the request of the conscience vnto God the help of our weaknesse Illumination is the putting off of the flesh the following of the spirit Nazian orat in S. Bap. p. 615. the communion of the word Illumination is the restitution of the Image the deluge of sin the participation of light the loosing of darkenesse Illumination is the Waggon or Chariot vnto God the peregrination with Christ the foundation of faith the perfecting of the minde the glory of the kingdome of Heauen the change of life the taking away of bondage the loosing of bands the instauration of the couenant Tertull. 4. Aduer Marc. p. 231. It is the originall of true life and of true iustice it is a compendious washing it is the sacrament of life and saluation eternall The holy Ghost into this Brooke doth come From Heauen August 21 contra Crescen c 18. Paulinus Epist 12 ad Seuer and brooding on the front celestiall Doth heat the holy waters they become Conceiued of GOD and in their liqours christall Bring forth an holy Brood an holy Nation Of the eternall seed the propagation For what the grace of God doth worke inuisibly in our baptisme that hath béene shewed in visible signes in the Baptisme of Christ Châ—mnit in cap. 17. Harmoni The water of baptisme was sanctified by the touching of the Lords body for what things soeuer Christ hath deserued and purchased in the body of his flesh he hath as it were layd them downe in baptisme He tooke vpon him baptisme with vs sinners that hee might witnesse that by baptisme wee are made his members As the eternall Father in the baptisme of CHRIST vttered this voyce This is my beloued Sonne so as yet this day all that doe beléeue and are baptized hée doth adopt for Sonnes As in the baptisme of Christ Heauen was opened so as yet at this day by the Sacrament of Baptisme the gate of the heauenly Paradise is
hath oppressed mee I haue receiued the sentence of death in my selfe I see that I must leaue this life then which nothing is more sweet I must leaue this world then which nothing is more pleasant I must leaue this house of my body then which nothing is more deare The Comforter THou wert created of God not for this wretched and momentany Sap. 2.23 but for a blessed and eternall life for God framed the first Parent of our kinde in corruption to immortalitie neither wert thou redéemed of Iesus Christ for this fraile and miserable but for that perpetuall and most happy life which is to be expected in the heauens seeing it is a certaine and indubitate saying 1 Tim. 1.15 that Iesus Christ came into the world that he might saue sinners neither wert thou called of the holy Ghost through the word to the kingdome of Christ for the most short vse of this light but that hereafter thou mightest passe out of the kingdome of grace into the kingdome of glory out of the Church militant to the Church triumphant out of the valley of teares into the field of ioyes for if in this life only we beléeue hope on Christ wee are the most miserable of all men 1 Cor. 15.19 Wherefore when thou séest that thou art to be led through the gate of death to that life for which thou wert created of the Father for which thou wert redéemed of the Sonne for which liues sake thou wert sanctified of the Spirit doe not I pray thée despise the friendly counsell of God against thy selfe Luke 7.30 but most readily obay and follow God that calls thée II. Of the three-forked Mace of death The tempted THe thought of death doth terrifie mee the terrible shape of that enemy doth vexe my soule 1 Cor. 15.55 hee shewes mee his sting which is sinne he threatens mee with his cruell three-forked Mace while he casts before mine eyes and my heart the wrath of God the accusation of the Law Rom. 6.23 and the hainousnesse of my sinnes seeing death is the wages of sinne and through sinne death hath entred into mee Rom. 5.18 as it hath done also into the whole world The Comforter BVt I admonish thée that being seriously and from the bottome of thy heart contrite for the sinnes that thou hast committed thou behold him which was dead for thée on the Altar of the Crosse that thou mightest not be subiect to eternal death Turne thine eyes away from the outward shape of death and turne them to Christ Heb. 2.14.15 which by his death hath destroyed him which had the power of death that is the Deuill and hath deliuered vs which through the feare of death were all our life subiect to bondage Hose 13.14 Ioh. 11.25 hee is death to our death he is a sting to that Hell which wée haue deserued he is the resurrection and the life he that beléeueth on him vers 26. although he were dead yet hee shall liue and euery one that liueth and beléeueth in him 1 Cor. 15.22 shall not dye for euer Therefore as in Adam that is for sinne deriued out of Adam into vs and for actual sinnes heaped vpon this all of vs are subiect vnto death and are constrained at the last to dye so also in Christ the Captaine of life and the Conquerour of death wee are all quickened by faith that which also our Captaine of life confirmeth with a graue and serious oath Verely verely I say vnto you Iohn 5.24 hee which heareth my word and beleeueth on him that sent mee hath eternall life and commeth not into iudgement but hath passed from death to life Ioh. 8.51 And againe Verely verely I say vnto you If any man shall keepe my word hee shall not see death for euer Beléeue Christ therfore Iohn 14.6 which is the truth beléeue him promising beléeue him swearing Heauen and Earth shall passe away Luk. 21.33 but the words of Christ shall not passe away III. The vexation of Sinne. The Tempted THE remembrance of my sinnes doth come into my minde for I was not onely begotten Psa 51.7 conceiued and borne in sinne but I haue increased this summe of originall and hereditary debt with diuers debts of manifold and most grieuous sinnes through the course of my whole life how therefore can I hope that God will be fauourable vnto me whom I haue so often offended How can I perceiue any comfort in death seeing death is the wages due to my sinnes and to those that are not reconciled to God the beginning of the second and eternall death The Comforter BEhold Christ hanging on the altar of the Crosse and powring out for thy sinnes the price of thy redemption that is his precious bloud 1 Ioh. 1.8 The bloud of Iesus Christ the Sonne of God doth cleanse thée from all sinnes 2 Ioh. 2.2 he is the propitiation for thy sinnes and for the sinnes of the whole world for neither came he into the world for that end that he would be ministred vnto but that he might minister to others and giue his soule a redemption and price for the sinnes of many And lest there should arise or remaine any doubt in thée of this matter therefore from heauen which is the Throne of truth by an Angell which is a Spirit of truth that name of Iesus most swéet and most full of consolation was brought and giuen to this our Mediatour before he was conceiued in the wombe and what other thing is Iesus then a Sauiour Luk. 2.31 for therefore this name was giuen to Christ because hee saues his people from their sinnes Mat. 1.21 This is that Lambe of God which takes away the sinnes of the world Ioh. 1.29 This is that Iesus Christ which therefore came into the world that he might saue sinners This is the high Priest of the new Testament 1 Tim. 1.15 Ephes 5.2 which hath deliuered himselfe for our sins to be an offering and a sacrifice of a swéet smelling sauour vnto God It is Christ which hath powred out his owne bloud for the remission of sinnes Mat. 26.28 1 Pet. 2.24 which hath borne our sinnes in his body on the wood which was wounded for our iniquities and was broken for our sinnes Esa 53.5 God hath laid vpon him and as it were by a troupe made he hath made to fall vpon him the iniquities of vs all Him that hath not knowne sinne God hath made sinne for vs that is 2 Cor. 5.21 he hath imputed our sinnes to him he hath layd vpon him the punishment of our sins he hath made him a sacrifice for our sins neither hath Christ resisted this counsell and decrée of his heauenly Father but hath fulfilled his will with a most ready minde Psal 40.9 and loued vs and hath deliuered himselfe for our sinnes Gal. 1.10.4 Can. 2.20 hee hath loued vs and hath deliuered
those which beléeue on his name This adoption comprehendeth all things which are necessarie for vs to euerlasting saluation for if we be the Sonnes of God then are we also borne of God Tertul. in apolo c. 17. For not the carnall generation but the spirituall regeneration makes the Sonnes of God If we are the Sonnes of God then haue we also God fauourable vnto vs. For doth not a Father take pittie of his Sonnes Psa 103.13 If we are the Sonnes of God then hath he also giuen vs his spirit for so saith the Apostle They which are lead by the spirit of God these are the Sons of God Rom. 8.14 15. for ye haue not receiued the spirit of bondage againe to feare but ye haue receiued the spirit of adoption in which we cry Abba Father And againe Gal. 4.6 Because you are Sonnes God hath sent the spirit of his Sonne into your hearts crying Abba Father To conclude Rom. 8.13 if we are the Sonnes of GOD then are we also heires heires of GOD and heires annexed with Iesus Christ for who is he that is truly a Son without an inheritance All these so pretious so copious and so various benefits are bestowed vpon vs in Christ Eph. 3.17 and through Christ which dwels in our harts and is borne in vs spiritually through faith which therefore the Scripture doth so often preach and commend vnto vs. Verily verily Ioh. 5.24 I say vnto you saith Christ he which heareth my word and beleeues on him that hath sent mee hath eternall life and comes not unto iudgement but hath past from death to life Hee that beleeueth in mee Ioh. 11.25 26. although he were dead yet shall he liue and euery one which liueth and beleeueth in me shall not dye for euer Ioh 7.36.39 Hee that beleeueth in me out of his belly shall flow Riuers of liuing water which our Sauiour speakes of the spirit which they receiue that beleeue on him Euery one that beleeueth in mee Ioh. 12.46 doth not abide in darknesse suppose it in the darknesse of ignorance in the darknesse of sinne in the darknesse of eternall death but by the light of faith hee is lead to the life of sauing knowledge to the light of true righteousnesse to the light of euerlasting life Nay the Apostle witnesseth plainely that all those things which are written in the Gospel of the sayings doings and sufferings of Christ are therefore written that by faith on his name wee may haue life Because God hath giuen vnto vs eternall life 1 Ioh. 5.11 12.13 and this life is in his Sonne Hee that hath the Sonne hath life from thence we know that we haue euerlasting life because wee beleeue on the name of the Sonne of God And not onely the Apostles and Euangelists but also all the Prophets giue testimonie to Christ That all that beleeue oâ— him Act. 10.43 receiue remission of sinnes through by name That therefore which Paul and Silas sometimes said to the keeper of the prison at Philippi the same say I to thée Beleeue on the Lord Iesus Act. 16.31 and thou shalt be saued VI. The false perswasion of Faith The Tempted BVt I haue heretofore perceiued that very many doe put on a vaine perswasion of Faith and deceiue themselues with a false boasting what if I should also be in the number of them from whence may I be assured that my saith is a true and sauing faith and not a vaine and dead Image of faith The Comforter TRy and examine thy selfe whether thou be in the faith try thine owne selfe 2 Cor. 13.5 doest thou not know thine owne selfe that Iesus Christ is in thée There want not firme and infallible instructions by which â—rue and sauing faith may be tried knowne and discerned from idle and vaine boastâ—ng of faith First then this is the nature of true faith that it purifies the heart Act. 15.9 and desires to purge it cleane from the dregs of sinns For sâ—â—ing that faith doth carefully séeke and desire remission of sinnes surely he that truly beléeues shall féele a serious sorrow for the sinnes that he hath committed The Gospell is preached to the poore that is to say Matth. 11.6 Matth. 5.6 to those that are poore in spirit which hunger and thirst after righteousnesse which bring and offer to God a contrite heart and an humbled spirit Behold therefore the looking glasse of the Law and the deformitie of thy crimes will appeare Behold the shining face of Moses and it will appeare that for the workes of darknesse which thou hast followed thou canst not beare that light Behold thy selfe how grieuously the disease hath afflicted thée which is the iust punishment of thy sinnes the scourge of the reuenging God and the wages due to thy life which hath béene spent in sinnes He which sinnes against his Creator Eccl 38.5 fals into the hands of the Physitian We haue lost our health because wée haue offended our Creatour They which follow the flesh are scourged in the flesh They sigh in that in which they haue sinned The censure of the punishment is in that in which was the cause of shine By how many thoughts by how many words by how many déedes hast thou offended God How faint host thou béene aboue all things in the feare and loue of God How slacke in Prayers and other exercises of pietie How barren in good workes How oft hast thou followed the perswasion of Satan the seducing of the flesh the deceiuing of the world Those members which thou hast oftentimes giuen as weapons to iniquitie and vnrighteousnesse by the iust iudgement of GOD are now tormented with griefe and infirmitie Acknowledge this and grieue for if there be true and serious acknowledgement of sinne in thy heart immediately griefe of consciences and detestation of sinne will follow it God is earnestly angry with sinnes therefore out of the féeling of the wrath of God earnestly bewaile thy sinnes GOD doth seuerely punish sinnes therefore punish in thy selfe by iust griefe that which thou doest obserue that thou hast committed against God Psa 119.137 Acknowledge the iudgement of God to be iust and be thou humbled vnder his mighty hand Neither haue respect onely to thy outward faults but acknowledge the contagion of originall sin the fountaine of all euils Psa 90.9 that indéede is hidden but God placeth it in the light of his countenance through it all the powers of soule and body are so weakened that out of thy selfe and by thy selfe thou canst beginne no good much lesse performe it through it thou art made subiect vnto death and to all that troupe of calamities miseries and diseases which goes before death VII Griefe insufficient The Tempted I Acknowledge and feele that I am not only borne and conceiued in sinnes but that I haue offended God by diuers manifolde and great sinnes I feele this and I earnestly grieue but
opened vnto vs. As in the baptisme of Christ the holy Ghost descended vpon him in the shape of a Doue so the holy Ghost is present in our baptisme and workes therein effectually our regeneration and renouation so that by this reason in Baptisme doe concurre the grace of the Father adopting the merit of the Sonne clensing and the efficacie of the holy Ghost regenerating Therefore if thou art baptized thou mayst not doubt of the grace of God the remission of sins and the promise of eternall saluation so thou continue in that faith which there thou didst professe Baptisme is the Lauer of regeneration where there is regeneration there is the remission of sinnes there is the grace of God there is perfect iustice there is renuing there is the gift of the holy Ghost there is adoption there is the inheritance of eternall life XV The falling out of the Couenant of Baptisme The Tempted I Beleeue indeed that I am receiued into the couenant of Gods grace by the Sacrament of Baptisme that I haue attained remission of my sinnes and am written in the Booke of life but by my sinnes I haue againe fallen out of the grace of this Couenant by committing offences againe I haue made the remission past of none effect and haue often deserued that I should be blotted out of the Booke of life The Comforter NAy the Couenant of GOD is an euerlasting couenant Gen. 17.13.1 Col. 2.11 to which after thy sinnes thou mayest againe betake thy selfe by true and earnest repentance For euen as God speakes of the Sacrament of circumcision that it is an eternall couenant so let vs not doubt but that God will enter into and stablish with vs an euerlasting couenant in baptisme which hath succeeded in the place of circumcision I will marry thee vnto mee for euer sayth he by the Prophet Hose 2.19 I will mary thee vnto mee in righteousnes and iudgement in mercy and in compassion I will marry thee vnto me in faith The hils shall be moued Esa 54.10 and the valleyes shall tremble but my mercy shall not depart from thee and the couenant of my peace shall not be moued saith thy Lord that taketh pitty God forbid therefore God forbid Rom. 3.3 that we say that the faith of God can be made of none effect by the incredulitie of men If we doe neuer so much take away credit from his words or depart from him 2 Tim. 2.13 hée remaineth faithfull alwayes like himselfe true and constant he cannot deny himselfe Therefore though thou sometime sinne out of thine inbred infirmitie thou doest not forthwith fall out of the couenant of God Indéed by sinnes committed against knowledge and conscience thou dost grieuously prouoke GOD against thée and make him to be sometimes angry but by true repentance thou returnest againe into his grace and fauour The ship of Baptisme doth not floate away from vs Secunda post naufragium tabulu although wee leape out of it into the Sea of sinnes therefore by repentance which in this sence may be called a second planke after shipwracke wee may returne againe to the same shippe of baptisme that in it wée may bee brought to the hauen of euerlasting saluation Hier. in ca. 3. Esa ver 9. Tertu lib. de poenit p. 479. Therefore imbrace repentance as hée that is shipwracke the helpe of some boord or plancke this will lift thée vp being ouerwhelmed with the waues of thy sins will bring thée into the hauen of the clemency of God Peter had denied his Master 1 Pet. 3.21 but being conuerted he doth neuerthelesse seeke the promise of saluation in baptisme The Galathians had fallen grieuously and likewise the Corinthians notwithstanding the Apostle doth set before them consolation deriued out of Baptisme after that they were againe raised vp by repentance Gal. 3.17 pronouncing as many of them as were baptized to haue put on Christ nay manifestly affirming that they were clensed and baptized in one spirit into one body that is to say a misticall body Out of which it euidently appeareth that the efficacy of the couenant of Baptisme doth extend it self to the time to come neither is it made plainely of no force and abolisht by the fall of man into sinne but that that couenant abides lastingly firme August 1. de nupt concupis cap. 33. and ratified of the part of God That therefore which Paul saith that Christ did clense the Church in the Lauer of water in the word is so to be taken that by the same Lauer of regeneration and word of sanctification all the euils of regenerate men are altogether clensed and healed not onely the sinnes past all which are remitted in Baptisme but also those which are afterwards contracted by humane ignorance or infirmitie not that baptisme so often as men sinne may so often be repeated but because by that which is once giuen the pardon of what soeuer sinnes is obtained for the faithfull not only before but also afterwards vpon their true and vnfained repentance Acknowledge therefore and bewaile thy sinnes yet neyther deny the couenant of grace that was begunne with thée in baptisme nor forget it but though thou fall a thousand times yet returne and goe backe Returne vnto mee Ier. 3.12 O thou soule that art turned away saith the LORD and I will not turne away my face from you Psal 27.8 because I am mercifull sayth the LORD and I will not be angry for euer Let thy heart set this word before GOD 2 Tim. 2.13 and hée will take pitty vpon thée being mindfull of his promise for hée cannot deny himselfe and his word XVI Vncertaine taking into the Couenant of Baptisme The tempted BVT whence may I bee ascertained that after I haue fallen by true repentance I may be receiued againe of God into fauour I would to God my heart might be confirmed by some certaine seale I would there were some Sacrament by the participation whereof that promise of grace might be sealed vp vnto mee The Comforter YEa there is such a Sacrament that is to say the most holy Sacrament of the Lords Supper in which Christ giues vnto thée his most precious body and blood Wherefore when they receiuest the most holy price of thy redemption that is to say the body and bloud of Christ in that holy supper thou mayest be sure that thou art made truly partaker of all those things which Christ hath deserued on the altar of the Crosse by the deliuering vp of his body and powring out of his bloud that is the fauour of God remission of sinnes righteousnesse life and euerlasting saluation When thou drinkest that bloud by the pouring out whereof the couenant of grace was stricken and confirmed how canst thou doubt whether thou be againe receiued into that couenant and into the fauour of God What is more néere vnto God then his onely begotten Sonne as who is in his bosome Ioh.
drinke Rom. 14.17 but righteousnesse peace and ioy in the holy Ghost Wherefore if thy soule hath sometimes felt in the secret of thy conscience the spirit of the Son Ber in Can. serm 8. col 509. crying Abba Father let her presume that she is beloued with a fatherly affection when shee perceiues that shee is affected with the same spirit with which is also the sonne In the spirit of the Son shée may know her selfe to be daughter of the Father the spouse and sister of the sonne And although all these things are sometime weake and languishing yet be not out of heart but aske for increase of the spirit Luk. 11.13 for God will giue this spirit to those that aske him Stir vp the gift 2 Tim. 1.6 that frée and gracious gift of the spirit which is in thée that is by asking by séeking by knocking by meditating on thâ— word by resisting euill concupiscences There is here no perfection but a continuall way to perfection Beside this inward seale and testimony of the holy spirit God hath giuen thée the Sacraments which are the seales of the heauenly promises the waggons of the benefits of Christ bringing them vnto thée and the meanes of the begetting cherishing confirming of thy faith that thou mayst be sure that the benefits of Christ doe pertaine in speciall vnto thée Cypr serm de mort pa. 209. Thou wert receiued into the Church by baptisme and fed in the Lords Supper with the body blood of Christ being confirmed by these seales beléeue the word of the Gospell surely and without all doubt Why doest thou doubt why doest thou wauer this is that God should not altogether be this is to offend Christ the Master of beléeuers with the sin of incredulity this is for him that is placed in the Church not to haue faith in the house of faith Attend moreouer to the infallibility of the promised hearing God hath promised euen with an oath put thereto that he wil heare our prayers that whatsoeuer we aske according to his will shall be giuen vnto vs Verily verily I say vnto you saith Christ whatsoeuer yee shall aske the Father in my name Ioh. 16.23 Mat. 18.19 hee will giue vnto you If two of you shall consent vpon earth on any manner of thing whatsoeuer they shal aske it shal be done to them of my Father which is in heauen This is the trust which we haue vnto God 1 Ioh. 5.14 if we aske according to his will we shal obtaine it The very same which hath promised hearing hath coÌ„manded vs to aske forgiuenes of sins therfore what place of doubting will there remaine of the remission of sins how should Christ haue commanded to ioyne to prayer the word Amen if hee would haue had vs to doubt of hearing To conclude attend to the property of true faith as by which we haue accesse vnto that grace wherein we stand and glory of the hope of glory Heb. 4.16 promised of God through which wee come with trust vnto the throne of grace that wee may attaine mercy and finde grace through which we are kept by the power of God vnto saluation 1 Pet. 1.5 through which we know that we are translated from death to life 1 Ioh. 3.14 through which wee are most certainly perswaded that neither death Rom. 8.38 nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present vers 39. nor things to come neither height nor depth nor any other creature can separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. August in Psal 148. Weighing all these things let thy frailtie lift it selfe vp let it not despaire let it not bruise it selfe let it not turne it selfe away Christ hath promised thée that thou shalt bee there where hée is What hath God promised vnto thée O mortall man that thou shalt liue for euer Doest thou not beléeue beléeue beléeue it is more now which hée hath done then what he hath promised What hath he done he hath died for thée What hath he promised that thou shalt liue with him it is more incredible that the eternal hath died then that the mortal can liue for eternitie Now thou holdest that which is more incredible why doest thou doubt of that which remaines God hath promised thée heauen he hath giuen thée his Son which is a greater gift then heauen and earth XXIX The doubting of perseuerance The Tempted TRuly I doe nothing doubt but that by my Mediator Christ there lyes open to me accesse to GOD I surely trust that I am in the grace of God yet I cannot but doubt of perseuerance Matth. 10.22 cap. 24. v. 46. I know that it is perseuerance alone that is crowned I heare that they onely which shall perseuere to the end shall be saued Not to haue begun well but to goe through well is the part of vertue Aug. Ser. 8 ad frat in Erem Hiero in Epist ad furiam Theol. myst Harp c. 34. Neither is the beginning but the end required in Christians Iudas began well but he ended ill Paul began ill but hee ended well Without perseuerance neither he that fighteth obtaineth victory nor the Conquerour the palme I heare the ouer-seer and appointer of our masteries crying hold that which thou hast least another take thy crown I heare and I feare I feare and I doubt Apoc. 3.12 I doubt and I cast away the confidence of my heart The Comforter Bern. Serm. 3. de sep frag miser Col. 183. COnsider thrée things â—n which thy whole hope doth consist the charity of the adoption the truth of the promise the power of performance Now let thy foolish thought murmure as much as it will saying who art thou and how great is that glory or by what merits hopest thou to obtaine it and doe thou answere confidently I know whom I haue beléeued and I am sure that in the aboundance of his charitie he hath adopted me that he is true in his promise that hée is powerfull in performance This is the thrée-fold cord which is not easily broken which I pray thée that thou holde firmely fast being let downe to thée out of our Country euen into this dungeon that it may lift thée vp that it may draw thée euen to the beholding and sight of the glorie of the great God This is the most firme Anker of thy hope these are those thrée pillars on which thou mayest relie against the flouds stormes of doubtings that is to say the good will of God adopting his sure faithfulnesse promising and his infinite power to fulfill his promises The good GOD hath promised good things Phil. 2.13 hée hath begun to worke a good worke in thée hée that hath begun will performe it according to his good liking The good GOD hath promised good things 1 Cor. 10.15 he that hath promised is faithfull and true he
that griefe perhaps is not sufficient seeing it doth not answere the fault neither is it an aequiualent price for my sinnes The Comforter NAy griefe rising out of the acknowledgement of sinne vexation of conscience shall neuer be able to answere the grieuousnesse and deformitie of sinnes séeing God the infinite good is that which is offended sinne the infinite euill is that which is committed the infinite punishment of Hell is prepared for sinners how then by thy contrition mightest thou satisfie the infinite iustice of God and expiate his infinite wrath Christ hath performed that which of thy selfe and by thy strength thou couldest not performe hee hath payd the infinite and equiualent price for thy sinnes If by thine owne selfe thou couldest haue satisfied if by thy contrition and by thy griefe thou haddest béene able to abolish sinne what néeded CHRIST to descend from heauen and to labour so long vnder the burthen of his crosse Esa 43.24 Esa 63.3 Thou hast put him to paine in thy sinnes and pressure in thine iniquities he hath trodden the Wine-presse alone and of the people there was none with him Take héed therefore to thinke onely that the griefe of thy contrition eyther can or ought to be such that it may answere to the grieuousnesse and deformitie of thy sinnes but therefore and to this end God requires true acknowledgement of sinne and earnest contrition of the heart that place may be giuen to the frée remission of sinnes which is giuen vnto thée through Christ apprehended by faith Christ preacheth the Gospell Esa 61.1 but to the poore that is to those that are humbled in spirit he healeth Luke 4.2.18 but the contrite in heart neither haue they that are well néed of the Phisition Mat. 9.12 that is which thinke that they are well He preacheth libertie but it is to the captiues that is to those that acknowledge the spirituall captiuitie of sin for he desires not to goe forth of bondage which supposeth himselfe by all meanes to be frée He preacheth sight but it is to the blinde that is to those that bewaile the spirituall blindnesse of the heart for they which say they sée their sinne abideth They which say that they are rich and wealthy ohn 9.41 and want nothing they doe not know that they are wretched and miserable and poore and blinde and naked Hee preacheth forgiuenesse but it is to the broken and contrite in heart 1 Sam. 2.6 God kils and makes aliue he leadeth downe to hell and bringeth backe againe he kils by contrition that he may make aliue by consolation he leadeth downe to hell by the hammer of the Law that he may bring backe from hell by the comfort of the Gospell VIII The weight of Griefe and Sorrow The Tempted TRoubles haue compassed mee round about my heart is vexed and troubled my sinnes are alwayes before mine eyes which do grieuously torment my conscience and labour to beat mee downe to hell Psal 32.3 there is no peace in my bones for the terrour of the Lord my soule refuseth to be comforted I am troubled Psal 77. vers 2. ver 3. and my spirit doth afflict mee I see no place whereto I may flye and seeke a remedy of my sinnes The Comforter IF thou wilt flye flye to CHRIST he friendly inuites all that labour vnder the weight of their sinnes Mat. 1.27 which are pressed with the yoake of iniquitie an euill Mistresse Be thou hid in his wounds and the tempest of the wrath of God will passe away Christ is the propitiatory Rom 3 25 to which thou mayest flye with true faith and rest vnder the shadow of his wings As the Hart desireth the fountaines of waters Psal 42.1 so let thy soule exhausted with the heate of thy sinnes and of the wrath of God thirst after Christ the fountaine of liuing water springing forth to euerlasting life If thou commest vnto him hee will not put thée backe he will not repell thée for thus goe his promises Apoc 22.17 Cap. 21.6 He that thirsteth let him come and hee that will let him take the water of life freely I will giue vnto him that thirsteth of the Well of the water of life freely Come vnto me all yee which labour Mat. 11.27 and are heauy loaden and I will refresh you in mee and by mee you shall finde rest to your soules Him Iohn 6.37 that comes vnto me I will not cast forth of dores Imbrace these words of Christ which are the words of the eternall and vnchangeable truth with a faithfull heart Let thy heart set before him these his promises Psal 27.8 and séeke the face of the Lord. Set Christ as it were in the middest betwéene thée a sinner and thy angry God appeale from the Throne of Gods seuere iustice to the Throne of mercy prepared for thée in Christ and through Christ The internall Hawke doth vrge and pursue thy soule Cant. 2.14 let it flye therefore like a fearefull and affrighted Doue to the holes of the Rocke which are the wounds of Christ Moses doth accuse thée sigh therefore Bern. Serm. 64. sup Cant. August in meditat that Christ may make intercession for thée Thy conscience is troubled but let it not be tumbled downe from his hope and confidence but let it remember the wounds of Christ let all the assurance of thy confidence bee in the wounds of Christ which do abound with the streams of mercy neither want there holes through which they may flow out Idem Serm. 22. sup Cant. Let the passion of our Sauiour Iesus Christ be thy last refuge and onely remedy of thy sinnes wisedome failing righteousnesse not sufficing the merits of holinesse not holding out that will be able to helpe and succour thée And this is the other and indéede essentiall propertie of true Faith forsooth to behold with the eye of the heart Christ hanging on the Crosse out of his wounds to hope for and drawe the medicine of her wounds to rely on him with a true confidence of heart and to wrap her selfe as it were in his most holy merit for this is the voyce of true faith Behold me thou which hangst vpon the Tree Bern. Serm. 22. sup Cant. And let my sinnes in thy side hidden be My sicke soule thirsts for thee my guilt forgiue My sinne 's my death but in thy bloud I liue Therefore if hauing compunction for thy sinnes thou hungerst and thirstest after righteousnesse thou mayest beléeue on him which iustifieth the wicked and being iustified by faith alone thou shalt haue peace with God Confesse that thou art not worthy neither canst thou by thine owne merits obtaine the kingdom of heauen but let this be thy confidence that Christ thy Lord doth obtaine it by a double name that is by the inheritance of the Father and by the merit of his Passion with the one he himselfe is content the other
I will not the death of a sinner that dyes Eze. 18.31 32. cap. 33. ver 11. but that he may be conuerted and liue Thou hearest the serious oath of the diuine truth Thou hearest that their conuersion is expected and desired of God which dye in their sinnes by their owne fault thou hearest that serious intreatie twise repeated Come vnto mee all yee sayth our Sauiour the meane and messenger of the heauenly Father Come vnto mee all yee all ye which labour Mat. 11.28 and are heauy laden and I will refresh you Thou hearest that the way lyes open to Christ for al that labour vnder the yoake of their sinne and that refreshing and rest of soule is promised to them God will haue all men to be saued sayth the Apostle 1 Tim. 2.4 being taught it in the third Heauen and to come to the knowledge of the truth Hee hath shut vp all vnder vnbeliefe that hee might haue mercy vpon all Rom. 11.20.23 Thou hearest that the saluation of all is desired and sought of God that the mercy of God is open vnto all no body is excluded here but hee which doth exclude himselfe There is one GOD of all therefore hee desireth that all should be saued whom he hath made Primas in H. L. One hath giuen himselfe the price of redemption for all therefore hée would haue all to bee partakers of that price GOD would not haue any to perish sayth Peter being taught by his owne example 2 Pet. 3.9 but that all returne to repentance Thou hearest that the long suffering and goodnesse of GOD doth inuite all to repentance and that GOD would not the destruction of any Take héede that thou speake not against this so cleare and so manifest a truth against these sayings of the holy Ghost written as it were with a beame of the Sunne let the consolations of the Scripture be of more force with thée then the thoughts of thine owne heart for the Scripture is the word of the liuing God which neuer deceiues but our heart is lying and deceiueth XII The absolute decree of Reprobation The Tempted THe promise indeede outwardly is offered vnto all but God hath made from euerlasting a decree of the Reprobation of some men whom hauing cast from him he hath adiudged them to eternall torments to these though he offer the word outwardly yet they cannot communicate or partake of the good things in the word Perhaps I also am in the number of those reprobates The Comforter THE secrets of heauen let no creature on earth presume to pry into Enough is reuealed both for our consolation and saluation Whom God hath predestinated we know not it is a secret of Gods Priuie Counsell where-into wée are not admitted And how farre forth and in what manner God may please to worke and bring about a purpose of his owne without the endeauour and purpose of man we know not that also is a secret of Gods Priuie Counsell where-into wée are not admitted And therefore as Moses saith that the secret things belong to the Lord our GOD so to him and his wisedome be content to leaue them But this we all know that S. Peter bids vs make our election sure by the practise of good workes and holy duties of Religion and telleth vs that hee that doth those things shall neuer fall 2 Pet. 1.10 that is such a one shall neuer faile of grace or glorie And therefore while thou endeauourest to liue in all good conscience according to Gods will thou mayest haue peace of conscience in Gods promises and mercies And this wée know that our Sauiour commandeth and promiseth Aske and yee shall haue seeke and ye shall finde knocke and it shall be opened vnto you And therefore if thou vse the meanes thou canst not doubt of the end Finally this we all know also that God protesteth vpon his word yea vpon his oath that he desireth not the death of him that dieth or taketh any pleasure that the wicked should die but that he may returne and liue Ezek 18.23.32 Ezek. 33.11 And therefore God is so farre from reiecting thée before thou hast sinned that hée is most readie to admit of thée after thou hast sinned Onely then endeauour to doe the workes of him that sent thée into the world begge and craue for grace and mercie from the Father of mercies search thy heart finde out thy sinnes and each day renue thy repentance and then be assured that the outward offering of grace will euer be accompanied with the inward working of the spirit For the promises of Gods mercies are generall to all that beleeue on him Rom. 10.11 To all that call on the name of the Lord Rom 10.13 To all that labour and groane vnder the burden of their sinnes Matth. 11.28 To all that feare God and worketh righteousnesse Act. 10.35 c. And the merites and death and Passion of Iesus Christ as they are offered so they are bestowed on all generally that lay hold on him for their Sauiour Ioh. 3.16 XIII The doubting of the application of the merit of Christ The Tempted LEt the merit of Christ be and be said to spread it selfe wide in the meane time I doe not yet see for mine owne particular that the benefits of Christ are offered and applied to me Many things are offered to men in generall which notwithstanding doe not pertaine to euery man in particular The Comforter NAy from the generall we may wel procéede to the particular from that which is common to that which is more restrained Therefore because God would haue all to be saued thou mayest rightly and most firmely subsume that he would haue thée also to be saued Because Christ is said to haue died for all thou maiest rightly and most firmely subsume that he also died on the Crosse for thée and will cleanse thée from all thy sinnes by his bloud and because he calleth all repenting he will receiue thée repenting And because he promiseth grace and life to all that beleeue depend and relie on him therefore he will performe it to thée when thou doest rest and relie on him for his mercies Yea and that which God promiseth to all in generall by his word that he applieth to thée is particular in the Ministerie of the word Onely submit thy selfe to the wholesome Ministerie of reconciliation 2 Cor. 5.18 which God hath committed to the Ministers of the Church Vers 20. to the keyes that he hath deliuered to their tâ—â—st to the office of Embassage that theâ— vndergoe in the name of Christ God exhorting and as it were entreating vs by them And then that which is specially offered vnto thée do not doubt but that specially it belongs vnto thée When 〈◊〉 the serious sorrowe of thy bâ—â—â—t 〈◊〉 heareth the voice of the Minister pronouncing remission of sins in the name of Christ resolue that thou hearest Christ himselfe what so is héere done in the name of
of life Apoc. 20.12 but in the last iudgement the bookes shall be opened and amongst these also the booke of conscience in which before the whole world grauen with great letters shall all the particular faults and offences of men be séene which are not blotted out in this life by true contrition by faith and amendement of life Before that day of iudgement come and the time of grace passe away thou mayest haue as yet excellent hope and sure confidence that the bloud of Iesus Christ Heb. 9.14 which through the eternall spirit hath offered himselfe without spot to God will clense thy conscience from dead workes to serue the liuing God XXV Too late Repentance The Tempted TRuly I am earnestly sorry for so many wounds inflicted on my conscience I doe earnestly desire the cure of my wounds I haue an earnest desire to keepe a good conscience hereafter but I feare lest that my repentance be too late I feare lest the grace of God so oftimes reiected of mee doe againe reiect and forsake mee August de verâ falsâ poenit cap. 17. Late repentance is wont to deceiue many and that repentance which proceeds from a dying man hee must feare lest that also dye The Comforter NAy there is nothing too late which is true and earnest Cyprian tract 1. contra Demet. No repentance is to late for him that abides yet in this world there are some which are called and come at the eleuenth houre of the day into the Lords Vineyard Mat. 20.9 and receiue the reward of Grace No length of time doth preiudicate eyther Gods equitie or his pietie Fulgent Epist 7. Repentance is neuer too late with GOD 〈◊〉 in whose sight aswell the things past as the things to come are alwayes held for present Behold the example of the Thiefe on the crosse which confessing Christ with his mouth vpon whose vtmost lippes as it were his soule dwelt ready to depart gods the pardon of his sinnes and the 〈◊〉 prâ—mise of the heauenly paradise As long as that to day is named Heb. 3.13 so long God doth earnestly looke for our conuersion As long as the heauenly Bridegroome doth as yet defer his comming Mat. 25.5 so long the gate of Grace and indulgence doth as yet lye open The whole time of our life yea the last houre thereof is graunted vs to the space of repentance Esa 65.2 God spreads forth his hands all day neyther doth hee cast forth him that comes vnto him at what time soeuer hee come Iohn 6.37 Therefore take thou care of that that thy repentance be true and earnest and then thou néedest not feare lest it be too late If when the houre of death drawes néere thou therfore repentest thée because thou art destituted of the occasions of sinning that repentance is false for by this reason thou doest not leaue thy sinnes but thy sinnes forsake thée If thou therefore repentest because thou séest the punishment of thy sinnes neare that repentance is likewise false for it procéeds out of the loue of thy selfe not out of the sincere loue of God it procéeds not out of the hate of sinne but out of the irkesomnesse of most iust punishment Therefore that thou mayest repent truly and earnestly grieue for thy sins so often committed and therefore grieue because thou hast so often so grieuously by them offended God the chiefest good seeâ—e in Christ the remission of thy sins and seriously propose to thy selfe whatsoeuer shall remaine of thy life to 〈◊〉 it out wholly on the seruice of God submit thy selfe to God be humbled from thy heart before him permit it to his will what and how great punishments a thousand times deserued of thée he will inflict vpon thée that it may appeare that thou doest repent out of the hatred of sinne and not out of the hatred of punishment Psal 51.19 Such a contrite and humbled heart will be a most acceptable sacrifice vnto God for so he saith by the Prophet Esa 66.2 To whom shall I haue respect but to the poore and contrite in spirit and him that trembles at my words XXVI The doubting of the grace of God The Tempted TRuly I feele in my heart serious contrition and griefe for my sinnes neither doe I altogether despaire of the mercy of God yet my heart is shaken with the waues of doubtings neither as yet am I certainely assured of the free remission of my sinnes Indeed well I hope in the meane time humbly I doubt the consideration of Gods mercy doth lift me vp but the thought of mine owne vnworthinesse doth againe cast me downe I am conuerted vnto God therefore I hope well but I am conuerted too late therefore I doubt as yet in part The Comforter BVt I will set most firme props vnder thy wauering faith on which thou mayest relie thée against all the tempests of doubtings for neither is that doubting an humble confession of our vnworthinesse but a dangerous oppugning of the faith that ought of right to be giuen to Gods promises neither is there any reason of doubting of sufficient strength in late conuersion and repentance when the mercy of God doth offer to al that are earnestly conuerted a most certaine promise of the remission of sins First of al therefore attend to the vnmoueable verity of the promises of God Whosoeuer they are that acknowledging and bewailing their sins doe séeke remission of them in Christ and conceiue a firme purpose of amendement of life to them God hath promised his grace forgiuenesse of sinnes and eternall life Whosoeuer beleeueth on the Sonne Ioh. 13.15 18. 1 Ioh. 5.12 Mar. 16.16 doth not perish but hath life eternall He that beleeueth on him is not iudged He that hath the Sonne the same also hath eternall life Hee that shall beleeue and be baptized shall be saued He that hath promised these things is God whose word is more firme then heauen earth which is the truth it selfe 2 Tim. 2.11 which is faithfull and cannot deny himselfe or his word That therefore which God offers with indubitate promises that must thou entertain with indubitate faith neither must thou pretend the infirmitie of thy nature which cannot imbrace the promises of God with such an assurance of trust for this fault of thy nature must be corrected by the efficacy of the holy spirit As thou dost not beléeue on CHRIST out of the strength of nature but out of the working of the Holy Ghost so by the grace of the same spirit thou mayest be assured of the mercy of the Heauenly Father against all doubting that is inherent in thy depriued nature 1 Ioh. 5.10 Hee that beleeues not God makes him a liar Asmuch as thou doubtest so much is diminished of thy trust therefore thou must resist that doubting neither is that to be set forth vnder the specious name of humilitie verily Humilitie ought to arise out of the
precious habitation for thy soule 1 Cor. 15.42 Vers 43. Vers 44. It is sowen in corruption it riseth againe in incorruption It is sowen in dishonour it shall rise againe in glory It is sowen in weaknesse it shall rise againe in power It is sowen a naturall body it shall risâ— againe a spirituall body Therefore commend humbly and readily thy soule created of God redéemed of his Son and made the habitation of the holy Ghost into the faithfull hands of God as it were a certaine pledge saying with Dauid and Stephen nay rather with Christ thy head Into thy hands I commend my spirit Psa 31.6 Act. 7.59 Luk. 23.46 thou hast redeemed mee O God of truth Note this also that in the very agonie of death thou mayest most surely promise to thy selfe the presence and helpe of God for séeing thou doest embrace Christ thy Mediatour with a true faith being most certainely perswaded that with his death he hath ouercome thine and hath restored vnto thée righteousnesse and immortall life by his resurrection Rom. 5.1 therefore iustified by this faith thou hast peace with God and thou mayest be raised vp in the midst of death by the helpe of thy heauenly Father Iob. 13.15 Psa 91.15 that thou mayest say with Iob Although the Lord shall kill me yet will I trust in him I am with him in trouble saith the Lord I will deliuer him and I will glorifie him with length of dayes will I fill him and shew him my saluation Rom. 8.39 From this loue of God neither life nor death neither any creature shall be able to separate or to pull thee away séeing it is in Iesus Christ which is a king eternall and our Sauiour for euer The accusation of the law makes the shape of death terrible that I say and the deformitie of sinne 1 Cor. 15.55 and the tentation of being euerlastingly cast away séeing the sting of death is sinne the strength of sinne is the law but call to thy memory the consolation which is before opposed to these monsters and all that outward hope of death terrible to be beheld will vanish and will be changed into a most pleasant sléepe XXXIIII The sting of Death The Tempted BY sinne death hath entred into the world and is the due wages of sinne how therefore should I not be sore afraid of death The Comforter TRuly death in it selfe and by it selfe is the wages of sinne and the reuenging scourge of the angry God but to those that beléeue in Christ it is changed into a most swéet sléepe For although the regenerate and those that beléeue in Christ doe as yet carry about the reliques of sinne in their flesh from whence also their body is dead Rom. 8.10 that is to say subiect to death for the sinne that dwels in it yet the spirit is life for righteousnesse that is because they are iustified from sins by true saith in Christ and resist the lusts of the flesh through the spirit therefore that sinne which yet remaines in the flesh is not imputed vnto them Gregor Nyssen in orat de mort but is couered with the shadow of the grace of God therefore by death the true and spiritual life of the soule doth not dye in them but doth rather beginne to which death is constrained as it were to doe the office of a Midwife Thence flow those most swéet appellations by which the holy Ghost which is the spirit of truth doth describe the death of the godly for they which before the eyes of fooles doe séeme and of them are sayd to dye the holy Ghost sayth Gen. 25.8 Cap. 35.29 Cap. 49.33 Tertull. lib. de patient p. 12. Cyprian de mortal p. â—â—4 Chry. hom 45. in Gen. Col. 375. Hilar in Psal 140. Ambr. de boum ort cap. 10. 2 Pet. 1.15 that they are gathered or congregated to their people that is to the company of the blessed and triumphing Church in Heauen to come to those which haue deceased before them in the true faith or rather haue gone before them It is but the taking of a iourney which we thinke to be death it is not an end but a passage it is not so much an emigration as a transmigration from worse things to better a taking away of the soule and a most blessed carrying of it from place to place not an abolishing for the soule is taken away and transposed into a place of rest it is not kild vp It is a passage and ascension to the true life It is an outgoing because by it the godly passe out of the slauery of sinne to true libertie euen as heretofore the Israelites out of the bondage of Egypt into the promised Land Ioh. 5 24. Esa 57.2 The godly are said by death to come to peace and to rest in their chambers that is because they come out of that daily warfare vpon earth to a place of peace out of the most troublesome sea of this life to the hauen out of the most laborious prison of this life to a place of rest Phil. 1.23 they are said to be loosed to come to Christ séeing they are led out of the Inne of this present life to the heauenly Countrie and out of the dregs of wicked men to the most blessed societie of Christ in Heauen they are loosed by death out of the bands of the body for euen as the Cattell when they haue discharged the labours of the whole day at last about the euening are set frée and euen as they which are bound in prison are loosed of their fetters so the godly are ledde forth by death from the sayd yoake of the labours and sorrowes of this life and out of the filthy prison of sinne Heb. 11.5 2 Cor. 5.8 and by a most swéet translation are carried to a better life They are sayd to go forth of the land of their pilgrimage by the dissolution of the tabernacle of their body and to be present with the Lord and that because they come out of the ruinous habitation of the world to the heauenly pallace out of an house of clay to a citty made without hands eternall in the heauens out of the tabernacle of an earthly body to the heauenly Ierusalem and the most blessed society of Christ abiding therein It is his property therefore to feare death which would not goe to Christ Cypr. seruâ— demortal pa. 208. It is his property not to be willing to goe to Christ which doth not beléeue to beginne to raigne with Christ They are sayd to rest from their labours for not the man but the misery of a godly man dieth If this life be full of burden Caeciliae vox Ambros de bono mortis cap. 2. 1 Cor. 15.38 then the end is the ease therof but death is a good ease but death is an end death therfore is good They are sayd to be sowed into the earth or field of the
is Vsury and losse which is gaine Whatsoeuer thou méetest with now hath béene and whatsoeuer thou shalt léese there is nothing but it shall be againe All things returne into their state when they shall depart Therefore are they brought to an end that they may be new made Nothing perisheth but that it may be saued Therfore this whole order of things which is in reuolution is a witnesse of the resurrection of the dead God hath prescribed it in his workes before he wrote it in letters hée hath preached it by his strength before he vttered it in words Hée sent Nature before to be thy Mistresse meaning to send Prophecie after that so much the more easily thou mayest beléeue Prophecie being the Scholler of Nature that thou mayest by and by entertaine when thou hearest that which euery where thou now séest and not doubt but that GOD will be a raiser againe of thy flesh All this Tertull. which knowest him to be the restorer of all things Are such lypes as these to be thought to be set out in vaine in the whole state of things Is GOD to be iudged weaker then Nature Nay looke vpon thy selfe and know a testimonie of the resurrection in thy selfe Id in Apolo aduer gentes c. 45. p. 737. Remember what thou wert before thou wast surely nothing for thou mightest haue remembred it if thou hadst béene any thing Thou therefore which wast nothing before thou hadst thy being being made nothing when thou shalt cease to be why canst thou not be againe of nothing by the wil of the same founder which would haue thée to be of nothing What new thing shall happen vnto thée thou which wert not wert made when againe thou shalt not be thou shalt be made Render a reason if thou canst which way thou wert made and then shalt thou demand which way thou shalt be made and yet more easily shalt thou be made that which somtime thou hast béene which wert not hardly made that which neuer thou hadst béene Id de resur carnis p. 54. If God hath made all things out of nothing he can againe frame the flesh brought to nothing out of nothing Surely hée is fit to restore which hath made how much more is it to haue made then to haue restored to haue giuen beginning then to haue new framed so thou mayest beléeue that the restoring of thy flesh is easier then the first making therof XLV The flames of Purgatorie The Tempted I Feare the punishing flames of the fire of Purgatorie after death Psal 143.3 for seeing I am compast about with diuers infirmities of sinnes I feare least God should therefore enter with me into his iudgement and most iustly adiudge me to the flames of Purgatory The Comforter THose with whom God doth enter into iudgement that is which are not in this life reconciled to God those doth he not adiudge to the fire of Purgatorie there to be tormented for a certaine finite time but to the infernall and not to be quenched fire there to be broiled for all eternitie But they which doe acknowledge their sinnes seriously and beléeue truly on Christ they haue the hand-writing of Christ their Sauiour that they néed to feare no place of sorrow and torments after death for so hée sayth Iohn 5.24 Verely verely I say vnto you hee which heareth my word and beleeueth him which hath sent mee hath life eternall and commeth not into iudgement but hath past from death to life The tables of truth doe acknowledge two rankes of men onely that is to say the good and the bad the penitent and the impenitent the beléeuing and the vnbeléeuing two receptacles onely after death August lib. 3. hypog Id ser 8. de verb. Apost Id. 21. de ciuit Dei cap. 25. Id. 1. de peccat merit remis cap. 28. that is to say of consolation and torment of reward and payne of Heauen and Hell We are vtterly ignorant of neither doe we finde in the Scriptures a third kinde of men and places there are but two dwellings one in the kingdome euerlasting the other in the euerlasting fire therefore is not any place in the midst of these for any where hee may not be in punishment which shall not be placed in the kingdome that hee cannot chuse but be with the Deuill which is not with Christ Hee that shall beleeue Mar. 16.16 sayth CHRIST and be baptized shall be saued but hee that doth not beleeue shall be condemned Hee that beleeueth in the Sonne is not iudged Ioh. 3.18 but hee that doth not beleeue is iudged already because he doth not beleeue on the name of the onely begotten Sonne of God vers 36. He that beleeueth on the Sonne hath eternall life but hee that doth not beleeue on the Sonne shall not see life but the wrath of God remaines vpon him Chap. 5 29 They that haue done good shall come forth to the resurrection of life but they that haue done euill to the resurrection of iudgement Mat. 25.46 The blessed shall goe into euerlasting life and the cursed into euerlasting fire And that this immediate separation of the godly and vngodly is to be made not onely in the last day but also by and by after death the example of the rich glutton doth teach vs Luk. 16.23 whose soule is thrust into Hell and of the godly Lazarus whose soule is translated of the Angels into Paradise the example of the conuerted Théefe doth teach vs Luk. 23.43 to whom Christ promiseth the ingresse into Paradise on that very day wherein hée was to dye Apoc. 14.13 the spirit of Trueth doth teach vs pronouncing them henceforth blessed that dye in the Lord. There is none other purgation or expiation of sinnes then in the bloud of Christ 1 Ioh. 1.7 Esa 53.5 Rom. 5.1 1 Iohn 3.14 Sap. 4.1 which washeth vs altogether from all our sins the chastisement of our peace is vpon him that he might be peace to vs therefore he which beléeues on him is iustified and hath peace with God is translated from death to life neither néed hee feare any torment after death LXVI The rigour of the last iudgement The Tempted I Feare the rigour and terrour of the last iudgement Aboue mee will be the seuere iudge beneath mee gaping Hell within mee my Conscience gnawing without me fire burning on my right hand my sins accusing me on my left hand the Diuels terrifying me round about mee the good Angels driuing mee to hell and the euill drawing mee to the same Satan will accuse me my sinnes will accuse mee Bern. in Rithm my conscience will accuse me I feare much the countenance of the seuere Iudge from whom nothing that is hidden shall be kept close neither shall any thing remaine vnreuenged No man shall be able to escape his power to deceiue his wisedome to turne his equitie or to reuoke his iudgement The Comforter IF thou
beleeuest on the Sonne thou shalt not be iudged Ioh. 3.18 that is to say with that seuere and condemning rigour of iudgement If thou hearest the word of Christ Ioh. 5.24 and beleeuest him thou commest not into iudgement thy cause shall not be discust in that rigorous examination of iudgement 1 Thess 1.10 August in Psa 100. seeing Christ hath freed all that beleeue on him from the wrath to come Truly the day of iudgement is to be feared of the wicked for the punishment but is to be loued of the good for the crowne to them it shall be a day of grace and of large remuneration Luk. 21.28 Lift vp your heads saith the Son and know that your redemption draweth neere The Bride doth not feare the comming of her Bridegroome now thy soule is espoused to Christ by faith hée will appeare in the day of iudgement to that end Apoc. 197 that hée may bring her in as it were â—â—is Bride to the heauenly marriage what place therefore can there be here for terrour or feare That day shall be thâ— day of deliuerance because it shall frée vs altogether from the wretched captiuitie of sinne and death Into the perfect seruice of Christ it is the day of deliuerance because it shall plucke vs away from all the heape of euils and waight of calamities it is the day of deliuerance because it shall redéeme vs wholly from that continuall wrastling of the flesh and perillous warfare It is the day of refreshing because it shall set vs thirstie and out of breath into a place of rest by the fountaine of liuing water from the heate of calamities Act 3.20 Apoc. 22.2 Therefore let our Bridegroome Christ come let him come whatsoeuer soule is the true Spouse of Christ sealed by the earnest of the spirit led by the loue of Christ let her say Come Lord Iesu August in Psa 147. If wée loue Christ truly surely wée also desire his comming for it is a peruerse thing to feare least he come whom thou louest to pray let thy Kingdome come and to feare least thou be heard But from whence is the feare because hée is to come a Iudge What is hée vniust doth hée beare vs ill-will is he enuious doth he expect to know thy cause from another least perhaps he whom thou hast instructed either deceiue thée by collusion or failing in lesser elequence or abilitie be not able in words to shew the goodnesse of thine innocencie None of these Who therefore is to come Wherefore doest thou not reioyce Who is to come to iudge thée but he which came to be iudged for thee Feare not the accuser of whom he hath said the Prince of this world is cast forth Feare not an euill Aduocate for he will be thine Aduocate which shall be thy Iudge He will be both thy selfe and thy cause The word of thy cause the testimonie of thy Conscience All this of Augustine Whosoeuer therefore thou be that fearest the Iudge to come correct now thy conscience There is no cause therefore why thou shouldest feare the Iudge to come He shal be thy Iudge which also is thine Aduocate He shall be thy Iudge which hath giuen a promise to his Saints that by his testimonie and example they are to iudge the world He shall be thy Iudge in whom from euerlasting thou wert chosen to life Hée shall be thy Iudge which was thy King how shall a King destroy his owne people He shall be thy Iudge whose true member thou art by faith how shall the head destroy his members Rom. 8.33 Who shall accuse the chosen of God It is God which iustifies who shall condemne It is Christ which is dead nay which is risen againe which is at the right hand of God and makes intercession for vs how shall hée destroy those whom he hath taken into his tuition for whom least they should be destroyed Rom. 2.16 he came into the world Christ shall iudge according to the Gospell but now the beleeuers haue not despised it but receiued it with true faith They haue heard the voice of Christ inuiting them to conuersion Matth. 11.28 Come vnto me all yee which labour and are heauie loaden and I will refresh you therefore they shall also heare his voice inuiting them to the heauenly possession Come ye blessed of my Father Matth. 25.34 receiue the inheritance of the Kingdome of heauen which was prepared for you from the beginning He shall be the Iudge before whose face goe grace and truth grace hath abolisht the sinnes of the beléeuers truth hath giuen vnto them the promises of eternall life Neither is there any cause that thou feare the horrible vniuersall destruction of heauen and earth Heauen and earth shall passe away Luk. 21.33 Esa 40.8 but the words of Christ shall not passe away The word of the Lord abides for euer if thou sticke to this word with true faith thou likewise shalt abide for euer Thou hast lost nothing where by inordinate loue thou hast possessed nothing thy treasure is not the riches of this world but the delight of the heauenly Kingdome let the world be on fire it is sufficient for thée that Christ thy treasure liueth Let the frame of heauen and earth perish flie passe away thou hast most faithfull promises of a new heauen and a new earth Esa 65.17 2 Pet. 3.12 Apoc. 21.1 Behold I create a new heauen and a new earth saith the Lord in which shall dwell righteousnesse so that no man remembreth the former things any more Let the lodging of thy pilgrimage fall downe the euerlasting house of the heauenly Countrey doth abide Neither is there any cause why thou feare the accusation either of Satan or of the Law or of thine owne sinnes thy sinnes are cast into the depth of the Sea suppose into the bottomlesse pâ—t of Gods mercy Mich. 7.19 Es 38.17 Eze. 18.24 Psa 32.1 Psal 51.1 GOD hath cast them behinde his backe so that hée will not remember them hereafter Beléeue Satan shall not draw vp those sinnes out of the Sea nor dare to bring them into the sight of the Iudge Thy sinnes are forgiuen they are couered they are blotted out they shall not be brought againe into iudgement The accusation drawne against the godly of the Diuell shall be vaine because the blotting out of the hand-writing made by the bloud of Christ Colos 2.14 shall be turned against it The accusation of sinne shall be vaine because the pardon giuen by Christ shall be turned against it The accusation of the Law shall be vaine because reconciliation with God through faith hath gone before in this life To conclude there is no cause that thou feare the sodaine returne of Christ to iudgement for although the day of the Lord shal come as a Thiefe in the night 1 Thess 5.2 yet God hath not appointed vs to wrath but that wée may attaine saluation through our Lord Iesus Christ Vers 9. which hath dyed for vs that whether we wake or sléepe we may alwaies liue with him The day of iudgement is not to be feared of them for whom the Kingdome of heauen was prepared from the beginning Matth. 25.34 Eph. 1.4 which were chosen in Christ before the foundations of the earth were laid Commend therefore into the faithfull hands of God the pretious pledge of thy soule he will keepe it in death and iudgement and he will bring it vnited to the body into the Palaces of the heauenly Court to euerlasting glorie FINIS A PRAYER in Sicknesse HEare mee O God giuer and restorer of life in whose hands is life and death health and sicknesse Heare mee not according to the desire of my will but according to the good pleasure of thy will If thou wilt thou canst make mee whole say but one word onely and I shall be whole thou art the length of my dayes in thy hands are my lots but if thou now callest me by the way of Death to the heauenly Countrey mortifie first in mee all inordinate loue of this life giue me the strength of the spirit that I may ouercome the sorrowes of death and in the midst of the darknesse of mine eyes when they waxe dimme kindle and encrease in me the light of heart with thee is the fountaine of true life and in thy light I shall see light Thy death O good Iesus is the medicine of my death and the merit of eternall life I embrace thy vvord vvith a faithfull heart therefore I am sure that thou dwellest by faith in my heart I will not let thee depart out of my heart before thou blesse me and lift me vp with quickning consolation Thou hast said He that beleeueth on mee shall not die for euer this word my heart doth set before thee and in this faith I draw neere to the throne of grace thou wilt not correct nor put back him that comes vnto thee Let thy pretious bloud vvash mee from my sinnes let thy wounds hide mee from the wrath of God and rigour of iudgement I wil die in thee thou shalt liue in mee I will abide in thee and thou shalt abide in me thou wilt not leaue me in death and dust but wilt raise me vp to the resurrection of life Thou hast fought and ouercome for mee now fight and ouercome in me let thy strength be performed in mine infirmitie My soule cleaues vnto thee I will not suffer my selfe to be pluckt away from thee let thy peace which passeth all vnderstanding keepe my heart and senses Into thy hands I commend my spirit thou hast redeemed me thou God of truth take vp the poore soule which thou hast created which thou hast redeemed which thou hast washed from sins with thy bloud which thou hast sealed with the earnest of the holy Ghost which thou hast fed with thy body bloud It is thine thou hast giuen it vnto mee take vp that which thine is and remit the guilt of my sinnes wherewith I haue defiled it Let not the fruit of thy Passion perish in me let not thy precious bloud waxe barren in me In thee O Lord haue I hoped let me not be confounded for euer Amen