causes and occasions of thy feare whether they be thy sinnes if any trouble thy conscience or thy temptations to sinnes thy weakenesses of faith and holinesse or the like so that hee upon view and sight of thy estate and arguments of thy faith and repentance though they be but weake may apply the promises of mercy the comfortable refreshing Oyle of the Gospel unto thy soule But yet heerein also heede and warinesse must be taken to what Minister and to what spirituall Father we doe repose and put our trust and confidence in for this so great a businesse for we must not send to the Schismaticall Anabaptist Brownist c. who preacheth and applieth all judgements and little or no mercy for then he may make the wound worse then it is but in this case send to the godly reformed Minister not to some up-start Trades-man or body Minister of which at this day are too many but know this that our life is hid with Christ in God Col. 3.3 For as Trees in the cold and stormy Winter so good men and women in tempests and anguishes of soule seem to be dead not onely to the world but even to themselves Whence note that Acts 20.9.10 Eutichus there is an Emblem of a Christian in temptation for he fell from an high loft and was taken up dead and so was reputed of all that ware present but saith the Text the Apostle Saint Paul laid himselfe upon him and imbraced him and so found life in him and set him on his legs so though a man fall high from heavenly grace even to the very pit of hell if it were possible yet he may be raised againe by some skilfull and painefull Paul by applying the comforts of the Gospel and so rightly shewing him that his life is not altogether extinguished and put out but hid onely in Christ and that the same is to be found againe in God But for those that thinke if there be any such that any man may as well absolve or baptize or use any other Ministeriall Function or Office in the Church but some if not too many could be contented that there were no Churches as well as the Ministers of God who onely are lawfully called thereunto I would have such to know that he that sent forth to baptize Mark 16.16 he sent also to remit sinnes saying as my Father sent me so send I you c. John 20.12.13 As therefore none can or ought to baptize though he use the same water and words 2. Cor. 5.7 and 10. vers but onely the lawfull Minister Heb. 5.4 I say he onely which Christ hath called and authorized to this Divine and Ministeriall Function So though others I confesse may comfort with good words yet none can absolve from sinne but onely Christ and those to whom Christ hath committed the holy Ministery and words of reconciliation 2. Cor. 5.18.19 and of their absolving Christ speakes in Luk. 10.16 He that heareth you heareth me In a doubtfull title thou wilt aske the counsell and advice of some skilfull Lawyer in perrill of sicknesse thou wilt enquire of the learned Phisitian and is there no danger in the dread and feare of damnation for a sinner to be his owne Judge Judicious Calvin teacheth this point of Doctrine most plainely Et si omnes mutuo nos debeamus consolari c. Although saith he we ought to comfort and confirme one another in the confidence of Gods mercy yet we see that the Ministers are appointed as Witnesses and Sureties to ascertaine our consciences of the remission of sinnes Insomuch as they are said to remit sinnes and to loose soules c. Beza highly commendeth this practice and Luther saith that he had rather lose a thousand worlds then suffer private confessions to be c. And our Church hath ever most soundly admitted and maintained the truth of this Doctrine and heerein I might bring in the visitation of the sick in our Liturgy but that is now abolished and for my owne part I never was against the abolishing of it only this I say and say of it if those in Authority had punished some of those that rent it out of the Churches before that Authority had made the same of no validity and use that then it would have made some and that a great many too have leaned more freely to them and their Authority who now I feare stand but as neuters and the not punishing of such hath been a great cause of the augmentation and encreasing of this civill uncivill and unnaturall Warre There was once much wondering when the Pope fell heere in this Kingdome as now they wonder to see the Prelates cast downe and so the world did once wonder to see the Masse cast away and disliked and now many wonder to thinke that the Lithurgy should be so swept away And for my part I pray God grant that the people doe not at last take a surfeit of that most Divine Ordinance of preaching for no violent thing lasts long Well but we all complaine of our present misery by the unhappy and bloody distractions of the Kingdome by this inbred and unnaturall Warre But yet few consider seriously or the cause whence they come for information heerein take and observe this that sinne is the onely cause of every affliction and of all punishments whether to private men or whole Kingdomes Esay 26.9 We by our sinnes have provoked God to anger and God shewes his anger by these judgements upon the whole Nation Deut. 6.15 King and Subjects have sinned and now King and Subjects are punished Deut. 28.63 Nay God causeth us to punish one another and he doth it either to reforme us or else to destroy us But I dare say God is the efficient cause of all Yea the cause of all causes all other causes are but Gods instruments now the instrumentall cause of these our distractions are wicked men 2. Chron. 22.2.3 God useth one sinner to punish another as Israels sinnes were punished by wicked Shishake and by idolatrous Asher Esay 1â— 5 whom God calleth the rod of his anger and the staffe of his hand 2. Sam. 12.11.12.13 So God punished Davids sinne by wicked Absolon and King Rehobcams sinne by his rebellious people 2. King 14.16 and the sinne of the people by their King Jeroboam But yet though God do use wicked men for his instruments yet wicked men doe but wickedly even in the things wherein God useth them for naturally still they are but the Divels instruments to execute his will and their owne Divelish malice as ye may see Job 1.15 But to passe and goe where wee were for Absolution wee finde that Doctor Holland absolved Doctor Reynolds at his death who not being able to speake yet he kissed the hands wherewith he was absolved And so King James of blessed memory as I have credibly heard when hee lay on his death bed sent for a Reverend Bishop to come and give him his Absolution But yet I say
A HAND-KERCHEFFE FOR A DISCONSOLATE SOULE To wipe away his Sinne and to keep him from Despaire as though they had never been committed By Samuel Spinckes Minister of Gods Word So apply the Promises of God unto thy Soule that thou never despaire but make him thine owne by Faith in Jesus Christ and hope thou in the Lord Jehovah for by Hope we are saved Rom. 8.24 LONDON Printed by Thomas Harper 1651. TO THE Much Honoured and truely Vertuous THE LADY ANNE SCOTT Late the Spousesse of Sir EDWARD-SCOTT of Scotts Hall Knight and Baronet the Mirrour of Piety S. S. wisheth all the Prosperous Events of Health and Happynesses externall internall and eternall Madam THE Truth is most Divine though crossing humane sense spoken by the Father of truth but I will not heere stand blowing a Trumpet as it were either of your Worthinesse or my owne weakenesse As for your Vertues and Almes-deeds they shall and will follow you when you shall be gathered to your Fathers Revel 14.13 And for my imbecillity and weaknesse let the World laugh at it I care not onely my desire is that God may be glorified I have made bold to present a Hand-kercheffe for a Disconsolate Soule under your name assuring myselfe according to your wonted Piety of your loving acceptance my desire to doe good and that to the poore and meanest soule shall in part as I hope excuse me in all For we are all Debters with that blessed Saint Paul Rom. 1.14 both to the wise and unwise And as it must and ought be our wisdome chiefely to winne and gaine soules Prov. 11.30 So it behooveth all Gods children to receive from us with meekenesse his Statutes and Judgements Deut. 4.6 I have heard you are as patient as Job and like to Moses milde and altogether full of Vertue In a word although neither my person nor condition can any waies merrit at your Ladyships hands yet the benigne aspect you alwaies afford to those that labour in Gods Church hath thus far emboldned me in all humility to crave that this my endeavour may passe in Publique under your Ladyships name which favour being happily obtained the Worke and thing it selfe may of all sorts expect to be the rather embraced And so praying the Father of mercy to grant you much joy health and happinesses terrestriall with a glorified life coelestiall resteth Yours in all duty most bound Samuel Spinckes A Hand-kercheffe for a disconsolate Soule c. OH What shall I doe what shall I say Heerein observe the true Light of the World and he will direct thee Joh. 1.34 Even that Sonne of God whom as yet the Disciples knew not neither did they understand the mysteries of Redemption the which are wrought by Christs humiliation and exaltation by the one sayth Aquinas taking from us all evill and by the other giving us all good Oh why should any then dispayre of their salvation seeing Christ came not for the just but to call sinners to repentance for it is he that died for our sinnes and rose againe for our justification Rom. 4.25 Is it thus Why then should any despayre of everlasting life I dare say it is abusive much to thy Creator to say that the joyes of the Kingdome of Heaven belong not unto thee Wherfore take heed of thus abusing or mis-using of Gods mercies and Christs merits for Christ was betrayed mocked spitted on scourged and put to death and all for our sinnes I say truth it selfe was betrayed wisedome it selfe mocked glory it selfe spit upon innocency it selfe scourged life it selfe killed and all for us and our sinnes that we might not despayre What should a man doe to keep him from despayre Confesse his sinnes unto God and that not once or only in generall but often also and that in particular and be sure to make satisfaction and restitution to those thou hast wronged for the Law of God under the penalty of his curse requireth to restore whatsoever was wrongfully gained Levit. 6.2.3 c. Doe not thou then waver in thy fayth for a wavering minded man is unstable in all his wayes Jam. 1.8 For as the Painter at the first sayth Ponton on Luk. ch 19. drawes his picture with a Coal roughly and afterward with an accurate Pencil and Orient colours exactly so the Holy Ghost in the Prophets and Old Testament shadowed Christs passion obscurely but in the latter and New Testament points and sets it downe as it were perspicuously The two Testaments are two pence Luk. 10.35 bearing the same Kings Image sayth Theophylact on Luke 10. though not in the same stamp for all things being now finished and fulfilled that are written by the Prophets of the same man yet our Saviours picture engraven in the Gospel is more full and clear then that which was imprinted in the Law for now God hath shewed us the light of his countenance Psal 67.1 Let us not therefore despayre for all the hub-bubs and garboiles and warres or discontents that are in the world nay in this our Kingdome but put sure trust and confidence in God and wee shall see that the Lord in his good time will bring a period to those distractions Oh I say despayre not but search the Scriptures for they are the way unto Christ and Christ is the way to Heaven Altissiodorensis in his Golden Summe sayth that Fayth Hope and Charity are a created Trinity resembling the three Divine persons uncreated For the Son is begotten of the Father and the Holy Ghost proceeds from both so stedfast hope is bred of fayth and love doth issue from them both Whence observe that Bellarmine cites often out of his Works against S. Augustine that the foundation of Gods house in our soules is faith the walls hope and the roofe charity And the Prophet in a vision saw the transgressour against the transgressour and the destroyer against the destroyer So the Schoolemen oppose the Schoolemen and their Champion Bellarmine fights against Bellarmine in the points of faith and charity for if faith be the foundation of all other vertues in a Christian as himselfe writes in his first Booke of Romes Pontificals and 10. chapter then it is not as he disputes in the first Booke of his Justification and 4. chapter that is wrought by charity but contrariwise charity doth arise from faith It is then an idle dreame to suppose that charity is inclosed in faith as a Diamond is in a Ring for Christ is the precious Pearle saith Luther in Galla. 2.5 and Christ it is which gives life and lustre to the Ring for the just live not by love but by faith in the Lord Jesus Habak 2.4 It is an improper speech then as some of our Divines observe as Doctor Fulke in Gal. 5.6 to say that faith worketh by love as the body by the soule the matter by the forme for the soule rather worketh by the body than the body by the soule The matter is passive the forme active whence know ye that
tribulations and afflictions are the patrimony of good men and good women therefore never dispaire of mercy for any vexation or trouble nor have such a thought in thee as to think that Gods mercies are not for thee I wish that all our Anabaptists and women-Preachers would have such thoughts in them then I am perswaded it would make them more conformable to our Parliament and to the truth of Gods holy word Let no afflictions or troubles of this world I say daunt thee for unto good men and women afflictions and troubles in this life serve to admonish them of their infirmities and the vertues of good people are made manifest unto the world by their troubles and crosses of this life wherefore if thou beest almost in despaire or beest cast down upon thy bed of sicknesse c. why then note to thy comfort as in a skirmish as God grant it may be otherwise with this Kingdome wherein there are now too many in the warres that when the conflict is once begun then the courage of the Captaine I say then and not before is his valour exercised and known so when God doth call his children to any crosse or calamity then begins the battell then their blessed patience and meek contentment is made known and manifest I say then or never knowing that all goes by the hand of Gods providence and holy Ordinance in whom we live move and have our being Acts 17.28 And know that no Physitian I write this as a Hand-kercheffe to wipe away all teares from the eyes of such as are mourners for sin can be more carefull for the health of the body then God is and will be if we be constant and confident in calling upon him by prayer for mercy and favour in his Son and our blessed Saviour Jesus Christ for the health of the soul how bitter soever the potion and portion of our afflictions may seem to us yet receiving it from him who meanes us so well we should not but receive it and them with patient suffering yea whatsoever his mercifull hands shall reach or lay uppon us saying with holy and just Job though he kill me yet will I trust in him Job 13.15 My son saith the Wise man when thou commest to the service of God then prepare thy soule for temptations and fears and troubles and shrink not away when thou art tryed for whom the Lord loveth him he chasteneth as gold and silver are tried in the fire so I say are our faith and patience tried in the furnace and fire of afflictions Sicknesses and afflictions are a means to purge out the drosse of naturall corruption which by reason of our sins remaines within us Afflictions being sanctified saith Gregory will bring us to a true fight of our sinnes and so to a hearty sorrow for the same and Affliction will teach Humility even in the best of Gods Children as Job David Paul and a man that should but read Johes Booke Davids Psalmes and Saint Pauls Epistles he could not but wonder to thinke that ever they should have any mirth at any time c. If we put into the Ballance the afflictions of this life they will be found of no weight nor in any wise able to counterpoize the greatnesse of the reward for as I sayd before tribulation is but a passion and therefore small is the force thereof but glory is an action and therefore powerfull and encreaseth every moment This life passeth away swiftly and soone vanisheth therefore despaire not but strive to make they election sure which may be done if thou canst but believe and so labour and endeavour for the glory to come Esay 64.4 which hath no end and is full of sweet comfort and happinesse more then heart can think 1 Cor. 2.9 and endureth for ever and ever Oh therefore good Christian soule persevere constantly in a pure faith in Christ and therin labour to finish your course for great is your reward which God hath promised and Christ hath purchased if thou canst but believe in him And mark this also for thy future and eternall comfort that the life of a Christian cannot be without sin nor temptations for I dare say our profit and encrease in godlinesse is through temptations as St. Augustine saith and his reason there followeth for neither doth a man well know himselfe except he be tempted neither can he be crowned except he overcome neither can he overcome except he fight neither can he fight except he have enemies and temptations to encounter with Whence again note and observe that God useth divers instruments in tempting troubling and afflicting of his children for sometimes he useth the Devill as he did with Job sometimes wicked men he useth as a meanes as the talse witnesses against our Saviour and sometimes he useth other creatures but yet in all these there is a double comfort to Gods childe first that great and many are the troubles of the righteous and then secondly for their full comfort the Lord will deliver them out of all Psal 34.19 the Prophet doth not say he hath nor in the present doth but in the future shall Againe if ye observe the ends of afflictions therein also know that sometimes we are afflicted that we may be humbled and the pride of our hearts abated sometimes to the end that we may not fix our love upon this world sometimes they are sent to make us more zealous in good workes and sometimes they are sent for this end that pertaking with Christ in his sufferings we may also be glorified with him and herein remember how the Lord tryed Abraham in offering up his Son how he tryed Isaac Jacob and all the Patriarchs with many and hard peregrinations and think also how he tryed all the holy and godly Martyrs with scourges and torments with fire and faggot and thereby thinke imagine and know that the scourge of tribulation stirreth up the drowsie humbleth the proud purgeth the penitent and crowneth the innocent Againe know and understand that the Lord afflicteth his children for these ends that our faith thereby in the first place may be more pure holy and perfect even as gold out of the furnace Secondly that we might the better know our selves and our own frailnesse and weaknesse Thirdly in respect of others that so we might be examples of patience and constancy unto them Thus Christ proved the faith of Peter on the Sea and at his Passion and againe after his Resurrection And the Apostle Paul witnesseth that through his persecutions and bonds I say that thereby many of the brethren were imboldned and did more frankly speake the truth Philip. 1.14 even thorow my bonds saith he and hence proceeded those confident speeches of the Christians and holy Martyrs to their tyrants and persecutors saying torment us rack us condemne us breake us in pieces yet for all this your malice and iniquity it 's nothing to our hurt but for our joy and comfort it is nothing but the
patience and be content with Gods answer to Saint Paul 2. Cor. 12.9 My grace is sufficient for thee and my strength and power shall be made manifest in thy weakenesse and know that it is not for thy merits but for the merits and worthinesse of Christ that God freely accepts us And this is the very promise of God to those who are once his on whom he hath once bestowed those graces of the knowledge of Christ of fayth of repentance of regeneration and newnesse of life which thou canst not deny I thinke but at sometime to have beene in some measure in thee though hee suffers thee to fall into divers great and grievous temptations yea temptations of a very high nature yet hee will lay no more upon thee or them then he will make thee and them able to beare 1. Cor. 10.23 And though he suffer to be overcome for a time yet will he make a way to escape and will give grace of fayth and repentance by which they may bee reconciled and re-assured of the love of our heavenly Father Doubt not then to apply the promises of God in particular unto thy selfe upon repentance and comming unto Christ because there is no kinde of sinne which thou canst commit but the mercies of God in Christ are farre greater For that sinne against the holy Ghost thou canst not commit which is not any transgression of the Morrall Law eyther in generall or in particular eyther of ignorance or of infirmity or a sin committed wilfully or presumptuously and against a mans owne conscience though these be grievous sinnes but it is an universall and finall Apostacie or falling away from Christ I say it is a voluntary renouncing of the knowledge or known truth of the Gospel and a rebellious proceeding from the hatred of it being joyned with a tyrannicall sophisticall and hypocriticall oppugnation of the same when a man that hath beene enlightned with a true knowledge of Christ and is convinced in his conscience of the truth of it by the blessed Spirit and hath tasted of the good word of God Heb. 6.5 and of the powers of the world to come but it is only a taste for they that doe feede of these graces spiritually and doe digest them and are nourished by them to newnesse of life I dare say God will never suffer them to fall into this sinne when such an one I say shall afterwards universally and with a full consent fall from the truth deny Christ persecute him and though it be but in his members with reproaches despisings and taunts and so disdaine the sacrifice of his death and passion and continuing thus without repentance unto the end this is the sinne against the Holy Ghost Thus did Julian and other Apostats sinne and of these are that of the Apostle to be understood in Heb. 6.6.7.8 c. But to thy comfort whosoever thou art that art troubled with doubtings and so feares that heaven and the joyes thereof belong not unto thee This sinne I say thou canst not fall into being first ingrafted into Christ by fayth and for all other sinnes be they never so grievous yet remission is promised upon fayth and repentance and that freely not for the merit of thy faith or repentance but for the love and merits of Christ Why then shouldst thou not apply the generall promises of grace unto thy selfe in particular Come unto me sayth our blessed Saviour Matt. 11.28 all that are weary and heavy laden and I will refresh you This promise is generall But this thy owne conscience will tell thee that thou art weary and laden heavily with the burthen of thy sinnes and therefore thou mayest well conclude that comming unto Christ the promise of mercy belongs to thee Whosoever shall believe and be baptized shall be saved Mar. 16.16 this is a generall promise also But thy owne conscience will tell thee that thou art Baptized and that without our new fangled re-baptizings and that thou beleevest though it may be that thy faith is but weak but like a graine of mustard seed that is very small Matth. 7.20 yet if thou canst but say with the man in the Gospel I beleeve Lord helpe my unbeleefe Mar. 9.24 If thou canst but touch the hemme of Christs garment with the finger of fayth if thy hand of fayth by which thou mayst lay fast hold of him be wanting yet by this touch of Christ even but with the finger of fayth the vertue of Christ may flow foorth sufficiently to stop the bloudy issue of thy sinnes and to cure the maladies of thy soule and with this thou mayst truely apply the promises of grace unto thy soule Well then as you have seen since thou art and must be a Soldier whilest thou livest in the Camp or Field of the Church faint not at the sight of thine enemies though they be many and terrible but comfort thy selfe with this that as Elisha sayd to his servant in the 2. Kin. 6.16 there are more with thee then with them yea and though thou bee weake yet the stronger part is on thy side for thou hast God thy friend to send thee more ayd of grace if at any time thou art decayd in thy strength thou hast Christ a Conqueror thy Captaine under whose Banner thou doest fight thy friend and thou hast the blessed Spirit to encourage thee and though he may leave off to shew his favourable presence for a time yet will he not bee long absent from thee Though for a moment he hide his face yet with everlasting kindnesse will he have compassion on thee Esay 54.7.8 In a word thou hast being in Christ Myriads of Angels to accompany thee and the prayers of the Saints of the whole Church yea I say and of Christ himselfe at the right hand of his and our Father like the shouting of the Israelites to make the walles of Jericho the strength of their enemies to fayle Jos 6.20 And therfore faile nor but there goe on I advise thee with fayth and constancy to endure the combat and faint nor though thou hast many losses of grace many wounds by sinnes and by thy spirituall enemies for Christ being thy Captaine thou shalt certainely prove a Conqueror in the end But notwithstanding all this thou findest that thou art unable to apply the promises of mercy and free grace unto thy self or to doe it so weakely that feare is not altogether removed out of the heart Then as in the sicknesse of thy body thou art ready to seeke and to send to the Physitian for health of thy body that so he may apply somewhat unto thee for thy health and cure so must thou doe I say in the sicknesse of thy soule then thou must flie and seeke to Gods Minister for the Priests lips ought to preserve knowledge and thou must seeke the Law at his mouth saith the Lord by his Prophet Mal. 2.7 To him then thou must open the wounds of thy soule and all the
further and that most justly and truly to that our Church hath abolished as it was very fitting the Tyrannous and Antichristian abuse of Popish Auricular Confession which they very fondly thrust upon the souls of Christians as an expiatory sacrifice and a meritorious satisfaction for sinne racking their consciences to confesse when they feele or felt no distresse and to enumerate all their sinnes which is impossible that so by this meanes they might dive into the secrets of men and women which many times proved pernicious and hurtfull not only to private persons but also to publick States But to leave the Church of Rome to their fopperies let all good Christians be admonished to beware of their owne naturall corruptions which is a thing that is by nature in the best for all are in this point borne Papists and there is no man that hath not as Luther sayd a Pope in his belly a high conceit and opinion of his owne workes whereby we thinke wee tie God unto us and yet I dare say there is in us no reall vertue no true substance For wee can of right chalenge nothing at Gods hands be our workes never so good or excellent for before thy conversion what canst thou deserve when every of thy workes and actions are but as so many sinnes for to the impure all things are impure Tit. 1.15 And without fayth it is impossible to please God Heb. 11.6 And also after conversion all thy workes are tainted with sin whereas if they could merit or deferve then they must be absolutely good and righteous Oh then chalenge nothing for thy works sake for thou mayst know their imperfections and in begging any blessing from above from whence commeth every good and perfect gift Ja. 1.17 I say therein use no other plea but the freedome of Gods grace Let Papists lay claym unto them as they are servants but let us claym them as we are sonnes For know it is not Esaus riches nor Jesables birth nor Goliahs strength nor Achitophels wit nor Absolons beauty nor Sauls stature nor Dives fine Purple nor the Fooles great Barnes that can assure or certifie the soule of the favour of God for I dare say all these a man may have and yet bee of old ordayned for condemnation But as wee were I say thou must confesse thy sinnes and weaknesses as the Reverend Divine Mr. Perkins in his Case of Conscience observeth That so the Minister of God may pronounce the sentence of Absolution of thy free remission and reconciliation with God in Christ unto thee for as is shewed a little before the Minister hath the Keyes committed unto him for that end Joh. 20 22.23 and that hence thy hope and confidence in God may be confirmed which the Minister may truly doe if by thy confession he finds in thee the grounds and signes of fayth and repentance and heere in this small Tract I doubt not but fully hope that I have not spent my time in vaine but that some if not all that shall see and read it shall finde some comfort thereby unto their soules if thou be called and brought to repentance and fayth in Christ despayre not I will heere againe put you in minde of one ground of comfort more for or in stead of many and it is this That a desire to repent and beleeve in a touched heart and conscience is fayth and repentance it selfe for God accepteth the will for the deed as I sayd before though it bee not so in nature yet in Gods acceptation by and in Christ it is so And this is evident in the holy Scriptures first because if there bee a willing mind it is accepted not according to that a man hath not but according to that he hath 2. Cor. 8.12 And doth not God only call all that thirst and desire the waters of life yea and offers thereof freely Esa 55.1.2 I say if they doe but desire and thirst for it hee then promiseth to give it them freely Revel 21.6 and 22.17 And he will be as good as his word to us because his word and promise is to us Yea and Amen 2. Cor. 1.20 Seeing it is thus with the Lord that thou shalt be sure to receive and taste of these waters of comfort if thou wilt pray for it and expect with patience and tarry the Lords leasure for it then thou art and shalt be blessed in the desire of it for Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse for first or last they shall bee satisfied Mat. 5.6 And then blessed shalt thou bee in the happy possession of it hope well for if it were not for hope as it is in the Proverbe Heart would breake and pray heartily for it for I dare say Prayer is an excellent Antidote against any despayre temptation or assault whatsoever and no Prayer comparable to Christs which he hath taught us Mat. 6. But in a word for conclusion know Christian and loving Reader and despayre not For Christ is the doore to Heaven Faith is the locke of this doore and Prayer is the key to open this locke which may bee a great motive to keepe a man from despayre and therefore not to be distracted for these times though troubled with an unnaturall warre but in a word let me advise thee often and with zeale and fervency of spirit to turne this Key Prayer for as the body cannot live without the soule no more can the soule live without Prayer But for thy further satisfaction heerein I referre thee to a Sermon of mine entituled The great Estimate that redounds by Crosses and Afflictions The Text being but one word viz. Rom. 8.18 the word Afflictions as also to my Exposition on the Lords Prayer Thus blessed soule thou hast for thy comfort A Hand-kercheffe to wipe away all dolour and griefe or what may trouble thy soule or conscience for the miseries or calamities of the Times and a Directory to all happinesse To which God in his good time bring thee Amen FINIS