effectual pledges vnto vs as of Gods great fauor shed abroad into our harts so of the crowning of those his graces in vs with wondeâ—ful honour and glorious immortality at the last Lastlie it seemeth vnto me Of sin it self that eâ—en from sinne it selfe though not in it owne nature for so it is abhominable in the Lords sight o Haâ—aâ— 1.13 whose pure eies cannot sâ—e euill neither yet in the effects that commonly it bringeth foorth for so is it alwaies bytter making a fearefull p Isaiah 59.2 seperation betweene the Lord and vs hauing for the q Rom. 6 2â— wages of it eternal death and damnation yet euen in the heynousnes and heyght thereof being accompanied with gods fauour in the forgiuenes of the same we should may reap an inuincible argument of much consolation and singular comfort For wherein shal or can the mercy of God in this life so much appear towards his people as in pardoning the sinnes of his seruants To whom had they not offended neither could gods mercie that way foorth haue bin declared nor Christ for theÌ„ haue bin r 1. Tim. 3.16 God manifested in the flesh who therefore came into the world not to call s Math. 9.13 the righteous but sinners to repentaunce and did therefore appeare amongest men not onely that he might t 1 Ioh. 3.5.8 loose the works of the deuil but also that he might take away our sins Outward tokens of Gods fauour All the outward fauours that wee haue in this life if we should reckon theÌ„ vp one by one as for example creation preseruation health wealth c. or binde them all in a bundle together cannot so sensibly set before vs Gods loue because some of them are in some sort commoÌ„ to other creatures with men reach but to the bodie for the most part this time present onely the wicked many times beeing before Gods saintes in some of the same God also v Ps 17.14 filling their bellies with his hid treasure their children hauing inough and leauing inough of their substance for their children Spiritual graces Nay I will say more many of those spirituall graces that God vouchsaseth vnto his Church as h s worde sacraments praier of which the holy ghost saith he x Psal 147.19 sheweth his word vnto Iacob his statutes and his iudgments vnto Israell and he hath not dealt so with euerie nation doe not so plainâ—iy exâ—râ—sse the fauour and loue of the Lorde towardes hys people as the free pardon and full forgiuenesse of their transgressions the reason is because y Math 22.14 manye are called and fewe are chosen and diuers bee in the Churche that bee not of the Church This grace also extending it sâ—â—e not onelye to bodye and soule in says lyfe carrying with it comfort and the peace of a good conscience here but reaching euen vnto the life that is to come eternal saluation and life euerlasting being an inseperable companion to the forgiuenesse of our sinnes And that we might the better be perswaded that this is a verie speciall fauour God himselfe taketh vpon himself as a principall point of his glory this great worke of forgiuing laying z â—saiah 42.25 I euen I am he that putteth away thine iniquities for my owne sake and will not remember thy sinnes And in an other Prophet rehearsing the graces that he will vouchsafe vnto his people in the newe Testament he reckoneth vp this as the last and chiefest a Iere 31 34. I wil forgiue their iniquitie b Rom. 5.20 and remember their sinne no more that beeing true here that the Apostle saieth that where sinne abounded there grace abounded much more To conclude then good Madam out of all that is gone before The coâ—clusion Sâ—â—h in thys poynt of the forgiuenes of sins God who is greater than al is b Rom 8 3 on our side therefore wee neede not care who be agaynst vs Iesus Christ standeth for vs who is c Math 3 17 his dearely beloued sonne in whome onely hee is well pleased and thorow whome he hath d 2 Cor 3 19 reconciled the world vnto himselfe the word generally partâ—cularly the promises in the same which are in Iesus Christ e 2 Cor 1 20 yea and amen speake comfoâ—table things vnto vs the holy sacramentes ordeined by God for the strengthning of our weake faith seale vp that great and gracious fauor vnto vs the disâ—pline and voyce of the Church which is the f 1 Tim 3 16 piller ground of trueth and as it were Gods owne voyce from heauen confirmeth it the particular examples oâ— his saintes hauing in former time found it and felt it true doe ratifie and confirme the same the peculiar fauoâ—s that God hath giuen vs our selues in this life and namely faith g 2 Thess 3 2 which all men haue not with the sound truâ—tes thereof doe pledge it vp and that god that maketh the h Psal 76 10 rage of men to turne to his praise and in the beginning commaâ—nded i 2 Cor. 4 6 the light to shine out of darkenesse now maketh sin to serue for the magnifying and manifesting of his mercie and the comfort and good of his children who is it that can distrust or rather who hath not iust cause with the Apostles and saintes of God to sing and say k 1. Cor. 15.54.55.56.57 death is swallowed vp into victorie O deathe where is thy sting O graue where is thy victorie The sting of death is sinne and the strength of sinne is the lawe But thanks be to God which hath giuen vs victorie thorow our Lord Iesus Christ And againe l Rom. 8 38 39. I am perswaded that neyther death nor life nor angels nor principalities nor powers nor thinges present nor thinges to come nor height nor depâ—h nor anie other creature shal be able to separate vs froÌ„ the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Thus good Madame I haue as your honour seeth plainely deliuered my poore iudgement in this worthie point touching the comfortable feeling of the forgiuenesse of sinnes and some such assured seales and pledges of the same as by m Deut. 17 18 19 Ioshua 1 8 Psalm 1.2 Iohn 5 39 dayly reading of the holie scriptures and continuall meditation in the same holie duties that I and all other christians of what qualitie or calling so euer are bound vnto by Gods word to performe and woulde to God all did it as may knowe and confesse it the Lorde in much fauor I freely confesse it hath bene pleased in the dayes of my distresse to manifest to me miserable man that I am and that not onely for instruction and comfort vnto my self alone for God neuer bestoweth anie grace vpon vs much lesse such excellent fauors to that ende onely but for the good and consolation of others who being n 2
LARGE LETTERS Three in number containing much necessarie matter for the instruction and comfort of such as are distressed in conscience by feeling of sinne and feare of Gods wrath WRITTEN HEERETOfore by T. W. for some deare friends of his and now published and printed for the raising vp of such as labor vnder the heauie burthen of an afflicted Spirite PSAL. 42.11 â—â—y art thou cast downe my soule and why art thou disquieted within me wait on God for I will yet giue him thanks hee is my present hâ—lpe and my God AT LONDON Printed by Roger warde for Thomas Man 1589. TO HIS FAITHFVLL friends and verie deare brethren in Christ Mast Roger Ofield Robert Washborne George Smith Thomas Shipton Iohn Field Robert Iones Iohn Harper Iohn Hounsell and all the rest of his Christian acquaintaunce in London as well as though they were particularlie named together with all those that els where in the land vnfaignedly feare the Lord and looke for the glorious appearing of his sonne and our sauiour T. W. wisheth all spirituall goodnes heauenly comfort in this life and in the end the eternall glorification of their bodies and soules in euerlasting blisse through Christ MY loue in the Lorde and the affectioÌ„s of my hart in him haue bin in some measure of soundnes I humbly thanke God for it in Christ strongly carried generallie tovvardes all the Israell of GOD wheresoeuer and more particularlye tovvardes you my good Breethren vvhereof ouer and besides the assured testimony of mine owne soule I haue for faithful witnesses the Lord himselfe in heauen and many of his saints vppon earth and amongst others you your selues Causes leading me hereto are manye but as in respect of God none more powerfull than his grace and holy spirite shed abroad into my heart and as in regard of you none more effectuall than sundry sincere fruites of your faith and the comfortable feeling of the communion of saints in which holy fellowship standeth not onely the spiritual felicity and good of the whole bodie but the very ioy and contentment also of euerie sounde member therein For outward kindnesses that I haue receiued from you I must will euerie where acknowledge my selfe much beholding vnto you And yet this I may vvith all boldnes professe that as that is not the onâ—ly or principall cause moueing me to affect you so though I haue beene beholding to you all yet not to all alike but to some more than to other some Which also I rehearse not now either to breed anie disdaine or emulation in you one of you towards another for that vvere to breake the bond of charity and vnitie of the spirit or to lessâ—n any fauour though neuer so small that I haue receiued from you for that wer to depriue you of your praise and to declare my selfe ingratfull nor craftilie clavving after the maner of the vvorld to craue newe benefiâ—es for that vvere nothing els but deceit and flatterie to procure mine own good from all vvhich corruptions I haue hitherto as in respect of my selfe and you through Gods goodnesse beene graciouslie freed But to let you vnderstand that your benefits haue not bene bestowed vpon an vnskilfull or an thankefull person but vpon such a one as by the light that he hath receiued from God hath vveighing them in an equal ballance esteemed of them according to the goodnes of the gift and the christian affection of the Partie giuing The thinges indeede which haue most speciallye lincked mee fast in the Lorde vnto you are your precious faith towards God vnfaigned loue to the saints christian consciences amongest your selues and holie praiers in presence and absence one of you for an other and all of you I am assured for the holy causes and faithfull members of the whole Church and amongest the rest euen for me pore and wretched man that I am In which duties of yours as my heart hath greatly reioiced in the lord for the graces that in great mercy he hath bin pleased to vouchsafe vnto you I my selfe haue as in some sort though not to the ful in regard of your spirituall fauours performed to me by reson of weaknesse and wants in my selfe aunswered them again with the like I write not as a vaine glorious boaster so I doubt not but that therby God him selfe hath receiued glorie at your hands his childreÌ„ goten much good and you your selues reaped a gracyous measure and increase of religyous knowledge and dutifull obedience As for the worldly fauours that you haue shewed me and bodily benefites that vvay I confesse my selfe to be far behind hand with you and much indebted in deed though not in affection surely and readinesse of good vvill for so my heart is verie large in humilitie I speake it neyther will I wish better witnesses of it than your selues yet in regard of action vvherein still my griefe groweth great and increaseth daily vpon me as vvell by the feare that I haue of my future wants as by the feeling of my former and present disabilities Hovvbeit sith thys is the Lords doing and that he is pleased thereby to sift me and to sound you mee for my patience and comfortable induring of these necessities and you for your faithfull obedience and vnfaigned loue I can not but vvith some measure of spirituall ioy vndergoe mine owne lacks and againe recomfort my spirites because hauing to deale vvith God and his seruaunts vvho haue learned from his holie example greater than all exception to accept of men according to that they haue and not according to that they haue not I rest resolued my good vvill shall bee accounted as a deed specially sith I am ready euery vvhere vvithout flatterie in my self or favvning vpon you to acknovveledge to the glorie of God and the good of his people the great good turnes that by you I haue receiued euen from the Lords ovvne handes And yet gladly vvould I if I could tell hovve some vvay recompence though not all yet som part peece thereof And in that respect indeede haue I long looked vvished for as some good occasion from you wherin it might haue pleased you all or any of you to haue imployed and vsed me to my pore vttermost So some sufficiencie in my selfe at the leastwise in some mean measure to haue requited that ouerflowing heape of your kindnes and holy loue But hitherto I deliuer it with my griefe of heart as a man sensiblie seeing and feeling gods hand vpon my selfe both that and other waies also my expectation and hope hath bene frustrat and my power very short and skant A small thing the Lorde vvas pleased some years ago to inable me in two or three Letters to performe for the comfort of some of my christian acquaintance whose conflicts in conscience vvere great and many which lying by mee vvith some other simple thinges that I haue done and I beeing earnestly requested to make that coÌ„mon to many which was written for
euen such doubtles is the state and condition of many distressed in conscieÌ„ce and amongst the rest your case particularlie wherein whatsoeuer you say of your selfe or vtter against your selfe yet I â—t many other though not the best phisitions yet your vnfeigned familiars that haue nowe a long time knowne you in God and his trueth haue seene in you since the daie and hower of our firste acquaintaunce vntill this present time and yet still doe beho de such euidencie clearnes of the graces of Gods spirite notwithstanding your long and continuall complaintes as all the smoke â—muther mystes and fogges and whatsoeuer els els that Sathan by him selfe and his suppostes hath or can cast out against you shall neuer bee able to take away the cleare sight of them from vs or mooue vs so much as once to doubt of the comfortable reuiuing of them in you euen vnto eternall lyfe And I hope wee haue the spirit of God and by the grace thereof as also by the light of his Woorde and experience that hee hath giuen vs are able to deserue some thinge in this behalfe though not so well in others as in our selues for that shall wee neuer bee able to doo yet in others also Wherefore to make an end where I began Be of good comfort good sir I beseech you and waite with patience the Lords ioyfull appearing whose you are doubtles and whereof you may be assured because you haue him x Rom. 8.31 on your side therefore not feare who shal or can be against you because also you haue his children standing with you and for you not onely suffering the same afflictions in bodie and soule that you do and so learning by themselues to remeÌ„ber you in bonds as those that are bound with you but with all holie comfort as in respect of your selfe and with all earnest praier as in regard of the Lord ayding you to their vttermost yea because he that z Iames. 1.17 Gracs from God bestowed on his elect is free from shaddowe of tyranny hath bestowed so many excellent graces of his his vpoÌ„ you as sound knowledge stedfast faith vnfained loue christian patience and a notable measure of holie obedience to his blessed trueth although that in some of these many go before you yet in al of them I hardly know any of my godly acquaintance in Christ that goeth beyond you And yet farther you may the more certainely perswade your selfe of the trueth of this point because you haue cast him so dear a peece euen the hart blood of his best beloued sonne whom he hath giuen as for the testification of his singular loue towardes man so to this end also a Iohn 3.16 that euerie one that beleeth in him shall not perish but haue eternal life And if that which men buy dear they esteem precious and cannot abide at any hand to haue it perish surely God will not see that lost that hee loueth so tenderlie and which he hath redeemed to him selfe with so great and high a ransome b 1. Pet. 1.18 yea with such and excellent an most pretious iewell To all which if you wil ad the manifold victories that here to foâ—e he hath giuen you against sinne and sathan and all their cruell and craftâ—e assaultes he euen then as it weâ—e most miraculously deliuering you wâ—en neither you nor any for you could so much as once dreame of a way much lesse beholde it how you mighte scape certainlie you may take it as the voice of God from heauen that hee will not now specially sith hee hath vouchsafed you so many mercifull meanes of a ioifull deliueraunce throwe you off or taste you awaye but deale rather with you as hee dooth with other his seruauntes c Phillip 1.6 make perfâ—ct in you the good thing that he hath begunne in you euen vntill the day of Iesus Christ and cause you d Act. 24.22 thorow manifold tribulations to enter into his owne kingdome e 1. Cor. 9.25 2. Tim 4.8 Iâ—mes 1.12 1. pet 5.4 and crowne you there with eternall glorie And what though you thinke it long before the Lord come in comfort to you yet knowe f 2. pet 3. that the Lord is not slack concerning his promise as some men count slacknes but that hee that will come wil come quicklie and wil not tarie His nature is not g psal 103.9 alwaies to bee chiding neither vvill he keepe his anger for euer as the Prophete saith Ioseph woulde not continuallie dissemble his tender affection towards his vnkinde brethren but must of necessitie h Gen. 43 30. breake forth into teaâ—es and weepe vpon Beniamins necke And shall wee thinke that the Lord is lesse compassionate If wee doo so we belie God and dallie with yea deceiue our owne soules I denie not but he maie for a time indeede hâ—de his louing countenance from vs Exâ—d 33 23. and shewe vs after a sorte as it were his darke partes and that the better eyther to prooue our patience in trying howe wee canne for a while forbeare that which wee exceedinglie desire and as it were hunger and thirst after or else to cause vs the more highlie to esteeme of the same For this is naturallie in vs in the continuance of Gods fauours to make little account thereof Howbeit this wee may assure our seâ—â—ues of that though k psal 30 5 vveeping may abide at euening yet ioy shall come in the morning l psal 89 2â— and that his louing kindnesse hee vvill not take from vs for euer nor falsifie the vvoord yea the oath that is gone out off hys mouth And mee thinketh that heereof you not onelye amongest but aboue manye other shoulde bee throughlie perswaded as well by the viewe of your owne estate as by the consideration of his most gracious nature wee beleeue his mercies yea you beleeue them to bee so greate yea so infinite that they cannot bee as a man would say conteyned within himselfe but must of necessitie ere long euen as continuall springing fountaines that will ouerflowe all and make euerie thinge fruitful and pleasaunt where they come breake foorth and shewe themselues not onely generallie to all but in a speciall maner to some chieflie m Esay 66.2 to those that are poor of contrite spirits treÌ„ble at his word n 62.3 and mourn in Sion for to such is it in verie deede that the Lorde vvill looke and haue a speciall regard Amongest the which sith if I knowe any you your selfe may iustlie bee numbred you can not but beleeue that you shall haue a plentifull portion of thys ouerflowing fauour because you bee as certaynelye inrolled in that number as if your name were particulerlye put down And as for your state you and wee together knowe it to bee long tedious and hard where in notwithstanding you ought to comfort your selfe because you are assured of this and that not only by
shall deliuer me from the bodie of this death By fearefull effectes Thirdly the fearefull effectes that the one bringeth foorth more than the other it taking for the time appetite from the stomake sleepe from the eye hearing from the eare and all maner of delight lawfull and vnlawfull outward and inward from the whole man as particular examples of Gods saintes doe manifestly shewe for which see the places quoted in the margine Psal 77.2.3.4 c. Psal 102.3.4 5.6.7 c. and some such like and experience in our selues if euer we haue bene in that estate or the condition of other men if wee haue heedily obserued it will sufficiently warrant the same vnto vs. Neither yet are these thinges propounded to dismaie and discourage those that are after that sorte exercised for surely their afflictions and troubles be hard and heauie inough and indeede doe rather craue all maner of comfort than anie depressing at all their sinne and the sight of the same with the apprehension of Gods iustice and iudgement against them for it beeing as the Prophet saith in another Psalme vz. 38.4 gone ouer their head and become as a weightie burthen to heauie for thē to beare or to throwe downe aboue measure when they come to it such as haue not entred into that course or combate For howsoeuer as yet they haue not felt weakenesse or wantes in themselues or Gods strength assisting them agaynst sinne yet then shall they finde that true that the Apostle sayth d 1. Cor. 10.13 that God is faithull and will not suffer them to bee tempted aboue that they are able but will euen giue the issue with the temptation that they may be able to beare it or to stop anie from striuing to yeeld to particular persons in that distresse anie reliefe or comfort that God hath giuen them themselues for that were to cause them to neglect the best duties of holie loue towardes men in their miserie we being enioyned by the Lord to e Galat. 6.2 beare one an others burthen f Rom. 12 15 and to weepe with them that weepe and to depriue themselues of comfort in the daies of the like daunger for howe can they looke to be pitied that haue had no care to expresse the same to others But rather to comfort them that are afflicted and that euen in the greatnesse of their griefe whilest they see no g ◠Cor 10 13 other temptation to haue taken holde of them but such as appertaineth to man yea to the best men that haue bene in this life which also the greater they are the more are they therein conformed vnto the h Rom 8.17 image of the sonne of God Iesus Christ in his sufferinges who patiently vnderwent and mightily ouercame not onely for himselfe but for vs all that that we beare but in part yet shal at the last thorow him be in and of the same i 29 more than conquerours and to prepare others before they come into those conflicts that so neither an imagination of their own strēgth neuer as yet assaied nor a conceit of the weake force of the foe neuer well felt nor the vnwontednesse of the troubles that they must indure nor the greatnesse or length of the trials that they are to sustain k Ephes 6.10 11. c. nor any other thing whatsoeuer may cast thē downe much lesse ouercome them but prouoke thē rather to be prepared in the strēgth of God the power of his word and the might of his spirite valiantly to encounter with the same l Luke 21 2◠lifting vp their heads harts knowing that the time of their redemption draweth nigh to excite and stir vp the last sort in al christian pitie bowels of compassion to inlarge thēselues to their vttermost yea beyond it if they coulde tell howe towards such afflicted soules that so according to the m 2. Cor. 1.4 consolations which they themselues haue receiued from God they may minister comfort vnto others distressed perswading themselues further of this that the more hard the cure and worke is speciallie if they feele the same left them as a spurre to pricke them forward the more glorie shall thereby rebound vnto God the n Phillip 2.13 Iames. 1.17 onely worker and giuer of all good thinges and the more comfort to themselues whome God hath bin pleased to vse as worthie instrumentes that not in some meane affaire or businesse but in this great dutie of comforting the distressed o Iud. 23. and sauing them with feare pulling them out of the fire Nowe as by that which hath bin alreadie deliuered wee may sensibly see a difference betweene bodily afflictions and the inward sorrowes of a troubled spirite so it is not to be doubted but that euen amōgst those inward griefs temptations and assaultes that such indure some are more sharpe and sore than other some though indeede the least and shortest of them be verie grieuous to flesh and bloud or to speake as the Apostle doth p Heb. 12 11 no chastisement for the present seemeth to bee ioyous but grieuous rather I will not say to bear for I suppose verily euerie man will confesse it but euen to thinke of which were the point doubtfull wee might labour to proue but being a manifest and confessed trueth it shall not be amisse to spare that pains and to trauaile in that which is somewhat more hard and may be of much better vse Amongest those troubles of the inward man that are greatest indeede none in my simple iudgement fitteth more nigh to or pincheth or presseth more hard the hearts of the deare saints and seruauntes of God in the dayes of their fleshe and combating than the sight or memorie of the fearefull sinnes that they haue committed against hys blessed maiestie which also as they aggrauate vnto themselues not onely in their owne nature that is to say as they are sinnes and violations or breaches of the law of God but in the circumstances of time place persons and maner of doing as that they were committed in the daies of knowledge publikely and by men of great note name c. all which doth adde vnto iniquitie causeth the same to be more grieuous so they increase it vnto thēselues as in regard of the bitter effects they bring forth as separation between God and man a taint and curse vpō the creatures horror of heart in our selues infirmities vpon the flesh temporall eternall death both of bodie and soule without great grace singular fauor from almighty god c. in all which respects the weake heart had neede to be g Can. 2.5 1. Thess 5.14 stayed least it faint and fall downe without hope of rysing vp and the wounded spirite calleth indeede for some of the wine and oyle of God to be powred thereinto least otherwise it fester and become irrecouerable But against al and euery one of these though sore assaultes
the holie commandementes of it call vs and in the comfortable promises thereunto adioyned and conteyned therein allowe vs that notwithstanding the haynousnesse and heauinesse of our sinnes yea the rather for that because without the sense of it neither can we well perceiue our owne estate and miserie nor effectually feele the excellencie and riches of Gods mercie and fauour to n Iames. 4. draw nigh vnto God that so he may draw nigh vnto vs who neuer thrusteth them backe much lesse driueth them awaie that come vnto him In the olde testament none seemeth vnto me more plaine and pregnant then these that are in the book of the prophet I say the holie ghost ther saying o Isay i 18 Come now and let vs reason together saith the lord though your sinnes were as crymosin they shal be made white as snow though they were redde as Scarlet they shall be as wooll And in an other place p Isay 55.1 biddeth euery one that is thirstie come ye to the waters and ye that haue no siluer come buy eat Come I say buy wine and milke without siluer and without money In the new Test And in the new Testament these of our sauiour Christ which is the eternall wisedome of the eternall father are most comfortable and sweet sayings q Math. 7.7 Aske and it shall be geuen you seeke and ye shall find knocke and it shall bee opened vnto you and againe r Math. 11.28 Come vnto me all ye that are wearie and heauie laden and I will ease you Take my yoake on you c. and you shal find rest vnto your soules for my yoke is easie my burthen light What can be more lightfull or delightfull By this commandement we knowe that our comming to him shall bee accepted of him for hee commaundeth not the dooing of that which he abhorreth And by the promises wee are incouraged yea assured to receiue because s Mat. 5. â—1 no one iot or tytle of his woord much lesse his faithful promises shal fall to the ground it is yet more and more coÌ„firmed vnto vs in the person of of him that speaketh it I meane Iesus Christ who being t Iohn 1.18 in the bosome of the father hath fully reuealed him al his wil vnto vs. As for the sacraments The Sacraments the end why the they were ordayned the very cause end of their institution doth propound comfort vnto vs in this point they being ordained by God appointed to be administred in his Church not only to put vs in mind of him and his graces but to be as helpes aides to guide our weak faith to Christ himselâ—e yea to make vs partakers of him all his merites specially the forgiuenes of our sins In whoÌ„ sith there is not onely of himselfe all fulnesse but that that also is true v Iohn 1 â—6 which is els where spoken in the Scripture of him that of his fulnesse wee haue all receiued and grace for grace that is grace vpon grace or graces heaped one vppon another or as a man woulde saie all aboundaunce of all manner of grace we may assure our selues that with him and in him we shall finde thys grace of the forgiuenesse of sinnes and eternall life also because as there is no other sacrifice for remission of sinnes but he alone as the Apostle plainelie proueth in the epistle to the Hebrues so ther is no other x Act 4. i2 name geuen vnder heauen wherein men must bee saued but the name of Iesus That which is spoken indefinitlie of both the sacraments together shal better appeare in the particular consideratâ—on of them by theÌ„selues and a part Concerning baptisme Gods spirit in many places affirmeth that it Baptisme saueth vs which yet least any shold ty to the deed done c Mark 16.16 it adioineth with it faith the z Titus 3.5 renuing that is wrought in vs by the holy ghost termeth it a 1. Peter 3.21 not a putting away of the filth of the flesh but a confident demanding that a good coÌ„science maketh to god which yet it could not do without forgiuenes of sins before going b â— Cor. 15.50 for flesh blood cannot inherit eternal life but to what end we vrge this sith Peter Acts 2 saith be baptised euerie one of you in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sinnes And that which the seruant sayth yet by the spirite of God touching Baptisme that the maister himselfe d Iohn 4.34 The Supper who hath not the spirite by measure auoucheth in plaine tearmes touching the supper saiing e Math. 26.28 this is my bloud of the newe testament that is shed for many for the remission of sinnes And that the holie Discipline of the Church it selfe Discipline of the Church should affoord vs much comfort against this temptation who is it that either can will or dare denie that will either consider the author of it euen God himselfe in Iesus Christ f Psal 56.5.15 most inclinable to mercy and of great goodnes or the endes whereunto it was ordayned it being appointed not onely for the preuention of euill g 2. Thes 3.14 in the seuerall members and whole bodie but for the h 1. Tim. 5.20 gaining of men vnto God euen after sinne and transgression hath enâ—red or preuailed they being i 1. Cor 5.5 chastised a little in this life that their soules might bee saued in the daie of Christ or the persons exercising or executing the same that is the Church and such woorthie men therein as the Church from among theÌ„selues for their rare excellent graces bestowed vpon them from God haue choout vnto themselues who hauing not onelie the promise of the presence of god that is that k Mark 18.20 whersoeuer two or three are gathered together in his name hee is in the middest of them but also the assistance and direction thereof for where the spirite is there is power also ready to receiue admit vpon repentance euen as the Lord himselfe whereof that we our selues might be the better assured the holy ghost hath bin pleased to coÌ„mit into their handes and to giue vnto them power also l Iohn 20.23 to absolue to loose such as are bruised in spirite and touched with a godlie sorrow for their sin yea for the further strengthening of our weake faith therein hee hath not onelie graunted them and vs together with them his most certaine promise m Mat. 18.18 that whatsoeuer they loose on earth shall be loosed in heauen hee meaning thereby a most sufficient and full confirmation thereof ratifieng it as verelie to our spirites euen as though we had heard hys owne voyce speaking vnto vs out of the cloudes but also hath left vs some example of it in the Woord and that not of one man committing some smal transgression or petie sinor offence as wee
as a naturall passion for so that condition they haue common wyth the wicked of the world Of the feare of the Godly and some of the creatures of God Where it â—â—seth as hath in part bene prooued alreadie but prooceedeth also from an vnfaigned loue and a sincere reuerence of God his maiestie and whatsoeuer generallie is in him more particularlie his iudgementes groweth beeing shead abroade into their heartes and effectually planted continued and increased in them thorow the holy exercises of his word and powerfull working of hys blessed spirit accompanieng the same they beeing also styrred vppe thereto not for worldlye respectes or carnall considerations Continueth as shame before men or outward punishment that they must vndergoe for sinne committed or transitory glorie which they must forgoe and loose c. as the wicked and vngodlie but vpon holy regardes euen as wel be seemeth Gods saintes and seruauntes noâ— onelie professing but sincerelie imbracing godlinesse namely for that they haue set God against them selues not as a iudge sharpe and seuere but as a most louing tender father the remembraunce whereof euen in that respect as vnto them as if it wer the darts of death and the sensible feeling for the time of the verie panges and paines of hell and the state of the damned there being litle or no difference betweene the one the other but as in regard of length of time of this life present and the causes moouing such distresse in also which they are lead not so much to respect themselues for many of them in vnfeigned loue to others haue after a sort desired their own destruction as the glorie of God their most gracious father the honour of that blessed religion which they professe and loue of others that not onely in the flesh but also in the faith are deare and precious vnto them fearing indeede least all or any of these should in them or by them bee any manner of way though neuer so smallie wounded or hurte hauing alwayes and that in such a portion as God seeth fit for his glorie and their good notwithstanding their manifold wantes and vnwoorthynesse that pretious gifte of faiâ—h which as it commeth from God alone and is begun continued and encreased in his children by the ministerie of preaching perticipation of the sacramentes and powerfull working of his owne spirit so is it peculiar to the elect onelie to appropriate Gods mercies vnto them selues for the coÌ„fort of their own soules and to sanctifie as other things â—o them so this naturall feare within them and to keepe it in so that it bâ—eake not forth either into sinne against God or offence before men And as concerning the effectes or fruites the which they yeeld and bring foorth which is the seconde difference betweene them wee shall find as great ods and diuersitie as in the causes whereof also there is good reason because such as the cause is such is the effecte which who is it almost that knoweth not and then the causes being sundrie the effectes likewise must be so too Concerning the feare that is in the wicked it either maketh them frefull in themselues as we may see by that little quietnesse they haue whether they be at home or abroad sleepâ—ng or waking in sicknesse or in health The effects of feâ—â—◠〈◊〉 the wiâ—ked their life being nothing els but a sea of continuall troubles which fire though they seeme for a time to rake vp vnder the ashes of counterfeyt rest and dissembled ease In themselues yet will it at the length breake foorth as a mightie flame to consume them or els causeth them to be much disquiet towardes others â—owards oâ—â—ers they plainely bewraying the same either by some hard woordes or sharpe deedes or furious countenances that many times not onely against them whom they cannot abide but against them also that in manifolde respectes should be dear vnto them as their wiues that lie in their bosomes theâ—r children that issue out of their loines their frieÌ„ds that be as themselues their seruauntes that haue walked dutifullie towardes them c. Impacience or murmuring against God Or prouoketh them to bee impatient and murmuring euen against God himselfe not only because his hand for sinne lieth hard heauy vpon them but also because they can see or finde no way how eyther to soften or to shift or to auoid the same For though they seek to run away would gladly flie if they could tell how from the face presence of his eternal maiesty as we may see in our first h Gen. 3.8 parents Adam and Heuah and in the practise of all ages and euen of this present time who bitten as it wer with the teeth wounded with the dart of this deadly feare do not only faint in theÌ„selues and i Dan. 5.6 strike their knees together but manifest to men by sorrowful sighes lamentable coÌ„plaints yea and desperate dealings also sometimes against their own soules bodies that without any remorse of heart or godlie griefe at all whereof wee haue manyfold examples both in the holye scrpitures other writers also knowne I am sure vnto you so well exercised in the word as I take and iudge you to be yet they know there is no way to escape his reuenging hand against them for their sinnes and Rom. 2.5 hart that cannot repent and that is it that increaseth their feare and augmenteth their wo and causeth them to enter into these furious both wordes and deeds Th'effectes of feare in the godly But the â—eâ—e that is in the godly being yet notwithstanding mingled both with hope and ioy as we may perceiue by the Apostles wordes who speaking of the faithfull-saith l 2. Cor. 4 8 We are afflicted on euerie side yet are we not in distresse we are in doubt but yet we despaire not and by that which is reported in the gospell of the women which came to Christes sepulâ—hâ—e of whom the Euangeâ— st Matthew affirmeth that m Math 28.8 they dâ—parted with fear In themselues great ioy maketh them in the daies of their prosperitie considering in what a ticklysh estate In the daies of prosperitie they are and howe easily caried into pride against men I time of aâ—uersitie and forgetfulnesse of God carefull and watchfull ouer themselues ta walke in a good conscience before God and men according to the measure of mercies both past and present that they haue receiued from God and causeth them in the middâ—st of their distresses weighing how quicklie by the remainders of since they may be thrust into impatiencâ—e to labour the attaining of a quiet spirite within themselues beeâ—ng assured that n Râ—m â— 28 all things shall worke toge her to the best for them that loue and feare God yea it prouoketh them to be humble lowly yea and that in all sound maner towards others before